The rebellion was over.
Once the power of magic appeared in the war to suppress it, the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Mortals had no way to stand against such power.
The center of Count Maris City had become a wasteland. The army suppressing the rebellion began spreading out in every direction, slaughtering rebels in the other count cities and dragging out pale-faced, disbelieving nobles.
Ryan had expected Monarch City to unleash a wholesale massacre, but it did not.
There was killing, of course. The great counts and large numbers of nobles within their cities were executed, but their families were not exterminated.
According to the reports sent back by the Shadow Vanguard, they wanted to show... mercy.
"The Monarch brought far too much bloodshed to this world decades ago..."
In short, reasons along those lines meant that, apart from Count Maris City, none of the cities involved in the rebellion were completely purged.
The power of magic also made Ryan withdraw his plans to invest more in Alistair.
Because... the war had ended too quickly. So quickly that Alistair, the prince who had brought Slate Croft with him, never had a chance to intervene and claim a share of the credit for suppressing the rebellion.
"No matter how many rebels they killed, it cannot compare to Slate's head in my hands."
"He was the King of the Kingdom Remnants. Every part of this rebellion served him."
As Alistair said this, he saw Ryan walking toward him.
"Chosen One Ryan."
"Your Highness Alistair."
Ryan returned his greeting, then said:
"I have some rather good news. Would you be interested, Your Highness?"
"It concerns your brothers."
Count Maris City.
The ravages of war and the destruction wrought by magic had left this once-prosperous count city filled with smoke and