"My right arm is a lot stronger than my left arm!"~Tryndamere, The Barbarian King (His right arm is indeed stronger than his left)
Tomorrow will be a double chapter release. And then daily release from then. And a seven chapter mass release sometime by Tuesday at the latest.
Lets hope I clear the exam this time. (It was fucking difficult.)
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"Word from our scouts state that there are around two hundred enemies coming in our direction. They also seem to be bringing with them creatures. Beasts." Xin Zhao spoke from beside the king.
All the nobles involved in war stood closer to the war table. All staring at the markers in the map.
The other nobles stood off to the side, listening in hopes for any kind of evacuation plans.
Gregori sighed as he caught sight of them. Useless in every possible manner. All here in order to either profit off of or jump from the sinking ship.
Nearly two hundred huh.... Gregori thought to himself. His eyes landed on the map on stretched across the table. A plan formed as he took in the the surroundings.
"What manner of creatures? Names. Features." Gregori spoke.
The group turned to him.
But his eyes were trained in on the map.
"Well?" He asked without looking up.
"Our scouts were on Silverwings, very high up. The only beast they were sure of was the mammoth. They had a couple of them. The other beasts were too hard to recognize." Xin Zhao responded.
"Land scouts?" Gregori asked.
"Too far away." Xin Zhao replied. "No one has eyes that farsighted."
"Quinn?" Gregori asked. "She has that bird of hers."
Xin Zhao shook his head, "It is still too dangerous."
"Then what is your plan?" Gregori asked. "How far are you going to let them march before you stop them?"
"This meeting is for that plan." Jarvan finally spoke.
Gregori nodded, "But you should have some contingency. The plan you have fallen back on countless times during invasions. What is it?"
"The gates." A noble said from behind the group. "We fight them from the gates."
Gregori turned to the man dumbfounded. "The gates?"
"Yes-" The man began.
"I know what you mean!" Gregori snapped. "Are you stupid? Are the gates the only part of Demacia? What about the surrounding villages? What about the countless people living there?"
The noble seemed offended, "You don't speak to me that way!"
"Demacia has fought back countless foes and stood tall for all these years. If they fought like you then the only thing that would be called Demacia would be within these walls." Gregori shot the noble a look. "Don't give moronic inputs if you do not know anything about what we are talking about."
He turned to Jarvan and then the nobles at the table, "What is your plan?"
Pieter pointed at the mountain ranges on the table, "These are our optimal points. We get high ground for our arrows. We can thin them out as they arrive."
Gregori nodded. "What about your own forces?" He looked at the group, "Can you face them all while ensuring minimal casualties?"
"Why does that matter?" Another noble from the back, "If we kill them all then isn't the war over?"
"What did I just...." Gregori let out a heavy sigh. "Any one of you geniuses willing to explain why?"
Pieter shook his head, "Ignore them Gregori. They will keep trying to put their heads where they don't belong. They don't understanding war like us. That is why we sit closest to the table."
"Then forbid them from speaking?" Gregori sounded confused. "This is your domain. You are the highest order here. Are you really going to let idiots with no idea command you? Do you want chaos among your soldiers?"
"Idiots!" The nobles at the back sounded offended.
Gregori nodded, "Of course. What use are you to this discussion? Do you know why less causalities is good? Less ally death is always a good thing. And when Noxus is your neighbor it is even better." He stilled for a second, "Wait a second.... did you argue for the deaths for your own soldiers? In front of everyone here? Are you really that dumb?"
"N...n...no!" The noble stammered.
Gregori facepalmed as he took in his surroundings.
"They are here to witness-" Alain Spiritmight started.
"They shouldn't be here." Gregori cut him off. "You want to win? You need these idiots away. Look at them." He pointed. "Not a single one of them knows the value of life in a battlefield. If even a single one of them has been a soldier once in their miserable lives, then and only then can they stay here."
"The nobles have been here since the previous king allowed them to express their opinions." A man in Mageseeker garbs spoke sternly.
Gregori turned to him and reply, "Maybe the court jesters were unable to attend and the king had to make do."
"The disrespect you are showing toward the nobles is too much messenger."
Gregori looked at the man who spoke. One of the nobles who stood close to the table. He was large, arms as wide as his head. Taller than anyone else in the room. He seemed completely different from the rest of the nobles here. The dark horns on his head angled upward.
"You are?" Gregori asked.
"Warren Stronghorn." The minotaur said, his mouth covered in brown fur.
Gregori nodded, "Well Warren what do you think about someone who doesn't value your life and sends you into war?"
"We don't need a cow to defend us!" One of the nobles yelled, spittle flying out.
Without waiting for a reply, Gregori continued, "You wanted to help these lot?" The minotaur refused to meet his eyes.
"Your highness." Gregori told Jarvan, "This is a matter involving lives of your people. You are the king. Send these lot out. Keep those who can actually give proper help."
"Your highness do not listen to this man!"
"Your highness we are here because of you father."
"Your father was wise to have us here your highness."
"We want to help you, your highness."
The nobles kept trying to convince the king with their words.
Jarvan looked at them as he struggled to make his decision. He watched Gregori stare into his eyes with certainty and he noticed the nobles look at him with anger.
"Leave." Jarvan muttered.
"Your highness?" A couple nobles asked.
"This is a war council." He repeated, "Leave."
"Are you sure your highness?" A noble tried to convince him, "We have been here since your father's generation."
"Leave." Jarvan repeated his voice growing colder.
The nobles began to slowly shuffle out but it didn't stop them from giving dangerous looks toward Gregori.
"You will regret this decision your highness. Your father did this for a reason." A noble said as he left.
"I am not my father." Jarvan shot back.
Gregori nodded at the king, impressed with how strong Jarvan had stood against the nobles.
"Then you are not mature enough." The noble said as he turned back to face Jarvan.
Gregori sighed, "Stop stalling and leave."
"And you!" The noble rounded on Gregori, "You will get what is coming to you."
With a lazy wave of his hand, the noble flew out of the tent. "
"Now lets actually discuss." Gregori said. "Even if we get the high ground..... they have mages."
As Gregori nonchalantly continued, the rest of the occupants of the tent watched the tent flaps out of which the noble went flying.
"Is that your magic?" Xin Zhao asked.
Gregori looked up, "That?"
He nodded.
"Yeah." Gregori affirmed.
"How did your magic affect him when he had Petriciteornaments?" He asked.
"My magic affected everything around him rather than the person himself. The ornaments can't do anything against that." Gregori shrugged, "Anyone who is proficient with magic can do something like this."
"So Petriciteis not effective anymore?" Jarvan softly whispered, dread setting in.
Gregori shook his head, "It is effective just not perfect. Mages would still feel drained in contact with it. This is just a loophole. A way to dodge the restrictions while making the most out a bad situation."
"But you are experienced with your magic." Xin Zhao prodded.
Gregori nodded. "Very. I wasn't able to do most of what I can do now a year ago. Near death situations force you to get better."
Some of the nobles nodded but the others seemed put off by him.
"Back to the task at hand." Gregori shifted the conversation. "How are you going to stop an army of mages alongside Iceborn?"
"Information." Lady Buvelle answered. "As long as we have enough information we can play ahead."
"Yes. But how are you going to get that information?" Gregori asked. Her voice was smooth. Extremely smooth. Like the softest keys of a piano being played. It was the first time he had heard her speak and her voice was throwing him off.
"There is no certain way." She replied.
Gregori nodded, "Then what DO we know?"
"Their numbers and how long we have till they arrive." Pieter covered.
"You know one more thing that changes the whole way you look at this." Gregori said as he pointed one finger to the map. "This. This is what you know."
"The map?" Warren asked.
Gregori shook his head, "The area. It belongs to Demacia. This is your land. You know it better than them. They are the ones invading. The mages on their side do know about the place but they are tasked with invading while you are defending and you have more on your side who know the lands. Facing them right here," He pointed, "Above High Silvermere is the perfect plan."
"We can set up beforehand." Pieter continued.
"Trap them." Xin Zhao supported as he finally broke his silence.
"Exactly." Gregori nodded.
Xin Zhao began to speak, "It has been so long since a man has spoken about actual plans like this. The old king was rather interested in sending more men to fight rather than actually planning. He refused my words but still kept me close for his own safety."
"Well you need to plan now or else Demacia will fall." Gregori said. He turned to Jarvan, "Do you plan to fight on the frontlines?"
Jarvan nodded without hesitation.
"You?" He turned to Xin Zhao.
The man nodded.
"Then I have a plan for this battle." Gregori put forth. "All of you will have some part to play."