The first offensive by the King! We were still making preparations and I was having both Luna and Fir train their skills. Ever since we joined the clans they became stronger.

  [Aspen Level 10/10 R1]

  [Fir Level 9/10 R1]

  [Luna Level 6/10 R1]

  If there were more dangerous fights through the few days that led to the attack, they would all have reached max level already. So my only hope was for that to be enough for now.

  [Warning: Allies cannot be similar or higher rank than you. You need to reach the next max level and evolve]

  And having to depend on the combat being difficult and a challenge to see any real progression was important. Either that was a limitation of the System to keep things balanced, or the Ether itself did not allow for big growth after such a situation.

  But my capacity to absorb Ether meant that any time I made some important kill, I would grow faster than anyone could.

  While I came out of my house, several wolves were running in the opposite direction. Anyone that was not capable of fighting had the order to go into the shelters we had designated so they could stay out of the fight. Pregnant wolves, pups, injured, sick, old. Anyone who was not capable of defending would need to hide.

  There I saw Shin, the crafter, who finally decided on a name a couple of days ago.

  “Ugh… he never trained for combat, right?” He was a spellcaster, but only because he was what Erika and Adela called a ‘natural’, someone that could use magic without prior training.

  But he never fought or hunted, always preferred to do stuff around the base. I could use more mages between the wolves.

  “Alice!” Adela stopped me.

  “Huh? What now?” I stopped in the air, and Aspen continued without me.

  “I have brought the book and stones that the one you call Forehead found, as you requested.”

  “Ah! Thanks! But right now we have an emergency! Leave them by my house!” I said, and continued flying forward.

  Then, before I could reach the border to speak with the scouts… It happened.

  A barrier took form in front of me and I hit it directly , bouncing off it and into the ground, where I bounced until I could stop myself.

  “Huh? What the hell?!” I asked.

  [Warning. High level magic detected. 3 powerful magic barriers were deployed around the clan’s territory]

  While I read the message, I flew up, trying to reach the top and leave the barrier, but it closed just as I reached it, hitting it with my blade.

  “Shit!”

  From where I hit it, it rippled like it was made of water or some yellowish liquid. It felt completely solid, though, and had the form of a dome.

  “Erika! Let’s extend [Soul Sense] and help me find the important targets!”

  [Understood. Helping Ether flow… analyzing detected enemies… 65 unknown wolves detected, only 4 are noteworthy by their Ether signal]

  “Good… meanwhile, help me find a way to break through this barrier.” but they were too little for what the West Clan used to have. They must trust the power of those they sent.

  [Beginning analysis…]

  As my vision extended, I could observe and hear what was happening.

  [Soul Sense improved since last full use. Now you can recognize Ether signatures]

  Before, all I could see was the area and how Ether moved if I focused. When I was inside that barrier, focusing on using my skill to scry the area, I could see even more. Each wolf had Ether moving on their bodies, different colors, with different intensities.

  I saw Aspen, who was inside another dome, and Luna with Fir were on a different one. Inside of each dome, including mine, there were many of the wolves that were getting ready to fight.

  The refugees, luckily, were outside of the domes, right behind the one I was. They were safe at the moment.

  And approaching down the middle, came in the group sent by the King, with the 4 noteworthy wolves.

  They looked strong, their Ether danced in more aggressive ways than the rest. And I could tell who was the leader.

  She was missing an ear, and kept walking with an odd smile. Her Aura was the same as the barriers, a yellowish color. She must have been the one who used the spell to summon the domes, they danced on the same wavelength.

  [Affirmative! The Ether reading on the domes is similar to that wolf]

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  But all the warriors were captured… What now?

  “This was easier than I thought it would be,” the wolf leader said, “you three, divide our groups, and go find the captured wolves. Let’s get this over with.”

  The three wolves moved to the domes, and a small group of their armies followed each.

  “Okay, everyone!” The leader, Earless I decided to call her, said out loud, most likely using magic to make her voice louder, “you all have been graciously recruited by our beloved King! We are getting ready to travel to the promised lands, so we need all of you to comply with us! We want to do this peacefully, but if you don’t, well… I have ways to convince you! Don’t make me use them!”

  “Damn! Let me out, you cowards!” Aspen yelled.

  She began to growl when she saw the approaching wolves to her dome.

  “Oh… hey! Look who happened to be here!” the approaching lead said when he saw Aspen, clearly recognizing her, “our little attempt at regicide! Cannot believe you survived the hunters and got help to escape, little pup.”

  “The name is Aspen, you bastard! You better leave or things will get ugly!”

  “Hahahaha! Sure!”

  The last dome, where Luna and Fir were, was in the same situation. But they were sitting, waiting for them.

  “Erika, help me amplify my voice like that wolf did!”

  [...done! Speak!]

  “Eee-hem!” I cleared my throat, only to call the attention. My voice was enough to make all of them pause, and just in time, I saw the wolves coming towards my dome, “Eeehh… excuse me, all of you, please, leave the Ella’s Alliance territory. You have entered our lands without permission, and we would like to end this peacefully.”

  There was a pause, and I saw how the only ear from Earless dropped. Not in surprise, but in disgust and annoyance.

  “What? Ella’s Alliance? Did you all seriously call yourself that? Giving yourself names is against HER commands, you know?”

  Fir, on his dome, sighed. “For how much I love Master Alice, I wish she could have a much more commanding voice.”

  Aspen rolled her eyes, “come on, dude! You are always scolding me, why are you like that with the enemy?”

  “I am trying to be diplomatic! I can hear all of you, you know?!” I yelled back, and then coughed again to recover my composure, “I repeat, leave our territory, or we will have to defend ourselves!”

  “3/10” Aspen said.

  “ASPEN!”

  “I am done with your empty threats!” Earless yelled, “everyone! Tell them to follow you or kill them!”

  Then it was obvious, the battle began. Finally, we had to go to war with the King’s Clan.

  “If that is how it will be…” I said, “Everyone, you are free to engage! Show them we are the ones they should fear!”

  Aspen, growled while smirking while the enemy approached her. She was between the group of enemies and the wolves behind her.

  “Now, you all heard, the lady!” the wolf leading them said, as they walked through the barrier.

  “What? You heard OUR lady. Get out of here, now!” Aspen barked.

  “Hehe… come one, little pup. Or you will end up like your father and siblings…”

  Aspen’s expression soured, and I knew he was screwed. She already had the order to engage, but that just gave her another excuse entirely. He was not leaving that dome alive.

  “Is that so?” Aspen asked while she put a paw forward.

  “Don’t try anything stupid! You know I am one of the best warriors of the King, and these are his special soldiers! Even with numbers, you have no way to-”

  It was just a blink for him. Aspen disappeared, and immediately heard whimpers, grunts of pain, and a gust of wind behind him. When he looked back, he saw his small army fly towards rocks and ruins at great speed.

  Injured, unconscious, they could not move and were out of commission with just one of Aspen’s attacks.

  Then she appeared right in front of him, eyes wide, threatening and filled with the desire of murder.

  “What did you say about my family, you damn mutt?” she asked, with a wide smirk on her maw.

  Meanwhile, on the third dome, Luna and Fir were waiting for the group of soldiers.

  “Normally, you would be asking to sacrifice yourself,” Luna asked Fir.

  “A leader has to do what a leader has to do, and if I have to die in the name of Master Alice, I will.” Fir answered, with a proud look and inflating his chest.

  Luna rolled her eyes.

  “Spare me the theatrics, you always wanted to act cool in front of everyone.”

  Fir just squinted his eyes towards her.

  “Well… Is good that I can still rely on you.”

  Then the wolves approached and entered the dome.

  “Alright, you all heard the-”

  “No, you all heard Master Alice! Leave, or you will regret coming here.” Fir interrupted him.

  The enemy wolves laughed as they walked into the magical dome.

  “See? I told you. This is the problem with the younger generation! They believe themselves invincible!” Fir said, “they laugh because they don’t have enough experience to tell they are screwed.”

  “I don’t think we will need the soldiers for this group…” Luna looked behind, to the rest of the wolves, “sorry, young ones! You can catch anyone that tries to sneak past us!”

  “You two talk like you are an old couple.” the leader wolf said.

  “Finally, you are right!” Fir answered, “sadly, that was the only right choice you made today.”

  Luna howled. Dark energy poured out of her, and a giant net of the same color appeared over the enemy wolves, catching them and keeping them on the ground. The leader was the only one quick enough to escape, but…

  “Safe travels!” Fir said, moving close to him and using a spell to create a pillar of ice that hit the leader, making the air escape of the leader’s lungs, sending him flying back to Earless.

  On my Dome, meanwhile, the group that came for us was entering the magic barrier, and walked towards the wolves, not noticing me. I was still floating in the air, and it seemed they did not notice me.

  “Erika, would my wolves win?” I asked.

  [Analysing… affirmative. The enemy is counting on the quality of their troops. However, our units have also become stronger after our influence took effect. Still, I estimate a few losses on our part]

  “And if I stop them myself?”

  [Then casualties would get reduced, with a high chance of 0%]

  I knew those estimates even before Erika answered. I could see the ether energy on every being. My wolves were a bit stronger than our enemy’s, and with numbers on our side it was going to be an easier battle.

  But…

  “[Air burst]!” I casted, and threw myself.

  “Alright, everyone, now follow…”

  As the leader wolf spoke, I buried my blade to the hilt in the ground, and the Wind spell bursted out of me and expanded in a sphere around me, hitting all the enemy wolves and sending them flying against rocks and ruins, some hitting the same tower Aspen used to make her entrance with me over a week before.

  Those were done, now to deal with the main enemy.

  “Master Alice… Fir and Aspen were not kidding when they said you were strong…” one of the wolves said, with a smile, “I don’t know why we came here?”

  “Huh? Well, if I can do it, why would I ask you all to sacrifice yourselves?” I pulled out of the ground and flew closer, “I prefer if I avoid unneeded deaths.”

  Now with the enemy army done so quickly, we had to find a way to leave the barriers.

  And by the stare of Earless as she saw the wolf Fir sent flying towards her, I was sure she had something more prepared for us. Her mouth was twitching, and showing her fangs. A sour expression drawn on her face, making me feel she would not let out that transgression against her King stand.