75 Goal But as Cernan turned to leave, Drevolan noted a certain smile. Ari followed his leader.
Drevolan whispered to me once they were out of range, "That, Viktor, was our goal."
"To irritate him?"
"No, to witness that very smile."
"And your conclusion?"
"He got exactly what he wanted with that sword. It wasn't a mere distraction."
"What's so special about it?"
"I'm unsure."
"But it was just a big, fragile Norsanti blade."
"There's more to it. His smile confirmed it."
"From a mere smile?"
"Exactly because of that smile."
"And I was here just for this verbal duel?"
"Partly, and also to make him ponder... and perhaps unsettle him."
"What if he feels too threatened?"
"He won't resort to assassination."
"But you did once, Drevolan."
"You know what I'm referring to."
"Do I? More importantly, does he?"
Drevolan sighed, "We made our point, Viktor. I'll stay for the rites, but you can leave if you wish."
"What's next?"
"Thaleia will bless and pray for Verill's soul. Stories about his life will be shared, some more truthful than others. A sacrificial ceremony in honor of his god, probably Morte, will follow. It'll be a long ceremony, about ten hours."
"Ten hours? Why Thaleia?"
"It's her responsibility."
"Why?"
"Trust me, Viktor, delving into Dragon House politics isn't your concern."
"Okay, I'll pass on the rituals then."
"Sounds good. We'll catch up later."
"I'm sure we will."
I made my exit, ensuring I was hidden from the Dragonlords' view before initiating my awkward teleportation. "You think he was being straight with us, Chief?"
"Who do you mean?"
"Drevolan."
"Regarding?"
"Why he had me there with him."
"I guess he was. Why?"
"I suspect he gave us half the story."
"So what's the other half?"
"He probably wants you on his side against Cernan."
I pondered over this. "You might be onto something," I finally agreed.
"He succeeded, right, Chief?"
"Yes, he did."
We came across a large boulder, an ideal spot for me to teleport. I never did see Verill's ceremonies. Hopefully, Thaleia managed her part well. Actually, I know why Thaleia had that responsibility, but let's leave the Dragon House politics out of this.
"Bottom line, Opal, he rubs me the wrong way."
"That's a good enough reason to—"
"Absolutely. If you think I'm overreacting, remind me to swap you for a Mimicmen and use its tail as a knocker."
"Heh."
Approaching my apartment, I opened my window shutters overlooking the bustling street. The evening crowd made me feel like I was stepping into an unfamiliar world.
"Opal, my thoughts haven't been tampered with, right?"
"Nope, Chief. All you."
"Just making sure."
"You might want to see your grandfather, Chief."
Suppressing a sigh, I responded, "Yeah, before I act. But—"
"I get it, Chief. You're committed."
"Just don't like being used."
"And being maneuvered by Drevolan?"
"Definitely not a fan. But he wasn't violent with me."
Opal chose not to respond, allowing me a moment of reflection. Glancing down, I considered a nightcap, then decided against it. My healing bruises reminded me of a past altercation.
"I'll deal with this guy, Opal."
"I believe you, Chief."
I closed the shutters.
Alyssra Volade once shared that there are two primary leadership styles in warfare: lead from the forefront or from behind. While being at the front can boost troop morale, it poses risks if the leader falls. Conversely, leading from the back offers a clearer perspective and better communication, but might not inspire troops as much. Alyssra believes flexibility is key, choosing a stance that suits the situation. Regarding our adversaries, the brigade leaders—each commanding roughly three thousand troops, based on Alyssra's intel—were front-liners. This strategy made sense, she noted, as that's the maximum number who could hear shouted commands.
The senior officers were positioned behind, joined by the head mage and any necessary aides. Typically, the brigadier was encircled by a select group of skilled fighters, whose role was to shield him during battle. Higher-ranked officers also had similar guards, though they didn't need them as much. It's akin to the Vorgan trend of having numerous bodyguards as a show of power.
Where mages stood in battle often depended on the general's preference and the circumstances. Most times, mages were aligned with a brigade, usually close to the brigadier. This allowed them not only to quickly get instructions but also to provide additional protection to the officer in charge of that segment of the battle.
Following so far?
I recalled this as I ascended a small hill, behind the front line where my unit was engaged, aiming for the command group.
So basically, I was about to face both an elite squad of fighters and a group of sorcerers to achieve my mission.
What was my reason for being here? Ah, right. I impulsively offered my services to Drevolan in a fit of anger, and he was cheeky enough to accept.
Now?
Now, everything was in motion, precisely what I had wished for when things seemed stagnant. It felt good to have my wish come true. Yet, as I've always felt, I dislike idle moments. Once I make a pivotal or dubious choice, I prefer swift actions. But as is often the case when I'm eager for progress, things tend to crawl.
It's a common phenomenon: Once you've decided on an action, you need time for planning, resource gathering, and execution. This makes events seem slow-paced. On the contrary, when you're rushed into a situation without a prior decision, things seem to whirl past. Observing Drevolan and Alyssra, I learned this principle applies in warfare too, and it's always resonated in my personal life.
Perhaps it's just the universe's way of messing with us.
Regardless, the next few days consisted of aimless and fruitless chats with Drevolan. He hinted at my potential usefulness but was maddeningly ambiguous about the details. Without me voicing it, he understood my dedication to assist him.
This fueled my suspicion that Drevolan had orchestrated my assault to enlist me. I harbored this thought for a while, but, to spare you the suspense: I later found out Drevolan was innocent. The attack was just as it seemed.
Every now and then, a Dragon acts straightforwardly, and it's not a facade. It's probably their way of keeping us on our toes.
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