The air was still heavy with the weight of what had transpired. The sun, low in the sky, cast long shadows over the ruins of the battlefield. Smoke still rose from the remnants of the forgotten ones, but the ground felt… empty.
In the silence that followed our victory, a deep ache began to settle in my chest. We had won. But at what cost?
I had seen men—loyal men, strong men—fall in battle. The Forgotten Ones were not the only enemies we faced that day. The true battle had been the one within ourselves. The toll it took on our bodies, our spirits. No victory was ever free.
"Are we truly victorious, Aurelian?" Cassius's voice broke through my thoughts. He stood beside me, his armor battered and stained, but his expression unreadable.
I did not answer him immediately. His question lingered in the air, hanging like an accusation.
Victory had tasted bitter. My heart still beat heavy with the memories of the warriors I had lost. I had fought against forces beyond comprehension. But now, I was left with only the ghosts of the fallen.
Eryndis approached, her magic exhausted, her hands trembling as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She had never looked so fragile.
"Aurelian, what now?" she asked, her voice quiet, almost as if afraid of the answer.
I turned to face them both. Cassius, Eryndis—my closest allies. My friends. They had given everything for this victory. And yet, I knew their hearts too well. They, too, felt the weight of what we had done.
"Now..." I said slowly, gathering my thoughts. "Now, we face the consequences. This victory has altered the balance. The gods themselves have taken notice of us."
There was a pause, as if the very air grew heavier at the thought.
Cassius scowled. "What do you mean by that?"
I glanced toward the horizon, where the last remnants of sunlight had begun to fade. "The Forgotten Ones were not the only force we faced. We have drawn the attention of those who slumber in the heavens. The gods themselves will not forgive us so easily."
Eryndis stepped forward, a frown on her lips. "You're saying… they will come for us?"
I nodded. "Yes. We defied their will. And for that, we will pay the price."
The air seemed to grow colder as the reality of my words settled upon us. Victory had come at the cost of our very souls.
Cassius clenched his fists, his jaw tight. "Then we will fight them. We will face them all."
I placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the weight of leadership press down on me. "It is not just a matter of fighting, my friend. We have stirred something ancient. Something far more powerful than we can fathom."
The world around us seemed to shift, as if the very land was aware of the consequences we had set in motion.
"The Reckoning has only just begun," I muttered to myself.
Eryndis looked at me with a mixture of fear and determination. "Then what should we do now, Aurelian?"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing mind. This was the moment that would define us. The crossroads where the future of our empire would be decided.
"We rebuild," I said finally, my voice firm. "We strengthen our forces. We prepare for what's to come. And most importantly…" I paused, looking at my companions. "We make allies. The gods may have their power, but we have our will."
I could see the fire ignite in their eyes, a spark of hope in the darkness. We would stand together.
For the empire. For the future.