Night gives way to dawn as I survey everything from the tower to the horizon.

A thought turns into a plan.

I find Michal busy at work coordinating the combat arrays.

"Michal."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

I look over the man.

"Recall our men from the forward base."

Michal puzzles, "Your excellency, I do not believe that-"

"I will be returning to the sect."

Comprehension dawns on the man.

"As you command, Your Excellency."

I turn to leave and find Michal following me.

"You four," he points out the men. "Escort elder Rook back to the sect."

The four men salute and join me.

Five ascended immortals are a powerful force by most standards. But I can't help but feel a sense of danger.

We begin our transit and fly away to the Southwest as we leave sight of the tower and fly over a woodland.

From the trees below comes a bestial roar. This roar echoes as more threats take up the powerful roar.

We looked at one another and put on the speed to escape.

Before we get far, great-winged humanoids break from the cover and chase us.

Though we fly through the air as immortals, these daeva are faster and come upon us quickly.

My guards come to a stop and turn to face the threat.

They're willing to lay down their lives so that I may escape.

But I'm not ready for that.

I turn to join the men.

"Phase shift!" I command.

My team and I blink into the ocean of chi that permeates the world.

Now, ripples in space, we move out and wait for the oncoming daeva, a dozen strong.

My chance to strike presents itself, and I plunge a common sword into a winged foe.

As I part, I attach chi to the weapon.

The daeva cries out in anger as I slip back into the fabric of reality. The chi bomb goes off, shredding the feathered being.

Other engagements arise as my force fights with clever ploys.

The proud daeva curse us in their incomprehensible language.

We steadily cut down the daeva threat until one of our own falls to a laughing demigod.

The battle frenzy grows more chaotic as we fight to the last man.

My final guard falls dead from the sky.

I have two daeva to face and begin pulling out spears.

I channel chi into the weapons and hurl them at one of the winged enemies.

He moves to evade. But, as the spear passes his face, I detonated the chi bomb.

Skin flays under the shrapnel of the spear.

Half of the daeva's face is an open wound. Its eye missing.

The enemy smiles a sickening smile with the half of its face that remains.

I slip between the layers of space and swing around the threatening foe.

Its partner catches sight of my wake and charges at me.

Despite being a novice with the sword, I am advanced compared to the daeva I find myself fighting.

I break my stealth and confront the charging enemy.

I dodge the enemy's strike and follow with a sequence of strikes.

I manage to cut into one of the daeva's arms. The cut is shallow, and the daeva recovers.

I fall back under its next assault. The daeva with the shredded face comes at me, and I feel that I'll be dead in seconds.

I can't flee fast enough to evade death.

My only chance is to dispatch the one with both eyes intact.

In a second, I change my tactics. I deflect strikes from the enemy's sword and blindly plunge my sword tip into the daeva's chest.

The daeva coughs up a mouthful of blood.

I jump backward as a ball of fire consumes the dying daeva.

The daeva with the savaged face lets loose a howl as he finishes his teammate. His anger at missing me apparent.

As I fall back, I meld with the immaterial and disappear into space.

The daeva roars in frustration.

Without two eyes, I think it must lack the depth perception needed to track the wake of my movement.

I contemplate killing him when a squad of the leather-winged daeva encroach on our battlefield.

I dive into the forest below as the new threats arrive to soothe their raging comrade.

My path becomes more difficult as I focus on stealth.

Hours and days pass as I think of the consequences of the daeva attacking our supply line.

Finally, I come to Violet Sword's village.

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I make my path straight to the patriarch's hall.

Director Chambers instructs me to wait for authorization to enter.

Before long, I am directed inside. The dual council sits, and I find my place among them.

"Elder Rook. I am surprised by your presence," comes my old patriarch's voice. "What causes you to come before the council now."

"Your Excellency, I have dire news. The daeva threat is beyond containment. They have taken a perimeter around the tower. I fear that new forces will come under attack when traveling to the front."

A silence rings out.

"This is dire. Have you had no success in your assault on their encampment?"

"We've been holed up in the Tower of Acer for months.

"Elder Richard has not authorized any such actions."

The patriarch puzzles as he turns to his counterpart.

"Elder Richard has been dismissed from the council. He has no authority in the war on the daeva."

His words shake me. I had his status checked. How could I have fallen for such disinformation?

"Your Excellency, I have been lax in my duties.

"Elder Richard... Richard has taken over the Tower of Acer. If we don't do something immediately, the war might be lost."

The two patriarchs look to one another.

"What do you propose?"

"Your excellency, give me authority as field commander for our operations in the Northern frontier."

Whispers run through the council as the two patriarchs talk between themselves.

"I believe," the patriarch begins, "that this is a matter for the whole council to have a voice."

The council members chatter among themselves.

"Your excellency," one of the elders chimes in. "This is preposterous. Other than Elder Rook's word, we have no proof that these dangers have arisen."

Several heads can be seen nodding in agreement.

"You speak as though Elder Rook is anything but loyal to our sect. Should I remind the council that he is the only member of our ranks to go to the front willingly? What he's asking for is perfectly reasonable considering the circumstances."

The debate goes back and forth as minutes grow to hours.

There are some strong holdouts on both sides. Not all of my political opponents are on the other side of the table.

"Enough," one of the patriarchs bellows.

Both sides in the debate go silent, knowing that the time for opinions has passed.

"We," my patriarch says as he looks to his counterpart, "have come to a decision."

The patriarchs gaze on their council.

"Elder Rook will, from this moment forward, be the field commander of the Northern force.

"Gather men and reclaim the Tower of Acer from that fool, Richard."

I stand and bow before the patriarchs and their council.

My destination is the Violet Sky League.

I think of the beautiful grandmaster and think of spending a moment with her. But my agenda is clear.

A dozen ascended immortals cultivate in the array. Their departure date is ahead of them.

"You, ascended brothers. We're moving, now."

I feel eyes on me and look at the alchemy workshop.

Even from this distance, her red eyes sparkle like jewels.

She waves as I, like a storm, come and go.

"Field commander, we are with you."

Elder Skyflare and a few other factions assembled eighteen men for me to bring to the front.

After returning their salute, I turn to the sky.

It's a few days journey, and along the way, I see daeva like a pox on the land. Our war machine has been idle for too long.

We race to our destination, the tower coming into view. My first destination is the Violet Sky headquarters.

My unit and I almost reached our goal when fifty soldiers take to the air.

"Rook," the leader calls me without honorifics. "You are guilty of the crime of desertion. The sentence is death. Every man that aids this criminal will join him in punishment."

A tense moment passes when the troop of fifty advance.

"Then you'll have to punish us too."

Michal comes out in force. Hundreds of immortals taking to the sky.

The leader of the fifty breaks out in a sweat.

"Field commander Richard-"

"Is a liar," comes one of Skyflare's men.

"Surely-" the man begins.

"Surely, you can join him in his punishment," I say with chi-laced words.

The enemy leader blanches white as he comes to recognize how precarious a position he has found himself in.

"I believe," the little man says, "we should meet with elder Richard before any decision is made."

I ignore the man and face my troops.

"Michal, establish a perimeter around that tower."

I point to Richard's stronghold.

Men and women disappear as wrinkles in space.

I bring a hundred men up to Richard's main gate.

I look to the little man who would have killed me.

"Ye- Yes! Right away."

The guards stand down as we advance.

We enter Richard's throne room unannounced.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" one of the attendants blusters.

Richard is up, his eyes meeting mine.

In a moment, he crashes through a window.

My men and I are in pursuit when Richard runs into a sword that hadn't been there only a moment before.

As we gain on him, I hear him beg, "Please..."

The sword leaves the fool of a king, and he submits to the effects of gravity.

I watch him falter in an attempt to fly.

He flutters for a second before continuing to fall.

He crumples to the ground, bones twisted in an ugly way.

Somehow, he clings to life. And I float down to the quivering man.

"Pl- Please, he- help me."

I watch with cold detachment as this charlatan's eyes lose focus.

He's dead. But I want to be sure. My sword pierces his heart.

Satisfied by the end of the man who endangered our mission, I see to my forces.

"Rally our army. All factions are to report to me, field commander Rook. Failure to report will have consequences."

I take over my predecessor's throne room.

The sycophants are anywhere but near me.

The room is elaborate; I'm embarrassed to have been fooled by such a man.

Thousands of men and women appear to report their allegiance outside the tower.

"Michal."

"Yes, field commander."

"Organize the forces and begin clearing the path back to the sect of the daeva presence."

"Yes, field commander."

"Michal. Sir, will do."

He smiles, "Yes, sir."

"But, first..." I say. "I need to address this rabble."

"Yes, sir."

I exit the gaudy throne room.

Outside stand my legion.

"Greetings, fellow brothers and sisters of Violet Sword."

I gaze out at the uncertain faces.

"We have been deceived!" I cry out in anger.

A ripple courses through the gathering.

Not far away, Richard's body has been left for the legion to see.

"From this moment forward, I am your commander. You will respect me and my representatives like the patriarchs and their council."

"Yes, Your Excellency," I hear from the crowd.

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes, Your Excellency." Not quite half of the forces respond.

Rather than beating a dead horse, I move on.

"Go to your respective headquarters and find anyone who refused the summons.

"Discipline must be enforced. Have them report here.

"You're all dismissed."

I watch as my soldiers depart.

Michal sees to distributing responsibilities to the troops.

I return to the throne room. It's truly a ridiculous sight.

I get some men to carry the chair out and call for several tables to be brought into my command center.

Maps of the region are procured and laid out.

We're in a precarious situation with the daeva on every side.

The land to the North is saturated with the incursion.

Hours pass as I wait and plan.

Finally, as dusk sets in, I leave my seclusion and stand before a gathering of trembling immortals.

"You all refused my summons," I say steadily.

I know they've had time to see their false leader.

Death is the punishment of the day.

"You will all redeem yourselves."

Several faces turn up at the promise of redemption.

"Prepare for battle. You have one hour!" I bellow out.

A few of my troops run to attend to some matter. Or, perhaps, flee their duty. Whatever the case, most of my soldiers hold fast.

I sit down to meditate and dusk gives way to night.

I pay no mind to the coming and going of the soldiers.

The hour is complete, and I stand. This will not be some regimented conflict.

These troops do not deserve Commander Michal's disciplined coordination.

This will be a mob.

"All of you, with me!"

Silent as the night, we take to the air several hundred strong.

Our objective is known only to me.

But, we are diving into enemy territory.

Our first objective is our abandoned forward operational base.

The daeva have infested the base.

We stealthily fly down to the fortified structure.

I hear a call from inside the base. The daeva know we're here.

This group descends as a horde.

The winged demigods fly up to meet us. But their numbers are smaller than ours.

"Set up a perimeter. Don't let any of them escape."

My forces are a mixed bag of new and old immortals. Some favor swords, while others are more proficient with spears.

The ding of battle is all around. And I dive in to join the melee.

I command my forces to rally on me as we dig into the heart of the enemy lair.

My sword sweeps across the chest of a daeva. He laughs as he brings a sword twice as long and thick as my own down on me.

I pull back my sword to deflect the danger.

While I'm engaged with the daeva, a ripple in space glimmers as a sword appears and deftly separates the burly man's head from his body.

Blood sprays over my face, and a savage light takes my eyes.

The cries of man and daeva fill the air.

Steadily, a quiet resounds as the daeva meet their bloody end.

As the last foe lies dead on the ground, I bellow a roar of triumph.

The immortals share the roar in my midst.

My exultation passed, I set a guard to hold the base.

The night is long, and I turn my forces to the next objective.

This night, we go from outpost to outpost. The perimeter halts any who flee.

We are systematic in our extermination. My men no longer wonder what it means to be at war.

With the crack of dawn, I call off the scourging.

Aside from our old base, the other fortifications are razed to the ground.

I set another guard to the base from my forces and return to the tower.

My war band is steely-eyed as I order them before my command center.

We will begin the next phase of our campaign.

Michal is seeing to our supply lines' security.

"When you are summoned, you will answer the call."

My army says as one, "Yes, your excellency."

"Dismissed."

The rabble breaks formation and returns to their respective factions.

This is a good turn for our campaign. With the army moving as one, we can clear the path to the Pillar of Creation.

I remind myself that there is an objective beyond simply killing the enemy.

I retire to my command center and plan my next course of action.

The following day, Michal reports on the purging he had conducted.

"Sir, the daeva have fled. And I have established roaming patrols to maintain our line to the sect."

"Good work." I say briefly.

"I need your help with our campaign."

"Yes, sir."

I find it strange. A lifetime ago, I was in the depths of poverty. Gathering meager herbs for my daily living.

And now, I command the joint forces of the two largest sects, now one, in a battle with demigods.

Life is funny in its own way.

Michal and I come up with objectives we need to claim. We could attack en masse. See how far that gets us.

But we need to find out the enemy's numbers.

"Michal, I need a squadron of the soldiers who learned the combat array."

"I will see to it, sir."

I leave the command center and fly over to Violet Sky's headquarters.

With Michal and I working from the command center, Michal has appointed his lieutenants to see to the daily operations of the league.

"Your Excellency." The guards stand at attention.

I continue my path and find the cadre.

They offer their salute as I come among their ranks.

"Rally our forces; we must start cleaning up these rat nests.

"Which of you will be taking over Commander Michal's role?"

The cadre looks among themselves.

One of them speaks, "Your Excellency. With your authorization, I would take over for Commander Michal."

I gauge the room, "No objections?"

I wait a second, but there is no dissent.

"Name?"

"Xiao, Your Excellency."

"Get your men ready. And send a liaison to the command center.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

I turn my attention to the combat array cultivators.

Michal is splitting the few hundred men and women into troops and platoons.

"Sir," he says. "I have one troop of a hundred prepared. It will take some time to gather the rest."

"Good work. Keep them on standby."

I wait for Xiao's liaison to arrive.

From here, I coordinate with the other factions.

I form a roster of each sect's military members to assign tasks better.

Violet Sky will be leading our force.

The liaison coordinates, and the hours pass like minutes.

The combat array squadron finds greater form.

The brigades that I spread immortals among don't discriminate by faction.

My army is ready, and I call the Violent Sky members with numbers improved by the other factions.

"Brigade, attention," Michal calls out, and hundreds of cultivator soldiers stand at attention.

We have two troops of combat array specialists to reinforce us against the daeva constructs.

"Violet Sword immortals," I begin. "We have a mission to engage—removing the daeva threat. You know why our mission matters. You know they are here to conquer us.

"For too long, we have allowed the cancer of these demigods to plague our lands.

"That changes now.

"Sergeants, begin."

The troops fly through the sky to the command of the sergeants.

I find my place in the formation beside Michal.

"You ready for this, sir?"

I smile, "Ready or not, we have a war to win."

"Yes, sir."

Michal calls out orders, and we go to the daeva encampment we should have taken months before.