Rebirth System: Blood and Ash

Aric stepped into the Senate House.

The entire building reeked of tension, smoke thick and presssin down with expectation. Grand columns lined the hall, leaving streched shadows across the walls adorned with murals of past emperors and battles won.

Rows of high-backed seats spiraled upward, each filled by the most influential nobles in the empire. At the very center, in an elevated chair, sat his father, Emperor Xavier Valerian, flanked by his three sons—Valen, Sylas, and Darius—each eyeing Aric with varying shades of curiosity, contempt, and veiled calculation.

As Aric advanced to the center of the hall, Duke Thadrian Varys, Speaker of the Senate, raised his hand to silence the murmurs that had rippled through the chamber. Thadrian was a neutral figure, wielding power not by force or favoritism, but by holding sway over the secrets of every senator present.

His gaze, penetrating and careful, settled on Aric.

"Aric Valerian, Fourth Prince of the Empire," Thadrian announced, his voice carrying an edge of formality that invited the Senate to listen carefully.

"You stand before us today to account for your conquest of Byzeth. Your father, our esteemed Emperor, and the council of nobles are eager to understand how this victory was achieved."

Aric met his father's eyes. The emperor's face remained expressionless, unreadable, as if he were a statue rather than a man of flesh and blood. Beside him, Crown Prince Valen watched with an intensity that betrayed his interest, while Sylas bore an unreadable, faintly annoyed expression—and beneath was fear, he was on edge.

Darius, for his part, maintained an air of distant curiosity.

"Your conquest was unexpected, Aric," Valen said, breaking the silence. His voice was measured, the tone slightly challenging. "Byzeth is not known to be easily subdued, especially by a single man. Explain to us how you managed this... without imperial support."

The room waited, hushed and expectant.

Aric kept his posture relaxed, his voice calm. "It was slightly difficult I must admit, brother," he said, holding Valen's gaze, "but a mix of careful planning and the right timing allowed me entry. To begin with, I infiltrated King Aszer's council, giving him the impression that I intended to betray Valeria."

A ripple of disbelief passed over a few senators' faces, but Aric ignored them.

"He believed that he had gained an ally, someone within our own empire. It gave me access to their inner workings—information that would otherwise have been impossible to obtain."

The room was silent, save for the faint sound of quills scratching as senators took notes. From the Iron Circle faction, Count Feris Draylon leaned forward, skepticism etched on his face.

"A bold move," Count Draylon remarked, his tone laced with doubt. "But infiltration alone doesn't win wars."

A small smirk formed at the corner of Aric's lips, and he let the silence hang for a moment before answering.

"Next, I subdued the Stretch of Miredis and seized their primary trade route with nothing but a group of common bandits," he said, his voice as calm as if he were discussing a matter of lessser significance.

"We overtook the route gradually, exploiting weaknesses in their patrols and supply lines. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late—I had already sent Aszer and his army out on a pointless march. Byzeth's trade was strangled in one swift, quiet move." Read exclusive content at empire

Murmurs rose in the hall. Aric glanced at the senators, some of whom were nodding with reluctant admiration. Others wore expressions of disbelief or anger, as if resenting that they hadn't foreseen such tactics themselves.

It was then that Valen leaned forward, his fingers steepled beneath his chin, his tone deceptively soft.

"And what of your encounter with King Aszer?" Sylas asked, his eyes gleaming with something dark. "It's said you killed him with your bare hands, Aric. Tell us how our sickly little brother became capable of such a feat."

Aric held Valen's gaze, a glint of challenge in his own. He was well aware of the probing behind his question. But he kept his voice steady, unaffected.

"Strength can be found in places we often overlook, brother," he said smoothly. "King Aszer underestimated his enemy, and in the North, with the Northrenders by my side, his arrogance became his undoing."

The question was expertly evaded.

Valen's expression didn't waver, but there was a flicker of frustration in his eyes. He wasn't getting the answer he wanted.

"Convincing the Northrenders to turn on Byzeth was no small feat," commented Marquis Arwin Valtair from the Shadow League, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's. "How did you manage to persuade the Northrender legion to follow you?"

Aric's smirk widened slightly, the trace of mischief in his eyes unmistakable.

"Charm," he replied simply, letting the word hang in the air.

A ripple of laughter and scoffs ran through the Senate hall, though Aric knew the simplicity of his answer was calculated to leave them wanting more. He wouldn't grant them the satisfaction of knowing the full truth, there was also the matter that he would be hung for treason if he told it to them.

Countess Amisa Morren narrowed her eyes.

"You expect us to believe that charm alone won you the loyalty of seasoned Northrend warriors?" she challenged.

Aric's gaze turned icy. "Believe what you will, Countess. But what matters is that Byzeth fell, as you know I had offered the northerners the lands Aszer had already promised them, but I have not much else to tell you other than that. Aszer lost…simple, Byzeth loyalty once again belong to Valeria. I brought results, something all of you seem to have struggled with a while."

At this, Duke Thadrian Varys raised his hand, his gaze thoughtful.

"If it is true that you've claimed Byzeth's trade routes, Prince Aric, then I believe we all wish to understand the current state of affairs. How secure are these new trade channels? How do you plan to sustain them?"

Aric glanced around, the weight of his achievement evident in his voice.

"Byzeth's trade channels are now fully under my control. I have positioned merchants in key areas and secured an alliance with the Northrenders. As we speak, the men of winter's reliance on the Draken Empire has ceased. The Northrenders now look to Valeria as their primary trade partner."

There was a stunned silence, and then a few shocked gasps.

Baroness Leora Firael spoke, her voice laced with skepticism.

"Are you suggesting that we now trade openly with the Northrenders?"

Aric raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "We?"

The single word was like a slap, a reminder that this victory, this carefully made alliance, was his doing—not theirs.

His brothers exchanged glances, and for a moment, Aric could see a flicker of something—was it envy, anger, or perhaps fear? Whatever it was, it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Emperor Xavier, who had been silent the entire time, finally leaned forward. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze held a weight that seemed to press upon Aric, as if testing him.

"The empire has gained much from your… unconventional methods, Aric," the emperor said, his voice slow, deliberate. "But the Northrenders are a volatile people, as you well know. If they turn on us, all that you have built could come crashing down."

Aric met his father's gaze without flinching.

"I have measures in place, Father. The Northrenders see strength as a form of respect, and I have given them reason to respect Valeria. This alliance was not born of empty promises—it was forged through conquest and blood."

For a moment, silence filled the chamber, and then the emperor gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod.

"That is good, soon we must discuss military alliance with them"

Duke Thadrian Varys cleared his throat, breaking the tension.

"Prince Aric, your achievements, regardless of how they were made, have shifted the balance in our favor. The Senate will review your strategies in greater detail. However, we must discuss the specifics of this alliance and how to move foward in closed council."

Aric inclined his head slightly, as if to say he'd expected nothing less.

Before anyone could say more, Count Lysander Drakov of the Silver Dawn, one of the few in the room with reformist ideals, spoke up.

"If Valeria is truly capable of such victories, then perhaps we should consider empowering other provinces with similar independence and resources. Prince Aric has shown what a driven individual can achieve without the empire's interference."

Valen scoffed, his eyes narrowing at Lysander.

"Decentralizing power? We would be inviting chaos into our borders, Lysander. Valeria's strength comes from its unity."

Aric watched with amusement as the Senate began to splinter, each faction reasserting its ideals and loyalties, like vultures pecking at a fresh kill. He had disrupted the balance in one move, and now they scrambled to reclaim their footing.

As the session finally began to close, Duke Thadrian glanced at Aric with a shadow of a smile. "Today, we have witnessed an unprecedented report, Prince Aric. Your conquest is commendable. But remember, not all will welcome change, even one so evidently beneficial. This Senate has sharp ears—and sharper blades."

Aric dipped his head in acknowledgment, catching the veiled warning.