A month had passed since the first signs of monsters uniting. What once seemed like scattered, mindless creatures had now become an organized force, building fortifications, forming armies, and claiming territory. Whispers of a monster nation spread through human lands like wildfire, but many dismissed them as mere rumors. Tonight, in the grand hall of Aldenholm's royal palace, those whispers would become undeniable truths.
In the Council of Lords which talks about the Threat of the Monster Nation.
The grand hall of Aldenholm's royal palace shimmered under golden chandeliers, their glow reflecting off polished marble floors. Yet, despite the opulence, a heavy tension pressed against the air. The gathered lords and generals, dressed in flowing robes and gleaming armor, murmured amongst themselves, their voices hushed with an unease they dared not name.
DukeReynardofRavenshire stood at the center, his sharp eyes scanning the assembly. "Themonstershaveformedanation." His voice was clipped, his tone unyielding. "They are no longer scattered beasts roaming the wilds. They have leaders. Armies. Structure."
A ripple of laughter spread through some of the nobles, though it was forced, hollow.
"Surely you exaggerate, Duke Reynard," scoffed LordDurnham, a man whose belly stretched the seams of his velvet tunic. "Monsters do not build civilizations."
Reynard narrowed his eyes and tossed a bundle of parchment onto the council's table. Drawings of crude yet imposing fortifications, notes of disciplined orc battalions, and reports of patrols vanishing without a trace.
"These are accounts from our surviving scouts," Reynard said coldly. "Theoneswholivedlongenoughtotellthetale."
The chamber fell silent as the gathered lords peered at the documents. Then a voice, low and grave, cut through the hush.
"I'veseensuchamonsterbefore."
All eyes turned to Aldric, former Captain of the Royal Guard who was stationed at the border of the empire. He stepped forward, his posture rigid, but his expression betraying something close to dread.
"About 2-3 months ago, I led some men to exterminate a goblin nest," he began. "It was supposed to be a simple operation. We burned their hovels, cut down their warriors. It was nothing but a routine purge… untilonearrivedlate."
Aldric's jaw tightened. "It came with others—goblins, lizardmen—but this one… It was different. It was enraged. It fought harder, faster. And as I struck what should have been a killing blow…" He exhaled sharply. "Itevolved. Right before my eyes. Blackmana poured from its body, and when it spoke, it was not with the mindless snarls of a beast."
Ashiverranthroughtheassembly.
"Do you remember what it said?" asked Reynard.
Aldric hesitated. "It said… 'Iknowyou.'"
The words left an eerie silence in their wake.
Reynard's lips pressed into a thin line. "The monster leading this so-called nation has a name." He paused. "Leonhart."
Gasps erupted. Faces paled. The name carried weight—a name once belonging to the BladeKing, their strongest warrior. A name that should have been dead and buried along with the man they had betrayed.
Unease spread through the chamber. Some whispered of curses, others dismissed it as coincidence. But one thing was differnt compared to their earlier talks… noonelaughednow.
⸻
Alone in his chamber, Aldric sat at his desk, fingers curled tightly around the edges of an old report. Candlelight flickered across his face, highlighting the furrow in his brow, the tension in his jaw.
His mind played tricks on him, drawing him back to that night—the burning goblin village, the sickly scent of charred flesh, the sounds of dying creatures echoing in the dark.
You… I know you…
The words, a whisper in his mind, sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
He had dismissed it then. A trick. A desperate ploy from a dying beast.
But now… with this 'Leonhart' leading the monsters…
His hands trembled.
What if that variant wasn't just an evolved monster?
His breath hitched as the thought took root.
What if it was really… LeonhartVael? TheBladeKing?
⸻
The King's Secret Council – Preparing for War
The private war council convened within the king's chamber, the air thick with candle smoke and hushed urgency. KingAldenholm, a man of sharp eyes and a colder heart, sat upon his throne, his fingers steepled as he listened.
Aldric was present, standing beside the kingdom's top strategists and magi.
"The monster kingdom is growing stronger," Reynard reported. "We cannot afford to wait."
A general nodded. "A full-scale invasion is out of the question. The terrain is against us—swamps, forests, perfect for ambushes."
The king's eyes narrowed. "Then we target their leadership."
A rustle of approval.
"If we eliminate this 'Leonhart,'" one of the magi said, "the monster alliance may collapse."
"The church has volunteered its holy knights," another added. "Divine magic disrupts monstrous evolutions."
The king's gaze flickered to Aldric. "And you? Do you believe this Leonhart is truly a threat?"
Aldric hesitated. Then he spoke, voice firm despite his uncertainty.
"Yes, YourMajesty. If we do not act now… we may not get another chance."
The king's decree was final. "Then we strike first. Before this monster kingdom becomes an empire."
⸻
TheSilentSpecter – AHiddenObserver
Unseen by the humans, a lone figure stood upon the balcony outside the chamber. Wrapped in shadow, their presence was a whisper in the dark, a specter among men.
They listened. Watched. Their lips curled into an amused smirk.
As the council discussed war, they turned, vanishing into the night.
Their destination was set—themonsterlandsawaited.
End of Chapter 30 – The War Begins in Shadows.