The Chronicles Of New Havens

Emperor Lianghu was sitting at the head of his army, waiting for the arrival of the Alzar fleet. The location of the negotiations was specifically chosen to be the very battlefield Lord Korogin was defeated. Nearby were the corpses of thousands of Alzar soldiers still decaying underneath a layer of snow. Despite the grotesque scenery, everyone's battle intent was flaring high. The thrill of victory was intoxicating, especially one as decisive as the one prior. The Four Cardinals were respectfully standing by, except for Cardinal Yongyu who was recovering from the fight with Sir Winstin. Everything was devised as an impressive show of strength, that the Xingyuu Empire was superior!

Externally, the emperor showed no changes in his expression, but Cardinal Hui was extraordinarily perceptive. He could notice even the smallest details. There was the tiniest glint of conflict in Lianghu's eyes that he was fiercely debating something. The source of his worries was obvious… He was worried about his daughters. Yet, he went ahead and gave General Illion an unexpected present. It did seem contradictory. In all the years that Cardinal Hui knew the man, Emperor Lianghu's mental state seemed to be deteriorating faster. Indeed, Hui felt that Lianghu was vastly different from the one eight years ago, prior to the start of the war. However, even Hui underestimated the true extent of Lianghu's mental war.

The skies were overcast with thick clouds, covering the world in a dreary light. Before long, the snow started falling. Emperor Lianghu's gaze never left the ocean nor did he react to the cold or snow. He was fixed on that distant azure horizon. Cardinal Hui casted his eyes out as well as did all the soldiers. Eventually, the first signs of the Alzar flagship emerged. Then, one by one, Alzar sh.i.p.s covered the horizon as they approached the coastline. To ferry five thousand troops was not a simple one. For the uneducated, the Alzar fleet was a frightening sight. But the Xingyuu soldiers were unaffected and only coldly looked towards the flagship, searching for a specific person.

At the same time, Elizabeth was standing at the bow of the Alzar flagship. Much like Emperor Lianghu, her eyes were faced forward with an unwavering resolve. She felt that the upcoming negotiations were nothing simple, but she also felt that she had to go. Running away to the Alzar Kingdom was unacceptable to her. Lord Korogin, Emperor Lianghu… The Alzar Kingdom and the Xingyuu Empire… Whether it was for good or for bad, this was it. Elizabeth felt deep down that this was a day that would decide the future of the entire known world. The Second Great Kingdom War was finally reaching its climax!

Elizabeth clutched her white bow tightly. After Shirley fetched it from the armory in the Yunyun Stronghold, she passed it onto Elizabeth. Her frilly crimson dress was replaced with leather armor. Her hair was tied back, and her quiver was slung around her shoulder. In the upcoming negotiations, where everything was uncertain, she took no gambles. On the off chance she had to fight, she would be prepared. Behind her, Benedict, Shirley, and Freon mirrored the same battle readiness. Although they suffered serious injuries from the fights in the Yunyun Stronghold and the Kuthong Forest, as the princess's close friends, they received the best treatment available. That, along with the weeks spent travelling, ensured that their combat power was at the top.

Princess Xiuying and Ming were also present with Protector Chang and Tai on the side. Contrary to everyone's hopes, they remained unharmed under Elizabeth's orders. Everyone was surprised, infuriated, and frustrated with this outcome. They were forced to endure the humiliation of receiving Lord Korogin's arm without a way to vent. Even the princesses were surprised with this. Elizabeth's decisions were certainly baffling to everyone, except to Elizabeth herself. It was truly something that only a person with no prior attachments to the world could make. Living her life on New Havens, Elizabeth had a different perspective from the people here. People made the civilizations, not the other way around!

As the fleet came closer, the two sides exchanged their first glances. Elizabeth caught sight of the man sitting at the head of the Xingyuu army. His overflowing imperial aura made it hard to miss him. His regal clothing sang of his paramount power. He was the husband of Empress Mei Li and the father of Princess Xiuying and Ming. He was the instigator to the Second Great Kingdom War! He was the killer of King Harth! He was the man who cut off Lord Korogin's arm! He was the center of this worldly calamity! Without asking, she could tell that this man was Emperor Lianghu Tzu, the current ruler of the Xingyuu Empire!

Similarly, Emperor Lianghu glanced at Elizabeth. While Elizabeth could barely make out his figure, his eyesight was much sharper. He was a bona-fide Perception Realm, unlike Xiuying who was Half-Perception Realm. Of course, he was far from matching the Four Cardinals or other Imperial Sentinels. Nevertheless, he surpassed normal human limits. He spotted the Holy Reingolian Medallion hanging around Elizabeth's neck and smiled. Her face, her disposition, and her stubbornness were just like King Harth. He could tell that she was Princess Elizabeth Etuvel Reindel, the hated daughter of King Harth!

With tensions reaching an all-time high, the Alzar fleet anchored in the coastline before the army began landing. Thousands of soldiers swarmed the beach, accounting for a force that did not pale in comparison to the Xingyuu army in any way. However, the decaying bodies of their allies around them dampened their spirit. It was horrific, the extent of the brutal massacre that happened here. It was pure annihilation. For those who had ties to the soldiers in General Gordon's army, they were ashen. Freon, in particular, was looking for his sister Nassandra, but the battlefield was too large. Unless he scoured through it for weeks, he might never find her.

Meanwhile, General Illion and the other officers had apprehensive faces. Lord Korogin's army was five thousand strong. It was not small nor big and it could hold its own in battle. However, the army still met with a decisive defeat. For that to happen, it required both an element of surprise and a force several times stronger. Of course, their guess was dead on the mark. Without the emperor springing an attack during night, several divisions which exceeded twenty thousand, and extensive planning ahead of time, it would have been impossible to succeed to cleanly. Therefore, they were startled when the Xingyuu army meeting them was a mere five thousand strong. The Xingyuu Empire was clearly hiding their reserve powers nearby.