Standing at the edge of the Sentinel territory near Marion, Arkansas, Adam looked out over the gathered people. He had driven the 270 miles in a little more than 2 hours, due to the roads curving outside the straight direction. Bypassing a few roads had sped up the travel by moving in the right direction, but then finding connecting roads and staying on course took him additional time. In the end, Adam wasn't sure if it would have been faster or slower taking the major highways that would have looped him around central Tennessee.

Fortunately, Elias had assured him the Sentinels fighting near Sweetwater would be able to manage the two elven armies without him. Adam did jump in the middle of the fighting to wreak havoc on them for a few minutes before leaving just to be safe.

What Adam found when he finally arrived both surprised and concerned him.

"They've just been standing there doing nothing?" Adam asked the guard who had reported humans amassing near their territory.

Knowing that something was coming, troops from the Sentinel Army that were in the area were gathering. Several packs of beast riders arrived first. A few other riflemen had come and were ready to provide support from the towers they set up. Trucks were also arriving from Jackson carrying several hundred combat and support classes, with more preparing to follow.

The entire situation felt too suspicious to Adam. He didn't want to bankrupt their forces anywhere else that might need defending, just in case this was a ruse. More soldiers were still on their way, but they weren't coming from nearby.

Through a magnified rift display, Adam looked at the gathered humans. They stood at least half a mile away. Close enough that they would be easily noticed through the displays, but far enough that they couldn't be engaged in combat without Adam and his troops leaving their territory and coming closer.

Even with the concerns around this setup, Adam felt his blood boiling from what he saw. There were over 10 thousand humans, according to the lookouts, in numerous rows. They all stood in lines, stretching far to either side. Adam could see the ends of the lines, but there would be no way to defend against that number rushing at once without a lot more troops.

What concerned Adam the most was that these humans looked like they would make pathetic soldiers. At the front there were mostly men and women from their upper teens to their forties. They looked gaunt and worn down but had clearly seen some fighting. There were scars on their exposed skin, and more than a few still healing wounds.

However, that was only in the front, easier to see areas. The rest of the lines were filled out by elderly and children, even mothers carrying babies or toddlers. All ages were represented. Every person wore the same unfitted gray clothing.

If Adam had to guess, they were weak. Pathetically weak. Adam doubted that all of them attacking him at the same time for an hour could do even a point of damage to him. Yet they all stood there motionless while waiting.

"Yes, sir," answered the guard. He squinted out at the humans. "They came quickly, as if they were being chased, but then took a position and didn't move afterwards. Even the women holding crying babies aren't responding to them and are just watching us."

"Did you notice those bracelets they all wear?" pointed out Adam.

"We did but didn't think much of it since they all have the same clothes. What kind of crazy fighting force is this? Have they come for the bounty?"

"It isn't a fighting force at all," responded Adam, grinding his teeth in fury as he took in the humans. "They're hostages. Sent from the Juungii. The bracelets and clothes match what was worn when we encountered humans controlled by them."

The guard gasped.

"They're slaves?" he asked with shock. "Unable to even move without approval?"

"The Juungii don't consider them slaves. Or at least didn't when I spoke with them," growled Adam. "They consider themselves blessed by the [System] and doing its work by guiding the natives."

"Religious nutjobs," nodded the guard.

More of the soldiers had been gathering around Adam, at least moving within earshot while trying to listen. Adam could hear angry murmurs coming from them too.

"That'll do it," spat the guard with disdain. "Religion ain't good for nothing! Though I'm surprised you didn't go after those Juungii to save more of our kind."

Adam made a complicated expression.

"I sure wanted to. The humans we spoke with said the bracelets can kill them. Look at all those hostages. We couldn't risk them all being killed without finding out more about those bracelets. Plus, we were dealing with the Drathan. Another large-scale fight was beyond us at that time."

"I understand," admitted the guard with a sigh. Then he looked at Adam with shining eyes. Adam could recognize the belief that he saw in them. "But that was then. You'll rescue our people this time for sure, General!"

It wasn't a question. Nor a suggestion. Not an ounce of hope was in the guard's statement. It was certainty and belief. The man knew for sure that Adam would not only win this fight but bring those humans to safety at the same time.

No pressure, right? Adam thought to himself. So much for him dismissing religion.

Once fighting began, Adam would have no doubts. He would be all action. But looking at that sea of humanity, hobbled and neutered, he questioned whether he would be able to save any of them.

Throughout the time since the invasions, they had found tens of thousands of humans. Some they rescued, but the majority had been ignored by the invaders or were hiding out. A few groups didn't even know about the invasions.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

They weren't always helped by Adam either. Rescues and care were given by all the other Sentinels. If it were just Adam, he would have been forced to leave them to their own devices. Adam saw his job as fighting the invaders, exterminating them. Inside he wanted to save as many humans as possible, but Adam knew what he truly represented. Though he was the primary drive in building a sanctuary city, truthfully Adam was the opposite of a savior.

He was a storm of death. That was his only way to protect.

It didn't help that this guard wasn't the only one with this confidence in Adam. Many of those gathered around were nodding or commenting in agreement with him. The General was here now and would punish the invaders and save the humans.

Adam gave one more look through the display at the bracelet on a man's wrist and then turned away. Whether he lived up to his people's belief or not, Adam would fulfill his role. He would make the Juungii pay for whatever they were setting up. That was where Adam's belief lay.

Surveying his own forces that had gathered, Adam moved over to a few men he recognized. They were unit leaders, and they all grouped together, waiting for him to give orders. When he reached them, he set up a soundproof barrier around them all using the Rift Menu.

"What should we do, General?" asked one man who organized the patrols of beast riders. "Are we waiting for more reinforcements?"

"Can we afford to wait?" asked another. "Some of those people are shivering and crying. You can see the tears and terror with enough magnification. Not to mention the wailing babies."

"This is a tough one," admitted Adam. "They're far enough away that we leave ourselves open to all manner of traps and attacks once we leave our territory. We can't bring those people back without understanding the bracelets, and we don't have the personnel to force 10,000 people back while fighting. It would devastate our forces if they became suicide bombers or infiltrators."

"Are you saying we should leave them?" gasped a man.

The intensity in Adam's eyes flared as he stared that man down. The man scurried backwards, as if a large monster was bearing down on him. It took no time for sweat to drip down his forehead.

"Our first priority is to our people," snarled Adam. "Until we know those humans out there are not under invader influence and are harmless to us, they can't be considered 'our people.' Believe me, I want to save them. I want it so badly, but we don't know what this setup is about, and I won't sacrifice any of our people. Not now. Not ever."

The man nodded vigorously.

"Then what are we going to do?" asked another, as two of the unit leaders helped the one Adam had unintentionally terrified back to his feet.

Looking around at the leaders in front of him, Adam sighed. His shoulders almost slumped, but that wouldn't help morale, so Adam kept his posture and hostility.

"I'll go out there," stated Adam.

"But, General," started one man before Adam's glare cut him off.

"Listen, we can't save those people without knowing more. And I don't think we'll learn anything standing here. I said I won't sacrifice our men, and I mean it. I also won't willingly sacrifice myself either. Since I'm the one the Juungii want, I have the best chance of learning something. Plus, I have the best chance of surviving."

"Commander Lucas wouldn't allow you to go out there," said one of the men, almost petulantly.

"Actually, he would let me go, he'd just come with me," admitted Adam. Once he saw a thought forming in their heads, he quickly cut it off. "But you all aren't commander Lucas. Get your men ready for a battle. Start defensively, with the ability to move quickly. Also, set up away from the edge of the territory and under NO circumstances are you to leave our territory. Even if you see me fighting. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," they said, giving him the Sentinel salute.

With a nod of approval, Adam canceled the soundproofing and walked to his motorcycle to get his supplies. He checked the sword and combat knife at his belt. Then he pulled the large, triangular sword from the bike and slipped it into a brace on his back.

Before picking up his war hammer, he opened the cooler of blood packs and put extras in the pouched on his sides, where they were least likely to be damaged during a fight. Adam wanted to make sure he had enough fuel to regenerate since he had no idea what he would face.

Activity had picked up in the area as the unit leaders were giving orders and their subordinates were rushing to comply. There was no mirth or wasted time. The look on the soldiers' faces was focus and determination. Every movement had a purpose, and every man and woman was ready to give their all to make sure it succeeded.

Through it all Adam walked, his eyes forward as he moved with his own purpose. The soldiers would glance at him without slowing, slight smiles and increased confidence following where he passed. Adam didn't need the Loyalty tab of his inaccessible status menu, or his soul map pseudo-skill, to know how they felt about him. Still, Adam would give his all to not let them down in this mission.

When Adam reached the territory border, he looked left and right. All he saw were the humans in the distance. Reaching a leg forward, Adam allowed it to cross the invisible plain before pulling it back. Nothing happened. Not so much as a twitch from the distant humans.

He took two strides to the right and did the same. Then he walked to the left for two minutes and tested the boundary again. Finally, he walked backwards by ten paces.

Rarely was Adam this cautious. Charge, roar, swing. That was his usual attack pattern. Simple and easy to read. Also, usually effective.

Get injured? Down a blood pack. Or take it right from the tap, his enemy.

This time it felt different. There was an ominous feeling about it all. Even while the Sentinel Army behind him was confidently moving, Adam knew there was something out there.

Checking his soul map, Adam was overwhelmed by what it showed. There were so many souls around him. Behind, they were all feeling positively towards him. In front, there were more souls than he could count, and every single one was neutral. No hostility or animosity.

Adam just couldn't figure out what the challenge would be. What were the Juungii doing. All he had seen were powerless humans. Unless they really were going to be used as bombs. Surely his lookouts would have watched the area when the humans first arrived. Could traps have been assembled prior to that?

Adam cast [Explosive Strike] on his right hand. Then he used [Soul and Body Shaping] to increase his stats to 60% of future Gregor's. Finally, he took a deep breath.

He dashed forward with all his might. As he reached the edge of the territory he jumped as far and high as he could. Soaring over the land, he went almost half the distance to the humans.

When Adam was about to land, he led with his right fist and punched the ground. The ground exploded from his pseudo-skill as Adam turned himself into a human missile. Adam landed a body and a half deep in the ground, with a crater sloping around him.

He waited, checking his soul map again. Nothing different. Just neutral souls, though quite a few looked in distress.

Adam leapt straight up. Nothing had changed except that the humans looked even more frightened. Their eyes darted around as though more artillery was going to come after them.

Dropping back into the hole, Adam waited again. After a few minutes he jumped out of the hole, to his right. Landing easily, his war hammer brandished, he checked around him. His danger sense was just as empty from hostile intent as his soul map.

He approached the humans, still wary. Quiet crying, sobbing, and whimpering was audible now. Wide eyes watched him.

"Help us…"

"Save us…"

"I want to live…"

Those whispered words cut Adam deeply. He was unsure how to do what they asked for. How could he save them without knowing what his enemies had planned?

A man in front of Adam met his eyes, and the look caused Adam to stop walking. In the man's eyes there was anger. Hate. But not directed at Adam. The man spoke to Adam with a snarl that Adam used quite often.

"Go back!" barked the man. As soon as he spoke, his face was filled with pain, and his body shuddered. Yet, his eyes didn't waver. "There's nothing you can do to help us, and no matter how strong you are, you won't be able to beat them."

At that, the river overflowed.

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