Chapter 5 - Section 8: Exodus of the Faithful

The horrific events in the capital came to a close as the slimes having been sated with the meal provided in this bowl made by their human overlords the Slime horde descended into the very sewer systems from which they came beginning to consume the massive build-up of waste that had accumulated from the tens of thousands living within the city.

Most of the citizens just stood there in awe at the act of god which had descended down upon them from out of nowhere, their blasphemy against the Hellenics was meted out in due force by the gods surely.

There was a faction of these poor souls who did not just stand around and instead began to move.

Satou meanwhile had left the city having descended from the city walls which were the only remaining structures left of this once grand capital city aside from the castle itself.

Having completed his task he returned to his army command being greeted by the freed slaves, goblins and orcs.

Giving out a few simple orders he began the preparation to withdraw from this land.

Those saved from the capital were shocked but also preparing to leave under guard by this army of monsters.

Satou ascended into his treehouse and began storing the majority of his things away into his storage.

Kurama doddling along joined in the fun of packing up their camp and by the time breakfast had been consumed the assembled monster legion was ready to set out with the freed slaves, and rescued believers being given the most guarded position at the centre of their formation.

As the legion set off from the forest their march was halted almost as they left,

In front of their army was a fairly absurd sight of hundreds of naked humans and other races.

Males, females, and children.

Not willing to expose their lord and commander to any danger even if the adversary they encountered was a naked assembling of humanoids who'd left the capital rather than hang around there.

The Goblin leader left the formation and made his way forth to interact with the assembly before them.

From their ranks, a fairly older man and woman fearfully made their way forward to speak with the goblin leader.

From the distance, Satou wondered just what was going on, but the discussion didn't last for very long before the Goblin returned to their lines while the humans remained standing where they'd met up.

After entering the legion ranks and coming up to Satou whose figure was hidden among the masses and goes as far as to speak to the Orc that was standing next to Satou instead.

It was revealed that these were people who'd decided it was in their best interest to abandon the kingdom and become believers of the Hellenics and accept whatever conditions were required to make up for the suffering and hardships they inflicted upon those living in the capital.

Giving a nod of formation the Goblin leader's trivial conversation with the Orc leader was concluded.

Having received his lord's permission the goblin leader met with the humans once again, and once they parted again the humans this time returned to their lines and upon their return, a few moments of silence passed before cheers rose up.

The goblin leader once again returned and this time, Satou had already prepared by using his skills to release a mass of clothing and basic combat rations into some of the carriages and wagons they'd pillaged which those even already within their own ranks wouldn't question assuming it was just more spoils of the month-long raiding of all the traffic trying to get to the capital.

While the newcomers were still outside the legion they happily received and clothed themselves with the shirts and pants they received, while the children were the first to chomp down on the rations of jerky, crackers, and bottles of water they had been provided.

For many in this crowd, it was the first real food they'd eaten in a long while now.

Once these newcomers had been clothed and fed the bolstered force once more set off.

The legion marched on with the freed and rescued still remaining within the formation heavily guarded by the army while a detachment broke off to escort the newcomers and protect their elongated formation rear.

The procession continued on moving at a far slower pace than any Satou or his army had achieved on their way towards the capital but one cannot expect civilians to have the stamina or discipline to march seemingly endlessly for hours on end.

The moving force marched onwards and days turned to night, and back again with the army doing its job of protecting all the travellers but the former goddess believers were still being segregated from the regular believers, should a believer choose to venture over they could always return but the reverse was prevented, since there was no telling if anyone would desire revenge for the loss of all of their belongings, their home.

And those who chose to follow behind were adhering to the rules, after all, while they had persecuted the innocent or condoned it by not choosing to step in and stop it they were just as guilty as those perpetrating it.

And compared to how life would turn out for them should they have remained under the banner of the kingdom, life couldn't be better, they had basically offered themselves up to be slaves or worse and yet they were cared for, provided with goods, and the promise of a fulfilling life once they'd reached their "promised land".

Most of the people were found to have been either from the slums or lower city who were equally mistreated by the knights and guards and if not for their persecution of the Hellenic's might probably have been willing to convert alongside the others, but fear drove them to toe the line and not cause trouble.

As the days passed the legion and its followers marched right out of the kingdom.

Scouts came days later inquiring with the outskirts villages who confirmed they came this way but did not know just where they were heading.