What If He’s Telling the Truth?
"All of them are Royal-level beast knights!"
The camp leader, Erick, drew a sharp breath, his heart pounding with fear. He wasn't well-versed in magical beasts and couldn't identify the creatures that looked like a cross between an eagle and a lion. But that didn't matter. The Royal rank alone was enough to make him tremble.
As the camp leader, he was the highest-ranked individual in the camp, at level eight—a high-tier professional. But when facing Royal-level beast knights, he was utterly outmatched. He had every reason to believe that just a few of these knights could sweep through his entire camp. The camp's defenses, including the heavy crossbows in the fortresses, probably couldn't even scratch the armor of these Royal beast knights. The thick, gleaming magical armor they wore was blinding in its brilliance and terrifying in its implications.
The camp was in chaos. Many of the sand people were trying to flee, while others had collapsed to their knees, praying desperately to the true god, Brewster, for protection.
Amidst this turmoil, a figure descended from the back of a golden griffon, holding a magical staff, and stood on the wall, looking down at Erick and his gathered leaders. Erick immediately spoke in a tone of utmost respect, "Honorable Mage and esteemed knights, I am Erick, the leader of this camp. May I ask what brings you here so suddenly?"
To Erick's surprise, the old mage was exceedingly kind. Smiling warmly, he said, "My lord does not wish to see you sand people live in such hardship, so he has created a new home for you."
"A paradise, over a hundred kilometers away, at the Golden Oasis," the mage continued. "My lord has transformed it with divine power into a paradise. We are here to escort you there to settle."
Erick and the sand people professionals behind him turned pale. Instead of joy, their faces were filled with terror. They had every reason to believe that the old mage and the powerful beast knights were there to enslave them. Such things had happened before. Human kingdoms would often venture into the Kalar Desert to exploit resources, such as mining for Gobi pearls or harvesting from salt lakes. When manpower was scarce, they would either hire sand people at meager wages or, more ruthlessly, capture them as slave laborers. Those captured were given no pay, barely fed, and rarely survived.
A "paradise"? More likely, a beast-infested hell.
Erick's voice trembled, "Honorable Mage, we are living well here and do not need a new home. We appreciate your lord's kindness, but—"
"I understand your concerns, but they are unfounded," interrupted the old butler, Holden. "My lord is a benevolent divine bestower. To create a peaceful environment for you, he has eradicated the surrounding beast hordes and exterminated evil gnoll and lizardman tribes. Thousands of your kin are already settled in the Golden Oasis. They have ample food and well-built homes that shield them from the harsh elements."
"In the name of the Goddess of Magic, you can trust my words!"
Erick fell silent. Could this possibly be true? It sounded too good to be real. After some contemplation, he still couldn't believe that such fortune would befall them.
"What does this great lord require of us?" Erick asked.
"You need only to become his subjects and help develop and extract resources for the Golden Oasis," Holden replied.
"No outsider has ever treated us sand people with kindness. We've always been seen as criminals, descendants of the guilty!" Erick protested.
Holden smiled, "My lord is different. He holds a special regard for your people."
After a long silence, Erick sighed and asked, "Do we have any other choice?"
"My lord has instructed us to avoid war and bloodshed," Holden said, waving to the Royal Griffon Knights hovering above. Immediately, the massive golden griffons descended, stirring up powerful gusts. Their immense forms and the fearsome aura they exuded made the sand people shiver. They landed around the camp, their sharp golden eyes locking onto each sand person within.
Erick knew what would happen if he refused. He could only expect destruction and enslavement.
"You can trust me, Erick. See for yourself how your people are living in the Golden Oasis. And be quick—I have other camps to visit," Holden said.
"Give me a few minutes," Erick replied.
"Of course," Holden nodded.
Inside a large tent, Erick held an urgent meeting with his camp's leaders. However, the discussion led to more headaches as opinions were divided. Some believed it was a trap and that they would be enslaved and exploited at the Golden Oasis. Others argued that they had no choice but to comply to avoid a massacre.
"If we refuse, they will attack and forcibly take our people. We might as well try to trust them… what if the old mage is telling the truth?"
This viewpoint won Erick's reluctant agreement.
"Let's vote," Erick said. "Majority rules."
Moments later, the decision was made. Erick exhaled deeply, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders. "I'll inform the mage. The rest of you, pack your belongings and supplies. We'll see if the Golden Oasis is heaven or hell."