Alcaeus Indrath

First Contact

Sylvia Indrath

I had fallen asleep from the exhaustion.

When I woke up, I was laying on a bed instead of grass.

Before panic could rush in, Rinia spoke.

"Don't worry, Alcaeus is still where you left him."

I gave her a nod and laid my head back down.

"The dimension will hold?" I asked.

"It will."

I felt tired. More than that, I felt I had been tired for an eternity.

"Why am I not recovering..." I said in frustration.

At that, Rinia let out a hearty laugh. Giving her a questioning look, I asked what she found funny.

"Dear, you are pregnant. You won't return to your full strength because your body is taking care of another life. A more important life." 

Ah, she's right...

I almost forgot.

"How long do you think...?" 

"It's hard to tell. Remember that the baby is not unharmed. Agrona has already put his hands on her, his influence isn't so easily uprooted." She explained.

"I see..." I sighed, but my eyes lit up in surprise. "Wait, 'her'!?!"

"Fufufuf, that's right." 

I looked down at my abdomen and blushed. I am going to have a little girl. 

"Hehehe, Alcaeus is going to throw a tantrum." I said and laughed.

I had failed to notice the look of gloom on my companion.

...

Virion Eralith

"What did you say!?!"

"Someone is attacking our guards stationed in the forest! H-He has horns and a black armor around his body! He's completely toying with us!" 

I looked at the reporting soldier and prayed he was wrong.

Currently the council was discussing some plans that Lord Alcaeus made, and how to proceed from here.

"Alea, go and inform Lord Alcaeus." I quickly sent word. "Aya, take our defense forces and attack him with everything. But, you yourself should stay behind to assess his abilities. If it looks like he's a retainer, or god forbid a scythe, then report back."

"Bairon, go with her. Take the guards we brought with us." Priscilla added.

"Where is Varay?" I asked.

"She should be back shortly, I sent her to inform Sapin of Blaine's death." 

"Alduin, Merial, go and find Tessia, Curtis, and Kathlyn. Retreat to the underground bunker with them. Priscilla, you should follow them."

My son left swiftly with his wife.

"I'll take shelter once Varay is back." But the human queen stayed back. 

Giving her a nod, I quickly began sending more forces from other directions to potentially form a pincer attack.

After a few minutes of lamenting about whether or not I should go myself, Aya returned.

"My illusions are working on the enemy, but he is too strong. He can create metal spikes out of nothingness, and create them everywhere at once. I concluded that he is at the least, a retainer. Most of the soldiers are dead, I urge you to not send anymore. Bairon is holding him back but I need to return as soon as possible."

"Tch, the dwarven Lances are..."

"Commander, I can't find Lord Alcaeus anywhere!" Alea with more bad news. "But I heard Aya's report. Please, let me take Mica and join the battle!"

"Mica huh...You can send her into battle, but I need you to return, Alea. Your specialty isn't in battle. And if he's killing normal soldiers so easily, you will just hold back the others." 

Aya immediately went back to backup Bairon, and Alea, with a face of desperation, gave me a bow and sprinted towards the prison. 

This was a desperate situation, but in case the worst happens, I need Alea to stay alive to help with evacuation.

"Activate the portal and begin sending elves to Xyrus! Now!" I ordered the remaining guard. "And treat the injured soldiers who still have a chance of surviving! Use the remaining forces for evacuation."

Why is a retainer coming here...out of nowhere...

Lord Alcaeus said that even when the war starts, retainers will be rare, and scythes rarer. 

But the war hadn't even started yet...has it?

No, the war started the moment Alacrya stepped foot on our continent.

Nevertheless, we need to do our best to survive. This is our war.

Once again, I was considering going out myself. Not that I could be of much help to Lances...but I was still a silver core mage.

Suddenly, Lady Sylvia walked in with Rinia.

"What's going on?" She asked, with a determined face.

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