The Exalt Cultivation Fantasy

Act 3: Empire's Stand - Chapter 549: The Strange Delay

After a few hours, he finally put Celestina's worry to rest and showed that his artificial arm was functioning well enough not to be a bother. If she reacted in this big of a reaction, then he surely had to keep this a secret from Avril, knowing how his wife would react more severely to his lost arm. Luckily, Elder Saul was working on the elixir, so he only needed to wait for the years to go by. With Celestina's long inquiry put to rest, they moved on to the appointment. The Pavilion Master blessed them to set out to the southern border.

Days later, Oscar wandered to the edge of the airship. As the two suns peeked over the horizon, a sudden heaviness weighed on his heart as his face fell, weary at the sight of his village, his former home and farm, down below. He closed his eyes, unable to stomach the sight of his parent's graves, though so far and faint but still glaringly clear to him. They might as well be right in front of him, looming the shadows of their tombstones over him.

'I should buy back the farm when I return here with Avril.' Oscar planned out the next course of his life after the war. What else would be more comforting in this world? Settling down here with his wife, starting a family, and living near his master and friends all seemed pleasing to him. A sudden breeze froze over, and he felt a jolt, a staggering amount of Ein lingering in the air. His nose sniffed several times, irritated by the choking scent of burning sulfur and blood.

Fred and Emily joined him on the airship deck, their cheeks slightly flushed and their strides carrying a hint of a jump or a skip to their merry steps.

"Enjoyed the sleep?" Oscar knew that sort of idiotic look, seeing it many times on Avril and himself in the mirror after a restless and passionate night. "I hope you didn't wake anyone with the sounds you made."

"Like hell! Just wait until you bring your wife over. I'll enjoy teasing you both until your ears fall off from how red they become." Emily quipped with a wide grin.

Fred groaned and palmed his face, either from the shame of showing his face after last night or embarrassment from Emily's attitude. Nevertheless, he exhaled deeply and asked in a serious tone, "Are we arrived?"

"Can't you smell or feel it?" Oscar peered out to the open expanse through the horizon. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the heavy air that stifled and choked out the air out of his lungs, carrying the weight of mountains pressuring down on his shoulders, was anything but ordinary. The crushing feeling like someone was gripping his heart could only be the pressure that permeated the battlefield. It took a second for Oscar to spot the structure in the distance, located perfectly in the center of one of the rising suns, appearing as nothing but a faint dot.

The closer the airship traveled, the clearer the view became. The blurred and mixed colors settled and separated into more distinct ones of varying characteristics, the environment of countless murky brown rivers spread out like spider webs, linked in a vast network, bordering patches of ancient green woods and grasslands, the leaves so thick, nothing could be seen underneath. Oscar murmured the name of this vast wilderness, "So that's the Guire Wildlands."

"I never expected to return here after so long. It's where Emily and I went the first time you were imprisoned. How nostalgic." Fred chuckled, resting his head on the ship's rails.

"Want me to cut your hair off like before?" Emily snipped her two fingers, acting with a pair of imaginary scissors over Fred's hair. He brushed her off and grumbled incoherently, which only deepened the smile on her face, clearly enlivened by Fred's reactions. She mimicked Fred, resting her head beside his on the rails, and tapped her fingers around, hints of nervousness rippling on the steel hull for Oscar to pick up.

"Don't worry. Just follow me." Oscar patted her head. "Fight behind me."

"That's right. Emily has nothing to worry about." Fred joined Oscar in rubbing her head, ruining her tidy hair. She gripped both their heads and tugged on their hair with a harsh pull.

Some things never changed even after twenty-some years. Oscar calmed his nerves while his hair was still being pulled by Emily's retaliation. Smoke bellowed up from the enlarging dot that revealed itself as the headquarters of this part of the southern borders. Many were its watchtowers, so many that it formed the base for other towers to rest on top of. Layers of towers grouped and built on each other clumped them into a single large tower overlooking the entire Guire Wildlands, known as Orbis, the watchful city.

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His airship descended on the second layer of Orbis, and he led his Black Aegis Order outside. A quick search found no civilians roaming around, leaving only the soldiers and watchmen. He wondered if the rumors of how people lived inside Orbis were true. Eager to find out, he wore his helmet and waited for his soldiers to be ready before setting out. The instant he entered inside, he was greeted by the most astounding sight.

The first tower after the port was a busy marketplace, tents, stalls, and shops circling all the tower levels, from the ground to the top, outlining the walls, leaving the centers exposed for anyone to see directly to the very top. Stairs directed the clamoring crowds to travel from one level to the other, some stopping to stare at his troops, pointing at him from above. Hurriedly, they all parted to create a path for him and his forces to travel through. The marketplace consisted of five towers, all spacious and tall, and he traveled to the upper levels, avoiding the residential areas.

Stopping before the entrance to the next tower marked by two swords in a cross, the mark of a military ward, Oscar waited for the two guards posted there to confirm his identity. After clearing his name, the guards bowed deeply to their knees, resting their weapons on the floor. "Margrave Terr, the rest of the war council is assembling on the fifth level. Your soldiers may rest in the other towers."

Oscar agreed and left his soldiers behind. Inside the council room of the fifth level, the highest floor for the higher authorities of the army, he saw Celestina and Robert Raeven in their seats. Strangely, there was no one else in the room. Was he early? Where were the other commanders? The time on the clock revealed the answer: he was too early. Oscar greeted the two and took a seat at the table to wait.

"Who else are we waiting for? I know Gavir should be here." Oscar asked, studying the map of the Guire Wildlands on the table.

"They're all here. I hear them coming." Celestina passed Oscar a cup of tea, which he gratefully accepted. Robert grumbled about something, but he didn't hear the exact words.

The doors swung open, and Charles stepped inside, followed by Gavir and several other commanders at the Marshal Exalt and Greater Knight Exalt realms. They all lowered themselves to the princess, many staring at Oscar with the same expression he saw on many faces, a mix of awe and questioning. The strongest of the newcomers, the Greater Marshal Exalt, was one of the generals of the main army, General Krauss, a man of reputable fame and leadership.

"As ordered, we have gathered here according to your call, my princess." General Krauss. "The second division is yours to command."

"As is the Drakiri," Gavir added on.

"Naturally, the Black Aegis Order will follow." Oscar followed proper etiquette and declared his allegiance.

Celestina smiled before her brows tensed, and her smile fell flat. She placed her hand on the map and knocked her rapier on Orbis and the surrounding marshes. "The Pavilion Master believes the enemy will double their efforts here since Arkenen City has been retaken. Our mission is to hole up and counter their offensive front. If we can shatter the enemy here, we'll have basically won this war!"

Cheers resounded across the room from the other commanders, but Oscar did not cheer, nor did Robert, Charles, Gavir, and General Krauss. There was no chance the enemy would let this go easily since their entire existence was on the line. Celestina also seemed not to tolerate this preemptive cheer of victory by shouting over them to quiet down.

"The armies will be organized to the various stations over these marshes. Now, listen carefully to my instructions. We can't let any of them through." She said sternly, and everyone who cheered shut their mouths and put on a similar serious expression.

…….

A long time later, Oscar fought against the enemy forces over his station in the Guire Wildlands.

"It's the monster! Brace yourselves!" The soldiers of red and flame barked out, but none could stand up to his and Erden's combined charge. Oscar flung several of them away, thundering shockwaves booming from his Golden Drill, carrying flames of wrath to wrack horrendous pain upon his enemies, casting their burning bodies to cool down in the marshes. Their defenses were sturdy like iron, but iron was useless against his might.

"Os, don't go in too far. It's another trap." Fred shouted behind him, deflecting several attacks with a blast of wind.

"Damnit. Wave after wave, they just poke around without truly committing. When are they going to try something drastic?" Oscar was angered, clenching his teeth and hands to the fullest. It had been five years since his arrival in Orbis, and so far, the war was at a standstill, the enemy offering nothing for him to take advantage of.

"What are they up to? They're the ones on a time limit." Two years remained until the Primanomachy finished, and Gilbert would return in triumph or defeat. Either way, it would be the return of a Grade Nine Exolsia, not the best conclusion for the enemy. Exhaling a puff of heat, he grabbed the axe of a soldier, the blade scraping sparks along his artificial arm. As the soldier's eyes widened in shock, they paled and dulled from Erden's antlers, impaling the chest, carving out the organs like fruit on branches.

Something still felt extremely off. Oscar couldn't figure it out, but he knew from the depths of his experience and tenure that the enemy wasn't mindlessly attacking. There was a hidden directive.