“A name for us at the southern quartier? Fort South will do,” she replied without hesitation.
“Fort South? Fort South it is. Now, remember,” Isaac continued, turning to the crowd, “we decided to pretty much ignore our two other flags – one at the Circuleum, and one at House SUNNA, because they are way too far apart for us to reinforce in time. But they will still be valuable because it tells us where the Padishahs are and how they’ve split their forces on the battlefield.”
Elwin nodded.
“So, we’ll spare a single person each on the Circuleum and at House SUNNA. Since we’re out of armonion machines, they will carry fireworks – white and red. Fire off a white firework when you run into the Padishahs, and fire off a red one when they capture the flag. There’s no need to fight them and get hurt, so just fire off the fireworks and return to the bottom of House TERA.”
“Wait, why are we ignoring the two flags again?” someone piped up from the crowd.
“Because the winning condition states that the Padishahs have to capture and return all three flags. But Rafia’s got one under lockdown on the 7th floor in the south quartier.”
“Oh, alright. So as long as Rafia and the others protect that single remaining flag –”
“We’ll be in the green,” Isaac clarified.
The kismets looked at Isaac with a measure of astonished admiration. They had underestimated him because he had never once shown his brilliant intellect for organization. Isaac kindled in them a hope that everything was going to be alright.
“Okay, we need two people. Who’s it going to be?”
A pair of hands rose from the audience.
“Okay, one of you each will signal for us at the Circuleum and at House SUNNA.”
“Wait!” interrupted Lucian. “With us gone at the front, who’s going to defend our grand banner standard? You’re not that good with brawls, Isaac, isn’t that right?”
“I’m afraid not,” said Isaac, a hint of shame flashing across his eyes.
“I will do it,” said Khan, stepping forward at last. “There’s no one who can control metal better than I do, at least in the Fradihta. My squadra and many more will be by Isaac’s side at the grand banner. Leave it to us. We will guard the top with our lives, and destroy anything that tries to climb.”
Khan enunciated his words with such resolve that the kismets knew Isaac was in safe hands.
“Alright! So we have all the positions decided then, right?” said Isaac. “We’ve got our Strike Force Trident divided into Trident West, Trident North, and Trident East. We’ve got our headquarters – HQ – on top of the ziggurat, we have Fort South led by Rafia, and we’ve got our Recon Team. To top it off, we have one person at the Circuleum, and another at House SUNNA for news.”
“That’s everything, right?” asked Mirai.
“Not so fast. We haven’t decided how many squadras each team will be in charge of, save for the Recon team and those at the Circuleum and SUNNA,” said Lucian.
“House MANASURA won’t be difficult for me. I only need my trusty squadra and maybe two more,” he boasted.
“Just three squadras in total for Trident West? Are you sure?” Isaac probed, concerned.
“I’ll be freezing the surface of the lake and attacking from the water, not from the traditional route. I already have a plan. I bet most of the Padishahs don’t have a defensive tactic for a plan so outlandish.”
“But if anything –”
“We have the armonion machine. I know what you’re going to say, we’re too weak, what if the armonion machine gets wet, yada, yada,” Lucian sighed.
“What’re you going to do if it does get wet, though?” asked Elwin, equally troubled.
“Have you not been paying attention in class? Professor Thales said the water of the lake is extremely pure that there are practically no impurities.”
“How does that mean that the armonion machine will –”
“Because only impure water can short-circuit antaric current, you idiot. You’ve not paid attention in Professor Aionia’s class too?” chided Lucian.
“He wasn’t there because he was recovering at the hospital wing!” piped Katherine.
“Wait, wait, that’s not important,” interrupted Isaac. “Lucian, I know you want to win, and I know you’re very skilled in the Mahamastra. You never renege on your word, so I’m going to leave this up to you. You need just two more squadras, right?”
“That’s right. I’ll surrender my own Quan to you if I fail to take the flag.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Okay, which two squadras want to join Trident West?” asked Isaac, turning to the crowd once more.
Those who were convinced of Lucian’s skill from the beginning raised their hands – most of them were those who witnessed Lucian defeat Elwin at the Duellium Arena last autumn.
“Elwin, how many do you need?”
“Can you do Robert first? For Trident East?”
“I sure can. Robert?”
“I need two squadras in addition to my own. We are going to be relying on stealth rather than firepower, so the smaller we make our presence, the better. Plus, if the Padishahs are anything like us, then they would also be prioritizing a single flag rather than all of them, so I don’t expect a lot of resistance.”
“Which is?” Isaac asked.
“The summit, obviously,” answered Lucian. “Because that’s the most difficult objective to besiege.”
“Okay, so 3 squadras for Trident East, Robert’s included. Gather up!” said Isaac, allocating the squadras for Robert. “Elwin, do you have an idea now?”
“Yeah,” he replied, putting his hand to his chin. “Can you give me 4 squadras on top? Including us, that’s 5.”
“You sure that’s going to be enough?” grumbled Lucian, stepping closer. “All our efforts would be for nothing if you can’t take that last flag.”
“I’m going to accomplish it no matter what, like I did with Ursus.”
Lucian’s nostrils flared in anger. “With Ursus –”
“How about this?” interjected Isaac, raising a finger. “Lucian, Robert, if your Trident West and Trident East manage to take the flag, but Elwin hasn’t, can you converge immediately by the hill to help Trident North? That’s unless I say otherwise.”
“Aye,” said Robert.
“Obviously,” muttered Lucian. “Else we can’t win.”
“Okay, that’s decided. So its 3 squadras for Lucian, 3 squadras for Robert, and 5 for Elwin. When I give the command through the armonion machine, all of you will attack the flags simultaneously. Until then, travel hidden and unnoticed. If possible, don’t engage the Padishahs.”
“Understood,” assured Elwin.
“Who wants to join Elwin’s Trident North?”
Many pairs of hands struck the air, most belonging to those who witnessed Elwin’s triumph against Ursus. They shuffled their way to Elwin’s side, drawing an expression of disdain upon Lucian’s face.
“So we have 11 squadras committed for our Strike Force Trident. About the remaining 7...” Isaac trailed off.
“Wait, why 7 remaining squadras?” quizzed a voice. “Shouldn’t the remaining be 9?”
“We committed two squadras for the Recon team, remember? We are trying to allocate 18 squadras, not 20.”
“Look,” flared Lucian at the crowd, “we can’t spare time to answer every single numeracy question. Pay attention and figure it out on your own!”
“Oh, sorry...” the voice quietened.
Elwin felt sympathy for whoever it was that asked the question. He knew Lucian became cold and calculating when he wanted to win, but he was never angry before the matches began. There was a burning rage in Lucian that was new – something had changed.
Khan stepped forth. “Isaac, let’s spare 4 squadras to guard the ziggurat.”
“Good suggestion.”
“I can work with the 3 remaining squadras,” said Rafia. “Pretty sure that will be enough.”
“You certain you won’t need more? I’ve shaved what I need so you guys can use it for defense,” admitted Lucian.
“Not to be overly concerned,” assured Khan. “Defense has historically been easier than offense. Even if they want to climb the ziggurat, they can’t do it with an element of surprise, nor can they climb to the 7th floor using the spiral staircases without Rafia noticing. To overcome our defenses, they would need to send at least twice – no, thrice the force. A force that’s big enough will be easily seen by the recon team, right?”
“Right. You can count on us,” said Daphne, putting her hand to her heart.
“Whew, then the teams are decided,” announced Isaac, breathing in a sigh of relief. “Everyone knows to which position they belong?”
“Yeah!” shouted the crowd, gathering into groups.
“Before the Battle for Aeternitas begins, Strike Force Trident should be ready at the demarcated border line to have the fastest time to the flags,” Isaac declared. “Everyone else, man your positions. I will update you frequently once the battle begins, and order to the best of my ability,” Isaac huffed, delivering his lines with the conviction of a commandant. Perhaps he resolved to better himself after his loss against Ursus? Elwin had no way to know.
“Now,” motioned Isaac, raising his hand in hurrah, “let’s get out there and win this thing! Are you ready?!”
“YEAH!” the Celendirs affirmed in a thunderous roar.
And thus all the pieces were set: they were ready to begin.
* * *
It was an unusually cold and misty night, though spring had its reign.
When the sun hid over the forests and gave warmth no longer, a blanket of wispy fog rolled in from the lake to the west, and shrouded the campus in its mirage. The Celendirs were enormously relieved to have the armonion machines, since communication through archaic methods were unfavorable in such a weather.
The skycraft of Aeternitas whirled a thousand feet over the campus, engines humming, upon its lit balconies and skylights the professors and the headmaster himself. He was to make the announcement to commence the battle; all of campus and Aienwater shall hear his voice, which would crack like a thunderclap. The professors, on the other hand, would monitor the flow of the skirmishes, to assess the Artens and discern when the flags were captured and returned, the grand banners were destroyed, and determine which faction had won.
Both factions had extinguished all but the necessary lights from the objectives they held. Lampposts on the academy boulevards aside, the campus grounds were enveloped by an eerie darkness; only the crescent moon and its rings, and SERA’s bridge to the sky, held total tenebris at bay. There was no one at Aeternitas except the Fradihta and a smattering of roosting birds and slumbering squirrels; all the upperclassmen were given the night off to reside in Aienwater as the battle took place.
Isaac sat breathless on the roof of the temple atop the ziggurat, looking towards the unfathomable atmospheres of the north, the distant canopy of the Tree of Naran and Naru rising ominously through the mist. Beside him was Khan with his trusty squadra, and three more guarding the way up from the east, west, and south; in front of Isaac was the map of the Academy he’d drawn, and a pencil to grasp, and on his back was the armonion machine, crackling silently, waiting, awaiting.
Elwin, with Katherine, Mirai, and 4 more squadras, lay in wait on the road center-west, out of sight behind a few brick shacks; though still, he could hear the anxious breath of his compadres.
Lucian with esteemed squadra, and just two more to boot, crouched low near the shores of the lake to the west, eyes honed like hawks to the silhouette of the villas above the misty water – it was less than 300 yards from where they stood, closer than anyone to their objective.
Robert, likewise with 3 squadras, kneeled behind the thick oaks northeast, where the little forested park began. The House of SUNNA was far behind them, its river of molten salt streaking the mist orange.
Daphne’s Recon team, two squadras in total, awaited behind the gigantic pillars of Astinel’s Circle dead-center of the academy grounds; Rafia waited upon the 7th floor of the spiraled rotunda, 3 squadras by her side with the last armonion machine on her back, and one person each stood near the pinnacles of the Circuleum and House SUNNA, with fireworks in hand.
The skyliner overhead blew its fog-horn into the eerie night.
“LET THE BATTLE COMMENCE!”