The clouds and mists dispersed, and the curtain of night faded away. Amidst the distant mountains, a red sun gradually emerged, fringing the ridgelines in gold and casting tens of thousands of rays across the earth.
The towering Sacred Tree had become terribly battered, riddled with scars and fissures, yet it had regained its former holiness and purity—much like an angel fallen to the mortal realm, bearing grievous wounds.
"We... have won."
Catherine looked around. What had once been a beautiful and prosperous realm now lay in ruins, littered everywhere with the remains of humans, dwarves, and elves. The Abyssal monsters had been purified by the moonlight, vanishing without a trace.
Beholding the corpses of the elves, the joy that had flared in Catherine's heart was washed away by sorrow, turning heavy in an instant.
As a long-lived race possessing exceptional magical talent, elves were inherently scarce in number; the entire realm of Therenia counted merely over three hundred thousand souls.
After this battle, with tens of thousands dead or wounded, the very foundations of Therenia had been shaken. It would likely prove difficult to recover in the near future.
They had indeed triumphed.
It was a costly, tragic victory.
Though Catherine had mentally prepared herself long before, she still had not anticipated such horrific devastation—tens of thousands of elves cut down before their time, and countless allied reinforcements from other lands perishing far from home.
Yet Catherine soon looked toward the crimson sun rising in the sky, and her expression hardened with renewed resolve. Her silver eyes shone brightly. "A new era has arrived. I will lead my people... toward a glorious future."
Clerics wove through the crowd, tending to the wounds of the fallen and injured warriors. People supported one another, their gazes turning in unison toward the leaders gathered at the center of the battlefield.
Catherine raised her staff high, spilling silvery light across the earth to mend the people's wounds.
Step by step she walked forward as branches from the Sacred Tree unfurled beneath her feet, lifting her aloft.
Looking out over the rejoicing throng, Catherine proclaimed in a clear, resonant voice: "Children of Sehanine!"
Her voice caused artisans clearing debris from the battlefield to pause in their work, and silver-armored guards tending their wounds to press down on their blood-soaked bandages and stand upright.
"We have won!"
Catherine's voice rang firm and powerful, yet brought comfort like a gentle spring breeze.
"Through our relentless struggle, the Spider Queen and her minions have been driven from the Material Plane! Therenia has returned to the embrace of the silver moonlight, once again becoming a land of freedom, fairness, and the pursuit of justice!"
"Yet, remember this as well..."
The elven queen turned, lowering her gaze, her voice suddenly softening.
The silver leaves and branches of the Sacred Tree glowed faintly, illuminating the ethereal phantoms hovering behind her—scenes pieced together from the memory fragments of the fallen.
An elven ranger consumed in flames upon a web, turning into a silver torch; a human paladin driving his holy sword into the compound eye of a bebilith with his dying strength; a dwarven sapper clutching an explosive powder keg as he leapt into a drider spawning pool...
"In this war, countless comrades who sought justice sacrificed themselves heroically, trading their lives for our victory. Tonight, when you drink fine wine and celebrate into the dawn, do not forget what they gave. Do not forget those unforgettable names."
Suppressed sobs rippled through the crowd. Catherine lifted her head, and her tone rose once more with rousing fervor.
"Every one of us must remember this day. This was a sacred uprising, a glorious war, a momentous turning point that decided the future of the silver-moon elves!"
Suddenly, a silver-moon elf hoisted his longbow high and cried at the top of his lungs, "Long live Therenia! Justice endures forever!"
"Long live Therenia!"
"Long live Her Majesty Catherine!"
The cheers spread like a rolling tide. Gradually, the entire battlefield resounded with the roars of the allied soldiers, echoing ceaselessly.
Though of different races and divergent faiths, at this moment they leaned against one another like brothers bound by blood, celebrating this hard-won victory side by side.
"Long live Therenia!"
Titus stepped forward. Looking upon the jubilant crowd, he said with a smile, "Everyone, we have indeed achieved a glorious victory. Under the protection of Lady Sehanine, the Spider Queen will never dare set foot upon the Material Plane again."
The ancient gold dragon paused, his expression turning solemn. "However... Feanso today is far from peaceful. Indeed, undercurrents surge beneath the surface everywhere.
"Following the collapse of the Fadlan Empire, countless factions lurking in the shadows are stirring, watching for opportunities to invade and pillage. Some have already bared their bloodstained fangs—such as that red dragon in the north."
"Lord Titus speaks the truth. We Harpers have also been keeping watch over developments across every land, and the situation is grim," Melisandre replied in a low voice.
Zayn let out a hearty laugh, stroking his full beard as he proposed, "In that case, why don't we forge an alliance together—just like the sacred pact between the Mountain Kingdom and Therenia in days of old—to stand united against these evil forces?"
Catherine nodded slightly, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Therenia has just endured a great catastrophe, and everything lies in ruins awaiting rebirth. We truly require everyone's aid."
Rhea nodded as well, her voice ringing clear and resolute: "We in Therenia will never forget the helping hand you extended in our darkest hour. We will do everything within our power to help you repel the invasions of evil forces."
Emerson said, "Since this is to be an alliance, it needs a fitting name."
Titus looked up at the rising sun and smiled. "Since we have gathered here to repel the darkness and seek the light, battling the evil deity of the Abyss and shattering the dark clouds across the heavens, why not name this alliance 'Dawn'?"
"Splendid."
"Lord Titus is right; that is a fine name."
The ancient gold dragon raised his scepter. A beam of light pierced the clouds, manifesting an emblem of a rising crimson sun in midair, drawing nods of approval from all around.
"This alliance will encompass Therenia, the Mountain Kingdom, the Harpers, the Arcane Hermitage, and many other factions dedicated to justice. We shall stand on the front lines against invasions from the Abyss, Baator, and other evil forces. Should any member fall under attack, all others will lend their full support.
"Of course, at this moment it is merely a concept, an initial framework that awaits our refinement."
Emerson added, "The Dawn Alliance should also have a shared leader to oversee its internal affairs and provide guidance."
Several eyes turned toward Catherine. After all, her strength and leadership throughout this war had been witnessed by all, making her more than qualified to lead, and Therenia was a profoundly established and formidable power.
Noticing their glances, Catherine smiled and shook her head in polite refusal. "With the Council of Elders collapsed, Therenia is mired in internal turmoil. I fear I will lack the energy to oversee the alliance.
"Furthermore, as Queen of Therenia, I might inevitably show bias whenever matters concerning the Elven Forest arise. We should choose someone more impartial and of greater prestige to serve as leader."
The elven queen's gaze shifted to the nearby ancient gold dragon, her eyes filled with praise and trust.
In her eyes, at least, this ally who had traveled from afar had risked life and limb to save Therenia, pouring forth every ounce of his strength and holding off more than a dozen abyssal drakes at once—a monumental feat of dedication.
Seeing this, Zayn also chuckled heartily, looking toward his "teacher." "I nominate Lord Titus to lead the Dawn Alliance! He braved every danger to come to the rescue of the Mountain Kingdom and preserved the flame of our shield dwarves."
Rhea nodded in agreement. "Lord Titus is highly esteemed, ever devoted to upholding justice, punishing evil, and aiding the virtuous. He travels tirelessly to combat darkness. He is a truly fitting choice."
Emerson added, "Moreover, Lord Titus belongs to no single faction, making him uniquely suited to mediate among everyone and manage the internal affairs of the alliance."
Though Melisandre did not speak, she nodded in strong agreement. The Harpers had compiled dossiers on this gold dragon long ago.
According to their records, while Titus's origins remained an enigma, he had spared no effort in opposing the Abyss, the chromatic evil dragons, and the Cinder Empire ever since he first appeared, his stance aligning almost perfectly with that of the Harpers.
According to the Harpers' internal deduction, Titus was quite likely an ancient one who had been sealed away for tens of thousands of years, or perhaps a being hailing from another crystal sphere.
All in all, he was a trustworthy ally.
Catherine's response was even more direct: "Whenever you have need, I am willing to dispatch my most elite Silvermoon Followers to fight for justice."
Zayn waved a broad hand and grinned. "Lord Titus, the bighorn ram heavy cavalry of the Mountain Kingdom stands ready at your beck and call!"
Emerson also nodded. "Arch-Sage Trafalanlo of the Arcane Hermitage has already relayed his intent via magic. The Arcane Hermitage is willing to fully support your cause."
Faced with everyone's entreaties, Titus did not demure. Stepping forward, he declared in a resonant voice, "I thank you all for your trust. If such is your wish, then I would be remiss to decline.
"I shall do everything within my power to dedicate myself to the Dawn Alliance and the righteous cause of Feanso! I have always believed that temporary darkness will eventually scatter, and light and peace shall become the enduring melody of the continent of Feanso—and indeed, of the entire multiverse!
"We believe that justice is not merely an ideal, but a path to be walked. Through relentless effort, we shall ultimately build a world where every soul enjoys dignity and hope."
The colossal ancient gold dragon threw his head back in a roar, unfurled his vast wings, and soared into the sky.
"Lord Titus!"
"Truly worthy of the Wings of Dawn!"
Beneath the Sacred Tree, the soldiers of the allied forces looked up into the heavens. His golden scales glittered brilliantly under the dawn sunlight, breathtakingly splendid, as though draped in a mantle of radiant gold.
"Justice endures forever!"
"Long live the Dawn Alliance!"
Once more, cheers swept across the field like tidal waves. Dwarves banged warhammers against hide-covered shields, bellowing hearty battle songs; elves drew their longbows, loosing vivid flare arrows into the sky; and humans raised their voices in the songs of bards.
Before this, the allied soldiers had been strangers to one another, but henceforth, they viewed each other as comrades who had fought shoulder-to-shoulder, brothers-in-arms to whom they could entrust their very lives.
Under the focus of countless eyes, the ancient gold dragon perched atop the Sacred Tree curled the corners of his mouth into an imperceptible smile.
*Well worth the trip...*
From this day forth, he had managed to become the boss of the rival faction, securing himself a prime place within the good alignment.
What was more, he felt a familiar energy.
—It was faith.
Though faint, it was undeniably divine faith energy.
Yet it did not belong to Cassius the Cinder Emperor; it was faith garnered in his guise as Titus, the Wings of Dawn.
If he anchored it to his immortal divinity and gathered enough faith, he might even coalesce divine domains associated with justice and the good alignment, turning the avatar "Titus" into one of the good deities.
As for now, all he needed to do was foster this so-called "Dawn" to grow into a pivotal power among the good factions of Feanso.
When the time came, he could gather the opponents of the Cinder Empire and the remnants of ruined nations in one place—and sweep them away in a single net.
He would lead the anti-imperial coalition himself, obtaining intelligence in advance so the empire could deal with the resistance with effortless ease.
Along the way, someone might suspect there were imperial spies within the Dawn Alliance, but not even on their deathbeds would they suspect Titus.
After all, who could possibly imagine that the leader of the Dawn Alliance, the Wings of Dawn who had fought tooth and nail against the Cinder Emperor—the ancient gold dragon Titus—was in fact Cassius himself?
Even if someone uncovered the truth and proclaimed it aloud, people would only dismiss them as a lunatic.
And so, amidst waves of cheering and shouting, bathed in the radiance of the morning dawn, the Dawn Alliance—founded upon the creed of "pursuing justice and eradicating evil"—was born.
...
*The emergence of the Dawn Alliance was like a lighthouse in the dead of night, illuminating the dark veil of evening and guiding countless lost ships.*
*The founding of the alliance marked the beginning of the evil, tyrannical Cinder Empire's descent into ruin.*
*Through the efforts of countless patriots and visionaries, the great and wise Lord Titus, Wings of Dawn, shall lead us to vanquish that cruel, bloodthirsty tyrant, tear down his realm, and restore Feanso to long-lost peace.*
*I believe that Thrace, Seleucia, and my cherished homeland—the Northlands—will all be liberated from the empire's brutal reign.*
—*Elegy of the Rebel*, Duke Luton of the Northlands, Senior Official of the Dawn Alliance.
...
*The Dawn Alliance was a renowned anti-imperial force across the continent of Feanso, a loose military confederation where many remnants fleeing imperial conquests gathered, primarily composed of factions such as Therenia, the Mountain Kingdom, and others.*
*Its leader was an ancient gold dragon named Titus, active in Feanso for over a century, who regarded the empire as his sworn enemy.*
*The dragon was archaic and pedantic in nature, utterly obstinate. Facing the supreme Majesty Cassius, he suffered defeat after defeat, yet rose to fight again every time—a truly laughable spectacle.*
—*Feanso Military Archives: Anti-Imperial Factions: The Dawn Alliance*
Chapter 769