"Any word from our potential allies?" the Deputy Commander asked, finding the topic of the fruitless hunt for the clown and the Witch tiresome. He switched subjects, inquiring about the Roc-blooded race in the western Kiso Mountains and the southern Staghelm City.
Alexander simply shook his head, his silence heavy with meaning. Orion didn't know what had happened to his comrade's envoys, but it clearly wasn't good.
"We need a decisive, overwhelming victory," Alexander finally said, his voice tight. "We need to show these people our strength."
The words hit their mark. Orion understood immediately. The people they had sent to establish contact with potential allies had been met with mistrust, or perhaps something worse.
"Leaning on others is a fool's game," the Deputy Commander sighed. "The only one you can truly count on is yourself."