Prelude to the Final Battle

Deep inside the City Lord's manor of Sarrasak, True Order wizards carefully drew out a complex diagram on the floor. They had started creating this magic formation immediately after taking over the city. Weeks later barely half of it was complete. The Prophets personally oversaw the construction of the formation.

Sweat dripped from the faces of those drawing the lines on the floor. Assistants cautiously dabbed the droplets off of their foreheads and handed them whatever they needed. This magic formation required an extremely precise series of diagrams. Any mistake could spell disaster.

Three wizards and twelve assistants had already died while setting up this formation, excluding the tens of people who died gathering the materials and creating prototypes. All of the blood, sweat and tears spent on this formation would not be spent in vain once they succeeded.

No one really knew exactly what this formation would do aside from the most prestigious members of the True Order. A strange mana was often emitted from the prototypes and this incomplete formation. Nightmares, illness and mental instability plagued the project after it began. Workers disappeared at random.

However, the Prophets were anxious to see this project completed. Their forces failed to take Halcyon and supplies plundered from Nafriton University were far less than estimated. A similar but less potent formation in Landrienne was put on hold due to the siege. This project would make or break their plans.

The Prophet of Terra madly focused on the red crystal in his charred hands. It seemed to grow larger over time as it absorbed the strange mana that lingered in the air. The green hooded cloak always gave the workers chills down their spine. In a way, he was scarier than the Prophet of Truth.

While the Prophet of Terra focused on the crystal, the Prophet of Truth focused on the construction of the magic formation. The workers were more diligent under his solemn gaze. Suddenly, a loud pounding on the door disturbed their work. Several straight lines became crooked.

"Curses! Now this part of the formation is messed up!"

"Which idiot did that?! I'll give him a piece of my mind!"

Before the overworked wizards went insane with rage, the Prophet of Truth held up his hand. The chatter immediately stopped.

"Return to your work, my dear comrades-in-arms. I'll handle the disturbance."

The guards soon dragged in a shivering messenger. The Prophet's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at the woman.

"You better have an excellent reason for interrupting the work here."

"Please forgive me sir! I have an urgent message from the main prison!"

The woman peaked up to look at the Prophet of Truth and hesitated.

"Well, speak up. I do not have any patience for wasting my valuable time."

"There's been a breach." The messenger's mouth felt as dry as a desert. "One block of the prison was found empty and its guard station decimated. That block… held faculty and staff of Nafriton and Chinebar National University who refused to join us."

Work ground to a halt as the room plunged into an icy abyss. The messenger shook even harder as she forced herself to continue.

"Vargiphos Marin… and his deputy headmasters… are missing. How – However we still have the headmaster of CNU, many senators and officials! And… and most of the faculty of CNU!"

The woman's voice was strangled in her throat. The Prophet of Truth was furious. The most powerful of his opposition were imprisoned there. They could ruin everything, yet he still had a use for them. That cell block was deep underneath the earth. Starved and shackled, there should be no way to escape.

As his mana went out of control, the workers felt like they were struck by a mountain. Many of them began to collapse as the air left their bodies. By the time the Prophet got control over his emotions, many had died, including the messenger.

"… Tch. It can't be helped. Summon more wizards to finish this project. The ones who were dismissed for mental issues can be brought back. They should be fine after their long rests." The Prophet of Truth turned towards the green cloaked figure. "I'll leave the clean up of these bodies to you. Make it fast before their life force completely dissipates."

The Prophet of Terra laughed gleefully. "With pleasure!"

He began to drag the dead bodies into a private side room. When he re-emerged, only ashes were left.

**********

Days later, an urgent report made its way to Halcyon. Innello, Stallesso and various officials huddled around a large table inside a tightly secured office. They read various papers scattered across the desk.

"Minor chaos in Sarrasak? How is this possible?"

"Well, the True Order has put all of their focus on the walls and some secret project. Security everywhere else has suffered somewhat."

"It's concerning that so many of the protestors have just disappeared though. They might view the common, less magical folk as trash, but the True Order would rather keep trash around to do their bidding and lord over. Common citizens wouldn't be harmed in mass like this unless the Prophet was plotting something."

"You mean 'Prophets', as in more than one prophet. The new guy could be making his move."

"Do we know what's happening in Landrienne? Could something similar be happening there?"

"No, but the traitorous city has been uneasy lately. They've probably received a message from Sarrasak. However, they've been too distracted by the armies from Port Vilskameau and Fort Niumta. Many of the Landrienne's vassals turned against the Landrienne family and are causing trouble."

"Which is why we need to make our move now. Foreign nations are preparing to take advantage of our plight. Sarrasak is uneasy and plotting something big. The True Order's other major bastion, Landrienne, can't help them."

Innello took out a scroll from his desk and unsealed it. The officials gasped when they read its contents.

"The military has issued the command to move towards Sarrasak as fast as possible. All the personnel that we can spare are being summoned, especially wizards. We need to strike now or we will never have the chance."

"All of the personnel? But our military is fairly drained from the siege. Will we issue a draft among the citizens?"

"Yes, especially for mercenaries, hunters, healers and other support type professions. Everyone that could be useful will go. Father and I will lead the mission."

"But the city isn't stable, my lord! We need you and those skilled professionals here! The purge of the darker elements in our city just completed, but we didn't get all of them. Pockets of rebel resistance are popping up around the city."

"Indeed. The noble families are in chaos after all of those… um, unfortunate and completely random deaths of their leaders. They won't have anyone to spare."

The advisors and vassals started to argue amongst each other. Who would they send? Could they spare anyone at all? Innello slammed his hand against the desk.

"We have no choice. The entire nation is unstable right now. Even if we can't take back the capital, we must secure the nation's leaders and destroy whatever plot those snakes are scheming. Besides, we will leave some skilled professionals here to keep the city afloat."

"Then the Forolan heir will stay in the city, right? Since you and the elder lord will be leaving, the younger generation should stay safe here just in case. We can't afford to lose all three of you if something goes wrong."

"… No."

All of the vassals looked stunned. Did their overprotective lord just imply that he was allowing his nephew to go to war?

"By 'everyone useful' I meant 'everyone useful'. As the Forolan heir, Daren must go. The family must set a good example since we will be taking many other heirs along with us. My father has already begun the draft, and will personally recruit the nobility."

"Prepare yourselves. We leave in three days."

**********

Innello returned to the estate late that evening. Dinner time had long since passed, however his wife was waiting for him with a warm meal and a kiss.

"You worked hard today, my love."

He wrapped his wife in a tight hug and stood silently for several minutes. Rebecca quietly rubbed his trembling back.

"Is something wrong? What happened to make you work so late?"

"The military has issued emergency orders to take Sarrasak. Everyone who can stand needs to go fight."

"What?! Why now? Surely, you're not considering it. The city can afford to lose any more people right now, especially not everyone who can stand."

"The situation abroad is turning worse. Something is disturbing the True Order's hold over Sarrasak while Landrienne is too busy with its own siege. We must act now. My love, Father and I will be leading our people on the mission."

Rebecca's face darkened. She opened her mouth but the words wouldn't come out. Leading the citizens of Halcyon was his duty. As the City Lord's wife, she knew that her husband couldn't escape that responsibility. At least her husband and father-in-law could take care of each other.

"Then… the children? Tregario and Edwina are technically not of age and are not official wizards, but Daren… He's the heir of our family. He's been trained by the best. He's also been through too much… He won't be drafted, will he?"

The look on Innello's face told his wife all that she needed to know.