Affinity: Chaos

Chapter 2116: Our Ace

The next day arrived quickly.

Grey and Reynolds rose early, the pale light of dawn still thin across the sky. Their plan was simple: walk the streets of a city built in such a harsh, unforgiving land and see what sort of place they were about to defend.

The tour disappointed them almost immediately. The streets were nearly empty. Most inns and taverns stood shuttered, their doors barred and windows dark. Word of the coming Gnome assault had spread thoroughly. An anxious quiet hung over everything—doors closed too tightly, voices kept low, footsteps hurried when people did appear. Even the wind that moved through the narrow alleys felt restless.

They managed to find a few establishments still open and sampled what little food was being prepared. The meals were simple, the portions smaller than usual, the servers distracted. Before long the two of them turned back toward the Mayor’s manor.

A servant met them at the gate and led them straight to the main courtyard. The open space was already filled with the city’s remaining experts. Conversation faded as Grey and Reynolds stepped into view. Four figures stood apart from the rest. One was the Mayor. The other three were women who appeared to be in their early thirties, each carrying the unmistakable pressure of a Peak Sovereign.

Their robes marked them clearly: one in black, one in deep blue, and one in rich purple.

The Mayor gestured for Grey and Reynolds to approach. While he continued speaking with the other experts, the woman in black walked forward first. Her gaze moved over Grey with open curiosity. She studied him for a moment, then parted her lips.

”I can see why they call him extremely handsome.”

The woman in purple let out a soft, coquettish laugh. ”Hehehe... he really is easy on the eyes.”

The third woman, the one in blue, carried a calmer presence. Her posture was upright, her movements measured and graceful. Even the way she stood set her apart from the other two.

”Young Lord Grey,” she said, her voice smooth and steady, ”it is an honor to finally meet you. We have heard a great deal.”

”Likewise.” Grey inclined his head. After the past year he had grown used to speaking with high-level experts. He exchanged a few polite words with the three women and introduced Reynolds while the Mayor continued laying out his plans to the rest of the gathered Sovereigns.

The old man was more than the Mayor of Serepolis. He was also the city’s General, the one who would lead its forces when the Gnomes arrived. Grey listened with half an ear while he spoke with the three women. The strategy was straightforward: use the city walls and the protective arrays to keep the enemy outside. As long as the Gnomes could not breach the defenses, the city would hold. The Mayor had originally intended to call for more Peak Sovereigns to match the enemy’s numbers, but Grey’s arrival had changed that calculation. He had set the idea aside.

An hour later the lower-stage Sovereigns were dismissed. Only Grey, Reynolds, and the four Peak Sovereigns remained in the courtyard.

The old man lowered himself onto a stone bench at the side of the open space and looked at Grey.

”Are you wondering why I never mentioned what you’ll be doing once the fighting starts?”

Grey considered the question for a moment, then shook his head.

The old man stroked his goatee, speaking slowly. ”You’re our ace. Our trump card. Your presence alone should be enough to keep the Gnomes from bringing out their puppets... but we don’t actually want that, do we?”

Grey shook his head again.

The old man’s gaze sharpened. ”Do you remember the deserter from yesterday?”

Grey had not expected the man to be brought up again, but he nodded for the old man to continue.

”He wanted to leave because he was working for the Gnomes. We only confirmed it after he was taken last night. He had been feeding them information—weak points in the city’s protective formation among other things.” There was no anger in the old man’s voice, only a dry matter-of-fact tone.

”That explains the rush to leave once I arrived,” Grey said. Still, something about the man’s behavior did not fully add up.

”Your arrival was the final nail. He had already exposed himself earlier and was looking for a way to keep his family clear of the consequences. As a simple deserter he would die, but his family would be left alone. If the others learned he had betrayed the city, his entire line would have been wiped out.”

The old man had known from the beginning that the deserter would not survive. The speech in the hall the day before had been aimed more at the remaining experts than at the man himself. At the very least he had managed to spare the man’s family. He had still ordered a full investigation of the household. Thankfully, the traitor had acted alone. The punishment had already been carried out.

The woman in black gave a cold snort.

”You’ve grown soft, old Humphrey. Three hundred years ago you would have erased the entire bloodline without a second thought.”

The old man—now revealed as Humphrey—let out a small laugh. ”Don’t you think we should show a little more generosity in life?”

”Not to pieces of shit who deserve everything coming to them.” Blaire’s voice held no pity.

”Blaire, you need to learn when mercy is useful. Your killing intent is still too sharp.”

”I learned everything from you,” she shot back. ”If you want to blame someone, blame yourself.”

”Aish, you little girl.” Humphrey reached out and tried to ruffle her long black hair. Blaire, a Peak Sovereign in her own right, stood there and allowed it like a child accepting a pat on the head.

Grey watched the exchange quietly. The closeness between them was obvious. Later he learned the names of the other two: the woman in blue was Odelia, the one in purple was Rowena. All three had been taken in and trained by Humphrey. According to the talkative Rowena, the three of them had been sold as slaves in an oasis on the Aurora Continent when they were still small. Humphrey, then still a young man traveling the region, had come across them being mistreated. Unable to walk away, he had bought their freedom and taken responsibility for them. He had never expected all three to turn out to be rare talents when their affinities were tested. His own background had been solid even then. He had taught them cultivation and raised them with clear affection.

Grey found the story quietly amusing. It reminded him of a similar choice he had made once—except in his case he had handed the little girl he found over to his mother. Martha had been more than happy to take Cory in; the house had felt too empty with Grey gone so often.

The rest of the day passed in further discussion of defenses and contingencies. The Gnomes still had not moved, so the city simply waited and watched for additional support.

Two more days slipped by. The tension inside Serepolis grew heavier with each hour. Citizens moved less, spoke less, and watched the walls more. Everyone could feel the moment approaching.

It arrived on the third day.

Grey and Reynolds were speaking inside their residence when a deep bell began to toll across the city, the sound repeating in heavy, measured strikes. Humphrey had already explained its meaning: the signal for an imminent attack.

Grey rose at once. The bunny leader appeared at his side without a sound.

”They are coming.”

Grey lifted into the air and turned his gaze in the direction the bunny leader indicated. In the distance, a broad black streak was advancing across the land, it was slow, it was steady, and unmistakable.

Reynolds appeared beside Grey, staring at the long streak of black coming towards them.

”There are more than fifty thousand Gnomes there.” Reynolds said as his face darkened.

Grey shrugged, ”Only by a few thousand, it won’t change the general result of the fight.”

Reynolds scoffed when he heard this. Only someone as crazy as Grey would utter such statements, saying it was only off by a few thousand. How were a few thousand more people a little off?

Reynolds couldn’t understand Grey’s thought process, and honestly, he didn’t try to.

Just like the duo, more streaks of light flew to the sky from different places in the city. The trio of Blaire, Odelia, and Rowena came up to the duo. When Odelia and Rowena saw Void and the bunny leader, a brilliant light flashed across the eyes of the ladies as they found the two fluffy animals cute.

Void noticed their gaze, and being as shameless as ever, he quickly jumped into Odelia’s hands which were crossed in front of her bosom. Odelia found the black cat strange yet cute, gently massaging Void’s soft fur.

*****

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