15th Life Moon, 908 – Border of Verde and Echo Bell

New Chariot's armies advanced over the land, hoping to take control of the borders dividing the two kingdoms and fully assimilate the weaker kingdom into their ranks. With its defeat, they would be one step closer to taking hold of the west under the banner of New Chariot.

However, the war efforts ran into a snag with recent developments. While they were busy marching over the west, the kingdoms had coordinated in secret.

"FIRE!"

Cannons roared out over the horizon, raining down hellfire upon the eastern army. Soldiers bunkered behind their shields as the ground exploded around them, sending fiery rock in all directions. Soldiers were blown into the air at the epicenter of the explosions, and some had the misfortunate of being caught directly in the line of fire.

"RETURN FIRE!" a Goodra commander yelled, his soldiers firing explosive barrels from the catapults.

However, they would not reach their targets. Standing at the frontlines, Rikmai was thrown into the air by the assistance of a Conkeldurr knight and jettisoned from her armor as a jet of water. Compressing her liquid form, she shot straight through the barrels like a bullet, flying through each one of them in less than a second.

The barrels crashed down in front of the western army, but the explosive powder had been rendered useless from the added moisture.

"FIRE!" Fulbertus ordered, hailing another round of cannon fire onto the New Chariot army.

The soldiers bunkered behind their shields once more and waited out the cannon balls. Once the shaking ceased, they charged in formation with their spears extended and their shields raised.

Gaufroi raised his axe and roared, "ADVANCE!"

He led his knights into the fray, swords and shields in hand. Both sides collided into each other with their shields and struck back with their weapons. Spears snapped against the knights' shields, and swords clattered against the soldiers'. The knights in their heavy armor allowed themselves to push harder and land lethal strikes once they overcame the shields. However, the sheer number of soldiers along with their synchronized coordination made up for any attempt to gain the numbers advantage.

Matthais signaled to the archers behind him. "Take aim!" The archers drew back their bows and aimed up at an angle. "Release!" They let loose their drawstrings and fired an array of arrows over the battlefield, striking down at the soldiers in the far back of the clash. Many ducked under their shields, but a dozen or so were brought down by the raining arrows.

Fulbertus hovered in the air and signaled to the winged Pokémon of their side. "Take to the skies!" The flying Pokémon rose, carrying knights in their talons or grips. Once they got above the soldiers, they dropped their allies, allowing them to divebomb onto the battlefield with powerful techniques that caused devastating explosions in the center of their army.

Among these deployed knights was the former mercenary, Noel Freia. With her axe, she struck the ground upon landing and released a vast geyser of lava from the ground below. The earth rumbled and split open with molten rock blasting into the faces of unprepared soldiers, drowning them underneath the heated mass.

She rose to her feet and roared with her fiery mane erupting violently. "Volcanic Rain!" Sulfuric smog rose out from her mane, spreading above the soldiers, and called down molten meteors that crushed any soldiers downed by initial strike. Others protected themselves under their shields as the ground continued to crumble and melt under them.

The Goodra commander of the army raised his sword and shield, sticking the back as he commanded the catapults. "What matter of trickery is this? When did they start employing such tactics? They're practically throwing themselves into the depths of battle!"

"Commander!" The slimy dragon turned to a Kadabra soldier who saluted him. "I'm detecting a psychic channel running through the opposing army! It seems to be coming from considerable distance away!"

The commander glowered. "A telepathic channel. They're using telepaths to keep in mental contact with each other." He growled at the western army. "What evil mind is directing these inferior creatures?"

Meanwhile, in the Senbo Capital…

A space had been cleared out in the castle's war room, allowing a group of volunteer Pokémon with strong telepathic abilities to sit around and focus their minds. They sat in meditative positions, eyes closed and bodies levitating gently off the floor. They wore headbands connected by thin, metallic wire, allowing them to link their minds and progressively increase each other's abilities through the shared link.

In the center of the circle was a Musharna that also wore a special headband, curled up in a meditative trance. Before her was the tactician of the western army, Princess Evangelina Visconti. She kept her fin on the Musharna's forehead and had her eyes closed as her senses were linked with the telepathic channel.

She could see and experience the battle through the eyes and ears of the generals and a select few knights even from hundreds of miles away. She saw the layout of the battle and how the soldiers acted in response to their advancements. With a mind as devious and cunning as hers, she could make the necessary calls to keep as many knights on their side alive as possible while guaranteeing the maximum number of kills against the opposing army.

Her tactics would be instantly relayed to the generals, who would act upon her advice the second the signal arrived. There was admittedly a brief delay between when she received the visual and auditory information being transmitted to her and when she sent her message back, as seen when two seconds of time cost the lives of six or seven knights on their side. She steadily adapted to the delay the more she became accustomed to the unusual mode of communication.

She smirked as the knights aimed the cannons with the exact coordinates she gifted and watched as two catapults and a handful of soldiers went up in flames. This is how I live: working from the shadows and dismantling the scum who opposes my vision. Oh, how I love this feeling of control.

"Eyes of the King!"

New Chariot soldiers focused on the lone armored Glameow in the heat of battle, but quickly found themselves being overwhelmed under his gaze. Erasmus dashed and weaved through the myriad of soldiers as their attacks missed by mere hairs of his body, the soldiers unknowingly adjusting their own attacks due to his hypnotic eyes. Erasmus delivered slashes to the weak spots in their armor, cutting into their flesh and bringing them to the ground.

"Tri Attack!" Erasmus glared over his shoulder as a Probopass soldier summoned elemental energy through his mini nose units and fired on him.

Erasmus crossed his claws and lunged at the attack. "Perfect Parry!" He struck into the three elemental beams and forcibly reflected them back into the living compass with explosive results. With the Probopass stunned, he lunged and extended a dark purple aura through his claws. "Flawless Blade!"

He dashed past the soldier, delivering a solid slash attack that erupted in a trail of energy. It wrecked the soldier's armor, tearing it to pieces. He collapsed from the pain.

Erasmus landed and brushed the dirt from his fur. "Useless."

He sensed another attack coming his way and turned toward a Rhyperior rushing him down with Hammer Arm. Before he could deliver a counterattack, a dark slash of energy erupted across the earth and swept the rock rhino away, tearing into his rock skin and armor.

He glared over at Darby, who waltzed confidently through the battlefield in pristine black armor that shined under the sun's rays. He lifted his face guard and smirked at his fellow prince. "Keep your eyes on the battle, my friend."

Erasmus withheld a scoff and shuffled close to Darby, standing back-to-back with him as more soldiers surrounded them. "On my mark…"

Darby gripped his sword tightly. "With pleasure."

The soldiers raised their spears and charged at the cornered princes. After sharing a nod of confirmation, Erasmus swept his claws across the dirt and unleashed a storm of slashes around himself and Darby. "Pure Whirlwind!" The myriad of slashing attacks kept the soldiers at bay, their spears snapping as they drew too close into the area.

With the soldiers briefly incapacitated, Darby channeled dark energy through his sword and spun on his foot. "Envious Whirlpool!" Dark energy splashed out around him, cascading into a vortex of energetic slashes that pushed and lacerated into the soldiers. The sheer brutality of his attack overwhelmed the New Chariot soldiers, ripping their armor and weapons to pieces while dealing life-threatening wounds across their bodies. Cuts opened across the shoulders, chests, necks, limbs, and all manner of areas so long as they were exposed to his attack.

Upon ceasing his technique, Darby watched with pride as the soldiers groaned and collapsed, bleeding out across the dirt. "Pathetic. They have never met someone with power like mine," he boasted, supporting his sword across his shoulders.

Erasmus glared. "You are enjoying this too much."

"They are the enemy. They knew what they were getting themselves into."

"…" Erasmus turned his eyes up and grunted. "Incoming!" He bit on the back of Darby's armor and lurched themselves out of the way of raining boulders.

A squadron of Bombirdier took to the skies, raining down with a combined Rock Slide attack over the western alliance. The knights raised their shields and hardened their stances as the rocks crashed down on top of them. The repeated hail of rock pushed the knights onto their knees, their limbs trembling to maintain their stature.

Fulbertus took to the skies, his eyes aglow in psychic energy. "Realm of Prophecies!"

Distortions of psychic energy opened up in the air and blasted the Bombirdier soldiers. Their Dark-Typing allowed them to bypass his attack, but did draw their attention away from the knights as they soared toward the Beheeyem. He waited for them to get into range before teleporting from their Payback attacks.

"Twilight Cannon!" Upon reappearing higher up, Fulbertus fired at the birds with a beam swirling in silver light and dark energy. The Bombirdier squad screamed out in pain as they were overtaken by the attack and blasted out of the sky.

Ground soldiers raised their shields and spears and charged down the knights as they were still stunned by the Rock Slide assault. Gaufroi charged past the knights, rearing his axe back and edge blazing in golden light.

"Brilliant Splitting Revolt!" He swung his axe, cleaving through the frontmost of the soldiers and scattering their limp bodies through the air. "Brilliant Blade Assault!" He swung again, this time channeling dark energy through the axe's edge. He sliced into the next wave of soldiers, his slash carrying a serrated edge that shredded through their armor and shields in one stroke.

He readied his axe again, but felt it being pulled out of his hand. He glared over his shoulder and saw the downed Probopass soldier picking himself up. He had one of his mini nose units deployed, casting a magnetic field to draw in the Ursaring's axe and armor.

"Tch. That's not as clever as you think it is." Instead of resisting the pull, Gaufroi spun around and lunged with the magnetic field, throwing his axe at the soldier.

Probopass' eyes widened as the axe came hurtling at him at accelerated speeds. He cancelled his magnetism and tried to escape, but the axe had already cleaved through his mini nose and impacted the dead center of his face. His nose split and crumbled apart while the axe remained firmly embedded in his rock skin. His mustache of iron sand fell off as he dropped dead to the ground.

The soldiers continued with their assault, believing they now had a better chance with the Ursaring knight disarmed. That, however, would soon be a mistake.

"Brilliant Blade Hammer!" Gaufroi spun around and delivered a clotheslining Hammer Arm into the soldiers. The aura radiating off his arm carried a rough edge to it, scraping along the armor and any exposed flesh. He roared and threw the soldiers away, splitting their formation apart.

A Gurdurr soldier with a sharpened metal beam in place of a spear charged through the split formation and attempted to skewer Gaufroi. The Ursaring puffed out his chest and let the soldier hit him. His stance remained absolute as the soldier came to a near-instant stop.

"Huh?!" he gasped.

Gaufroi took a deep breath and cupped a hand over his fist. Energy gathered and swirled beneath his hand, coating the knuckles in a glossy blue sheen. He stomped on the Gurdurr's foot to keep him from escaping and reared his charged fist back.

"Brilliant Piercing Breaker!"

He launched his fist with full force, hammering into the soldier's chest. Almost immediately, the results could be felt even by the other soldiers. A burst of blue light erupted out from the back of the Gurdurr, his armor practically disintegrating off his body. He coughed up a fountain of blood, splashing it across the bear's face, before being sent flying. The soldier plowed through his stunned allies, breaking their shoulders and arms just by scraping past them. He decimated a catapult in his path before skipping off the earth and flying off into the far horizon.

"What the?!" the Goodra commander gasped. "I can't even see where he landed!"

"Commander, we may need to sound the retreat!" his Kadabra subordinate recommended.

"Argh. Unfortunately, you're right. Sound the horns for retreat—"

A torrent of black flame came rushing down the earth, incinerating any unfortunate soul caught in its path. Among them was the hapless Kadabra soldier, his screams fading as his vocal cords were torched as soon as the flames connected. The Goodra commander raised his shield and back away from the wall of flames.

"By the name of Martius…!" he gasped, looking upon the straight path of destruction that took out a chunk of his soldiers. He heard his men crying out in agony and looked ahead to see them being manhandled by the walking inferno of darkness himself.

Matthias marched through the enemy lines, flames rising out from under his helmet. Even without seeing his face, those who looked upon him could sense the sheer fury that radiated off his soul. Soldiers bravely charged the knight down regardless of the odds, but a single sweep from Matthias' giant broadsword swallowed their numbers in a sea of black flame. Those who had been empowered by their techniques took the worst of the attack, their own buffs contributing to the flame's power.

Goodra scowled. "The Black Knight of Verde." He picked up the scorched horn off his subordinate's corpse and blew into it, signaling the retreat to his soldiers.

As soon as the call was made, Matthias instantly rushed down the slime dragon and grabbed him by the neck. He pressed his fingers down tightly over his throat. "I won't allow a single one of you to escape unscathed."

The commander remained valiant even while staring down the face of death. "Our numbers far exceed yours. You do not know the true might of New Chariot, and such foolish resistance will be met with a swift end. You only delay the inevitable. All hail…Emperor Nero—"

A geyser of flames erupted off Matthias' arm and set the slime dragon ablaze. His screams echoed out across the battlefield as his soldiers turned to make the retreat. Matthias tossed the burning dragon aside and faced the retreating soldiers.

"What did I just say?" Taking his sword in both hands, he sliced across the ground and summoned up a tsunami of black flames to drown the fleeing soldiers. "Not a single one of you will leave here unscathed!"

The battle had drawn on for hours, both sides putting up their strongest defenses to outlast the other. In the end, however, New Chariot would be forced to retreat from the onslaught of Matthias Blackfire and Gaufroi Burchard decimating their numbers. Despite their efforts, New Chariot managed to withstand the counterattack amidst their tactical retreat and got out despite the grievous injuries that would sustain for years to come.

Under the setting sun, the battle had ended.

Soldiers and knights alike lay on the battlefield, many wounded and succumbing to their injuries and others who gave their lives in a hard-fought battle.

Once an aerial team returned to the battlefield to confirm that New Chariot had retreated, Ivone gestured to the medical team stationed behind him. "Team A, transport our wounded back to the camps. Team B, search the battlefield for any living soldiers. Treat their injuries, and we'll have them transported to our prison camp."

The medical team moved out, searching among the field of bodies. Those with enhanced sense of smell led the search, identifying the wounded and the severity of their injuries. The knights and soldiers were loaded onto stretchers and brought aboard large transport wagons to be carried back to camp.

Rikmai walked up to Ivone's side and frowned upon the devastating setting. "I…never imagined myself standing before so much bloodshed. When I became a knight, it was for selfish reasons. I…never realized the weight of our duty until now."

"…" Ivone closed his eyes. "None of us were prepared for this. Learn from this battle. Every single one of your comrades gave their lives for our future. No matter the result, every life must be preserved as best it can, even at the cost of others. A knight and a soldier fight to protect what they cherish most."

The Vaporeon closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. "Now I'm beginning to see the world a little more through Sir Gaufroi's eyes. I…pity the horrors he must've witnessed in his day."

"They are not feelings to be envied. A battle has been won, but the war won't end anytime soon. Steel your heart for future battles to come."

"I understand."

Within the commanders' tent, Matthias, Gaufroi, and Fulbertus stood over a prisoner that had been brought in for them. The Dewgong soldier, who was stripped of his armor and tied down to a chair, glared up at the three intimidating head knights without a shred of fear in his unwavering gaze. His body was covered in faded scars from a time's past, yet these marks served as badges of honor to the man.

Matthias crossed his arms, stepping forward to take the first crack at the soldier. "This can go one of two ways, and your chances of seeing the sunrise depends entirely on whether or not you're willing to cooperate with us." He knelt before the incapacitated seal and furrowed his brow. "Answer our questions, and this will be over soon."

"…" The soldier narrowed his eyes in return.

"Our recent intel speaks of a prisoner camp you set up in one of the villages bordering on the Echo Bell Kingdom and the Outlands. You're transporting slaves captured from the villages you raided and having them held up there for transport back to the New Chariot Empire. Is this true?"

"…"

Matthias scoffed. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear." He raised his hand, igniting a black flame from his palm. "If you don't talk soon, you won't have a throat to speak with."

The Dewgong huffed. "Do what you wish to me. I shall never betray Emperor Nero. He is our god, and he shall be the one to unite Virdis under a just order. I will gladly die for his utopia!"

"Tch." He stood up and glared back at Gaufroi and Fulbertus. "Are they all like this?"

Gaufroi glared. "I'm afraid so. New Chariot trains their soldiers from a young age, and many of them are devoted to the Martius family. Their devotion exceeds that of followers of the cross wheel. He is a symbol of their power, thus his unwavering status gives them strength."

Fulbertus chuckled dryly. "A fool's emblem. These men are delusional for holding one man in such high regard."

"Delusional or not, they won't talk without a fight." Matthias glared back at the Dewgong. "We have slaughtered many of your men already. We can do far worse to you than send you off to the pearly gates of origin. You will relinquish the information we seek. What are your camp's numbers? Who is in charge? What are your fortifications?"

"…" The Dewgong merely closed his eyes and scoffed.

"…Alright. We'll do this the hard way." Matthias grabbed the soldier by his neck and, without a second of delay, delivered a hammering right hook to his face.

The soldier's head rattled like a gong, blacking out for a fraction of a second as the lights flickered in his eyes. Blood dribbled down from his lip, and he shuddered from the overwhelming pain centering around his face.

New Chariot soldiers were trained from a young age, and they were taught to endure the cruelest pain. Pain meant nothing to them so long as they were watched by the all-seeing eye of the emperor, his guidance bringing them strength to conquer the lands beyond the empire in his name. Veteran generals would dish out the most unimaginable pain and torture to desensitize the soldiers to the harshness of reality. They would become numb to all trauma and agony.

…but this soldier never took a punch from Matthias Blackfire.

"Talk," Matthias growled.

The soldier, trembling in pain, refused to show weakness in his face. He lifted his eyes and glared at the knight with brimming confidence. "I shall never betray my emperor's—"

WHAM!

Matthias struck in the same spot with far greater force. The Dewgong was sent into temporary shock as a few teeth were ripped from his gums and clattered across the ground. Before he could draw a breath, Matthias hammered his fist square in the face, the skin rippling over it as if the seal's skull folded into itself.

"Talk."

Dewgong collapsed forward, spitting out blood onto Matthias' chest plate. "My emperor…is our god—"

WHAM!

Dewgong vomited up bile and blood onto the ground after being dealt a heavy blow to his stomach. He fell out of his face and face first into his own vomit. Matthias leaned down and clutched his fingers around his skull, pressing down into it.

"Talk. Now."

Dewgong growled as he felt his skull being crushed under the Infernape's monstrous grip, yet he remained steadfast. "ALL HAIL EMPEROR NERO!" he roared.

Before Matthias could deliver another punch, Gaufroi grabbed his arm and stopped him. "That's enough," he said calmly. "If that's not going to get him to talk, beating him to near death certainly won't."

"…" Matthias grunted and dropped the seal back into his vomit. "Shit…"

Fulbertus glared. "I must admit, their wills are ironclad. They were trained well in the event one of them was captured. No wonder New Chariot remained uncontested for decades."

"Lucky us," Matthias growled. "Well, how do we get him to tell us about the prisoner camp? We can't just blindly charge into the area without knowing what we're up against. They'll have that place on guard until they transport their prisoners away. We can't wait forever."

They heard laughter coming from under them. Glaring down, they saw the Dewgong turning his gaze up to them. "You fools. E-Emperor Nero…will be the one to unite this broken region. All of you, your imperfections scream out to us. The west doesn't hold a candle to the might of New Chariot. We bring our people salvation from the cruelties of poverty, loss, and want. There is no need for such things when the Martius family provides for the happiness of its loyal subjects. You fools who remain defiant against the emperor only fuel our power. So long as there is defiance, New Chariot remains uncontested. We are the masters of war, and Emperor Nero is our god! He is the God of War! He is without equal, and he is our champion! I shall die with honor fighting for his vision!"

"…" Fulbertus scoffed. "How admirable. An emperor who cares about his people and destroys everyone else. It'll make a fine story on his tombstone."

"If I must die for the future of New Chariot, so be it. Rip me to shreds, decapitate me, and feed my flesh to the savages! So long as I draw a breath, I will fight for my emperor's honor."

Gaufroi growled. "Perhaps we'll have better luck with one of the other prisoners." He reached for his axe, but Fulbertus raised his hand.

"Before…we resort to barbarism, there is another course of action worth taking." Fulbertus pressed his hand to his temple and closed his eyes. "Princess Evangelina, are you still within this psychic channel?" his mind projected, which Matthias and Gaufroi could also hear.

After a moment, the Echo Bell princess responded, "Sir Fulbertus of Wick, how may I be of assistance?" she asked.

"Tell me, how are your negotiation skills?"

"Oh? What kind of negotiation skills~?"

"We require you to persuade this soldier of New Chariot to…relinquish information regarding the prisoner camp."

Matthias and Gaufroi felt a chill over them as the princess' haunting laugh echoed through their minds. "Ah, that kind of negotiation. Very well. Probe his mind and send me in. I shall deal with him personally."

Gaufroi glared. "What is she talking about, Fulbertus? What are you up to?"

Fulbertus psychically lifted the soldier back into his chair and floated forward. "It's a little trick I learned from an acquaintance. I'm no expert on interrogation, but the princess will suffice." He placed his hand on the Dewgong's head.

He glared at the alien knight. "What are you—" His eyes widened as a psychic glow emanated from the knight's hand.

"Oh?" Fulbertus laughed as the world distorted around the Dewong soldier, fading into darkness. "We're testing the limits of your sacred emblem."

The Dewgong awakened with a gasp, patting himself down immediately. "W…What?" He paused and looked around at his new settings, finding nothing but a starry void that went on seemingly forever. He floated aimlessly in the space, his eyes lazily wandering about. "I…what sorcery is this?"

"Oh, hello~."

He spun around and found he wasn't alone. Floating just a few meters away was an elegant Frillish dressed in a dreary gray cloak and wearing a smile so sharp it could cut glass. She snickered with that haunting smile, her laughter booming across the open space.

The Dewgong soldier remained unfazed and raised his flippers in defense. "You think I'm afraid of some woman?"

The Frillish threw her head back and laughed. "Ooohhh-hohoho! Oh, you silly, silly soldier…"

The seal's eyes widened as the Frillish gradually grew in size, towering within the starry void. Bladed tendrils dripping with blood extended out from under her cloak. Her face contorted into a monstrous sneer with a ghastly darkness permeating from the eyes. Eyes opened up across the void, peering down at the paralyzed soldier.

"I'm so much more than SOME woman."

After a hard day of battle, Erasmus and Darby settled down in their shared tent, eating their dinner that consisted of dehydrated fruits and vegetables. They weren't meals the two princes were accustomed to, but graciously accepted while in service to the military.

It took days of convincing for Erasmus to convince his father, saying that he wanted to put himself to use if Dimitri is to become the king of Senbo instead. He felt it better to put his skills to use protecting his people rather than waiting around for a turning point to show itself. It was a hard-fought battle, but Gilbert was eventually swayed into agreement.

Of course, the true reason for his insistence regarded the penguin sitting across from him.

Darby sipped from his canteen, looking out from their open tent to gaze at the pink horizon. "Aha! I say that was a productive excursion. We managed to send those chumps running for the hills with their tails tucked between their legs."

Erasmus glared. "There is nothing cowardly about a tactical retreat. They knew we had them outmatch and wisely withdrew from the fight to keep their numbers intact."

Darby shook his head. "My dear friend, do not give those barbarians too much credit. They are products of a warlike culture that is simply unworthy of being in our presence. They are savages compared to us. What you see as militaristic tactics and fortitude, I see brutes who need to be shown their place. The mark of a king is to remind his subjects and his enemies of his true worth. I say I have left quite the impression with my swordplay."

Erasmus huffed. "Do you take pleasure in ceaseless slaughter?"

"Do you pity our enemy?"

"I understand the ramifications of our actions and the weight we must bear for it, but I do not intend to act mindlessly in battle. I believe in peace over war."

Darby tutted in disapproval. "See, it is kindness like that that New Chariot steps on. You have grown soft in your kingdom's time of isolation. This is war, Erasmus. Kindness does not exist on the battlefield. These cretins throw their lives away for the glory of their false god, so it is our jobs to put them in their place."

"…" Erasmus glared out at the open sky. "But do they truly believe what they are doing is right?"

"Are you implying they have a right on the slave markets?" Darby joked before taking another sip of his water.

The cat prince withheld the urge to growl. That is rich coming from you. He sighed and continued, "I mean to ask what the emperor wants from his people. We view them as barbarians, but he clearly has a love for the people who worship him. His views and culture cannot align with ours, yet we share that belief in keeping our people happy and safe. He conquers other kingdoms so that his people can live in luxury forevermore."

Darby scoffed. "Do not get sentimental for those heathens, Erasmus. It does not matter if those soldiers have hopes and dreams. It is our duty to crush those dreams and kill every last one of them to protect our kingdoms." He glared. "Which is why I find it abhorrent the Senbo Kingdom insisted on preserving the still-living soldiers. If my father were in charge of this alliance, we would have ordered for their immediate execution—"

"They lost the battle. There is no point in promoting more slaughter," Erasmus affirmed. "We did what we came here to do and used the most violence necessary to push them out of our territory. Under my father's orders, there will be no senseless executing."

Darby smirked. "You are so naïve, Erasmus. Preserving the lives of dangerous men just to keep some fragile sense of justice intact? The enemy should not be allowed advantages in war. Why do you think I went out of my way to target their medical units?"

Erasmus' eyes widened. "What?"

"During the retreat, their medical unit was trying to save the few soldiers who were still alive after Sir Matthias' little incineration attack. So, I personally made sure those men did not get the help they needed."

The fur on the back of Erasmus' neck bristled. "How could you do that?!"

"Oh, it was quite simple. A single slash from my Blade of Desires can kill just about anyone without a reinforced hide—"

"They were only trying to save their comrades! They didn't deserve to be executed so callously!"

Darby glared. "Seems someone is slipping from their royal persona." He smirked lightly. "Erasmus, this is war. I refuse to give those invaders a single advantage against us. If it means limiting their medical access, then it is all the better for us."

"They weren't actively participating in the battle."

"Again, what does it matter? They are the enemy. The way I see it, it was their fault for getting in my way. I could have just killed those men and put an end to their suffering like the gentleman I am, but they selfishly wanted to keep them alive through that tumultuous pain. I saved those soldiers from the burden of living, and I punished those foolish medical units for trying to save a corpse."

"…" Erasmus dug his claws into his cot, trying to withhold his anger.

Kill him. Kill him, now. Do not prolong the inevitable.

He doesn't deserve life. He doesn't deserve to be king.

He's a monster!

He manipulated and hurt innocent women!

He hurt Melissa!

No one will miss him!

Just end him NOW!

The fur on his back bristled like spines. It wouldn't take much effort for Erasmus to walk up to the penguin and slit his throat. His Eyes of the King would allow him to bypass Darby's defenses and reaction time before he realized what was happening. A single, deep slash across his throat, and the monster could be put to rest. It wouldn't take a fraction of the Talbot prince's energy.

However, as his claws gathered with energy, he stopped himself.

They were too deep in the war to enact a plan now. Wick Kingdom knights occupied the camp, and the death of their prince by an ally's paws would signal a revolt that could ruin the alliance. Plus, it could spark a war from the Wick Kingdom at the worst time.

They needed to strike at the opportune time. A major battle that pushes their side to its limits, then using their greater numbers to suppress Wick's knights and corner Darby. They would have him executed, then formulate a plan to keep the rest of the Wick Kingdom from retaliating. It could be something as simple as ruling Darby's death as a casualty of war, though there was still the issue of the Wick Knights.

Executing them didn't sit right with Erasmus, but secretly taking them prisoner behind Wick's back would buy them time to stage a revolt against their so-called allies. With Senbo's greater feats of strength, Wick didn't have anything to match their weaponry.

"…" Erasmus took a deep breath and allowed himself to calm down. Once he got his inner turmoil in order, he calmly replied, "Darby, I do not agree with your methods, but I ask you at least respect my father's wishes until we have made progress in the war."

The penguin prince shot the cat a weird look, probably wondering of his momentary silence, before shrugging it off. "Whatever. It is your funeral." He reclined into his cot and sipped the last of his water.

Erasmus turned away from the prince, hiding his darkened glare. Consider yourself lucky if you get the honor of a funeral.

"Gck…ack…GyyyyyyYYYYYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Fulbertus pulled his hand away from the Dewgong soldier as he collapsed from his chair in a bloodcurdling scream. Matthias and Gaufroi winced as the soldier lay across the ground, twitching and foaming from the mouth with a glazed look in his eyes.

Matthias bent down, snapping his fingers twice and waving his hand over the Dewgong's eyes. "He's barely responsive."

Gaufroi glared at the Beheeyem knight. "What the hell did you do to him?!"

Fulbertus crossed his arms. "I didn't do anything. You can throw your comments toward the elder princess. Speaking of…" He placed his hand to his temple. "Princess? How was your search?"

Evangelina's voice echoed through their minds. "I must say, they trained their soldiers well. Took a while to peel back the layers of his mind, but I eventually got him to squeal."

Matthias glared. "What did you find out?"

"The town's called Rattleplains, and it's been recently converted into a prison camp for captured Pokémon. They plan to have them transported away a week from now. I have intel on their defenses and the commander in charge. One Commander Auster, he is called. Seems to be a tough fellow with a strong battalion at his disposal. They say being within his presence makes their weapons stronger."

Gaufroi glared. "That'll be a problem."

"This soldier's memory of the camp is a bit fuzzy, but I should be able to transcribe the details through Fulbertus. It's now a matter of how you want to approach the mission."

Fulbertus glared. "We would be able to get there before they send the captured civilians away, but it's a matter of how we're going to approach this. We can't just march an army in on their campsite. We would need to send a small extraction team."

"Who do we send, though?" Matthias asked.

"…" After pondering for a moment, Gaufroi raised his hand. "I think I have an idea of who to send. Since New Chariot mainly focuses on direct combat, I know of a few knights who would be excellent for a stealthy mission. If they play their cards right, they can sabotage the soldiers before they have a chance to counterattack."

Matthias glared. "Risky, but it's all we've got. Alright, we'll round up a team to save the captured civilians." He pointed at Fulbertus. "Get the details on Rattleplains as soon as you can, then we can debrief our team on how they'll approach the mission."

Fulbertus bowed. "Of course. Give me an hour with the princess."

Matthias and Gaufroi stepped out from the tent, carrying the comatose Dewgong along. Matthias looked up at the Ursaring knight and asked, "Who exactly do you have in mind?"

Gaufroi glared. "Probably the worst group of knights to put together on a team, and that's what I'm counting on."

Meanwhile, on the border between Wick and the Outlands…

A large militaristic camp had been set up on in the desert-like kingdom border with New Chariot soldiers standing guard outside the perimeter and taking inventory within. Night was upon the soldiers, and soon another day of battle would arrive for the glory of New Chariot.

In the main tent was the commander of the squadron, a Snorlax of mighty size with a withered war hammer leaning against his desk. He wore a standard harness around his rotund body, pauldrons, and bracers. He scribbled upon a stack of parchment, detailing his report for the emperor.

He didn't have to lift his attention from his work as the flaps of his tent parted. An armored Crobat fluttered into the tent, landing on the commander's armor rack. He bowed and said, "Commander Manlius, I bring word of the battle taking place near the border between Verde and Echo Bell."

"Speak," the Snorlax commander mumbled.

"Last I surveyed our troops, they were being overwhelmed by the opposing army. I'm afraid the western kingdoms have started coordinating their militaries. They're posing to be a liable threat for our operation."

"…" Manlius sighed. "Were there any factors to their victory?"

"Three of their generals were cited as the spearheads of their victory. A tactical Beheeyem, a monstrous Ursaring, and one unidentified Pokémon clad in black flames. We believe him to be the Black Knight of Verde."

"Matthias Blackfire, no doubt." Manlius glared. "The west is proving itself to be a stronger force than we anticipated. Regardless, this isn't an issue. Many have felled our armies before, but none have yet to fell us in war. We are the masters of warfare, and it is under the divine protection of our emperor that we bring fortune to the empire."

"How shall we proceed?" the Crobat asked.

"Keep posted on their activities. If they prove to be troublesome imps in the future, we may have to move our war efforts ahead. I may have to call upon the other generals to make good on our threats." Manlius crossed his arms and glared. "Only a fool would decide now that we're being pushed back. New Chariot survived as long as it did through cunning and brutality. If they are to destroy us, then we will capitalize on their victories for our successes."

The Crobat bowed. "Of course, Commander." He flapped his wings and took off.

The Snorlax reclined back in his chair and huffed. "Besides, the west is soft. They haven't been molded by war like we have. Try all they want, they'll soon be crushed by the irresistible power of New Chariot. That…is inevitable."