Point-of-View: Azyl Roake

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  "I remember you……you are the Water Sage," Remarked the Lightning Sage with a frown, as she warily took a step back.

  "Do we have to label everything?" I sighed in response, before adding, "If you know what's good for you, retreat now. That's the only way you're getting out of this situation alive, as I'm sure you've realized."

  "I realize no such thing! Do not underestimate me!" She snapped in response.

  Ugh, she's way too hot-headed, this is annoying. I'd been sent to the west, along with Persia, Zero, Ekai, Siert and three of the Vampire Generals. I was supposed to fight the Lightning Sage while the others attacked the rear of the troops she was leading, where the strongest of them were.

  However, the Lightning Sage ended up disobeying her orders and rushing to the front, so we had to improvise. But I suppose that only emphasized how much faith the other races have lost in Laus, which is hardly surprising, all things considered.

  Looking at their expressions, it was easy to tell that they were conflicted and that they didn't want to be here, especially the Lightning Sage……she was trying to look determined as she glared at me, but it was obvious that she was putting on a front.

  She doesn't know how to deal with her conflicting emotions, so decided to ignore them. Kuro was right, Laus's way of doing things makes him far worse than Valaque ever was. Whenever we went up against someone from The Valaque Empire, you could tell that they took pride in their allegiance.

  Well, I guess it doesn't really matter at the end of the day, even without Laus, the other races will probably still be our enemies, but……something about fighting against those that don't really have the will to fight makes my stomach turn. It just doesn't feel good.

  But regardless of whether they have the will to fight or not, if we don't stop them, they'll attack our nation……so I don't really have a choice……

  "So, you really want to fight, huh?" I remarked dryly, as she began to charge up a large bolt of lightning.

  "Of course I do, you do not scare me!" She responded firmly as she met my gaze.

  Is that so? Well, then, maybe I should scare her……

  "Hey, stand back everyone, I'll take care of this myself," I instructed the others, as I took a step forward.

  "Aw, no fair, just because you can doesn't mean that you should," Huffed Persia with a pout.

  "I, for one, approve of this," Added Zero with a thumbs up.

  "Of course you would, so long as you get to be lazy, right?" Remarked Siert, narrowing his eyes at the Vampire.

  "I really am stunned at how much you've changed, Siert," Chimed in Ekai, as they all stepped back.

  I let out a sigh as I then entered my Water Sage Mode, an icy shockwave bursting forth as I transformed. My skin turned pale, as my hair changed color to frosty blueish-white. My eyes turned icy blue as well, a shade slightly darker than my hair, as a frosty aura surrounded me.

  "Do you really think you can take me on alone!?" Exclaimed the Lightning Sage, as she fired her attack at me, a massive blast of lightning.

  "No, that's not quite right……see, I think I can take on your entire army alone," I responded icily, as a massive shield of ice formed in front of me, absorbing the impact of her blast.

  I then shattered it into several hundreds of shards, letting out a sigh as she began charging another blast, zipping around and constantly staying on the move.

  I fired the shards at her with as much speed as I could generate, which she managed to mostly evade, sustaining a few scratches and grazes but avoiding taking any significant hits……her speed and agility is incredible, I guess that's to be expected of an Elemental Sage. That said……she's not fast enough.

  As my barrage of ice projectiles ceased, she immediately fired her lightning attack, which I swiftly canceled out with a concentrated blast of water.

  "Tch, you said you believe that you can take all of us on your own……what an arrogant bluff, you will not-!" She began with a growl.

  "Oh, it wasn't a bluff……fine, let me prove it to you. Hey, Kuro! Recall all your monsters in this area, I can handle this!" I called out, and a couple of seconds later, all the monsters vanished.

  "Wha……perhaps I was mistaken, you were not bluffing, you are simply foolish!" Declared the Lightning Sage, as she began to dash towards me.

  "Oh? You sure about that?" I responded dryly, before bringing forth massive pools of water around the troops she was leading.

  "No, stop it-!" She began in alarm.

  She probably thinks that I'm about to drown them or something……sure, that would probably work, but I have a much better idea……

  "Let's see just how effective these things are……I've yet to see what makes Krakens so dangerous, this is as good a time as any," I shrugged, screams beginning to ring out as I summoned several Krakens into the floating pools of water that I'd conjured up.

  The Krakens were rapidly grabbing hold of dozens of the enemy at a time with their tentacles and devouring them in a matter of seconds, with stunning speed and efficiency.

  "S-stop this……this is not even a battle, this is nothing but a massacre!" Pleaded the Lightning Sage in horror.

  "See, this is why I said that you should have retreated. And just so you know, I've got plenty more options up my sleeve, while you've been going all-out this whole time. Your refusal to retreat has led to this bloodbath, all for the sake of your leader, who doesn't even care if all of you die. Swallow your pride and think about it……is this really worth it?" I inquired coldly.

  Also, wasn't bluffing about having more options……I've got all the powers of the Sea King, after all, and that's definitely not limited to simply summoning the Krakens.

  "D-damn you……!" She began, before trailing off in alarm as I froze her legs and feet to the ground.

  "Blame me all you want, if you think that'll actually make a difference. But think about it, you're the aggressors here, all I'm doing is protecting the place where I live. If you and those behind you had attacked us in earnest, we wouldn't have bothered giving you a chance to retreat. But you're not here because you want to, and while I do think it's a bit soft to give you this chance just because of that, it's what Kuro decided, so I'll give you the choice again. Continue with this futility and die, all of you. Or retreat and keep living. If you choose the latter, I'll stop the Krakens……but as you can see, every second that you waste results in hundreds more dead. So, which will it be, Lightning Sage……?"

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  Point-of-View: Bell Fairbairn

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  Damn it, you bastard……no, he……he has a point. Blaming him will not make any difference here. And as he said, all he is doing is defending his home, just as we would do if the Laus Domain was attacked.

  What……what is the point of this attack? Why are we even here? Why did we agree to Laus's strategy, even though it was blatantly designed to sacrifice so many of us that were unwilling to die so meaninglessly?

  Why……why am I asking myself these questions when……when I already know the answers? It is because we were weak……too weak to accept what we truly wanted, to weak to stand up and refuse to follow an order than we do not agree with.

  How could I have taken this long to realize it? We will not be betraying Laus if we retreat here……no, that is impossible, for we cannot betray someone who has already betrayed us.

  These humans, allowing us the option of survival when they have us within their clutches……I do not like being pitied, but one thing has been made painfully clear……our enemies have more sympathy for us than the one who is supposed to be our leader does.

  How pathetic……

  "……very well," I responded bitterly, unimaginably frustrated with myself as I met the gaze of the Water Sage, reverting back from my Lightning Sage Mode, "I understand! Stop the Krakens, we will retreat immediately!"

  I could hear some of the Fairies protesting angrily, but screw them. I turned around to face them, with a renewed sense of determination……

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