Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 127: Allies and the War Council

Christina's P.O.V

"What of our kingdom's military?" King Xavier asked the collected generals gathered around the war table as Christina sat to the side of the room. And while they'd been waiting there for the past thirty minutes, they'd needed to wait for the last general to arrive as the man had only arrived that morning along with his troops and was understandably late. But once he arrived, they started their discussion immediately and both she and Richard were able to participate.

"Most of the nobles have gathered their armies here, your majesty, but more are still arriving by the day." One of the generals answered. "We can't be certain, but the latest estimate is between twenty-nine and thirty thousand troops."

"As per the ancient treaty's degree, the Kingdom of Greyward has sent you reinforcements." The new general announced. "Unfortunately, the demons have been raiding our own boarders in small groups, so our full force could not arrive as quickly as we would like.  But once the rest of us arrive, our numbers will be about twenty-five thousand. For now, our knights, rangers and rogues numbering seven thousand have arrived to offer our assistance.

"We are met by disaster as well. With the assassinations of the Pope and his successors, the Order of Light's actions are delayed." An Archbishop standing beside Xavier stated in a regretful tone. "So far, three thousand of our knights and paladins have voluntarily arrived to support the main force, but it will be some time before we recover enough to provide a larger force."

"The adventurers guild has recalled our most powerful members, though given how spread out we are, I estimate that only about five thousand will be able to join us." Conner added.

"Sixty-two thousand... This isn't good." Ess, the elven commander of Harven's rangers, stated her concern. "When the last Demon King attacked, Elnor's resistance was three times this size."

"What of the other countries? Have they sent aid?" Xavier turned his question towards Ganton.

"The factions from the Forbidden Lands have denied our request." Ganton replied.

"Not that we'd want them, the filthy backstabbers." One of the generals muttered under their breaths.

"And what about Faella?"

"They have promised to try and send whatever help that they can, but since this is the season of storms, they cannot risk sending their forces across the green sea by using conventional means." Ganton explained. "They've already begun using their mages to teleport some of their elite elven rangers and beastkin warriors, but with how much magic it consumes just for one small group of them..."

"I see." Xavier's already grave tone went lower as he pointed towards the red flags that they'd placed around Goldgate on the map. "The demon's numbers are growing by the day and there are already almost thirty thousand of them. With our current strength, it would be best to strike now before they can bolster their numbers any further."

"Their troops are one thing, but we still don't know the strength of the Demon King's generals." The Archbishop reminded everyone. "Not to mention that the hero is still much too young and inexperienced to defeat the Demon King. If we go now, then we may be met with only disaster."

"Our scouts have also recorded that the demon forces have another fortress to the north and that this is most likely where they first came from." Ganton continued while pointing at another group of red flags. "There is a black fortress that has suddenly appeared in the mountains and, from the demon's movements, my men believe that a rift to hell itself has been opened beneath it."

"Then we should attack there instead and cut off the enemy reinforcements before this war drags on." Another of the generals spoke.

"The problem is that there is at least seventy thousand monsters of different species guarding the fortress and more than likely an untold number of traps." Ganton replied with everyone in the room falling silent afterward.

"How did they get so many forces so quickly?" Ess questioned out loud.

"Demons are capable of manipulating the laws of this world and controlling monsters. That has been a known fact that has been passed down since the dawn of the first Demon King." Ganton answered. "The only way to stop their control is to kill the demon controlling them, and that is undoubtedly the Demon King himself."

"Who are our strongest fighters?" Xavier asked.

"In terms of level, there are many above level five hundred." Tristan, the commander of the royal knights, was the one to reply this time. "However, in terms of combat ability, only ten would be able to match one of the greater demons or demon generals. Ess and I included."

"There's a few adventurers on Faella who could add to that number, but they have yet to be transported." Conner sighed.

"If we leave now, then we will have a chance to overwhelm the demons at Goldgate and secure it as a forward base to assault the fortress to the north." Tristan pondered. "But if we wait until later, the demons might have enough numbers to overwhelm us so much that even having more strong fighters won't do us any good."

"But if we leave now, and those generals and greater demons manage to kill those that can fight them, then our army would be wiped out before we even had the chance to gather everyone." Ess countered. "All of Elnor could be lost before we even had a chance."

"What do you think that we should do, your majesty?" Ganton asked with all eyes in the room then falling on Xavier while the already trouble man's face was contorted in thought.

"Even if we attack now, there's no way of dealing with the Demon King without the hero being stronger." Xavier seemed to be speaking his thoughts out loud before turning towards the Archbishop. "Is he just an incredibly powerful demon or does the hero really need to be the one that defeats him?"

"The Demon Kings of old have always possessed not only incredible powers, but incredible recuperative capabilities as well." The man answered. "The only way to truly defeat him is for the hero to use her skills which will not only be effective against him, but will also severe his link to this world and send him back to the hell where he was born."

"So the hero really does need to be the one..." Xavier sighed before he started thinking again. "But we can't wait. Because even if more people arrive to fight them, more greater demons and maybe even more generals might appear in the meantime."

"That... is indeed a possibility." The Archbishop replied slowly.

"And when that happens, then not only will they have more powerful individuals with them, but they'll have numbers on their side as well. We'll lose the only current advantage that we have." Xavier seemed to have made up his mind as he continued to speak before he looked at Christina. "The hero might not be ready herself, but there's nothing stopping us from helping. We will battle with the demons and, once the generals have been defeated, those that survive will have to face the Demon King and weaken him enough so that Christina can deal the final blow. That's the only chance that we have, but I'm not a tyrant and I don't want to have to force the hopes of the world on a single girl. So if she doesn't feel like she can do it, then-"

"I can do it." Christina interrupted the king with him looking at her with sad eyes afterward. "I can't defeat him by myself, but if he is weakened, then I'm certain that the divines will grant me the strength needed to defeat him."

"Are you certain that you want to do this?" Xavier asked. "You don't have to and no one will make you. We can always find another solution and, hero or not, you're just a young girl... It's possible that you might die."

"I can do it." Christina confirmed with a determined nod of her head. And after her declaration, the room fell silent again before Xavier stood with a straight posture that no one had seen since the beginning of the meeting.

"Then it's settled." Xavier said slowly while individually looking at everyone present. "Train your men well in the short period of time that we have, for when the rest of the Greyward army arrives, our counter attack will officially begin."