"Switch out the displays."
If the attack on the border of Lanthanor was the first plan the Sect Master put into effect, this was his second.
After the Knight had told him about his suspicion that somebody was watching the borders of the Valley, the Sect Master had ordered a thorough search using trinkets that were specifically designed to detect other trinkets.
The trick was to use these without being identified by whatever was watching them. Thus, the search had been carried out with utmost care by sweeping in from 10 km outside the valley.
If trinkets were indeed keeping an eye on their movements, all of them would definitely be facing towards the valley. Thus it had been possible to identify the communication eyes without the Lanthanor Kingdom becoming aware of this fact.
The Sect Master knew that this was a trump card that he had to keep in his pocket.
Now, he inwardly patted himself on his back for the decision he had made.
With the way things were going, there was definitely some sort of hidden attack waiting for them the moment they exited the valley. Hence, he had chosen to send a group with similar barriers in the opposite direction.
He had just gotten the message from that group that they were going to exit the valley. Thus, after giving out the order to switch the display in front of them, the Sect Master proceeded forward with the main group.
Indeed, the surveillance web that Daneel had carefully woven had almost been defeated due to this simple plan.
Of course, the Sect Master had taken enough countermeasures so that his identification of the communication eyes wouldn't be detected. Those who had gone out to investigate had been disguised as the sect members who were in charge of regularly bringing supplies in and out of the valley.
If everything had gone well, the attack would have targeted the other group, letting the main force of the Withering Leaf Sect escape with almost their full strength and wealth intact.
As for those who had gone on the suicide mission, they were the ones who were most loyal to their sect. Knowing full well that their families would be taken care of and their names immortalized for the sacrifice, they had left to the other side of the valley with their heads held high.
Yet, to their shock, as soon as they exited the valley, no attack befell them.
Instead, all the soldiers who had previously been stationed around the valley had congregated above the main force of the Withering Leaf Sect which had just walked out with the belief that they had hoodwinked their enemies.
If the Sect Master knew that his plan had been thwarted by an unwitting snake which had just happened to slither through the view split between the two display trinkets that Daneel had been looking at, he would definitely have set out himself to find that snake and eradicate its entire family.
In fact, it was to avoid risks like these that he had waited till the last moment to switch out the displays.
Alas, Daneel's eyes had been too sharp and his surveillance web too elaborate, which allowed him to not fall into the Sect Master's trap.
Still, it was not as of the Sect Master's plan had completely failed. He had managed to get them a small timeframe in which more than half the group had managed to teleport due to being in the front.
The moment before he teleported away, the sect master managed to catch a glimpse of the objects falling towards them from the skies.
From this, he easily gathered that his ploy hadn't worked perfectly.
It seemed that the Withering Leaf Sect's fortune was indeed down the drains. Cursing whatever was the reason that enabled the King of Lanthanor to catch on so quickly, he watched as the objects impacted the group behind him.
Just seconds away from reaching the point where teleportation was safe, desperation shown in their eyes as they realised that they had reached the end of the road.
The initial part of the group had been comprised of the top talent of the sect and their most powerful members who were also carrying the energy resources. Bringing up the rear were the elders of the sect whose power had dwindled with old age. After reaching the highest level possible with their talent, they had had no option but to stagnate or even fall in power due to the effects of time on their body as they reached the end of their lifespans.
In that moment before he teleported away, the Sect Master took in all of their faces and expressions. These were the people who had raised him and taught him everything he knew.
Yet now, he was powerless to save them.
It was as if that moment stretched on for an eternity, before the image in front of his eyes shifted to a barren land.
His eyes bloodshot, the Sect Master collapsed to the ground which made the rest of the group turn around with worry.
They had watched all their lives as this man had skilfully helmed the sect through situation after situation while making sure to preserve their strength and their home.
Even when he saw the plague that were the mosquitoes which had been sent by Lanthanor, he hadn't reacted in this way.
Now, seeing his bent figure on the ground, rage filled the faces of the members of the sect still alive.
The few scouts who had managed to witness the scene before leaving the spot due to fear of being found gave a chilling report that made this burning rage soar even higher.
The entire group of the Withering Leaf Sect sect had only numbered around 5000 people due to the fact that the sect only took in elites. These also included the families of the sect members who had been in the front.
Of the 2000 in the rear, around 400 had died due to not being fast enough to conjure personal barriers to protect themselves from the explosion trinkets that had dropped from above. The external barrier which had already been overloaded due to the mosquitoes had cracked immediately, resulting in a volley directly entering the group.
Even those that had managed to protect themselves had been injured heavily. After realizing that they had survived, 200 had chosen to teleport even though they were still in the formation.
Traps had immediately taken their lives bringing the total death count to 600.
The rest had been captured due to the soldiers of the Lanthanor Kingdom who had moved in swiftly after the explosions had seized.
It was as if word after word were physical punches which impacted the Sect Master.
"You made us run from the place which we called home for centuries. You killed the elders of the sect who protected it with their lives. You have almost brought this glorious sect to ruin under my leadership."
Muttering these words to himself while shaking with anger, the Sect Master stood up and turned around to look at the people whose faces mirrored the fury in his.
"You may have burned our leaves, but you will now experience the 'Withering' that is in our name."
As if this statement was a battlecry which roused their hearts and minds, the members of the Sect in front of him stood up straight and looked at him with determination in their eyes.
"Move out. Initiate plan B2. The Withering Leaf Sect sect always pays its dues. "
Taking out the trinket with which he had communicated with the Knight before, the Sect Master sent a message and waited for a while before receiving a reply which made him smile slightly.
Putting it away, he proceeded to move towards the safe house nearby.
…..
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room.
Seeing the explosion trinkets fall on the remainder of the group, Daneel sighed slightly as he realized that he had been a tad bit late.
The next moment, his expression turned into one of absolute seriousness as he saw the impact which almost blinded his eyes.
He had thought about using less ruthless ways, yet he knew that softness would only result in more deaths from his side.
This was war. He could either choose to save as many as possible on his side by being as ruthless as possible to his enemy, or to show mercy and risk his soldiers entering a skirmish which many would not survive.
Yet, as the screen cleared to show the decapitated arms and legs and the groaning and screaming bodies of the men and women who hadn't managed to protect themselves, he couldn't help but feel a degree of disgust towards himself.
Regardless of everything, he had caused this, and he would have to live with it.
As the King tried to get a grip on himself, the Knight who had been missing from the group of the Withering Leaf Sect entered the Kingdom of Lanthanor discreetly.