The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

The assault and subsequent capture of Girsion went so smoothly that I expected it to be some kind of trick. But it seemed that wasn’t the case. The initial report clearly described the city’s difficult initial situation and the cascade of failures before the... siege.

"The city of Girsion was easy." I sighed, leaning back on my chair as I looked towards our bed where my Ladies were still sleeping. "Now, it's time to convince its people..."

Amber, woken up by my voice, turned to the side and looked at me with a still sleepy gaze. She yawned without care and turned to the other side to sleep a bit longer. There was no way that Luna or Irene would wake up at this hour on their own. I closed my eyes and smiled to myself. It was always good to feel that awesome thrill when your plans proceed smoothly. The people of Everlight were awaiting the arrival of hmmm... Guests? Oh, maybe I can call them like that, but in reality, they weren’t much better off than prisoners. My Legions emanated eagerness to fight and those legions that stayed behind were even jealous that Fulminata and Ferrata would soon start a proper battle. The entire week of never-ending night should end today, give or take, but no one was sure if that would be the case. It was still dark before daybreak, but we could hope, right?

Today was planned to be a somewhat busy day. The people of Girsion would be arriving in the afternoon. The first thing I had to do was to accommodate all those people. Safely. Everlight could shelter three thousand. I was thinking about this particular problem for a bit now and the solution was simple, but a bit mana-consuming. Namely, it would require expanding. Everlight’s gate wall was erased with a single wave of my hand. God, I love this skill! I bought a swath of land. It was big enough to change the town under Avalon’s authority into the city under Avalon’s authority, and construction began. The third and fourth legions were committed to construction efforts which lowered my mana consumption. However, I could afford it easily enough.

In the last two days, Everlight was expanded to safely house five thousand people. Demesne was in seventh heaven when she was informed that the initial plan of starting a village with just a few hundred people was changed. Now she would have to deal with a small city or a very big town, with nearly ten thousand people. The problem was the four thousand more, but maybe some of them would choose to plead their fealty to me, and become my residents instead, which would solve the problem. I sighed... I expected a battle during which many more defenders would die, but here we were. This is how plans are ruined by the enemies. However, I am happy so many of them survived.

The people who were living in Everlight happily left their current homes and moved to Middle Castle, becoming my full-fledged residents. Middle Castle easily could house one hundred and fifty thousand people within its district. Why then did I even bother with expanding Everlight? For safety reasons. The last things I wanted were riots or uprisings inside my Middle Castle. Also, the new people might be resentful towards the people currently living in Avalon, accusing them of treason. Thankfully, the evacuation of the villages that would be destroyed by the Cridians during the spring campaign brought less than a thousand people to Avalon. Everything turned out to be a huge success. These people had already integrated with others, so I timidly had hoped that this time it would turn out the same. However, I must think about what to do next and where to fit these extra four thousand.

Paradoxically, I would have a huge problem if Fort Crissna, which in reality was a very well-designed castle, would simply surrender. Its garrison has thirty-five thousand soldiers and about fifteen hundred up to two thousand civilian personnel. I technically could simply take it over, disarm the soldiers and somehow imprison them, but that would generate other problems. That's why Bob was preparing temporary shelters for a few thousand people.

Amber murmured something and suddenly sat down on the bed, as the light sheets that she used instead of a duvet fell, exposing her naked body. She quickly proceeded to wake up Irene, who, surprisingly, opened her eyes without protest. Both of them then woke up Luna, and after some hassle, they managed to make her stand up. My Ladies quickly put on their nightgowns, skipping their normal morning preparations. They came towards me and dragged me swiftly towards the gigantic window. Amber and Irene looked towards the horizon in anticipation while Luna, still sleepy, yawned so hard her ears and tail twitched without any control. I was about to ask why we were doing this when the first ray of once again rising sun illuminated the dark, clouded sky.

"The day has returned!" Amber announced and put her hands together to pray.

"Blessed be Eriar and his might, that dispersed the evils of the night!" Irene continued, and she put her hands together as well.

"And blessed be Avalon and its inhabitants." Luna lowered her head, but her wagging tail betrayed how really happy she was.

I couldn't help but smile. We were standing there watching a truly wonderful sunrise, the first one after a week of perpetual darkness, and I couldn't believe how good it felt. The three women still staring at the sunrise leaned on me, and I softly embraced them in a hug. The rising sun at that moment brought hope and serenity with the promise of the incoming spring.

•••

Colonel Fornal Ban was nervously sitting in his office. The moment he woke up, he felt a strange tingling. His Sixth Sense skill tried to alert him about incoming danger, but that would be impossible. Fort Crissna was an impressive fortress built as the military centre of the Crissna region, one of the biggest forts in the entire kingdom. His relief after the news about the downfall of the Blood Dungeon was not long-lasting because this new one was declared a national threat soon after. The scouts and reports seemed to confirm that intel, but the new dungeon was ferociously defending its secrets. The fact they were unable to find its True Name was a little bit unnerving because without it, they couldn't bind and shackle it with geas, let alone any simpler curses.

"Colonel, we received the orders from the general. We should prepare to leave a minimal crew in the castle and join the 6th army near Parnma." His adjutant nervously looked at the letter.

"Humpf... King Korkas thinks it's so easy? When?"

"Right after days of darkness, sir! According to the orders, we and the Girsians will be responsible for building field camps to accommodate the army before the planned subjugation of the new dungeon."

"Finally!" Fornal exhaled, relieved. "Send the message to Girsion and let them know they will be responsible for the supply chain. Their warehouses should be full of food needed for the campaign."

"Yes, sir!" The adjutant took out another piece of parchment. The first bright sun ray pierced the darkness, and the adjutant smiled viciously. "According to the orders you gave us, sir, we have gathered most of the field supplies. We should be able to march out in just a few hours."

"Praised be Zeus, John! The day has returned!" Fornal stood up and turned his face towards the rising sun.

"Praised be Hestia, Colonel! The day has returned!"

•••

Arani looked at the map and sighed. Plans rarely survive the clash with the enemy. Legio Fulminata was waiting for Legio Ferrata in the dense forest just four hours away from Fort Crissma. Galahad would join them in one hour, and the news sent from the spies in the fortress was most unexpected but very fortunate. Arani was wondering which way would be used by the soldiers from Crissma to reach the village of Parnma, but the most likely path actually was a frozen waterway. After just a few moments, Arani gave his legion the sign to retreat towards Ferrata and Galahad. There was no need for a siege if the enemy was so willing to come to them, especially when the enemy was unaware of our presence. Arani smiled when the first real day of the week began to take over the world.

•••

"Dad, why are we slowing down?" The dazed voice of his son woke up Nathaniel.

"I don't know, Simon. Maybe we arrived wherever they wanted to imprison us."

"Wake up, people!" Lady Iris’s excited voice, along with the sudden cold of winter night, woke everyone up as she opened the side of the wagon.

The reason for her shout became soon obvious when she turned away and faced east. She laughed loudly and clearly as she put together her hands.

"Praised be Eriar! The day has returned!"

"Praised be Zeus..." Nathaniel lowered his head, wondering if this was the last day of his life.

•••

I was standing on the small balcony of one of the two gatehouses leading to Everlight and looked towards the horizon. I built it just for this single occasion: to address the people of Girsion. The first wagons stopped in the distance and the people of Girsion started to move towards the gatehouse.

"King Theon?" Hestia's voice made me turn around. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes indeed, Lady Hestia. The people of Girson will be arriving soon and I-”

"Don’t worry about them..." She smirked and vanished, without explaining anything.

Hestia was the reasonable one. I just hoped she knew what she was doing. I rubbed my eyes and scoffed. Right... In the meantime, the field was filling up with people; women and men, children and elderly, soldiers and civilians; they all gathered in front of the gate to Everlight. The drawbridge was lowered, but the gates were closed shut for a better effect. People started gathering, and I smiled. As I used my mana sight, I saw my residents and adventurers radiating with power. A few minutes later, my Queens joined me. Everyone was now finally gathered together.

"Welcome, people of Girsion." My voice boomed, shocking everyone. I love this audio system. "I am King Theon of Avalon."

I paused to allow the rumours and murmurs below us to stop. Some of the people were outraged, some stunned, and some simply terrified by my revelation.

"Your Queen decided you all would die." The sudden silence was deafening as animalistic fear radiated from them. "She decided you are disposable enough to fight a meaningless battle. Your Kingdom would send you to war, leaving behind everyone unable to wield a weapon."

Nervous laughs and declining yells quickly spread among the people. They couldn't believe me, and soon enough, everyone in the crowd was trying to voice their opinion. Only one person was standing still, with a lowered head. Nathaniel Drake, Commander of Girsion. He knew I was right. I wondered what was in the last message we couldn't intercept.

"I could easily kill you all." Despite my lowered voice, the hidden loudspeakers allowed everyone to hear me. My cold voice quickly silenced everyone. I continued, a bit louder now. "But I have chosen differently. I have chosen to save you. I am Theon of Avalon. I am the King of this land!"

"No! You are nothing more than another scion of the Righteous Dungeon! There is only one rightful Queen! Queen Josla Cridia!" Nathaniel Drake yelled back, and was heard by hundreds of his kin. He had an impressive voice to be able to yell that loud without any help.

"What makes her rightful, Captain?" I smiled, asking a rhetorical question. "The deeds of her ancestors? The care and protection she extended over you, her subjects? The unmatched talent in diplomacy and military prowess?" Drake looked as if slapped his face. I continued, lowering my voice and turning it even colder. "Or maybe she is a rightful ruler because she exploits the weak? Allows her people to die of hunger? Allow them to be captured and left in gruesome hands of slavers?" I raised my hand and showed a row of over twenty freshly captured slavers standing on the ramparts of Avalon. "Like this trash that my soldiers captured recently."

Everyone looked up in shock. They were silent, but I saw their rage and powerless anger. They were afraid, but I sensed their disgust. With a single wave of my hand, as if I was swatting an annoying insect, the executioners pushed the slavers to their deaths. But their fall was abruptly stopped by nooses that broke their necks, killing them instantly in most cases. Some, however, died several moments later, fighting for breath. The shock and mixed feelings of the people that watched this were palpable. I felt their fear now.

"I despise them, but apparently your rightful Queen allows for their cruelty." I looked at them and I already felt the shift in them. "So tell me, Captain. What makes her rightful?"

"Her ancestors and she herself, is blessed by Gods! We might not see the wisdom in her decision, but she was blessed by the Gods!" I could hear the desperation in his voice, and some people with fear looked at the sky...

… The sky on which dark storm clouds swirled as deafeningly loud thunder cracked between them. A strong wind suddenly blew from behind the people, pushing them, causing some of them to fall or kneel. A large circle of fire burst out on the drawbridge, roaring as it became like a large pyre. The people, in complete shock, looked around desperately as they tried to understand what was going on. Last, in the eye of a forming cyclone, a single star shined so brightly against the unnaturally dark sky that its light appeared to touch the ground, like a sunbeam. I smiled coldly, just with my face, taking an educated guess at what was going on. Soon, without fail, the spectacle reached its ultimate conclusion.

A massive looking, but otherwise harmless, lightning bolt hit the rampart where the slavers had been executed. In its place stood Zeus, larger than any human could possibly be. He was looking impressive in his toga. He bore a laurel wreath on his temples and held in his hands a living spark of lighting, which looked like a spear, ready to strike down his enemies.

On the white and serene cloud near my balcony, without a single care in the world, was laying Zephyr. He was in his most colourful outfit, with his lute laying near his feet. He smiled towards the people, and I could see how some of them took a fearful step back.

From the flames on the unscathed drawbridge emerged Hestia, who was holding her basket full of Avalon’s fruits. She was towering over the people like a compassionate titan, causing many of them to kneel.

The beam of bright light from the solitary star moved harmlessly over the people, and it stopped right next to Zeus. Hera, with her crown of stars, stood near Zeus, looking downward onto the people with a gaze of authority.

The four large silhouettes, the Gods of this world, made everyone in the crowd kneel. Even my residents kneeled. Everyone, except my Queens and I, had to bend their knees in the presence of Gods. I felt how they became much, much more powerful than even a few moments ago.

"You said, mortal, that I, Thunderer Zeus, blessed Josla?" Zeus asked, with the voice loud like thunder. I must admit, he caught even me off guard with his sudden display of majestic authority. "She is nothing more than a disgraced warlord and tyrant who forgot about her duties. Do you really believe we blessed her?"

"She is corrupted and evil. Her actions corrupted our followers, and that's why we turned away from you, mortals!" Hestia's angry voice pierced the air, like a whip falling down on the people cowering in fear. At this point, my residents and the Avalonian adventures simply stood up. I saw the shock in the eyes of others who tried to stand up as well and failed, held down and prostrated by the power of immortals. "Josla does not have any of my blessings! How could I, Hestia the caretaker, bless a corrupted sinner who sells into slavery the very ones she should be caring for?"

"My winds stopped blowing the sails of the Cridian Navy long ago. For hundreds of years, the capital city of Cridia was never touched by my winds." Zephyr looked at those gathered without a smile. "And you think that was a blessing?"

"The heavens turned away their gaze from this land a long time ago. Queen Josla broke many laws and ignored all warnings. Do you think that she never prayed to me to bear a child? She did. Desperately, but I will never bless her with such a gift." Hera was full of cold authority. I noticed that all the mothers hugged their children as if they were afraid that Hera might take them away. "Look into your children's eyes, my biggest blessing to you, and tell them they will die fighting for Josla."

The four immortals flew into the air and they outstretched their hands over my Queens and I. All of our symbolic crowns were lifted into the air, where they melted and in flashes of lighting were transformed into impressive-looking crowns, made of precious metals and incredible gemstones. I smiled, seeing the changes in the eyes of the Girsians. Backed by their gods, who publicly not only manifested but also condemned Josla, I became their new authority. I was seen as a merciful king who decided to save them while I could have killed them. The last rays of the setting sun shone directly onto the crowns on our heads, as if agreeing with the decision of the gods of this world. The immortals continued in unison.

"This land has only one rightful King! All glory to the Righteous King. All hail to King Theon, he who has our blessings!"