Chapter 707: Departure
The Holy order under the guidance of three shepherds had gathered inside the hall of Mansion ’Phordite. In Erika’s absence, the shepards–the most devoted of Athenia, looked after the flock of their goddess. In silent prayers with their bodies down on their knees, they hummed a singular note and the flock followed their rhythm, enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, outside the mansion hall, the rest of the soldiers from the last war and the new recruits were also waiting for their general to order their charge. A night has passed in waiting and Raven was on his way, finally, but in that time the hearts of many swayed for they’d finally come to know who their rival would be this time.
A demon general, a monster beyond their wildest dreams. To even think that they could perceive his power in their feeble minds, was pathetic. A lesser god would crumble under his feet, and even the greatest army on Atlaris would struggle to take him down without any divine help. But the soldiers, they had it, divine help that is. And it was staring right at them in the form of the armor worn by the holy order.
Their eyes glued to the men and women of faith, something moved them to get down their knees as well. Was it fear? A notion of acclamation by a superior group? Or perhaps, downright human instinct screeching at them to stick together? None of them, how could they? After all, for some one was true and for the others another thing entirely.
Watching it all transpiring before him, the ex-hero–Amedith sat under the shade of a gazebo with his devilish lover. Dressed as a gothic woman with lipstick and thigh high socks and dark boots, he sipped on tip with his mind, venturing back to the last time that he had been sent as a spy in enemy territory. Trying to get back into the habit of acting as a woman, he was in fact rewiring himself to temporarily accept as his body made him out to be...a frail helpless woman, the perfect disguise for a cutthroat spy-cum-assassin.
However, the sight of him so deep in thought troubled both Lily and her godmother. They kept their eyes glued at him, all the while, the magus blankly stared at the army. The rustle of something in the garden, broke their focus for a while. As their heads turned to look, they found Melicia rounding up the fair elves with similar ancestries as hers and guiding them on how to use their woodland powers.
Being sons and daughters of refugees that had fled the violent clan of dark elves surrounding Athenia, the fair elves–nearly all of them held the same roots, but since mating with the same clan would cause inbreeding, none has been allowed to produce children with other elves, thus mixing with humans and other demi-humans, their potential for woodland magic had thinned quite a bit. Even so, Melicia was trying her best to help embrace their full potential.
The dark elves on the other side, only a gathering of a dozen or two, were secluded from every other group and kept under Arias’ watch. The necromantic barbarian was a far less effective tutor but given their inclination for violence, the dark elves were still keeping up with everyone else, not with their brains but the brawns of their muscles. Even so, there were plenty of other folks that had embraced them, especially their made family. The succubi, incubi and a handful of demi-humans, kept close to the secluded group, not exactly something Aria preferred but since they were all somehow in touch with these elves, her tutoring had to extend further beyond just the dark elves.
The last of the group at the very back was that of the monster girls and the beast of burdens the coppelicans. Tied to carriages, machinations sent to them by the automatons queen and set up by her Twin, the group held rations, golds, and repair materials as well as the blacksmiths, potion makers, and general labor that would help the soldiers carry their load, at least until the city of Eclanor has been reached and settled in.
Beyond the city laid the brambles, a thorny field of horror infested woodland. No command man was allowed to venture any further, and the first to guide the light through that place of disorder would be the holy order and the three shepherds blessed with Athenia’s light. And who would guide them? Erika, of course but along with her would be the chosen of their goddess, Raven ’Phordite.