I regret my decision. I miss them already. Why did I convince them to stay? I could have had a nice steamy night with them once more and also vented my frustrations from this vexingly slow march to the human beaches. My wives wanted to come but I rejected them saying ‘it was too dangerous’. I wanted to go back in time and slap myself on the back of the head. Even if it is dangerous, surely I have the power to thoroughly protect them!
Currently I sat in a luxurious tent lamenting on my mistakes. The tent was furnished equally luxurious with carpets of intricate weave and furniture of smooth flowing designs. This is luxury that is ‘earned’ for being a General and a Prince. I certainly did not feel like it was earned, but I will accept regardless. Who am I to turn away comfort?
I glance over at the armor stand in my tent that was missing one crucial piece. I felt a wave of guilt remembering Bob’s reaction. The helmet was surprisingly annoying though, restricting my field of vision and being a bit stuffy and overall uncomfortable. I ended up taking my frustrations out on it inadvertently…
“General Prince!” a voice called to me from outside the tent.
It was likely yet another report. So far, that's all that leading an army feels like; ‘Reporting this, reporting that, reports reports reports’... Does anyone ever just come by to say hello? Or better yet, just leave the bunch of fools to their own devices. Why should I manage a group who is more interested in cliche nicknames than following commands?
“Enter!” I finally called out after a moment's bitter rumination. A soldier in full plate armor lacquered in black and red smoothly entered the tent, saluting.
“At ease. What is it?” I asked. If I hadn’t said at ease, the soldier would be remain at attention for the entirety he stood before me. I already used the method of having them stay uncomfortably at attention for the entirety of their stay to vent earlier. I know it wasn't fair to those individuals, but I was really angry at the time.
Having been relinquished from standing at attention, the soldier removed her helmet and carried it under her arm. That was all she did however, perhaps afraid of seeming too comfortable in front of me. I don’t blame her for removing the helmet though.
“Lieutenant Deva of scouting squad three reporting, sir! There are signs of enemy activity in the eastern regions near the shore. We suspect that there are some survivors of the first wave taking refuge in the nearby caves!” The scout reported promptly.
Wait… A scout? With full plate armor? How? That makes no sense!
“Mana compensates for a lot after all.” Zahramiik commented. I suppose that is true as well. Actually, now that I think about it, it is better that way. No cliched group of lightly armored ninja types that way.
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“How many are there?”
“Roughly thirty, sir!”
So roughly thirty people managed to survive my wife’s interception. Their luck must be great.
“Send one hundred men to blockade the suspected hiding places. We will demand their surrender. Kill those who do not.
“Yes sir!” The scout promptly saluted once more, and seeing I had finished speaking, exited the tent.
If there are only thirty or so people then one hundred people should be more than enough force to prompt them to surrender, although there may be some who would sooner die. This is surprisingly a grand opportunity to obtain enemy information.
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I glided easily through the sky, wearing full plate armor lacquered in the colors of his new commander of black and red. Clutching the small leather bag that hung from my neck, I very carefully ensured the safety of the spherical silver object within. I thought back with a nervous sweat as to how I ended up in this situation…
“Daimos!” A figure brimming with power called out to me. It was easy to identify our General Prince in a number of ways.
“General Prince!” I immediately stood at attention.
“At ease! I have something for you to… ‘deliver’.” The General Prince smiled with a mischievous smile. For some reason, that smile sent chills down my spine.
“A… Delivery, sir?” I asked to confirm. In answer, the General Prince tossed a leather bag he had been holding. I caught it clumsily as i was not expecting it. I could feel something tumble around inside.
“I want you to fly over the enemy beachhead and drop that sphere on the highest concentration of their soldiers. Be careful with it Daimos, I don't want it going off prematurely.”
“ ‘Going off prematurely’ sir?” He said that like…
“Yeah. Just think of it as a bomb.” A bomb… He just tossed that thing at me! Is this mad man trying to kill me!? I could feel my face pale…
… Remembering that situation I extremely conscious of the sphere in the bag. The last thing I want to do is blow myself up. Right now, I wished for any other task, even if it meant another forced march for days on end I would gladly accept it!
Ahead I saw it, the human alliance camp that directly opposed the enemy beachhead camp. The camps, however, were mostly empty. Between them, a battle raged. The humans were harshly outnumbered, their army only numbering a few thousand at the moment, while the enemy must have numbered in the tens of thousands. No wonder the humans were currently desperate for reinforcements.
Fortunately there were several company divisions lead by generals on their way as reinforcements. Before that, however, I have something I desperately need to dispose of. I don't know the range on this thing, but General Prince said drop it at the highest concentration, so…
I made for the sky above the enemy's formation. They had long since spotted me in the sky and began firing magic spells, arrows, and spears as soon as I had come into range. I could do nothing but desperately dodge. I was terrified of being struck, as it would probably guarantee my death by setting of the bomb I carried.
At last after too many harrowing close calls, I reached the approximate center of the enemy formation. I quickly upended the contents of the leather bag and beat my wings as furiously as possible to get out of the blast zone.
I heard a sickening explosion erupt behind me and felt the heated air tremble with a shockwave that sent me tumbling for a moment before regaining control. I could not help but look back to view the destruction that bomb caused.
A massive crater now occupied the center of the enemy formation, the bomb having taken with it a few thousand lives to oblivion, leaving no trace of them. That… is a far more terrifying weapon than even Daimos had expected. Both armies were stunned to silence at the destruction. The human army was too stunned to take advantage of the enemy’s suddenly crumbled formation, while the enemy was too stunned to reorganize.
In the end, both sides ended up promptly retreating from the battlefield back to their camps.