(One Week Later)
After my lovely conversation with Agrona last week, when Sylvie woke up, she had forgotten what she was going to say, and what we were talking about. I was going to say something but found it best not to.
We were marching through a large forest towards our next battle, we had just taken out another camp yesterday, but I did everything myself in this battle, unlike the one before that led to the deaths of my men.
The next camp was right on the border of the Elven Kingdom, it was the biggest force we had come across, numbering in the five thousand. So, they outnumbered us by a decent amount, but I had a plan.
Callias and I already discussed it, he loved it, we sent our plan to Elder Virion, and he loved it. He originally wanted to send additional support, but I assured him it wasn't needed, and he took my word.
"Here is good." I told Callias as he walked next to me.
"We are making camp here!" Callias shouted to the thousand men. "Alpha Team on me!" Sylvie's and my tent appeared before me as the soldier carrying it took the tent out of his mana ring.
Sylvie grabbed my hand and pulled me into the tent. "Veer, we have to talk." She said as we entered. "This is a pretty big deal, are you sure you are up for it?" Sylvie continued holding my hand as she spoke, looking at me very seriously, but I could see the kindness in her eyes.
"I'm up for it, Sylv." Oh, and she now wants me to call her Sylv, which isn't a big a deal. I grabbed her hand as she held mine. "I won't be alone, and I have you out here in case something goes wrong."
"I don't like the idea of six of you going in there alone." Sylvie spoke honestly. "You said that there was only one thousand troops when you first found it, and that over the last two days, their number grew to five thousand, it has to be a trap."
"No, it doesn't." I assured. "Sylvie, believe in me, and trust that I won't die today." Her golden eyes were filled with emotion, I could tell she was extremely worried, and I appreciated that. "Is there something I can do to make you feel better about this situation?"
"Yeah, let me come with you." I shook my head. "I can go into my fox form and hide within your armor."
"No, that's even more risky." I told her. "I'll be with strong mages; they'll have my back." The team that was going in to the five thousand troops was Callias, Melody, Daryl, Cassandra, Geist, and me. "Just pray for my safe return." I said sarcastically, pulling my hand away from her as I brought my deck, chair, and bed out of my mana ring.
"Veer." Sylvie said softly, truth be told, I didn't want her in this battle, it could be dangerous if something doesn't go a part of plan, and if she got hurt, I would not be able to forgive myself. "You know I have to go with you."
"You don't." I told her again. "No more of this, you aren't coming." I spoke with authority. "Stick to the plan we all agreed on, if you think I am in trouble, you have free will to launch yourself in the cavern and rescue me."
"Fine." Sylvie said with a sad tone as she looked at the ground.
Damn, I stepped closer to her, lifted my hand, and then placed it on her cheek, moving her head so she was looking into my eyes. "I'll be okay, Sylv, there is no need to worry, everything will go according to plan, and we will be in here, talking about our victory when it is all over."
I sent Sylvie a warm smile, and then hugged her. "Why do you have to speak like that?" She said as she embraced my hug and hugged me back. "You better come back in one piece though."
We separated from each other. "I'll try to." I smiled, pulling the second bed out of my mana ring, the one was where Sylvie slept, and placed it on the other side of the tent. She questioned why she couldn't transform into her fox form and sleep with me, but I told her that it was better this way.
"Actually, Veer, mind if we talk about something before you go on this dangerous mission?" Sylvie asked me, and I looked at her curiously. wondering what she wanted to talk about. Did she finally remember what was happening before Agrona took over her body?
"You can talk with me about anything, Sylv." I nodded my head, feeling the Alpha Team heading this way. I did not name that, it was freaking Callias, he wanted it to be a cool name, but came up with Alpha, so stupid, that's him though, he thinks of stuff like that.
"I've been thinking, we've been spending a lot of time together lately, and I figured at some point this was going to happen, so I want to get it out there as soon as possible." I kept on listening as she spoke. "Veer, I ----"
She was cut off as Callias entered the tent. "And he slit the guy's throat, making him gargle on his own blood." He was looking at Cassandra, the twin of Melody, as he spoke, telling her some story I am sure about me.
Callias always brags that he knows me, he truly was a good friend to have. "Wow, that is insane." Cassandra responded to him as the six members of the team entered my tent without question, but they bowed to Sylvie and me when I made eye contact.
"You ready for this?" I nodded toward Daryl. "This is going to be very dangerous, but if it works, it should get the job done."
"Veer, do you have enough mana for this?" Callias asked, I needed a lot of my mana to fulfill the plan we had, which I had, so we were looking fine.
"Yeah, I'm good to go." I answered him. "Let's rest here for a little, then head out when it's dark."
"Okay, that's a good plan." Melody nodded her head. "I'm going to go rest in my tent for a little."
"Mind if I join you?" Callias asked her with a smile on his face.
Melody rolled her eyes and left my tent, causing all of us to laugh. "What? A man has to try, right?" Callias shrugged, not caring that he just got rejected, but that reminded me, Sylvie was about to say something pretty serious, but was cut off by them coming in here.
"You all should rest as well." I suggested. "This isn't going to be battle, we are going to be invading this force in secret, we don't know how long we will be in there, it could be a day, two, or even three." I could feel Sylvie's eyes on me widen, I told her it would only take a night or two.
"I agree." Callias replied. "Let's go Cassandra."
"Not a chance." The twin elf left the tent, and Callias followed behind her saying something, but I knew she would reject him.
"Lance Virion, please rest up yourself." Daryl told me, and left the tent as well, then Geist left as well without saying anything. I invited him to be a part of this small team, because I knew he was one of the strongest mages here in camp, and I wanted the best with me.
"You lied to me." Sylvie said, and I faced her with a smile. "Don't smile like that, it's not going to make it okay."
"Haha." I laughed a little, and then said. "Sylv, I'm sorry, I knew you wouldn't like it if the mission was longer than a night, so I didn't tell you."
"You bet I wouldn't." She said. "You should rest, you don't know if you'll be able to sleep in the camp." She pointed to my bed and added. "Go, if I am not allowed to come with, I'll make sure you are well rested."
"Sylvie, I don't think you understand that I don't really need sleep unless I was active." I stood still, not really wanting to rest, I was feeling fine.
"I don't care." Sylvie told me, motioning for me to go to bed. "Rest a little."
I stared into her golden eyes, they were pretty fierce at the moment, I sighed, and said. "Fine." I made my way to the bed and sat down on it. "I am not going to be able to sleep, but I'll try." I closed my eyes and rolled over facing the tent wall.
I felt Sylvie got to her bed, but I didn't know what she was doing, probably resting like me, or making sure I was resting. I guess this gives me time to think about everything going on.
I don't believe anything has changed since I spoke with Agrona, he doesn't know I am a reincarnate, he may have his suspicions, but that does not matter. I was thinking, if Agrona would capture somehow, it would change things drastically. He would have every single memory of the novel, what happens, what he has to do to win, I mean, he would even have the memories that I don't completely remember. It would be the end of everything for Dicathen, he would still need a lot to take Epheotus.
He did say he was trying to capture me again, which I knew, I could only imagine how strong his force would be if he captured Tessia and me. I'm not strong enough to compare myself to the Legacy, but I believe Agrona would do test on me to make me stronger, like for example, injecting Vritra blood or something, I don't know.
I did threaten to kill Tessia, but he knew I was lying, I would never do that to Arthur, nor Tess, she was like a sister to me. Even now, she might actually become my real sister, they are together in a sense. I was happy for them, I was, I told Arthur to tell her sooner rather than later, and I thought it was going to end up the same in the novel, them promising to be together after the war, but surprisingly, they are together already.
"Are you asleep?" Sylvie called over to me, and I didn't respond, knowing it was a trap. "Veer?"
"I'm trying to rest, Sylv, you talking to me, doesn't make it easy." I said with a light tone. "I'm going to have ask you to keep it down." I spun around, and faced her, sending her a sarcastic smile.
She was just sitting on the bed, looking at me with a glare after my sarcastic comeback. "Shut up." Sylvie shook her head as she looked at me.
I shot to my feet and spoke. "I'm rested."
Sylvie stood as well. "It's been five minutes?"
"That's all I need." I said, making my way out the tent. "I'm going to go for a nice stroll."
Sylvie came up from behind me, walking by my side. "I'll be coming with." I faced her as I turned towards the tree line, away from the tents, and into the forest.
We walked around a bush, and into an opening, that's when I brought it back up. "Sylvie, you said you had something to tell me before Callias and the others came in." I gave her a look, waiting to see her response.
"Veer, I think it can wait until after you come back." Sylvie said.
I shook my head. "You sure?" I said questioningly. "I don't know, something like this might distract me from my mission, I think you should just tell me now." I sent her a warm smile, trying to make her comfortable.
Sylvie went silent for a second, then said. "Fine." She stopped walking as we stood in an opening with trees and bushes around us. "Veer, I know Arthur, my bond, is your brother, but over time, you should know, I developed feelings for you, not like I have for Arthur, but like Arthur and Tessia's relationship." She was looking at the ground as she spoke. "I know how Arthur feels for Tessia, and that is love, so what I am saying is, I think I might love you."
I froze, looking at her as she looked up at me, but I smiled. "Sylvie, I don't know what love is, you know my story, but I also, have developed feelings for you over time." She was smiling back at me now. "I don't know if that's love yet, but I feel something for you that I don't for anyone else." Ever since she became human, and even slightly before that, she was there for me, which made me happy for some reason.
"Really?" She said, I nodded my head, and she ran up and hugged me.