Smarag, the glintstone dragon guarding the Glintstone Key.
Attacking the dragon would surely draw the sorcerers' attention.
With the overall strategy settled, everyone immediately began preparing.
D returned to Summonwater Village to gather Those Who Live in Death, while Vila and Maren headed to Liurnia ahead of the others to find the cave. They would leave special marks along the way to guide D and Those Who Live in Death.
Edgar and Nepheli went to muster the troops, with Kenneth actively assisting them. The Academy might have been rotten, but as Sellen had said, even the Moon Princess Ranni had met with defeat there. Stormveil would disdain the enemy strategically, but take them very seriously tactically.
Rodini had intended to join the army as well, but Tarnished stopped him.
"I have another assignment for you."
"What could be more important than having a Crucible Knight on the battlefield?" Rodini asked in puzzlement.
"Having two Crucible Knights on the battlefield, of course," Tarnished said. "Go to Redmane Castle, recall Laurendi, and..."
Rodini rode off at full speed.
Tarnished would rather not have sent him away, but the Valkyrie had blasted Caelid into something resembling a biological disaster zone. Only a powerhouse like a Crucible Knight could travel freely through it alone.
Watching Rodini depart, Tarnished let out a long breath.
All right. I've done everything I can. Now I just have to face it and see whose side heaven takes!
Tarnished had been about to join the army when someone stopped him-or rather, an artificial being.
Alpas, the elderly leader of the Albinaurics, knelt before the steps, holding a semicircular object in his hands.
"Why go this far?" Tarnished recognized it at a glance and sighed softly. "Stormveil did treat your people differently, after all."
"But you and the other lords