One was torn into two, another had its head twisted to the back and the last looked like it had been knocked down by a huge boulder, and bled everywhere. Their formation was now broken, and they had no time to go back to a defensive mode before the flashing figure came back at them, claiming every life in its path in the most gruesome ways possible. They all tried using all their energy within to increase their speed and defense, but all came to naught. It kept slashing through, leaving only gruesome remains of what was living a second ago.
The people could be seen to be screaming, but no sound could be heard. No one could expect where it would attack from. Only a few were not lucky enough to see the thing come at them, fear written all over their pale faces before they were killed. The lucky ones never saw it, and just died a peaceful death, but who could call that peaceful? Who knew what pain they went through before they died?
Their souls could never rest well with such deaths. Every one of them was a hardened soldier who was ready for death no matter when it came, or when it came to claiming them, but one of every soldier's greatest fears is to die without alerting his family, or knowing if they would be cared for well enough after they were gone. It was a fact that these soldiers had been fated for such a thing, and who could tell if their families crossed their minds before they died?
The scene started to fade as bits of the whole place started to float up as white dust, slowly disappearing. More, and more of it started to disperse, but the gruesome attacks could still be seen. Heads flew, blood spurted, bodies twitched before dying, beasts were in states of howling, and people were also in different states of screaming. It all disappeared with only a few left to be killed, and everything returned to normal once again.
Henndar's sharp eyes were on Lexon whose face was grave. "I tried probing, but there was no energy within to give off any clues on where to start. I can't think of which attribute the attacker used to achieve that. The attacker also knew a lot about the group, and went prepared." Lexon stated.
Henndar still had his neutral expression as he spoke. "We have a knowledgeable enemy to deal with. The first person who was killed was the leader of that group, am I right?" Lexon affirmed that with a nod before Henndar continued. "We need a trap, is that what you're thinking Lexon?"
"A-Yes, Your Majesty. I think so, we need to set a trap, something the attacker won't suspect or expect. I would have to trouble you for that hen."
"Very well," Henndar nodded, already expecting that a plan was already formed in his mind. "Take twice the number. Put in the superior alchemists to use illusory alchemy formations to make their numbers look reduced. The opponent might think it suspicious, so let them make the few look more dangerous than the first batch. Add some damned that can burrow deep enough with senses that can cover a large range. Also, add others that can fly high enough to not be spotted but can retain their vision as well. The rest of them should be ground fighters, make sure they are very deadly in close-range combat. For the alchemists, use the relaying eyes so everything can be seen by us during their interaction with the attacker."
Just like that, Henndar had laid out a neatly formed plan. There seemed to be no loopholes in it, a perfect trap that no one can evade, but Lexon knew better. "Your Majesty, you have blessed us with this well-formed plan, but I just have some worries. How can the relaying eyes survive such a long range? Their Youm cannot be sufficient enough for such a cause."
Youm was the energy cultivated in this world, and as far as alchemy is concerned, a large amount of Youm is required for tasks to work well enough. An alchemist would need to have cultivated a lot of alchemy to have more than enough Youm at their disposal before tasks can be performed without disruptions. Relaying eyes is a type of alchemy formation that the user would draw on their eye. They would then connect to another person elsewhere. This person would be able to see everything the other person uses. This is a very proficient method just that it requires more energy the greater the distance is. The task the king had just given was over a very long range, and so this was a nuisance that had to be dealt with immediately.
The king smiled slightly then. "The matter is simple, I thought my commander would have already thought of the solution I have in mind?"
Lexon did have one in his mind, but he wasn't sure of it though, so he opened his mouth to speak again. "I possibly can't be able to think of what the king thinks of course." He said so out loud so Henndar would give out what he had in mind.
Henndar chuckled slightly and said something that they hadn't expected. "It's simple, you just need to send more alchemists."
He said it was simple, but they all didn't seem to get at what he was hinting at, so he had to elaborate further, "You are all disappointments even with brains in those skulls of yours. The more alchemists wouldn't also be relaying eyes, they would just be there to support the others by giving their Youm to them. This would create an endless supply of Youm."
It seemed a reasonable enough plan, but Lexon noticed the anomaly. "Your majesty, wouldn't that be equivalent to sacrificing them?"
This statement brought the others to reality. If they were to give their Youm, they would be doing so in large amounts, lose their energy very quickly, and won't be able to do anything. They would only be a liability if the battle broke out again with nothing to defend themselves. They were just the flames to get the food ready, flames that would turn to ash quickly and be discarded.
"What is a battle, or a world without sacrifices? Sacrifices would always have to be made, you can all testify to that fact. Haven't you all made such sacrifices before?" Henndar said still with his smiling face, got up then, and carefully and gracefully made his way to the door, clearly ignoring the eyes of all those in the room, and not caring that they thought the meeting was still not at its end yet. He arrived at the door opened it, and stepped out.
"Oh and also," he said as if he had just remembered something. "Add a detonator as well to be a last resort. No action is required unless everyone is down, which may very well happen." He said in a deadpan tone
He disappeared right after those words were out of his mouth. Lexon stared at the spot where he had disappeared and understood something though. Those they would send have a very high chance of dying just as the others did. They might even die quicker this time, and there might not be a chance for anyone to send an image capture orb again, so the relaying eyes would be the replacement for that. And with the sacrifices he referred to, he was the army commander of the Vermillion Kingdom and knew clearly what sacrifice he meant. Better to sacrifice once and be able to understand your enemy than to sacrifice more and more for fewer results. Not many people would understand that. His heart suddenly felt heavy at what he was going to do.
"Forgive me..."
Meanwhile, somewhere else…
"But mom, I'm hungry" Lia complained as she sat at the dining table with a miserable look on her face.
And for the umpteenth time, Kethra responded once again with the patience and perfect mannerisms fit for a mother and a queen. "You have to wait for your father, he will arrive here shortly," she smiled.
"But why?" Lia asked again, not acting in the least bit like a princess
"It's just the way things are done. This would better train your tolerance and patience, dear."
"But I'm going to die of hunger" she complained again and placed her head on the table as she wiped a tear from her face. [I think the tear's real this time ]
Aramith sat on the chair to her left and was just smiling with his chin supported by his hand. He had never been much of an eater like Lia who just loved to eat, and Mozrael who due to her condition, had to eat a lot to keep up. He was startled by a low growling that came from his left. He said nothing, but his eyes betrayed the emotions he was trying hard to hold back. Lia also heard it and quickly raised her head to look at Mozrael and grinned
"The great dragon speaks again today!" She exclaimed while laughing, Aramith's smile grew even wider until he could no longer contain it. [remember Lia's joke it's true meaning will come in later]
"Pfft!" he joined Lia in the bout of laughter.