Descent of a God

Arrival | Season 3

"Your father has," Virion answered. "But, I told him to restrain himself until either you returned or until Eleanor is a bit older. He was insistent on helping out, but I made a strong case."

"Thank you. I can't imagine if my father had died in the war while I wasn't even here," I sighed.

As Virion continued explaining the status of the war and much about the strategies implemented to keep the citizens safe, I silently listened, staring idly at my bond who was listening to him as well.

"Is something the matter, my boy?" Virion queried. "You've been awfully quiet."

"It's nothing," I smiled. "Although, I am a bit anxious to hear what you guys actually brought me all the way here for, seeing as you wanted to keep your own granddaughter in the dark about everything. And I know you didn't just bring me here so that I could meet my family."

"Yes. Well, Tessia is ambitious and has trained diligently in order to make a contribution in this war..." Virion's voice trailed off.

"But, you still worry for her safety more than anything else," I finished for him. "So that whole speech you apparently gave her on working her way up to the main battle was just a way to stall for time?"

Letting out a sigh, Virion nodded. "Can you blame me?"

I shook my head. "I would've done the same thing." "How bad is this 'main battle' anyway?" I asked, shifting my gaze between the three figureheads of this war.

"As of now, the main fight is at the Wall, where a fortress had been built that spans across the Grand Mountains. Under Guardian Galahad's watch, not a single mutant or Alacryan soldier has been able to leave the Beast Glades so far." Despite the good news, Virion let out a deep breath.

"I'd like you to weigh in here just based on what we told you so far," Aldir voiced in a tone that suggested he was testing me.

I thought for a moment. "Let me see if I have this right. From what you guys have dealt with so far, it seems like the Alacryan Army's plan is to somehow infect certain mana beast leaders so that they can control the beasts to lead their own hordes to fight for them. That, along with the Alacryan mages that have been using hidden teleportation gates set up by spies to bolster the size of their soldiers here on Dicathen adds up to be a pretty dangerous fighting force."

"Agreed," Aldir acknowledged.

"But it's suspicious." I studied Aldir and Virion's faces. "I mean, I understand that the Beast Glades is the perfect territory for them to establish, especially if they have a few S class or SS class mana beasts under their control, but it seems too straightforward. If none of them were able to get through this defence, it either means that our side is that much stronger, or that they're stalling for time. And by the look on your face, Virion, I'd say it's the latter."

"Evidence that has come to light not too long ago has confirmed our suspicions," Virion agreed, a sympathetic tone in his voice. "Now, Arthur. I can't have you blaming yourself for what I'm about to tell you."

"What is it?" I raised my brow.

Aldir pulled out something from underneath the table and slid it over to me.

They were pictures of an abandoned ship. By the structure and frame of it, I was certain I had seen something like this before.

"It's not the Dicatheous if that's what you're wondering," Aldir explained. "After seeing this, the artificer, Gideon, finally admitted where he got the ingenious idea of the so-called 'steam engine' he was so proud of."

I looked over the pictures one more time, trying to convince myself from accepting what my brain had already figured out.

"That was a ship built by the Alacryans using your designs," Virion revealed, his voice grim.