The people of Terrain had no idea that the World Spirit hadn't been separated into four like it would on other worlds. In Earth's case, a rare instance to be sure, the World Spirit chose its host before the Metamorphosis began.
But, somehow, this news was kept as a complete secret. Even after years of preparation, Terrain was completely unaware.
That said, could they be blamed? A Fourth Dimensional world with limited talent and scope like Terrain wasn't even aware that a World Spirit could make such autonomous decisions at such an early stage.
Due to the fact they weren't aware, they weren't even looking for it before Earth's Metamorphosis began. As the saying went… you didn't know what you didn't know. How could Terrain be aware of something they weren't even aware they should be aware about in the first place?
After the Metamorphosis began, Terrain used special channels to learn about who the four completers were. Through their investigations, they managed to learn about three of them, the third completer of which was Prince Noah Fawkes…
Of course, no one was aware of the fact that due to him waking up so much earlier than everyone else, Leonel was by far the first to complete a Zone. In fact, the time difference was a staggering several month gap.
If it wasn't for the fact Leonel was injured to the point of falling into a coma and having to be nursed back to health by Uncle Montez, he would have exited long before anyone else and his status as the first completer would have been more obvious to all.
But, for now… others could only speculate about his identity.
Still, even then, Leonel's performance was so dazzling that he had become a prime suspect regardless.
**
Prince Noah Fawkes stood tall on a battlefield, his breathing almost too even. It was difficult to tell that he had just been in a battle to begin with.
Despite the fact the corpses of his enemies laid before him, their blood dripping from the blade of his saber, he didn't seem happy in the slightest.
"They're stalling."
Noah spoke to no one in particular.
This White City was exceptionally cruel. Without thought for casualties, they threw army after army of troops at them. It was as though they wanted them to waste time cutting them all down like they were weeds to be disgusted by rather than people.
In truth, Noah was indifferent to it all. He just didn't like what it could possibly mean. Since they were stalling, there had to be a purpose for it. So, what was that purpose, exactly?
At that moment, an agile black wolf of over three meters tall shot to Noah's side. In one instant, it was as swift as the wind and in the next it came to a grinding halt without warning. It was as though it had never been running to begin with.
A petite young woman with short hair swooped down from the top of the wolf.
"Your Highness, it may be time to begin to coordinate with Camelot and the Demon Empire. It's clear that they've prepared for a long time and know more about us than we do them. Though we've won all of our battles, they're hollow victories."
Jessica spoke as plainly as she always did.
It had already been a month since Noah had a conversation with his grandfather. In that time, he had managed to reclaim over half the territory White City had taken from Camelot, but there were a few problems with this.
For one, technology wasn't functioning as it once had. Without it, it wasn't possible to erect Forts like they had on Earth with any sort of speed. So, though they had 'reclaimed' the land, it was more like they had pushed out White City's presence.
Secondly, White City had managed to keep a strict hold of two strategic points even to now.
Though they lost battles without a care, they always managed to keep control over what was truly important.
Thirdly, they hadn't originally come here for such a long, drawn-out war.
Thanks to their skills, food and water wasn't a problem, but there was more than this one needed for war.
They needed a steady supply of weapons and weapon maintenance options, which they didn't have. They needed healers and doctors, but they were in short supply of them. And, they needed numbers in order to keep control and scout out the areas they had taken hold of.
But, they had none of these things.
Due to this, Noah had hoped to make a strong push and place White City on its backfoot as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, though he succeeded, the issue was that their success wasn't great enough to warrant any sort of happiness. It was essentially hollow.
Noah nodded. "I agree. I believe we've displayed enough of our strength."
With a shake of his wrist, a strong vibration shot through Noah's blue bladed saber. His strength caused the metal to bend and groan, whipping the blood on its away. In an instant, the blade was once again spotless.
"Should we arrange a meeting?"
"No. We will meet on the battlefield." Noah said plainly.
"Understood."
**
While Noah was leading attacks toward Pervaux Barony, heading a charge from the direction of no-man's land, Camelot and the Demon Empire was heading a charge toward Lin Barony.
Yet, despite this pincer attack from both sides, White City continued to fend off their attempts.
The dauntless approach of the soldiers of White City shook the knights and mages of Camelot to the core. To be so fearless in death, even after so many battles, wore on the souls of their enemies, making them feel as though this was a battle they would never win.
As a result, despite the fact King Arthur had been experiencing maybe the most peaceful time of his life, it was overshadowed by a perpetual fog that hung over Camelot.
What didn't help was the fact Camelot lacked the same level of organization White City's armies did. And, as their knights and mages awakened to their new abilities, it made the battlefield even more chaotic than they should have been.
Without proper guidance on how to use these suddenly newfound powers, Camelot's victories were even more pyrrhic than Noah's had been…
It was on this day, on yet another battlefield, that Aina could be found, her lips tightly sealed as she swung her great sword toward another enemy.