Leomi steps outside and takes a long cloak hung on a pole, it is white and blue of her organization. Roisia is wearing a thick leather jacket with two scarfs of the same colors.

I observe the two of them with my symbiont's sense from inside the tent as they give out orders and organize their people. I prepare a few more lightning constructs along with a series of air-shields and small air-blades.

I head out of the tent once I'm relatively confident I'll be able to protect Leomi. My eyes find Celyz in the distance close to the edge of the Rykz' camp. She takes a small step forward and plants her feet back into the ground.

“We don't have all that much time, the sun is on its way down the horizon.” Leomi speaks up, looking at me.

“Okay, let's go then.” I nod, shifting my grip over the halberd's wooden handle to set the weapon on my left shoulder.

“Aren't you cold?” She asks. “You can take one of the cloaks you know.”

“It's chilly but I'm fine.” I reply, shrugging. “Mail-shirt is doubled under.”

“There's no way that's enough.” Leomi makes a concerned frown. “You're going to catch a cold.”

“Would you, please, worry about yourself.” I say with a glare.

“I am.” She replies with a smile.

More than a few of the Izla's people whistle in reaction to her open declaration that my health is her concern. I groan but can't help but smile behind my mask. I grab one of the white and blue cloaks and set it over my shoulders.

We make our way north, climbing up the hill with the hundred members of her organization in tight ranks behind us. Leomi and I throw looks over our shoulders at the same time.

Celyz is following us, keeping pace while remaining about a hundred meters behind us which is approximately what I suspect the Princess' detection range is. Several hundred warriors, about a thousand scouts, and two dozen harvesters are leaving the camp to follow the Princess. A few workers suddenly stop working and head inside the large hill that the Rykz dug into.

“Why is she following us?” Leomi utters between grit teeth.

“She trusts you about as much as you trust her.” I reply offhandedly.

Leomi sharply turns to look ahead again. I keep watching until Celyz goes inside a thick bush but never comes out of the other side, her escorts disappear in similar ways as they pass by rocks and trees. Hm, they're using their tunnels to remain hidden.

I start working on the construct Celyz gave me earlier, finding that it's rather simple. I could integrate it into the weapon to link the anti-armor-piercing defensive construct and the lightning-armor-piercing construct, making it so that flow fully transfers from one to the other when I activate either.

It would put a safety to the weapon since those constructs don't work with each other considering they're direct counters of each other. Not to mention, it would allow me to use the same energy for both constructs which makes it easier to use in battle if I can switch from one to the other with but a single thought.

The problem is that it'll likely take me all winter just to learn how to passably use the liangi with a single arm and I won't have that kind of time. Well, it's not like I'm defenseless with a sword.

The soldiers trailing behind us are struggling to remain in marching order with their weapons at the ready. I shake my head, baffled by her decision to utterly exhaust her only fighting force even if they likely have full reserves even if it makes some kind of sense to make yourself look weak but not defenseless.

After all, there is a large difference between executing a few Nobles for treason and slaughtering a hundred peasants, especially with Templars watching. Yet, the Order has kept its silence so far so it's hard to tell what they'll do before declaring Elizabeth Vil a threat to the Empire, which I have little doubt they'll end up doing.

We reach the top and find that the fortified hill facing us now has a huge tent peering over the tall wooden wall, there are golden crowns embroidered on the white canvas. The King relocated from the back-lines, soon enough to avoid seeming like he only did so after learning that the Rykz are retreating.

I wonder if he did so to manage peasantry's opinions or Nobility's. If he is wise, he did so for both. Either way, it doesn't seem like Leomi is going to be able to make her appeal without interference.

We head downhill in tense silence while a quiet clamor goes through the human held hills. I oddly feel more and more at ease the closer I get to the fortifications, to a clear enemy that I can watch out for. I enhance my eyesight to scrutinize the human army.

The four valleys I can see are filled with cavalry, hundreds of riders led by Nobles in various armors. There are heralds scattered on the front-line, holding flags high to show off their Houses' crests.

Behind them are thousands of peasants in ranks, wearing no more than their own clothes and wielding mostly pickaxes and scythes apart from the very few who have swords. I cannot find even a single shield across the low born ranks while the soldiers manning the top of the fortifications all have bows.

The infantry isn't anywhere in sight but I would wager that they are present behind the walls and with a few regiments ready to reinforce any position since the cavalry is no longer filling that role. The Templar Order is nowhere to be seen.

“Where is the Order?” I ask.

“I don't know, but it worries me not to have them as witnesses.” Leomi replies.

“They don't interfere in politics, and this is exactly that.” Roisia notes.

“But they should still be present.” Leomi contests.

“The Grand-Master and King Cenwalh's Exemplar adviser are likely among the Court.” Roisia says.

“But their absence from the field means that they have absolutely no intention to intervene even if they are nearby.” Leomi mutters.

“Give me a moment.” I speak up, raising my left to tell the column following us to stop.

I pay very close attention to the surrounding hills, especially the vegetation on the side of the Rykz since Caeviel has gotten rid of any trees or bushes on theirs. I find quite a few pairs of scouts hiding in the terrain's shadows, and even some in the valley below hiding in the rubble of the tunnel exits that the warriors came out of to surprise the Templars and reinforce the harvesters.

“Okay, we can keep going.” I say.

“What were you looking for?” Leomi asks.

“Scouts.” I reply. “If the Order was trying to ambush us, they have smelled them out and be more agitated. Not to mention that there would be a single one of the pair left at their post since the other would be returning to report to the Hive.”

Leomi throws me a look, apparently worried about my heightened vigilance and almost bordering paranoia about the Order. Can't exactly tell her I actually feel at ease with all these weapons facing us.

“It's not like I wasn't also checking to make sure that some Noble sent some assassins.” I shrug.

“I assure you, we'll see anyone trying to approach before they get in crossbow or construct range.” Roisia says.

“Don't bet on it.” I grunt. I'm certain that Aisha could sneak up on even me if she had enough time, information, and energy to prepare. “Construct range can vary widely.”

“The more flow you use, the less discreet your attack will be.” Leomi says, throwing quick glances left and right. “That being said, the Rykz have hidden constructs underground to great effect.”

“You ready to gamble?” I ask her, changing the subject since I'm making her nervous about the wrong thing.

“It isn't a gamble, Liz. It's asking people to voice their will.” Leomi sighs.

“I don't see how you're refuting my point but fine, the question still stands.” I reply.

“I am.” Leomi replies with ferocious determination.

We engage in the no-man's land. Roisia and I fall back, letting Leomi take the lead several paces in front of us. Denus opens a small satchel behind me and takes a flag out. He unrolls it and attaches it to Mary's halberd. She holds her weapon high, showing off the crest of Leomi's organization, a shield with a white and blue cross.

“Countess Lance brought a hospital to a battlefield!” An arrogant feminine voice, boosted by a construct, erupts from a valley to our left. The woman is perched atop a warhorse and in runic plate armor with a long conical cavalry lance in her right hand. “Cripples and imbeciles!”

The jeer sounds prepared to me but that doesn't stop Nobility from bursting in mocking laughter. Every member of the organization behind me shifts uncomfortably on their feet but remain in position, obviously embarrassed at being made a show of.

“So, this is how they're going to play.” Roisia comments with anger.

“Expected, if despicable.” Leomi responds calmly, her light gray eyes fixed on the woman who spoke.

“Should I take care of it?” I casually ask, folding my left hand into a fist.

“No, this isn't going to be solved by a demonstration of strength. We'll wait for them to run out of breath, almost none of their soldiers are laughing along.” Leomi firmly denies. “Roisia.”

“Regiment, deploy!” Roisia immediately shouts.

The column splits into two lines and then into four, they move in order to form two shield-walls on either side of us supported by three lines of halberdiers. Those on the front lower their weapons, using the halberds like spears.

Their exhaustion is obvious is the little mistakes they make. Denus trips, unable to fully compensate for his limp, but he recovers his position in the shield-wall. The Nobles' mockery redoubles but their discipline remains unshaken.

They performed more than admirably in these circumstances under the watchful eyes of thousands of professional soldiers. Leomi assembles a golden conical construct that vanishes into the air when she activates it. She takes a deep breath preparing to address the fifty thousand humans gathered on and behind the hills facing us.

“Well said, Duchess Roskal.” Leomi responds, cutting through the remnant laughter. “Cripple, disfigured, half-blind, each of these low-born suffered injuries in the name of Izla Meria, of Caeviel. Those are the first Hospitaliers, risen anew from the blood they shed to hold back the Rykz swarm.” She definitely just picked that name out.

“Lot of good these peasants did Caeviel! The insects still arrived on our shores!” A different Noble shouts out, a tall man in full armor wielding a battleaxe.

His position to the far right side of the Duchess likely means that he isn't as high up their food chain while his choice of words clearly show the divide separating the mainland and Izla Meria.

“You live to spout nonsense, half-wit, we've succeeded well enough.” Leomi counters before pressing on to preserve her initiative as she man cries out in outrage. “Elizabeth Vil ended the war! If not for her negotiating as a neutral party, even the Princess' liberation wouldn't have sufficed to end the war!”

“A Noble that sides with a traitor is a traitor! The Rykz are running because Caeviel is too strong to break!” Duchess Roskal responds.

Before Leomi can answer, a thick ball of lightning explodes in the middle of the battlefield with a loud crack. Silence follows but it doesn't last as a wave of fearful concern shakes the peasantry, even spreading to a few regiments of soldiers.

“My bad!” I shout, laughing as loudly as I can.

They likely can't hear my words but it doesn't matter as much as the fact that anyone present will assume I did this simply because I spoke up. I silently thank Celyz but worry that her presence might be detected.

The disturbance in the ranks from the lightning's loud interruption recedes. The body language of the few hundreds of Nobles spread out in the various valleys and on top of the fortifications tells me that they range from annoyed to angry, to positively outraged, while a few are hiding their mouths in what seems to be an attempt to conceal their amusement.

“You dare interrupt your betters, wench!” The man from earlier shouts in fury despite using a construct to enhance his voice.

“Tell him I have no clue who he is and I don't care enough to answer even if I did.” I tell Leomi. She throws me a glance, warning me not to do anything stupid before turning back to the Nobles confronting her.

“Elizabeth doesn't seem to care enough to challenge you, and I've seen her pick a fight over a goblet of piss-poor beer. Better luck next time, Lord.” Leomi provokes, causing laughter among her organization and repressed chuckles from Nobles and low-born all across the army. “I think she has proven the point I was making, Duchess.” Leomi says, shifting to the woman. “Caeviel is strong enough to win but no one here wants this war!”

The short intermission of laughter dies down in seconds as a dead serious silence falls over the valley as the Duchess can't exactly deny her affirmation. The question is, how is she planning to respond my qualification as a traitor and her by association?

“Is that Edusa?” Roisia asks.

“Where?” I question.

“Between Roskal and Count Rochtan, both tentatively allied to Cenwalh at the moment.” Roisia replies. “It is her, she isn't going to be able to do much but at least she's with her soldiers.”

“You call me a traitor. I am the one who warned Caeviel of the impending Rykz invasion, thanks to a peasant who risked her life to allow my escape! You call Elizabeth Vil a traitor? She bought Caeviel an entire week by simply being willing to talk and listen to the Rykz! She ensured that the Rykz would not scatter and set fire to your crops so that winter would reap your lives! You mock these soldiers who bled, whose brethren fell to defend Caeviel! What have you done in this war apart from raising taxes and conscripting peasants?” Leomi delivers her passionate accusations, articulating each word to ensure that they all hit home.

“The nerve you have defending this traitor!” Roskal responds, setting her ego aside, which is definitely not what Leomi wanted. “Of the Rykz, she has been the deadliest to our forces!”

“Elizabeth Vil fought to end this senseless war, as we all have! The institute under Director Suxen broke many of our Emperor's decrees, Elizabeth set things right!” Leomi counters.

“That traitor is the one responsible for the Izla's fall, she killed every Noble that stood for what is right and good for Caeviel!” Roskal snaps back.

“She overstepped and forgot that her audience isn't only of Nobles.” Roisia comments gleefully. “Peasantry won't forget the admission that you killed Nobles.” I inspect the Duchess' face, which isn't easy at this distance, but she seems peeved.

“Let me ask this of you, citizens of Caeviel!” Leomi calls out, shifting away from the Duchess.

With the line of Nobles in front of her, it's not like she can actually face peasants, but her turn and words suffice to make the fact that she is clear. I can already see heads perking up at what she called them: 'Citizens'. An old word, but not one that has been forgotten as it is often used in legends of the Emperor's conquest as he established the Empire.

“Which one of you would not take up arms to free their homeland? Which farmer? Which soldier? Which self-respecting human?” Leomi asks rhetorically. She waits for a few moments for the army to think about it. “None!” She exclaims. “After all, you are all here, weapons in hands to defend it!”

A loud cry of pride arises from peasantry. People who likely haven't even been treated to decent meals for being here, much less any words of support or encouragement. Leomi takes a moment to let the cry die out while Duchess Roskal argues with her herald.

“Should I mention that the Rykz came here for the same reason they picked up arms, to save their families?” Leomi asks quietly but with an urgent tone without looking at us.

“Don't.” I reply. “It might not go over well and it'll give them something to attack you on since the Empire is at war with them.”

“Agreed.” Roisia nods.

“So Izla Meria proclaims the right to rise in rebellion against the Kingdom of Caeviel now?! On behalf of the Rykz, no less!” Roskal shouts coldly while the herald at her side shakes his head. “For that is what the traitor did by slaughtering soldiers whose only crime was to uphold the Law!”

“Elizabeth Vil has never killed anyone that hadn't raised their weapons against her first!” Leomi responds with fire in her voice. Although her tone doesn't waver and I find no physical indication that she is lying, she couldn't be so naive as to believe this, even if she discounts what I did to the institute's batteries or those who performed the procedure on them. “Izla Meria's Council, through myself as the army's commander, ordered Elizabeth Vil to recover Princess Cetyz from the institute and deliver her to the Rykz in exchange for peace throughout Caeviel! You drink from the source but soil its waters, Duchess Roskal! You take refuge in the Lake's embrace come winter but disrespect the flames as too hot come summer!” Leomi accuses, using old idioms that I've heard many low-born elders use.

Her shocking words go through peasantry, nobility, and soldiers like a wave as they are beyond insulting. Yet, I can almost hear murmurs of ascent from the ranks across the various valleys.

While the Duchess' accusations received support from the riders behind her, from the archers on the fortifications which are likely elite soldiers, and from other Nobles, she has overall been steadily losing ground.

So much so that I'm surprised no other Noble has intervened. They seem to all be taking this as a confrontation between the King and the Izla, although most have reacted in agreement to her assertion that I am a traitor.

I start suspecting a trap, or something, but how could losing this be good for Cenwalh? The Council. The more Nobility fears the Izla's new government, the more they'll gather around him. Or they don't have the arguments.

Or this simply isn't the stage they want to take us down on, after all Cenwalh fears that the Izla might not return to Caeviel, the humiliation would be tenfold if we refused in front of the entire army. That being said, Leomi is being very careful not to directly blame Cenwalh over Cetyz' abduction.

“A Council? It has no authority to speak for the Duchy of Izla Meria, and neither do you, Countess!” Roskal contests.

“Izla Meria's Citizens has chosen the Council to talk for each and every one of King Cenwalh's subjects on the island in the absence of a titled Noble!” Leomi counters, cleverly turning the subject of legitimacy to imply that refusing the Council means the King isn't listening to the people, something he definitely can't say if he wants to claim to be a good ruler.

“A titled Noble that Elizabeth Vil assassinated!” Roskal replies, clinging to my actions to undermine Leomi's position. Seriously, how did I end up in the center of this?

“Duke Meria lives.” Leomi immediately responds with a smirk on her lips. “He has been imprisoned and scheduled for execution. The decision was reached by a common accord between Izla Meria's titled Court, the Templar Order, and the rightfully elected Council.”