The wars around Greece and the Caliphates were escalating.
With the world against them, Greece and the Caliphates were constantly bombarded and attacked. Yet in the weeks that passed, the armies relentlessly sending squads and battalions inside were fighting a losing battle.
Fleets of Exoskeletons were being sent in and out of the lands to battle the armies and giants that Lanterk and Pridgeon set out.
Massive metal monsters with incredible speed towered over the buildings and fought with great speed, mobility, and even flight, to bring down the forces that advanced toward the cities of Lanterk.
Gigantic sand golems were standing over the Caliphates doing the same thing.
The war kept moving and moving.
Stranger still was an affliction affecting all the soldiers of the world that went inside. It was a plague that brought out great weakness and kept many sick.
The doctors of the nations were confused and could not find out the mysterious causes of the disease and assumed that it was Presider weaponry.
Far above the skies over the Mediterranean Sea were several massive ships that were Many Mansions of the WGP.
Charles watched the ship that was at the peak of Earth's atmosphere. It watched over the wars occurring in Greece and Rome to the east and the Caliphates to the west.
Behind him were several pods that were being used.
Lioncourt was in a massive device of Lennox's making. It amplified the Realm of Lioncourt that he could extend it to cover approximately four hundred kilometers from his location.
Another device was near them. It was a large Pod, and Norgard's body was inside.
Nogard's body was in a strange state. His soul was moving along the realm of Lioncourt, who was bringing him around the battlefield.
WARP!
Rai and several assassins warped out.
Among them were Richie and the Seven Notes.
"I can't believe we can't find a way inside..." Richie sighed.
"Boss. In the last battle, we had a lot of help that weakened the Presider. They were fighting and killing each other. But now, Lanterk and Pridgeon's forces are against no one but us. Earth doesn't have the manpower to fight him back." Samuel answered.
"Well? How was it?" Charles asked.
"The experiments are working. He rescued several soldiers who displayed signs of the Unlocking. With an army of guinea pigs, we really have a lot of high-potential unlocked found!" Richie answered.
"It was easy to find them. Any soldier who could fight and perform even when the diseases of the Plague were affecting them made them great candidates for the Unlocking." Rai answered.
"But it's very cruel of you to do this." Magantae walked towards the window to see the land of the Caliphates from where she fought until their retreat.
"We were of the WGP, but we weren't as cruel as this."
"You guys definitely take the cruel to another level. The Caliphates had very barbaric means that soldiers adhered to. The Russians are even better at this. But you... you are making the battlefield and the lives of those soldiers a place to experiment the unlocking!" Owens Shedd spoke. He was the general of the Caliphate base and former enemy of Lowengren and Vender during the infiltration mission to the Caliphates months ago.
"The Africans and many parts of Europe were our enemies in the future. I have a feeling that when those Presiders arrive here and start their war, these nations will betray Earth and cut off ties to serve a greater power."
"How sure are you that this timeline will have that same result?" Pizar Atlas of the Seven Notes asked.
"I joined this group because you claim to do a better job than what the WGP would do. But from what I'm seeing, I can see nothing but cruelty. I gave you the Kraken, which I was its admiral, to save the world!"
"They will ally with the Presider because it's part of the plan." Lioncourt opened his eyes.
"Is Nogard alive?" Charles asked as he looked at the body, which didn't awaken.
"His soul is nearby. He asked that I drop him off near the body so he can try to move back."
"Soul baby steps, huh?" Charles nodded.
"What do you mean it's part of the plan?" Owens asked.
"This war is a way to move the forces of the world in a certain arrangement. Seeker has planned to make the nations that betray us in his timeline become traitors again now. The Aragarians that are coming here will create bases around the earth. And so, these nations that we are using as cannon fodder and to unlock more of our forces through the life-threatening events on the battlefield will be recruited into our armies. Those who do not have the potential, who isn't one of the Progenitor's seed, could remain and fight and die."
"But this isn't what I signed up for! I fought to save the world!" Owens exclaimed.
"Oh great... It's one of those guys." Sammy sighed.
"This is cruelty and madness! You are not giving everyone a chance!" Owens shouted with an angrier tone. He had fought with his allies down the battlefield but was surprised at Richie's indifference.
In the previous missions, he took part in, he kept saving the Unlocked allies, and the rest would do the same. But now, they saw the earthly soldiers sent to their deaths as unimportant, and Richie would only lift a hum to save a life because of Owens.
"He's still a little shocked at how we didn't save the dying soldiers." Levvy Ovilli chuckled.
"And that's funny to you?! Lives are dying!"
"Lives that killed the lives of others in another timeline. These are people that chose their selves over this planet. It's not cruelty to use people who will be our enemies."
"You don't know that!"
"We do. That's why the Progenitor called us Seeds. Now, remember that the Progenitor had tied the existence of Seeker to the Word of God? Did he attach the fate or destiny of Seeker to the titles of Jesus? Eagle said that Seeker would be a rough foreshadowing or typology of Christ in which he will show a poor man's version of what the Conquering Christ will be. But that wasn't the only thing that was set to happen. He named our seeds. And that bears to mind many prophecies and symbolism used all throughout the bible. The wheat and the weeds are now being harvested. We are now separating the wheat and the chaff." Lioncourt explained as he floated up.
"This is a far better position than what Seeker had. Imagine having numerous soldiers taken from the enemy. Well, considering what we are up against, we need as many Unlocked as we can."
Owens was still angry and turned to his allies.
"These things are alright to you?!" He asked.
"I'm an Aragarian who became a seed. I don't care what happens as long as we win." Levvy chuckled.
"The WGP has done far worse than this. We toyed with nations and caused intrigue and divisions to keep ourselves in power. Pizar. Didn't you carry out many things? I am a bit sad that this is my role in future wars. But in the end, this is the better option. Of course, we still have to keep sending our forces to make the Presiders exhaust their resources. And that will naturally bring death. But losing a hundred to gain one Unlocked is already more than worth it." Magantae answered.
Pizar was silenced. He couldn't argue with Magantae's frugal analysis.
"Besides... Shed, they still have one more shot to prove they are good. If the Presiders land on their nations, they will still have the choice to remain loyal to us or serve the Aragarians. We have already made it clear that we are of Earth, and our enemies are aliens. And with all the sermons going around and how the Bible is becoming more and more relevant to our circumstance, if they betray us, it's really on them." Magantae added.
Shedd Owens was silenced.
"You aren't the first, nor will you be the last to question our methods." Nogard awakened.
"Oh? You found your body?" Lioncourt laughed.
"I don't think I can master moving my soul in this lifetime. I have to figure out how to move in the multi-dimensions. But I could see the fluctuation of the souls here and hear you guys talk. So that's an achievement. Even without being rooted in my body, I could now sense things in the three dimensions. Man... no wonder ghosts and spirits are clumsy. They can't see anything in that dimension." Nogard laughed.
"Now to you, youngsters. But let's be real. We can't save everyone. We are fighting to win this. And those soldiers who even Arthur predicts to betray us are perfect as cannon fodder and guinea pigs."
"But they haven't betrayed us yet! We are forcing them to betray us!"
"You youngsters don't still see it." Nogard laughed.
"We did do our part. Pizar. We are doing a better job than the WGP. Didn't we just destroy their bases and gain their allegiance to us? They would have sold us out or killed each other with a Throne Wars that slaughtered them without even allowing them to fight the Aragarians. Right now, this war is the perfect time to create Unlocked. We are using the soldiers of our future enemies and using the plague to reveal the Unlocked. Now, we already have close to a hundred more! As for you, Owens... I've used my realm with Richie's power to listen to the discussions of the many admirals and generals nearby. All of them are talking about how to betray us."
Lioncourt waved his hands, and the recordings that Lioncourt gathered around were being played.
Owens was shocked to hear the generals and admirals talk.
"This army that was gathered here was a way to ascertain their allegiance. That's why we didn't reveal any techs that we can hear their conversations even inside those safe rooms they made to protect themselves against Australian hearing techs." Lioncourt chuckled.
The more Owens heard, the uglier his expression was.
"You should also hear the soldiers. Many of them died cursing us and wished they had joined the Presiders. Only those that showed potential for the Unlocking were fighting without doubts and hesitation."
"I mixed a little something in the poison that we have been spreading on the battlefield. The poison has a tendency to make people honest."
"Yes. I'll play the recording, and I hope you will believe the simple truth, the selfish, cowardly, and self-preserving nature of man is far worse than your lowest expectation of it. Unless... they overcome." Lioncourt smiled.
"But why did you make us retreat, Lioncourt?" Richie finally asked. He had been using his sounds to monitor the situation.
"What did you feel?" Richie asked again.
"That Lanterk is getting ready to move. I've already alerted the Unlock's ground forces to retreat. So I'm guessing most of the people below will now die. But thankfully, we've already taken those Unlocked from those nations' armies." Lioncourt answered.
"Lanterk's moving? Are we going to fight?" Richie asked.
"No. Don't be silly. We need Lanterk and Pridgeon alive anyway. So let's retreat our ships further back. I think we are about to see something amazing." Lioncourt smiled.