Chapter 49. Battle plan

 Before the attentive gaze of everyone, I took a breath of air and exposed my plan.

 - We have to give them a big enough prey so that they do not decide to attack the city, just as it had been commented before, a single combat and we have to have the odds against us, that is, out of the water. Using the plain between the forest and the bridge to the city as a battle ground, obviously we will lose numbers among all the purely marine soldiers who will not be able to fight on land, but when the invaders see themselves with such a favorable situation, their greed will swallow them up, if we win that battle it's over - Then Luneth interrupted me.

 - But if we lose it... It would be the end for everyone, the citizens will die and suffer, they will be killed, enslaved and ruined. They will have no future - With his words, the uproar resumed, something I did not feel like enduring, I had not finished speaking, so I released my aura from the abyss.

 The dark mist circulated from my body and spread its aura of terror throughout the room, Luneth began to tremble, while the others looked at me trying to suppress the aura.

 - Let me finish speaking before you return to your useless chatter - They nodded and only then did I retract the aura of the abyss.

 - The combat will not be so unequal, remember that mine and myself, we are going to participate, besides we will be in charge of demonstrating the greatest benefit of the abyss, apart from that, if the numbers are very large, I will give you a signal, after it, you will have to give an order to all your men, they must not look at me under any circumstances. It is really important that they obey this order. Finally and perhaps most reassuring for you. We have the ability to get civilians out of the city even when it is under siege, it was a method of escape that we prepared in case you were hostile the first day we arrived.... - The eyes of those present sparkled, but it was Luneth and Gwen who understood my words best.

 - The broken crystals - Both at the same time thought aloud, this left the generals with a certain look of not understanding, but I did understand.

 - Exactly, but they were not broken crystals, it was space breaking, from a reward we got the knowledge to be able to create portals, for now we can only make a very simple one and it can only send about fifteen people per trip, so to get everyone out may take a day or two, as long as we have that amount of food and the shield can hold, then they will have another chance - After listening to me, Leva knocked on the table.

 - Now we really understand each other, without the fear of them harming our relatives, then we can die at ease - As he said these words, remarkably pessimistic, he was laughing heartily, he was an idiot, but a born soldier, something commendable.

 Within seconds the crab general and the Bull, began to accompany Leva.

 Even Gwen had a smile on her face.

 So I decided to laugh a little too.

 - Leva those words can be very dangerous for you - When I spoke, the laughter stopped.

 - As I understand it, you will die twice, once in battle and once when you revive, this one obviously at the hands of your lovely wife - The general turned pale and a resounding "SHIT" came from his lips, while we all laughed with pleasure.

 There was no more tension, the plan had been decided, a great battle and for many, an irretrievable death.

 After a while, part of the conclusions of the preparations were completed, then the generals would have to write them up and take them to the non-military leaders, to do the accounts and prepare the supplies.

 Everyone looked a bit tired, me as I sat, looking at the map, for some reason, the area where the door to the abyss is hidden, was not drawn, moreover, it was a blank piece, it seemed unexplored, but with a name, Waters of Oblivion.

 It seemed really strange to me.

 - Mr. Hel, for now we are finished, would you mind accompanying me for a walk? - Gwen spoke and I simply nodded, I didn't stop at ceremonies or looking at the others, I was already a bit tired of the discussions about formations and battle plans, when I played I was just an errand boy, so I never participated in something like that, I wasn't used to it.

 Following Gwen, we returned to the inner garden.

 - Tell me Mr. Hel, how are you finding this second life? - Gwen's look was serious, but with a sweet touch, something you would feel from a mother or grandmother, something rare in such a young girl.

 This was a question I had to rethink several times, but in the end my answer was simple.

 - This second life is not bad, nor good, but in my case it has given me more freedom and self-confidence - She nodded and gave a sigh.

 - Mr. Hel, do you know the origin of LAZ? - To which I nodded.

 - As far as I know, it was created for you, when you were a child you had a rare and incurable disease, that's how your father together with a group of geniuses, as far as I know, very close friends of yours, decided to create a world for his daughter, so she wouldn't really die, that's how LAZ was born - She nodded.

 - So it was, but that only scratches the surface of the ocean, would you allow me to explain to you the true origin of Lazarus' Smile? - I nodded again, although now very intrigued.

 - As you said, my father had some genius friends, each one in a specialty, my father too, in his case in finance, each one like brothers, they helped each other, giving everything for the others, my father told me about the times he almost ended up bankrupt for helping them, but he would never have done the opposite, they were family and one more united than the one formed by blood. As the years went by, they were just as united, many ended up working with my father, he contributed money and they contributed their talent in their specific subjects.

 Then I was born, my father found a beautiful woman and they both got married, but the problem started when my mother died in childbirth, something had gone wrong and my father went dark, but they were there and they were able to bring him out again, along with me, a little girl. Among my uncles, there was one whom I loved very much, he specialized in designing video games, a genius in his own art, every year he gave me an exclusive juice, something unique for me, my hobby was the RTS, those games in which the most agile mind and the most accurate decision making were the ways to victory.

 But then, I was detected a strange disease, one without cure, my father went crazy, he broke every piece of furniture in our house, he did not want to lose me, so he spent all his money on research, he invested and invested, my uncles, even left aside their specializations and began to study medicine and all relevant branches, but nothing, after a couple of years, I began to lose the ability to walk, I can still remember the tears of my father, when he came out of my room and thought I could not hear him.

 Our only joy was when that uncle, would bring me that unique game, I would spend days playing it with my father, this last game that uncle created, was one in which he invested all his savings and work day and night, it was so and so beautiful.

 It was then that I jokingly said something along the lines of wishing to see that scene in person.

 My father seemed to be struck by lightning and with that idea in mind, LAZ was formed.

 But here comes the most important question, why a world at eternal war to lay your dead to rest.

 It's something my father was asked a million times.

 Do you want to hear the answer?