Three days after the fall of the towns—
The imperial army finally appeared before Rudradev's fortress city.
And then—
Nothing happened.
No siege towers.
No battering rams.
No war drums.
No attacks against the walls.
The imperial army simply surrounded the mountain fortress completely and stopped moving.
From atop the massive stone walls—
Rudradev's soldiers nervously stared down toward the valleys below.
Imperial camps stretched across every visible road leading out of the city.
Torchfires burned through the mountains like stars scattered across the earth.
Every pass.
Every route.
Every trail.
Blocked.
The city had been completely sealed.
Inside the fortress—
The atmosphere worsened with every passing hour.
Markets became quieter.
People whispered instead of speaking normally.
Food prices doubled within a single day.
Then tripled.
And still—
Arin never attacked.
That frightened everyone more.
War Chamber – Fortress City
The war chamber had become unbearably tense.
Officers argued constantly now while advisors desperately tried calculating supplies and defenses.
Officer: Why has he not attacked yet!?
Another slammed both hands against the table angrily.
Officer: Because he wants to starve us!
Advisor: The fortress can survive months under siege!
Another advisor looked far less confident.
Advisor: Assuming panic does not spread first.
Officer: Then suppress it!
The arguments grew louder.
More desperate.
Meanwhile—
Rudradev remained silent near the giant northern map.
Watching.
Thinking.
The map no longer showed a kingdom.
Only a cage.
An officer stepped forward carefully.
Officer: My Lord… perhaps we should launch attacks against the surrounding camps before they fully establish siege positions.
Another immediately disagreed.
Officer: That is exactly what Arin wants.
Officer: Then what!? We sit here and wait!?
Rudradev finally spoke.
Quietly.
Rudradev: That is precisely what he wants us to ask ourselves.
The room slowly fell silent.
Rudradev looked toward the fortress walls visible through the open balcony.
Far below—
Imperial banners moved calmly through the valleys.
No panic.
No rush.
No disorder.
Too calm.
Rudradev narrowed his eyes slightly.
Rudradev: He is not trying to conquer the city.
One advisor frowned.
Advisor: Then what is he trying to do?
A long silence followed.
Then Rudradev answered quietly:
Rudradev: He is trying to make us conquer ourselves.
The room became still.
Because deep down—
Everyone understood what he meant.
Fear had already entered the fortress.
And fear spread faster than armies ever could.
Outside the Fortress
Night slowly covered the mountains.
Cold wind echoed across the valleys while imperial camps quietly burned beneath the dark sky.
The siege lines stretched endlessly around the city like chains.
And at the center of the main imperial encampment—
Arin sat near a fire casually carving another tiny wooden animal.
The female commander stared at it suspiciously.
Commander: Is that supposed to be a horse again?
Arin glanced down.
Arin: It is clearly a tiger.
Commander: That somehow made it worse.
Several nearby soldiers quietly laughed.
Unlike the fortress above—
The imperial camp felt strangely relaxed.
Calm.
Almost peaceful.
The commander eventually looked back toward the distant fortress walls.
Commander: So…
When do we attack?
Arin continued carving quietly.
Arin: We already did.
The commander sighed heavily.
Commander: I hate when you answer like that.
Arin smiled slightly.
But said nothing else.
Far above them—
The massive fortress remained illuminated beneath moonlight.
Silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
And slowly—
Without a single attack against its walls—
The siege had already begun.
Phase 2 — The Negotiations
The fortress entered its second week under siege.
And still—
Arin never attacked.
No siege towers approached the walls.
No battering rams moved through the valleys.
No arrows darkened the skies.
Nothing.
The imperial army simply remained there.
Quiet.
Patient.
Watching.
That silence slowly became more terrifying than battle itself.
Because now—
The people inside the fortress had too much time to think.
Fortress City
Rumors spread faster than fire now.
Every market.
Every tavern.
Every corridor.
Whispers followed people everywhere.
"They say Arin already bribed someone inside the fortress."
"A gate commander secretly met imperial scouts."
"The Empire promised protection to anyone who surrenders early."
"Rudradev is executing people in secret now."
Nobody knew which rumors were true anymore.
That made them impossible to stop.
Meanwhile—
Food prices slowly climbed higher each day.
Soldiers began receiving smaller portions.
Merchants hid grain supplies.
And several noble households quietly started moving valuables deeper inside the fortress.
Preparing.
Just in case.
War Chamber – Fortress City
The atmosphere inside the chamber had changed completely.
Before—
The officers argued loudly.
Now—
Everyone spoke carefully.
As if one wrong sentence could get them killed.
An advisor nervously unrolled a supply report.
Advisor: At current consumption… grain reserves will begin becoming critical within the month.
One officer immediately frowned.
Officer: Reduce civilian distribution further.
Another officer shook his head.
Officer: That risks riots.
Officer: Better riots than starving soldiers.
A minister quietly spoke from the far side of the table.
Minister: Assuming the soldiers remain loyal by then.
Silence.
Instantly.
Several people slowly turned toward him.
Officer: Explain yourself.
The minister calmly folded his sleeves.
Minister: Rumors are spreading across the city.
People believe negotiations with the Empire are already happening.
Another officer scoffed.
Officer: Superstitious nonsense from frightened civilians.
Minister: Then why are officers moving their families away from the outer districts?
The room immediately became tense.
One commander narrowed his eyes sharply.
Commander: Be careful with your accusations.
Minister: Was I accusing someone?
Commander: You were implying it.
Minister: If implication alone frightens people this much…
The minister slowly looked around the chamber.
Minister: …perhaps the fortress is already in greater danger than we thought.
Several officers visibly stiffened.
Nobody liked how true that sounded.
Throughout all of it—
Rudradev remained silent.
Watching everyone carefully.
And that silence frightened them more than shouting ever could.
Because nobody knew:
who he suspected who he trusted or whether he trusted anyone anymore Imperial Camp
Meanwhile—
Far below the mountains—
The imperial camp felt strangely relaxed.
Soldiers laughed around campfires.
Horses rested peacefully.
Some men even played dice games near supply wagons.
It barely looked like an army besieging the strongest fortress in the north.
Near the center camp—
Arin sat outside his tent carving a tiny wooden animal while casually listening to reports.
The female commander stood nearby staring toward the fortress walls suspiciously.
Commander: You know… most generals usually attack during sieges.
Arin glanced down at the carving.
Arin: Mhm.
Commander: You've been sitting here for days doing absolutely nothing.
Arin looked mildly offended.
Arin: I am carving.
She stared at the tiny wooden creature.
Commander: What even is that supposed to be?
Arin raised it confidently.
Arin: Tiger.
Commander: That is clearly a horse.
Arin looked back at it for several seconds.
Arin: Hm.
A pause.
Arin: Then it survived evolution.
Several nearby soldiers burst out laughing.
The commander covered her face briefly.
Commander: Sometimes I genuinely cannot tell if you're intelligent or cursed.
Arin smiled faintly before placing the carving beside him.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
Not serious.
But sharper.
More focused.
Arin: Tell me something.
Commander: What?
Arin casually pointed toward the fortress above.
Arin: If you were trapped inside that city right now… who would you trust first?
The commander frowned slightly.
Commander: My own officers, obviously.
Arin nodded lightly.
Arin: Exactly.
Commander: …What does that mean?
Arin leaned back against the wooden post behind him.
Arin: People survive sieges longer than expected.
Walls survive longer than expected too.
He looked toward the distant fortress again.
Arin: Trust does not.
The commander stayed quiet now.
Listening carefully.
Arin continued calmly.
Arin: Right now every officer inside that fortress is wondering the same thing.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Arin: "Has someone else already betrayed us?"
Cold mountain wind moved through the campfires.
Commander: Did someone actually betray them?
Arin immediately answered:
Arin: Probably not.
The commander blinked.
Commander: …What?
Arin looked genuinely amused now.
Arin: But if enough people suspect it—
He lightly tapped the side of the wooden tiger-horse thing.
Arin: Then eventually someone will.
Scene – The Purge Begins
The fortress entered its fourteenth day under siege.
And by now—
Nobody trusted anyone anymore.
The city had become suffocating.
Conversations stopped whenever guards walked nearby.
Servants lowered their heads constantly.
Even soldiers standing beside each other during patrols quietly watched one another with suspicion.
And above all of it—
One question haunted the fortress endlessly.
"Who already betrayed Rudradev?"
War Chamber – Fortress City
The atmosphere inside the chamber felt heavier than ever before.
No shouting.
No arguments.
Only tension.
Several officers stood around the northern map in silence while advisors quietly discussed supply reports.
Nobody spoke louder than necessary anymore.
Then suddenly—
The doors burst open.
A group of armed guards stormed inside dragging a chained officer across the floor.
The entire chamber froze instantly.
Officer: W-What is the meaning of this!?
The guards forced the man to his knees before Rudradev.
Several ministers immediately recognized him.
Commander Haridev.
One of the fortress' senior cavalry officers.
A man trusted by Rudradev for years.
Haridev looked furious.
Haridev: My Lord! This is madness!
Rudradev sat silently watching him.
Unreadable.
One guard stepped forward and placed several items onto the war table.
A small wooden box.
A folded parchment.
Imperial gold coins.
The room immediately became colder.
Haridev's expression changed instantly.
Haridev: I-I have never seen those before—
The guard unfolded the parchment and began reading.
"The Empire rewards wisdom.
Open the western gate when summoned and your family shall remain protected."
Silence consumed the chamber.
Haridev immediately looked horrified.
Haridev: Someone planted this!
Nobody spoke.
Nobody defended him.
That frightened him more than the accusations themselves.
Haridev desperately looked around the room.
Haridev: You all know me!
I fought beside you for years!
Several officers quietly avoided eye contact.
Haridev's breathing became uneven now.
Haridev: My Lord… please…
You know I would never betray the fortress.
Rudradev finally spoke.
Quietly.
Rudradev: Then someone wishes me to believe you would.
That answer terrified the entire chamber.
Because everyone suddenly realized:
proof no longer mattered.
Only suspicion did.
Haridev stared at Rudradev in disbelief.
Haridev: You cannot seriously believe this…
Rudradev slowly stood.
Rudradev: Two weeks ago I believed this fortress was loyal.
Silence.
Rudradev's eyes slowly moved across the chamber.
Watching every face carefully.
Rudradev: I no longer know what to believe.
Nobody moved.
Nobody even breathed loudly.
Then Rudradev gave the order calmly.
Rudradev: Imprison him.
Haridev's face went pale.
Haridev: MY LORD—
The guards immediately dragged him backward.
Haridev: THIS IS WHAT ARIN WANTS!
The entire chamber froze.
Haridev struggled violently against the guards.
Haridev: HE WANTS US TO TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER!
Nobody answered.
Because everyone already knew that.
The doors slammed shut behind him.
Silence returned once again.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
And now—
Every officer in the room had the same terrifying thought.
"If even Haridev can be accused… then none of us are safe."
Later That Night
Rain quietly fell across the fortress.
Cold water streamed through dark stone streets while distant thunder echoed through the mountains.
Inside a dimly lit residence near the eastern district—
A nervous fortress officer sat alone breathing heavily.
Haridev's arrest had shattered something inside the city.
Nobody felt safe anymore.
Not even loyal men.
A soft knock suddenly came from the door.
The officer immediately stiffened.
Another knock.
Three times.
Slowly.
The officer hesitated before carefully opening the door.
A hooded figure stood outside beneath the rain.
Silent.
The figure calmly extended a sealed imperial parchment.
Then walked away into the darkness without saying a single word.
The officer stared at the parchment with trembling hands.
Thunder echoed again outside.
Slowly—
He opened it.
Inside was only one sentence.
"The fortress is already falling.
Decide whether you wish to fall with it."
The officer stared silently at the message.
Rain continuing outside.
Thunder shaking the distant mountains.
And for the very first time—
A loyal man inside the fortress began considering betrayal.