-Two days later-
The doors of the War Room creaked open, allowing Risk to walk in. He wore a rather strange apparel compared to his usual Feral looks.
A blue cape hung over his shoulder, covering most of his torso. The cloth protected his front and back, held anchored by the neck. It ignored the arms and head, leaving those for everyone to see.
Valentine quietly studied his ally's outfit. His memory found a reason behind it and his eyes made theories for what the material was and how others saw it.
Suth stood beside her loyal follower, Pearl. The two Thawed grew closer to one another, even more so when Pearl promised her Digon in return for her Rite of Approval.
Hizentre and Hazen stood on both sides of Ether, backs turned to the empty fireplace. The sunlight coming through the windows on their opposite sides made the trio seem like shadows.
"Good morning, Risk, glad you came over," Pearl greeted.
"I'm glad I came over too. Now, who had the idea of putting ME on Digon and why are they such an incredible Variant??" Risk's energetic voice kicked up.
Hizentre stomped his foot twice. Making everyone's heads turn to the silent giant. He looked around the room, making sure all attention was geared towards him.
"As excited as I am to participate alongside the fabled Risk, I am not here for admiration and compliments. We came here to discuss a plan, and a plan will be discussed," his voice thundered.
Ether nodded, he understood it was his turn to speak. He looked down at the table in front of him where the updated map of Imbushko sat.
He asked Oria to make him a new one with the colors of the Infinus Legion and Light Legion to mark territory and the progression they've had over time. Which pleased Ether to see how much of Imbushko was under his command.
Almost half of the entire region was in the palm of his hand. So much of that region left unexplored by his eyes. Yet enough to make him wish of a day where it all came together to take out the Light
"Okay, here's what's going to happen," Ether began.
His finger came down at the base of Digon, right where the Light Legion launched their assault against the Frosticus Legion. Several small icons rested around that area, all drawn by his hands.
The face of a Cemtras with an explosion going off above it stood behind an icon of a shield. Right in front of that shield was a small sword icon with an arrow pointed up to where Frosticus had their walls.
"Siege Cemtrin will stay back and hurl explosives at the walls. The goal for them is not to damage, although that is optional, the goal is for them to distract."
Ether guided everyone's attention to two icons over the stronghold. One icon was of a Sky Beast's beak and the other was of a worm representing a Weaver.
"They would be too busy trying to hold off the incoming blasts and invasions that they won't notice the incoming Sky Beasts and Weavers," Ether proudly explained.
"Weavers will dive onto other beasts, explosives, and armories. This will cause their resources to defend against us to go down. While also scattering their men."
Ether tabbed on the Sky Beast's icon. "Those big beasts will dive down and pick one or two of their men at a time before lifting them up high and dropping them to their deaths."
After he was finished explaining that, he directed everyone's gaze to another icon not too far from where their primary target was. This other icon was where they would hold their outpost.
Hizentre and Hazen recognized where this was from because that was where Hizentre met Ether. During the battle of Terron Fall, the two leaders never knew they would come back to that same place as allies with a common enemy.
In this outpost, all icons from the previous presentation lined up inside what were once Terron's walls.
"Luckily for us, we have a place where we can set up an outpost without building one from scratch. But unluckily for us, the Light Legion probably have control over it," Ether bitterly said.
He tilted his head to Hizentre. "Terron was the first Legion we dominated and took in. We could liberate Terron once more and use that as an outpost."
"But we have to do it silently. Otherwise the Light Legion would figure out there are others trying to take them down and push away our attack before it even begins," Hazen added.
"Yep," Ether's serious voice agreed. "In here, we will provide warm housing for our warriors and places for the wounded. Of course, we will fly them back here once they get better."
Suth pointed at the area behind Frosticus' walls. "You appear to have some plans there as well. What are they?"
An Icon of a single Cemtras rested on Digon's rest. It stood there alone, nothing else around it to justify it being there.
"That giant gate you have, the one for Rites. That Cemtras could smash right through those gates if we train it to. They are quick learners and highly intelligent, so this should be easy," Ether clarified.
"I don't know if that plan would work. What would be the point behind a Cemtras being down there if it would get swarmed by the other Cemtrin or beasts inside?" Suth tried to make sense of it.
Ether ignored her comment. He was focused on revisiting his entire plan in his head to make sure he didn't leave anything out. Until he remembered something.
Risk examined the entire map for signs of his plan being in there. Realizing they weren't there, he let out a displeased growl.
"Here I was thinking my brilliant plan was going to make it into the battle itself! Why is it not there?"
"You never told me your plan. I can't add it in now, I have already said everything that was going to happen and won't complicate it even more," Ether replied.
Pearl smiled, she was happy that everyone in the War Room was there to reclaim Digon. Even though over half of them do not feel a need for the mountain, they still were willing to lead and conquer.
Everyone had their own reasons behind it as well. Something that no one in the room mentioned because they wanted to seem like they were on the same page.
But for her, Suth, and Valentine, Digon called out to them. Even though she has never been marked by a mountain, Digon knew she wanted that kind of treatment.
So it called for her to claim her full adulthood at Victory Breach, all the way at the very top where she and all the other young icicles belonged. In the middle of the raging storms and fruitful snow.
"What do you think about the plan so far?" Pearl whispered to Suth.
She didn't look at Pearl, her eyes were set on thinking of the entire encounter. "I think it could work. Although, it has a chance of failing. But I can see ourselves pushing through and getting Digon back."
Pearl seemed surprised by her response. "What makes you think we could fail?"
"We are reaching the dying cycles of winter. The summer scourge is quick to follow. Since Digon is so unpredictable with its decisions, it could force itself into absolute zero," Suth explained.
"How could a mountain achieve absolute zero? Is it alive like us?"
Suth grinned. "No, it is not. No Prophets or Oracles know for sure what the guardians are and why they call to us specifically. But many assume those guardians are the Seventh Rule of Reality."
"The strength rule? 'Creations are not allowed to grow stronger than their creators. Instant paranormal removal if creations exceed the powers of the Nine?' That one?" Pearl recited.
"Correct. No one has seen how the Seventh Rule truly looks like. But our guess is probably like a Sky Beast. Maybe it was the reason behind their creation," Suth theorized.
Ether and Hizentre shook hands. The sound of their laughter caught their attention. While Pearl and Suth were talking about Digon and the chances of them winning, the two Variants talked about something else.
They were thinking of trading with Metrivious for some of their own creatures since summer was close by. And with summer came Ether's birthday, an added surprise for his final maturation period.
Hizentre, Hazen, and Valentine all walked out the door. Their heavy steps faded away, leaving the room in almost complete silence.
"It's final. Prepare yourselves for the conflict and report to me. There is no deadline, just don't take this time for granted," Ether concluded.