Chương 838: [799] - Y03.099 - Journey to Hope III

The late afternoon sun began to fall across the Iyr. The five had come to meet once more, a gathering which hadn't held all five of them in some time, not since Elder Peace assisted with the negotiations between the two kingdoms. A heavy air filled the meeting, as this meeting was unlike any other which they had taken. The previous year, the Year of Silence, had been unprecedented within the Iyr's history, and though it was far more troubling than the current day, they couldn't overlook any threat to the Iyr.

"The kingdom has split, but we cannot overlook how little the situation has changed for the Iyr," the Chief said, motioning a hand to the map before them, as well as all the tiny bits and pieces which represented so many different threats, from great figures to soldiers. The Chief motioned a hand to a few of the pieces, three which were of particular attention.

"King Merryweather is forcing them out, and they will settle within Central Aldland or East Aldland," Elder Gold said.

"West Aldland was unable to create a satisfactory offer, their orders would not allow it."

"If they do not end up in West Aldland, then Central Aldland is where we should look," the Chief said.

"If they settle within Central Aldland, the King may bequeath a fort to them." He placed the tiny items along the new forts which were currently being erected by King Blackwater.

"The number of forts the King has called for cannot be understated," Elder Forest said.

"When the Aldish spend as freely as the Iyr, it is a prelude to greater chaos."

"The Aldish cannot spend as freely as the Iyr," Elder Gold replied.

"There are too many politics within the land to allow for such a thing."

"The King's army knew great defeat," Elder Wrath said.

"His political strength has decreased."

"If he has managed to spur the lands to obey his decree, it must mean he has given up much to compromise," Elder Forest said.

"The King had allowed the nobles to form their own knightly orders of limited numbers for his original plans, but if he is to reform his plans, he may have increased their autonomy in creating their own knightly orders."

"The greater knightly orders the nobles can make, the greater likelihood the three grand orders in each region will react. They will not allow the nobles to gain equivalent privileges, not when they had already been restrained to their positions, they may also call for greater autonomy."

"King Merryweather has forced the orders within his land out, it may be a way for the King to seize the orders for his own ends." Elder Forest's eyes fell across the map.

"If he inherits the orders, he could offer to fund the migrant orders, or perhaps offer to replace unruly orders under his domain."

"If King Blackwater's plan to create his Grand Army come to fruition, what need will Aldland of their orders?" Elder Gold asked.

"Perhaps the time of the orders as we know it will come to an end, or perhaps they will be forced to adapt to the new winds blowing, and will bleed to create a sturdier order."

"The King of Aldland wishes to create his Grand Army, one which will numbers more than the tens of thousands of professional soldiers, of which we are familiar, but also greater than the hundreds of thousands of farmers who were once used to feed the land," Elder Peace said.

"One hundred thousand professional soldiers shall form a threat for any land around the kingdom, including that of we Iyrmen."

"The Aldish will need ten times the force if they wish to invade the Iyr."

"If the Aldish raised two million farmers, we had very little to worry about such," Elder Peace agreed.

"If they raise two million farmers, with the support of one hundred thousand professional soldiers, and thousands of such great warriors as one finds within the orders, with their Guardians and Priests, even the Iyr must take appropriate measures against such threats." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"We have begun preparations for the next generation," the Chief said, thinking about all the various villages within the Iyr which may need to be called up.

"We should ask the outer villages to continue to have children, for the Main Iyr and the Front Iyr will need to remain at a balance."

"The quality of education cannot suffer because we have decided to move quickly," Elder Teacher said, his eyes glancing towards Elder Wrath and Elder Peace.

"I will need assistance in guiding the education, for the threats are still vague like fog." Elder Peace bowed her head while Elder Wrath grunted affirmatively with a nod of his head, for they would need to figure out what kinds of threats the Iyr may come across in a generation. What would Aldland look like within twenty years? How well would their soldiers perform?

It was something which needed to be estimated accurately, and then they would double the estimates to make sure they would be able to handle such a vast threat.

"The Shamans will need to bless the fields," Elder Forest said, writing down a set of notes.

"If the number of Iyrmen are to double, we will need to work greater mountains and fields, for we cannot rely on divine magics to shore up the lack of produce." Elder Forest was in charge of using the resources of the Iyr, in which labour was the best currency. She wielded labour as though it were a blade, and she cut whatever she could into the Iyr, making sure there was more than enough food to go around to feed Iyrmen, as well as to make sure they were all well equipped.

However, a specific power was also available to her, and that was to terraform the Iyr in any way she saw fit, though she would also need the support of both Elder Wrath and Elder Peace too.

"Elder Gold, what of the investments outside of the Iyr?" the Chief asked.

"We have the fortune of finding an investment which leaks gold into the Iyr," Elder Gold said.

"Once they return, we will find our coffers filling, and bodies which will be trained by an outsider for the sake of keeping our coffers full." The Chief nodded, glad the Great Elders had stepped back when it came to Adam. However, he also knew of the situation that Adam had dug himself into. The Iyrmen around him had yet to ask for the Iyr's assistance, so he didn't make a move to assist.

'I shall pray that you all return safely.'

"Let us speak of Floria," Elder Peace said, speaking of the newly formed kingdom. The Chief wondered if they had managed to reach the camp almost two thirds the way to Life River safely.

'I am sure you are in trouble.' The Chief, of course, was right. Adam's eyes remained focused on the two dozen heavily armoured knights, each mounted on mighty steeds who also wore heavy chain barding.

'I knew I shouldn't have let them go.' He glanced to the side slightly. Omen: 17, 18'Good, but no crits…' Adam spotted Sir Ivy, but she was not the knight leading the group. Instead there was another, a man who wore heavy plate like his companions, except he wielded a blade which seemingly was made of silver. His armour had as many details as Sir Ivy's, but the armour was made of deep blue, like the depths of the ocean, and he rode on his horse as though he owned the world around him.

"Morn," Amira called, her voice full of annoyance.

"Deep blue armour."

"As long as he doesn't have a scar across his face, it may be someone else," Dunes replied. As though he had tempted Fate, the knight removed his helmet to reveal his face, his deep blue eyes, and his dark grey hair, and the scar running across his face. Dunes shrugged his shoulders towards Amira, glad he had cast his spells upon the group with Vonda beforehand. Together, they had managed to cast spells on almost everyone, save for the Executives.

'Why didn't they accept the spell?' Cobra thought, feeling the holy magics fill her. Almost all the warriors, from the devilkin who weren't Iyrmen, the Aswadians, the Aldishmen, the Iyrmen teens, and even the trio of snakes, all had been blessed by Lady Arya and Mother Soza. It only made sense to her that the Executives, the most important members, who perhaps were the strongest too, would accept the spell first so they could fight with even greater zeal.

"I am Lord Benjamin Gravesea," the figure stated.

"Marshal of the East." Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart pounding in his chest.

'That sounds important.' Dunes let out a sigh. He exchanged a look with Amira, who gave Dunes the most vicious look, but she didn't step back. Korin and Sara stood with them too, ready to face off against the small mounted army.

'Lady Arya, please,' Amira thought.

'Lady Arya, I'll at least have a good showing,' Korin thought, his eyes glancing towards Sara, whose lips formed a calm smile.

'How polite,' Sara thought, eyeing up the way they were positioned so perfectly for her.

'It just had to be Lord Gravesea,' Dunes thought.