Chapter 33: War Games at Greenhill
Hours later as everyone is asleep, Seed couldn't sleep because of the incident in Tinto as well as his romantic feelings for Lene. He couldn't forget that night when they made love for each other for the first time as he thought.
The old man seems pretty know about my relationship with Lene. It reminds me as how Culgan and I we speak when we were promoted after our Solon got executed directly in Luca Blight's orders. We always talked about in how to get free from Luca's tyranny not until Lord Jowy came around who rejoined the Highland Army after he had killed the Mayor of Muse, Anabelle. I was excited that we take an offensive back then.
Suddenly, a man passes by who is able to snoop around the Palace as he raises his brow and became suspicious about it.
"That guy in cloak. I recognized that face..."
The man removes his cloak revealed to be Elric, who was sent to assassinate the Ashitare Family but it turns out that he carry out his vendetta against Sean as he infiltrate the entire palace. He wields one of his swords to strike him down. As he opens the door, it was empty. Until Sean was on the back side of the door and knowing of his plan, he immediately attacks him. Both had a brawl and seeing his weapon, he kicks him down.
"Damn you, Rockwell. How did you know I would be here?"
"And what brings you here, Elric. Trying to assassinate me first or maybe the entire Ashitares." Sean said exposing Elric's mission causing him to attack him with his dual swords only for Sean to block with his Tokkosho and both men clashed their weapons.
Sean manages to overpower Elric by knocking him through the wall and both continues to clash their weapons. Without warning, flames are on the ground and Elric immediately dodges the magic and Sean noticed it was the Dancing Flames fire spell.
"Who casted that fireball upon me?"
"What matters that I'm having a pest control by burning those vermins like you are into a crisp!?" Seed arrives who is revealed to cast Dancing Flames on Elric. "Instead you kill Lene, you attempted to hit mockingbird first. I had nothing to do with your rivalry whatsover, you do not belong here!"
Elric knows the two men are clever enough to see his plan as both Damian and Agatha arrive to Sean's aid.
"Sean, are you okay?"
"It's all right, Damian... Elric plans to assassinate me. I already saw his actual tactic." Sean said as he glares on Elric. "I think it's best if you and I face to face. I know for sure that you and your cronies are still there in Greenhill on the enemy's grasp. Now I caught you red-handed, Elric. I can see right through your face."
Elric had no other choice but to retreat immediately as Sean's Tokkosho soon detaches back into a handler and keeps into his pocket and he thanked Seed for the assist.
"Thanks for the help, red head. I would expect you were still awake."
"I couldn't sleep much lately after the incident, mockingbird." Seed smiled in arrogance and he supports him. "If you see that moron Elric again, you'd better knock him dead."
Therefore, his Flowing Rune glows unexpectedly in Seed's right hand which surprises the group.
"Uh, red head... how come your Rune glows brightly?"
"I don't know... The Runes that I carry are just babies from the Elemental True Runes. Is it because of Lene's Rune?" Seed answered and seeing that the Divine Dagger Rune was connected to the Flowing Rune due to their intense love with one another.
The next morning at the cafeteria terrace, Lene is eating pancakes for breakfast as she noticed Seed is eating a sandwich filled with ham and egg and seeing how active he is. He goes to see her after a botch assassination plan.
"You're up today, Seed."
"You need to know this, Lene." Seed said as he finally tells her about the assassination attempt. "Elric had showed up to assassinate you and your father. Instead, he attempts to assassinate mockingbird first."
"Are you saying that Sean was about to get assassinated?" Lene said shockingly as Seed tells her.
"He is but Sean had easily found his motives which resulted in a botch. Dang, we already cornered him right until he escaped."
"Sounds like the connection between you two is about to begin with." Asher arrives to see them and Seed faces him.
"What is it, old man? You always butt in our conversation!" Seed reacted angrily over Asher's presence which Lene knows something.
"What brings you here, Professor Asher?"
"The incarnation True Rune of yours is connected to any bearers of the Elemental True Runes and this might be the reason why Seed's Flowing Rune was glowing brightly last night because of another bearer of the True Rune would be passing by." Asher answered Lene's question.
"Another True Rune bearer... what's that supposed to mean?" Seed wondered until a woman in silvery-white hair passing through and it is revealed to be Chris Lightfellow and like her late father Wyatt Lightfellow the previous wielder of the True Water Rune, she changes her name into Clary and Geddoe had recognized her when she arrived at the Higheast Palace and it was the same night when Elric had a botch assassination on Sean.
Flashback:
"Chris... I'd never expect to see you again. Like old times..."
"Shhh... don't say it, Geddoe. I've never seen this is the modern monarchy within Dunan. I travelled through the Grasslands and to see the entire Dunan after the whole province has been unified to defeat the entire Highland nation from their kingdom."
"It's just like your father, Wyatt who became Jimba at the Karaya Clan under a disguise. But why are you here?"
"My True Water Rune has resonated from this certain True Rune and one of the elemental Runes involving water might be connected with mine. The incarnation True Rune looks strong like the Star Dragon Sword did." Chris said telling him.
"The princess of this castle bears the incarnation of the Rune of the Beginning, Chris." Geddoe said as Chris' True Water Rune has glowed brightly which is the same as Seed's.
"If my True Rune glows like this. That would mean, the princess of this castle is in great danger. Because she bears the incarnation True Rune. I believe that an enemy was there to kill her and her royal family."
"So you came here to make an audience with the King."
"Yes."
Flashback over:
Chris looked on to see all three of them and became familiar over Seed's presence as she thought.
I thought this man is already long deceased. But how did he get here in this timeline?
At the main hall, Lars finally tells them that Lauren had sent them 7000 soldiers to make things evenly match with the army of the Silveria Kingdom and the first thing to do is to liberate Greenhill.
"We finally prepared to liberate Greenhill and I let Tougou to divide our forces in half and two people are gonna lead in each sides of the group."
"Clemont, Sean and Damian will go to the border between Muse and Greenhill to slow the enemy forces down which were come from Muse while Seed, Agatha and Ruric will liberate Greenhill while the princess is assisting Rena in order to put her back into her place. I will be communicating between the two armies. You better be ready, your highness."
"Guess that I need to act like a bodyguard between these two ladies." Seed arrogantly smirks only for Sean to remark.
"Don't be stupid, red head. A mission is a mission, you need to be serious not to boast over your overgrown swordsmanship."
"Stop it, mockingbird. My swordmanship has finesse. You also need to act serious too in a fight." Seed replies in annoyance.
At the Muse-Greenhill border, Clemont is prepared to battle in both offensive and defensive fight in the war. Both Sean and Damian are ready to battle and to their surprise Servine and Cara arrive to assist them.
"There's nothing to worry both of you. We're here to help beat them down."
"How come you were with Cara?"
"She wants to see how a real war battle looks like." Servine said and tells him. "But don't worry, my ancestor who is the bearer of the True Earth Rune will be arriving shortly in Greenhill to help the princess.
With that, the armies of both Ross and Elric arrive to confront Sean's group and both also let Elric's group to take a separate turn before giving a signal. Sean also senses what they're doing.
"Seems like one rabble guy and his army is about to fight. I guess it's all up to you."
With this, Damian and Servine's army are gonna attack first within all of Ross' army in which they are buying some time for the others. At Greenhill, Seed, Lene, and Agatha are ready against Craig, Darius and Yuber and Asher prepares a multitude of ballistas to strike on every enemy's unit.
"All right, Yuber... let's settle this one more time!" Seed said wanted to battle Yuber as Geddoe shuts him off.
"No need to face him. I'm sure he's gonna take on all of us."
"Don't tell me that you had fought Yuber on your time?" Seed asked which Geddoe reveals it.
"Yes, to retrieve my True Lightning Rune when Luc has stolen from us. If you fought Yuber head on, he is a swordsman like we do. But I fought him when he wielded two swords."
"Two swords? I've seen him he can wield one. But it was the first time to see him duel wielding." Seed said with a surprise look on his face.
Most of the armies are trying to take on defensive as the group manages to get through and they finally attack them on offensive. As everyone takes on two units, Seed's unit is about to battle against Yuber's unit which he had thought of this of how he has gotten stronger over the years.
At my time, I was just one-inch away from him in terms of taking on offensive and just being equal in defense. I want to know how strong Yuber is when he gets recruited by anyone over the years. Damn it, me and Culgan got ourselves killed by Lord Riou and his rabble mercenaries in a valor fight to defend our beloved country in the Highland Kingdom and I've never seen him getting so strong after he abandoned us in our last defense.
Both units take on offensive and they are equally match in terms of defense as neither of the armies are not falling down. Back at the border, both Servine and Damian took on most of Ross' unit as Ross finally gives Elric's unit a signal.
"All right, give Elric's unit a signal!"
"Understood!"
As soon as Elric's unit arrive, Sean's unit joining around within Servine and Damian's unit.
"All right, time to put them down!"
"Hey Elric... Maybe my unit would put your unit down so easily. Let's go!" Sean said remarking as they charge head on.
They take on an equal battle as Servine's unit manages to defeat Ross' unit completely despite how he is equal to the others.
"Damn... I was defeated. Everyone retreat!"
As the two units immediately retreat and Servine sensed something was not right at all. Knowing they had a plan.
"Hey, get back here!" Sean said as Servine blocks him.
"No need to chase them. I have a bad feeling that they have a plan. We need to warn the King about this."
"As long as Elric retreats, he still coward as ever." Damian remarked in a shrug and Sean knew their strategy to slow them down as he looked at Cara.
"Hey, Cara... now you see how we fight on the war. It would be very dangerous."
"I finally got it, but don't worry I have connections that I can give to the King, Inspector Rockwell." Cara said finally decided to find more soldiers to assist them on the war.
Back at Greenhill, both Seed and Yuber had their units being damaged and was exhausted after clashing their swords. Yuber wanted to finish him off by dual wielding both swords as Seed learns it from Geddoe in how to battle him. Without warning, Asher's ballistas finally activated and struck most of the remaining soldiers on Yuber's unit defeating him in the process.
"Your lucky that someone had helped you. I owe you nothing more but to see you fall, old comrade."
Yuber eventually disappears in the darkness and Seed was relieved that his life was saved again as Asher who now wields his shotgun on hand and his Lightning Rune glows brightly due to his inventions being activated.
"Thanks for the save, old man."
"I'm sure this demon would be inside of Greenhill. You have to go with the princess now." Asher said and Seed nods in agreement since he is Culgan's descendant.
"I want your help too, old man. I like your gadgetry being activated from the Rune you carry."
"Don't worry, I love to protect the princess as well as we need to put Rena back inside so that she can gather more of her soldiers to turn the tide." Asher said in a calm manner.
"All right, we're getting inside the city."
As one of the guards allow the group to get through the secret passage where they rescued Rena to escape from the passage of the forest. On the way to the cabin place, Geddoe finally tells Seed in how to defeat Yuber in an actual fight.
"Listen closely, young man. I know Yuber is a powerful swordsman as well as being the general for hire like you said to him that he's being a coward. He is also the bearer of the 27 True Runes."
"What!?"
"But that's impossible... how come he live a longer life like you do." Lene said which Geddoe tells her.
"Like I said to you, we're stuck in the purgatory of infinite life as we are the current bearers of the True Runes."
"No wonder why he was pursued by many people by escaping from teleportation." Seed said and realizing his true self as he was frustrated by this. "Damn, I never knew he was also a True Rune bearer like Lord Jowy is. Culgan and I think of him as a human like us to help in the war battles and not to know he is inhuman."
"Geddoe is telling the truth, Seed. It's been a long time since Luc had wiped out my entire unit in Harmonia when I was sided with you and the Highland Army."
Seed was horribly shocked to hear someone's voice and the person revealed to be Sasarai and Geddoe had knew that Servine had sent his ancestor to help them.
"Sasarai... you're different. The last time I saw you, you were so small and now you're in the same height as Lord Jowy." Seed said shockingly to his appearance and Sasarai smiled.
"So it is true that Lord Luca was perished and the bearer of one-half of the Rune of the Beginning takes the mantle as King of Highland. Just like Geddoe, I haven't aged because I'm the current bearer of the True Earth Rune. I heard that you and your war buddy have been perished to protect the Highland Kingdom at all costs. But it was all intergrated by the unified Dunan army. But now I've seen your face again, seems like you need a hand to protect the princess." Sasarai said as he knows about the entire incident of the Dunan Unification War as Lene, Rena, Agatha, Asher, Leroy, Geddoe looked on if Seed would accept Sasarai to join.
It was the reunion between the former comrades in the fallen Highland Kingdom and the liberation of Greenhill continues.