Burn it! Light it up!" Shouted a mob powerfully to the man on a ship who appeared to be their leader. On his lead, the crowd chanted along with him. The boss on the ship also hyped his men more by parading around the deck with the blazing torch. His assistant helped lower the sail for his boss. When the excitement in the crowd reached its peak, they set fire to it. The blazing ceremony called for a heavy cheer with raging claps and striking whistles. After their boss, the people also got a chance to taste the Royal Caravel of Midland. They threw their torches onto the ship. Soon, the flame spread across the whole ship and ate the beautiful caravel. ”Alright, everyone! Onto the next. Burn them all. Don't leave a single raft afloat!" Led the boss.

The lawless behaviour unfolding at the harbour was scorned by the nobles witnessing the event from the throne room inside the palace. Up from the castle they watched and grumbled helplessly. After all, even with all the palace guards and royal guards, the crown would not be able to contain the anger of the people anymore. They had become powerless.

When Cleo declared calls for arms, some people replied with loyalty by gathering at the plaza. And some people were fed up with the craps of the nobles.

"Why should we listen to them again? How do we know they are lying just like before? I am done with them. If I will be slaughtered by the Temple soon, I will butcher the aristocrats who run away like rats first before I die." They picked up torches and marched to the Palace to set everything ablaze. When they reached the back gate, which one of the angry servants left open intentionally, they met the person who was supposed to be with the crowd at the plaza. “Champion, why are you...are you here to stop us? Did you choose these obnoxious aristocrats over us?" Said an angry servant disappointedly. Although they were angry and ready to kill any aristocrats they sighted, they were hesitant to fight Ethan. ”Please, step aside, Champion.“ asked the angry mobs, to which Ethan sternly replied, ”no can do. I am standing here and that is. I am not letting you pass. Force me if you want.“ Ethan fixed his claymore over the ground and stood there like a statue blocking the gate.

"That's not fair, Champion,” cried an angry woman, “they took my thirteen-year-old boy to the wall. My young boy was so scared, he tried to run away one night. Do you know what they did to my boy? They beat him to the pulp and hanged him publicly. Now the King runs away. They are administering justice when they do it to us, but when we do it to them, we are breaking the law? This is unfair. You promise us a just land: a land safe and fair to all classes! You promise us!" A mother who lost her child to the crime of desertion cried to Ethan with her cracking voice.

”I do promise you: the land of just where all classes are equal under a law that no nobles or kings, no patrons or servants of God, can avoid punishment. But killing all the nobles and burning the Palace on an angry whim is not just."

“Then, what will you do for, us to get justice?"

”Well~ it is not entirely executing justice but if you must burn something to relieve your anger, go to the harbour. Burn all the ships there as much as you want. I am on my way myself, so be my guest. I will let you burn them but don't touch the Palace." Ethan gave an alternative to the angry crowds.

The mobs were hesitant at first, but Ethan did not seem like lying, so they headed down to the harbour and burnt all the ships including the Royal Caravel of Crown just as Ethan said.

”It is done, your Highness.“ a messenger reported to Cleo, ”all ships and boats in Midlake are destroyed."

“Good. Now, no one, even I, can run away anymore. We are truly cornered," muttered Cleo. It turned out that she ordered Ethan to let the people burn the ships.

She gently laid the jewel crown on a cushion and picked up the decorated iron helmet. With twin blades which had been her trusted companions for years at each side of her waist, she was ready to go out for battle. ”My Lords, are you ready to ride for battle, alongside your liege, just like your forefathers did?“ She greeted the lords who were waiting for her in the throne hall. She saw Ethan had also joined them. They all were in armours just like her, saying farewells for one last time to their spouses and families. ”I am, my liege,“ answered Arthur. Although his eyes were blurred and his knees were not as used to be, Arthur stubbornly joined Cleo on the ride. The other lords also answered Cleo by picking up their helmets and hitting them with their chests,” We are, your Highness."

“Then, let's go meet our army at the plaza."

As soon as they set foot on the bastion which overviewed the plaza, they saw a big crowd they had never seen before. As if half of the city had come before their eyes, the plaza was overfilled with the sea of people stretching out to the roads and streets. The recorded crowd at the evening prayer session hosted by Louise became pale in comparison to the massive rally before them.

“Citizens of Midlake, your Queen Cleo Adder Eclair!" Declared the minister of the Crown as he invited Cleo for her first public address.

As soon as they heard the minister call Cleo 'Queen', the crowd became anxious, filling the plaza with mutters.

Even though the start was rough, Cleo strode forward confidently. Before she started, she gazed upon the crowd to let their energy seed in her.

”I understand your confusion and concern regarding the matter of my cousin King, Louise. As of now, Louise Adder Sinclair is missing for an unknown reason. But I, CLEO ADDER ECLAIR, daughter of James Adder Eclair, shall lead you all faithfully just like any Adders before me. Thirteen years ago, on this day, my father, King James, discovered the truth of the Temple and tried to reform it with a law. He was a visionary but never was a strong warrior. He was crushed and marked as rebellious while his ambition was buried along with the truth. As buried deep as the Temple may, the truths are recovered by our Champion with his return to earth as a Revenant. He blesses us, this city, with his presence. However, the ever-lying Temple has struck us again to dominate us with their lies. This time, they want to bury the truth together with the whole city. BUT I WILL NOT LET THEM!!" Declared Cleo.

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After her passionate speech, the anxious eyes of the crowd became resolved. They showed their support with cheers and fists.

Cleo continued, “Today, with this armour and twin blades, I will fight the enemies with a frontal charge. As your Liege, I ask you... will you the join me!?”

“We will!!”

“Then, we shall head out to join our brothers and sisters at the forefront of the battle. Never forget this day, the day we march together. This will be the day people will retell for many years to come. Bards will sing, poets will recite, dancers will perform, storytellers will retell, and artists will capture on their canvases about today. We will be history and pave the FUTURE! TO BATTLE!!”

“May Queen reign victory!! To BATTLE!”

The crowd raised their arms, waving all sorts of tools from their workplaces which could be used as weapons: rakes and pitchforks, hammers and axes, sticks and spears_ all of which looked worn out from infinite times of usage. Their equipment paled in comparison even for the most ragged unit in Temple, but their spirit was unmatched in all of Midland.

At the crowd's chant, Cleo and the lords of Midlake went down to the courtyard where their armoured mounts and a unit of heavy cavalry were waiting.

“I admit I didn't expect that to go well." General Aldrich spoke his honest surprise. "You now have my utmost loyalty and respect, my Queen." The other lords and commanders also swore their undefeatable loyalty.

“I am honoured, my Lords. Now, let us go to battle. General Aldrich, you take half the men with lord Gabby and lord Pelion. Strike east camp. Take the main road and attack the headquarters. Commander Delby and lord Fern shall march through neighbourhoods and be your flanks. Since most of the streets and neighbourhoods are in our control, they will catch up with you quickly at the enemy main camp. Easton army has only small numbers of Templers with them so a few spellcasters and a unit of broomstick will be enough. I shall head north with Ethan, and fight the forces of Grand Templer. Commander Peak and Lord Onion, please be my flanks.” Cleo recapitulated the battle plans. “You shall have it, my liege. I will take the Easton camp for you," sworn Aldrich.

”What about me,“ asked Arthur as Cleo did not mention him, ”don't tell me that you don't need me now since I am old." “Of course not, Uncle Arthur. I need you and Luther to support me in my rear. I am going for a full frontal heavy charge toward the enemy headquarters. I won't stop till I reach my target. Commander Killington, please guard my middle so my army isn't cut off in half." ”Very well. We will take care of the enemies you leave behind. But are you sure it is enough at the front with just you and Ethan? A lot of Templers will be waiting there for you." “Don't worry. Dovos, Iguän, and Abel will join me at the hospital. Alright, then. Let's ride out.” Cleo strapped herself on her mount and took the lance her squire handed over. As she was about to set off, she thanked her lords who trusted her with gratitude, "I hope to see you all again and lift our cups of wine in the ballroom." Aldrich replied lightly with a joke, “I have never missed any party that serves wine. You will surely see my face there.”

As soon as the iron gate of the castle was lifted, the decorated cavalry of Midlake rode off to their destinations in full gallop, fluttering their purple capes in the wind, passing by the newly formed massive army made up of brave and responsible civilians of Midlake. They split into two; one to the east to fight the Easton army led by the young Baron of House Clement, and another to the north to face the coalition army of Temple, Norg, and Rode dukedom commanded by none other than the Grand Templer, Midland's most renowned warrior.

The massive movement shook the ground. The people who did not join the rally also came out when they saw the giant army of their liege. Hope rekindled in their hearts.

Soon, the new energetic force of Midlake, led by Cleo, reached their battlefronts and joined their brothers and sisters.

“Cleo! Ethan! Finally, they are here!” Abel screamed cheerfully when she saw her long-awaiting reinforcement at the corner of the road. The arrival of reinforcement led by the Princess herself reignited their unyielding spirit in the hearts of the exhausted soldiers of the Crown.

The captain of the defending camp quickly blew the warhorn, telling his men to make way for the heavy cavalry.

Unbeknownst to the arrival of Cleo and her cavalry, the soldiers of Temple thought the soldiers of Crown had given up struggle when the barricades were removed. They naively pushed through the gaps the soldiers of the Crown made, only to be trampled by the unstoppable force led by the armoured beasts.

Cleo's heavy cavalry crushed the unsuspected enemies in a flash and broke through the enemies' ranks. After the breakthrough, Cleo and Ethan backtracked into the enemy forward camp to lift the siege at the hospital entirely. While commander Killington was keeping the path open in the middle, Luther and Arthur brought in the newly formed militia from the rear along the path. Like a fountain, they gushed through the centre and encircled the enemies from the top.

The lightning-fast strike with overwhelming force brought the enemies to their knees quickly. Soon, except for a few stubborn Templers whom Ethan and Cleo took down, most of the enemies surrendered to the forces of Midlake. The city hospital was liberated, and the main road near it came under full control by the Crown.

After the thrilling taste of their first victory, the people of Midlake shouted in cheers, chanting their gracious leader's name in unison, “Cleo the Warrior Queen! Cleo the Mighty Queen! Cleo the Adder Queen!”