Day 18 After Eralthar | Outside Loryan – Stone Quarry Valley
Night crept slowly through the valley. No moon. The wind carried whispers from the mountains. And within those whispers, a group moved silently through the shadows.
Valerian led the way. Behind him, only seven. But each one had sworn an oath. A former mercenary, a miner, a thief, an exiled guard, and others hardened by rage and loss.
Yet they shared one trait: They had all lost something.
As Valerian marched, one thought echoed in his mind: "Before building an empire, seven hearts will do."
Their mission was clear. A Vornath supply convoy passed through the valley every three days. Cargo: weapons, armor, rations.
The plan was simple: Set an ambush, take the goods, destroy the pass.Helvar had supplied them with handmade explosives and metal hooks. Valerian had drilled the plan into them. But above all, no one was to die.
This was more than a strike— This was the moment Valerian would stand before his people not just as a fighter, but as a leader.
The ambush point was perfect— A narrow throat between two cliffs. A few falling rocks could seal the path.
Valerian unsheathed his sword. But he wouldn't face the enemy head-on tonight. This was about tactics. This was the war of plans.
Past midnight, the sound of hooves reached them. A torch appeared in the distance. Then the creak of metal wagons, the jingle of armor.
Valerian gave a single nod.
The rocks above gave way, crashing down. The convoy stopped dead. Shouts of confusion rang out.That's when they struck.
Valerian's group moved with focus. This wasn't a battle—it was a strike. The miner landed the first blow, taking down a soldier. The thief cracked open the wagon doors. Inside: crates of spears, armor, dried meat.
Valerian slipped into the shadows, found the commander. Approached from behind.
"Valerian…" the man gasped as he turned. "You… you were dead."Valerian swung. "When I die… the world will go quiet."
Ten minutes. That's all it took. The path was blown. The convoy destroyed.Seven figures disappeared into the night. But they left behind a message: Something is rising in the dark. And no crown can stop it.
Day 19 After Eralthar | Loryan Village – The Shadowed Square
When they returned, the village was silent. Everyone was awake, but no one spoke. Valerian and his six returned companions entered the square. And the shadows seemed to step back— As if Loryan itself wanted to see who they really were.
The first to move was a young girl. She approached Valerian with a jug of water. Tears shimmered in her eyes.
"My brother left like that one night," she whispered. "Never came back. But you… did."
Then she knelt.
Next came a farmer. He laid an axe before Valerian.
"I worked this land for years. But never felt it was mine… until now."
He too knelt.One by one—an old woman, a boy, a broken soldier— They came. And they knelt.
That night in the village square, something rose. Not a crown… But a hope.Valerian stood before them. He drove his sword into the earth."I am no king. I don't want a crown. But I made a vow: I will bury every name that set this continent on fire."
Then he turned to the seven. Faced each one. Touched one on the forehead. Rested his hand on another's shoulder. Smiled at a third. None of them were nobles. None had royal blood.
But all of them had made a vow.
That night, a banner rose in Loryan for the first time. Black fabric. A simple emblem stitched in silver: A broken crown… and a blade rising from beneath it.Helvar had arrived too. He watched from the edge of the square. Valerian met his gaze, and Helvar nodded slightly.
"You're not alone anymore," he murmured.
"And that… is the strongest armor of all"