The Golem Mage Chapter 1208: A New Region Up For Grabs [2].
Previously on The Golem Mage...
A brilliant golden light plummeted from the heavens toward the Gordons’ clan estate at an incredible velocity, appearing as though a meteor had been forcefully pulled down from outer space.
Watching this unfold, George stared at his clan home from where he stood in utter shock.
He immediately extended his mental energy across the entire city, desperate to comprehend the situation, at that very instant, his powerful aura as a Tier 8 mage was completely revealed to the remaining experts still residing within Estonia City.
Following the first Blood Moon war after the city lord was no longer in command, the Gordons had deliberately suppressed the remaining factions and clans that chose not to lend their assistance.
Although these aggrieved clans harbored deep resentment, but they had only remained in the city under the assumption that either the king or a branch of the prominent Dragonmir clan would eventually step in to discipline the Gordons for killing an appointed city lord who consistently funneled substantial resources back to the royal family and his clan .
However, when the time came, the king could not penalize the Gordons clan, because of the fact that there was abundant evidence to reveal that the city lord from the Dragonmir clan, who had been entrusted with the welfare of the city, was the one primarily responsible for the attack on the Gordons, he made the first move openly and in the presence of others believing he would win.
Had he emerged victorious, the fate of the Gordon clan would have likely gone unexamined, as he possessed the power to effortlessly conceal the entire matter, as he was the ruler of the city.
Despite attempts by many of the clans unhappy with the Gordons clan to distort the facts upon being called to the royal court, the Gordons clan have successfully proved through various accounts that the assault was entirely driven by the personal agenda of the city lord, and fueled by his jealousy over their prominent standing in the city.
Once the royal court elders decided to exonerate the Gordons, the Dragonmir clan dropped the matter entirely.
This shift occurred as the court exposed in-depth details regarding the substantial monthly revenue generated by the city lord.
Although he had been paying his clan a portion of the revenue, it failed to match the agreed percentage he was supposed to be giving them.
These investigations uncovered multiple instances where he had diverted significant funds for his own personal expenses, such as hiring Tier 8 mages from the dark guild.
Maintaining such lavish expenditures was far beyond the typical means of a city lord, who essentially functioned as a mere appointed worker for both his royal family and his clan who is to have a certain percentage too.
While he lacked the audacity to withhold the royal clan dues, he found the nerve to skim from the revenue portion designated for his own clan.
This boldness stemmed from his intimate knowledge of the Dragonmir clan mages, who paid little attention to profit margins; because as long as a kinsman submitted a payment, they assumed it to be the correct sum.
Ultimately, the Dragonmir clan viewed this persistent embezzlement by one of their own as a profound betrayal, prompting them to drop any demands for retribution against the Gordons.
Meanwhile, the rival clan factions that had long been suppressed by the Gordons and have been hoping to gloat when they were punished were swift to recognize that the Gordons’ clan would definitely remain entrenched in power over Estonia City for the foreseeable future, the rival clan factions realized that the Gordons could easily retaliate and make their lives miserable, especially given the baseless accusations they had leveled against the clan during the trial.
Consequently, they finally resolved to abandon the city altogether, because apart from suffering from the Gordons they noticed the complete lack of assistance from the Northern Kingdom.
It felt as though the city were being isolated; and in these hard situations only a handful of clans chose to remain behind in Estonia City, among those few were the Darkbliss clan, the Lanzt clan, and the Aegisborn clan.
The patriarch of the Lanzt clan had frequently considered relocating, given that their family was accustomed to moving wherever new opportunities arose.
However, Bailey, the clan ancestor, ensured that any notions of departure conceived by his son were promptly dismantled.
He maintained that they had previously broken the trust of the Gordons clan, the single faction that had consistently and actively offered them aid, when others just saw them as a weak and troublesome clan.
Bailey firmly believed that, despite the current space that the Gordons’ was giving in their relationship compared to earlier times, abandoning the city now would permanently destroy any prospects of rebuilding ties with the Gordons in the future.
Additionally, a scattering of independent mages, who had acquired items during the Gordons’ past auction, chose to establish their residences there.
The scarcity of remaining clans that acted smug toward lone cultivators, coupled with the Gordons’ hospitable nature toward anyone willing to abide by the city’s basic regulations, encouraged these individuals to stay.
Estonia City had gradually developed into a prominent sanctuary entirely free from the massive interference of either the royal family or the five northern ancient clans.
As a result it became a primary haven for those who had offended powerful factions and were desperately seeking refuge from their pursuers, although George Gordon had never desired for his realm to be exposed in this manner, the situation had already unfolded, leaving him with no means to alter it at present.
Yet, despite repeatedly extending his mental senses across the area, he was completely unable to detect any malicious intent.
Instead, by the time his awareness reached the meeting room of the Gordon elders, a striking image flashed across his mind: a 3D projection of a floating cube, tilted sideways and twisting slowly in the air, suspended as if sustained by mysterious magical properties, a City heart.
The moment he witnessed this, a look of profound surprise crossed his face, as he recognized the object from the ancient murals his father had left behind for the clan.
Turning his gaze toward the Hobgoblins believed to be leading the attacking forces, he immediately concluded from their expressions that they were completely blindsided by this sudden development.
In the very next moment, sheer terror gripped their faces as they spun around, frantically ordering the goblins to retreat back into the space rifts.
“Children of the Five kingdom realm, within the next ten minutes, the entire realm will undergo planetary transit, teleporting toward the origin realm.” An ancient, genderless voice resonated deeply in the minds of everyone across the Five Kingdoms realm.
“Though this transition was meant to occur only upon reaching the final stage, however it seems a foreign force has prematurely accelerated the process, and all I can do is wish you all well.”
Every native born to the realm received the message, leaving many struggling to comprehend the unfolding situation.
Soon after, massive cracks began splitting the outer edges of the Five Kingdoms realm.
Within a few short minutes, the entire land was uprooted from the ground and propelled violently into the heavens, while a brilliant kaleidoscope of multicolored lights illuminated its shifting borders.