The Lords are no strangers to the King’s tactics. They are all well aware of the upcoming charade. The King, feigning drunkenness, will urge them to part with their wealth, promising them gains in return. Unfortunately, this is far from the first time this has happened. It appears that the King of Glenton is more interested in sailing than maintaining his honor or dignity. He is constantly launching fleets to the east in search of treasures, almost as if it’s an addiction. The lords lost faith in him long ago. However, their King’s devotion to the almighty Oscye, father of Seas, has finally paid off. The Sea Giant fleet has discovered a new land far to the east, beyond the treacherous Burning Sea.

The beasts loom larger than anything the Lords have ever seen, and some are entirely new. The air is parched, and the ground is mainly composed of dirt and sand. Although it may appear to be an ideal habitat for humans, they stumbled upon a treasure that would surpass even the most jaded lord’s wildest dreams. The discovery they brought back has transformed everything. With proof in hand, the Lords are clamoring to join the next voyage. Possessing these never-before-seen creatures has become an obsession, and they are eager to learn how to train and harness their power. The Lords now view the funding as more of a wise investment in their kingdom’s future.

In the council hall, a solitary wall stood, flanked by only two pillars on the remaining three sides.

“Praise be to Oscye, the Father of Seas! After countless perilous nights, the Sea Giants have brought us a wondrous discovery and boundless riches for the future,” declared the King, his voice ringing out with solemnity as he gazed at his courtiers. He paused, then lowered his head and murmured, “To our brave sailors,” before lifting his hand to his chest and drinking from the wine goblet he held in the other.

“To our brave sailors!” echoed the assembly in unison.

The king lifted his head and scanned the room, his gaze lingering on his courtiers and lords. “I’m sure you’ve all heard the news,” he began, his voice soft but commanding. “But who among you is with me? Who wants more?” His question was more a statement of intent than a query.

“Who among you is willing to join the Sea Giants on their next voyage?” The king’s tone brooked no dissent.

For a moment, the room fell silent. The suddenness of the king’s request had caught the lords off guard, and they were momentarily stunned. Perhaps they had become accustomed to reluctantly complying with his wishes.

A lord in the corner raised his cup and toasted, his single arm lifted high in the air. A wrinkled smile revealed a glimmer of gold from his tooth. “Segris is always ready to be dispatched!” he declared.

“Gahn pledges his full support,” a gray-haired man shouted from across the room.

“The fleets in the Cliff Bay are standing by!” added another lord.

Suddenly, a chorus of voices erupted, each lord eager to express their willingness to join the upcoming voyage. The king watched in silence as the room filled with excitement, and the usual whispering among the courtiers ceased.

“My King, I will always follow you, but we must consider the potential consequences of bringing back this discovery. Our Allies may not react kindly to it,” the young lord spoke with a humble tone, keeping his head down until he finished expressing his opinion.

The king looked at the young lord and offered a reassuring smile. “They do not need to know,” he said confidently.

“But with all due respect, Your Highness, I do not think we can keep this a secret forever,” the young lord replied.

The king continued to gaze at the young lord, his expression conveying a sense of relief at having someone in his court who was willing to speak truthfully.

“Forgive me, my King, but I fear this discovery may not be worth the risk of losing our allies,” the young lord spoke with a tone of trepidation, causing many of the courtiers to hold their breath.

“We no longer require allies.” The king spoke with a mixture of contempt and anger when mentioning his former allies, casting a scathing glance around the room.

He recounted the multiple times Iron Spines was attacked by the plague troops of Gauntmort, and the complete absence of allies to aid them. He expressed his fury at the destruction wrought by Piranga in the villages of Jaws, and the lack of any assistance from their supposed allies.

For centuries, the cunning Zorgs had plagued the villages along the Glenton border. The king seethed with frustration as he recounted the lack of support from their allies, leading to the slow and agonizing deaths of their warriors. Drent Island had fallen to pirates, Corin Bay, the Northwest Valley, and Iron harbor were all ravaged, yet their allies were nowhere to be found.

The king’s temper boiled close to the surface, his pacing and growling conveying his utter exasperation. Finally, he fixed his gaze on the young lord and declared firmly, “We are on our own now.”

The Glentons responded with their age-old warning, “May the dead follow the wind and go on forever!”

The king raised his glass of wine, the sea breeze fanning the flames in the basin as he lowered his head and whispered, “May the dead follow the wind and go on forever.” With a resounding shout, he proclaimed, “We sail tonight!”

The fires along the coastline flickered in the distance. The council hall erupted with shouts, but the soldiers on duty did not turn back. They understood that this was a call to duty, a matter of life and death. The Glentons revered the sea, and tonight they embarked on a journey to explore its secrets. The decision made tonight would be a turning point in their destiny, recorded for posterity. The winners of this deal, like all deals, would be short-sighted, but that did not matter. What mattered was that they were winners.