THE SOLUTION
THE SOLUTION
"It starts with the seeds. The quality of seeds are deteriorating rapidly for no reason. Even we don't understand what caused it. Coupled with the cold weather it's difficult to grow crops without Radiance of Agni", Asterix replied to us.
"Will it help if the ice creep is contained?" Eirot asked.
"That may help. The climate change is an additional stress on our crops, reducing that cause will narrow the problem for us and help us find a solution", Asterix told us.
"Lucky for us my demons can stamp out the ice", Eirot suggested to us.
"That is a good idea. The Demon Queen thrived in the northern states because of their demons warming the land. Eirot has a million strong demon army", Queen Mistral said excitedly.
"Northern States?" I asked.
"Haven't you been briefed, we conquered all the land in the continent including the kingdoms in the north. This is no longer the Three Dynasties period after the retreat of the demons, this continent is now Nyx-Nymera. We conquered the world", Raven explained to me proudly.
"Yes, husband. We have united the continent and became her master and mistress", Queen Mistral told me with a smile.
"The apostles will not leave us alone if we returned to Nyx-Nymera with an army of demons. Although their forces are no longer like before there are many trump cards the church could use against us like the powerful Saints", Aluva told us.
"Let me think of a solution", I replied to her.
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[In the Church of All-seeing Tarah City]
"Lord Knight Oriese, I haven't seen you for a very long time", Apostle Matthieu said to me and greeted.
"Greetings your excellency. I went on a deep exploration in another realm", I replied to him.
"You are always the explorer. Much has changed to this continent after you left, for the worse", he told me with a sigh.
"What is the problem?" I asked him.
"After you went on your expedition, the Saints agreed to descend into the continent to arrest the Dark Angel Incarnate", he said.
"I heard the Saints captured him, that is good news", I replied.
"Yes, they did capture him without difficulty and the demon army disappeared after that in fear of us", he explained.
"Then there should be celebrations, we conquered our enemy", I asked him.
"The Holy Saints would only help us arrest Warlock but would not do anything about the politics in the continent. Although the demons disappeared, the rest of the continent was overrun by the barbarians. They call this continent Nyx-Nymera now", he lamented.
"Hmmm… but that is not entirely bad news as long as they pay tithes", I told him.
"Well, they still pay us tithes but the payment is much reduced. They blame it on the famine in the land, but we all know the real reason, the apostles' forces are almost non-existent in this land, they are not fearful of us", he said.
"Well, we can't blame them. The famine is real which is the most pressing problem", I said to him.
"Yes, the mysterious climate change which reduced crop yield, and the creeping ice caused a major famine in the land", he complained.
"Does the Saints know what caused the change in climate affecting crops?" I asked him.
The apostle leaned closer to me and whispered.
"They say Hell has turned over causing changes to the ecosystem in our land. Our world is turning into a desert, and the greater threat is that the demons from Hell will pour into our world soon. That is another calamity", he told me.
"Well, that isn't all bad news", I told him.
"How can it not be all bad?" he asked me curiously.
"Well, climate change is a celestial event that is unavoidable, but the demon's arrival could drive away the ice from the land- their bodies could melt ice. That will relieve us from one problem", I said.
"That is true, but we just drove the demons out and another group enters", he said.
"Well, the arrival of the new demons is not our worry. Let the barbarians deal with them. That will weaken the barbarians at the same time giving the Church time to heal", I told the apostle.
"Yes..you are right. Why didn't I think of it this way", he replied to me and pondered.
"Besides, the new demons didn't come to conquer our land. They are unwilling refugees that were forced to flee here due to Hell's collapse. There might be a way to settle them and come to an arrangement", I suggested.
"Is it even possible to tame the demon army?" apostle Matthieu asked me.
"Actually, the reason I came to meet you today is to offer you a solution to our problems", I told the apostle.
"What is your solution?" he asked eagerly.
"The Church will bequeath the Title to a swath of land for the demons to settle in return for peace", I suggested.
"A land? All land now belongs to Nyx-Nymera", he replied to me.
"Exactly. We merely give the demons lands that don't belong to us. There is no loss to us, and it might cause the barbarians into direct conflict with the demons", I told the apostle.
"That is a devious… no splendid suggestion", he replied to me with glee.
"All we need is another edict from the Church, like how we got rid of the King of Drachia, we can contain the barbarian king with another piece of paper", I advised the apostle.
"You are a genius, Lord Oriese. Which land should we bequeath to the demons? Drachia? Trogdol?" he asked.
"No, we give them Rizea, Merernia and Haverley. The former kingdoms in the middle continent", I replied to him.
"Those lands are really close to Kalydon city, our apostles' last bastion in the continent", he asked me with some reservations.
"Firstly, if they occupy those mountain regions, they will surround the Ice Corridor. That will stop the ice creep from reaching the rest of the continent. That will solve our endless winter problem", I said.
"Splendid. Anything more?" he asked.
"Yes, being in the central region, the demons will restrain the movements of the barbarians. That will weaken their logistics and reach to all the kingdom thereby limiting their power", I said.
"Fantastic, killing two birds with a stone", he agreed before he added, "but they are still too close to Kalydon for comfort".
"Well, it's always better to keep our enemies close to monitor them. We won't know what they are up to if they are hidden in a corner far away", I told the apostle.
"That is something to ponder. Lord Oriese, you are a great blessing to the church with your insights", the apostle praised me.
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"Why are you making me the Queen of Rizea instead of Eirot?" Aluva asked me in surprise.
"Because we need a queen in Rizea to rule over the demons. You are familiar with the politics of this area and also controls the Kalydon Royal Guards. You are the best person", I told her.
"What should we do about the Ice Corridor? Although our demons can melt ice, they couldn't stop the ice completely", Aluva asked us.
"I've found the damn thing to stop the ice", Sara told us suddenly as she came toward the ruins of Tikalli city.
Suddenly, the deformed construction left by King Boreat in the city melted away quickly and we rose into the air in order not to lose our footing.
"What is melting this bloody ice so quickly?" I asked.
"These bloody Hell rocks from the Mantle of Hell are far hotter than the rocks in the Crust. We can use them to build a palace here around the Ice Corridor", Sara told us.
The destruction of the Gate to Hell has released enormous molten lava that flowed to this side of the world. The same material could be used to melt the ice from the Ice Corridor.
"This problem is solved, what should we do now?" Eirot asked.
"Well, we've done everything we could. It is the end", Ratatouille added.
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[In Istiopolis City]
"The King has returned!" Bommurs announced, his voice echoing through the grand hall of the court.
Orion, flanked by his wives, strode confidently into the hall, their presence commanding the attention of all in attendance.
The court was alive with energy, filled with ministers, courtiers, and dignitaries gathered to celebrate the return of the King and his Queens to Istiopolis City. Today marked not just a homecoming, but the dawn of a new era for the continent.
Once divided into ten warring kingdoms, the continent now stood united under the banners of Nyx-Nymera. Orion and his allies had achieved what many thought impossible: a continent reunited under one rule.
The Demon Army, now under the command of Aluva, served as their proxies, ensuring stability and order. The influence of the Apostles, once a looming threat, had been eradicated entirely.
The Ice Calamity, unleashed by the awakening of the Ice Corridor, had been resolved.
The Gate to Hell, a source of demonic incursions, had been destroyed, severing the connection between the two worlds and ensuring that demons would never again plague their lands.
Peace, long elusive, had finally settled over the world.
Queen Mistral would remain as the ruler of Istiopolis City, her wisdom and leadership guiding the heart of the empire.
Prophetess Eirot, the Prophet of the demons, the Savior, had found her place in this new order, while the religion of the Temple of Medusa had spread far and wide, with Rinna revered as its goddess.
Sara, the brilliant Chief Scientist, continued her work, unraveling new technologies that would shape the future of their world. Her innovations promised progress and prosperity, ensuring that the empire would thrive in the years to come.
Yet, even in this time of peace, preparations were underway for what lay ahead.
Orion awaited the resurrection of Meera and Cassandra, their return would reunite him with all those he held dear. His heart ached for their presence.
For the kingdom, though at peace, was not without its threats.
The Bringer of Famine had set in motion the Revelations, a series of cataclysmic events that could not be avoided. Calamity loomed on the horizon, and Orion, alongside the Unholy Trinity, knew they must prepare for the inevitable.
Enemies still lurked in the shadows, their intentions unknown, and the unresolved Calamity threatened to descend upon the world once more.
As the celebrations continued, a sense of solemn determination underlay the festivities. The Revelations had begun, and with them, the next chapter of their story.
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