While Leon’s group gathered strength, the distant kingdoms of **Ithara** and **Zephyros** began to stir. These were powerful nations, rivals of King Darius’s empire, but they had remained neutral in the conflict, biding their time. Now, with the rebellion gaining momentum and the kingdom weakening, Ithara’s rulers, the **Council of Ten**, and the ambitious King of Zephyros, **King Valen**, saw an opportunity.

In Ithara, the Council met in secret chambers, discussing how best to exploit the situation. “If Darius falls, we must be ready,” one councilor said, his voice low but urgent. “This rebellion will create chaos, and in that chaos, we can expand our borders.”

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But not all councilors agreed. “If we interfere too soon, we risk being drawn into a long war,” another argued. “We must wait until the kingdom is on the brink of collapse.”

Meanwhile, in Zephyros, King Valen, a cunning and ruthless leader, saw the rebellion as a chance to weaken his long-time rival. “Let them fight,” he mused, sitting in his ornate throne room. “When the kingdom is in ruins, we will sweep in and take what’s left.”

Both Ithara and Zephyros began quietly preparing their armies, waiting for the right moment to strike. And though Leon and his group didn’t know it yet, their fight against King Darius would be only the beginning of a much larger conflict.