Chapter 602
Rattan was ecstatic. This domain was the perfect representation of his true nature an unwillingness to be on the front lines when he could use his creations and magic to keep his enemies at bay. He could now build new, powerful weapons to strengthen his ogre allies, all while maintaining full control over them to maximize their usage. The Architect domain was his ultimate tool, a physical manifestation of his ambition to control his life and other’s life.
With the ogres now firmly in his corner, Rattan’s focus shifted to the next part of his grand plan. The ogres were the brawn, but he needed more. He needed the ratfolk, his own people, a faction the empire had long discarded yet still found plenty of use for in war. They were a necessary, but ultimately disposable, pawn. Rattan knew that by using his current influence and fame as a hero to bring the ratfolk to his side, he would not only gain valuable allies but also deal another devastating blow to the empire’s ability to wage war.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, the Emperor and Vellok were not faring well. The demons, led by the enigmatic Lord Zarvok, were making alarming advancements. Their progress was directly proportional to the empire’s internal strife. The more the ogres defied orders and fought amongst themselves, the faster the demonic legions marched.
The Emperor and Vellok watched their carefully crafted plans unravel. Their initial strategy—to send all their remaining sixth-tier mages to a single point of attack—now looked bleak with each passing day. The very foundation of their power was crumbling, and the internal conflict they had hoped to manage was now a far greater threat than the enemy at their gates.
Despite all that had happened, the Emperor and Vellok still couldn’t comprehend how Kaelen, even after his fall from grace, had managed to regain his footing so completely. They were forced to face their own hubris. For centuries, they had seen his power and ambition firsthand, yet they had still somehow managed to underestimate him.
The plan they had meticulously crafted to defeat the demon lord without him now lay in tatters. A crucial aspect they needed to win the war—the unified narrative and morale of the army—was now completely under Kaelen’s control. In just a few short weeks, he had done what they could not, bending the soldiers’ loyalty to his will.
Whether they liked it or not, they were now forced to inform him of their plans and seek his help. The very brother they had planned to discard was now the only piece that could save them from their own crumbling empire.
The Emperor and Vellok stood before the massive war map, its glowing lines now a chaotic mess of red and blue. The silence between them was heavy with the weight of their failure. Their carefully laid plans lay in tatters, a direct result of their own arrogance. The man they had sought to eliminate was now the only one who could save them.
"We have no choice," the Emperor finally said, his voice a low rumble. "We must invite him."
Vellok’s expression was grim. "He won’t come without a show of respect, brother. He knows the position he holds. A simple summons will be seen as an insult."