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Chapter Ten: The Siege of Ur. (Part Two)

Claudia marched through the halls of the Levantine manor, her every step causing a small echo in the empty halls. Her eyes narrowed and her expression was one of anger. "Graves... why haven't reinforcements been sent to Ur?" She asked herself, wondering why the needed troops hadn't yet been dispatched or arrived at Ur yet.

She burst into her Father-in-law's study and found him sitting at his desk, alongside two other men. One appeared to be a nobleman that she didn't recognize, and the other was a strange man wrapped in bandages, giving him a mummy-like appearance.

"Ah. Claudia. Welcome." Her Father-in-law cordially greeted, as though nothing was wrong and then continued to speak "Allow me to introduce Lord John Mandeville, a long-time ally of mine, along with a more recent acquaintance Shamuhaza, the bandaged gentleman right here."

"Pleasure." Claudia greeted in a gruff manner, a small vein starting to throb on her forehead. She looked at her father-in-law with a look of annoyance and frustration, and spoke in an equally annoyed tone "Graves-san. What is going on? Where are the troops you promised would be sent to reinforce Ur?"

Her Father-in-law reclined in his seat and frowned as he replied "Straight to business, eh? Well, that's fine. No point in beating around the bush. I am afraid that I had to redirect my troops to the Third Fortress, Thorn."

At that, the Valkyrie could only gape, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as she asked "Why?! The plan was to reinforce Ur! They have even sent an urgent letter that practically begged for reinforcements!"

At this, the bandaged man piped in "I am afraid that is strongly inadvisable." The mummy-like man then reached into his cloak and produced a crystal ball. He murmured an incantation, causing the once transparent orb to now reveal an image of something.

The brunette woman leaned in closer to see... and saw an image of Ur being besieged by a massive army! "If the count is right, the Legion army is currently 15,000 strong. Any reinforcements we send would be slaughtered and added to that already massive horde." Graves spoke with a sigh, his tone of a rather disturbingly callous nature.

Claudia felt her heart sink at the sheer force of the Legion's army. With that many soldiers, they could almost sweep across the land like a tidal wave of destruction? How could the Forge Master general have created so many? Did he have some form of assistance to accelerate the creation of his troops? She then quickly shook her head to cease her musings since there was no time for that. They had to take action before it was too late!

"So we are just going to leave those people to die?! Leona and her mercenaries agreed to risk their lives to fight for us, and we are just going to abandon them? What about the other defenders? What about the civilians? What becomes of them?" Claudia argued, her voice rising with each and every question.

While Graves was a stern and frightening man, he had always treated her with kindness after she married his son Klaus... now here he was, casually throwing away the lives of others. The very idea of it was utterly sickening.

"Those mercenaries already knew the risks. That aside, Ur is already beyond help. We must make a sacrifice for the greater good and ready ourselves for the Legion's advance. Perhaps most importantly, we must come up with a means to kill their leader, the Forgemaster. If he dies, then every single demon he controls and has created will crumble into dust. Then we can finally end this war." Graves spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"The people of Ur didn't agree to be sacrificial lambs! We are talking about women! Children! The Elderly! You can't just throw innocent lives away!" She spit back angrily, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Regardless of the case, we are already beyond the point of no return. We must collect ore from the Third Fortress to fashion more weapons and armor, and we must do so quickly." Lord Mandeville spoke as he twirled his cane in his hands.

"I won't forget this! Not as long as I live!" Claudia shouted as she slammed her hands down on the desk. The three men only stared at her with impassive and apathetic expressions.

"This is war. Sacrifices are necessary. Not that I expect you to understand." Graves muttered coldly as he took a sip of wine.

"Cheap talk coming from the man who hasn't made any sacrifices." The Valkyrie spoke just above a whisper in a venomous tone, though her Father-in-law still heard her as a tic-mark appeared on his forehead.

"Enough. Why don't you return to Celestine-sama and continue your fruitless investigation on those missing children?" Graves spoke with barely contained anger... his words making his daughter-in-law do a double-take.

"Excuse me?" She asked as she furrowed her eyebrows, since she hadn't informed her father-in-law about the aforementioned investigation.

"Your husband has kept us appraised of the situation. Such a tragedy." Mandeville smoothly interjected, though Claudia wasn't entirely convinced. She slowly nodded and turned on her heel before marching out. She would need to make her report to Celestine... and question her husband if he had indeed told them about the investigation.

A part of her hoped that it wasn't true, that she may be reading too much into things... but her gut told her not to ignore this. She wanted to believe that her father-in-law couldn't possibly be involved in something as horrible as the trafficking of children... however he was also a man of great power and influence even in his retirement.

This made him exactly the kind of person for slavers to keep in their pocket. Still, Graves wasn't a man motivated by money, and he already had plenty of power and political connections due to his status and long career, so what did he get out of this? Nevertheless, she refused to leave any stone unturned. She would need to hurry and return to Celestine and inform her of Ur's fate.

Meanwhile.

Bishop Eleonora sat quietly in a cell, her hands chained to a table and her feet were chained to the floor. She glanced towards the two Dawn Maidens who were guarding her, whom also glanced her way every so often.

The female Bishop swallowed dryly, feeling as if her guards were looking at her as if she were a cockroach to be crushed underfoot. Her eyes then flicked towards a tray that was lined with various instruments, tools, and drugs that were undoubtedly meant for torture and interrogation.

She took their presence as a not-so-subtle hint that translated to her as 'If you don't talk, we'll make you talk.' She bit her lip and gently clasped her hands together and shut her eyes while muttering a prayer.

After a few moments of quiet prayer, she heard the cell doors open, prompting her to open her eyes and see the form of Celestine herself enter inside. The High Elf had an unreadable expression on her face as she slowly took a seat across from Eleonora, with the Bishop's heart almost thundering inside of her chest.

"I do not condone violence, much less torture." Celestine stated bluntly while gesturing to the nearby array of tools before continuing "However, for the sake of the missing children, I shall harden my heart and do what must be done. I shall give you a fair chance to come clean and tell me what you know. Should you refuse, then I will have no choice but to wash my hands of you and whatever befalls you. Is that clear?"

Eleonora's breath hitched and her body trembled, knowing that the High Elf would follow through with her threat. "Celestine-sama, please listen! I don't know anything, I swear!" The Bishop blurted out, but the Clairvoyant Elf merely shook her head.

"I want to believe you, but I cannot simply take you at your word. Allow me to clarify a few things for you and to add a little context, most recently, I was given a ledger that was acquired by a former slave. This ledger provided evidence that the Church was using a major Orphanage to sell children into slavery. More specifically, the Non-Human children who were marked as 'adopted' were sold into slavery. The Human children have either vanished entirely for reasons unknown, or have been placed in the care of different Bishop's, you being among their number.

My questions are as follows: Why are these children separate from the others? What purpose do they serve? What has become of the missing children? What are you doing with them? Why are only the Non-Human children actually being sold?" Celestine listed off question after question, making Eleonora's heart sink further and further.

The Bishop opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to think of a response, but she realized that her mind was drawing a complete blank. She felt like a fish out of water, choking, gasping, trying to breathe. She was so distraught, that she didn't even notice her tears start to fall.

Celestine stared at her for some time, searching Eleonora for any hints, clues, or tells that may reveal what she needs, she was also searching to see if the Bishop's tears were genuine or faked. However, it seemed as though the female Bishop was closed off or perhaps overwhelmed. Time was short and she needed to move things along, so the High Elf asked "You enjoy spending time around the children, yes? You read doctrine to them as I already witnessed before. You spend a lot of time with them."

At that, Eleonora gave a quick and jerky nod though wondered where the blonde Elf was going with this line of questioning. "Do you also tuck them in at night? Kiss them on the cheek? Perhaps more?" Celestine asked with a sharp edge to her voice, her questions making the brunette Bishop gape in horror. Realizing that she was being questioned if she was grooming and/or molesting the children.

"No! I never touched them! I would never lay a hand on any one of them! I swear on my life and womanhood! I-I would never do something so... so vile and horrible!" Eleonora pleaded, her voice trembling, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks almost like a waterfall

.

Celestine leaned back and gave a small hum, her gaze never leaving the brunette's face. Her reaction seemed quite genuine, which was both good and bad. Good, because it meant she wasn't a molester. Bad, because it meant that the High Elf was back to square one.

"Is there anything special about the children in your care? Please, think hard. It is very important. If I can find some sort of clue or connection between them, it would really help." Celestine spoke as she placed her hands on the table, her eyes never leaving the other woman's face.

Eleonora bit her lip and closed her eyes, wracking her brain, trying to recall every last detail. "No. There isn't anything except..." The Bishop muttered and then fell silent as she bit her lip again, her gaze shifting downwards.

"Except?" The Elf repeated with a raised eyebrow, hoping that this wasn't just a dead end. Eleonora sighed and reluctantly said "The only thing that they have in common is that... they all have a strong affinity for magic."

"What? Truly? Why was this not reported to me?" Celestine asked, but before the Bishop could answer, there came a rapid tapping from the cell door, prompting them to look and see the form of Claudia who was obviously and urgently trying to get the High Elf's attention.

"Celestine-sama! I need to speak with you, privately. Right now." The Valkryie spoke quickly, earning a nod from the Clairvoyant Elf.

"I'll be back soon." She promised the Bishop before departing to speak with her personal bodyguard and wondered what news the Valkyrie had to share.

The duo ducked into a quiet alcove away from prying eyes and ears. "Well? What is going on? What did Graves have to say for himself?" Celestine asked, keeping her voice low just to be in the safe side.

"I walked in on him having a meeting with two other men, and you know what I discovered? The troops were redirected to Thorn! He is effectively abandoning Ur to the Legion! He didn't even show any signs of remorse for leaving the innocents to whatever fate awaits them." Claudia reported in an angry tone as she clenched her fist, her words making Celestine gasp in horror.

"No... those poor people..." The blonde Elf spoke with tears brimming in her eyes, her heart breaking at this news. All those people were waiting for aid, which will never come. They would die, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Let us hope and pray that the Legion's General, the Forgemaster, will show mercy." The High Elf spoke to herself, but her bodyguard still nodded in agreement.

"There is something else. It was an accidental slip, but my Father-in-law revealed that he was aware of our investigation about the missing children. His associate, one Lord Mandeville claimed that my husband informed them, but I think that was a lie." Claudia added as she adopted a thinking pose.

"What?! But... that can only mean... it can only mean that Graves and his associates are involved in this. I just don't understand... Graves previously served as my bodyguard before you and served with distinction. He already has substantial wealth, power, connections... so what does he get out of being involved with trafficking children? It doesn't make sense." Celestine mused with her bodyguard gritting her teeth since she held no answers of her own.

"I agree. I pray that I am over-thinking things, but my gut tells me that something is amiss. I intend to follow-up on that front momentarily. What about you? Did you learn anything?" The Valkyrie asked as she crossed her arms under her bosom.

The Clairvoyant Elf then stated with a thoughtful expression "I poked at Bishop El a little bit. I do not think she is wholly aware of the situation, merely an innocent cog in the machine, unaware of the bigger picture. However, she did reveal to me that the children in her care have strong affinities for magic. Why this information was withheld from me, I do not yet know... but I do have a theory.

The other children in the care of various Bishops likely also possess the gift of magic. If we test them, I am sure it'll be confirmed. Now, if the Non-Human children are automatically sold into slavery, and the Children marked with Green Crucifixes can use magic... then perhaps the ones who do NOT possess the ability to use magic are marked with the Red X's."

"So they're being rejected? What becomes of them then?" Claudia wondered aloud as she tilted her head in curiosity. The implications were becoming increasingly disturbing.

"I do not know, but we must find out, and soon." The High Elf responded with a frown. The more they learned about this conspiracy, the darker and deeper it went.

"I taught you a great many things Claudia, though I suppose initiative is one thing that can't be taught. Then again you were always one for rules and protocol." A familiar and masculine voice cut in

The two women turned and were met by the form of Graves himself who was glaring at them with steely eyes. The Invincible Valkyrie stood between her father-in-law and the Clairvoyant Elf, her protective instincts kicking in as she felt her stomach tie itself into knots over and over. "Explain yourself. I want answers." Claudia spoke as she placed a hand on the hilt of her blade.

"You want answers?" The aged warrior asked with a raised eyebrow, a somewhat smug smirk appearing on his face as he crossed his arms.

"I want the truth!" The Valkyrie demanded angrily, her fury rising as she felt blood rushing to her cheeks with her growing rage.

"You can't handle the truth! We have been locked in an endless loop of war against the Legion for centuries! It was never meant to go on for this long! None of this was!" Graves spit back, his voice filled with spite and disdain.

"Never meant to? 'This'? What in the hell are you talking about?" Claudia asked with a raised eyebrow, confused by her father-in-law's words.

He simply shook his head as he spoke in a distracted manner, as if he were musing to himself "Oh Claudia. I wanted to tell you everything, but your code of honor and loyalty to that Elven wench made it difficult to bring up. I had hoped to hold off on things for a while longer, but between the Legion closing in, your investigation, and that little slip of mine earlier… I am now forced to take more extreme measures."

Before either of the women could ask what he meant, they heard the sounds of clanging metal and pained cries, prompting the Dawn Maiden Guards that were within Bishop El's cell to emerge, their weapons drawn for battle. "What have you done?" Celestine asked as her face paled, realizing that her former bodyguard, Graves was now making his move.

"My new associate Shamuhaza is quite a gifted user of magic, but his real specialty is breeding magically infused insects that can be quite lethal. By now your fellow Dawn Maidens are being introduced to some highly venomous stingers, both painful and lethal. Surrender now, and the cure shall be administered to your sisters-in-arms." Graves stated as he snapped his fingers, prompting a contingent of Levantine soldiers to appear from their hiding places in the unseen corners of the prison hallways.

"Levantine Soldiers! Have you gone mad? You are assisting in a coup against Celestine-sama, the carnation of The Goddess herself! You should point your blades at the traitor Graves, not us!" Claudia shouted as she tried to reason with the troops, many of which she recognized and knew personally. The soldiers simply braced themselves and gave no response or acknowledgement to her words.

"It is not too late Claudia. You can still join me. Merely stand aside and I'll take things from there." Graves offered with a fatherly smile directed towards his daughter-in-law… however his eyes were filled with nothing but darkness and ill intentions.

For a brief moment, Claudia recalled being introduced to the man who would be her father-in-law. How he had been so welcoming to her when she joined with her husband in marriage and how Graves personally trained her and bonded with her. Now… she couldn't help but wonder how much of that was real and how much of it was but an act. Did she ever truly know the man called 'Graves Levantine'?

Regardless of her feelings or thoughts on the matter, there was one clear thing. As a knight, her duty was clear. To protect the innocent, smite the wicked, and protect her charge. "For the Goddess and for Eos!" She bellowed out with a battle cry, swinging her mighty greatsword with all the fury of a Hurricane as she tore clean through a swath of traitorous soldiers with her sisters-in-arms joining the fray.

"Run Celestine-sama! Save yourself!" The Invincible Valkyrie cried out, prompting the High Elf to quickly turn on her heel and run. The Clairvoyant Elf did not wish to leave her friend behind, but she knew that her presence would only hinder her faithful bodyguard. Also… she had another duty.

The people needed to know, they needed to be warned about Graves trying to seize power. If the people were not warned then her former bodyguard and his colleagues would be free to tell any lie they wished to placate the people and manipulate them. The blonde Elf ran as quickly as she could, unfortunately it was rare for her to ever visit the dungeons. So much so that she could count the number of times that she came here on a single hand, and always with a guide.

She found herself running and turning down random hallways, trying to find an exit but was hopelessly lost. The dungeons were far more vast than she first realized and time was running out. She stopped to try and find a marker, a sign, something to help point the way… but froze up as she heard the sounds of metallic footsteps echoing through the halls and were fast approaching.

She looked around once again for a sign but saw nothing, and with each passing second, the sounds of soldiers were getting closer and closer. Any moment now she would be surrounded. Her nostrils then caught the scent of a foul and noxious odor, making her cringe in disgust as she took notice of a grate, if the smell was anything to go by, this grate was most likely connected to the sewers.

She grimaced, not liking the idea of wading through all the filth and muck, but the fate of the people was far more important than her own comfort. She had to protect them. That was her duty. No matter the cost, she must save and protect the people!

Celestine was not a warrior, nor was she trained in combat… but she wasn't completely helpless. Magic was part of her very being, as one may expect from an Elf, especially a High Elf. While she heavily focused on the healing arts to ease the suffering of the sick and injured, she did know at least one spell that could save her in a pinch.

She concentrated her magical energy to her fingertip and created an orb made up of a golden light and fired it at the grate, blasting it to pieces, and allowing her entry to the sewers. "There! It has to be her! Capture Celestine! Don't let her escape!" Called out the voice of a soldier, prompting the High Elf to take a deep breath, hold her nose and then leap down into the hole.

She landed with a wet splat, her senses immediately overwhelmed as the foul stance assaulted her nose by a hundred fold. She couldn't contain the urge to vomit and ended up puking into her own mouth which she kept clamped shut so that she wouldn't ingest any of the sewage filth by accident. She swallowed back the vomit and vile, feeling sick but undeterred as she waded through the waste as fast as her legs would allow.

Her ears perked up as she heard the sounds of more wet splat, signaling that some soldiers had the stomach to follow her directly into the sewers just as well. She did not dare look back as she doubled her efforts and continued on ever faster so that she may avoid capture.

She did not know where she was going, but it gave her a much better chance to escape than risking her neck in the prison halls. She rounded a corner and was met by the sight of sunlight glaring through an open manhole. What luck! A way out! The High Elf hurried over to it, her ears catching a grinding sound as the light slowly faded. The manhole was being closed!

Celestine leapt forward and shouted, finally opening her mouth as she called out desperately "Don't close it! Don't close the manhole! Help! Help!" The grinding noise came to a halt as she heard confused voices speaking through the opening.

"Huh? You hear that?"

"Sounded like a woman."

"Is someone trapped down there?"

These were but some of the voices that she heard overhead as she threw herself onto rusted metal bars that made up the ladder that ascended to the surface. "I'm here! Don't close it yet!" She called out as she scrambled upwards until she finally emerged from the sewers and felt the sun once again on her body.

She panted tiredly, cursing her lack of stamina as she tried to get her second wind. The nearby people could only gape at the sight of her, stunned and confused as to what was going on. For a few moments, nobody recognized her due to filth that clung to her body with someone asking "Who is that woman?"

"Wait a second, she's an elf!" Another Civilian called out, pointing at the distinctively long and pointed ears that identified her race. Upon realizing her elven status, the gathered townsfolk took a closer look at her face which was largely unblemished by sewage. It was a face they had seen countless times over the course of their lives. A face that could be seen depicted on posters, paintings, pictures from religious texts, and from the many, many statues that were carved into her likeness.

"By the goddess! It's Celestine-sama!" A random Civilian cried out in shock with many others doing a double take to make sure that their eyes were not playing tricks on them. Collectively, after recovering from the initial shock, they all wondered aloud why their beloved ruler and leader of the Church had emerged from a sewer of all places.

Before they could ask the High Elf directly, she blurted out "Listen to me! All of you! Graves Levantine is seizing power! He seeks to supplant me! Spread word to any who will listen! Do not trust Graves or the Church!" Her words stunned the surrounding people into a state of shock once more as their minds were briefly unable to comprehend this news.

Even in retirement, he was a famed warrior and a well-known figure who had been a fierce defender against the Legion and a powerful bodyguard for Celestine. What was happening? Why had he betrayed her? Before they could question the blonde Elf, a hang suddenly shot out of the still open manhole, roughly grabbing her by the leg. Celestine cried out and tried to tear her leg away, the slippery muck allowing her to free herself with ease, but resulted in her falling forward and landing hard on the ground upon losing her balance.

Within seconds, soldiers began pouring out from the manhole, drawing their blades as they proceeded to encircle the High Elf as she tried to scramble to her feet, but the sewage stuck to her legs and feet prevented her from gaining any traction and made repeatedly slip. One soldier threw himself on top of her, pinning her to the ground and forcing her arms behind her back as another brought out a pair of shackles.

The onlookers could only gape at the sight, for a moment, they all believed that what they were experiencing was nothing more than a fevered dream. "Help! Please! Don't let them take me!" The Clairvoyant Elf cried out with tears brimming in her eyes, prompting her captor to cuff her on the head with his gauntlet to silence her, making her yell in pain from the blow.

This snapped the Civilians from their stupor, their collective confusion quickly changing to rage. For many years, for as long as they had known her, Celestine, their benevolent guide and ruler had done her utmost best to protect them. She treated people from all walks of life equally, listened to the people's woes and did all she could to comfort them, heal them, and ease their pain.

To see her harmed like this, to hear her call for help… it lit a fire in their hearts that burned with a deep and righteous fury. Several members of the common folk lunged forward and threw themselves at the troops that were attempting to capture the beloved protector and guide. They used their own bodies to dog pile the soldiers, giving her the chance she needed to regain her footing and sprint off with all the speed she could muster, the sounds of blows landing and angry shouting being heard as she made a hasty retreat.

She had to escape, she had to get away, her own home was no longer safe for her. Graves and the Church would continue to hunt her down. Where would she go then? If she sought refuge amongst the other Princess Knights, then they too would become a target, if they weren't already being targeted. There was also the possibility that the soldiers of the Church and Levantine family would set up checkpoints on the roads for her to the other Fortresses as well if she sought help.

In one fell swoop, most of her allies had turned against her, and her most faithful friends and followers were either captured or dead, and those that still remained within the other fortresses may also be under threat.

Both Prim and Alicia were in the clutches of the Legion. Maia was in Ansur with her mercenaries and Kaguya was in Thorn with her followers, but both of which were accompanied by Church Soldiers. Would her presence endanger them? Ruu-Ruu was running all the way back to the Second Fortress so that she may join the battle.

Where was she to go then? What was she to do? She couldn't stay in the Seventh Fortress. Of all the times that she wished that she was able to peer into the future, this was perhaps the most important moment. For now, she had to focus on getting out of Geofu as quickly as possible.

She turned down a street and saw a stable filled with many fine horses. The elven goddess ducked inside and grabbed a saddle, almost throwing it on the back of one of the horses as she fumbled with the various straps since she had never saddled her own horse before.

The High Elf muttered to herself, trying to follow the steps as she had observed whenever another had saddled her mount for her. Fortunately, the horse was quite compliant and allowed her to perform whatever tasks she needed. Once she was finished, she ripped off one of her golden bracelets as payment for the horse and saddle and then hopped on the horse's back, quickly snapping the reins as she rode through the streets.

If she moved swiftly enough, she might be able to slip through the Fortress gates before they shut her inside. She then remembered that reinforcements were being sent to the Third Fortress, Kaguya's base of operations. Were those extra troops really meant to safeguard Thorn against the Legion? Or were they also part of the coup?

Many members of the Church questioned the wisdom of being allied with a Foreigner from the east, and many more found the priestess' worship of some unknown and archaic god to be heretical and blasphemous. Celestine herself believed that everyone should be free to practice or not practice their own beliefs and had readily accepted the Shrine Maiden's aid against the Legion… but now? With Graves performing a coup, Kaguya may yet be in just as much danger if not more than the elven goddess herself.

This thought gave rise to yet another idea… that Graves was the one behind poisoning her. No doubt if she had perished from that assassination attempt, he would have blamed the Dark Queen Olga for her death and taken complete control, but Kaguya's timely interference had derailed that plot. If that was the case, was her former bodyguard also responsible for the loss of her clairvoyance?

If and when the Legion conquered the Second Fortress, they would then move onto Thorn, and between the Legion armies and Church soldiers, Kaguya would be trapped! She had to get to her friend and warn her of the coming danger! "Please let me reach her in time!" The blonde goddess whispered as she snapped the horse's reins, urging her mount to gallop harder and faster, zipping past a checkpoint of confused guards who barely had time to register what had happened.

Fortunately, they didn't seem to pursue her, giving her the chance to continue riding clear out of Geofu and onto the open plains of Eos. She would need to hurry if she was to reach her destination before it was too late. She could only hope and pray that the priestess of the east would be able to hold out.

Meanwhile. Ur, the Second Fortress.

Things were not going well, not going well at all. Leona frowned deeply as the Civilian populace of Ur refused to budge, vehemently rejecting the Hannya's offer of safe passage out of the Fortress. Many argued that it was nothing more than a ploy to draw out potential victims so that they would be slaughtered by the Legion and be transformed into puppets by the Forge Master to add to his already massive army.

She supposed that she couldn't blame them for thinking that. If the enemy general got it in his head to go back on his word, there would be nothing anyone could do to stop them from tearing into the helpless victims. Additionally, Lord Fiorire had taken ill, with many believing that he had been poisoned which prompted the populace to dig their heels in even further. Though in truth, the lord had become sick from excessive drinking of undiluted wine and was suffering from a terrible fever.

As such, she was now the sole authority figure within the Fortress, and everyone was looking to her for guidance. With the populace refusing to leave, there was nowhere for them to go but deeper into the Fortress itself. She advised people to take shelter within the city center or in whatever basements they could find and barricade themselves inside. The people were quick to take this advice as the city center was not only where the wealthy lived but it was also the most secure area in Ur. It would be a tight squeeze, but at least they would have a place to hide, at least till the fighting was over.

Should things go downhill, which they most likely would, she could only hope that the enemy general would show mercy to the small folk. As of yet, the Legion army hadn't yet made any movements or sights of attack. What could they be waiting for? She supposed that it didn't matter, she and her men needed to be ready since the enemy could strike at any moment, and when they did, they would come at them like a great and terrible tsunami with the sole purpose of wiping away all traces of resistance.

This could well be the last stand of Leona and the Hakuro company, though regardless of the outcome… she was certain that she and her troops would forever go down in history.

Meanwhile, Naruto's tent.

The Hannya hummed quietly to himself as he peeked through the entrance to his private tent. The civilians of Ur had yet to leave and accept his offer of safe passage. Most likely they were too afraid to leave the strong and almost unbreachable walls of the second Fortress. If they chose to stay, then he would have to order his troops to take great care in avoiding killing Civilians. It would have been better if they had evacuated, but he supposed that he should have seen this coming.

He sipped at a goblet of wine and heard the sounds of grunting, making him look and see the sight of the gentle princess Prim hefting a spear, awkwardly striking at a currently immobile practice dummy in the training area. The blonde raised an eyebrow and approached with an easy smile "Wasn't expecting you to take up arms." He spoke as he took another sip of wine.

His words made the pinkette tense up for a brief moment before relaxing and turning towards her host as she explained "Ah. Yes. My apologies if I disturbed you. It does seem a little… out of left field, yes? Well, you and Alicia-chan are both so strong and amazing. I want to do my best to support you as well, and I also want to show that I'm not completely helpless either. I want to learn to fight too, if only so that I may know how to protect myself and others."

"That's not a bad thing. Wanting to learn to fight to protect those you love. Don't mean any offense, but you're not a soldier. You're not meant to fight like someone on the frontlines." The whiskered teen pointed out, his words making the kindly princess deflate a bit as she set the spear down on the racks with a somewhat dejected sigh. He was right. She wasn't a fighter.

The whiskered teen then plucked a rapier from the weapon racks and offered it to her hilt first as he then added "First things first, finding a weapon that suits you. I think you need something more lightweight and elegant." At this, the pink haired princess quickly perked up and accepted the blade, already noticing a difference as she gave it a few practice swings, noting how light it was in her hand and that it was a much more comfortable fit.

"Ah. This is a lot better. Though I have to admit… I'm kind of afraid. I've never fought anyone in my whole life." She stated with a small frown, which prompted a small chuckle from the Forge Master.

"You were brave when you challenged me to our duel, even in the face of being poisoned you continued on till the last cup. Also, fear can be good. It keeps you alert and wary, just don't let it paralyze you at a crucial moment. Those who cannot feel fear at all tend to be much more careless and less cautious and will make many more mistakes." He spoke as he assisted her in adopting an appropriate stance with her blade, his hands gently caressing her soft skin with featherlight touches that made her shiver pleasurably.

"You're right but… I'm afraid I don't know the proper forms." She muttered a little nervously, blushing a bit as the whiskered teen lavished her with attention as he helped her posture, the warmth of his breath on her neck making her shudder a bit in delight.

"Don't expect to learn everything there is to know so quickly. Warriors like myself and Alicia spend many months and even years honing and perfecting our craft. At any rate, you learned to dance, yes? In a way, fighting isn't so different. You learn the steps, learn the forms, and learn to anticipate your opponent's movements. When to step back, when to step forward, when to strike." He spoke to her in a gentle lecturing voice.

"When… to… strike." She muttered, feeling a tad hot under the collar as she subconsciously pressed her body against him, feeling his hardened and toned form against her soft and delicate physique. Goddess, she felt quite tempted to try and seduce him, but refrained from doing so as she didn't wish to distract him too much before the coming battle.

"What brought this on, if you don't mind my asking?" He asked as he broke away from her, making her feel a twinge of disappointment at the loss of his touch. She set the rapier down and let out a small sigh as she brushed aside some of her silky pink hair.

"I suppose I have been thinking lately. Maybe too much. I thought about what may have happened if you hadn't stopped Vult. If he had his way, all the women of Eos would be sexual slaves. I shudder to imagine what he would have done to me, my friends, and to Alicia. It also reminded me that we spent so long fighting against the monsters of the Legion that we forgot that humans can hold things even darker within their hearts than the destructive urges of Monsterkind." She explained, earning a nod from the whiskered teen.

"I've been thinking too. You probably already noticed, but Ur isn't evacuating. It would seem that the populace are choosing to buckle down and weather the storm, no doubt hoping that they can hold out long enough for help to come." He stated as he picked up a kunai and deftly balanced it on his fingertip.

"You gave them a chance to leave, it is not your fault that they chose to ignore your offer. Still, I agree that it is concerning. We could move on, go to the next fortress, must we really conquer Ur?" Prim asked since she wanted to avoid any potential bloodshed, the Second Fortress had a rather paltry force that was of no real threat to Naruto's army. Was it really necessary to take it?

"Tempting idea, I don't like the idea of storming it any more than you do, but it is a necessary evil. Ur produces a large majority of food due to its rich and fertile farmlands that are used to raise cattle and poultry and for growing fruits and veggies. If we control the production of food, we can rob the Church of vital supplies which should help end this war even faster.

Also, it should be worth mentioning that if the Church were to implant their army within Ur, it'd be extremely difficult to defeat them given the powerful fortifications there. No. We have to take it for ourselves. We can't let the Church have it." Naruto responded with a heavy sigh as he threw his Kunai with a flick of his wrist, sending the projectile directly into the face of the practice dummy, right between where the eyes should be.

"This isn't going to get easier, is it?" She asked him with her shoulders drooping sadly, with the whiskered teen nodding in reluctant agreement.

"Some days may be easier than others, but this will be a hard one. No doubt about it." The Hannya replied with a sigh while rubbing his temples. The pinkette approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her head rest in the crook of his neck as he tenderly rubbed the small of her back to offer her some form of comfort, no matter how small it was.

Many lives would be lost and have been lost over the course of this war. Guilty and innocent alike. He hoped to mitigate the deaths of the innocents when he took charge of the war, but it seemed that the defenders of Ur would most likely die if they didn't surrender. Was he at fault here? Or was the church? Perhaps both?

The only thing that he knew was that he had to take this Fortress. Before he officially called the attack, he would offer the people of Ur a last chance to surrender. He could only hope that they would take it. "I don't know if they'll accept, but I sincerely hope that they surrender tomorrow." He spoke aloud, with the pink haired princess nodding in agreement as she pecked his cheek with a chaste kiss.

"I hope so too. You are a kind person and I am truly glad to have met you. In many ways, with or without intent, you saved my life and Alicia's. Perhaps many more when you felled Vult and his Kuroinu. Once this war is over, I hope the people of Eos may at last enjoy some peace." She muttered with a sweet smile, earning an approving nod from the whiskered Hannya.

This would be a pivotal battle, both for Eos and for Naruto himself. It may be a vain hope, but he still wished to resolve this peacefully. While he may be a warrior by nature, he had no intention to spend his entire existence fighting battle after battle, war after war. He hoped that someday in the future, when his work was done, he may enjoy quieter and more peaceful days with his family and loved ones.

Still, such a time was likely a long ways off… though it wouldn't stop him from enjoying overcoming the challenges that await and smiting the evils that hid within the darkness of the world. Even now he could sense that something had changed, he tried to perceive the future but something was blocking his own clairvoyance.

It didn't feel like anyone was deliberately trying to block his sight, more likely the web of fate and the world itself was in a major upheaval at this moment, which prevented him from seeing the truth with clarity. No matter. Clairvoyance had certain advantages to be sure, but it wasn't a power that should be relied on too much. With or without the sight, the future was still his to shape and mold to his will and the will of his beloved mother. It would soon be time to take Ur, if the gates didn't open for him peacefully, then he would have no choice but to smash them down.

Meanwhile. With Celestine.

The Elf Goddess rode long and hard, her steed galloping across grassy plains as it huffed and puffed from exertion. The High Elf didn't know for how long she had ridden, or how much ground she had covered, fortunately the Seventh Fortress had long since disappeared out of sight. She refused to take the main roads for fear of meeting troops who may have allegiance to Graves and would try to arrest her and drag her back to her own Fortress to be tossed into a dungeon.

She slowed her horse down until it came to a stop at a river, intending to let her mount rest, drink some water and graze before moving on. She had already run the poor thing ragged in her fear and panic and didn't wish to cause it any suffering. "I am sorry dear friend. I didn't mean to treat you so harshly. Thank you for carrying me all this way. Once we get to Thorn, I will ensure you shall have all the food you could desire." She spoke soothingly as she stroked the horse's mane.

Her faithful steed seemed to whinny in acknowledgment, as if it understood her words as she dismounted and then guided it to the water so that it may drink. The horse greedily drank up the water for a long while until it had its feel. She then took the horse and tied it to a tree that had a lot of long grass growing around it so that it wouldn't accidentally wander away from her while grazing.

She then removed her filthy clothes and jewelry, setting them into a neat pile as she quickly took a dip in the river to wash off all the muck that clung to her body, which had since dried off and clung to her skin, making her cringe in disgust. She had already felt ill from her earlier poisoning, she didn't wish to test her Elven constitution against sewage filth, that was for certain.

She dived beneath the water several times, effectively 'dunking' herself as she tried to get the sewage off her hair since some dried pieces stubbornly clung to her golden locks. The water was a little chilly, but not unpleasantly so as she continued to bathe. Her ears then perked up on hearing soft footsteps approaching… and then she heard something zip past her, revealing an arrow had become embedded in the nearby riverbank she was facing as a warning shot.

She raised her hands in surrender, wondering if she had been found by Church soldiers who were looking or perhaps bandits that were drawn by her golden jewelry and accessories. "Please! Don't shoot! I'm unarmed! I'm no threat to you! If it is gold you want, take it! Just leave the horse. I need it." She pleaded, hoping that her attacker may be of a reasonable disposition.

She slowly turned around… and was met by the form of a woman who was holding a bow and arrow in her hands. The woman in question had short blonde hair, blue eyes, slightly tanned skin… and pointed ears?! "Wait! An elf?! You're a High Elf like me, are you not?!" Celestine asked in surprise, she hadn't seen one of her own kind in… well… she couldn't remember how long it had been since she had been in the company of another High Elf, and Elves often had very good memories.

The unknown woman quickly lowered her bow, her eyes widening upon seeing Celestine's pointed ears as well. "You! You are the goddess Celestine, correct? What in the world are you doing out here?! Ah! Please forgive me! I did not know you were an elf, much less the goddess herself! Word has spread of a horse thief and your steed matched the description of the stolen horse, and I saw the pile of valuables by the river which made me believe you were the thief in question. Please forgive me for my transgression! I acted in haste!"

The Elven huntress quickly dropped to her knees and bowed till her head touched the ground. Celestine smiled warmly as she emerged from the river waters, still naked as the day she was born and finally cleansed as she elegantly walked towards her fellow elf with a serene and gentle expression on her face "Still your heart my kin. I understand that there were no ill intentions meant. Please, stand."

The huntress stood to her full height and then gave a respectful bow while placing one hand to her chest "My name is Anna Florence. I am the guardian of this area and the nearby forest. Forgive my rudeness… but what are you doing away from your fortress Geofu? Why are you alone? Should you not be escorted by your guards?" The now identified Anna asked in confusion.

"I'm afraid that the situation is complicated. I was left with no choice but to flee my own home and Fortress. My former bodyguard Graves Levantine has staged a coup to seize power. He is involved with a massive conspiracy with the church and has been manipulating and selling children. My guards, Claudia and the Dawn Maidens sacrificed themselves so that I may escape. I only got away by getting through the sewers and taking that horse. I left behind some gold as payment, but maybe it was missed or taken by someone else. I did not have time to explain myself to the owner." Celestine explained, her tale making Anna's eyes widen in shock.

"What?! A coup?! I heard that there was a huge commotion in Geofu. The Church was also offering a huge bounty for information of the stolen horse but gave no details about the apparent 'thief'. Now I can see why. They didn't want the horse back, they just wanted information on it so they could find its rider… You. Still, I don't get it. I had heard that Graves was a man of honor, a tough but fair warrior." The Elven guardian mused with a sneer as she twirled her bow in her hands.

"I thought so too. If Graves was hiding his true nature, he did it well for many years. Perhaps we spent so long fighting the monsters that we could see, we didn't think to be wary of the ones that aren't as noticeable. Nevertheless, I fear that the priestess Kaguya may be in danger. She has never been well liked by the Church and they may seek to harm her. I must get to Thorn with all haste." The elven goddess explained, earning a nod from Anna.

"Allow me to assist you then. I know these plains and forests like the back of my hand. I can get you to Thorn much more swiftly. As a Guardian of the forest and as a fellow High Elf, I pledge to see you to safety and protect you from danger." Anna promised with a determined expression.

"I thank you and welcome your assistance. Once we reach Thorn, if there is any boon within my power to grant you, it shall be yours." Celestine promised, happy to have some much needed assistance, especially from a fellow elf.

"Come. I have a hut nearby I set up for emergencies where we can prepare for our journey. We should start by getting you some clothes that will help disguise you, at least for a little while… and so you don't have to walk around completely naked." Anna stated, pointing at the ruined clothes of the elven goddess who nodded in agreement.

Every second counted, and they didn't have the time to waste to wash her garments. They quickly gathered up the gold jewelry and scrubbed them a bit since gold often talked and still had uses throughout Eos before departing. They both mounted the horse together and began to ride towards Anna's hut. All the while, the Clairvoyant Elf hoped and prayed that her friends and the people of Eos would be safe from harm… for now Eos faced darkness from both within and without.

Chapter Ten. End.