Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Oaths in the AshesS

moke still lingered over the broken land of the orc domain.Amidst the ruins where the bodies of humans and orcs lay silent, a small band of surviving orcs hurried through the shadowed forest.At their center was a boy no older than four.Small tusks jutted awkwardly from his lips; his eyes burned red with grief.His tiny fists clenched the air, as if trying to hold on to something already lost.His parents—the King and Queen of the orcs—were gone.Shielded by their warriors, the boy looked back one last time at the ruined fortress.In his heart, a silent vow formed—one only he could hear."You took them from me. I will make you pay.No matter how long it takes.No matter what I must do.I will have my revenge."His eyes—far too young to hold such hatred—burned brighter than the fires consuming his homeland.Back in Tempest,Word of the raid spread like wildfire.The city erupted in celebration.Bells rang; bonfires lit the night.Voices cheered for the survivors.For the people, this was more than victory.The orcs had long been a shadow looming over their lives.Now, with their defeat, Tempest stood poised to expand.Council members wasted no time.They declared the orc territory "liberated land" under Tempest's banner.Discussions began—resources, settlements, border fortifications.But not everyone celebrated.Aditya stood at the city's edge, silent.He watched the fires of celebration, but his mind clung to darker thoughts.Thoughts of the mysterious stranger, the crystal, and the berserk Orc King's last words."We didn't want this.We are not the villains…"The memory gnawed at him deeper than any wound.Something was wrong.Something larger than the orcs themselves.Among heroes and questions,Inside the grand hall of Tempest, the raid survivors gathered.Jiya, Veer, Ashish, Anika, and Suriya—all patched up but still weighed by their trials.The people hailed them as heroes, showered them with gratitude.Children peeked from behind parents, eyes wide with awe.Whispers spread of Jiya—the swordswoman who felled the Queen.And of Veer's fierce bravery.Ashish's unyielding strength.Yet within the group, silence lingered.They knew the price paid for "victory."Too many had not returned.Veer's eyes burned with guilt—memories of capture haunting him.Ashish clung protectively to his twin, refusing to let Anika out of sight.Jiya, praised yet quiet, wrestled with her sudden Tier-5 awakening.Suriya remained distant, his gaze veiled. His search and unknown aura weighed heavily—unspoken for now.A quiet warningLater that night, Aditya met with the council.They pressed for answers about the mysterious man who toppled the Orc King."Who was he? Where did he come from? Was he one of ours?"Aditya said nothing.He did not know himself.Nor would he spread fear without answers.But his final words rang clear."Do not mistake this as the end.This was only the beginning."His eyes swept the horizon once more, shadows shifting beyond sight.The world was far more dangerous than Tempest dared imagine.