Chapter 9: Borders In Peril

Words : 1886 Updated : Oct 30th, 2025

Wailing sirens erupted throughout the War Department Headquarters. "Top-level alert. Large numbers of elite fighters are converging on Aryn." "The Shadow Legion lost the trail. Headquarters, reinforce the borders at once. Recommended readiness level: top-level." The shrill alarms jangled the nerves of the top brass. Everyone dropped what they were doing and hurried into the war room. Once most people had arrived, the War Department's commander, Brett, strode in, his face grim. "Commander Casson, what happened? How did a top-level alert get triggered?" "How severe is this? Even the Shadow Legion is recommending top-level readiness?" "Who are they? What do they want in Aryn?" Men whose word could shake all of Aryn, who normally wouldn't flinch at anything, now wore anxious faces. Brett took his place at the front, his expression grave. "Something big happened in Jenton." "We just received word from Drakonis. Bruce's daughter has been abducted; her fate is unknown." "Bruce is enraged. He has ordered Godbane Hall to assemble in Jenton." "The fighters rushing toward Aryn from all directions are Godbane Hall's elites." "This could really upend everything." The more he spoke, the grimmer Brett's expression grew. Usually steady and seasoned, he felt rattled. Over the years, Godbane Hall had annihilated one underground syndicate after another, absorbed more turf than anyone could count, and piled up a fortune that had become astronomical. Perhaps even Bruce himself did not realize the full extent of the Hall's military potential. Until now, Godbane Hall had never assembled on this scale. They had never needed to, because the Four Heavenly Kings could each hold an entire front on their own. Brett could not begin to measure the force Godbane Hall might unleash. It was clear, though, that if they massed on Aryn's soil and made a move, the land would be turned upside down. The others stared, dumbstruck. The war room went dead silent. After a breathless lull, the War Department's top brass broke into angry shouts. "Which bastard dared to lay a hand on Bruce's girl? I'll beat him into next week." "Snatching a child on Aryn's soil is lawless beyond belief." "If Godbane Hall is assembling on this scale, we cannot let them in. Otherwise, Aryn will fall into chaos." "Get Drakonis moving and find Bruce's daughter fast. No slipups." Their shouts shook the room. Brett nodded firmly, his face tight. He spoke quickly. "I've already granted Drakonis maximum authority. He's deployed on all fronts. Jenton has been completely sealed off." "Raise border readiness immediately. Stop Godbane Hall's elites from forcing their way across the border." "Until Bruce Yale finds his daughter, Godbane Hall won't stop mobilizing." "The top priority is to find that little girl." "Use every resource. Find her as fast as possible." His voice grew heavier with each sentence. By the last, he was nearly shouting. Godbane Hall had always been on good terms with Aryn, an invisible bulwark beyond its frontiers. Many forces that wanted to move against Aryn held back because of them. If Godbane Hall and Aryn truly stood opposed, other powers would gloat. Some would exploit the chaos, seizing the moment to harm Aryn's interests. The disputed borderlands would become flashpoints. When that happened, the War Department would not be facing only Godbane Hall. They would be facing a ring of hungry wolves around Aryn's borders. If the reaction cascaded, even conflicts between nations could erupt. The consequences would be unimaginable. The others grasped the gravity at once. No one dared drag their feet. Orders flew. For a time, panic rippled through Aryn's leadership. Steadying himself, Brett barked, "Submit a request to the Council of Elders for Bruce's complete file. Analyze his close associates and enemies. Find that girl fast." The Council of Elders was Aryn's highest authority. Five members in all. Four were called the Judges. The other was Aryn's sovereign, Cole Lawes. The Council's reply came quickly. "Application rejected." Brett's face darkened. What on earth was Bruce's background? Even now, the Council insisted on keeping his identity a secret. Who was he really? "Commander Casson, the western border is in crisis. A group of Godbane Hall elites forced their way through and broke the first defensive line." "They're too strong, here one moment and gone the next. The border is too long. By the time reinforcements arrive, they've vanished." As Brett reeled from the revelation about Bruce, an urgent report came in. Brett started. "What? They already got through?" The reporting officer wore a bitter look and nodded helplessly. "Dozens, maybe a hundred, concentrated on a single point. Our people can't hold them." "The good news is they're showing restraint. They haven't killed anyone, only knocked our men out." Aside from a number of foreign-born fighters, most of Godbane Hall's members were retired border veterans of Aryn, men who had been through a hundred battles. They would not strike to kill their former comrades. "Commander, the northern border is in crisis. A group from Godbane Hall forced a crossing and has entered Aryn's territory." "Commander, the southern border is in crisis." "Commander, the western border has spotted a Jastonian Squad." "Commander, the eastern border is in crisis. Jaston is itching to try us." Urgent reports swept in like flurries. Brett clenched his fists, his face ashen. Things in Aryn were about to take a hard turn. The Celestial Palace was the center of Aryn's power. In a room furnished in a classical style, five of Aryn's most powerful figures sat in silence. They had already received everything the War Department knew. After a long hush, one spoke slowly. "This storm won't be easy to calm." "After the upheaval six years ago, Bruce's strength surged. In all of Aryn, it's hard to find anyone who can truly overpower him." Another said solemnly, "Then we can only report the situation to the Protector exactly as it stands. Contact Keran at once. Ask the Protector to step in." The others nodded. No one objected. On the mountaintop in Keran, a gale howled, the cold cutting like knives. An elderly man, dressed in a long robe with white hair and a beard, was playing chess. Beside him, a man in uniform stood with a respectful bow. The elder said evenly, "Tell them to let things take their course." "Yes." The uniformed man gave a firm nod and vanished into the gale. The elder lifted a chess piece and murmured, "Cultivate oneself, set one's house in order, govern the state, bring peace to all under heaven." "Six years ago, he raged for himself and underwent a drastic transformation. He rose from obscurity into a powerhouse." "Now he rages for family." He let the piece fall. The piece settled on the board without a tremor. A formless force sheltered the elder. The brutal wind couldn't budge even a single piece. Then the old man looked toward Jenton, then swept his gaze across Aryn's vast landscape, and whispered, "Aryn needs someone willing to do the painful, drastic work."

Chapter 9: Borders In Peril

Comments (0)