"We''ve gathered half the expected numbers," A regal-looking crane stood in the shadow of a tree. Its eyes directed past the woods and towards the massive camp set up by the humans. Its voice traveled not by air but by aura itself.


    "Half, you say…" Loraz muttered, observing the area through his old friend''s senses.


    "They are moving faster than usual," Syie spoke directly to the divine patriarch''s mind.


    This invasion was different than the others. For as long as the spies continued to observe the humans and their preparations for the invasion, everything was the same. But the situation changed when the humans actually set out from their cities. And from the looks of things…


    A long bruise appeared on the slightly glowing forehead of the man. His whole, solid build emanated a strange, golden aura, giving the man divine looks. Loraz''s rugged face and neatly trimmed beard went great with his muscr, refined silhouette, covered in a simple, white tunic.


    "It''s her," Syie turned her long beak, redirecting her attention and Loraz''s vision to the side of the forest. "No…"


    "It''s both of them," Loraz sighed, his mood turning foul. The sour look on his face contrasted with the divine aura around him. "And Kan? What is he doing…"


    Syie turned her eyes back to the humans to keep tabs on their movements, pulling Loraz''s vision along.


    "Well, I''m d to see them…" Loraz spoke, the sour look on his face growing more and more profound.


    "You don''t think she''s ready?" Syie spoke, giving Loraz a nce and thus forcing him to confront his own sorry state.


    "Tch," Loraz clicked his tongue before shaking his head and raising his eyes. "Either way, do you think we have a shot?" he asked, disconnecting one of his eyes from the link and ncing over to where he spotted his ex and their child.


    ''And what was Kan doing with them? He couldn''t be trying to…''


    Loraz''s face soured even further, requiring two more shakes and a solid p to the cheeks for the man to gather his wits back together.


    ''It doesn''t matter. It''s good to see her here. Her firepower could prove extremely valuable,'' Loraz focused his attention back on the problem.


    In theory, the humans didn''t attack yet. Instead, they were slowly setting up their camps and funny tents. They didn''t even appear to prepare for the battle.


    If only not for this damn witch calling forth a storm…


    But was this an attack already? Or were they trying to soften the soil for some of the stupid reasons humans were known toe up with?


    Today being Loraz''s debut as the leader the divines in the staged battle with humans didn''t help.


    ''To think a day woulde for me to miss you, old man,'' Loraz thought, calming down the moment he invoked his father''s face.


    "We wait," he spoke, his decision effectively holding back both divines of his n and the celestials of Syie''s lineage from starting anything. "We are better off fighting in the forest, in case they really want to attack."


    Loraz sighed heavily before taking a step back, deeper into the forest.


    As dangerous as those dark clouds looked, they weren''t a deration of war yet. And if there was even the smallest chance of avoiding the battle, now that the enemy obviously brought out their strongest…


    ''What are we even supposed to do about that witch?'' Loraz nced over a specific part of the human camp, brightly lit with some unquenchable torches that continued to fill their task despite the heavy drops of rain generously watering the fields in front of the camp. ''Maybe I could stop her if given the chance, but how do I get through so many of them?''


    A sense of relief filled Loraz''s mind as he breathed out.


    For at least a moment, he could rest and get some time to think. He barely arrived at the edge of the forest a few moments earlier, only to be faced by the rapidly advancing army of humans.


    And ording to the reports, there were several more armiesing to join the fray.


    ''This might actually be it for the forest,'' Loraz seemed to vanish, his aura fading away as the dark thoughts took over.


    Only half of all the celestials and divines have gathered. But given theck of proper count, Loraz couldn''t tell how many would trickle by one by one soon, while how many may have rested for the final time since thest time they gathered.


    Loraz didn''t know. This burden of his ability to strategize was what brought his mood down, cutting down the natural flow of his aura and severely weakening the leader of the divine protectors.


    "I wish she could be still here," Loraz muttered. He disconnected from Syie''s senses and nced over to where hest saw that sly fox. "And just what the hell is she doing, bringing Fay here?" A hint of usation appeared in Loraz''s voice as he whined silently.


    "If only I didn''t push her away in the heat of a moment, back then…"


    Ignoring how rude of ament it was with Syie right by his side, Loraz sighed with resignation.


    It''s been quite some time since hest saw his wife or their daughter. What''s more, whenever he recalled the profile of Fay that he nced upon, Loraz couldn''t help but squint his eyes, puzzled by some elusive detail.


    Was it something about her position? Or was there something behind her that unsettled him so much?


    But at least for a single moment, he regained his peace. And in this momentary respite of thinking about his daughter, Loraz''s thoughts cleared enough for him to figure out, what was so unsettling about what he nced at.


    ''A man?''


    Loraz indulged in his respite for exactly one second.


    Only for a heavenly thunderbolt to strike right across the open field, bringing down divine mes right in the center of the human camp.