Chapter 293: Emperor Kronos
"I am not showing and telling you all this to gain sympathy, or perhaps... empathy. Gildreath has already seen the worst. It has fallen and risen again. So even if we go to war and we lose, Gilreath will keep existing."
Krug didn’t say anything in response and let Kronos continue/
"However, I heard how your god is only targeting the kings, the lords, and the militaries of the kingdoms. He spared the citizens and those who surrendered. I believe Gildreath, who didn’t have anything to do with Vorathar, would be seen even more kindly."
Krug rested his greataxe against the stone parapet overlooking the sprawling city of Gilreath.
The streets below teemed with emaciated citizens hauling timber and stone through the dirt. A dying empire offered absolutely zero calories to a starving population.
Krug tapped the star-iron plating of his chest piece and pointed a scaled claw toward the distant eastern horizon.
"Rubedo feeds his followers." Krug tapped his greataxe against the stone. "The foundries of Bastion run without pause to forge weapons for the Vanguard. The bio-reactor produces endless nutrient paste to ensure the workers never go hungry. The Spiral offers absolute protection and industry in exchange for absolute loyalty."
Kronos watched a line of malnourished laborers struggling to push a broken cart up a steep cobblestone incline. He gripped the edge of the parapet until his knuckles turned white. He needed the resources the Kobold promised to keep his kingdom from collapsing entirely.
"A pact with your sovereign secures our borders," Kronos said. "My people need the iron and the food your empire generates. I accept the vassalage."
Kronos turned away from the city center and pointed a scarred finger toward a clustered slum near the western gate. Collapsed roofs and burned wooden beams littered the isolated district. Deep shadows obscured the narrow dirt alleys winding through the extreme decay.
"A faction of zealots hides inside those ruins," Kronos explained. "They still worship the Heavenly Divine Emperor and actively sabotage the aqueducts my father built. They poison the water supply to punish the citizens for abandoning the old faith. I need your army to purge the district and eradicate the cult."
Krug studied the ruined structures from the elevated vantage point. He understood the logistical necessity of removing internal threats before finalizing any territorial claim. The Vanguard specialized in systemic extermination.
"I will cleanse the slums," Krug agreed. He hoisted his greataxe back onto his shoulder. "You must offer a public display of submission to secure the pact. The citizens must see you sever the old ties completely."
Krug led the way back through the shattered archway of the throne room. They descended the grand stone staircases and emerged into the central plaza of the city.
A towering marble statue of the Heavenly Divine Emperor dominated the square. Years of neglect left the monument chipped and covered in thick climbing vines.
Krug gestured toward the massive stone figure with his blade. "Shatter the idol. Show the city the old era is dead."
Kronos stared up at the towering marble face of his ancestors’ deity. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his broadsword and approached the base of the monument.
He raised the steel blade high above his head and brought it crashing down against the stone pedestal.
The impact splintered the marble base into dozens of pieces. Kronos struck the stone repeatedly to break the thick support columns holding the deity aloft.
The structural foundation gave way entirely under his final swing. The massive statue toppled forward and shattered into thousands of fragments across the paving stones.
The gathered citizens watched in absolute silence as Kronos buried the past.
"Now, I will go cleanse the slums as promised," Krug cracked his knuckles.
Kronos gripped the stone parapet tightly. "Are you absolutely certain about this decision? A hundred desperate men hide in that labyrinth with poisoned blades and nothing left to lose. Sending a single warrior borders on suicide."
"I am the Apostle of Rubedo," Krug stated. "A distant army inspires fear. A physical manifestation of divine wrath inspires absolute submission. The citizens of Gilreath must witness exactly what happens when they oppose the Red Spiral."
Krug turned away from the overlook and descended the grand stone staircases. He crossed the central plaza and marched directly toward the western gate. Malnourished citizens scrambled out of his path and pressed themselves against the crumbling brick walls.
The slums reeked of rotting timber and stagnant water. Krug stepped over a collapsed wooden barricade and entered the dirt alleyway. Shadows shifted across the ruined rooftops as unseen figures tracked his advance.
A dozen robed cultists burst from the dilapidated buildings. They raised wooden staffs and hurled concentrated fireballs down into the alley. Krug planted his boots into the dirt and raised his greataxe high above his head.
The Violet Flame erupted from the iron blade. Krug swung the weapon in a wide arc to intercept the incoming magical barrage. The alchemical fire instantly incinerated the hostile spells and turned the incoming projectiles into harmless ash.
"Kill the beast!" a zealot screamed from a shattered balcony to rally the remaining survivors. Krug stepped into the strike zone and swung his burning greataxe into the nearest stone pillar.
The kinetic impact shattered the foundational supports of the surrounding structures. The dilapidated buildings collapsed inward and dumped the cultists into the debris.
He advanced through the settling dust without care.
Suddenly, a zealot lunged from a blind corner with a rusted shortsword aimed at Krug’s neck. Krug simply caught the man’s wrist and crushed the bone with a single squeeze of his scaled hand.
Then, he drove his armored knee into the attacker’s chest and tossed the broken body aside.
Krug continued to effortlessly obliterate everything that came in his path. He didn’t even need to use his gravitational power to defeat them.
"The false idols offer no salvation," Krug bellowed. The violet fire roared along the edge of his weapon. "Feed the Ash-Forge."
