54 – Krugar Mountains!

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PART 1 – Opening your Eyes!

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“Let me formally introduce. I'm Skarla Verona, but before I was Verona, I lived here in the mountains, a member of the ancient Vulture Tribe. I was also one of the few people who fled the mountains many years ago.” - Skarla said calmly, surprising news.

Makaulu frowned, looking at his daughter. Skarla gave Gakai the chance to speak.

“What Skarla says is true. She's the one I've been looking for the last few years—the one that got away. Today I am her wife, and I don’t regret waiting or how things turned out.” - Gakai said, hitting his chest.

“Were you the one who destroyed the mountain?” - Asked Makaulu, his emotions were mixed when asking this question. If the one who destroyed it is him, fear will rise, but if not, there is another stronger person on the other side.

"Yes. But my goal was not to destroy the mountain. We were engaged in a battle with entities from a different realm, diabolical creatures responsible for thousands of fatalities. The destruction of the mountain occurred as a result of my fight against the leader of the creatures.” - Skarla said calmly.

“Come to conquer the mountains? Given your age and history, I believe I probably killed your parents; so will you kill me?” - Asked Makaulu, as this is the most common story.

Young humans who have gained some strength frequently emerge, daring to challenge him for vengeance, only to meet their demise. Women become his toys, or those of his subordinates.

"Yes, my parents perished in the war you started." - Said Skarla and Gakai were surprised, but remembered that, in fact, they had such information in what they initially collected about Skarla.

“But I’m not looking for revenge. There is no honor in stepping on insects.” - Skarla said coldly, and with just a wave of her hand, everyone felt a pain in their necks, where they touched and saw a thin trail of blood.

“I can kill them without having to get up. To avenge my parents, to be honest, I never saw or met them, they died shortly after giving birth to me. I harbor no hatred against you or your race, that is too low for someone on my level.” - Skarla calmly looked up, smiling.

“So… what are you looking for by coming here?” - Makaulu asked, veins bulging all over his body. His anger and frustration are obvious.

“The war and conflicts of the mountains with the people of the continent. This will stop today: no more useless sacrifices in wars that lead to nothing. In the end, those who suffer the most losses are the mountains; for the people outside the mountains, your attacks are just common nuisances; in a few weeks or months, the damage you caused is imperceptible.” - Skarla smiled and looked at Gakai, who, nodding, took something out of the air, an action that startled everyone.

Makaulu knows what this was—a storage item. He saw this in the north, but he only saw it twice; they were with two of his greatest kings. His daughter had something that he neither had nor knew how to have.

And what Gakai picked up was something big—a rolling pin. She threw him, allowing him to open up in front of everyone. This allowed everyone to witness its true form—a detailed map of the entire continent.

(Note: I got this map from Pinterest, and I'm using it as an interpretative basis for my narrative. I don't have rights to the map. I edited part of the map to demarcate the territory.)

The White territory that occupies the center of the continent—practically half of the continent—is the Zenirys Empire.

The Red territory that occupies the west of the empire is the Torwin Kingdom.

The Magenta territory that occupies the southwest of the empire is the Melamia Kingdom.

The Yellow territory that occupies the south of the continent, having a tiny border with the empire, is the Great Desert of the Jarletia Kingdom, the richest and poorest region on the continent.

The Blue territory in the east of the Empire, which borders several territories, is the Sodoha Vassal Kingdom.

The Purple territory that occupies an island northeast of the empire is the Elven Kingdom of Yggdrasil.

The icy land to the north, blanketed in snow, is home to the barbarians. Just below, surrounded by mountains, are the Krugar Mountains.

…

Makaulu observed this, believing it to be the map. He can read the continent's language, so he immediately knew where the mountains where they live are.

Slowly, a blue mist appeared in the Krugar Mountains region. - “That place on the map is where we are—the Krugar Mountains. Please understand that this is a full-scale map of the entire continent.”

‘Now that I notice, it looks like a Seahorse.’ - Skarla thought for a moment, but returned her focus.

“As you can see, the Empire that you have been fighting for centuries or even millennia is 5 to 6 times larger than the mountain territory that you are so proud to occupy.” - Skarla smiled as she pointed. - “This whole time, you and our ancestors fought with nothing more than 1/10 of the strength your enemies had at hand.”

“See these colored lines? They are invisible lines that separate territories. Each different color symbolizes a different nation. The Zenirys Empire that you have faced for so long borders three other nations, two of which are at war. These same nations have a territory equal to and three times larger than that of the mountains.”

“The population in these enemy nations is dozens of times larger than what is in the mountains. Now, can anyone tell me why the mountains haven’t been conquered yet?” - Skarla smiled.

Makaulu, and everyone frowned.

“Can you speak, my dear?” - Skarla smiled at Gakai, who nodded and advanced. She looked meaningfully at her father, with many emotions in her heart, but soon focused on the map.

“The Zenirys Empire, which has been our enemy all this time, has many enemies, and our home, the Krugar Mountains, is a place that has natural defenses. We are surrounded by massive mountains, and out of here, except for the sea, there were three passages leading out. 2 led to the empire, and 1 of them, the largest, leads to the freezing lands of the north, where most of our ancestors came and went.” - Gakai pointed calmly.

“In the last great war between our people, our most powerful ancestors were killed, but from what I studied when I was in the empire, it would be the fact that this small territory, which previously occupied these other lands, was led by a powerful lord. He and his people were the ones who started the great battle that brought great disaster to our people. This lord ended up falling into disgrace after losing his main forces, and in the midst of the confrontation, the passage was damaged, making it impossible for large armies to pass through.”

“With this, we are left with two main passages, one where we have been at war for many generations, but the other side never attempted an attack. I believed that, like us, the people of the empire were recovering their strength, but that was not the case. Father, I was among them; I understood their culture and how they see us. To them, we are nothing more than wild animals that have recently learned to use tools. They did not invade us because of a false fear of having even more powerful ancestors on our side, as well as the support of the people of the cold lands.”

“But it turns out that the support we had at that time was because our ancestors had strong relationships with the people of the north. Unfortunately, these relationships were lost with the generations that passed. So even if the people of the empire came to attack us with full force, we wouldn't be able to resist, much less have allies. The people of the north don’t care about us.” - Gakai said, clenching his fists.

“The number of people in the empire is gigantic, father; all your efforts to increase our troops with mestizos, encouraging everyone to have many children, are useless. While we are still developing our agriculture technology, they have been developing it for over 1,000 years. They developed foods that could be produced in all seasons of the year, in virtually any type of location, to avoid famine or food shortages. So they don't need to sacrifice the older and weaker ones, as they have the ability to take care of them, allowing the older ones to pass on their wisdom to the younger ones more easily, something that unfortunately we don't have the privilege of.”

“Their numbers are massive; even though not all of them are warriors like our people, they have their own ways of living: huge groups of people of various races who focus only on producing food, others who focus on producing clothes, weapons, building houses, transporting food, and various valuable products to all parts of the empire. We, on the other hand, all train from birth to be warriors; we live and die equally. Those few who know how to get things done, when necessary, will take up their weapons. When we are not in conflict, we work on what we can before it is time to fight again.”

“However, the people of the empire are different. Warriors will forever be warriors. They train their entire lives, receive free food, as well as money to buy whatever they want; in return, they just need to become stronger so they can protect those who don't have the ability to do so.”

“These diverse nations, through this structure, were able to reproduce in large numbers, supporting not tens of thousands but millions of people. It's such a huge number that I didn't even know it existed. If all the food in the mountains were delivered to the people outside the mountains at this time, it would not last even 1 day.” - Gakai had a complex look; knowing the insignificance of his home was painful.

“Father, what kept our people alive were three things. It's lucky that people outside the mountains thought we had the strength to defend ourselves, when we didn't. The mountains that prevented them from collecting information from us easily, along with the language barrier. Lastly, the territory connected to the mountains, with which we have been at war for so long, under the leadership of that witch, had no interest in conquering us."

“Father, from the beginning, luck was on our side. It was not our strength that allowed us to survive for so long, but our luck.” - Makaulu heard the sadness and helplessness in his daughter's voice. He saw her shake in anger and frustration, with tears welling up in her eyes.

That was the first time since she was no longer a baby that he had seen her shed a tear. - “Dad, it’s so frustrating. We knew that our efforts were insignificant. Our strength is nothing more than a handful of dirt on a hill. Skarla is a wonderful example of this. She is much younger than me—almost 10 years younger. But when she left the mountains and used resources outside the mountains to grow, she surpassed my father's strength and hers as well. She, who was born in the mountains, became stronger than many of our most powerful ancestors.”

“Myself, father. See for yourself.” - Gakai said, extending his hand and using the martial arts learned by Skarla. For Makaulu, what he saw was the manifestation of Aura, which is equivalent to the Life Force he uses.

This made him shudder, as it was something he achieved very late in his life. He knew that his daughter had talent and would achieve this sooner or later, but it would take another 10~20 years to do so.

Now to see her manifest that at such a young age, where he knows she doesn't have the level needed,

“Skarla taught me the techniques she learned and created on the other side of the mountains. I was trained by her for a few months; it was enough for me to become an incredibly powerful father. I believe that with this strength, I can even defeat him, or, at least, be a little on par with you, father.”

Makaulu listened to everything attentively, clenching his fists as he looked at Skarla. - "What do you want?" - He asked.

“The mountains are mine from now on. I will be your housekeeper, and we will have a friendship with the empire. We will develop the mountains, bring good food and better weapons, and give a future to all the children in the mountains. There will be no more unnecessary deaths; everyone, even if they become weaker with old age, will still be able to live and enjoy the fruits of their efforts when they were younger; they will be able to use their strength to accumulate wealth and fame today, where even when they are older and weak, they will be respected and admired.”

“Instead of fighting uselessly against enemies who despise you and have no desire to annihilate you, you can go to various battlefields across the continent, facing all types of powerful creatures to become stronger, fight to protect these lands, and as a reward for your efforts and sacrifices, you and your descendants will be immensely rewarded and even remembered for centuries or millennia.”

“Until now, you lived on a small handful of land, without knowing that all around you, there was a gigantic mountain full of opportunities for you to take advantage of.”

“Makaulu. Your daughter will rule these lands at my side. Your people will be able to prosper magnificently. Don't create problems, and accept what will come. Gakai is my wife, and she loves you very much. I wouldn’t want to take her life and risk making her unhappy.” - Skarla said calmly.

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PART 2 – Father and Daughter!

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They gave everyone time to calm down. Gakai can find himself alone with his father.

Makaulu had a lot to take in, but he asked his daughter. - "Are you well?"

Even though he is a savage and brutal king with hundreds of sons and wives, he is a father who loves his first daughter very much, the fruit of his true love and the last gift she gave him.

"Yes, I am fine." - Gakai said, smiling, showing beautiful white teeth.

Makaulu couldn't help but admire his daughter's beauty. - “Your scars, the ones you were so proud of… what happened to them?”

“The empire’s medicines are incredible, so strong that my scars are gone. I also understood that such scars are not an honor but a dishonor. Enemies that can be found anywhere in this world have left such marks on me. I am her woman, and I cannot allow such insignificant enemies to leave marks on my body.” - She calmly looked in Skarla's direction. - “Skarla only has 1 scar; this scar was left by an enemy that could kill me and you in seconds; it was the enemy she faced when destroying the mountain.”

Makaulu understood his daughter's point of view when he admitted that many of the scars on her body are indeed dishonorable.

“Did they treat you well?” - Makaulu asked, and Gakai thought about what he suffered.

“It took me a while to adapt. I'm still adjusting, and Skarla has a lot of really powerful wives. I thought I was the strongest, but I'm the 3rd strongest; there are 2 monsters above me.” - She growled bitterly.

"Are you happy?" - He asked.

Gakai thought, then smiled genuinely, as she spoke. - "Yes. I am extremely happy. I am with the woman I have been looking for all these years, and… I have her child in my womb. I have personally seen her strength many times; just imagining our son having the same strength would allow me to die happy.”

Makaulu was surprised by the news, then closed his eyes and smiled slightly. - “Then I will be a grandfather. Interesting. But, daughter, what will become of us? I understood that I can't fight her, nor can I look her in the eyes, much less measure her strength. No one in the mountains is able to go against her.”

"Father. Skarla has no hatred or prejudice towards us or our people. Everything she said is true. Not only that, but it will protect the mountains from the empire's advances. It will allow us to develop. Father, I learned so many things, saw incredible places, and met dozens of people stronger than me. I'm sorry for being rude, but I believe that many of them were comparable to you in strength.” - Gakai said calmly.

“…if what I said is true and the empire is that big, I understand that there are so many powerful people. But it's hard to believe.” -Makaulu growled as he clenched his fists. His world is being shaken, but there are many doubts; he doesn't believe in everything.

"I know. That’s why we’re here; we could have come sooner, but something happened in the empire.” - Gakai was smiling, and Makaulu was curious.

“In 90 days, a big tournament will take place. Warriors from all over the continent, including some from the north, will participate. Only those from levels 8 to 15 will be able to participate. So we came here to bring you and several other leaders, as well as competitors.” - Gakai smiled.

“So warriors will fight? Whereby?" - Makaulu was curious.

“There will be many rewards. These fights occur so that lords and kings can recruit warriors willing to follow them. The rewards also include substantial sums of money and valuable items. But what everyone wants is the opportunity to attract Skarla's attention. She is powerful; everyone respects and fears her. She will accept what the people of the empire call disciples. People who are like family, allowing them to learn under her tutelage.”

Makaulu listened intently and looked in Skarla's direction, knowing that strong people tend to attract a lot of attention. - "What should we do?" - He asked.

“In a few days, large wagons with supplies and people will arrive, and construction will begin to improve the mountains. Just as many young people will be brought and taken. You will be invited, and your life will be guaranteed; no one will harm you. You will be able to see the cities as a visitor, so you understand what I am talking about. You will even have access to the library, a place full of books and valuable information. I promise that everything is true. I put my honor as a warrior at stake.” - Gakai beat his chest as he proclaimed.

Makaulu nodded, then looked around at his people. - “I will stop being king… that leaves a strange taste in my mouth.” - He laughed bitterly.

“You will be my father, and that will give you the title of Regent.” - Gakai said calmly.

"What is that?" - Makaulu asked.

“A Regent is someone who has authority similar to that of a king; he is not the king, but no one below him can command him. So except for Skarla, no one can order you.” - Gakai said.

Makaulu was surprised. - “Will she let me have all this power?”

“Skarla is strong—very strong. Poison doesn't work on her; curses are useless, and even if there were dozens of you, father, it wouldn't be enough to leave a mark on her body. Skarla is a monster that the empire itself fears.” - Gakai smiled proudly.

“If the empire fears her, why doesn’t she conquer it?” - Makaulu asked.

“Because she is just one person. People outside the mountains follow a lot of complicated and annoying rules; I'm still learning, but in that place, what matters besides strength is intelligence and blood. It means if, with our strength, we gain fame and respect, our descendants, even if they are not as strong as us, will be able to use some of the respect, even if we are dead. The older and more respected the history of our family and of our blood, the more feared we will be.”

“An example is the imperial family. The emperor, who is equivalent to a king but is above that, His family has been in power for centuries, and no one has the strength to go against them. From what I know, the emperor is not strong; I think you, father, could kill him easily.”

“…if this emperor is so weak, how does he rule so many lands?” - Makaulu frowned.

“Because the first emperor was formidably powerful, just as he had extremely powerful subordinates as well. With his intelligence, he conquered those lands, bringing prosperity to himself and his people. His descendants, even though they did not possess even half his strength, were still intelligent and wise, bringing even more prosperity to their lands. The most powerful warriors, coming from loyal and strong families, submit not only to the emperor's wisdom but also to his bloody history.”

“I know it's confusing, but dad, there are things in this world that strength is incapable of conquering. Skarla has the strength to invade and kill the emperor and proclaim herself the lady of the empire. But if you do, the various lords cannot accept this and will fight; even if they lose, they would rather die and succumb than give in to Skarla.” - Gakai said it seriously.

And indeed, Makaulu found this all confusing but incredible.

He remembered the northern lords; many were so weak that even he learned about a 9-year-old child lord. But this child was a lord because of his blood; his father, who passed away, was a powerful warlord. This warlord's blood runs through that child's veins, so there is hope that the child will reach his father's level when he is older.

Following this rule, if the empire is something like this, several thoughts popped into his mind.

“Is she trustworthy?” - Makaulu asked, looking at Skarla.

"Yes! In the time we were together, I never saw her lie or go against her word.” - Gakai said confidently.

Makaulu, despite being unwell, accepted.

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PART 3 – Intimidating the Army!

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As the orcs braced themselves for the impending news, another significant event unfolded. A large army of northerners was advancing towards the Krugar Mountains.

The attack on the center of the continent caused massive losses for the lords involved. The descendants of influential lords suffered the loss of their fathers, brothers, and mothers.

They are all hungry for blood, with their sights set on the Orc King, Makaulu. He was the one who fanned the flames of war but didn't keep his deal. Everyone believes it was Makaulu's scheme to weaken the north.

And as they sought more information, they discovered that the damage Makaulu suffered was minimal. The empire eradicated the boats parked for the escape of its people, using the "excuse" that they belonged to the empire.

And so, an army of 15,000 northerners marched into the mountains. The ruthless lords decimated the orc outposts that stood in their way.

Skarla, waiting for the orcs' movements, learned about this and decided to act. She will rule over the orcs, and she will need the manpower they can provide her. So saving the orcs is a necessity.

So she flew the next day after her arrival in the capital. Makaulu watched the beautiful young woman fly through the skies at frightening speed.

…

It took just a few hours. Since Skarla acquired her Dantian, her energy control has improved by more than 10 times. Along with this is the ability to have greater impulses in the air with lower expenses. Create a more perfect vacuum.

Her previous "flight" involved her throwing herself into the air. In other words, she practically jumped intensely, resulting in her leaping into the air. But now she really flew. Air and gravity were no longer limitations.

Thus, she covered hundreds of kilometers in a few hours. She reached the large camp just as dusk was falling. She thought about attacking now; massacring them would be so easy.

In the air, she is able to see the various defenses, believing them to be the work of shamans. She feels the powerful presence of formidable warriors. But she can see children.

These are young people who have barely reached what this world considers adulthood. They are children who have only recently transitioned through the initial phases of puberty. We sent them here as long as they could wield shields.

Skarla could fall like a calamity upon her enemies, but seeing the children made her hesitate. They are enemies, but that is no justification for massacring them.

They are angry and sad people. They lost a lot of family members and loved ones. Everyone feels wronged, to the point of ignoring the fact that they bring children to this war with the sole intention of building numbers.

Skarla, with her arms behind her back, looked at the setting sun. As she pondered over the conflicts, her Dantian emanated a mystical energy that resonated with her spirit.

What did she truly long for? Reach the supreme position in this world? Having a strength that no one can rival? For what purpose?

Strength is a must if you want to protect what you love. However, strength comes with responsibility. Her monstrous strength comes with pain that the weak and strong cannot measure.

Faced with a bloodthirsty enemy army, she sees the fragility of human life. Instinctively, she feels them like insects. But she is not a cold, unempathetic monster. She has experienced these emotions in the past, so she knows what they feel like.

She was a genius who, at the beginning of her life, had few emotions; she was more objective. Subsequently, she found herself in a different realm, where she endured discrimination, humiliation, and pain. This experience transformed her, leading to a surge of emotions. The hate!

Her rebirth brought about changes; conscious since birth, she has been able to feel her parents' love. She was unable to reciprocate them because of the hatred she felt for her race. But regardless of whether she wanted it or not, love came to her, and that's why she never used or harmed them. She felt guilty about being reborn in her son's body.

She gave birth to children through an arranged marriage. Everything shaped her, but the hatred she felt outweighed everything else. Whether she liked it or not, her senses simply became numb as the hatred diminished to a point.

This life changed everything. Simplicity allowed her to reflect on everything she did. After months without being able to move, she was cared for by a child who lost his parents, his only family in that tribe.

…

Skarla reflected on her life for hours. Night fell, and she was still reflecting. She yearned to comprehend her true purpose in this life. She just lived and did whatever she wanted. She never tried to take this world seriously, thinking it was just a world full of lust.

Her prejudices led her to think in exaggerated terms. But, like it or not, it made her relax and accept things as they are.

Skarla started to smile. What she wanted was to live. Always having chased a material objective.

Research in a laboratory. Internal Energy Studies.

His life came down to this. Already in this life, she decided to truly live. A gigantic family is what she wants. A force that can protect everything that is important to you.

In relation to the ants that are her enemies. She doesn't see the need to massacre them. Sparing them is the right thing to do. She is already at too high a level to be bothered by ants.

……

The morning arrived. The northern army prepared to continue its march. But in the heavens, something happened. Despair gripped their hearts.

In the sky moved a majestic oriental dragon. The length is almost 200 meters. It was composed of a pure, majestic energy that silenced everyone and everything.

The majestic dragon is heading towards them. Its speed increases until it violently collides with the ground 50 meters away from the camp.

Boooooommmm!!

A massive explosion reverberated, with a crater appearing. An intense tremor covered the entire place, sending a chill down their spines.

A beautiful, humanoid figure emerged from the crater. The figure's beauty captivated the hearts of both men and women. But it also drew his fear and respect for the massive power it exuded.

The leaders approached, with a few cowards preparing to escape.

And soon, Skarla stood before his leaders, trembling. Few were bigger than her, but they felt so tiny before her.

“On your knees!” - Skarla's calm voice reverberated. A massive pressure manifested, and everyone within a 100-meter radius felt their knees weaken, their bodies tilted, and they were soon on the ground.

“Skarla!” - A scream sounded, which alarmed Skarla, but she maintained her composure and watched. Meeting a person who managed to make you lose your temper on more than one occasion.

“Skadih.” -Her tone was calm. Skadih is struggling to stand, hope in her eyes.

Skarla calmly extended her hand, waving her fingers upward in a simple gesture, but the pressure on everyone eased a lot. Skadih managed to get up and went forward, passing the various leaders.

“It’s wonderful to see you.” - Skadih said, smiling, hiding as much as possible the fear he feels.

“We are not close enough to talk to me in that tone. But it surprises me that I returned to the north in the midst of this chaos.” - Skarla said calmly, and Skadih swallowed her saliva.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" - Shouted a tall, muscular man, pulling out his war axe.

Skarla ignored Skadih, who was just an insignificant ant who didn't understand the situation she was in. Truly an ignorant fool.

“I am Skarla Verona, noble of the Zenirys Empire, current housekeeper of the Krugar Mountains.” - Skarla said in a calm tone as she positioned herself in front of everyone.

"ABSURD! The mountains have only one false ruler, who will be beheaded by my hands.” - This furious man shouted. Fury is a cover for his terror.

“Makaulu has since yesterday become my servant; his disobedience will result in death. From now on, I will take control over the mountains, but not in the name of the empire but in my name. You are invading my lands, which gives me justification to annihilate you.” -His tone became full of coldness, which made several leaders retreat.

“Skarla, what do you think about-” - Skadih forcing a smile, approached Skarla, extending an arm to her shoulder.

A massive force hit her, her arm twisting, her scream ringing out, and her knees giving way. - “When did I give you so much freedom? Don't you understand the situation you find yourself in? Among everyone present here, the one who should have the most reason to fear me is you.”

Skarla coldly stepped forward; Skadih's scream reverberated, and her legs twisted. - “I'm not killing you out of hate, just that your presence disgusts me. I know what you did to Holga.” -Skarla said, waving her hand, and with Skadih's screams and cries, her body was crushed by an enormous force and exploded.

Terror is rising in everyone's hearts.

(Note: Considerations at the end.)

“I had personal matters regarding this insect. As for you. Hatred should not be directed at Makaulu but at me, as I was the one who destroyed his plans.” - Skarla said, laughing, and everyone shivered.

“I only needed to capture one of their leaders, then I knew about their plans. The ships on the sides of the mountain are your goal to escape to the mountains. I admit it was a great plan, and luck was on your side with the conquest of a fortress. But unfortunately for you, bad luck smiled at you, sending me here.” - Skarla pointed to herself, and her arrogance increased.

“The few of your people left on the continent are being purged. The cities that took so much effort to conquer were reconquered. The orcs that were your allies are now mine to command, and they will listen like bitches. As for you, You are just invaders of my lands; what should I do with you?” -Skarla's smile became cruel, and his hand calmly approached her lips for a contemplative expression.

The closer his hand got, the more the room vibrated. The vibration intensified, and everyone's hearts accelerated.

"OK. Enough kidding.” -His tone became indifferent, and the vibration ceased.

“Go back to your cold caves and tell everyone that Skarla rules the Krugar Mountains. Invading these lands is the equivalent of irritating me. I will not be as merciful as I am today.” - Skarla smiled.

“You massacred our people. Do you think we’ll leave it like that?” - A woman growled furiously as she advanced, and a few brave people did the same.

“Since when did I give them a choice?” - Skarla laughed, and a sound came from above. Many looked confused, and the terror returned.

A gigantic palm covered the skies, descending upon the brave. They were terrified. Shamans advanced, using their shamanic magic to establish protections, while some attacked Skarla.

Fireballs, wind blades, stone spikes, and attacks that directly affected her mind bombarded Skarla.

With a wave of her hands, Skarla performed a concentrated discharge of energy that destroyed all attacks aimed at her. Meanwhile, the palm descended.

Shouts from dozens of northerners echo. Shamans are trying their best to resist the colliding palm. Screams and sighs echo.

Slowly, silence dominated the place. When the palm fell apart, what remained were the buried bodies of dozens of powerful warriors. All unconscious, but not dead.

"It was fun. But playing with ants is not like me.” - Skarla said calmly, then extended her arm and then lowered it.

An even larger palm in the sky covered a significant portion of the army. The terror was even more evident.

“WE SURRENDER! WE WILL NOT FIGHT ANYMORE!” - Someone screamed and was on their knees. Dozens of others trailed behind the elderly shaman.

Soon, the proud leaders knelt, knowing they could not escape. The troops behind them followed suit. The sound of something falling from the sky resounded, frightening them, their screams echoing in unison, wishing for mercy.

And less than 10 meters away, the massive palm fell apart. Skarla calmly retracted her palm to her back. Many fled; others accepted their fate, not giving in to fear and willing to face everything head-on, while there were the sensible ones who loved life and decided to surrender.

……

The army of 15,000 turned and left. Terror was branded in their hearts. The Krugar Mountains are home to a monster more fearsome than dragons.

Skarla Verona, Jörmungandr. That was the title she received from the Northerners. The sight of the eastern dragon descending from the sky left a lasting impression. His monstrous, almost divine power filled them with terror. Cruelty and magnificent beauty. It all culminated in receiving the title of one of the most powerful and influential religious entities in the North. The serpent that circles the world.

And so one crisis was averted, but more are to come.

===== Final Considerations(Skadih) =====

I noticed that many of the few readers who commented liked Skadih and looked forward to seeing more about her in the work. There's not much I can do about it, she was a character that could have gained prominence, but luck wasn't on her side, just as Skarla didn't have a decent impression of her.

Skadih was destined to be a generic character who would be discarded from the work without being mentioned further. But she appeared here. Her reasons? Her people are in the north; there's not much more to discuss.

Her death was just the accumulation of her mistakes and failures. Fear also confused her reason; along with that, the desire to be Skarla's wife mixed with fear, giving her the illusion that she could say something to Skarla.

For Skadih, the world would have a specific rule, which she herself stipulated, because, up until that moment in her life, everything followed according to the rules she specified. In the end, everything culminated in her death.

If she had stayed quiet, Skarla wouldn't have even paid attention, even if she had noticed her. But Skadih shamelessly showed that she knew her, thinking she could minimize the damage, or even bring her to her side. In the end, her overconfidence, which was undermined by momentary madness, resulted in her death.

What are her chances of surviving, even if she has spoken out? Lows, but they existed. Her interaction was the problem. Skadih tried to force an interaction with Skarla, which would undermine the intimidating image she wanted to portray.

So because it went against Skarla's plans, it was the main reason for her death. Other factors were the stories she heard from Holga during her time in “Eye of the Crow”. Skarla already had reasons to hate Skadih; she had greater reasons to despise her and not even consider her as a human being.

In the end, limits were crossed. Even the highest results in D20 could not change.

She was a good character; she had potential. But in the end, the data decided her fate; her incomplete story was supplemented with unpleasant situations that further reduced her chances of becoming relevant.

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PART 4 – New Ruler!

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The news spread. After Makaulu's defeat, Skarla Verona, a member of the Vulture Tribe, took control of the mountains.

The conflict against the empire ceased. There will be no more wars. Everyone must accept the results; if they do not, Skarla will receive them for duels. If they win, they will be able to take possession of the mountains.

And in the meantime, Duchy carriages arrived. There were hundreds of workers and many merchants. The fear was evident, but no one dared to attack them, which would have been normal in the past.

And so the changes began. They have dispatched cartographers to chart the mountains. Orcs and knights guard them while they work. There is a lot of food being distributed. Several orcs who ruled the regions had to return to the capital.

Each race also summoned representatives from its old tribes.

Skarla didn't need to explain. She commanded them to comply, thereby achieving peace through coercion.

Makaulu and other orc leaders could only observe the seizure of their lands. It was infuriating, but Skarla single-handedly fended off an army of 15,000 Northmen. What can they do about this?

Clear. Skarla knew that as soon as she left, conflicts would arise. So she needed to set rules and bribe the right people. It was easy; orcs are simple.

Skarla just had to give them weapons, armor, and magical accessories to boost their strength. Items you would never see in the past are so easy to get.

Makaulu has a necklace with spatial storage properties. Many of his subordinates received spatial storage grants.

Farmers began to take control over fields of wheat, corn, and other foods. Bringing better tools. Mills began to be built, and much more.

We sent explorers to search for the mountains' natural resources because they undoubtedly contain many valuable minerals.

Changes were happening. The benefits being exposed and promises of better things to come in the future.

And something that was abundant, were challenges. A huge number of younger orcs challenged her. Proud and arrogant. They were confident that they would take her as their wife and rule the mountains.

As a result, Skarla didn't even raise a hand to defeat them. She imprinted even more fear into their minds, making them understand the disparity between their strengths.

And just before, Skarla needed to return and, of course, take many orcs with her to the tournament. A brave, half-breed warrior faced her.

A proud young half-breed with a physique comparable to any pure-blood orc. Tattoos adorn her body, complemented by a Boardogge leather skirt.

Skarla was calm in front of the young man. - “Long time ago, Toru.” - She said it calmly, recognizing the young orc.

“Skarla.” - Toru extended the club in his hand toward her. - “I will defeat her today and make her pay for all the humiliation I went through.”

With a light smile, Skarla said. - “Don’t disappoint me, boy.”

…

The ground was all that Toru witnessed. But he constantly got up, not accepting defeat. But the floor would become his lover in the next moment.

It didn't matter how hard he tried. He was facing a wall on which he could not see the edge or any hint of the end. This infuriated him.

Toru was unable to move and realized he wouldn't have any more chances when Skarla sat on his back. - “What happened to Kabek?” - Skarla asked calmly.

"Is dead!" - Toru growled.

"I understand. He had talent; he would certainly have become a formidable warrior. You have become quite strong, Toru.” - Skarla said calmly.

“I don’t need your useless words. Nothing you say will change the past. Not even the fact that she abandoned us!” - Toru trembled, hatred in his eyes.

“Do you hate your mother?” - Skarla asked.

"Yes!" -There was no hesitation in his tone.

"I understand. I knew she thought about you all the time. It has become more frequent since your little sister was born.” -Skarla said, and Toru snorted; his tone was full of indifference.

“Don’t hate your mother. I was the one who rescued her from that situation. I was the one who filled her with hope. I know you and your brother have suffered. But it’s not our fault.” - Skarla said, getting up, and Toru did the same.

“Because of you. Everyone from the Vulture Tribe was punished, including me and my brother, the fugitive's children. Our father didn't care about us, regardless of how strong we were. Our lives were hell because of you!” - Toru growled, infuriated.

Skarla looked him in the eyes. The young man's hatred is painful. - “Indeed, this is part of the consequences of our actions. Your mother wished we had taken you two. But I doubt they would have accepted, and they could have ended up destroying their chances of escape.”

Toru clenched his fists. - “Your mother loves you. When she lived here, she was not able to feel motherly love. You and your brother were the fruits of rape. She loved you, but only because you were her livelihood. But she wanted to be happy and get out of this hell of slavery.”

“You can resent all you want. But that's life; people are selfish; others throw their blame and frustrations on other people's backs. People will look for opportunities to rise above others.”

Skarla stopped talking and looked him in the eyes. - “I don’t expect your forgiveness. I will not strive to have it. The news of Kabek's death will undoubtedly devastate you mother. However, out of consideration for her, I will ask the question. Do you want to see her?”

Toru shuddered at those words. - “Whether you like it or not. She is the one who gave you life. And if your brother really died, she's your only family. The only person in this world who loves you unconditionally; even if you hurt her, she can never hate you.”

“Your mother is a strong woman; she needed to be strong because of the situation. But now the situation is different.” - Skarla stopped speaking. - “Do you want to see her?”

"I want." - Toru clenched his fists. - “I need to ask something.” - He growled.

Skarla nodded. He knew it would destroy Ilyria, but it's not something to run away from. She needs to face the past and overcome it to be able to live in the future.