"And that's how we came to accept his proposal…" Rakahn finished, his voice the only sound in the tent.
"Wait, you're telling me this human just shows up, and you accept him as your master?" Kido asked suddenly, his voice rising. "What in the world were you thinking!?"
"I know Cain," he continued. "He's not the type to accept anything, even if it benefits him." He paused, staring hard at Rakahn. "And now you're telling me that this human convinced him?"
"That's enough disrespect, Sir Kido," Dahlia growled, her grip tightening on her weapon.
She was about to raise it when, in a blink, a thin blade was already pressed against her throat. Kido had drawn faster than she could move.
"Calm down, kitty. You're not the only one awake here. If it wasn't for Rakahn, your head would already be rolling on the floor."
Dahlia's lips curled into a wicked smile. Most would tremble in fear with the sharpest blade in the forest inches from their neck, but not her.
"What's so funny?" Kido asked, frowning. "Has being around this human made you lose your mind?"
"As a clan leader, I thought you were more reasonable than this, Lord Kido. No—perhaps I should drop the title entirely since it seems the clans mean nothing to us anymore," Dahlia said, locking eyes with him.
"Sure, you could take my head with a single swing, but don't you wonder why the human you so casually dismiss can make your entire clan vanish with a single command?"
"Officer Dahlia!" Rakahn shouted, his voice sharp with authority.
Dahlia fell silent instantly, and Kido sheathed his sword, muttering something under his breath.
"Sir Kido, I am grateful to you and your clan for being our allies over the decades. However..." Rakahn paused, watching Kido's reaction. He sighed heavily before continuing.
"I swore loyalty to this human with full understanding of the consequences. I could not tolerate the way he was being ridiculed."
"Even though he was summoned here, he saw us as equals. He reminded us that we have a place in this world, that we could be the masters of our own destiny. So yes, if I had to choose who to serve, I would choose him without hesitation." Rakahn's eyes burned with conviction.
"That's why I came to you today, Kido—to ask you to join us. Serve this extraordinary leader with me, and I promise, you won't regret it."
A tense silence hung in the air, heavy with the weight of Rakahn's words. After a few moments, the dwarf leader broke the quiet, raising a hand to speak.
"I see you're offering a compelling argument, Rakahn, but what happens to us if we refuse?" he asked slyly. "You've given us the good side, but what are the downsides? What will become of us if we say no?"
Rakahn spread his hands on the table, unrolling a parchment filled with a list of tasks. He glanced over it briefly before passing it to Dahlia, who took it and swiftly exited the tent.
"To be honest, I suggested we subjugate you by force. We demi-humans follow the strong. I thought showing our strength would convince you to join us. But the master refused. Do you know what he had in mind?" Rakahn asked.
"Probably nothing, since humans have nothing in those skulls of theirs!" Jaggurnaut, the Orion clan leader, sneered.
"You're really asking for it, aren't you?" Rakahn's face flushed red with anger, but he held himself back. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly, regaining control.
"We won't offer you our protection anymore. We'll no longer interfere in your affairs. You'll be barred from venturing into our hunting grounds. And remember, this invitation is my idea. The master, General Cain, didn't even consider your clans necessary. He believes the Orleth, Ibara, elves, and Dhakat are more than enough."
"So, you're really not giving us a choice?" Garam, leader of the Dwarf clan, asked, his curiosity piqued.
"You have a choice, my old friends," Rakahn replied firmly. "But the future depends on the decisions you make today."
"There's much more to gain by accepting my offer. Do you really want to keep living like nomads, hiding every time a horde approaches?"
Among all the clans of the forest, only the Elves and the Dhakat clan stayed in place when danger came, earning them the nickname "Forest Nomads." They couldn't grow attached to anything beyond their weapons and a few survival essentials, often losing lives in their flight due to individual weaknesses.
Rakahn had proven his point by moving hundreds of soldiers for over ten hours. Even though they were in the southern part of the forest, where there were fewer creatures, it was still a perilous place for monsters like them.
He knew the risks, and he took them anyway.
"So, like I said before," Rakahn continued, his tone softening, "I'm not forcing your hand. Join us, and we'll offer you a better life."
"Make the right choice for those who follow you. Their survival rests on your decisions."