A general born to rule

The inner trouble's

Theophilus stood at the grand podium, his robes flowing as he prepared to address the large gathering before him. The high priests and nuns flanked him, all of them solemn, exuding an air of holy authority. The crowd was silent, hanging on his every word as he began his speech.

"My people," Theophilus started, his voice booming through the courtyard. "We stand at the crossroads of destiny, as forces beyond our comprehension seek to corrupt and destroy what is sacred in our lands. The Kingdom of Valorcrest, who consorts with demons, dark forces, and unholy creatures, has aligned itself with those who seek to undo everything holy and just."

He gestured broadly, speaking with dramatic fervor. "They allow abominations within their walls, welcoming the foul forces of the abyss as friends and allies. Is this the world we wish to live in? A world where the sacred is defiled, and those who walk the path of light are overshadowed by darkness?"

The priests and nuns murmured in agreement, amplifying his words as if speaking with divine conviction. The crowd responded with a ripple of uneasy agreement. Theophilus seized the moment, pushing further.

"Valorcrest seeks to change the world through violence, forcing their unholy ways upon all of us! They have thrown away their faith, aligning themselves with demons, abominations, and everything that is unnatural. They will stop at nothing until their vile corruption has spread to every corner of this world!"

Unbeknownst to Theophilus, his butler and the maid, standing silently near the back, recorded every word of the speech through a hidden camera. The footage was immediately transmitted to Marcus via the Silent Eye’s encrypted channels. As Marcus received the message, he knew that Theophilus was openly trying to rally support against Valorcrest, portraying them as enemies of the holy and righteous.

Back in Valorcrest, Marcus sat in the council room, reading through the responses to his proposal for a formal alliance. The dwarves, dark elves, and the elves had all accepted. Empress Valdrianna and Queen Elandra had both pledged their kingdoms to the cause, while Sam's strong ties to the dwarven king ensured their support as well. The Abyssal Dominion, however, replied with caution. They had no desire for war at the moment, being more focused on rebuilding their own lands and earning the trust of their people, but they expressed solidarity with the alliance in principle.

While this was not the full support Marcus had hoped for, it was more than enough. With the alliance solidified, Marcus knew Theophilus would have to rethink any plans of aggression. Valorcrest, along with its new allies, could muster enough military and political power to check Theophilus’ ambitions, at least for now.

However, Marcus understood that the real battle was not just on the battlefield but within the hearts and minds of the people. That’s why his next move was crucial.

In the outskirts of the Kingdom of the Holy Gates, life was harsh. Theophilus had abandoned the outskirts, seeing the non-human species living there as expendable. Demi-humans, elves, dark elves, dragonkin, and others lived in poverty, treated as little more than fodder if war ever broke out. Crime was rampant, and the people lived in constant fear. However, what Theophilus didn’t know was that Valorcrest’s military police had quietly infiltrated the outskirts, working to stabilize the region in secret.

At night, under the cover of darkness and the strict curfew, Marcus’s military police moved swiftly. They provided food, medical care, and law enforcement, slowly restoring order and bringing hope to the oppressed people. One night, as part of their covert operations, Marcus and his men came across the dragonkin woman who had begged him for help earlier. She was imprisoned in one of the illegal slave pens on the outskirts, her condition dire but her spirit unbroken.

With surgical precision, Marcus and his troops launched a rescue mission. Moving through the shadows, they disabled the guards, freed the imprisoned, and rescued the dragonkin woman along with several other enslaved demi-humans and elves. Under the night sky, they quickly ferried them to a safe house, well beyond the reach of Theophilus' watchful eyes.