(Meanwhile, Luke)
The aftermath of Thumba City's destruction seemed to have invigorated the demon army, transforming them into a far more formidable fighting force than the first time they faced the DarkSky guild.
The demon army, which had once retreated as a demoralized and dwindling group, now seemed to surge with renewed energy and purpose, as if the fall of Thumba had ignited a new, terrifying phase of their campaign.
Every day, as Luke soared across the skies on his routine scouting missions, he couldn't help but notice the rapid and alarming expansion of the demon encampment.
The sheer number of tents seemed to multiply overnight, with an influx of 150 to 200 high soldiers joining the ranks daily, significantly bolstering the already fearsome horde, as the once manageable enemy now grew into an overwhelming force.
"One... two... seven... nine... fifteen... forty tents added today alone," Luke muttered to himself, mentally calculating the increase.
"That's at least 80 more soldiers since yesterday." He murmured, the implications of this rapid build-up weighing heavily on his mind.
'This does not bode well for us,'Luke thought grimly. 'The demons now command a force of over 70,000 strong. They've recovered from their losses far quicker than expected, and their numbers are swelling with every passing day.'
The thought of this relentless build-up gnawed at him, knowing that each new tent represented another pair of hands that could wield a weapon against his people.
The demons thrived on sheer numbers, and the larger their horde grew, the more terrifying they became as a unified force.
This escalating strength was Luke's primary concern, as he knew too well the devastating power that a mass of demons could unleash.
"What's the report for today, Vice Guildmaster?" asked the leader of the DarkSky guild's scouting team as Luke returned from his mission.
Luke handed over the figures he had painstakingly gathered, and added a slight note to it, "They're not mobilizing yet, but I estimate that they'll launch a full-blown assault on our positions within 7 to 10 days," Luke reported, his voice steady but laced with the certainty of impending conflict. He had little doubt that the demons were biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The scout leader frowned but maintained his composure, but before he could respond, Cervantez, the guild's seasoned leader, stepped forward, his tone calm but authoritative. "Don't worry too much, Luke," Cervantez said, his words carrying a note of reassurance.
"Remember, we need them to attack us. Our guild won't grow in strength unless we face the demons head-on and we have already prepared as much as we can, and are ready for whatever comes." Cervantez said, as he reminded Luke to not worry too much about the demon forces as in the end, the guild needed to periodically fight them to grow stronger.
"I know it's daunting to think of facing them when they're stronger than we anticipated, but we need this kind of gritty, hard-fought war to push our members to their limits. Not every battle can be easy, and we've braced ourselves for the day when we'll face a true challenge." Cervantez said, as he clapped Luke on his back and urged him to take it easy for a change.
Luke nodded, appreciating Cervantez's perspective, even as the weight of his observations continued to linger in his thoughts.
The coming days was sure to test the guilds' mettle in ways they hadn't experienced before, and while they were prepared, Luke couldn't shake the feeling that this war was about to take a turn far beyond what they had anticipated.
*********
( Meanwhile Ben Faulkner )
"Would you look at this boy? It's an invitation to a master's only tournament. The Emperor wants me to take part in something so childish for some reason–" Ben said, passing the invite letter to Leo, who read it in detail.
"I mean…the rewards are pretty decent, you can either get a wish of your choice fulfilled by the Emperor, be named the new King Of Elves, or get the First Emperor's Legendary Sword.
Also, it's a good chance to show the whole Empire that you are the strongest fighter around–" Leo said, as although Ben was dismissing the idea of the tournament, Leo could see the excitement on his face.
"Me? Noo…. I'm nothing more than a washed up old guy, I'm sure I'll just embarrass myself even if I go no?" Ben said, scratching his head as Leo chuckled when he called himself 'Washed' and 'Old'.
"I mean, I won the grand tournament last year…. It's been 22 years since you won it as a rookie?
I guess this is it…. This is your one chance to set a new benchmark for me to beat, because I'm already on your ass otherwise, old man" Leo said, as he knew exactly what to say to push Ben's buttons.
"Oye oye oye. You're still a decade away from reaching my level, kid. Don't get too cocky, I can eat five of you for breakfast without blinking an eye" Ben said, as he seemed eager to prove that he was not too old to be Leo's master yet.
"Then prove it! I'm sure I can handle training your precious army recruits for a month.
How about you go there and show the whole Empire that you can eat five of me for breakfast.
It will be hilarious for the Emperor to owe you any promise of your choice.
You can maybe ask him to dress up as a jester and dance in front of the commoners–" Leo said, as Ben's eyes sparkled with this idea of mischief.
"I see…. I see….. you leave me no choice kid, I must win this masters tournament it seems.
To set a benchmark for you to chase someday" Ben said, as Leo gave him a hearty thumbs up.
"You got it master! Go get them all–" Leo said, cheering him on, as he had no doubt in his mind that although Ben Faulkner was past his prime, there was not a warrior around that could beat his master yet.