It wasn’t kindness, politics, luck, or anything similarly complex phenomenon that had brought this man here. It was just sheer, raw power. He was stronger than anyone in this place, so he took control. As simple as that.
With each step he took toward the skies, the air seemed to grow heavier as the oppressive weight of his presence descended into the crowd below. When he reached a height where everyone could see him clearly, he stopped and stood tall against the vast blue sky. He parted his arms to the sides, bringing the saber and the chain along.
“My name is Quinlan Noir, your new ruler. I’m sure you’re all wondering why I invaded this stronghold, and most importantly, what will your future look like. The answer to the first question is that I could, and I wanted to make the assets of the Wraithclaws mine, as well as try my hand at leadership. I firmly believe that I will prove to be a greater leader than King Alexios. The answer to the second question is simple. We will start over.”
“[Warp Gate]” The man, evidently called Lord Quinlan, gestured with his hand and an otherworldly doorway materialized on the ground beneath him, on the wall of a building. It swirled ominously and Cela already knew no one would willingly step through that thing. The man wasn’t bothered by their numerous gasps and shouts at the sight and continued.
“This dimensional portal leads to the place where your new home will be. Yes, all of you will be moving to a whole new place. Why you ask? Because this ‘hidden’ valley is not hidden at all. I could easily find it within a few dozen minutes of searching, the Vesper Consortium knows of its location, and so do the nobles. The only reason this stronghold still stands is that the Blackthorns were a poor little baron family before they started exploiting their villages for all their worth, so they had no military of their own, and their bosses, the Winterwood family were, and still are, busy with their succession. As soon as that matter is settled they will send an army to clear you out. Now that I overtook the Wraithclaws, the Consortium’s business had been ruined as well because I won’t be dealing their drugs. This means two hostile parties will soon come knocking.
I will keep this portal open for the next three days. You will move everything you want to take with you in that time frame, after which you will never return to this location. Now I know your next inquiry is about your new home. I’m confident in saying that you will love it. My beloved dog-kin and elven allies scouted for hundreds of miles around it, and only weak monsters inhabit its surroundings. No humans, no nobles, no criminals. Only you and your new beginning. It’s in a place where the climate is warmer so the winter won’t be as harsh as you’re used to. A crystal clear river runs in the middle, over which we will construct bridges. The lands are more fertile than anything you’d ever seen. Due to the numerous weak monsters in the vicinity, my low-level soldiers will have an easy and swift time leveling up, and because of my ability to teleport us a long distance, we can still acquire anything we might need from the human towns. I’m going to invest everything in the Wraithclaw treasury into building our new home there.”
Cela couldn’t believe her ears. A new start away from everything… It sounded so… wonderful. What they’d always wanted but couldn’t achieve. It honestly sounded way too good to be true. She predicted that as soon as someone stepped into that strange door they would be never seen again. A deranged ploy to make them obedient… but then again, he did not need to go to this lengths, to fabricate such an image if he wanted to slaughter them. He alone could do the job.
“Is this true?!” A man shouted.
Lord Quinlan smiled and pointed with his hand which held the still wildly thrashing Blackjack’s chain, “go and see for yourself.”
The man of course refused. The overlord in the sky wasn’t to be disheartened, though, as he shouted only two words in the next moment. “Soldiers! March!”
Loud gulping ensued by hundreds of unwilling combatants. It seemed that they knew there was no going back as in the end they very reluctantly formed a line and began stepping through. “Pick the pace up!” He shouted and the slow walk was upgraded to a proper jog as teary soldiers said their goodbyes to life and started praying to the Goddess. Once the last combatants disappeared, Lord Quinlan descended from the skies and followed after them, leaving the masses questioning what was going on. Why did he go in?
Cela quickly got her answer when about twenty soldiers whose faces were well known since they were high up in the Wraithclaw pecking order came back and their faces did a complete 180. They were wide-eyed not from fright but from shock. “This place is beautiful! Lord Quinlan didn’t lie!”
Each of them voiced similar opinions.
A voice suddenly spoke up, Cela didn’t see the speaker, but it was a female. “Okay, people, time to get a move on. Those of you who want to see the new home can go through, those that would rather begin packing may do as well. However, make no mistake. You will each be going over at the end of the three-day deadline. Your opinion about the matter matters little. Anyone who tries to flee will be hunted down by a squad of elven rangers.”
Cela gulped similarly to the soldiers but the impulses were too strong. She wanted to see. No, she needed to see. “Gabor, can you watch my son?” She asked to the man next to her. If it was a trap her son would at least be safe.
“You’re going through?! Gabor asked with disbelief, but Cela wasn’t very interested in having this conversation so she took her son off her shoulders and handed it to a man. She said goodbye with a hug and a kiss, and was the first civilian to step through.
She froze in her tracks as soon as her eyelids parted. This was no cruel ploy. It was…
Paradise.