Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Dakos did not ask, "What do you think?"

In his view, such an inquiry was not dignified, and even carried a hint of disrespect, placing Finnubar in a passive position as if testing his knowledge.

This is not good.

Maintaining a proper relationship is a delicate art in itself. He had no intention, nor would he ever, damage the cooperative bond between himself and Finnubar, built on reason, restraint, and mutual trust, for the sake of temporary convenience or to test the waters.

He fell silent and fell into thought.

As the oldest kingdom, Avalon is the undisputed spiritual home of Asur. Its political power is second only to Itaien, but it is far more than just a matter of military strength or administrative system.

It is, in itself, an irreplaceable spiritual sanctuary of Ausuan.

Therefore, the definition of Avalon transcends geographical boundaries from the very beginning; it is more like a symbol engraved deep in the soul of every Asur, a totem that touches the collective heartstrings.

The Eternal Queen reigns over her court here. Her existence is not merely a physical entity of rule, but a pervasive and subtle spiritual force that profoundly shapes the collective consciousness of Asur and solidifies their identification with beauty, tradition, and the eternal mission. Within that long-standing traditional framework, the Phoenix King manages external affairs, while the Eternal Queen manages internal affairs. The two are not in competition, but rather there is a subtle and enduring balance of power, jointly guiding the elven society's course through the long river of history.

This place is also the highest temple of art.

Ausuan’s most outstanding poets, musicians, painters, and dancers often had to undergo their final refinement here to obtain the emblem that symbolized ultimate recognition.

The Eternal Queen's court is like a never-ending feast that roams the forest. By day, songs echo among the giant trees and vines; by night, dancers' skirts swirl and stretch like fluorescent lights, flowing with the starlight. Her people live an almost poetic nomadic life, celebrating life itself with song and dance in forest clearings.

The Queen rarely appears in public, only briefly revealing herself when selecting a select few outstanding artists, poets, or mages to join her mysterious and mobile procession. The competition for the Queen's favor is often fierce to the point of being brutal, as becoming her close advisor or personal maid is considered the highest honor in Asur society.

Outsiders may stay freely here, but they must leave behind the 'modern' order of the outside world outside the borders. The people of Avalon have always regarded themselves as the last guardians of the ancient traditions of the golden age before the chaos descended.

In addition, Avalon has historically been granted a very special and sensitive power—political asylum.

Anyone who flees the judgment of princes in various regions, or even the Phoenix King's court, may seek refuge in the forests of Avalon and plead with the Eternal Queen. The Queen has the final say on whether to grant asylum.

In fact, this means that, within a deeply ingrained concept of political hierarchy, the court of the Eternal Queen is quietly placed above the court of the Phoenix King.

Once the protection is established, the Phoenix King's judgment will temporarily become invalid in this land. After the storm passes, those under protection may even have the opportunity to clear their names and reintegrate into society.

To be honest, Darkus couldn't accept this.

This inability to accept it does not stem from simple power arrogance, but is deeply rooted in the core of the new order he is building.

A fundamental challenge to the authority of the royal court.

What he sought to establish was a polity where the law was lawless and the will of the royal court was supreme. The existence of the Sanctuary was tantamount to tearing open an exception based on "tradition" and "divine authority" in the iron curtain of the law, openly acknowledging that there was a land and a power that could supersede the Phoenix King's final judgment.

This runs counter to his pursuit of the "absolute order".

To provide an institutionalized safe haven for opposition forces.

In political maneuvering, this means that any loser or potential challenger can view Avalon as a "get-out-of-jail-free card" yet to be played, or even a resurrection point. This not only encourages political risk-taking but also makes purges, consolidation, and power redistribution exceptionally complex, and may even secretly breed long-dormant, ever-present seeds of hostility.

The dangerous remnants of a dual power structure.

In the overall design of Darkus and Malekith, the goal was extremely clear from the beginning: to establish a clear, singular, and efficient power core. The Eternal Queen's adjudicative power, which originated from ancient traditions and was of a higher rank, was essentially a remnant and echo of the old-fashioned binary checks and balances structure.

In the new system, he cannot and will never allow the existence of a transcendent arbitrator who can theoretically negate the final ruling of the royal court, no matter how sacred his name, how long his history, or how deep-rooted his beliefs.

Conflict with the efficiency of executing large-scale plans.

All of Darkus's arrangements ultimately served the grand plan. Any systemic loopholes that could lead to ineffective governance, inconsistent laws, or allow potential opponents to harbor illusions would slow down the overall progress, amplify friction costs, and breed unnecessary internal strife. The right of asylum in Avalon was precisely such an uncertain "decelerator," and also a "risk point" that could be exploited at any time.

He remained silent, his gaze slightly lowered, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the armrest as if outlining an invisible boundary. Avalon's problem was far more complex than simply appointing a proxy. It touched upon the nature of faith, tradition, and power, as well as the very foundations of his ideal new world.

How to deal with this land known as the "spiritual homeland," and how to face the eternal queen who holds special power, is a battle far more subtle and difficult than military conquest.

Fortunately, the process has already begun.

“If nothing unexpected happens, the Eternal Queen will choose one of her handmaidens to serve as Avalon’s proxy,” Darkus said calmly, as if stating a predetermined matter already written into the plan.

“Liver?” Finnubar asked instinctively.

He knew that Lief had represented Daculus on a mission to Avalon, but he wasn't clear on what kind of understanding or exchange had been reached during that mission. To be honest, deep down he wasn't too keen on delving into the issues of Avalon; the faith, traditions, and emotions involved were too complex and too heavy.

But it cannot be avoided.

Ultimately, we must face it and make changes.

“Yes. In exchange.” Darkus’s tone carried the calm and collected air of someone who had just completed a meticulously planned deal. “The ultimate ownership of every inch of land in Ulthuan, both legally and symbolically, belongs to Aisha and Kunos.”

Finnubar nodded.

He knew about this.

This is a devastating attack disguised as divine authority and centered on administrative reform. The so-called "divine ownership," in its secular sense, is the nominal transfer of all land to the Eternal Queen.

This move was both extremely ruthless and extremely clever.

It elevated the land ownership and noble fief disputes, which could have dragged on for generations and were fraught with gray areas, to the level of religious sanctity, making any secular opposition seem insignificant, vulgar, or even disrespectful.

"Correspondingly," Darkus added the other half of the deal, his tone still restrained and clear, "the court of the Eternal Queen will no longer provide political asylum. All trials and judgments will be based on the prevailing laws promulgated by the Phoenix Court, and one of the handmaids will be chosen to serve as Avalon's representative. You know what that means."

Finnubar laughed.

It was called an exchange, but in reality it was a profound and necessary compromise, and a compromise made exceptionally well.

The problem was eventually solved.

From now on, the Eternal Queen will still retain her forest court, and Avalon will remain sacred, still the irreplaceable spiritual home of Asur. But its political sanctity, which once transcended royal power, has been quietly stripped away, retreating into the realm of symbolism and faith.

This is an unprecedented change.

This further proves one thing.

The choice he made back then was the right one!

Through everything he saw in Elsin Alvin, and through his subsequent in-depth encounters with Darkus, he finally came to realize a cruel, almost cold-blooded truth: a civilization cannot change its fundamental nature simply by relying on the slow improvement of its own productivity or the seemingly progressive but lukewarm minor adjustments at the institutional level.

However, the underlying logic of the civilization of Ulthuan has never changed.

Religion and secularism, nobility and commoners.

The former is untouchable, but in reality...

The latter is a deeply rooted class division that is almost regarded as a natural law, defining everything in society: the flow of power, the allocation of resources, the attribution of glory, and even the 'possibilities' that an individual can access.

All subsequent changes, wars, art, and politics that can be recorded in history are merely branches growing from this underlying logic.

Caladrell abandoned Elsin Alwyn's retrenchment strategy; Tesiris attempted to reform the military training system; Movel advocated for universal conscription; and he even personally went to Elsin Alwyn to establish diplomatic relations with humans, Enil, and Asley... all of these were changes.

Unfortunately, that's not enough.

These are ultimately just minor changes.

It was like applying new paint to an existing foundation, a partial adjustment and expedient compromise made under the pressure of national subjugation and racial extinction. They touched the surface, but never shook the cornerstone that supported the entire structure of civilization.

Today, this logic no longer works at all. It suffers from severe internal friction, slow response, and rigid structure, making it both fragile and clumsy in the face of real external shocks and civilizational challenges.

Therefore, he chose the most extreme and thorough path.

Introducing foreign enemies.

To face a civilization-level shock that nearly leads to the destruction of the nation and the extinction of the race.

To exchange 'death' for 'new life,' just like the scene where Malekith stepped into the sacred flame.

Only on the ruins of a completely collapsed old structure can a true reshaping be carried out, implanting a completely new underlying logic that is no longer a natural opposition between nobles and commoners, but rather efficiency, order, wholeness, and obedience to a grand goal.

This is his underlying logic for action.

All the betrayals, compromises, and difficult choices he made stemmed from this. And now, facts are proving his judgment right one by one.

Dakos is worth risking everything for, even if it means bearing the infamy.

Darkus not only achieved diplomatic and military victories, but also demonstrated remarkable foresight and restraint in the political and civilizational realms. After finding the 'key' that could amplify power infinitely, he remained clear-headed, choosing to disarm and refusing to be bound by military inertia and the illusion of victory. On the issue of Avalon, the most intractable and sensitive spiritual sanctuary, he even made groundbreaking progress, resolving a millennia-old deadlock through an elegant and calm theocratic-secular transaction.

Finnubar clearly sensed that the old, weary, and stagnant old Ausuan was dying.

And a new world—a more resilient, more unified, and more powerful order—that he had only conceived in his most rational and restrained dreams, was being born on this ancient land, accompanied by growing pains, yet irreversibly.

He may not be written as a hero in history, but as one of the most crucial promoters of this "surgery of civilization," he has already seen the dawn of the surgery's success.

This is enough.

Dakota kept his eyes on Finubal, noticing that the other man's brow sometimes relaxed, sometimes furrowed slightly, and a thoughtful smile occasionally appeared on his lips. He knew that Finubal was rapidly sorting through, dissecting, and weighing things in his mind.

“Avalon possesses not only political sanctity, but also religious sanctity, artistic sanctity, and magical sanctity.”

Once those eyes refocused, clearly indicating that he had finished thinking, he slowly began to speak.

"What are your thoughts on these things?"

"Start with the root cause!"

"You mean..."

Dakos did not respond with words, but instead raised his hand, slowly extended his index finger, and steadily pointed to the ceiling above his head.

Finnubar looked in the direction the finger was pointing, and saw only a solitary chandelier hanging silently from the ceiling. But he knew very well that Dakota was not referring to the actual object, or even the ceiling itself.

Rather—God!

The moment this thought crossed his mind, he involuntarily let out a soft breath, a helpless yet undeniable smile appearing on his face.

This is indeed the most fundamental of all.

“My idea is to open an art academy on Wildwood Island, headed by Lia Riel,” Darkus proposed a specific path.

Lia'riel—the demigoddess, daughter of Loyk, patron goddess of music, poetry, dance, and wine. Her name itself represents the origin and orthodoxy of art.

In Fenubal's view, there was no one more suitable or more "fundamental" than Him.

“I agree. So… what about Phil Darrick?”

Phil Darrick, the conman's forest.

This isn't a person's name, but a place name—a high-ranking territory in Azsorloth, once ruled by Vitil, the "Wild Dancer." It's a sacred site for Loik, with shrines dedicated to him scattered throughout the forest, and a playful yet dangerous divine aura flowing among the vines and ancient trees. On this land also stands a highly symbolic landmark: the War Dancer's Banquet Hall.

That was the closest the war dancers came to "home".

The reason for choosing to establish an art school on Wildwood Island is quite clear: the largest and oldest Loik Temple in Ausuan is located there.

Loik was one of the earliest gods to support him and continued to provide him with various crucial and subtle assistance over the years.

It is only natural to return a favor.

Within the military system, officers and staff largely adhere to the Loyk faith; Vetil, who leads the Anti-Chaos Division, and Raine, who commands the Radiant Shadow Hunters, are both Loyk's chosen ones, and their subordinates are naturally even more so. In addition, there is the Spiritorium, led by Torandil and Raine, specifically responsible for propaganda and public opinion guidance.

Loyke's faith was strengthened invisibly.

This is only from Duruci's perspective.

On Enil and Asley's side, there is also a considerable number of war dancers; while within Ulthuan, Loyk's followers are mainly concentrated in the arts, and the rest are the shadow warriors who walk in the shadows under Aris's command.

Darkus's vision was very clear: to establish a top-tier art academy on Wildwood Island, providing a central venue for the artistic elites of the entire elven world to systematically study, create, and exchange ideas. This would not only facilitate centralized training and guidance but also allow for observation and supervision to a certain extent.

Whether these artists are still willing to go to Avalon to prove their worth before the Eternal Queen is a question between them and the Eternal Queen.

As a necessary compromise, he did not intend to directly challenge or strip Avalon of its artistic sanctity. Instead, in the future, as the tourism industry gradually flourishes, elf visitors from all over the world can travel to Avalon and immerse themselves in that artistic sanctuary that has not yet been eroded by worldly logic.

This will be an excellent point of entry for cultural exchange.

After all, money shouldn't be wasted, right?

The pilgrimage of the spirit and art can also become a sophisticated and efficient cog in the new economic order.

As for Elsin Alvin, a similar gathering point could be established in the Forest of Deceivers, or in Lauren Loren, Dragon Forest, or Shadow Forest, for the systematic training of warriors.

If all goes well, perhaps Aris should be in charge of this part?

It could be considered to be located in Aesop Taralion.

Although Aris was not Loyk's chosen one, he and his shadow warriors could almost be considered Loyk's de facto followers. For survival, movement, and stealth in the forest, faith in Loyk was an essential condition.

As for the training system for officers and staff, it is destined that a core academy will be established in Nagarus.

This is a conclusion that almost needs no further discussion.

Most of the army-related specialties should be concentrated here, forming a true central hub with war experience, logistics system, and combat simulation as the core.

Other specialized military branches could be deployed in a dispersed manner. For example, Dakous preferred to locate cavalry academies in the border region between the kingdoms of Caledon and Elion.

This is also a form of compromise and appeasement.

It is the last vestige of formal respect that can be given to those two fallen banners of the old order.

Even with the advent of mechanical vehicles and their systematic introduction, Darkus still intends to retain, and even expand, the cavalry. The reason is not romantic, but rather extremely pragmatic.

This planet is far too vast, and economically, it is constrained in many ways by the presence of Tzeentch.

To put it bluntly, it's because I don't have money.

For a considerable period of time, the Elves are destined to be unable to fully equip their entire army with mechanized equipment. Moreover, from a cold, hard cost-benefit perspective, many potential adversaries are not at a level worthy of the Elves investing such "luxurious" resources.

Most battles will still be traditional campaign battles, with the concept of battle lines becoming relatively blurred, and the importance of mobility and assault will be re-emphasized. This allows cavalry to remain highly effective in certain terrains, and even provides a realistic space for large-scale deployment.

Even if we take a step back and assume that one day in the future the elven civilization declines and its technology is interrupted, at least the tradition of horsemanship and mounted combat will not be completely lost. We can still fight on horseback.

Darkus even seriously considered whether to build another academy specifically for training Loik warriors around the Temple of Radiant Qi. But this idea was quickly rejected by reality, as the location of the Temple of Radiant Qi was simply too awkward.

Regarding religious sanctity, Dacules neither intended nor needed to touch upon it. On the contrary, he strengthened it. As for the secular administrative power that naturally arose from this, that could only be left for later discussion, integration, and assimilation through meetings.

Currently, the Aisha sect can be roughly divided into... strictly speaking, there should be five main branches?
There are two factions on the Duruqi side: one is the Alisa faction based in Ashriel, and the other is the Tirya faction based in Nagaroth.

On the other hand, Ulthuan is the orthodox system centered around the Eternal Queen.

The original Ariel lineage of Atholloren had long since declined with the self-destruction of the Ariel, with some merging into the Duruci lineage. However, some believers, like the priestess Karaya who gave the Tears of Aisha to Darkus, chose to remain in the forest. Furthermore, most of the lords who governed the High Territory of Atholloren also worshipped Aisha.

Of course, there's also Lauren Loren's Queen Marist lineage.

Unlike human priests who rely on divine spells, elven priests wield magic itself. This means that in elven society, the line between spellcaster and priest is never clear; the two are often two sides of the same coin.

Dakos still vividly remembers the scene of Veszal receiving the blessing.

Alisa, Morana, Karaya, Tirya Silverwing, Salalier Soulwalker, Med Tomalin... These women, who are Aisha's followers or chosen ones, wear robes symbolizing nature and hold green leaves and flowers, standing quietly around Aisha.

His idea was to gradually integrate these factions and, through meetings, establish a unified and enforceable secular management framework to maintain the operation of land, population, and resources. This was a vast undertaking, too large for any single faction to handle alone; integration was the only way, and through this integration, they had to strengthen each other.

As for the sacredness of magic, especially the mysteries and inheritance of higher magic...

We really need to find Elsa, Hoss, and Lilith, sit down, and have a proper discussion.

“Let’s not discuss this for now, my head hurts.” Darkus raised a hand to rub his temples, his fingertips lingering on his forehead for a moment, a hint of weariness in his voice. “Next, I plan to transfer Water back to Lorthen.” (End of Chapter)