NOVGO.NET Chapter 524: The Tribes in the Heights are gathering against us.
Chapter 524: The Tribes in the Heights are gathering against us.
Just as more and more people began to gather, suddenly, the crowd shifted, not because of an announcement—
But because of one man.
A path opened through the mass of people as someone walked forward without apologizing for the space he took.
Draksis Velmourn.
Yes, he was here as well.
The former Elder of the Iron Council.
The former Elder who lost his right hand in a way that even the Sky Kingdom Healers—who had been healing many Velmourns tirelessly—shook their heads, stating the injury was too deep for them to heal with their ability.
By now, every Velmourn knew something had happened during the Iron Council, something due to which Elder Draksis was in the condition he was right now.
They knew there were tensions but…
No matter how much they tried, no information was leaked. Neither Draksis nor the other members of the Iron Council said anything regarding the matter.
At a glance, it seemed like a good thing—
Even if there was a disagreement between the two sides, it seemed mature to not make it open to the general public.
However, seeing Draksis’s sharp gaze as he stared at the Council Elders, people understood it. This was… far from over.
Heck, this might lead to another situation today itself.
The Council Elders noticed Draksis immediately as well, their attention snapped to him. For a moment, the murmurs of the crowd thinned. Aelindra’s lips pressed together, Tarevian’s expression tightened, Nymeris’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Korvath’s gaze hardened.
Draksis stopped near the front, then he looked up at the platform, staring back at the Elders who were looking at him.
No words were exchanged, but the message was clear.
Draksis had not forgotten.
Not even a little.
“He… he might cause a problem today…”
Tarevian muttered as he leaned slightly toward Korvath.
“Should we… do something about him?”
He asked with an awkward look on his face. After all, what he was offering was hardly the ’right thing,’ but it seemed like a necessity.
Korvath, however, shook his head.
“He is a Velmourn,”
He spoke.
“He has every right to be here.”
“He does, but…”
Tarevian didn’t know what to say.
“He might try to influence people.
His presence is… threatening.”
Aelindra spoke directly, but once again, Korvath shook his head.
“He would do that regardless, so unless you plan to take a… permanent action, I suggest you stay silent.”
At those words, the Elders backed down. They obviously weren’t thinking about that, not when Draksis hadn’t even done anything yet.
As for what he might do today… only time had the answer to that question.
Just as the crowd was observing and murmuring about the gaze the Council Elders and Draksis exchanged, more shifting ripples moved through the crowd. This time, however, these ripples were softer because this time—
The figure who appeared wasn’t… as controversial as Draksis, but she was definitely someone who attracted attention.
Vanda Velmourn.
The woman known as Dragon God Kael’s most loyal follower. The woman who truly, wholeheartedly believed Lord Kael was a God who had descended to save them.
The woman who—ever since it was installed—never left the Faith Tree, even in this cold, even when snow buried the streets, even when others went home and warmed their hands by fire.
The sole woman whose presence alone brought Kael far more followers since her actions motivated quite a few.
And now, as the Velmourn were summoned, she was here as well.
Her cheeks were red from the cold, her hair was tucked into her hood. Her hands looked rough, like she had been praying with them more than she had been resting.
Yet her eyes…
Her eyes burned with devotion.
Many people came to her, addressing her respectfully, some even bowing their heads as they talked to her. Vandra smiled at them and talked politely.
“Here she is…”
Nymeris muttered, looking at her. Clearly, Vandra was no longer just an ordinary Velmourn—she had become someone even the Council Elders paid attention to.
“Her presence today might help us…”
Tarevian spoke in a low voice. Even he felt strange saying those words; after all, ever since Vandra’s presence became known… it only made him feel more… uncomfortable.
While the Council Elders talked about her, Vandra continued talking to people who approached her with smiles, then she insisted they remain silent.
After all, she too was waiting.
Waiting for her God to make an appearance.
And her God did not make her wait for long either. Just a few minutes later, by the time the square was filled until there was barely room to move—
He appeared.
Walking forward with calm steps, as if he didn’t feel ten thousand eyes weighing on him. Beside him was Lavinia. Her posture was straight, her expression remained in control—much, much different from the Lavinia people saw two days ago when Kael hadn’t returned from the Wilds.
The two didn’t wear a crown; they didn’t have a symbol of absolute authority, but just from their presence alone, the crowd reacted—much more strongly compared to Draksis’s or Vandra’s entry—especially to Kael’s presence.
Some faces lit up with relief when he appeared, some hardened with suspicion.
Some looked at him like he was the only reason they were alive, and some—like Draksis…
They looked at him like he was the reason their world was changing.
Vandra’s gaze locked onto him instantly, and her expression softened into something almost worshipful, like she was seeing sunrise after a long winter.
Draksis’s eyes narrowed, his stare was far, far colder.
And Kael—
He didn’t react strongly to any of them. He nodded at Vandra, acknowledging her presence, and ignored Draksis as he walked past him and moved toward the rest of the Council Elders and began exchanging greetings with them.
Once everyone was here—
The final presence arrived.
This time, the murmurs died down completely, similar to how it happened when Kael and Lavinia made an appearance.
And as the woman stepped onto the platform, standing a few steps farther from the rest of the Council Members, the people bowed, their eyes filled with respect.
“Matriarch.”
Korvath greeted respectfully. Morvain nodded at him and finally, the Matriarch turned toward the crowd.
For a moment, she didn’t speak.
She didn’t raise her hands, she didn’t make a grand gesture, she simply looked out at her people.
At the tens of thousands gathered here in the cold. The old, the children, the crippled. For a moment, her gaze stayed on Draksis as she too wondered what he might do today but then—
She momentarily closed her eyes, letting go of all the thoughts that held her back, and finally, with a much clearer gaze, she glanced at the crowd again and—
“I thank you for gathering here today on such a short notice, especially in this weather.”
She began.
Her eyes swept across the square—across the sea of fur hoods, scarred faces, tired mothers, and their children.
They were waiting; she could see it, and she did not make them wait any longer.
“I know you are tired, I know many of you wanted to stay inside a little longer and have a much-deserved rest but…
I called you here because you deserve truth.”
She spoke, her gaze moving through the crowd as if she was staring at each one of them individually.
And finally—
“The Tribes in the Heights are gathering against us.”
Morvain revealed the truth.
The truth that landed like a rock thrown into still water. People shifted, heads turned and… murmurs began.
Morvain then raised her hand, silencing the crowd, and the crowd did.
“The Stormcallers lead them.”
She spoke, then her gaze hardened and—
“And keep this in mind,
They are not doing this to scare us.
They are not doing this to raid our outer stores and run away like they always have.
They are gathering for one final attack.”
“Their goal is not to weaken us.
Their goal…
Is to wipe us out.”
Morvain declared, and even the Elders—who had argued in the Council and knew about this—felt a flinch in their bodies when they heard those words.
And just then—
Murmurs began.
Some were terrified, some were angry, some were prepared to fight back. All these were valid reactions—reactions that Morvain wanted to see—
But some…
Some were in denial, not believing what they were hearing. Their fear had consumed them so strongly that they began questioning their Matriarch, and Morvain—
She could not allow it.
“And I do not say this without strong evidence.”
She began, instantly countering those who stood against her for a moment. The Elders behind her shifted at that comment. Aelindra blinked, Nymeris narrowed her eyes, Tarevian looked startled.
And Morvain—she ignored them all and continued—
“We found food. Food in quantities that no mountain tribe can gather in winter.
Fresh grain.
Meat.
Fruits and vegetables.
Enough to feed our people for months.”
People exchanged glances at those words and Morvain—
“That food is not for survival,”
She added.
“It is for bribery.
It is to pull tribes together with full bellies, false gratitude and…
Put them against us.”
Source: .com, updated by novlove.com