This was not a surprise. Legion General Edward was well-respected, even among the Army Generals! Lord Illion, the current Master of Strategy, Prince Dannark, the Second-In-Command and prince, and General William, the new Third-In-Command, all paid their respects whenever they visited Pelangi Fortress. Legion General Edward was almost their equal! Why? Because he commanded and defended the northern border for more than fifty years, standing as the iron wall that prevented the Xingyuu Empire from invading! Fifty years… There were countless attempts to take the fortress and the walls were marred with indescribable bloodshed and damage. Yet, throughout those years, there was not a single successful invasion! General Edward managed to prevail against the odds every time! As a result, he became one of the most famous and respected of Legion Generals in the entire army.
Elizabeth nodded and replied, "It's my pleasure to meet the famous Legion General Edward. I've heard many of your heroic tales even in the capital city."
"You're too kind, Your Highness," the man chuckled. "I am, but an old man now. The new generation will surpass me in no time at all. Please follow me… The meeting will begin when you arrive."
"I'll stay here and wait for you," Lady Christina said. Despite unofficially being Elizabeth's chaperon, it remained a big breach in military protocol if she, a Brigade Commander, encroached on a strategic meeting with Army Generals. Hence, she tactfully decided to step back.
"Okay," Elizabeth said, understanding instantly. Together with Sir Winstin, she walked behind General Edward inside to the top of the central fortress.
"Has Your Highness been informed of the contents of the upcoming meeting?"
"Somewhat."
"We'll be discussing our short-term and long-term goals in this operation," he explained. "Although I won't be joining everyone in the Xingyuu Empire, I will remain as a strategic reserve force and a safe retreat point in case things go awry. A second base of operations, you could say. As for our long-term goals… Of course, we would like to fish up remains after the two sides fight it out," referring to the Imperial Council and the Li Family. "However, that is too optimistic. In order to triumph against the Xingyuu Empire and prevent retaliation from both sides, we will have to seize the initiative. That is why, when the main fleet arrives in one week, we'll be launching a large-scale offense against the Yunyun Stronghold."
"The Yunyun Stronghold…" Elizabeth frowned. How mysterious was the world that history seemed to repeat itself? Once, she was captured in that very stronghold, and now she was returning with an army! "But I doubt it should be that easy," she questioned. "Pelangi Fortress and the Yunyun Stronghold are said to be equals, neither able to defeat the other. What's our trump card in conquering the stronghold then?"
General Edward laughed. "Your suspicions are spot-on, Your Highness. There used to be a saying that Pelangi Fortress and the Yunyun Stronghold were like two fishes chasing after each other's tails in an eternal battle. We both restrain each other, neither being able to consume the other. That's why the Maelstrom Gulf remains in a certain level of 'peace' so to speak. Without it, the war would easily be ten times worse."
And he was not exaggerating either. The Maelstrom Gulf was the closest point between the ocean-separated Alzar Kingdom and Xingyuu Empire. The challenge in transporting supplies and troops between the two continents was an enormous undertaking, fraught with danger and risk. There was no need to talk about the 'enemy', but the unrelenting downpours, freak lightning storms, and high winds were just a small part of the innate difficulties. Stories of crews running out of food and starving to death, morale bottoming out leading to a mutiny… or even a rampant disease killing everyone onboard were common. Out in the open waters, far from civilization, if something went wrong, then no one could help! That was why it was prohibitively challenging to invade the opposing side and why the war could last for this long. If one side managed to establish a permanent corridor for attacking and defending… the consequences would be terrifying!
"However, the tides have changed. The status quo will be broken now," he added with a smile.
"Arcania… You mean the Ten Dawns?" Elizabeth realized. With their tactical-level magic, it should be much easier in breaching stationary defenses. They were more effective than any siege weapon! As soon as she realized this, there was a faint hope budding in her. On the low chance that Ten Dawn Nassandra came along, perhaps Freon and Shirley came too?
"You are correct, Your Highness. There will be four Ten Dawns supporting us in our upcoming operation: Ten Dawn Yvonne Malkhorn and Rosemary Arkfell, as well as Ten Dawn Iris Cisvernia and Krogan Jermon. You may know Ten Dawn Iris as the White Healer."
A hint of disappointment flickered across Elizabeth's face. "I see…"
"Using their magic, we should be able to breakthrough the 'impenetrable' Yunyun Stronghold and secure it. Once we have the Maelstrom Gulf under our control, we'll be able to maintain a constant supply of resources and manpower into the Xingyuu Empire. That will be our first step in this operation." Arriving at the doors of the inner meeting chambers, he concluded, "We'll have to stop our conversation here."
Upon their arrival, the guards opened the doors to reveal a spacious room with a grand map of the north laid out on a table. The three Army Generals: General William, General Petra, and General Dennis were present alongside some high-ranking senior military officers. Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped inside. The meeting to decide the future had officially begun!
Days passed slowly as the soldiers and officers scrambled to organize everything. It was a grand undertaking! Because of the immense challenges in transporting troops, it would be done in groups. The first group would be the forward strike force, composed of twenty thousand. They would be responsible for connecting with the previously established base of operations in the Xingyuu Empire, which was left by General Illion half a year ago. Once properly scouted and secured, the main vanguard force would arrive to thoroughly lock the area down. This group would be led by an Army General and consist of over fifty thousand. In the following months, the fleet would continue to ferry troops back and forth in groups of fifty thousand. Theoretically, they should be finished around mid-November or early December if nothing goes wrong. But as they say, whatever can go wrong will eventually go wrong…
Benedict, accompanied by Owen and his band of mercenaries, finally arrived at Pelangi Fortress. During this time, their group almost doubled in size. As they travelled through the cities and towns, they would catch the attention of desperate people, wishing to earn quick money, or vengeful people, wishing to take revenge. Their unconventional attitude meant they were ill-suited for the military, forcing them to turn to unconventional methods. Despite the depressing odds for survival, people kept joining them. And although everyone had questionable backgrounds and goals, no one made a fuss as they celebrated jovially. They knew that once they headed over to the Xingyuu Empire, they might never return home!
The party rode their horses toward the closest army group, when a patrol came up and asked sternly, "What is your purpose here? Civilians are not allowed any further. If you want access to Pelangi Fortress, then we'll have to escort you in after a thorough search."
"I'm Owen Lux, the leader of this mercenary group. I notified your superiors ahead of time of our presence."
"Owen Lux, huh?" the patrol captain asked suspiciously. "Hold on a moment while we confirm."
"That's fine with us. We'll rest here," Owen said. Everyone dismounted and massaged their sore muscles while making small talk. This was standard protocol to prevent Xingyuu spies from infiltrating, so no one was angry.
Benedict pondered before walking up to the patrol captain. This alerted the soldiers and caused them to reach for their swords. He tactfully stopped and spoke, "I am Sir Benedict Hawken, squadron captain and Knight of the Realm. I am friends with Her Highness, the heir apparent, Princess Elizabeth Etuvel Reindel. If Her Highness is present, could you notify Her Highness of my presence?"