"Is this your world?"
The mont Ara ca she shouted even before arriving at the two.
"I believe what we feared ca true," Doaf bitterly said, "this world was supposed to be impregnable."
"I know," Ara said, "but I still can't believe my eyes."
"It's obvious," Arthur said, "the world was breached and a big war erupted there."
"What about them?" Ara pointed towards the small dots gathering up and heading in growing numbers towards the portal, "are they survivors? Or enemies who ruined that world?"
"I… don't know," Doaf could only sigh, "I just hope for them to be allies."
Ara glanced silently towards him as she realized how devastated Doaf was. "I… can't say I can relate perfectly to what you are experiencing now but I also feel worried about my world."
Her words alard Arthur about another possibility. "Could they also have attacked your world?" he couldn't help but ask.
"I suppose so," she shrugged, "after all we are allies with the bronzed giants."
"We need intel," Doaf firmly said while clenching up his fists, "I hope they are my friends, or else we have to capture a few and interrogate them."
"We'll have to wait," Arthur said, "until we figure out their true identities I won't cancel the portal."
As he said that he recalled the other portal and array. "What happened to that array?" he turned to Ara whose face changed the mont she heard him.
"I warned you," she said with a faint anger in her voice, "now we have to deal with two enemies, one that even masters can't handle."
"Is it working on its own will then?" Arthur asked while ignoring her remark. He wanted to get more understanding of that situation.
"It uses a mysterious source of power that I couldn't sever," she said before pausing, "or the world we tried to connect to has acted on its own and provided the energy."
"It might be," Doaf took a deep breath, "'this is a situation we had to create to have this portal running. We need to shoulder our responsibility for that."
"But we will die at this rate!" Ara shouted in anger.
"Either way we would die," Arthur said in a tone that told the two he wasn't regretting his earlier decision, "at least we have so hope in those coming here."
"On condition they are our allies," Ara sneered.
"Or even enemies, we will capture them and try to know what happened to your worlds," Arthur said before adding, "at least when you die you'll die knowing what happened to your friends, families, and masters."
The two glanced at him in silence while none said anything more. They stood there watching the incoming dots get larger in number and grow slightly clear with the passing minutes.
"Wait…" Doaf suddenly said while his eyes shone brightly, "they aren't one group."
"I… believe there are two groups, one hunting another," Ara said before her face changed, "that ans so survivors are in one of the two groups."
"I can tell which group is my people," Doaf said with a confident tone, "just a few more minutes and I can tell."
"What if they are the enemies?" Arthur asked, "what if they are trying to escape here?"
"Then…" Doaf's face turned extrely savage, "I'll show them there is still so bronzed giants anywhere they run to. Ara…"
He turned to Ara and said nothing. However Ara seed to read his mind and knew what he was thinking of.
"I'll get my n ready," she said, "and you… keep the portal running."
"Can you use those portals of yours?" Doaf suddenly asked, "we might not be able to face them head on with their large numbers, so so help is appreciated."
Arthur understood what these two were trying to do here and simply nodded. "Just lure them near and leave the rest to my magical portals," he said and Doaf smiled.
Ara went to prepare her n while Doaf remained behind. He was the one able to tell if the first to arrive here were friends or foes.
"Y'know this entire war started with a worthless competition at such a lowly world," Doaf suddenly said and Arthur felt nervous of his sudden words. He feared he would bla him, and despite his feelings he knew Doaf had all the right to do so.
"However…" Doaf paused, took a deep breath and glanced deeper at the far above portal, "I'm glad I ca to your aid and by my master's decision."
Arthur felt puzzled before Doaf turned to him with a big smile over his face. "The higher realms aren't that nice and exciting place to live in like you imagine. The dark forces are winning the cold war with their viciousness and relentlessness. As for our side… huh, they thought they were already victorious with their larger numbers and superior powers… and yet…"
He paused, turned his head towards the portal as he pointed towards it, "this might look like a big loss to us, but I'm sure my grandmaster has already foreseen this. I bet not much forces lied here to defend and he purposefully let this happen."
Arthur was shocked with his words and twisted logic. "What's the benefit? Losing his base for what?" Arthur couldn't help but ask.
"To instigate a bigger ice ball," Doaf simply said, "'my grandmaster hated how things were heading in the higher realms and always looked for sothing that could change things up there."
"But… he lost his ho."
"This isn't the only ho we have," Doaf smiled, "and ho is the place where our friends and families are together. It's not just a re planet, it's always carried inside… deep down here."
He patted on his chest where his heart was while Arthur could only stand still, watching this giant man with such a belief. "Sigh, whatever you say is true or wrong it's worthy of my admiration," he said with a long sigh, "and I hope you are right."
"I'm," Doaf said while not moving his gaze off the portal, "I know I am."
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