We stand in the rubble, dust settling as the walls crumble. I glance back. Nathaniel, Fallon, Dion and Solice wear their armor, my symbol in their chest.

Monika's hovers over the carnage, watching from the sky.

We're quickly approached by soldiers.

"Fallon, take out the front line," I nod, as they get closer.

She nods back, speeding toward the front line. I stand, looking over at Monika. She nods down at me, hovering above the wall, entering the city.

Here we go. I step over the rubble. We've breeches the wall. I narrow my eyes. Now we just have to get to the castle. I could send one of the children to assassinate the King ahead of time.

But...what's the fun in that?

My sword runs throw a nearby solider. He grunts, as I slice him in half running toward a nearby solider. I put my hand on the ground, decay radiating outward, catching a few soldiers in the crossfire.

"Advance!"

They're pretty weak for a large country. Monika lifts her hands, forcing trees to sprout, impaling soldiers on the branches as she does.

I stop. She's so...gorgeous when she kills.

"Father seriously!" Nathaniel shouts, jumping past me to decay another wave of soldiers. "Not the time."

I rub the back of my neck with one hand, taking a soldier's head of with my other.

"Sorry..." I chuckle.

Nathinel just shakes his head. They have 100,000 soldiers and we've only gone through about 10,000. We'll be at this all night. Thankfully, they're only human.

They must sleep, eat and drink, and we have no such needs. Monika's eyes glow red as she uses more of her powers.

Solice murmurs ahead of me. He doesn't use his power often at all. He lifts part of the rubble, a large boulder, hurling it over his shoulder toward the soldiers. Their front line men are destroyed.

We approach the castle, inch by inch. Still we need to keep some of these men alive.

"We'll begin phase two," I shout. Now that we've reduced their numbers. "Monika!"

She glanced down at me, lowering herself to the ground.

"Slade," she grinned, I hold her gently, kissing her softly.

"Not a speck on you," I whisper. "How are you doing?"

She presses her lips against mine, her hand reaching out, to create a thorn, growing it into a soldiers neck.

"I'm fine. Fallon has gone ahead and dismantled the middle lines. While we hammer away at the front line and keep the back for our use after we take the castle."

She looks up. "The castle is miles away. There won't be any soldiers left the time we get to it."

I smirk. "Don't worry, dear."

Fallon speeds up to us. "They're loading cannons. Orders?"

"Can you get up the wall to destroy the cannons before they can-"

A cannon lands in front of us, smoldering. I frown.

Monika holds her hands up. "Slade call the children in. I'll shield us until they run out."

I nod. "To me!"

Nathaniel turns back, signaling Solice who calls to Dion to follow them. They poof in front of us.

Monika opens her hands, roots growing from the ground, slowly encasing us in vines.

"Uh, are vines really the thing for this job?" Dion asks hesitantly. "Feels like we should be using something-"

"Duck!" I shout, pointing my sword at an oncoming boulders I send a wave of decay. It crumbles into rubble. Monika seals us in before sighing.

"So how was everyone's day," she grins. "Can I offer anyone snacks? Here? Eat."

I chuckle. Even in war, she is adorable. Dion begrudgingly takes an apple.

"So what's the plan, father?" Nathaniel asks, taking an apple as well.

Solice also takes an apple.

Fallon leans back. "I want a pear, Mother. Make me a pear!"

Monika grins, holding her hand out a pear waiting. "I already knew."

We sit in quiet. For some reason, Monika's vines hold up against the cannons.

"I have a question," Dion said softly. "Why are we here instead of a country with actual resources. They're sapped from the last war."

I shake my head. "What's with this family and questioning the God of War's war strategy?"

Nathaniel narrows his eyes. "Because you taught us, father. So what is the real reason?"

I look away.

• • •