In matters like these, Arthur must use all the help he could get, even if he's already powerful.

Of course, it's been years since he grasped Necromancy, and he had a lot of opportunity to improve his Art further- what started as just a few, soon turned into dozens, then into one hundred, and then into hundreds. It's not to say that he had no sympathy for the Undead - if he had none, then he wouldn't even bother working on the Statue or other purification projects that their nation had longed for.

Though, he couldn't deny just how useful they can be...

"Withdraw our cache with bodies. Prepare the Shield of Azrael at my hand and keep bringing in the new ones." - he speaks to the Undead servants. Gladly, this was a matter at which Arthur was more than just skilled. Besides, there was another source of mana he might be able to tap into.

Her.

"And Bei--"

"Begin calling upon your star. I believe we'll need it."
(Arthur Rowan)


The ever-enduring. She has learned that the dwarf star she possesses is older than the sun and moon combined. And she has also learned that the knowledge within her own star is infinite- just as the possibilities within Agartha. When asked to summon the energy of the dwarf star- it doesn't come within the pale, soft light as the moon. Or the harsh light of the sun. It steadily whisks through her body as if an ancient light. A dim glow tinged with amethyst flames...It starts within the core of her being and then, becomes gentle wings upon her back..

 "Will we be charging the Obelisks today?- Or is there more that you had wanted to work on?" She imagines that things would be rather strenuous for the both of them- however..."Also- I'd like to talk to you about Tragedy and her own happenings." They needed to discuss Tragedy's insistence in the divine war and Arthur's own 'lack' of assistance. For some reason, she believes him to be too proud to ally with others..

 Or maybe, it's simply because she does not like him.

 "I think that we should be careful." Tragedy, for all intent and purpose is an evil creature. One, that most certainly needs to fall again. And with her steady climb to power, she can only imagine what things she might bring..But of course, this talk will probably take place as they work.
(Bei Bei)

The bodies are brought, one after another.

A few, a dozen... a few dozen. It's a good thing that their Research Facility had some place to go about, because otherwise, they'd be swimming in the endless pile of bodies- Gehennan, Jianghuren, Valmasian. Some have mixed features. All of the people that die daily upon Agartha, whose bodies remained unharvested, until the Undead gatherers of Dawn picked them up.

And now they're here.

With Azrael's divine relic he holds in his hand, Arthur begins the usual channel to the corpses, one after another- it's a good thing that he's skilled and resurrection process of a non-magi does not take long, or else they'd be stuck for the whole evening in here. Though, considering the numbers, they might be.

"We're not charging Obelisks, no. I'm gathering army, Bei. I'm gathering army to march out on my own and take down dangerous foes."

"Of course,you can come along... but I don't wish to draw fire upon Valmasia. My war is my own. I'm sure Headmistress Cho would approve, if anything - should others have any issues with Valmasia, she can just blame me for it."

A scum tactic, to pretend that you had nothing to do with it... but all is fair in love and war, isn't it? The air gets a sickly aura to it once the souls begin their struggle against the undeath, but steadily they return, one after another.

"I'll need you to provide me with more mana at some point. And--"

"I know that we should be careful with Tragedy. I never trusted her, never will. Were you concerned about something in particular?"
(Arthur Rowan)


 "If you're going to be raiding, Arthur, it would be best if you were to tell others so that they could prepare as well." She seemingly didn't understand his own type of tactic. To him, what seemed to be scum sounded more like assassination attempts. And if he were capable of picking off individual or key figures of a settlement without drawing much attention- then perhaps, he'll be able to prepare Valmasia for a full-out war. But sometimes, it's best...If you have more than just the support of one or two people. In the end though, instead of going against it, she simply nods.

 "But if you want to keep it underwraps and simply go with yourself and your undead, then-...I won't stop you." She is willing to stand by him all the way. And even fight side by side on the battlefield if need be. "I'll be ready to give you mana when needed." Although, it'll take from her own reserves, she'll be ready. More than ready.

 "Just say the word- and I'll gather all that I can." The enduring star is an oddity. Just as it is gentle and ancient in comparison to the sun and moon, her blessings do not come instantly. It would take moments to for the light to grace his form. And even more, for her grasp to finally take root within his system.

 "And Tragedy- she doesn't trust you either. She also keeps talking about a divine war, and now, she has a sword of judgement." She pauses. "When I asked what her own motive was to help 'humans', she didn't tell me. I can only believe that she wants to-...End us all." Or become a god herself. Surely, she isn't trying to follow in Azrael's own footsteps, is she?
(Bei Bei)

There's no doubt that Tragedy has ulterior motives of rise in power.

Otherwise, why would she do it all? Why would she gather humanity around herself like that, to try and create the cult of herself, to rise to forbidden power? It made no other sense but that. And for that, he didn't trust her- to replace the current gods with her would mean that they're going to live only worse... or at best, the same.

"It's to take out important magi, yes. It's to prepare ourselves for full-out assault. As you've seen, Deseti's offence crumbled with just one man dying."

"Imagine how Gehenna or Vampires could crumble if their leaders die."

Of course it was dangerous. Of course it would mean that his own life would be put on the line. But then again, when can you ever accomplish anything by staying put and simply letting everything go on its own? Maybe your enemies will die off, true, but you will never have recognition for it, never move forward.

Never cease the control.

"And yes, I will warn others. If allies want to join, if more Valmasians want to join, it's fine... unless I deem them unfitting. Otherwise, I do not wish to bring others in the harm's way."

There's a tug. Dozens were revived by now as they spoke, one by one, and Arthur could feel his own mana slowly dissipating, running out of the vital support it had to offer to the Undead- the newly risen were walking away, arming themselves, and new bodies were being brought in from the cache.

Gladly, Agartha never ran out of amount of deaths happening.

"Begin channelling your mana into me, Bei. All that you can muster."
(Arthur Rowan)

Ever since Elren had betrayed them to go assist those within the North, she had always felt some type of way. A secret tension that brews within the depths of her heart. An ire that rolls forth at the sight of anything with vermillion eyes. It is not just out of hatred for his betrayal, but out of the things that they have done in the past. The mockery, the brutal attacks, the savage excuses. So much so, that people of Gaiar even seem to fall within their ways- making matters that much worse. In the end, picking fights with them will encourage Gaiar to take a stand. But now..

 "I think that it'd give us a way to keep control. If we can take out key targets in every fight, then we'll be able to really march out on them. But Arthur.." She says while trailing off. "This doesn't seem like it should be a job for the likes of you. You are our figurehead- our leader. You should leave the Guerilla tactics to someone with less necessity...Like me or Frank." She pauses for the moment, her frown deepening as she moves both hands carefully towards his chest..

 "You can order these things and we can do them on our own. You are our leader-...And if you fall, Arthur, then we fall." But despite her words- the gentle light that flows through her being becomes introduced to him. As of now, she remains the conduit between the Rowan and the Enduring star...The feeling of being 'braced' by the cosm coming within the form of a chilled, icy breath. As if one has been dipped within the ivory winds of the north.

 "Just be careful-..."
(Bei Bei)

A sharp inhale, and he felt the surge of Star's mana grace his circuits; empowering him, fuelling him with the mana excess, with the necessary energy in order to keep those new Undead sustained, it was all there- steadily, the existing Undead in facility stopped bringing in new bodies; while Arthur was powerful, it didn't mean that he would be able to create that many undead.

Sure, he can have plenty. In fact, enough to raid a place... but not a literal army that could march upon someone in full-out war.

He focuses. The remaining bodies must be raised- his eyes are lit up with the mix of sickly green and scarlet in his irises, and more and more energy is given out in order to sustain the large number of non-magi undead. They all trot to arm themselves, commanded by Arthur's mental commands, but--

There's a glance he spares back at her.

"Someone less necessity? You? Don't be ridiculous."

"I will not put your life on the line without being there to have your back. Frank, I could understand that. Perhaps even Rea. But neither of them are as powerful as I'd expect... they might not return back home with victory."

"I'll consider your words, but do not refer to yourself that way again."

The energy is steadily given out to remaining Undead, and despite the boost given by Bei's star, there's only so much mana he can give out properly to ensure highest efficiency, even with his knowledge of Cognitive Casting.

There's only enough for one last push.
(Arthur Rowan)

"...It doesn't matter what I mean to you, Arthur." She starts, her gaze beginning to drift elsewhere. "When it comes to the people, you're worth more. You're the face of our people, the pride of our entirety. If we lose you...Everything will be demoralizing." She understands her role as well. As his anchor, as the thing that keeps him tied down to reality, rather than allowing him to fully sink into insanity. In the end, she can only imagine that he'd possibly bar her from these moments...Especially, since he loves her so much. In the end though, she'd protest. Just as she always was.

 "You don't have to worry about me. I already promised that I would come back-....There's nothing that can stop me from getting to you." Or coming back. In the end, that is what makes matters trivial. "You are the king. Let me play my role as the knight." Simple, yes? In the end though, she grimaces while continuing- the humming light rolling forth steadily...The consistent pressure of Proxima's life flooding through her body, as if 'weakening' her own essence in exchange of giving the Rowan more power.

 "It's reality. What I mean to you is so-...So different than what I really am. But I know. No matter how much I ask for you to not do anything like that-...I know you will." If he wanted battles. If he wanted to pick people apart bit by bit, he can always give them the command.

 "But still- you and I both know, all it takes are a few words. To Frank, me, and Rea. And we'll do all we can."
(Bei Bei)

No matter how much she convinced him to let her do just that, she couldn't possibly expect him to actually oblige with that; there are countless other things he values her for, and why she's valuable to Valmasia even- but still, it's his own selfishness that overpowers an objective approach to this matter.

He was a fair leader, mostly. But when it comes to her? There's no fairness to be had. He did contemplate leaving Valmasia at some point, just because it looked like they were going to exile her - and he would follow.

"No. You know that I can't do that."

"I can't let you fight alone. I can't let you be on the battlefield alone. I can't let you die out there."

"You're asking too much. Stop."

Unwilling to even address such issue at hand, he focuses back on the Undead; there's a constant flow of mana that his being produces, that is assisted by the star, but the moment he's going pale and he feels exhausting settling in, he knows he has to stop; only a few corpses are left, and Arthur just nudges a nod in their direction - the Undead carry them away, and all of those that were risen begin to arm themselves somewhere else.

A process to create an army, obviously, is bland. Though, doubtless that it's useful.

A heavy exhale. He turns back to her, and speaks once more.

"Don't ask me to leave you behind like this again. Ever."
(Arthur Rowan)