Transferring himself one last time, Seth's soul descended into his most frequently used puppet. Lord Corvus. Well, technically the body inside the outfit had changed a few times - and even once he simply walked around as just the outfit itself, but the identity interacted with people more than his true self.

Rising from the throne, Seth let out an irritated groan as he considered everything that he was going to have to do in the coming future, mainly to do with the inevitable war.

They would have to cut back on the hunting parties, Lightbringer had already shown he was willing to attack them and use them to prop up his reputation. They not yet at the level of agriculture that they could survive purely off of crops, and domestication was a tough process.

If they had reached the countryside with their expansion, then maybe it would be a different story. But for now, they'd have to restrict hunting down to the necessary. He would assign a few of his Unkindly Guards to the parties as well, that way he would always have eyes and ears with them, as well as a way to interject if anything went wrong.

A purely defensive strategy was also not wise. While he had to tighten up their defences, something he had a few ideas for, they also had to get on the attack. Luckily, that was where he held the advantage.

He was already preparing disposable puppets, small teams he could send out on guerrilla missions to attack Light bringers own hunting parties, as well as intercept any attackers. Lee would be crucial when it came to such strategies.

It would be hard to predict the movements of an enemy who could literally pop out of thin air. Undoubtedly after the latest incident, the site of his dramatic appearance would have been locked down, at least that's what a competent leader would do.

Perhaps they could even find some way to lock down the entire city from Lee's space rending techniques, who knows what kind of abilities were out there. It's not impossible. But even if that was the case, they wouldn't be able to protect everything.

Any kind of defence would always prioritise important targets, such as Lightbringers own house, then spread outwards in order of importance. No matter how strong their defences in some areas, there would always be weaknesses.

Lock down the city? We'll teleport outside the borders. Trap the ground around you? We'll just come in from the skies. Target our airborne units? We'll overwhelm you with countless decoys and lifeless puppets.

Attack, Defend, Counterattack. Add in a little deception and subterfuge, and you had a description of every single war in the existence of human history.

Such a war, however, could not be won with puppets alone. No matter how much he wanted it, it simply wasn't possible. He had already heard from Bob about the oddity of Woe's powers, how they seemed to disable Bob's body completely. Such an ability would reek havoc in a war of puppets. Then there was any other mystical abilities hiding within their ranks.

No, they had to fight with people and puppets, side by side. Thinking about what was to come, Seth was already calculating the cost of all those lives and feeling the weight of them all resting on his shoulders, pressing him down into the earth like he was Atlas holding aloft the heavens.

Making his way to the training area, Seth let out another sigh. He could only wonder how his guards and other able bodied people would react to the news of the war. Would they hate him? Despise him for throwing them to the wolves and expect him to hide in the back while they threw themselves on enemy blades?

Yet just as he was coming to the half way point of his misery spiral, the sound of clashing metal caught his attention, followed by a commanding voice barking instructions.

Opening the door the courtyard, Seth's eyes widened in surprise as he found it filled hundreds of bodies, each of them deeply enthralled in combat. The air was filled with the powerful stench of sweat, so much that it hit him like a wall as he passed into the courtyard.

Various guards and warriors were armed with wooden swords, spears and other weapons as they fought against training dummies. Dummies that were also puppets created by Seth. It was better to train against something that you could actively fight, rather than a simple static target that would build poor habits.

But even his Training Dummies were not enough to fill the needs of so many people. Numbers of his Unkindly Guards were also armed and fighting against the humans with similar wooden weapons, and when they ran out the humans simply fought against each other.

When it came to his abilities, Seth often kept most of his puppets senses closed off in his mind. It was simply easier that way. He would be informed of emergencies that needed his attention, and having hundreds of different visual streams pouring into your head all at once, 24 hours 7 days a week, was simply begging for him to get an aneurism.

It simply wasn't worth the throbbing migraines. So even though they were part of his mind, and under his control, he didn't constantly keep an eye on them. Most of the time letting them be controlled by the [Spirit Animals], Such was the case for the Unkindly Guards. Thus how he could be absolutely flabbergasted upon finding them all gathered here.

The barking voice sounded once more, relying instructions to the various fighters as they carried out their training.

"Johnston, Fix your footing! Branson, Raise that shield properly or you're going to lose that head! Singh, more power in those strikes! You've got enhanced strength, I want to see it!"

"YES SIR!"

With every commanding shout, a response came without fail. Even with the chaos of a hundred training battles going on at once, the trainer was still able to pick out even the smallest errors in their techniques and correct them without fail.

Whipping his head towards the source of the voice, a soft and proud smile danced on Seth's lips under darkness of Corvus' hood. Standing on a raised platform, overlooking the entire courtyard, was tall figure in deep grey armour. An imposing figure that towered over the heads of all others, even without the platform.

His hands rested on the butt of a double sided axe, which was sitting upside down in front of him and being used like a cane.

Stepping onto the platform, Seth stopped next to Carnifex and clasped his hands behind his back. He looked like a child next to the towering warrior, and yet even with his difference in height the presence of the Lord was undeniable. Carnifex himself seemed to shrink slightly, reducing his own presence as if not to muddy the spotlight. An unneeded gesture, but appreciated nonetheless.

"I see you're already making perfect use of your expertise. I'm surprised so many of them signed up for it when you asked them."

"Thank you Father, But you are mistaken. I did not ask them. They volunteered. When they got word of the news and saw the Lightbringer's declaration, they stormed the courtyard and begged for their chance to fight and prove themselves.

All those here are doing so by their own will. They all believe in you and what you have created."

Carnifex subtly tilted his head, glancing down at Seth as he stood next to him. The slight twitch of his Fathers fingers, the fixing of his posture and the sharp in take of breath. None of it missed his attentive gaze. Really though, should his Father be surprised at this attendance?

He had given them hope and homes, food and water. He had given them a life when there was only survival, and even that was not guaranteed.

Returning his gaze to his cadets in training, Carnifex looked over the attendance. Many of them were hunters and guards, eager to prove themselves more and gain more training than they had previously. But over half of them were simply ordinary citizens.

Those with powers and those without. People who had enjoyed the luxury of the life his Father had gifted to them through blood, sweat and tears. Those who had never fought a day in their life, yet given the chance to simply do nothing, they instead chose to stand up and fight for their lives and homes. For their Lord.

"You are mistaken in one other way Father. The training was not my idea. I am not the mind behind this, I merely offer my guidance."

"Then who..."

Seth turned towards Carnifex, but stopped halfway through his question as he saw the armoured giant pointing out into the crowd of sweat covered faces.

He followed the finger, his eyes cutting through the crowd, until finally landing on a familiar face.

Astra, armed with her sword whip, was fighting against a dozen opponents at once. Her two toned hair clung to her face and dripped with sweat, tossing heavy beads of it across the ground with every spin and whip of her head.

Her mouth hung open, hot and heavy breathes curling from her lips as her face was twisted with exhaustion and deep concentration. Loose training clothes clung to her body, their colour heavily darkened by the river of sweat coursing over her body and making her skin shine.

She was a complete and utter mess from all of her exercise. And yet as Seth gazed at her through the crowd, all he could think was that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.