Even after Arkan's departure, the weight of his presence still loomed over the twin kingdoms. No one dared question his orders. Rin Solas was now the highest authority, not by power, but by blood and status. Still, the two shadow-like guards remained, silent watchers who answered only to Kaelion. They didn't speak. They didn't act. But they were always there.
Rin was never truly alone.
That fact gnawed at him.
Days passed. The twin kingdoms, once shattered ruins, now swelled with labor. Men, women, even children ,those who survived the soul-shattering massacre ,toiled endlessly, rebuilding the homes of their conquerors. They raised the banners of the Solas family over bones and ashes.
Then came the whispers.
Rumors of unrest. Of rebellion.
A pocket of resistance forming in the far reaches of the second kingdom, deep within a mountainous region once sacred to the snake-blooded clans. The reports came from merchants, then from soldiers. Eventually, the generals brought it to Rin.
"They're gathering weapons. Hiding refugees. Plotting against the crown," one said nervously.
Another added, "We should respond now. A show of strength."
But Rin only smiled.
So it begins.
He had waited for this, he has been thinking about gow will they approach this matter, so it turns out the 'rebels' are going to kill me.
"I'll go myself," Rin announced, voice calm, deliberate. "I want to see if there's truth to this."
The room fell into silence. Some generals looked away. Others stared in disbelief. One by one, they offered excuses , vague injuries, logistical concerns, personal matters. None wanted to accompany him.
They all knew.
No one wanted to get involved in the two brothers fight.
Only one stood.
Dren Malvek.
Once a nameless dog of the streets, now a noble by sheer force. He had risen through the blood-soaked ladder of merit, a 75% purity warrior infamous for tearing apart both friend and foe in training exercises. Cruelty ran in his veins like fire.
To be qualified as general or noble you need to be at least 70% blood purity and of the draconic race.
"I'll go," Dren said with a grin. "If there's a rebellion, I want to be the first to cut them open and see what kind of snakes squirm out."
Rin nodded. "Then prepare yourself. We leave at dawn."
They set off in silence. A small but deadly group.
Rin, Dren, the two guards, and a dozen elite soldiers. Nothing large. Nothing threatening. Just enough to bait a trap.
The journey took a couple of hours by land. Rin had chosen it deliberately over air transport , a slower, more exposed approach. He needed the world to believe he was vulnerable.
When they reached the outer ridge of the mountainous region, the air had grown colder, heavier. The wind howled like a warning. Jagged rocks towered above, casting long shadows. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Then it came.
A shockwave whistled through the wind, striking one soldier in the throat. He dropped instantly, gurgling blood.
Then another. And another.
Within seconds, the ridge exploded with movement , masked figures in tattered cloaks, weapons drawn, charging from the cliffs. The rebellion had teeth.
"AMBUSH!" a soldier cried.
Dren laughed. "Finally."
Rin didn't speak.
He stepped forward calmly,hands in his pocket, his eyes on the horizon , not at the attackers, but at the two guards behind him.
This was it.
The moment he had crafted so carefully.
Now he would see… which piece would move first.