Ally

Any meeting with the generals was essentially the same. Overall, it always comes down to my opinion. They all state their doubts and hopes and then entrust me with the decision we will take afterwards. Usually, I think of it as really annoying because it always lays the responsibility onto me. This time it comes in quite handy.

The elven generals were doubting my decision to depart soon to get a quick strike onto the closest fortress pretty harshly. Their points were true, our army wasn't used to the light weight of their equipment, our defenses in Götterfels weren't set and we had no plan on how to conquer the fortress aswell. Sounds like a lost battle I was marching right into, even Laurin scratched his chin in thought. The only one that wasn't doubting me right now was Cecilia. Christian tries talking me out of it, but I stand resolute and then finally lay down my plan.

With a short nod towards the door I signal Cecilia to get Saphira in here and began talking myself. The nervosity from the previous meetings was gone, my brain finally realized the position I was standing in. As such, my voice was not trembling - it was loud and clear.

Ce:" As most of you noticed, I haven't mentioned a plan to take Operal down. To be frank - most of you doubted that I had a plan in the first place. Clearly, if I didn't have a plan it would be right to stop me here and now... But what if I do have a plan? A plan that is probably so easy to execute that we won't even need half of our troups to walk there? So easy that I even want to take over Untara village at the same time?"

S:" I'm sorry Cecil, but even I doubt that such a thing is possible. We don't have a way to even get through the walls, even with all our troups there. We don't have the means to win with -"

Ce:" We won't contest with any of these defenses. None of them is a bother in my plan. Actually, they might even be the best thing that could happen for us."

Like it was planned, Cecilia opens the door with Saphira on her arm just in that moment. Well, it was planned.

Ce:" Do you see that Cryophoenix? It will be our way to take the demons down without even fighting all of them. And those we have to fight will be too slow to fight on our level. Demon blood might be magical. It might make them immune towards heat and most casual ranged spells - but the magic of a nordic beast is something entirely different. Even demons fail to conquer the lands above Zuland and why do you think that is?"

R:" Because there is nothing to get from taking that land, it is a wasteland!"

La:" You couldn't be more wrong Rhage. The lands up there have been fought over for decades, if not centuries. Species fought and died up there, some were extinct over their greed. There are undiscovered ores, made not by pressure or heat - but by manaflow itself. Magicule ore is probably weaker than any of the ores further up."

Ce:" Correct. This animal here" - I point to Saphira - " is one of these beasts. Any heat can be converted into pure essence of magic, as long as it wants to help us. Which she does"

Ly:" You plan on cooling down the insides of Operal and forcing the demons that are not freezing to death to flee."

Ce:" Exactly. Don't you feel excited about seeing such a mighty race flee right into the even colder arms of their death?"

La:" Are you sure this bird wants to help us?"

Ce:" Saphira, a Cryophoenix. Saphira, could you cool down the chair over there?"

To be sure that Saphira understands, I point to the empty chair - belonging to Cecilia. It starts to show a few freeze marks outside, then suddenly bursts into shreds - but the small parts were not hitting any of the people around.

Ce:" Saphira froze the small water particles in that chair and make it explode that simply. And then managed to stop the movements of over one hundred little wooden shards that would've pierced your body in rapid succession. I think my point is proven."

Cia:" What about my chair though?"

Oh.

Ce:" I'll be sure to order a new one..." Intuitively I lower my head a bit, to the amusement of those around us.

La:" You don't need to, the queens throne was ready for days now."

Cecilia blushes, but I don't mind this development at all.

Ce:" Alright, just replace it sometime. Before we end this meeting, I will assign all of you with a task. Lyght, you will scout Operal for their numbers and a spot that is close enough to catch fleeing demons offguard. Please order some of your soldiers to scout Untara for their numbers aswell."

Ly:" I recommend Lorderin for Untara, he is the second best in my division."

Ce:" Alright, try to be back in a week. Servve and Rhage, you are most fit to taking over the village - your divisions are adept in close quarter combat, if the numbers afford it you will take Christian with you."

S:" Alright"

R:" We'll be fully armed and ready before Lyght arrives and head out once we have their numbers."

Ce:" I leave planning the rest to Rhage, Servve will be commanding the actual attack. Laurin and Cecilia will come with me, defensive skills will be most useful when the demons are running right into us. After we head out, Lyght will be in charge of building more defenses in Götterfels and report any threats to us."

La:" Sounds good. Operal has always been a pretty large city, I suppose the humans there are enslaved by now. If we free them our numbers will increase, just like our foothold against the demons will."

Ly:" I'll get going then." And he just disappears. His magic is so much cooler than mine...