Pledges of Allegiance 2 (Strategies Unveiled)

"The seventh pillar spoke.

Sol, a 15-year-old boy with black hair, dressed in a military uniform and a black Kusanagi on his belt. His face seems unfazed, almost expressionless, and his eyes carry a dead-fish look. Despite this, Sol radiates incredible charisma. He belongs to the elite lineage of pureblood vampires, the original bloodline marked by an undiluted vampiric heritage.

"I bow to you, our lord," Sol said with a calm expression.

Next to him stands his wife, the eighth pillar.

Luna shares similarities with Sol, wearing a black outfit with a noble vibe. Her attire, more refined, complements her stunning white hair. Luna's gloomy and expressionless face adds an enigmatic allure. Despite her emotionless demeanor, Luna is exceptionally beautiful, captivating those who encounter her. Like Sol, Luna belongs to the elite lineage of pureblood vampires.

"I bow to you, my lord," Luna said expressionlessly. On her side, Sol seemed to look at Luna and smile, clearly enchanted by his wife's beauty.

The ninth pillar bowed.

Gifflet, the mycelian guardian, manifested as a towering and imposing figure within the enchanted forest. Its tall, bulky body stood erect, emanating an air of mystical authority that resonated through the ancient woods. Two thick arms gracefully dangled at its sides, almost reaching the ground, their massive hands capable of both gentleness and force. Strikingly, Gifflet lacked a mouth on its face; instead, a mouth with sharp teeth resided in its belly, an unusual and captivating feature that added to the forest guardian's enigmatic allure. Its right arms resembled a colossal rock and plant base, forming a giant limb with four fingers, further contributing to the mystique of its appearance. The legs, thick and short, provided a stable foundation for Gifflet's formidable presence.

In the ethereal language of the enchanted forest, Gifflet, the mycelian guardian, spoke,

"Grlujelx wh yfi hwuiky wh yuebsiut lxj eaarkewx, e cwo yw twr, zt awuj gehhaiy" [Guardian of the Forest of Trickery and Illusion, I bow to you, my lord] the words echoing through the ancient trees, a harmonious melody woven into the very essence of the mystical realm.

"All the pillars bow in front of you, Father, showing utmost loyalty," said Adam while smiling.

Lazarus's internal monologue echoes, "What the hell? These guys are creepy. Now I'm seeing them in the first person, and they see me as a god. That zombie dragon knight is waving its tail in front of me like a dog. What does he want, a pat on his head? I'm going crazy about this, and there's a problem that I need to fix as well. Wait, I can just ask their opinion and choose the most ideal one, right? That's it."

Adam then turns to the guardian, explaining the crisis they're facing. Lazarus adds, "I want each of you to voice your thoughts about this problem."

"Before that, Father Cain and Adam have returned. Let's hear what they found out about the surroundings of the castle," as said by Adam while smiling.

Adam began to chant, "[Gate]," and a crack in the air began to form. Through that crack, widened it, and Cain and Abel walked out of the gate.

Cain and Abel spoke in unison, "We bow to you, our lord. We're here to deliver the information you asked."

"Speak," said Lazarus.

"The castle has been placed in an unknown grassland, unlike the places we used to know," mentioned Cain.

"Also, there are no signs of hostile creatures, but there are many small creatures. These creatures are unlike anything we've seen on Pandora," added Abel.

"On further investigation, my underlings also report that there is a human civilization to the further east. Near the mountains to the further west, two of my underlings have died. One has escaped and reported that there is also a human civilization. I assume they are hostile, depending on what they have done," said Cain in an angry tone.

Lazarus listened attentively, absorbing the information provided by his loyal subjects.

"Is the damage severe?" Lazarus asked Cain.

"I can ask Madam Lilith for a replacement, but killing an underling of mine... I wish to avenge them," said Cain in anger.

"I smell a fight," Gojira declared, now standing.

"What are we waiting for? It's clearly a sign of war. We must plunder their wealth and add it to ours," added Gojira.

"Gojira, stand down. We're in front of our lord. Show respect," said Amara, clearly angered by Gojira's behavior.

"Why would I, a greater dragon of light, listen to you, a spirit?" Gojira taunted Amara.

"Oh jeez," exclaimed Abel, witnessing the escalating tension between the pillars.

All of a sudden, the field began to shake, and cracks formed in the air as if reality itself was breaking.

"You dare show childish behavior in front of our lord," said Adam, his eyes lighting up in yellow.

"Enough," declared Lazarus. "I can't blame Gojira and Cain. A denizen of the Tower of Babel has been killed. But we can't act harshly. We must prepare as well."

"Lilith, can you create a replacement for Cain's underling?" asked Lazarus.

"Yes, my dearest lord," Lilith replied while smiling.

Lazarus, reflecting on the fable of the rabbit and the turtle, shared his wisdom with Cain and Gojira, stating, "Remember this: rushing without a plan is a surefire way to lose the race of success."

Cain bowed in acknowledgment, and Gojira returned to his position.

Cain, a berserker knight, and Gojira, a battle-frenzied dragon, shared a strong bond, likely forged through their mutual love for combat. In contrast, Iraeferus, a short-tempered NPC, did not possess the same battle fervor as these two.

"I shall remember your words of wisdom, my lord," stated Cain.

"Now, each pillar, feel free to speak your thoughts about this," Lazarus invited, opening the floor for the pillars to share their opinions.

Erebus, the first pillar, spoke, "We shall observe quietly first and gather enough information."

Lilith, the second pillar, blushing, expressed her desires, "I would like to discover any interesting species that I could add to my collection and strengthen our forces as well."

Raaz, the third pillar, revealed his sinister intentions,

"I shall capture one of the human citizens and torture them for information. However, sending a Deception Sphere skill of mine may put us in danger. They will know that we are watching them."

Lazarus, in his mind, explained Raaz's unique skill, "Raaz possesses a skill called Deception Sphere. It summons a deceptive sphere with numerous flying eyeballs, capable of sharing its vision and sending messages."

Gojira, the fourth pillar, declared with determination, "I wish to show them our strength. If we have enough knowledge about them, I wish to pulverize their kingdom and turn it into a pile of ruins."

Iraeferus, the fifth pillar, expressed excitement, "I love to test their strength."

Amara, the sixth pillar, conveyed a more strategic approach, "I wish to spread the word of you, my lord, and turn them into believers. If they refuse, they shall be branded as heretics and must be sent to Raaz's floor to be tortured."

Sol, the seventh pillar, spoke up, "Sorry, my lord, but I can't share my thoughts at the moment since in my mind, it only contains Luna."

Lazarus couldn't argue, knowing that Sol was designed to be deeply connected to his wife.

"I deeply apologize to my husband senseless. I agree with Erebus and suggest we observe quietly first and gather enough information," said Luna, the eighth pillar.

Gifflet, the ninth pillar, joined in, "I agree with Erebus as well," chiming in to express concurrence with the proposed strategy.