Scene – The River of the North
Morning arrived slowly across the northern valleys.
Cold fog drifted between the forests while pale sunlight barely touched the rocky mountains surrounding the rebel territories.
The ruined camp from last night had already gone mostly silent.
Only the sound of moving soldiers and crackling embers remained.
Meanwhile—
Several imperial soldiers dragged dead rebel bodies toward the nearby river flowing north toward Rudradev's fortified city.
Some corpses were burned.
Some mutilated from battle.
Broken shields and torn banners were thrown alongside them into the flowing water.
The female commander watched the scene with visible discomfort.
Commander: You are seriously doing this?
Arin stood near the riverbank casually adjusting one of his gloves.
Arin: Mhm.
Commander: This is horrifying.
Arin looked toward the flowing river.
Arin: That is usually how fear works.
The commander sighed heavily.
Commander: I swear one day the palace priests are going to declare you a cursed spirit.
Arin smiled slightly.
Arin: That would honestly explain many things.
A nearby soldier suddenly struggled while pushing another corpse into the river current.
Soldier: Military Chief… this one still has the rebel commander's armor.
Arin casually glanced toward it.
Arin: Good.
Soldier: …Good?
Arin walked closer before crouching beside the floating corpse.
The dead commander's armor was heavily damaged and stained black from dried blood.
Arin: Leave the armor on.
Then he pointed toward the severed rebel banner nearby.
Arin: Tie that to him too.
The soldier hesitated slightly.
Soldier: You want them to recognize the bodies?
Arin: Obviously.
Commander: You speak about psychological warfare with way too much excitement.
Arin looked toward her.
Arin: I enjoy efficiency.
Then he lightly pushed the corpse with his foot.
The body slowly drifted away into the cold river current alongside several others.
The commander quietly watched the horrifying sight.
Bodies floating through pale morning fog.
Broken banners dragging behind them through blood-stained water.
It looked less like warfare—
And more like a curse moving downstream.
Commander: You know…
She crossed her arms.
Commander: Most commanders send letters before sieges.
Arin casually watched the river.
Arin: Bodies are more memorable.
The commander stared at him for a few seconds.
Commander: I genuinely cannot decide if you are joking half the time.
Arin: Neither can I sometimes.
Several nearby soldiers quietly laughed under their breath.
Clearly already used to him.
Hours later—
Far north beyond the valleys—
The river eventually reached Rudradev's territory.
The first people to notice it were villagers collecting water near the riverside.
At first—
They only saw broken wood and torn banners drifting through the fog.
Then—
One of the women suddenly froze.
Woman: …
A body slowly floated past.
Its armor torn apart.
Face barely recognizable.
Then another body appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
Blood mixed into the river water itself.
Within minutes panic spread through the riverside villages.
People began screaming.
Children were dragged away from the river while guards rushed toward the scene in confusion.
Soon—
The fortress city above the valley learned about it as well.
Dozens of soldiers gathered near the northern bridge staring silently down toward the horrifying river below.
Even experienced warriors looked disturbed.
Some bodies had imperial marks carved into their armor.
Others still wore rebel commander insignias.
One corpse even drifted by tied together with a shattered war banner.
Guard: Gods…
Another soldier quietly muttered:
Soldier: What kind of battle happened down there…?
Panic slowly began spreading through the streets.
Rumors moved faster than the river itself.
People whispered:
Arin massacred an entire camp overnight surrendered soldiers were butchered the imperial army had become monsters rebels were being fed to wolves bodies were being eaten after battle
Every rumor worse than the last.
Meanwhile—
High above the city walls—
Rudradev silently watched the river from the fortress balcony.
Unlike the others—
His expression remained calm.
Unreadable.
He was a large older man with streaks of gray through his hair and scars across his arms from decades of war.
Beside him several advisors argued nervously.
Advisor: My lord, we should shut the gates immediately.
Another advisor: The people are panicking already.
A third stepped forward nervously.
Advisor: Those bodies were intentionally sent here.
Rudradev remained silent.
His eyes still fixed on the drifting corpses below.
Then finally—
He spoke calmly.
Rudradev: So this is Arin.
The advisors looked toward him anxiously.
Advisor: My lord… should we prepare for siege?
Rudradev slowly rested his hands behind his back.
Rudradev: No.
A pause.
Rudradev: He wants fear to enter the city before his army does.
The advisors exchanged uneasy glances.
Advisor: Then what do we do?
Rudradev looked toward the mountains beyond the valley.
Thinking.
Then one exhausted guard suddenly rushed onto the balcony.
Breathing heavily.
Guard: M-My lord!
Everyone turned toward him.
Guard: One of the bodies was still alive.
Silence.
The guard looked visibly shaken.
Guard: The survivor kept screaming the same thing repeatedly…
Rudradev narrowed his eyes slightly.
Guard: "Do not fight Arin."
For the first time—
A faint smile appeared on Rudradev's face.
Not fear.
Not panic.
But interest.
Rudradev: Interesting.
Below the fortress—
The blood-stained river continued flowing silently through the northern valley.
Scene – Outside Rudradev's Territory
The imperial military camp rested quietly between the cold northern valleys.
Far beyond the forests and mountain roads stood Rudradev's fortified territory.
And despite all expectations—
Arin still had not attacked.
Inside the main command tent—
Several commanders stood around a large wooden table covered with maps, supply routes, and scout reports.
Meanwhile—
Arin sat directly on top of the table itself while lazily spinning a dagger between his fingers.
The female commander immediately frowned.
Commander: One day I am genuinely going to stab you for sitting on military maps.
Arin: Then the maps will finally become historically important.
A nearby soldier quietly snorted trying not to laugh.
Commander: I hate speaking to you.
Arin smiled slightly before finally hopping off the table.
Another commander stepped forward toward the map seriously.
Commander: Military Chief. Our scouts finished investigating Rudradev's fortress region.
Arin nodded lightly.
Commander: The fortress itself is difficult to siege because of the mountain terrain.
Another commander pointed toward three marked settlements around the fortress.
Commander: However most of their supplies come from these towns nearby.
Arin looked toward the map carefully now.
Arin: Food?
Commander: Grain, livestock, taxes, laborers. Everything passes through those towns before reaching Rudradev's fortress.
Another commander folded his arms.
Commander: If we burn the towns and fields, their fortress will collapse eventually.
A brief silence followed.
Then Arin immediately shook his head.
Arin: No.
Several commanders looked confused.
Commander: No?
Arin walked closer toward the map.
Arin: I do not want unnecessary damage to the towns.
He casually pointed toward the settlements.
Arin: Those people are already mine anyway.
The commanders exchanged awkward looks.
Commander: They are still Rudradev's territory.
Arin: Temporarily.
The female commander narrowed her eyes slightly.
She already recognized that tone.
Commander: You are planning something again.
Arin looked toward her innocently.
Arin: I am always planning something.
Commander: Exactly why nobody sleeps peacefully around you.
Another older commander suddenly spoke.
Commander: Military Chief… the people inside those towns already despise Rudradev.
Arin slightly glanced toward him.
Interested now.
Commander: Heavy taxes. Forced labor. Slavery.
Another commander added quietly:
Commander: Many villagers were dragged away during his expansion campaigns.
The atmosphere became slightly quieter.
Commander: Some were never seen again.
Arin slowly stopped spinning the dagger in his fingers.
Commander: The towns are only obedient because they fear his soldiers.
A small smile slowly appeared on Arin's face.
Commander immediately sighed.
Commander: There it is.
Arin: Hm?
Commander: That smile you make right before ruining somebody's entire life.
Several soldiers awkwardly looked away.
Because unfortunately—
That description was accurate.
Arin casually leaned over the map.
Arin: How long do you think anger takes to explode?
The commanders looked confused by the sudden question.
Commander: …What?
Arin pointed toward the three towns.
Arin: People do not suddenly rebel overnight.
A pause.
Arin: Fear builds slowly.
Anger builds slowly.
Hatred builds slowly.
Then he lightly tapped the map with his finger.
Arin: But once it bursts…
A small grin appeared on his face.
Arin: It becomes very difficult to stop.
The female commander folded her arms tighter.
Already understanding where this was going.
Commander: You are planning to turn the civilians against Rudradev.
Arin casually shrugged.
Arin: I am simply helping people realize who they already hate.
Another commander frowned slightly.
Commander: And how exactly do you plan to do that?
Arin immediately pointed toward several scouts standing nearby.
Arin: Merchants.
Travelers.
Escaped slaves.
Rumors.
Stories.
Commander: Propaganda?
Arin: Truth told loudly.
The female commander rubbed her forehead tiredly.
Commander: Gods…
Arin continued casually walking around the table.
Arin: Spread stories through every nearby road and market.
He began counting lazily on his fingers.
Arin: About the taxes.
About missing villagers.
About slavery.
About starving families while soldiers eat comfortably.
Commander: Most of that is already true.
Arin smiled slightly.
Arin: Which makes my job much easier.
Several commanders slowly began understanding the full plan now.
Commander: You are not planning a siege at all…
Arin looked toward him.
Arin: Why would I waste soldiers climbing mountain walls…
Then he lightly pointed toward the marked towns again.
Arin: …when I can make the mountain collapse underneath him instead?
Silence filled the tent for a few seconds.
Even the female commander looked disturbed.
Impressed.
But disturbed.
Commander: How long will this take?
Arin hummed thoughtfully.
Arin: Hm…
Maybe three weeks.
Commander: Three weeks!?
Arin: Mhm.
Commander: And until then?
Arin casually smiled.
Arin: We wait.
And watch people become angry for us.
Scene – Week One
The first week began quietly.
Too quietly.
No imperial attacks.
No siege.
No cavalry charges.
Nothing.
And somehow—
That silence itself began making people nervous.
Inside the towns under Rudradev's control—
Rumors slowly started spreading through markets, taverns, and streets.
At first they sounded harmless.
Just ordinary complaints.
"The taxes increased again."
"Another village lost workers."
"My cousin disappeared after soldiers took him north."
"Rudradev's men took half our grain."
But day after day—
The stories became louder.
And more frequent.
Meanwhile—
Imperial merchants strangely began appearing more often near the towns.
Travelers passed through speaking about:
villages destroyed by Rudradev's expansion civilians sold into slavery rebel camps massacred after refusing surrender Arin sparing ordinary citizens while only targeting soldiers
Nobody knew where those stories started from.
Yet somehow—
Everyone kept hearing them.
Town of Vardhika
A crowded market street buzzed with frustrated voices while merchants argued over grain prices.
Merchant: The taxes increased AGAIN!?
Another slammed his hand onto a wooden stall angrily.
Merchant: We are paying more to Rudradev's soldiers than feeding our own families!
Nearby—
An older traveler quietly spoke while drinking water beside a shop.
Traveler: I heard the Imperial Army returned food to villages they captured further south.
Several nearby civilians immediately looked toward him.
Villager: What?
Traveler casually shrugged.
Traveler: That is what people say.
Apparently Arin only kills soldiers.
Another merchant scoffed nervously.
Merchant: That monster from the river?
Traveler: Hm.
A pause.
Traveler: Strange monster though.
He took another sip calmly.
Traveler: Monsters usually burn towns.
The surrounding civilians slowly fell quiet.
Thinking.
Nearby—
Two imperial scouts disguised as ordinary merchants silently exchanged glances.
Neither said a word.
Meanwhile far away—
Inside Rudradev's fortress—
Reports continued arriving daily.
Advisor: More unrest inside Vardhika.
Another advisor stepped forward nervously.
Advisor: There are growing complaints in the southern towns as well.
Rudradev quietly listened while standing beside the balcony overlooking the mountains.
Advisor: People are spreading stories about the Empire.
Another added:
Advisor: And about Arin.
Rudradev finally spoke calmly.
Rudradev: Stories do not concern me.
Advisor: My lord… the people are beginning to believe them.
Rudradev remained silent for a moment.
Then:
Rudradev: Increase patrols.
Advisor: That may worsen tensions further.
Rudradev: And weakness worsens them even faster.
The advisors fell quiet.
Meanwhile—
Back inside the imperial camp—
Arin laid across a large rock outside the camp lazily staring toward the cloudy northern sky while chewing on dried fruit.
The female commander approached him with crossed arms.
Commander: You have done absolutely nothing for six days.
Arin: Incorrect.
Commander: Oh?
Arin pointed toward the distant towns.
Arin: I am irritating people professionally.
Commander sighed heavily.
Commander: I still cannot believe your military strategy is basically gossip.
Arin sat up slightly.
Arin: Gossip ruined more kingdoms than swords ever did.
Commander: You sound way too proud saying that.
A nearby scout suddenly approached quickly before bowing.
Scout: Military Chief.
Arin: Hm?
Scout: Another protest started this morning inside Vardhika.
Arin immediately smiled slightly.
Commander: There is that smile again.
Arin ignored her.
Scout: Rudradev's soldiers beat several civilians publicly while trying to stop the crowd.
Arin blinked once.
Then casually tossed another dried fruit into his mouth.
Arin: Excellent.
Commander stared at him.
Commander: You are genuinely terrifying sometimes.
Arin looked confused.
Arin: Why?
Commander: Normal people do not react happily to riots.
Arin casually shrugged.
Arin: Normal people also waste months climbing mountain walls.
Then he glanced toward the distant towns again.
Arin: Rudradev is helping us more than I expected.
Far away—
Dark smoke slowly rose from one of the towns in the distance.