Life in the United Kingdoms changed almost overnight.
The Vixens had already been famous throughout Solmere and the surrounding territories.
But now—
They were legends.
Especially Zee.
"Saint Zee."
The nickname appeared in nearly every newspaper printed across the Kingdom.
Travelers arriving in Solmere would often stop her in the streets just to thank her.
Some asked for blessings.
Others brought gifts.
Zee handled the attention as best she could.
Which mostly meant hiding behind Jax whenever possible.
"I am not a saint," she insisted one afternoon while reading yet another article.
Nyxian smirked.
"Too late. The papers have spoken."
Bunny giggled.
"Saint Zee."
Zee groaned and buried her face in her hands.
While the Vixens enjoyed their newfound celebrity, the battle itself became the subject of endless debate.
Most people believed the official reports.
Others were far more skeptical.
One tavern conversation in Solmere had become particularly popular.
"Ten thousand soldiers defeated with zero losses?"
A man slammed his mug down.
"Zero chance that happened."
His friend shrugged.
"Well… the Empire still lost."
That part no one could argue with.
And the most important detail remained undisputed.
The Empire had been defeated.
Soundly.
The Kingdom itself moved forward quickly.
Trade exploded almost immediately after the battle.
The alliance with the Elven Kingdom proved especially profitable.
Elven merchants arrived daily in Solmere.
Some came to trade.
Others simply wanted to see the city that had humiliated the Empire.
Brannic and Merriweather's shop had become a destination all on its own.
Adventurers traveled from across the continent just to visit it.
Their legendary weapons sold for astonishing prices.
But they never forgot their roots.
Basic gear remained affordable for new adventurers.
Brannic insisted on that.
"You don't build legends by bankrupting rookies," he liked to say.
One evening the Vixens gathered around the dining table.
Nyxian leaned back in her chair.
"So."
She twirled a fork between her fingers.
"What adventure are we going on next?"
Everyone immediately looked at Jax.
Usually the girls chose their next destination.
But this time—
Jax spoke first.
"I think we should continue the marriage rituals."
The table went quiet.
That was not the answer anyone expected.
Jax continued calmly.
"When we visited Llandra's family, it meant a lot to them."
Llandra nodded softly.
"And I suspect the rest of you have families who would want the same."
The girls exchanged glances.
Nyxian smirked.
"You're being sentimental."
Jax shrugged.
"Maybe."
But inside, his reasoning was far more strategic.
The Empire would not forget this defeat.
And when they came back—
They would come with overwhelming numbers.
Reports estimated the Imperial army at over one hundred thousand soldiers.
The only reason they had won the canyon battle was because of terrain… and deception.
Next time would be different.
Allies would matter.
A lot.
Bunny suddenly jumped to her feet.
"Me!"
Everyone blinked.
She pointed at herself proudly.
"I want to be next!"
Jax looked at Nyxian and Zee.
Neither objected.
Jax nodded.
"Alright."
He smiled slightly.
"Then Bunny's homeland is our next destination."
The room erupted in excitement.
Wedding planning began immediately.
Jax raised one finger.
"We leave in ten days."
"Ten days?" Nyxian repeated.
"I need time to prepare the businesses," Jax said calmly.
"And make sure Solmere runs smoothly while we're gone."
The girls didn't argue.
They were already halfway out the door.
Wedding dresses waited for no one.
Ten days later the group prepared to depart.
But far away, another story was unfolding.
In the Imperial capital of Alexandria, the surviving soldiers finally returned.
The city had already heard rumors of the disaster.
Traveling adventurers had carried foreign newspapers back with them.
Those papers told a very different story from the Empire's official propaganda.
Some citizens believed them.
Others did not.
Imperial news claimed the United Kingdoms were a cult of necromancers and demon worshipers.
They allegedly followed the Chaos God.
They supposedly sought beastkin dominance over humanity.
But travelers who had visited Solmere described something else entirely.
A thriving network of cities.
Free trade.
And no slavery.
The people of Alexandria didn't know what to believe.
When the soldiers finally marched through the city gates, crowds gathered.
Families cried with relief as loved ones returned alive.
Others waited in silence.
Hoping.
Fearing.
Many soldiers believed they would be welcomed as survivors of a brutal campaign.
Instead—
Imperial guards surrounded them.
The soldiers were disarmed.
Then arrested.
One by one.
Confusion spread through the ranks.
Interrogations began immediately.
The Empire learned the truth quickly.
One man.
A shadow army.
A dragon.
A frost giant.
Hundreds of monstrous beasts.
And a battlefield that had turned into a slaughter.
But the most disturbing detail wasn't the defeat.
It was the mercy.
The United Kingdom had healed their wounded.
They had allowed the survivors to go home.
To the Empire, that was unforgivable.
Sympathy for the enemy meant weakness.
Weakness meant treason.
And treason had only one punishment.
Within days, 1,269 surviving soldiers were formally declared traitors to the Empire.
Their crime:
Neglect of Duty, and Conspiring with the Enemy.
Their sentence:
Execution.
The Empire needed someone to blame.
And those who had survived were the easiest targets.
Their fate was already being decided.
Execution
The Empire had lost the battle.
But it was already preparing for war.
And this time-
They intended to control the story.