On the day of their arrival, Audrey was wondering how a battle would take place in such luscious, green fields. Endless hills stretched out despite the desert residing on the opposite side. It was a strange site, one that Audrey had never experienced in her other life.
She helped set up tents and stationed the horses. Afterwards, she gathered resources from the lake with the help of Caleb, Aaron and his brothers. There was much to be done, and the emperor needed all the help he could get.
After setting up a private camp, they were set to battle in these green hills bordering Hellen and the Zionitte empire. Audrey was filled with anxiety and kept herself busy in order to stop the impending feeling of doom. Therefore the days passed by rather quickly. She felt the tension build up in her stomach as she waited for the Zionitte army.
Audrey had also gotten closer to this little boy, and her anxious mood lightened up significantly. She taught him how to braid hair and even played with Caleb while the soldiers were in official meetings. She rarely caught glimpse of the emperor, and she also went through many defensive attacks to prepare.
There were many times where the emperor sneaked into her tent and attempted to convince her to not join the war and stay back with the healers. However, everyone knew that Audrey and Caleb’s combined power could easily defeat a small army. Her strength was needed, especially since this was Hellen’s first battle. When the emperor realized that he would never succeed in convincing Audrey, he switched his tactics and gave her rigorous training in martial arts. Audrey was able to yield a sword and practice combatting with multiple soldiers.
Before she knew it, Hellen was facing the monstrous men of the Zionitte empire. Each soldier was far bigger than an average Hellenn, symbolizing the huge presence of a dangerous lion. An average Zionitte man was built far bigger than an average Hellenn, and if Audrey didn’t know any better, this would be an easy win for the Zionittes. However, agility and Hellen’s advanced technology prevented Audrey from worrying about size or height differences. She also didn’t question Kohtaro’s abilities.
She scanned the opposing side for Emperor August and the general, who were nowhere to be found. It seemed as if the emperor blended into the crowd of soldiers covered in armor. Every soldier from the opposing side was covered from head to toe with protective gear, creating an intimidating front.
However, one person she did not expect to see was the curly headed woman who had ruined the lives of many. Audrey’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor in shock, even more so when Kohtaro, who stood beside her, didn’t seem to be phased by her re-appearance.
“That bitch is alive?” A soldier spit out as they watched Debbie flank to the side of a soldier. This soldier seemed to be more isolated than the rest, although he looked the same as the rest. Audrey squinted her eyes and realized he was Emperor August, for there was a lion standing next to them. It was rather difficult to discern the Zionitte Emperor from the group of soldiers, and Audrey felt restless after watching the spectacle before them. The concubine was dressed more like the emperor than the emperor himself.
Audrey felt an eerie sense of discomfort, as if she was receiving an ominous premonition.
“Did you know she was alive?” She turned to Emperor Kohtaro.
The emperor merely shrugged as if it didn’t matter. For Kohtaro, he would defeat her in this life. His only worry was keeping Audrey alive and away from her touch. However, Audrey had no way of knowing what he was thinking.
Audrey narrowed her eyes at Debbie and observed her closely. The concubine looked as if she had come back from the dead. Her skin was so pale that she gave off a bluish tint, and her eyes were sunken in to the point that Audrey could barely correlate her to the once feisty woman with honey colored eyes.
The entire army also seemed to be lacking any sort of human emotions. They stood silently, awaiting for their leader’s orders without a single trace of movement.
What is going on? How did Debbie survive?
Audrey was too shocked to wrap her head around the current situation. She wanted to question the emperor who seemed to know something. She was uncertain and concerned for the Hellenn army, yet there was no time to think, for the sound of a horn exploded through everyone’s ears and the battle finally ensued.
Emperor Kohtaro gathered his men and they let out a cry in unison. Audrey could only watch as she witnessed her first battle.