It was the Grand Court Mage, Kellor.
"What's going on? Did someone attack?"
Noticing him arrive, Cassandra smiled before saying, "Just me. Aran here was saying he thought the King will send us to our deaths, so I thought I would teach him a lesson."
Seeing Cassandra twist the facts in this way, Aran was just about to deny it all before he had to close his mouth a second time, this time due to awe.
At some moment in time, Luther had disappeared from where he had been standing.
Even though they were out in the open with sunlight pouring down on them, none of them had seen his movements.
Even before the last word exited Cassandra's mouth, his figure had reappeared behind Kellor with the hidden blade that had extended from between his fingers pointing at the base of his neck.
Yet, at the next moment, the blade went back into his robes before he knelt on the ground.
"Welcome to the border, My King."
Hearing this, Aran's jaw fell while Cassandra got a bewildered expression on her face.
They had actually told the King to his face that…. They hadn't trusted his leadership?
Just as Aran was about to give an apology, 'Kellor' raised his hand before saying, "It's fine, honestly, I had similar doubts too."
Indeed, Daneel had chosen to appear at the border as the Grand Court Mage. As an Exalted Human Mage himself, it would be no problem fooling everyone that he really was who he appeared to be. After all, he was still supposed to be bedridden while fighting to preserve his life.
He had already fooled two of his commanders, but the third had almost taken his life before he urgently spoke through the oathstone that it was actually him.
After gesturing at all three of them to relax, Daneel turned around and asked, "How did you find out?"
In his usual gruff voice, Luther replied, "Body movements, My King. I have known Kellor long enough that even the most minute change in him stands out for me as a glaring anomaly. I have not had the same number of interactions with Your Majesty, which was why I almost attacked."
It was just as Daneel guessed. Yet, he still felt amazed at the way this Exalted Human Fighter had managed to move and how quick he had been in carrying out his analysis.
After taking a glance at Cassandra whose fire eagle had made his assessment of her skyrocket, Daneel walked forward to stand at the edge of the border to look at the same dust cloud before saying, "Prepare the troops as we discussed. We must make sure to give our dear enemies a warm welcome."
...
Meanwhile, in an Ether-driven cart in which the most important figures of the Axelor-Withering Leaf Sect combined army were seated.
"ETA: 20 minutes. The secondary force has already departed towards the predetermined location. Prepare to engage, and keep a lookout for traps."
Giving this order to a messenger who was standing at the entrance, the bald man who was the commander of the Axelorian Army hoisted the axes in his hand before turning towards the Sect Master.
"You better deliver. If not for those damn walls, we would have taken control of Lanthanor long ago. The King has ordered me to remind you that we will hunt you down to the ends of Angaria if there is even a whiff of a backstab."
Smiling coolly, the Sect Master replied, "Give the King my regards. There is no turning back, and I have authorized the use of the full reserves of my Sect so that we can ensure in Lanthanor's fall together. You must make sure to strike quick. The one who takes control of the oathstone, is the one who controls the fate of the Kingdom of Lanthanor."
With a humph, the commander nodded before jumping out of the cart and walking to the head of the formation.
Seeing him leave, the Sect Master only maintained the smile on his face.
Taking out a communication trinket from his robes, he asked, "Ready to move on the target? I don't think I need to remind you that timing is everything."
"Yes, Sect Master. The trinkets are primed and our Sect Members are ready. Lanthanor won't know what hit them. Unable to handle attacks from two sides, their army will surely crumble especially with no King to rally them. Revenge will be ours, Sect Master."
Smiling even wider at the enthusiastic tone of the message, the Sect Master put the trinket back before jumping out himself in order to take his position.
Now, it was their time to 'surprise' the King of Lanthanor with a Sect Foundation Trinket which hadn't been seen in Angaria in centuries.
....
"DAMN AXELOR! Why do they butt their heads into EVERYTHING?!"
Upending the table on which he had been drinking wine, the Black Raven King shouted these words before immediately shuddering slightly due to the dark cloud that had enveloped the old man's face on seeing this reaction.
Yet, this cloud only lasted for a few seconds before the man started to cough violently.
After a few moments in which servants ran forward in order to clean everything and set the table anew in a meeting room in the Black Raven Palace, the old man spoke again.
"We should be prepared in case Lanthanor falls. We cannot risk the Echer crops falling into the hands of a force backed by one of the Big 4. If worst comes to worst, we might even have to move to help our 'ally'. Send the orders."
Saying this, the old man left the room and quickly shambled to the Energized Training Chamber which was now almost completely devoid of Ker Gems, opposed to before when there had been piles lying around.
Sitting down and starting to absorb the thick red currents of energy, the old man breathed in deep while hoping that Lanthanor could fend off its enemies; at this point, he could only pray that they wouldn't have to intervene which would stoke the fear that an alliance might be forming in Central Angaria, which would definitely make all the other forces attack them together in a bid to stop it from happening.
Chapter end
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