A few breaths before the time given by Khan was up, two different groups were staring at each other inside the largest tent in the region.
While the most important personalities of his tribe were lined up on the right side of the Supreme Lord of the Orcs, the delegations of the three cities were on his other side. The orcs, led by Ölümün Rüzgârı, were sitting with pleasure on the animal hides spread beneath them; it was customary, only the Lord could possess a throne of his own.
At the head of the humans lined up on the left side was the Parthenia delegation. While Marcos was at the very front, his fellow citizens lined up behind him had also settled on the hides allocated to them, just like the orcs opposite them.
This was proof of the Lord's grace, telling everyone that he saw them in the same status as the seniors of his own tribe.
The Nikonya representatives had been seated on tiny stool-like things given to them; they could neither gather their legs nor sit upright comfortably. Although their situation was worse when compared to the state of those immediately to their right, there were those currently in a worse condition in the environment.
Neither hide nor stool was given to the Karsak delegation; it was conveyed to them that they would remain standing within the framework of the warning issued. While waiting for what would happen with an expression on their faces as if they were made to eat shit, they were hoping for the ground to split open and swallow them all.
"Khan, the Supreme Lord of the Orcs!"
When a warrior inside the tent shook the earth and sky with his booming voice, a thin orc entered through the large leather door. This person, wearing simple armor, was none other than Khan, the ruler of all Orc Steppes.
While the Lord was advancing toward his throne with slow steps, he was also examining the humans who had come to his presence with indifferent eyes. While the insides of those his gaze touched trembled, the impression they left on Khan wasn't even as much as the dust motes flying in the air.
When he took his seat, he made a gesture with both hands as if saying "please"; while everyone sat down, the Karsak delegation, left standing again, had received another slap to their faces.
"Sir, we are being subjected to a great humiliation here; I demand that this mistake be abandoned immediately!"
After the destruction experienced in their city and the ugly treatment they had seen since entering the tribe's borders, the oldest of the three people lined up behind the delegation leader stepped forward and spoke.
This person could only express the indignation created by falling into this situation in front of the orcs, whom they had do their dirtiest work until yesterday, in such a polite way. The fake smile form his lips took by slightly twisting had disappeared; his eyebrows were raised as if demanding an explanation.
He was feeling much better right now; he was a scientist, how could he be humiliated by the miserable orcs who were prostrating themselves before him just yesterday? After his mood was restored, he was expecting a satisfying answer, but an ordinary person right across from him didn't share the same opinion.
While a purple fog rose from inside the wide sleeves of his black cloak, Kitapkurdu was watching the man tensed with pleasure after his insolence. When the fog surrounded him two breaths later, his eye was still on him, until he disappeared accompanied by painful screams.
"In the presence of the Supreme Lord of the Orcs, is there anyone else who wants to speak without permission?"
This wasn't a question, nor could it be considered a threat; it could only be a warning about what would happen to you as a result of your fault. Almost all of the humans in the tent were about to swallow their tongues; many knew this orc who mixed the old man into nothingness with a single move, but they were shaken because they couldn't even guess he possessed such power before.
The only person maintaining her composure was Eftelya; she was looking at his face only with love, as if proving that the words coming out of her mouth were not sweet lies.
"It is my judgment!"
"The price of amnesty for the orcs who fled our tribe after the great war is to work in the mines for fifty anniversaries!"
"Orcs born after the war can become subjects of our tribe without any conditions!"
"The Parthenia Trade City is exempted from half of the taxes it is responsible for paying!"
"The taxes the Nikonya Trade City is responsible for paying are increased by half!"
"The Karsak Trade City is annexed to the Orc Tribe; the new City Lord is Kitapkurdu!"
Just like three days ago, all the Orc Steppes had heard the words coming out of Khan's mouth; during the long silence that followed, no one dared to speak.
Boiling waters were poured down the heads of the orcs who heard the fifty-year mine penalty. While those born after the Great War were at ease, some of those who had fled the tribe at the time returned to their old habits.
This action, which started with a few people, would increase over time, and almost half of those returning would leave the area they were placed in and flee to their friends who hadn't returned with them.
No one blocked their way; they were leaving exactly as they came. They were confused because they didn't expect to be released like this while expecting a struggle, perhaps a war. They had proven that what they did at the time wasn't a momentary fear; these people were rotten to the core.
"Die!"
Khan, sitting on his throne, spoke in a not-so-loud voice; despite this, all living beings residing on the Orc Steppes suffered as a result of a hum invading the inside of their heads.
Subsequently, red flowers began to bloom outside the tribe in defiance of the night's darkness; they were flashing on and off like fireflies. Contrary to this beautiful painting formed when looked at from afar, the only thing those nearby could hear was a sad song formed by the sounds of breaking bones and tearing muscles.
The Supreme Lord of the Orcs hadn't pitied them; for those who fled even from this merciful punishment given to their disloyalty, the only way was death. This slaughter wouldn't be limited only to them; orcs who hadn't come to declare their allegiance and the surviving agents of the formations outside the continent also disappeared this night.
While all this was happening due to the awakening of Khan's extraordinary lineage power, he was sitting on his throne like a vast mountain whose peak couldn't be seen. He had prepared for this day for two years, knitting his seal onto the entire continent like embroidery.
He was the chosen child of these arid and desolate steppes; when he woke up from the trance state he entered after the Great War, he himself had understood the truth. The lands he stepped on were practically embracing him; his body was being blessed moment by moment with the energy filling it.
While starting the sealing process in his tent, from which he wouldn't come out for two years, this feeling was limited only to his surroundings. As he made progress, the amount of energy he could absorb increased, and this ensured the acceleration of the process.
Khan was invincible while on the continent's lands; although this statement sounded very ambitious when first heard, it expressed a pure truth. The words didn't belong to him; these were the words of the man who said he was the ruler of the world.
Because the Supreme Lord of the Orcs had set facing him one day as his goal, he didn't care an ounce about the condition of the people around him.
"He who obeys my commands lives; the only path awaiting the others is death!"
Although the last word was for everyone, the people of Karsak were the ones who should take it personally the most, for as guessed, Godfrey had already returned outside the continent, to the Lands of Light.
While the continent was shaking, two people irrelevant to what was happening were swimming toward the depths of Crazy Water, into which no one dared to enter before. They had also heard Khan's words, and for Alyon, who was continuing his life as a living corpse, these were important enough to be a reason to live again.
They had been swimming for a while, but the bottom of this river still hadn't appeared; fortunately, their target wasn't the riverbed. Since they were advancing without leaving the side wall, they could see the light a few strokes ahead.
There was a hollow there; the two friends dove in without hesitation. By passing a ten-step tunnel, they had reached a large underground cave, most of whose floor had turned into a lake.