Chapter 47


Day 30 of the Horsebow Moon, Imperial Year 1180


Claude was yawning when Shamir and Alois finally stopped their march in a quiet forest glade at dusk.

"Alright. This will work. Set up camp, everyone," Shamir told the Golden Deer as she dropped her pack.

"You cannot be serious!" Lorenz immediately protested. "We are no more than a few miles from the seat of House Daphnel. Judith would consider it an honor to host us."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with Lorenz on this one. This seems entirely unnecessary," Hilda chimed in.

Alois nodded. "Yes, Claude already assured us that Judith is a personal friend and would give us a very warm welcome. Which is why, of course, we must decline. It is against the honor of the Knights of Seiros to accept preferential treatment!"

"I ought to have known this was Claude's fault somehow," Lorenz muttered.

Shamir corrected, "This doesn't have anything to do with honor. I just don't have any interest in wasting time visiting nobles."

Lysithea mused, "I'm not excited about sleeping outdoors, either, but if it gets us back to the monastery sooner, then so be it."

Leonie, Raphael, Ignatz, and Marianne were already busy setting up their tents without complaint. Hilda sighed and informed, "Well, there better not be anything gross out here, or you'll be hearing about it the entire way back."

Marianne told her, "Katydid and cicada seasons are essentially over, so there should not be much activity right now."

"Well if you see anything, try not to let it bug you too much," Alois laughed. He was met with a mixture of groans and cringes from everyone other than Raphael, who saw it as comedic excellence.

The assembled team had recently completed a mission in Derdriu during which they fought off a pirate raid pretending to represent the Almyran navy. The ships actually looked the part, which suggested that the pirates may have commandeered them from Almyra during an incident he would probably learn about someday. The rest of the pirates' performance, however, was entirely unconvincing.

Professor Manuela was still recovering from a stab wound, so she did not accompany her class. Claude was instructed to evaluate everyone's performances in her absence. He discussed the mission with the two knights escorting the Golden Deer while his classmates readied for bed.

"Not to boast, but I think everyone did exceptional. Not a single pirate made it into the town," Claude summarized at the end of his report.

"I fully agree," Alois told him. "And I must say… I'm impressed you saw through the pirates' scheme so quickly, Claude!"

Shamir rolled her eyes. "It was obvious that they were lying from the start, Alois. Not that I'd expect you to catch on."

"Hey! I had a bit of a funny feeling, too," Alois exclaimed offendedly. "Though, uh… what was it that tipped you off?"

Shamir explained, "They had no idea how to use the cannons on their ships. Any true Almyran would have started their raid with those."

"The whole act was a farce in its very concept. Almyrans hate piracy, and they rarely engage in it themselves," Claude told them, still annoyed by what he witnessed earlier. He was possibly saying too much, but clearing Almyra's name was worth the effort this time. When the knights looked at him curiously, he clarified, "If I'm ever going to become leader of the Alliance, it's my job to know these kinds of things. That claim is derived from a long list of sources."

"Are you sure it's accurate? I've always heard that Almyrans are compulsive looters," Shamir questioned.

"Partially true. I don't want to make too bold of generalizations, as you can find all sorts of people anywhere… even in Almyra. But it's true that many of them will happily loot after a successful victory- tokens, of sorts, to recognize their achievements. But to just steal it from defenseless merchants would be considered dishonorable. Maybe it used to be more common, but Almyra has also been suffering raids from foreign pirates in recent years. That's probably spoiled the concept."

Claude could tell that he had earned the curiosity of his two listeners. Alois told him, "Ah! I have always heard that the Almyrans have a habit of fleeing in battle, so I am surprised to hear that honor is so important to them. I've never understood how they can accuse us of being the cowards when they seem to only attack for fun and leave just as casually."

"They talk big, but it's not about having 'fun' for most of them. Most fight us because they truly see us as an existential threat. And no, they aren't suicidal. Almyran culture promotes choosing surrender over needless self-sacrifice against honorable opponents, but since they have no respect for us, they don't feel bound to the rules of honor and will shamelessly retreat. That said, I'd bet that if one of our soldiers challenged an Almyran in single combat to the death, they'd feel more compelled to see it through. It would probably earn some respect, too, and maybe end the rest of the battle altogether so everyone could watch."

Shamir's eyebrows rose as she suggested, "If so, you should communicate that to the commanding officer at Fódlan's Locket. Sounds like a good strategy to reduce casualties."

Claude shook his head. "Maybe temporarily, but they'll demand that the fight occur between the best warriors from each army. It would eventually cost us some of our best, which could exasperate problems in the long run."

Of course, Claude had more concerns than. Mubarizun duels would eventually result in matchups between Holst and either Nader or Shahid. He did not want his recommendations to get anyone killed.

Shamir insisted, "Even so, your knowledge could help silence any opponents from Almyra that challenge you someday."

"Silence them… or get them talking. You know, as a starting point for diplomacy that can save lives," Alois offered instead.

Claude smiled. "Ha! I wouldn't be surprised if I find a use for both options before it's all said and done."

"Indeed. They'll wish they never messed with the Leicester Defiance!" Alois declared.

Shamir jumped to her feet as she shook her head. "I'm going to bed. I think it's time you get some sleep too, Alois. That one was a stretch even by your standards."

"What? No?" Alois uttered in disappointment. "Umm… how about… they'll finally offer some compliance? Or they'll hope we'll recognize their suppliance?"

"Goodnight, Alois," Shamir told him emphatically, though Claude noticed the tiniest of smiles as she turned away.

Claude snorted as he stood, unsure if he was more amused by the strained rhymes or Shamir's reaction. He told Alois, "Don't take it too personally. My jokes aren't always appreciated by my friends, either." Before walking away, he added at the last moment in a more serious tone, "It's not just the Almyrans driving this conflict, though. Maybe we should take a look at our own culpability. We can start by reviewing those misconceptions we've all accepted that tell us there's no point in trying to reason with them."

The Knight of Seiros put a hand on his chin. "Hmm. You might be right about that. Sleep well, Claude."

"You too, Alois."


Resolve of the Champions- Day 21 of the Blue Sea Moon, Year 1187 (Fódlan Calendar)


Khalid glanced at the darkening clouds overhead as he lathered the last of an expensive poison on the blade of his sword. Dimitri and Marianne sat with him wearing nervous expressions.

"Are you certain this is a good idea?" Marianne asked.

Khalid admitted, "No, but it's the best one I've got."

Dimitri frowned as he observed, "You sounded more confident when explaining it to the others."

"Ha! That's because it would never have been approved otherwise. You both know that. Don't worry about me, though. I'm more concerned about Ella and Theodora."

The original plan involved an infiltration of the Mirza's Citadel at night. The revised strategy was shrewder, and Theodora was confident she could pull it off. However, it remained plenty dangerous. Khalid wanted to avoid giving James the impression he did not trust Theodora, but he also did not want her blood on his hands.

Marianne assured, "Theodora is ready. Her magic has come a long way in a short period of time. It's been encouraging to see a daughter of the Dékhomai stop hiding from her past."

"They'll both be fine," Dimitri agreed. "Just focus on not dying, Khalid."

Khalid's army had arrived at the Mirza's Citadel late the night before and set up camp in a defendable area a short distance away. Ariella and Theodora had taken a different position under the cover of dark in preparation for Khalid's scheme.

Nousha joined the group and put a hand on Khalid's shoulder. She told him, "The scouts just got back, and they're holding to the same estimate. They think the storm should arrive in about two hours at its current speed."

Khalid nodded. "Good. Find a white flag and let's get out there."

Dimitri accompanied Khalid as he, Demetrius, Nousha, Senusret, Ridwan, Engy, and their retainers marched towards the walls with a request for parley. After a short wait, they were met by Darius, Abbas, and several guards of their own. Also joining Darius was his new highest-ranking officer, Sharjeel.

"The number of allies on your side continues to swell, while ours has dwindled to just this," Darius mused after greetings. "I was hoping my fire trap in the Mikdash would cull a few of you, but it looks like luck was not on my side."

"You didn't completely miss the mark, unfortunately. Sardar Soraya joined the expedition, but she did not survive," Khalid told him.

Darius frowned. He turned to Senusret and lamented, "I'm sorry to hear that. I never intended to have her disposed. What an unnecessary waste."

Senusret smiled over his barely contained rage. He told the padishah, "Don't worry. We took care of the people responsible for it. Everyone but the person who gave the command."

Darius snorted and said, "Yes. That much I did guess." He then shifted back to Khalid and asked, "So, what did you come here for? Youtab was the only commander good at making coffee, and I'm not too interested in wasting time with you, anyways. Don't bother asking me for a surrender for the hundredth time."

Khalid explained, "I get it. I'm down for cutting straight to the killing part, too, but the weather isn't cooperating. My scouts say the next storm is almost here. That doesn't mean we can't settle some scores first, though." He faced Abbas and declared, "Brother dearest… I challenge you to lone combat as Mubarizun."

Abbas, Darius, and Sharjeel were rendered speechless. Darius eventually asked, "What are your stakes? That the army of the losing champion surrenders?"

Khalid clarified, "Ha! Definitely not. No one would agree to that. I'm not asking for any stakes other than that the winner lives and the loser dies."

As everyone turned to the eldest prince expectantly waiting for an answer, Abbas stuttered, "But… you turned down chances to duel me at both Sous River and Merv."

"Because back then I still had hope you'd find your senses and come home. But you've turned down opportunities for redemption at every turn. Not to mention, no one else in the family is here to stop me. I'm done trying to forgive you, Abbas. You spent years dreaming of this exact moment, so take it! It was always going to end this way between us, wasn't it?"

Abbas had been surprisingly hesitant about the prospect this time, but his expression finally settled after that comment. He agreed almost introspectively, "Yeah… I guess you're right. There's no point putting it off, is there?" Abbas asked Darius, "Do you have any objections?"

Darius studied Khalid suspiciously and probed, "What do you hope to gain from this? Do you really want to kill your brother so badly that you'd risk your entire future? He's not a novice fighter, you know."

"Heh! If you knew the way he treated me, you wouldn't be asking that question. I'm not too worried about the whole 'ending my future' point since I don't have any intention of losing. Sure, he's got the muscles to swing that sword around impressively, but I've got double the experience and double the wits. I'll get my justice, and all momentum will swing to my army."

"Hmm." Darius looked to the others and inquired, "Does no one else object to your commander gambling his life over an old grudge?"

Everyone shook their heads. Demetrius shrugged and observed, "Prince James has already been named heir, so the outcome won't change much in the long run. His Highness should win, but we can pursue this battle without him if needed."

Engy added, "It should be an interesting show, yes? Who doesn't want to witness a duel for the ages, haha! I think Prince Khalid will win."

Darius finally sighed and conceded, "If both princes agree to it, then I won't interfere."

"Good. Thanks for being rational and open to discussion, cousin. It's too bad you and your father didn't try that earlier," Khalid said as he turned away.

Just as expected, the entirety of both Khalid's army and Darius's garrison came out to watch the contest. Perhaps a few guards remained inside the citadel for good measure, but they would not suspect a thing. Not to mention, even they would probably be busy spying on the fight from a distance.

Spectators were required to leave their weapons behind to avoid any unscheduled brawls among the crowd. Both sides enforced this rule effectively. Once the gathered host encircled the field of combat, everyone watched as the two princes removed their armor. Darius spoke with Abbas at length before finally towing his champion's armor away and joining the others. Everyone watched impatiently as Dimitri similarly collected Khalid's belongings.

Khalid whispered to his retainer, "Don't leave yet. I'd like to improve my chances of survival by delaying this as much as possible."

"Good point. We should act like we're discussing something important, then. You know… battle strategies or something."

"Right," Khalid said. He glanced over at Abbas and asked Dimitri, "So… how many more years before the last of my brother's hair is finally gone, you think?"

Dimitri was clearly unprepared for the faux discussion to make no effort at staying on topic. He muttered, "I… I can't say I know. Nor do I know why either of us should care."

"Hey now, I share blood with that guy! I'm tracking to last much longer than him, but it's worth keeping my expectations in check. It's easy for you to judge when you haven't been given any reason for worry. I like the new haircut, by the way. It kind of reminds of Felix."

Dimitri's hair had been singed in the fire, which gave Ariella grounds for convincing Dimitri to finally restyle it. Marianne did the actual cutting to prevent any tragically timed twitch from mangling the hair even worse, while Ella, Khalid, and even Farjad added input on the look. The outcome was surprisingly pleasant considering that it was designed by committee.

"I'm glad you like it," Dimitri replied.

"It's almost perfect. It's too bad you can't grow any facial hair, though. Are you sure Ella didn't recomme-."

"That's enough chatter, Khalid! No one here wants to get rained on," Darius finally complained. Several others immediately cheered in agreement.

The prince held up a hand to acknowledge the crowd's concerns. He then bobbed his head to the side, motioning for his retainer to take the armor away.

"Good luck, Khalid," Dimitri told him before withdrawing.

Now alone, Khalid spun the blade in his hand and explained to everyone, "I apologize for any delay. I wanted to give Abbas time to stretch out or consult for more advice, but I guess he thinks he's ready."

"Ha! I don't need any advice to beat you," Abbas boasted as the pair began to circle each other.

"Are you sure about that? James isn't here to swipe my feet while you thrash my face. Fighting fairly like this must be a new experience for you."

"And you don't have any poisoned food to feed me or staircases to push me down, so let's call it even," Abbas retorted.

Khalid remembered his brother's strength, but Abbas's newfound speed came as a surprise when he raced forward. Khalid barely had time to parry the blow and push Abbas away. Abbas skillfully rolled out to safety and back onto his feet. Many of the Tabarzin soldiers clapped with excitement at this initial impression.

"That's a new trick," Khalid congratulated. "Life in the Tabarzin has treated you well, Abbas! You'd be unstoppable had you accepted Nader's recommendation and come out here all those years ago."

Abbas laughed scornfully. "Yeah, I bet you would have liked that! You could have killed me sooner, just like you did with Shahid!"

Abbas approached for another attack, but this time Khalid was prepared. He stepped aside carefully and then bounced away to create more separation. Abbas's growing frustration earned a few laughs from Khalid's army, but the younger prince's reluctance to go on the offensive was already prompting some jeers from the Tabarzin warriors.

The battle continued on like this in what was becoming the lengthiest Mubarizun duel in history. Abbas ceaselessly swung for the kill while Khalid dodged or parried as necessary. Khalid had several opportunities to get a strike in, but it was still too soon.

Abbas eventually growled, "You asked for this fight! You wanted this fight! So fight me, Khalid! Prove to me that I was wrong about you!"

Darius shouted, "Calm down, Abbas! He's trying wear you out and get inside your he-."

"I said I don't want your advice! This is my battle!" Abbas yelled back, prompting Darius to back off and shake his head.

Khalid looked towards the citadel. Still nothing.

"Come on, Theo… what's the delay for?" he questioned under his breath.

Khalid was too distracted to appreciate just how angry his opponent had become. Abbas's body pumped with rage, and his next swing came with strength that Khalid not yet faced. He parried the blow, but it managed to knock him off balance. He could not completely dodge before Abbas landed a deep cut along Khalid's left forearm on a follow-up. Some shouted with joy at the first tangible victory of the match, while a few people behind Khalid audibly gasped. His friends were probably beginning to fear that the fight was a terrible mistake.

"It's only going to get worse from here, Khalid. If you had any sense, you'd drop your sword and yield. I'm willing to give you to Darius's custody. If I was such a cruel brother, perhaps you'd prefer taking your chances with him," Abbas beckoned.

Khalid was surprised to hear this display of restraint from his brother, but he was in too much pain to make any rejoinder. The wounded prince was more concerned about regathering his wits before facing another potentially fatal onslaught.

That onslaught did not come, however.

It began with whispers that escalated into shouts. People turned and began to point towards the citadel where a plume of smoke was rapidly expanding. The stone walls of the fortress would eventually slow the fire's growth, and soldiers were already racing back to quench the blaze. However, Khalid only needed a few rooms burned to achieve his primary objectives.

Assuming everything played out as intended, Ariella had warped Theodora onto the citadel's walls, where James's retainer then tied a rope around a crenelation to provide a route back. Theodora then navigated through the emptied facility to its storerooms based on provided directions. She was supposed to rejoin Ariella as soon as her fire magic set the rooms ablaze. Ariella proposed using a second Warp instead of forcing Theodora to climb down, but Khalid vetoed the idea after Ella nearly died using the spell multiple times in Metanoiapolis.

As soon as the smoke was visible, Agha Engy and two others raced past the duel on their camels to retrieve the pair of saboteurs. No one from Darius's forces had any hope of stopping the operation.

"Huh… well, unless someone is preparing a New Year celebration or is sending a smoke signal to Al-Amal, I don't think that's supposed to happen," Khalid taunted through gritted teeth as he watched the scene unfold.

Abbas did not turn around to understand the commotion, nor did he even flinch. He mocked, "You really think I'm stupid enough to loo-."

Perhaps Abbas should have looked, because the ignorance born from his self-control left him completely unprepared when the citadel's gunpowder magazine ignited. The storehouse's roof disintegrated as it spewed into the air, and the blast generated a violent shockwave made visible as it spread across the fields of grass in a uniformly expanding gust of wind.

Abbas did flinch this time, and he glanced back to ensure nothing was about to land on his head. This gave Khalid just enough time to run his sword under his brother's armpit. The wound was deep enough to draw blood and cause Abbas to drop his sword, but it was at no risk of being fatal. Even so, it was all Khalid needed to win the fight.

At least, that was Khalid's assumption. Abbas had dropped his sword, but he was still perfectly capable of fighting. He swung around with his uninjured left arm while Khalid was still vulnerable, and his fist forcefully contacted his younger brother's jaw. Khalid was slung to the ground with a thud that left him concussed and caused him to bite his tongue painfully. He tried to back away, but Abbas was quickly on top of him.

"I should have known you'd try something like this, you dishonest… waste… of flesh…" Abbas told his brother as he swung at Khalid three more times. Khalid tried to block the blows, but he only had partial success. His nose broke and his incisors fractured after the first hit. His ears rang and his vision turned cloudy from the second. He was too disoriented to even know what happened after the third.

Khalid's mind craved rest, but fulfilling its desire would guarantee his death. He gathered focus to process the situation. However, his injuries prevented him from doing much as Abbas shuffled back to retrieve his sword. The elder prince grasped it, and though he seemed to be slowing down himself, he marched towards his brother with purpose. Abbas was only two steps away from finishing the job. A woman screamed and seemingly rushed forward to intervene before being intercepted and restrained by someone else.

Khalid only had one move remaining. Perhaps it was a fool's hope, but Abbas had already surprised him several times that day.

Khalid's hand shook with fatigue as he raised it above his body and clenched his fist. He squeezed his hand into a ball and relaxed it three times in a row.

Abbas had lifted the sword above his head, but his swing paused as he stared at Khalid in surprise. Khalid would never know if he intended to stop or if it was only a fleeting hesitation, for the poison finally took effect. The sword dropped from Abbas's loose grip, and he stumbled to the ground shortly after it. The spectators probably assumed that they had underestimated the severity of the wound Khalid inflicted.

The reactions to the fight were evolving too quickly for Khalid to make any sense of the noise. He instead focused on crawling to his brother, picking up his sword, and plunging it between Abbas's armpit and his body. Khalid angled himself so that no one watching would have a clear view to realize that the "stab" was completely harmless. He held the blade against the preexisting wound so it would be covered in blood when he dramatically drew it out.

Similar to Dimitri's dramatic collapse back at Gronder, everyone watching without knowledge of the plan would have thought Abbas was dead. There were a few gasps of despair and shock, but most people were too astonished to offer more. Dimitri stepped forward unimpeded and lifted Abbas's limp body before anyone could take a closer look. Khalid was in no condition to speak, so his retainer addressed Darius by asking, "We'll take Abbas's body back home. Do you concede the defeat of your champion?"

Despite the chaos back at the citadel, Darius had personally watched the fight through to the end. His soldiers were angry about the defeat, but he seemed upset about Abbas's "death" on a more personal level.

"I do," Darius answered with bitter disappointment. "And I was a fool to underestimate the utter disgrace of your prince. Only someone devoid of honor would launch a strike in the middle of a Mubarizun duel."

"You'll have your chance to prove your righteousness in the battle to come, then," Dimitri retorted as he carried Abbas away.

Another fight nearly broke out once the reality of the results settled in, but Darius pressured his remaining soldiers to return to the citadel immediately before their opponents could try some new trick. Khalid was helped to his feet and walked back to camp by Farjad and Demetrius. They were both speaking to him, but he was too discombobulated to make much sense of anything. His army finally began to celebrate the victory properly, but other than that, he only remembered vomiting before being taken to his tent to lie down.

At least half an hour had passed before he noticed Marianne's hand on his forehead. A cool, calming sensation radiated from her touch. Ariella and Dimitri sat nearby watching closely.

"Glad to see you made it back, Ella," Khalid said, accidentally spitting a bit of blood from his mouth in the process.

Ariella and Dimitri immediately crouched at his side. His first retainer told him, "Don't worry about me. Everything went as planned on our end. I wish we could say the same for you. How do you feel?"

"I've had better days, but I knew I probably wouldn't get through it unscathed. I'm just glad to be alive. And to the disappointment of many, my voice seems mostly unaffected," Khalid told them. Noticing that part of his peripheral vision was missing, he ran his hand over his left eye. It was covered by an eyepatch. He muttered, "If you ever heard me say I wanted to be more like Dimitri, this isn't what I had in mind."

"Abbas damaged it, but the eyepatch is only temporary," Marianne explained. "I cast a special spell for your eye, but your vision and depth perception won't be quite right for a few days. It's best to let it rest."

"It's a small price to pay, I guess. Maybe I can get it off as a birthday present," Khalid accepted. "By the way, Marianne… was that you that had to be stopped from trying to save me?"

Marianne averted her gaze and said, "I'm sorry. I know it would be a violation of customs to interrupt the fight, but I couldn't just watch you die."

Khalid chuckled. "It would have devastated my reputation, but I appreciate that you feel that way, honestly. What about you, Dimitri? Were you ready to watch me die?"

Dimitri answered nervously, "I trusted you to pull through on your own. I knew you landed that strike, so I kept thinking he'd collapse at any moment. You cut it a lot closer than I was comfortable with, I'll admit."

"I know. You lasted a lot longer than I expected back at Gronder, so I should have prepared better this time," Khalid agreed.

"That hand gesture you did… what was that about?" Ella asked.

"An old signal I taught Abbas, so we could silently warn each other that we were about to do something we'd regret. I don't know if he would have stopped, but I'm surprised he even recognized it." Khalid looked around. "Where is Abbas, anyways? Is he awake yet?"

"He's tied up in Demetrius's tent. Last I heard, he's still unconscious," Dimitri answered.

Khalid was quiet for a few seconds as he used his tongue to feel out his teeth. He then said, "Thanks for fixing my teeth quickly, Marianne. Maybe I would have looked more intimidating on the battlefield with them all torn up, but I would have hated hiding my smile out of embarrassment during the celebrations."

His three retainers looked between each other uncomfortably. Khalid had a good idea what was on their mind. Marianne finally replied, "I'm sorry, Khalid, but I must recommend that you not participate in the battle. You are in no condition to fight."

"Well, I know I'm a little banged up, but-."

"A little banged up?" Ariella repeated. "Khalid, everyone said he was practically mauling you there at the end, and the evidence lines up. You might think you're fine now, but your body is going to feel differently when you stand up and start moving around. That's not even factoring in that you're unadjusted to your vision and will struggle to hold a bow with your shredded arm."

Noticing that Khalid was still unenthused about the suggestion, Dimitri promised, "We know what needs to be done, and we're capable of executing it. You were incredibly brave out there. Now trust us to do the rest."

"Are you calling me redundant?" Khalid asked.

"If you want to be pedantic about it, sure," Dimitri answered with a half-smile.

Khalid smiled weakly in return. "Alright. Good riddance, then. It's about time someone else does something around here. You people normally expect me to come up with the plans and get my head beat in trying to pull them off." He motioned to where Failnaught rested nearby and said, "I'm giving my bow to you for this fight, Marianne. It won't work fully, but it will still be more effective than any other bow out there."

Her eyes widened. "What? Are you sure? I'm not that experienced…"

"Dimitri already has Areadbhar, and you're the only other person here with any ability to use it. I know you've got some training. There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you get used to it, I think you'll find that it helps compensate for any of your weaknesses. Just remember to stop using it if anything feels off. Trust yourself, because I trust you."

The first sprinkles of the coming storm began to tap on the flaps of the tent. They sang at a higher pitch on a pot outside.

"Sounds like it's going to be a short wait," Ella mused.

"Don't underestimate them. They've lost their stores and probably most of their self bows, but this is the Tabarzin we're talking about. They'll have plenty of personal weapons lying around to use. Oh! And do everything possible to take Darius alive," Khalid instructed.

"Of course, we haven't forgotten. Is there anything else we should know?" Dimitri asked as he stood.

"No… I should stop wasting your time. Sorry about the bad habit. Like you said, you know what to do," Khalid chuckled. He held up a fist emphatically and encouraged, "Now go make me proud! I know I'll be hearing the horn of their surrender in no time."