20th Noble Lion Moon, 908 – Near the outskirts of the Outlands

Through continuous efforts and determination, some progress was made in recapturing their territory. The Western Alliance flushed out the invading New Chariot armies, using their superior weaponry to gain the edge over them. It was a slow, arduous process, and New Chariot wasn't a military force to take lightly, but each tiny victory was a step forward.

In order to maximize their recapturing efforts, Matthias went off with a small team of soldiers to the northern parts of the west to flush out any military camps still squatting in the Senbo Kingdom. Though not a sizable force, the presence of Matthias alone would scare off even the most battle-hardened of soldiers.

This left Gaufroi and Fulbertus to man their forces near the Outlands. At the moment, a stalemate had occurred. Both sides stood at the ready from their respective territories, but neither made a move to attack. This temporary peace served to embolden a strategy for both sides, thus it was paramount one found the means to outwit the other.

In the captain's tent, Gaufroi and Fulbertus sat around a table with a chessboard between them. Fulbertus lazily guided his pieces with his Psychic while Gaufroi continued his slow, methodical approach to the game, though Fulbertus refused to underestimate the bear like last time.

"Princess Evangelina brought news to me this morning," Fulbertus said as he moved his rook forward. "It would seem that two generals have taken up command of the camp ahead."

Gaufroi grunted. "Anything on them?"

"No information about their backgrounds, though the princess posits that they are of high ranking. Generals of New Chariot command powerful units of their own, and they seem to command a powerful legion of soldiers."

"Hmm…" Gaufroi cupped his hands together and rested his chin atop them. "We may have to stay on the defensive until we gain more intel on our new foes."

Fulbertus huffed. "If we stay passive for too long, they'll optimize a similar strategy of assault. I say we strike them down before they get the chance to act. Both sides are currently playing passive, but no ground will be gained until the first strike is made." He struck down one of Gaufroi's pawns.

"Counterpoint, we have no idea what they're expecting. If we went on the offensive, they could plan for this in advance and set up a trap to cripple our advancing forces." Gaufroi struck down the alien's knight. "To wait is to let them plan. To attack is to risk falling into a trap."

Fulbertus sighed. "Well, the princess is working to gather more intel, though there appears to be powerful psychics at their camp. Plus, we can't have our spies getting too close without being compromised."

Gaufroi scratched his chin thoughtfully. "If someone sent two high-ranking captains after our group, it's fair to say they're aiming to destroy us in a single maneuver. They know they can't beat us with strength alone, so perhaps they were brought here for another stratagem."

Fulbertus scoffed. "Well, if going on the offensive is too risky, we'll have to fortify our defenses. If I were them, I'd aim to strike under the cover of darkness. They could be waiting for that." He moved another pawn forward.

"Seems too straightforward. Perhaps they were sent because they offer the skills necessary to deescalate a counterattack."

"Such as…?"

"I can't speak for sure, but I have faced New Chariot in battle before."

"Ah yes, you lobbed off the arm of their previous emperor." Fulbertus narrowed his eyes. "I'll give the fool this, it was brave of him to charge alongside his men."

"…" Gaufroi looked aside. "Speaking of, we may have to pull Erasmus and Darby off the frontlines for a little while. I fear your prince is getting carried away with the fighting."

Fulbertus waved it off. "Oh, he's fine. Prince Darby had some of the finest instructors in the Wick Kingdom. He can handle himself just fine."

"It's not his swordsmanship I was referring to, I mean his attitude."

"And yours doesn't have an ego to keep in check?"

"I never approved of having the princes fighting on the frontlines. I only allowed Erasmus to join under the condition he stayed within my sight on the battlefield. That, and he's not the heir to the throne anymore. Yours, however, still is."

Fulbertus laughed. "Darby will be fine. He takes after his father in many ways, and combat is among those traits. Besides, I don't think New Chariot is fully aware that there are two princes fighting on the frontlines. It's no different than their own royalty taking up arms. It's quite common for the east's royals to fight alongside their men."

"Even so—"

"You worry too much, Gaufroi. Just focus on winning the war. The princes can take care of themselves, right?"

"…" Gaufroi narrowed his eyes at the chest board before moving his bishop and knocking aside Fulbertus' knight. "Check."

"Tch. You get closer and closer to beating me each time."

"Never underestimate an old knight's intuition."

With the atmosphere tense with anticipation, Erasmus secluded himself in his tent to polish and sharpen his claws. He had a bandage over his cheek, having been wounded on the battlefield fending off soldiers the day prior. The unnerving calm of the day kept the knights on edge, ready to strike at the sound of battle. Thinking about being attacked any second made the fur bristle on the back of his neck.

Though, that wasn't the only thing bristling his fur.

"Ah, what another lovely day!" Erasmus winced as Darby marched into the tent, guzzling down his canteen. He sighed and wiped his beak clean. "I could go for another round of battle. Let us sneak off to the enemy camp and lay waste to a few of those cowards."

Erasmus withheld his scowl, but did glare over his shoulder. "If you wish to make a suicidal run into their spears, be my guest. I am awaiting orders from Sir Gaufroi."

Darby sighed. "Come now, you are a prince. You do not take orders from the knights. You make the orders."

"I volunteered myself into the military so that my brother would be safe and rested to take over as the heir. I take my new role seriously, unlike you."

Darby smirked briefly. "Harsh." He then looked aside, a flash of nervousness coming across him. "Speaking of dear Dimitri, how is he doing? Any letters sent from him? How is his condition? And, uh…has he mentioned anything new of late?"

Erasmus dragged his claws harder against his file, but kept his anger in check. "Dimitri is doing better, that is all I know."

"Ah good, good. That is good. Well, he will make a fine prince in the future, I am sure." Darby folded his wings behind himself and snickered. "But all the more reason you have nothing to lose. What harm in causing a bit of trouble for our enemy? They are not worth anything. They are walking sacks of blood waiting to be popped."

"…" Erasmus sheathed his claws and finally turned to face the penguin. "Do you have any sympathy for our enemy?"

Darby chuckled. "Are we having this conversation again? Erasmus, we already went over this: their lives mean nothing to us. They are dead men walking. That is the nature of war—"

"You treat this like a game. Do you know how many times I have had to save you from your own recklessness?" He pointed at his bandaged cheek. "I got this from saving you from getting speared in the throat."

"And I do thank you, truly," the Prinplup said with a bow. "But I am not afraid of my life ending on the battlefield. I told you before that I have a guardian angel keeping watch of me. Should harm befall me, I will be saved while the evil doer is slain on the spot."

Erasmus crossed his forelegs. "Uh huh. And is it not funny I have yet to see this supposed guardian angel of yours?"

"Well, if he was hanging around like my shadow, he would not be a guardian angel. More of a bodyguard breathing down my neck." Darby threw his head back and laughed. "I can do whatever I want on the battlefield, and my angel shall save me from certain death. It emboldens me to fight my heart out and spread my wings to their fullest potential."

Erasmus sneered. "Your pride is so shallow."

"What does that mean?"

"You think so highly of yourself, yet you do not care for your wellbeing. You will never learn as the prince of your kingdom if you continue to act so brazenly. You will one day take the throne of your father, and you have a shallowness in your soul."

Darby glared. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Do you have any real ambition for becoming a king?"

Darby smirked. "Well, the attention is nice. I have many admirers hoping to get a chance to meet their prince. Does that count?"

Flashes of Vanessa and Melissa appeared before Erasmus' mind, making the Glameow growl deep within his throat. He suppressed the rage again and said, "That is not an ambition, that is a fleeting fancy. Chasing women is not what a true king should be working toward. You cannot just have faith in the people around you. You need to have faith in your own strengths."

Darby laughed. "I fought the Fairy Knight and survived. Not many can claim that honor—"

"He nearly killed you. He was not even fighting seriously then. If he wanted you dead, your head would have rolled off your shoulders after the first mocking exchange."

"Well now—"

"Besides, it is not your swordsmanship that is of concern, it is your will. If you want to become a king, you need to have the will to fight for yourself just as much as fighting for your people. Relying on others to handle and care for you makes you that much weaker, even in tiny increments. You must have the strength to rely on them, but also yourself."

Darby rolled his eyes. "I do not need a lecture from you. I am still here taunting New Chariot, so I am clearly doing something right. It will not change anything."

"…" Erasmus glared. "Darby—"

"If it will keep you from huffing and puffing all day, I will not sneak off like I planned…for today. Still, you need to put aside that goodie-goodie attitude of yours, Erasmus. Wars are not won through kindness." Darby stepped out from the tent.

The Glameow prince let out a deep sigh and fell back against his cot, massaging his temples. Why am I not surprised? He is a lazy scumbag. He does not have a shred of ambition in him.

? ? ?

"…Tch."

"I do not need a lecture from you. I am still here taunting New Chariot, so I am clearly doing something right. It will not change anything."

Even from great distances away, his hearing remained on point. The sound of the Wick prince's proud and biting undertones traveled across the vast lands, reaching the war criminal sitting atop the grassy hill. He sipped on his canteen filled with apple cider, glaring in the direction of the Western Alliance's camp.

"Darby Tetrarch. You are a fool with no survival instinct or will. You are not worthy to take on the throne gifted to you by Master Terrowin."

The Toxtricity known as the Roar of the Wastes pulled his trident out from the ground and rested it beside himself. He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the passing clouds with a scowl.

"If you desire my protection, you must first understand…the true meaning of war."

Meanwhile, New Chariot Military Camp…

Far off from where the Western Alliance set up camp, the New Chariot soldiers worked tirelessly to fortify their defenses for a potential ambush from their enemy. With the arrival of the two legions, the workflow tripled in speed, allowing preparations to be made in record time.

In the center of camp was the commander's tent where the two Chief Centurions called in by Commander Manlius himself to take over operation.

Chief Centurion Janus, a Claydol who was wrapped in golden armor with a special helmet that allowed all his eyes to peer through.

Chief Centurion Liber, a Victreebel who dressed in flowing blue robes with only a golden plate around his body.

Janus studied the map between laying between them while Liber picked up a pitcher full of wine and dumped it into his gaping mouth. He belched and danced wistfully around the table. "What joyous days await us, Janus~! Shall we call for celebration now before we lay waste to the westerners?"

Janus glared. "Curb your drunken antics, Liber. These men are not to be underestimated. They were responsible for the destruction of Commander Auster's camp, along with his death."

Liber sighed. "Such a worrywart, you are~. Take a load off and enjoy the bliss with me, my friend~."

Janus rolled his eyes before pointing down at their map. "Their camp stands at least two kilometers away from ours. For now, we are at a stalemate, but they will inevitably act to push back against us."

Liber snickered. "What's the rush? Our intel gathers state the biggest threat of their army is far away from here, so we have nothing to worry about."

Janus huffed. "The Black Knight is on the priority kill list, but one man cannot change the course of war. His departure doesn't give us a guaranteed victory, only a sliver of hope turning the war back into our favor. This alliance they've garnered is proving more troublesome than we realized."

Liber groaned, finally setting his pitcher down. "You can play cautious all you want, but we both know there's a surefire way to turn this war into our favor. Do you recall that other piece of information our intel gatherers acquired?"

Janus nodded slowly. "There are two princes serving in their military."

Liber snickered. "Prince Darby Tetrarch of the Wick Kingdom and Prince Erasmus Talbot of the Senbo Kingdom. How foolish of them to offer up their bodies in times of war when their kingdoms struggle under the financial ruin of our invasion. They're practically offering themselves as sacrificial pawns to the cause."

Janus shook his head. "I know what you're plotting, but it's a terrible idea."

"Come now, I already have the perfect plan in mind. You're not even going to hear the details?"

"If the Western Alliance breaks through this formation, they'll have a direct course for Manlius' forces next. We can't afford for more land to be taken from our control. Emperor Nero would surely have our heads for our incompetence."

Liber snickered. "They're westerners. The way I see it, these princes are doing this purely to bolster the strength of their kingdoms. Isn't that what most of these high and mighty royals like to do? This is all a stunt to boost morale. Crushing the source of their morale would surely grant us victory."

Janus shook his head. "They are fighting in a war, and I know firsthand that a royal on the battlefield is not to be taken lightly. I served under Lord Martius when he was acting emperor. I fought alongside him in the war, and he was one of the bravest men I did battle with until he lost his arm in battle."

Liber shrugged. "Look, the way I see it, there's a simple solution to ending this fight: using the princes as hostages. Capture them and force the soldiers into surrender."

"What if they already made contingencies for such a possibility? After all, it isn't uncommon for royal households to have multiple children, so replacing an heir wouldn't be difficult."

Liber snickered, waving his leaf hand tauntingly. "That is where you and I differ in our worldviews, Janus. You are pure logic, but I understand the soul. We Pokémon serve to embolden our souls, thus it crushes those spirits to see our dear allies taken hostage. Add an important figure to the mix, and you have the ultimate standoff. I'll have the Western Alliance forced into surrendering if they want their princes back alive."

Janus glared. "But you do realize that deal only holds up if you intend to keep them alive afterwards."

Liber bellowed with laughter. "And what better way than to send them to the colosseum? They'll still be alive at the end of the day. They'll just be reduced to savages clawing for their freedom like the rest of them~! In fact, all the knights can go to the colosseum! They can bond over the blood they'll have to spill until they realize only one gets to leave!"

Janus scoffed. "Your plan still requires the underestimation of the princes. Do you even have the proper intel on them?"

Liber shrugged. "Please, why should I be concerned? Are you even aware of western royalty? They're spoiled brats born with silver spoons in their mouths. Emperor Nero was born a god. He was destined for greatness, just like Lord Martius and his father before him. And soon we will praise the beginning of a new emperor in decades time and repeat the cycle over. They are our gods. These royals are…mere imitators of Emperor Nero's stature."

"…" Janus sighed. "You are insane."

Liber smirked. "Then perhaps a bet is in order."

"…Go on."

"Ten thousand gul to whoever cripples the Western Alliance first."

"And what if you die beforehand?"

"A contract, then. You can my share of the bet if I happen to die, and I'll get yours if you happen to die before me. After all, we're both certain one of us will claim victory, so why not have fun with it?"

"…" Janus sighed. "Very well. We'll make up a contract. I assume you will want the distinct honor of enacting your plan first?"

Liber bowed. "Might as well embarrass you sooner rather than later."

"Hmph." Janus extended his bauble and shook Liber's vine. "Well then, I look forward to analyzing and learning from your mistakes, my friend. Try not to die too quickly."

Liber laughed. "Oh, don't you worry about me~. For now, I just need you to follow my lead and watch how it's done."

Nightfall

With the sun set, the knights of the Western Alliance retreated to their tents for the night, hoping to sleep away the tension sprawling through the day. Guards stood at their posts, keeping watch of the horizon for signs of the New Chariot soldiers.

Ivone stood as one of the nightguards, his eyes scanning across the rolling hills ahead. Even with both sides at a stalemate, he couldn't rest knowing their enemy could strike at any moment. He was already winded from the day, but he proudly took up the nightshift to allow his fellow knights to rest. He could go another day without sleep, even if his drooping eyes said otherwise.

He heard a yawn from above, looking up and spotting Serell sitting on his halberd with his wings lazily fluttering. "I cannot believe Linota forced me to take up her nightshift…"

Ivone rolled his eyes and continued scanning the horizon. "You stand here tonight representing your fellow knights. Take pride in that you protect them with your watchful gaze."

Serell yawned again. "With how tired I am, putting me in charge of nightshift seems more like a detriment. How are you still awake at this hour?"

"My undying sense of justice provides all the energy I need to stay awake."

"Oh, of course, I should've guessed," Serell mumbled sarcastically.

"If you didn't want to be put on nightshift, you shouldn't have volunteered on the frontlines."

"My duty is to my prince, so I go where he goes." Serell glared ahead. "But seriously, what's the worst New Chariot can do? We pretty much have them on the defensive. Even they must know striking us now wouldn't change anything."

"They didn't become a military empire overnight. They've been honing their talents for decades. They will not be easily beaten even if we have the advantage."

Serell sighed. "If you say so—"

Their eyes widened as they heard a war horn bellowing from the distance. Serell dropped down beside Ivone as they glared over the hills, spotting the rise of fog rolling into view. The horns howled louder as the fog expanded, and from the fog they could see the march of figures wielding torches.

"What the…?" Serell gasped.

Ivone glared. "Looks like they're making the first strike."

"Y-Yeah, but what's with the dramatics? Under the cover of night, wouldn't it make more sense to conceal themselves?"

They both heard the collective twang of bows and looked up, barely noticing the rain of arrows showering down on the camp walls. Serell gasped and shielded himself, but Ivone was a step ahead and used his body to shield his fellow knight. The arrows pinged off his naturally thick hide.

Ivone scowled. "Unfortunately, I don't think we have time to discern their reasoning. Sound the alarm!" He flapped his wings and took off into the air.

Serell quickly scrambled for the belltower at the center of the camp and delivered a swift strike to its surface, sounding its ring to all the sleeping knights. He continuously struck the bell as the knights quickly donned their armor and rushed out from their tents with their weapons drawn.

"New Chariot on the horizon! Take your positions!" Serell ordered.

With the call to action answered, the front gates opened, and knights charged out onto the fields with swords and shields in hand. Both armies roared with fury as they met and clashed into each other, slamming shields together and striking with sword and spear.

"Keep your shields raised!" Gaufroi ordered as he charged alongside his men. "Do not break formation!" He swung his battle axe and cleaved through a few shields, sending the mangled bodies of the enemy soldiers flying. He blocked spear strikes with his armor before letting a couple knights push back the soldiers. He stepped back a moment and pressed a claw to his temple. "Sir Fulbertus, have you gotten in contact with Princess Evangelina yet?"

"I've just sent out the message to the telepaths stationed in Senbo. They're getting her as we speak. What do you supposed spurred on this ambush?"

Gaufroi swung his axe again and sent another group of soldiers flying. "I don't know. Sir Serell paraphrased the report. Apparently the soldiers struck under the cover of fog. They gave away their own position with their war horns."

"That's…troubling. Do not let the soldiers break past your defenses. I need to inform the princess and deliberate on countermeasures. Be ready for my orders."

"Aye." Gaufroi lowered his hand and rushed down into the crowd, slicing down the soldiers' shields and cutting through their armor like tin cans. "Men! Keep your minds open to the telepathic channels! Do not let the enemy break past our formation!"

"Aye, Sir Gaufroi!" the knights roared.

"Ramming formation!" a soldier called out from the back.

Gaufroi's eyes widened as the enemy soldiers split apart, allowing a five-man group of Donphan to charged down the center. Each one was dressed in spiked armor wrapped around their trunks and back, turning them into shredding wheels.

"Shields up!" Gaufroi roared before crossing his arms together.

The leading Donphan rammed into Gaufroi, their armors grinding against each other. Gaufroi maintained his stance, but the knights behind him couldn't keep up. The four remaining Donphan flew past him and slammed into the knights, their shields shattering on impact. The ramming unit ran them over with their spikes punching through the armor and splattering the ground in blood.

The old knight growled before shouting, "Restrain them! Quickly!"

An Ariados knight of the Senbo Kingdom leapt off the heads of his fellow knights and fired a stream of web fluid. "Maximum Web Stream!" He sniped down three of the Donphan, trapping them in the dense web fluid. The fourth one managed to evade ensnarement and continued ramming through knights toward camp.

Serell dove down from the sky with fire and wind channeling through his halberd. "Scorch Style: Blazing Arrow!" With all his might, he chucked the halberd into the Donphan's path, causing a vortex of heat to erupt in front of him and blast him out of his charge.

Gaufroi huffed. Good work, Serell! He stomped his feet down, bracing his stance, and slammed his hands across both sides of the final Donphan. Flexing his muscles, he lifted the spinning elephant of the ground before clamping his claws down into his sides, slowing him to a halt.

"What the—" the Donphan gasped.

"So long as I stand, you will not breach our camp!" After winding himself up, Gaufroi stomped one foot forward and chucked the elephant back into the opposing army like a cannonball, blowing a path through their formation. "Stand your ground, knights of the west! We will not allow another inch forward!"

"YEEEEEEEAH!"

With sword in wing, Darby waltzed onto the battlefield brimming with confidence. He scanned the frontlines of the New Chariot army to single out who would be his newest targets all while laughing to himself.

"Ah, the brutes show themselves once again. This will be a wonderful page in the Wick Kingdom history books. The brave King Darby striking down the enemy all on his own!" He channeled dark energy through his sword, turning the blade black. "Show me the might of your forces, New Chariot!"

Having given away his position atop the hill, a section of the army broke off and charged down the Prinplup. Darby merely laughed as he lunged toward them, gripping his sword tightly and delivering a powerful swing that cut into the air. The force of his swing slammed into the soldiers' shields, forcing them to stand their ground.

Darby jumped again, striking and splitting the ground ahead open. The soldiers jumped away from the splitting earth, leaving the prince open to attack. He went for the first few soldiers in his path, striking directly into their shields and shattering them in one strike. His blade peeled through their armor and sliced into their chests, raining blood across his face and the ground.

"Remember my name, New Chariot! I am Darby Tetrarch, the future king of Wick! Bow before your ruler!" He cut down another couple of soldiers before lunging toward an Exeggutor.

"Reflect!" The Exeggutor stood his ground and cast the refracting barrier in front of himself. Darby's strike landed, but was significantly weakened, only chipping off part of the living tree's armor. "Foolish westerner! So long as I stand under the banner of Emperor Nero, I will not yield to the likes of you!"

Darby's smirk curled. "Good~. All the more reason to break you." He amped himself with Agility, increasing the power crackling through his sword, and struck into the Reflect again. Once more, it halved the damage, but the Exeggutor spat up blood from the force slamming against his chest plate.

"Execute…trapping formation!" the soldier shouted.

Darby stopped and glared as ten soldiers surrounded him in a circle, each one bearing a shield empowered by the deployed Reflect. They raised their spears and slowly closed in the circle.

"You're joking, right?" Darby gripped his hilt in both wings and slammed the sword down. "Envious Return!" A dark shockwave erupted from the point of contact, expelling out into the soldiers and pushing them back.

The soldiers stood their ground thanks to the Reflect and lunged ahead with their spears aimed for the prince. Darby deflected their spears and guided one across his bracer. He caught the spear under his wing and pulled it, causing the soldier wielding it to stumble forward. Darby performed an underhanded swing, cutting into the underside of the soldier's helmet and spilling blood through the air.

"You just don't listen, do you?" Darby smirked evilly. "I'm not some pampered prince. I am the rightful ruler of this region!"

As he boasted, two Scyther jumped into the air and dove toward the Prinplup's position with their sharpened arms trained on him. However, upon landing their strikes, their eyes widened as their attacks completely missed Darby, almost as if he made a pinpoint precise dodge.

"Wha—" Before they could question their failed ambush, several cuts opened up across their exposed skin, taking them to the ground.

"Eh?" Darby mumbled, watching the two mantises pass out.

"Unbelievable." He glared as Erasmus made his way through the soldiers' formation, flicking the blood off his claws. "Do you ever think about your own self-preservation?"

Darby scoffed. "Must you nag me so? I had them where I wanted them."

"They were going to cut your head off if I had not stepped in when I did." Erasmus stopped in front of the Wick prince and jabbed him in the chest plate. "You have no idea what it means to be king! You are a disgrace to the title!"

Darby batted his paw away. "And what is that supposed to mean? You think I am going to take kingly advice from the cat who lost the throne?"

"My situation does not give you credence to act like a suicidal fool! Your people are looking up to you to fight this war, and you cannot even look over your own shoulder half the time!"

Darby smirked. "Who cares? I am invincible! None of these fools will be able to land a lethal blow against me so long as I have my guardian angel looking over me—" Erasmus suddenly shoved Darby aside as a soldier nearly skewered the penguin from behind.

"Darby!" Erasmus scolded.

The penguin spun on his heel and sliced into the attacking soldier, shattering his armor in one strike. "That does not prove anything."

Erasmus growled as the soldiers recollected themselves and stepped back into formation, surrounding the two princes. He empowered and elongated his claws. "Just focus on staying alive!"

Darby rolled his eyes before taking his stance. "Whatever."

Fulbertus watched the battle unfold from above the campsite, his eyes tracking the movements of the enemy army. He fired quick shots to strike down anyone who strayed off course to invade the camp, never taking his eyes off the main battle.

"Strange," he mumbled.

Is something amiss, Sir Fulbertus? Evangelina's voice echoed inside his head.

I can't make sense of this attack. New Chariot isn't striking with their usual ferocity. They're mostly staying on the defensive and only attacking when an opening presents itself. They're not going at it with the usual bravado and determination that carry.

Perhaps they're finally at their wit's end.

Is that what you see?

I do agree the circumstances are unusual. What do they gain from launching an attack at night, but giving away their position ahead of time? It's as if…

Fulbertus glared. As if they wanted to draw our attention. But for what? As far as I can detect, this is the whole of their attacking forces. What do they gain from—

And that's when it happened. Fulbertus was ripped from his thoughts as a thunderous explosion rang out from the other side of the camp, startling him and the knights guarding the perimeter. He spun around, where he saw an entire legion of soldiers bearing the banner of New Chariot striking down on their west end with catapults. Explosive barrels struck down on the walls, blowing open a path and sending the defending knights scattering.

"What in the—" Fulbertus exclaimed. "Princess Evangelina, what is the meaning of this?! How did they get behind us?!"

Senbo Kingdom Capital

It took a lot to get under Evangelina's skin, and even more to rattle her. As she concentrated through the Musharna medium, a bead of sweat dripped down the side of her face. "They…teleported."

"Teleported? Absurd! I would've detected someone launching a teleportation strike, especially from the distance of their camp! How could they sneak past me?!"

Evangelina gritted her teeth. "Sir Fulbertus, I do not know what else to say, but you are not dealing with your standard teleporter. Whoever launched this pincer maneuver must have a fine mastery over teleportation to fly past your senses. Even getting past our telepathic channels without a hint of disturbance…"

"What do we do?!"

She growled. "Unfortunately, nothing more than you can." Her eyes flared in a purple aura. "Knights of the Western Alliance, hear my call! A pincer attack has been launched on your camp! All knights currently present at camp, disengage from the east battle and make your way to the western side!"

Western Alliance Camp

Evangelina's distress signal echoed through the minds of the knights. They turned away from the eastern front and charged toward the soldiers breaching on the western end. Fulbertus flew above the knights, charging psionic energy through his hands.

"What's the situation?" He looked up and saw Ivone flying alongside him.

"Tch. Someone managed to teleport an entire legion of soldiers behind our camp. They have us pinned on both sides."

Ivone glared. "Not for long." He beat his wing faster and dove closer to the ground.

Soldiers continued firing on the high walls until they came crumbling down. Roaring into action, the soldiers stampeded through camp, throwing torches at the tents and ramming the charging knights with spear and shield. The knights raised their own shields and met the soldiers' charge, stopping them in their tracks.

Ivone tucked his wings in and weaved around his allies. "Purified Luster!" Rainbow light refracted off his body. Like an arrow of colorful flames, he charged straight into the attacking army and bowled through them, snapping their spears and shattering their shields in a single swoop.

Fulbertus kept to the air, firing down Dark Pulse and Flash Cannon interchangeably. His eyes flickered to the skies where an Aerodactyl and Dragonite soared past and dropped down explosive barrels.

"Oh no, you don't!" Fulbertus raised his hands and caught the barrels with Psychic. "You're taking these back to New Chariot!" He swung and threw the barrels back at them.

The soldiers flew out of the way, letting the barrels soar over the camp and detonate in the rolling hills. Dragonite roared and blitzed Fulbertus with Extreme Speed, catching him off guard. Dragonite caught him by the face and carried him to ground level, smashing him into the earth.

Aerodactyl dove down with a hard landing, causing a row of Stone Edge to erect and charge toward the pinned Beheeyem. "Keep him still!" Aerodactyl ordered.

Fulbertus pulled his hand free and drew a psychic line in the air. "Delayed Future!"

The Stone Edge rammed full speed, but suddenly disappeared the moment it came in contact with the psychic line. This moment of confusion allowed Fulbertus to slam his hand into the Dragonite's chest and blast him off with Flash Cannon.

"AGH!" the dragon roared.

Fulbertus picked himself up and dusted off his armor. "You're three hundred thousand years from reaching my level." He clasped his hands together and generated a cube of brilliant shining light between them. "Distorted Future!" He thrusted his hands forward, splitting the cube in two and firing into both soldiers.

They tried to block, but the concussive beam delivered more force than they anticipated. They both crashed down in separate directions away from the Beheeyem, but managed to claw into the ground to catch themselves. However, the moment they opened their eyes, something was immediately amiss.

The entirety of space was inverted. The sky and ground had swapped position, leaving them seemingly suspended upside down in the air, and even the direction they were facing Fulbertus had completely inverted. From Aerodactly's position, he should've been facing the Beheeyem, but was instead looking at his back, and vice versa for Dragonite.

"What the—" both soldiers gasped.

Fulbertus clapped his hands together. "I foresee every possibility in war. You will not escape the future I've crafted for you! Realm of Prophecies!"

Pockets of psychic energy opened up across the inverted space. The dragon and pterosaur immediately spread their wings and took off, attempting to dodge the psionic lasers firing from the vortexes. However, despite space being inverted, they didn't fully grasp the extent of it.

It was no misalignment of space, but an illusion.

Both soldiers ended up crashing through tents where there was empty space from their perspective. Instead of dodging the lasers, they willingly flew themselves into their path. Fulbertus chained several lasers to fire down after the first struck them down, blasting them into the air. He then summoned two more vortexes to blast the soldiers into each other.

"And now the future has caught up!" With a flick of his arm, another pocket of space open beside Fulbertus, causing the previously nullified Stone Edge to come racing out and plow through the soldiers, tearing into their armor and flesh.

Fulbertus caught them with his Psychic and tossed them overhead. He then flicked his wrist down and spiked the two soldiers into their allies, throwing the unfortunate group of soldiers back.

"Do your worst," Fulbertus challenged. "The Wick Kingdom will not fall to scum like you."

Meanwhile…

Evangelina's warning echoed out to every knight in the telepathic channel, including Darby and Erasmus. They clashed and parried the attacking soldiers surrounding them. Erasmus struck with grace and precision, tearing through the weak points in their armor, while Darby ripped them apart with his brutal slashing attacks.

Erasmus drove a Starmie soldier into the ground and raised his head when Evangelina's distress signal reached him. He glared over his shoulder and yelled, "Darby, did you get that?!"

"You mean Evangelina yelling in my head again? Hard to miss!" He jumped and drove his sword through a Machoke soldier's shoulder, spilling his blood across the grass.

Erasmus flashed his Eyes of the King across a trio of soldiers charging at him, causing them to miss their attacks, and slashed across the weak points to take them down. "We need to get back to camp and help the others!"

Darby laughed. "Oh, they will be fine! We have more important matters to attend to, like teaching these brutes who is in charge!" He slashed again and again, ripping through a line of soldiers and splattering more of their blood across his body.

Erasmus snarled. "Darby, this is not the time! Our allies could be in danger!"

"They can take care of themselves! We stand as the princes of the west, and we will not retreat from a battle!" Darby yelled. "We need to show them that their precious god does not hold a candle to our brilliant flame!"

"Are you out of your mind?!" Erasmus yelled back. "We are barely holding our own out here! We have strayed too far from the knights! We need to regroup and—"

"You can run and hide all you want, my friend! I intend to leave my mark on New Chariot for the greater good of Wick!" The penguin aimed his sword toward a group of soldiers, who backed away with their shields raised. "Come! Face your new god, cowards!"

Erasmus wanted to growl and snap back at the arrogant prince, even if it meant having to drag him back to the others. However, a thought occurred to him in that instance. By his own admission, the exctitement of battle and his desperation to get Darby back to the others made him realize that they did indeed stray away from the other battle. Everyone was so fixated on protecting the camp that there wasn't an immediate alert of the princes' disappearance. Many assumed the duo could take care of themselves, but they were almost always within sight.

Erasmus and Darby were alone.

Meaning no one would be to save them if they were overwhelmed and killed.

Or worse…if one of them turned on each other.

Erasmus glared at the back of the penguin's head as he continued to mock the defensive soldiers, taking a few practice swings at the air. Darby had demonstrated countless times that he would leave himself unguarded all because of some presumed safety net, yet that threat seemed less and less true with the number of times Erasmus had to save him from certain destruction.

So, was there anything truly stopping the penguin's execution?

Erasmus looked at his claws as they began to subconsciously extend and empower with energy. He glared at the penguin's nape, a prime target to end him in a single strike. He could make it look like a spear did him in with just the right movement. It was child's play for a genius like Erasmus. Darby would be gone, and he could be either celebrated as a martyr who died in battle…or as the lecherous scum he kept in secret.

"You do not have the guts, New Chariot brutes! En garde!" Darby exclaimed.

Erasmus, with his mind made up, took a couple delicate steps toward the penguin with his claws drawn back. However, before he could initiate his strike, his nose twitched. He looked down and saw a sparkling green mist flowing across the grass that quickly filled the air.

"Uh, Darby?" Erasmus spoke up.

"Eh?" Darby ceased his taunting and sniffed the air. He smiled, eyes sparkling with wonder. "Oooooh~! What is that angelic aroma? It smells of honey and sea breeze~!"

Erasmus sniffed the air again, smiling wistfully from its enchanting aroma. "Yes. It does carry a delightful fragrance. It overpowers the scent of…blooood." He yawned, feeling himself teeter in place. "Oof, uh…I…I'm suddenly feeling a bit tuckered out."

Darby yawned as well. "I am…sure we can spare a moment to enjoy this wonderful atmosphere."

Seconds after being exposed to the heavenly fragrance, the two princes collapsed unconscious in the grass, claws retracted and sword lost.

Seeing both princes taken out, the defending soldiers lowered their shields, revealing they were wearing masks to filter out the sleep-inducing mist. They parted for their acting centurion to hop toward their captured prey.

Chief Centurion Liber laughed with delight at the snoozing princes. "Ah, what wondrous prizes we've obtained. Bring them back to camp immediately and have Janus informed. We have a message to send out to the western alliance."

"RAAAAAH!" Gaufroi delivered a crippling Hammer Arm into a group of charging soldiers, sweeping them off the ground and throwing them through the air. He panted, his lungs burning with air and mind racing as more and more soldiers marched over the hilltops in never-ending droves. "Bring…it on. I can take it." He raised his axe and pointed it toward the charging soldiers. "Men! No matter what, we will not fall!"

"YEEEEEAH!" the knights roared with raised swords.

"On my mark, prepare to—" However, before Gaufroi could finish his order, a horn blared from the opposing army's side. His eyes widened as the soldiers ceased their charge and stood at attention with their shields raised in defensive manners.

Serell fluttered down to Gaufroi in confusion. "Uh, they stopped?"

Gaufroi glared. "What is the meaning of this?"

That was when they noticed the soldiers parting for a Victreebel on top of the rolling hills. A large megaphone was rolled into position, and the pitcher plant hopped toward it. A guttural clearing of his throat echoed out from the mighty horn, reverberating over the knights.

"Ahem! Good evening, knights of the Western Alliance! I am Chief Centurion Liber! I wish to call for a temporary ceasefire so that we may discuss your inevitable surrender. Oblige, and not a single drop of blood will be spilt afterwards. Refuse, and your destruction will be slow and merciless."

Gaufroi growled. "He's kidding, right?" He pointed to Serell. "Order for the cannons to be deployed. We'll—"

"Ah, before you even consider retaliating, there is one other matter that may sweeten the deal. We've taken two of your warriors hostage, and they will be executed should you attempt to retaliate or back out of negotiations." Liber's laughter sounded through the megaphone. "You only have yourselves to blame. We of New Chariot do see value in our leaders taking up arms on the frontlines, but you westerners are too soft to let anything happen to your heirs, right?"

"…" Gaufroi's eyes widened. He looked back at the knights and yelled, "Where are the princes?!" The immediate shock and panic on their faces told the Ursaring all he needed to know, and he turned back to the opposing army with panic and fury in his glare. "Son of a…!"

Liber's laughter became more pronounced. "So, you finally noticed! Excellent! Now, you will either meet our demands, or the princes of Senbo and Wick will be swiftly executed in honor of the emperor! Choose your next move carefully, westerner lowlifes!"