Dekland sat alone inside an overly large tent 10 miles south-east of their last site of battle. After listening to a full recounting from the saintess’ about her vision, he was left with a lot on his mind and decided that he needed to prioritize one thing at a time until this war was over and he could focus on the wider world. Firstly he had to meet with his other forces at their prearranged meeting point in a field 40 miles south from the capital city of Rakar. His force had arrived their earlier that day, as they were the first of the three forces to arrive, his legions spent the entire day digging in, using the premade plans and equipment for the construction of the camp that were given to each force to ensure no matter who got their first the camp they would be able to build and secure enough room for the other 14 legions he had brought with him. The goal of the other two forces was to capture the southern and eastern fortress that guarded the Rakar’s border while his undersized legion took the western fortress as loudly as possible to get the royal army to fight his force, while the other two forces secured an entranced position incase the worst came to past but it seems that plan was unnecessary Dekland Reflected, they had stomped through the untrained peasant mob like a scythe threw wheat.

Dekland had spent these last few hours alone planning. He currently stood with his hands resting on an ornate wide table in the center of his large tent, with maps of the world haphazardly placed on the table as he tried to speed his plan of world domination by, oh a few hundred years. He had a plan to take over the world of course, what kind of cult leader didn’t, although his first plan would have taken generations and had so far. The main essence of it was, to spread the teachings of Nadir to every corner of the world and slowly over centuries replace the kings, queen, emperor, and sultans with people who not only supported him but were true believers in nadir as it stood, he had temples in most every part of the world he could place them without have to rebuild it every few years, as well as a few high ranking nobles from many of the factions in his Metaphorical Pocket. But now he found himself thinking as he moved his gaze across the map, eyes meeting all three continents. Firstly there sat the lands of the cult of Nadir in the west, a vast land where the populace flourished so long as you respected and obeyed the laws and teaching of Nadir. To the North sat the Continent of kings, a place slightly smaller than the cult's own lands, but held just as many people with 3 kingdoms, and 1 empire, it would be one of the harder places to conquer, to the north of that continent was where he had brought his legions. The kingdom of Rakar, he wasn’t worried about taking the kingdom; it would be simple, it was the other powers in the region to watch in his experienced opinion. Dekland then moved his sights to the south, where a vast desert sat, ruled over by the iron fists of half a dozen Sultanate states who had joined hands recently when they noticed the cult starting to eye up their territory for conquest. They had joined together a few years ago and formed the newly named Southern Sultanate states, the hard part in trying to conquer them would be the desert, and heat. Although Dekland was leaning towards raising one his 6 legionnaire commanders to a new rank of high commander or grand commander or some such other fancy titles, giving the man 50 or so legions and setting them off to conquer the Sultanate with a timeline of a decade at most. Dekland had began to draft a very rough plan in his head to speed up the whole world conquest a decade or so, after a moment more of thinking he looked at the final so called continent with a sigh, it wasn’t another continent so much as it was more a large collection of 9 massive islands that held great power over sea trade, from the east. The Royal Dynasty of Zexian, Dekland knew it was going to be the hardest metaphorical nut to crack. 9 massive, and heavily fortified islands, he could spend two decades trying to conquer the few outlying islands, Dekland figured his best plan would be to leave them for last, for after the rest of the world and he could gather the entire might of the cult and hit the Dynasty with a force so larger than anyone had ever been seen before.

As Dekland finished looking at the map he heard someone enter his tent. He wasn’t sure who to expect when he turned around,as he was unsure who would interrupt him without at least announcing themselves beforehand. “My lord” he had yet to turn around but at those words, the voice he heard was unmistakable. “What is it Zelen?” Dekland asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. With his back still facing the man as Dekland loomed over a different map, a map of their surroundings and the way toward his current goal. After a few more moments Zelen realized he wasn’t going to be acknowledged any more than that he spoke again. “My Lord, our scouts have reported spotting Captain Peter's force an hour away to the south, as well as Captain Blanchard's force two hours to the east.”

“Good, when they arrive, send them here, and inform Commander Conrad to join as well.”

Zelen gave a tone of acknowledgement before Dekland heard the Tent flap flutter to announce Zelen’s Exit, a signal that he was once again, alone. Dekland looked around the tent again and he found a small desk that was set up for him on one of the tent walls. As he moved to sit down behind the desk to craft letters to inform the legions to gather at parandor. Halfway through the letters he heard another quieter near unnoticeable sound. Dekland looked up towards the entrance flap of the tent. As he was looking upwards his sense of danger spiked as he unconsciously dived out of his seat and towards the side as half a dozen kunai hit the wooden chair he had sat in not a moment before. He had a chance to look at his assassin as he stood. They were currently standing to block the entrance so he couldn’t escape, they wore an all gray outfit with two swords on their back. As Dekland stood he willed two things into being around his forearms. Two sets of black and golden chains dropped from his hands and hit the floor as he readied himself to kill his attacker. They stood there for a moment longer just glaring at each other. Then Dekland moved, with a massive burst of speed he appeared a half dozen feet away from where he previously stood as three more assassins all wielding long katanas appeared where he once stood, their strikes hit nothing but open air before they noticed he was gone. He looked off towards his right where his armor and swords stood on display, he had taken them off sometime during the day. He wanted to try and reach them as it would be over the second he did and could properly equip himself, but these assassins undoubtedly had to know that as well, he sighed as two more assassins appeared in the empty space between him and his assured victory. Everyone stood motionless for a moment longer as Dekland reflected on the situation, A champion, an unarmed and unarmored champion, against six undoubtedly highly skilled assassins. They seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move as they all stood in a defensive position ready to strike at a moment's notice. “Guards” Dekland yelled as he faced them, his face falling slightly as no one responded after a few moments. ‘Ok so the guards are gone, it looks like I'll have to fight my way out of another mess’, Dekland Thought as he started to move. His first move was toward the three in front of him, they were closer than anyone else and he would be in a less disadvantageous position if he struck even one down first and brought it down to a simple 5 or 4 on 1. As he appeared in front of the trio he struck with a open handed strike to the man in the chest, Dekland felt ribs break against his fingers as stuck deeper and deeper into the assassin’s chest as he reached his target, Dekland’s hand grasped something inside the man's chest after finding his target he closed his hand with force crushing the assassin's heart inside their chest. His hand hadn’t even fully left the assassin’s chest when Dekland stuck again, the chain around his left arm shooting out latching around the leftmost assassin’s neck as Dekland pulled, in the split second before the assassin reached him, the assassin to his right moved as well as the other three. As the rightmost assassin brought his sword down, Dekland’s hand freed itself from the first man’s chest, with the chain wrapped around his right forearm he blocked the blade as it hit the magic chains. The assassin tried to pull the blade back as the chain started to wrap around the blade locking it in place. His attention split between the two, he focused on the kill he had ensured with a chain around the neck, with his hand now replacing the chain Dekland Squeezed and twisted with all his might, breaking the assassin’s neck a millisecond before the three other assassins reached him. As he started to jump back to make distance, all three of the incoming assassins threw Kunai at him with great speed. As he used the chains to strike down the incoming knives, he felt a hot stinging burn in his right side as a kunai from the fourth man who had dropped his chain wrapped blade continued the fight. Dekland yelled in fury and rage as another kunai managed to slip past his defenses, yet he attempted to close the distance as the more time he spent in range the more hits would make it through. Focusing on the lone assassin to the opposite side of the other three assassins, he used his will along with his physical ability to cast and throw the chain on his right hand, the chain blurring with speed, wrapping around the assassin's neck before he even realized the chain was thrown, The assassin tried to leverage his hand underneath the chains Fruitlessly to free himself, the other three kept up their long ranged attacks using Dekland distraction to get more throws on target. With a heavy pull towards himself, the assassin flew at him as Dekland roared “GET OVER HERE” The assassin looked terrified as he flew into the outstretched open and waiting hand. As Dekland Caught the man not by the neck but by the head he slammed down and heard a sickening crack and crunch as the assassin screamed as his head was slammed into the ground killing him near instantly.

Jie Qui, had been against this mission since they were given it by the elders of their sect. But who was he to argue with the old wizened elders who thought that 6 inner sect members could kill the Champion of Nadir a man renowned around the world for his strength, and abilities. He knew now for a fact what he had known when they started this mission: you can’t kill a champion with 6 Assassin’s. It started the same as any other mission he and his group took. Tie Zay would spend the first few weeks learning everything about the target and their plans before she returned to the group. This time she came back with a golden nugget of information, the exact location their target would be at for at least a week during one of his conquests. Jie would damn the girl if she was still alive, he gave a quick glance towards the first member of their team to fall, a lifeless body with a hole in her chest. He doubted she even knew she had died with how quickly the Champion had struck and crushed her heart. As they continued to throw their last few kunai at the monster who had just killed their leader in a few short moves as the man screamed in pain as his head was crushed. Jie stopped, frozen after he ran out of kunai to throw, the monster had adopted a grin on his face after the screams had stopped and it made Jie Stick to his stomach. Then he heard something, no, he heard someone behind him as the other two ran out of kunai to throw, Jie turned to face the newcomer still keeping the monster inside his peripheral vision. He saw a man standing at the entrance to the tent, hands clasped behind his back, an exquisitely tailored suit of black with a red vest and black tie, with hair and a mustache as white as snow. The man radiated an aura of death as Jie looked in the man's eyes, yet he was not looking at the assassins, no he was focused on the monster behind them, Jie was about to speak when the man held up one single finger towards him causing Jie to stop, then the man spoke. “Well, well, well, my lord. What have I told you about not always being on your guard, trust me everyone wants to kill the big bad monster that is the Champion of Nadir.” Jie looked back towards the monster in human form and the red blood and gore soaked hand as the Champion brushed his right hand off on his clothes. He had just killed three highly skilled assassins, while unarmed and unarmored, Jie knew that this had been the best chance and closest chance to take out his target he would ever get and suspected anyone would get for a few years as the Champion became more cautious due to this attack. “Zelen, Zelen, Zelen. I had believed I was at least safe enough surrounded by my own men to take my armor off yet it seems I was wrong” To Jie the monster looked genuinely upset that he wasn’t able to relax. The old Servant, Jie guessed who the man was, he looked upset as well on his master's behalf, then the man took a look at the three assassins and smiled. “Well my lord, we do have a few hours before the rest of our forces arrive and these three seem more than willing to help you relax. After all you once told me yourself that the only thing more relaxing than a hot bath, is torture.” at those words the last woman of the three lost it and attacked the old man trying to fight her way out. It took half a moment before she was dead, her head cut off at the neck as the older man lowered his hand, a hand Jie noted was now covered in blood. Before those facts could fully settle in for Jie he felt the hard cold touch of chains around his neck before everything went dark.

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Dekland stood shirtless, hardened and toned body tensing as Zelen removed the knives from his heavily muscled frame. After he had rendered the final two assassin unconscious he stepped outside his tent as he ripped his shirt off the find utter chaos everyone was running around like a fire had been light under their asses, he looked towards where his two guards were supposed to be, to find them slumped over with their throats slit, ashamed he thought, he quite like those two. After he grabbed one of the legionnaires to the side to explain what was going on he learned that his other two forces had arrived early followed by another army 7 thousand strong. They had been wiped out very quickly when all three of his forces combined and turned three times their number against them. After a few more words and a command to send the high priest both force captains, the commander and a acolate to heal him he turned around and reentered his tent. It had only taken a few minutes for the three legionnaires and the high priest accompanied by an elder and a acolite to reach his tent. He had been shirtless, leaning against the large table that held his maps as Zelen skillfully pulled the knives from his body when they entered. The acolyte let out a gasp when he had seen the champion having knives pulled from his body and the blood and gore everywhere in the tent. As they walked over the legions with concern in their eyes and helms under their arms, he spoke. “Firstly I am fine, Secondly yes the myth that I don’t bleed is false, Thirdly most of this blood is theirs, And Fourthly” he switched from a tone of joking to one of complete seriousness and anger causing the elder and acolyte’s breathing to stop for a moment before Dekland continued fury in his voice “Someone ordered a hit on me and gave the assassins information from inside the camp. I want them found and I want them found FUCKING YESTERDAY!” he yelled at the end, causing another round of pain to shoot through him as his movement caused the knife Zelen was pulling out the sway cutting a slightly larger hole in him. “Legionnaires find the bastard, Priestess go secure the Saintess, if they went after me they could go after her and I will be Damned to the pits of Glenshire before I let her face any more danger.” After a moment when no one moved Dekland Yelled “GO '' after the four left, the elder and much younger acolytes, unclear of what they should do stood motionless, shaking slightly. After another moan of pain Dekland set his eyes on them, forcing control over himself, he was mad yes but that wasn’t the reason to take it out on these two. After another moment he turned a stone cold expression on them showing no emotion before he spoke. “ And you two, please come assist dear Zelen over here in closing the dozen or so holes in me.” When neither of them moved Zelen stopped and turned an eye on them, giving them a grandfatherly smile he said, “do not worry young ones, while I might bite if it was necessary, Dekland here wouldn’t, well he wouldn’t bite either of you.” that clicked something in them as the pair started to move, after a few moments the only sound in the tent was the soft moans of pain from the champion.

Dekland sat at the head of a table inside a similar albeit different Tent from his own. The room held 5 people sitting to either side of the table while Dekland sat at the head. On the table between everyone sat a map of the Kingdom of Rakar while their own position marked by a white stone throne placed on the map. To the north of them sat a wooden sword to indicate the enemy capital of Rakar. They had just sat down only a few minutes ago with Dekland in his full armor at the table sat Commander Conrad to his immediate left, to the right of the commander sat Captains, Jonathan Peters and Rowan Blanchard. Across the table sat the high priest Lela alone. “Commander, how long until we are ready to march for Rakar?” Dekland Spoke calmly with no indication of the altercation that he had just suffered an hour before. With a slight glance towards his captains Conrad spoke “My lord, all three of our forces have combined and are ready to march at a moment's notice.” Dekland gave a thankful nod to Conrad before he looked at the map that sat displayed on the table, he spoke after a moment to clue the rest in on his plans. “ I want your opinions on this but what I have in mind is fairly simple. From our reports the Rakrans had at most 25 or 30 thousand men, after the three battles we have faced that is down to what around 3, maybe 5 thousand left?”

“According to our reports, although the estimated number is likely closer to five, but more likely 10 if they decide to force the citizens of their city to fight.”

Dekland glanced at Conrad and said “and our number?”

“With the minor losses the separate forces took and without the addition of the first, we have around” Conrad looked towards the ceiling counting in his head for a few moments before continuing. “19,092 legionnaires ready to march.”

“We lost that many?” Dekland asked, confused, while he hadn’t brought the best of his legions, the ones he brought were still skilled, skilled enough to easily defeat the peasant armies that the Rakarans fielded. “No, no, my lord, he only lost 32, but there are 876 legionnaires who have minor and major injuries that while we won't lose them I am strongly opposed to sending them into a fight. Most can easily serve as a rear guard if needed but best not to strain them too much, in my opinion, my lord.” Dekland gave a simple nod that made more sense to him since even the most heavy armored of knights would find it hard to fight two or even three opponents at once, and while losing any man was hard, Dekland had lost enough before to make 32 seem and feel like a miniscule number. “Very well, so we have them out numbers around 4 to 1 at the best, 2 to 1 at worst. Okay. We shall march to the walls of Rakar and set a siege camp around the city. Upon arrival we shall split into 4 forces and each shall take a side of the wall, Peters you will take the North, Blanchard take the south, I will take the west, and Conrad take the east.” Dekland took a few moments to calculate in his head as to decide unit dispersion. “Peters, you will have your 77th legion, the 159th under Captain Greer, 10th under Captain Gaines, and 7th under Captain Hyde. the north is on the far side and as such will be the least defended. Blanchard, you will have your 153th, 155th under Captain Silverheart, 157th under Captain Sternwillow, 156th under Captain Ziy, and the 40th under Captain Kealen. Conrad you’ll get the 36th under Captain Stonebeard, 48th Under Captain Winterwatch, 92nd under Captain Thorburn, 133rd under Captain Rohan, and 6th under Captain Rogers. And lastly in the west I will take the last 5 legions along with the rest of the troops and wounded and estabile a main front, we will set a signal for when to attack to be launched from my front at my signal. If there are any questions, ask them now, before it is too late and we are on the move.”

The Captains and Commander looked between themselves for a few moments, after it was clear there were no questions Dekland rose, Along with the other people in the room. “Good, we shall start our march as soon as we get the camp broken down. Everyone will stage a half mile from the City on their assigned sides, when we arrive Conrad sends cohorts to intercept all incoming and outcoming traffic. If they are merchants from another kingdom let them go, if they are merchants of Rakar take them alive and put them in cages for the time being. It will be at least a day or two after we arrive before we attack. Take that time to prepare the siege weapons we brought and allow the men to rest, but ensure you are on guard I would rather not lose a fourth of my forces to them sallying out to attack an unprepared force.”