(One Month Later)
Four months now, that was it, I couldn't wait any longer, I needed to get to white core now. I was going to start absorbing the mana I got from Uto's one horn. I was planning on splitting it with the Acclorite in my palm. I was able to control that because of my blood absorption technique.
"Virion, what are your thoughts on this situation?" Elder Virion asked as I sat in the council room with King Glayder, Queen Eralith, and him. I was sitting next to the Queen in King Eralith's chair.
"I don't know, maybe because I took down a Retainer, they are being more cautious." We were discussing the fact that there has been little to no contact with Alacryans in the dungeons. They were still there, inside of the dungeons, but the battles had slowed. "That's the only reason I can come up with."
"It's been a while though; you think they would pick things up." King Glayder said. "It's like they are in shock after they lost a Retainer, like Virion said."
"Actually." I knew why, I just didn't put two and two together, it made sense. "Uhh, well, we know that they can build ships, right?" I looked around the room, I had no clue where Aldir was, it seemed like he was only here now to talk to Elder Virion and no one else.
"Yeah." Elder Virion said, getting what I was saying. "You think they are sending ships, don't you?"
"I do." I told him honestly. "Maybe they are waiting until they arrive, it's what I would do." I also knew that they were sending ships over. "There isn't much we can do, but I would start building up Etistin's defenses."
"What?" King Glayder exclaimed.
"Why do you say that Virion?" Queen Eralith turned to me.
"It's where your home is, right? Well, you take Etistin, Dicathen falls, not completely falls, but people will lose hope." That attack will happen way in the future, but I'm trying to prepare everyone for it now. "I know Etistin is the last defense, but we should definitely prepare for an attack from the ocean."
"We shouldn't do anything until we know for sure." King Glayder spoke up. "I know you might be right, I just don't want to take the word of a ten year old, no matter how strong you are."
I shrugged. "That's fine."
"He has a point though, King Glayder." Elder Virion told him. "If it is true, we should plan ahead."
"Etistin will be fine, I assure you." King Glayder seemed pretty confident; the man was going to die if I didn't change things, but he didn't know that.
I sighed. "We know they are working with the dwarves too, so, this is just a theory, but what if they are traveling not through dungeons, but tunnels created by the mana beast and the dwarves a like." I paused and gave Elder Virion a look of concern. "They could have an army underground in tunnels across Dicathen, preparing for an assault."
"I don't think that's a theory, that's probably what's going on." Elder Virion agreed with me, I mean I knew that was what was going on. "There really isn't anything we can do about that, except to wait."
I shook my head. "I can track blood, gramps, if you send me out there with a squad, I could map them out, or even take them out." I knew there was a camp in Ashber Town, I could go destroy that shit right now.
"No, it's too dangerous right now, we don't know what they are planning." Elder Virion shook his head. "But that is smart, when the time comes, we may have to do that."
I nodded, it wasn't like we were planning a war against a normal person, we were planning a war against a god like being that has planning this for a while. The only thing was, I knew what his plan was, I needed to figure out how to counter it though.
"Yeah, Virion, we don't want to send you out there and they target you again." The Queen smiled. "We don't want anything happening to the new Lance."
I smiled back. "Thanks, Queen Eralith, I appreciate the kindness." She's always been nice to me, probably because I was Arthur's brother. "Then what's our next move, to wait?"
"It appears so." Elder Virion said. "Virion, there still hasn't been any word from Gideon, I'm getting worried we won't figure anything out."
"I doubt we will." My voice changed to one of sorrow, knowing what it meant.
"Don't say that." The Queen told me. "You have to have faith."
"I do, Queen Eralith, but I have to return to the field at some point." I looked at them all. "I know with everything going on, there is no need for me to be in the field now, so I'm fine staying here until things pick up, but we all know what I am capable of. I took down a Retainer by myself, I can't sit in here and do nothing for the rest of the war."
"We know, we have no intention of keeping you in here forever, Virion, but right now it's for your own good." I nodded at Elder Virion, my mind was unstable, yes, but remembering what Uto said, sometimes you need an unstable mind to win a battle. "Have you been meditating like I told you to?"
"Yeah, it helps calm the thoughts down." Elder Virion gave me a couple of methods on how I could help myself. It's not a cure for the corrupted Will, but it definitely helps a little. "Honestly, they mostly occur when I am fighting, so when I am not, I'm able to stay in a nice calm place."
"How's your training going? I know you are in the training hall a lot with Ellie and even your father sometimes." King Glayder walks past the training hall to get to the council room, so he sees us in the morning usually.
"Mine, fine, I've been mostly focusing on increasing my agility." I told them. "I can't really practice blood magic in there, but the magic I do practice, I've been trying to find combos I like, and use multiple elements at once, which I rarely do."
"That's good to hear, keep up the work while you can, Virion." Elder Virion smiled at me. "I think we are done for the day; don't you all think."
"I suppose so." King Glayder stood up. "I'll see you all at the meeting tonight." He made his exit out of the room.
The Queen stood up as well. "Virion, it was nice having you here today, keep up with your training." She smiled and left as well.
It was only Elder Virion and me now. "Aren't you leaving?" I asked him, he looked like he had no intention of getting up.
"No, I think I'm going to stay here for a little." He told me, and I leaned back in the chair. "You can go, no need to wait for me."
"What are you doing?" I looked at him. "Are you planning something?"
"It's about your brother, when he returns, I plan on officially making you and him Lances in front of Dicathen." This was where Arthur gave his speech to the people, oh shit, I was going to have to stand up there with him now. I'm good at public speaking, not as good as my brother though. "It's going to be a huge announcement; I'm just making sure that it goes well."
"I'm sure it will." I assured him, because I knew it did. "Gramps, all I ask for, don't make me speak in front of the people, I have zero filter, and will say something totally wrong."
"Oh, trust me, you may be strong like your brother, but you are quite the opposite when it comes to formality." He smiled at me. "You will speak, but it will be to declare who you serve under, and it won't be in front of the people."
"So, I won't speak, nice." I could just stand there and look tough in front of the people. "Most of the people already know who I am, the Devil of Dicathen."
"That's true, they do." Literally everyone knows about the kid who killed a hundred soldiers by himself, not everyone knows about Uto yet, Elder Virion is waiting to announce that. "I still can't believe that Arthur and you are the two people who are supposedly supposed to save us, that burden shouldn't fall on you guys, you are both so young."
"I'm not a savior, the only reason they are saying that now, is because Kezess wants me to fight in the war, because of my Blood Deviant powers." Elder Virion gave me a confused look.
"Kezess? You use his first name?" Elder Virion tilted his head at me. "You know if Aldir heard that, he would have gotten mad at you."
"It was a mistake, but you should know, the Asuras can't be trust, gramps." He looked at me even more confused. "Don't ask me how I know, but for now, trust them." I paused for a second, and he still was just looking at me. "Lord Indrath isn't my lord, that's why I used his name, but I know the respectful thing is to say Lord, so I'll make sure to do that next time."
"Why do you say the Asuras can't be trusted?" He asked me, and his eyes were fixed on mine, studying my every movement to see if I was speaking truthfully.
"Ahh, you know, I've been thinking, this war, it is about conquering Dicathen, so why aren't the Asuras helping us? They sent one person to advise you, and brought one person to train to Epheotus, don't you feel like if they really wanted to help us, they would send troops or do more? Who cares about their treaty with Alacrya, we are at war, and eventually, Agrona will come for them if he wins here?" Thoughts of Aldir destroying the Elf Kingdom appeared. "What happens if we lose, and instead of helping us, Lord Indrath finally sends his troops, and they wipe out Dicathen, no matter who is here?"
Elder Virion just stared and contemplated my words. I wanted him to think on his own, as long as he doesn't say anything to Aldir, I'll be fine, he won't though if it puts me in harm's way. He cares about me too much to do that. "I agree, I've had those same thoughts, but what are we going to do about it? They are a continent full of god like beings, they think they know best."
"There's nothing we can do yet." I shrugged. "They are allies, Elder Virion, just not good ones."
"They are trying to help at least." He was trying to see the bright side, but they suck, we all think it.
"Did they tell you why Agrona wants Dicathen?" I asked, wondering how much he knew at this point.
"Yes, you should know, you basically said it." He looked at me and continued. "Agrona does experiments on Lessers, and he has been building an army to defeat Lord Indrath, with the population Dicathen has, he can do that if he takes over." I was just making sure I didn't say anything he didn't know.
I wanted to tell him that was half the truth, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. "Uh, yeah, well hopefully, we win the war and don't have to worry about anything."
I'm still debating who the real enemy was, I was going to fight in the war, and try to defeat Agrona, but if you really look into it. I feel like Kezess is the real enemy, he killed the Djinn because of knowledge. Well, it is possible that they are both the real enemy, but Kezess doesn't attack Dicathen, he only blows up the Elf Kingdom because it was under Alacryan rule.
Oh shit...if Arthur is a descendant of a Djinn, doesn't that mean I am too?
"I suppose you're right." I stood up and he sent me a smile. "You remind me so much of Arthur, Virion, he's going to be proud to see you, when he gets back."
I smiled back. "I hope so." I don't think I revealed anything, so I should be fine, all I did was speak my mind.