Shao was busy in the north trying to get a sight on Lord Reign’s army. Raissa was working on training soldiers in one of the wilderness dungeons. Garnet was busy making armor and weapons, while Terra worked on her own project. The golem printer was up and running, and a few hundred golems had been created and were being run by Celeste as they prepared the battlefield. I had put Bernice on it too, as I wasn’t sure how much I could trust her. Celeste would make sure Bernice didn’t do anything untrustworthy, while Bernice would make sure Celeste didn’t do anything dumb.
As for me, I spent my time strengthening the magic spring. By continuing to fill the spring with water’s life, I was continuing to make it stronger and stronger. This mana already fed the entire city, as well as my dungeon. The greater it’s strength, the greater our strength. I had already discussed things with Xin, and she was preparing a little surprise for me, but she had to pull heavily on the mana spring to do it. I had Xin’s agreement that she wouldn’t interfere in this fight between Deek and me, but I convinced her to do this much. I felt like this was the best way to prepare for the inevitable showdown.
“Mistress! Mistress! He’s moving on Deeksville!”
“What?” I cried out loud, causing the fairies who had been relaxedly bathing all around me to suddenly flutter away.
I had been casually checking on everyone, but when I got to Salicia using my Slave Communication, she dropped such an announcement.
“He dares!” My eyes narrowed as I realized what he was doing.
“I didn’t find out about it until he already moved. We’re going through the portal now!”
True to her word, a few moments later the slave bond suddenly grew much closer. Although I could Slave Communicate with her from quite a distance now, it still was a bit tiresome. It felt easier to establish the connection with the distance suddenly cut to one third.
“We’re going to stop him!”
“Hurry! We’ll be marching on the city in less than an hour!”
With a curse, I began to use slave communication. I recalled everyone immediately, and then left the fairy garden and ran straight to the front of the mansion. By the time I arrived, portals were already opening by the girls who could make such, and everyone was returning home.
“What’s going on, Master?” Shao demanded worriedly. “I was just starting to get a visual on Lord Reign’s army.”
“That’s not important right now!” I responded, throwing back my hair. “It’s that fake Deek! He’s begun his attack!”
“Oh.”
“It’s just that?”
“What are you all saying? This is extremely important. He’s conquering Deeksville.”
“Yeah… but he’s Deek… he’s conquering it from himself…”
I let out a growl and opened the portal. “We’re going to stop them! That’s an order!”
“Master…”
“This…”
“Move it!”
All of the girls filed through the portal, which appeared at the entrance to the city.
“Ah! Wh-what’s going on?” The elder cried out.
He was at the gate and had been looking out as a large army seemed to be approaching. When I saw the army, even I was taken aback. He had made something this large in only a week? I shook my head. It was time to have our showdown. That was all that mattered.
“Close the gates! They’re enemies!”
“Huh… but isn’t that lord Deek?”
“It’s a fake!”
“And who are you?” The elder frowned.
I had always been under a potion when I dealt with them in the past, so they weren’t familiar with my female form. I shot a look to Shao, who sighed and then began to toss our orders. She had spent some time over here and they were familiar with her, so they accepted her words. By the time the army stopped out in front, the gates to the city had been closed. They weren’t nearly as formidable as Chalm, but they’d have to do.
I was standing in front of the city, all of the girls lined up behind me. It was time to face the fake Deek.