Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

As the meeting unfolded, the initial tension between the guild leaders began to give way to a more solid collaboration. No one was there to take advantage, at least not at a delicate moment like this. Strategies were mapped out, resources were allocated and, little by little, a plan for rebuilding the entire kingdom emerged from the discussions.

Fryft, with his imposing presence, moderated the meeting with wisdom and eloquence. The guild leaders, even the most skeptical, were beginning to recognize that, together, they could face the challenges that the War That Lasted a Night had left in its wake.

Kaizen and Bloody Lily stood out as the other leadership figures who made the most difference at the meeting, contributing pragmatic ideas and realistic solutions even though this realm was no longer their problem. Kaizen's confident aura matched Bloody Lily's fierce determination, creating a powerful dynamic that inspired respect.

After hours of intense discussion, the final decisions were made. The guilds agreed to concentrate their efforts on helping the people and only then themselves. This would minimize the problems, especially as the snow continued to fall, albeit in low volume for the time being.

Fryft, satisfied with the results of this first meeting, was about to close the session when a firm voice cut through the air.

"Excuse me, Ms. Fryft." The leader of a local guild, a human of medium height with a gray beard, rose from his chair. He had the appearance of an Elder and was obviously of Monk Class. His eyes reflected a mixture of respect and unease.

Fryft nodded, giving him the floor.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I believe we can no longer ignore the fact that Zylok, the main cause of all this devastation, is still out there. He was responsible for unleashing the War That Lasted a Night, and until he is captured or neutralized, our lands will not be truly safe."

The mention of Zylok's name caused a shadow to hang over the room. The guild leaders exchanged apprehensive glances, because that was the name of the leader of The Eye of Hermodr, the most dangerous cult ever to exist in this game. Even strong players feared them, because their Bishops were truly powerful.

Fryft tilted her head as if she understood the issue, even though she had personally worked with Zylok and helped him cause this destruction. Her luck was that some of the information uncovered by Kaizen and his friends had not been spread, so at that moment, the expression on her face was one of hesitation.

However, before Fryft had time to think of a suitable response, Kaizen rose from his seat, surprising everyone. "Zylok is not to be feared, much less hunted like a witch by any of us. I came face to face with him during the war and convinced him to do the right thing. Now, he's my leader and, just as I always have been, he's now willing to sacrifice everything he's built to do the right thing."

A heavy silence filled the room, Kaizen's words echoing like an unexpected revelation. The perplexed gazes of the guild leaders fixed on him, while Fryft, with sweat dripping down her face, sat down. She was almost certain that the agreement between Kaizen and Zylok was to be kept secret.

Korgrak, the Leader of the Metal Dragons Guild, finally broke the silence, her voice maintaining an apparent calm despite the intrigue forming in her golden eyes. "Kaizen, you claim that Zylok is your leader now? Is that possible? He was the instigator of the War That Lasted a Night. How can you trust him?"

Kaizen looked straight at Korgrak, his determined eyes reflecting the confidence he had in his choice. "I understand it's hard to believe, but it was the only way to convince him to give up his plans. I promised him loyalty, but on the condition that he would also submit to my will and help in the battle. After all, he realized that by going his own way, he would only find destruction, doom and more powerful enemies. Like us, he would need allies after what he had started and I offered to be one of them, as long as he changed completely."

Murmurs began to spread around the room, expressions of disbelief and distrust painting the faces of the leaders present.

Taznaar, known for his direct approach and for having been an enemy of Kaizen not so long ago, put a hand to his chin, leaned forward and said in a harsh voice:

"Kaizen, are you kidding us? How can we trust someone who was about to annihilate everything we know?"

Kaizen, for his part, didn't back down in the face of the skepticism that hung in the air, but he was surprised by Taznaar's questioning. "This isn't a discussion, and if you don't believe in second chances, Taznaar, you shouldn't even be in this chair. While I admit that you were essential in yesterday's battle, you also worked for Zylok indirectly. He was the one controlling Queen Niah while you were working for her, and Niah was being directly influenced by a vampire, who in turn was just one of dozens of vampires working for Zylok. So I guess in the end you're the best example in this room that second chances aren't so bad."

These words caused everyone to fall silent, but even so, after a few seconds, a dwarf stood up and shouted:

"But there's a big difference between forgiving an ambitious idiot and a global manipulator! Zylok doesn't deserve forgiveness!"

"That's it! Zylok should be banned from going near any human city!"

"Kaizen, why did you agree to work with someone so terrible?"

The questions continued, and Fryft, despite her initial hesitation, decided to give this unusual turn of events a chance. She stood up, slammed her hands on the table and said:

"I... I'm also..."

However, interrupting her, the sound of the canvas of the large tent opening and letting in some of the outside sound echoed, and when everyone looked behind Fryft, towards the entrance, they saw a tall man in large black armor, replete with red details. This man had a beard and white hair, and his face looked like that of someone older. His eyes were redder than Bloody Lily's hair, and a long black cloak trailed down from his shoulder blades.

"That's enough, player Fryft. I don't need the others to defend me," said Zylo, raising his head to face everyone. His countenance was serious, but his eyebrows were slightly lowered.

The silence in the room persisted for a moment, as if Zylok had sucked the energy out of the room. His penetrating gaze swept over the assembly, leaving a cold feeling down the spine of every guild leader. The murmurs and questions abruptly fell silent, replaced by a palpable tension.

Bloody Lily swallowed, feeling an intense pressure as he faced Zylok. It was different from the moment of the battle, he was completely imposing now. Her hands instinctively clenched the edge of the table, and she sought refuge in Kaizen's gaze, which in turn remained unwavering, seeing the look in her leader's eyes.

Zylok entered the room with firm steps, his black armor resounding with every step. Every movement seemed to cause a stir, and the black cloak trailing behind him seemed like an extension of his own shadow. The atmosphere, previously filled with nervous murmurs, was filled with a tense calm.

Korgrak, the Leader of the Metal Dragons Guild, was the first to break the silence, because of all the leaders she was the most unassuming. Her voice reverberated around the room, echoing her determination. "Zylok, leader of The Eye of Hermodr, you appear here before us unannounced. What do you seek, and how can we think of your intentions?"

Zylok replied in a deep voice, which seemed to echo from beyond the walls of the tent. "I've come here to clear up past actions and offer you all a truce. I understand your mistrust, but the situation has evolved beyond what I could have imagined. Kaizen was the one who opened my eyes and showed me my future, a future I didn't want, a future not only with chaos for others, but for me too."

As Zylok spoke, the eyes of the others remained fixed on him, trying to discern any trace of sincerity in his words and evaluating the words of the leader of The Eye of Hermodr.

Kaizen, noticing the hesitation in the room, decided to help. "Yes, Zylok and I agreed to work together to face the threat that was already in our world, and also to be able to protect everyone from the Evolved in the future. They're like gods, they won't just stay in the shadows all the time like they've been doing. How many of you have had an Evolved in your life? And now there are three in this room. And we're not the only ones who are organizing."

The guild leaders remained skeptical, but a spark of curiosity appeared in their eyes. It was impossible to deny that the Evolved were dangerous to most players, and it was of general curiosity to know what the Evolved could and couldn't do, why they hid and so on.

Taznaar, who had previously questioned Kaizen's decision, frowned and asked: "And why should we believe all this? What's to say it's not just another one of his tricks?" He pointed with his chin at Zylok.

Zylok replied in a calm voice, contrasting with the intensity of his gaze. "Believe it or not, I am aware of the consequences of my past actions. I'm not looking for forgiveness, but an opportunity for redemption. I want not only to help rebuild what I destroyed, but also to strengthen it."

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