"It is only right that you stop breathing as well."

He completed his words and–

The Stormcaller Chief, the Ironblood Captain, the Shadowstalker and Frostvein Group Leaders–

Their heads fell on the snow.

The hunting party froze.

The words it is only right that you stop breathing as well rang in their ears. Some of them instantly picked their weapons back up, a few prepared to open their Sanctuaries again.

If we die, we die fighting.

That was the last desperate thought that came into their heads.

A thought Kael could see very clearly, without having to rely on Imperia.

And he—

"Do not."

He spoke with a strict look on his face.

"I do not plan to kill any of you."

He spoke, putting his sword back in his Sanctuary.

That made the hunting party members frown.

Was he expecting them to believe those words after what he did right in front of them?

And as if Kael could practically hear their thoughts—

"You came here to kill me and my people—

There had to be consequences."

He then pointed at the four heads lying on the ground.

"Those are your consequences."

Kael looked back at all the people standing in front of him and—

"Do not worsen these consequences with your actions."

Kael declared and the members of the hunting party gulped. The look in Kael’s eyes was all they needed to see to realise the truth.

They could never win.

If Kael decided he was going to kill them, he absolutely could, at any point in time he desired but—

"Now leave."

He was letting them go.

"You... let us go?"

A Stormcaller’s lip trembled in disbelief. His chief’s head was still rolling on the floor right in front of him, that should have filled him with absolute rage but...

All he could feel was fear and disbelief.

"You don’t deserve it."

Kael shook his head, those words made the hunting party flinch even more.

"But I do not kill the men who have already surrendered."

Kael spoke, louder than normal because he wanted everyone, the enemy and his own people to hear it properly.

He then looked at the hunting party and—

"You were used as tools."

He started speaking.

"You were told this was a mission to hunt me, but that was never the case.

This was no hunt.

You were sent to keep me here while the rest claimed the Wall. They already knew I would know about your attack, that I would be watching you and that I would come prepared.

They knew you would lose your heads when they sent you here and they never cared, they simply hoped that you would keep me here for the next few hours, giving them enough time to take over the weakened Wall."

And it began.

The answer Kael had to the problem he was facing.

He couldn’t kill them all, that way, he would lose the trust of his people.

He couldn’t bring them with him since that risked them turning against each other.

He couldn’t let them all go since they might return on their own and regroup with the enemy army.

So he...

He decided to manipulate them.

That was what he was doing all this while, he was buying time, to create a story in his head, and now that the story was somewhat complete—

He looked at the hunting party in front of him and—

"Your own people abandoned you."

He revealed.

"You were left to die, just so they could get what they so heartily desire."

Kael then looked at the Stormcallers and—

"That is what happens when you let those who never cared for you lead you."

He said those words and the Stormcallers froze.

So did the rest of the members of the hunting party. It was no secret that the Stormcallers received help from another force, a force none of them recognised. This was also the reason why the tribes didn’t follow them even when they offered such generous conditions.

But...

Now as the members of the hunting party stood here, abandoned by their own people...

The worst part?

The one who was telling them the truth was the one they came to ’hunt’.

How pitiful.

They lowered their heads and clenched their fists in anger, frustration and... helplessness.

"Then again, you weren’t the only ones who were fooled."

Kael spoke with a weak smile. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"They managed to fool me as well. They made me abandon and weaken my Wall, giving them all the advantage they would need to take it down.

In some sense, that makes us comrades."

He laughed.

The hunting party looked at him in slight confusion and... a strange warmth, almost as if... they felt like they had a strange connection or... familiarity to him.

Kael inwardly smiled at that and he continued the story.

"Maybe that’s the reason I am letting you go."

He shrugged with the same weak smile.

Then, he raised his hand, the air around him changed and—

"So leave."

He commanded.

"Maybe this is what Fate desired, maybe it wanted me to let you go, so I will.

I will not let their plan succeed! I will not let you die vain deaths! I will not let the Wall fall, not as long as I am alive! I will return and I will destroy my enemies even if it is the last thing I do!"

He exclaimed with sudden energy, then, he looked at the members of the hunting party one last time and with a calmer look—

"And as you leave, I want you to understand who it was that let you live, I want you to see this as proof of who it is you should follow.

So as you leave—

Do not go back to the place you call home.

Camp somewhere else, somewhere safe.

And once I get rid of my enemies, I will come back for you and I will take you in, inside the Wall, inside the true paradise.

As for those who do not believe me—

You are welcome to go wherever you desire, you can return to your lands which you will find empty, or you can camp with others—

As long as you do not join the army that is marching to my home, once this is over, you can all move inside the Wall."