Acropolis — Miles from the War Zone
Andrew remained in front of the map for several seconds.
The violet markers continued moving south.
Each one represented a sighting: a pack outside its territory, creatures crossing roads, villages that had lost contact with the capital.
Too many.
—We will send scouts —he finally said.
Elizabeth looked up.
—How many?
—Enough to determine what is causing the migration.
One of the generals frowned.
—What if an Omega creature has actually appeared?
Andrew pointed at the map.
—Then we need to know where it is before we make any move.
—And the troops?
—They will not be touched.
His answer was immediate.
—We have more than one hundred thousand Imperials in front of us. We will not weaken Albaterra every time a group of monsters appears.
He pointed at the marked areas.
—The scouts will operate alone. No fighting. I want to know what is running away.
—And if they find an Omega creature?
—They retreat.
The general looked surprised.
—Even if they can eliminate it?
—We will not waste soldiers against something we do not yet understand.
Andrew took a marker and placed it over one of the farthest points.
—If they find signs of an Omega creature, they return immediately.
Elizabeth nodded.
—Information first. Then we decide.
Andrew returned his attention to the map.
The war was already changing everything.
Monsters leaving their territories.
Abandoned villages.
Civilians gathering in the cities.
Trade routes becoming increasingly congested.
And, in the meantime, the Empire remained in front of Albaterra.
—Elizabeth.
—Yes?
—Continue overseeing the population movements.
He pointed toward the main cities.
—I want figures for arrivals, food consumption, mana demand, and abandoned villages.
—I will.
Andrew paused.
—And no one mentions the possibility of an Omega creature publicly.
One of the generals opened his mouth.
—But, my lord...
—If we are wrong, we will cause unnecessary panic. If we are right, an uncontrolled evacuation could be worse than the creature itself.
Elizabeth understood immediately.
The roads would become blocked.
The warehouses would be emptied.
The cities would receive more people than they could support.
Andrew nodded.
—The report remains classified.
A messenger entered the room and knelt.
—My lord. Another report has arrived from the north.
He handed him a document.
Andrew read the first few lines.
His expression changed.
—What happened? —Elizabeth asked.
—Another abandoned village.
—Destroyed?
—No.
He slowly shook his head.
—Empty.
Elizabeth took the report.
There were no corpses.
No signs of combat.
They had simply left.
—Why?
Andrew turned his gaze toward the map.
—Because they no longer feel safe.
He placed another marker over one of the large cities in the south.
—And with every day this war continues, more people will do the same.
Elizabeth studied the routes.
—Then we will have to increase our reserves.
—They are already working on it.
Andrew pointed toward the main warehouses.
—Acropolis and the fortified cities will have priority. I don't want a single city without food.
—Even if we have to reduce the army's supplies?
—No.
Andrew shook his head firmly.
—The army needs to eat to fight.
He looked at the cities again.
—But if we allow the war to destroy our economy, we will have lost even if the Empire does not conquer a single city.
Elizabeth remained silent.
The war was no longer being fought only at the walls.
It was also being fought in the warehouses, on the roads, in the fields...
And now, perhaps, in the forests.
Andrew stepped away from the map.
—I want the scouts out before nightfall.
He looked at the generals.
—Follow the migration routes. Record tracks, species, and movement patterns.
He paused.
—And if they find something they cannot explain, they do not approach it.
The general struck his fist against his chest.
—Understood.
The officers began to leave.
Elizabeth remained beside Andrew.
—Do you really think it could be an Omega?
Andrew took several seconds to answer.
—I hope not.
—And if it is?
Andrew stared at the map.
The Empire in front of them.
The Douglas forces committed to the front.
The population moving toward the cities.
The reserves beginning to strain.
—Then we will have another problem.
Elizabeth sighed.
—One more.
Andrew smiled faintly.
—I've already lost count.
For a moment, they remained silent.
Then Andrew picked up the Imperial reports.
—But until we know what is happening...
He placed them on the table.
—The Empire remains our priority.
Elizabeth nodded.
—Because if we lose the war...
Andrew finished the sentence:
—There will be no Kingdom left to protect from the monsters.
They both turned their eyes toward the map.
At one end, the Imperial forces.
At the other, the populations fleeing toward the cities.
And somewhere among the forests, something was making even the monsters flee.
No one knew what it was yet.
But soon, they would have to find out.
The strategic room of the Marble Bastion was packed.
The Kingdom's most important nobles and commanders stood around the war table.
Bourlance had just returned from the front.
Sneider had sent reinforcements to protect the supply routes.
Briggs was overseeing logistics.
Counts Stanley, Armett, Kesller, Brown, Macallister, Carter, and Mondring waited for the latest orders.
In front of them, the map showed the Empire's positions.
One hundred thousand soldiers.
Three fronts.
And at the center of it all, Albaterra.
Erkhann placed both hands on the table.
—The Emperor is already at the front.
No one answered.
There was no need.
The man who had ruled the Empire for decades was now personally standing before their walls.
Erkhann surveyed the enemy positions.
—That means they will stop attacking the way they did at Dara.
Laurence nodded.
—They have already begun changing their formations. Fresh troops are taking the front lines while the veterans remain behind them.
Bourlance frowned.
—Why?
—To prevent another disaster —Laurence replied—. They are no longer sending units forward without sufficient protection.
Erkhann pointed at the map.
—Then they have learned.
His finger traced the Imperial lines.
—And so have we.
Bourlance clenched his fist.
—Then we will break them again.
Laurence looked at him.
—Not if we keep fighting the way we did before.
Bourlance frowned.
—What do you mean?
—They have enough men to replace their losses.
Laurence pointed toward the Imperial positions.
—We don't.
The room fell silent.
It was a difference they all understood.
The Empire could lose ten thousand men and continue the campaign.
The Kingdom could not afford to do the same.
Erkhann nodded.
—That is why we are not going to trade soldiers for territory.
Briggs spoke up.
—Food reserves are increasing, but so is consumption.
He pointed toward several routes.
—The border populations continue moving toward the larger cities. That is beginning to put pressure on our warehouses.
Erkhann pointed toward the main routes.
—Keep them open.
—Yes, Your Majesty.
—And prioritize the convoys supplying Albaterra.
Briggs bowed his head.
—Understood.
—I don't want a single fortress full of soldiers without food.
—It won't happen.
Erkhann returned his attention to the map.
—The three fronts will remain where they are.
He pointed toward the right flank.
—Douglas.
Laurence stepped forward.
—We will hold our position.
—Do not pursue the enemy if they break formation.
Laurence raised his eyes.
—Even if we can destroy them?
—Even if you can destroy them.
The answer was immediate.
—Our objective is to hold the line. We do not need to conquer their camp.
Laurence nodded.
—Understood.
Erkhann then pointed toward the center.
—Bourlance.
—Your Majesty.
—Your army has just returned. You will not go back to the front until the formation has recovered.
Bourlance frowned.
—My men can fight.
—I know.
Erkhann looked directly at him.
—Precisely why they will stay alive.
Bourlance remained silent for several seconds.
Then he struck his fist against his chest.
—Understood.
Erkhann pointed toward the left side.
—I will hold this front.
The officers nodded.
—If the Empire concentrates troops in a single sector, I want to know before they attack.
One of the scouts stepped forward.
—We already have patrols working, Your Majesty.
—Increase them during the night.
—Yes.
Erkhann then turned toward Carter.
—Count Carter.
The man stepped forward.
—Your Majesty.
—The mages will remain inside the fortress.
Carter nodded.
—They are already prepared.
—I want the attack circles ready at all times.
—They will be.
—And no one leaves the protection of the walls to pursue the enemy.
Carter immediately understood.
—We will use the fortress as a force multiplier.
—Exactly.
Erkhann pointed toward the walls represented on the map.
—The Empire has more men.
His finger moved down to Albaterra.
—We have these defenses.
Laurence studied the map.
—And they have time.
Erkhann looked at him.
—That is why we must make every attempt cost them more than the last.
Laurence slowly nodded.
That was what truly mattered.
Not how many soldiers the Kingdom could kill.
But how many the Empire had to spend to advance a few meters.
Erkhann continued:
—They have already seen what happened at Dara.
—They have lost thousands of soldiers.
—Their mages have been decimated.
—And now they know that the Douglas can attack their lines during the night.
Laurence remained silent.
—But they have also learned —Erkhann added—. They will not make the same mistakes again.
Bourlance smiled.
—Then we will have to find new ones.
Erkhann looked at him for a moment.
—Exactly.
A brief smile appeared on Bourlance's face.
Erkhann pointed toward the Imperial camp again.
—We do not need to destroy them.
—We need to force them to pay for every position they attempt to take.
—For every wall.
—For every gate.
—For every meter.
The room fell silent.
Everyone understood what that meant.
The war would no longer be a succession of great battles.
It would be a test of endurance.
The Empire had more men.
The Kingdom had better positions.
And both knew that whoever ran out of resources first would be the one to lose.
Erkhann looked at each person present.
—Douglas will hold the right flank.
—Bourlance will hold the center.
—I will command the left.
—Briggs will maintain the routes and supplies.
—Carter will keep the mages inside the fortress.
He paused briefly.
—And no one abandons their position without a direct order.
Everyone answered at the same time.
—Yes, Your Majesty.
Erkhann picked up the report he had left on the table.
—The Empire still has enough men to prolong this war.
His eyes turned toward the map.
—We will have to make sure we have food, mana, and soldiers capable of holding these walls.
He placed the report back on the table.
—As long as we have that...
His gaze stopped over Albaterra.
—Every step they take will cost them.
The meeting ended.
The nobles began leaving the room.
Laurence was one of the last to leave.
When he crossed the doors of the Marble Bastion, he looked toward the horizon.
The Imperial banners could be seen in the distance.
The Emperor had arrived.
And with him, the army had stopped probing the Kingdom's defenses.
Now the real siege would begin.
Laurence remained there for several seconds, watching the enemy banners.
Then he turned around.
Albaterra waited behind him.
This time, there was no fortress to sacrifice.
There was no other line prepared farther north.
Here, they would have to stand their ground.
And they all knew it.