Realms of Magic: Demon Invasion

102. The Alliance's Gambit

"Akkh!" I screamed in pain. I turn and see my arm stabbed by a dagger. Lady Sakurako is next to me, another dagger nearing on my throat.

"Stop!" Lita cries as she barges in from a door.

"Blood Shockwave!" I extend my hand, repelling Lady Sakurako. Lita hurls a punch at her, forcing her to the ground. She teleports away to safety.

"Vio!"

Lita charges and hugs me. "Did you get hurt?"

"N-no," I say, a bit startled. The stab wound has begun to heal.

"Vio's woken up?"

Madam Fron and Grandma enter the room. "How did it go?" Madam Fron asks enthusiastically.

Damn it! Damn it! Just when I was about to succeed!

Khh. Now what?

I'll try to take control like our initial plan, but without you in your subconscious mind it'll take a lot of time. Several months, at least. More probably a few years; and that is if I can do it at all.

I sigh weakly. "Lady Sakurako managed to barge in and stab me in the arm, pulling me away from my mind," I say. "If she hadn't done that, Merango would be out by now."

"Lady Sakurako managed to infiltrate here?" Madam Fron gasps. "Damn it."

Madam Fron curses not-so-quietly while crossing her arms. "Well, that was worth a shot," Grandma says, clenching her staff.

"Where am I, anyway?"

"Batavia," Lita says. "We moved you here to protect you."

"Ooh, I see," I say. "How's the situation there? Aelita? John? Remi? Joe?"

"Safe, all safe," Lita says. Then her smile turns sour. "Except Joe, unfortunately. He was killed a few months ago."

I look down. "That's sad," I say while biting my lips. "Wait, how long have I been asleep? I feel like just a few hours passed in my subconsciousness."

"Eh, around eight months I think," Madam Fron says.

"I think we should let Vio rest for now, Fronica," Grandma interrupts. "Meanwhile we should report this to the others."

Both of them leave. "Alright then Lita," I say. "Are you fine?"

"I should be the one asking that," Lita says, laughing. "But yeah, I'm fine."

"How's the war?" I asked.

"The Joint High Command is luring the Empire into a trap," she said. "Essentially, they're chasing Irvine's main army to Batavia. Then, the other armies will encircle them."

"Oh, I see."

"Hey! Vio! You've woken up yet?"

Without waiting for my answer, Aelita barges in, followed by John. "Yey! You're back!" Aelita encircles her hands around my neck. 

"Haha, yeah," I say. "Glad to be. How are you both?"

"Fine, fine," Aelita says. I glance at John, who sports a flat smile on his face.

"I'm sorry for your loss, John."

John laughs nervously. "Joe went down the way he wanted it to be," John says. "He's lived a good life."

"Hey, is Vio fine enough?" Remi walks in the room. The purple-haired girl has a grim smile on her face.

"I am," I say. 

"King Arthur invites us two for a meeting," she says faintly. As she leaves the corridor, she pops her head once more. "Good to see that you're safe, Vio."

I wake up, my legs still somewhat jiggly. Aelita and John escort me from the heavily guarded hospital to the Imperial Palace, lavishly decorated with marble and silver. Hundreds of elite mages protect it. "All these guards, yet she could teleport into the ward so effortlessly," Aelita murmurs.

I walk alone into the haughtingly empty Imperial Palace until I reach the throne room. In front of the throne lays a table and several chairs. Grandma, Madam Fron, King Arthur, General Cadogan, and Remi are waiting. 

"Have a seat, Violleta."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

I sit down. King Arthur, in his full regalia, sighs. "I heard about the gambit. Although it fails, I'm glad that you survive at least. Cadogan, show us the situation."

General Cadogan rolls up a map on the table. "Most of our forces are in Batavia. Our intelligence determines that Lady Jessica's army is approximately here," he places his finger on a spot dangerously close to Batavia. "Lady Clarisse and Lord Elliot also lead armies parallel to Lady Jessica's. They protect her southern and northern flank, respectively, and could be expected to join the siege. Hundreds of thousands of hired mercenaries and demonic troops are left behind to guard their supply lines, but we'll  still be outnumbered more than four to one."

"How much time do we have?" King Arthur asks.

"We can expect Lady Jessica's vanguard to arrive in eighteen hours. Nine, if she force marches them."

The King sighs. "What about our encirclement plans?"

"We believe it will cut off the Empire's supply lines and provide us a strategical upper hand," General Cadogan claims. "But we must not execute it too early, lest Lady Jessica will notice. Everything has to be timed perfectly; her forces must have already been exhausted by the siege before a swift encirclement can be done."

King Arthur nods in silence, further adding to the grimness of the atmosphere. Remi twitches, glancing at me. "Fronica, Vanya, you are all that is left from the previous war. As such I expect to see you in the frontlines."

"Naturally, Your Majesty."

I glimpse at Grandma. All that is left? What about Mr Anwar then? Is he dead?

Grandma nods faintly, confirming my suspicions. I bite my lips. Just how many more will die?

"Violleta Vonville, Remi Isabelle," the King addresses us. "Both of you are experienced generals. You will lead Batavia's defences alongside General Cadogan."

I begin to open my mouth in protest. After the debacle that I was involved in, generalship isn't appealing at all. "This is no request," King Arthur says, as if he anticipated my objection. "This is an order."

"Understood, Your Majesty," Remi and I say; Remi with slight pride, I with great reluctance.

Grandma, who is sitting next to me, touches my hand gently. "You'll do fine," she whisper. "You have been one fine commander, Vio."

"I hope so."

The King coughs. "Dismissed."