KINETIC

Nila, having arrived at the wall with Leo, stood beside Supreme Commander Colt. The two of them watched as Leo leapt from the wall towards the cultist army.

"The same situation is happening at each of the three cities. They asked for General Rune here but just asked for the person in charge at the other two cities." Supreme Commander Colt said.

"If they didn't even ask for him at Drom or Zoren then it means they already knew he would be here." Nila said with a concerned expression.

"It seems you've realized our predicament. We either have a traitor or a spy among our ranks and I have no way of determining who it." Supreme Commander Colt said with a sigh.

"It won't matter much after today. Either we win the battle and destroy the cult or they win and take over. The rat will either be rewarded by the cult for their help or we will have destroyed any evidence of their wrongdoing." Nila explained.

"That's right. I don't know if I should be annoyed or impressed... Regardless, it won't matter if he we can't win here."Supreme Commander Colt said as he watched Leo converse with the cultists.

***

[Drom]

"They want to speak to the person in charge." Captain Skutter said as Clay joined him atop the city wall.

"It's probably a trap." Clay said with a skeptical tone.

"Probably. If they remove you before the fighting even begins, our command structure and morale would take a hit." Captain Skutter said.

Clay thought about the situation and the potential danger he would face if he exited the city to meet with the cultists.

"I'll go, but not alone. I'll take someone that can assist me if they try anything." Clay said.

A few minutes later, Clay and another Infernai were walking away from the city towards the cultists army.

There were several hundred people on the cultists side, more than double the number of soldiers and Infernai within Drom.

'Being inside the city will give us an advantage in the beginning but if they manage to get inside the city walls and we haven't lowered their numbers enough...' Clay thought as he a stopped a few meters away from the cultists he was meant to meet.

'Based on her clothes, she's either an Imperium or an ability user.' Clay thought as he looked the cultist up and down.

"You didn't come alone." The Imperium said.

"Why would I? Your army is only a few meters away from you, it would be foolish to come out here without some kind of defence planned for myself." Clay said.

"It doesn't make a difference, we weren't going to harm you anyway. We've actually come to make a deal." The Imperium said with a shrug.

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Clay asked. He was surprised, confused and skeptical all at once.

"We will select our strongest fighter and put them up against yours in a duel. The side who's fighter loses will surrender." The Imperium explained.

"I'm assuming it would be a fight to the death?"

"Naturally."

"I'm not accepting just yet, give me a moment to discuss this with my people." Clay said.

"Do as you must." The Imperium said while twirling her hair around her finger and smiling.

"If we accept, our fighter will walk onto the battlefield. If we decline, we will fire a signal into the air." Clay said as he placed his hand on the shoulder of his Infernai companion.

The Imperium nodded in acknowledgment and Clay dissappeared with his companion in a dull flash of light.

Clay quickly explained the situation to Captain Skutter who immediately voiced his dislike of the deal.

"I doubt they will keep their word and surrender even if we defeat their fighter, it's a pointless risk!"

"That's likely the case but we can't just ignore the opportunity. If they do keep their word and surrender, our people will have been spared the threat of a siege and our soldiers won't have to die in battle.

Even if it's all a lie, we owe it to our soldiers and the civilians to at least try." Clay explained.

Captain Skutter seemed hesitant to agree but eventually let out a deep sigh of resignation. "Alright... If you think we should do it then I'm with you. Do you think you have a chance of winning?"

"Me? I'm not going to be the one to fight, they asked for our strongest fighter didn't they?" Clay said with a wry smile on his face.

"I just assumed that the higher an Infernai was ranked the stronger they were?" Captain Skutter said.

"That's mostly true but there are some, like myself, who have our positions because of our intelligence. I'm not called the Strategist for nothing you know." Clay answered.

"Then if you're not the strongest Infernai here, who is?" Captain Skutter asked, to which Clay just smiled.

***

[Zoren]

"So they want to fight our strongest fighter in a duel and the losing side surrenders? Alright then..." Leonard said from the city walls.

"Are you sure? It seems kind of pointless, don't you think?" Officer Michael said as he looked out at the 200 or so cultists standing outside the city.

"The plan to empty the city and draw a portion of cult army here worked didn't it? If we just leave now then they will head to one of the other two cities and join the attacks taking place there.

If we can get them to surrender here by defeating them, or if we can at least stall for some time, the other cities have a better chance of winning." Leonard explained.

" If you say so, Captain... " Officer Michael said with a sigh.

"Alright everyone, the plan worked so you all need to head to the Gate and head to the other 2 cities to assist them. I'll stall for time as long as I can here and join you all later." Leonard ordered to the few soldiers that were present.

Zoren was currently completely empty of all life. The only living things in the city was Leonard, Michael and about 30 soldiers that were lined up on the wall.

The plan Clay came up with went as follows. Zoren would be emptied and the city abandoned when the fighting began.

The soldiers lined up on the wall were only there so the cult wouldn't catch on to the plan. If nobody was defending the city, they wouldn't send many soldiers to take it and the plan would be pointless.

The goal was to draw in as many cultists as possible, thus depriving their other groups at Drom and Veneria, and dissappear when the attack began.

The soldiers all began making their way down the side of the wall and into the city, heading for the Gate.

"Get the crystal once they're all through the Gate and come back for me so we can escape. With any luck, I'll have defeated their fighter and they will have surrendered." Leonard said as he hopped over the wall and made his way towards the cultists.

"So I take it you're accepting our offer?" A male Imperium asked.

"That's right. If you defeat me, you can have the city without resistance." Leonard said with a smile.

'You could have it without resistance if you just outright attacked it too, but you wouldn't know that.' He thought immediately after, trying not to laugh at the stupidity of the cultists.

'I can't believe they didn't bother to check the city with one of their flying beasts or other ability users before they arrived.

Did they seriously just look at the city wall and think, oh there's a bunch of people up there so we should send a bunch of our people to fight them? what a joke.' Now Leonard just felt disappointed.

"So where is this 'amazing' fighter of yours?" Leonard asked.

"He's right here." The Imperium said as he backed away.

A large muscular man without any hair walked forward, stopping a few meters ahead of Leonard with a smile on his face.

"Well then, let's get this started." Leonard said as he charged towards his opponent.

The large man lifted his arms infront of himself in an × format to defend Leonard's attack.

'Too easy!' Leonard shouted internally as he threw his punch towards the man.

His fist slammed into the man and went right through his body but there was something strange about it.

There was no sound went the fist made contact and he felt no resistance. There was no blood as his fist passed through the man.

Then, within a few seconds after his attack, the man and the entire cult army became transparent and faded away.

Only two cultists remained, both of them being either an Imperium or ability user. The one who had spoken to Leonard before was standing just fine, but the other was slumped over on the ground breathing heavily.

"It was an illusion?" Leonard asked with a confused expression.

"You catch on quickly." The Imperium said as he knelt beside his exhausted companion. "It may have been a trick but I hope you enjoy our little parting gift."

The Imperium pointed to an area ahead of Leonard and then dissappeared with his companion in a flash of light.

Leonard looked down with a frustrated and confused expression on his face. Just ahead of where he was standing, 5 of these 1 meter tall wooden barrels were situated in a small cluster.

"What are these meant t-"

~BOOM~