“Look up in the sky!”
“Is that a bird?”
“Is it a Wyvern?”
“Not, It’s… It’s Lord Wayland!”
Roland cut through the sky, his runic flight unit muffled by a silencing spell as it propelled him toward Arthur’s estate. The people below raised their heads and shouted, many waving energetically. It was still something that he was getting used to, but his reputation with the population was rather good. Many of them attributed the current state of the city to his presence.
As he whizzed by he took a moment to look at Albrook below him. It had been many years since he arrived here and the city was almost unrecognisable. What was once a settlement devoid of proper infrastructure had transformed into a thriving hub of innovation and prosperity.
The roads were paved, the markets bustling, and stone buildings lined the streets, many of them enhanced with runic technology. Defensive walls were lined with automated turrets, all powered by runic generators. On the streets, various golems strolled around, some part of their military unit and others just assisting people with their work. Roland exhaled as he increased his speed. This was his home now, and he wasn’t about to let anything threaten it.
After around a minute, he reached Arthur’s estate, his arrival heralded by a gust of wind as he slowed down and descended. The guards barely had time to react before recognizing him, stepping aside to let him pass. He landed smoothly on the main grounds before Arthur’s mansion and deactivated his flight unit which was retracted back into his spatial storage. Mary along with Arthur were exiting the estate as they had already been alerted of the issues.
“Sir Wayland.”
Arthur called out to him first, his expression serious.
“Sebastian sent word. The culling… It’s started, hasn’t it?”
Roland nodded.
“The culling. It’s coming, we need to call all the commanders together.”
Arthur nodded back and then quickly asked.
“How bad is it? How much time do we have?”
“By my and Sebastian’s estimations, we should have until nightfall.”
Roland could see Arthur exhale, his shoulders easing slightly, but his expression remained tense.
"Nightfall gives us some time, but not much. We need to act fast."
“Yes, we should follow the plan.”
“Indeed, I should go make the speech then, is that device ready?”
Roland nodded.
“Luckily, we managed to assemble it a few weeks ago, it’s ready.”
“Great, gather the commanders then, I will be with you shortly my friend.”
Both men nodded at each other and headed in different directions. Arthur moved back into the estate, while Roland headed to a specially prepared war room for such an occasion. With his rank as High Knight Commander, he could call all the officers there and inform them about the current situation. Arthur, on the other hand, needed to inform the populace about what was coming and enforce martial law.
Arthur strode through the halls of his estate with purpose, his mind already formulating the words he would need to reassure his people. The device Roland had mentioned was a relatively new addition, something they had been testing in secret. Now, it would serve its true purpose: to deliver a message to the entire city at once.
As he entered the designated chamber, a team of technicians was already making final adjustments to the runic device. The large, circular platform pulsed with energy, its surface carved with intricate symbols that shimmered as they activated. The device was connected to a large runic console, one that would transmit his image directly to the city square, where a large holographic projection would appear above the fountain dedicated to his family.
One of the people, a person wearing a butler uniform turned to him and nodded.
"Lord Valerian, everything is ready. You may begin when you're ready."
Arthur inhaled deeply, then stepped onto the platform. As soon as his boots made contact, the runes flared, and a soft light filled the room. The area around him glowed as his body was illuminated by a magical haze. It pulsated for a brief moment before fading away and he looked forward onto a screen that relayed the image of what was happening in the city square.
A statue of his father, Duke Alexander Valerian, stood tall, surrounded by the shimmering water of a white marble fountain. Now, the water glimmered even more brightly as the runes beneath it began to activate. At first, the distortion was subtle, with ripples forming just beneath the surface. Then, the hidden mechanisms within the base of the monument came to life. A series of gears and enchanted runes activated in perfect sequence. The fountain’s water, once cascading freely, suddenly slowed to a halt as an image appeared above it.
The people of Albrook gasped as their city lord’s enormous, luminous form took shape. Some had seen this device in action during minor tests, but never on such a grand scale. Arthur’s holographic presence loomed over the square, his expression resolute yet reassuring. The plaza, once filled with the chatter of merchants and townsfolk, instantly fell silent. Arthur took a breath. His voice, now resonating through sound amplification magic, carried across the city as he began his address.
"Citizens of Albrook”
He began, his voice carrying across the city with the help of the runic sound amplifier.
"I stand before you today not just as your lord, but as your protector. A great danger approaches. Just as you have been told, the culling is upon us."
The citizens looked up, many murmuring among themselves at the mention of the culling. For months, city officials had been spreading information about the impending dungeon break, ensuring that the people were prepared for its eventual arrival. Their efforts seemed to have paid off, as the citizens did not appear as alarmed as they might have been otherwise.
"As you know, we have long prepared for this moment. Today, danger is upon us but fret not…”
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, but none descended into panic. Arthur’s leadership had ensured the city was well-informed and prepared. His voice remained firm, commanding attention without spreading fear.
“...The city walls will hold. Our defenses are strong, our golems and knights stand ready. However, I must urge all non-combatants to proceed immediately to the designated shelters at the city center. These locations have been fortified and provisioned to ensure your safety."
The runic amplifiers carried his words across every district, from the merchant quarters to the residential sectors. Across the city, designated guards and officials began guiding citizens toward the shelters while trying to maintain order.
"Let me make one thing clear: Albrook will stand. Our preparations have been thorough, and our resolve is unshaken. Stay vigilant. Stay united. And know this, I Arthur Valerian stand with you! And I promise on my father’s name, no harm will befall you and this city!”
A brief silence followed, then a unified cheer rang out. The people trusted their lord, and Arthur's unwavering confidence reassured them. With those final words, the hologram flickered and vanished, leaving the people with some time for everything to settle in. Arthur stepped off the platform, sweat appearing on his brow as he took a moment to take a breath.
"Lord Arthur, that was a great speech.”
Mary approached him first, a reassuring smile on her face.
“You think so Mary? I improvised some at the end there… Nevertheless, we should join Sir Wayland and the others.”
“Yes, Lord Arthur, everyone should have gathered now.”
Arthur and Mary made their way swiftly to the war room, where Roland and the city’s highest-ranking commanders were already assembled. The room, carved from reinforced stone, was dimly lit by glowing orbs embedded in the walls. A massive, enchanted map of Albrook and its surrounding regions was projected above the central table, constantly updating with the latest reports from sensors and golemic cameras.
As Arthur entered, all eyes turned to him. The tension in the room was palpable, but it was not the only emotion felt by those gathered: there was also anticipation. Everyone here had been preparing for months. Their forces had grown steadily over the past year, and now, the time had finally come to reveal what they had been hiding from the world. Roland and the others knew that once the culling was over, Albrook would finally be recognized. With that recognition, however, would come its own set of problems.
All the knight commanders from Albrook were here.
"Just as we predicted, the monsters are beginning to form..."
Roland, standing at the head of the table, wasted no time. Durendal and Curtana stood beside him, both glancing at the magical representation of the city. Their armor bore clear signs of runic enchantments. Durendal’s was much thicker than the lightweight suit Curtana wore, but each served a different purpose.
On the other side, Sir Gareth and Sir Morien waited. Both wore knightly suits of armor inscribed with runic symbols, a seemingly common feature. All held the rank of knight commander, but a new presence was among them—a man named Wischard. He was at least twice the age of everyone gathered. His hair had turned gray long ago, and a thick beard covered the lower part of his face. However, what stood out most was the large, golem-like hand of runic dwarven steel attached to his right shoulder.
Arthur took his seat at the head of the table, eyes scanning the assembled commanders. Each of them had spent years honing their skills, preparing for a moment like this. They had been through countless drills and war games, but nothing could fully prepare them for what was coming.
Roland wasted no time, activating the projection table in the center of the room. The runic interface flickered to life, displaying a detailed topographical map of the dungeon beneath Albrook. Red markers pulsated within the caverns, indicating areas of intense mana concentration. This was where the creatures of the culling would likely emerge from.
“As of now, it seems the monsters have just begun to form. Thanks to our efforts to siphon away the mana around the city, we managed to successfully delay them, but they will come.”
This was the truth Roland had discovered many months ago. The tunnels were connected to the super dungeon, and he was certain of it. They spread out underground like arteries in all directions, likely covering most of Dragnis Island. It had been a shocking discovery, but after further investigations, it became undeniable.
These tunnels had not formed overnight. They had been systematically created by the dungeon over many years, perhaps even centuries. Roland had no idea how it had started, but after analyzing past culling events, he became convinced that the dungeon had been expanding beneath the surface all along. It had existed on this island for hundreds of years, and now it seemed ready to attack. He was unsure of the strength of the monsters that would emerge, but he expected many tier-3 creatures to appear.
“Do we know where they will emerge from?”
Arthur posed the question and Roland was quick to reply.
“There are a few points, here… here and… here…”
As he pointed out the map expanded and shifted to a few parts outside of the city. Where Roland pointed a bright red dot appeared to display areas where the dungeon's mana was at its highest concentration. These would be the primary emergence points for the large dungeon break that was called the culling. Arthur quickly studied the map closely and noted something that he observed.
“All of these areas are outside our walls…”
“That is correct, My Lord. Thanks to our efforts, the emerging tunnels have been shortened. The monsters will not be able to surprise us from below. They will be forced to face our automated defenses head-on.”
“Hmm… that is rather splendid.”
Roland nodded, knowing well that many runic turrets lined their walls, with even larger ones positioned on each tower. If everything went according to plan, the turrets would handle most of the work. However, they were still uncertain about the strength of the monsters or how long the attack would last. The strategy was to rely on the magical defenses to eliminate the majority of the threat before sending in their army to finish the job.
“What about our friends from the Adventurers Guild? Are they ready?”
“Eager and ready.”
The culling event was widely known within the whole kingdom. Adventurers from across the region had been gathering on Dragnis island. While most of them were drawn to the main city or the larger settlements around it, a good chunk of them were also here. Some came for glory, others for gold, but all knew the stakes. The Adventurers Guild had already set up a command post within the city, working alongside the knight commanders to coordinate their efforts.
Aurdhan, the guild master, had been earning quite a fortune this year. A significant amount of coin had found its way into his pockets for withholding information about the last level of the dungeon, which was now under their control. Only those directly approved by him were allowed to venture into that level and face the final boss. Even then, most of the area was used by his people for resource gathering and training, leaving the adventurers with a dungeon that lacked a proper boss.
“Good, now let us discuss…”
The meeting continued for another ten minutes where Roland along with Arthur and the assembled commanders went over troop deployments, fallback points, target prioritization, and reserve placements. They strategized with brutal efficiency as time was of the essence. As the meeting concluded, the magical map slowly dimmed, retreating into the runic table. People began standing, some exchanging quick nods or final notes before departing to their assigned roles. The mood was tense, but there was no panic instead, only a resolve to achieve victory.
Arthur rose from his seat, his expression stoic as he tried to remain calm. He turned to speak with Morien briefly before Mary leaned in with a hushed update about the shelter preparations. Across the room, Roland hadn’t moved. He remained still, arms crossed, seemingly watching the projection fade with a furrowed brow under his helmet. As the final few people filed out, Arthur turned to leave but paused as Roland’s voice reached him.
“Arthur”
He called calmly, not loud, but just enough to be heard.
“A moment?”
Arthur looked back unsure about the reason but nodded. The other commanders in the war room took the hint and quickly retreated to leave the two alone. As the last of the knight commanders and aides exited the two men remained standing opposite each other. Only once no one was listening, did Roland start discussing an issue he saw within their planing.
“...”
“...”
“Is that so? Hmm… you make a great point… but it will not be an easy feat.”
“It won’t be, but this is probably the best and only time something like this is possible.”
Their conversation moved quickly, and Arthur seemed to hesitate. Roland had proposed a strategy that could potentially bring trouble to their doorstep, but if it succeeded, the rewards would be great.
“I think it’s a worthwhile endeavor, worth the risk.”
“It is… but are we truly ready?”
“I think so, but you’ll have to decide that for yourself.”
Arthur paused for a moment, his head lowering in contemplation. Then, suddenly, he looked up with a grin on his face.
“Is this only to further my cause, or do you perhaps have your own noble agenda?”
Roland was surprised by the question and took a step back.
“You can’t fool me my friend. Very well, if everything goes well, do as you please, you have my blessing to act freely.”
“I… thank you.”
While this had not been part of the original plan, Roland had long been focused on the bigger picture. The culling event would not only be a chance for Arthur to prove himself to his father, but also an opportunity for other gains. If they could take advantage of the chaos it would bring, they stood to significantly boost their standing on the island.
Arthur gave him a firm nod before turning on his heel. As he left the war room, the heavy doors shut behind him with a final thud that echoed like the sounding of a war drum. Roland remained still for a few moments more, staring at the dimmed runic projection table, now only reflecting the glimmer of the runes buried within the metal…
“A lot will change after this…”
He murmured to himself before heading out. The display on his helmet showed him everything he needed to see, and it was time to prepare. If what he had discussed with Arthur came to fruition, he would need to take a far more active role than he had initially anticipated.
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