Realm Lord
Chapter 151: The Speech

Chapter 151: The Speech

Along with every other chosen in this vast sea of people, Arthur and Aziel stood blankly in shock at the man on the stage.

’Jullard Ironvale!? I-incredible... he’s one of the 5 heroes of humanity, one of the 5 strongest in all the realms...’ Arthur’s thoughts raced. ’They say physically speaking he’s the strongest and toughest chosen ever...’

Arthur stared at him for a second longer, his eyes tracing the imposing silhouette against the stage lights, as his thoughts began to wander down paths he rarely allowed himself to explore. The stories he had heard about Jullard Ironvale were the stuff of legend—tales of impossible feats of strength, of single-handedly turning the tide of battles that seemed lost, of standing against forces that would crush ordinary chosen like insects.

’I wonder...’ Arthur found himself thinking, his gaze fixed on the legendary figure before them, ’with strength like that... is he free?’

The question hung in his mind like a weight, carrying with it all the implications of power and independence that Arthur had only dared to dream about. What did freedom mean to someone who possessed such overwhelming strength? What chains could possibly bind a man who was said to be capable of leveling mountains and turning back tidal waves of enemies?

Before his unanswered questions could wander any further, Jullard spoke once more, his voice cutting through Arthur’s thoughts like a blade through silk.

"I am here today to let every single one of you know exactly what you’re getting yourselves into." His words carried the weight of absolute authority, and he paused deliberately as he scanned the crowd with those piercing eyes that seemed to see straight through to each person’s soul. The silence stretched taut as a bowstring, every person in the assembly hanging on his next words.

"The situation in the 3rd district is probably much, much worse than any of you could imagine." As soon as the words left his mouth, subtle murmurs began to build throughout the crowd like the first tremors before an earthquake. Nervous energy rippled through the assembled volunteers as they processed the ominous implication of his statement.

Jullard allowed the murmurs to continue for a moment, perhaps understanding that people needed time to brace themselves for what was coming next. When he continued, his voice cut through the crowd noise like a steel blade, commanding absolute attention once again.

"District Three, before the gates opened, was home to 400 million people..." He let that staggering number sink in, watching as faces throughout the crowd registered the sheer scale of the population they were discussing. "As of this moment, to our best guesses, almost 200 million lives have been lost..."

The words hit the crowd like a gunshot. Gasps and shocked exclamations rippled through the assembled volunteers, the magnitude of the loss almost incomprehensible. Arthur felt his knees go weak as he tried to process such an enormous number—200 million people, each with their own hopes, dreams, families, futures, all snuffed out.

"We have successfully evacuated 50 million," Jullard continued, his voice never wavering despite the gravity of what he was reporting. "150 million lives still need saving."

The murmurs and gasps echoed through the crowd like waves breaking against a shore, each person struggling to comprehend the scope of the disaster they were being asked to help address. Even Aziel, who had been grinning with excitement just moments before, now stared in shock at hearing such staggering numbers. His face had gone pale, and Arthur could see his hands trembling slightly at his sides.

’200 million lives...’ Arthur thought in shock, the number seeming to echo endlessly in his mind as Jullard continued speaking.

"Just about six months ago, a category 4 gate opened in the center of the district..." Jullard’s voice took on a harder edge, and Arthur could see the muscles in his jaw tighten as he spoke. "Problem was, it never closed. And then another gate opened... and another, and another, none of which are closing."

The crowd had fallen into complete silence now, every person hanging on his words as the true scope of the disaster became clear. Multiple permanent gates, each one a doorway for untold horrors to pour through.

"The government partnered with my guild and a couple others, tried solving the issue without having to risk the lives of all our chosen..." There was a note of bitter frustration in his voice now, the frustration of someone who had watched carefully laid plans crumble in the face of overwhelming odds. "But obviously the situation has become too dire, so now we call upon you... your job will be to liberate cities, save civilians, help with evacuation efforts, and more."

Jullard took a deep breath, his massive chest rising and falling as he prepared for the next part of his speech. Arthur could sense that something was coming, something that would change the entire tone of what they had heard so far. Suddenly, Jullard’s voice changed octaves, dropping to a lower, more ominous register that seemed to vibrate through the very ground beneath their feet.

"40,000 chosen, 10,000 pathfinders, 100 realmbound were the initial force deployed many months ago..." Each number fell like a hammer blow, and Arthur found himself doing the math in his head, trying to comprehend the scale of the force that had already been committed to this desperate mission.

Then came the words that turned Arthur’s blood to ice: "Most of those have died..."

The simple statement hung in the air like a death sentence. Arthur felt the world spin around him as he processed what that meant—tens of thousands of chosen, people like him, people with unbelievable power, had already paid the ultimate price in this ongoing battle.

"After the volunteer force between all 6 districts, the total numbers will be 90,000 chosen, 20,000 pathfinders, and 600 realmbound..." Jullard took a second to let the crowd comprehend such massive numbers of chosen being deployed to a single operation. The scale was unprecedented, a force larger than many armies.

Then came the words that silenced the crowd completely: "And most of you will die."

The crowd froze at hearing his blunt declaration, the stark reality of their situation laid bare without any attempt to soften the blow. Arthur felt his heart stop beating for a moment, the casual certainty in Jullard’s voice more terrifying than any roar or threat could have been.

Suddenly, Jullard began staring people in the crowd down, his piercing gaze moving from face to face with deliberate intensity. Arthur felt those eyes sweep over him like a physical force, and for a moment he was certain that Jullard was looking directly at him.

"You, you, you, will all die," Jullard said, his finger pointing to specific individuals in the crowd with each word, "but you will die so that him, him, him and thousands of others will live..."

His voice began to build in intensity, each word carrying more weight and power than the last. "You are not here for glory or fame. You are here because this is your planet, your district, your people, and you’ll be damned if you let someone take what’s yours..."

The crowd was completely transfixed now, hanging on every word as Jullard’s speech built toward its crescendo. Arthur could feel the energy in the air changing, the despair and fear being transformed into something else—something harder and more determined.

"Would you let them take your home? Your wife? Your kids? Your family?" His voice rose to a roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stage. "Because that’s what’s next! You are mistaken if you think this is simply a rescue mission... no, this is a stand!"

Jullard’s fist slammed down on the podium with a sound like thunder, and Arthur felt the vibration through the soles of his feet. "Because that district is mine, that district is yours, and I will not let them take it from me if it’s the last god damned thing I do!"

His voice reached a fever pitch, filled with such raw determination and fury that Arthur felt it resonate in his very bones. "SO YOU WILL DIE! YOU WILL DIE FOR THEM! Because if you don’t, they will die for you... your wife, your kids, the man to your right, you will die for them, because if you don’t they will die because of you!"

The final words hung in the air like a challenge, and Arthur could feel the weight of absolute truth in them.

Jullard’s voice rose to a final, thunderous volume that seemed to shake the very sky above them: "So I ask every chosen, every pathfinder, and every realmbound in front of me here today... WILL YOU DIE FOR ME!"