It was just morning after the night of the Emerald Bow. Eleana was supervising the knights for preparation as there was chorus everywhere. Eleana was cleansing her sword as her figure shined on it. She thought about that flash yesterday before the Emerald Bow appeared. She looked in the direction of Veer's group as she muttered, "It was definitely related to him… But such power…" She shivered.
She heard her knights discussing the Emerald Bow. One was saying, "Finally, the mergence of the bow! If the bow alone can be used it can defeat Breaven by itself… Haha." It seemed the appearance of a legendary lost thing had sparked hope in the hearts of men.
She paused suddenly as her thoughts went back to that book in the grand library. Veer had shown her that book. Her pupils constricted as she pondered, "Convergence of stars… Emerald Bow… Apocalypse…"
As she was absorbed in thought, she was called by her knights. She walked gracefully towards them as everyone seemed to have a profound sense of respect for her. Eleana could feel it — admiration, respect, and some even of lust.
She didn't care much as she addressed, "What is the issue?"
The Golden Knight Santek responded, "Lady, all tasks for preparation are complete."
Gurian said, "The automated bows and…" he paused and added, "Even that…"
Eleana listened to everyone and said, "Okay! Have the informers ready at the lookout tower. Don't they have a strange device that can look at many yojans' distance from here? Use that."
She made a gesture to let all leave except one.
She paused and said to him, "What information do we have about yesterday night? What happened to the two missions?"
He was looking at the ground and said nervously, "Lady, the group that went southwest… I have heard bits. It seems the Captain, Knight John, and Caria totally eliminated the secret base… that they encountered."
Eleana's mind went back to the commander's commands, which included that the two groups were just there to attack the Breaven soldiers from behind during the frontal war. So why was there already a secret base there? Did she know it?
Eleana's gaze sharpened as her silver hair shined in the gentle sunlight as she asked, "And…"
The knight became even more nervous as he muttered, "Actually… It seems something happened there… I just got the news several of our knights are missing… Knight Veer and Sythris are not talking to anyone… and most importantly, it seems that a very big fight occurred there…"
Eleana's eyes constricted as she said, "Explain."
The knight said in an awkward voice, "I am not too sure. An informant just came, and he went to the palace… Only this much I heard."
Eleana looked at him and dismissed him. She looked at the streets from the top, where common men and women were going about their daily duties. In the far distance, children were clearly happy, and many people seemed to be celebrating the appearance of the kingdom's legend.
She recalled the legend of the first Queen of Drudar, who used the Emerald Bow to shatter a white lotus the size of a kingdom. Her pupils constricted again as she remembered the White Lotus… Even Lythria had white lotuses she used in the fight against the Illusion Demon. Now that she noticed, at that time Veer was also dumbfounded that Lythria used that White Lotus attack. So did he know something?
She shook her head as she recalled Veer's events — the puppets, becoming unconscious, Noelle's obsession with him. Also, compared to before, it seemed Veer did not remember many things. What was going on?
As she pondered on many things, a small tap sounded on her shoulder. She looked back — it was the cheerful girl, Caria. When did she arrive? Why was she not able to sense her? Caria laughed, "Are you deducing why you didn't sense me?"
"Haha, it's because of a new skill… amazing, right?"
Eleana nodded as Caria explained in a bit serious voice, "You guys actually went to beat that Noelle without informing me and John…"
Eleana didn't say a word as Caria made a shoulder tackle and said, "Yesterday was really unexpected… There were a bunch of Breaven secret knights…"
She came close and whispered, "Our commander just explained that to our captain… which was different from the earlier orders… It seems there are some spies…"
Eleana was also thinking about that as she asked, "What about our commander?"
Caria nodded as she said, "She is unavailable actually! She went somewhere, probably…"
She looked in Veer's direction while saying that with a deep gaze.
Eleana said, "Veer with Sythris went there…"
Caria laughed as she said, "What, are you jealous they are spending time together?"
Eleana shook her head and tried to explain, but at that time, a number of observers were running towards them.
Eleana stood up as she asked them, "Why are you guys in such a hurry?"
They told in unison, "Breaven is coming… but that is not the main issue, ma'am… but what is coming…"
Each of them handed a paper that had some scene inscribed on it. It was some kind of mechanism invented by a master magician.
As she looked at them, both Eleana's and Caria's eyes became constricted. Eleana just stood like a statue while Caria jumped in as she muttered, "…Oh my god…"
On the papers afar was a scene imprinted — a large number of knights rallying with horses and arms, as well as all kinds of preparation barely visible at the front. But there was a huge shadow over the army. It was so dark that nothing was visible.
Eleana said in a daze, "Is it related to some forbidden legend…"
As Caria nodded her head, Eleana's gaze focused as she took out something from her waist. It was an ornamented, designed artifact. She threw it into the air. As there was a faint emerald light, streaks of light appeared and disappeared.
Caria inquired, "Did you inform everyone?"
Eleana nodded as she commanded, "Call all the golden knights to come here immediately… and also Gurian."
Gurian immediately came from some distance away as Eleana said, "Prepare the automatic artifacts… ready them."
Gurian bowed and left immediately.
The observers, meanwhile, had some kind of cone-shaped artifact that they used to call upon everyone, and within a moment, all golden knights assembled under the gate — about two hundred of them. Each of the golden knights had at least five silver knights under them. And generally, each silver knight had twenty bronze knights under them. The bronze and silver knights were already arranged.
There were hundreds of silver and bronze knights standing orderly as the sun shone upon them. Each of them was fully armored and had various weapons — spikes, maces, spears, swords, and shields, including spiked ones and even bows and arrows. There were a few other knights clad in green standing at the back. In their hands were wands and books — strange books that had four emerald stars in the corners.
In other parts of the army, separating the common area where some people were observing, there were a lot of knights who were special. They wore completely blue cloth as they covered themselves. They were all chanting something as a transparent screen was slowly forming, separating parts of the kingdom.
Children were celebrating, and the parents and elderly were ashen, looking at the blue protectors throughout the kingdom casting spells. They knew what that meant but the children did not. Many people looked towards the sky as they prayed.....
An old man muttered, looking at the sky, "So it starts…" then looked at his grandson, who was excited seeing everything.
Meanwhile, from various parts of the wall, strings were stretched as some kind of artifacts were gearing up for release. They included hefty pots, strange bows with fire in them, poison-coated arrows, and furnaces… as there were loud noises echoing throughout.
Eleana was standing over the wall as her voice echoed towards them. Her hair was fluttering, and her armor was shining. She addressed them, "Fellow knights of the Drudar Kingdom, the war is upon us. Within a prahar, the Breaven army will reach us. You are the safe guardians of this kingdom. It's because of you all that the general and common people of our kingdom can enjoy peace. Last night we already conquered a secret base of Breaven, and it seems they are now eager to strike at us. We will show them the power of the Drudar Kingdom!"
There were waves of cheers from below as Eleana continued, "With the protection of the Emerald Bow's power and the strength that lies in us, we will overcome this. I will take the frontal assault as our captains will join. Each one of you is a hero — do your duty to protect the kingdom! Let's go!....."
She screamed as she raised her weapon , "To warrrrrr!" as a blue moon manifested over her...
As thousands of soldiers joined in chorus, raising Drudar's flags to the skies and horses neighed, there was a shout that felt throughout the area — "To warrrrrrrrrr!"