Darkness...?
That was the first thing that was on Justinian's mind as he drifted to sleep.
It wasn't a pleasant dream, nor was it a nightmare; it felt more like... an illusion?
"Where am I?"
Justinian crossed his arms, taking in his own body.
Pale... disembodied, like pure light shining in the darkness, you couldn't even see skin.
He was literally glowing.
[The Book of War Responds]
["Historian... welcome..."]
"It's you... the one who gave me my unfair advantages."
Justinian smiled, looking confident.
"What is it that you want?"
["Are you not afraid?"]
"I've already lived my life; nothing you ask of me will faze me."
[Haha... that's precisely why I chose you.]
SLASH!
A sudden tear in the void interrupted the conversation, and beyond it, another figure made with pure light as well.
But it was different from Justinian's, significantly different; it was divine, powerful... terrifying.
[It seems my time is up... I look forward to how you rule.]
FWOOSH.
Justinian suddenly flew upward at blinding speed, as if being pulled by a fishing rod with a literal bear on the other side.
It was enough to disorient him, enough to make him lose consciousness within the illusion.
And then-
RUSTLE.
"What was that...?"
He grumbled, waking up in his room, with Cassia dozing off on a chair, despite her earlier defiance. A battle would definitely tire someone out, even the best of knights.
Glancing at the window, he saw the moon, glowing faintly; it was still the dead of night, and approximately...
[Time: 1:45]
"Appreciate it."
It was finally time to prepare for the attack, one that would finally end this stalemate of a rebellion.
"Wake up..."
Justinian stood up from his bed, nudging Cassia by her shoulder.
"...Huh?" She scrubbed the sleep from her eyes, her eyes slightly dazed. "Did I fall asleep?"
"Were you planning not to?"
Justinian laughed at her question before ruffling her hair. "Get prepared..."
He stepped towards the window, seeing the courtyard already bustling with the noise and light of preparation as the men began to armor themselves.
They were up earlier than expected.
"...After this... all that's left to do is governance..."
He grinned.
"And that's barely any work."
He clenched his fists, excited at the thought; it meant a break, a respite from all the stress and work of being a duke. He had Matthias and Darius to work with after all; it was barely an issue.
"Time is of the essence, let's go!"
Justinian forcefully hyped himself, slapping his face as he cracked his knuckles, prepared to fight.
"Let's see if Rhyne's men can take out a typhoon."
***
Snowkeep Palace - Courtyard
25 Minutes After
***
Justinian stood before his army, his elite and legendary troops.
The sight of them alone gave him pride and confidence in his plan; he had already read that this plan worked successfully in real life, and now that he had the men to execute it?
It was a guaranteed victory, and everyone in the courtyard knew it.
"Are you ready for a slaughter!"
Justinian barked out, already in his battle armor as he raised his sword high, the blade catching the moonlight and shining across the entire courtyard.
"RAHHH!"
The men roared out, already on their horses as they let out battle cries, fighting off the drowsiness through pure bloodlust and excitement.
"Lucan's elite! My Personal Guards! Cassia! Lucan!"
Justinian whistled, grabbing Kalos' attention as he galloped towards him at maximum speed.
"You're all in good hands!"
He mounted his horse with the elegance of a true ruler, not even having Kalos slow down as he mounted mid gallop.
"Let us not waste the hour!"
Justinian screamed as he rode across the courtyard, closing his visor.
"Ride!"
Justinian led the army, Lucan, and Cassia following beside as the others followed behind.
Eighty elite men, thirty of Lucan's chosen, and a dozen knights, they were enough to handle everything.
Even a dragon.
THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD.
The noise of cavalry leaving echoed across Snowkeep, catching the guards who watched over the city walls to notice them.
"Give them hell!"
A guard shouted, the first of many as others followed.
"Death to the traitors!"
"I'm rooting for you, Lady Cassia!"
Their shouts were loud enough to wake even the citizens below, annoyed at the loud chants in the dead of night.
Justinian saw the sight, raising his sword once more as he smiled under his armet, signalling that victory was imminent.
"You hear that!? Their all expecting us to win! Do not disappoint them!"
Justinian yelled behind him to the rest of the cavalry, his voice now louder and more extreme, even he was feeling the adrenaline.
***
Bridgeton Way - Rhyne's Encampment
15 Minutes After
***
"...Yawn."
The guard who kept watch couldn't help it; it was literally 2 in the morning, nothing could happen.
Why would he even need to keep watch?
"You feeling it too, huh?"
"Yeah..."
"We've been stationed here for weeks or even months... why do we still need to keep watch? They won't attack."
The guards stared silently at each other for a moment, both tempted to just stop and head back to their tents for the night, their commander won't blame them for resting, right?
Ever since they stationed they had never seen any signs of suspicious movement, so why would anything happen now?
"Wait..."
"What?"
"Do you hear that?"
"I think... horses?"
The two guards looked beyond the clear fields, their sights covered by a small hill.
They both narrowed their eyes, hearing the loud noise grow even closer as the seconds passed.
"Can it be an attack?"
"Can't be, must be a stampede or something..."
SPLAT!
An arrow flew, hitting his companion right in the eye in the blink of an eye, the sight knocking him out of his drowsiness.
"The hell!?"
The guard stumbled, falling out of his watchtower and beyond the wooden walls of the encampment.
"Shit! It's an attack!"
The guard stood up quickly, sprinting to head back inside and alert everyone.
SPLAT!
Another arrow flew, this time hitting him straight in the back and silencing him before anything could have happened.
And the source of the arrows?
Justinian's cavalry, already looming close as his men had their bows prepared, this time with another new barrage, coated in fire.
'This wasn't in the original plan... but due to the system, my men also gained elite skills in archery.'
He grinned manically, one that made him look more like a psychopathic villain; he couldn't help it.
Who wouldn't react that way when given this advantage?
"Rain their camp with fire!"
A chorus of twangs and hissing flight split the air, hundreds of arrows covering the sky as the resting encampment slept soundly.
Not knowing the stampede of death that is about to wipe them out, approach within seconds.
"This time! No survivors! let's send a message!"