Middle-Earth: Kaen, Lord of Light

Brie let out a sigh. "I still don't know how my father died. Maybe it has something to do with Brill, but I can't think of why he'd kill Father. After all, he was the rightful heir to the lordship."

When Brie finished speaking, everyone present exchanged uneasy glances.

Balord stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps… your father intended to pass the title on to you?"

Brie shook his head. "No. From beginning to end, my father always designated Brill as the heir."

Tifa frowned. "Then it's strange. Could Brill have been possessed by some dark spirit? I can't think of anything else that could cause such a drastic change in someone."

Kaen glanced at Gandalf, only to find the wizard had, at some point, pulled out his pipe again. He was puffing on it calmly, smoke curling in the air, his eyes reflecting some unfathomable emotion.

….

At the same time, within the Lord's Castle—

Brill hurled his goblet to the ground with a crash, his voice seething with fury.

"Damn it! What's wrong with these Orcs? Why would they attack me out of nowhere?!"

"Gather the troops at once! Sound the Lord's Howl and call everyone to man the walls!"

"Where is Barton? Have him lead two hundred soldiers to command the defense. Tell them I'm occupied and unable to direct the battle myself!"

"Yes, my Lord!" the servant responded, then quickly retreated.

A fierce gleam lit Brill's eyes.

From the shadowed recess behind him, a cloaked figure emerged slowly. Draped in black, the figure's bony, pallid hand came to rest on Brill's shoulder.

A raspy voice hissed, "We can't delay any longer. The sacrificial rite is ready. We must embrace the power of the Dark God!"

….

"Woooo—"

"Woooo—"

"Woooo—"

Howls split the air over Azure Spring Town.

Mounted soldiers galloped through the streets and alleyways, shouting loudly:

"Enemies are upon us! All able-bodied men, report to the castle for arms! Defend the walls!"

"Enemies are upon us!"

"It's true! Orcs are actually attacking!"

"The wizard was right!"

"Move it! Elders, women, and children, take shelter! If you've got guts, grab a weapon and stand with me!"

"The darkness is coming. No one will be spared..."

Panic rippled through the town like wildfire.

The town gates slammed shut. No one was allowed in or out. Administrators began organizing the able-bodied men, directing them toward the castle to receive weapons.

In Middle-earth, much like in the medieval age, if a fief came under threat, the lord had the right to conscript every able-bodied male into battle.

No one questioned it. Few protested. Most volunteered without hesitation.

Because everyone knew—if the town fell, death awaited them.

Especially with Orcs.

The Orc race knew no reproductive boundaries. Even with the existence of female Orcs, they would still kidnap females of other races to Breed and increase their numbers.

Warg-Orcs, Plains-Orcs, Beast-Orcs... all these were the result of crossBreeding between Orcs and other species.

Which meant that when Orcs attacked, even women took up arms.

Because if the defenders lost, the ones who suffered the most wouldn't be the men—it would be the women.

Kaen calmly observed the escalating chaos in the streets, then issued instructions in a measured tone.

"Lord Balord, please release the Lord's Guard and all healthy, strong slaves."

"Lady Tifa, please bring the weapons and armor. Will shall give you the gold for them."

….

Over five hundred slaves were gathered by Balord into the slave market square.

Kaen stood upon the central platform, surveying the crowd.

His voice rang out clear and commanding:

"I am Kaen Eowenríel. Not long ago, I spent over a thousand gold coins to purchase every one of you."

"Not just you standing here today, but every single slave in this market."

"From this day forward, I own all of you. You are now my property. You will serve me. Fight for me. Die for me."

Every slave—inside the cages or out—focused their eyes on Kaen.

Some looked surprised. Others doubtful. Many eyes were hollow, lifeless. Dead.

Whispers spread among them—remarks about how young Kaen looked, how absurdly wealthy he must be.

Inside the wooden huts, the female slaves peered through cracks and windows, breathing a subtle sigh of relief.

If this handsome young man had bought them, it might not be so bad.

After all, compared to those greasy, ugly buyers from before, Kaen's very presence was almost reassuring.

Kaen's gaze swept across every visible face, calm yet commanding. No one dared to meet his eyes.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

"You are all slaves. But I do not like the concept of slavery. So today, I offer you a chance to change your fate."

"Kneel. Swear fealty to me—and I shall use my rights as your master to grant you the status of free men."

"From this moment on, you will be my people. My soldiers."

"So now, kneel before me. Swear your allegiance."

The slaves erupted into murmurs and exclamations. None of them had expected such a thing to happen to them.

Aside from Caden and Will, even Balord and Tifa were stunned. Even Gandalf looked surprised.

They hadn't expected Kaen to pardon the slaves.

In Middle-earth, slavery existed among every race except the Elves.

Balord frowned in confusion. "Lord Kaen, are you saying...?"

Tifa's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Kaen spoke calmly. "I have no qualms with purchasing slaves or with their existence elsewhere. But I will not own them. To me, all beings are equal."

The others were left momentarily speechless.

Because behind that simple declaration lay a far greater conviction.

Among the crowd, someone finally reacted. A man dropped to one knee and shouted, "I swear eternal loyalty to my lord!"

The rest followed suit, one after another. The square rang with their voices, pledging fealty.

Kaen nodded solemnly in return.

"From this day on, your days as slaves are over. As long as I live, and as long as you remain loyal, you shall remain free men—under my protection."

With every voice now pledged to him, Kaen fell into brief contemplation.

He had enough armor and gear to equip 300 men.

With the weapons Will had purchased over the past few days, he could arm another hundred or so—barely enough for 400 in total.

That still left over 100 unarmed.

After a moment, he issued his orders.

"Caden, distribute the weapons Will procured to arm another hundred. Then take one hundred more and head to the castle to collect whatever weapons are being handed out."

"If the castle's giving out free gear, we'd be fools not to take it. Have your two hundred blend in with the city guard."

Caden nodded. "As you command, my lord."

"Will, distribute the arms that Lady Tifa brought. Make sure every armed man eats and drinks his fill. Once the battle begins, we strike at the castle."

Will replied at once, "Yes, my lord."

"Lord Balord, it's better if your men don't participate in the fighting. Stay here and ensure Lady Tifa's safety."

Balord hesitated, then finally said, "Very well. But if you need me, don't hesitate to ask."

"Lady Tifa, you—"

Before he could finish, Tifa cut in with a confident smile, "I have my own guards. Don't worry about me. Go handle what you need to."