Chương 88: The Trial of Maxi and the March on Thassos

March 19th, Year 4353 of the Era of Gods. The weather turned sweltering as the heat of the tropical rainforest replaced the mild winter. Along with the rising temperatures, the Alliance introduced its very first set of laws. Inscribed in the Common Tongue on stone monuments in Iron City, the laws were explained daily by staff to the mostly illiterate Goblin population. The essence was simple: Death to murderers, punishment for thieves.

On the very day the laws were enacted, the first prisoner stood trial: Maxi the Shield, former Grandmaster of the Paladins of the Thassos Kingdom and a member of the Brave's party. The Arrogance of a Paladin Maxi had been mangled by a blast barrel, losing all four limbs. Yet, through the faint blessing of the Goddess of Life, his vitality was monstrous; his stumps were even beginning to regenerate. The trial was held publicly in the newly built Citizens' Square.

Li Qinwu sat on the tribunal as Maxi, chained to a chair, listened to the charges: illegal entry, the slaughter of 158 hunters, and the killing of 812 regular Alliance soldiers.

"Heh," Maxi sneered, despite his condition.

"In all my years, I've never heard of 'crime' involving the slaying of monsters." When translated by Miss Hana and Gobu-Witch, his words ignited a fury among the citizens. Screams and barks filled the air. Li Qinwu remained calm, watching the man who viewed himself as a giant among ants. Once Maxi grew tired of shouting, Li Qinwu finally spoke.

"Maxi, do you think I spent all this effort on a trial just to hear you repent? Look at the soldiers around you. What do you see in their eyes?" The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Maxi looked. The soldiers of the 10th Company stood like statues, their eyes burning with a hatred that felt physical.

"You... you intend to invade Thassos?!" Maxi gasped.

"No," Li Qinwu stood, his voice cold as ice.

"This is a counter-strike. Your death and the death of the Brave cannot settle this debt. The Alliance needs an outlet for its rage. Your homeland will pay the price for your actions." The Crushing of a Soul Maxi laughed hysterically at first, mocking the idea of Goblins invading a kingdom. But his laughter died when Li Qinwu reminded him that Brave Leon was dead, Julie had been decimated, and he himself was a limb-less wreck.

He realized with a jolt of terror that they had provoked a terrifying, highly organized entity. The final blow to his psyche came when Li Qinwu allowed him to write a last will, promising to deliver it to Thassos.

"Sir, do you have anything to say to your family? I promise it will be delivered," Miss Hana said, dipping her quill. At that moment, Maxi's pride shattered. This highly civilized procedure made him feel a crushing sense of guilt. He realized he wasn't fighting "evil monsters" but a sovereign nation with laws, emotions, and order. By every moral standard, he was the aggressor, the villain who had attacked a legitimate military force. Maxi began to tremble, sweat soaking his clothes.

Right before the blade fell, he managed only a single, wavering sentence: "May my soul return to the embrace of the Goddess of Life." Fires of Sulfur, March! As Maxi's head rolled, Li Qinwu gained a level. The "will," containing only that one sentence, was sealed in a wooden box. Li Qinwu drew his greatsword, pointing it toward the western horizon, toward the Kingdom of Thassos.

"Soldiers! The Thassos Kingdom brought us pain. Now, it is time to collect! March! Use the fires of sulfur and the bite of the bayonet to punish the invaders!!!"

"KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!!" The roar of the 10th Company shook the square. To the sound of military whistles, the ranks turned and marched west. Maxi's body was not yet cold when the Alliance's boots began to pound the earth toward the borders of Thassos.