New World - A New Beginning

Chapter 96: Unpredictable Movements

MIA STIL'S POV:

I sighed deeply as Asthia's eyes closed, her mind finally resting as she drifted off into a light slumber. She had been awake for almost thirty hours, and the fact that the Princess hadn't shown any signs of weakness or fatigue emphasized how incredible she really was.

Even so, it had been an entire week since our last confrontation with Ares's forces, but for some reason, they hadn't pressed forward and continued their attack. Were they simply waiting outside the forest?

I stood up, leaving the small tent and approaching the Captain who was next in command after Asthia and me. The princess had insisted that I be given a high-ranking position with the Dragon military, a request that was immediately accepted by every soldier in the camp.

"Captain Ry," I said, the towering Dragon turning as his eyes met mine, "I'm going ahead to scout the enemy's forces. Please look after Asthia."

"As you wish, General. Are you sure you don't want a few soldiers to go with you?" he asked, concerned for my safety.

I smiled, simply shaking my head in denial.

"I'm fine."

He nodded, turning back as I shot up into the trees. I opened my hand, a glacial lance forming in my palm. I visualized the path ahead, my misty blue eyes quickly reading the optimal path as I sped through the trees.

I stopped at the very edge of the forest, having reached my destination. My eyes suddenly widened at the sight in front of me, my mind attempting to understand the situation.

There were only a few battalions left guarding the remainders of the Dwarven camp...

Where did the rest of the army go? Where did Ares go?

I visualized a map of the continent in my head, piecing together the various bits of information as I attempted to see the big picture. The Eastern front had been forced back while the Western front was still locked in combat, both sides attempting to gain ground as they fought over mountains of corpses.

If Ares wanted to deal a significant amount of damage to the Dragon defensive and turn the tides, both the Western Front and the Eastern Front were good alternatives. If he were to further reinforce the East and join his fellow S-ranks, they'd be able to smash through the remainder of Empress Selena's forces and potentially make it to Lares.

If he were to reinforce the Western Front, he'd be able to coordinate with the Feis and launch simultaneous attacks that would force the Dragons to spread their forces thin.

But I doubted Ares would look at the situation logically like I had. It was true that both alternatives were solid choices, and both were strategically superior to simply clashing on a separate front, but one factor easily determined the S-rank's choice.

It was simply a matter of what lives were being lost. If Ares were to reinforce the Eastern Front, Dwarves would continue dying on the West, the superiority of the Dragons allowing them to slowly but surely dwindle the Dwarven numbers.

So Ares had gone to reinforce the Western Front with the grand majority of his army?

I rushed back to the encampment at full speed, fully aware that every passing second gave Ares more time to flank and annihilate the Dragon forces on the West.

The shining brilliance of Asthia's crystal white hair caught my attention, her ruby red eyes that were still slightly puffy from her tears looking up at the oncoming presence of bind.

"Mia?" she said, slightly startled by my sudden arrival from the sky.

"Asthia, I believe Ares has gone West to flank our forces that are currently fighting there," I said bluntly, not allowing any feelings of worry to delay the vital information.

Asthia's eyes shot open in shock, her acute mind and senses snapping back as she processed the words she had heard.

"How confident are you in that belief?" she asked, determining whether or not the mobilization of the entire encampment would not be a total miscalculation.

"Fairly confident. There are maybe around 5000 Dwarven troops remaining up North."

I could see the worry in Asthia's eyes as she looked into the ground, her decision influencing the lives of hundreds of her fellow kin. Not a single sound or grunt emanated from the girl as she remained completely silent, her mind determining all the benefits and consequences of blindly accepting my words.

She looked up confidently, projecting her voice as her order echoed throughout the camp.

"All troops, we're moving Westward immediately! Prepare the wyverns!"

I smiled, thankful that this friend of mine was willing to trust my instincts with the entirety of her army on the line. Some might consider that line of action reckless or foolish, but I believed it to be brave and trusting.

A moment of silence followed the Princess's order, everyone slowly realizing what was ordered of them as an uproar of sound and movement arose all around me. The bellowing of wyverns as they were saddled rung in my ears, the hundreds of footsteps almost deafening.

"Captain, there are still around 5000 Dwarven soldiers ready and waiting up North. How many soldiers do you need to hold them off in the eventuality of an attack?" asked Asthia as she approached Ry, the Dragon giving his answer immediately as if he was already completely aware of the fighting capabilities of both his own battalions and the enemy

"200 soldiers."

"That puts you 25 to 1, can you guys handle those numbers?" questioned Asthia, making sure her captain wouldn't regret his words.

"I'm sure, Princess. We could defend our lands 100 to 1 if it was required of us."

Asthia smiled, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Very well. I'll let you choose your men, and then the rest of us will head out."

"Understood, Princess."

SELENA DARCK'S POV:

I'm sorry, Irox...

Even after that promise I had made to you all those years back, I was still unable to protect you.

I looked up at the advancing army of Feis, their formation organized and terrifying as they marched onwards without any signs of halting. Two individuals stood at the front, their booming auras of raw power sending chills down my spine.

It was obvious to me that the Fei named Rena Vye had delayed her advance on our forces momentarily, most likely allowing me to grieve for the death of my lifelong partner. I smiled, realizing that sympathy was not an emotion I could spare to have when faced with such an enemy.

I'm sure if our circumstances were different, we could've been friends, Rena. If only conflict had not forced us to commit crimes that would haunt us for the rest of our days. I have slaughtered countless Feis, and you have slain my husband. Two acts that had permanently scarred the other, unforgivable acts that could only be atoned for through death.

I ignited my palms as I drew my weapon, preparing for yet another clash. I closed my eyes one final time, remembering the stern face of the man I loved before strengthening my resolve and unleashing my aura.

War... really is a terrible thing, isn't it?