206 Provocation

With the last citizen through the spatial gate, Will was about to close the gate, when Kurosawa yelled, "WAIT!"

Kurosawa stepped through the gate and into the woodland village.

"What is it?" Will asked closing the gate.

"The city's under attack! City Lord vont Dervish has brought a force of 5,000 solider and mages," Kurosawa said.

"Are you saying he used the bandits to lure me out of Gadreel, to launch an offensive?" Will said his blood lust rising.

"Yes, I've requested reinforcements from the king," Kurosawa said.

"I planned to spend another night here, but oh well. Guards let the captains and commander know we're moving out now! We'll burn the village before we leave," Will ordered.

"Why hasn't City Lord vont Dervish attacked yet?" Will asked.

"He gave us 24 hours to surrender," Kurosawa said.

"Have you spoken to Master Duncan, Savage Wolf, or Vaal? What did they say?" Will asked.

"They said their agreements are with you. If you don't fight, neither shall they," Kurosawa said.

"What did you tell them?" Will asked.

"I told them, I'd check on your status," Kurosawa said.

"Go back and tell them to prepare for war!" Will said barely controlling his blood lust.

Will opened a spatial gate for Kurosawa and then checked on his soldiers' status.

Five hours later, Will's army and prisoners marched into the City Administration building, where Kurosawa, Savage Wolf, Master Duncan, and Vaal awaited him.

"It's good to see you all!" Will said.

"How are you feeling, lad" Master Duncan asked.

"I'm fine, Master Duncan. Also, here are some slaves for the mines," Will said motioning to the third captain.

"Will, I shall only permit my archers to take part in this war," Vaal said.

"Thank you, your highness. You do me a great favor," Will bowed.

"My soldiers haven't fought in a while, this shall be good practice for them," Savage Wolf laughed.

"You can count on the dwarves too! We love a good fight, and a good deal!" Master Duncan said with a wink.

"Kurosawa double the agreed compensation," Will ordered.

"As you command my liege," Kurosawa obediently bowed, and secretly cringed at the money he was commanded to give over.

While Master Duncan and Savage Wolff secretly cheered.

"I knew my disciple wouldn't let me down!" Master Duncan exclaimed.

"As a member of the Wolf Tribe, you do your clansmen proud!" Savage Wolf howled for joy.

"Are your soldiers ready to go?" Will asked

"Yes," all four of them said.

"Will!" shouted Elizabeth who ran over and hugged him.

She could feel his oppressive bloodlust. Everyone could. Kurosawa stood back out of range. For mages, knights, or marines all, they could feel his wrath.

"Elizabeth?" Will asked in surprise returning the hugging.

"Stop it, your bloodlust is sending Kurosawa out of the room!" she chastised Will.

Will saw Kurosawa standing outside his office door, two meters away from everyone else.

"Sorry!" Will apologize to Kurosawa.

"I am upset to sire. I share your frustration. You should be angry, City Lord vont Dervish dares bring an army to trample all you built. Your life's work," Kurosawa coaxed Will into wrath.

Will felt his bloodlust return.

Ignoring Kurosawa's psychological tactics, Elizabeth consoled Will.

"The children and I worried about you every day. Your mother and father were worried too. Come home, say hello to your children, before you run off to war again. Just let Camille and Edward-James see your face again. Please," Elizabeth pouted.

"Kurosawa when's the deadline?" Will asked.

"Tomorrow at noon," Kurosawa said.

"Then let's spend the night with our families, we'll attack at sunrise," Will said.

"Agreed," Master Duncan, Savage Wolf, Bubba, and Vaal said before they left.

"Kurosawa inform the Mercenary Guild Master! Also, this is Elliot my new Navy Commander, Elliot this is my City Administrator Kurosawa Sato and my wife, Elizabeth,"

Will said finishing with the introductions.

After that Will, Nisha, and Elizabeth rode a carriage home.

A sumptuous dinner was prepared for Will's return. The children happily hugged their father. James and Helen hugged Will as well. The family was whole again.

Will told about capturing the Raider's Camps and the village. The family laughed and clapped. No one thinking about the war tomorrow. Least of all Will.

In the morning, Will was surprised that Elizabeth had woken before him. She was downstairs having breakfast when he came. Will noticed Elizabeth's hand shaking as she drank tea.

After eating, breakfast, Elizabeth helped Will get dressed. Usually, Micheal or another male servant dressed Will.

Downstairs, Michael, and Sasha watched as Elizabeth helped Will with his jacket. She and Will were silent, neither choosing to address what was about to happen. After Will was dressed, Elizabeth knelt down and hugged Nisha. She kissed Nisha and whispered in her ears.

Although Nisha couldn't hear her, she felt the message. She implicitly understood Elizabeth's emotions.

Elizabeth rose and kissed Will goodbye. Little did she know, it would be a year until they saw each other again.

Will and Nisha walked to the Gates of Gadreel. The massive gates were closed. Will and Nisha walked past Elven archers, Wolfmen warriors, and Dwarven Shield Bearers, to the front of 3,000 humans. The battalion of soldiers and city guards stood shoulder to shoulder.

Will cast [Tectonic] as the earth around him separated and began to move.

As the doors slowly opened Will felt his anger and blood lust return.

When the doors were opened, Will yelled, charged, and jettisoned out like a man surfing over the earth.

Will twice cast [Earthquake] and [Meteor]. He felt his mana whirlpool immediately drop.

Two huge earthquakes swallowed up the army as meteors rained down. He quickly drank two mana recovery potions and continued forward.

The earthquakes alerted the enemy mages, and one of his meteors was blocked. The second earthquake and meteor still killed a quarter of the army.

With the surprise over, Will found himself dueling four enemy Master ranked Mages. As Will and Nisha parried and attacked, Will remembered his duels at the Mage Academy.

Will cast [Arrowhead] only for it to be blocked by a firewall or ice wall.

Ice shards and fire spears were hurled at him. Will's [Earth Wall] successfully blocked them.

Will cast [Entangle] and [Poison Vine] at the mages only for the vine to be burned or frozen. Will dodged a dragon's breath spell, and the cast [Sandstorm] and [Quick Sand].

The sandstorm blocked the enemy sight as Will's army, the dwarves, elves, and beastmen attacked.

The Elven elemental arrows were aimed directly at enemy mages. The mages began having trouble, dogging the arrows and Will's spell.

Will cast [Erode] burying an enemy mage alive.

Down to three mages, the enemy had a harder time.

"Will kill that far mage, he's an Array Master. If they set up a formation, your army shall need to withdraw.

"Will began casting faster and faster, he conjured spell after spell. His mana whirlpool was better than most masters, but not infinite.

Will conjured the spell [Tectonic] to rush toward the mage closing the gap. The closer he came to the Array Master mage, the more spells and arrows were direct at Nisha and him.

For protection, Will cast [Earthen Dome] and used [Radar] to track the Array Master's movement.

When Will was almost on top of him, Nisha jumped hop off and bit the man's throat.

Will canceled [Tectonic] and killed the third mage with his sword.

The fourth mage ran for his life, fleeing to Korce. Will and Nisha let her escape, as Elliot and his men had set a trap downriver.

Without mages, City Lord vont Dervish's army was floundering.

Watching his army's defeat, City Lord vont Dervish and Will momentarily looked at one another. All Will could see fear in City Lord vont Dervish eyes. With a flash of bright light, City Lord vont Dervish was gone. He disappeared into thin air.

With their leader gone, the army broke down into disarray. After an hour, the Albanian army surrendered. Over one thousand laid down their weapons in surrender. Will watched as the Albanian soldiers were arrested and incarcerated.

The battle ended far before noon. With four races joining forces, the battle ended too quickly. Humans were the weakest race. Against the combined force of Wolfmen warriors, Dwarven Shield Bearers, and Elven archers, human city guards elven artifice spears, City Lord vont Dervish's army had no chance.

This army was like a fly against a fly swatter. What chance did they have when Will returned?

But Will was exhausted he used a lot of his mana.

"Men quickly assemble to chase after them," Will ordered him.

"Lad, this is where we part ways," Master Duncan said.

"Same here," Vaal said ordering his archers to return to Gadreel.

"It was fun, thanks for inviting us," Savage Wolf said walking away.

"Thank you," Will shouted to them.

"Bubba, how many men died too City Lord vont Dervish's provocation," Will asked.

"31 died," Bubba said.

"Alright, you know what to do," Will told him.

"Kurosawa where's the mercenaries?" Will asked fixing the broken rail lines.

"They should be here at here soon. The mercenaries promised to come before noon," Kurosawa answered.

Almost if by magic, the a line of mercenaries excited the city gates. Leading the mercenaries was a woman, who approached Kurosawa first.

"Are you Kurosawa?" asked Anne.