Summoning America

Chapter 78: Last Resort

March 13
Bagra Volcano, Veit Mountains

"Damn this operation! Damn those cursed Emissaries!" Darkshield swung his sword and unleashed a blade of fire at a nearby structure – once a barracks for Bahara's army – setting it ablaze. "How am I to return to the homeland now?!" He yelled at the sky, tormented by the chagrin of his failures.

Darkshield's colleagues stood by in silence as their superior officer threw a tantrum, unwilling to potentially provoke him further by speaking or moving. They allowed Darkshield to continue his monologuing tirade.

His voice roughened by rage and embarrassment, Darkshield ranted, "Those cursed Emissaries think they can impede my glorious rise? They dare strip me from my promotion? Oh, ho ho," He began to laugh maniacally, "Oh, now they've gone and done it!"

One of the winged men looked to his coworker beside him, holding his hand to his mouth as he whispered, "Jole, I think lunacy has beset Sir Darkshield..."

Jole subtly distanced himself from his coworker, holding a finger to his mouth as he did so.

"MARSH!" Darkshield screamed, pointing his blade at the Annonrial who dared to speak. "Do you have something to say!? Perhaps you know how to rid these lands of the Emissaries?" He strode toward the now-panicking man.

Marsh stood upright, shivering from terror. "I have nothing to say, sir! I wholly empathize with your plight against the cursed Emissaries, sir!"

Much to Marsh's perturbation, Darkshield sneered, "I'm fairly certain you uttered a different set of words... Now, why don't you demonstrate your solidarity with me? You empathize with my plight, yet do nothing to aid me, only providing words." Darkshield inched closer to his subordinate, placing his blade under Marsh's chin. "If you have no plan, then I may as well decide that you are of no use to me," he threatened, lacing his sinister words with toxin.

Marsh raised his hands, shaking in fear. "I have a plan! I have a plan!" He yelped pathetically.

Darkshield simply stared at the terrified man in response, his silent gaze boring into Marsh's very soul as if saying, "Well then? I'm waiting."

Amidst a series of stutters, Marsh was able to propose an idea. "I uh – I think we can send another army to Esperanto!"

"We have no army left. Our best general and all of our demonic forces are gone."

"No, no! I don't mean them!" Marsh said, attempting to buy time while he thought of a plan to save his life.

Darkshield's powerful silence struck Marsh yet again, granting him little reprieve for his mind to think rationally.

In a surprising change of behavior, Marsh smirked, no longer terrified of Darkshield. "I know what we can do," he said confidently. "We can unleash the test subjects of the Veit facility!"

Darkshield smiled ominously, finding some value in Marsh's proposal. "It's a good thing we never informed the Director of the facility. Very well, let us release the Cursed Bloodhounds. Oh, and let us release the Aji Dhaka as well. The Bloodhounds will be attracted to the food source of Esperanto, and the Aji Dhaka will be attracted to the magical energies of the Bloodhounds. Then, when they have moved on from Esperanto and targeted the civilizations of Philades, we shall pick through the ruins of Esperanto for the beacon."

—-

March 15
Kingdom of Esperanto

Following extensive rounds of questioning, the Oni were deemed to be innocent and indeed under the influence of some sort of mind-control device, as demonstrated by Doctor Balthus and a team of experienced American and Mirishial scientists. Now free of guilt, Bahara finally decided to ask the Emissaries for assistance and requested a meeting with the American leadership.