Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 176: Locking Eyes

Arthur Leywin

I held my breath as the Alacryan soldiers' conversation continued unabated. My legs burned from the mana I forced through my channels, the sweltering heat within my little crevice making me sweat even further. While I kept my presence hidden with Mirage Walk, it was a constant effort just to stand. I couldn't continue this much longer. Furthermore, maintaining the wall of earth in front of me strained something deeply in my body.

I'd come out here on a hunch, fearing the worst after defeating the Retainer, Jagrette. I'd flown with Sylvie–my core empty and my body burning from my near brush with backlash–all along the southern border of Sapin, tracking the source of the Alacryan forces that had ambushed the divisions of Dicathen along our southern flank.

But even if the battle near Slore was over, there were far more deadly matters at hand. The Alacryans shouldn't have been able to sneak around to our rear so easily. After all, we'd expected them to attack from the sea or further east, but they'd somehow maneuvered to our least defended area.

The only way that could've happened, as far as I could see, was that the army had been intentionally let in.

If the dwarves had betrayed Dicathen, then we were not only potentially down two Lances, but also a third of our troops and military force. And after what I'd just seen in this cavern, my suspicions had unfortunately been confirmed. Alacryan soldiers strode about with dwarves within the cavern, tending to a large teleportation gate and ferrying more troops in.

Even as I watched the dwarves below usher in our continent's enemies, I hoped they were only a minor faction of some sort. A rebel group, unsupported by the true powers on our side. But I hadn't become a King in my past life by thinking optimistically.

I listened as the Alacryan contingent of soldiers left my little hidey-hole of conjured earth behind, muttering to themselves about the 'Great Vritra' and their 'Bloods,' I allowed the seconds to tick by. Each further beat of my heart made the air grow a little hotter, my legs shake a little more, and my concentration on my mana slip just a bit further.

But finally, I felt a measure of peace as the Alacryans retreated. I allowed the earthen wall in front of me to dissipate, the colder air a breeze on my face.

We got what we came here for. Now let's go back to tell Virion so you can actually get some rest to heal your wounds, Sylvie pleaded mentally, her fox form stuffed in my jacket.

Yeah, let's go, I thought back, already contemplating how I would tell Gramps and Aldir about this. The steps we'd need to take would likely be drastic. I began to walk away from the domed cavern, cataloging this disaster into the long list of disasters I would need to overcome.

But I was forced to turn back as I heard the entire contingent of Alacryans behind me kneel. I turned lethargically, Sylvie screaming in my head that we needed to leave, but the presence that exited the large teleportation gate made my blood congeal in my veins.

I'd thought myself ready. I'd confronted two Retainers; even killed one. Even under the suspicion that the dwarves had betrayed Dicathen, I had enough confidence in myself, Sylvie, and Virion that we could win this war. But as that obsidian-clad figure stepped from the gate, I felt my already weakened knees tremble.

Their aura was a suffocating presence throughout the cavern that sucked the breath from my already beleaguered lungs. The Scythe–for what else could she be?--looked about the cavern with apparent disinterest. I'd become accustomed to viewing every Vritra with an element of disgust, but there was something terribly beautiful about this one. Terrible, like the edge of a knife, but beautiful.

Amidst the crowd of kneeling dwarves and Alacryans, the woman–who looked only a few years older than Tessia–appeared small and petite, at least physically. But the aura she cast made it clear to all around that she was the largest there, if the two horns that thrust from her pearlescent hair did not already make it clear.