Chapter 773: The Alliance of Justice
The mist dissipated, the night sky faded, and in the distance, the mountains began to glow with the first light of dawn. A crimson sun rose slowly, painting the mountain ridges in gold and casting a thousand beams of light across the Earth.
The majestic Sacred Tree stood broken and scarred—riddled with wounds and gaps—but it had regained its former sacred purity, resembling a severely wounded angel fallen from heaven.
“We… have won,” Catherine said, surveying the ruined remains of once-glorious kingdoms. Now, only rubble remained, strewn with the corpses of humans, dwarves, and elves. The Abyssal monsters had been cleansed by Moonlight Purification, vanished without a trace.
Seeing the elf corpses, Catherine’s initial joy turned to sorrow. The elves, a race of long lifespans and innate magical talent, had always been few in number—no more than three hundred thousand across all of Serrynia. Now, tens of thousands had perished. The foundation of Serrynia had been shaken. Recovery would take generations.
They had indeed won.
But it was a hard-won victory.
Though Catherine had prepared herself mentally, she had not anticipated such devastation. Thousands of elves dead, countless warriors from other lands lost in the battle.
Yet soon, she looked up at the rising sun, her silver eyes gleaming with renewed resolve. “A new era is dawning,” she declared. “I will lead my people toward a bright future.”
Priests moved among the wounded, healing their wounds. People leaned on one another, their eyes drawn instinctively to the leaders at the center of the battlefield.
Catherine raised her staff. Silver light poured down upon the Earth, mending injuries, restoring strength. With each step she took, branches from the Sacred Tree rose beneath her feet, lifting her high into the air.
She turned to the cheering crowd and spoke clearly, her voice carrying like a bell:
“Children of Shahanini…”
Her words silenced the artisans clearing debris, halted the silver-armored guards binding wounds.
“We have won.”
Her voice was firm, steady—like a warm breeze through a storm.
“Through our unyielding struggle, the Spider Queen and her vile minions have been driven from the Material Plane. Serrynia now lies once more beneath the silver light of the moon. It has been reborn—a kingdom of freedom, justice, and the eternal pursuit of righteousness!”
“But… remember this,” she added, turning away, her gaze lowered, her tone softening.
The silver leaves and branches of the Sacred Tree glowed faintly, illuminating a phantom image behind her—a mosaic of memories, pieced together from the fallen.
An elven ranger burning like a silver torch upon a spiderweb.
A human Holy Knight plunging his sacred sword into the compound eyes of a demon spider, using his last breath.
A dwarf explosives expert embracing a barrel of dynamite, leaping into the spider’s hatching pool.
“In this war,” she continued, “countless comrades who fought for justice made the ultimate sacrifice—giving their lives so we might win.
Tonight, as you drink, feast, and celebrate through the night—do not forget their price. Do not forget the names etched in our hearts.”
A wave of quiet sobbing rippled through the crowd. Catherine lifted her head. Her voice rose once more, bold and triumphant.
“Let this day be etched in our memory! This was a sacred coup. A glorious war. A defining moment for the future of the Silver Moon Elves!”
Suddenly, a Silver Moon Elf raised her longbow high and cried out:
“Long live Serrynia! Justice forever!”
“Long live Serrynia!”
“Long live Her Majesty Catherine!”
The cheers surged like a tidal wave, spreading across the battlefield, echoing through the ruins. Soldiers from every race—dwarves, humans, elves—now stood together as brothers, united in joy, celebrating a rare and hard-earned victory.
“Long live Serrynia!”
Titus stepped forward, smiling at the jubilant throng. “My friends, we have achieved glory. Under Queen Shahanini’s protection, the Spider Queen will never again dare to cross into the Material Plane.”
The ancient gold dragon paused, his expression turning solemn. “But… Feanso is far from peaceful. In truth, it teems with hidden danger.”
“After the fall of the Fadalan Empire, countless powers have stirred in the darkness—hungering for conquest, seeking plunder. Some have already revealed their bloodstained fangs. Take the Red Dragon in the North, for instance.”
“Titus is right,” Mellisandra said gravely. “Our Lute Players’ Alliance has been watching. The situation is dire.”
Zhen chuckled, stroking his beard. “Then let us forge an alliance—just as the High Mountain Kingdom and Serrynia once did. Let us stand together against the forces of evil.”
Catherine nodded gently, smiling. “Serrynia has only just endured a catastrophe. We are rebuilding from ruins. We need your help.”
Ria nodded firmly. “We will never forget your aid in our hour of need. We will give our all to defend you from evil’s invasion.”
Emerson added, “If we are to be an alliance, we must have a name.”
Titus gazed at the rising sun and smiled. “Since we gather here to resist darkness, to seek light, to battle the dark deities from the Abyss and shatter the clouds above the sky—why not name this alliance Dawnbreak?”
“Excellent.”
“Perfect name.”
The ancient gold dragon raised his scepter. A beam of light pierced through the lingering clouds, and in the sky above, the emblem of the rising sun—crimson and radiant—appeared. The crowd nodded in approval.
“Dawnbreak will unite Serrynia, the High Mountain Kingdom, the Lute Players’ Alliance, the Arcane Hermitage, and other powers dedicated to justice. We will stand on the front lines, defending against the Bottomless Abyss, Baator Hell, and any evil force that dares to invade. If one member is attacked, all will come to its aid.”
“Of course,” Emerson added, “this is still only a vision—a rough outline. Much remains to be refined.”
“The alliance must have a central leader,” he continued. “Someone to coordinate internal affairs and provide guidance.”
All eyes turned to Catherine. Her strength and leadership in the war were undeniable. Serrynia was powerful, its roots deep. She was the natural choice.
Sensing their gaze, Catherine smiled and shook her head. “The Council of Elders is shattered. Serrynia is in chaos. I cannot spare the time to manage an alliance.”
“Besides,” she said, “as Queen of the elves, I may be biased when it comes to matters of the Elvenwood Forest. We need someone impartial, someone respected by all.”
Her gaze shifted to the ancient gold dragon standing nearby—filled with admiration, trust.
To her, this ally had risked everything to save Serrynia. He had fought dozens of Abyssal Drakes, sacrificed himself without hesitation. His deeds were unmatched.
Zhen laughed heartily and turned to his old comrade. “I propose Titus as the leader of Dawnbreak. He once saved the High Mountain Kingdom—preserved our shield-dwarves’ last fire.”
Ria nodded. “Titus is highly respected. He upholds justice, destroys evil, and tirelessly defends the innocent. He is the right man for the role.”
Emerson added, “And he belongs to no single faction. He can mediate, balance, and lead with fairness.”
Mellisandra said nothing—but her nod spoke volumes. Her alliance had long studied the ancient gold dragon.
Records showed that Titus had fought relentlessly against the Bottomless Abyss, the Five-Colored Sinister Dragons, and the Ashen Empire for centuries. His principles aligned perfectly with the Lute Players’.
Internal research suggested he might be an ancient being sealed away for millennia—or a being from another Crystal Wall realm.
In short: a trustworthy ally.
Catherine spoke plainly: “If you need me, I will send my most elite Silver Moon Followers—my loyal knights—for justice.”
Zhen waved his hand. “The High Mountain Kingdom’s Sheep-Goat Heavy Cavalry stands ready at your command.”
Emerson nodded. “The Great Sage Lord Talafelan Luo of the Arcane Hermitage has already sent word through magic. The Hermitage pledges full support.”
Titus stepped forward, his voice strong and clear. “Thank you for your trust. I accept.”
“I will give everything to protect Dawnbreak. To defend justice across Feanso. I believe—though darkness may linger for a time, light and peace will eventually claim the continent. Yes, even the multiverse.”
“Justice is not just a dream. It is a path. One we walk together, step by step, until every soul finds dignity and hope.”
With a mighty roar, the ancient gold dragon spread his wings—golden scales gleaming in the morning light. He soared into the sky.
“Titus, my lord!”
“Truly the Wings of Dawn!”
Below, the allied soldiers gazed upward. The dragon’s scales shimmered like molten gold, as if wrapped in a radiant cloak of sunlight.
“Justice lives forever!”
“Long live Dawnbreak!”
The cheers rose again—dwarves pounding shields with war hammers, singing loud and proud. Elves loosed arrows into the sky, their flaming trails painting the dawn. Humans sang the mournful ballads of minstrels.
They had been strangers before. Now, they were comrades—bound by blood, trust, and shared purpose.
Perched atop the Sacred Tree, the ancient gold dragon smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.
Not a bad journey after all.
From now on, he was no longer just a rival power’s enemy. He had earned a place among the good, a seat among the righteous.
And he felt it—the familiar energy.
Faith.
Thin, faint—but real.
Not the faith of Emperor Kai Xiusu of the Ember Empire. But the faith of Titus, the Wings of Dawn.
If he could gather enough of it—enough devotion—perhaps he could manifest a divine office tied to justice and good alignment.
Then, Titus himself could become a true avatar of the good gods.
For now, his task was clear: expand Dawnbreak into a pivotal force for good across Feanso.
When the time came, he would gather the remnants of fallen nations—the exiled rebels, the fugitive kings—crush the Empire’s enemies, and become the true leader of the resistance.
He would gain intelligence, stay one step ahead.
Even if some suspected a spy within Dawnbreak—no one would ever suspect him.
Who would believe that the leader of the Dawnbreak Alliance—the very dragon who had fought Emperor Kai Xiusu of the Ashen Flame to the death—was, in truth, Kai Xiusu himself?
Even if the truth were revealed, they’d call the teller mad.
And so, in the roar of cheers, under the golden light of dawn, the Dawnbreak Alliance was born.
Like a lighthouse in the darkest night, it lit the path for lost souls.
Its creation marked the beginning of the end for the cruel, brutal Empire of Ashen.
Through the sacrifice of countless righteous martyrs, the wise and noble Wings of Dawn, Titus, would lead us to destroy the bloodthirsty tyrant, shatter his kingdom, and restore peace to Feanso.
I believe—whether in Thrace, Seleucus, or my long-lost homeland, the Northern Regions—every land will finally be freed from the Empire’s brutal rule.
—The Lament of the Rebels
Duke Luton, Northern Regions, Dawnbreak Alliance
The Dawnbreak Alliance is a renowned anti-Empire power on the Feiansuo continent—a loose military coalition composed of remnants from the Empire’s conquests. Its core members include Serrynia, the High Mountain Kingdom, and other free realms.
Its leader is the ancient gold dragon Titus, active for centuries, sworn enemy of the Empire.
This dragon is stubborn, old-fashioned, and utterly inflexible—often defeated by Emperor Kai Xiusu of the Ashen Flame, yet always returning to fight again. A truly laughable opponent.
—Feanso Military Records: Anti-Empire Forces – Dawnbreak Alliance
(End of Chapter)
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