Cornelius sat in his temple meditating and felt a jolt rush through his veins to the point he fell forward on his knees. He gasped for air and felt like a fog had lifted from his mind. His vision was cleared he gripped his sword looking at a dummy and felt rage bubble up as he slashed through the wooden dummy. 'I feel the urge to fight! I FEEL IT!' He stared down at the split dummy. He spun the sword around and sheathed it. 'Those two must have done something?' He stared at the moon with his green eyes glaring at it.
'Time to get our heads in the game!' He thought of rushing out of his temple to wake up Tobi and the others.
All through the village all inhabitants felt the same thing at once. They felt free of restrictions and the clouds cleared.
After a few days ready for the worse nothing happened. So Cornelius held a group meeting. "What is happening?", "Cornelius what does this mean?" They all shouted at him as he tried to collect his thoughts. "Its clear. Whatever hold that was on us is gone. Seems…like a miracle" Cornelius said with pure joy, "We can fight back and leave this village behind for good!" He clenched his fist. "I will say it's not really a miracle?" Red Demon's voice broke the silence. They all turned to look at him. Cornelius pushed through the crowd and stood before the two demons.
"What happened?" He asked. "Simple. You're all cattle living in isolation and this forest isn't the world. You can leave here now. But so we're transparent you are not the only ones suffering like this'' he handed Cornelius a map. An updated map that showed all of the Land of Winged Things. He looked at it. "Seems other locations like ours. Yes…we need to leave here now!" He shouted. "Gather your things now! We leave this forest and find refuge elsewhere" Cornelius shouted. All hell broke loose as they gathered their things and left all else behind. Not long there was a train of people leaving the Eagle Village. Red Demon and Smiling Demon led with him as they picked up more villagers doing the same. Or at least all those who remained. After a few days they were out of the forest traveling to a mountain chain. The people cried of joy as they left the forest going south. Red Demon showed them the tower. He told them to raid all supplies. Nothing was left as they pillaged the tower's resources. "You did all this?" Smiling Demon asked, seeing puddles of water all over the grass, walls, and the tower itself. "It was frozen but yeah" he said with no emotion. "Nice," Smiling Demon said, walking into the tower to raid the kitchen with everyone else.
He came out with a whole ham cut. He put pieces under his mask as he ate away greedily. The two then lead the caravan out into the mountain chain freeing them permanently from the forest.
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Few days passed after getting to the mountains. The refugees made a camp deep in the mountains keeping an eye on the trail but out of sight enough. Red Demon sat on a rock overlooking high above the Emerald Forest.
He was sitting with Smiling Demon, Cornelius, and three other leaders from other villages. One was a Big Cat that resembled a gray tiger with black stripes. He had yellow eyes and a stern face. He wore a black gi and had a chain blade on his belt. Second was a crane looking Bird Folk that seemed very skittish and nervous. He would repeatedly fix his glasses on his long beak. Third was a fat short human with a bushy brown beard and headband over his forehead. His brown hair was spiked and he wore leather armor. "So what do we do now?" Plump man asked. "Simple. I have a plan to take down the king? I'll need your support in this plan to do so" he had thought long and hard about how to bypass an army and get into a fortress that is considered impregnable. He had weighed two scenarios. One was that they sneak in with the feasting guests that would require them to leave the group soon so they could intercept a human convoy that was to represent the human cultivators to keep up peace. From what Red Demon read in the journal tensions were high and their treaty of peace was on the edge of collapse. It was possible to gain entry through their support. Second was to face the army outside and hope the fight would lead them in. That idea didn't sit well with him. Stealth was the best bet. He couldn't ignore the defenses of the fortress. So the first option seemed the best one. The refugees role would be to liberate farms directing the eye of the army on them. Freed from the spell they were under they could fight and use the chi stones taken to elevate themselves and others they pick up along the way.
"How do we play a role?" The gray tiger asked. Red Demon produced the chi stone that stood over them in his palm. He held it with one hand easily showing them the size. He then retracted it back into his bracelet. "That stone was taken from the north and south towers. It was used to power the spell you were under. So I propose to help your number grow in power. You take the two stones we possess and take the rest. Build up your strength as you liberate the other farms. Cornelius has the updated map. I need you to fight the army while we gain entry. Create chaos and then bring that chaos to the castle. Just because you're liberating these farms doesn't mean the feast will not go as planned. He will send his troops to deal with it, keeping up appearances. I don't mean to assume but all the farms must have the same layouts. Taking these stones you'll become as powerful as the Green Brigade" they all seemed to be contemplating the information as he explained.
"How would you gain entry?" The timid crane asked. "Let me worry about that. I just need you to focus on building an army to fight an army" crane looked taken aback pushing his glasses upon his long beak. Gray Tiger scratched his chin and grinned. His whiskers twitched. "I want revenge and I know my people do too! With those stones we could elevate to rank six in a few years. Start our own city! Finally have independence!" He said with great pride. "If we survive!" The crane shouted before looking away nervously. "Nothing is ever easy. I need you to do this for us? Can we count on you?" Red Demon asked. "Who even are you?" The plump man asked. "I am merely a friend," he told him. "Oh aren't we mysterious! How the hell do we not know if this guy is putting us into harm's way! We could be walking into another cage!" Smiling Demon chucked behind Red Demon shaking his head. "Sir just tell them. We are being overly mysterious at this point" Red Demon scoffed and shook his head. 'Fine. He's probably right' he thought. "Your has lied to you and everyone in this realm. He didn't kill the King Slayer. I wasn't in your realm till shortly" he said plainly. The others all had wide eyes.
"Your the King Slayer? I'm confused" the plump man asked. "It's as I said. I'm the appointed King Slayer chosen by the World during this testing period. So now that I've given my trust. Will you give me yours?" He waited for his answers. 'run the risk of one of these people getting afraid and selling us out' Cornelius was the first to speak. "I'll gladly do it to repay the debt. You finally gave me hope and my fighting spirit back. I'll gladly fight!" He said with determination. He looked at the other leaders. "What say you?" The gray tiger answered first, "I will fight!" Plump man nodded, "yes we will fight '' they all stared at the crane. "I'm no fighter. I was merely put in charge only for my intellect, not my fighting prowess. I can't lead my people into battle!" He explained. "Then stand down as leader!" The gray tiger exclaimed. The crane looked taken aback, "What does your intellect bring to the table?" Cornelius asked. "I was the best at invention. Could make traps for hunting and agricultural tools" he stated. "You seem like you have a calculating mind. Why not put that towards battle. Use your strengths, '' the plump man said.
Crane remained quiet. "Best find your courage and hope!" Cornelius suggested. "So is it settled then?" Red Demon asked. They all nodded, even the crane. "Good. We'll be taking our leave in the morning. We'll leave you the stones. Use the cultivation techniques you took from the tower. We are counting on you" he stated standing and walking towards a tent. Smiling Demon stood cracking his back and knuckles. He then went to get some food and cultivate elsewhere.
"So he's the Slayer?" Gray Tiger said standing to join his people and prepare. Cornelius was the last one staring at the forest. 'We can only hope this plan gives us a future!' He thought.