All the people under Ocean’s command were dispatched to the locations that needed help, except for a certain group, and except for the territories from which he had already recalled his forces.

Ocean had been true to his word, if his help wasn’t needed then he wouldn’t let his people’s lives be endangered to prove his magnanimity, he would rather sit back and enjoy the sight of the haughty falling from their high horses.

After explaining the plan and assigning people to the locations, he looked at Kai and the retainers from Ryujin household.

"You all head to Oasis," he said, "Kai, help Doc with the injured."

Kai immediately opened his mouth to counter but Ocean beat him to it, "Right now the injured need healing and since I will have to hurry away, their lives will be in your hands."

Kai frowned, still displeased but he knew he couldn’t refute the direct order.

"I understand." He spoke in a low voice with his gaze lowered.

Ocean could feel the disappointment in his voice and reached out placing his gloved hand over Kai’s fluffy, soft hair.

"I need someone to protect my people, Kai." He said lowering his voice and Kai pursed his lips.

"I understand." He said again, without any disappointment following and Ocean gave him a faint, satisfied smile.

"Are you heading there now?" Roan asked.

He purposely kept his voice down and didn’t mention the place because the rest were still present and making their own plans for what to do when they enter the battlefield.

"No, I haven’t received the message yet."

"Will you be heading there alone, Master?" Lyall asked and Ocean shook his head.

"I’m taking the kids and Anore’s team from Eldarf."

"Will you be fine with only them?" Asher asked and Ocean nodded.

Remi, who had been listening quietly couldn’t help himself anymore and asked, "But...what do we do about the situation in Oasis? It seems like there are neither undead nor the shifters there but something else entirely."

Ocean nodded but then again, he had thought of it and had a high level trump card in his hand.

"Don’t worry about that," Ocean said, "our concern is the people, a lot of them are injured."

The instructions were simple and always the same, the people the Oasis, who had relied on and followed Ocean should not be harmed. But considering the present circumstances, Ocean couldn’t help but feel the twinge of ache in his chest.

He knew he had done everything according to the best of his abilities but the catastrophe had struck and it had to happen sooner or later. But, Ocean knew even now he could fail, there was always a chance for things to go south despite everything.

He glanced at the screen of the system flashing before him warning about Sestia in danger alongside the newly flashing notification of saving Oasis. The notifications made his eyebrows furrow.

Suddenly he felt Kai’s hand touching his, he looked at the boy’s ringed blue eyes.

"Don’t worry about it, Master. We will do our best."

Ocean smiled at his reassurance before he heard the sound of footsteps receding behind him.

The western nobles seemed to have reached an agreement and were leaving with the Captain of Royal Knights.

Duke Esmertia who was lingering behind thanking Roger turned his gaze and looked at Ocean.

Ocean maintained a blank face which seemed to have irked Duke Esmertia before he clicked his tongue and then left.

"Pride above everything." Zach mumbled.

He had walked closer to the group after they were done talking.

Ocean glanced at him, "Are you all done planning?"

Zach nodded, "We can rely on Prince Eric’s lead, he knows what he’s doing. And surprisingly..."

His eyes drifted towards Carlos, "He doesn’t seem half as useless as I thought."

Ocean also glanced at Carlos who seemed to be presenting his views while pointing at the parts on the newly drawn enhanced map on the wall of the Western region.

Ocean had a feeling that it wasn’t exactly Carlos who was doing it but he didn’t comment about it.

"Keep an eye on him." He simply said and Zach nodded.

"Yes, Master."

After a few minutes, Eric’s side people started leaving. Miri, who walked beside Eric, suddenly stopped and then turned to Ocean who was still standing there.

She turned to Eric and said something before she quickly walked over to Ocean.

"The time is up and I don’t have to hide our little secret, right?" She asked.

Ocean’s eyebrows jumped, even in this situation she was asking if she could romance Eric openly.

Ocean didn’t know if he should laugh or shake his head, still he said, "The Trials are done, it’s between you and him now."

Miri beamed and then turned to leave but then stopped abruptly before she leaned in holding a side of Ocean’s face before pressing her lips to his cheek. Ocean stilled for a moment. He hadn’t expected that.

Miri winked with a smile before she hurried back to Eric and the others who stood stunned by the display of affection from the Queen of Mordino- the famous femme fatale- to the charming and enigmatic, unmarried Marquis of Sestia.

Ocean simply shook his head while he heard a sigh behind him, it was Roan.

Ocean shot him a look and Roan simply shrugged, Ocean narrowed his eyes and then looked at Remi making Roan’s gaze go hard. A corner of Ocean’s lips curled up and Roan’s eyes widened in warning. Neither said a word, yet the exchange was clear enough through their expressions alone.

After a while of lingering around, the Grand Duke’s party also seemed to be leaving, with Duke Aurelius and Rune hurrying first to get their knights ready.

Davian snuck away while his parents were busy strategising.

"Are you all right?" Davian asked Ocean.

Ocean gave him a puzzled look, "Why wouldn’t I be all right?"

Davian pursed his lips, "Oasis is..."

Ocean released a low sigh before giving him a small smile, "Oasis is my people, as long as they’re safe, Oasis is fine."

Davian reached out and hesitantly took Ocean’s hand.

"The Trials are over..." Davian started, "But...after this...let’s talk."

Ocean stared at Davian, he could see why Miri and Davian were able to get along well. These two were similar with their priorities without any care of the world.

Ocean chose not to dampen his enthusiasm and simply nodded. Davian’s face brightened up with a smile and he squeezed Ocean’s hand before stepping closer as if to embrace him but Ocean quickly put his hand out.

Davian gathered himself and smiled sheepishly before returning to his parents. Dahlia gave Ocean a look as if she had just witnessed what had happened, Ocean gave her a nod which she smirked and returned.

"Go now," Ocean told Kai and others.

They obeyed at once and Kai stepped ahead leading the others, Ocean watched his back before he called.

"Lyall, Enora," the two stopped and turned, along with them, others turned as well.

"Take care of my boy." Ocean said before his eyes met with Lyall’s and a silent message passed by.

Remember what I told you.

Lyall pursed his lips before he bowed his head along with Enora and the rest except for Kai.

"Yes, Master." They all spoke before they turned and walked away.

The planning took some more time and finally all the armies were ready for the counterattack.

Once the final detachments had left, Ocean no longer had the luxury of lingering.

He, along with Roger, Silas and Marquis Fairisles were the last two leave the general meeting room.

But when they reached outside, they found three ladies waiting.

"Miss Celestia?" Marquis Fairisles frowned.

"Alys?" Roger gasped.

"Rose?" Ocean questioned.

The three names were blurted out at the same time making the three girls turn and rush over.

But instead of going to the respective people they all curtsied and then looked at Ocean.

"Wha-What is going on?" Celestia asked. "Where did Rune and others go?"

"Master, is there anything I can help with?" Rose asked.

"I’ll lend a hand too." Alys volunteered.

Ocean sighed and shook his head answering each one.

First it was Celestia, "There’s a problem and Young Duke and others have gone to solve it."

Then he turned to Rose whose hands were clasped at her chest, trembling ever so slightly, he gently grasped her hands in a single one of his and said, "You don’t need to run around. Stay inside the colosseum."

Rose pursed her lips and then Ocean turned to Alys and said, "I need you here with Archmage to maintain the security of the colosseum."

Alys opened her mouth to argue but Roger beat her to it, "He’s right. Don’t go anywhere."

Alys frowned a little but then glanced at Silas, "Is he going anywhere?"

"No, I have to be here." He answered himself.

Alys seemed to visibly relaxed at that before she said, "Fine then."

Roger looked in between his blushing niece and her fiance- the aloof Archmage.

Celestia still appeared to be a little worried and Ocean turned his attention to her, "Don’t worry, My Lady. Young Duke is there alongside His Highness Eric and he himself is very capable. He’ll be back safely."

Celestia looked down and Ocean looked at Marquis Fairisles.

"Stay with Marquis Fairisles for the time being," he said and then looked at Rose, "you too, Rose."

Rose looked at him as he said that and Ocean added, "Until the situation outside clears, stay put."

With the Colosseum secured, Ocean finally turned toward the one problem he could not solve alone. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Ocean leapt out of a window. The three sets of pure white but invisible wings unfurled behind him carrying him high in the sky.

From that position, he could see what was causing Oasis to suffer. It was a large black cloud which seemed to be raining grey ash. For some reason, it seemed familiar but it wasn’t anything he had seen in the present life but the memory that was triggered seemed to be originating from the life he had left behind.

Ocean flapped his wings, avoiding the cloud before rushing over to Eldarf.

He reached there soon enough as he wasn’t biding his time.

He landed in the clearing before the major where everyone had already seemed to have gathered including the two Supreme Dragons.

Ocean hadn’t entertained them for long since he was busy and had got the Eldarf kids to babysit these two presences.

Currently, Caelthir seemed to have been fast asleep on the recliner chair that was placed under the shade of a large willow tree and Isyrrha had been sitting among the children, but sprang to her feet at once.

She was dressed in a flowing white and pale blue gown trimmed with soft fur along the collar that dipped in a deep V showing her snowy collarbones, her long hair was tied back in a high ponytail. Her milky white long legs were exposed as the gown with layered skirts that flowed from her waist ended above her knees from the front and down to her calves from the back. Ocean made a mental note of having a talk with both of these Dragons’ fashion sense after all situation was stable.

"What’s going on? We sensed the quakes! Has it started?" She bombarded him with the questions before the kids.

Ocean regarded her with the politeness that a young Dragon should show to their elders, he inclined his head before meeting her icy orbs.

"Yes, it has started, Kin Isyrrha." Ocean answered.

Isyrrha looked like she wanted to rush to the battlefield to destroy everything right away and her restlessness seemed to have transmitted to the kids but unlike her, surprisingly, they were able to keep it down.

He then looked at Anore, who with his Dark Elves group, was standing a nearer to the manor beside Kent with little River perched upon Cynthia’s arm.

"We are yet to depart," Ocean said looking at the riled up group before him.

His eyes then drifted over to Caelthir who slept without any care of the world.

Ocean walked over to him, he was dressed in a deep, navy blue robe with the sides of his collar splayed open giving a full view of the expanse of his flawless, white chest while his hair silver spilled over the headrest of the recliner. One would have a look at him and just sigh as they would be struck with how unbelievably ethereal he looked.

Ocean, however, seemed to have no such feeling as he called, "Kin Caelthir?"

The said Dragon didn’t stir.

Ocean called again, "Kin Caelthir!"

Still no response, he felt Isyrrha walking towards him while speaking, "He won’t wake up if you keep calling him that pleasantly."

She reached right beside Caelthir and leaned closer to his ear and literally screamed, "Get your butt up!"

Caelthir woke up with a start, eyes wide and chest heaving with shock.

"What? Did the heavens fall?!" He blurted and Isyrrha stood in her spot with her arms crossed at her chest.

"Enough lazing around," she chided and Caelthir yawned.

"Why?"

He looked like he would go back to sleep again when Ocean spoke up, "I need your help, Kin Caelthir."

Caelthir turned his silver gaze on Ocean, his expression was bored, "With what? Saving the kingdom that’s built upon the carcass of our Kin? Find someone else."

Isyrrha flinched hearing that while Ocean’s expression didn’t change.

"The present generation has done nothing, Kin Caelthir. I can’t do anything about it or else I could have."

Caelthir lay back down, resting his head over his arms.

"None of it matters."

Ocean tried his best to keep his desperation down. He had been hiding it well because he wasn’t able to admit that he can’t do anything about Oasis situation once he had seen that cloud. If he used anything else even the telekinesis, he had no idea of what could happen and his water spells could make things worse. It could only be solved by someone who could command wind.

"I’m the one asking for your help, Kin Caelthir." Ocean said, "they are my people, they have put their trust in me and stayed loyal to me for years. I can’t let them die like this."

Caelthir remained unfazed, "Doesn’t sound like my problem."

Ocean sighed, "Then just use one spell."

Caelthir tilted his head, "Only one would work?"

Ocean knew it wouldn’t but if the cloud was the cause of the problems then, only one spell from Caelthir to disperse it would help a lot.

Caelthir appeared mildly curious as he asked, "You will take care of the rest?"

"I will. I just need you to cast one spell and I’ll do the rest." Ocean answered.

"What about Yggdrasil?" Isyrrha asked.

"They can hold the ground for some time,"

Issyrha frowned, clearly angry about it but Ocean didn’t seem to care as he turned to Caelthir.

"It’s a request, Kin Caelthir."

Caelthir stayed in his position seeming to ponder over it for a few minutes before he pushed himself up. His silver hair glowing behind him as he slipped into his sandals and then brushed past Ocean.

"Only one spell." He reminded and Ocean walked behind while giving one look at the rest.

"I’ll contact you once we are ready to go."

With that said, Ocean and Caelthir flapped their wings and were airborne within the next second.