Neve arrived at the center of the outcast territory where the massive crowd had already assembled. He was thankful to Maren for gathering everyone at once on a very short notice.
All eyes snapped toward him the moment he stepped forward. The size of the gathering was overwhelming—ranks of snake beastmen stood alongside exiles from dozens of shark tribes. Varek stood quietly off to the side, while Skarr leaned against a tree in the shadows, his eyes calmly scanning the crowd.
Neve took a deep, steadying breath, letting his voice cut cleanly through the murmuring noise.
"I have an announcement," Neve declared, his words echoing off the tree. They suddenly fell silent as they focused more on Neve. He scanned their expectant faces, wondering how they'd react to the news. "Vaelthorn, the Dragon King, has officially lifted your punishment. From this moment onwards, you are no longer outcasts. You are free."
For a moment, there was complete silence.
