Return of the Forsaken.
Arthur was still staring blankly at Ray, unable to process everything that had happened.
His mind felt heavy and confused.
Seeing his dazed expression, Ray stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.
"Let's go. It's time to introduce you to the others."
Arthur blinked rapidly, coming back to reality. He nodded stiffly, and Ray leaned closer, whispering into his ear.
"I'll help you become stronger."
A small shiver ran down Arthur's spine.
Somehow, he could tell Ray wasn't lying.
It was the first time since his sister was taken that he felt even a little hope.
Ray, Arthur, and Eldric walked out of the shelter together.
The moment they appeared in the open, everyone turned to stare at them.
They looked in silence, eyes fixed on Arthur and Eldric standing behind Ray.
Arthur had been the enemy.
Eldric was the man he had nearly killed.
Yet here they were, walking together without conflict.
Even more shocking—Eldric, who had been severely injured, now stood completely healed.
Ray raised his voice so everyone could hear him.
"Everyone, gather around!"
The people rushed forward and stood in front of Ray.
The air was tense, and no one dared to speak first.
Ray looked over the crowd and said clearly,
"This is Arthur. From today onward, he is one of us. Does anyone object?"
Silence filled the entire space.
No one spoke.
If Eldric could forgive Arthur and stand beside him, who were they to argue?
Ray continued, his voice strong and full of determination.
"It's time for us to prepare for our uprising...We've waited long enough"
He paused for a moment.
Everyone held their breath.
"From this day forward, we will begin our preparations and our army will be called the Nightmare Legion!"
A wave of whispers swept through the crowd.
The people looked at one another, uncertain at first, but slowly their fear turned into hope.
Ray's words stirred something inside them—courage.
Ray raised his voice again.
"There will be two divisions in the Nightmare Legion."
He pointed to Arthur.
"The Shadow Regiment, led by Arthur."
Then he pointed to Eldric.
"The Lightning Regiment, led by Eldric."
Ray then pointed toward the tall ancient tree at the center of the village.
"All who are able to train—meet beneath the tree for recruitment."
"I will personally supervise the training."
With those words, Ray turned and walked away.
Arthur and Eldric followed quietly behind him.
---
Once they were away from the crowd, Ray motioned for Eldric to come closer.
"Arthur will work with you from now on," Ray said.
He looked between the two men before continuing.
"Arthur only fought us because the government is holding his sister hostage. They are using her to force him to fight."
Eldric looked at Arthur.
There was no anger in his eyes—only understanding and sympathy.
He gave Arthur a small, supportive smile.
Ray then reached into his coat and took out a worn black book engraved with a crimson rune.
The air around it trembled with an unmistakable presence.
Arthur's breath hitched. Eldric stared in disbelief.
Arthur and Eldric stared at it in shock.
"This book contains training methods from production to martial arts. "
"I'll give you the methods after recruitment."
Next, Ray took out two sheets of paper and a pen.
He wrote quickly and handed one paper to Arthur and the other to Eldric.
"These papers contain the rules for choosing members for each division."
Ray looked at Arthur first.
"Shadow Regiment specializes in ambush and assassination—stealth above all."
"Lightning Regiment focuses on speed and overwhelming force, crushing enemies head-on."
He then handed the papers to Arthur and Eldric.
Ray looked at both of them seriously.
"Choose wisely."
Then Ray turned and left to find Falker.
---
Falker was sitting on a stone with Mimir and a few other elders.
They were talking quietly while watching the stars.
"Falker," Ray called out.
Falker immediately stood and knelt down.
"Yes, my king," he said respectfully.
Seeing ray, the other elders bowed slightly
"Stand," Ray said gently.
After Falker stood, Ray asked, "Do we have any paper and ink left?"
"Yes, we do," Falker answered.
"Bring everything we have to the base of the great tree," Ray commanded.
"I have work to do tonight."
Falker hurried away, and Ray returned to his shelter high on the giant tree—the place the people saw as their symbol of hope.
---
Meanwhile, Arthur and Eldric went to recruit members for their divisions.
But things quickly turned chaotic.
As soon as they tried to gather the people, angry shouts broke out.
"Who are you to command us, Arthur!?" someone yelled.
"You expect us to listen to you after what you did!?" another person shouted.
The crowd grew louder and more aggressive.
Eldric tried to calm them.
"Please listen! Our king has chosen—"
But no one listened.
People shouted over each other, refusing to obey.
Then suddenly—
BOOM
Ray landed in front of them with tremendous force, shaking the ground.
The crowd froze.
"Silence," Ray said.
His voice was not loud, but it carried such strong power that everyone stopped instantly.
It felt like the air itself had grown heavy.
Ray looked at the people with disappointment.
"Why are you questioning my decision?" he asked.
The crowd trembled.
One by one, the villagers fell to their knees.
"Forgive us, my lord!" someone cried, and others repeated quickly.
Ray's voice was calm but firm.
"Arthur is not our enemy. He is a victim. The government forced him to fight."
"From this moment onward, you will obey him as your leader. Eldric will explain everything."
With that, Ray leaped back into the tree and disappeared into his shelter.
---
Arthur stood completely speechless.
He had never seen someone control a crowd with just a single word.
This was true leadership—power combined with purpose.
The people bowed their heads toward Arthur.
"We're sorry!" they said.
Many of them had lost family to the government. They knew what it was like to suffer under their cruelty.
Arthur felt awkward and unsure.
He had never been respected before.
The government saw him only as a weapon, nothing more.
Eldric patted Arthur's shoulder reassuringly. "They're good people," he said quietly. "They've just been through a lot. Let's begin."
The villagers formed neat lines and stood silently.
Arthur and Eldric began testing each person's qi and mana levels.
They checked speed, strength, balance, and other skills to determine which division each person belonged to.
The process lasted all night.
Some people were quiet and moved with great control—perfect for the Shadow Regiment.
Others were strong, fast, and fearless—ideal for the Lightning Regiment.
By the time dawn arrived, the selection was finished.
Out of 32 candidates:
14 were chosen for the Shadow Regiment
18 joined the Lightning Regiment
The morning sky glowed with light.
A sense of joy and purpose filled the morning air. For the first time, the villagers felt like a real army - united, organized, and strong. They had proper divisions, capable leaders, and a clear purpose.
Eldric stepped forward and spoke to the new recruits.
"We will call you when it is time for training. Rest and prepare. Hard days are coming, but we will face them together."
The villagers cheered softly and returned to their homes, their spirits bright.
---
But far away, trouble was already approaching.
On a distant hill, , a man stood watching through the morning mist. Behind him stretched a massive horde of monsters - thousands of creatures, each glowing with a sickly green light.
Their presence filled the air with fear.
He looked over his shoulder and smirked.
"Looks like there is still more cleaning up to do," he murmured to himself.
His white beard fluttered in the morning wind as his grin widened.
END OF Chapter 14