The haven's fires burned bright against the baron's looming threat. The new motto, "Merit, not birth," echoed through the bustling streets, a rallying cry that infused every swing of a hammer, every stone laid, every shared meal with a new sense of purpose. Valerius watched his people, a quiet pride swelling in his chest. They were no longer just survivors; they were a community, forged in the crucible of despair, now rising with an impossible strength.
But the peace was a fragile thing, a thin veil stretched over the simmering anger of the world outside. Valerius knew the baron would not remain silent. The C-tier scouts they had ambushed, or at least the two unconscious ones, would have been found, their injuries a stark message. The missing one, devoured by Valerius, would only add to the mystery and the baron's growing paranoia.
Just as the morning mist began to burn off, a lone figure emerged from the Cursed Woods. He was an emissary, draped in the gaudy, arrogant colors of Baron Von Krieg's household, his face a sneering mask of superiority. He rode a finely groomed horse, its hooves kicking up dust as he approached the newly fortified entrance of the First Haven. Behind him, barely visible through the trees, Valerius's Observation Haki sensed the faint, disciplined presence of a small, elite guard. The baron was sending a message, but he was also being cautious.
The emissary reined in his horse, his eyes sweeping over the rebuilt huts, the rising stone ramparts, and the defiant banner. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by disdain. He dismounted, his boots crunching on the newly laid gravel.
"By order of Baron Von Krieg," the emissary announced, his voice booming with forced authority, "I demand audience with the so-called 'Chief of the Cursed Woods.' My master has heard disturbing rumors of your… activities. Your insolence will not be tolerated."
Valerius stepped forward, Lyra and Kael flanking him, their presence a formidable display of power. Mina stood a little behind them, her gentle demeanor belying the incredible healing power she now wielded. The villagers gathered, their faces grim, but no longer afraid.
"I am Valerius," he stated, his voice calm, unflinching. "And this is the First Haven. Speak your master's demands."
The emissary sneered. "Demands? You are a petty chieftain, boy. You dare to speak of demands? My master, Baron Von Krieg, demands tribute. A substantial portion of your meager harvest, a tithe of your resources, and a pledge of fealty. Furthermore, you are to cease all activities in the Cursed Woods and disband any… unusual gatherings. Your growing prosperity is seen as a direct threat to the Baron's rightful dominion. Fail to comply, and the Baron will personally lead his forces to level this 'haven' to dust, leaving nothing but a warning for any who dare defy him."
A ripple of anger went through the villagers. The baron's arrogance was a familiar sting. They had known this kind of oppression before.
Valerius's eyes narrowed, but his voice remained steady. "Is that all?"
The emissary's sneer widened. "That is all. You have until the next full moon to comply. Choose wisely, boy. The Baron's patience is not infinite." With that, he turned, remounted his horse, and rode back into the shadowed depths of the Cursed Woods, his contemptuous laughter echoing behind him.
A tense silence fell over the haven. The ultimatum hung in the air, cold and heavy.
Valerius called for a council meeting, gathering not just Lyra, Kael, and Mina, but also the elders and the most influential among the refugees. The debate was immediate and fierce.
"We must consider their terms!" cried an elder, his voice trembling. "The Baron's army is vast. His S-tier lieutenant alone is a force of nature. We have only just begun to rebuild. A tribute… it is a bitter pill, but it might buy us time. It might save us from total destruction."
"Time for what?" Lyra retorted, her voice sharp, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Time to become their slaves again? Time to watch them take everything we've built, just as they took our homes before? We have power now! We have Haki! We have the fruits Valerius has granted us!" She shifted into her hybrid form, her badger claws extending, a clear sign of her readiness to fight. "Strength must stand, not bow!"
Kael, his massive hands resting on his hips, nodded in agreement with Lyra. "She's right. We've tasted freedom. We've felt power. To surrender now would be to betray everything we've built. My hands can move stone, Valerius. Let me build walls that even the Baron's army cannot breach!"
Mina, ever the voice of compassion, spoke softly. "But at what cost? War means lives. We have just begun to heal. Can we truly ask our people to face such a force?" Her tears, though not of healing intent, glistened in her eyes, reflecting her genuine concern for the villagers.
The council was split, a microcosm of the world's eternal struggle between survival through submission and freedom through defiance. The fear was palpable, but so was the burgeoning courage.
Valerius listened, his gaze moving from face to face. He understood their fear, their desire for peace. But he also understood Lyra's fire, Kael's resolve. He remembered his own helplessness, the burning manor, the screams of his people. He remembered the taste of the baron's scout, the surge of power, the shift from scavenger to predator.
He stood, his presence commanding silence. "We will not bow," Valerius declared, his voice resonating with a quiet, unyielding power that settled every wavering heart. "We will not pay tribute. We will not disband. We will not surrender our freedom. We have known what it means to be weak. We have known what it means to lose everything. We will never bow again."
His words were a vow, a promise etched in stone and fire. Kael, with a roar of renewed purpose, immediately began to organize the villagers. His Stone Stone Fruit power flared, and under his direction, the existing earthworks began to rise, transforming into formidable stone ramparts. He plunged his hands into the earth, merging with the very ground, causing massive sections of rock to erupt and interlock, forming thick, unyielding walls. He wasn't just building; he was commanding the earth itself to defend them. Villagers, inspired by Valerius's vow, worked tirelessly, hauling salvaged stone, compacting earth, their hands moving with a feverish energy, assisting Kael as he shaped the very landscape into their defense.
The haven's fires burned bright, not just against the encroaching night, but against the baron's looming threat, a defiant beacon of freedom in a world that had forgotten its meaning.