Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Once Canna left, Kael took a deep sigh, staring at the mountain of work on his desk. Managing the sanctuary was no small task, and the most pressing issue at the moment was the compilation of slavery records from the Black Thorn. There was a ton of it.

Kael had to sift through the reports, checking the supply routes they took, which kingdoms they were in cahoots with, who their primary targets were, and where they carried out most of their operations. Stay connected via empire

His plan was simple but effective—send sanctuary warriors to these areas, not only to protect potential targets but to dismantle the remnants of any Black Thorn influence still lurking in the shadows. The Black Thorn might be gone, but their corrupt roots were spread wide, and Kael intended to uproot them completely.

In addition to the pressing issue of slavery records, Kael was also handling a flood of refugees wanting to contribute to the sanctuary.

Hundreds of them had lined up, eager to offer their skills. He had people under him conducting interviews, figuring out the skills these newcomers had. Some were farmers, others craftsmen, and a surprising number of chefs. Pastry makers, in particular, were plentiful, and the sanctuary was considering expanding the dining hall.

Right now, the sanctuary had a massive dining hall, large enough to cover a football field. Anyone could drop by for a meal, and they would be served without question. However, with the number of chefs coming in, there had been a request for a new building to be built—an annex to the existing hall specifically for pastries and bread.

It would be connected directly to the dining hall, a place where bread, cookies, and other desserts could be made fresh and served on demand.

Kael smiled to himself as he went through the budget for this new venture. With the treasury full of gold and new resources flowing in from the Black Thorn's stash, there was more than enough to cover the expansion.

He leaned back in his chair, cracking his knuckles as he refocused on his work. There was still a long day ahead, but Kael thrived in this environment. Ensuring everything ran smoothly wasn't just his job—it was his passion. The sanctuary was growing, and every decision he made played a part in its future.

Meanwhile, in another part of the sanctuary, not everyone shared Kael's sense of duty.

Three men, newly rescued from the Black Thorn, sat in the shade of the trees. They were part of the latest batch of refugees but had been imprisoned by the Black Thorn for reasons far darker than simple enslavement. Scheduled for execution before Canna's forces had swept in to save them, these men had been given a second chance. Unfortunately, they didn't plan on using it for good.

The trio glanced around, admiring the beauty of the sanctuary—the vast, green fields, the towering trees, the crystal-clear rivers. But what caught their eyes more than anything was the abundance of beautiful women walking freely, unaware of the nasty thoughts lurking in the trio's minds.

"Can you believe it?" one of the men sneered. "We were set to be executed, and now we're here... in paradise."

The others chuckled darkly. "Paradise, alright. And no one seems to be watching us either. We could have a little fun."

"Yeah," the third man grinned. "We just need to find a few of the weaker ones—convince them to follow us into the trees. No one will know. Not here. Not with this many people."

They snickered among themselves, convinced that they were free to act without consequences. Their plan was simple—lure some of the vulnerable refugees into the forest, have their fun, and leave no trace.

"Who's gonna stop us?" one of them scoffed. "This place is so big, no one will even notice if a few people go missing for a while."

They had no idea just how wrong they were.

As they finalized their vile plans, Elandra, the Sylphir leader and one of Canna's trusted subordinates, manifested among the trees, her presence hidden and her eyes glowing with fury. She had overheard everything. The trees whispered to her, and the sanctuary itself had alerted her to the evil brewing within the hearts of these men.

Without a sound, Elandra raised her hand, and vines shot out from the ground, wrapping around the trio's legs and arms, hoisting them into the air. The men struggled and cursed, but the vines were too strong. They were carried through the forest, twisting and turning until they were dropped into a secluded clearing, surrounded by thick grass. They nervously looked around, disoriented and panicked.

But the one who had captured them was gone.

"Where are we?" one of the men muttered.

"I don't know... but we have to get out of here."

Before they could attempt an escape, a low snarl echoed through the clearing. They turned in unison, their faces draining of color as they saw the pack of direwolves slowly emerging from the shadows of the trees.

The leader of the pack, Solara, stepped forward, its snarl deep and menacing. The men's knees buckled as they realized what was about to happen. These were no ordinary wolves—they were the guardians of the sanctuary.

They had no weapons, no way to defend themselves. They could only scream as the direwolves closed in, teeth bared, ready to tear them apart.

In their final moments, they realized too late that the sanctuary had been watching them all along. There was no escape for those who brought malice into this sacred place.

This wasn't the first time Elandra had dealt with a bad batch of refugees. There were always a few who thought they could take advantage of the sanctuary's kindness. What they didn't know was that the trees themselves were alive, whispering every secret and every sin to her and Flora.

Those who thought they could escape the sanctuary's gaze always ended up the same way—brought before the direwolves for a fitting and painful end.

And so, the sanctuary remained safe, its people protected from the darkness that still tried to creep in. Elandra stood in the trees, her eyes glowing softly as she listened to the sounds of justice being served. The sanctuary was a place of peace—but for those who threatened that peace, it could become a place of nightmares.