Boron had been complaining non-stop about these ambushes. It caused the task of destroying the diamond gate to get longer. He scolded everyone, including Sizhad and even Ronald who happened to stop by to trace the trails from the recent ambush.
Sizhad just took the insult in silence but Ronald almost pulled his revolver to shoot Boron. Motherboard quickly stopped him before he did. She reminded Ronald via a message that Boron was still important at the moment and Master would be very displeased if he attacked the native.
Ronald instead shot at the ground beside Boron's feet before walking away. The act angered Boron. He almost called his soldiers to chase after Ronald, but Sizhad warned him that they still needed Master's army for this revolution. Boron refrained himself and resorted to just throwing loud curses at Ronald who was getting further.
The ambushes by the Dogs of War in the late morning reduced significantly. Everyone thought this was because Ronald had put so much pressure on these ambushers that they were now acting more mildly.
Little did they know it was because Jack had finally convinced them that finding the enemy's command base was a better use of their manpower. Before, they only spared a few members to do the search. Now, more than half of them were on the search while the remaining ones continued with the harassment on the siege weapons to buy the gate a bit more time.
When it was late afternoon, one group finally reported in and told Serpent Boss that they had found a place where a large number of enemy soldiers were guarding. Other than near the palace where the siege weapons were bombarding the diamond gate, this place was the only one with so many enemy soldiers.
After hearing the news, Jack agreed that the place should be where Linda and the war table were located.
Jack informed John about this. They were ready to go with the final phase of their plan. Jack then told Serpent Boss about their plan.
After listening, Serpent Boss sent commands to his members who were still inside this capital. They stopped what they were doing and went to the place Serpent Boss told them to go.
Jack thanked Serpent Boss. He gave something to Serpent Boss and then left.
*
Inside the palace courtyard, Jeanny received John's message. John told her about their plan. Jeanny looked at the gate's HP. It was only a bit over ten percent left. In a few more hours, the gate would fall.
She gathered the guild leaders and told them to be ready. She then walked over to Thelgrun, who was still sulking in one of the gardens near his palace. He was sitting on a lavish and oversized chair, watching an empty field where races used to be hosted.
"Get up," Jeanny said to him.
He looked at Jeanny with a confused expression.
"Get up!" Jeanny said louder.
Broban, who was sitting beside Thelgrun, stood up and uttered, "Lady, you cannot talk to our president like…"
"Back off…!!" Jeanny shouted, which took both Broban and Thelgrun aback. Even the two dwarven soldiers behind Thelgrun who were stepping forward, because they also thought Jeanny was being rude, stopped in their tracks.
Jeanny turned back to Thelgrun and said, "You have felt sorry for yourself for a whole day already. It is time to stop and pull yourself together! Your country needs you. Your people need you…!!"
Thelgrun lowered his head. He understood that. He had tried to be strong during the first day of fighting. Even when Uddroth fell. But after losing so much and being forced to hunker down inside his capital, he just couldn't find the will to lift his spirit anymore.
Broban and the two soldiers behind Thelgrun also looked down. They agreed with Jeanny but they also sympathized with Thelgrun because they too felt the same. They felt defeated.
"That gate is going to fall soon," Jeanny said. "The Themisphere army is still outside. The enemy outnumbers them. They won't be able to get to us."
Thelgrun shut his eyes. 'This was your attempt to encourage me? Good job, lady,' He complained in his mind.
"Aren't you angry?" Jeanny asked.
Thelgrun looked up at her with a confused face.
"Aren't all of you angry?! That someone invades your home and backs you into a corner like this?" Jeanny threw the question to Broban and the two soldiers at the back.
"Of course, I am angry!!" Broban shouted back. "All of us are! But what can we do?!"
"What can you do? You can fight!" Jeanny exclaimed. "You can fight till you can't fight anymore. You can fight until you die! That's what you can do. You can punish those invaders and traitors. Even if you can take down only one of them. It is worth it!"
"Easy for you to say. You can't die…," One of the two soldiers said.
"Do you see me wearing an Amulet of Rebirth?" Jeanny asked. The necklace on her neck was not the amulet. It was a unique-grade pendant he had received during his trip to Hope's divine faction.
"Yes, I will not die," Jeanny continued. "That is this world's rule. It's not something I can do anything about. But without the amulet, I will lose everything. That is the same as dying for us, outworlders. I am not going to tell you I understand what you are going through. I am not going to tell you that I can conquer the fear of dying if I am in your shoes. But I can tell you that even if I do, I will still fight!
"That is because I know my will to protect my home and the people I love, is stronger than my fear! If Palgrost falls here, Liguritudum will come to Themisphere next. So, I come here to fight not only for Palgrost but for my home, as you now fight for your home. If you give up now, then all is lost!"
Jeanny hit the end of her spear's shaft on the ground. "Get up, President Thelgrun of Palgrost! You've not yet lost everything. You still have your army. You still have your hammer. Most of all, you still have your life. Pick up your hammer and prepare to fight!!"
Thelgrun looked at the hammer that was lying on the ground next to him.
"She is right, Mister President," Helga Flameforge, the only remaining admiral on their side, came to Thelgrun's side. Yonhilda was next to her. They also heard Jeanny's speech. "We have not lost everything yet."
"That's right," Yonhilda added. "I switched sides because I want to punch that a*shole Boron's face for kidnapping my brother. I don't care if I die doing it!"
Thelgrun clenched his fists. He took a deep breath before blowing a heavy air out. He then picked up his hammer.
"Everyone…!!!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Prepare for battle! We will let these c*cksuckers know what dwarven rage meant!"
