Beginning
Buren’s warning was serious, but Alustriel seemed to have had enough of him. She waved her arms, and a teleportation gate flickered into existence as she disappeared.
“She’s so…” Watching this irresponsible queen, Buren could only roll his eyes speechlessly.
Under the terrifying magic formation in the castle, only the Chosen of their goddess could make use of teleportation gates at will. Even though Buren had already reached the realm of Legends, there was nothing he could do.
……
Leylin used this period well, staying in the library to copy all of the information on under legendary magic. After a series of long and complicated arrangements, he was conferred his title.
He obtained some uncultivated land next to the Moonwood. He changed its name to the Violet Territory, and he became the Violet Baron.
There was no way around it. All lands that were fertile, rich and safe had long since been taken up by the nobles. Getting them to spit it back out was far from an easy task. The area surrounding the Moonwood was filled with danger and the frontlines for the battles with the orcs. That was why it was being given out.
However, it was only a wasteland now. The only good thing about it was that because the intention was to compensate Leylin, the area was two times larger than the land given to normal barons.
‘I have no plans to live here permanently anyway, so it doesn’t really matter…’ Leylin thought as he fiddled with the noble coat of arms he had designed himself. The main body was a violet with intricate plant decorations around it.
If Baron Jonas were to know of this, he would definitely be delighted. A title and land was something the upper class people in the World of Gods desired the most.
Leylin could not only gain the title as Baron Faulen, but also be the master of the Violet Territory. Once he had a son, he would let the boy take over and help the Faulen Family branch out. That would count as expanding the power of the family.
With joint marriages and swallowing up of families, there would be changes and exchanges in titles. Once the scattered territories linked together, a huge noble family would be formed, maybe even a kingdom. Such a rise usually took a few centuries.
Of course, the possibility of such a thing was very low. At most, the later generations themselves would begin to bicker amongst themselves.
This had nothing to do with Leylin. The only thing that left him more satisfied was that he was now a true noble, and no longer had to work in the name of the next in line. The power and treatment a true noble and an heir had were completely different.
He was quickly appointed as a captain of the city guard, and he was assigned a complete troop. The army expanded from the 5th legion, and had 200 Professionals and about the same number of troops and commoners. Altogether, there were about 500 of them.
‘This power is sufficient for me to do a lot of things. Of course, compared to the orc army that’s coming, it’s not much…’ Leylin observed the dark clouds in the horizon, his brows gradually furrowing together. With the orc tribes maneuvering, the gloom of war was already enveloping the northern lands.
Shops had closed permanently even in Silverymoon, and pedestrians were moving hastily. The Sunrise Mountains and the orc tribes were practically synonyms of savagery and war. Not only were these orcs born with powerful bodies, but the also had the protection of their own god. Their god was powerful.
In the World of Gods, orcs and humans were huge races that each did not lose out to the other. Their gods had powerful divine force, comparable to peak rank 8 Magi. This was practically the limit of what the universe could accommodate.
Without the protection of a powerful god, the treatment one was given in the World of Gods was entirely different. Under the huge incoming threat, even the fall of the entire northern lands was likely. Leylin had intel that the members of the mobilised tribes were very powerful, and it wouldn’t be trivial like the simple fights and robberies before.
With so many tribes banding together, there was a sense of a fledgling empire taking shape. If left unchecked, an orc empire would rise up!
If they wiped out the Silverymoon Alliance and took over the northern lands, then this empire would form atop the corpses of their enemies. Perhaps this too was a hope of their god.
As for the human faction, Leylin had also heard about something that did not mean well for them. The Silverymoon alliance was too powerful, referring to Alustriel in particular. She was a Legend who was also the Chosen of the Goddess of the Weave. The influence of Silverymoon had risen in recent times, and there were more and more cries proclaiming her to be the Empress.
The Silverymoon Alliance was an alliance amongst the northern lands’ organisations. This included all the human cities in the northern lands, as well as a few other large territories. At the beginning, the intention was to fend off the orcs more effectively, and they had built up offensive and defensive strategies.
Alustriel had used her personal charm and the great strength of Silverymoon to keep her position as the head of the Silverymoon Alliance. With her lifespan and reputation, she could very well integrate the scattered federations in the next few centuries and form one terrifying empire!
This was obviously something the orcs did not want to see. Of course, there were many amongst the nobles in the northern lands that approved of this and even helped to achieve it. Meanwhile, there were those strongly against it, doing what they could to hinder it in secret.
‘How interesting… The accumulation of these conflicts is now allowing the orcs to invade them?’ Leylin chuckled as he glanced at the castle behind him. Powerful spell rays lingered eternally on the walls and magnetic bricks, giving it a unique beauty.
‘The conflicts between humans and orcs, the contradictions of whether to be unified or to split, and even the conflicts between gods… With this spiral of events, I wonder how long the beautiful and fertile Silverymoon can last…’ Leylin’s eyes flickered with wit.
[Beep! High-ranked wizard information has been recorded. Spell model database is now complete. Constructing host’s wizard spells.]
The A.I. Chip suddenly showed this prompt. After he spent a lot of time scanning through all information below the rank of Legend in the palace, the Chip’s database was now complete. At the very least, Leylin would not be hindered before he became a Legend.
‘Good! A high-ranked wizard, at rank 15, is publicly known to be someone powerful. A.I. Chip, how long will I take to reach that point if I meditate as I do now?’ Leylin asked.
[Beep! Mission established. Checking compatibility with host. Proceeding with theoretical tests…]
The A.I. Chip quickly calculated, numerous 0 and 1s flashing by in front of Leylin’s eyes. In a few seconds, it gave an answer. [Based on host’s current stats, estimated time to reaching rank 15 is in 731 days 13 hours.]
‘Around two years? That’s probably the time that the orcs will attack…’ All of a sudden, Leylin’s expression changed as he looked towards the north.
“This undulation… It’s from a legendary spell! And it’s at the fort of the Sunrise Mountains! Could it be…”
……
North of Silverymoon, Sunrise Mountains!
This was a huge mountain range that extended through the humans’ northern lands and the boundless wilderness of the orcs. It allowed for a clear divide between the worlds of the two.
The humans in Silverymoon had used spells and a lot of manual labour to construct a large defensive fort, and they deployed their military to guard it. Atop the black steely wall was the newest results of Silverymoon’s research: the Automatic Magic Cannon.
The troops stationed at the garrison were the most powerful of Silverymoon. There were over 20 high-grade wizards there, and there were even rumours that there was a Legend in charge.
Over these many years, this fort alone had forced the orcs to return with their tails between their legs. No matter how crazed the attacks were, the fort had stood tall like a reef in a tsunami.
For this reason, the original name that had been complex and awkward had been discarded. In its place, it was given the beautiful name of ‘Unfallen Moon Fort’. It represented the silver moon flag of Silverymoon that, at the front of the city in the fort, would never fall!
*Pak!* However, at that moment, the beautiful and intricate silver moon flag had slowly descended into the burning flames, turning entirely into ashes.
*Roar!* *Roar!* Numerous snarling werecreatures shouted crazily as they crawled up the walls that were said to never fall. Werejackals, werelions, wereleopards… There were even gigantic behemoths, snakemen, and foxwoman priests.
Numerous orcs with varying appearances arranged themselves in a square-shaped formation, crowding around a golden werelion as they cheered enthusiastically, “Saladin! Saladin! Emperor of the werecreatures! Emperor of the orcs!”
This orc called Saladin had fur that pointed up like steel spikes, and his eyes were electric. Numerous Legends, heads of their respective races, could only prostrate themselves before him.
He was Saladin, emperor of all orcs, and the Chosen of the orc god Gruumsh. He who possesses the divine weapon of the orcs, the Thunder God’s Hammer!
With the power of the divine weapon, he had destroyed the fort’s defences in an instant, and even killed the human Legend.
“I, Saladin, emperor of the orcs, king of all kings, shall conquer the northern lands as a jewel on the crown of my god!” Saladin snarled, and the many orcs cheered together.
Calendar of the gods, year 37665. Unfallen Moon Fort fell to their enemies, after being completely invaded by orcs on all sides.