Alpar’s central plaza had been used for more than a century to hold the primary market that sprung up during the seasonal festivities. It had seen generations come and go and always managed to fulfill its duty. The only time it had not been large enough was when an entire Royal Army Company had taken residence within the town, and the Generals had been forced to move the main camp out of the walls.
As the afternoon sun shone on the cobbled square, no inch was left open. Thousands of people, human and Demi-human alike, had left their dwellings and poured into the plaza.
An undercurrent of energy ran through the crowd. Considering the last time people had come here, they had seen a miracle, many expected the same.
There was curiosity, anger, and excitement. Months of suffering, of unanswered requests, were coming to a head. Despite having yet to be informed as to why their presence was required, they had all come because the people of Alpar had known for a while that something big was about to happen.
The courthouse was barricaded. The damage done by the pillar of Light was relatively minimal, resulting only in a hole in the roof, which was easily repaired by a mage. The doors were barred, and two soldiers stood before them, preventing the people from scaling the stairs and forcing their way inside.
That was the scene that greeted the military contingent headed by Leonard as they arrived.
People made space for them, curiously observing the procession. Whispers quickly ran through the crowd as they realized that the Hero had returned, this time with the full support of the local garrison.
In short order, they reached the stairs and ascended. Leonard and his guard split up as the men took place around the entrance, leaving the space open for him.
Leonard turned around and looked. A teeming mass of people stared back at him, their gazes expectant. He could see Oliver standing among the first, excitedly twiddling with the pommel of his sword.
Next to him were Old Lia and Margaret. Merchants, laborers, adventurers, and knights all united, waiting for the Hero to announce what the future would hold.
Standing atop a building, Leonard’s keen eyes noticed Amelia. She had always disliked crowds, so that she stayed clear of the sweaty mass wasn’t surprising. She graced him with a regal nod.
One of the two guards - a hobgoblin male - standing before the doors walked over, leaning in, “M’lord, the Judge and his staff have warded the doors and barricaded themselves in. We couldn’t stop them from reaching the communication room, so they might have sent a distress message.”
Leonard had already known that would be the case. Eichelbaum was arrogant enough to try and enslave him, but he was also not entirely stupid. He’d know that the garrison wouldn’t fight Leonard, so asking for help from his allies in nearby towns would be his immediate recourse. Considering one had to be at least a Journeyman mage to cast [Message] spells - which he was not - he could only use the Communication Orbs, but those required a lot of mana, and even by squeezing himself dry, he would only get a couple of messages out. His staff was a non-issue, as they were either slaves or servants who weren’t afforded the occasion to develop their reserves.
That he had used his limited supply of mana crystals to activate the wards meant that Eichelbaum had understood it was over. His only saving could come if the 104th from Thelma managed to quickly cross the distance.
After my little display, I would have thought he understood there was no chance of resisting me, but I suppose he will annoy me until the very end.
Leonard nodded, thanking the man, “It’s as I expected, soldier. You’ve done well in preventing the people from getting in.”
The hobgoblin returned to his post, hand on his sword’s pommel. Leonard took a deep breath, and a hush fell over the crowd. With a thought, [Commanding Presence] was activated.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/q7836TzD/persimmon0-Glorious-Propaganda-Blonde-male-hero-breaking-down-t-34038101-bbb7-4504-aacf-137e16a3e3b1.png]
“People of Alpar," he began, his voice carrying across the square, "today, we stand at a crossroads. For too long, we have been forgotten by a kingdom that sees us not as citizens but as resources to be exploited. Our fields are plundered, our labor taken for granted, and our sacrifices ignored.”
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He paused, letting his words sink in, "Many among you fought and bled for the safety of this kingdom, defending it from the horrors that lurk beyond our walls. Yet, how are these heroes repaid? By being left to rot in slums, their valor and sacrifices forgotten.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, the shared sense of injustice palpable in the air.
"I, too, was assured that change would come, that our voices would finally be heard. But those promises were empty. With each passing day, the abuses of power grow, and our suffering deepens.”
Everyone knew the Hero had just lost his fiancé. His were not empty words. His pain was real and raw. “Belinda’s murder," he growled, his voice tinged with sorrow, "is but the latest in a long line of injustices. A bright life snuffed out, and for what? To hurt me? To remove me from the board of power?! I cannot and will not allow her death to go unremarked. We have endured too much, sacrificed too much. This will end now!”
As Leonard’s emotions grew, so did the crowd’s. His active skill made it so that everyone could feel his state of mind, and there was no hiding from the burning, righteous rage that engulfed him.
“Thousands of our friends and family have been taken from us. Poverty that was not their fault, that was imposed from above, sealed their fate, and to this day, they toil for the benefit of their cruel masters!” Slavery was an abomination to him, and even if the people’s sensibilities weren’t perfectly aligned with his, Leonard had long decided that it didn’t matter. This was not an issue he would ever budge on.
He then turned to the garrison, addressing them directly. "And you," he said, his tone beseeching, "men and women of the guard, you who have stood against the darkness of the Void, who have seen your comrades fall in battle - you know the price of freedom. You know the weight of the lives lost, the dreams unfulfilled.”
The soldiers straightened. Their service had long been considered par for the course. They had been made to bury their brothers and sisters in silence. Now, there was someone who saw them.
"Let us honor the sacrifices of those who fell defending our Kingdom, not by perpetuating the cycle of oppression, but by breaking it. Let us forge a new path, one where our lives are truly free, where justice and fairness guide our actions, and where every citizen of Alpar - and beyond - can pursue their vocation under the Light's benevolent gaze.” His tone grew, ascending to a climax that everyone could feel coming.
“We’ll break the chains that bind us! We’ll walk into the light and abandon the darkness! Anyone who tries to stop us will be eliminated!” Leonard roared, and the crowd roared back. The energy in the square was palpable, a living, breathing entity fueled by his impassioned words and the shared fervor of a people who had suffered too much.
"The nobles suck the wealth and energy out of the lower classes, keeping us weak and docile. They prevent us from walking the righteous path of self-improvement the Light dictates while draping themselves in holy symbols that have lost all meaning.”
It was a dangerous statement, to be sure, one that could sow the seeds of schism within the very fabric of their society. Yet, Leonard stood unafraid, his resolve steeled by the righteousness of his cause. Revolution was not a path chosen lightly, but having embarked upon it, he was prepared to confront all institutions that had perpetuated the injustices faced by his people, including the clergy.
As if on cue, vicar Damien and the few remaining members of the local clergy voiced their approval with loud applause. Their support went a long way to give weight to Leonard's words, affirming that the call for change resonated even with the community's spiritual leaders. The priests’ approval signaled to the gathered masses that this revolution was not just political but moral and spiritual. It was a fight to reclaim the true teachings of the Light.
"We will build a new society on the ruins of the old, where every man, woman, and child can live in dignity and pursue their destiny without fear. Where the Light guides us, not through the distorted interpretations of those who seek to control us, but through the true principles it stands for. All will be given the chance they deserve!”
Again, the crowd erupted in cheers. Given the active skill he was using, it would be almost impossible for the message not to reach them, and given a mob’s propensity for collective thought, once he took hold of the energy, there was no chance of it going badly.
But one thing remained to do. Leonard needed something tangible to bind the people to his cause.
Luckily, someone had decided to provide him with the perfect one.
Once the crowd began to quiet down, he resumed speaking, “Behind me is the courthouse where the sham of a trial I was put through happened. I am not the only one to have suffered there.” Seeing the state the local criminals were kept in had been a wake-up call.
“Our rights have been trampled, and now the man responsible for it hides behind the wards. Judge Eichelbaum is too afraid to confront us. Even now, he plots against Alpar, seeking to betray us.”
Anger swept through the people. No one liked the man; he certainly hadn’t done anything to create a more favorable impression lately. Despite being the only proper authority in the town, Eichelbaum had wielded his power to benefit a tiny minority of people who had pledged themselves to him. He could have used his connections and power to provide help to the dispossessed that plagued the slums, but instead, he sent the garrison to arrest them so that he could condemn hundreds, if not thousands, to slavery.
Screams and calls for the man to be dragged out exploded from the assembled people until Leonard lifted a hand, and silence returned.
“He has broken into the emergency stores meant to protect the town from pirate raids or monster waves. Taken the few remaining mana crystals left from the Incursion and used them to activate the wards around the courthouse.”
This revelation sent a shock of dismay through the crowd. Despite not many knowing much about magic, everyone was aware that wards were not something easily broken. Armies could, with enough time, but it required a significant resource investment. For a town like Alpar, which only had a few cannons at its disposal, it would be faster to wait them out.
The only problem was that the 104th would be upon them by then. Not that the people knew about that yet, but they could instinctively understand that it was not a good idea to let the enemy retain a position within the heart of their town.
The other option was for Alpar's powerhouses to join hands and break down the wards. Sir Gareth and Sir Gerard, alongside several of the garrison and a few veteran adventurers, had enough power to seem invincible to the people. Even for them, breaking the protections down without artillery would take significant effort.
Luckily, there was another option.
Leonard breathed in deeply and called upon his power. [Judgement] would have been overkill and risked injuring the crowd. [Holy Domain] could remove the wards, but it would also reveal his might for hundreds of miles.
With many of his active skills too dangerous to use, Leonard resorted to the passive ones. The Light filled him, lending incredible power to his limbs.
With a few steps, he reached the doors. A subtle shimmering in the air hinted at the arcane protections forged decades before, meant to protect the town in times of danger.
Leonard placed his hand over the handles. “Open!” He thundered, and his will was made into reality.