The sun hung low over the land, casting long shadows across Unity Grove.
The crowd continued to grow, with villagers standing in a loose circle around Mira and Elias.
The mood was heavy: hope, fear and uncertainty all mixed together as they prepared to hear what the day would bring.
Before the Lector spoke, the weight of the world had to be acknowledged. The Great Reckoning had left nations broken, rulers fallen and the once-mighty Eldorath Kingdom now without a nation was in ruins.
For a thousand years, Eldorath's power had shaped the world, ruling through strength, diplomacy and a divine claim. Its influence reached the Dwarf Kingdoms hidden in the tall mountains and the Elf Kingdoms deep in the thick forests. No kingdom remained a superpower after Eldorath's fall.
In the chaos that followed, people scrambled to form their own groups, fighting for survival and power in a world without rulers.
Kidnapping, looting and cruelty became common for those seeking control because law was nowhere to be found. Unity Grove, however, stood as a fragile beacon of hope in this broken world. At the heart of the grove, Mira stood, speaking to the crowd with a fiery passion.
Her red hair shone in the fading light. "We can build something new!" she declared. "We don't need rulers or kings to guide us! We can decide for ourselves—through direct democracy, through cooperation! True freedom doesn't need a throne!"
Some villagers nodded in agreement, however, others, like Elias, looked skeptical.
Elias, once a captain in the king's guard, crossed his arms, his face serious. "And how do you plan to protect us, Mira?" he asked.
"Without laws, without structure, how do we stop chaos from swallowing us whole again? How do we defend ourselves?"
Mira stood her ground, knowing the weight of her words. "We protect ourselves by standing together.
Not through authority, but through unity." At this moment, a voice rose from the back of the crowd.
A figure stepped forward—Arthur, a young man with striking blue hair and a calm, charismatic presence. He was well-known for his sharp mind and eloquent speech.
As he moved closer, all eyes turned toward him, because everyone was curious what he would say next.
Arthur's voice was calm, yet it had a heaviness that quieted the whispers around him. "Mira, your ideas are impressive.
I want a world without kings and rulers too. However, are you sure this can actually work?" He looked over the crowd.
"In theory, liberal democracy seems amazing. But people are not perfect. We've all seen what happens when there's no order—chaos. Kidnapping, violence and disorder.
Is your vision strong enough to handle the darker parts of human nature?" Mira's jaw tightened.
"We can't let fear control our future, Arthur. We've witnessed the results of being ruled by fear and oppression.
What I'm offering is a chance for us to move past that." Arthur nodded thoughtfully.
"I don't disagree with your dreams. Although I've noticed the holes in this idea. What if people start to chase power again? It's bound to happen. There's always someone who will rise up to take control, no matter how much you hope for equality."
The crowd fell silent, the tension thickening as Arthur's words sank in. Mira's supporters looked nervous and even she seemed briefly at a loss for words.
It was then that the Lector, who had been quietly watching, stepped forward. Dressed in a simple yet mysterious , their presence grabbed everyone's attention.
They moved to the center of the gathering, standing between Mira and Arthur, their face unreadable.
"I had a dream," the Lector began, their voice soft but powerful. "A dream of a world where no ruler would ever reign again.
No king, no divine right. Only people, free to live without fear of authority."
The crowd leaned in, captivated by the Lector's presence.
"However, as I stand here today," the Lector continued, "I wonder—can such a world ever really exist?
Can we live in peace without rulers, without someone claiming power?
We humans, although we strive for good, carry darkness within us. No matter how pure our intentions are, we are evil in someone's story.
This is the tragedy of our nature."
A ripple of unease spread through the crowd.
Elias furrowed his eyebrow, unsure of where the Lector was leading.
Even Mira's confident expression began to fade. "I see your dreams, Mira," the Lector said, turning to her.
"I hear your hope for a democracy where all voices are equal, where people lead themselves.
However, I have walked in the depths of human nature. I have seen that no matter how noble we try to be, there is always someone who will seek control.
Always someone who will rise and declare themselves ruler—if not through force, then through charm or cunning."
Mira stepped forward, her voice trembling.
"Then why, Lector?
Why did you help tear down the throne if you believe this chaos was inevitable?"
Elias joined her. "You brought this upon us. You destroyed the system and now we're left with nothing but ruin.
Why?"
The Lector turned to both of them,
their expression calm but somber.
"Because the old world was a prison.
A prison built on the illusion of morality. The kings of Eldorath ruled by claiming they knew what was right and what was wrong.
But tell me—who decides what is good? Who decides what is evil? Is it not all subjective?"
The crowd remained silent, hanging on the Lector's every word (because they felt both fear and curiosity).
The world is filled with people who believe they are correct.
Rulers, kings and dictators all think their way is the only way.
However, what if justice doesn't really exist? What if good and evil are just ideas we hold onto because we're scared?
The real path to freedom isn't about finding a new ruler; it's about rising above these illusions.
To live without kings and rulers, we need to overcome the very idea of good and evil.
Mira's voice was barely a whisper when she asked,
"Then… how can we live like this? Without any guiding principles, without knowing what's right or wrong?"
The Lector smiled a little, almost sadly.
"That is the challenge, isn't it?
To exist in a world with no rulers, we have to learn to live without needing them.
This will be tough.
It will be chaotic
But only through that chaos can we truly grow.
Only through that struggle can we find real freedom."
The crowd stood still, taking in the Lector's deep words.
The challenge of living beyond the ideas of good and evil, of rising above the need for rulers, felt heavy in the air.
Mira and Elias stood quietly, thinking about what the Lector had said.
After a long moment,
Mira finally broke the silence, her voice gentle, however firm.
"I still believe we can find a way."
Arthur stepped up, his eyes filled with thought.
"Perhaps,"
he replied,
"the way to peace isn't just about picking rulers or having none at all, but understanding what we really want from our lives."
The discussion had started and as the stars twinkled above, the future of Unity Grove (and maybe the whole world) was at stake.