Zeke stood at the center of his puppet army, observing the tense standoff between the Frostscale commanders and the Icefang warriors. He could see the commanders whispering among themselves, their eyes darting nervously between their own forces and the unnatural calm of Zeke's controlled soldiers. The battlefield, once a storm of chaos, had stilled to an eerie quiet, with only the distant clash of the elders echoing from deeper within the fort.
Zeke knew he needed to act quickly before the Frostscale captains regained their confidence and came to an unfavorable decision. Taking a breath, he raised his voice, letting it carry across the distance. "Whoever is in charge, hear me!" His voice cut through the air, catching the attention of not only the commanders but their remaining troops as well.
One of the captains, a tall man with serpent-like features, slithered forward. His cold, calculating eyes betrayed a flicker of fear. Zeke could tell the puppet spell had deeply unsettled him. "Speak quickly, Dragon-spawn."
Zeke smirked, lowering his hand but keeping his posture poised for control. "The way I see it, you only have two choices," he said smoothly. "You can either continue this battle, throwing more of your warriors into a fight you can't win—or we find a different solution."
The captain's expression darkened. "Laughable! We still outnumber you by far. What makes you think we can't win?" His eyes darted to the motionless warriors around Zeke, their vacant stares unsettling to look at.
Zeke spread his arms, gesturing to the warriors under his control. "Observe," he declared theatrically. At his command, five of his puppets raised their spears, prompting their opponents to brace for an attack. But it soon became clear the weapons were not aimed at them—they were aimed at the puppets themselves.
"Wait—" the captain shouted, but it was too late.
The puppets drove their spears into their own necks, collapsing silently to the ground. The scene was surreal, and even the captain couldn't suppress a shudder. But what followed was far worse. As if bewitched, five soldiers from the captain's own ranks stepped forward. In moments, they stood before Zeke's puppet army, seamlessly taking the places of the fallen.
"I clearly hold the upper hand," Zeke declared, masking the immense strain this stunt had put on his Core. Overpowering the will of five Frostscale warriors simultaneously was no small feat, especially now that they were on guard. But if this gamble paid off, it would be worth the cost.
He locked eyes with the captain. "You can keep fighting and be forced to kill your own men, or I can offer you a way to avoid further bloodshed…"
The captains exchanged uneasy glances as the silence stretched between them. Sensing their hesitation, Zeke pressed on. "You can't count on your Purebloods to make this decision for you. They're too busy battling the Elders of our Icefang tribe to deal with your problems right now. The choice is up to you lot." He let that sink in, his gaze hardening. "Death or negotiation—what will it be?"
The tall captain narrowed his eyes, fists clenched at his sides. Zeke could see the tension in his body—the urge to lash out and fight. But they were captains, not fools. They had already lost too many warriors to his spell and couldn't be certain of his limits.
"What negotiation could there possibly be between us?" another captain, a woman with sharp features and piercing dark eyes, challenged. "This war is a fight to the death, and only one tribe will survive. The time for diplomacy has long since passed."
Zeke's expression grew serious. "Your words ring true; this war will determine the fate of the tribes. However, the ultimate outcome won't be decided by any of us. In the end, it doesn't matter how many die on this small battlefield; we are all just specks of dust before the Progenitors." He paused to let his words sink in before adding, "Are you really so eager to throw your life away for nothing?"
The captains huddled together, their voices low as they deliberated. Zeke watched them closely, noting their body language. They were reluctant, wary, but his words had managed to get to them. Their leaders were beyond reach, embroiled in the high-stakes battle with the Icefang elders, and Zeke's display of power had shaken them more than they wanted to admit.
Finally, the tall captain spoke again, stepping forward. "We do not speak for our leaders. The decision to continue or halt the battle isn't ours to make."
Zeke raised an eyebrow. He sensed their desire to agree, but their sense of duty held them back. It was time for one final push. "How about I sweeten the deal?" he announced. At his silent command, every one of his puppet warriors raised their spears, pointing them at their own throats. "Either you agree to stand down, or I'll kill these men and personally join the battle between the Elders." He let his voice harden with finality. "Choose."
The Frostscale captain grimaced, torn between pride and pragmatism. He glanced at his comrades, and after a long, tense moment, he spoke. "If we agree to this truce... how do we know you will truly stay out of the elders' battle?"
Zeke shrugged. "You don't. But considering the situation, you have little choice but to trust my word."
The other captains muttered among themselves before the woman with dark eyes finally stepped forward, her expression filled with reluctance. "If we agree… you will not intervene in the fight between our leaders and the Icefang elders?"
Zeke nodded firmly. "I promise that I will stay where I am."
Silence stretched across the battlefield as the Frostscale captains weighed his words. Finally, the tall captain let out a sharp breath and nodded. "We accept your terms. But know this, Dragon-Spawn—if you betray us, we will hunt you down, no matter the cost."
Zeke nodded and sat down cross-legged. He dismissed the threat, knowing that even if the Frostscale army pursued him with all their might, no one among them could stop him if he wanted to leave. Instead, he focused on inspecting the state of his Core.
He winced at the sight. He had been far too reckless earlier, severely straining his Core during his [Bloodbound Clarity]. It was a good thing he had managed to bluff his way out of the situation. Right now, he was in no condition to turn any more soldiers in the short term. His threat of joining the Elders' battlefield had been equally empty. If he really tried to compete at that level, he would be delivering himself to the wolves.
Even at his peak, he had little confidence in defeating someone like Frost or Razeth. They were at the very top of the Grand Mage level, while Zeke had only just entered that stage. Of course, with his various abilities, he could at least put up a decent fight, and it was unlikely they could kill him, but his chances of victory were equally low.
At the moment, Zeke focused all his efforts on recovery, and even Akasha kept her activities to a minimum. One reason the puppet soldiers were acting so lifelessly was that Akasha had greatly reduced her control, only keeping them standing upright. This had the added benefit of making them appear completely inhumane, further unnerving their former comrades.
[Notice]
Well done, Host.
Zeke smiled, inwardly pleased with his accomplishment. Why use force when he could easily subdue such a large army with just a few words? If he could keep both armies locked in a stalemate, it would be the most desirable outcome for him. However, one last concern lingered in his mind.
"How are we fairing on the other battlefield?"
[Answer]
The outcome has not yet been decided, but the odds are not in our favor. Ash and Gravitas are faring well in their respective fights, but the newly promoted Elders and Frost are struggling to contend with their opponents.
"Frost, too?" Zeke asked, his brows furrowing. He had always known the Pureblood to be a competent fighter and hadn't expected even him to be outmatched.
[Answer]
He is currently fighting against both Razeth and his sister, Polaris. Although his strength is superior to either of them individually, he cannot match their combined strength.
Zeke frowned, focusing on his Spatial Perception. In an instant, he locked onto a different part of the fort, where the Elders were battling in various locations. Just as Akasha had said, Ash had the upper hand in his fight. Though he likely wouldn't win soon, he was steadily wearing down his opponent.
Gravitas was even more dominant, bombarding her foe with a multitude of gleaming silver orbs. Her opponent could do nothing but keep his distance, constantly scurrying for cover. However, unless the man made a significant mistake, she also had no way to end her battle quickly.
Next, he observed the Elders and quickly realized where the problem lay. Despite significantly outnumbering the Purebloods, these newly promoted Elders clearly weren't their match. Even in one-on-two situations, the Icefang Elders struggled to gain any advantage. Only Elder Claw, Frost's former rival, was able to put up a decent fight against his opponent.
Meanwhile, Frost was struggling to hold on. Among everyone, he was in the most precarious situation. His body was already riddled with wounds as he fought against Razeth and Polaris. The situation was worse than Zeke had expected, and it was highly likely that the former commander would fall before either Ash or Gravitas could come to his aid.
Zeke frowned deeply, retracting his senses. If the battle of the Elders concluded too early, the situation would become problematic. He wasn't worried about Ash or Gravitas; they could likely escape if they wanted to. However, if the Purebloods made their way here, they would probably command their troops to restart the fight. That was not an outcome Zeke wanted to see.
Yet, there was little he could do…
Not only did he promise not to intervene, but his Core was also in no state for a prolonged fight. It seemed the truce he had worked so hard to establish wouldn't last very long. Unless…
An idea suddenly struck him, and he quickly recalled the exact words he had spoken just now. Strictly speaking, he had never promised not to intervene in the fight, only that he would stay where he was. However, that didn't mean he was helpless to assist his allies. That was right. He had one last card up his sleeve that could drastically alter the course of the fight without violating his promise.
Zeke's lips slowly curved into a smile, as his awareness turned inward. "Khai'Zar, are you interested in a little excursion?"
For a long moment, the Dragon didn't reply. His mind was quiet, only disturbed by his own, increasingly nervous thoughts. What was going on? Was the reptile taking a nap? However, just as he was beginning to worry, he heard the rumbling voice of the Dragon inside his mind. "I could go for a snack."