Chapter 336: One is enough
At Lord Fallenwinter’s words, everyone present once again broke into heated discussions, with three distinct factions taking shape throughout the hall.
The first was the faction of cowards, who preferred to call themselves pacifists. They wanted to avoid direct conflict at all costs, seeking the path of negotiation.
The second, the neutral faction, consisted solely of the matriarch of the largest elven city, a metropolis home to nearly ten thousand souls.
And finally, there was the war faction.
The latter group wanted to resolve the problem in the simplest way possible: by beheading Ethan.
They had already sent scouts to Goldenveil, and from the reports these scouts brought back, they knew that Ethan commanded only about four thousand men.
At first, the sight of those enormous stone walls had struck terror into many, but as soon as the actual numbers of Ethan’s forces reached their ears, relief began to spread through the hall.
They could muster ten times that force.
Even if they couldn’t advance against those walls, all they had to do was wait. Sooner or later, Ethan would leave the protection of those walls, and at that moment they would ambush him with an overwhelming force.
Of course, many there considered the possibility that Ethan might have some hidden expert protecting him. But in the end, what could they do?
Everyone there had more than enough wealth and was at least at the third stage.
If they wanted to, nothing would stop them from simply leaving that cursed place, taking with them every coin and every relic accumulated over years of reign.
They could take refuge in more civilized regions, where they would live like kings.
There was just one problem.
They didn’t want that life.
Some truly had no choice but to stay; they loved their people and would rather die than abandon them. But most simply enjoyed power too much.
There, they were the law.
Over thousands of people, they ruled as unchallenged sovereigns.
They set the rules, and may the gods have mercy on those who dared to challenge them.
There was no greater power; not even the direct influence of the church reached those lands.
The Eternal Forest existed in an endless cycle.
Whenever anyone tried to bring control to that region, all the surrounding peoples would unite against the invader, for control meant the end of their tyrannical way of life.
Zael Fallenwinter, Lord of the city of Fallen Winter, was not one of them.
He was just a man who dreamed.
He wanted to build a greater, more prosperous Fallen Winter.
He wanted to see his children smiling in the streets and his citizens with fresh bread on the table.
For him, only he himself could guarantee that.
How could he entrust the lives of his people to another tyrant?
His scouts—some of whom had infiltrated Goldenveil disguised as adventurers—had even struck up conversations with the local population about Ethan Goldenveil.
That young lord seemed to be just like him—a ruler who fought for nothing but the happiness of his own people.
Zael Fallenwinter didn’t doubt that, but he also didn’t trust humans very much.
He had been the son of a count in the kingdom of Solene.
He had seen his father—the man he admired most, an inexhaustible source of kindness and love—turn into a terrible monster after losing his wife.
He had seen his own people slaughtered by the thousands, and he had seen the blood of his own brothers stain the floor of his chambers with dark spots that would never fade from his memory.
He was the only one who managed to escape with his life.
From that day on, he vowed to himself that he would never entrust the safety of those he loved to anyone else.
He was the most powerful Lord among those present, and he was willing to die for the sake of his people.
"Very well." Zael cleared his throat, raising a hand to silence the murmurs that still lingered in the hall.
The next moment, one of the elven Lords—a slender man with chiseled features and eyes as sharp as blades—spoke up. "Shouldn’t we first hear what he has to say?"
"Yes." Zael nodded in agreement.
"Lord Ethan has summoned us to this celebration, and he expects at least most of us to be there." He poured himself a glass of wine, taking a single sip before continuing, the crimson liquid glinting against the crystal in the flickering candlelight.
"Obviously, we shouldn’t all go. Just one is enough." Zael’s eyes fell on an elven woman seated at the other end of the table.
She was the second fourth-stage Awakened among everyone there, a woman with gentle eyes and a mature face that radiated a serene, almost melancholic beauty.
As the leader of an elven city with nearly ten thousand inhabitants, she represented the second-greatest force among all those lords.
"And you think I’m the most suitable?" The elven woman’s lips curved gently into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, as she set her teacup down on the table with a delicate clink.
"I didn’t even agree to take part in your war."
"It’s not my war. It’s the war of all of us," Zael retorted, his gaze as steady as steel.
"Or would you rather just sit back and wait for death? Your escorts must have reported on the power gathered in Goldenveil as well. It’s obvious that he’ll soon try to ’pacify’ us. Humans, elves, dwarves... do you really think any of us would escape?"
"Hm..." The elven woman didn’t answer right away, her slender fingers tapping lightly against the rim of the cup.
"Very well." She stood up, the fabric of her robes rustling softly. "I’ll do as you ask."
She wasn’t really interested in that conflict, but she had heard something from her escorts—something she needed to confirm with her own eyes.
"Excellent." Lord Fallen Winter smiled, refocusing on planning the next move.
They needed to solidify their temporary alliance and, above all, ensure they were ready to crush Goldenveil’s army the moment it left the protection of its walls.
"I have three thousand trained soldiers, ready for war, with an auxiliary force of two thousand men. All are well-equipped and have been trained in the noble arts of war from the kingdom of Solene.
We should have more than enough to easily hold the front line against Goldenveil. But we also need..."