The situation inside the cave was torn between hesitation and doubt. They were at a crossroads, torn between obeying Kent, the young leader who had just revealed his vision for their future, and the uncertainty of forging their own paths.
The harsh reality, however, was that surviving outside the current situation seemed impossible.
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Kent, their faces a mix of curiosity and apprehension. It was then that a petite figure, no more than three feet tall with a
youthful
appearance, stepped forward.
“Young One, My name is Kumari. My family, the women of our clan, are cursed to never grow beyond three feet or never get old. But it is not just our physical limitations that have defined us; it is the tragedy that has befallen us. My precious family was wiped out by the Quinn family.”
Kumari’s eyes locked onto Kent’s, her gaze piercing. “Before I pledge my support to you in this quest for revenge, I must ask you one question.”
Kent’s curiosity was piqued, and he nodded for her to continue. “Please, speak your mind, My Lady.”
Kumari took a deep breath before posing her question. “If we succeed in this war and take our revenge against the Quinn family, will you be the one to occupy the throne and lead this 7th realm?”
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Kent, awaiting his response. The weight of Kumari’s question hung in the air like a challenge.
After a moment of contemplation, Kent spoke, his voice clear and resolute. “I will not occupy the throne. This 7th realm will be a free land for everyone to live a happy life. A collective association of strong men, under the name of the Wizards’ Association, will take the lead. Many realms follow this rule, and it will be our path once we defeat the current ruling family.”
The room remained silent, but it was clear that Kent’s answer did not satisfy everyone. Kumari, however, seemed to find solace in his words. She knelt on one leg, placing her fist on her heart.
“In the name of my motherland, in the name of my family, I pledge to support you, young Kent. I will fight for you to free my motherland,” she declared, her voice filled with conviction.
As she spoke, a magical thread resembling a golden circle enveloped her, symbolizing her heart vow. Without another word, she stood up, her eyes gleaming with determination.
Kumari’s actions sparked a chain reaction. One by one, the prisoners began to kneel on one leg and take the heart vow, pledging their loyalty to Kent. The pride and ego of the Kumari Clan were well-known, and her commitment was a powerful catalyst to move the hearts of many prisoners.
Jamba Zi and Kent watched with satisfaction as the group unified under their leadership. Kent had anticipated that winning over these strong-hearted prisoners would be a daunting task, but Kumari’s pledge had simplified the process.
–
Meanwhile, in the Royal Capital City, the Throne Room was chaotic with activity. Over a hundred elder wizards, each carrying long cloth messages from the search parties, gathered below the throne.
Emperor Ryon, seated on the throne, listened intently to the reports, his face growing increasingly frustrated.
Each report stated the same thing: not a single clue had been found regarding the missing criminals. The emperor’s anger boiled over as he stood up, tossing a nearby flower vase at the elder wizard reading the report.
“Waste… All of you are a waste of money and time. More than 500 criminals vanished in minutes, and not a single clue was found. If this continues, you might as well say a god has come to rescue them. What a bunch of idiots, how can 500 people disappear in minutes?” Emperor Ryon roared, his fists clenched in rage.
The main minister of the palace stepped forward, his legs shaking slightly. “Your Majesty, please be at peace. There were underground tunnels below the prison. Someone must have planned this for years. Whoever might be the culprit, they definitely know all the details about the prison and the surroundings.”
The minister continued, trying to calm down the emperor. “At present, surveillance guards are checking the records of new people entering into the city and leaving. There is no chance of all these people escaping through the teleportation Gate. So, the culprit might have used a space treasure to release the prisoners…”
As the main minister of the palace continued to speak, Emperor Ryon’s face turned a deeper shade of red, his anger barely contained.
“Underground tunnels? How could this have happened under our noses?” he thundered.
The minister tried to explain, but the emperor roared angrily to shut the minister’s mouth.
“Stop your bullshit. I am not a kid to listen to your sweet talking. Definitely, a member of the Royal Palace Guards helped with this culprit. Otherwise, how could anyone miss the sounds of someone digging under their feet?”
The room fell silent, the tension palpable as the emperor’s words hung in the air. The main minister swallowed hard, knowing he had to tread carefully.
“I understand your concerns, Your Majesty. However, we must consider all possibilities and investigate thoroughly. We cannot jump to conclusions without evidence.”
Emperor Ryon’s anger boiled over once more. “I don’t want to believe any one of you from now on. Execute a realm-wide blockade. Stop using all teleportation Gates and ask people to stay in their homes for the next three days.
Go to every home, every place, every mountain, and every tree in my kingdom and find the culprit in any case. Issue a command to all the 33 Kings. I want them to search with all their army and training people to find the culprit and the escaping prisoners.”
The room erupted into a flurry of activity as the orders were relayed and the ministers and guards scrambled to comply.
Due to the new command of the emperor, the 7th realm business and activity is going to pause for 3 days and there will be big losses of revenue. But Emperor Ryon was not in a state to think about this as the name Jamba Zi, keep fearing him.
–
Thank You ‘@GooseOverlord’ ;-]