Chapter VIII
Ancient legends are told by Mednaqi.
"In the distant First Age, before the iron hooves of the invaders set foot in our beautiful and rich homeland, we are free. But we weren't monolithic at that time, with more than a dozen kings standing side by side, none of them possessing the prestige and power to stand out from the crowd. β
And the troubled times will not last long, because a great hero will inevitably come into being to put an end to it once and for all. Accompanied by the cry of birds and the blooming of crimson mountain flowers in autumn, Fran the Red Eagle, the destined hero, was born in the land of Ruichi. β
"Outstanding martial arts, meticulous strategy, and excellent leadership skills, Red Eagle Fran has shown extraordinary talent in all aspects since he was a child. As he thrived and the people rallied around him, the balance of balance tipped in turn, and all the clues foreshadowed the same outcome - he would become the first great king to unify Ruichi. β
"His people live in peace, his kingdom prospers, and his army is strong. Everything is ready, the hero embarks on his journey, the banners of the Red Eagle flutter one by one on the hills of Ruichi, and the turbulent and chaotic night is about to usher in the dawn in his hands. β
"Dawn is at hand, but an ominous haze rises beyond the horizon, and abominable invaders have reached into our homes with their greedy tentacles. The people of Rich, of course, will not succumb to external evil, and they are confident that the invulnerable arrogance of the invaders will eventually be extinguished in the stormy waves set off by the heroes. β
"Under the stubborn resistance of Red Eagle Fran, the intruder's footsteps have been mired in the mud again and again. They have paid a huge price and have not been able to take away any of our faith. Unwilling to be defeated, the invaders eventually resorted to despicable means, bribing the elders and nobles with evil intentions, instigating them to impeach and exile the Red Hawk, and seizing his kingdom, land, and people. β
"This does not mean the end of the revolt. Although Red Eagle has suffered a betrayal, the true people of Ruichi will always be on his side. He gathered those who were equally faithful, thirsty for freedom, unwilling to bow down to the invaders, and built a new kingdom deep in the mountains. β
"They raid invaders and traitors at night, and during the day they hide from the shadows and plan their next move. However, this did not seem to be enough: for every intruder they killed, more invaders came from the warm south or the harsh north to fill the void, making it difficult for them to survive. β
"Despite this, the rebels of Red Eagle Fran are still active in the land of Rich. But the waves they can make are fading. Confusion gradually loomed over them. The forces lurking in the darkness began to take advantage of the situation. On a dark and windy night, Red Eagle and his men were warming themselves by a steaming campfire when a waddling figure wearing a mask and cloak unwittingly approached them. β
While his men mocked the stranger contemptuously and threw stones at him to drive him away, Fran the Red Eagle sensed the stranger's mighty power. He decided to listen to the stranger's intentions. The mask was completely lifted in the dim light of the fire. This is an ugly and terrifying crow ghost! The Raven Lady has shown her purpose: she can provide enough power to strike fear into the hearts of the intruders. But there is a high price to pay for this. β
"In order to take home from the invaders and save the people, Red Eagle Fran is willing to pay any price. He offered his soul as a sacrifice to the Raven Ghost Woman in exchange for a remorseless and merciless will for revenge. His men willingly did the same. Everyone's eyes flashed with an icy flame that had never been seen before, and they were no longer themselves at all. With the help of the Raven Ghost Woman, the rebels grew stronger and stronger, and the rule of the invaders was crumbling. β
A few years later, the invaders were driven out of Ritch by Red Eagle Fran's rebels, but the peace was short-lived. In the past two weeks, an even larger army has regrouped and returned to Ruichi with a thunderbolt, encircling the fortress of the Red Eagle. Faced with an enemy dozens of times his size, Red Eagle Fran fought alone and fought bloodily, and although countless enemies fell to his burning sword, when night fell, the crowd of people who came to him finally completely overwhelmed him. β
"But the Oathbreakers are not dead, and in the name of Red Eagle Fran, we will continue to fight."
β¦β¦
"The hero is great precisely because of the suffering he has experienced, and it is noble because of the tragedy that befell him, and history will not forget him."
I comforted the weeping Mednaqi and continued to ask him questions.
"In other words, Fran the Red Eagle in the First Age was the first oath breaker to make a deal with the Raven Ghost Woman?"
Maidnach wiped away her tears and choked up in reply, "Yes, at the Red Hawk, the Raven Witch showed the Oathbreakers the power they possessed. Since then, the Oathbreaker has had a tradition of trading with the Raven Witch, which allows us to gain more capital to fight against the invaders. β
"So, in the thousands of years since the Red Eagle, apart from the one you led more than twenty years ago, has there been any precedent for the Oathbreaker to reclaim his homeland?"
After a long silence, a helpless word came out of the mouth of Mednaqi, "No." β
"Because of the crow ghost?" Remembering what we had talked about earlier, I asked tentatively.
"Those crows don't really want to help us reclaim our homeland. The power they give us is nothing compared to the benefits they squeeze out of us! β
Mednaki's palm slammed against the table, and the loud noise even alarmed the guards outside the door to push the door to check. At my signal, the guard closed the door and left, and Mednach continued to tell me about the grievances of the oathbreaker and the raven.
"More than twenty years ago, when Ufrik's troops were under the city of Marcus, I sent people to ask for help from all the Raven Ghost Witches in Rich, but they all rejected me without exception and blocked the news that we were under siege."
I nodded understandingly, "If you succeed in protecting your home, you won't need them anymore?" β
"That's right, they don't want to see a reborn Ruichi! They need the Oathbreakers to work for them, they need the Oathbreakers to provide them with flesh and soul to sacrifice for, and they want Richie to be in chaos forever so they can profit from it! They will always hang our appetites, and attract us to serve them with small favors; But they are not willing to really give us great strength, so that we can get a decisive bargaining chip in the confrontation with the Nords. β
Mednach sat back in his chair feebly, revealing the dire situation he was facing.
"The fall of Marcus City has brought the people's high confidence and enthusiasm to the bottom. The Raven Witch takes the opportunity to bewitch them, telling the Oathbreakers that only the power bestowed by the Demon God is their only hope of recovering their homeland. In the aftermath of this painful defeat, the Oathbreakers threw themselves wholeheartedly into the arms of the Raven Ghost Woman, and became their slave at willβuntil then, the Oath Apostler and the Raven Ghost Woman were only equal trading relationships. β
"I see, which means that you are now facing a civil war instigated by the crow ghost woman?"
"My return has rekindled hope for the people of Ruichi, who have broken away from the crow's grasp and returned to me, which has angered the crows and shattered the order they have worked so hard to build for more than twenty years."
"So they've torn up the oath-breakers who are loyal to them, and they've decided to wipe you out of Rich?"
"Your ambush is only a prelude." Seeing that I frowned, Mednach smiled wryly at me, "Now you can finally understand why I'm worried, right?" β
------------ author's words------------
I went out with friends, so I'm late today, sorry.
ps: 2 words for a week guaranteed update. (To be continued.) )
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