Nasiah soon made it beside Forenus and Forcas, who were standing near the edge of a cliff that overlooked a desert.
He placed Myrym right next to him as the both of them walked over to the cliffside.
"Woah, I can see so much from here!" Nasiah peered over the edge. He saw what appeared to be massive dust clouds below, followed by figures moving around cover constantly.
Every so often, a massive explosion would erupt, sending even more dust and debris across the field. This was accompanied by volleys of bullets that would, every so often, fly through the air, whizzing past the soldiers.
There were several bodies on the sand, laid out flat, many of them missing limbs that were scattered around.
"Woah… is this the war you were talking about?"
Nasiah looked to Forenus who gave him a nod. "You would be correct. However, it is just one battle out of many. A small portion of the whole picture, study it carefully."
Myrym grimaced as she faced the battlefield. She did not enjoy wars or battles but understood their purpose and use. However, she disliked exposing her own child when they quite literally were born yesterday.
Forcas sat on the edge of the cliffside, her tail wagging side to side as she had a grin on her face. "Hah, there's no point in just looking around and watching! Why don't we go in and show you what a real battle is like?"
She turned to look at Nasiah, who sparkled at the idea. "Really? Will we fight down there?"
Myrym grabbed her son's hand and held it close. "You won't be. It's far too dangerous there already."
Nasiah tilted his head at his mother. "It is? But I can take them all on."
She shook her head. "A good king knows when to strike, and now is not the time. We first should watch the others and make do with the information they give us."
The young boy nodded and heeded his mother's words. He trusted her above all else, for that was what it meant to be her son.
Forcas, however, groaned. She rolled her eyes at Myrym. "Fine then, watch closely."
The she-wolf growled and leaped off the cliff at such incredible speeds that a sonic boom was soon heard mid-air!
She crash-landed on the battlefield like a meteorite, creating a massive crater the size of hundreds of meters both wide and deep, feeling several soldiers all at once.
Those that remained stood guard. They took a few steps back to retreat, but they were not so quick.
The she-wolf took out her great sword, nearly taller than her body, and slammed the ground with it. In an instant, the earth ruptured, sending soldiers flying away.
This rampage continued with Forcas rushing the enemy lines like a wild animal. She slashed and cut down everyone in her way, impaling and skewering a few, throwing them aside without a second thought.
Nasiah watched the carnage unfold with a morbid curiosity before he turned to Forenus. "Why don't you go down there and fight? You're so much more powerful than anyone I can see there."
The Great Marquis shook his head. "It is not strength that wins wars. It goes to logistics, strategies, and planning."
He gestured to the battlefield. "If I go down there and announce my presence, it sends a message that I'm currently in this battle. Those who are overlooking the field could send word that I am currently here to other parts of the army, causing my enemy to push harder against other territories."
"I must pick and choose my battles carefully, and it's much better that I stay as the one who oversees the operations rather than just a warrior on the battlefield."
Nasiah understood what Forenus was trying to teach him. The cliff edge was not just to get a pretty view of the battlefield, but a reminder that a ruler's first job is always to overlook his people, and that means to see the bigger picture.
He even noticed that Forcas's actions were not as wild as they would seem. She would break through the formations and destroy the back line, cutting off their artillery and destabilizing the ground upon which the troops stood.
The battle did not last much longer; with the defenses broken through and their backline broken, the enemy retreated from the battlefield.
Forenus waved his hand towards Forcas, who began to zoom around the battlefield, collecting wounded soldiers from both sides and offering them to the medical officers.
"The aftermath of a battle is just as important. Every wounded warrior can be healed to live or even fight another day. Even your enemies can serve a purpose as prisoners of war, much like your mother was."
At this, Myrym frowned but said nothing. The example given was apt, but in her mind, it was not in good taste.
----------
After some time, Forcas returned from the battlefield and stretched her arms. It was quite the workout she got, after all.
Nasiah walked up to her, a smile on his face. "Wow, you were amazing there!"
The she-wolf returned his smile with her grin. "Heh, thanks, little man, but don't think we're done yet; we got a lot more to teach you."
She then pointed at the sun that was still shining in the sky. "And a whole lotta time to kill, so let's get going."
Forcas turned to her master, who had begun to walk away. "Heh look, that's our cue, catch up little man!"
The she-wolf began to sprint ahead, followed by Forenus and then lastly Nasiah after he carried Myrym.
They all wandered across the battlefields, looking for small skirmishes and examples of warfare. They sometimes even went to supply lines, teaching Nasiah the importance of moving troops and goods across the world.
When nightfall hit, they returned back to the base and spent the evening in the barracks, patiently waiting inside for any news on the weapons and armor.
After a while of waiting, one of the blacksmiths climbed up the stairs, presenting a neatly folded black robe with a dark helmet to Nasiah. "Here is the prototype; try it on so we can know if it-"
Suddenly, Nasiah, Forcas, and Forenus turned their heads to the side. They all felt something off. The she-wolf acted first. She headed to the windows and looked outside, her eyes widening at the sight.
Forenus and Forcas ran to her side, the former muttered quietly to himself while the latter had a quick gasp of shock as to what they saw.
There was an army riding their way over from the east, heading to the base, weapons in hand and ready to fight.