The Monster King's Legacy

Chapter 96 Final Proposal

He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping across them.

"You claim to be wise. You claim to guide our people. Yet for thousands of years, what have you done? We cling to an illusion of superiority, while the world moves forward without us. This nation, our race, we've been stagnant for centuries. While the world progresses, we remain the same."

Some of the elders stiffened. Others glared at him, as silence filled the hall.

Then, an elder spoke, his voice heavy with disbelief. "You speak as if we are weak. As if we have not protected our people for generations."

"Protected?" Ithil repeated, his eyes gleaming with a cold light, "or isolated? We build walls and hide behind them, believing that if we simply wait, we will be safe, wasting our gift of long life."

He gestured toward the outside.

"And yet, even now, the world is burning. The Demon Lord's armies march. The balance of power shifts. And what do we do?"

No one spoke. Of course, it was common sense that joined with the other races, but Ithil meant, and was understood, was the fact that the elves could do very little alone and had to join forces with the other races to stand a chance. This was an enemy they had fought before, countless years ago, but somehow, when the enemy reappeared in another form, they still couldn't face it by themselves, even after having more than a thousand year to prepare and improve. After all those years, they still needed to gather themselves to put up a fight.

Ithil exhaled, shaking his head. "What's the use of our long lives if we only amount to this much?"

"I propose a new path." He continued, everyone listening in silence. "Stand with me, and we will ensure that the elven race does not continue as it is."

He let his words sink in.

"Or... Stand against me, and you will be removed." His words didn't come as much as threats, nor anger, just certainty. The choice was theirs.

The silence did not last long as after the first elder spoke, the rest followed. The chamber trembled with tension as the elders shot back at Ithil, their voices rising in anger and disbelief.

"You speak madness!" one of them shouted.

"End this foolishness at once! Ithil!" another demanded.

"Do you think we will stand by while you desecrate our traditions? This is not our way! We won't stand idle either, did you think of that?!"

Their reprimands echoed through the vast hall, but Ithil remained unshaken and calm as he listened to them.

"You still don't understand," he said.

"Enough of this nonsense," an elder snarled, stepping forward. "If you refuse to listen, we will force you to stop!"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathered elders. One of the elders, a middle age looking elf with long silver hair and deep green robes, stepped closer, his face twisted in rage.

Once that phase was done, Ithil turned to the remaining who had not acted, standing frozen in horror.

"And what of you?" he asked, his voice smooth.

"Do you intend to join them?" He asked.

None of them spoke, but their answer was clear, they would not stand against him, but they didn't appear to want to stand with him either.

Ithil nodded softly. "Good," he said. "Then stay out of my way."

...

Elsewhere, while several events took place all around, the goblin settlement, now a fortified stronghold strengthened through battles, stood firm, serving as the main defensive line for the monster alliance as the goblin's were closer to whatever danger that came their way before it reached the other races' settlements. Towers of sharpened stone and reinforced wood lined the perimeter, while trenches filled with sharpened stakes surrounded the base. Fires burned in scattered pits, casting flickering shadows on the monstrous warriors standing guard.

Despite the heavy tension in the air, no demonic forces had made a significant move yet. Even then, the watchmen remained ever-vigilant, scanning the horizons for any sign of an impending attack.

Within the central war tent, several figures sat around a large wooden table, though, only two conducted the entire gathering, Lance and Rusak.

Before them stood a scout, a beastkin with the sharp features of a wolfkind. His breathing was steady despite the long journey he had endured to return to them.

"The results of the search?" Rusak prompted, his voice even.

The scout shook his head. "Nothing, my lord, no trace of the dragon was found."

Lance let out a soft sigh, leaning back in his seat. "Not surprising."

Rusak grunted, his brows furrowing. "Nothing? Not even a clue?"

The scout hesitated a bit before answering. "We searched the expected locations, but found no signs of its presence."

Rusak exhaled in frustration, drumming his fingers on the table, "a dragon as huge as that should not be this hard to find..."

Lance nodded, as though agreeing, though his words didn't mirror that. "Dragons are wise creatures that enjoy their solitude. It most likely took refuge in a high-altitude region, some mountain peak or something. Such places are either inaccessible or beyond our scouting range for now."

Rusak agreed with a nod, finding sense in what Lance said. "So we just wait." He said.

Lance nodded, "that's exactly what we do."

Rusak let out a low growl, clearly dissatisfied, but that was about it. "What else did you find?"