Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 33: Sentencing The Traitors.

"At your service, Lord Magnus’s," Keal said with a bow.

"Did you see that?" someone exclaimed from the crowd. "He bowed to Lord Magnus!" A wave of shock rippled through the onlookers.

Keal was clearly Awakened, while Magnus was unranked. Why would he bow to Magnus? Awakened individuals were superior to the unranked, not only in strength but also in influence. What was going on?

Magnus nodded in acknowledgment to Keal, then turned to address the crowd. "As you all know, during my recovery from the ambush by Gaylord and his men, I was blessed by a god. This blessing manifested in many ways, offering benefits that will help my territory grow. One of these blessings allows me to acquire Awakened soldiers like Kael to aid to my needs."

Astonishment was etched on the faces in the crowd. The rumor that Magnus was a chosen one, blessed by a god, was already widespread, though some still harbored doubts. This display seemed to confirm the truth. Their shock quickly morphed into joy, anticipating good news for the territory.

Meanwhile, the prisoners standing behind Magnus shared the initial shock, but theirs quickly turned to fear. They knew this did not bode well for them.

Magnus let the excitement subside before continuing. "With Kael’s help, we obtained evidence of these men’s treachery. It’s all recorded on this crystal." He gestured toward the recording crystal in Keal’s hand.

At Magnus’s signal, Keal activated the recording crystal. A shimmering screen appeared before the watchful eyes of the crowd, and the recording began to play.

The screen displayed images of Nutgrove meeting with Gaylord. Their conversation, amplified by Keal’s mana, was audible to everyone. Anger seethed through the crowd as they listened.

Nutgrove and the other men appearing in the video lowered their gazes, their faces flushed with shame, anger, and horror.

As the recording continued, the crowd’s anger intensified. By the time it showed Nutgrove and his men accepting Aetherblight poison to contaminate the territory’s water supply, fury had reached a fever pitch. Some surged forward, only to be restrained by the surrounding soldiers.

The screen went dark. The prisoners not shown in the recording felt a flicker of hope. Perhaps they would escape judgment. But their relief was short-lived.

The display flared back to life. This time, instead of Gaylord’s lair, it showed the interior of a cell. A chained figure, one of the prisoners, was being interrogated by Magnus.

The interrogation was brief, but it revealed the names of everyone involved. The faces of the accused went pale. They knew it was over.

As the recording ended, Magnus turned to the prisoners, who now hung their heads. "Is that enough evidence for you?" he asked, his voice cold and sharp. "Does anyone require more?"

Silence hung heavy in the air. Then, as a last-ditch effort, one prisoner spoke up. "That’s all lies! Just because my name was mentioned doesn’t mean I did it. There’s no real proof, just a traitor’s words. They’re worthless. I’ve served this territory my entire life and would never betray it."

His words ignited a spark of hope in the eyes of the other prisoners not shown in the recording. Perhaps there was a way out.

"Is that so?" Magnus asked, his brow furrowing. "Then explain why these were found in each of your houses." He tossed a golden coin toward them.

"Bags of these coins were found in every one of your homes, along with other valuables, all bearing the insignia of the Gaylordia territory. Care to explain that?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The prisoners fell silent, their faces downcast. They knew there was no escape.

The crowd was already a raging torrent of fury.

"Kill them!"

"Kill them all!"

Such cries filled the air.

Magnus raised a hand to quell the uproar. "Patience," he commanded. "This isn’t over yet. There’s more."

He then contacted one of his summon through their bonding link to bring forth Gaylord.

A hush fell over the crowd. What more could there be? Their bloodlust was momentarily replaced by curiosity. They soon had their answer.

The sound of rattling chains drew their attention. A guard dragged a goblin into view.

"Wait... is that who I think it is?" someone shouted, shock evident in their voice. Recognition rippled through the crowd.

It was Gaylord, the goblin lord of Gaylordia, a face etched in their memories, a face that haunted their nightmares.

Gasps filled the air.

They all knew that face. Gaylord had frequently visited their territory during the years of alliance. He was unmistakable, though the smugness and air of confidence they remembered were gone, replaced by dread and fear.

Shock quickly gave way to a maelstrom of negative emotions. If looks could kill, Gaylord would have been vaporized by the sheer hatred directed at him.

From his position on the platform, Magnus watched a stream of notifications appear, reflecting his subjects’ reactions. He hadn’t received a single notification when he exposed the traitors, but now they were pouring in, a testament to the hatred and anger Gaylord inspired, hardly surprising given the many friends and family members lost in the goblin-orchestrated ambush.

Guards dragged Gaylord onto the platform, under the watchful gaze of thousands.

Nutgrove and the other prisoners slumped at the sight of Gaylord. They knew they were doomed. They had drastically underestimated Magnus.

They watched as the once-mighty Gaylord, now stripped of his power, was dragged unceremoniously across the stage and forced to his knees.

Magnus glanced at Gaylord before turning to address the crowd. "People of Lancaster, I present to you Gaylord, lord of the Gaylordia territory, the one responsible for the ambushes that killed and injured thousands of our loved ones, the one who has terrorized us for so long. But no more! I stand before you, not only as your leader, but as a fellow victim, to declare the Gaylordia territory conquered and their lord captured!" His voice boomed across the square, igniting a wave of cheers.

"All hail Lord Magnus!" someone cried, and the chant was taken up by the crowd.

At that moment, no one questioned how Magnus had accomplished this feat. The ability to acquire Awakened soldiers was powerful in itself, and who knew how many Magnus now commanded? Moreover, the full extent of his divine blessing remained a mystery.

Magnus smiled, watching the flood of notifications until he finally muted them.

He turned back to the cheering crowd, raising his hands for silence.

The crowd quickly quieted.

"Justice must be served," Magnus declared. "And so, to these sixteen," he gestured towards the prisoners, "for betraying your territory, your own people, for causing so much death and suffering, I hereby sentence you to a slow, painful, and agonizing death by Aetherblight poisoning—the same poison you intended to use against your own people." Another roar of approval erupted from the crowd.

When the cheering subsided, Magnus turned to Gaylord. "As for you, your crimes are too numerous to list. I will decide your punishment later." He then addressed the crowd once more. "People of Lancaster, let this day serve not only as a day of justice, but also as a reminder of the fate that awaits anyone who betrays our territory. Let us rebuild, stronger and more united than ever!" With that, he concluded his speech.

Magnus ended his speech with that and the crowd erupted into cheers once more. "All hail Lord Magnus!"