The Fell War - Chapter 13 (Patreon)

Alessio arrived just as the players received word that Clover and Diamond had already launched their invasion fleet. They were to meet on the same shore where they’d evacuated the refugees, the irony of the plan not lost on Alfre. It would take players from Diamond the longest to get there, Clover the quickest. Which left Alfre and her army just enough time to load the boats and launch without worrying about being the last to arrive. Maldrom had set aside a boat exclusively for the Saphir army, the royal insignia painted on the steam funnels. Alessio was delighted by the whole thing, and insisted on paying for it once the war was over so he could keep it. Maldrom wasn’t exactly arguing once he heard the price Alessio was willing to pay for it.

Alessio, while enamored with the ship Maldrom had set aside for him, boarded the same ship as Alfre and company, his second-in-command joining the rest of his army aboard the other ship.

“What is the plan?” he asked, wandering into the map room where the other guild masters had gathered.

“We will land on Sandfur’s shore,” Ren stated, wholly in her element as she placed a white castle piece on the map. “The Clover army should already be there when we arrive, building a base camp. Diamond will arrive a day or so behind us. From there, a group of twenty or so operatives, mostly rogues and monks, will sneak into Heart ahead of the rest of the army to lock down the Cathedral and, hopefully, rally the people still trapped in the City. A day or so behind them will be the rest of the army.”

“You, Your Highness, will remain at base camp with the other tacticians like Ludovico,” Ran continued where his sister left off. “You will move into the City after we have taken it. Your main job is to maintain a line of communication among the different commanders and keep track of where everyone is. Is that alright with you?”

Alessio frowned. “It is. Though I would like to fight, I can understand your thinking. I will do my best.”

“Ren will be in charge of the initial infiltration mission,” Alfre said, taking a knight piece made of a deep blue gemstone and moving it towards the castle piece that represented the City of Heart. “We hope that her ridiculously high charisma stat will help rouse the people into action.”

Ren nodded solemnly, no sign of her trademark wild grin in sight. “Spica will come along as my lieutenant.”

Alfre gripped the edge of the table at that. She hadn’t even considered that her friends would be separated from her. She’d only been able to face the idea of war head on because she’d assumed her friends – her two very best friends – would be by her side the whole way. But, of course, Spica was perfect for the infiltration mission. It would be a waste if she didn’t go. Alfre swallowed back that sudden flash of self-doubt and anger.

“And once we take the city?” Alessio asked.

“Then you will move base camp to the innermost district of the city,” Alfre said. “And while the majority of the army will remain there to fight off any siege force Granato sends our way, a small contingent, lead by myself, will infiltrate their capital and eliminate the Emperor.” She moved a brilliant white marble queen piece towards the castle piece that represented Rubino.

“That’s terribly risky,” Alessio warned.

“No risk, no reward,” Ren countered, her grin returning – and Alfre couldn’t help but feel comforted by it. “You can’t kill a hydra by cutting off its heads. You have to go for the heart. No pun intended.”

“You know damn well that pun was intended,” Ran accused.

The sound of horns caught their attention. Alfre stepped away from the map in the center of the room to look out one of the large windows. They’d successfully cleared the bay, home behind and the ocean before them.

“Ladies, Gentlemen, and others,” she smiled to herself. “We’re off to war.”