Forged Destiny [Book 6: Ch. 13]

My hands settled on his shoulder plates, dragging his armoured upper body up to face me.

"What is Mistral planning?"

"F-Fuck you."

"Wrong answer." I slapped him, hard. His skull rattled. "Let's try again. Why are you burning villages on the way to Vale?"

"O-Orders."

"From who?"

"H-His Divine Majesty."

[...]

"Why?"

"To prevent news reaching the city," the Commander whispered. "No messengers to tell of… our army. No witnesses." He laughed. "Vale will fall. No matter what you accomplish here."

"You've already broken the Grand Treaty," I pointed out. "What makes you think Beacon won't move on this? Army or not, you can't hope to take a city whose walls are manned with Heroes. It would be suicide."

"N-Not if all your Heroes are dead already."

My eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"You'll change nothing, Blacksmith."

I hit him again. "Tell me what's going to happen!"

"Nothing more… than an NPC… scum."

The man in my hands fell back, dead.

—Forged Destiny [Book 6: Ch. 13]