A short while later, inside the large command tent tucked behind the cliffs protecting Hargar, the flap snapped open. A Demon warrior rushed in and dropped to one knee before Lucia, Theo, Gwen, Mariana, Lulu, Isabel, and Calvin, who were all deep in a strategy session.
"Reporting, Your Highness. Our scouts have spotted movement at the House Levent border. Roughly 3,500 Nortrom troops have crossed over and set up camp. They are currently marching toward this city. House Levent intends to defend this place alongside us; they've mobilized their remaining 500 soldiers and are already on the move," the soldier reported.
"Alright... this is it, everyone. The time has come. Lulu, get up to the cliffs and execute the strategy we just discussed. The moment they arrive, open fire," Lucia ordered, turning to Lulu with her hands on her hips.
"Understood, Your Majesty," Lulu replied, immediately sprinting out of the tent.
"Theo, you are with me. Gwen, Mariana, Isabel, and Calvin—hold our final perimeter. When the House Levent reinforcements arrive, coordinate with them to support the front lines. I am counting on you, Gwen," Lucia said.
"We are on it, Your Majesty," Gwen answered.
"Let's go, Theo. We are moving out," Lucia said, heading straight for the exit.
Theo turned to Gwen, who was already looking back at him. He stepped in close and gave her a quick kiss, then gave a firm nod before following Lucia out.
Without a moment's delay, Lucia drew her sword. The troops already in position began to form ranks behind the cliffs. Meanwhile, high on the clifftops, Lulu was busy organizing soldiers with fire pits to prep flaming arrows. Theo led a unit of 100 cavalrymen and 100 scouts out of the city and into the woods, planning to strike from the shadows and cut through the enemy's formations. The scouts immediately fanned out through the forest to gather intel, ready to report back to Theo and the city.
Mariana, Isabel, and Calvin coordinated with the city guards to quickly gather the citizens for cover. The war was about to begin. Gwen, stationed atop the city walls, directed the archers to rain arrows far beyond the cliffs, establishing a second line of defense from the ramparts. Once everything was in place, a heavy, tense silence fell over the area as they waited for the enemy.
Then, Lucia and two soldiers walked out to wait at the cliff gate. She stood on the bridge over the churning moat Leon and Livia had created the day before, resting her greatsword on her shoulder.
"It has been a long time since I felt this thrill. I hope you two are enjoying this too, Leon, Livia," Lucia thought to herself with a smile.
***
Meanwhile, out on the open sea, Leon stood at the bow of his ship, gripping his blue trident. In the distance, he could see a sea fortress nestled in a bay, dominated by a towering lighthouse at its center. He glanced behind and to his sides; seven warships sailed around him. He turned to the captain standing beside him.
"Captain Nhar Thez, stop at the edge of the bay and hide behind the cliffs," Leon ordered.
"Understood, Your Majesty," Nhar Thez replied.
Nhar Thez immediately turned and relayed Leon's orders to one of his men, who ran and climbed the mast to the crow's nest, using signal flags to alert the other ships. The captain then returned to Leon.
"Why are we hiding, Your Majesty?" Nhar Thez asked.
"Because they are ready for us. I can see fifteen warships already, and that fortress is crawling with soldiers," Leon answered.
"I see."
Nhar Thez pulled out his telescope and aimed it at the fortress. It turned out Leon was right. Between ten and fifteen warships were visible behind the structure, and the fortress walls were lined with cannons and ranks of soldiers. It was clear the enemy was fully prepared and waiting for them. Nhar Thez looked at Leon and was startled to see him grinning broadly, his trident resting on his shoulder and his eyes fixed sharply on the fortress ahead. Nhar Thez opened his mouth to ask a question, but ultimately bit his tongue.
He looked back and saw his crew was ready for battle, weapons raised. Then Leon turned to him.
"We go in... alone. Tell the others to wait here," Leon said.
"What? Only us?" Nhar Thez asked, confused.
"Yes. Now, move," Leon replied, his gaze never leaving the horizon.
Nhar Thez signaled his men, and the flags were raised again. Then, the captain roared his command.
"Everyone... move out!"
"Long live the King!" the crew shouted.
The ship surged forward toward the fortress, completely solitary. Inside the fortress, a sentry watching the sea spotted a single warship emerging from behind the cliffs. He immediately reported it and rang the alarm bell. Troops formed ranks and cannons were aimed at the lone vessel approaching them. On the ship, Leon walked across the deck to the very tip of the bow. He stood at the edge, lifted his trident, and closed his eyes. When he snapped them open, the blue trident glowed with a blinding light. He swung it forward.
"Brrrsh!"
Massive walls of water surged up from both sides of the ship, forming a towering tsunami that swept toward the fortress, filling the entire bay. It looked like a cataclysmic disaster capable of swallowing a city, and it was heading straight for Steelhold. Nhar Thez and the crew were frozen in awe, watching the massive walls of water race past them. Suddenly, Nhar Thez raised his sword.
"Long live the King!" he screamed.
"Uooooh... long live the King!" the entire crew roared, thrusting their weapons into the air.
Meanwhile, in the tower of Steelhold, Bruno stood by the window, paralyzed. He watched in utter disbelief as a massive tsunami, tall enough to block out the sun, bore down on him and the fortress with terrifying speed. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. He spun around and sprinted for the exit, but as he threw the door open, he found the fortress in total chaos. His soldiers were panicking, running aimlessly in every direction to escape the disaster right in front of them.
"Hey... calm down! That much water won't be enough to shake our fortress! Stay in your positions and hold!" Bruno screamed at his soldiers.
Bruno grabbed a soldier running past him and shoved him back toward his post. But suddenly, everything went dark. Bruno looked up; the water was directly overhead, ready to crash down. He bolted toward a pillar anchored in the ground and hugged it tight, taking one last deep breath. The tsunami slammed into Steelhold, sweeping away countless soldiers and obliterating several warships anchored behind the fortress all the way to the harbor in Farport.
"Phuaaaah!"
After the tsunami passed, Bruno was still clinging on, surviving despite being soaked to the bone and completely out of breath. When he opened his eyes and looked around, his eyes widened at the sight of the ruined fortress. He could see soldiers still inside the walls, some unconscious and others slowly pushing themselves up. He let go of his grip and, with staggering steps, ran up the fortress wall to look ahead. In the distance, he saw a fleet of eight demon warships sailing directly toward Steelhold.
"Damn them... they timed their arrival perfectly," Bruno thought to himself with a sharp glare toward the fleet. He clearly had no idea that Leon was the one who had summoned the wave.
He looked back and saw five of his own warships were still intact, with another five at the Farport harbor further away. He immediately began waking his surviving soldiers, forcing them to prepare for the approaching enemy fleet.