With the forged ledgers in hand, the heroes knew they had to act quickly. Lord Valerius was a master of words, and every hour he spoke, his lies took deeper root in the minds of the citizens. They couldn't wait for a private confrontation; they had to expose him in the same place he had built his web of deceit: the public square.
"He's giving a victory speech tonight," Seraphina said, her eyes fixed on the ledgers. "He'll use this moment to solidify his power, to crown himself as the city's new leader. This is our chance."
Gabriel, his sword at his side, felt the familiar thrill of battle, but this time, the enemy was not a monster. "How do we expose him without a magical blast?" he asked. "The people want to believe him."
"They want to believe in a hero," Lyra countered. "And a hero's words are only as good as the truth behind them."
Elias, with the solemnity of a scholar and the courage of a warrior, took one of the ledgers. "The truth is not always what we see with our eyes. We have to show them what they feel in their hearts."
As twilight descended upon the city, the heroes returned to the public square. Lord Valerius stood on a grand stage, basking in the cheers of a captivated crowd. He spoke of a glorious new era, free from the "old ways," and presented himself as the city's rightful savior. The Truth-Stone in Arthur's hand felt like a hot, angry pulse, a silent scream against the politician's venomous falsehoods.
Arthur, flanked by his companions, walked calmly to the front of the stage. The crowd's cheers died down, replaced by a murmur of confusion. Valerius's smile remained, a practiced mask of condescension.
"Heroes," Valerius said, his voice dripping with feigned concern. "Why have you come? The fighting is over. The time for peace has come."
Arthur held up a copy of one of the forged deeds. "The fighting is far from over, Lord Valerius. The Oracle's lies were defeated, but yours have just begun."
Valerius's face went white, but he quickly recovered, his practiced charm returning. "This is a baseless accusation! You are heroes of the old world, a relic of a time when might was right. I am the future!"
But Seraphina stepped forward, her voice clear and strong. "The future is not built on stolen property and forged signatures. The true savior of this city would not rob its citizens blind."
She unfurled the ledger, and Arthur, with a focused exertion of his pure magic, channeled a small surge of energy from the Truth-Stone. The stone's light didn't destroy the ledger; it illuminated the forgery. A faint, glowing line of red, invisible to the naked eye but undeniable to the magic-infused artifact, traced the fraudulent signature.
The crowd gasped. They saw the truth, not as a magical blast, but as a silent, undeniable confirmation. Gabriel and Lyra, standing tall, confirmed the heroes' claims with their own testimonies, their honor a stark contrast to Valerius's deceit. The cheers turned to boos, and the politician's lies crumbled around him.
Valerius, his face contorted in a mask of impotent rage, was exposed. He was a fraud, and the people, once his most loyal followers, now saw him for what he truly was. The first of the thirty villains had been defeated, not with a sword, but with a truth too powerful to be denied. The city had its freedom, and the heroes had their next mission. They had to find the next lie, the next villain, and expose them all.