The first hint of the coming betrayal was so subtle Jason almost missed it. A guarded moment amongst allies, a flicker of suspicion in once-friendly eyes. Whispers fading silent as he entered the room. Little things easily dismissed. Until the day the knife finally struck, buried in his back by familiar hands. Even then, with betrayal revealed, understanding eluded him. The why and how spiraled into shadow, eclipsing even the raw pain of treachery.
In the weeks after consolidating the northern frontier, Jason had noticed growing tension within the fledgling alliance. Skirmishes with local warlords unleashed old feuds and grudges thought forgotten. Resentment simmered as factions vied for prominence and control in the chaotic aftermath of liberation. Accusations of hoarded plunder and secret pacts abounded.
