Verayth unfolded her arms, her gaze locking onto Elijah's. Her expression shifted, a subtle hint of contemplation.
For a moment, it seemed she might reject his plea, but then she exhaled softly, a flicker of understanding passing across her face.
"Fine," she said, her voice laced with reluctant acceptance.
"I won't mention it. And by the way, you should try not to go around telling people you're from another world, it could draw attention from the wrong crowd".
Elijah was pretty sure he only ever told two people that, and it was Taelia and then the cow Umbral, clearly the Lieutenant had people watching him.
Elijah's expression didn't change much, but First Lieutenant Verayth just found herself in his naughty list.
Elijah nodded to Verayth, his features carefully neutral, though a spark of triumph flickered behind his eyes.
He had woven his words with precision, appealing to her logic.
He could see the threads of manipulation settling snugly into place, the Lieutenant swayed without fully realizing it.
Before the tension could thicken further, a boisterous voice shattered the moment.
"Elijah! Elijah, you bloody Demon, there you are!".
Elijah turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as a group of injured soldiers approached. Bandages and makeshift slings adorned their battered bodies, but their faces were lit with unmistakable enthusiasm.
One man, his leg crudely wrapped and missing below the knee, hobbled forward with surprising speed.
Without hesitation, he slung a sturdy arm around Elijah's shoulder, grinning broadly.
"You sly bastard," the man laughed. "I owe you my life!"
Elijah stiffened, his brow furrowing. "I'm sorry… do I know you?"
Another soldier piped up, a gleam of gratitude in his tired eyes.
"You saved all of us out there! Somehow, you knew exactly where the enemy would be. when they'd strike, it was like you had eyes at the back of your head. If not for you, half of us wouldn't be standing right now."
"So that's where all that nonsense about me being able to see the future came from".
The first man chuckled, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe his own words.
"And that shot you fired? Behind your back, without even looking? You almost took me out with that wild aim, but damn it, you saved me too."
Elijah's lips twitched into something resembling a smile, though his thoughts remained.
"Saved you?... laughable. That shot had been pure instinct, I fired with the sole intention of eliminating whoever was behind me. If it hadn't been a coincidence, you wouldn't be standing here at all".
But Elijah kept those musings to himself, adopting a modest shrug instead.
"Just doing what anyone would, I suppose."
The soldiers erupted into laughter, slapping him on the back and dragging him along toward a nearby campfire.
Seeing Elijah preoccupied, Verayth stealthily left, the soldiers were still secretly training, and just like Elijah theorised.
The enemy's intention had simply been to stall them, if the Umbrals don't attack in the open, neither will the Thalorians. In the end, they will just keep on exchanging artillery fire.
...
Elijah followed with feigned enthusiasm, his mind already calculating his next move, from what he could tell just from their initial meeting, only a few of his team mates where actually worth anything.
Taelia is too weak, but her medical skills could come in handy, the old man with a sword, what was his name! Vornak Ziek, unless he could turn people to stone, I don't really see how a sword could make much of a difference in a gun fight...
Elijah grabbed some roasted meat and shoved it into his mouth, he even answered some random questions from the injured men, but his mind lingered on his original thoughts.
... the annoyingly good looking guy, Ardyn Sylros, his skills could be the most important in our little death seeking group, I need to find a way to get along with him, Ferik Aelar is young, not to mention flaming hair easily draws attention, he'll have stay behind most of the time, USELESS!..."
... Ovarth is an experienced soldier, he can handle himself, and besides, even if he dies, I doubt that anyone would miss him much, but again, the same can be said for me..."
... And then there's the Lieutenant herself, she's strong, her Vampire Elf bloodline and the ability to know if someone is lying or not will come in handy, not to mention. She's presently my only link to the top brass, I have to keep her alive for the time being, even at the risk of my own death".
...
The morning passed in a haze of roasted meat and raucous camaraderie. Elijah played his part well, raising his cup and humoring their tales, though his thoughts remained distant.
Early that afternoon
Verayth stood tall at the edge of the camp, her voice soft, but enough to draw the complete attention of every soldier.
Elijah always wondered how she did that, with just a glance she would seem like a lady with a soft personality, understanding and calm mindset, even her voluptuous body didn't help much with the vibe she gives off.
And yet, even with all that, she's somehow one of the most feared Lieutenants in the Black Ash Battlefront.
Elijah ended his trail of thoughts and focused on the Lieutenants next words.
"Listen up!" she barked. "We're moving out. The mission is clear, we maneuver around the enemy lines and find a way to take out their commander. This is our best shot at turning the tide."
Behind her, a weathered wagon creaked under its own weight, two sturdy horses pawing at the dirt impatiently.
"We'll travel light," Verayth continued, her voice measured but not too gentle. "No unnecessary baggage, no slowing down. Stay alert and keep your wits about you. This isn't going to be easy."
Elijah felt like the last part was uncessary.
"The six of us are going into the enemy base with the determination to eliminate the enemy commander.
... Not the metiom the fact that we are sparsely armed. If we run out of ammunition, we will have to fight with stick and stones".
Elijah sighed inwardly.
"If only we had a vehicle instead of a wagon, I mean, the wagon is spacious enough, I bet the soldiers in this world would find this treatment luxurious in someway, but the woods aren't dense, we could easily get shot at by hostiles, and without time to prepare...
... We will all endup dead".