After defeating Irif, everyone assumes that the hardest part is over, and that they can finally relax for a moment. But while flying back to Enoria, Kaleth and the others are attacked by an ancient enemy, who they thought was long dead. And he has a...
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For a moment Nira couldn't breathe. Someone was planning to attack her country. Just days after Kaleth had basically done the same thing. But somehow Nira doubted this planned invasion would result in few casualties.
"An attack?" she finally choked out, gaping at her father. "What? Why? When? Who?"
"Calm down, sweetheart, it will be fine," he tried, but it was obvious not even he believed it. "Only Enoria has the power to beat us, and this is not Enoria. Whoever it is...."
"I assume this mysterious attacker is Enor?" asked Kaleth, completely out of nowhere. And Nira's eyes widened even more.
"Wha—how do you know that?" Nira's father asked him, as confused as she was. She'd only heard snippets of the original conversation though, maybe she'd missed it.
"The people blocking our way said that was who they worked for. Eternals, naturally," Kaleth replied, running a hand through his hair. "And no, I don't believe it, either."
"So this is all connected, then?" Nef spoke up, his thinking face on. Nira's heart lurched. Oh no, he would want to get involved in this just as much as Nira. She would have to try to beat his logic.
"Possibly," Kaleth said. "Probably."
Mel squeezed himself closer to Kaleth's chair. Nira wouldn't think it odd how silent he was being if not for the fact that during the month she hadn't seen him, he seemed to have gotten a bit less shy.
"I...I need to go talk to my generals immediately," Nira's father said, getting up quickly, his chair screeching as it slid across the wooden floor. "Um, Kaleth, I know you don't have to stay and help, but—"
"I will help, of course. Starting with strategy," Kaleth replied and also got up, careful as to not step on any of Mel's appendages. Mel moved out of the way a bit and jumped up, nuzzling Kaleth's side as the two and Nira's father walked towards the door.
"So which generals are we meeting?" Kaleth asked, his voice slowly getting softer as he got farther and farther away.
"Onril and Ayis. They, uh...."
"Hate me?"
"...Don't appreciate you invading Irithara a few days ago, yes."
"Splendid."
Before Nira could say anything, they were gone. She clenched her fists, angry with them and herself for not speaking up.
"Welp," Nef said after a moment, "that was...not at all what I was expecting."
"How can you be so calm?" Nira asked, wishing she could also react to this the way Nef did. Though she knew him well enough to know that at least partly this was just an act. No one could be calm after finding out the country they currently couldn't leave was about to be attacked by a new, mysterious enemy.
"Oh, do I look calm? Great, the illusion is working," Nira said, grinning at her. Any other day, Nira would find it irresistibly charming. But not today. "Maybe I should become an actor...."
