Triangle Mountains, 313 Miles From The Royal Capital City…
Beneath the high triangle mountains, a man made cave was left abandoned for decades. Now, thick trees and the debris of decades littered the entrance, almost closing the cave from outside.
For now, this cave was a refuge, a safe haven for the 513 prisoners, Kent had freed from the royal prison.
Scattered across the empty cave space, the freed prisoners rested in silence, some alone with their thoughts, others huddled in quiet conversation.
In a far corner, the sisters Ria and Chelli, leaders of the Nomad Island sect, spoke in hushed tones, their words laced with both concern and relief. They discussed the fate of their sisters.
On a raised platform at the front of the cave, Kent and Jamba Zi stood, surrounded by a handful of allies—friends, mentors, and kin of Jamba Zi who were related and known to him in the past.
A day had passed since the rescue, yet the joy of freedom had waned, giving way to an uncomfortable reality. They were all fugitives now, hunted by a furious empire. To set foot outside was to court death.
The Seventh Realm was engulfed in turmoil. The royal family had launched a massive search operation, scrutinizing every corner of the kingdom. Though their bodies were free, their fates remained in chains.
With the air heavy and spirits waning, Jamba Zi finally stepped down, looking at Kent with a nod. “It’s time, young one,” he murmured, gesturing for him to address the crowd.
Kent took a steadying breath, surveying the people before him, pain-hardened faces marked by years of suffering, each carrying a lifetime of pain. He strode forward, his voice steady as it filled the cave, drawing every eye to him.
“Respected elders and revered people of the Seventh Realm, I am the one who rescued all of you from prison. But I didn’t do this to bind you to me or to demand your loyalty as if you were slaves.
I did this because we share a cause, a single purpose that unites us—our hatred for the Quinn family. I suffered, just as you did, in their hands. Many of you lost everything to their tyranny. I saved you, but the real freedom—the freedom to live without fear—remains out of reach as long as they remain in power.”
A murmur ran through the crowd, a mix of acknowledgment and wariness. Some nodded in agreement, but others remained unmoved, their hardened faces skeptical. Kent continued, undeterred.
“The Quinn family shackled us all, one way or another. Though you have escaped the prison walls, you are not truly free. True freedom will come only when the Quinn family falls, and every last one of their power is broken. So I ask you all, join hands with me. Together, we will bring them down at the right time, and I swear to you—when this is over, you will walk freely on your homeland once again.”
Kent’s voice echoed through the cave, lingering in the silence that followed. But as he drew breath to finish, an elder with a weathered face, his eyes sharp with suspicion, stepped forward. He carried the weight of countless years, his voice as rough as the stones beneath his feet.
“What freedom can you possibly give us?” the elder challenged, his gaze fierce. “Who are you to lead us? Just because you freed us from that wretched prison, does that make you our leader? Do you think we’re desperate enough to follow anyone who saves us?”
A few other murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd, and another elder, a woman with a cloth clutched in her bony fingers and a mouth full of half-broken, gold-plated teeth, spoke up.
“Why should we trust you?” she demanded, her voice edged with contempt. “What if you’re just another puppet of the Quinn family, using us to your own ends?”
Several others voiced their doubts, the air thickening with their distrust. Kent, however, only smirked. He had anticipated this reaction. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire
Without a word, Kent rose into the air, his form transforming as he activated the power within. His ordinary clothes faded, replaced by an armor that shimmered like molten fire. A golden crown materialized upon his head, while the Nimbus Gauntlet enveloped his palms, arcs of lightning crackling around his fingers.
His hair lifted, charged with raw energy, and two silver orbs hovered behind him, transforming into ethereal arms that flanked him like a second pair of limbs.
In his right hand, he held the Golden Lion Bow. On his left, a shimmering Divine Disc spun on his fingertip, radiating celestial light. The sacred conch and Abyssal Mace flanked him, and his pets surrounded him, their roars filling the cave.
Even the baby dragon, his prized companion, joined the display, exhaling streams of fire into the dark air.
Gasps rippled through the crowd, awe overwhelming their initial skepticism. They looked upon him not as a mere man, but as a figure wrapped in mythic power, a living embodiment of legend.
Kent’s voice thundered across the cave, reverberating like a storm. “My name is Kent Clark. I am the abandoned first son of the Quinn family, the rightful heir to the throne of the Seventh Realm. I am the legacy bearer of the War God himself.” His gaze swept the crowd, staring into the eyes of each prison with authority. “I challenge each and every one of you—if you think I am unworthy to lead, then step forward now.”
Silence blanketed the cave as no one dared move, their defiance faltering in the face of his display. He took their hesitation as fuel, his voice rising in intensity.
“I am the one who accomplished what none of you could. I freed you from a prison that was supposedly impenetrable. I am offering you a chance to take back what was stolen from you. A chance for revenge, for freedom—not for servitude.” His eyes burned as he continued, each word landing with the weight of conviction.
“But make no mistake. If you want to leave and try your luck outside, go ahead. I dare you to survive even a day. The world has changed while you rotted in that cell. The Seventh Realm is not the place it was twenty years ago. There’s no room for you out there without protection. But here, I offer you that protection—and a path to reclaim your lives.”
He paused, his eyes scanning each face. The atmosphere had shifted. Where once there had been suspicion, there was now a growing respect, an understanding that resonated deeply within them.
“Those who desire revenge—those who are willing to fight for their freedom—stay. And those who doubt me, those who seek only to escape… leave now.”
Jamba Zi watched with approval from the sidelines, his eyes gleaming with pride. One by one, the faces in the crowd shifted from hesitance to determination. Slowly, the elders who had questioned him nodded, their eyes cast downward in acknowledgment of Kent’s authority. The old woman with the golden teeth clenched her fists with a reluctant respect.
Not a single soul stepped forward to leave.
Satisfied, Kent lowered himself back to the platform, his powerful aura subsiding.
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