Ineffable Conquest

Strategy

'Where are you, Sophia?' said Daara.

'Why are you calling me?' said Sophia.

'Woah!' said Daara. 'Give a remainder creepy.'

'What?'

'How would I know you are here?'

said Daara. 'Give a shout before coming. Or else you are giving me a heart attack.'

'No!!' said Sophia. 'I will not give you a heart attack. I will shout your name before I come before you.'

'Good,' said Daara.

'DAARA!!!' shouted Sophia.

'Not now, Sophia!' said Daara. 'Before you come to me.'

'I was checking,' said Sophia.

'I am hungry,' said Daara.

'Today's special is mashed potatoes,' said Sophia.

'Really!' said Daara. 'You call this a special.'

'What? You don't like it.' said Sophia.

'Who likes to eat mashed potatoes?' said Daara. 'I am eating only once a day, don't forget that.'

'What do you want,' said Sophia.

'Get me an oregano pizza,' said Daara.

'What?' said Sophia.

'Burger?' said Daara.

'See I know about pizza and burger but we are in lack of ingredients for it,' said Sophia.

'See, please give me something good to eat,' said Daara. 'I can't eat salads like yesterday.'

'I can make mushroom risotto,' said Sophia.

'Great!' said Daara.

After an hour, Daara had his meal.

'It was great,' said Daara.

'Thank you, Daara,' said Sophia.

'Why did you kiss me?' said Daara.

'Because I felt like kissing,' said Sophia. 'I couldn't resist you. I am sorry I didn't take permission.'

'Never do that without permission,' said Daara. 'I liked the kiss.'

'Daara!!' exclaimed Sophia blushingly.

'Will you narrate further,' said Daara.

'Yes,' said Sophia.

Erica's room was the largest. All of them had assembled except Karan.

Sairendri said, 'I thought it wouldn't be right to keep him in our fight. So I send him back.'

'Good riddance,' said Dwayne.

'Dwayne!' said Aditi.

'What? Really,' said Dwayne.

'Mother, tell us what do next?' said Beckett.

'Jay anything you would suggest,' said Erica.

'I would like to thank all of you except Aditi,' said Jay.

'Hey!' said Aditi.

'What?' said Jay. 'Its your war. Thank you for supporting Astralaya. Now, for the serious matter. King Mahadev is trapped in the palace. Don't trust anyone. Kill as many as you can. Free the king.'

'This are the instructions I like,' said Dwayne.

'All the soldiers are either killed or thrown in the prison,' said Jay. 'We are alone in this war.'

'Yoddhas?' said Sairendri.

'Most of them killed,' said Jay. 'Some are held captive. They are in palace. Gurumatha please guide us.'

'Now that we are on our own, I am going to make three groups,' said Erica. 'Three in each.'

'What about their roles, Erica?' said Sairendri.

'Groups are attacking, defending and saving. Three groups are headed by Sairendri, Aditi and myself respectively. Sairendri will be accompanied by Xander and Jay.'

'Great,' said Jay and Sairendri in unison.

'Awesome,' said Xander.

'This the first time I saw Jay smiling,' said Aditi.

'No your wrong,' said Jay. 'You have seen me smiling thrice.'

'Oh! Good god,' said Aditi.

'Aditi will be accompanied with Dwayne and Anthony,' said Erica.

Aditi and Dwayne were delighted. Anthony's expression hardly changed. Beckett and Xavier were happy assisting their mother.

'Beckett and Xavier are with me,' said Erica. 'My group will attack. Sairendri's group will defend and Aditi's group will save King Mahadev.'

'What are our exact roles?' said Dwayne. 'What will we do there exactly?'

'The group attacking must kill as many as possible while the group defending must thwart all the hidden attacks on the other groups. The group saving must decide the route of attacking and saving as many people in the palace as possible.'

'Okay,' said Sairendri. 'But how will we know where the king has been kept?'

'Xander could sense king Mahadev,' said Erica. 'Once he gives us the location. The group saving can decide the path.'

'What if Xander couldn't sense King Mahadev,' said Jay.

'Beckett can hear footsteps or Anthony could spot him. If he is bleeding then Dwayne can smell his blood.'

'But only Xander's skill can directly pinpoint,' said Xavier. 'Others skills are a bit inaccurate and cannot pinpoint king Mahadev.'

'We will hope for the best,' said Erica.

'How did you decide the groups mother,' said Beckett.

'Tell them,' said, smiling Sairendri.

'Yes,' said Erica.

'Start with our last battle,' said Anthony.

'Anthony is a skilled archer,' said Erica. 'I placed him behind the formation as he could kill more fighters.'

'What do you mean?' said Anthony.

'If your placed behind the formation you could have a better view and kill the fighters who could injure us.'

'Which I did!' said Anthony. 'Hardly anyone noticed me and I killed four of fighters who could have hurted nine of you.'

'Jay was already injured,' said Erica. 'He was placed near Anthony so that he could protect him from arrows initially and later to protect him from other fighters who if spotted Anthony could cause him serious injuries.'

'Yes,' said Anthony. 'Jay protected ne from a foot soldier who had a shield. He parried my arrows with his shield. Jay killed him.'

'Horseback soldiers were flanked so that they could keep our small formation organised against our enemies larger number. Karan was send on left side as he was a right hand warrior. Dwayne and Xavier were the pair to accompany him as I saw more foot soldiers on the left as compared to right. Dwayne is skilled in dealing with foot soldiers while Xavier is best warding off arrows.'

'Rabbit did defend me from arrows though he was not good at it,' said Dwayne.

'You were slow,' said Xavier. 'I was unharmed.'

'Fine,' said Dwayne.

'Sairendri is ambidextrous so I send her on the right side. Beckett and Xander are highly skilled with horseback fighters. Also both of them could ward off arrows.'

'Great,' said Xander.

'I and Aditi were the most vulnerable as we were in the centre of the formation. Our job was to attack and kill as many as we could,' said Erica.

'What about the groups formed now?' said Beckett.

'Each group has a member who has a thorough knowledge of the palace.'

'Who are those?' said Xander.

'Aditi, Jay and myself,' said Erica.

'Each group has a member who are skilled in killing people efficiently,' said Erica.

'Brother Anthony, Sairendri and mother Erica,' said Xander.

'No,' said Erica. 'Xavier, Dwayne and you my dear son.'

'How is that possible?' said Xander.

'Anthony, Sairendri and myself kill a large number of people,' said Erica. 'But Anthony can't kill people easily who use the shield efficiently or people who come extremely close to him. Sairendri and I share a common weakness.'

'That's speed and flexibility,' said Sairendri. 'When we were young these were our strengths but as we got older these became our weaknesses. We can't kill many people if we surrounded and attacked by a lot of fighters.'

'Dwayne with his mace and also with his bare hands can easily kill the enemies, even if he his surrounded by many fighters,' said Erica. 'Xavier and Xander are expert swordsman. Your father told me that he had taught you to fight with 20 fighters simultaneously.'

'Yes,' said Xavier.

'Each group has member with long ranged weapon,' said Erica.

'Brother Beckett, Brother Anthony and Sairendri,' said Xander.

'But isn't Brother Beckett serve dual purpose,' said Xavier.

'Beckett has a purpose of attacking,' said Erica. 'Here Beckett is useful as he uses a spear. It can be used as a short range as well as long range weapon. Thus Beckett plays an important role in the group as he would be the first to attack.'

'And my sense of hearing will aid my attack,' said Beckett.

'Yes,' said Erica. 'Xavier and I are playing the role of mass murderers. Kill as many as you can!'

'Xander will play an important role in defence as he could sense the fighters prior to their attack and protect others. Jay will be assisting him and Sairendri with bow and arrows could kill fighters who are far away and possess a threat on others. Aditi has to save her father and I needed the best to protect her. Dwayne would kill anybody between Aditi and her father while Anthony is their to kill opponents at longer distances.'

'That's a great plan,' said Anthony.

'When should we attack,' said Xavier.

'Early morning,' said Erica.

'Empress,' said Jay. 'What if they kill the king in captive?'

'They won't kill him,' said Erica.

'How are you so sure?' said Jay.

'If they wanted they could have killed him but they held him captive. Their must be a reason that they are attacking us. They need the king alive.'

'Erica, do you mean they are after Aditi,' said Sairendri.

'Yes,' said Erica. 'In the battle they injured Aditi but didn't kill her. I saw them deliberately only trying to injure her. They had a clear shot to kill her but they didn't.'

'Oh my god!!' said Sairendri. 'Erica!!!'

'Does that mean....' said Erica.

'Daara, that should be enough today,' said Sophia. 'You should rest now.'

'But....' said Daara.

'I said quiet,' said Sophia. 'Finger on your lips.'

'Like this,' said Daara.

'On your lips i***t,' said Sophia. 'Not my lips.'

'Don't leave me alone,' said Daara.

'What do you want?' said Sophia blushingly.

'You know what I intend to ask you,' said Daara.

'Oh! Daara,' said Sophia.

'I want you Sophia,' said Daara.

'This doesn't feel good,' said Sophia.

'Look into my eyes, Sophia,' said Daara. 'What do you see?'

'I....I see nothing,' said Sophia.

'Don't you see fear!' said Daara.

'What?' said, suprised Sophia.

'Yes,' said Daara. 'It is so frightening here. And when your alone it is more frightening than ever. If you stay with me then I could muster some courage.'

'I am leaving,' said Sophia.

'No!' said Daara. 'Please stay with me. No!! Don't go....'

'How will I sleep now,' said Daara. 'She even ended the narration at a very confusing point. What would be the reason for sparing king Mahadev's life? Why did they need Aditi alive.'

(Many questions. But I will be answered them tomorrow. I should try to sleep.)

'No one is here yet,' said Daara.

'Anybody,' said Daara.

'You lied,' said Sophia.

'What?' said Daara.

'You had breakfast,' said Sophia.

'No, not yet,' said Daara. 'You are the first one to meet me.'

'I am talking about yesterday,' said Sophia.

'I had breakfast!' said Daara. 'I don't remember.'

'You had breakfast!' said Sophia. 'You cheated me. You are a lier. I hate you. I HATE YOU!'

'You cheated me. You are a lier. I hate you. I HATE YOU!' said Aditi.

(How is that I am watching Aditi and Dwayne instead of Sophia.)

'No!' said Dwayne. 'Aditi, I am sorry. I was forced to do it. I didn't want to do it.'

'You CHEATED me,' said, crying Aditi. 'YOU CHEATED ME.'

(What the hell is happening?)