"Don people are going to die today if we proceed with the plan?"Standing in the throne room Arrora asked Don.
"People always die Arrora besides these same people once slaughtered weakly kingdoms to conquer them"
Arrora couldn"t even find a shred of sympathy in Don"s voice and looked a little worried.
"If it makes you feel good we told Gael to order his army to try to capture the rebels alive and the same to Joel" Knight said.
"But me king why didn"t we send our army ta conquer them? It"s like they stand a chance "afore us" Dhursir the old dwarf asked while running his hand through the new battle axe.
The Old dwarf"s full white hair now had stripes of black hair as he looked more healthy and bulky. Not only Dhursir, but even Arwen also looked a little tall and gained some muscles which gave him a warrior"s look.
Hearing Dhursir"s question Don stood there without answering and let Knight explain things to the dwarf
"First no matter how powerful our army is they are still like greenhouse flowers so we will have casualties in our side if we go to war with a trained army" Knight paused for a moment before continuing
"Second we are outsiders in the eyes of people of Emir and the same goes for the empire itself, the moment such outsider makes a move against one kingdom the nearby kingdoms will definitely form some sort of alliance and wage war against us we don"t want to go against such alliance with our little power do we?"
"Huh no?"
Arrora couldn"t help but let out a giggle when she saw the confused face of the old dwarf. However, it was not surprising for anyone because everyone inside the throne hall knew about the dwarves now that these dwarves are not much of strategists but pure hot-blooded creatures who love to fight without planning or thinking about anything.
"Still how are we going to make these people accept us? Just you have said we are outsiders to them right?" Arrora asked Knight and Don but she only got a grin from Knight as an answer.
*************************
In the center of the city, a huge stage stood tall overlooking the entire city and before the stage, the people in various clothes stood looking at the man on the stage. Unlike the crowd before the stage, the people situated on each side of the stage looked more elegant and n.o.ble.the stage was protected by rows of various armies like infantry, cavalry, Archers, and a group of mages.
Even though the army seemed grand, the men wearing the armor looked tired and skinny for a soldier and the horses stood like they were going to fall dead anytime. The people of Emir looked no different than the soldiers except the armor the soldiers were wearing and some of the people praying for the rebels to defeat the army to stop the reign of this mad king because they knew that if it"s not for the rebels to silently smuggle the food inside the city for them, most of them would have starved to death.
While the battle with the rebels is about to happen the soldiers prayed for their family"s safety unlike the blessed people before them who had some sort of connection with the n.o.bles in the kingdom to reach here before the King enforced a kingdom-wide lockout.
"Your Highness the rebel army reached our city gates and marching towards us" the fatty minister came running to Gael with a terrified face.
"Hahaha, fools let them come to greet their death" as Gael said he stood up from his seat and lifted his one hand towards the city.
"boom"
Everyone around the stage felt a cold chill running in their spines when they heard a sound of explosion as well as the evil laughter of the king.
"What the!!" everyone around the stage looked terrified when they saw a mushroom-like green cloud emerging far away from them.
However, before they could come back to reality from the explosion another mushroom cloud emerged with a loud booming sound. Seeing the explosion, most of the people gathered around the stage as well as some soldiers started to scream.
"No!!!!!!"
"My family!!"
Some of them even fainted on the spot when they realized that the explosion happened near their houses.
"Your Highness people are living there please stop this madness" General Hozai couldn"t stand still while the king destroying his kingdom and its people.
"Shut up you imbecile!! if you have captured the rebels I wouldn"t have made this choice the collateral damage is on your head"
The explosions didn"t stop as they continued to destroy the city.
**************************
"Brother what"s happening oh no no no!!" Loren started to scream and cry when she saw the huge explosions happening in the city.
"We are too late too late" Warren"s courage and valor disappeared in an instance as the sword in his hand fell to the ground.
"No it"s not over Warren my employer have already sent his men to rescue them if anybody could save your people it"s them"
Even though Warren and his men nearly reached their breaking point, hearing Joel"s voice of confidence gave them the strength to move forward.
"Joel, do you think whoever your employer is could have saved those people?" Loren was pretty shaken up seeing those green mushroom clouds and couldn"t believe that the people near the explosion could have survived.
"Yes they can and they must have saved them even before the explosion now it"s our time to kill this mad king let"s move "
Warren"s worry turned into rage and anger with time as he picked up his sword and rushed towards the castle with the resolution to behead the king and whoever stands in his way.
While running forward Joel was able to feel the heat coming from the explosion and his attention towards the explosion was broken by the row of army standing before him. Warren gripped his sword tighter when he saw the soldiers and his rage lowered a bit as he got closer to the soldiers.
The soldiers before Warren were not in the shape to fight and he could see that most of them had black lines under their eyes and stood very weakly like they had been starved.
"Remember they are not our real enemy try not to kill them"
Joel shouted and rushed forward to meet the weak soldiers.
Seeing the huge crowd of rebels rus.h.i.+ng towards them with bloodshot eyes, the courage and will to fight started to disappear in soldiers" hearts.
"Don"t fight for this mad king soldiers drop your weapons" Joel shouted at the soldiers before him.
Hearing Joel, the soldiers looked at each other but some of them had already started to fight for their king as they rushed toward the rebels with swords in their hands.
"Idiots" Joel cursed the foolish soldiers and moved forward to meet them followed by Warren and his men.
Warren and his men were very well trained and fueled with rage met the weak soldiers. For a moment Joel could only hear the clinks of metal clas.h.i.+ng and crying of people around him.
"No don"t kill us we surrender!!" seeing their fellow soldiers losing their body parts the remaining soldiers couldn"t keep fighting for a mad king and started to beg for their lives.
"Get out of my way" Warren didn"t mind or gave much thought to these mere soldiers as he continued to rush towards the castle.
"Arrora send your team down there and save whoever still alive"
After seeing Warren and his men leaving the battle site beneath him Don ordered Arrora.
"You heard the king " Arrora raised her finger as several figures floating behind her wearing a black hood with silver lining started to descend carrying a box of blood-red vials.
"I"m done here Don" Don heard Knight"s voice in his head before das.h.i.+ng towards the castle to see the final act.
*******************
"Are you opposing your own king, you peasants?" realizing that their king is destroying their kingdom and killing innocent people, some of the soldiers and most of the people standing around the stage started to push forward like a pack of angry wolves. Usually, the people would have not had this strength or courage to move against the king but today they had black sheep among them, the people Knight placed among the group to start a riot, to kindle the hate towards their king.
"Stop them, I want everyone who opposing me captured and sent to the dungeons" Gael shouted at the remaining soldiers who still looked like have loyalty towards him including General Hozai.
"HEDOR!!!!" but before the soldiers step forward, an angry voice reverberated around the stage.
"Who DARE!" Gael"s shout stopped in the midway when he saw the enormous horde of rebels rus.h.i.+ng forward towards him. Until now Gael heard about the rebels from Joel but he never imagined it would be this much of a crowd.
"What are you idiots looking for? go capture them for me"
Hearing King"s order the remaining army tried to rush forward but they couldn"t because they were already fighting with angry soldiers and people around here and the soldiers looked at General Hozai for his leaders.h.i.+p and orders.
However, General Hozai stood beside the king looking at the rebels and the explosions without moving a muscle.
"General we can"t hold them much longer without killing them please do something" a soldier shouted at General Hozai.
Seeing the situation is out of control General Hozai let out a sigh
"Soldiers deal with the people here. I will take care of the rebels Minister Takami please escort your highness away from this place safely I will buy you as much as time I can " as he said General Hozai"s figure blurred as he dashed towards the rebels.
"How are you Warren?" Warren halted his steps when he heard a voice as General Hozai"s figure appeared before him and his men.
Black, long hair tight in a ponytail reveals a strong, solemn face. Darting blue eyes set sunken within their sockets, watch vigilantly over the people standing before him and his body radiated a powerful aura that would strike fear into his opponents.
This is General Hozai, a true victor and idol of Emir.
Seeing General Hozai Warren sensed something troubling on General"s face, perhaps it"s a feeling of shame of serving a king like Hedor or perhaps it"s simply a feeling of coldness. But nonetheless, Warren and his men must face General Hozai before reaching the King himself.
"General why are you defending that murderer? You don"t have to do this" Warren couldn"t get himself to fight the one who he wors.h.i.+pped as a hero and his idol.
However, hearing Warren General Hozai let out a weak smile
"It"s my duty to defend my king Warren but fight with all you"ve got don"t let me stop your pursuit"
The moment the words came out of General Hozai"s mouth his figure dashed towards Warren in a lightning-fast.
Warren could barely defend the strikes of General Hozai but his men behind him fell to the ground one by one without even being able to defend themselves. General Hozai moved among the rebels like a tornado and the rebels couldn"t even see his figure clearly let alone attack him.
"He"s good" seeing how a single man knocking down the rebels like they were a bunch of children impressed Arrora as she turned to look at Don.
"Don let me fight him"