Took a short break from my school work. philosophy does things to your head... in more ways than one.

Anyhoo, have a chapter I whipped up during that short break of mine.

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Meanwhile, in the Argent Mountains, within a large cave...

"AAHHHHHH!!! WHAT DO WE DO!?!?!?"

"LORD CULVERIN!!! LORD CULVERIN HAS GONE MISSING!!!"

"AAHHHHHH!!! HE DISAPPEARED!!! THE LORD DISAPPEARED!!!"

The fairies of the Argent Mountains are running amok from the disappearance of Culverin.

"Everyone, calm down!" An elf bellowed. "Running around panicking is not helping!"

Everybody who was going nuts suddenly dropped and looked at the elf.

"Grarrrr... He's right." A wolf-man spoke. "We need to calm down to think of what to do, ruff."

"Huff... I too itch for battle." a draconian spoke as well. "A clouded mind does ill for our future."

"Volg, have you heard anything from your scouts?" The elf asked the wolf-man.

"Grr... still nothing, Alrus." Volg replied.

"Darn it. Klem, deliver orders to the Avians and Wind Faes to increase the search radius. S'rok, do the same with your wyverns." Alrus issued a command to a nearby Wind Fae and the draconian.

"By your command, sir." replied the Wind Fae as it flew away.

"ROOAARRR!!" S'rok roared as if delivering orders.

After issuing the command, Alrus took a seat and massaged his head.

'Lord Culverin, where are you?' he thought.

Volg also took a seat nearby.

"Grr... I doubt that Ladenras has thought of a way to eliminate him."

"Huff... Stop, Volg. Those thoughts don't really help the current situation."

"Rrr... but what can we do? He just suddenly disappeared without warning."

"Not entirely without warning. The mana in the air fluctuated a bit before we found out his disappearance."

"Grr? Do you mean to say..?"

"It's possible that a magic powerful enough to overpower an Elemental is at fault here... but... Argh! I can't help but think of that possibility."

"Grrmm..."

"Huff..."

Moments pass and an Avian entered.

"Lord Alrus, Lord Volg, Lord S'rok." the Avian greeted them.

"Speak." Alrus commanded.

"Lords, the Earth Faes near Lavinia City reported a massive fluctuation of mana within the castle. The Wind Faes also reported a faint stench of burning flesh."

Alrus, Volg, and S'rok went wide-eyed at the Avian's report.

"Alert the army!" shouted Alrus. "We storm Lavinia City now to aid Lord Culverin!"

"Sir!!" affirmed the Avian.

"Volg, how many can you commit?"

"Grr... All of the tribes are ready and waiting."

"S'rok?"

"We are forever prepared!"

"Good. We march, now!"

As the non-human army was organizing itself at the base of the base of the mountain preparing to march, a rip in space appeared on a cliff face. The Fire Lord, Culverin appeared from within.

"Ahh, it's good to be ba--" Culverin paused as he saw the number of non-human soldiers at the base. "What' s going on?"

The army was busy tending to themselves to notice the return of their lord.

'Must be practice.' he thought, until Alrus, Volg, and S'rok spoke before the army.

"Warriors! Our scouts have reported a fluctuation of mana within Lavinia City, the capital of Ladenras!" Alrus shouted.

"Grarr! The Wind Faes also reported the stench of burning flesh, there is only individual able to scatter that much!" Volg bellowed.

"ROAR! Lord Culverin has, for some reason, disappeared into Lavinia! We march to his aid!!" S'rok roared.

"We march, or we die trying!!!"

"OOHHH!!!"

'Uh oh...' Culverin thought as he heard his subordinates. 'I need to stop them.'

Culverin's eyes started to glow a fiery red and orange color. The intensity grew as he absorbed and compressed the mana in the air. Finally, he let loose a large pillar of flame giving away the location of where he stood.

">!"

Culverin's shout, and the intensity of his flames drew the attention of everybody present.

"""Lord Culverin!!!"""

After the flames dissipated, Culverin leapt towards the front of the army and landed beside Alrus.

"Ahh, apologies for disappearing like that." Culverin spoke as he faced the army.

Everyone present kneeled in his presence, even those in the sky landed. The three commanders kneeled before Culverin.

"Lord Culverin! We were worried for you!" Alrus spoke.

"At ease, all of you."

Only then did they all relax.

"Grr... Lord, where have you been?" Volg asked.

"I was in Ladenra--"

"Were you alright, Lord!?" Alrus spoke out with anxiety.

"I'm fine, Alrus. I was summoned via a >."

""">?""" the three commanders spoke in unison.

"Ah, hm... my Master was summoned into this world by Ladenras as a champion against me."

The three just stared in disbelief.

"Huff... the-then what happened, Lord?" S'rok asked.

"The war is over."

"Um... huh? W-what?" Alrus was dumbfounded.

"Rrr? Lord... how?" Same with Volg.

"My master and I killed the-- er, we just killed around a thousand soldiers and magi. Then, the First Princess, Ritna, killed King Rotter."

They all just looked at Culverin like he just said something crazy.

"Anyway, we will be signing a Peace Treaty with Prin-- Queen Ritna in two days. Now, everybody, go back home to your families." Culverin finished by dismissing the army.

As the army dispersed, they were left confused by the series of events.

First, their lord disappeared. Second, they were ordered to prepare marching against Ladenras. Third, their lord returned after a while. And lastly, their lord brought news about the end of the war and a Peace Treaty with their enemy.

"Queen Ritna, huh?" Alrus muttered. "Ritna... wait..."

Alrus' eyes became wide as he repeated her name.

'Gods! Ritna! Brother Alrik! Ritna was Alrik's lover!' Alrus was shocked at this thought. 'I thought it was weird for that king's daughter to kill him.'

Alrus suddenly knelt and cried as he remembered his brother's happiness before the war.

"Huff... Alrus?"

"Grr... are you alright?"

"I... I'm fine, the news only hit me now. The war is over, finally."

Alrus kept weeping as his comrades stayed by his side. Only then did their cries of relief and happiness resound across the forest and mountains.

Culverin approached Alrus and crouched down next to him.

"Alrus."

"Lord?"

"Always remember that nothing is worth dying for. EVERYTHING is worth living for. Never forget that."

"Huh? Y-yes, Lord. I will."

"The same goes for you two, and everyone else as well." Culverin looked at Volg and S'rok, and the two nodded firmly.

"Let's go home. We need to prepare for the Queen's arrival for the treaty."

Culverin walked side by side with his three subordinates.

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I wrote all of these on mobile, so if you find mistakes, feel free to point them out.

Thanks for the support and, if possible, rate and review my work.