Battle Altar

"What do you mean, it is a trap? The queen is not here."

The entire group's mood changed at that moment, and the point that the city was just a trap brought a different environment to the group's faces.

Listening to the questions, Kite began to explain her deduction and words.

"The castle is empty. The only people who are inside are some of the business and trade families. None of the military leaders nor the queen or her sister is here. We have searched the entire area, besides the north side and the rooms, we asked you to cover and if you stand here empty-handed. Then it is simple."

Jinx thought this to himself for a second, If Kite's words were the exact situation then, it was messed up for the Lynx.

" I don't feel like it."

Near spoke from the back, he shared his disagreement with Kite's deductions.

"I can believe the part of the queen not being here but not a single general. That should not be possible. They can't plan or defend properly like this, no matter how good the information it can't tell the exact scene of the battle."

Kite gave a quick response to Near's agreements.

"I don't think you understand the complete situation here."

"The complete situation?"

"Yes, the true idea is that only we know that the queen and military general have left the capital, not the people. If the castle is even supposed to fall, the attacking military will be called inside and they will be crushed by the Citizens themselves."

"But Isn't that a total fail? Like giving way your main base and so much of your people?"

"People in Lynx are made of Pride, Near. They value pride and being the people of the heart of the Ethereo more than their lives. This castle is nothing but a death trap."

"But it is open for the seeing."

Near comment about the queen and others not being here was wide open. In response to him, Jinx answered,

"For us it is open, it is open for the people, it's open but for the military, that is getting destroyed trying to conquer this castle is the one who doesn't know and it's better for Lynx if they don't know because then-"

"- they'll keep fighting to the death only to get wasted by the people hidden in the castle."

Jinx didn't end the sentence as Near did for him. He realised the sheer brutality and cleverness of such a trap. It was all deception.

"All wars are won by Force or Deception. The ones who control both are the most dangerous to fight on a battlefield."

The queen had laid a death trap with some amazing bait but unfortunately for her, there was something she never saw coming and they held the power to reverse the favour of the battle.

"Where are Arthur and Rage, I don't see them. They got lost somewhere or you killed Arthur?"

"Arthur and Rage are in the Northeast corner checking for any clues for the queen, I don't think they should take this long."

Arthur and Rage had spent way too much time searching some rooms, it was very unnatural, especially for Rage who was very disciplined and time-bound. jinx worried that the two of them didn't start fighting.

"We are here."

An enthusiastic voice came from the other side, as Arthur climbed the walls showing his head and Rage climbed after him.

Due to the Wind blowing, their cloaks blew away and Rage's purple and Arthur brown hair blew with the wind. Giving them an astounding look.

"The two of you took your time down there. Have you gotten any information worth that time?"

Arthur smiled at Rage with a calm and turned to say something,

"No-"

"Yes, we have gotten very important information, but it is unrelated to the current situation."

Listening to those words made everyone more attentive, something unrelated to the current situation yet very important what could that be?

While Arthur stood there with a straight face while Rage cut him short, he was as surprised as he was outraged. He saw that Rage was someone he could not control after spending so much trying to change his mind.

Arthur collected his thoughts as Rage began to explain all the information about the chest and the mysterious piece of note, saying that the old king and queen still lived.

The rest were shocked to hear such information and they contemplated the next action and came to an agreement.

"If the Asphodel is army able to fight tomorrow and secure a victory. We will supply them with more information and use them to get to the queen."

All while Arthur kept quiet and just listened, he was getting decisions pushed upon him and all of them didn't want to do any of them.

"I don't think, Asphodel can last tomorrow. They just lost too many men today. I think they'll surrender tomorrow, fighting is too much for them."

Arthur opposed the notion why a good agreement. To his words, Jinx smiled and answered Arthur.

"Deception and Force, Arthur."

"Huh..?"

"They'll win you any wars, but sometimes to decide your enemy, you need to lose and lose badly to the point where you cannot stand on your feet but then when the enemy gets easy you get to end them in one go."

"What do you mean?"

Jinx laughed at the question he hoped Arthur would understand, Yuuka's assessment by him. The two are more similar than anyone here.

"I mean he is a man with more screws lose than you. He is hiding something. I know it. Maybe, Tomorrow you can see it first hand."

"More screws lose, than me...?"

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