Middle-Earth: Kaen, Lord of Light

By the time the battlefield was fully cleared, dawn had already broken on the next day.

This battle…

Of the 1,000 defenders, over 600 survived.

Caden, who had led his 200 fresh recruits to block the city gate, was left with only 100 men after accounting for the wounded.

Kaen Eowenríel's 300 recruits had clashed head-on with the elite warg-riding orcs. After the brutal encounter, just 150 remained fit for duty.

Of the 514 regular soldiers, only 250 were left. Nearly half had perished—a loss that made Kaen's heart ache.

In contrast stood King Elrond's elven army.

Every one of his infantrymen was a seasoned elite, and the two hundred elven cavalry were top-tier warriors.

Their losses were minimal: over thirty elven foot soldiers had fallen, but not a single cavalryman had died.

Kaen couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. When… when will I have such an army at my command?

….

Meanwhile, amidst the remains of the battlefield, they discovered the body of Commander Barton. His torso had been torn in half by the jaws of a dire warg, but his dagger was still lodged deep in the beast's eye. Clearly, it had been a desperate last stand—one that had taken both lives in a single stroke.

With Brill's forces shattered, Kaen now held undisputed control over Azure Spring Town.

….

Inside the keep.

Brie had awoken and now led a group of soldiers to present Kaen with chest after chest of treasure.

"My lord," he said, bowing deeply, "this is the wealth accumulated by our family over generations—fifty thousand gold coins in total. You are now the true master of Azure Spring Town. I ask you to accept these as a tribute."

Kaen was clearly tempted by the glittering trove, but he was not a man easily swayed by greed.

After a thoughtful pause, he said:

"What I'm about to do next will indeed require a great deal of money. I fully understand your gesture, and I'm grateful… but I can't accept all of it."

"We have soldiers who died last night. Brave men who stood in defense of the town. Civilians who fought on the walls. And elven warriors who perished in our aid. They deserve compensation."

"I propose we give five gold coins to the family of every fallen human soldier as a death gratuity."

"As for the elves, their compensation is not ours to decide—but I would like to offer three thousand gold coins as a token of gratitude."

"These two amounts total five thousand gold. That leaves forty-five thousand. I will take thirty thousand for what lies ahead. The remaining fifteen thousand I leave in your care."

"You are now the mayor of this town. From this day forward, there will be no 'lord'—only a leader who serves the people. And that leader is you."

Brie stood there, stunned.

To him, all that was within the domain should belong solely to the lord.

Now that Kaen had taken control of Azure Spring, this entire fortune ought to be his personal property. Yet Kaen was entrusting such a vast sum to him—this was beyond anything Brie had imagined.

Seeing the confusion on his face, Kaen smiled and explained:

"We take from the people only to return it to them. I need you to use these funds to bring prosperity to Azure Spring. So long as the people thrive in peace and wealth, there will always be an endless stream of fortune."

"Take from the people… and give back to the people…"

Brie repeated softly, as though he had just grasped a profound truth. He bowed deeply and solemnly declared, "I will not fail you, my lord. I will make Azure Spring flourish."

"I look forward to it," Kaen replied with a smile. "If this place becomes a town, you'll be its mayor. If it becomes a city… then you'll be its governor."

….

News of Brill's death and Kaen's takeover spread quickly among the townsfolk.

At first, the people were largely opposed to their new lord. The residents of Azure Spring had lived under this family for generations, and the idea of a foreign ruler stirred deep resentment.

But with Brie stepping in as mayor…

With Kaen distributing compensation to the bereaved…

With one thoughtful act after another…

The voices of opposition gradually faded.

Stories of Kaen's valor and kindness began circulating throughout the town. As people came to know his character, their hearts filled with respect.

….

On the third day after the battle, reconstruction efforts began across Azure Spring Town.

During this time, both King Elrond and Gandalf had remained as silent observers, watching closely as Kaen issued a slew of new policies:

-> Generous compensation for the families of fallen soldiers.

->Tax exemptions for the households of heroes.

->Financial incentives for childbirth to restore the population.

These edicts left both the ancient elf-lord and the wise wizard astonished.

Kaen was willing to reach into his own pocket to support everyone.

They knew all too well—lords usually saw loyalty and service from their people as a given, something to be expected without reward.

But the more they observed, the more they understood:

Kaen had no interest in immediate, petty gains. His eyes were fixed far ahead, on a future most men couldn't even see.

"He is a king like no other. Unlike the rulers of old, he places his people above all else. Aside from a love of battle, the man has no flaws."

—Gandalf's judgment of Kaen.

Elrond couldn't have agreed more.

Three days later, after a period of rest, he led his troops on the road back to Rivendell.

Before parting ways, he said to Kaen,

"Though I've lived longer than you can imagine and seen more than you ever will… wisdom is something one is born with."

"You are… extraordinary. As I said before, should you ever need my aid, come to Rivendell. I would gladly serve you."

Kaen bowed deeply in return.

"I will need your help. Soon, I shall come to Rivendell myself."

….

The name Kaen Eowenríel spread quickly across the banks of the Silver Spring River, carried on the wings of birds and the songs of grateful people.

Small villages that had heard of the great battle came seeking Kaen's protection.

Oddly enough, though war had ravaged the land, the town's population had not diminished—it had grown. Azure Spring now had over five thousand residents.

Brie seized the opportunity to recruit and form a new town guard: a 300-man defense force.

Kaen, meanwhile, struck contracts with several key merchants:

The slaver Balord agreed to sell all healthy, strong slaves directly to Kaen.

-> Lady Tifa, a weapons merchant, would provide him with:

-> 300 sets of spearman equipment

-> 100 sets for archers

-> 50 suits for heavy infantry

-> 50 sets for light cavalry

He also made large-scale purchases of grain and construction materials from other merchants.

Azure Spring Town was finally on the right track. It was time for Kaen to leave.

His next destination: the abandoned village near the edge of the Troll-woods.

There, he would begin its reconstruction, turning it into his western stronghold.

There, he would raise his army.

And then… he would initiate the second phase of his grand plan—the purification of the Troll-woods.