Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 707: Departure

The Holy order under the guidance of three shepherds had gathered inside the hall of Mansion ’Phordite. In Erika’s absence, the shepards–the most devoted of Athenia, looked after the flock of their goddess. In silent prayers with their bodies down on their knees, they hummed a singular note and the flock followed their rhythm, enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, outside the mansion hall, the rest of the soldiers from the last war and the new recruits were also waiting for their general to order their charge. A night has passed in waiting and Raven was on his way, finally, but in that time the hearts of many swayed for they’d finally come to know who their rival would be this time.

A demon general, a monster beyond their wildest dreams. To even think that they could perceive his power in their feeble minds, was pathetic. A lesser god would crumble under his feet, and even the greatest army on Atlaris would struggle to take him down without any divine help. But the soldiers, they had it, divine help that is. And it was staring right at them in the form of the armor worn by the holy order.

Their eyes glued to the men and women of faith, something moved them to get down their knees as well. Was it fear? A notion of acclamation by a superior group? Or perhaps, downright human instinct screeching at them to stick together? None of them, how could they? After all, for some one was true and for the others another thing entirely.

Watching it all transpiring before him, the ex-hero–Amedith sat under the shade of a gazebo with his devilish lover. Dressed as a gothic woman with lipstick and thigh high socks and dark boots, he sipped on tip with his mind, venturing back to the last time that he had been sent as a spy in enemy territory. Trying to get back into the habit of acting as a woman, he was in fact rewiring himself to temporarily accept as his body made him out to be...a frail helpless woman, the perfect disguise for a cutthroat spy-cum-assassin.

However, the sight of him so deep in thought troubled both Lily and her godmother. They kept their eyes glued at him, all the while, the magus blankly stared at the army. The rustle of something in the garden, broke their focus for a while. As their heads turned to look, they found Melicia rounding up the fair elves with similar ancestries as hers and guiding them on how to use their woodland powers.

Being sons and daughters of refugees that had fled the violent clan of dark elves surrounding Athenia, the fair elves–nearly all of them held the same roots, but since mating with the same clan would cause inbreeding, none has been allowed to produce children with other elves, thus mixing with humans and other demi-humans, their potential for woodland magic had thinned quite a bit. Even so, Melicia was trying her best to help embrace their full potential.

The dark elves on the other side, only a gathering of a dozen or two, were secluded from every other group and kept under Arias’ watch. The necromantic barbarian was a far less effective tutor but given their inclination for violence, the dark elves were still keeping up with everyone else, not with their brains but the brawns of their muscles. Even so, there were plenty of other folks that had embraced them, especially their made family. The succubi, incubi and a handful of demi-humans, kept close to the secluded group, not exactly something Aria preferred but since they were all somehow in touch with these elves, her tutoring had to extend further beyond just the dark elves.

The last of the group at the very back was that of the monster girls and the beast of burdens the coppelicans. Tied to carriages, machinations sent to them by the automatons queen and set up by her Twin, the group held rations, golds, and repair materials as well as the blacksmiths, potion makers, and general labor that would help the soldiers carry their load, at least until the city of Eclanor has been reached and settled in.

Beyond the city laid the brambles, a thorny field of horror infested woodland. No command man was allowed to venture any further, and the first to guide the light through that place of disorder would be the holy order and the three shepherds blessed with Athenia’s light. And who would guide them? Erika, of course but along with her would be the chosen of their goddess, Raven ’Phordite.𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Raven ’Phrodite...the army was still waiting for him. Even his women including the trio of older women and their families had made it into the mansion grounds. Erika was missing as well, and as for Maria, Hayley, Amelia and Ophelia, all four of them were already in Eclanor awaiting the army by the castle grounds.

The only thing left was for Raven to teleport the entire group to the kingdom of Aesteradia first. There, meeting up with Felix, his group as well as the djinn sisters, he would have to march his army through the oceanic desert in the direction of the hermity city. The prince Nile would help with his guidance, Elana–his beloved would be by his side as well. Nobody would be left behind unless they absolutely have to, and the only few that fell into that category right now, were Aradin and his group given that June was pregnant and the kingsguard were after her. Shamisha would fall into the same, thus the two would have to take refuge in Elenaris and remain under Helga’s watchful gaze until the war is over and the army returns.

Moxy, Rose, Brenna, Aerin, not to mention Tanya, Aura, even Choux was joining the group with her weapon. Unfortunately, neither Viola nor Tia or Robin would tag along. Markus wouldn’t allow it for they might have been wedded to Raven in one way or the other but their royal blood must remain within Athenia where he would ensure their safety.

”It’s time...” Sensing the chilling aura of the hero approaching the mansion grounds, Linkle cast her gaze upwards and heaved with a puff of cold air fogging in front of her eyes. Winter has come and although the everspring helped keep things warm, somehow this year, things felt a lot more chilly for her, especially while the witch was in her hag form. ”Ae’uvareye, Astule’unvisabale!”

To her spell, a giant arch of absolute matter appeared above the army. It curved around the entire castle and touched each side of the property with its ends. Many gasped at the sight while the others knew all too well what this meant.

”Time to teleport, time for war...” Although hushed as a whisper, Linkle’s words echoed through everyone’s ears. Finally, the realization began to set in.

A new war had begun and it was far too late for any of them to return to their lives as mere citizens of the city. As to emphasise the point even further, Erika finally appeared from the very back of the army. In her hand was a staff with an ankh at its end and the likeness of the goddess carved into it.

Slamming the hilt of her staff as she walked towards the front, she alerted each and every person as she went by and uttered the words.

”Do not pray for easy lives! Pray to be stronger! Stronger than your enemies! Stronger than your struggles!” In a flash the rumbling of her words echoed within each heart, and before she could reach the very front, the soldiers cast away their doubts and steeled their resolve for whatever is to come.

And then, he came–the man to lead the charge, and the man to guide many of these men and women to certain and unavoidable deaths.