The sun was setting on the Huldian shores, Dyrin, and about a thousand and two hundred soldiers prepared to depart. In worry, one of his champions approached him, "Are you sure a thousand is going to be enough? It is Zan we're talking about."
As a response, Dyrin chuckled, "We'll be fine, the Central Lands are protected yes, but we're going to a place not that secured, plus, I heard their new Grand General was taking care of some problems up north, unless the Lich comes to us directly, we'll be fine."
As the last barrel came on the ship, Dyrin called for all his soldiers to gather. Over ten thousand loyal people followed the call. Dyrin's yellow, sun-like eyes radiated, but they paled in comparison to his smile, whose shine dwarfed even the setting sun.
"My soldiers, we shall now depart, hopefully, the resistance isn't too much for us, we'll notify you all if it is clear, and when we do, be prepared FOR GLORY!!!" A roar came over the army at Dyrin's promise.
All the champions Dyrin brought with him smiled or even chuckled at the statement, but they've followed Dyrin long enough to know his ambition, and sometimes, he somehow accomplishes them.
But most of all, Dyrin's smile was the biggest out of his soldiers, as he promised them glory and fortune. For years they had followed him even when he was a young boy; so one of the goals he wanted to do with his life, was to repay their loyalty towards him.
So it gutted him that only a month later, he observed his soldiers being massacred right in front of his very eyes, people he knew, people he deeply cared for, "NOOO!!!!" Yelled the pirate in the most blood-curdling scream he had ever produced, "PLEASE STOP!!" He begged as he reached his hand out.
But he was too injured to do anything, Tuck and Frieda, through tears and sorrow, held him still as Verti prepared her blade to defend him. Ja'Klei, who was observing everything, was in utter horror and despair as the people he found as family and finally cared for him, were dying before his very eyes.
But as Dyrin's second in command, he had to be strong. So with tears in his eyes, he rode the griffin to where Dyrin and his four head captains were, and with a loud voice, he stated, "WE NEED TO LEAVE!! THEY'RE OUT OF THEIR MIND BUT WE CAN USE IT TO ESCAPE!!"
Dyrin, whose mind was not in the right state, lashed out at Ja'Klei as he suggested this, "HOW COULD YOU!! WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM!!" But in an act of disobedience, Frieda picked Dyrin up as he laid him on the griffin.
"Dyrin please," Frieda begged, her eyes also flowing with tears, "For the sake of them, we need to survive, I know you don't want to, but it is our only choice." At this, Dyrin furiously shook his head as he tried to leave the griffin.
But suddenly, Verti went on top of him, her strength pinning him down, "Let's leave," she uttered in a defeated tone, her distraught face only being seen by Dyrin as he lay below her. Frieda got on top of the griffin as Tuck began to fly.
"THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN!! RETREAT INTO THE WOODS!! WE'LL MEET UP SOON ENOUGH!!" Ja'Klei commanded one last time as they began to leave the battlefield.
But unbeknownst to every Huldian, they were all being deceived. From behind the battle, Rapl observed as the battlefield of the Grand General and Dyrin's army bore only a bit of blood, as the Grand General expertly sliced the soldiers in a way to disable them, as roots from the ground would escort them away from the battle.
All of Dyrin's soldiers and champions were under an illusion, created by the hands of the deceiver. Rapl almost died along with Sevi when they put up an illusion that tricked nearly two thousand soldiers; Artefus put up an illusion that tricked almost nine thousand while commanding the roots underground, all with a single finger.
Still unmoving from his position, Edwin, asked Artefus, "So~ are you just going to let them free?" The Lich didn't turn towards Edwin, his focus still on the battlefield.
"Currently, yes, but they won't make it far before they need to rest. Judging by their leader's injuries, it would also take a day or two for him to be fixed up," Artefus responded as thoughts circulated in his mind, "That should be enough time."
After ten minutes more, Dyrin's fighting force of about ten thousand men was either killed or captured. A few listened to their second-in-command's order to retreat, but the number of soldiers that did wouldn't be able to pose any threat to any nearby towns.
The thousands that were captured were panicking as they couldn't move because of both the Grand General's attacks and the roots binding them. But panic turned into horror as Artefus approached them.
"STAY BACK YOU FIEND!!"
"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!"
"FIGHT OR DIE!!"
They all screamed in desperation as they knew their lives would be cut. But surprisingly, the Great Lich took off his mask, revealing a serious but inviting look, "Warriors of Dyrin, you have impressed me, although your time being a Huldian pirate has come to an end, I hope this will be the start of your time being a Zanian citizen."
The army was shocked at the hospitality Artefus bestowed on them, he even used earth magic to form a shelter for them. Edwin, ever the Empire's symbol of Joy, greeted the army with song and dance, one mimicking that of their own nation, lightening the spirits of the defeated army.
Artefus then walked up towards the city of Krome and apologized for his late arrival. He commanded the people to rest as they had traveled so far; and as he finished, his apprentices approached him, with the three injured being a top Rico.
Rapl and the rest of the apprentices held their heads down as they had lost the initial battle at Krome, something they thought Artefus would be disappointed in them for, "You have done well my students," but they were very wrong. As they lifted their heads to look at Artefus' face, it bore a smile, "You have no right to let down your head, you have led Krome this far even at a disadvantage, and battled through armies and pain to defend it."
"B-but we failed to defend the city," stated Bok.
"And I was defeated in Tenmashi, leading Zan to lose the Great War. If you want to compare failures, I am not the man you want to face up against," Artefus immediately responded, shocking the group. But suddenly, his spiral eyes were directed towards Rapl's cross-like ones, and his stare, wasn't one of anger, but one ready to impart wisdom, "As for you Rapl, I believe you have many questions for me?"
Stunned, but not dismayed, Rapl nodded, "Yes I do, master."