They don't want you and neither do I

The knights of the black sun along with Joan and Edward scurried back to their army. They had lost two others as the varangians and Soul Watchers had started to give chase to them.

They were wounded and tired and looked miserable as they entered the encampment.

Juan himself came out of his tent just to gloat. To him, this was a political victory since many leaders had started to hope for Rufus to take command of the alliance army.

Rufus came to help the wounded soldiers to the first aid tent.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Doreen asked.

"They had their own special forces with them. They ambushed us when we were in the middle of our operation," Joan explained while patching her own wounds.

"What kind of forces were they?"

"They called themselves Soul Watcher of the Swart Lakob organization…. whatever that means or is. They fought like assassins with light armor and using the darkness to their advantage."

"Was there a man wearing a mask using a divine power where he manipulated sounds?" Rufus asked.

"Yeah….How did you know?"

"Have met him once."

~ ~

The war against the empire was starting to feel like a lost cause. From being ambushed to one of the most elite units of the Fairfax kingdom failing in their raid. Many soldiers and warriors were starting to question and ask the reason why they were fighting on foreign soil.

The imperial forces had proven to be strong and well organized. The soldiers of the late king of Jacob and the army of the nation of Sparv were weak in comparison to the disciplined varangians. Many also had heard the great power of the first child in purple, Berig Phokas, who had badly hurt the nye on beatable Rufus Fairfax.

The nobles and friends of Rufus held a gathering at one of their tents.

"I say we pack our stuff and leave. This war has already been a failure in more ways than one. If we keep fighting longer, our forces will be drained and we will be weaker," one of the tribal leaders said.

Many nobles and tribal leaders agreed with the notion.

"Then what will happen to the Etna city-states?" Hunyadi asked everyone.

"It is their problem, not ours," Amala said.

"It will be ours. The empire will after that come after our kingdom," Doreen said.

"Then let him. Let them fight among each other and when they try to face us, we will be strong and they will be weak."

Rufus had not yet said one word.

"What do you think will happen to the Etna states that do not capitulate?" Rufus asked everyone.

No one answered.

"I heard they killed every resident in the capital city of the people's state of Spade. They also were ready to completely exterminate the inhabitants of Pesamo," Rufus said.

They all knew what had happened. The same had happened in the free island of Danz and some Sardes federation islands. If they resisted, the imperials would show no mercy.

"Many of the states of Etna are ready to surrender, but many more are ready to fight for their self-determination. Without us, not just the soldier and mercenaries of these said states, but also the inhabitants would be slaughtered. We can prevent that, or we can choose to do nothing. I don't know about you, but I don't want that on my conscious."

Rufus's words hit deep in them.

"Rufus is right. Maybe they would not do it to us. But that is why we are not them. We are better," Tashi said and convinced all the grey skin tribal leaders.

All the opposition to leave the war to the Etnians vanished. The Fairfax kingdom would fight with their allies and do their best to stop the bloated empire.

~ ~

Back in the camp of the imperial army, Berig entered the tent of Markus. He was still weak from overusing his divine power and was laying in his bed.

Berig dropped a bloody helmet of a knight of the black sun.

"Do you know to whom these helmets belong?" Berig asked.

"It's the knights of the black sun. They are the elite units of the Fairfax kingdom," Markus said as he got up from his camp bed.

"They tried to destroy our cannons, but were stopped by the soul watchers."

"And why should this interest me in any way?"

Berig created a fire fist and crushed the helmet.

"I do not like you. You want us to fight for you in retaking your kingdom. As far as I have seen, they don't want you and I can easily understand why. You are just using us and we know it. You think you can manipulate us, but as soon as you betray us, I will be the one to kill you," Berig said and threatened Markus.

"Well then…. I better not betray you then."