Reed stood on a rocky cliff facing north.
A cold wind blew his black robes.
From afar, thick clouds rolled. But this was no ordinary storm.
The sky cracked. The earth was still.
And an iron bird fell from the sky, breaking without a sound.
Shia stood behind him.
Her eyes were sharp, her body tense.
"The border is shaking. The outside world is moving."
Reed did not turn around.
"I know."
A messenger came to the gate of Reed's territory.
A human. Alone. Without guards.
Bringing only a sealed scroll and a confident expression.
In the main hall, Bianca read the letter in a flat voice.
"Goblin Lord, you are invited to join the United World Alliance.
Join… or perish.
This world can no longer tolerate primitive chaos."
Reed smiled slightly.
"They used to call it civilization. Now they call it an alliance. But the content remains the same: chains wrapped in gold."
Rina did not sleep that night.
He sat in the ritual circle, connected to the goblins' dream network.
