"I won’t lie—the shadow has fallen," Alix continues. "But that will only be temporary. In time, I will restore the Shadows to their former glory."
A ripple of quiet determination passes through the group.
"Vaelith has the highest ranking right now," Alix states. "So follow his orders as you would mine."
Torik nods immediately. "Understood."
Vaelith steps forward, arms crossed. "Our first priority is reestablishing our network. We need eyes and ears everywhere."
Alix watches as the newly resurrected Shadows absorb his words. They may have been brought back to life, but their sharp instincts remain. The air around them brims with silent resolve.
"Before you go," Alix says, his tone shifting slightly, "there’s something you all need to understand."
The assassins remain kneeling, their gazes locked onto him, waiting.
"This world… is not the one you remember."
A flicker of confusion passes through some of them, but no one dares to interrupt.
Alix continues. "It may look similar. It may feel familiar. But everything has changed. The land, the people, the power structures—nothing is exactly as it was before." His golden eyes sweep over them. "So don’t assume old alliances still hold. Don’t assume your enemies are the same. Adapt, or you’ll die again."
Silence follows his words. Then, Vaelith speaks, his voice as smooth as ever. "Understood, Your Majesty. We will move with caution."
The other assassins nod, their expressions unreadable beneath their hoods. None of them question him, but Alix can tell they’re piecing things together in their minds, already calculating their next steps.
He exhales lightly, his gaze shifting to Vaelith. "The other Shadow members will fill you in on what’s going on. There’s a lot to cover, and I don’t have time to explain everything myself."
Vaelith inclines his head. "Understood. I’ll gather information from them."
Alix glances at the group. "Get up."
Vaelith studies them briefly before turning back to Alix. "Your Majesty, is there anything else you wish to command before we begin our work?"
Alix shakes his head. "For now, focus on reestablishing yourselves. Build the network from the ground up, and don’t attract too much attention yet." His eyes narrow slightly. "We still don’t know the full extent of the threats out there."
Vaelith places a fist over his chest and bows slightly. "As you wish."
Without another word, the Shadows vanish, melting into the darkness as if they were never there.
Alix watches the last traces of shadow dissipate before glancing at his transparent screen. His eyes land on his remaining gold count.
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[Gold: 2,357]
A long sigh escapes him. "I’m back to being poor again," he mutters.
With that, he strides out of the resurrection chamber, the doors sealing shut behind him. His footsteps echo lightly against the polished floors as he walks through the dimly lit corridors of his palace.
By the time he reaches the grand hallway, the sky outside has deepened into hues of violet and indigo. The first stars begin to flicker to life, but Alix’s attention is drawn elsewhere.
High above the land, five massive floating islands now hover in plain sight.
His golden eyes narrow slightly. "They’re fully visible now," he murmurs.
"Is that the territory of the Five Marshal, Your Majesty?"
Alix doesn’t even flinch at the voice beside him. He already knows who it is.
Turning slightly, he finds Draya standing next to him, gazing up at the sky with her usual calm expression. He has no idea when she arrived, but at this point, he’s used to her appearing out of nowhere.
Hearing her words, a chuckle escapes him. "Now you’re calling them Marshal?"
Draya pouts slightly, crossing her arms. "It’s because Your Majesty keeps calling them Lords that I almost forgot their official title."
Alix smirks. "Haha, fair enough." He looks back at the floating islands. "Since no one is maintaining their territories, they’ve started coming out."
Draya tilts her head. "I see. So they don’t normally appear like this?"
Alix shakes his head. "No. The territories of the five Marshal are special. They exist in a different realm, one they can control it like a warship. But right now, they’re empty… so they’re starting to slip out of that real."
Draya’s eyes widen slightly. "Then… if left alone, could they fall?"
Alix hums in thought. "Not quite. They’re anchored by powerful magic."
Alix folds his arms as he studies the massive floating fortresses. Just like the smaller floating islands that hover above the city, these don’t really have any reason to float. They just do. Back in the game, it was just how things worked—no explanation needed. And now, even in this world, the same logic applies.
"They are quite a view to look at, Your Majesty," Draya says, her gaze lingering on the illuminated structures above.
Alix nods. "You’re right."
The sight of the floating fortresses doesn’t bother him. He knows only the Five Marshal can truly control them, and with those seats currently empty, the islands have simply drifted into the open. It doesn’t change anything for him. Compared to the vastness of his capital city, they’re just another part of the skyline. In a way, they even add to the city’s grandeur.
----
The Next Day
Sorin takes the lead, marching at the front of the convoy as they travel toward the capital. The soldiers under her command move in disciplined formation, but the real energy comes from the three at her side—Nyssara, Thurn, and Veltha.
The three have been nonstop in their excitement, their voices carrying over the ranks as they eagerly recount their first impressions of the capital.
"It’s enormous," Nyssara exclaims, gesturing dramatically. "You could walk from sunrise to sunset and still not see everything!"
"And the districts!" Thurn adds. "Each one is practically a city of its own. Just crossing from one to another takes hours!"
Veltha, not one to be left out, grins. "And the floating islands! Massive things just hovering over the city. The most powerful subordinates of His Majesty live there."