Inside Castle Vorell, now renamed Freehold Keep, Juri Winkler stood in the grand chamber that had once been the nobles’ seat of power. Now, it was a gathering place for the People’s Assembly—a council of representatives elected by the liberated regions. The polished floors and towering banners were gone, replaced with wooden tables, chalkboards, and the hum of heated debate.
The assembly meeting was chaotic. Representatives from across the land argued over priorities—rebuilding towns, securing borders, distributing food, and managing resources.
A farmer-turned-representative slammed his fist on the table. “What good is trade if our people are starving? The crops are gone, the fields are burned! We need food first, or there won’t be anyone left to rebuild!”
A former merchant countered, her voice sharp. “And how will you get food to them without trade routes? If the roads aren’t secure, we’ll lose what little we manage to produce to raiders and remnants!”
Kira stood at Juri’s side, watching the chaos with a bemused expression. “This is what we fought for, isn’t it? Freedom to yell at each other.”
Juri smirked faintly but said nothing. He stepped forward, raising a hand to quiet the room. His sharp blue eyes scanned the assembly, his voice cutting through the noise.
“We can’t do everything at once,” he said firmly. “But we can’t afford to do nothing either. The assembly’s purpose isn’t to argue—it’s to act. So let’s focus on what we can do now and build from there.”
Under Juri’s guidance, the assembly established three immediate priorities:
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Food Security: Task forces were deployed to salvage unburned farmland and set up emergency distribution centers. Eren Vas proposed repurposing parts of the Dominion’s tech to create automated farming machines.
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Restoring Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, and trade routes were rebuilt with the help of liberated townsfolk and volunteers. Bastion Walkers, once used for war, became tools for construction.
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Defending the Borders: Halrick led a militia tasked with securing the rebellion’s new territories against remnants of noble forces and opportunistic raiders.
“It’s not perfect,” Juri admitted during an evening meeting with Kira and Valeria. “But it’s a start. Progress comes in steps, not leaps.”
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Despite their efforts, not everyone welcomed the new order. In several regions, resistance to the rebellion’s authority flared up—not from nobles, but from local factions unwilling to cede power to the People’s Assembly.
In Blackmere, a group of warlords rose to power, declaring the region independent from the assembly. In Ironhollow, miners protested the assembly’s tax policies, claiming they were no different from the nobles.
“Some people don’t trust us,” Kira said during a council meeting. “And after everything they’ve been through, can you blame them?”
Valeria nodded. “We’ve torn down the old system, but fear and greed don’t disappear overnight. If we don’t handle this carefully, we’ll fracture before we even begin.”
Juri leaned back in his chair, his sharp blue eyes narrowing in thought. “Then we remind them why we’re here. Not with threats. With action.”
To address the unrest, Juri personally traveled to Blackmere, accompanied by Kira, Halrick, and a small escort. The region’s self-proclaimed warlords had seized control of the land, hoarding resources and enforcing their rule through fear.
When Juri arrived at their makeshift stronghold, he requested a meeting with their leader, Dane Karrow, a former mercenary turned despot.
Karrow greeted him with a smug grin, leaning back in his chair as he eyed Juri. “So, the great Juri Winkler comes to parley. Didn’t expect you to show up in person.”
“I’m here to end this peacefully,” Juri said, his voice calm but firm. “Your people are suffering under your rule, and it’s only a matter of time before they rise up. Join the assembly, and we can rebuild Blackmere together.”
Karrow laughed, a sharp, grating sound. “Rebuild? Your assembly’s just another way to tell people what to do. I’ve got everything I need right here.”
Juri’s sharp blue eyes locked onto Karrow’s. “You’re hoarding power while your people starve. That’s the same mistake the nobles made, and look where it got them.”
Karrow’s grin faltered. “You think you scare me?”
“No,” Juri replied. “But I don’t need to. Your people will decide for themselves.”
Juri stepped outside the stronghold, addressing the crowd that had gathered. He spoke of the rebellion’s vision for a free and fair society, of shared power and mutual responsibility.
To Karrow’s dismay, the crowd began to turn against him. Within days, his stronghold was abandoned, and Blackmere joined the assembly.
As the assembly’s influence spread, Juri found himself facing a more personal challenge. A letter arrived at Freehold Keep, written in an ornate hand that Juri recognized instantly.
It was from Anna Winkler, his younger sister, who had been taken by the nobles years ago and raised as part of their system.
The letter was simple but cutting:
“Juri,
You’ve destroyed everything I’ve ever known. Do you think you’re a hero? Do you think you’ve saved us?
You’ve torn down a system, but you’ve left us with chaos. What comes next? Can you even answer that?
If you think you can, meet me at Ravenspire. Prove that you’re more than just a destroyer.
—Anna”
Juri clenched the letter in his hand, his sharp blue eyes unreadable.
“Family?” Kira asked, reading his expression.
“Something like that,” Juri replied, his voice low.
The rebellion had won the war, but the fight for the future was far from over. Juri knew that every choice he made now would shape the world he had fought so hard to create.
As he prepared to travel to Ravenspire to confront his sister and the questions she posed, he couldn’t help but wonder: Could he truly build something better, or was he doomed to be remembered only as the man who tore the old world apart?