Alaric was standing in front of a large, chiseled stone. Upon it, there were 22 names engraved.
"I officially announced my independence. I know that ruling over a country isn't exactly the quickest way to revenge, but I believe it to be the safest. Not that most of you would want to be avenged, but it's the choice I've made."
This was the "memorial stone." It alone stood proudly upon the hill nearest to Ooze Town. Although this was a little-known fact, it was actually a formation for sensing foreign threats. The hill it stood upon was the only blind spot for a group of aggressors to start an assault from.
'You all will continue to protect this land, even in your deaths,' Alaric thought.
Every time Alaric visited, which he made sure wasn't on routine, he would replace the low-tier soul shard embedded into it. This soul shard was hidden behind a small, hidden door in the stone.