Age of Heroes

Of course this matter is not yet known toward the people in the city who are now just trying to pacify the city populace.

Arial arrived at the Great Hall entrance looking at the door in front of him. Blood has stopped dripping from his hair and is now hard and stiff. 

Arial did not felt sticky instead he felt relieved.

His first objective has been achieved. 

A stronghold. A base of operation where he could plan his next move. 

After this it would be easier. 

He only needs to make sure his supply line is secure and after rest, he would be prepared to engage the threat on his rear.

The people that followed him and his officer have always worried about the fifty thousand men coming behind them since the moment they got the news. 

Arial after finishing establishing order here would immediately restock his supplies, armed his soldiers and engage in contact with that fifty thousand men convoy to annihilate the threat on his rear.

Taking a breath, he pushed the door and the door creaked as it opens and the many officers sitting on top of the chair inside the great hall Large Table immediately got up from their seat and in unison congratulate Arial

'My lord has succeeded; the city has fallen. Please order us' they all said as they kneeled. Arial smiles as he strides forward to the largest seat in the center of that Great Hall. 

As he approached the chair, with each steps, his aura surged making the officer inside the Hall lower down their gaze, only looking at the ground, not looking up to match eyes with their lord.

The more they knew things about their lord, the more they understand how terrifying their lord really is which only increases their respect for him. 

The thirteen Tribes respect strength above all else.

Arial then sit down on the largest chair like it was the natural thing to do and then he said

'At ease'

The officers immediately relaxed as they finally looked towards their lord sitting on the largest chair and look extremely regal.

'Ragar' Arial spoke and Ragar was jolted as he quickly stands up

'Yes, lord'

'Did any of the soldiers try to loot the city?' Arial voice was cold and impassive but there is certain dangerousness

'None, my lord! He answered. 

Arial nodded satisfied with the answer. He has created a unit of forty mounted horsemen to act as a military police to stop any plundering by the main body of the army long before they conquered this city.

Thankfully, Ragar could control his men well and they are obedient towards him as their lord.

'Any local lords swear allegiance?' Arial asked one of the other officers named Neronian from Negevians tribe.

'Yes, my lord.'

'Award them with titles and guaranteed their safety.'

'Yes, my lord' And Neronian smiles satisfied with his lord judgment.

Castile and Ragar understand why their lord did not plunder the city and raped its wealth. 

Their lord has no intention of simply sweeping through the Shadowlands, plundering as he went.

They immediately understand the enormity of their lord ambition. 

Their lord aim is to become the Lord of this entire Shadowlands and subsequently the entire continent of Novus Gaia.

Rule the Shadowlands and you rule Novus Gaia. Since his aim is to become the Lord of all Novus Gaia, the people of Novus Gaia is his subject.

A stable empire could not be built on a foundation of pillaging and plundering cities. Arial smiles and then closes his eyes. 

The local lord has quickly surrendered making Arial job easier.

His aim is to maintain the status quo and then from this basis he would slowly establish a developing economy.

First, he would not change the existing levels of taxation so as not to upset local economy. 

When sea routes are established from Novus Gaia to Eden, only then he could introduce the laws of the empires and changing taxation system of this Shadowlands.

Arial of course knows that his approach for this city will not be the same for the next city he would capture.

In the Empire during his Conquest Expeditions he would in occasions use taxation levels, their reduction and abolishment to reward those he wished to influence.

After he settle the problem in his rear he would send his soldiers to quickly capture and conquer nearby villages and declare his dominion and territory inside Vernium.

By establishing his domain of influence and declaring his intention to create new rule, he could entice the lords and weak nobles to his side while at the same time using the tax from his territory to pay for his next conquest.

But for now, he needs to rest and his men need to rest. They have served him well and make him proud. 

So, today they rest. Tomorrow they will fight.

Arial was about to say words of encouragement and praise when a messenger burst through the Great Hall.

The officers inside the Great Hall were startled and one of them immediately shouted after being so embarrassed to be startled with such commotion, his face red in embarrassment and his neck veins were bulging in anger

'Impudent! What do you think you are doing in front of our lord!' Arial hold up his hand and the officers stop speaking.

'Speak'

'My lord, forgive me. But there is news from the rear.'

Arial immediately stand up in worries. The reason why he worries is because in the rear there is the carriage of Tatiana.

He wanted answers. He could not let anything happens to her until he knows the truth.

'Speak!'

'The fifty thousand men convoy has caught up with our rear. '

The officers in the room all turns pale and they could feel their knees wanted to give out. They did not expect that the convoy could reach them this fast. 

Based on their estimation the convoy should have reached them after they in about three to four more days.

In those four days, their lord could prepare maneuver and strategy to subjugate that convoy.

They all looked towards their lord and they immediately look back down after looking the expression on their lord face

He was angered. No….it was more like an undisguised wrath.

'WHAT DID THE OFFICER IN THE REAR WAS DOING?! How many were slain!' And he stomped his feet causing the stone floor to crack creating web lines that stretched towards the Great Hall entrance.

And he walks a step forward his eyes were red. Combined that with the blood on his armor, their lord is too intimidating to look at.

'My lord, please calm your anger.' All the officers quickly spoke in unison to Arial in a pleading tone.

'My lord, this humble officer got a report from the officer guarding the rear that the fifty thousand men convoys were led by two men.'

'And what does it matter!' Arial said as he walks down from the steps of the chair to the messenger, his aura surging wildly enveloping all around the inside of the room.

Don't be the bearer of bad news. 

The messenger finally understands why this wisdom has been passed through the centuries. 

Facing Arial in his rage is like facing an avalanche that is about to fall down, full of oppressive power and induce a feeling of finality.

Thankfully and fortunately, that messenger is not bearing bad news. 

He immediately said the other piece of news. He didn't want to be subjected to his lord wrath.

'My lord, they said they are your subordinate' And like he was being showered with cold water Arial stop his step and was dumbfounded.

'My subordinate?' 

'Yes, they said their name is' and the messenger look back to the letter he got from the rear. 

Written in the Common Tongue of the Human Continent, the messenger has difficulty reading it. 

Arial was impatient so he made a grasping motion as energy covered the parchment and the letters flown to his hand as he quickly read the name written on the parchment.

'Santiago Capulet and Giovanni Montague.' He looks that sound for about three seconds, unmoving, his head is thinking many things. 

Arial then laughed. 

His Two Great Generals. 

He laughed but then his laughter died out. Why is the Thirteen Great General System is revived?

There is only one reason. His Empire is being attacked by storms.

Only one person would have the guts to revive this system and capable of reviving it in his Empire when he is absent.

Silas…. But whether it was him that sends this General he could not be sure. Oliver…. he too could have revived this system.

To revive this system involves waking up the lions that has been slumbering in the Empire after the conclusion of the Conquest War. 

Other than him, as the Emperor, only Oliver and Silas commands enough respect and fear among the Great Generals to force them to the center stage again.

He had left the Empire to these two great retainers of his. He expects complication. He even expects rebellion. 

But as long Leander holds the Hall of War, he could be at ease. His loyalty is the only thing Arial don't have to doubt.

But if one of those two sends two of his Great General here…this means something really bad is happening in the empire that went against their plans.

Arial, Silas and Oliver concocted a grand plan before he leaves for the Dark Sea…could that plan meet a complication? Arial asked himself.

He could tell the news he would hear from them will not be good news.

But breaking from his emotion he quickly ordered.

'Order my officers to welcome them and escort them to this Great hall'

'Yes, my lord'

Arial then sit back down at his chair, his hand gripped the handle of the chair as uncertainty fills him.

'Silas, Oliver…. don't disappoint me. Protect my family' he said in a whisper.

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There will be a hiatus for a while after this. And the chapter will not come as frequent as it is now. This is where I left the chapter last time. I would slowly write it. Maybe in a week there is only two chapter. I don't want to chase the deadline with this story. And as many knows I am writing many stories at once. I don't want to feel pressured to write as many chapter as I can instead I would try to write a good story.

Like most of the story I write, I usually knows how it would end. But reaching that end is the hard part

So, please bear with me.

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