Chapter 9 - 9 - Knights

Emilia's mastery over the ability to read fate had been shared to the other Knights and the Prince and his allies, It came as a surprise to them but like the first time when they learned she was a diviner they didn't dwell too much on it and instead moved to re-adjusting their strategy to attack the last five territories of Teutoberg that had yet to be conquered.

With all the plans and preparations complete the mission began.

First Anka and Nihilus, the Hegel twins from Lonthor went to lead an attack in territory on the far end of defense line of Teutoberg. They left in vehicles with a small band of lower ranking knights and Two Knights from Teutoberg, Jakob Faramund and Dora Alaric.

Where they went to was far out of the range of Emilia's new ability to read fate so when was completely useless to them, but that was the whole point. Their attack called the attention of most of the seiteme in the area, Emilia could sense them moving away, their presences like voids in the river of fate all drifting in a set direction.

Following the period when there were less seiteme they would sneak into the territory for as far as possible.

***

The seiteme were not very dull either and after a while they noticed something was wrong.

Typically the expedition party would attack like so and using their ability to read fate they would very quickly gather to the spot were the attack would happen before it would and attack with the greatest numbers possible. This attack would be a diversion of course and maybe another team would try to attack from a different part of their defense line but they would also be aware beforehand and respond similarly.

They were out numbered three to one but for that numerical advantage to take play there should be a concentration of fire power.

The larger expedition group could not attack all of the defense line at once because that would mean for them to lose their numerical advantage so they had to settle with a strategy to create openings for attack yet because of the seiteme being able to accurately predict the threat at all times and send out only the needed amount of soldiers they were always able to defend and this had been the stalemate both sides had been on for a month.

The issue now was that the could clearly sense that there was an attack on one front and this time around they sent two very powerful arcane knights. Yet they couldn't sense anything from the other parts of their defense line.

Not being able to do much about the situation all they could do was fight until the attackers gave up.

It was at this point they finally figured out what was happening, a small team of only elites had suck in and somehow managed to get past their senses.

This elite group was already past the defense line, stopping them would be difficult. If the tried to swarm them those who were closer would only be taken down and leaving the defense line would leave them vulnerable.

They had already lost but one last bit of hope remained, the strongest among them. The King and his closest knights would intercept this attack squad so they had to be informed about development.

The first of the seiteme to understand the situation flew to the nearest and shared the information and that seiteme would inform the next closest in the direction of the kings castle until finally the king got the news.

***

"How did they do it?"

"Have the Lonthorians finally come up with a magic tool that can counter our ability to read fate?"

"Does it even matter how they did it?, Is that really what we should be thinking about now?"

"He is right, we do not have the time to be deliberating about what means they have used to get passed the defense line."

"No, that's not important now. What we should be thinking about is what we should do now?"

"Well this was already a losing battle from the very beginning, our plan was to wait and see if they'd get tired and leave these remaining territories or if they'd persist until we surrender, we already have options for this scenario"

"Escape, Dialog or Fight?"

"Escape was an option for if we had the time to, but we are completely surrounded, even if we wanted to use our airships they probably have better ones."

"They've already got us so the best thing is we confront them by ourselves."

"But that's exactly what they want"

"No. That is what would have happened sooner or later. We already lost this battle a long time ago. Keeping five territories for a month is already a great achievement."

"What are we doing? It is obvious that we are going to have to face them. The most important thing now is what we all agree to. Some of you already are planning on leaving if the decision isn't to your liking, let me just say we are all seiteme. There is no place for us"

"If we do not fight together now we will only die alone later"

"Wasn't dialog an option?"

"Not anymore, they want us out of the picture for good this time"

"So we are facing them where exactly?"

"Let us let them come here"

"You there, pass a message to everyone to avoid contacting them. Only pass information about their location."

"Now we should prepare for our guests"

***

For Emilia and the high ranking knights getting through Teutoberg became significantly easier after the first few days when they had to avoid getting detected. Now instead the seiteme left the areas where they entered. They were not stupid so they knew that they had already been discovered but still didn't care too much, among them were some of the strongest people in their island nation, if the enemy had funny ideas they would still do the most.

They traveled very easily to the capital of The Kingdom of Teutoberg, most the territory away from the fighting was filled with small villages like Emilia's. They were overcrowded because of people running away from the fighting but wasn't too different from how it would have normally looked without the fighting. A poor backward overpopulated place that made the slum outside Streifzug look like paradise.

After crossing the numerous peasant villages they came to a stone walled city, the capital of Friestros. It looked similar to Streifzug from the way its walls where built and maybe on the inside too but that was something Emilia would see another time because when they got close to the gates of this walled city she felt large voids in the river of fate blocking the way to the city.

"Something is blocking the city gate, it feels like the seiteme but it's different. The normal ones feel like stones in the river of fate but but this feels like a large boulder. I don't understand it."

"Thank you diviner, but we already see it."

Just when he finished speaking from on top the walls of the city a group nine people appeared.

"Ah so we finally meet, first prince Viktor Von Waltraud or is it King Viktor Von Waltraud?"

"Erik Steinem? Lukas Stroheim? Oh even...I did not expect to be in the presence of famous people like these, I don't stand a chance."

"Brother then how about you surrender and maybe we can work something out about sparring your life"

"I know what all of this is about and I am willing offer to pay tribute if we can come to an agreement. We don't need to kill ourselves-"

A bright blue ball of light came from behind Emilia and went straight for Viktor, he didn't didn't dodge or maybe couldn't but the attack didn't harm him or anyone near him. It hit a solid layer of blue light that appeared in front him, causing a small explosion on the walls.

Kasper Maxi had attacked and Viktor had defended against it and Emilia couldn't predict any of it even though she could read fate.

"As I expected peace was never an option. Destroy them now!!"

An airship came from behind the city walls and it aimed its weapons at Emilia and the rest of the high ranking knights. The barrels of the cannons on the airship began to light up and it fired blue balls of light like the same one Maxi sent towards Viktor.

Brynner picked up Emilia and jumped out of then range for the attack...

***

Pardon th delay for this incomplete chapter, I'm working on releasing frequently. Please try supporting so I'll be a little more motivated to take this story further.