107 Crisis (1/2)
A few dozen kilometers away from the Capital, a group of people could be seen standing on the top of a hill and gazing over at the burning Capital. They were the four great families; Grey, Esmond, Weld and Acker. Before them stood another figure cloaked in black, making the figure's countenance unrecognizable.
The group looked at the burning capital with mixed feelings; some looked on with keen interest and anticipation, while some seemed guilty.
”Haih… we are all sinners. To burn the guardian kingdom defending humanity and straining it's already dwindling population. I don't know how I feel about this.” Lord Esmond sighed with mixed feelings, but his plain expression contradicted his sentiments.
When Lord Weld heard this; he smirked, ”Don't start pretending be some good person now, Lord Esmond. You know full well as I do; how many lives we have reaped to live as long as we did. The moment we decided to practice that technique, we already stopped being humans.”
His dark and fiendish aura fluctuated when he said this. His aura was also the densest and heaviest of the four family lords. One would find it hard to associate him with being human. He was more becoming of a blood demon that wantonly feasted on human blood.
Since the death of his son, he had been sinking deeper into depravity. The only thing keeping him from fully submerging was his grandson, Cayden.
”When you replace the Crawford royalties and become the new guardian families and protectors of mankind; you will become heroes, not sinners. The victor is king, and the laws are theirs to make. A hundred years later, who would remember the truth when history had been rewritten? The Crawford family weren't the first to rewrite history and they certainly won't be the last.”
The black cloaked figure spoke to the four lords, but his eyes never left the scene of the burning capital. The black cloaked figure was the one Lord Weld had went to request help from, Sir Zagan.
Edric Grey was standing behind his father at the back when he heard the black cloaked figure spoke. He widened his eyes and blurted, ”History was rewritten?”
The sudden interruption made his father, Albert Grey turn pale with anger. He was slapped without mercy and harshly reprimanded, ”Where are your manners!? Don't interrupt the lords when they are speaking!”
”This one apologizes for not disciplining his son properly and hope the lords forgive his rudeness.” Albert apologized humbly, while forcing his son to bow. The people in front of him was akin to monsters that drink human blood. He never spoke about it, but he was quite fearful in his mind of these lords; his own father, Lord Grey included.
His words caused the displeasure of lords. No one liked to be called ignorant, but it was also true that they didn't know history was rewritten by the Crawford royal family either. While they were displeased, they dared not show it on their faces and just let it die in their stomach. Sir Zagan's strength was unfathomable and couldn't be disrespected nor offended.
Sir Zagan wasn't wrong in calling people ignorant. Anyone with half a brain would at least know that the history everyone was taught, which sang praises of the Hero King's feats and the glory of humanity was in fact; full of dubious points.
”The human domain is very small in comparison to the continent at large. How many people had once spanned the entire continent before the cataclysm? How many kings? How many kingdoms once existed? ...No one knows, but the numbers should have been far greater than what we have now.”
”The history of the Hero King was too clean. With the existence of so many royal families in the past, the rise of a commoner would not be smooth and without oppositions. The current kingdoms in the human domain all belonged to the royal families that supported the Hero King back then. You can guess what happened to the rest that didn't.”
Sir Zagan ended his speech there and allowed the group to draw their own conclusions for the fate of the opposing royalties. His eyes suddenly grew sharp.
”The main event is starting soon.”
…
Outer Palace, atop the palace walls,
”Why is no one from the Upper District stepping forward to help the commoners? They even shut the gates!” Rachel frowned at the actions of the upper class.
Is this how nobles and aristocrats are supposed to behave? They don't seem to care for the commoners at all! She would have rushed to help if her parents weren't stopping her.
”They don't want the commoners flooding the Upper District with their filth.” Duke Ignis mused before realizing his own insensitiveness. ”Cough* I didn't mean you guys…”
Mia had looked at him coldly in Helen's arms when he said this.
”Hahaha...” Duke Ignis chuckled awkwardly and pinched her cheeks but she wasn't impressed.
”...”
”Anyway… the nobles and aristocrats are afraid to help.”
”What are they afraid of?” Rachel asked.
”They are afraid of the unknown. the city wall was blown up, but that can't be the only aim of the enemy. There must be a second part to their plan... and without figuring out their plan or aim, the nobles and aristocrats don't dare to step forward to help.”
…
Lower South District, outer perimeters,
The area was filled with black smoke and heavily impeded one's vision. Kasif arrived at the edges of the dense black smoke and advanced no further. Even if he was a five-star awakener, breathing in toxic black smoke was harmful for his body and extended periods could even lead to death.