Pre-Preparation

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All four of them stared at each other with flame gazes that didn't come out in words but yet burnt the atmosphere.

"I really apologise" Leon said softly to cool the atmosphere.

"What are you apologising for exactly are you apologising for your grace, for lying in the letter saying; you were going into seclusion training or for going behind our backs to scout the orcs which almost got you killed?" Oweyn said, his eyes were closed and were as that of a human viper if there was ever anything like that.

"What letter?" Leon was shocked. "I can't even write, what letter are you talking about?" He asked insistently. Oweyn observed him and turned his gaze towards Knight Finduilas after realising Leon really didn't write the letter.

"...I was going to go if he didn't, I wanted to know why we lost" Knight Finduilas responded to Oweyn's gaze.

"You could have just asked me?" Knight Daryon said.

"And that's what I'm about to do, because you owe me an explanation for why you lost to those wimps." Knoght Finduilas responded, folding his arms over his chest.

"No, no, no...we didn't even have the opportunity to fight the orcs, it was a red orc. Only devastated the whole of our army." Knigjt Daryon responded.

"You mean only him came out to fight you all?" Knight Finduilas asked again to be sure.

"Yes. He had powers, strong powers, really strong, long ranged, short ranged, nothing was beyond his reach. And his skills had a large area of effect which couldn't even bring us closer to him before getting destroyed. We retreated several times and would return but it was still the same thing. The same orc dealing with us."

"I see, it seems my speculations have been confirmed. The orcs are general weak compared to the red one"

"There's a strong one, remember the one that pushed that guy that kept staring at you when we were being dragged to their city?! He's quite strong too, and the chieftains, one of them is a mage and the other seems quite strong. So I think we shouldn't underestimate them. There are some few strong ones amidst them."

"Hmm... but the red orc is the biggest of our issue."

"I'm quite baffled, a red orc has not been seen in the history of Ar'Daxia, so how come?" Oweyn said.

Knight Finduilas sighed, "...and it seems he has a name, the fact that he can speak clearly and even has skills proof it"

Immediately Knight Finduilas mentioned the red orc having a name, Oweyn and Knight Daryon's eyes widened, they were surprised and shocked.

"A name? If it has a name doesn't that mean...?" Oweyn stuttered.

"Yes, the only ones that have the authority to name monsters are gods" Knight Finduilas responded.

"Then does that mean a god might be involved in this?" Knight Daryon asked.

"Yes" Knight Finduilas responded.

"Should we back out?" 'I want to back out'

"No! We can't your grace. We must show them the might of the Tirianae duchy." Knight Finduilas responded.

"So you want us to cross a god?" Leon said to him with a strong gaze, 'I really want to back out' was what was in his mind even though his face looked like he making a logical decision.

"Even though a god might have named him, I don't think they will go as far as coming down to fight you because you killed --

"STOP!!" Leon halted Knight Finduilas before he could finish his statement. "What do you mean you? come down to fight, you kill..., what is wrong with the pronoun? aren't we together, it's supposed to be we, we are the Tirianae duchy"

There was silence in the atmosphere for few seconds.

"In order to gain the trust and loyalty of the people and soldiers, they must see you in action, they must see you as a figure that can protect them. Which is why the biggest meat is always left for lord. What I mean is that the strongest enemy has to be dealt by your grace."

Leon giggled, 'I was thinking like that too until some minutes ago' "But we are talking about a god! a god!! it could lead to the destruction of the whole duchy."

"Don't worry your grace, gods go here and there naming whatever they like and giving them a portion of their powers but they've not been down here." Oweyn said and smiled.

"We should start preparing for this next subjugation, since we know that their powerhouse is their chief, we will devise a plan to wear him down so that our Duke can give him the finishing blow" Knight Finduilas said.

"Yes sir" Both Daryon and Oweyn chorused.

Leon sat on the chair staring at the three of them with cusses in eyes.

Knight Finduilas grabbed Leon's shoulder with passion in his eyes.

... ... ...

"We have been in this city for close to a week now and we haven't found the opportunity to meet with this guy" Roiner said as three of them walked down the street.

"I knew it'd be hard but I didn't think it'd be this hard, should we sneak in?"

"And get imprisoned, no thanks. Of all things in World Of Aron what I hate the most is prison." Gareth replied to Darq who made the suggestion.

"Hey, wait a minute" Roiner stopped walking and looked forward, "Aren't those guys from WhiteOrl?" He asked.

Gareth and Darq paid close attention to the people Gareth was trying to show them.

"Sea-blue hair, loli, that's definitely Tara." Gareth answered.

"Do you think they are here to recruit the Lord of this city too?" Darq asked.

"What else, considering that they've been doing very bad recently, they need a big figure." Roiner added.

"All the more reason to reach him first." Gareth also added. They saw the crowd gather after a soldier left the noticeboard opposite where. Everybody naturally walked towards it including Tara who was carried by Rutaba on his shoulder.

Notice: The Duke will be recruiting adventurers with atleast bronze plate for for upcoming orc subjugation. Note your reward will not be according to your adventurer rank but according to your feats during the subjugation, this is an opportunity to fight side by side with the Duke and experience his might.

"Ah...we got presented an opportuinity" Roiner said with a smile as he read the notice.