Rebellious Love

Part 27

"Stay alive first, son..." Alphonse responded swiftly and plainly before turning his back on them.

A few months into the campaign, Abigail surveyed the map spread out before her, a look of frustration etching her features. Despite the relentless assaults they had launched, their enemies didn't seem to decrease in number as they kept on coming.

"This didn't go as we planned... despite our continuous attacks, their numbers don't decrease," she remarked, her voice tinged with fatigue and concern. Her fingers traced lines across the map, searching for a clue or a missed detail that might answer her questions

"There must be something they're hiding," she added, looking up from the map to address the group of generals gathered around the campfire. Each of them returned her gaze, their faces grim in the firelight

"It could be in the west, or... in the north. But what if we're just missing something?" Abigail pondered aloud, turning her gaze to her father

Alphonse rubbed his chin, deep in thought, before responding. "As far as I know, after every attack we've encountered, the enemies always had their backups ready when they were already outnumbered," he observed, his experience as a commander giving weight to his words. "It won't be long before we run out of army if this pattern continues."

He paused, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in "We need to consider a different approach, perhaps a feint or a diversion to draw them out. We cannot afford a straightforward slugfest... we're not just fighting an army; we're fighting a shadow that replenishes too quickly."

Alphonse's tactical suggestion aimed to disrupt the enemy's predictable response pattern.

Philip's voice carried a layer of unease as he shared his concerns with the group. "And the worst part is that I can't seem to establish contact with the Emperor back in my kingdom. All the messengers I sent never returned." His brows furrowed, reflecting the gravity of his worries. "Something might have happened while we were away... I doubt the kingdom is as peaceful as it was."

Arthur, listening intently, chimed in with a mix of skepticism and reassurance. He crossed his arms, his posture stiffening. "We left half of our generals in the kingdom to guard it. If something bad had happened, they should have sent someone to inform us," he argued, trying to inject some rationality into the conversation.

Philip sighed, sinking back onto the log beside his companion Lex, his gaze distant and troubled. "It's just... suspicious," he muttered, voicing the nagging fear that perhaps their enemies were not only the ones they faced on the battlefield but also shadows lurking within their own borders.

Abigail focused intently on the map, her strategic mind piecing together patterns from the skirmishes. "Either way... I doubt it's the north or the west. What I think is that they are camping in the East part. Just because we checked that place doesn't mean it's completely clear... maybe they're just good at concealing themselves," she mused, tracing potential routes on the map with her finger.

"Every attack, their backups always arrive as the sun starts to set. They always appear under the gaze of the sundown," she continued, indicating a possible tactical advantage utilized by the enemy, leveraging the fading light for cover.

Lex nodded in agreement, adding his thoughts to the mix. "Every band of bandits has their own group, but seeing their numbers increase all the time suggests they might have decided to join forces to bring us down... The Veoral Kingdom isn't just one kingdom; it covers a large land area, big enough to contain seven more kingdoms."

"They might have realized that they cannot win the war with just their small numbers, so they gathered everyone to their side to take us down..." Lex concluded,