Pieces of broken glass and mead scattered across the ground when my mug slipped from my limp fingers. Spreading forth from our little circle was an ensuing silence. Others slowly began taking notice of the purposely-long and somewhat affectionate kiss. Hell, what was I to think at this point? My mind just blanked out.

Did my girlfriend just kiss Anjali? Is this real? How did they ev–

“Welcome to the harem,” Donna shrugged and continued drinking like nothing happened.

I nudged my head to the side, “Can I have a word in private?” I asked, going into the house with Dawn.

“What’s wrong?” she questioned.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” my palm slid wearily over my face, “What the hell were you thinking out there, Dawn?”

“I can’t kiss her?”

“Wha–no! No, you can’t kiss her! What kind of a stupid question is that?!”

“Don’t yell at me! Isn’t it fine if it’s another woman?”

I mentally sighed, finding this to be extremely tedious. It was obvious Anjali told her something and digging up what that was right now felt like a huge hurdle to cross. “I don’t know where you got that idea from, but no. Even you said that there would be no one else besides Donna. How could you kiss someone else in front of us like that? Listen, Dawn, I don’t know what she told you, but just know that whatever it is, was probably a lie. She’s a master negotiator, remember?”

Her brows furrowed in anger, her eyes glaring at me. I was treading on thin ice here and that statement just made my steps a lot heavier. “You’ve got no right! I didn’t expect you to jump to conclusions like that, Eric. You disappoint me…”

With those words, the situation became a little clearer. Whatever Anjali was doing, was meant to drive a wedge between me and Dawn, and it was working. I stood there a few seconds, thinking over my next steps and decided to put off the discussion for another time. It would do me no good to rush it. “You’re right, I should’ve asked a question. Well, maybe later. Let’s just, enjoy the afternoon, okay?”

And that we did. Everyone left with a smile on their face. Aug was way too smashed to go anywhere, and so was Pyro. The red-headed guy bickered with Keagan all through the day.

The enjoyable day was like the calm before the storm because the next day my ears were flooded with reports of villages being pillaged and ransacked near the border. The Virai infiltrated, and they did it fast. Like a wave of death, they continued inward into Methelia. The Order dispatched willing mages to strategic locations but kept their real firepower at close draw. We were ready.

At least, that’s what I thought.

~

“Wait, so, um,” I exhaled to find my rhythm, “let’s just recap and after said recap, tell me if you think it makes sense, yeah?” I told Anjali and Dawn after they explained what was going on. We were sitting around a table in the Pendulums’ oversized garden, under the cool of a tree. I placed my fingers on the glass table, “I fought Elder. You became attracted to me. You spoke to Dawn about it, especially after hearing about our ‘polygamy’. She sympathised with you and said it was okay to pursue me. Is that it?”

She scoffed a little, “You make it sound so simple, but yes, that’s it.”

“And you think that makes sense?” I looked to Dawn but Anjali answered.

“Stop mulling it over as if it’s nothing!” Anjali argued.

But it’s goddamn stupid!

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone! Yes, I know the reason is a little weird, but I’ve never once seen anyone stand up, much less fight my father! You know how strict he was with me as a kid. You know how much he pressured me to become a mage. You know how I rebelled. I’ve always doubted myself, every damn day, wondering if I made the right choice. But then I see you fight him, your opinions butting with each other and still win. That made me feel like I was right for the first time in my life, like the path he chose for me wasn’t the only correct one. I like you, Eric, and I want to say that I love you but I don’t know if it’s just infatuation. I want to find out! That’s all I’m asking. And if it is just a phase, then, no hard feelings if you want to ‘kick me out’ of the relationship. I, understand.”

Donna sat with us as well, but was rather silent throughout the talks, except for that moment. “Well, she isn’t lying,” the queen commented, sipping her conjured spring water.

And you know this how?

“People have energy fluctuations when they’re purposely lying.”

Oh great, thanks for only telling me this now.

I sighed, “I look like a womaniser, don’t I?”

“You are,” Dawn said, something of a smile on her face.

“Now, to be clear here,” Donna pulled our attention, “you’re the main woman here, Dawn. You have hiring power, so to speak. I love Eric to death but I would’ve never truly gone after him had you not been okay with it. We’ve been together for nearly half his life and I probably know him better than he knows himself. Our case was a special one, so I could understand why you came to a decision with three of us being together. But, with Anjali’s story,” Donna smirked a little, “don’t mean to be rude but, the bar for entry there was rather low. None of us really know her, or Elder.”

“What are you saying?” Dawn asked, a little confused by what she’s been implying so far.

“Well,” Donna stretched her arms upward, “I’m saying it’d be hypocritical to forbid him to see other women as long as those women love him. If Anjali’s newfound feelings are enough, then women that love him are probably over-qualified and it’d just be horrible to deny them.”

Dawn froze a little, thinking over what Donna said. She understood clearly but was probably brainstorming a solution. “You’re saying, I can’t get mad if he brings home a random girl who says she loves him?”

“Yep,” Donna sipped again, “one such woman, or beast actually, is Hydra. Another is – though he probably didn’t realise she likes him because he’s an idiot – is Sek’hana, the Ingen chieftain. I’m not saying you have to let them in, but I was a little surprised Anjali got an okay before Hydra.”

Wow, this discussion is going outside my species. Do I even have any power here? Sheesh! But… I pondered about Sek’hana. Since when did that happen? Donna was always more perceptive than I, so I guess it’s no surprise that it flew over my head and not hers.

I zoned out a little, not really listening to the conversation and delving into my thoughts but was pulled away when a butler ran over to us, haste ridden into his voice and sweat now forming over his face. “Pardon the interruption, young mistress! Aquan is under attack, you need to find a safe place right now!”

Donna stood up immediately, but I ruminated on those words a little. Aquan? Under attack? We were far from the battle, despite being west of Methelia. For the Virai to make it this far meant we severely and grossly underestimated them. At that point I assumed the mages that the Order sent were probably dead, which would prove quite odd for them to be defeated so easily. Something was amiss.

“What are you doing?! Let’s go!” Donna shouted me out of my mind.

Right. “Anjali, stay here with Dawn. Dawn, round up everyone within these walls and get to a safe place in the house. You’re their best bet at survival if any enemies get close. Don’t reveal yourself unless you have to.” Her leviathan could also heal, so whoever was in her protection would be quite safe, but I hadn’t a clue where her sister, May was. Yet, I couldn’t focus on her right now, wasting time to find her could be problematic. In fact, the real problem was my household, situated in the western district of Aquan.

“Donna, get in me,” I said, and flew off the minute she disappeared from our physical world. Just as I did, our bells and alarms went off, signalling we were indeed under assault. The western district was totally overrun with orcs, huge orcs. Our soldiers fought against them, but to take down just one of them would need at least five soldiers and a lot of luck to kill the riled-up orcs. Their bloodlust alone could kill. In fact, they murdered indiscriminately; man, woman, child, even dogs. Whatever moved, was killed. It was like blind rage.

Screams of fear amassed from all around me, I didn’t know where to start. “Go ahead, find Mary,” Donna told me, already outside floating down with Levitate. I took her up on the offer and flew towards mom’s work. By the time I’d gotten there, the courts were all vacant, or so it appeared.

“Eric!” Mom suddenly appeared, “I know you’re worried but I’m fine. We all are.”

“We?”

“Everyone is under my Invisibility, but…

“Your mana…” I completed and she nodded worriedly. She inquired about Flynn but there’s no way the Order would send him to battle. He was too precious of an asset in stealth magic to risk, so I knew he’d be safe. What I didn’t know was if he knew that mom was safe. I hoped that he’d stay in the Order during all this madness and not try to rush to Mary’s side.

After hearing screams for the umpteenth time, I left Hydra with mom and everyone else in the court to leave for the ruction outside. The fastest, controlled killing tool I had was a combination of Web of God and Chain Lightning, but it seemed Chain Lightning weren’t strong enough to permanently do away with Virai orcs. Instead, I changed it to Hand of God. The size and regeneration of my mana pool now would see no problem casting it nonstop. I casted Levitate for mobility, Avatar of Water to make their attacks null, and began my assault. Phoenix, Tarit, and Kor’zha dispersed to the other three districts and I kept to the western district. Our mages began rendering help as well.

I swept through the western district, not at all having to search for orcs because of their sheer abundance. In fact, I had to make sure I avoided the cadavers littered about the streets. Probably past two hundred kills, a certain orc caught my eye. He was calm, not at all like his enraged brethren. His skin was a darkened grey, his dreadlocks tied in one with a leather strip and his weapon the most peculiar of all. It was a claymore, much bigger than the usual with a faint glow to it. The glow would come and go, like a pulse, almost as if the blade was alive.

The orc simply raised his hand and every charging orc halted instantly, their eyes having a shimmer of green in them. “You are strong,” he said, stepping forth. He had the leisure to do so because I was on my own at that point and reinforcements were busy with the other attacking orcs. “You also fit the description. Mage, are you the one who attacked Vhaul?”

“Who’s Vhaul?” I asked, Wrath of God at the ready.

“Vhaul is the capital of the Virai. Are you the sorcerer that attacked and took the Ingen chieftain?” He was straightforward and answering in a different manner would probably earn me his ire. My defensive spells were ready anyway.

“I am.”

“I see,” he closed his eyes for a brief moment. The minute he reopened them, he dashed forth with blazing speed. No, really, that was the fastest I’d ever seen anyone move. It stunned me for a second, but that was all the time he needed to have his blade swinging towards my neck. On reflex, I glided backwards but not fast enough. The Avatar of Water buff made the blade pass right through my cheek, however, I was still cut. It didn’t make sense, because Avatar of Water made all kinetic attacks that weren’t magic have their energy redirected elsewhere, as if my body was water itself. Yet, the cut was still there. I ran Renew over it, used Avatar of Lightning and disabled Levitate for a faster reaction.

He attacked again, stepping away from my level one Divergence just in time and slashing, going through my impromptu Earth Wall like it was butter. Level two Divergence spread forth from me, pushing him back but nowhere near the force I was used to. Frost Trap clamped his feet down but he simply stepped out of them.

I didn’t understand what the hell was going on. He charged again, reaching me in a split second. His thrust was pulled off target by a Convergence, then Ice Javelin sought to impale him but only managed to scratch as he dodged just at the right time. I casted Voidwalk and disappeared from his sight, just as I was about to release Wrath of God from the skies, he yelled out “Stop! We will retreat! Mage!” he called out before running off, “Remember the name, Moken!”

It was as if he knew exactly when I was going to strike, that timing was uncanny. He sheathed his weapon, and I was of no mind to pursue even more fighting with all the death in Aquan at the moment. I reckoned Renew would be of great use at the moment and couldn’t wait for them to turn and go back from whence they came. They retreated. There were less and less sounds of battle spiralling through the air. Fewer screams to be heard. Less metal clashing.

Aquan’s defences were bolstered the second the Virai retreated deeper west. I wasn’t sure if we won to be honest. In terms of pound for pound power, our mages outdid the orcs, but the orcs outgunned our less magically-talented soldiers. Moken and I seemed to be on the same playing field, which said a hell of a lot of things that brought up even more questions in my mind. This was the first I’d ever heard of or seen anyone put up a fight against a mage without the use of magic, and I was at the spirit lord level. To appease my growing curiosity, I simply attributed the source his superhuman, or super-orc strength rather, to the strange sword. I rued to think it possible that he could control quintessential energy, or even that the sword was enchanted. Both quint and enchantment should be things of total mystery to this world, but I kept my mind open for now.

I summoned Hydra to my location and told her to scour the entirety of Aquan, especially the areas that had heavy orc presence to heal whoever might not have died yet from injury. After flying back to Dawn, I also asked that she use her Leviathan for the same purpose.

With group castings of Earth Wall, Aquan’s walls were fortified within the day, easily tripling its height from before. Makeshift towers were erected for mages to have a good vantage point and soldiers – all capable of using Hawk Eye – would keep a look out. We were ready for another attack.

Over a thousand people were killed that day, but at least the orc body count wasn’t too far behind. The night was void of rest. I burned the midnight oil along with the rest of the councilmen in meeting after meeting. Some with local governance and politicians, some with Carl Rawlings and some of his highest ranked soldiers, some by ourselves.

The next day was overcast and slightly drizzling, as if mocking us by creating such a sombre mood. The morgues were packed, to the point where we had to store the bodies in warehouses in the eastern district. Crystalline Slumber was casted on them. It was a thin, hexagonal encasing of ice strictly for preserving cadavers. Last night they focused on finding, cleaning, preserving and storing the bodies. Today, however, families would have to identify them.

I wasn’t very worried, because I knew I protected my people, but all that was thrown out the window when someone called me to one of the warehouses. Eh, I shrugged, it’s probably not what I think. Maybe just some spell they want help with. That was my inclination. Why then, did I see August?