The words spoken by the patriarch of the Wind Clan echoed in Lott's mind: "This casualty, I can't watch my clansmen die." The patriarch was distressed by the losses suffered by her people. If her clan continued to sustain such heavy casualties, they would certainly falter in their next battle against other clans.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, she made a decisive call. "Our elves of the Wind Clan still have things to do. Retreat now!" she commanded her fellow fairies. The resolve of the Wind Clan matched her own; they understood the need for a strategic withdrawal. As soon as the order was given, they began to retreat with impressive efficiency, vanishing from sight in the chaos of the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the acting patriarch of the Tooth Clan watched this unfold, seething with anger. "This bastard!!!" he shouted, rallying his warriors. "Come, retreat!" At the sound of his command and the horn signalling the halt of their attack, the Tooth Clan began to withdraw as well.
On the city wall, Melusine engaged in fierce combat with Bedivere, ignoring the lesser soldiers around her. She was not one to hold back against ordinary foes, and her focus was entirely on Bedivere, who had taken up a defensive stance. Melusine's power was remarkable, rivalling even Lott's most formidable opponents, second only to the dragon-incarnate Vortigern.
Despite wielding a spear, Bedivere found himself at a disadvantage against Melusine's relentless assault. The tide of battle seemed to shift dangerously. Melusine glanced around and noticed that her fellow fairies were retreating. Stunned, she realized the fight could no longer continue as she had intended. Though her combat skills were exceptional, her attention was divided; she couldn't ignore the movements of the patriarch of the Wind Clan.
Feeling the pressure, Melusine quickly evaded another strike from Bedivere and retreated from the fray, heading back to the fairies' camp. However, upon her arrival, the atmosphere was tense and foreboding.
Outside the camp, the fairies found themselves encircled by the Tooth Clan. Tension crackled in the air as the patriarchs of both clans confronted each other at the entrance.
The acting patriarch of the Tooth Clan was a formidable figure, with thick hair and a wild beard that stood on end with fury. If Lott had to describe him, he would liken him to a long-haired dog freshly soaked and then vigorously dried. The spectacle was almost amusing—if it weren't for the serious nature of their conflict.
"Fight, fight, fight quickly, so that I can have a good show!" Lott thought to himself, amused, but thankfully Morgan was not present to hear his thoughts. The acting patriarch's frustration was palpable; today's battle had been lacklustre, mainly due to the Wind Clan's quick retreats.
"I just made the right choice that a leader should make," the patriarch of the Wind Clan stated calmly, standing her ground.
This only fueled the anger of the acting patriarch. Clenching his fists, he prepared to charge at her, but Melusine interjected, stepping in to block his path. "Asshole!" he shouted, furious at the interruption. Unafraid, he threw a punch at Melusine, who remained unfazed, calmly deflecting his attacks with ease.
"Your anger is misplaced," Melusine said, her voice steady. Though she didn't wish to escalate the conflict, she knew she had to assert her strength to prevent chaos.
"Hey, you're all alone! One fairy can't beat you, and yet the fairies around you can't even help!" Lott lamented inwardly as he observed the unfolding situation. "You need to rally your troops! If you can't fight head-to-head, then at least fight in groups!"
The acting patriarch eventually reacted to Lott's unspoken words. "Come on, let me go together!" he shouted, signalling for his warriors to join him.
As the Tooth Clan surged forward, they were eager for battle, but their approach was reckless—they attacked without weapons, simply fighting for dominance. However, this did not deter the Wind Clan, who appeared elegant but began to falter against the fierce onslaught.
The balance of power was shifting; while the Tooth Clan thrived in numbers, the Wind Clan struggled to maintain their footing. Sensing the growing danger, the Wind Clan patriarch implored Melusine, "Come on, help us against the Tooth Clan!"
With a resigned sigh, Melusine stepped away from her previous confrontation and began to fend off the attacking Tooth Clan members, her punches sending several goblins sprawling.
"Stop, don't fight!" both patriarchs yelled in unison, attempting to restore order. Their voices pierced through the chaos, calming the fray, though the tension remained thick in the air.
Lott, observing the scene, sensed a crucial moment for dialogue. "We need to have a good talk," the Wind Clan patriarch said, her tone suggesting a fragile truce.
"I think so too," the acting patriarch of the Tooth Clan replied, though his demeanour remained sceptical.
"In the next battle, you must involve your Wind Clan in the attack," he insisted.
"I can't agree to that. Even if I could decide, my people wouldn't follow," the Wind Clan patriarch countered.
"Are you trying to play the fool?" the acting patriarch scoffed.
"It seems so," interjected Lott with a shrug. "I'm just joking. But really, we should think about leaving before we escalate this further."
"Who said we are leaving?" the acting patriarch shouted angrily, his resentment still unquenched.
"Look around," Lott urged. "We're at a standstill, and both clans have begun fighting. Can this war be won?"
Both leaders fell silent, grappling with the reality of the situation. "Our fairy war is destined to fail," Lott continued. "There's no clear leader among us."
The tension hung in the air as they all considered the fragile balance of alliances and enmity that had just been forged.