Back in the fortress of Airom Vagat...

Mezal felt the changes in the air and had been very wary of things that would come.

"I don't think Kyros has any reason to lie to me. Something must have happened. I have to wait for Aron or Branze's update." Mezal stood and began to see the bushel of herbs being delivered to him to support his family.

As thanks to his astounding contribution, various kingdoms and towns offered the dying family some support. But Mezal turned down any financial aid and told them what he needed. With his family on the brink of death, he needed some medicines that would be useful for the upcoming battles.

"Mezal...You won't even tell me why this is useful?" Champion Ordeus asked as he stood to the side. He said it quietly.

Mezal shook his head and then answered.

"Lord Ordeus, while I am loyal to the kingdom and to the king, you, yourself should know how hard-pressed and troubled my family is. It should not have escaped your notice, the numerous enemies ranging from frustrated Barons to angry Viscounts and even displeased Earls who have been using tricks and underhanded means to attack and harm us. I have given my best service not only to our kingdom but to the entire human alliance. If I were to tell you all everything at once, I would lose my worth to many of you, and you would plot to kill me! But rest assured! Our kingdom will have the solution when that problem reveals itself!"

Ordeus was stunned at Mezal's sudden loud voice.

"Hmm. Even now, there are people here that want to kill me." His words then turned to a loudness that only the two of them could hear.

Ordeus could now see some dangerous expressions from certain Earl's and Viscount's change at Mezal's words.

"What is the meaning of this?" One of the Champions suddenly erupted.

"Champion Mezal. I have treated you with respect and dignity for the truth you have brought to our alliance. But your words earlier imply that you know something more!"

"Of course I do! Don't think I am not made aware of your hatred for my Steele family! I will tell you this. I was not involved in that incident. Aron was wrongfully accused. My family has been the subject for those accounts for several years! Many of you know of it, and many of you should now have known that it was, in fact, ploys and tricks that your Viscounts did and used a weak and dying family to take the blame! Yet you never fixed the bridge that was burned because there was no need to! Do you now see why I didn't accept the vast financial offerings you gave? Do you now see why I never took anything of great value but instead asked for every family to offer up some herbs, pills, and magical plants that are not that expensive?" Mezal laughed.

"I will tell you a secret! That vampire told the orc to prepare some ingredients. They would give it to the orcs to cure them when a powerful dark plague attacks this land!"

"A dark plague?! And you dare not tell us?!"

"What's to tell? Do you think I don't know how many of you of your Viscounts and Barons wish to kill me? Even now, is not your hand itching to kill me off? Especially now that I have revealed myself to be a Champion! You listened to me to see if I can resolve the mystery in the castle. But I know Fate will lead my enemies to my doorsteps! I have lived my life like this! Why else would I hide despite having this power? Because I know my enemies will gather up and ask for help by tricking them, spreading lies and false reports about my family to kill me! I cannot contend the power of Dukes! And so I hid my power and hoped that either me or my sons would soon have it! But pressed with this hard decision, this is the best I can come up with to save my family from the hands of some of you!"

"But Champion Mezal..." It was Champion Drake Vestitude who spoke.

"A dark plague will cause the death of millions! Such information-"

"I do have the means to fix it. And it isn't so expensive. Most man can afford the medicine that I will brew. Among the herbs, pills, and other alchemy tools that I asked for, only three of them are the real materials!" Mezal laughed.

"I see. By making this action, none of the others can identify the recipe. So that's why you asked so many odd things and requested them to be of a great amount!" Ordeus was amazed at Mezal's decision.

"I requested a lot of cheap items from all of you. Since you were all so adamant about giving me a gift, I turned down the great gift you wanted to give to limit the sense of honor and gratitude I have towards you. When the plague comes, you all won't be able to take credit for being a part of this. For none of you really know who gave me the right materials! Of course, your gifts will make me rich. Very rich!" Mezal laughed,

"This is a plague! You cannot act selfishly-"

"Act selfishly? When my family was being chased and killed by barons who were covering up a dark scheme which involved a secret trade between the Vaux Imperial Kingdom and the Lorem Ipsum kingdom involving secret spells and Paladin tools, with Brute and Berserker arts in an attempt to create a heretical class led by the Challice family and the Prendawn brutes and blamed us for allegedly stealing the paladin tools to make our Force Paladin class better, who was acting selfishly?" 

Various viscounts under Drake Vestitude and even some Barbarians had their expressions changed at the accusation.

"Lies!"

"Whatever. When one of my Kattarax Kingdom's prominent and promising sons of the Earl befriended Aron Steele because he was impressed with Aron's might, but was then assassinated by a Jericho Viscount over some girl and blamed the poor Aron Steele, who was acting selfishly? I'm not familiar with Jericho Viscount crests, but the killer bore the crest of what appeared to be three swords and three arrows! Who was acting selfishly?"

"How dare you-!"

Mezal went on and on and revealed various plots that have pressed their family into hardship. He told of the many plots that his family faced throughout the years. He did not do so before because he acted to make the Earls issue and send the gifts. But now that he has received most of what he needed from Kyros's long list, he now began his planned assault. He revealed various plots that they have encountered. He listed even Barons!

The Earls of some kingdoms involved took note of those they could afford to kill or offer up to Mezal but had resolved not to touch any of their Viscounts involved. But they kept listening. Some of those belonging to the viscount families mentioned began to deny out loudly, but Mezal's voice grew louder, and since his Force was greater than those, the Viscounts were silenced by their lords.

"And I will tell of tale that occurred even before I became a Baron! The Erebus Viscount family plotted to assassinate a certain knight who had uncovered the truth of the Ererus's secret of leaking information from the Vaux Imperial Kingdom to the Foreshire Orc kingdom of caravans that they guarded. They killed the knight, and my son, who was that knight's shadow, was implicated. We had to leave the Vaux Imperial kingdom! Had it not been for him, I was confident that I would become a Paladin and my sons! Vaux Imperial would have had another level, forty warriors! Wasn't this Viscount family acting selfishly? I'm tired of being generous!" Mezal roared.

Drake Vestitude's expression changed. In fact, many of the other Earl's had strange expressions. The details that Mezal revealed were things that could have been possible!

"Erebus? That makes sense. We were wary as to who the traitors are..."

One of the Erebus family members rushed to the front, but before he could talk to Drake Vestitude...

SLASH!

"AHHHH!"

Mezal slashed off the young viscount's arm and punched him.

"If you want to see if that is true, give this family information about a secret caravan trade that carries important information. If there are no orcs that will rush to ambush the route of this caravan, then I will pay the Vaux Imperial Kingdom a hundred vials of the cure for the coming plague that that vampire spoke of."

Drake looked at the grimacing young viscount.

"You cut off his hand and bound him so that he can't send a message to his family. If you are right, then Vaux Imperial will have solved one of its mysteries. If you are wrong... I lose a Viscount's arm and gain assurance that a hundred people will live. Quite an obvious offer." Drake nodded.

"Heh! That's not all. I have a proposal. You can choose to agree or disagree. But my condition is, I get a small portion, ten percent of everything you can earn from my plan. And of course, because this plan will involve my family directly, you have to protect me."

"What's the plan?"

"I am confident in their connections. Ever since we were driven out of that kingdom, I have been keeping track of their movements and have confirmed they are still in the business of selling out some of the caravan trades for quick cash. This is how they became a Viscount and are on the road to becoming an Earl. So now, let's take back what we've lost. Instead of selling them out, let's use their connection. As you can see, not only me, but my family can easily speak orc. In fact, we have orc followers! One of the Steele family members belonged to one of the kingdoms the Foreshire Kingdom conquered. I can recruit him and the fallen kingdom he serves to act as spies. More could be said of this matter, but I require your assurance of protection and the assurance of the percentage that I earn. I trust your honor." Mezal smiled.

Drake thought for a bit and finally nodded.

"I agree." 

Mezal smiled. He then turned and warned the other kingdoms...

"See for yourself if my claims are true or false. But to many of you, I can offer power. There was so much more about the specific plans we've learned, and I only gave you the basic facts. The orcs had their own discussion of the route of their attacks and many more. But I won't offer it all. I've done my duty. Now I need to focus on preservation considering the vast amount of enemies I have." Mezal laughed.

"Champion Drake... if I could have a few moments of your time..." Mezal asked. Drake followed. The rest could only watch as Mezal walked.