Chapter 0012: The Purge Begins
The war against the Shadow Council had been fought in whispers, hidden deals, and silent daggers in the dark.
**No more.**
Tonight, Raiden would drag his enemies from the shadows and set his kingdom ablaze with vengeance.
The traitors had been named.
Now, they would be hunted.
The Night Falls Red
Ironspire had never seen a night like this.
**The purge had begun.**
Raiden's elite forces moved swiftly—mercenaries, spies, nobles, and guards linked to the Council were rounded up.
Those who resisted… did not see the morning.
Lord Vance's estate burned first.
When the soldiers arrived, they found him trying to flee.
He begged. He swore loyalty.
**Raiden cut him down himself.**
Lord Marek's men fought back.
They died screaming as the castle walls were stained crimson.
**By dawn, half the noble houses of Ironspire had been cleansed.**
The Last Den of Snakes
Only one name remained.
**High Chancellor Aldric.**
The man who had once been Raiden's most trusted advisor.
A man who had sat beside him at every council meeting, whispering words of wisdom—while secretly plotting his downfall.
And now, he was gone.
His home was empty. His servants were dead.
Kael wiped his blade on his sleeve. "He ran."
Raiden's jaw clenched. "Find him."
**Aldric was the last snake in the nest.**
And Raiden would not rest until he was dead.
The Cost of War
By morning, the purge was over.
The streets were quiet. The air smelled of blood and fire.
Elara stood beside Raiden, watching as soldiers cleared away the bodies. "The Council's grip on the city is broken."
Kael nodded. "They won't recover from this. Not easily."
Darius cracked his knuckles. "And if they try, we'll burn them again."
Raiden didn't respond.
His kingdom was safer tonight than it had been in years.
🔥 **But at what cost?**🔥
His people feared him now.
His enemies would grow bolder.
And the Shadow Council…
**They would not forget.**
This war was far from over.
Aldric's Escape
The purge had ended, but Raiden's war was far from over.
**One man had escaped the slaughter.**
One man who knew every weakness, every secret, every move Raiden might make.
**High Chancellor Aldric.**
If he wasn't caught soon, the Shadow Council would rise again.
Raiden would not let that happen.
A Trail of Shadows
Kael's scouts had searched Ironspire all night.
No sign of Aldric.
But then—a lead.
**A secret tunnel beneath the city.**
Raiden, Kael, Darius, and a dozen elite warriors descended into the darkness.
The tunnel was long, damp, and silent.
Too silent.
Kael whispered, "This feels wrong."
**It was a trap.**
The Ambush
Flames erupted from hidden sconces—revealing dozens of armed figures lurking in the shadows.
The Shadow Council's assassins.
**Waiting for them.**
Blades flashed.
Steel clashed.
Raiden spun, dodging a dagger aimed at his throat—his sword cut through his attacker in one smooth motion.
Darius bellowed, cutting down three men with a single swing.
Kael moved like a phantom, his twin daggers dancing between enemies.
**They were outnumbered.**
But Raiden's warriors were stronger.
One by one, the assassins fell—until only silence remained.
Then, a slow clap echoed through the tunnel.
**Aldric.**
A Traitor's Bargain
The old man stood at the tunnel's exit, flanked by two hooded figures.
**He was smiling.**
"I must say, Raiden, you clean house well. But you made one mistake."
Raiden's grip tightened on his sword. "And what's that?"
Aldric's smile widened. "You let me live long enough to prepare."
**Suddenly—the tunnel rumbled.**
Kael's eyes widened. "He's going to collapse it!"
Aldric raised his hand, and the hooded figures slammed their staffs into the ground.
**Magic surged.**
The tunnel shook violently—stones crumbling from the ceiling.
Raiden cursed. "Move!"
The warriors sprinted toward the exit—just as the tunnel collapsed behind them.
Aldric and his men were gone.
**Escaped.**
The War Continues
Raiden stood at the edge of the ruined tunnel, fury burning in his eyes.
**Aldric had played him.**
But the war wasn't over.
He would hunt Aldric to the ends of the earth.
And when he found him—🔥 **he would end this war once and for all.**🔥
The Shadow Council Strikes Back
**Aldric had escaped.**
Raiden had torn his kingdom apart to purge the Shadow Council from its roots—but one poisonous weed still remained.
And now, it was growing back stronger than before.
The Warning
Raiden sat in the war chamber, his commanders gathered around him.
The map of Ironspire lay before them, marked with red ink—symbols of the noble houses that had fallen in the purge.
Kael leaned forward, tapping a dagger against the table. "We should've killed Aldric when we had the chance."
Darius scowled. "I don't like waiting for the next attack. We should strike first."
Elara, ever watchful, murmured, "Something is coming. I can feel it in the air."
**She was right.**
Because moments later—a messenger stumbled into the chamber, bloody and gasping for breath.
**"My king—Ironspire is under attack!"**
The City's Betrayal
Raiden and his commanders rushed to the palace balcony.
Below them—chaos.
**Fires burned across the city.**
Shouts of war filled the streets.
And at the gates of the capital, an army stood waiting.
Kael's expression darkened. "This isn't just a riot."
Elara's eyes flashed. "The Shadow Council is making their move."
Darius grabbed his axe. "Then let's make ours."
The Enemy Within
Raiden and his forces stormed into the city.
**The streets were filled with enemies.**
Not just assassins—but traitors.
Former nobles, corrupt guards, desperate mercenaries—all had rallied under Aldric's banner.
Raiden cut down a masked fighter, his sword drenched in blood. "They think they can take my city?"
Kael grinned, slicing through an enemy. "Let's remind them who rules here."
Darius roared, cleaving through three men at once. "We'll bury them in their own damn rebellion!"
Aldric's Message
The battle raged for hours.
**By nightfall, Ironspire was stained red.**
Raiden stood at the palace steps, surrounded by the bodies of the fallen.
The rebellion had been crushed.
But Aldric… was nowhere to be found.
Then—a single arrow struck the ground at Raiden's feet.
Attached was a parchment, written in bold, mocking letters.
**"You took my kingdom from the shadows. Now I will take yours in the light."**
**"I am coming for you, Raiden."**
Chapter 40: The Final War Begins
**The rebellion had failed, but the war was far from over.**
Aldric's message was clear—he wasn't hiding anymore.
He was coming.
And Raiden would be ready.
The Gathering Storm
Inside the war chamber, Raiden's commanders stood around the massive battle map.
Elara's voice was grave. "Aldric has an army. We don't know how big, but he's coming with everything he has."
Kael's fingers drummed against the table. "We need more men."
Darius cracked his knuckles. "We need a bigger graveyard for them."
Raiden studied the map, his expression unreadable. "How long until he reaches Ironspire?"
A scout stepped forward. "Less than two weeks, my king."
**That was all the time they had.**
Allies and Betrayals
Raiden knew he couldn't win this war alone.
**He needed allies.**
But who could he trust?
The noble houses still recovering from the purge?
The warlords beyond the mountains?
The mercenary clans who fought only for gold?
Every choice carried a risk.
Elara spoke first. "The Eastern Clans owe you a debt. If we call on them, they will fight."
Kael smirked. "The Black Wolves, the best mercenaries in the land, could be bought. If we can afford them."
Darius folded his arms. "Or we stand alone and show Aldric we don't need help to crush him."
**Raiden had to decide.**
Who would stand with him in this final war?
Aldric's Next Move
**Then the second message came.**
A courier arrived at dawn, trembling as he delivered a bloodstained scroll.
Raiden unrolled it, his jaw tightening.
**"Surrender Ironspire, or your people will burn."**
Attached to the letter was the severed hand of one of his captured men.
Kael scoffed. "He's trying to shake us."
Darius growled. "He should've sent his own damn hand."
Elara's voice was ice. "Aldric isn't bluffing. He's going to burn every village that refuses to kneel."
Raiden's grip on the parchment tightened.
**Aldric wanted war?**
**Then war he would get.**
He turned to his commanders. "Prepare the city. Rally our forces. Gather every man who can hold a sword."
**Ironspire would not fall.**
**Raiden would see Aldric's head on a spike.**
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(To be Continue...)