It was a heated meeting going on in the Alliance Head's tent. Iriadne Hakorhi had coughed up blood half a dozen times, and had considerably gotten more and more ruthless.
"I thought Alchemist came here back then to resolve your poison?"
"Don't *cough*, *cough*, talk about Nei,"
General Zarin was looking grave.
"The Poison Sona troupes have killed every single soldier sent by Korasoon,"
Korasoon was one of the lesser magic user clans in the east who had joined the Rebellion Army.
"*Cough*, they sent only five hundred soldiers! *Cough* what am I supposed to do about that?"
"Alliance Head, Clan Princess Samahan-rehha proposed that we retreat and restrategize. We--"
"That's what happened during the Great War! Safrohi troops left the battlefield! Then they got slaughtered in their homes. Valencia and Grihame aren't going to retreat even if we do!" Iria's eyes flashed, "so tell Samahan it's impossible!"
"We haven't heard from Alchemist. If the Canolitans--"
"I said, *cough*, *cough*, don't talk about Nei!"
General Zarin spoke again.
"If Alliance Head doesn't want you to speak about Alchemist, then don't. Alliance Head, what do we do about the injured? The Blood Clotting Pills have long been exhausted,"
"Tell them to cultivate," Iria replied unkindly.
"Alliance Head!" Khu rushed into the tent, "the Poison Sona troupes are striking again!"
"General Zarin, go and counter them," Iria ordered, "I'll join you soon!*cough*"
General Zarin rose, drawing his sword as he rushed out of the tent. The other generals also left one after the other. That was the end of the meeting! The Poison Sona troupes were not easy to handle. It took the combined force of General Zarin and Iria to push them back each time. But they were falling into a disadvantage. Two honourable Fhakirs had been deployed by Grihame that morning. It was not clear just who would push the other back today.
Iria pulled on her helmet and grabbed the Kraharn. It glistened as Iria poured her imprint into it unrestrainedly. Slowly, it's surface heated up as if it had been thrust into a furnace. Nodding, Iria warmed her imprint on all the places it was placed and stepped out of the tent.
Boom! Blast! Boom! Explosions scarred the face of the Rashar Plains. Iria was in the air, sending bolts down onto the heads of enemy soldiers. The Fhakirs had not joined the fight yet. They were biding their time, waiting for Iria to get exhausted.
"Alliance Head! Please return to the camp!" One Savitro Zhan general cried with his last breath as he fell from the sky down to the ground, creating a crater several feet wide. Iria's eyes contracted as she looked for the source of the attack. The two Fhakirs had combined their power to bring down one of the strongest generals from Savitro Zhan!
"Retreat!" Iria was also not stupid, "Rebellion Army troops, retreat!"
"Hahahaha, clan princess of Hakorhi, where do you think you're going?" The two Fhakirs' voices resounded over the plain, pounding on the ears of the weaker soldiers, till they fell to the ground, unable to take it anymore.
"Did you expect that we would not come to avenge our brother?"
Iria grit her teeth. Her chest was burning. She turned her head to General Zarin.
"Whatever happens, retreat!"
"Yes!" General Zarin shouted back across the sky.
Iria turned to face the Fhakirs.
"You cowards! If you have the guts, come and face this princess head on!"
"Hahahaha! The Hakorhi are known for their boasting! You want to die? Well, these honourable ones shall fulfil your wish today!"
The two Fhakirs flew into the air, about a hundred feet from Iria.
"Alliance Head! Clan Princess!" shouts came from the soldiers below.
Iria only had one more order.
"Khu!" She shouted, already forming complex seals with her hands after dropping the Kraharn, which floated before her of it's own accord, still blazing, "go back to Hakorhi and protect Rudolph!"
"Yes, clan princess!" Khu's eyes were red from holding in tears. Not one of them doubted that Iriadne Hakorhi was going to lose her life today.
Her eyes flaming, Iria turned to the Fhakirs:
"Bastards from Grihame, give me your all! Today, I Iriadne Hakorhi, will avenge the fallen! Sword of the soul, go!"
The Kraharn transformed into a bolt of light that shot towards the Fhakirs at a terrifying speed!
Iria wiped the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. That one attack had drained all her energy.
The Fhakirs hurriedly formed a poison shield. The Kraharn hit the shield and it shattered, sending the Fhakirs retreating over a thousand steps in the air. Like a boomerang, the Kraharn returned to Iria's side.
"You!" The Fhakirs screamed, "if we don't take your life today, then you can take ours!"