Conviction, page 11
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As Xeal found himself in Austru’s room he smiled. After telling her that he would return shortly and he had claimed another domain, he returned to the main ED world. Once there, he frowned at the losses that had been suffered on both fronts as he had been delayed for over 20 minutes. Still, the situation wasn’t completely lost and Xeal felt as if he had a decent hope of succeeding in turning the tables, but it was going to cost him some of the waters of youth he still had.
With a sigh, Xeal decided that he would head to the aid of the force that had started their invasion from what used to be Paidhia, and was under Caleb’s and Casmir’s command. This was mainly due to them having the weaker of the two NPC forces, due to the other coming largely from those who were held in reserve during the last invasion. This had included the 1,000 royal knights that were fighting in the other battlefield, after King Victor’s insistence that the very best Nium had to offer be included in the invasion. Both Xeal and Captain Bexley had not liked this as it would leave King Victor vulnerable to internal attacks, but the most they had been able to do was convince King Victor to keep the 100 best near him still. Though Xeal was just happy that King Victor wasn’t demanding to sally forth as he had in Xeal’s last life and with that Xeal knew that he would never gain the name Rhory as he did in his last life.
Xeal put those thoughts out of his mind as he made his way to the battlefield and found things were worse than he had expected. Nium’s force was fighting on two fronts, as the NPCs from the defensive position had streamed out of the fort and engaged as well. To Xeal it was clear that the end of his fight with Mittie was already known and Habia’s forces below were attacking like their lives depended on it. Normally this was where Xeal would pair his overwhelming aura and taunt skills before fighting like a madman and refreshing his taunt until he collapsed after, but with two battles to aid he couldn’t do that. Yet with the sheer size of the force Habia had sent forward, Xeal knew nothing short of several full-powered electrical attacks would do anything.
With an idea forming, Xeal flash stepped onto a hill near the point where Habia’s player force was massed, but could be easily targeted by any on Nium’s side. Though Xeal made this landing as flashy as possible, as he focused on releasing a bolt of electricity as he moved and as such it looked as if a massive lightning bolt had descended. A few smiting jokes entered Xeal’s head in the moment he had before the players who had been nearby reacted and he found himself the focus of many attacks. Thankfully most of these were the electrical attacks that he needed from the Nium side of things, as he simply ignored the rest while absorbing and redirecting all of the electrical ones. This quickly saw a massive hole open up in the ranks of the players, as destroyed equipment littered the ground once more.
Seeing as his stamina had run out from the attack, Xeal quickly flash stepped away and stopped in a secluded location before drinking a dose of the waters of youth to restore himself. In the next moment, Xeal returned to the battle that he had just left, as he targeted another area and repeated his attack. While his targets seemed more ready for it this time, Nium’s forces already had their electrical attacks ready and Xeal was able to succeed once again. Though some power had been lost to destroying the force shields that had been readied on the Habia side of things. Still, Xeal felt like he had done enough to at least stabilize things on this front as he left for the other one.
After arriving at the other battlefield, Xeal found things much the same as he landed at the command tent and drank another bottle of the waters of youth. However, it was soon clear as Saima greeted Xeal, that Takeshi had already taken to the field himself and left her to manage Nium’s forces. While there were others aiding her, Xeal could tell that she was focused on just holding things together and at the sight of him, she acted as if a massive burden had been taken off of her as she started to speak.
“Guild leader, you finally made it. Our forces are being overwhelmed and things are just getting worse. I fear Takeshi-sama will be overwhelmed if things continue and he refuses to accept anything but victory or death.”
“He’s being an idiot. Spread the word that I am taking direct command of this army and that I expect Takeshi to report to me immediately. That said, I need you to organize the group that will be supplying me electricity to work with.”
After Xeal passed on this second order, he waited a minute as Saima handled things before he shifted to his lightning form and flash stepped directly above the player force. Right then every player with a long-ranged lightning attack unleashed them and Xeal found himself filled with power once more. In the next moment, he sent it all directly down into the enemy force before anyone could even react. Following this, Xeal flash stepped back to the command tent as he waited for Takeshi to arrive and as he did, he and Xeal both looked at the other intensely. This lasted only a moment as Xeal motioned for Takeshi to join him in the command tent that had already been cleared and was enchanted such that noise would be blocked from both directions. Once inside it was Takeshi who spoke first.
“Xeal-san, why did you order me to pull back?”
“Why the hell were you out there!?” shot back Xeal. “Takeshi-san, your job here is not to fight but lead, or are you saying that you would kill yourself if you lost this battle and so what difference does it make if you die fighting on the front lines?”
“A defeat is a defeat. While I can accept them when you and I are training-”
“Great. Takeshi-san, you are to return to the border fort and assume command there and you are removed from all invasion efforts.”
“Xeal-san, you dishonor-”
“No, I do not. Takeshi-san, I would sooner lose this entire army minus the NPCs than lose you. You may believe that you have arranged things such that another could take your place, but you haven’t. I know and will accept you seeking out fights with other top players once you reach tier-8, but I refuse to allow you to put yourself in a situation where numbers kill you.”
“Xeal-san, you do not understand-”
“No, you don’t. I am well aware that you live your life by a code and honor is a huge part of what matters to you. So, tell me, who is it that you serve, or do you view yourself as a daimyo?”
“No, I am not a daimyo and I suppose that would be you, Xeal-sama.”
“Damn it, is that your way of saying that if I play this card you’re going to start acting as if I am completely above you?”
“If you wish to not be seen as the head of my clan and wish to be seen as my lord, then yes.”
Xeal wanted to beat some sense into Takeshi, but he knew that would do no good so he just shook his head and responded.
“Fine, be that way. Now stand by until I give you orders to move. As much as I would love to send you back right now, it is a bit too hectic for that.”
With that Xeal didn’t even wait for a response before leaving the tent and returning his focus to the battle. As he did this, he cringed as he knew that he had to attack the NPCs and get them to withdraw, or the battle would be lost. So, Xeal found what looked like their commanders atop the distant fort’s wall and assumed his lightning form as he flash stepped there. When he arrived, he returned to his physical form while activating his overwhelming aura, his aura control and fighting spirit all at once. The reactions of the guards were to flee from him in terror, as others who looked like nobles collapsed. More than one of them seemed to have lost control of their bladders and worse. Still, Xeal was able to lock in on his target, as he spotted most of the nobles looking at a particularly well-dressed NPC man next to Atius and the two other Abysses End members, who were looking incensed at the current situation.
“Anyone moves and I will personally start culling every single landed noble who refuses to surrender!”
At Xeal’s threat, he could see every noble near him go pale as he turned his attention back to the commander and Atius.
“Judging by the fact that I am seeing a fool and not a general, tells me that Habia’s military either had no part in this, or refused to participate. Which considering that the deal I made was meant to limit the numbers of NPCs on both sides of any conflict, even if I left the opening for more to be present at defensive points, is telling enough about the stupidity of those present. So here is what is going to happen. Every last one of you is going to surrender and sacrifice yourselves so that your son, or whatever other heir you have can be spared. After that, you will all be executed as an example for others while your army is placed in chains and put to work repairing the damage that has been done during this invasion.
“Are there any questions?”
“Yes, who died and made you dictator of the world,” retorted Atius, as Xeal cursed the mental resistance boost all players had.
Still, it was easy enough for Xeal to deal with him as he launched himself forward and went to attack just as Atius cast a force shield in front of him. Xeal simply jumped in the air to go over the ten-foot-tall shield as Atius aimed another spell at him, while the other Abysses End players moved to guard Atius. They were both level 245, which put them at the cream of the crop when it came to Abysses End’s members, however to Xeal they were nothing. First, Xeal twisted as he took Atius’s spell to his shoulder rather than his chest, and then he landed and turned that twist into momentum to attack the Abysses End member on his left. Only as he did so, Xeal saw he took massive damage as Atius started laughing and Xeal knew what spell he had been hit with. A quick glance at his status screen was all Xeal needed to know that for the next five minutes any damage he dealt would be dealt to himself as well.
“Now what? While I am sure hitting you a second time might be beyond us- What!?”
Atius’s attempt to gloat ended, as Xeal continued to attack as he mercilessly killed both members of Abysses End and Atius in just under three minutes, as his health stopped at one percent. After all, his skin of your teeth title was just as broken as ever as it saw the spell’s effect as just that, a status effect like bleed, so it failed to finish him off. Still, had Atius not been overconfident, or had known that his spell would falter at one percent, Xeal might have been in trouble. But it seemed his abilities were still not fully understood by Abysses End. With that taken care of, Xeal just smiled as he looked at the nobles who were now thoroughly terrified after seeing the display that he just put on. Though to his credit the commander had regained enough of his bearings that he was able to speak and try and negotiate with Xeal, as Xeal drank some waters of youth once more.
“Guarantee our lives and I will order the surrender, else I see no reason I should care about the lives of others.”
“Fine, I will not kill any of you, nor will I allow any under my command to do so.”
“No, promise that none-”
“You ask for what you know I can’t give, so I will promise to smuggle you off of this continent with 500 gold each. What happens to you then is your own problem.”
Xeal almost wanted to laugh at their stupidity as all the nobles seemed to jump at that deal, and a quick signature later and the signal for retreat was sent out. As the NPCs fighting disengaged and tried to escape, Xeal returned to his lightning form and flash stepped between the two forces, before shouting to let them go. At the same time, the player force knew that they had lost, as the roughly 17,000 NPC’s from Nium’s force who were in fighting shape turned their attention on them. As the NPCs on Habia’s side had taken part in the battle, they were all allowed to continue to do so. Xeal already knew that things were about to become a rout, and he returned to the command tent and assumed his physical form. There he was greeted by Saima as she looked worried when she spoke.
“Um, guild leader, is Takeshi-sama going to be removed from command? If so, who will take over?”
“Enjoy the promotion and I hope you can handle everything because that would be you. I mean you are vying for one of the ten top guild leader slots are you not?”
Xeal ignored the worried look Saima gave him as he entered the tent and saw Takeshi seated there as he looked like he was stewing.
“The battle is all but over. Get word out that we have a labor battalion of captured Habia soldiers who will be happy to get to work in the recently captured lands. I am going to have the army pause here as fresh reinforcements are brought in, as well as overseers for the prisoners. When you arrive back at the border fort, you are to take charge of it while coordinating the efforts of the prisoners and giving Saima her marching orders. This is still your army. You will just not be on the battlefield with it any longer.”
“Why is it that only you are allowed to leave others in charge while fighting on the frontlines?”
“That is not what you did. Takeshi-san, you knew your job was to hold things together until I arrived. Had you been simply securing the line, that would have been fine. Heck, had the battle been in your favor and the risk to you was low, leading the charge to force a rout would be acceptable. However, you wish to play this game with a single life and refuse a feather, or drop of phoenix blood, so you don’t get to allow numbers to kill you. For the record, the only reason I have yet to suffer a death penalty is through the use of revival items and if I didn’t have them, I would never be allowed to do 90% of what I do. Now, I need to take care of things at the other battlefield, but we will talk more when I return.”
As Xeal said that, he didn’t even give Takeshi a chance to respond before leaving the tent. Nor was he still there when Takeshi followed him out, as he had already left to take care of things on the other battlefield. This forced Takeshi to stew over the events of the battle as he looked out to see the results that Xeal had achieved, knowing that no other could have. Even so, Takeshi didn’t know why this knowledge made him feel as if he was unable to stand on the stage that he felt he should for some reason.
Meanwhile, Xeal had arrived at the other battle and wasted no time in repeating his capture of the noble commanders in the fort. Though this time none of Abysses End’s members were near and it seemed that Xeal arrived as the nobles were already getting ready to flee. So it was that six hours after Xeal had logged on, both battles had ended and over 90,000 tier-6 and tier-7 NPCs were captured, and would be put to work until the end of the war and likely after. Though Xeal maintained that all of them would be free once all damage caused by the war was repaired. With those matters well in hand, Xeal returned to Nium’s capital for a meeting with Kate and Mittie.
When Xeal sat down, he could tell Mittie was looking like she wished that she could be anywhere but here and he could tell Kate had already been thoroughly interrogating her. Though Kate looked annoyed and Xeal could tell Mittie hadn’t been very forthcoming, as he thought about how he would approach the situation. He didn’t want to ruin relations with Salty Dogs, but at the same time, Mittie’s actions had cost around 4,000 NPCs their lives, if Xeal included both sides of the conflict in his numbers. Had another demonic staff wielder been among either force things could have gotten even worse and that wasn’t a possibility Xeal was willing to ignore, even if it hadn’t happened. So, with a stern tone Xeal started to speak.
“Mittie, do you have any idea just what you did?”
“Delayed you in arriving and cost some NPCs their lives.”
“Risked a repeat of what happened in the final battle in Paidhia, only in two locations and while I would have been unable to delay either while we worked to close them.”
“Your point?”
“My point is that your actions went beyond simply fighting over a quest, they went into full-on interference-”
“Xeal, drop it,” interrupted Kate. “Mittie knows what she has done. The only issue that matters is if we see it as enough to cut relations with Salty Dogs over.”
“No, but it is enough to require a more binding agreement to stay out of the situation here unless I invite them.”
“I can get behind that as part of buying your silence and recovering access to that world,” replied Mittie, looking hopeful.
“That is an awful lot to ask for and I don’t think it is in my favor to stay silent,” replied Xeal. “I mean you tried to seduce me from where I am standing.”
Xeal just smiled at the look that crossed Kate’s face, as she smiled widely while looking at Mittie, who seemed to shrink into her seat as Kate spoke.
“Please, Mittie, explain as to what my husband is talking about, or is that what you have been really after this whole time?”
“No, Xeal is exaggerating a bit-”
“Just a bit now. So, were you just trying to tempt him and not seduce him? Were you just after a one-night stand and not a lasting relationship?”
“No, no, no, no! It is my ability that caused the issue, not any active intent-”
“I believe you said something like if I wasn’t stuck up, I could play with you whenever I liked,” interrupted Xeal.
“Then I said I know better than to tease you too long and stopped!” shouted Mittie, sounding desperate and Kate looked at her like she was doomed. “Kate, I was just demonstrating one of my abilities while stalling for time-”
“Please, by all means show me just what you did while saying that and perhaps I will agree with you.”
Xeal could see Mittie sweating as she looked at Xeal as if begging for him to save her, only for Xeal to smile right back as he spoke.
“Yes, Mittie, please show Kate exactly what you did and don’t worry, I will confirm just how accurate it is compared to what you showed me.”
Seeming to know that she had lost, Mittie shifted tactics as she spoke next.
“Fine, I know when I’ve lost, but I want a deal for at least access to that world first.”
“Very well,” answered Xeal. “You will pay a percent of the value of anything taken from that world to us and accept when we shut down any operation we deem as harmful to the long-term-”
