Chapter 8: The Rebirth of Valtheris
Kael Atris had become the undisputed hero of Valtheris, celebrated by all after his victory over Zerath the Butcher. With no opposition left, the entire kingdom agreed—Kael should be their king. His ascension to power was met with absolute approval, yet he knew ruling was more than just victory in battle.
Uniting Valtheris had been the easy part, but its people were weak, malnourished, and unfit for war. Centuries of constant warring had left the land barren, its soil unable to produce the crops necessary to sustain the population. Without food, there could be no strength—without strength, there could be no empire.
Fortifying the Borders
His first act as king was to secure the borders. Kael ordered the construction of outposts along the farthest reaches of Valtheris, ensuring its protection from external threats. At each outpost, five two-winged heavenly soldiers were stationed, their sheer presence instilling both fear and order among neighboring regions. With them, Kael had created an impenetrable line of defense, ensuring the stability needed for his next plan:
The Resurrection of the Land
Kael turned his attention to the true weakness of Valtheris—its dead soil. He could not build an empire on starvation. He needed fertility, prosperity, and sustainability.
Harnessing the divine power of his Internal Realm, Kael released purified mana-infused rain over Valtheris' lands. The soil, once lifeless and gray, began to change—its dull, cracked surface grew rich with nutrients, its color shifting into a deep, vibrant brown, teeming with vitality.
Agriculture and Livestock
With fertile land at his disposal, Kael introduced high-grade crops grown near the mana-lakes of his Divine Tree. These plants, unlike any the Valtherisians had ever seen, grew at astonishing speeds and provided ten times the nourishment of ordinary crops.
Alongside agriculture, animal husbandry was established. Kael's heavenly soldiers scouted the land for strong and healthy livestock, bringing them back to Valtheris for breeding and farming. A new age of sustenance had begun.
A New Dawn for Valtheris
For the first time in hundreds of years, no one starved. The Valtherisians, once weak and war-torn, began to regain their strength. Their bodies grew stronger, their minds clearer. With food in abundance and an unshakable military presence, Kael had set the foundation for what was to come.
This was only the beginning.
Forging the Valtherisian Army
With the food crisis resolved, Kael Atris turned his focus toward the next crucial step—transforming the once-weak Valtherisians into a formidable military force. He could not rely on his heavenly soldiers alone to protect Valtheris forever. His people had to become strong on their own.
The Construction of Military Barracks
Kael ordered the construction of grand military barracks across the kingdom, each equipped with training grounds, armories, and combat arenas. These barracks were strategically built near Valtheris' major cities and outposts, ensuring a steady flow of well-trained soldiers to reinforce border defenses.
Elite Training and Conscription
To rapidly bolster his forces, Kael implemented a six-month mandatory conscription for all Valtherisians aged 18 to 35. No one was exempt—men and women alike were trained in the art of warfare, survival, and discipline.
The conscripts were provided with:
Top-grade training manuals—ancient combat techniques infused with mana-enhanced movements and tactics.Mastercrafted weapons—forged using mana-infused metals, making them sharper, stronger, and unbreakable in battle.Rigorous combat training—sparing, battle formations, archery, swordsmanship, and even basic mana control.
In six months, every citizen would emerge as a warrior.
Deployment to the Outposts
Once their training was complete, the newly trained Valtherisian soldiers were deployed. Each outpost now had a blend of human soldiers and heavenly warriors, ensuring the strongest defense in the kingdom's history.
Under Kael's leadership, Valtheris was no longer a starving, war-torn nation—it was a rising empire, ready to conquer its destiny.