A week after the meeting with the Goblin Hero, we received news from Vermekh. Through Bakhan's intermediation, the city's rulers sent us an official letter outlining their conditions for joining the empire. Most of their demands revolved around a certain level of autonomy, reasonable taxes, and the assurance that there would be no changes to the current council governing the city.

I didn't have time to fly to Vermekh to meet with its leaders and formalize the accession because preparations for the war against Eskira were urgent, leaving no time for formalities.

Two-thirds of our armies are stationed at the Druma border. Several detachments have already begun sailing from Vermekh toward Buyagh. Despite the Goblin Hero's unpleasant and brusque demeanor, he agreed to the alliance and the proposed terms. He is en route to Gorkaki at this very moment.

In Shaxai, our troops have moved from a defensive stance and started advancing through the Druma Expanse. The barbarian beastkin tribes have agreed to fight alongside us against the trow raiders. They understand that they are essentially acknowledging my rule over that territory. But the few weeks of trow raids sweeping through Druma have swayed most of the tribes' opinions.

Not just them. The reason Vermekh readily agreed to join the empire was due to the raids. The city would have to withstand two invading armies: the trows’ and ours.

Furthermore, there are indications that the tribes of Northwest and the tribes of Kadrukh will also bow down. The trows gave the final push needed to expedite the continent's unification.

I must say, the trow aesthetics work heavily against them. I look like a plush toy next to the Eskira’s aberrations and war beasts.

The trow necromancers do things that would make the undead Vadod's hairs stand on end —if he still had any hair on that smooth skull of his.

When the first raids reached Shaxai, our soldiers had to battle an army of monsters pursuing refugees from Druma. The trow cavalry comprised riders on man-hunting spiders, pale scorpions, and termite-like insects resembling Sleipnirs. One of the trow generals rode a hungry myriad, a kind of giant centipede.

The eskiran infantry consisted of various races of mutants and undead creatures controlled by fungal spores.

Shaxai only withstood it because we sent a considerable portion of our army there. Now, the trows must be preparing to attack our capital.

The city is deserted. Most of the population was evacuated when our scouts spotted the enemy troops approaching. Over the past decades, Gorkaki has grown to become the largest city on the continent, with over 40,000 inhabitants.

Now the city streets lie empty, trodden only by the soldiers who will defend it.

Since the raids began, our greatest concern has been the purple worms. Creatures tamed by the trows, akin to sandworms, but capable of burrowing through solid ground. They are slow but unstoppable.

The purple worms used in the invasions of Druma were swift and small, unable to tunnel through rock. This indicates that the Lords of Eskira were reserving the larger ones for something. We monitored the sealed entrances, expecting the trows to break the seals with the purple worms, but it didn't happen. This confirms that the number of large worms they possess is limited, and their mobilization is even more constrained. During the last raids decades ago, only one colossal purple worm was spotted, responsible for opening a tunnel in Shaxai.

If the trows plan to use a giant purple worm, the only plausible location would be here, in Gorkaki. Consequently, the capital's walls are useless, and the best alternative is to evacuate the city. The Lords of Eskira want three things: slaves to whip, flesh to corrupt, and corpses to reanimate. But they'll find none of that in Gorkaki. The only thing they'll encounter here is fire.

§ § § § § §

From the tallest tower of the castle, I gaze upon the deserted city. In the same room are Kheldash, Salutar, Sarak, and the Goblin Hero from the Buyagh. The rest of the council has left the city.

"Soon the troops from Eskira will be here." Salutar remarks. "I thought their army would be larger."

"Half of it must be underground now, ready to burst from the ground beneath our feet." Kheldash scoffs. Since the trow raids began, she has been ecstatic, as if it were the signal for something she has long awaited.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?" Orc Sarak asks, noticing that I've been standing at the window for some time. "You seem worried."

"There's an army of nearly ten thousand abominations marching toward and below this city. How could I not be?" I reply bluntly.

"Well... It's unusual. Your Majesty usually gets excited or irritated in these kinds of situations. Usually irritated and angry." The shamaness speaks with an apprehensive tone. "It troubles me to see Your Majesty worried."

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous. The final battle is approaching. I'm confident we will win, as most of Eskira's army is just trash made up of slaves, undead, and puppets controlled by fungi. 

The great question is what comes next.

Will Camilo be satisfied with all I've done? Can we finally be together? Or is there another step? Another rung in his endless ladder of schemes?

Conquering a continent as large as Australia isn't enough for him?

Why did I even start all this? Oh, yes. I was trying to get that dragon's attention... Renxing. Why was I doing that again?

The dance... The Dragon Dance... Do I still need to learn it?

"Your Majesty." A voice interrupts my torrent of thoughts. "The trows from Eskira have arrived..."

§ § § § § §

A sea of aberrations marches toward the city walls. Undead, slaves, mutants... Goblinoids and beastkins, all somehow altered. Whether it's their bodies, minds, or their very souls.

There are orcs with three arms, ogres with two heads, and trolls fused with what seems to be plant material or fungi. All sorts of beasts can be found among the trow ranks as well. Hairless giant dire wolves, huge crimson praying mantises, albino scorpions larger than horses, colossal venom-dripping salamanders, and all manner of insectoid abominations.

In the skies, a swarm of locusts, wasps and bats seems to be led by swarm herders.

"Most of these creatures are being controlled by spores." Kheldash remarks as we observe the approaching mass of enemies from atop the walls. "The fungi cultivated by the trows of Eskira devour the brains of the hosts. They are already dead."

"Should that make me not feel guilty about their deaths?" I ask ironically.

"Yes, Your Majesty. There's no need to hold back. You can pour out upon them all the anguish and rage you've been harboring over the years."

"Is that how he sees me?" I ask, disappointed. 

"Pardon?" Kheldash asks, confused.

"Is this how your master sees me? As a weapon. A beast on a leash destined to burn his enemies?"

"This is the kind of question I'm unable to answer, Your Majesty. But I fear most of your concerns are unfounded." Kheldash responds methodically and trainedly.

After all this time, I only realize now that she's been treating me like a child. The babysitter that Camilo placed to watch over me.

But before I could rebut her prepared speech, the sound of a horn blares like an alarm. The cause can be seen rising between the houses and other buildings. A colossal purple worm has just surfaced in the center of Gorkaki.

The creature plunges back into the ground, and from the hole it leaves, emerges the hordes commanded by the trows.

"The final battle for Dro-Ur has begun, Your Majesty. No matter the plans my master has for this battle or what comes after. Remember that you're not doing this just for him. But for yourself as well. This is who you are. This is what you've always wanted to be. A raging flame burning endlessly. Now is the time to fulfill your destiny."

"For you came into this world for one purpose. To scorch it."