Chapter 212 – Preparation for war (1)

“Hmm?” Brendel froze for a moment after walking out of the Loop of Trade Winds.

“What’s wrong?” Veronica eyed him and asked.

“Nothing,” Brendel shook his head.

He felt that the connection with his summons restored the moment he exited the Wall of Clouds. Medissa and Ciel reached out to him almost instantaneously once they felt the connection and they reported Firburh’s situation to him.

Count Randner’s army had finished gathering in the Palas region, and it was not even a day before they started moving towards Firburh, which was before the harsh winter was even over.

It was a little faster than what Brendel had anticipated.

“Medissa, help me to praise little Romaine for catching the enemy’s movements. Ciel, get the Druids stationed in our territory to fortify our defenses along River Gris. If the battle starts, keep me informed of the situation.” Brendel said.

Firburh had been preparing for this battle for several months. It would be ridiculous if they could not hold out for several weeks.

[This communication system via the Planeswalker is just too good. I can actually direct a long-distance battle. Sure, there are magic artifacts that achieve the same results, but it’s a low-level fight happening in Aouine, not some important fight between the Kirrlutz Empire and another kingdom. Neither Count Randner or me can afford to pay out the device or Mana Crystals to make it function— Huh?]

He suddenly sensed a weak cry in his mind, one that should not exist.

“—Morpheus?”

Brendel saw an image of a ‘boy who cannot be this cute until he looks like a girl’ in his mind. His black attire was in tatters and he was covered in blood. There was even a naked shoulder revealed as he laid sprawled across broken rocks as though he was unconscious. Indeed, he was unconscious after climbing for several hours towards where Andesha had fought Brendel and him earlier.

It was only when he detected Brendel’s telepathic link that he fluttered his eyes and woke up. Perhaps it was the special relationship between a Planeswalker and a Summon—

historical

“My Lord, you finally found me, I have been searching for you for a long time.” The ‘girl’ showed an expression like he was dreaming. His pale, calm face was spotty with blood, but it still glowed with radiance.

[I see. Morpheus didn’t enter the Graveyard after he was knocked down the valley. Looks like there are two things that interfered with the communication system. Andesha, as well as the ruins in Valhalla. Well, it’s not surprising that Morpheus survived after so many sacrifices were made to boost his level. Hmm. How long has it been? A day? Maybe he was unconscious because I didn’t feed my blood to him.]

Brendel was relieved to see that the Vampire Trap was still alive. The latter was still a Gold-ranker, and he could be boosted to higher levels to enhance the usage of his Element Power. It was a sizable unit for his army.

“Are you alright?” Brendel was unable to treat his summon like a ‘card’, and he asked with a little guilt when he took a closer look at ‘her’ wounds.

“I’m fine,” Morpheus shook his head with a blush appearing on his face, and he spoke with a little embarrassment in his voice, “I’m just a little hungry, my Lord.”

It did not take long for Morpheus to appear. Scarlett’s face turned crimson, and Veronica looked at the youth with an odd look.

There were two cute bite marks on his neck.

“Wait, I told you not to bite my neck—!”

Brendel was unable to accept that he was hugged and sucked on his neck by another man, no matter how much he resembled a girl. He did not expect Morpheus to rush over to him with blinding speed and did not allow him to react in time. A Vampire’s primary attribute was speed, and even Andesha had to engage Morpheus in close combat despite having superior levels.

It was simply not possible for Brendel to avoid Morpheus when the youth did not activate Trance.

“It’s because I’m gravely injured and need blood from a pulsing artery, and my Lord’s blood is too delicious......” Morpheus revealed two adorable canines with a faint smile and answered shyly with a blush.

Brendel could only sigh and look up at the clouds in silence. It was because of him that Morpheus got gravely injured so he could only accept the outcome. Still, he gave a strict order to Morpheus and forbid the latter from approaching his neck unless there was permission given.

The interlude was quickly over, and Brendel had his eyes on the upcoming battle. He wanted to see his army’s increased prowess against the challenge from the north. After a day’s journey, they finally moved back to the Wolf’s Blockade.

The Fire Seed had established Order to the Dark Forest and there was sunlight pouring across the cliffs. The terrible sight of countless dead corpses in the area was gone. Was it because the wolves had devoured them before they went for the Green Tower?

Silence filled the forest. Dew could be seen on the leaves. Everything was peaceful and there was no tension in the air.

The group continued to make their way to where Amandina’s camp was, and a small commotion broke out when everyone saw Brendel and the others appeared. The first person to rush out was Amandina, followed by Felaern and her sister Dia.

As long as a Planeswalker’s card was in play, a reset would allow the resurrection of the fallen members of the card. The others in the camp thought that Dia was merely lost and eventually made her way to the camp.

Veronica’s subordinates came out in delight when they saw the female general, while the remaining Tree Elves and Centaurs also rushed over to Brendel.

“My Lord!” Amandina was still wearing her fur coat. Mist poured out urgently from her lips despite her calm expression, and the delight and relief were apparent in her eyes as she stood in front of Brendel.

“I’m back.” Brendel did not fail to spot the exhaustion in her eyes, but he merely gave a slight nod to the girl that he had the most faith in.

It was sufficient. Amandina and he were similar people. Their minds worked well under stress, and they could understand each other thoughts with a few words. Great partners did not need much to understand each other, and it was unreserved faith in each other.

Even if the Kirrlutz Empire’s Emperor came personally to employ her because he saw value in her talents, she might not be willing to leave this place. Other than the trust she had in Brendel, no one else understood her and believed in her like the latter. This faith was exceeding the romantic interest between a man and a woman, and was instead a pure form of dependency and need.

Brendel did not ask any questions. He looked past her and saw Carglise with a smile and a lowered head. It was almost the formality of a retainer. The latter who was supposed to stand with the nobles had chosen to stand with Brendel in a different kind of belief.

The performance that Brendel had against the Calamity of Wolves had won the lasting trust of the youths. They seemed to have discovered their goals in life, and each other them were reborn with maturity and determination.

“My Lord!” The youths exclaimed together as they formed up in front of Brendel and quieted down.

The past few days were like legendary tales sung by bards unfolding before their eyes. They had experienced it first-hand. Brendel entered the heart of the Loop of Trade Winds and lit the Fire Seed in the darkest hour. The Calamity of Wolves was dispelled in front of their very eyes. That magnificent scene was truly an explosion where the future and history were mixed together.

Just a day ago, the Druids, mercenaries, and other factions from the Green Tower searched the Dark Forest for survivors. They managed to track down Amandina’s camp and expressed their thanks to the youths when they discovered the latter was Brendel’s men.

The youths knew It was definitely true that Brendel was the one who saved everyone.

As each pillar of light from was extinguished on that fateful day, a single man lit the lighthouse that illuminated the entire Dark Forest.

This time, it was a hero from Aouine, and the Kirrlutz Empire was not involved.

Brendel would not have thought that he had won even more friends lurking in the shadows. The various people who survived the Calamity of Wolves had more or less received his goodwill. One could hardly imagine the amount of gratitude induced when a stranger lent a hand to pull them out from certain death.

Everyone was convinced that the Darkness had triumphed against the Light at the most violent moment of the Calamity of Wolves. The last sliver of Order was gone and the Fire Seed in the Green Tower was about to be extinguished. Yet, that single ray of light like the morning sun appeared and completely drove away from the shadows.

Those who did not know Brendel’s plan were stunned by this event.

When they finally knew what had happened from the Druids’ explanations, everyone was speechless from their shock. While it was true that gratitude and awe faded as time passed by, these people would more or less remember this event if they met Brendel.

But Brendel did not know that and was currently surprised by the youths’ sudden silence. He did command a strong obeisance from the youths, but that was because he was the lord of a territory. Right now, these men were looking at as though he was their king.

If they became knights in the future, they would answer Brendel’s call and fight for him as though they were fighting for their kingdom. Perhaps these youths even dreamed of doing so. After the four Holy Saints, the only person that commanded such esteem in Aouine was the Ancestral King Erik. No one else came close to be called a hero.

Brendel was satisfied when he looked at the youths. The White Lion Army was starting to form properly. He took a step forward while he pulled out Halran Gaia.

“The Calamity of Wolves is over, but your real enemies are already approaching before our very eyes. Form up and prepare to return to the Green Tower. Glory to Aouine!”

“Glory to Aouine!”

It was a sea of passion.