Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Eight minutes after the alarm sounded, Dakos appeared in the courtyard, leisurely taking a seat on the edge of the garden, and enjoying pastries and tea made by Genevieve with Drusara.

The pastries were a fusion of East and West, bringing together the essence of Asur and Aurora in one dish: they had the delicate softness of morning tea and the exquisite layers of Asur baking techniques, with crispness and softness intertwining in the mouth.

In Genevieve's words: I'm not going to go to the dentist with you; I'm going to open a pastry shop next door.

Drusara gently broke off a piece, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly, her expression serene. Dakotas looked at her, smiled, reached out and picked up his silver cup, gently swirling it. The clear tea in the cup reflected his slightly pale but calm face.

At the twelfth minute of the alarm, he raised his hand and waved to Arthuris, who appeared in the courtyard, as if he were inviting an old friend to enjoy the flowers together.

Arthuris smiled slightly, raised her hand in response, and walked over with light steps. Her robes fluttered gently in the wind, the edges of the fabric shimmering with ivory-white silk threads.

Dakos pointed to the pastries.

It was a silent invitation.

Arthuris glanced at him, a faint smile playing on her lips. She didn't refuse, and sat down opposite him. She picked up a pastry, savoring it slowly, commenting and praising it intermittently, her tone light and natural. The three of them chatted and laughed softly in the courtyard, mingling with birdsong and the faint sound of distant horns. It was as if they were enjoying a spring outing, rather than making final preparations for battle.

The whole scene had a strange sense of contrast: war was imminent, yet they were leisurely enjoying sweets and commenting on their taste, as if they were performing a carefully rehearsed drama.

Arthuris is the daughter of Aunt Fennubar, making her Fennubar's cousin. Her family's territory is located on the border between the Kingdom of Ithain and the Kingdom of South Iris, which is why she has a place in the High Council that decides the future of Ulthuan, and not just because of blood relations.

However, Arthuris rarely appeared in that territory. She was more like a gust of wind, lingering in the White Tower of Hoss year-round, her whereabouts always shrouded in a faint mystery. Like the Kadjoin family, her family also owned a mansion in Lorthorn, but whenever she came to Lorthorn, she almost always chose to stay at her cousin Fennubar's mansion.

These sisters are incredibly powerful, strong enough to defeat the Archmage Tzeentch, a cougar caster of the Conte Elves, in a direct duel. Of course, that's in the future, but being strong in the future doesn't mean she's weak now. In fact, her magical skill is already very high, and with her combined worldly status and personal strength, she rightfully holds a place in the White Tower of Hoss.

As for the Great Demon's condition...

As is widely known, if states are divided into 1%-100%, then the Great Demons residing in the Chaotic Demon Realm are the strongest, reaching 100%, and are the closest to divinity. When they descend upon the mortal world with its great vortex, their power begins to dissipate, and their remaining strength depends on the energy of their surroundings.

For example, the Sha'rashi the Demonic Calamity encountered in the Golden Pool and the Slaanesh Archdemon appearing in the Twilight Tide were extremely powerful. However, by the time of the Battle of Winterwood Palace and the Second Battle of Grond, their power had clearly weakened. With energy already insufficient, the more numerous they were, the more vulnerable each individual became.

Time continued to pass, and in the sixteenth minute after the alarm sounded, an even more talented person than Dakota appeared.

According to military regulations, after the alarm or bugle sounds...

Finnubal, clad in dragon armor, makes a dazzling entrance, accompanied by his eldest son, Jerion, and his wife, who is also the mother of Jerion and Bel-Aihol.

Dragon armor is not a unique concept, but rather a very broad one. It's more like a general term, like various bolt-action rifles, but their performance, era, and style vary greatly.

The same applies to dragon armor.

It is both a symbol of inheritance and a mark of the times.

From the Great Invasion to the present, from Aenarion to now, even the most ordinary dragon prince's armor can be called dragon armor. Of course, it can also be called the Yseramar Silver Armor.

The specific name depends on the context.

The name is not important; what matters is the weight of history behind it, because even with the same metal and the same patterns, the meanings they represent are vastly different.

In other words, although they are all called dragon armor, their monetary value and symbolic meaning are completely different. The most valuable one is naturally the one worn by Aenarion, followed by the batch of dragon armor made in the same period. Although they were not worn by the king himself, they were equally engraved with the glory of that era.

Once the great vortex appears, those dragon armors can no longer be called trash, but...

The suit of armor that Finnubal wears today is one of the few dragon armors that has survived since the Great Invasion. It symbolizes the profound heritage of the Kingdom of Itaien and the legitimacy of power and bloodline.

Ironically, he, clad in armor forged by the dragon tamer Caledo, is now facing Caledo's offspring.

Nagalos, also known as Duruki, possesses two sets of half-dragon armor. One set was retrieved by Darkus and is currently in his possession, but it lacks a helmet. The other set was found in the Tower of Prophecy after the destruction of Moras's forces, and Moras kept the dragon armor as a collectible.

Now, that half of the dragon armor is displayed in the Great Temple of Adreza for believers to see, while the other complete set...

However, Darkus wasn't paying attention to Finnubal at that moment. His gaze shifted slightly and landed on Jerian. In that instant, he was struck by a sudden thought, countless fragments flashing through his mind like the pages of a book of destiny being turned.

He suddenly thought of another timeline, another ending.

How did Bel Eihall die in that timeline?

He died in a naval battle with the Truch navy, and under the leadership of Jerian, he rode a dragon in pursuit of the enemy.

During the pursuit, a dark green magic spear appeared from a tricky angle, striking him in the chest like a thunderbolt. The immense impact sent him flying from his saddle and into the sea. Once in the water, he was devoured by a leech dragon lurking beneath the surface.

Unable to return to Ulthuan with news of Bel-Ayhor's death, the obsessive-compulsive Jerion, overwhelmed with guilt, persuaded his crew not to set sail until his brother's body was found. Through his research into the ocean, he discovered the legend of the Ship Graveyard, a dark kingdom that attracted all creatures that perished at sea. Believing his brother would inevitably appear there, he led Ulthuan's few remaining dragon ships, two dragons, and his crew down the path to their deaths.

Jerian, who wanted to end the curse, ultimately died in a duel with Count Noctras, dying in the Ship Graveyard, succumbing to the vampires' despicable tactics.

Noctras used his own abilities to allow Jerion's sword to pierce his body, and then he launched a counterattack, casting the Curse of Ages to age and kill the noble elf Jerion.

Jerian also became one of the first victims of the cursed elves.

Now, all the elements are there—dragons, magic, ballistae, Duruchi, and Asul—only the sea and ships are missing.

The deep blue, never-restless sea still slumbers in the distance, waiting for some fateful moment to unleash its giant waves once more.

Now, the enemies and allies have been switched, and everything seems to be a cruel twist of fate, the only difference being that the stage has changed and the actors have changed their masks.

As for Bel-Aiholm, he is in a strange position, which is why he did not appear at his own mansion, but that does not mean he will not participate in today's battle, and there are many ways for him to participate in the battle.

After exchanging a few words and eating some pastries, Drusara embraced her affectionately, launched the raiding ship parked in the courtyard, and left with Aserys.

Once on the street, Finnubar's wife embraced him tenderly, then hugged Jerian. For a fleeting moment, her gaze lingered between the two, as if trying to conceal all unspoken farewells within that brief look. Then, she nodded to Dakos and Genevieve, turned, and hurried away.

The figure stood there without hesitation or pause.

Everyone has their own tasks and missions. Fate assigns them to different points on the board, like a manipulator placing chess pieces, and they all know that they are just one piece that is still moving on the board.

Just as Darkus was about to move, he suddenly stopped. His gaze swept across the streets, looking into the distance at the mountains behind the Phoenix Royal Court. The next second, he chuckled softly, a laugh with an untimely lightness, like the sound of wind chimes before a storm.

"What are you laughing at?" Finnubar asked curiously, his tone tinged with wariness, as if afraid that the laughter foreshadowed something.

“No.” Darkus narrowed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. “I suddenly thought of something.” He didn’t choose to answer directly, but he couldn’t help but throw out a hook: “You wouldn’t want to know.” His tone was excessively relaxed, as if he were hiding something; he was preparing to tease Finnubar.

Finnubar said nothing, but looked up at the distant mountains. After a moment, he looked at Dakos.

Dakos smiled first, and then began his performance.

He appeared to be in a frenzied state.

His hands waved wildly in the air, his head twitching as if manipulated by invisible threads. The frenzied performance was tinged with mockery—mocking reality, and mocking himself. And as he performed, he gave Finubal a wicked grin, a grin that seemed to say, "You know, we've all gone mad."

At first, Finnubar didn't realize what was happening.

When he realized who Darkus was imitating and what he was implying, his face instantly darkened—a mixture of anger at being exposed and a sense of shame. The next second, instead of yelling, he lunged forward, pressing his hands against Darkus's throat guard.

Meanwhile, Darkus transformed into Cao Shaolin, sticking out his tongue and rolling his eyes, playing along and fooling around.

And so, these two people of extremely high status started arguing in the pre-battle streets, oblivious to everyone else.

After they had finished arguing, the two looked at each other, remained silent for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

Dakota's laughter is a mocking laugh, the kind that treats tragedy as a game of chess, yet it carries a confident air of complete control. Finnubar's laughter, on the other hand, is entirely different—a bitter laugh, a wistful laugh, filled with melancholy and a sense of fatalism.

Finnubar had visited Nagalos once, first arriving in Krakarond. Darkus accompanied him for a few days before returning to Nagalond, leaving Bel-Aegol to accompany him. After a journey of stops and starts, they finally arrived in Nagalond. When the Black Ark, Nagor, docked, he went to the headquarters of the Thrawn Tidemasters aboard the Black Ark and began simulations with Admirals and officers of the Duruch Navy. The result…

Finnubar's Dao heart was shattered.

No matter how he deduced it, he always arrived at a devastating result that broke his defenses.

That wasn't an ordinary failure, but a predetermined collapse.

At the beginning of the simulation, he remained calm and restrained, trying to find loopholes in every aspect and think about the tactical differences in detail; but as the results were presented to him time and time again, that rational calm was gradually replaced by the numbness of despair.

Asur's fleet engaged in battle in the waters of Ausuan, ultimately managing to reduce the Duruch navy's strength by 30-50%. The 50% reduction only occurred once, and that was due to Finnubar's extraordinary skill, or rather, sheer luck.

But this miracle was short-lived.

At other times, the results were dismal: 40%, 30%, or even occasionally a humiliating 20% ​​or 10%. The numbers were coldly displayed on the simulation table, like a cruel laugh from fate.

At this stage, both the Ausuan homeland and the Asur fleet from various colonies had no ships or soldiers to deploy, and even the trump card that was the existing fleet no longer existed.

It was a deeper despair; when even the symbolic fleet was gone, not even the last vestige of hope could sustain the dignity of resistance. Meanwhile, the Truc forces, leveraging their various advantages, were able to quickly replenish their numbers and continue fighting in the Ausuan Sea, even diverting some forces to cover the ground troops.

To put it bluntly, they launched a series of thirteen attacks, but before they could even get to the second phase of the Truch Navy's attack, the Asur Navy was completely wiped out. The devastation wasn't just a statistical failure; it was a symbolic catastrophe.

During the simulation, Finnubar pushed the limits of decision-making and deployment. His command was precise and his instructions were clear, taking into account wind direction, terrain, tides, and fire coverage. He even simulated Duruci's usual tactics in advance.

But every time a fight starts—it collapses.

It was as if the entire situation had been overturned by an invisible hand, as if the other side had cheated and knew his every move in advance.

And that's exactly what happened; Duruci's side really pulled off a miracle.

But this illusion is real and exists; it is not a deception or fraud. Duruci has no reason to deceive or fool Finnubar, much less to fool himself.

As for how it was launched? The answer is extremely simple, yet extremely cruel: Duluqi brought the Time Sentinels onto the Black Ark.

Thus, the deduction became a joke, the war became an experiment, and Finnubar's efforts became an experiment that was repeatedly proven to be a failure.

This is why, in the simulation, the Asul Navy collapsed as soon as the battle began. No matter how brilliant Finnubar's decisions and deployments were, they would be detected, countered, and neutralized in advance by the Time Sentinels. That kind of despair is like playing chess with the future, where the future already knows your every move.

During the final simulation, Finnubar completely broke down. His hands trembled, his voice was hoarse, and he forcefully pushed over the chess pieces, instruments, and sand table on the simulation table, like a madman cornered against a wall.

What Dakota was imitating was his frantic, hysterical state at the time.

"What do you think?" After his banter subsided, Darkus's smile faded, his tone now tinged with amusement and a hint of probing. He looked at his subordinate, Jerian, and pointed to the distant mountains.

The Jerian of today is different from the Jerian of Azsorloth over fifty years ago. Back then, his eyes were sharp, burning with an inextinguishable flame, and his whole being exuded an undisguised radicalism and desire. His face was sharply defined, and his brows were full of confidence and decisiveness, as if in his eyes there was only one solution to everything—war.

At that time, he was fire, a charging blade.

Now, with the passing of events and the tempering of his soul, he has become more reserved and profound. The flame no longer blazes outward, but has subsided into a blazing light, hidden deep within his gaze. He is evolving into the state of his younger brother, Bel Eihorn, becoming mature, composed, and possessing the bearing of a naval admiral capable of shouldering great responsibilities.

Recklessness has been replaced by rationality, and linear thinking has been replaced by meticulous planning.

As for subordinates, this is an undeniable fact.

As time passed and the political landscape changed, Jerian, following his brother, also became Darkus's subordinate. However, the brothers' areas of expertise differed, and in terms of authority, the younger brother held a far higher position than the older brother.

"I don't know what to say."

Yelian glanced at the mountain, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly sighed. His breath was filled with repression, doubt, and helplessness, as if the heat in his chest was being suppressed by cold mist, impossible to exhale completely. Then, he gently shook his head, a complex expression on his face—not a simple denial, but more like a concession to reality.

He could feel his father's gaze, a gaze that was both gentle and profound, as if awaiting an answer, or as if scrutinizing the soul of a warrior. So, under that gaze, he added another sentence.

"This seems to be... an unsolvable problem? Arrogance? Overconfidence? Possibly, but no matter what decision is made, it all becomes meaningless in the face of the Time Sentinels."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment after those words were spoken.

His tone carried a weariness, a calm born from the burning intensity of a past that had now crumbled to ashes. He was no longer angry, no longer confused, but simply—he had seen through it all.

"But in the end, it still comes down to fighting, doesn't it?"

Dakos responded casually, his tone carrying a calm confidence—a confidence not born of blind optimism, but rather of a certainty that he knew the outcome, yet would still act. Having said this, he nodded to Finnubar, a tacit confirmation, and then strode forward.

The Time Sentinels are located on the mountainside. When the alarm is sounded, the relevant personnel take action. They slowly raise the sign, as if unveiling a curtain in a ceremony, to inform all the people of Lorthen: the dragon is attacking.

The sign was enormous, standing on the mountainside, somewhat resembling the HOLLYWOOD sign.

Besides the signposts, there's also a command wing behind Borg, reminiscent of the Battle of the Five Armies in Lord of the Rings, when the Orc army makes its grand entrance. When the army needs to adjust, the command wing is pulled up, instructing the troops on how to do so.

However, the version that Darkus and his companions were seeing was more abstract.

It's called a command wing, but it looks more like a street lamp?

The pointing device stands on the tall pole, and from a distance, it looks like a hand raised at a 45-degree angle in salute.

Panic? Impossible.

Urgent? Not at all.

There is plenty of time to prepare.

They all knew that in this inevitable battle, time was still on their side.

At least for now.

The known radius of the Time Sentinel is 600 kilometers.

In other words, the Time Sentinel located in Lorthen is situated at the very geographical center of the Kingdom of Itien. Its invisible domain covers the entire kingdom, and moreover, within its radius of influence, a portion of the land still belongs to the Kingdom of Caledor.

As Rahil Morvin rode his dragon to the Dragonspine Mountains to rendezvous with Querellien's forces, the moment the dragon took flight, it was detected by the Time Sentinels, because his territory was located at the border between the Kingdom of Caledor and the Kingdom of Itien, within the Time Sentinels' radius of influence. (Chapter 833)
It is known that dragons fly at speeds of approximately 90 kilometers per hour. (Reference: D&D)

Q: How long will it take for the dragon to reach Lor'then?

A: It will take six hours and forty minutes.

The alarm sounded around 5 a.m.

In other words, according to mathematical calculations, the dragon should arrive in Lorthorn at noon.

Of course, this number is relatively conservative. If we also consider magical enhancements, the terrain, and the assistance of air currents and energy flows, the dragons might arrive even sooner. But even so, it's definitely not now, and it's definitely not within the next two hours. That would violate not only biomechanics but also aerodynamics. Unless these dragons didn't fly here, but were teleported.

This is precisely why Darkus asked Jeremiah.

However, Jerian did not give him the answer he wanted.

Or rather, there is no standard answer to this question.

Because Caledo was unaware of the existence of the Time Sentinel, and because under the gaze of the Time Sentinel, even time lost its meaning, so what was the point of talking about speed and distance?
As they walked briskly, Dakos and Finnubar chatted idly.

Until they were blocked by a convoy of cars. (End of Chapter)