The One King

The war unleashed by the Council was not taking place on a single front.

Ever since its armies had begun spreading across the continents, vast regions of the world had been transformed into battlefields that never knew peace.

On some fronts, the Council's armies stormed cities and fortresses, while other kingdoms struggled to resist with everything they possessed.

Elsewhere, massive armies clashed in battles that lasted for days, until the land was covered with weapons, blood, and wreckage.

No one could ignore the war anymore.

Even kingdoms that had not yet been reached by the Council's armies had begun mobilizing their forces, closing their borders, and stockpiling food and weapons.

Everyone knew that the question was no longer:

"When will the Council arrive?"

But rather:

"Where will it go next?"

At the same time, news of the battles spread rapidly across the continents.

Every victory of the Council planted fear.

Every successful resistance gave others a faint glimmer of hope.

But one particular front was different.

The Central Empire.

It was one of the greatest military powers in the region, and for that reason, the Council did not treat it like a small city or kingdom that could be destroyed within hours.

It would have to face an organized army, enormous walls, and commanders who knew that the fall of the capital would mean the fall of millions behind it.

And so...

When the Council's army appeared before the borders of the Central Empire, the soldiers realized that the coming battle would be unlike any other.

The horizon was dark.

Not because of clouds.

But because of the enormous number of creatures filling the plains.

Half a million.

Half a million undead.

Their bodies moved in terrifying silence. Some wore the remains of armor, some carried swords and spears, while others dragged enormous weapons behind them.

But the thing that made the scene even more terrifying...

Were the banners.

Black banners bearing the symbol of the Council rose above the ranks of the undead.

They swayed in the wind above an army that knew neither exhaustion nor fear.

The soldiers of the Central Empire stood atop the walls, staring at the army before them.

"Half a million..."

"They don't stop."

"Are all of them undead?"

"Yes."

The soldier's expression changed.

"How are we supposed to fight something like this?"

No one had an answer.

Some soldiers tried to remain calm, but their breathing betrayed their anxiety.

One unit commander said:

"Don't look at their numbers."

A soldier looked at him.

"Then what should we look at?"

The commander answered:

"What lies beyond them."

Silence descended.

Everyone knew that half a million undead were merely an army sent by the Council.

And above this army...

There was a single presence approaching.

The undead suddenly stopped.

Tens of thousands of footsteps ceased at the exact same moment.

Then the army parted down the middle.

A tall skeletal figure stepped forward.

He wore dark armor threaded with faint lines of energy, and carried a massive weapon on his back.

His aura was different from that of the other undead.

It was not merely the energy of death.

It was power belonging to a higher realm.

The Divine Ascension Realm.

He advanced until he was close enough for his voice to reach the walls of the empire.

Then he stopped.

He raised his skeletal head.

Complete silence descended.

Then his voice emerged, deep and cold, spreading across the entire plain:

"O people of the Central Empire..."

The soldiers froze.

The skeletal general continued:

"Today, we have taken upon ourselves the burden of carrying out the will of the Supreme Entity."

His words reached even the most distant towers of the empire.

"Those who submit to the might of the Supreme Entity shall survive and prosper."

He slowly raised his hand.

"But those who reject the will of the Supreme Entity..."

He paused for a moment.

Then his voice became even colder.

"We shall burn them, their families, and their ancestors."

Some soldiers began exchanging glances.

But the general continued:

"And we shall leave no creature alive."

The soldiers held their breath.

"Even the animals..."

Then he said:

"And the insects..."

His hand lowered.

"Shall be slaughtered."

His words spread across the walls.

"Therefore, choose your fate wisely."

The declaration ended.

But his voice seemed to linger in the air.

The half a million undead did not move.

No one shouted.

No arrows were fired.

They simply stood there, waiting for an answer.

Above the walls...

The soldiers' expressions changed.

"Even our families?"

No one answered him.

"Our ancestors?"

His companion looked at him.

"They're threatening everything."

A third soldier said:

"They don't want surrender."

Then he looked at the opposing army.

"They want to subjugate the entire empire."

Fear began spreading among the soldiers.

But it was not merely fear of death.

It was fear for the people they had left behind.

One soldier tightened his grip around his spear.

"My family is inside the capital."

The man beside him answered:

"So is mine."

They looked at each other.

Neither needed to say anything more.

At that moment, the question was no longer:

"Can we survive?"

But:

"Can we protect the people we love?"

The skeletal general's words reached the imperial palace.

Empress Titania was in the war room.

Before her lay a massive map of the empire, surrounded by dozens of markers representing troop positions and fortifications.

Four women who served as war generals in her army were with her.

Each possessed years of military experience and was responsible for a major portion of the imperial forces.

But the moment the skeletal general's voice reached the palace...

The discussion stopped.

Everyone raised their heads.

The words of the declaration continued to echo through the chamber.

"We shall burn them, their families, and their ancestors..."

The faces of the four generals paled.

"Did he really say that?"

"Yes."

The third was staring at the map, but her fingers were trembling slightly.

"They aren't threatening the army."

She raised her eyes.

"They're threatening the people of the empire."

The fourth general spoke:

"Half a million undead..."

She paused.

"And a general at the Divine Ascension Realm."

A heavy silence filled the room.

One of the generals said:

"Your Majesty, we need to reconsider our position."

Titania looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

She answered:

"If their true objective is to force us into submission, then perhaps..."

She hesitated.

"Temporary surrender would cost less than a war like this."

Another general raised her head.

"But what about the honor of the empire?"

The first general replied:

"Honor is of no use to the dead."

The third general said:

"And surrender may not guarantee the safety of our people either."

Everyone turned toward her.

She continued:

"They threatened our families, our ancestors, and even the animals."

Then she said:

"Who can guarantee that they will stop once we open the gates?"

The other general had no answer.

As for Titania...

She remained silent.

She looked at the map.

Then at the imperial banner placed beside her.

She understood the scale of the danger.

She knew that half a million undead could turn the plains into a graveyard.

She also knew that the presence of a general at the Divine Ascension Realm meant that the imperial army would face an enemy at a level that would not be easy to deal with.

But she knew something else.

If she surrendered now...

The empire would no longer be an empire.

She raised her head.

One of the generals said:

"Your Majesty..."

Titania looked at her.

"I am afraid."

The four generals froze.

They had not expected to hear that.

Titania continued:

"Yes."

Then she said:

"I am afraid for the empire."

She placed her hand on the map.

"And I fear for every soldier standing upon those walls."

Then she added:

"And I fear for every child, woman, and man within these cities."

Silence filled the room.

Then she raised her eyes.

"But I fear even more opening the gates of our empire to those who threaten to exterminate our people."

One of the generals clenched her fist.

Titania rose from her seat.

"They gave us a choice."

One of the generals said:

"Submission or war."

Titania shook her head.

"No."

She paused.

"They believed their threats would make us bow."

Then she turned toward the windows.

Beyond the glass, the imperial banners fluttered above the towers of the capital.

She said:

"But they made a mistake."

One of the generals stepped closer.

"What is it?"

Titania answered:

"They gave us a reason to fight."

Silence followed.

Then the Empress said:

"Summon all commanders."

The four generals immediately moved.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Redistribute the troops."

"Yes."

"Send orders for all fronts to prepare."

"As you command."

Then Titania stopped.

She looked at the four generals.

"And I don't want a single soldier to believe that I have sent them to die."

One of the generals asked:

"What do you want them to believe?"

Titania answered:

"That they are standing to protect their homeland."

Then she added:

"And to protect the people waiting for them to return."

A brief silence followed.

Then the Empress raised her voice:

"Inform the army."

The four generals bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The orders left the palace.

Within minutes, the bells of war began ringing throughout the capital.

One horn.

Then another.

Then dozens of horns.

Above the walls, the soldiers began moving into position.

The fear was still there.

It had not disappeared.

But something else began emerging alongside it.

Determination.

A young soldier tightened his grip around his sword.

"I won't let them reach my family."

Another soldier said:

"Neither will I."

Then the commanders' voices rose:

"To your positions!"

"Raise the banners!"

"Prepare the weapons!"

"No one leaves their post!"

The Central Empire began preparing for war.

Outside, the half a million undead still stood motionless.

And the skeletal general waited.

Then the banner of the Central Empire appeared atop the highest tower.

It rose slowly.

And fluttered defiantly before the opposing army.

The skeletal general saw it.

He remained silent for several moments.

Then he said:

"So..."

He raised his weapon.

"They have chosen war."

Behind him...

Hundreds of thousands of Council banners rose into the air.

And the half a million dead continued waiting for the order.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, atop the empire's highest tower...

Titania stood before the window.

She stared at the enormous army stretching all the way to the horizon.

Then she said quietly:

"Let us see..."

She placed her hand upon the hilt of her sword.

"Who will fall first."

At that moment...

The drums of war began to beat.

One beat.

Then another.

Then dozens more.

The Central Empire had chosen its path.

War.

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