"Instead of worrying about problems that are far outside your reach, you should focus on the here and now," Orion said. "Weâre about to reach the front lines. Youâll be leading the vanguard into battle. The smart play is to have a few aces up your sleeve and an exit strategy."
Isabella rolled her eyes. She was starting to realize that Orion sounded more and more like her father and Alexanderâa total nag.
"You three as well. Prepare for battle," Orion said, turning to the figures standing in a line behind him.
Vexis, Clymene, and Gustalon stood at attention, guarding him.
All the other Wardens of the Stoneheart Horde were tied up with other missions and couldnât be mobilized. Soraya and Lorelia were defending Red Moon Valley and its teleportation array. Lumi had returned to the northern ice fields to also keep watch over Thunderwood Forest. The blood elf Lycanor was guarding the lighthouse on Serpent Isle, assisting Lysinthia with her own campaign. Even his abyssal dragon had been dispatched to the port of City of the Guardian.
These threeâVexis, Clymene, and Gustalonâwere the only Legendary-level powerhouses Orion currently had available for this campaign. And Vexis was only here as a reinforcement sent by Arthas.
The three Wardens bowed, their faces alight with anticipation for the coming war.
"Donât worry," Isabella huffed, her pride stung. "I have my colossal dragon. As long as no arch lord enters the field, I guarantee Iâll sweep the dragon forces and bring us back the most battle achievements and spoils."
Orion ignored her boasting. He looked up at his own aerial units trailing behind the magnificent colossal dragon. The motley collection of various bird species looked not just disorganized, but frankly, a little pathetic.
Our air force has always been our weak point,
he thought with a sigh. The thought of the Flying Fish Mayflies that Lilith was still cultivating back home brought him a sliver of both comfort and impatience.
Seven days later, on a palace floating in the middle of the sea, Orion and Isabella found Leonidas lounging under a sunshade, gnawing on a roasted fish.
"Haha! Bro! Good to see you! Weâre fighting side-by-side again!" Leonidas gestured with the fish to a deck chair next to him, inviting Orion to join him and relax.
"Boss, whereâs my seat?" Isabella demanded, suddenly flustered. With Orion about to lounge next to Leonidas, she was left standing between them like one of the maidservants waiting to serve them.
"Youâre the vanguard," Orion said before Leonidas could reply. "Shouldnât you be leading your troops on the front line instead of slacking off back here?"
He beckoned, and Vexis and Clymene stepped forward. Orion gestured toward Isabella, and the two Wardens nodded in understanding. They would accompany her. Gustalon had already been sent out on a separate mission three days prior.
"You havenât forgotten what Alexander told you, have you?" Orion added, playing his trump card just as the hothead looked ready to blow a gasket.
As expected, the mention of Alexanderâs name made Isabellaâs face twist into an ugly scowl. She turned on her heel and stormed away.
"So, bro, whatâs the situation?" Orion asked, finally turning to Leonidas after Isabella had mounted her colossal dragon and departed.
"What do you think? Itâs all skirmishes and wars of attrition," Leonidas said with a shrug.
Orion looked puzzled. That didnât sound like the dragonsâ aggressive style.
"Heh heh... relax, bro," Leonidas chuckled. "When you have two factions like ours, both with multiple demigods and deep reserves, this is the norm. Constant, low-level contact."
To be honest, Orion didnât have much experience in these kinds of massive campaigns. It was precisely why the Deputy Commander and Arthas had put Leonidas in charge of directing the war.
Orion grabbed a roasted fish for himself and took a bite, giving Leonidas a look that said,
Iâm all ears.
"In a war like this, the ones who see the most action are the lord-tier powerhouses," Leonidas explained. "Guys like us, the arch lords? We donât get involved right off the bat unless things get desperate or one of our kids gets killed by the enemy."
"If both sides went all-in from the start, it would just be mutually assured destruction. The only ones whoâd profit are the vultures hiding in the shadows, fanning the flames."
As he said this, Leonidas pointed a finger toward the sky, as if to say something was hiding in the clouds.
"Bro, these demigods are all wily old bastards," he continued. "Especially a long-lived race like the dragons. Theyâre sharp as hell. Until the situation becomes clear or the war reaches a turning point, you and I are probably going to be stuck out here on the open sea."
Just as Leonidas finished speaking, Orion sensed a swarm of flying monsters approaching in the distanceâcreatures that looked like a cross between bats and pterodactyls.
"Gargoyles," Leonidas said, noticing them too. "Makarethâs combat troops from the Abyss. You gotta admit, that kidâs got some decent stuff. At least heâs more reliable than that hothead Isabella."
Orion nodded in complete agreement. Seriously, for this massive war, Isabella had shown up with just her colossal dragon and the clothes on her back. And the worst part was, she still acted like she was hot stuff, ready to dominate the entire battlefield by herself.
The pride of some people,
he mused,
is etched into their very bones, unchanging no matter the circumstances.
"Hahaha, Big Boss! I knew youâd be here in a day or two! Look what I brought back for you!"
In the distance, Makareth came speeding toward them, riding a devil fish that kicked up waves and spray, cutting a majestic figure. With a final flash of movement, he appeared before them on the palace deck and placed three Dragon Crystals on the round table next to Orion.
Dragon Crystals were the equivalent of a Lordâs Stone. In some realms, dragons condensed their power into these instead.
"A gift for me?" Orion asked, looking up at Makareth with genuine curiosity.
"Heh heh, everyone gave me gifts when I joined the group, right? Consider this my return gift to the team."
The gesture was significant. The value of these crystals far exceeded the gift Orion had given him. Orion knew that much. He nodded, picked up one of the crystals, and held it up for Makareth to see.
"Hahaha! Come on, Little M, letâs get you some sun!" Leonidas said, producing another sunshade and deck chair. "Once youâre rested up, the big bros will take you out to catch a big dragon for a barbecue."
Little M?
Orion thought, trying to suppress a twitch. It was one of Leonidasâs little quirksâgiving everyone diminutive nicknames. Squiddy, Little M, and Little Broâthe last one being Leonidasâs name for Orion himself.
"Did you see Isabella on your way back?" Orion asked, passing a roasted fish to Makareth.
"Ran right into her," Makareth grumbled. "That woman... sheâs terrifyingly reckless! Didnât even ask a single question. Just roared and charged her colossal dragon straight into my gargoyle formation. Her dragon-tongue magic almost wiped out my whole squad."