Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 32: Revealing The Traitors.

As he retraced his steps back to his territory, Magnus was carried this time, princess-style, by Kael. It wasn’t the most dignified mode of transportation for a lord, but it was undeniably faster. With his Zephyr Stride boots augmenting his speed, Kael moved with incredible swiftness, arriving near the Lancaster territory in a mere couple of hours.

Once again, Magnus preferred not to be seen arriving in such a manner, so he had Kael set him down a good distance from the entrance. The two then walked the remaining distance to the territory gates.

Waiting for them was one of Magnus’s summon, a young man named Kelvin. Clad in gleaming steel knight’s armor, Kelvin was a striking figure with fiery ginger hair and a handsomely sculpted face. He was one of Magnus’s strongest summons, ranked E just like Kael, and possessing a fire magic affinity.

"Greetings, Lord Magnus!" Kelvin said with a respectful bow.

"Hmmm," Magnus responded with a nod. "Lead the way."

"Right away, Lord Magnus," Kelvin replied, turning to guide them inside.

The area surrounding the entrance was noticeably deserted, but Magnus didn’t seem surprised. He clearly knew where everyone had gathered.

Kelvin led the way, followed by Magnus and Kael. They proceeded towards the territory’s central square, where the entire population awaited Magnus’s arrival.

As they approached, Augustus, who had been waiting nearby, immediately rushed over. "How did it go?" he asked, though he already expected a positive outcome.

With several hundred Awakened soldiers at Magnus’s command, the takeover should have been a simple affair. Yet, a hint of worry lingered in his expression, perhaps a residual concern about current event with the Gaylordia territory.

"Everything went as planned," Magnus confirmed. "The Gaylordia territory is now under my control. Gaylord has been captured, and he’s likely in the dungeon along with Nutgrove and the other prisoners."

"Oh, already?" Augustus said wanting ask about their swift return, then realized the likely explanation. Magnus’s Awakened soldiers possessed extraordinary speed, enabling a rapid journey back to the territory. He surmised they must have returned the same night they left.

’Such speed,’ Augustus mused to himself. ’Awakened individuals are indeed a different breed.’ He turned back to Magnus.

"Everything is prepared. The people are growing restless after waiting for so long, so go ahead and address them."

Magnus nodded and turned towards the assembled crowd. It was barely noon, the sun blazing overhead. The people had left their tasks to attend this emergency gathering, and they appeared weary and anxious. But their apprehension wouldn’t last long.

With a nod to Augustus, Magnus strode towards the podium. Upon reaching the platform, he cleared his throat, activating [Resonant Voice] before addressing the crowd. Looking out at the thousands of faces gazing up at him, Magnus felt surprisingly calm.

"People of the Lancaster territory," he began, his voice strong and resonant. "As you all know, weeks ago, my father, the previous Lord of this territory, was ambushed by our neighboring allies, the Gaylordia territory. This terrible act of betrayal led to the deaths of thousands of our men. This was followed by a second ambush, which also resulted in the loss of many more of our brave soldiers, whom we honored just last night in a memorial service for the tragedy that has befallen our land."

"This betrayal by the Gaylordia territory cuts deep into each and every one of us," Magnus continued. "But the wound will cut even deeper when you realize that we were not only betrayed by our allies, but also by one of our own. Someone we trusted, someone we shared our grief with, turned out to be the very source of our suffering."

The words struck the crowd like a thunderbolt, sending a wave of murmurs rippling through the assembled people. A tremor of shock and disbelief ran through the square.

"A traitor among us?" someone shouted. "Who is it?"

The question echoed throughout the crowd. Murmurs intensified as people discussed the revelation, trying to identify the traitor in their midst. Magnus raised his hand, demanding silence. The crowd gradually quieted, waiting for answers. The silence stretched, thick with anticipation.

"Please bring in the traitors," Magnus’s amplified voice resonated throughout the square.

A fresh wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd as everyone turned towards the back, where the sound of rattling chains grew louder. Several men emerged, dragging sixteen chained figures towards the podium. Surprise registered on the faces of the onlookers.

"Wait, what’s that stench?" someone yelled, wrinkling their nose. They turned towards the approaching prisoners, their eyes widening in recognition.

"Isn’t that Commander Nutgrove?" the man exclaimed.

"And that’s Captain Eliot!" another shouted.

A chorus of exclamations erupted as the crowd identified the prisoners one by one. The realization dawned on them – were these people truly the traitors?

Magnus stood calmly on the podium, observing the scene. Even before the prisoners reached the platform, the stench had preceded them – the foul odor of the dungeon, mingled with the acrid smell of those who had unwillingly partaken in Magnus’s interrogation. The mixture of Darkstone Dust and purgative potion had left its mark. Still wearing the clothes soiled with their own vomit and excrement, they exuded a truly dreadful stench.

Upon reaching the podium, the prisoners were forced to their knees.

Magnus’s gaze lingered on them for a moment before he addressed the crowd. "People of the Lancaster territory," he announced, his voice ringing out across the square, "I present to you the traitors. These are the individuals who betrayed us, who sold us out to Gaylord and his men for slaughter. The very blade that cut us so deeply came from within our own ranks. These are the guilty ones." His words hit the crowd like a bombshell.

While many had already suspected the truth, hearing Magnus confirm their suspicions aloud intensified the impact. Murmurs broke out anew.

Then, a voice cut through the noise. "Absurd! How are we supposed to know they are actually traitors?" someone challenged.

The murmurs grew louder, echoing the sentiment. The prisoners were well-known figures in the territory. The idea that they would betray their own people seemed outlandish, almost impossible.

"Yes, how can you make such an absurd claim?" another voice called out, this time from behind Magnus. "Where is your evidence?"

Magnus turned towards the speaker. It was one of the prisoners, glaring defiantly at him. His relatively clean attire indicated he hadn’t been among those captured with Nutgrove the previous day. Likely apprehended that morning, he still harbored doubts, believing Magnus lacked concrete proof of his treachery.

All the prisoners on the platform were influential individuals. Confident that Magnus had no solid evidence against them, this prisoner felt smug, certain the people of Lancaster would protest any accusations without proof.

Instead of responding directly, Magnus gestured towards Kael, who stood with Augustus and Kelvin at the edge of the crowd.

Kael walked towards the podium, his Awakened aura radiating outward. The eyes of the crowd followed him as he made his way to the platform.

"Who is this?" someone muttered. "I don’t think I’ve seen him before."

"Wait, that aura... is he an Awakened human?" another exclaimed. The realization sent a wave of shock through the crowd.

’An Awakened human? What is he doing here?’ the defiant prisoner thought, a flicker of fear replacing his smugness. ’Lord Magnus summoned him, and he obeyed... does this mean...?’ His thoughts trailed off, replaced by a growing sense of dread.

Awakened humans were the pinnacle of power in their world, far beyond ordinary humans. Why would one heed Magnus’s call unless they had a pre-existing relationship? The horrifying implication struck him – did Magnus possess evidence against them after all?

The other prisoners, who had clung to a sliver of hope, felt their hearts sink as they realized the situation had taken a drastic turn.

Kael reached the podium and bowed respectfully. "At your service, Lord Magnus," he said.