crown of self-interest

The aftermath of the Communion's fall rippled outward, the forest's decay moving through the land like a slow, creeping sickness. The people of the Verdant Communion had been guardians of ancient magic, protectors of a balance between life and essence that had sustained their world. Now, stripped of that power, they were left vulnerable, lost in a land they no longer recognized.

Far from the dying forest, Raelan stood atop a high cliff, gazing across the horizon, his senses sharp and attuned. He had felt it, a disturbance so profound it had echoed across the continent. Though he did not yet understand the full extent of what had occurred, he knew that something sacred had been violated.

Zaros’s reach extended further than Raelan had anticipated. Despite his change of heart and his newfound resolve to foster peace, Raelan was no stranger to this sort of malevolent power. He recognized the signs, the stench of darkness spreading like a stain over the land. It was a reminder of the lengths Zaros would go, the depths he would reach to secure his hold on this world.

As Raelan’s gaze shifted toward the distant forest, a voice called from behind him. It was Eryndra, his most trusted advisor, a woman with an intricate knowledge of the Communion's lore and one who had served his court loyally even during his days as a tyrant.

“The Verdant Communion has fallen, hasn’t it?” she asked, her tone solemn.

Raelan nodded slowly, his expression hardened. “Their relic—the Heart of the Wild—has been taken. Whatever Zaros plans to do with it, it can only mean suffering for this land.”

Eryndra’s face remained impassive, but there was a flicker of sorrow in her eyes. “The Communion’s power was rooted in that artifact. Without it, they are defenseless. Zaros knows this, which is why he chose to attack in such a way. He aims not only to weaken them but to break the very spirit of the land.”

Raelan clenched his fists. “Then he has no intention of merely ruling. Zaros seeks to dominate utterly, regardless of the cost to life itself.”

Eryndra turned to face him fully, her expression now set with determination. “There is one thing Zaros has not accounted for—the resolve of those who understand the true power of unity. The Communion’s people may have lost their relic, but there are others who would stand with them if only they had a leader to rally them.”

Raelan’s gaze darkened as he looked over the plains and toward the distant horizon where the forest lay in ruin. In his past life, he might have disregarded the plight of the Verdant Communion, perhaps even reveled in the weakness of others to consolidate his own power. But now, standing amidst a world in turmoil, he could feel the weight of every choice, the echoes of his own past resonating in Zaros's actions.

“Then I will be that leader,” he said finally, his voice unwavering. “We will not let Zaros’s ambition consume this world. If he wants to extinguish the life of this land, he will have to go through me.”

Eryndra smiled faintly, pride gleaming in her eyes. “Then we will prepare. The Communion may no longer have the Heart, but its people remain. And so long as there is life, there is hope.”

With a final look toward the horizon, Raelan turned, ready to gather his allies and lead those who would stand with him. The path forward was uncertain, filled with shadows of old rivalries and the scars of his own past. But for the first time, Raelan felt the stirrings of a purpose greater than himself—a resolve that would guide him through the darkness Zaros sought to spread.

The world may have once feared him, but now it would find a defender where there once was a conqueror. And as Raelan prepared to face the coming storm, he knew that he would do everything in his power to ensure that no more lands would fall to Zaros’s twisted vision.