Chapter 17: The Pillars of Order
The wind howled through the crumbling bones of the ruin, stirring the ashes of long-forgotten fires. Kael stood before the withered stone arch, its carvings faded with time, but still echoing faint traces of the empire it once belonged to.
This place would be the foundation of his dream—a realm built from ash and iron.
His newly appointed general stood beside him, kneeling without hesitation. A silent oath passed between them, unspoken but understood. Kael didn't need followers who bent because they were weak—he needed those who would rise with him.
And for that, they needed structure.
The moment he stepped forward, a familiar shimmer rippled across his vision.
System Notification
Task Tree Unlocked: [Dominion Initiation]
• Objective: Assign roles and structure to your forming command.
• Subtask 1: Appoint three key division leaders under your general.
• Subtask 2: Establish initial defense and communication systems.
• Reward: +1 Stat Point per subtask, 1 Skill Enhancement Slot.
Progress: 0/2
Kael narrowed his eyes. "So you're back," he muttered under his breath, eyeing the system's interface that had gone silent for days. The sudden reactivation made him pause for a moment. Had it been watching quietly, waiting for the right moment?
His general rose at Kael's silent gesture, eyes gleaming with sharp understanding. "Shall I begin scouting candidates from the ruin-folk?"
Kael nodded. "Choose only those with fire left in their eyes. I'm not building a graveyard."
Later that day, three figures were brought before him—each different, each scarred by survival.
• Raeven, a former scout with ghost-silent steps and hawk-like vision.
• Torak, once a pit brawler, massive and brutal, whose fists bore stories of bloodshed.
• Serin, a sharp-eyed woman who once managed supplies for a rogue merchant lord, her mind as organized as her inventory.
Kael studied them carefully, and then pointed.
"Raeven. You'll head reconnaissance. Eyes and ears."
"To be unseen is to stay alive," she replied, bowing with military precision.
"Torak. Training and melee units—if it bleeds, you'll teach them how to make it bleed harder."
"With pleasure," he grinned, slamming a fist into his open palm.
"Serin. Logistics. I want order—rations, gear, discipline. No one steps out of line."
"You'll have a ledger so clean even the gods will be impressed," she smirked.
System Notification
Subtask 1 Completed.
+1 Stat Point.
Skill Slot Unlocked.
Kael felt a warm surge course through his core as the system's light faded. His strength had begun to evolve again—not through violence, but through vision.
Later that evening, Kael stood on the jagged rise overlooking the ruin. Fires flickered below, no longer desperate for warmth but for unity.
"My empire," he whispered, "starts here—not with conquest, but with command."
The first stones had been placed. The roots had begun to settle.