Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 315 Sudden Changes, Mystery Abounds

After the Fal Forest was burned, new construction began.

Wooden houses and stone fortresses rise from the ground, stables and magic springs lean against the cliffs below, tree arches guard the forest's sanctuary, and the forest's holy land is filled with sacred light.

The most striking feature is a towering cliff, over 500 meters high, which acts as a huge barrier, hidden in the mountains and clouds, exuding unparalleled majesty, and no one dares to approach it.

After thousands of years of silence, the dragons reappeared, but at a price that Isildur was unwilling to pay.

A druid with heterochromia stood atop a high cliff, gazing down at the thousands of migrating Walled City dwellers below, and sighed deeply.

She is Hinesara, one of the three guardians of the Elder Council. As an elf, she has an extremely long lifespan and can even remember the story of the founding of Eldon. It is difficult for outsiders to judge her age from her appearance, but her strength is definitely among the best in the Isildur Empire.

As one of the oldest Guardians, she personally participated in the alliance with humans and now leads the war against Eldon. Sinissara is slaughtering her former allies; no one knows what she truly thinks, but the elves believe without a doubt that she acts in the best interests of their people and the Empire.

"World Tree, born from the ancient past, please spread your branches and connect to the other side of the sky, so that I may meet my dearest friend!"

As she chanted loudly, a sapling instantly sprouted from a crack in the cliff rocks, and within a few breaths it grew into a towering tree, its lush leaves forming a mirror.

Through the mirror of the leaves, one can glimpse another realm, with hills rising one after another, stretching endlessly.

Lloyd, the chief of the mangrove tribe, appeared on the other side of the mirror. He first bowed respectfully before beginning to speak.

"Lord Hinesara, the hilly region has been cleared, a week faster than expected. We can launch an attack immediately, striking while the iron is hot and destroying the human defenses!"

Lloyd was surrounded by Red Tree Warriors, who were already eager to fight.

Hinisara shook her head regretfully: "The offensive on the plains will probably have to be put on hold. The Far Forest and the surrounding forest settlements are still under construction and require a lot of resources, so we cannot provide enough troops."

Upon hearing this news, Lloyd's already aged face wrinkled even more: "The situation within the Empire is already so bad, can't it hold out for much longer?"

Hinisara paused for a moment before saying, "The sacred tree is nearing its end, the elves have lost their long lifespan, the forest has become lifeless, blizzards and heat alternate, floods ravage the land, and our home can no longer survive."

The Isildur Empire had endured ten thousand years of history and witnessed all sorts of calamities, yet this time it simply couldn't withstand the onslaught; even the sacred tree, the foundation of the empire, was on the verge of withering. With no other option, the fortress had to advance westward to find a new home for its people.

They didn't want to start a war regardless of the cost, but when faced with survival, war was the only option.

Lloyd remained silent for a long time before asking in a hoarse voice, "Didn't the prophet find out the reason? Why is this natural disaster so severe? This is not a calamity that ordinary nations should have to endure."

Hinesara shook her head: "Without the support of the sacred tree, even the prophets cannot foresee the future. Strange whispers are everywhere in the chaos, and terrifying outer gods are interfering with the fate of the world. No one can point the way."

What is currently known is that the course of the Timber Wars has been completely altered, and the disaster continues to spread. The continent of Aether will be plunged into an unprecedented crisis, and the final habitable area for life may very well shrink to an extremely limited region.

Lloyd took a deep breath: "Is it Elton?"

"No one can predict whether Elton is just a temporary territory, or if it could be reduced to ruins at any time."

"Did the great Prophet of the Sun not issue any divine pronouncements?"

Hinisara remained silent for a long time, then shook her head again.

Lloyd was now truly desperate. Isildur was a hero who had achieved legendary advancement and even connected with gods from another world, yet there was no information about him at all, which indicated the seriousness of the situation.

"However, as natural disasters erode the power of magic and spells, the strength of magic and spells will regroup, and various forces may break through the bottleneck of spell power and regain control of the extraordinary power of ancient times."

Looking at the dragon cliff behind Hinisara and the green dragon soaring into the sky, Lloyd finally found some solace.

The Barriers realized this much earlier and should be far ahead of other forces. If humanity manages to recruit angels, then it will be really difficult to fight them.

"With the current number of troops, I still want to try a surprise attack on the plains. If it succeeds, the situation will be completely different!"

"You are the commander-in-chief at the front, and the military plan will be executed by you. We will send several powerful heroes to help you win."

However, the air elemental master who possessed the extraordinary ability to fly was leaving the hills to return to his country.

This news was worse than the lack of reinforcements. But Lloyd was prepared; after all, the enemy wasn't a hero of the stronghold, and their assistance was only temporary—they would leave sooner or later.

Who would have thought that the key hero who helped the Bastion Army was actually sent by the Cult of the Void?

"The exiled Somra have awakened and are preparing to take action. Their plan to divide Elton is gradually getting on track."

……

On a snow-covered plateau, a large army, hidden in the shadows of nothingness, is advancing southward.

The leader was a monstrous, dark blue creature with its lower body connected to a mysterious bottle. He was surrounded by lightning and possessed boundless power. Even the Tower Legion's troops dared not approach him.

"The snake woman's army has arrived at the edge of the snow mountain, gathering nearly two thousand warriors and equipped with the most elite dragon crystal swords and shields."

"The mage legions and the ironman army are in position, while the gargoyles and great goblins are still guarding the borders as scouts to confuse humans."

"A delegation from the capital is in Winterhold negotiating with members of Congress to discuss the future ownership of the northern territory. Rhodes has also been escorted there to carry out the previously agreed plan."

"Currently, Winterfell is guarded by Knight Commander Conrad. He is dissatisfied with the Congress's decision, believing that we did not contribute to the Battle of Sunset and therefore cannot carry out the occupation as previously agreed. The delegation is arguing its case, but the Elton Congress has secretly informed them that it will definitely facilitate this peace talk."

Somra remained expressionless, not caring much about the talks taking place in Winterfell, because it was all a charade. In order to lull the human commanders into a false sense of security, the Empire had not even informed the envoys who had been sent there.

The North was a piece of meat the Empire had already chosen, and whether humanity liked it or not, it was their prey. As for not contributing to the Battle of the Sunset, that was for sure, because the air elemental master who helped Isildur was a hero sent by the Cult of the Void.

The Arcane Empire certainly didn't want to see Isildur annex the kingdom, but what if it was themselves that were annexing it?
The problems within the fortress are immense and cannot be concealed from the Void Throne, which possesses watchtowers and a level 6 magic guild. Since Isildur is not as powerful as imagined, a huge share of the profits must be distributed, and the North is the first.

If Leven's army does indeed breach Sunset Fortress, the North will remain in their hands, and the eastern front will not proceed so smoothly.

No matter how they fight, it's all under their control.

Has Brukan reached the North?

"Lord Brukan is already waiting at the destination. He traveled from the hills to Ikunak using the portal of time and space, and then through the snow. He also brought enough bottles with him."

Somra was quite satisfied; everything was ready, and they were just waiting for the war to begin.

The circular tower in the capital will provoke a conflict, providing them with a pretext for their advance, and then swiftly flatten the northern border.

The specific measures were carried out by the Void Assassin, who reportedly obtained the information from a hero named Invoker.

Brody, the Northern Defence Commander, was very unhappy with Rhodes' return and believed that Conrad should inherit the title of Duke of the North. He engaged in some underhanded activities at Frostholdt, imprisoning some citizens of the Empire without authorization. He also exerted pressure on the borders, leading troops to raid some shared territories.

In practice, he wanted to serve Conrad and demonstrate the support of the Northern nobles.

Normally, such actions would be perfectly fine, but now the Arcane Empire needed an excuse, and Brody provided one.

In fact, Somra didn't care about these political matters. In his opinion, what's wrong with attacking directly? The strong suppress the weak, do they need a reason?

The Void Throne was clearly more civilized, giving itself a way out.

Although launching a surprise attack while negotiating peace is the most despicable act, victory can cover up everything.

Brody's defenses are easily breached and pose no real threat. The real problem lies with Conrad's cavalry, which, even without the combined might of the entire nation's cavalry at the Battle of Sunset, remains formidable. Somra calls this raid a "ferry in a bottle," and Conrad will certainly be taken aback.

……

The long-silent ancient ruins welcomed a special guest.

He wore a black cloak, carried a strange treasure in his arms, and traversed the muddy land, bypassing the undead structures, until he reached the deepest cave.

Despite the perilous atmosphere along the way, no undead appeared, and he successfully reached the deep tower.

At that moment, the earth roared, and countless skeletons and spirits appeared, surrounding the living beings like a tidal wave.

The undead general charged out of the thick darkness on his warhorse, slashing down with his long sword.

"when!"

With a loud crash, the guest drew his gleaming sword, parried the Death Knight's longsword, and sent the knight flying back several meters.

Upon closer inspection, the Death Knight turned out to be an old acquaintance of Su Mu's, Ullr, except that his eyes were now cloudy and dark, having lost their former brilliance.

"Is this how the Undead Grand Duke treats his guests?"

"You dare to venture into the ruins alone? Do you think that just because you have the blood of Finaxia, I'll spare your life?"

The throne of bones rose from the ground, and the Grand Duke of the Dead, leaning on his skeletal sword, stared intently at the newcomer.

"Are you the heir to the Elton royal family?"

“Gunte Finaxia, the eldest prince of the kingdom, I want to make a deal with you.”

Seeing the incredibly confident eldest prince, the undead duke suddenly stood up, instantly appearing in front of him, his eyes emitting a spell of oblivion.

Gunter wanted to resist, but his mind went blank. He had forgotten his movement techniques and how to counterattack, and was grabbed by the Grand Duke of the Undead.

"You? What right do you have to talk to me about a deal? I might as well skin you alive and swallow you whole, make you one of us, and then we can discuss things!"

Upon hearing the Grand Duke of the Dead speak, the surrounding zombies and skeleton soldiers rushed forward, ready to devour Prince Elton.

Gunter's face turned deathly pale, but he insisted, "Don't you want to get out of this godforsaken place?"

Upon hearing this, the Undead Grand Duke threw Gaunt dozens of meters away, creating a huge crater. Although he lost one of his abilities, Gaunt still possessed the qualities of a hero, so he wouldn't die suddenly.

"What, you brought the beacon tower with you? Perfect, we can use your blood to cast it and lift our curse!"

Gunter took out a treasure from his bosom; it was indeed a beacon tower.

It's unbelievable that royal treasures were obtained so easily; however, the other two are still in Su Mu's hands, and it will probably be difficult to acquire them.

Stuart bent down to pick up the beacon, and Gaunt shouted, "Grand Duke Stuart, you've been fooled by the Artifact of the Deceiver!"
You are not a traitor at all; on the contrary, you were once a pillar of the kingdom and the king's most steadfast ally.

History is just a fog; distant memories are altered, widely circulated, and the truth is thus obscured.

The three beacon towers were simply a promise you made to your dearest friend.

You willingly offer yourself as a sacrifice to suppress the artifact of the fraudsters, caring little for your reputation in posterity.

"Now, it's time to restore your memories, break free of your cage, and vindicate you!"

Hearing Gunter's shouts, the undead seemed to have no reaction, but Stuart stood still, as if recalling ancient memories.

Ullr, standing beside him, was also moved. The Death Knight had once said that he was willing to serve Stuart, and history had not recorded it as it was; it seemed that was indeed the case.

The so-called beacon tower was actually a magical artifact left behind by Stuart to awaken his past memories and free him from his cage. This restriction was a cage he set himself, or rather, a cage woven by the Deceiver's artifact.

Why is this a Tower of Heroes? Because it is the burial place of the kingdom's heroic spirits.

There are three beacon towers, but the most crucial key to the memories is with the royal family. The seal will be broken when the time is right.

Gaunt recruited Sumu in a friendly manner because he possessed two other beacon towers. Once he regained Stuart's memories, he would begin collecting other treasures to completely liberate this undead Grand Duke.

In this way, humanity would have a true ally, a powerful force comparable to Isildur's.

Although this would greatly displease the Church of Light, given the current situation, the royal family could not afford to worry about anything else; their priority was to defeat the enemy, otherwise the country would perish.

Moreover, he had no other choice. Seeing that the second prince was about to replace him, and having learned of this secret, he had no choice but to take the risk, otherwise he had no chance of winning.

Stuart shuddered, snapping out of his reverie, and slowly approached Gaunt.

Watching the Undead Grand Duke regain his memories, Gaunt was incredibly excited. He seemed to see the human prince bravely venturing into the graveyard, summoning heroic spirits to fight, and turning the tide of battle.

In that case, who can compete with him for the throne?

Although doing so is extremely risky, the heir to the kingdom should have the courage to turn the tide in dire straits; only then is he worthy of being king.

He waited with a smile, only to be met with a merciless slash from a heavy sword.

Gunther had no time to defend himself and was swept dozens of meters away. Uller, riding his Nightmare Warhorse, galloped over and plunged a sword of ghostly flame into the eldest prince's head.

Without a single wound, the Ghost Flame Greatsword was completely embedded in the eldest prince's skull, causing excruciating pain.

Gunter aged rapidly, his soul and flesh drained away. He stared at Stuart in disbelief, never understanding why this had happened until his death.

Stuart revealed a wicked smile: "The first law of the Church of Light's Judgment is: Do not believe the words of the dead!"

Haven't you read it?

"Perhaps Stuart was once a loyal subject of the kingdom, but after so many years, who would still uphold a corrupt oath?"

"What a wonderful thing it is to commit fraud!"
The yellowed parchment you saw in the secret room—wasn't that a trap we set for our escape? As for who orchestrated all of this, I'll tell you once you become one of us.

"You're right, the beacon towers are indeed the most important for the royal family. Now that you've personally delivered them, I'll gladly accept them!"

Stuart patted Gaunt's decaying skeleton, and the scattered bones stood upright again, a strange evil eye symbol appearing in the empty eye socket, shining with a red light.

A few breaths later, the eldest prince Gaunt reappeared, but his skin was pale and had lost its former luster.

The undead all looked toward the high hill behind them, where dozens of bone dragons danced gracefully, and a strange eyeball floated in the shadows, gazing at the unknown existence beyond the stars.

"Disaster is resurfacing, fraud is returning, and war is trampling on all living beings."

"Only the strongest heroes can stand firm in chaotic times."

(End of this chapter)