Tepo watched Yerive, realizing that his best friend’s thoughts were spiraling wildly.

“Come down for now. I already have some thoughts.”

“Ok, ok…”

“We probably can’t really influence the big picture. But what we can do is looking after Parton and your family.”

“My family? What is with your mother?”

“To be honest, my mother has a powerful guardian nearby. I don’t fear for her safety.

Chances are pretty good that she even remembered your family and brought them to safety.”

Although Yerive’s mother refused Tepo’s help before, the young man still secretly reminded his own mother.

Now as war broke out in their home world, Reahva most likely thought about Yerive’s parents before escaping together with Radac.

“Really? Where did this guardian come from?”

I don’t know. They wouldn’t tell me. But you know him.”

“I do?”

“Yes, it’s Grandpa Radac.”

Yerive blinked rapidly, looking at Tepo with incredulous eyes.

“Radac… is a strong warrior?”

“Yeah.”

“O…k. I guess that’s a welcome surprise.”

Tepo nodded as he got back on topic:

“So that’s the situation.

What do you plan on doing?”

“I… still want to go. I need to make sure my parents are safe and also speak to Parton.

He was always the least aggressive of as all. If Parton says he doesn’t want to fight in the war, we need to help him.”

“Good. But this will definitely be a dangerous trip. We need to be mentally prepared!”

Suddenly Droa’va stood up, a steady look in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Tepo. We know what we are doing.”

“We?”

“Babe, you…?”

“Hmm? What are you looking at me like this? Of course I’m coming with you!”

“No! This is way too dangerous!”

Yerive’s eyes were wide open as he vehemently refused his girlfriend.

“Hmpf. If you are going, I’m going too. Don’t forget that you are the aspirant while I’m a mid-ranked acolyte.”

“Yeah, but…”

“No buts!”

His lips quivering faintly, Yerive swallowed any further refusals. He knew that he couldn’t persuade Droa’va once her eyes showed such sternness.

“Thanks, babe.”

“That’s better.”, chuckled Droa’va.

Tepo didn’t know how to feel at the moment. He would never be able to fully trust a member of a church.

But still, Droa’va’s help as a strong healer might prove invaluable. As long as she didn’t turn into a bloodthirsty, crazed monster midfight, Tepo would welcome her for now.

“Ok. We can need your help. Thanks, Droa’va.”

“Oh? Coming from you, this means quite a lot, doesn’t it?”

Tepo felt irked as he looked at the woman’s bright smile.

“Ok. This is still a war and no laughing matter. You guys prepare everything quickly. I would like to leave as fast as possible.”

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Sure.”

***

Meanwhile, preparations were undergoing elsewhere as well.

Within a large palace in the Rocky Cloud City. Three people were gathered in a large room.

Light shone in through crystal clear windows, highlighting pieces of paper chaotically pinned to the opposite wall. Detailed information on various strong warriors belonging to the Tamed Storms Army could be learned from them.

At a long table in the room’s center gathered three people.

A woman with bone-like hair and white skin sat to the left. She was a rare mixed-blood between ruw and human.

Opposite her was a man with a rough face, proudly showing of his arms decorated with scars.

Both of them had agitated faces, arguing in front of the tall, solemn man sitting at the head of the table.

“Provincial Lord Penrinn. Please give the order to attack! Don’t let them besiege the city!”

The scarred man exclaimed loudly, just about to punch the table but holding himself back at the last moment.

Opposite him, the woman shook her head heavily:

“Commander Charal! Have you gone crazy? Even if we attack, we will get a pyrrhic victory at best. Our losses will be astronomical!”

“So what? Commander Lequev, we can’t turtle up in the city! The capital tells us to hold on, but who knows when reinforcements will arrive?!

If the city is breached beforehand, it will be over for us!

I say it only makes sense to attack!”

“But…”

“Enough, commanders!”

As soon as the provincial lord spoke up in his deep voice, the two commanders didn’t dare to argue further.

“We will follow Charal’s suggestion! Lequev, you will assist him in every way! Right now, we have to stay united to make it through! Dismiss!”

Commander Lequev let out a sigh, immediately leaving the room, with Charal following not far behind.

Even though they were of differing opinions, now that the decision was made, both commanders knew what to do and immediately went to order their subordinates.

In a temporary command center, the door suddenly opened, with Lequev coming in. A small man in silver armor followed obediently behind her.

“Commander? How did the meeting go?”

Lequev sighed deeply as she shook her head.

“Relay my orders. Spread a massage through the city. All warriors participating in the upcoming offensive will be rewarded according to their contributions.

Warriors not belonging to the kingdom can sign up at the command center.”

The personal assistant stared at the commander’s back. He knew their plan had been rejected.

Nevertheless, in the military orders were everything.

“Yes, sir!”

As soon as the assistant left the room, a low sound could be heard from a chair in the corner.

The commander turned her head with a complicated expression, looking at the male ruw who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

“Lequev. Do you see it now? Those human kingdoms don’t value you!

The lord has personally asked me to contact you, recognizing your strategic talent.

Why do you waste your time, and maybe even life, here?”

“Sontral. I already refused you before…”

“No, you didn’t!”

Suddenly the commander fell silent, knowing that the spy was correct.

“Give me some time to think.”

“Of course. Just don’t lose your life in this war. It wouldn’t be worth it!”

Elsewhere, on a streetcorner two inconspicuous figures met seemingly at random.

“Good day, Sir.”

“Ahh, good day indeed.”

However, while those figures proved their ability to hold meaningless conversations, their minds were connected by a rare spell, allowing them to exchange their real thoughts.

“Everything went as predicted!”

“Good! We didn’t misjudge the provincial lord. How could he hide like a turtle in a shell?”

“Right! It would have been such a pity. How many people would survive if we allowed the two kingdoms to play it safe all the time?”

“Haha. Yes, we need some action!”

At this moment orderly footsteps could suddenly be heard. A group of guards turned a corner.

Their captain held a strange orb in his hand.

During wartimes the security was naturally much tighter. But the two strange figures still felt safe in the small Hurricane Kingdom.

But suddenly their eyes widened, staring at the guards.

They realized that they f*cked up as they recognized the multisensor in the guard captain’s hands.

This small device was advanced technology able to detect all kinds of special spells and even record what it has seen.

The two figures couldn’t understand how this small kingdom got their hands on it. Even knowing that there was a Dark Hurricane Empire behind them, it didn’t make sense.

Multiple pairs of eyes stared at each other. The guard captain was in disbelief as well, his multisensor capturing the hidden conversation, but the revealed information left him in a mix of shock and confusion.

Suddenly a strong pressure erupted.

The two figures made a move. A spear immediately pierced out, aiming for the multisensor, seeking to destroy the evidence.

“Not good, RUN!”

The guard captain suddenly shouted loudly as he felt his opponents’ strength.

Some of the guards wanted to help their captain, but the discipline ingrained in their bones stopped them.

As his men fled, the captain hastily tried to throw the multisensor towards one of them, but the enemy’s attack came too quick. Blood splashed as a spear pierced through the captain’s hand, the multisensor, and out behind his back.

“No!”

“Captain!”

The other guards were sad and frightened but didn’t dare to stop, fleeing in multiple directions.

The two assailants hastily chased, hoping to clear the guards in a short time and flee the city.

Suddenly not far away a door opened. An old man peeked out, waving at a tall guard nearby. If Tepo would’ve been here he would be shocked to recognize his best friend Parton.

The tall man gritted his teeth and dashed towards the old man. The door closed above them, hiding the two men in a dark cellar.

“Don’t blame yourself. You did the right thing. I saw everything.

You all stood no chance against those criminals.”

The guard looked at the old man with complicated emotions.

“I… I’m good at defense. I could’ve bought time. But I just ran.”

With a sigh the old man stared at the guard’s young face.

“Haa… you are still young. Almost a child. You shouldn’t have to experience a war.

Only with enough strength can you protect those you hold dear.”

The old man spoke with his experience, his thoughts drifting to his own youth.

But he quickly noticed that the guard had fallen silent, a downcast look in his eyes.