"Espirit, heed my call!"

Buzz!

In an instant, the colossal, black and crimson form of Espirit materialized before Vahn. The immense Infernal Spirit immediately bowed low, the gesture causing waves of oppressive heat and shadow to wash over the battlefield. Espirit's power, even restrained, brought raw fear and absolute reverence.

​"What is your command, My lord?" the Infernal Spirit's voice resonated, a sound like grinding volcanoes.

​Vahn's eyes were cold due to King Belmont's suicidal pride. He wouldn't waste time negotiating or targeting small groups. He wanted the entire war ended now, and the lesson branded onto every soul present.

​"I want you to show despair to those Frost Giants. I want that foolish King broken."

​"Your wish is my command," Espirit thundered, rising to its full, staggering height.

​

​Espirit did not unleash a chaotic wave of fire. It executed Vahn's command with terrifying precision, aiming to shatter the enemy's will without completely annihilating the entire army as they might still be useful as conquered subjects.

​The colossal spirit focused its energy. Instead of a wide blast, Espirit condensed the power into a focused column of Shadow-Fire aimed directly at King Belmont and the dense cluster of high-ranking Frost Giant commanders surrounding him.

​CRACK!

​The attack was instantaneous. A pillar of black fire, wreathed in screaming shadows, ignored all conventional defenses and slammed into the enemy command structure.

​King Belmont, utterly shocked, managed to raise a massive, frozen shield imbued with his Ice Soul, but it was pointless. The intense, purifying heat of the Infernal Spirit's fire neutralized the King's elemental affinity instantly, and the raw force of the blow shattered his shield, his ice mount, and his morale.

"Arghhh!"

​The pillar of fire did not kill the King, but it burned his armor and seared his flesh with agonizing spiritual wounds, throwing him and his commanders violently into the snow.

The psychological impact was devastating: the King, the very symbol of their power, was defeated and wounded in a single, focused strike.

​

​The effect on the Icebreaker Legion was immediate and total. Their King was instantly defeated by a single strike from a summoned entity. The battlefield was now a furnace, rendering their Ice Affinity and their mounts useless.

​Fighting a mysterious human King and his endless Ghost Army was one thing; fighting an overwhelming, sentient Infernal Demon that defeated their King in a second was another.

​The remaining 5,000 Frost Giants broke rank. They began to flee, discarding their heavy, melting armor and abandoning their mounts in a desperate, chaotic retreat back toward their kingdom. The Ghost Army, now backed by the omnipresent threat of Espirit, pursued them mercilessly, focusing on capturing instead of killing.

​Vahn watched the battlefield, satisfied. The entire Icebreaker Legion and the pride of the Frost Giants had been shattered in less than five minutes after his arrival.

​

​Vahn deactivated the summoning, and Espirit vanished in a final plume of steam and shadow, leaving the battlefield scarred and the enemy broken.

​Ezekiel stared in stunned silence before bowing deeply. "Your Majesty, the Legion is defeated. We secured the immediate surrender of every surviving high-ranking commander. The entire Oslan front is secure."

​Vahn turned to Lilith, his Second Queen. "The war is over, Lilith. Now, the acquisition could begin."

​Lilith smiled faintly. She thought she would get to do some heavy lifting, but it seemed her presence was necessary only for moral support. Her husband was more than enough for this small Kingdom.

​Nevertheless, she helped Ezekiel enforce the unconditional surrender of the Frost Giants.

She also secretly placed a minor loyalty curse on the captured commanders, ensuring they would pay a terrible price should they ever betray the Necrotic Dynasty.

​Next up was the judgment of King Belmont.

​He was dragged, weak and severely burned, in front of Vahn to receive his sentence for attacking the Necrotic Dynasty. The thousands of surviving Frost Giants saw this scene, but they didn't dare speak. They had already pledged their loyalty to the Necrotic Dynasty after the devastating defeat.

Against the overwhelming force and power of Vahn, they had no other choice. It was the only way to ensure their survival.

​Vahn stood over the defeated King, holding his sword, his expression cold. "Belmont, in your foolish pride, you nearly drove your whole race into destruction. Justice will be served. Not just for the daring infiltration of our Kingdom, but also for the warriors who died needlessly due to your arrogance."

​Yet, King Belmont sneered, blood trickling down from his scorched face. His eyes were full of defiance despite his defeat.

​"Heh, heh, stop with this act, King Vahn," he gasped, his voice raspy. "You know you're just trying to wipe off the guilt of killing by saying things like 'Justice' and 'compassion.' We're the same. Your hand is also stained with blood just as mine. And in the future, you will be more cruel than I am. The path of conquest is not one of mercy and compassion; it is filled with blood only."

​

​Vahn paused, letting Belmont's cynical accusation hang in the air. Lilith watched Vahn, curious to hear his counterpoint to the undeniable truth of conquest.

​Vahn slowly sheathed his sword, the metallic shhnnk echoing across the silent field. He looked down at the defeated King, not with hatred, but with pity.

​"You are correct, Belmont, that the path of conquest demands blood," Vahn admitted. "But you fundamentally misunderstand the difference between a Warlord and a King."

​He continued, his words intended for the thousands of watching Frost Giants as much as for the King:

​"You wage war for pride and fear—fear that someone stronger might exist. I wage war for order and development. You kill your enemies; I subjugate and make them stronger. I did not kill your Princess, nor did I wipe out your race. I left you alive so you could witness your own failure."

​Vahn pointed to the shivering, scorched King. "You say my hands are stained? Perhaps. But look at your Kingdom: bloodline stagnation and fear. Look at my Kingdom: Heaven Grade artifacts, purified bloodlines, and the promise of endless power."

​

​Vahn issued his sentence, defining the Necrotic Dynasty's rule.

​"For your foolish attack and the needless death you caused, you are stripped of your title and your liberty. King Belmont, you will be given a merciful death."

"Nooooo!"

It was not a scream from Belmont, but from someone else.

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