Jenny

Chaos greeted her as Jenny left the portal. The usual guards who were stationed to protect the portal from incoming threats were now pointing their spears outwards—a mob had gathered around the building that housed the portal. Bane and the wolves had already slipped through unnoticed. But Jenny, and subsequently the others who followed her moments later were all stunned by the scene.

"What the…," Velastra commented in shock.

"Seems the rats managed to infiltrate deeper than we anticipated," Ignar added with a scowl.

Even Boff, Toff, and Henry were left speechless as they exited the gateway to Reality's Edge.

"This…," Henry said weakly. "This is unexpected."

"Bah, you deal with this," Ignar said as him and his wife marched off in a hurry towards the Guild. The rampaging crowd cowered and let them pass without a complaint—their reputation preceded them.

But Jenny and Henry had no such luck. If not for Boff and Toff, the crowd may have already ran at them the moment they came into view.

"Let us out of here."

"You can't do this."

"You can't drag my family into this hopeless war."

Henry was pelted with several angry shouts from the crowd, along with the occasional stone. Jenny casually deflected it with her hands, not even bothering to draw her shield.

"Calm down everyone," Henry tried to pacify the crowd. "Let me explain the situation. We have everything under control."

"No, you don't," an angry shout from a nameless face came from the crowd. "There is a horde of 20,000 beasts heading our way."

Jenny's ears perked up. That voice…

Henry's attempts to speak were drowned out by more taunts and jeers. Every time he tried, a dissident shouted over him. Though none dared to attack, the turmoil grew by the minute. It was obvious the Alliance had placed their supporters to rile the mob. But Jenny had eyes only for one hooded figure. Even though the face was hidden, she knew those eyes well. The figure met her gaze and visibly recoiled and immediately began to retreat silently.

She gave a low whistle, a command to one of the wolves to follow her target. Despite her anger, this wasn't the time or place to confront him; she had her orders. A shadow crept silently away from her, following the fleeing instigator.

Henry was getting increasingly flustered when Jenny stepped forward. Perhaps seeing an easier target, the fools attempted to escalate. A big mistake on their part.

"Silence," Jenny's bone chilling Aura cut through the rabble. An unnatural cold descended on the area, ceasing all sounds like the chill of winter.

The very ground around her froze. As did every tongue that was about to lash out with hate and fear.

"This portal will not lead you to salvation," her far too calm voice reached everyone. "I don't know what lies you have been fed, but it is only linked to Lord Fenrast's private domicile. And anyone foolish enough to test his patience will face consequences worse than death."

Even though Jenny was new to this, she could clearly see the hidden motives behind this move. The Alliance was trying to find out where Aenon resided and possibly uncover some of his secrets. Nocthrya's existence was still under wraps, but if she let the infiltrators pass through the portal, the World Tree's existence would be out in the open.

"If you wish to escape the coming horde," she continued. "You will have to do it the old-fashioned way—on foot, braving the elements by yourself. No one will stop you. On the contrary we will arrange armed escorts for you to join the Alliance."

That got some low murmurs from the crowd, their desperation on full display. Which cemented her deduction that this was an Alliance ploy to break into Reality's Edge.

"Wh…what is it gonna cost us? This escort."

A man stepped forward, clutching a child to his chest. Jenny saw the desperation in his eyes, the fear and confusion in the boy's. Her fist clenched at her side. The Alliance's tactics were vile—but effective. The man was just a coward, using the child as a shield against retaliation, knowingly or not.

"Easy lassie," a dwarven voice entered her mind, one of the twins. "Being a commander isn't just about leading armies. You also need to learn to protect others. Even those blinded by fear."

Jenny flinched, halting the cold retort that rose to her lips. He was right. These people weren't her enemies. Not even the man clutching his son. Their hatred, their jeers, their stones—none of it was born of malice. It was fear. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to just overlook the mess they were causing. That is, till something happened that shook her to the core.

A woman in the crowd stumbled to the ground, shoved in the chaos. Her palms and knees scraped against the stone, but Jenny's eyes weren't on the blood. She had instinctively cast Identify.

Human | Mage | Level 10

The sight struck her harder than any attack she had weathered so far. It was like staring into a mirror of her own past—back when she too was powerless, low-leveled, and cornered by an oncoming horde with no way out.

Jenny looked at the crowd again, truly seeing each person for the first time. She had experienced this day before when the Treants attacked Jadefall. Only this time, she was on the other end. Her recent growth had dulled certain memories, but she could not totally forget the day she stood amongst a similar crowd, begging for a path to safety.

She lifted her hand and stared at her palm, recollecting the sight of scraped skin and blood on it. Her hopelessness that day had been like a mountain upon her shoulders. Had she not done the same thing these people were? Had she also not joined a mob as a last resort?

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Guilt cut through her frozen heart, a byproduct of her Aura. She had managed to take charge of the situation using it but suppressed her emotions in the process. She recalled the callous disregard the guards had shown her back then. The authoritative strong arming; the dismissive gazes. The buried memories resurfaced as she looked into the woman's eyes. The situation echoed what she had experienced herself.

A helpless girl collapsed on the ground, while those in power callously decided her fate.

Jenny turned to the twins, their eyes judging her silently. They didn't speak out for fear of making a hopeless situation worse. But their warning, and their eyes said it all. Just like all the people who had been molding her, the twins too were trying to do their part. Only this time, the lesson was not about personal power. It was about what she would do with it.

Would she take charge of her power? Or let the power dictate her actions. She thought hard about every person who had helped her—Aenon, Lady Sylvathorn, Ignar, Velastra, and now the twins. They didn't really have to. They were far stronger than her. The same way she was now far stronger than everyone in the crowd.

Her self-reflection finally settled on the day it all started—when her mother's mask shattered, and the cold terror of Aenon's eyes forced her to open hers for the first time. Terror, it seems, could be used for good.

Her mind made up, she turned to the crowd again, leashing her domineering Aura.

"Your freedom," she spoke in a calmer tone.

But the words shocked the crowd, several of them taking a step back in horror.

"For that is what the Alliance will charge you," Jenny continued, making several people exchange confused looks. "You are nothing but resources to them. Like cattle, you will be harvested for Titles and XP."

"Lies," a hidden voice from the crowd screamed. "The Alliance promises safety and prosperity. Not…aaaaaaargh."

The voice turned to screams as one of her pups leapt from the shadows and latched onto the man's foot. The panicked crowd retreated, letting the wolf drag its mark towards Jenny.

"Its easy being a nameless face in the crowd," Jenny spoke softly, but the disdain in her voice was apparent. "Speak openly, then. Who gave you those promises?"

"You are nothing but tyrants… aaaaaargh."

"I asked you a question," a familiar chill broke out again as Jenny stepped forward towards the cowering mess.

"I…I…," the man stammered, searching the crowd for help. Jenny saw several figures trying to slip out surreptitiously.

"Looks like your colleagues have abandoned you," Jenny said with an eerie smile. "Or at least, are trying to."

Several screams erupted from the distance as men and women were dragged over by formless shadows before being tossed to the ground before her. Jenny looked at them coldly. Just like Aenon had unmasked her mother's manipulation, she too would do the same with the Alliance.

"Who do you work for?" Jenny spoke with the full weight of her Aura.

The chill drilled into their very souls, as their will began to crumble like frostbitten limbs. The crowd looked on, unsure of what was happening.

"Pl…pl…please," one of the captured women managed to say. "We were just following orders."

"Explain."

The guy in the lead, the one who was caught first, tried to give her a stern gaze to make her shut up. But the creep couldn't turn his head. But Jenny didn't miss the attempt at intimidating.

"We were asked to lead a mob to break into the portal," the black-haired woman spoke. "We were promised safe passage to the Alliance led cities."

"And what were you to do once on the other side?" Jenny asked, holding back her Aura to allow the woman to speak freely.

The woman shook her head, "We were not supposed to enter. Merely allow someone else to." The woman looked around. "The man is not here."

Jenny knew instantly who the woman was talking about. The figure who had left first, the one who Jenny hated with all her soul. Dismissing her growing anger, she turned to the crowd.

"Now, do you see? You all are nothing but pawns in their games," her voice travelled to the stunned crowd.

The silence lingered for a moment before the man with the child in his arms spoke, softly this time.

"Are you any different?" the man spoke in defeat. "Our new Mayor lords over us like the rest of them. He promised us safety as long as we did our jobs. Yet, where is he? You said the portal leads to his house. Isn't that another way of saying he has abandoned us and is hiding in the shadows? Just like every single noble ever has."

Jenny was stunned speechless, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, she didn't need to. Two figures walked out of the building at a casual pace: their oppressive Aura far superior to her own.

Aenon and Lady Sylvathorn walked forward. As they reached Jenny, Lady Sylvathorn stopped next to her, while Aenon continued a few steps further. He stood in the lead, with Jenny and the others backing him.

"My word is the law," Aenon spoke firmly. "Even to myself. My promises; my responsibilities; only death can prevent me from fulfilling them."

Murmurs broke out in the crowd, as Aenon's declaration settled in. The atmosphere immediately switched to one of sharp attention.

"I told you the first time," Aenon continued. "And I don't like repeating myself. But just this once, let me remind you. I am not a politician. I gain nothing by leading this city. But since I have taken this role, the safety of those who reside within these walls falls on me."

Jenny felt it then—the subtle switch in Aenon's Aura. Where it only induced terror before; it now demanded respect while assuring hope. She turned to Lady Sylvathorn, unsure of what she was feeling.

The wiser woman gave her a wink and proud smile before speaking to her mentally, "Good job holding down the fort. But you have got a ways to go."

And Jenny agreed with the assessment. The fear and confusion had all but ceased, replaced with rapt focus as the crowd waited in anticipation.

Aenon descended from the stairs of the building towards the fallen woman, holding out his hand to help her up. The stunned woman got up gingerly, her eyes trained on their masked leader. Aenon then walked up the man next, making him recoil and fall back.

Jenny observed as Aenon placed a gentle hand on the child's head, patting it before carefully closing the boy's eyes.

"I do not hide in the shadows," Aenon explained, his voice soft as he stared into the father's eyes. "The shadows are where I live; where I strike from. Anyone foolish enough to encroach on my Domain that is."

As if summoned, eight shadows converged to his location, making the crowd retreat in surprise. Bane was the first to emerge, followed by the seven others. But it wasn't the nightmare inducing forms of the wolves that shocked everyone. It was what they held in their vicious jaws.

Five severed heads fell to the ground; their death throes etched on their pale faces. The ghastly remains of the adventuring party from the Alliance.

Aenon let the crowd get a good look before his void mana erased the grisly sight. Only then did he remove his hand from the kid's eyes. He turned to address the crowd.

"If you are looking for a means for escape," Jenny heard Aenon's voice echo through the crowd. "No one will stop you. But learn what you are walking into, before making that decision. Thalindra will brief you on the recent happenings."

And with that, Jenny saw Aenon march off towards his mansion. She contemplated what she had just witnessed. Aenon had done with a few words what she had tried to do with her Aura infused commands. As before, he never forced his will on others. He didn't command or order. And yet, she felt the very air still with his words, as did the mob.

"Like I said lassie," one of the dwarves helpfully explained. "Being a commander is more than just leading armies. Some battles are fought at home."

"Bahaha," his twin laughed rambunctiously. "Good first attempt though."

Jenny turned away in embarrassment. This was the first time she had tried to lead such a big crowd. Especially with the sky-high stakes. It reminded her of her inadequacies, but in a good way. She turned to Lady Sylvathorn who had a grim look on her face.

"I didn't realize the city was infected to such a degree," the older woman said seriously.

That comment jolted Jenny back to reality as she remembered something. She turned towards the wolf pup she had sent away earlier.

"I've got something to take care of," Jenny commented hastily before running away at max speed.

Her stunned companions exchanged looks but didn't give chase, heading off towards their own tasks.

It took Jenny about ten minutes to catch up, only to find her pup cornering the man in a back alley. Jenny stepped forward, her eyes burning with hate. She couldn't cut out the infection from the city like Aenon. But this vile pustule, she could eradicate by herself.

"Hello again," she said in an icy tone. "Erwin."

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