At that very moment, across the vast divide, Finn was also scrutinizing the state of the game.
If Valletta wants to rid the board of these troublesome strongholds, she’ll need Zald and Alfia. But our scouts are spread throughout the city. The moment those two Level 7s make a move, we’ll know about it. Their downfall will ensure Orario’s victory, and we have enough forces on standby to make it happen.
Finn’s sole aim was to topple the enemy king and queen. To do that, he was prepared to pay any price. So long as those two indomitable conquerors remained on the board, all of his stratagems were meaningless, no matter how clever they were.
And if you don’t want to make a move, he said to the Valletta in his mind, then that’s just fine by me. We’re on our home turf, and a drawn-out battle favors us. You’re the ones who are going to grow weaker as time goes on.
Just as Valletta feared, Finn wanted her to devote time and resources to taking down the strongholds first. He’d gathered the civilians in those five locations for precisely that purpose, knowing full well he was exposing them to danger in the process. They were bait in every sense, both for the enemy commander and for the monsters that swarmed the walls. Of course, Finn wouldn’t give up the strongholds without a fight, but if the people inside had to die, the prum commander fully intended to capture a powerful piece in return for this sacrifice.
It was Finn’s ruthless approach to command that earned him Valletta’s begrudging approval. His cutthroat gambit was the key to setting up the board. Even the gods could agree on that.
It was truly as if the war were nothing more than a game to him—a game that he endeavored to win. High above the people and their individual woes, he and Valletta considered their options and made their trades with precision.
The gears in his mind finally slowed and Finn opened his eyes to peer across the city in the direction of his distant foe.
“All our pieces are on the board now,” he said. “From here on out, the battle is all up here, in our minds. So, what’ll it be, Valletta? What’s your next move?”
“Ain’t it obvious?! I’m gonna take that bait!!”
A ferocious smile worked its way across the woman’s lips.
“Get me Zald!” she barked at her subordinates. “Send him to Central Park! We’re gonna bring that wall of ice down!”
“Y-you wish to send Lord Zald in there alone?!”
“He may be Level Seven, but he can’t take on all of Orario’s top warriors at once!”
Her orders were like flames that she spat at her witless subordinates, causing them to quail in confusion and terror. Valletta laughed scornfully at their cowardice.
“You deaf, shitheads? That’s Zeus’s top dog you’re talkin’ about! Besides, who cares as long as he takes the adventurers down with him?! Countin’ the monsters, we easily outnumber those stinkin’ babies! Crushing their strongholds one by one’ll be child’s play, and once those grade A assholes at Babel are outta the picture, no one’ll come runnin’ anymore, and they won’t have nowhere to run to!”
“B-but…!”
“Have the troops keep attacking the forts! Get everyone else together, call up Alecto and Apate’s kids. They’re gonna nip the adventurers’ hope in the bud! We’ll show ’em how a king does things!”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
For all Valletta’s cruelty, she was a frighteningly intelligent woman. As the Evils cultists ran off to deliver her orders, she shouldered her sword and looked out across the city.
“We don’t need fancy strategies! We’ve got the most powerful piece in the world on our side!!”
Valletta knew not to trust her pieces too much, or too little. She also knew better than to let the intricate maneuvers of her opponent befuddle her. Above all, she knew that, in this situation, a direct attack was the most effective move. And so, she locked eyes with her foe across the vast distance and made her proclamation.
“If you’re worried about the king, then you can have him! Wait right there, Finn! After I eat the bait, I’m comin’ for you!”
“C-Captain! The enemy is altering their formation!”
The enemy lines shifted like a coiled viper. The cultists, previously content to wait behind the waves of monsters, now joined the assault on the strongholds.
“So Valletta’s chosen a head-on attack, just as I suspected she would!”
Finn squinted down at the streets, where he could see for himself how the battle was unfolding.
“Raul!” he cried. “Send a message to Central Park! The enemy is on their way; stick to the plan!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Raul ran over to the magic-stone beacon installed on the rooftop and began operating the signaling mechanism as fast as he could. The beacon flickered in several different colors, and before long, a flashing light on the thirtieth floor of Babel issued a response.
This system allowed messages to be transmitted almost instantly across any large distance. Codes were agreed upon in advance, and shortly after Finn’s order was sent out, the other strongholds responded as well. Messengers ran to and fro, shouting over each other to be heard, and at this present moment, the rooftop of Guild HQ was as busy as any normal day within its walls.
“I knew it was too much to hope that this gambit would stump our foe,” muttered Finn to himself. “The situation hasn’t changed, and we’re still at a heavy disadvantage.”
Finn had hoped that the bait would at least trip Valletta up for a moment, but it seemed the enemy commander was every bit as smart as Finn had suspected. The cultists and the monsters were still battering the strongholds and their attacks had not eased up at all. Instead, the strongest piece on the board was headed for Babel alone.
“I’m sorry, Ottar. It looks like we’re counting on you after all.”
His voice carried on the wind, ferried toward the ring of ice that surrounded Babel’s base.