"We are no longer hiding behind mercenary ambiguity. We are no longer reacting to sect pressure."
"That permanence will require sacrifice, Discipline. Patience. Loyalty."
"Those who follow me will rise. Those who oppose me will be removed."
"I accept the title of lord, not to rule you. But to protect what we are creating."
"From today, I am a Lord!"
The declaration did not echo.
It detonated.
When Regional Lord Kaelron's recognition of Vahn spread through the imperial channels, it moved faster than rumors, faster than fear. It was law, stamped into astral record, carved into the hierarchy of Astralis Border Seven. And law, once written, demanded reaction.
The Eastern Continent changed overnight.
Imperial registries updated. Trade compacts were rewritten. Mercenary guild boards erased old jurisdictions and replaced them with a single new designation.
Eastern Mercantile and Defense Territories
Ruling Lord: Vahn of Crimson Hawk
