Chapter 1154: Survival
Frustration hit Sarjell the moment that the order to retreat was given. And it was a ‘retreat’, despite how diplomatically the Princess’ order was relayed. The strategic objectives of the campaign hadn’t been achieved; they’d lost the war.
But they still had in their possession more than a hundred arks, and thousands of willing warriors. They could’ve won the war if they’d only pushed a little further. Their enemy was on his last legs, Sarjell could sense that, feel it in his gut just based on how much they were able to respond to the Diluvian aggression.
And yet, the spoiled brat ordered them back. Sarjell couldn’t fathom what she was getting out of the deal, but it had to be good. She was acting against her own august father’s will, after all.
Terris should’ve been the one to tell the brat off, to explain to her the merits of continuing the war. Unfortunately, their last clash with the monster had cost them not only in arks and manpower but in Terris himself—the Despot was laid up, unconscious, most of his body burned beyond recognition. He wasn’t dead, but the healers were keeping him comatose to treat the burns made by that black lightning.
Sarjell had to stifle a tremble at the thought of facing Leon Raime in battle. Anyone would shudder at the idea of facing anyone who possessed Doomfire, but Terris had nullified that particular threat with the strength of a blue dragon scale, a treasure that Sarjell hadn’t even known the Despot possessed. The black lightning wasn’t so easily countered, however, and the Despot paid the price for his bravery.
Without his voice there to advocate for continuing the campaign, there was little Sarjell could do. Truthfully, Sarjell didn’t think that Terris could countermand the brat’s orders even if he were whole and able to argue, but at least it wouldn’t have fallen to him to carry out her will.
With bile rising in his throat, Sarjell glared at the Stormwall separating him from victory as the ark turned and accelerated back into the King’s Ocean. Given how much of Terris’ military power had been pulled away from its regular duties to attack this upstart Storm Lord, there would be plenty of problems to deal with once they returned home. And now, they wouldn’t even be coming off of a victory to salve their wounded pride.
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Leon breathed deeply, stress almost physically evaporating from his brow and shoulders as the Ocean arks slowly turned and accelerated back into the wall of water on his coast. Only a single transport would remain to collect the prisoners that Leon arranged to release upon the full retreat of Terris’ fleet.