Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

"No, Father never said that… it will be hard to tell that since the first sea emperor appeared thirty thousand years ago," Seadir said. "Well… I will talk with Father and come tomorrow night again. I should have some ideas about that, then."

Seadir and Seara soon left, and the group wondered what they should do… setting the business in the port town shouldn't take more than three days, and after that, they could keep opening new businesses in other cities and towns. However, the sea folk were bound to make their next move soon.

They just killed ten or so of their enemies, and they weren't those who truly were leading the problems and humiliation that the sea folk suffered.

"We are slowly gaining the support of those who don't have interest in political strife, so we can keep doing that until we cut off the human army from the rest of the country," Rain said. "However, that probably will raise woke conflicts. Naturally, blood will be shed."

"It seems that you have some other plan in mind," Branden said.

"Cutting the enemies' supply lines is necessary when it comes to warfare, so taking over Teria is the best option," Rain explained. "Naturally, Joanis and the king know that, so they left a large number of soldiers there.

Making them disappear without damaging our reputation won't be good, but we can work with Seadir and the others and make a large waterway beyond the border to do that for us… it will take a few weeks, though."

"And the downside?" Lorene asked. "It seems the best option, but you left it for last."

"We will be leaving a clear mark in the history of working with the sea folk by doing that, thousands more will die. They won't surrender knowing that the sea emperor might kill the king," Rain explained. "In that kind of situation, people fight until their last breath to do what they truly believe what is right… for them, the fall of the king will be the end of the human kingdom.

Besides, the sea folk will learn a clear method to deal with humans, the magic people, and even the beast people with this. Their original plan was just to reach the back of the human army and fight."

Everyone realized what Rain said was the truth… They wanted to spare the king and keep him locked up for Esmeralda's sake and to avoid further rebellions, but that would be difficult to do in that situation.

"It seems that we are at the crossroads of a very important moment…" Branden said while showing a difficult expression. "Still, this whole situation has to end… it will be better if we are involved to make sure that his Majesty will be spared than just keep ignoring it further and risk letting him die."

"I agree with that," Rain nodded. "However, we will have to make them realize that fighting is completely useless. We will have to show them that their plans, their forces and their relics are useless. Without that, they will starve to death first before they assume their defeat."

"Any idea how we can do that?" Orcis asked.

"None," Rain readily replied.

In the end, it was only natural that it would be the case, there were no easy paths in a situation like that.

The group went silent for a while and began to think about what they could do… nothing came to mind, while the anti magic barrier couldn't stop people from entering it, it was risky for anyone to face forty thousand human soldiers in a confined space… they probably had some ideas on how to eliminate the enemies that try to do that with insane precision and speed, after all.

"Well, we still have some time, so let's not think too much about that," Rain shrugged.

In the end, the group went to bed and then worked the next day, setting Rain's business to work as soon as possible. Their first request arrived that day… someone wanted ten sacks of grains. Thanks to Rain, the encommend could reach the port town in one day and he decided to do that to build their reputation, but he will have to find a way to do that without doing it himself.

Still, before Rain went to that, Seadir and Seara returned… he wondered why she was back when it was faster and more efficient for Seadir to come alone.

"... Father mentioned that in the last five hundred years, he heard that most of the beast king's had been for the same family," Seadir said after hesitating for a while. "While he didn't hear about the dragon god giving the throne to another in the last five hundred years, he knows, thanks to our ancestors, that the dragon god always has been a nine-headed hydra."

"... From the same family of dragons, I believe," Rain squinted his eyes.

A heavy silence descended upon the room, as the shocking revelation that the dragon god was, in fact, a nine-headed hydra, rippled through the room. As the truth sank in, the atmosphere grew filled with unease. Everyone struggled to come to terms with the revelation. How had such a monumental secret remained hidden?

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Tension hung in the air, wrapping around each individual like a vice. Faces in the crowd displayed a mix of emotions, ranging from shock and confusion to anger and doubt. The very core of their beliefs had been challenged, and they were left grappling with the consequences of this revelation.

Some cast uncertain glances at their fellow friends, seeking confirmation in their reactions, while others gazed into the distance, lost in contemplation. The weight of the newfound truth pressed upon the group. The idea of imagining such a creature existing as the ruler of the dragon species was that worrisome… since all of them knew what hydras were capable of doing.

It was probably one of the most dangerous creatures that even had walked on that world...