The Emperor had his gaze peering downwards at the army arrayed in batches within Villa.
Mercenaries, guilders, and squads of numerous families, each brimming with a resolve of their own.
Avillians had all been gathered into underground compartments. They were of little use being women or combatants of Adept-rank.
The real fighting force lay in criminal cells, as the enemy was better than an ally who couldn't be trusted.
The previous night, the Emperor had a Master deliver the five children to the capital.
He would decide their fate once the war was over, whenever that would be.
'It will soon begin'
Dawn and morning came in quick succession and left soon after, leaving the men standing guard in the hot afternoon sun.
At this time, one of the scouts spotted movement from afar.
From a different direction, moving dots came into view.
As the dots moved closer, the dust they blew up was no joke.
'So, they are here'
With the power scaling of Orion, and the devastation wrought on by Grandmaster battles, war was carried in a way tactically agreed to by all Oranians.
The Emperor and the three other Grandmasters found themselves far from the army, which stayed in the confines of the city.
At the same time, a woman, slender and slim with her armor stripped with black and green, along with two other men, one old with long white hair, gray armor and a glowing sword in hand, while the other had a spiked mace as his weapon with a short physique and heavy armor, approached them.
The Emperor gave them a nod.
With it, Raven stood in front of the group, the Emperor never having been much of a talker.
"We request that you have your army turned back"
Likewise, the short man came forward.
"The Empire has no right to demand such claims, just as you have no right to lay claim to Avilla as you killed its king!"
"Don't just-"
The Emperor cut in. Listening to such a useless debacle would have his ears rot, so he intervened with a show of power.
*Crackle!*Spark!*
"What would you have me do when the so-called king dares intrude upon my territory to kill my people?!"
The arrogance in his voice was palatable, causing the short man to take a step back as his mind whirred.
Meanwhile, the Emperor kept on, his gaze indiferent.
"As for laying claim to Avilla, I believe I need not explain myself for taking what is rightfully mine"
The queen of Iris cut in…
"Avilla was a kingdom of its own centuries ago!"
The Emperor was having none of that.
"Don't dare lecture me on my history, girl"
This word had the queen's aura flaring up, but the Emperor was unperturbed.
"I have no interest in petty squabbles. Avilla has been taken by his rightful owners, that is enough an explanation-"
Lightning crackled harder as the Emperor showered their armies with a gaze of hostility.
"-the question is, what do you wish to do about it?"
The faces of the three hardened.
All three had similar thoughts.
'As expected'
'He's crazy'
'I thought they were exaggerating, but this just absurd'
They had brought along their armies as a show of force. No matter how big the Empire was, they couldn't rally enough forces within a day.
But this man didn't put the army in his eyes.
Mind you, the army within view passed ten thousand.
In a word, it was overwhelming, but this Emperor treated them as nonexistent.
"Well?"
The three looked each other in the eye, and without turning their heads, gave the order for retreat.
The armies acted swiftly.
Of course, things were never so simple.
The Emperor spoke lightly.
"Now…"
The three Grandmasters shot forth simultaneously, each engaging an enemy Grandmaster, who were a tad late in responding to their surprise attack.
At the same time, the Emperor sucked in his lightning, took a breath, and sent a straight beam of lightning onto the retreating armies.
*BOOM*
Within seconds, only scorched bodies remained of those unlucky enough to be caught in the attack.
The Emperor had only begun. Without stopping, he moved the scorching rays of lighting all over the land filled with people.
Hundreds died with each passing second.
Such a strike frightened the majority of the horses, causing them to throw off their riders, who were also too confused to get a good grip on their horses.
It happened all over, and in an instant, everything descended into chaos!
"NO!" shouted Mervida as the enemy grandmaster belatedly realized their plan.
Their bodies erupted with killing intent and they moved to stop the Emperor.
But-
"Where are you looking?"
-they had to fend off the enemies in front of them first.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY"
Mervida's voice turned deep. She had veins all over her face and her eyes burned with fury, while her body lit up with green.
A second later, she went on a rampage.
Punches, small but mighty, laced in green essence and moving at crazy speeds hit her opponent, Deneris, in quick succession.
His armor caved in at a visible rate, but his body moved but an inch.
Without delay, Deneris went on the offensive, turning part of his metal clothing into a sharp blade encasing his two hands, and began counterattacking.
The old man, Gaga Valdez, had to fend off Raven, while Getrahan and the short man with a mace, Garvin Oakbear, aimed to bash each other into pulp.
Within five seconds, the army had spread out into batches, each making a run for their lives in whichever direction possible. Such experience would haunt some for the rest of their lives.
But even in such a disaster, those fearless emerged.
"Masters! Heed my charge!"
With this shout, all the Masters looked to see a man running towards the Emperor with a double ax in hand.
Such an act had some wowed at the manliness as they joined in his charge, while others ran away even quicker.
The Emperor, though, only smiled.
High level combatants were willing to march towards him, what a delight!
Adding more power to his ray of lightning, the Emperor directed it towards the incoming assault team.
Pumping all the strength he had into his muscles and throwing it, his ax made its way to the Emperor at a dizzying pace.
The Emperor tilted to the size, having determined the ax's trajectory.
But the weapons in the air suddenly multiplied, forcing the Emperor to break up his lightning beam in order to dodge.
Yet, the Emperor didn't seem any bit displeased.
He stared at his handiwork. From above, it seemed like the work of a child dragging a stick through sand. Except, those marks were scorched ground and beside them lay bodies scorched beyond recognition.
The Emperor's eyes focused on the master who leaped into the air towards him while readying a punch.
Then, he clapped.
The sound reverberated, and immediately, a stampede of men erupted from within the city and the gates were slammed open.
A lot of buildings had been wrecked from the stray attacks of Grandmasters and Masters.
Getrahan and Garvin were fighting at the south part of the city, turning it to utter ruin and killing part of the stationed army.
Nevertheless, those left were still up to the task, and their numbers weren't small.
"Ahh!" like crazed beasts, these Nitonians razed the already torn battlefield, killing those in their way.
At the same time-
*BAM*
-the Emperor punched the approaching Master into the soil, then he stomped on him by dropping from the sky.
*Bam*
The master, who managed to cross his arms, had them, along with his ribs, shattered.
Raising a foot to squash the Master's head, the Emperor paused as other Masters were upon him.
As the Emperor moved, a loud voice resounded.
"Andrew! You have broken the rules! Do you think we will let this be?!"
Gaga spoke with fury, his voice highlighting why these Grandmasters dared to bring their armies to face other Grandmasters
It was forbidden for someone of higher ranks to attack those of lower rank.
Yet, the Emperor had disregarded all rules and slaughtered more than half of their combined forces.
The Emperor gave but a short reply.
"Rules are meant to be broken"
'Dammit!' Gaga grit his teeth as helplessness overwhelmed him.
Here he was, with his subjects dying in his sights, yet he had no power to stop it.
His kingdom was already on a tipping scale. Such a disaster couldn't have worse timing.
As the Emperor massacred the Masters without regard, something happened.
*SHING*
With the clear sound of a sword swing, the manite mountain was cut in half.
A new entrant had joined the battle.
