Pantheon Online

Chapter 115 - The First Move

[Quest: The Man Who Would Be King (Part 1: Complete)]

[Rewards: +10 Stat Points, Inhabitants of the territory of Yugrund will be more likely to worship you and/or your Pantheon.]

[Quest: The Man Who Would Be King (Part 2)]

[Description: Due to your actions and events in the Mortal Realm, Harik Eraldsen no longer agrees with King Balmir's policy of banning worship to the Gods. The seed of rebellion has sprouted in his heart. Now that he has become the Jarl of Yugrund, it is time to take the fight to King Balmir. Help Jarl Eraldsen become King of Stormcrown. Becoming one of the Nine Kings of Skardia.]

[Rewards: +20 Stat Points, Inhabitants of the territory of Stormcrown will be more likely to worship you and/or your Pantheon.]

Exile sighed as he read the notifications with the sound of cheering and cries of anguish in the background. 'The first step has been completed... But there's still the other Jarls and the King to contend with.'

Exile pulled up his stats and immediately sunk 5 points each into Endurance and Speed. 'I can't let my health stay so low.' Exile frowned as his HP raised to 150. This was more of a preparation for when the alliance raided the ruins they had found. He had to make sure that he survived until the end.

In the distance, he spotted Ania turning to stare in his direction. 'Oh, she can sense me from the distance? Or was the lightning bolt a giveaway?' Exile chuckled as he slowly made his way towards the cheering crowd. However, as he drew closer, those who worshipped him also began to feel his presence. Even if they could not see him.

Bjorn was busy helping Harik to his feet when he felt Exile's presence envelop him. 'We need to use this!' 

"By the great will of Exile! King of the Ragnarok Pantheon! I declare Harik Eraldsen as the rightful Jarl of Yugrund!" Bjorn roared to a chorus of cheers and confused gazes. 

Harik gracefully accepted the victory, despite not winning it with his own hand. He quickly ordered a celebration and for the old Jarl's men to be locked up until their fate was decided by him. Naturally, he had sensed Exile's presence as well, and was eager to express his gratitude.

As they tried to make their way to him, Exile shook his head as he motioned for Ania to come to his side. Bjorn frowned as he watched Exile disappear inside a house followed by Ania. He had a distinct feeling that Exile wanted to avoid making a scene before too many believers noticed him. 'Something big must be going on.'

"What do you think they're talking about?" Harik asked as he stared at the house.

"Whatever it is, Harik. If it's something Exile wants us to know, you can be sure that Ania will tell us. But since he wants to talk to her alone, I have to assume he has words for her and her only." Bjorn sighed as he shook his head. "You realise this is only the beginning. King Balmir won't allow you to hold this territory without a fight."

"I know..." Harik stroked his beard as the rain continued to pound down on them. "But we don't have the manpower to take over the throne."

"Sadly, your evaluation is spot on." Bjorn grumbled. "I had hoped to make you Jarl when you returned to keep information from reaching the King about Exile and the gods. That way, we would have time to spread his name. But now... How did you even get captured?"

"Hm, things went bad on the raids. Real bad. Eventually, we were caught in a position that would have wiped us out if Exile had not come to save us. But during that time, people started to praise his name and other gods as they fought and fled from that disaster." Harik's eyes had an angry look to them as he recounted the details. "Once we were safely away from our enemies, the entire army stopped on Jor's Isle to rest. That was when King Balmir has his loyal warriors surround every ship that was believed to carry anyone who believed in the gods."

"So... You weren't the only ones then?" Bjorn frowned as he listened to the details.

"No..." Harik sighed. "But it's not like we can help anyone else now, either. "If they haven't been executed already, they will be before we could attempt to save them."

'Shame, we could have used them.' Bjorn became pensive as he wondered if there was anything they could do in their current situation. 'Stormcrown is a huge territory. It will take months to reach King Balmir's personal territory. We can't get there with an army unnoticed.'

As the two stood there in silence, they suddenly noticed an ethereal lightning bolt shoot towards the sky through the roof of the house as Ania appeared in the doorway. She wore a solemn expression on her face as she waved at them to join her. It felt weird to Harik to answer to his daughter's commands, but with her position as oracle, he would have to come to terms with it quickly.

As the two entered the house, things were in motion in every territory of Skardia. For King Balmir, a series of ambushes freed the majority of criminals that had been captured on Jor's Isle. Throwing him into a rage as news reached him about the closest attacks. He roared at his servants in the tent to get out with such fury that they dared not linger.

Once he was certain that they were gone, he took a small statue out from inside his coat. "That useless goddess! She promised that if I listened to her, she would make me the High King of Skardia! But now I'm facing a god damn civil war in my own territory! I never should have listened to a damn god! Aeri, you useless piece of trash! Get down here and explain yourself!"