MTLNOVEL Chapter 136: Watch
Vacuse waited until it was night before he went to see the Standpoint High Commander. It was the same dinner room as before but this time, they were both alone.
"I heard that you didn't manage to convince the Orcs to support you." Rhydian Vorrakyn sat at the head of the table. He was holding a knife and a fork.
Vacuse looked at him. The person was just as powerful as Drenvar in terms of military power in the Vorrakyn. The only difference was that one of them was Dragon Lord.
But that difference, and the authority that came with it, was like heaven and earth.
"I don't know if you are pleased or not," Vacuse said as he also sat down at the other end.
Rhydian shrugged. "I am pleased. I do not want the Orcs in the Vorrakyn's territory. But now, even the Orcs are at war, it seems things went far out of what you expected."
Vacuse snorted. "What do you hear?"
Rhydian looked troubled. "That if the Orcs go to war then things won't be good for us at the end if they manage to unify."
"Do you hear that Lyra wanted to use the Standpoint fortress as a bargaining chip for some profit?"
The fork and knife froze. A hardened face turned to Vacuse. "So... she betrayed you and wanted to sell my territory. But you killed her. I assume you want something for that, eh, Dragon heir?
"Vacuse Vorrakyn. What do you want? Why don't you head to Kragthar? You must want something for coming here directly."
Vacuse shrugged. "Well, you are right. The mission in Warbine ended in disaster but it did create a chance for us. The Orcs will be too busy to even think of attacking the Wilderness here. Frankly, the Standpoint fortress is not going to have any work to do for the time being."
Rhydian narrowed his eyes. "So I am right. You really are here for something."
Vacuse didn't touch his food and his face was now incredibly cold. He decided to be straightforward. "I need you to recall all the Soulbearers in all the outposts and send them to flank the Frexon army."
Rhydian blinked. And blinked, then he laughed, a full belly laughter that shook his whole frame. "Ah! Vacuse... when you said you have something to tell me, I thought you would be cutting me a deal to kill your father or some kind of nefarious plan like that. But this..? Are you trying to toy with me?"
Vacuse didn't even smile back, his face totally expressionless. "I am not toying with you, High Commander. And might I remind you that you are speaking with the Dragon heir of the Vorrakyn."
Rhydian stopped smiling immediately and his face became chilly as he sensed that Vacuse was actually serious. He frowned. "You want me to leave my Standpoint fortress that I haven't left since the day I stepped foot here, and not on the Dragon Lord's order, but because some brat thinks he's now somehow important?"
Vacuse nodded without hesitation. "You are right. But I am important."
"You can't even get the Orcs to join you."
Vacuse fell silent.
He already knew that it wouldn't be easy to convince the High Commander, and frankly speaking, now that he was saying it out loud, he found his request pretty unreasonable.
The High Commander was a powerful seat and it wouldn't bend that easily.
Vacuse would have to try harder. "You speak of the Vorrakyn of the past. High Commander, this would bring back a lot of the glory we lost. I want to crush the Frexon army once and for all without giving the others time to join them.
"Right now things are in a passive state, but with the news of my failure and Lyra's death, things will start moving again, and most especially, the other Dukes will join the Red Leaves. I don't want that to happen."
The High Commander was silent for a long time, and there was a beginning of a shine in his eyes, but most of his face was still gloomy. "So let's just say that it happens as you said and Duke Frexon is crushed.
"What then happens to the other Dukes? The reason the Vorrakyn didn't fight a war is not because of a single Duke but of two or three Dukes. If it's one, then we can easily crush them, but two? We'll be the ones that get crushed!"
"Then what do you suggest, High Commander? If we don't make a move, they will. And that would end with us getting crushed. What do you have to say about this, High Commander?"
Silence immensely filled the room, as loud as its counterpart.
After a long time, the High Commander shifted. "And what does your father have to say about this? If you don't know, your father has the right and authority to open the deep vault for war weapons. Without him, I won't be able to enter some of the vaults."
Vacuse smiled and raised his hand, the ring on it glowing red like coal. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. I should be able to pull it off.
"Also, I have sent word ahead to him. The War of the Western Region is about to start."
The High Commander was silent for a long time and then he nodded to himself as if he'd made a confirmation about something. "I will think about it..."
Vacuse smiled. There was no warmth in it. "Right."
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Deep in Kragthar, in the Dragon's palace, deep where the healers had their base, Duke Frexon was currently on a sick bed, frowning over a letter.
"Lyra Vorrakyn is dead and the Orcs are at war with each other. Ragna is dead and a new heir is in place. And all of this was caused by Vacuse Vorrakyn, the Dragon heir."
The Duke was silent for a long time and then he snorted. "Vacuse Vorrakyn, eh? I think it's time to finally put an end to this brat. But most importantly...
"It's time for me to come back to life."