It was a normal day at the office, nothing unusual happened over the night, no one noticed anything amiss or misplaced within the city or its outskirts, or so the morning report say. Commanding the entire militia of a city wasn't all that nerve-wrecking as he expected, but at times, he found himself rather annoyed by the lack of responsibility and discipline those men had. But when it came to defend their commodity, they were steadfast and trustworthy; at times, this attitude proved to be problematic, since in his rather short stay, he had to fend off three rebellions, problem was that they weren't sure themselves whose side they were on. Aleko had a very clear order and that was to keep this entire province neutral towards all three major, ruling factions; it wasn't his concern who tried to buy or convince them to join one side or the other, his purpose there was to boot all criers out of his or the mayor's office, keep the people happy and safe and sign a ridiculous amounts of papers. He couldn't remember how many mind-boggling requests he had to read through and out and reject, not to mention nuptial contracts some "smart" farmers tried to sign with him. Even though the day started in a standard format, having an average breakfast, a normal morning report and a small tactical discussion with the men under his command, there was this ball of concern hurting his bowels and making his mind and body heavy with dread; every time one of the men entered the door to tell him something, announce him of the smallest nuisances, somewhere in the back of his head was waiting to hear the most dreadful of news one could get in a day, such as, an approaching army, a tactical withdrawal, anything bad. Sometime around noon a peculiar guest arrived, again, fearing the worst, but at the same time, he expected some other disgruntled farmhand coming to report a score of moles ravaging his precious crops. Instead, he was rather surprised to have none other but the Imperial Wizard of the Sendrakon come forth and, another big surprise, bow before the halfling. Aleko blinked slowly and felt the urge to stand up and raise the old man from his deep bow, knowing that he was clearly superior to a twenty-something old anthro officer.

But then, he sighed very softly through his wolfish nostrils, making the quickest, most logical connections in his head and coming to the conclusion that this man's presence was The New Empire's last ditch effort to convince the town to pledge allegiance to their cause. As noble as it would be to try to put the Sendrakon family back in power, it was a wild goose chase, unless they would somehow take the ghosts of the late family and re-materialize them using some sort of dark, obscure arts of black magic. It wasn't his concern, this province was out of the question, so with all that, he lowered his eyes from the man in front of him back to the documents resting at his hands.

"Your Enlightenment, although I feel honored to be in your presence, take no offense from my words when I say that the mayor of this province is not interested whatsoever of your leaders' offers, however tempting they may be. Does not matter the riches, advantages or trade goods you come with, they will fall unto deaf ears, and honestly, these men have been through enough misery to hack your Enlightenment's head off if I weren't holding this city's militia at my leash's length. Ironic, do you not think so?"

Then, the wizard made sure that trying to convince them to join the New Empire's ranks wasn't his concern, as it was made clear to him by the militia; instead, it seemed that the man wanted to have a conversation with him, quite oddly. Aleko narrowed his eyes, not knowing what to take of this man's apparent friendliness, and, mood to sit and chat. Aleko felt grateful he wasn't trying to convince anyone around here about his cause, but he sure hope the wizard wasn't plotting to use some form of magic to control his and the mayor's minds and bend them so that he could obtain a new territory for the Empire, a vassal even. In all honesty, the man could use a short chatting session to kill the boredom that engulfed him, but what could interest a man of such intellect at this rather unimportant man? Then, the man started a history lesson out of the blue. Aleko felt absorbed by the old man's voice for a while, but when the information dump that was thrown at him became too familiar, the halfling started to tap his fingers impatiently against the desk, waiting for someone to take away this senile, old rock out of his office, yet, he felt that he was trying to reach somewhere with his little discourse. When he felt his brain came to a point where he couldn't stand the talking anymore, Aleko rose his palm and waved it at him.

"Pardon my rude interruption, your Enlightenment, although your knowledge of recent history is astounding, I also studied the books of history and I myself know it quite well. It is requested for military officers to be knowledgeable of such events, you see, thus you are wasting your breath on me with such tales. I wish to know what are you here for in fact, as, I am pretty sure you could have chosen to lecture a class of young students rather than some drafted officer of the Royal Anthro Forces."

The wizard did draw his attention for being rather impatient, but was he really to blame? He wasn't convinced the man actually wanted to tell him anything important, he only based his patience on this intuitive thought that this man could have some important news for him and the province. Then the man reminded him of the New Avalon Empire mission to look for a Sendrakon heir, something he was also very aware of; suddenly, his hopes of having an interesting discussion with the man wavered, until, he caught a fine detail in his statement. The way the man implied a past tense, he quickly came to the conclusion that they must have found a descendant, a bastard maybe? If that was the reason for his visit, Aleko took it as another attempt to convince the mayor.

"Excuse me, was? You mean to tell us that you have found a possible heir? And, beg your pardon again, how does that help me, this city, the mayor, this province and then men outside at all?"

Then came the firebomb that left the halfling aghast, the firebomb that made him the heir of the dead noble family. He stood up on his strong feet, knocking the chair over behind him, leading a loud bang as the wooden frame of the chair crashed against the wooden floor; his body leaned forward in an offensive posture, his eyes now glacially glowing with anger as he felt he was insulted in some way by this zit-filled coot.

"Are you mocking me, old man? Is this some sort of crude joke? Who sent you here, those filthy puritans?"

But as the man talked, in his heart, he knew it made sense, as crazy as it seemed. How could the man know about his mother's unfaithfulness? Yes, he was a halfling, so he was a combination of different races, but how did he know that detail about his mother? Aleko started to ponder and make those logical connections that always came to him in the most natural way. His mother was a black shepherd with blue eyes, a beauty in her younger years, yet, he himself was a white shepherd with blonde hair, much like the late emperor's own features, pale skin and blonde hair. At this rate, it could have been someone at the tavern his mother fancied at some point, but the way the wizard addressed to him in the end really made his bones shiver, his guts flutter, his skin rise and form minuscule islands of bumps and his spine freeze in place. Was the man senile? Could he really believe that Aleko was a last heir or was this all true? That ball of dread in his bowels had disappeared, and judging by that reaction of his body, considered the man's thoughts to be right and true. After all, why would he go through the trouble of coming this far away from home and contact him personally, out of all other people that could surely be twice better than him when it came to ruling a settlement?

His rational mind was now buried in an obscure corner of his mind and followed this hunch that all this insanity was true; at the very least, it would be a very interesting day for Aleko. He promptly emptied his drawers and cupboards of his personal belongings, mostly comprised of mostly military clothes and books that had a certain importance to him, most of them being military treatises and one or two very long novels. Before he took his departure, he had a word with one of his direct subordinates on how to further maintain the control over the city without his presence. He didn't trust the man will not break or bend around the rules, but he was the best chance of maintaining order in the province he was supposed to work in. He could hear himself yelling at himself for being a deserter, but surely his superiors will understand his move. Luckily enough, those superiors are on the side with the New Avalon Empire. Even if they weren't, they wouldn't be able to comment on his sudden leave since he would end up being superior to them. A very odd thought, in fact. As he left the town with the large backpack, Aleko found himself to be rather absent minded and simply follow the stranger to who-knows-where; he was somewhat present in the conversation, proving again and again that the Lieutenant was a very informed man. He had to be if he wanted to effectively defend his little province. He knew that the New Avalon Empire was the smallest, weakest of the three powers that tried to claim power over Avalon; he also knew that they were the second most ambitious power of them, the one surpassing it was the faction willing to form an inquisition against halflings like himself. Cyrus evidently pointed that Aleko would soon be a prime target.

But as he was starting to realize what his new purpose was, he quickly stopped on his tracks, almost in the same moment when the old man nearly tripped over some displaced piece of dead wood. Aleko threw a helping, supporting hand to stabilize the wizard, muttering a low "careful" to him, as if it would help with anything after the little incident happened. The true weight of his task was now mounting on his shoulders, thinking that he would basically have to gain influence over the most of Avalon and, maybe, trample one of the other major powers. Was he actually able to do that, was he prepared for such a life? He felt more and more lightheaded with every step he took towards wherever the wizard wanted to take him, losing his thoughts among issues of all sorts, details and corners of his mind filled with dread, but his exterior showed none of the storm inside. He looked rather calm, maybe a hint of that surprise was left on his expression from earlier, but otherwise, he looked calm; he tried to pull himself out of the dark corners of his mind with more constructive thoughts, starting to make a to-do list in his mind. At the moment, he hoped he wasn't going to be the only general and diplomat of the power he was about to lead. The Cyrus asked him if he was ready. Did he really have the choice? He felt like he wanted to ask the wizard some of the questions running around his head.

"I-" he tried to start, but a mere few splinters of a second later, he found himself blinded by an engulfing flash of light, a fleeting moment of being weightless feeling as if he was floating in a dead space, then felt a more solid ground under his boots.

The first teleportation in his life went as expected, Aleko suddenly felt sick and his guts crawling up through his body and about to spill out through his mouth. He gritted his teeth and swallowed down a mouthful of bile that rushed up his gullet. He took himself a few moments to regain his composure and fight the urge to retch on the floor, but once he had gained control over his body, he then started to pay good attention to his astonishing surroundings. He wasn't sure what was more impressive, the floating fortress in itself or it's extravagant interiors. He quickly understood that time was a precious resource that was running thin, so, he continued to follow the wizard and completely opened his eyes and ears to absorb his surroundings and the first man to meet was the captain of the flying fortress. Curious that a floating building needed a captain to steer it; maybe it was, in fact, a monolithic ship? As soon as the human realized who was Cyrus' guest, he promptly bowed deeply before him in an almost reflexive move, without taking real note of what or who the bastard was. The halfling quickly returned the honorary move with a bow of his own specific to anthro officers: left foot slides back, right hand laid over the left side of the chest in an open palm, torso bends at a perfect 30 degree angle and the head kept on a horizontal plane, never loosing eye contact with the one you are bowing to. He then followed the bow with a good handshake. He really didn't know if it was a royal-ish move to shake hands with those lower in rank than himself, but to him, it really didn't matter; Aleko didn't value one's privilege to be a descendant of some important, would-be noble family just because they were lucky to wear that name. If one brought justice to his name through actions of valor and honor, Aleko would deem him worthy of respect. If not, that one person was either his equal or lower than himself. The captain of the Escalyber promised safety and longevity while he was the one steering the ship, the heir could only smile politely and blink slowly as a subtle gesture of appreciation.

"I have no doubts of your talents, Captain. I have been on this ship for a little less than a few minutes and I must confess honestly, I am quite impressed. I am convinced this flying fortress lies in good hands." He added to his gesture, never breaking eye, or at least head contact with the man. "Tell me, have you-"

But then, a red flash of light interrupted his idea, making him actually forget what he wanted to ask; he turned his attention to the second crewman of the Escalyber, a young elfess, he judged. When she finally realized what was going on, she quickly excused herself and bowed deeply, a simple mistake that made her blush and nervous; the heir came to the conclusion that she was indeed young. Young or not, he repeated the whole bowing ceremony and proceeded to gingerly lift her left hand to place a gentle kiss on the outer side of the palm as a gesture of anthro chivalry, sophistication, respect and social etiquette; of course, he didn't thoroughly think about every detail of his movements, but he felt that he needed to at least show impeccable manners, whether the people on board the flying ship were fond of him or not.

"At ease, Miss Wayfinder-" he started after he released the girl's hand "I am the one intruding here while you were working, it is only natural to be startled. No harm was done, milady."

The discussion ended abruptly, Cyrus urging his protege to keep moving, Aleko quickly picking up what the wizard intended and exited the room after he bowed once more to the two members. Passing through the corridor leading to the council chamber, they encountered the men that made up the imperial guard, staunchly guarding the whole length of the corridor and the room entrance; Aleko briefly analyzed the men's whole gear, deeming it to be of high-end manufacture, both the armor and the weapons holstered by their hips. Entering the council chamber, Cyrus only now announced him that the whole political envoy was present; left aghast, the halfling shook his head in disbelief and frowned at the wizard for not being more informative about this whole tour. He had to pull himself back together in order to meet a number of very important people that will influence the well being of the power he was about to lead soon enough and leave a good and lasting impression. As if the task itself wasn't enough to throw him off his feet, having to encounter such indispensable personalities during the same day he was told that he was no one else but the emperor's only standing half-heir. They entered the room and as soon as his eyes assimilated the first impression of the people standing there, his cogs started to spin in his head and begin to study each and every person's subtle moves, grimaces, words, choice of apparel and general demeanor. While he himself couldn't do much to impress at the moment, these people would still have to show some regards to him as in time, they would all be at his heels, should this little adventure work out in the end. He chose to bow respectfully to each and every member of the council and shake hands with the male members. The first to speak to him was the human representative, a man with the looks that deceived his age and once acted as an ambassador. First question that came to his mind was why was he no longer an ambassador? Of course, he knew better than to openly ask something like this, as it could be a very gross move on his side. His presentation was short and concise, a man of few, selective words, but deceiving looks. Aleko chose to keep a close eye on this one. Next came a rather loud-mouthed anthro which had "posh" written all over him instead of "elegant"; the first remark he made was unwelcome, but Aleko knew he had to let it pass and show that he was unaffected by words. Still, he chose to hold that against him. He indeed knew about the Weissnout family, but if this is one of their descendants, the halfling felt that he would not like him or his roots. And throwing the word "honor" at the end of the official greeting after an insensible opening remark completely ruined the first impression of master Weissnout. Not to let himself lower than him and show true class, Aleko also bowed to him and shook his hand and decided to be a bit mouthy too.

"Nay, the honor lies on my side to meet a member of the revered Weissnout family on this humble ship; admittedly, I have only had distant contact with any member of the family. I am most eager to see if all words are true about the prestige, ingenuity and impeccable demeanor of the family from up close."

He did feel a slight sense of satisfaction after that exchange; he was new and maybe inexperienced, but he was no-one's fool or puppet. Then came the orc, finally, a friendly and honest to gods man. Orcs seldom lied, but they had quite a temper if they were caught in a bad mood. The man came with an excuse for not having any titles under his belt, but Aleko didn't mind; for the sheer fact he admitted such a thing, the orc grew highly in the halfling's eyes. He preferred men that had the ambition to overcome their condition and prove their worth; in a way, it reminded him of himself. He shook hands with the diplomat and gave him a hearty grin.

"I have no doubt in my mind of your abilities, my good man. You are just as valuable as any other, so long you work hard and stay true to your word, Master Windsteel."

The next person to present was the only woman in the room and while she was indeed alone, she made sure she would completely stand out of the crowd. She wore a very impressive dress which cherished her overall appearance, and what an appearance she had; Aleko, like any other man, was charmed by her presence, he even smiled one extra second than the established six-second-smirk. Like any other man, Aleko had his own flaw he hated, but at the same time, enjoy it: he was fond of all beautiful and pretty women. He had enough discipline to keep himself in check and in control, especially his masculinity, but he could drink the beauty of women through his eye such as a dry earth would drown with water. He still paid very close attention to he whole attitude and soon learned that this woman was dangerous: she knew she was beautiful and used that knowledge to give herself more power. He wasn't sure if she overestimated her power or if this too was a ruse, but her arrogance and cold attitude killed off most of Aleko's enthusiasm about her; it wasn't that he didn't like women playing hard-to-get, but the feeling in her arrogance had a completely different kind of taste, a taste of a power-hungry character. While she would definitely be very useful to have as a diplomat, he chose again to keep her on close watch for any iffy moves or for any attempt to try to get into his pants. While he would indubitably enjoy the moment, he knew what risks it could bring towards the integrity of his diplomatic portfolio. He gently pressed his lips against her gloved hand and kept a permissive attitude towards her, but her ending comment gave a little glimpse of what her venomous fangs could be capable of. Indeed, a very useful, but dangerous diplomat. Why not play a little with the snake?

"Milady, it is not in my nature to disappoint in anything, be it military expertise, diplomatic relations and... other fields I have quite some skill. However heavy my mountain may be, I will carry the task and use it to everyone's advantage."

The elf was, well, like all elves: curt, serious, truly eloquent and master of words, unlike the disappointment the anthro diplomat was. He knew about how dependable elves are, as in, it depended on their mood or whatever the nature tells them. Either way, Aleko learned to respect them and their rambly attitude, as they were one of the most resourceful races out in Avalon. The man himself was another cardboard copy of the standard elf delegate. The dwarf was another rather friendly face, but like most of his kind, he suspected the man would be a stubborn boulder when it comes to changing tactics, being a natural-born conservative and all. And like any undead, the last diplomat had a very vile air around him, but again, he learned to respect the resourcefulness of entities that have the ability to defy death. With the final words spoken, he and Cyrus retreated from the council chamber and out towards the rest of the castle; he didn't feel humbled by those people, nor intimidated, but he really hoped that those people wouldn't become his enemies. Antagonizing them would be also very unhealthy, so he had to tread carefully. He thought it would be very difficult to get used to be called "sire" instead of "lieutenant", "officer Hyde" or "Frost". No, he was now "sire", "lord", "emperor", "my liege", "Sendrakon". To edify that, Aleko met the throne he would sit unto to, examining it from afar; he then noticed the little one the people called "Scribe", a feeble and dutiful little undead that wrote words that would take maybe two seconds in a matter of a split second. Aleko felt a queer form of pity towards the little soul and smiled warmly to him as he, or she, scribbled its rotten heart out on that sheet of paper words of sheer admiration. Now, the halfling felt that he deserved none of this, especially because of some half-assed birthright; he felt more and more obligated to prove his worth, as if his obligation wasn't exceeding his current capacities. He felt his mind was wandering off towards the realms of dread once more, so he repressed those thoughts out, pull himself back out into the light, erase the frown on his forehead and decided he would not sleep this night. He had work to do.

Next, he was presented with the dining area, a pretty place that enchanted the wolfling, the mere beauty of the place caused a rumble to shake his stomach. Truth was that he didn't get to eat a proper lunch that day, which made him consider grabbing a good supper for tonight's working session. After they passed through the dining area, where he did notice the two familiar characters from before having a surprisingly peaceful chat, considering that one was an orc and the other a human, he was presented to a less friendly ambiance with a fair warning about the situation inside. Given this, Aleko felt even more guilty, since he still couldn't connect with the fact that he, a simple mud-blooded anthro, was now the most viable pretender to the Avalon Empire throne; now, knowing that people had sacrifice their lives just to localize him without risking to reveal the plan to potential enemies, he knew exactly what kind of hospitality he had to expect from inside. Sure, he was used with generals being all prissy, angry and generally moody, he knew to respect their authority and understand the motive behind their actions and judgement; each and every one of them worked hard to reach this place and whatever they lacked in experience, they compensated with talent and tactical ingenuity. Where they lacked the skill and talent, came hard labor and experience. Walking inside, he caught the heat of the argument and the words thrown around, even at Cyrus, made Aleko extremely cautious, to the point he brought his right hand to grip at the hilt of his own long sword ready to slide out and parry or block any misdirected blows. Luckily, the argument did not escalate, since one of the generals, a female anthro halfling seemed to calm down the orc general from swinging his own weapon. Aleko felt miserable, seeing such experienced men ready to break down into a brawl over who was more righteous than the other, who sacrificed good men and who didn't, all for a "pretty wolfling". He did not feel insulted at all, since he was called many worse things than that, but what worried him was the attitude of the dwarven general; if he wouldn't behave under his command, real issues would spark from the incompatibility. Finally, when the fire had been put out, the generals started to present themselves and the truest of them all was the human, Aleko considered. All that he said about him was true, however harsh as it would be. Aleko did not properly reply to the man, he just nodded his head and gave a respectful smile and a short mutter.

"I will give my best, sir."

Next, the undead general showed up and started to talk to him and much like the ambassador of the undead, he showed much prudence and apparent respect for him; he knew the nature of this race, how they tried to crawl into one's skin like worms and try to chew out should one not heed their demands, so he knew better than to wholeheartedly listen to his words. He gave a curt nod, shook his hand and bowed respectfully as ever. The elf general, like the envoy, was a true example of their race and Aleko payed his respects to him too. As the orc general tried to present himself, the Anthro general offer him a true show of misbehavior and lack of discipline and as much as she tried to become chummy with the new emperor, Aleko had a bad impression about her from the start of her presentation 'till to the end; although he commended her courage to break the imminent brawl, her lack of composure and military etiquette ruined the first, good impression. She might be young, but so was he, if he wasn't actually younger. He only hoped she was capable on the battlefield and a complete mess outside. The orc general, true to his race, was completely honest and optimistic, to that Aleko nodded and smiled wide. The dwarf was, obviously, disgruntled and made himself clear about his thoughts on the new Sendrakon, the last of his line. He kept his mouth shut and ate the sour-tasting words, which he decided to hold against the general so that when the day of his success will come, he will prove the dwarven general wrong with great satisfaction. The dark elf general had a demeanor similar to the undead, which made him rather cautious around this character; even though he knew about the resourcefulness of such an army and the subterfuge abilities of the specialized units under a dark elf general, Aleko decided to keep a very close watch on this one, as same with the dwarf, anthro and undead general. Cyrus then tried to hurry and usher the fresh emperor out of the war room, but to his dismay, the halfling refused to leave without leaving some words behind, to give those men an honest insight about the situation the wolf found himself in. He stood not far from the open doors, cleared his voice loudly to draw attention to him and then spoke in a solemn tone, where emotion could be felt only by those who could distinguish the subtlety in one's carefully constructed speech.

"Generals. Only a few hours ago, I was a first-lieutenant of the Imperial Mechanized Rangers 5th batallion "Gundogs", elite component of the Royal Anthro Forces; I was given the task to oversee a province all on my own to keep its neutrality towards the potshots between the three Avalon powers and refuse any and all allegiances. I have had my own share of battles, survived three undead ambushes and won several skirmishes against rioting rebels, a human force from the Old Avalon Empire, mercenaries whose masters I did not identify and other band of miscreants. I agree with you all, I am in no place to lead seven distinguished officers and their armies to fights that I pick, not since I am still inferior to all who stand in this room. I expect no apologies, nor utmost respect for a 'bastard wolfling' that is the supreme commander of all New Avalon Empire just because of a name attached to him; what I do wish to see is unity and camaraderie, since everyone in this room fights for the same cause now: bring the old empire back and establish order through unification, through assimilation or conquest."

"I lack experience and I am not afraid to declare that, for it is true, I do not take offense for pointing an obvious fact to me. As such, I am more than willing to learn everything and much more that I can learn from all of you, I present myself as an open book on which all can chip in their insights and I am more than eager to absorb the knowledge. Until I prove the worth of my name and my position, and even after, you will all be considered distinguished military advisers, not subordinates under my imperial boot. Thus, I expect transparency, camaraderie, an opportunity to learn and evolve; from me, you may expect transparency, respect, consideration, open ears and growth."

"With this, I bid farewell and good night: I would be most grateful if a list of all men whose lives were lost for my sake were created until tomorrow morning. Any grandiose form of apology, or death honorary, will not bring those men back to life, nor will they heal the wounds in the souls of their leaders and families. What will bring their souls to rest is the success of this campaign, I am most sure of that."

"And lastly... during my service, my superiors adressed me through a certain nickname, I would much prefer to be adressed as such rather than "sire", or "my lord". I am Frost, officer Frost. Or Frosty. You may call me a lord once you deem me worthy of such titles."

With that, he bowed his head, turned around and left and as soon as the doors closed, he wiped off one bead of sweat off his forehead with the back of his palm. He didn't really have the chance to admire the room's strange beauty, but knowing that he will spend most of his time in there, he was sure he would get used to it. The rest of the entire castle's tour didn't really impress him anymore, not after the very tense moment in the war room; although he took note of everyone he met on the road and respectfully bowed to everyone, he did become curious of an anthro engineer that seemed to pay very little attention to the emperor, and of a peculiar fellow called T'Chun, whose nature really sparked his interest. He reassured the poor thing that he only had to work as much as it was needed, there was no need for strenuous efforts. They finally reach the comfort of his own personal quarters, where Cyrus left him with a vast emptiness and dreadful thoughts. Aleko took himself a moment to sit down on the nearest armchair and let the weight of the situation push him down into the cushion; the tension and his own weight pressed him down so hard he could hear his bones and articulations softly groan with pain and exhaustion. He lost track of time as he sat there, his head going through the events of the day over and over again, checking if everything was really true. It seemed too extraordinary for someone like him to actually be the last living son of a famed dynasty, so extraordinary that he felt humbled by the ample task ahead. Gaining enough strength to keep himself compose, he started to devise some plans, starting from the smallest things he noted to be needed for an empire to be strong through his own life experience, 'till to the very first military moves that had to be taken in order to gain more territory and influence.

He stood up, rid himself of the heavier clothes and his luggage and did some routine workouts to get his blood pumping through his body and once he felt himself to be energetic, Aleko sprawled open the contents of the bag and sorted his belongings out, storing his clothes in the nearest closet, his books on the beautiful desk he had and finally, pulling a thick, worn-out journal along with some pencils, a sharpener and some form of gum that could erase the markings a pencil could leave. He then examined the orb he received from Cyrus and somehow hailed a servant, not knowing exactly if he had to tap it, rub it or simply hold it in his hand and talk through it; still not playing the role of an emperor, he kindly asked the man that entered his room to bring a roster regarding the armies the New Avalon Empire had, a map, a situation on diplomacy with the several provinces and the two other major powers and the last entries of the chronicles the scribe had written. In a matter of moments, more servants poured in with everything he needed to work with, Aleko deeply bowed to everyone before he bid them all a good night. As he started to work everything out, albeit having a very difficult starting point, everything started to work out in his head, even with the rather flimsy income and weak military force, all compared to the other two powers; he blamed this lack of integrity and wealth on the search for the last living Sendrakon which left him feeling hopeless for a few good minutes. During this dead time, he remembered of that odd library situation, which made him feel a little unsafe and against Cyrus' advice, he knew he had to investigate that all by himself and his weapon; he thought of the diplomats and the generals, their faces and their personalities and how they would come in handy in his plans prepped for the first week of activity. He thought of the curves, bra size and unmentionable colors of the females he had met that day, the dirty thoughts were quickly shaken away by the more dutiful notions in his head. He wasn't sure if everything could be finished in a hasty rhythm, but it would at least put things into motion and prepare for the first steps; he calculated the costs of his moves, not only in wealth, but also in renown. Should he make a bold move, he was sure to be shut down by the larger powers, so he had to play nice and lay low without risking an early realm divide; it would mean a lot of his actions, strategies and plans would have to be completed in a hush-hush manner, but it would at least build a steady base from where the new empire could grow and as soon as they would have enough strength, they would lash out and hit where it would hurt the most.

It took him several hours to have a skeleton broken down in a few steps and ramifications according to some possible outcomes, but he had a plan. Aleko threw himself in his bed and without even noticing that he even fell asleep, he woke up a few hours later at the alarm of the clock hanged on one of the walls; he somehow dragged himself out of the bed and shut the alarm down and to invigorate himself, he promptly started his morning routing of workouts, a ritual etched into his head by years of military service. Once his muscles were alive and he was relatively awake, he accessed what he suspected to be a bathroom, where he found a luxurious room with multiple faucets, a toilet seat and a large tub in which more than one participants could fit in. He very quickly showered himself and made sure a fresh smell of frosty mint would follow him all day long, he dried out his short fur and mop of hair atop his head and picked the cleanest and tidies set of clothes he had: a pair of dark, slim denim pants, an undershirt over which he had a dark red doublet and over the doublet, a high-quality military overcoat which he decorated with all of the medals and awards he had with him. He took a look at himself in the mirror and found a hungry, tired-looking wolf-to-be-emperor that was about to participate to his own crowning, however outrageous that notion sounded to him. He chuckled at the ridiculousness of the whole situation and shook his head in disbelief; finally, he strapped his trusty long sword with side rings which provided protection for his fingers and knuckles at his waistline, along with his own Katzer semi-automatic pistol of anthro manufacture. He looked as royal as he could with his own clothes and as soon as he found himself ready, he walked out of his room and using his memory, he navigated through the corridors towards the throne room, nodding his head to everyone he met on his way there. He found his head to be drifting aimlessly into nowhere, still thinking that he would soon wake up to his desk in a pool of his own saliva over the papers he had yet to sign back at his makeshift office; yet, he was marching quite confidently down the halls, keeping his back straight, his gaze forwards and a stern look on his face. If everything was true, if all of this wasn't some outlandish mind trip, he was sure to deliver his best shot at this. He felt dread growing and following his trail, the reality of the plans he had made last night would see the true world and feared that they would be rather impractical given the situation of the New Avalon Empire.

But it all went away when he entered the room and saw he was the first man to be there. He felt that everything was right and in its place, that his presence here was needed after all, even if the sensation itself was outrageous and otherworldy. His whole life was a safe road to this place, even in the dangers of dying he felt as though he wasn't really at any threat of being killed, but in this place and time, life, death, decisions and thoughts were very real notions, and each of them were walking at his side as he advanced towards the throne he had to occupy along with his demons.

The reports received last night indicate that the current treasury amounts to...


The reports received last night indicate that the number of loyal provinces amount to...

Mere moments passed until the archmage made his presence known to Aleko, drawing his attention to the other end of the hall. He returned the greeting, but wrinkled his snout when he heard "rightful place"; nothing felt like it was his, no prestige, no honor, no flying castle, nothing was his. The only few things that were his had been lost in time and, if he had to be honest, he preferred for things to be that way; he learnt that the past can only drag one down and heavily influence their demeanor, thus, he cut off any ties with his home, the same way both families renegaded him. The sheer image of his mother and her last harrowing words were enough to ruin his mood for the rest of the day, feeling one more burden being pinned to his chest among his other military decorations. The commentary about his appearance made the halfling sigh and rub his eyes, expecting for the man to reprimand his rather tired condition. He accepted the breakfast invitation with a simple nod, following his to-be mentor through the halls and into the Dining Hall, where the atmosphere was tangibly lighter than the lonesome throne room. People chattering, tableware clanging together against porcelain plates and cups filled with coffee, tea, ale even, chugged with lust to down the food and wake their minds up; Aleko and the mage reserved a spot, the halfling only wished for some scrambled eggs, some bacon and a bowl of pickles, a small cup of coffee and plenty of napkins. He grew tired of the same stale broth he had to ate most of the days back at his post, and, if it wasn't broth, it had to be goat cheese with melting tomatoes, rock-hard bread, tasteless onions and pig fat that tasted more like pig shit. He gladly accepted his own meal and immediately dug in, savoring the satiating scent and taste of fried bacon with the perfectly made eggs. To mull the overpowering taste, he would rip small chunks of bread freshly pulled out of the oven and let everything melt on his tongue.

He only raised his gaze when the mage fumbled over his words, trying to remember if he had said anything before; if he did, he would have to feel some shame for being inattentive, but in all honesty, he felt as though the man never made point, he only talked to fill the air with words. He nearly forgot how it was to socialize with civilians, them having a constant need to make their presence known by flapping their chins and uttering the stupidest of non-senses. He looked at the man for a few seconds, then, averted his gaze, not really knowing what to say; do I really have to learn to speak again? he asked himself as he looked at the rest of the room, spotting the familiar trio playing a cards game and one of the generals, the undead one. With a glass of wine, which sparked intrigue in Aleko's mind. There was really no issue about talking political or military issues, but to try to say something about himself seemed like an ordeal; he didn't know how honest he had to be, how informative, how curt, he just couldn't think how to put his thoughts into words. Instead, he tried to just let himself go and see what would happen, thus, a smirk popped on the corner of his muzzle as he caught the mage back in his gaze.

"It is outlandish, to say the least. I appreciate your concern, but it isn't something you could understand, I feel, so just leave it that way. I'll get used to it, I suppose." He uttered with half a voice, his eyes falling on the general again.

Feeling too curious about the matter, he excused himself and rose from the table and, to give Cyrus an excuse, he pointed at the table, merely uttering "Pickles" as he went off to the bar; there, he met the man in charge with the dining place, catching his attention with a short whistle. Seeing the man's reaction, Aleko smirked again and informed him of his problem.

"You forgot the pickles."

As soon as the man left, he directed his attention to general Markov Ashadde.

"Good morning, sir." He addressed to him in a formal tone, saluting by anthro military courtesies. "Beg pardon for my intrusion, general, though I couldn't help but notice, well, that." He merely gestured his head towards the glass of wine. It was one thing to pass time with talk, but a completely different matter when it came to knowing your allies, and, potential enemies.

He left the general once he was given an answer, satisfactory or not, and with his much-wanted bowl with pickles. He finished the rest of his breakfast with haste so he could catch a sip of coffee, a drink whose taste he nearly forgot after being dispatched from his office for so long. Cyrus bombarded him with more talk, but this time, it was useful talk, having a chance to offer the man some of his insight for their current, otherwise, dire situation. A situation that was desperate enough to make Aleko form a lot of questions. Some time later, the mage asked for some input about the envoys and generals, a perfect occasion to share some of his own concerns with someone that could listen and, maybe, understand.

"My opinions? Well then, if that is what you wish to know, here are my thoughts: in general, I have no clue what keeps everybody true to this cause and I dread to think how little it would take them to give up their implication. What is it that makes the generals loyal to me, or, this movement rather? Are they truly ready to give away their lives for something as insignificant as a promise? What are the envoys seeing in this New Empire? A chance to grow rich, achieve fame? If you were to tell me they are dedicated to me because they "believe" in me and in this cause, I would call it bullshit, excuse my language.

As for the individuals: Durran and Rougan are both orcs and couldn't lie to save their lives, I can put my trust in their honesty.

Ethel is a cold, cold woman who puts very little effort to hide her want for prestige; what I'm truly worried about is her hunger for power and a woman like her would do about anything to put her hands on what she wishes.

Eamon is the very definition of what the anthro military would call a "chinwagger", to put it politely. Talks a lot, delivers nothing. It will be hard to coax anything important from him, I fear. Ludwyn is very similar to him, only his words seem to be thrown out with spite. Can't say why I have that feeling, other than the fact that he is an elf.

Speaking about military slang, Pepper would be an FSC. "Fucking stupid cun"- you get the idea. No sign of decency or discipline, I am inclined to question her background and her prowess in battle. Where did you find that lot?

Can't say much about Gymor. I only fear that he may be a very conservative diplomat and, with us trying to grow in power, it may be rather difficult.

Korvius, much like Markov, has a certain talent for underhanded practices. Neither can be trusted with too much power in their hands, but, both are useful in their ways.

Marcus is a level-headed individual, he is here to do his duty as best as his abilities allow, something that I am most grateful for. Since he is a human, he will be prone to more emotional situations, I am curious to see his reactions in such cases.

Speaking of humans, Duncan is the general I will put most of my trust on at the moment. I have worked together with human musketeer detachments before in the War of Tulips and I can say with no doubt in my mind that I can trust my life in them. Sound mind, sound tactics, sound logistics. Yes, I served in the closure of the War, commandeered a platoon of Elite Rangers. We scouted mostly, yeah, but we played a role in ending the Usurper's conquest, but about that later.

Bojor dislikes me and I cannot blame him. He's lost good men to find me, but so have the others, so, I blame his attitude on his dwarvish heritage. I've also lost good fighters trying to find the backdoor to Castle Kyrm, but in the end, their death have been justified by winning the war. I intend to justify my generals' men deaths too.

Marteen will do his duty, that doesn't mean he has to like or hate me. Typical elf, I'd might say.

I think that's all of them. If I've missed any, it means I can't think of anything useful to say. Now, I would like to ask two favors from you, master Weaverstar: one, I'd like you to gather the opinions of the envoys and generals about me, just to make sure that this whole "opinion" thing isn't a one-sided affair; two, stop calling me sire, it digs deep claws in my brains. Sir will suffice."

With their meals finished, the time for his "coronation" arrived, Cyrus dragging the halfling to fetch a certain box before entering the throne room and by the time they arrived, it was filled to the brim with members of the floating castle. Everything felt real again, shock coaxing the emperor-to-be's eyes out of their sockets to scan the crowd for any familiar face in it; up until that moment, he tried to push back any feelings of doubt and incredibility, but they were now taking over every aspect of his way of thinking. It was unbelievable how he got so used to being a petty security chief in a town lost in the middle of somewhere; his task had become so mundane that he accepted it as a part of his identity. If he were to be told that he's an emperor back in the days when his active duty was all about strolling deep behind enemy lines, he would have had a hearty laugh and would've sent the wizard off in order to not compromise their position. He needed a break from tedium-land, but was he prepared to take responsibility for another land, only much bigger this time? There was no turning back now, he had occasions and occasions to drop the whole charade many times, yet, he did not feel like giving up on a bunch of people that really believed that he was the much-needed leader of the New Empire movement; or, maybe these people hated change and preferred to live their lives in the same coziness they had before everything changed. He had a neutral standpoint on it, since he really didn't care for one side or the other, he just executed orders in the best way he could and paid no mind for who he was fighting for, since, he was never in the middle of a conspiracy or a disparity to force him to form an opinion about either side of any war. The only thing he believed in was freedom and justice and he delivered exactly those two during his service.

Every step weighed heavier, his boots pulling back at his legs in a frantic attempt to halt his progress towards the throne itself, a seat destined for his furry hind; no matter how amusing he would put the situation in his head, he couldn't get over the fact that his first name will be followed by the ancient "Sendrakon" family name and everyone will take that very seriously. Sure, people joked and mused around about being far descendants of the bloodline, or very distant cousins, but his blood vessels and heart was filled with half Hyde, half Sendrakon blood and that somehow gave him the right to take his late father's seat. Another aspect that seemed completely outlandish was the fact that Asmuel Sendrakon, and none other, was his father, the same Asmuel that lead armies against demons; the very same Asmuel that oppressed his empire from forming a different opinion than his own, which in turn, spawned more rebellions. Nonetheless, that one individual sired him by taking his mother nearly twenty-six years ago, how something like that happened wasn't his concern; what mattered now was to take his legacy as a blessing and as a curse, use it to his advantage to make the best out of the New Empire situation. He knew what he had to do, but he felt that he wasn't ready to assume the giant responsibility; sure, he had all the help around him, but, experience told him that those helpers were also looking to help themselves out.

Cyrus had his own little speech to deliver, to which Aleko only listened with half a ear and less than that much of a brain, he was more concentrated on his own doubts and the faces of the audience peering at him; he made a mental check of himself, trying to discern if he hadn't slouched his shoulders during the talk, but to his relief, he was as stiff as a board, his face having the same expression as a tired brick. He immediately noticed the wizard handling him something from within the box he picked up on the map room; gazing upon it, Aleko indeed felt as though he saw it before and had the immediate urge to fetch and hold it in his hands. His trained mind resisted that instinct and made sure to control his hand as it lifted from his side, sink into the box and wrap its fingers around the handle of the scepter. Once the coldness pierced through the fine fur coating his fingers, he lifted the scepter gingerly, awestruck by the peculiar feeling that convinced him he held the damned thing before in his life; the weight, the texture, the characteristic temperature of the handle, everything felt as natural as feeling the leather-wrapped grip of his longsword lazily hanging at his left hip, or the familiar wooden grip of the service semi-automatic rifle he learnt to love and hate during the hard times of his deployment in South-Eastern Lioncross. He nearly missed the half-of-second when the precious stone embed in the scepter faintly glistened back at him to was his doubts about the familiar feelings. Did it just gave its approval he asked himself as he allowed the top part of the scepter to rest in his free hand, affixing his eyes on the precious stone. He was soon awoken from the trance by the wizard's voice whispering in his furred ear, nearly slapping the old man's nose with it. His eyes darted to the side to spot the old man smiling at him, then, at the crowd waiting for some words, with their hearts open for a warm speech. He gave several speeches before, but they were meant to man up his troops, to inspire them to continue fighting. What to civilians know about fighting? He took one more brief moment to look for some good words, then, lifted his head to confront the crowd.

"Until today, I was but a simple halfling tasked to defend a small region from all annexing attempts, be it the Old Empire, The New Empire and the Inquisition, an Elite Ranger Lieutenant from the Mechanized Infantry Regiment 481^st; that was me, executing orders, booting out criers and instigators, fighting off rebellions and repelling small conquest initiatives. Today, I stand in this hall, humbled by the new mission I have been given and the expectations this movement has from me, barely believing that this, otherwise, simple name has been pinned next to my own name; as such, I inherit the crumbled Sendrakon legacy and thus, I must raise banners under this name. A bastard's name.

But that will not put me down. Not the name I've been given, not the ample task, not the expectations. I cannot be put down, for I am no underdog and neither is the New Empire. Yes, we are facing tremendous odds against us, but that has never stopped anyone from achieving greatness and glory, but cowards; akin to that saying in the Royal Human Military, "Always outnumbered, never outmatched", we will play intelligently, with efficiency and outsmart our opponents. For that, we must have patience and wisdom, hang in tight for some tough times, but once we will reach the right moment, we shall rise with an unstoppable force and once again, Sendrakon will be a word that bears a weight and power. A power that you, the people, will give through your effort and dedication, through the sweat, blood and tears that will be shed so that our offspring may live in a peaceful Avalon ripe with resources, a safe Avalon, an Avalon united once more. I wish to leave behind me a single Empire, a single force to keep this land in peace and a name that plants courage and honor in people's hearts. No more criminals, no more power-thirsty curs, no more opportunists. Glory, honor, courage and intelligence!

Avalon! Remember these words, for these are the words that made us whole once upon a time! These same words will bring us back together and wash out the dirt and the soot of war!

Avalon! Remember me when you will sit in your warm homes, eating fat meals and playing with your beautiful children, for I will be the one to set the cornerstone of the New Empire and if time allows it, build upon it until we will have our own marvelous citadel made from dreams come true!

Avalon! Remember us from now on, for we are the ones who wish the best for you more than we wish the best for ourselves!

Avalon! Today, we may be weak, but fear not for tomorrow, for it is then when we will rise!

Avalon! Divided, we fall, but united! United we will prevail!"

It was odd to him to to see people react positively to what he just said, them again, it would have been rather rude for them to keep a straight face through it all. He had done his job and he knew he couldn't do it any better than that, so, he left it like that. The wizard made sure he was the first one to congratulate him, which, felt out of place again.

"Congratulate me, that's droll. What for? Existing? Master Weaverstar, until I do something worth congratulating, you don't have to be so nice to me. You enough emperors during your lifetime, yes, but I am no emperor; I am the luckiest and unluckiest bloke to wear an important name."

It seemed that there was work to be done and, thanks to his late-night efforts, he was ready to meet the first problems with an open mind and a plan. As they went for the Map Room, Scribe made sure to follow Aleko closely, so close that he stepped on the halfling's heel; startled by that, he turned his head around, spotting the small thing gesturing apologies to him. He didn't know exactly what made him adore the unfortunate soul, but, it was enough to guide him by his side and hold his hand at its back. He heard the voices of the generals even before they entered the Map Room, so with that, he prepared himself to meet up with them and present his plan after they would be done with the ceaseless bickering.

Duncan, Bojor, Pepper and Marteen were the ones to remind him of the situation, so, he listened respectfully. In fact he kept his mouth shut until the generals made their points across and once he was sure he had the word, the halfling cleared his throat and started strolling the room back and forth.

"Before I voice my thoughts, I'd first like to present a plan, an initiative if you will. Like general Primelyt pointed, we are still an unknown force, but sooner or later, someone will notice us. General Ironfist has all the right to say that we are in shit, but, we are not that deep. The Old Empire and The Stainless Empire are the major players on the Avalon board, true, but not everything that is left untouched by them is pure scrap. I would call that scrap, treasure, opportunity even. We are late to the party mainly because most of the efforts have been put to find me, rather than growing in strength; well, I'm here, so, let us catch up.

We must first grow in territory, expand our borders quickly. Be it through force, rebellion, instigation, conversion, anything; so long we annex the region, we will be good. I expect by the end of the month to grow, say, two times in size at least if we try our best to fight off any resistance in the surrounding lands and peacefully occupy their garrisons; at all costs, we must avoid plundering and looting as, on the long term, it will not be beneficial. People will bear a grudge, remembering us as thieves and cutthroats. Exercise force, not abuse.

We must form a "buffer zone" between us and at least one of the main competitors. What is a buffer zone? Any expanse of territory between us and the opposing force that acts independently, whose purpose is to keep the enemies at their gates without directly involving us in the fights. In short, yes, vassals. We let them keep autonomy and expand like thorns in the sides of, say, The Old Empire while we concentrate a third of our military efforts in crushing Emberland's bigotry and by the time we'll be finished with him, we will have the Old Empire suppressed from two sides: the buffer zone and our main force. Yes, it is a long-term strategy that we must respect religiously, but I couldn't think of anything better from yesterday until now. I'm open to your inputs and annotations, so long they are rational.

So, until we gain notoriety, we must gain ground and force and keep quiet. A dog that barks loud doesn't bite, so, our mouths will be shut, but, when the time arrives, we will rend and tear anyone who dares to stop us. From there, we will steamroll through opposition. Alright, now, about the situations you mentioned."

Aleko took a few more minutes to think about Duncan's proposition, along with Markov's suggestion before he would speak about it. To him, the answer was quite simple and, honestly, a no-brainer.

"Primelyt, take your forces and lead them to Whealbee, take the city and the port, we need the trade income. It will open us up for more trade opportunities with other regions we will later convince to join under our banner after we've traded goods long enough. As for Treadsheim, general Ashadde will march upon it with a force twice as strong as you think you may need and hold it secure in case there will be any attempt at a recapture. Thus, we will hold this trading conglomerate and keep it safe from enemy attacks. Once you've garrisoned enough men and designated your most trusted officers to lead them, you are to return to Escalyber with full reports."

Leafdancer's situation was much more delicate, unfortunately. For this one, Aleko dismissed the generals for half an hour to think in silence and without having eight pairs of eyes affixed to him. By the time expired, he was still very unsure about what had to be done, but, he had to make the call.

"General Leafdancer, I've made up my mind. Move your forces up AND your reinforcements in such a way that you will either rendezvous at the outskirts of the city, either your main force will garrison in the city and should you be attacked, the reinforcements will be ready to flank. I am very aware that this may cost us, but if those lands will bring us a great amount of resources, I am willing to grab the region quickly, with the least amount of risk. March on and send word to your reinforcing troops to prepare to help you out. If it's truly a trap, you will have your main force AND your reinforcements in the area to fight off the assault and that way, you will only have to hold for one day, instead of an entire week to capture the area and fight enemies off. If it is not a trap, well, you may thank the gods. Best of luck, general, take as many men as you deem necessary and if you feel you need more, I suggest the other generals to lend some of your troops."

As for Bojor situation, just recalling his awestruck expression made Aleko nearly snort in amusement when he saw his plan crumbling apart when Duncan pointed out a major flaw. For that, Aleko had a good strategy of attack.

"General Ironfist, keep your boys safe in Paletower and Coldshire. I will build a flanking force and attack from-" he pointed Coldshire on the map and drew an arrow towards Northspark "- south-east to north. Should the Stainless judge that we moved our forces from Coldshire, they will be in for a nasty surprise, they will. We will set camp close to Northspark and wait for them to move up for another attack on Paletower, we will then strike, take Northspark and outflank the force that will be stuck on the field through my forces that will approach from the captured city and your boys stationed at Paletower. "Hammer and anvil", or, "stuck between a rock and a hard place". We may be able to force them into submission and gain another army, along with a strong front there made up of two impenetrable forts. Speaking about impenetrable...

General Bulkwyn, you ride with me and with your forces, also, I would appreciate a number of men from general Planestalker, especially infiltrators, vanguards and shadow mages. I will personally commandeer a backdoor scouting initiative with the fellow infiltrators and any elite rangers general Bulkwyn has in her army. Before you will try to convince me out of this plan, let me assure you that this was my job back in The War of Tulips. Anyone remember Castle Kyrm?" He turned his head towards the crowd to see for their reaction before smiling.

"So, like I was saying. Bulkwyn and I ride to Northspark, I will have the elite rangers and infiltrators under my command. We stay put so I can lead the scouting party. Once we find the backdoor, and we WILL find it, we wait for them to launch another assault on Paletower; we move in, clear Northspark with minimum casualties, secure it, then move a splinter group to outflank the enemy force stranded in the open. If they assault Paletower before we manage to find the backdoor, we will simply assault the place then concentrate on the disembodied army. Any suggestions?"

Once he was done with the military aspect of his new life, Aleko quickly headed towards the council chamber with his heart feeling much lighter, mostly because he knew he will finally see some direct action on the field. No matter what the was told, he knew in his heart that this was the best approach. Inside the chamber, he was once again remember of his duty, as if, they were trying to handle a half-wit rather than a halfling. Aleko absorbed the refugee problem that was rising, but unlike Marcus and Gymore, he wasn't caught off-guard by Ethel's suggestion; actually, he felt a little amused as he predicted what the woman would do in this kind of situation: be cold, strict, unforgiving and try to show power. Aleko let the voices die before he would speak.

"We keep the refugees. All of them. "Crazy", some may call me in this room, but I am not finished yet. They will stay, so long they earn their spot on our territory. Women will work on farms, at tailors, weapons manufacture, building, men will enlist in our armies and if not, miners, lumberjacks, smiths, we will find work for them too. Children? Boys will start squiring or join the barracks, girls will work with their parents. The elderly will be given simple work too, but not one refugee, or citizen for that matter, will slack. If they work, they get to stay, if not, off with them, we do not need slackers, not when we have the advantage of gaining a tremendous momentum when the two main competitors are too focused on each other to notice us gain enough strength to topple them both, one after another.

Some may consider this to be forced labor and call this intention cruel, but like mistress Shroudmyr pointed out, we will not have the resources to have the refugees nestle in and leech off our backs. I consider this deal to have a win-win outcome: the refugees get to stay safely within our regions, we gain economic and resource growth off the extra workforce, not to mention that our armies will grow and thus, we will be able to expand quicker."

For the most of the time he spoke, his eyes darted from Marcus to Ethel, to Cyrus then back to Ethel, awaiting to see a reaction from the woman. Surely, she won't be pleased, but Aleko predicted that she would rile up and try to prove her authority even more next time, maybe she will even try to get personal with him just to gain some influence over his decisions. He then listened to master Groverunner's suggestion.

"Yes, we will allow them to complete their pilgrimage, may the gods bless them. Our charitable efforts will go long way from now and we will remembered as the Just Empire, we show sympathy and mercy to those in need and willing to work for our cause, but smite those who do not intend to put any effort; we will need those pilgrims, especially with the influx of refugees. Like master Groverunner said, their presence will inspire the common folk and give them motivation to work, the refugees will cherish this moral support even more."

During the small refreshment break, Aleko managed to slurp a sip of coffee and rub his eyes again; so far, his duty didn't wear him off as much as he thought it would, but, this was only the beginning. He knew matters would grow more complex in the future and if he would plant the right seeds in the beginning, when times would get rough he would already be on the right track. Master Frosthand quickly approached the halfling during the break when the rest of the envoys had cleared the chamber and came with a proposal. The idea made Aleko frown heavily, but he didn't fail to see the opportunity in such a messy business; the risks were indeed high, but a transgression like that would indeed leave an imprint in the commonfolk's minds and motivate to work harder. But after such a disaster, there won't be any other pilgrimages.

"You do realize that this plan of yours will only work once, no? Either there will be no other pilgrimages, either the pilgrims will have mercenaries protect them, which in turn, couldn't be really called a pilgrimage, am I not right? Give me more time to think about this. Come down later, let's say, dinner and ask me if I like tomatoes. My answer will be yes or no, depending on what my final decision will be. I appreciate your talent for underhanded practices, but sometimes, the risk outweighs the outcome or, in our case, long term development. We will see, but until dinner, I can not state my opinion."

With that, he dismissed the envoy, feeling the need to rub his eyes again and chug down some more coffee. This was indeed a difficult call to make and on it depended the moral of the folk: give them a strong boost of motivation in the beginning and find a different way to keep up the pace later on or refuse the plot and turn this pilgrimage into a monthly ritual. Aleko finally had a moment to stand up and stretch his legs, walk around and watch the other envoys talk among them. In a way, he would like to participate in more mundane discussions and be admitted in a sort of circle of close acquaintances, but, that would do no good to his image, as many would think that his opinion can be bought with a few laughs, a few drinks and a flirt or two; he had to stay neutral and express authority through his demeanor and pick his friends outside any political party. It all seemed an easy thing if one would put these matters on paper, but everything would catch a very different nuance once people started talking and interacting with each other, opinions and ideas morphing and adapting to other's interpretations and feedback; it would be hard to not fall in all sorts of traps, Aleko knew he had to remain sharpish and weary of those too friendly to him.

Seeing the envoys retreat one bye one, most of them paying reverence towards the emperor, the dog nodded back to each and every of them, displaying a small smile as they made their way out of the council chamber. Left only with Cyrus, whose vocabulary seemed to contain more and more words of praise; he started to believe that the old man had been trained like a common dog to spew nice phrases by all emperors and lords before him. He knew that at this point it would be fruitless to try to change the man's vocabulary, since his first attempt solved nothing. Feeling his innards rumble and form a familiar gap, Aleko acknowledged that he would have to pay the dining area a visit soon, but, he wanted to relax a little more in his chair and think some more over the decisions he took today. The more he reflected upon them, though, the more alternate solutions he could find, to his own dismay; but putting them through a more thorough scrutinisation, he realised that he preferred his final decision more and more, which made him appreciate his guts for knowing exact what to do. He hated his own mind for trying to find error in everything that he tried to do, mostly because he would always demoralise himself whenever he could think of a different path, a different idea or notion. He pushed all of those thoughts away, but it seemed that he remained affixed to his chair, staring down at the polished hardwood table with wide eyes, a heavy frown and pursed lips; hearing a scribbling sound in his right ear, he threw a glance over his shoulder where he found the scribe jotting down something about him. He felt a chuckle tickle his throat, thinking that the poor thing found his brooding somewhat interesting, for some reason.

His concentration turned to unconscious dust, Aleko stood up and pushed every chair in the room towards the table, making sure everything was as neat as it were before the envoys and himself arrived. He turned and headed out of the room, quickly followed by the skeleton which seemed to enjoy tracking Aleko's every step. The canine decided to enter the dining area, where there was even more activity compared to that morning, he barely found a secluded place for himself to eat. This time around, he planned to feast upon a more scrumptious meal, since the scrambled eggs didn't quite made it far into the day. Just before he could take his seat, he was distracted by a young elf trying to catch his attention; he turned his whole body towards her and offered her a smile, his eyes quickly glancing over her body. Seeing her apologise to him about her interruption, the canine chuckled and shook his head.

"No need to worry, Anny, I am not that hungry. Please, have a seat with me." He said, gesturing the elfess to sit down at the table, while he placed himself across from her. "You have my attention, darling." He liked her, her eagerness to seek for help reminded him of himself back when he was still a snotty cadet.

Taking a look over her scribblings, he took note of the requested resources, including doctor Hawke's request; it looked to him that he could afford the grain, vegetables and fresh water, but the dusts and substances the man requested would no doubt leave a hole in their budget. Aleko hummed as he inspected the quantities of the materials the man needed and tried to come up with a compromise that would at least help the man with his research, or what ever other antics he was up to.

"Yes, we will stop this week for a resupply, I cannot have the envoys and generals starving aboard this castle. But those materials dr. Hawke requested will reduce the weight of this castle, that's how much gold those... dusts will cost. Reduce those quantities to a half and tell dr. Hawke that if he wishes to have the other half as well, he would better tell me what he intends to do with them; as much as I appreciate ingenuity and progress, I would like to have this sort of reassurance that it will be useful research. I can't afford to fund just about any crazy idea, at least not now. Would that be all, Anny?"

Once she had left him to his own thoughts, Aleko had enough time to get an order of the tonight's special: a hearty crab chowder in a stale, hard bread crust, pulled pork with sauerkraut and more stale bread and finally, strawberry pudding. No stale bread for desert though. He actually had dug through half of his portion of chowder when he could see with the corner of his eye someone approaching his secluded table, instantly knowing that the individual wanted to have a private discussion with him. When Aleko raised his snout to look at Korvious, he could feel his muscles tense and lock, he had to fight to suppress his emotions and drown the shock on his face: he completely forgot about him and his plan. To make it worse, the man actually had some tomatoes on his plate, which looked highly ridiculous, especially because the envoy was an undead. Looking at the tomatoes, than at the envoy nearly pulled a laugh out of him, amused both by the silly situation, but also by the fact that he completely forgot about the thousands of lives that needed his final input. The man had present his tomatoes and situation in a rather convincing manner, Aleko nearly believed he actually missed the ability to taste food and feel satiation after a good meal; then again, he nearly felt pity for an individual that suggested to bring death to a handful of pilgrims.

"Good evening, master Korvius, it is my pleasure to have you here." Alike politely replied, placing the spoon beside the improvised bowl of chowder. "Baked tomatoes do sound like a delicacy, yes, and I must first express my sincere regrets that you are unable to taste one of your favourite dishes; I believe, though, this sort of sacrifice must be compensated with other perks, or at least, I truly hope so. As for myself-"

Bullocks. He hesitated a little, nearly accepting the place of tomatoes.

"-I can't say that I have a particular fondness towards tomatoes, at least, not consistently. Maybe some other time I will enjoy some baked tomatoes. I hope that this does not insult your tastes, master Korvius, for I do not want to upset my loyal servants. I do promise, however, that we will enjoy meals together later in time."

I can't have those innocent souls murdered, at least, not this early. Let the pilgrimage turn into a monthly event and once it gains popularity, a sort of staged strike would be better suited. Aleko thought as he slowly blinked towards the envoy, a small smile on his muzzle to express his apologies.

Once the man was gone and he found himself finished the venison, he came to the realisation that he mad decisions for large masses of people he couldn't possibly know, but were highly dependent on his behaviour and choices as a leader. He didn't know if he would ever grow used to tasking such amounts of people, which would eventually grow as he would progress through his new life. The responsibility burdening his shoulders had siphoned his enjoyment for food, the pudding becoming a tasteless goop for him as he scooped away at the large bowl. The issue in on itself wasn't an issue since he was used to administrating resources, but it was the larger scale that made him worry over pointless nothings. He stood up from his table and walked out from the dining area, bidding farewell to all of the envoys that were still having discussions among themselves.

Scheming for a coup, I presume. Bah, what am I thinking?

Wishing to meet with Cyrus at the library, he headed straight towards the chamber, only to be halted by a guard that just told him that the area was off-limits, even for him.

"Well, I was living under the impression that I had the most privileges in this flying castle. Would you know why master Cyrus wants me outside the library?"

He was given no concluding answer, but Cyrus did make the situation a little more clear. Aleko couldn't help but find this whole situation peculiar, mostly because of the way the problem was dealt with: strange noises come from the library, guards are posted outside the door that grant access to no one, but for the person who was responsible with answering the issue, which was the court wizard. Why the court wizard and not a mechanic was the question that baffled Aleko, and, the more he thought about how the whole situation sounded, the more worried he grew.

"Terrific. As a by the way, I am still waiting for your opinion assessment, master Cyrus."

Once the man had bid his farewell and good night, Aleko lagged a little to throw a curious look around the library's hall, marvelling at the stupefying amount of books, a number of which he recognised instantly, since, he also owned a copy of each in his personal collection. He picked up Astralus Halloen’s Documented Personalities of Importance from the History of Avalon to take a look inside and skim the pages, his eyes following the paper sheets as the folded over and revealed blocks after blocks of texts, occasionally accompanied by illustrations. He threw a glance over his shoulder every now and then, convinced that one of the guards posted outside was peeking inside the room, waiting for the emperor to exit the library so he could lock the door for tonight; it seemed that the door was still closed and Aleko was fairly convinced that he was alone in the entire sector. With such thoughts in his mind, the canine placed the book back in its place and left the library behind, feeling a slight chill on his back that lifted his fur up.

He decided to retreat to his own quarters, where he politely asked a servant to bring him a large carafe with cold water and a steel waster. By the time his water was brought to him, Aleko had stripped from his more elegant clothes down to an undershirt and changing his exquisite trousers for a pair of loose pantaloons; the canine accepted the water with a smile and immediately took a few swigs to cool his throat, then accepted the blunt longsword from the servant with a nod. He then tried to clear the room's centre of any furniture, so he would have enough room to practice without risking to break anything. Once he was sure that there were no risks of property damage, Aleko swung his worries and doubts away as he initialised practice drills involving longsword fencing. He could feel some of the tension disappear as he focused more and more on his footwork, on his technique and hypothetical edge alignment to the imaginary target. With every passing minute, the drills intensified in voracity and speed, the dog starting to grunt in tandem with heavier swings or more difficult maneuvres that had him twist his torso, step sideways or forwards while he would moulinet the sword around his body to fine tune his technique. The training concluded two hours later, when he found himself gasping for air after an intense drill in which he accidentally etched a notch in his drawer with the help of the sword. The thing was blunt, sure, but it was thin enough (and Aleko swung with enough force) to actually leave a dent in the hard wood. He chucked the waster aside, which landed on his bed and assessed the damage; when he saw that it was purely cosmetic, he waved his hand dismissively and threw his undershirt off too, heading to take a cold shower to cool himself down. With not much else to do, the canine sat at the side of the bed and gazed at the large window viewing the outside world.

And down there are the people that trust my decisions and my way of thinking. I've just changed a bit of their lives with everything that I've said back in that room; I could write a law that bans farting and I'd start to see people floating up from all the fart growing in their bellies.

The mental image made him snicker a little. He laid down on the bed next to the training sword, which he lazily pushed a bit further from him, and took off all his clothes, already feeling the heat of training coming back to him. He didn't feel quite tired enough to fall asleep straight away, so he pulled the first book that his hand fell upon and opened it. He recognised the tome about ancient sword fighting techniques, where the information was nothing new to him. It took him several pages to feel his hand fall on his chest, the book sprawl on his abdomen and his body fall into a comfortable abyss, where his worries were washed away by emptiness.

The day was rather dull. The generals Duncan Primelyt, Marteen Leafdancer and Pepper Bulkwyn were absent today as they were dispatched to their duties down below. Out of the envoys, Gymor Cloudkeeper was also missing, apparently he asked for a leave of absence due to some health-related issue, Cyrus assured the emperor that the physician Stephen Hawke had already looked into the matter and the envoy should be well sometime next day. “The physician would also like to express his gratitude for taking his request for supplies into consideration.” Cyrus said relating to the matter. The Wizard spent most of the day along side Aleko, since there were no large matters that required their immediate attention, at least at the moment, Cyrus took the occasion to present Aleko with something. In his chamber, the emperor found a suit of armor, finely crafted and polished with golden decorations along the right pauldron, gauntlets and chestplate. The left pauldron was fully coated in gold and wrought in the shape of a proud lion’s head along with the buckle of the belt and the kneecaps. A chainmail tunic was presented next to the armor suit, along with a crimson cloak of the finest silk bearing the crest of the New Empire.

[Reference Image Added]

“This armor has been made specially for you sire. I hope it is to your liking.” Cyrus said as he presented Aleko with the gift “I would have also asked for a weapon but I believe you are more fond and comfortable with your current arms than anything else, no?” Cyrus lightly chuckled at the end of the sentence before remaining silent allowing Aleko to fully inspect the armor and state his opinion on the matter.
After the issue with the armor was resolved, Cyrus pointed out the scepter that Aleko now had in his possession “The scepter…” Cyrus sounded rather melancholic as he spoke “…it is the only relic of the royal family that I managed to secure from the palace. It probably is among the most important, yes, but I still wished I could have saved some more…the crown at the very least..” the Wizard’s gaze never seemed to leave the scepter as he spoke, eventually he turned his attention to Aleko. “The Scepter of Sefnir… it is probably the oldest relic of the Sendrakon family, said to have been used by Arkturious himself. Mmmmm…. According to some texts, it is even older, predating Unity all the way back to the Ancinet Times, though it sounds rather exaggerated if you ask me.” The next question came rather suspicious towards Aleko “Sire….uhm…Sir, if I may ask, how do you…feel.. when holding it?” After Aleko gave his answer Cyrus seemed rather…surprised? “Truly? Hmmm…interesting. I have not heard the same… familiarity from neither Melthion nor Asmuel. In fact, I hardly recall them even having the scepter in their possession at any time. Perhaps this…means something? Mmmm.” The Wizard remained silent for a good few moments, his gaze affixed at the scepter once again before he snapped out of it and waved his hand dismissively “Ah, forgive me. Old habits die hard. After all, it us the duty of us Wizards, Mages and Sorceress to seek knowledge, no?” A hearty chuckle escaped the Wizard, probably the first time he genuine laughter in a while.

“By the way…” he spoke just before he was about to leave. “I have asked the generals and envoys of their opinions, as you requested…

Master Gwynpath is rather surprised of your…origin. Needles to say he expected a Human yet he speaks rather highly of you. I seems he has a good felling about you.

Master Cloudkeeper shares in the enthusiasm. I believe he is probably more relived that the search is over, to be honest.

Master Windsteel said he would like to observe your actions and only then will he form an opinion.

Masters Weissnaut believes you are still a pup, despite your age yet is expecting you to prove him wrong.

Masters Groverunner, Shroudmyr and Frosthand decided to remain silent… for the time being.

General Primelyt has high hopes for you. He apparently cares not about your nature or origin but hopes you will become more experienced swiftly.

General Ironfist also seems to be indifferent towards your origin but does not feel particularly comfortable with following you until you prove worthy of being followed.

General Bulkwyn is rather excited by your presence. She said she heard of your name in the past and waits for the moment when you…ummm…’blow us away’…as she puts it.

Generals Stonestorm, Leafdancer and Planestalker agree that their opinion of you is not important as long as you prove yourself worthy of your title. General Ashadde also agrees to that but seems to have a bit more confidence in your abilities.

Those are, in essence, what the generals and envoys said, the rest remains to be seen. No doubt that their opinions will change in time, hopefully for the better.”

After that, the old Wizard politely excused himself and left Aleko to spend the rest of the day as he saw fit.









The refugees from the Human Kingdoms were not turned away unless they couldn’t contribute. Not all were happy and some whispers of ‘forced labor’ appeared here and there. Still, the diminishing number of Refugee Camps seem to have relived some stress from the local military.– PPL Morale - 5 / Military Morale + 5

The first Druidic Pilgrimage has begun and already seems to bear fruit. The population is more reassured that someone out there actually cares about the common folk, even at their own expense. The Elves also seem pleased that their Druidic traditions are being kept around for the time being. – PPL Morale +10 / Income reduction / Elf Standing + 5

The knock drew his mind from the darkness into reality; he immediately pushed himself up and peered at the door, not knowing who required his attention that early in the morning. Still confused about the world and time he was living in, he sprung to his feet and stretched over the armchair to grab something to put on his torso, when, something cracked and sprawled at his feet. He winced and covered his face, knowing that he had just ruined his book about longsword fencing. There was nothing that he could do about it, though, so he simply threw a shirt over his furred torso and cleared his throat. He was about to ask who was at the door, when a woman had voiced her intentions. He swallowed the sour taste in his mouth and rubbed his eyes all throughout a low sigh, remembering that he wasn't in a village anymore. The second day of his "new task"; of his new identity, rather.

"Come in." He replied to the woman.

She had brought breakfast for him. He nodded slowly at the goods she had placed on his desk and scratched his scruffy cheek.

"No wonder lords end up fat and arrogant with this sort of treatment." He commented, bearing a mostly half-asleep smirk, unaware to the rather un-lordly way he addressed to an underling. "You have my thanks."

Once he was alone once more, he took the time to make a tidy dog out of himself. Only when he saw his snout in front of the mirror did it occur to hims how many times he was called a wolfling, when in a matter of fact, he had very little ties with wolf anthros; he was, quite surely, a White Shepherd. Unlike his family of feline anthros. He had all the traits to be tagged as halfling, with less feral facial features that harmonized his visage to the charming, odd being he was; he curled his lips in disgust as he saw the bags under his eyes. Two days in and you look like a seasoned king. You'd better gain your strength, mutt, you are responsible about an entire nation. He mentally pelted himself as he cleaned his teeth. He headed back to the desk and immediately grabbed the butter knife to spread some of the butter on a croissant's surface, out of which he immediately took a wolfish bite; soon after, two entire slice of oranges, peels and all, went down the hatch. He was about to chow down another piece by the time he noticed the folded paper; he crassly grabbed for it and opened it up, his eyes narrowing at the long list of names. They did bulge back open when the realization hit him in the chest. He placed the paper down and read between rows and columns, spotting the eventual odd name in there that would have been an orc, or a human. He blindly reached for some bacon to nibble on as he thought of a proper way to pay respect to these men, when something did cross his mind. He pulled another sheet of paper from the desk and dipped the tip of a quill in some ink and immediately started to copy all the names on the second sheet of paper. It took him some time to complete, but he had his breakfast to keep him company as he worked on the second list. Once he was done, he dressed himself back up in his better looking clothing, taking both lists with him as he left his room, knowing that he had to visit the map and the council chambers for more counseling and planning.

In the council chambers, he indeed noticed that the dark elf had remained in her seat, her mismatched eyes seeming glaring at him with no shame of her staring. He could feel his neck barely able to swallow a sip of cold water, her gaze making feel rather nervous about something, as if he had done something and that she had to soon scold him over that hypothetical incident. In the end, she did approach Aleko, his attention fully drawn to her immaculate visage. He only managed to let a small smile brighten his expression before she threw her first question to him.

“Simply judging by your appearance and current demeanor, one can tell that you are new yet not inexperienced when it comes to both military and political affairs. I understand you were previously an officer in the Anthro military yet that alone does not explain your…experience…”

Aleko frowned, not really knowing where she was trying to poke with her inquiry; unless it was a subtle compliment, he did not see this was a valid question, so he lightly lifted his shoulders.

"That's my entire background, I'm afraid." He stated with a frank attitude. "There's no deep secret about my experience, if that is what you wish to discover, Lady Shroudmyr. Well, I suppose you are familiar to the fact that I am of noble anthro descent, where I did learn most of what I know about politics and etiquette. Everything else I do is just what feels best for me to do, I do not know how else I could describe."

“Are you aiming to be a benevolent ruler who lends an ear to the every whim of the people, or perhaps one to be feared and never crossed or questioned?”

He smirked. "Why choose white or black when there are an infinite shades of grey in between the two extremities. I find moderation and balance to be the answer, adapt to the situation and act accordingly. Rigid leaders and regimes often end up collapsing."

"Assuming the campaign ends in our victory and you will seat the throne of the Empire, what plans would you have for the future?”

Aleko raised an eyebrow, feeling just like in teenage years, when girls would ask him Oracle questions about him to determine if they wanted to date him or not. "That's an assumption I'm trying to push back. I suggest we focus on our first steps and once the end is in sight, we will think about the future. Mind in the past dies in memories, mind in the future dies of worries; mind in the present, alive it is."

“If you would have to sacrifice everything that you hold dear for the good of the Empire, would you have the strength to do so, I wonder?”

"At the moment, I've nothing to sacrifice, thus, there's nothing for me to lose." He stated bluntly, his voice turned a little sour at her poke. "I am leaving for combat in a few days and I will lead the scouting party, then, the infiltrating squad. What does that tell about me, if not recklessness?"

She had made her remark as she left, the door closing behind her. He took a few moments to pass before he could chuckle to himself and shake his head. You're not my friend, no one is. You're my asset, I'm your key to wealth and power, he sourly thought to himself as he stood up, finished the glass of water and headed out, wanting to visit the smithy; he was interrupted by the human envoy, one of the noblemen whose presence he enjoyed. He smiled to him and nodded in respect.

"Master Gwynpath." He addressed to him with proper etiquette. The title of Emperor didn't feel too bad after all, he felt as if he could draw some enjoyment from it.

“Milady Shroudmyr is a lovely woman, isn’t she?”

Aleko simply smirked, holding back the need to scoff. "First things first, it is my lady, you're of noble descent too. And, well, I'm convinced she is lovely, especially when asleep."

“I hear that such grace and elegance is rare, even among her people. Perhaps it is due to her… origin, meaning no disrespect, sire.”

You like her, don't you Marcus? Aleko thought to himself as he listened to the human envoy as he kept him company to the smithy.

“I don’t mean to sound suspicious or uncouth, but you should perhaps consider, sire, that along with the comely appearance she may have also inherited the cunning and slyness of both races… and frankly, one side had more than enough, if you beg my pardon. Have you encountered many Dark Elves before? Out of all races I always considered them to be the most… let’s say, suspicious. From what I hear, it is considered complementary to bring your finest poison when attending a dinner party with their nobles.”

"If you don't trust the Dark Elves, what is there left to be said about the Undead, master Gwynpath? I've heard about that saying before, even though I can't say that I've met many Drow-kin in my short life. I say, pay no mind to her shady origins and presence, let her actions and decision speak in her name; enjoy the view while at it, after all, we're both males." He added in a hushed whisper, followed by a coy smirk.

But again, the envoy implied carefulness with picking who to trust and who to mistrust. Aleko felt the taste again in the back of his throat, feeling rather disappointed about his attitude; it was clear to him that there was already some competition among them, most likely seeking whoever had the Emperor's best regards. Those who didn't enter were confident they would be immediately picked by him. I'm not like you, milk-drinkers. A soldier has a different heart, his soles dirty with mud and engorged hands with cuts and bruises. Silver tongues don't impress him, but a golden heart in darkness is what he seeks in his comrades.

To end the day, Aleko had made his way to his desired location, where he handed the second list to the specialist, offering him very clear instructions: make a large plaque to bear the names of those that had fallen for him. What he would do with it was his own idea, but he needed it done as quickly as possible. With not much else to do, he headed to sleep, but he was haunted by nightmares that stole his chance to properly rest.



Dull was the day indeed, but it was a day he could spend in peace in the comfort of a castle, instead of having to ration his food and try to organize half-witted peasants. He acknowledged the physician's regards and followed his old wizard to his own quarters, where he discovered a full plate suit of armor standing in the middle of the room. He took a moment to inspect the finish, the polish, the interlocking mechanisms, the joint work, the flamboyant decorations; he inspected the chain mail too, then, the tunic, which reminded him that he had to wear completely different colors from now on. He scratched his chin as the wizard blabbered on, but the genuine laughter drew a chuckle from Aleko too, not knowing what he was laughing about.

"Until my sword bends and my rifle explodes, I will keep them. The armor, though, looks good. Too good to ruin it in battle, I'll use it during ceremonies. Until my own Elite Ranger suit breaks its first chain or lock, I'll wear that one; I mean no disrespect to this man's work, but at heart, I am a Ranger. My armor is my hide and until I break it, it stays on me. If I take it off, I'm as good as a turncloak." He sighed at the end, his ears drooping.

"Which reminds me, I should start wearing crimson red more often, shouldn't I?"

But the wizard had a very different matter in his old mind.

The Scepter of Sefnir… it is probably the oldest relic of the Sendrakon family, said to have been used by Arkturious himself. Mmmmm…. According to some texts, it is even older, predating Unity all the way back to the Ancinet Times, though it sounds rather exaggerated if you ask me.”

“Sire… uhm… Sir, if I may ask, how do you… feel, when holding it?”

Aleko took a moment to describe the odd sensations he had, the familiarity of the handle, the weight, the texture, everything about it; as familiar as his own weapons, in facts. A sensation the wizard found peculiar too, describing Aleko's would-be ancestors and their own experience with the same object.

“Ah, forgive me. Old habits die hard. After all, it us the duty of us Wizards, Mages and Sorceress to seek knowledge, no?”

The halfling smiled to him and rested a hand on the older man's shoulder. "No need to apologize for delving into your passion, Master Cyrus. Honestly, it pains me to know someone had made you apologize for showing your appreciation for knowledge; after all, knowledge is the true power, it separates us from the common rabble."

Then came the feedback from the envoys. He carefully listened to them, frowning heavily to Weissnoat's remark. Pup? Let me see you sleep on ice, hide from searching parties and take over an entire castle with four friends, you puffed-up, milk-drinking, sweet-tooth, tail-wagging, green-as-spring mongrel. He agreed with everyone else's opinions, especially those that wanted to see him in action. Bulkwyn did worry him, though. For the same reason, Aleko spent the rest of the day training, knowing that the day of his departure to the front lines drew near; his drills grew in intensity as the day progressed, his body tensed to the maximum as he pushed his musculature to maximum performance. That night, he slept like a boulder, the strange bed becoming the most comfortable place the entire Avalon had.



Sore all over his body, he really was glad he had one more day to relax and prepare his mental fortitude for cold weather and the same conditions he lived through The Sacking of Castle Kyrm. The most challenging two weeks of his life. But he could look back at it fondly and boast he went to the operation a young lad and returned a seasoned man, young as he were. He had to go for it again, but this time, he was on a limited time frame; he had to reach the camp, sleep the night and come dawn, start the search. Hopefully, he didn't have to storm the castle in an assault and instead, work his way over to the steward and female nobility left behind to rule over the keep and force them to forfeit their strategical location to him and his troops. It all depended on his efficiency of finding the secret back door, and also, on the inside work of the infiltrators. Most of the day, he chewed on his worried and doubts, most of the other lordly tasks being ignored as he was focused on his military task ahead; he did know that his focus on that aspect was unhealthy for the nation he had to lead, but he needed to vent the frustration he accumulated during his stay in the small city and his captivity on board the flying castle. He managed to get some sleep before the day of his departure arrived, dreaming of sneaking, battling and for some reason, eating olives on the top of a tower while sniping flaming dwarves.



Clad in his Elite Ranger suit of armor and the tabbard of the other set held in place by several belts and locks, Aleko fitted his helmet last with the help of a few squires eager to help the Emperor don his Ranger Pelt. With his longsword slung at his right hip, the sidearm in its holster on the right, the dagger in its sheath on the front of his chestplate and the rifle slung on his shoulder, the halfling Shepherd met with the wizard in the study.

“Good morning, sir. Prepared for today’s events I see… Nervous?”

"Like a blushing maiden." He commented with a small smirk mostly hidden by the bascinet fitting his canine snout. "Can't help it, though. Every operation in the field is potentially deadly, but I keep my wits about. Maybe it'll work out in my favor again."

“I will transport you to general Bulkwyn’s location now. Are you prepared, sir?”

"Transport me how? Ah." He nodded. "Forgot. Well, let's not stall and keep our men waiting for me in the field. Take care, master Cyrus. I'll try not to be long."

“Good luck, sir. May you return victorious!”

"For Av-" Before he could finish his sentence, he was instantly ported in the field, the sickening sensation getting to him again, although not as strongly as the first time.

"-alon. Hm." He inspected his surroundings, the chilly weather instantly freezing his wet nose. The location was completely unknown to him, but nothing odd there, he was in a completely new location he had never had the chance to explore. The temperature did feel comfortable for him, since he had layers upon layers of protective gear under the plates of armor, save for his exposed face. He took a deep breath and exhaled, steam rolling out from his snout. I missed wearing this he told himself as he rolled his shoulders in the suit of armor this feels a lot better than being trapped up there. He then heard the distinctive clattering of armor plates, so familiar that he nearly jumped when he saw a fellow ranger approach him in a jog.

“Sire! Good to see you. Please follow me, I am to escort you to the camp.”

"Wooh-ah." He replied before he put his own feet to work, the jog deeply etched in his muscle memory as he followed his underling through the forested area. He loved every aspect of this sort of life, the danger, the camaraderie, the respect. Everything. Just by following this one individual through the forest, he felt nostalgia wash over him, as armor clanged, scabbard slapped and breaths echoed against the faceplate. They reached the camp, which looked as if it was made hastily. No wonder, they had to move as soon as his own white bottom would appear. He met with the general, whose salute he returned with perfect execution.

"At ease, general." It felt so weird to address to a General like so, when just almost a week ago he was but a Lieutenant.

“We are at the edge of the province of Coldshire, sire.” The general informed Aleko. “We will be departing on your command and should reach the fortress from Northspark tomorrow. If we are careful we should be able to travel unnoticed. If not…well let’s hope your prediction is correct and the Stainless will assume that these were troops from Coldshire, thinking that they could mount an attack upon the town only to discovered it still under heavy protection.”

"Then, let's not waste more time and pack up. We leave now." He ordered with a stern attitude, feeling far superior to the older woman who, after all, had a lot more experience than him. Her behavior still made him question her prowess, but it definitely made it easier for him to order her around.

The march started. Aleko was in the center of the marching party, general Bulkwyn keeping up with him with noticeable ease. A true General that is active on the field. I may like you a bit more, Bulkwyn Aleko told himself as he glanced at her presence with the corner of his right eye. As soon as he heard her muffled voice, he turned his whole head to her, as his hearing was a little impaired by the bascinet and the sound of clattering steel.

“This must seem all to familiar to you, no?” she inquired.

"Familiar?" Aleko snorted and took a deep breath of the chilly air again. "This is my life, General. This is what I truly know and love."

“I for one am more comfortable out here in the field than inside that floating building. I only wish we could have all that fancy food with us."

Aleko chuckled with her and slowly nodded. "I always get the feeling that I will fall out the window. I've been kept like a lion in a cage; I get to stretch my legs and get my soles wet. This is the life here, General. But caviar, salmon and bacon-wrapped roasted beef can replace gruel and rat stew every day, I agree." The same sort of relaxed pose and attitude floated around Aleko, finding himself in his natural habitat.

“You mentioned you fought in the War of Tulips, right? I knew I heard that name before we officially met, though if memory serves right, you were called ‘Frosty’ back then, huh?”

"Well, fought as in: I snuck around a castle for two weeks, his under rocks and mounds of moss. Then some fighting occurred, sure, but I never fought in open battlefield. Small run-ins and skirmishes, yes, I have quite a few on my belt." He then groaned at the nickname. "Yes, among 'Snowflake', 'White Death' and 'Winter Bunny'."

Judging by her head movement she inspected Aleko for a moment “I can understand that nickname”

Even so, he smirked and shook his head, preferring to be called by his nickname than 'sire' or 'my lord' or 'milord'. They arrived at the next campsite, where he offered to help building up the tents, rather than sitting on his hind and watch everyone else work. The familiar feeling of ravaging hunger hit him in the stomach, which was covered by the sludge his portion of gruel turned out to be. He listened in as she repeated the plan, nodding at the key aspects of the briefing by the time she was done, he could still feel the rather unprofessional attitude in her; it slowly became obvious to him why she had adopted such an attitude and why it was permitted: she loved her life as military. Aleko also had the chance to take off his own helm and face plate to enjoy the biting temperature of the night, now finally being able to ignore his own heartbeats and breathing patterns.

"The plan sounds very familiar to what I dictated, save for a small, rather important detail that you have overlooked, general. I understand that you must be concerned for my well being, but I AM taking a team of scouts and I WILL search for an emergency exit to break open and infiltrate the castle. I don't want to sit and watch the fortress while we have agents working inside. Three teams of three circling the castle for as long as needed. If anyone finds it, they will report at the rendezvous, or, receive the signal from the infiltrators. Hopefully, we won't have to storm the damned place."

“Mmmm… do you think they will surrender?" she inquired once the strategic talk was over “I mean, they are from the Old Empire. They must be more reasonable than those from the Stainless right? And if they surrender, do you really think we can convince them to join our side? What if they don’t?”

"I- hrm." Aleko did look like he was pondering what she had just brought up. "We will offer them the option, under no circumstances are we to outright slaughter them without giving them the chance to surrender and drop their weapons. If they don't join, they become prisoners. Prisoners are to be kept around for forced labor. Sounds like a reasonable contract, no?" He asked in a half-joking manner, but only a few moments after he realized that her casual attitude had imprinted on him. Curses.

Then came a very interesting twist about the General, which caught Aleko completely off-guard. He knew that she was excited about him, but for her to speak so highly about a complete stranger, albeit him an Elite Ranger, it made him feel his cheeks swell; he didn't know if they were already red from the biting chill, but he sure hoped that she wouldn't notice him fluster like a little maiden. He nervously chuckled and waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

"General, the Wizard's task was to find the last of the Sendrakon. It happened to be me, there wasn't really a choice there. Still, thank you for your kind words, General. I'll try to do my very best." He declared, keeping his composure even though he could feel himself warm up to the irreverent rodent halfling.

He agreed with her about sleeping, he did need to rest his legs after the march, as he yet readjusted to the gritty lifestyle of being on the field. Her last remark caught him off-guard once more, being merely able to mutter a confused "What?" as she implied that he'd try to make a move on her. He couldn't complain, rebuke or retort as she immediately left for her own tent, leaving him with her bold words. If he flustered before, the deep red in his cheeks and the warm in his chest and between his thighs should be evident enough of his impression about Bulkwyn's attitude.

Did she just invited me to her tent? She invited me to visit her tent. He thought to himself as he headed to his own, where he slacked the knots and bolts holding the armor tight on his body, giving him a bit more comfort to be able to lay down and rest. He looked at the sky through the tent, the fabric rippling as the wind blasted by. It is cold here. I will get used to it, especially with this blanket. But with a woman on my side- he soon shook his head and rolled on his side. An FSC, no less. But a damned passionate officer. She's... she's into me. Is she? I haven't felt the warmth of one for so l- no. Get yourself together. You'll deal with your loneliness once this task here is done. Grab this territory and you can have her. Sleep tight, tomorrow there's leather-stomping to do, Frosty.

And there, his mind drifted into a dreamless slumber, his body and mind achieving the much needed rest for the mission ahead. First, Castle Kyrm. Next, Castle Northspark.

Come morning, his canine ears immediately picked the sounds of footsteps and voice all around him, pulling him out of sleep. He sighed and blinked heavily, the grogginess that overtook him was due to the less-than-comfortable mattress the backplate of his armor proved to be. Aleko rolled himself on his feet and latched the the locks back in their place, refitting the suit on his frame to prepare for the march. Outside, he was greeted by men packing their tents and readying to move camp further North, then general Bulkwyn greeted him and offered breakfast before leaving him the call to start the final march. The still-dizzy Aleko only nodded to the rodent as he retreated to a more secluded portion of the advancing party camp to take care of his morning duties; after a quick breakfast and a brief wash of his teeth, the Emperor let out an ear-piercing whistle, lifted his fist to expand his fingers, then, point them towards the general direction of their march. It was time to move again.

As they went on, the cold became a more and more dangerous presence, welcoming the small army to the highlands of human territories. He couldn't help but feel a knot tying in his throat as he advanced, knowing that he was once again walking into enemy territory, garrisons could be hiding anywhere near their marching direction; he hoped that word didn't reach the enemy of this rather bold movement, placing his confidence in the fact that no one was expecting the smallest of the bigger factions to start acting up. That, if anyone knew of Cyrus's campaign spearheaded by the only heir of the late emperor. Among his own thudding of footsteps resonating against the closed helmet, the canine could hear the general talking to him once again, as she decided to pair up with her new favorite chatting companion; the shepherd could still feel slight annoyance towards her presence, the lackluster attitude and seriousness just didn't bode well for a general in his opinion. Strangely enough, though, he could find enjoyment within their brief conversations, her being there next to him comforted him for some reason, even though he didn't really trust her as a general. That was the real reason Aleko chose to conduct this operation, even though he felt rather intimidated by the prospect of commandeering a military unit a hundred times larger than what he used to order around.

I have to get over such fears, he thought to himself, I am the supreme commander of the army, now. My army. How queer.

“We must have entered the province of Northspark a few hours ago.” General Bulkwyn spoke to Aleko. “There won’t be much cover until we reach our destination so we better march more cautiously. We wouldn’t want word to reach the fortress.”

"That would indeed be counterproductive, general." He replied, his own canine slightly clattering before he finished the sentence.

“Is it always so cold around here?” She asked, obviously affected by the less-than-warm weather. To that, Aleko shrugged his shoulders, his own armor clattering together with a shiver of his own.

"Consider this but mild weather. I heard that winter here is worse than far in the north. They do say that it isn't so cold during snowfall."

The forest's unnaturally strong scent of pine scent got to him too; at first it was pleasant, he would take deep breaths of the air every now and then to reinvigorate his lungs, but it soon intoxicated him as well to the point of nearly retching his awful breakfast. In time, the olfactory system got used to strong odor, but Aleko suspected that his nose had burned and there was no chance for him to regain normal smell ever again. Once the final camp was set near the fortress, the heir found himself sitting in front of a fire with the slightly tipsy the female general; he had a wooden mug clasped in his hands, his first and only wine for the night. It was half full, the other one went down the hatch with some of the salty bacon and tough bread; as awful as this may be for more puffed up nobles, he felt right at home in these 'standard military issue' situations and even though he admittedly missed the warmth of a good bed and the rich taste of freshly made food, he preferred the unique charm of being on the field. He followed the female halfling with his eyes, noticing the grin on her rodent snout. It was a contagious smile, so contagious that he also smirked with a hidden corner of his mouth.

"Something on your mind, general?" He asked, realizing only after he had uttered that he opened a conversation with the FSC.

“These aren’t ordinary pines. They are Mage-Trees. You know, some kind of artificially-made species of pine allegedly created by the mages from this kingdom. They say that its sap has some weird properties that alchemists find valuable.”

"Huh." Aleko replied as he glanced up at the majestic trees. "Well, why would that interest us?"

“Well, it means that once we take over this province, we have access to this resource. I hear it’s quite rare and who knows? Maybe we can find some use from it later.” She replied.

"Hm." He took another sip of his grape juice before he put it away. He pushed himself on his feet and picked up his ASAR 1044, clutching its wooden handguard and trigger grip before sighing heavily. "Every little thing may be useful for someone out there, even dust mites. General, you'll find me on night watch if you wanted to converse some more. I can never sleep before operations."

But it seemed that the female just glued herself to him like a large flea. He simply couldn't have a moment to himself and think out his intentions, his motivations for driving forward this campaign. Until now, he's been an admirable soldier for accepting his role and set plans in motion, but he didn't quite give himself enough time to think through his own view over the initiative he was taking.

How is this beneficial for me? Why should I do it? If it weren't for their sake, would I still be here? were several questions floating in his mind as the general went on about everything that she could have an opinion about. It took him a couple of seconds to realize that she had queried him about Eagleblade and the War of Tulips. His eyes glued off the horizon to glance at her shape as he finally deduced what she wanted to know. He turned his snout back at the horizon, pushing the visor and bascinet too, and thinned his lips.

"I saw quite a bit of its farmlands. Nothing impressive, they look exactly like any other farmer's settlements. You'd think that they would be richer, since Eagleblade's the nexus of all trading in Avalon, but no; the rich remain rich, the poor poorer. Once the expedition was done, we boarded the ship and went back to Freedom." He omitted what happened afterwards, since he suspected she knew about his boldness in front of his superiors.

"Must be warmer, at the very least”

"Warm enough to start sweating under the sun." Aleko admitted after a breathy chuckle. Her gaze only briefly turned to the Emperor before she returned her attention forward.

“Have you ever fought Wizards before?” She asked quite bluntly, her tone changing in an instant. That drew his attention to her, curious about her sudden change of mood.

"Not real-" he barely mouthed before she interrupted him with quite an amount of gall.

“Whatever you do, don’t underestimate them based on their appearance. Patience is key, keep your distance and more importantly stay out of sight. If you need to close the gap, be quick and keep in mind the previous advice, one mistake and it’s all over. With their magic bullshit they make us and the rest of the Elite Rangers look like kids with slingshots.” A grunt of frustration escaped her before she leaned in a little closer to Aleko, as if trying to tell him something in private

“If you ask me, I think it’s pretty damn… unnatural for someone to wield that kind of power.” She admitted to him. The canine wrinkled the top of his snout.

Had a nasty run-in with a wizard once, haven't you? He questioned her in his mind, but abstained from voicing the inquiry. He lowered his head a little to have a better look at the general as she leaned in close to him; for her it may have been very natural, but he felt more and more uncomfortable about her presence, mostly because it reminded him of something much less military-esque. He felt as if he was counting the stars on a clear night sky with a sweetheart, rather than paying great attention to any incoming threat.

"I under-" but he stopped mid-word as his sensitive ears had picked up a sound coming from nearby. He turned his frame abruptly and raised his rifle towards the general direction of the sound, lining up the rear and front sight for his right eye. Shortly after, his vision was filled with an armored hand as it pushed his rifle down in a quite curtly move; Aleko turned his gaze to Bulkwyn, whatever small seed of sympathy that had grow in him somewhere quickly dried out as he was remembered about her unprofessional demeanor. While it felt completely natural for a general to shoot down a lieutenant, he tried very hard to get used to the fact that he was more than that now. While not his merit, he disliked being treated like an underling in front of other underlings.

It soon became obvious who approached them, the Emperor nestled his rifle into his chest in a resting position, the armored right arm cradled the wooden butt-stock of his firearm. He only nodded to the infiltrator as he greeted him, rather impressed by the fact that he knew immediately that he was the Emperor, and not some nameless Elite Ranger. The discussion was short, but he learned everything there was to know about the castle and how his bit of the plan will work out. The agent seemed rather bemused by the fact that Aleko would actively participate in the takeover, but as Bulkwyn implied that he wanted his role at all costs at the threat of execution, he couldn't feel but a little amused at the expression of the dark elf. Just to continue the joke, Aleko met his gaze with his own icy pair of eyes and slowly lowered his head. Hearing him reply in a meek tone drew a light smirk on the corner of his mouth. He quickly glanced to the left, noticing one of the other rangers stifling an amused snort. Once the infiltrator was given the free to go, Bulkwyn clapped his shoulder and invited him to a more secluded region of the forest, where, she offered him a stone. He inspected it curiously, analyzing its faces and edge thoroughly. He couldn't help but chuckle at her quip on the Wizard's precaution.

"We do have to appreciate his thoughtfulness." He remarked, smiling at the stone. "Good night, Pepper." Only a second later, he realized that he called her by her first name. Quite a gaffe on his part, but he just let this one slip as he inspected it further, when he realized something.

"Did he, by any chance, tell you how I'm supposed to use it?" Seeing that she already trailed off to her tent, Aleko did the same. His mind chewed on the day's bits of information in contrast with the fundamental doubts of his presence within this life-changing situation. He deepened his thoughts as he laid down to sleep in his tent, plagued by doubts of his own capabilities, of his fitfulness within the larger scope of the campaign. Sure, he could manage skirmishes, but entire wars? An entire Empire? He was but a boy of noble descent that knew how to handle a rifle with accuracy and how to defeat people in melee bouts; sure, he knew how to dance and how to act diplomatically, but these alone didn't make him fit for the crowned head of an empire. Quite ironically, the nightmare nagged at him just with these thoughts. He should have known better not to let himself sleep, for he had to remain focused for the next day.



The heir peered into the fire, having the urge to just sit down and steal some more time of slumber, but his attention was needed for the rest of the day, the whole operation depended of his effectiveness up on the castle walls. There was a frown of his angular eyebrows over a pair of blood-injected icicle eyes, dark semi-circles dug under his lower eyelids contrasted the white coat of thin fur on his halfling face. Steam formed as he sighed through his nose before he swallowed a mouthful of the washy tasting broth, that luckily still had some heat to it to warm his insides. He looked down at the discolored liquid in his bowl to drive his rough spoon and take more of the broth, feeling blessed by the Gods to have found a stray carrot in there to enjoy something different to taste. To his disgust, it had a very earthy tinge to it. Hearing the yawn behind him, he turned his body to noticed the general doing the first womanly thing he ever saw at her, tying up her hair.

“Good morning, sire. You’re an early riser today. Anxious about the fight?” She asked the canine as she approached him.

"Good morning, general." He replied with a rough voice. "Any day's a good day to die, why would this one be any different?"

"No signal so far, huh?" She asked, glancing in the direction of the fortress. Aleko shook his head and blinked slowly.

"Nothing yet. They only had a few hours to do anything before the main force had woken up." He uttered.

"The troops from the castle probably already left or are leaving soon. We would still need to wait for them to put some distance from the fortress, lest they get their own signal and suddenly make a 180 and charge at us in the worst possible moment.”

"That wholly depends on the agents. If they put up the signal before the troops get any distance, they will see it and make that turn, yes."

A rather loud grumble noise interrupted the conversation, the shepherd turned his snout down at the feline.

“Hehehe… Guess I should grab some of that dried meat. Excuse me, sir.” Bulkwyn giggled at her hungering stomach, the dog also let himself amused by it and grinned.

"Better than this tap water with freshly unearthed carrots." Aleko commented as she walked back to her tent, rummaging through her rations. Getting to see her in her natural habitat explained her demeanor a lot, and in a sense, he could see himself in her personality. He too felt a lot more comfortable here and of course he looked for this sort of comfort when he found himself aboard the ship. Maybe she didn't quite know how to adjust her behavior in front of others, but neither did she care about it. It was an unhealthy sort of honesty.

While she had her breakfast, the canine stared at the fortress, taking in its shapes and visible structure. He tried to envision himself crawling on the top of those walls and sneaking down the towers, muffling the clattering of his armor from any possible enemy guard patrolling the area. After that, he mentally placed himself skulking in the courtyard through the tightest crannies to reach one of the gates of the fort, deal with the guards there and open the gates for the main force to swarm inside and aid with the takeover. The general eventually joined him, he kept his gaze affixed to the military structure and kept pondering on how to proceed once inside, balancing the range and deadly effectiveness of the rifle with the stealthiness, yet more dangerous to maneuver longsword.

“Have you already picked the three lucky blokes to accompany you in your operation?” She asked, genuinely curious of his choice. To that, Aleko could only open his eyes wide, realizing that he completely forgot about the fact that he won't be alone up there.

"Bollocks, I haven't." He replied, lowering his gaze at the ground. "I've-" been troubled by doubts. I may be able to take this castle, but will I be able to take Avalon?. "I suppose it's prime time I pick my three men. Allow me a moment."

With that, he walked off, leaving his empty bowl behind to go find the nearest sergeant of the Elite Rangers company Bulkwyn commandeered. He approached an amalgam of tents that seemed to from a platoon of rangers, where he immediately spotted the individual differing from the rest thanks to a subtle insignia on both pauldrons; the infantry leader immediately noticed the white-furred heir and immediately dropped the whetstone he used to sharpen his falchion to throw his hands at his back to salute his superior. Aleko did the same, showing mutual respect for each other's rank.

"At ease, sarge." He uttered before he walked closer to him and grabbed at his own belt strap holding his own dual-ringed longsword on the right side of his hip.

"I'm going knee-deep in hell and I'm looking for three unlucky sods to follow me." He explained himself, the stout, ginger-furred male cat nodding at him. "Can you point me to your best scouts?"

"Aye, milord, that I can." The feline turned his head towards the camp and whistled at the rangers playing card games on several stumps. They all raised their heads, some even stood up to present their own reverence in front of the Emperor. "Hardpaw, MacFinlay, Borland, hut-hut!"

Aleko saw three men from different locations of the camp jog towards the two and quickly line up in order by height in front of the emperor. A scarred lynx, a white-furred wolf with a more sandy shade of blonde hair and a stern-faced mink, a rather mismatched trio Aleko had to judge and pick.

"Milord, all three of 'em 've seen combat and tactics in their life. Finla-"

"Thank you, sarge." The canine interrupted, lifting a hand before pointing his finger at the lynx. "Hardpaw. At ease and as you were." The sergeant raised an eyebrow as the Emperor sent off the lynx. Aleko glanced at the sergeant, then back at the two remaining rangers. "Scars mean that he had been seen and hurt before. Taking one to the face can only mean you've been careless. You three will do."

"Sir, yes milord!" The three quickly replied, to which the heir lifted his hand and shook his head.

"While you're under my command, you will address me as sir, Commander, or by my designation, Frost. Present yours."

"Thunder." Replied sergeant Yearling with a nod.

"Meek." Uttered the pint-sized mink in a surprising baritone.

"Bedpan..." MacFinlay admitted, obviously unenthusiastic about his alias. Aleko cocked his head back at him, Meek had to hide a grin under his lowered muzzle. The shepherd's eyebrows raised, his mouth gaping slightly at the wolf's accomplishment. He could only suspect just how he had been decorated with such a unique, glorifying code name and chose not to ask any further details.

"Well, Bedpan-" he nearly lost his composure and chortled on the spot "-I do appreciate having the creative sort under my command." He cleared his throat and gave them all a long glance. Their personalities were very different from those he worked with in the past, but they all were rangers. His rangers. Aleko spent several minutes divulging the infiltration and conquer plan to his newly formed fire team, all nodding and paying attention to the words of their leader, Commander Frost. Once done there were only a couple of questions regarding equipment and method of entry.

"As long as your weaponry is made for personal defense and not battlefield-only application, you may bring anything that suits your ability. In essence, that excludes pole-arms of any sort, greatswords and cannons. Anything else is suitable. Even bedpans." The wolf was obviously displeased of the quip, but the rest of the fire team could share a chuckle of their relaxed, but serious Commander. "Method of entry will be elaborated by the infiltrators that are now inside those walls. Once we are given the signal, we will approach the fortress in that specific direction and look for the secret access inside the fortress. Is everything clear? Any other questions?"

Once he had finished with them and exchanged salutes, Aleko returned to the general to report his choice. From there, there was only a matter of time to wait until the signal arrived. And it did, several hours later. Once he had seen it, he latched his armor tighter than before, tightened the straps of his longsword scabbard, dagger sheath and sidearm tucked under his dagger. He found his three men, all clad in their own sets of typical Elite Ranger armor ready to follow him to the castle and start working. There were very little words exchanged between them as they advanced towards the fortress through the shrubbery, stepping on thorns and rocks and moss, covering their armor with ripped leaves and sap, to reduce the reflection of light. Aleko appreciated them being silent as they walked behind him in a wide formation, each determined to do their task with professionalism in front of the Emperor himself. Aleko glanced through the eye-slit of the visor at the men to his right and left, seeing them advance with the buttstock of their rifles pressed against their shoulders, yet, the tip of the barrel pointed downward, their indexes off the trigger, as any serious ranger should be brandishing their highly lethal firearm.

This feels so good. He thought to himself, smiling in the confinement of his faceplate. This is home. This is what feels right. This defines me.

They quickly found themselves at the base of the wall where the signal had been put off, their backs pressed against the cemented stone.

"What're we expectin' precisely, Commander?" Inquired the sergeant as he looked around him, the feline kneeling with his rifle still in resting position.

"Drows." Aleko replied in a whisper, looking up at the wall. "Or a tunnel. Or a crumbling wall to reveal a secret entrance, with poorly disguised dark elves. Anything."

"Knowing those dark elves, they got in prostituting themselves to the worms." Commented Meek in silence.

"If they didn't dig themselves through like worms." Added Bedpan in a hushed tone.

"That's why I suggested a tunnel and poorly disguised dark elves, now close those muffs, soldiers, or they'll shove their poisonous pricks down the hatch." The team could barely contain their amusement, until they saw a head peer down at them, moment in which they all froze in place. They relieved their stress in unison as two ropes unfolded down the wall. Aleko and Bedpan quickly knelt and cupped their hands so that the other two could spring up and reach for the ends of the ropes. Yearling jumped off Bedpan's hands and shoulder and successfully latched onto the rope. Meek, being on the shorter side, had to step on the Emperor's head to catch the rope. Aleko grunted as he felt his muzzle bump against the bascinet and sighed to himself as he watched the mustelid aptly walked up the wall and stretched an arm downwards. Sure, he didn't have a large body to drag after him in his ascent, but he had to sustain Aleko's. The canine took momentum by taking a few steps back, then, charge at the wall and jump up it, grabbing for Meek's arm, which clasped together. Thunder managed to grab hold of Bedpan also. Aleko quickly crawled up and over Meek in a few painful moments, but he managed to get enough distance from the mink as he scaled the castle wall. The view slowly become a frightening one, falling from up there would definitely be fatal for the canine, but he kept his focus on his muscles as they pulled him up the wall, his feet pushing and keeping his balance. In no time, he walked between the crenelations of the wall and knelt on one knee, quickly taking his rifle back in his arms. Soon, the rest of his fire team finished the ascent and quickly pulled the ropes back up. The Commander met with the disguised elf and listened to his report.

"Good work, brother." Frost congratulated the elf. "Now take some time to rest, we will take over from here." He then turned his attention to the three anthros.

"You heard him, three more guards on the North and East side. We split now, take the lookouts and secure the gates. Thunder, Meek, you take the North lookout and the entrance that's there, the back one. Bedpan, you're with me, we take down the two on East and the front gate. Questions? No? Move out, Rangers lead the way."

And off they were in separate directions. Aleko and MacFinley advanced towards the tower, which they quickly secured and checked it to be clear. They both inspected the exit door towards the Eastern wall, where they saw one of the guards stand still and watch the world below, the other seemed to be approaching them. The Emperor could feel that dread in his stomach, the sort of fear that made him grow determination to succeed and avoid danger and death. He was in a tower of an enemy fortress, albeit less impressive than Kyrm. The peril was still there, especially since there was still daylight.

"Sir, he's approaching, what do we do?" Bedpan asked as he inconspicuously peeked through the frame of the door as he knelt at the opposite side of his commander. Frost glanced back at the tower, to look for any hiding spots that they could use to surprise the incoming guard. Seeing nothing but a desk, a drawer, some drapes and an old shield, the halfling came up with a more unorthodox plan.

"He's going to enter the room. You trip him, I lock his head and throw him down, then you knock him unconscious."

"Have you... tried this before, sir?" Asked Bedpan.

"In my imagination, yes." Aleko replied. MacFinlay swallowed dryly.

The guard was close enough to have his footsteps echo through the tower. As soon as the tip of a boot crossed the door frame, the wolf extended both of his legs, against which the lookout managed to bump into and lose balance. Aleko caught him quickly and redirected his fall inside the tower, so that the other guard won't outright hear his colleague topple over. As soon as the humanoid embraced the floor and kissed it hard, Bedpan jumped out and tightly grasped the buttstock of his weapon; due to his rather rushed approach, the wolf managed to trip over the guard's own legs and fall flat on top of him, bumping his helmet against the temple of the downed foe, essentially knocking him out cold and leaving an ugly dent in the skin. The wolf rolled on his back and grabbed his helmet, his legs curling as his muffled groan expressed sheer pain. The other canine slapped the faceplate of his own helmet in annoyance before he turned his gaze back at the window slit; he crawled himself there to see the other guard lean his head to see what was the origin of the sound. Of course, he too started walking towards them, but this time he didn't have Bedpan's cultivated skills in subtlety on his side. Aleko pushed himself into the wall and slowly unsheathed his dagger, which he dubbed Pickpocket. He didn't use it to cut purses and steal money, but the blade definitely served a more sinister purpose. He saw with the corner of his eye, through the slit, as the guard rushed inside and saw the mess sprawled on the floor.

"Wha' in th' world's goin'- who are yo-" He couldn't finish his sentence, as Aleko lunged from behind to wrap his gauntlet against his mouth. He lifted his shoulder and drove his arm at his confused foe, driving the pointed tip of his dagger through the chain mail, effectively piercing and breaking several interlinking chains as the blade sunk into the raw flesh of the neck hidden under the multiple layers the gambeson offered. It wasn't enough to save his life, as blood sprayed out when the halfling drew his dagger out and shoved the man down. The guard managed to crawl a few paces forward, gurgling on the blood flooding his larynx. Soon, the insufficient amount of blood reaching his brain had dragged the opponent into unconsciousness, which would soon turn into coma. Then, non-existence. A sigh could be heard from the shepherd as he knelt beside the guard and cleaned the blade of his dagger against a piece of cloth before he tucked it back in its sheathe. He then pointed his finger at the other one.

"I suggest you do the same. They sleep for only so long."

Bedpan could only groan in pain.

With their wits recovered and guards eliminated, the two descended on opposed flights of stairs leading towards the main gate. They had arranged to each take down two of the guardsmen, by distracting one, executing the other, then, return to the first one. Simple enough in design, application would definitely be less clean. Aleko uttered a few words, which drew the attention of one guard, MacFinlay mimicked a man crashing and hitting something. Bedpan swiftly executed his guard by driving his dagger right in the eye of his enemy. Aleko wasn't as lucky: he had to drop his dagger and draw his longsword out, quickly sliding his left foot behind to balance himself out in a steady stance, his arms lifting the long-bladed sword with trained elegance in a high guard against the spear. Knowing that he would lose the fight fast while trapped in the tight spot, he rushed into his foe by swiftly battering the spear against the wall with a curt snap of his wrists, aiming the blade downwards and to his right, from where he quickly wrapped his left gloved hand against the flat of the blade to fall into half-swording. The canine roughed up the guard, forcing him back out. The other guard Aleko was supposed to take down quickly lowered his spear, befuddled by the sudden action, while the one Bedpan was supposed to take down started to dash to the side and towards the inner gate to warn the others, but to his dismay, he found himself tackled by a pouncing ranger and slammed against the floor. The other canine managed to sink the tip of his longsword above his enemy's collar bone, but he had to reel away as the second spear head threatened to drive itself into him. He soon realized that he could have taken that hit with no repercussions, as it would have glanced off his plate armor.

Now, he had two men with spears pointed towards him, a situation in which he wanted to pull his handgun out and execute them on spot, but that would have made quite an audible racket. The two tips lunged at him at random intervals, unable to catch a moment to charge in for a counterattack. He returned to a normal grip of the sword and fought off the spear heads with quick snaps, engaging his elbows and wrists in the parries. He kept himself skittering away from corners and walls, as to not trap himself in a fatal situation, but this stalemate was finally put to an end as Bedpan appeared in the scene, twirling a falchion around his body as a menacing distraction for his opponents. The wounded spearman turned his attention to the wolf, taking a quick, but failed jab at him, Bedpan now essentially assaulting the man with slashes left and right. Aleko took this as an opportunity to batter away the remaining spear with a lot more force, free enough to put his entire body into the strike by winding up his entire torso in the directing of the sideways cut. As the spearman forced the shaft back in a guarding position, Aleko lunged forward and latched his left hand against the shaft of the spear, the right hand cocking the longsword over his left shoulder before he launched a curt cleave downwards, inflicting a snap-cut at the spearman's glove; the momentum, the weight, balance and sharpness of the blade were enough to dig its tip into the wrist and cut connection of the first three fingers from the spearman's right hand. There was a grunt of pain, but it was silenced as his mouth had been filled by a right-side steel pauldron smashing against his teeth and nose, sprawling him on the floor. The canine didn't waste any more time and half-sworded again as he dropped his knee against the man's chest and drove the tip of the blade into the downed foe's throat three times.

Bedpan was parrying the spear expertly, but the limited reach of his flachion prevented him from advancing on his foe to finish the job, his lunges and graceful snaps of the wrist were simply not enough to cover the length as the slender blade swirled and cut through the air with a high-pitched whoosh. Then, it would cry a metallic clang as the spine slapped the shaft away at Bedpan's twist of the arm while changing the fore leg of his stance from left to right. Suddenly, the next jab didn't arrive. When he lifted his gaze, he saw the tip of a pointy blade protrude through the throat of the spearman. The wolf understood what happened and gave his blade one last forceful twirl, launching blood stains off the steel blade. Aleko drew his longsword out and lifted his visor, revealing a panting canine.

"The winch is on my side." He declared through his panting. "Hold your ground until I open the gate and the rest of the forces arrive." He quickly turned to run back up the stairs, swishing his own longsword to the side to throw the drops of blood off the tapering blade.

MacFinlay dashed to the enemy he wrestled with and quickly drew his dagger out of his face with a sickening crackle of the cracked skull. He sheathed both of his bladed weapons and took position in the doorway to his flight of stairs, where he pulled his rifle from his back by its sling and gripped it tightly as he waited for the emperor to open the gate. He could hear the chains creak and groan before they made the rather obvious racket as the thick metallic fence lifted up; Bedpan briefly glanced over his shoulder at the outside world before he drove his attention back forwards. Soon, the heir arrived and took the same stance as MacFinlay, only on his side.

"D'you think Thunder and Meek managed to open their gate?" Asked the shepherd as he tilted his head to the side a little to take a better look of the courtyard.

"Sure hope they did, sir." Replied the wolf. His head cocked up as he heard the blare of a war horn that wasn't familiar to them. "Oh, bloody bollocks, we're compromised!" The wolf yelled over the horn, his voice breaking in a squeak of frustration.

"Hold position until reinforcements arrive!" Frost yelled, gritting his teeth as he fought the numbing wave of fear washing over his body, cold sweat trickling down through his fur at the thought of facing the remaining defensive force for themselves before their own main force could reach the castle.

"Conserve ammo an-" but he couldn't finish his sentence as he noticed a musketeer rushing across the courtyard.

Aleko tried to pelt him, a deafening blast of fire shooting a medium caliber bullet down the courtyard, but a few paces in front of the rushing musketeer. He saw him topple down, dropping the aged rifle, then try to crawl away from the line of sight. Then appeared the several batallions of spearmen falling into formation, MacFinlay's frame recoiled a couple of times in tandem with two more blasts before he quickly turned his exposed body to safety, a musket projectile crashing through the stone corner, dust and bits flying in the air and on the cobblestone. Then, a lick of fire trailed along the walls, at which point Aleko remembered Pepper's warning; he pivoted 180^o and threw himself on the floor, landing against the first few steps leading up on the wall, where he covered his head as the ball of fire collapsed in itself, then, expand in a large explosion of flames. The heir managed to survive the blast and rolled on his back, immediately spotting a panicked Bedpan clutching his rifle as he tried to push himself up the stairs.

This is not good, Aleko thought to himself. "Bedpan! Run for the towers, we can't han-" but his voice was covered by a thunderous crowd of voices, his heart freezing in place. But soon, he felt himself reanimate as familiar troops swarmed inside the castle. He guffawed and whooped as he pushed himself off the stairs, feeling more alive than ever. This is what I am. He retook his position, the general appearing once more in the frame. For once, he was really glad to see her; they only exchanged glance before each had taken aim for the more important targets. Aleko used his intuition, and his acute vision, to line up the sights again, pinpointing the head of a musketeer; not knowing what he would do next, he simply squeezed the trigger of the firearm, the buttstock kicking his right shoulder as the barrel launched the round down the courtyard. He saw a spark where the round landed on the breastplate of the man, but then, he saw a hole in the plate and his coif falling off, a large, fleshy wound taking half of his foe's face. the bullet split most likely and completely ruined the target. He leaned some more until he had another musketeer at his sights and pulled the trigger again, unflinching at the blinding flash of light and deafening boom; another toppled to the ground lifeless. He fired again, missing his target by mere inches, as he was forced to reel behind cover as a salvo of musket rounds pelted the stone walls. Once it was safe to creep out again, Aleko leaned his whole torso and took another aimed shot, putting down a spearman instead of a musketeer.

A loud clang took his attention, as the last spent case flew out the receiver and bounced against the wall. He forced himself on his hind on the stairs, where he slapped his palm against a knob in front of the ammunition magazine. The empty metal box with a spring and metal feeder fell in his lap, he quickly recovered it and shoved it in a large, empty pouch slung on the small of his back. He shoved his fingers in a different pouch and pulled a full magazine, the copper bullet protruding from the box; he tapped it against his head a couple of times before he loaded the fresh ammo in the magwell and pulled at the bolt, chabering the first round in the receiver. Before he could join the fight again, the general pushed him further away as fire rained from the skies. He then had a facefull of Bulkwyn yelling a plan him, which in the heat of the moment, Aleko accepted without thinking how exactly he would do it. He only did it, like a true soldier. He rushed up the stairs leading to the top of the wall and promptly tumbled in a crouched stance, pushing himself against a crenelation. He peeked from behind it to memorize where the mages were holed up; with adrenaline replacing his blood, the shepherd rushed towards the tower entrance, keeping himself crouched through his flanking maneuver. The armor seemed to allow even the most uncomfortable stances to be carried, as Frost cradled the rifle against his chest while he scurried up the stairs in the same low-profile posture.

Eventually, he reached the top, the wizard in front of him, another in the distance promptly eliminated by the general. The canine didn't waste a second and pushed himself on his feet to dash at the magic-wielding foe. Very late did he realized that if he rammed the mage off, he would have followed him in the fall, so he had to stop his advance and still neutralize him without opening fire.

Gods, forgive my cretinism. The shepherd sprung up and brought the soles of his boots close together, aiming them at the back of the wizard and flexed his knees. As soon as the flying dog felt the jolt of his feet connecting with the back of the battle-mage, he grunted loudly as he mule-kicked the man off the platform to his doom below, the heir landing on his belly on the floor in a loud clatter of armor crashing against stone. The inertia of the target was enough to stop the shepherd from flying down in the crowd, but the wizard was less lucky. Aleko rolled on the floor until his body hit a wall and pushed himself back up on one knee. He gasped and shook his head, the shock of the hard landing getting to him, but he quickly lifted his rifle towards another mage through a murder hole, dizzy and half-blind; there was no time to lose, so Aleko gritted hard as the butt of the riffle pounded his shoulder five times, firing the entire five bullet magazine at the last wizard perched on the top of the other tower. He couldn't tell which shot got him, but in the end, he succeeded in neutralizing both of his targets. It took him a while to come to the realization that the plan was an utter success, being too busy to reload his rifle as he rushed back down the stairs and into the courtyard, where he saw the massacre the two-pronged attack left behind.

"We... we did it." He muttered before he took a deep breath and drew back his head to look at the sky, steam rolling out through the slits of the faceplate. "Northspark's ours."

He took the hours of winding down to help with the bodies and organizing the defenses of the castle, but he allowed himself to sit down and enjoy the bittersweet taste of victory. He perched himself on a small crate, together with two of the rangers of his fire team.

"To Meek." Aleko uttered, his eyes avoiding to meet Thunder's as he lifted a cup of water. "Ranger, lead the way home."

"Ranger, lead the way to heavens." Thunder and Bedpan completed, lifting their own cups. The feline smacked his lips and shook his head.

"Basterd pile o' cow shit pretendin' to be dead n' stab 'im in the back." He snorted in disdain and shook his snout again, a sour smirk taking over half of his feline maw. "Feckin' lowlife."

MacFinlay could only gaze into the rippling surface of the liquid in his own cup, his nose wrinkling at the thought of the rather inglorious way his comrade had fallen. Aleko sighed and closed his eyes, lowering his gaze into the ground, his boots swinging back and forth alternatively. Event though he couldn't have known him, he felt the loss personally; he had been trained to treat the entire Elite Ranger force as a massive band of brothers.

"Brothers of the same whore of a kingdom, aye-" would say general Hacket "-but still brothers we are. So you'd all better act like it."

Thunder finished his cup and placed it on the crate as he slid off it. "Requesting permission to shut-eye, sir." He muttered, saluting his Commander. Aleko lifted his gaze at him, finding his golden eyes. He could see that there was no resentment for him, after all, it had been a dangerous mission; even so, guilt still clung to him.

"Granted, sergeant. Pristine work. Go do some rack ops." The shepherd replied to him, then, turned his attention to the wolf. "You should hit the fart sack too, Bedpan."

MacFinlay shrugged and took a reluctant sip of his water. "All due respect, but I can't sleep properly between tasks, sir." To that, Aleko smirked.

"Just like me. Can't get sleepy after pitching a tent?"

"No sir." MacFinlay stated, chortling lightly. "Too many pricks around to think about women. And way too many of us had general Bulkwyn in our minds to be fun anymore."

"Oh, gods." Aleko coughed up his sip as he tried to stifle his laugh to not coke on his water.

"Apologies, sir. I, uh, forgot that-"

"I'm your superior?" Aleko completed. MacFinlay looked up at him, his mouth gaping a little at the fact that the Emperor read his mind. "I was only a lieutenant when the wizard plucked me from my duty in a small town. Today was the first day I had an army under my belt. Which was still led by a general, so I cannot really take a lot of credit for our success today."

"Well, we did knock over some guards." Bedpan commented, having a glad attitude about himself.

"Knocking them over would be an understatement, Bedpan." Aleko stated, lifting his eyebrow. The wolf then shrugged at his commander.

"Better than knocking them up, I suppose." To that, the shepherd lowered his head and clapped his forehead with his palm, snickering at the jest. "What? It's horrible if you think about it, a two-men-made child waiting home for you to return. Half of your wage would be eaten away by the man-bride back home, and for what? For a deformed sprogget with two cocks?"

Aleko couldn't hold it anymore and burst out in a hearty laughter, unhinged by the doubts and fears of tomorrow; he was glad to have found a moment of relaxation through a shared laughter with a just-as-tired comrade. Bedpan also startled to chortle, which quickly turned into a laugh too.

Later, the light-hearted ambiance had been replaced by planning and tension together with the general.

“Apologies, sire. Those were good men and their loss is on my head. I will do my best to prevent such needless casualties in the future, I promise.”

"General, they were my men too. Responsibility is ours, not only yours."

"Well…I guess we should get some rest. I’ll have some men keep watch. The flag will also be changed come tomorrow morning, when the main force with their general will return they will have quite the shock when they discover they no longer have any fortified position to hide behind.” A faint, almost forced, smile made its presence on her nuzzle.

"If we weren't trying to convince them to surrender, we would have welcomed them inside and murder them all from all directions." Aleko then waved his hand dismissively. "Pay no mind, that is revenge talking."

“Despite everything, today we achieved victory.” She bowed “It was an honor to fight alongside you, sire…now…if you will excuse me..”

Aleko bowed too, noticing the less enthusiastic attitude of the woman. "I'm honored to have served with you, general." I had my doubts, but you're not half-bad. You've lost someone dear to a fight against war-mages, haven't you?

With the eventful day coming to an end, Aleko spent most of his times inside the sleeping quarters, honing the blade of his sword and cleaning the barrel of his rifle and the blade of his dagger; he had something to sup on before he washed the sweat of the day off his fur and lay on the bed. There, he rewound the entire infiltration and elimination process, feeling more and more grateful to have made it alive and unscathed even. One of these days, my luck will run out, he told himself as he looked over his own furred torso. More and more images flashed in his mind of the brief scuffle in the courtyard, the mages, how he dropped one... there he remembered, maybe he would still produce a nice bruise on his chest after that. He then remembered about Bedpan and his clumsy antics, chuckling himself to sleep.

Where did he start and where had reached. An unwanted child turned soldier, then, Emperor spearheading a new faction. Although it felt like the beginning took place eons ago, it had been but a week. Seven days, from the rest of his life.

The night spent in a decent bed proved to be comfortable enough for his back, but the smell of someone else's sweat and drool absorbed by the cushions and mattress did not do good to his morning appetite; falling asleep also proved to be rather difficult, as the presence of the musky, sour smell would torment Aleko even in his dreams. But he got rid of the persistent odor after he had washed himself in the morning after his fitness drill and made sure to be dry enough to walk out in the biting cold of the North. He had two other rangers help him put the plate suit back on his body before he walked outside, where chill and fog greeted him promptly. The heir could only sigh to himself and buckle up the scabbard containing his longsword around his waist for a tighter grip, the same with the sidearm and dagger, while he loosely slung the rifle on his left shoulder; as he made his way on the top of the battlements, he met with some of the soldiers that helped conquer the fort under the command of Bulkwyn, the anthro side of the troops were obviously more eager to greet the emperor with the most reverent bows, nods and appraisals. One of the rangers seemed more than glad to see the emperor and promptly lifted the visor, revealing a MacFinlay wearing a toothy grin and a fresh wound on the tip of his nose.

"Good morning, Commander!" He mouthed, steam flowing from his snout.

"Good morrow, Bedpan." The halfling replied with a small smile and a nod of his head. "Care to join me on my duties today?" He asked without thinking too much; but he found that he needed a more familiar face next to him, especially from a boot-smashing soldier like he was not long ago.

"Duti- of course, Commander!" The wolf seemed taken aback by his superior's request, but he didn't seem to mind leaving his crenelation to join the halfling. He kept up with Aleko, keeping himself at his side, throwing a glance down every once in a while.

"It sure feels good to sleep where the wind doesn't pelt you, sir." Commented Bedpan as he took a final look down at the anthro chargers. He shifted his gaze forward, immediately identifying the gatehouse they were approaching.

"Oh, yes, I do appreciate some walls around me." Aleko replied before the wolf could inquire about the general. Noticing that he took his subordinate's chance to speak, he lifted his own exposed muzzle forward to the woman. "Yes, we're going to have a talk with her."

"Oh." MacFinlay nearly stopped in his tracks. "Well, uh, I'll wait until you have finished, sir. I wouldn't want to interfere in high-brass discussions."

Aleko turned his head to him and squinted his icicle eyes. It's a completely different reason, isn't it? "I see. Well, carry on."

The heir left Bedpan behind and approached the general, managing to startle her.

"Good morning, general. I can say I've had a decent night's sleep in someone else's sweat and spit." He commented while admiring the misty vista from the gatehouse. He stretched his neck and hopped on the balls of his boots, plates and scabbard clattering in a cacophony of steel, leather and wood. Standing atop the castle felt good to him, knowing that he conquered the fortress with the help of eight men; as he thought more and more about his accomplishment, he couldn't help but to feel fortunate to have made out of another stronghold takeover. Even though it was smaller in size and capacity, the operation was perilous none the less. He did present his opinion over the success of the mission here, moment in which he found the opportunity to bring up the battle-mage observation he had two days before. For some reason, he did not expect a straight up answer, but he was glad that she offered to give in the details at a later time; the heir could only nod and smile, bringing out no more words to show his understanding.

Silence took over as they stood there to watch the obscured horizon, Aleko half-expected to see troops returning to the castle, with quite an amount of dread in his chest.

How will I handle them? I can be pretty bloody sure they will not listen to a single word that I have to say. They're crude people, they only listen to their own superior, I'm the enemy they are supposed to murder. I better acquit myself as such.

Before he could even assimilate what was going on, the troops arrived, the half-mouse started shouting down at them to hold and surrender, dwarven troops immediately surrounded the enemies from behind; Aleko crossed his arms and smirked to himself, his head lowering as he stifled a proud chuckle.

"Hammer and anvil." He muttered quietly.

"Hammer and anvil." Echoed MacFinlay, which in the meantime approached the two superiors. He glanced at Aleko, gave him a grin and looked back down at the trapped army. He lifted his gaze again as the emperor stepped forward and rested his forearms against the merlon in front of him.

Of course, he expected the rather disgraceful reaction from the general, since he was at the end of the day, a bastard and nothing more. Aleko didn't take it as an insult, but what did manage to pull a frown of disdain was the act of defiance he resented so much; the halfling ground his teeth, canines poking through his lips. Something that bothered him some more was the general trying to negotiate himself out of the situation, only to be countered by a female captain that declared the opposite offer. One way or another, Aleko would either have the army killed, or the general free. He wanted both. Bulkwyn whispered something to him, but the halfling seemed rather unfazed by her words. MacFinlay abstained from uttering a word, he only turned his head to his grace while his rifle aimed down at the mass of humans caught in between a fortress and a dwarven force. For the newly-made lord, attacking them would only yield casualties and if there was something that many military treatises told him, he wasn't supposed to surround the enemy completely, lest they would fight until the bitter end and take down men of his own; that was unfavorable, as leaving them a small niche of escape could have the remaining forces surrender and flee, perfect occasion to let the light cavalry pick off troops. But, he found no other option here. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, to make sure his voice could be heard.

"General Dunngard, Captain. I am rather befuddled by an issue here: since when are prisoners able to negotiate themselves out?" He glanced at Bulkwyn, then at Bedpan, only to return his gaze back down. He lifted his shoulders and dropped them, the pauldrons clattered. "Circumstance dictates that you are the mercy of my words, yet, you find the audacity to find solutions for yourselves? A castle filled with rifles aiming at each of your heads, while at your back you'll have grenades and axes, and yet, an old man with pain in his joints wants out. And a captain that prefers to kill her entire force for naught. Intriguing." Aleko straightened his back and lifted his eyebrows, feeling an odd confidence in his own voice, in his own words that he picked for the speech. His leather-clad fingers tapped against the merlon.

"Firstly: drop your weapons, shields, spell books. All of them. Men, lead the captain and her men inside the fortress; pick three guards and apprehend the general, I want to have a private talk with him." He slapped his palm against the stone and turned to Bulkwyn, to which he quietly, but quickly, whispered:

"Lead each and every man inside and close the gates behind you. Once I and the dwarven forces are alone with the general, we will make sure he will be silenced and taken by the dwarves to their outpost and have him interrogated." He gestured his hand to follow him. "This army will be put for labor, we cannot risk setting them free so close to the enemy." Aleko then sighed and tried to talk at a slower pace, making sure that his plan was fully understood.

"The bitch doesn't realize the grievous mistake she made: she laid the perfect setting for me to get everything I need with very little inconvenience. While I "talk" with the general, make sure their remaining forces are locked behind the gate, so that they can't see me sock the man out cold and give him to our friendlies. How copy?"

Aleko walked down the stone stairs until he reached right in front of the gate which lead to the surrendering army outside. He was unaware of the slight inconvenience, as he was confident enough the fools wouldn't just give away their lives for naught; human loyalty may be something of great respect, but they still are flawed beings afraid of death. Loyalty in death is something that has to be won, and it would seem that general Dunngard didn't quite win it from all of his subordinates. They preferred to drop their weapons with him instead of defying his order to fight to death for him. As Aleko prepared himself to have the quick talk with the general, Bulkwyn made sure to pull him aside once again, this time to compliment him. The heir was taken by surprise with this gesture of appreciation, he could actually feel his cheeks prickle to form a light blush.

"You're too kind, general." He replied, quickly throwing a glance somewhere else to hide his flushing cheeks. "I only do what suits best the situation and don't let my feelings get in the way, that is all to it."

"But, thank you. I'm... I still cannot get used to this. It means a lot to know that I have your approval." He admitted in a low tone, a small smile giving away a little more emotion than he wanted.

But once he would be free to walk outside, the Emperor strode with confidence, quickly followed by an ever-eager MacFinlay and two more rangers the wolf called with him. Once they had reached him, the two quickly made their way to the human general and attempted to apprehend him, but with Asimov showing displeasure and resistance, MacFinlay quickly drew his rifle up; Aleko only had to raise his hand to quickly defuse the situation, all three ceased hostility towards the general. Then, they started walking, the general seemed to believe that the halfling was actually in a talking mood, when in reality, the halfling pulled the rifle from his shoulder and wrapped his fingers around the neck of the buttstock and the handguard in preparation for a knock-out blow. Aleko knew that he missed his cue, his intention was most likely given away by the shuffling of his armor, by his utter silence, by him falling behind; his mistake was to attempt to knockout anyway, even if he had been discovered, believing that he would still get him some way or another. To his dismay, rather than surprise, he found himself in a headlock, his rifle on the ground and with an arm tied around his gorget, which in its turn pressed tightly against his throat; that, combined with the great discomfort in his shoulder, made him attempt to gasp for some air, but in return he only managed to utter a grunt. Most of the general's words had fallen on deaf ears as the canine tried to calm himself down and let the situation pass, knowing that the human did not have the gall to take him down there and then. In the end, he was released, MacFinlay quickly made his way to the pained Emperor.

"Sir, are you alright?" He asked before he turned and raised his rifle again. "You bloody leatherface, I'll rape your mother's arse if you touch him ag-"

"Can it." Interrupted Aleko after he did a full rotation of the pained shoulder to realign the joint in its place and batted the rifle away a second time. MacFinlay cocked his head, left aghast by his superior's order; although he could complain about it, he slung his rifle on his shoulder with no further comment. The dwarves quickly arrived to cuff the general and take him away, to which Aleko finally opened his snout with a deep chuckle, a reaction that made Bedpan's blood go cold, the same with the other two rangers.

"No good deed goes unpunished, general." Aleko stated through the chuckle, a wide grin present on his face. "No idea just how you could have snapped my neck, armor and all, but you should have done it either way. It would have been the best for you." The heir then walked towards one of the dwarven troops that cuffed the human general to pull him aside, but not without a last glance and a last sentence.

"I certainly would have done it, I'm an Elite Ranger. You're only a loud-mouthed, high-ranking officer. The dog that barks does not bite."

The heir then wrapped his arm around the dwarven troop and whispered to him leisurely as he headed back for the forest, his head leaning down so that he would be able to address to him.

"Keep him well-fed and well-rested for two or three days. Then, you have my permission to do anything you want to get out every bit of information he's got, but I demand you to keep him alive. Once you've drawn every last drop of intelligence, bring him to me on Escalyber. Have I made myself understood?"

With that done, he patted the stout man on the shoulder and allowed him to leave, giving himself another moment to gyrate his shoulder and push his neck in the opposite direction, a sickening crackle releasing some of the built-in tension. The physical tenderness was bearable, but there was clearly more than muscle damage imprinted on him. Soon, a war bear made itself visible with general Bojor atop of it; the dwarf dismounted and ran up to the halfling to keep up with him and question him about the situation. The heir had nothing to reply to him, save for informing him about the order he had bestowed upon one of his own men, concluding with a shrug and a nonchalant:

"I thought it would be polite of me to let you know what would be going on in Paletower."

Some time later, the general reunited, Bulkwyn tried to show some pleasantries towards the crass dwarf, then, show worry for the halfling.

"There is no wound for a physician to tend to, general." Aleko replied curtly.

“Don’ mother him. He can walk’ it off. We’ain’ done ‘ere yet.” Added Ironfist.

"I was about to say that I'll lick it off, but that would work too." The heir then completed, tilting his head to the side.

“Well ye’ did a bloody fine job o’ tha’ fortress.” The dwarf started, yet his tone did not imply actual commendation. “But we’ still gott’a convince tha’ mayor o’ tha’ town to pledge tha’ whole province’s allegiance to ou’r side, now don’ we?”

“He is right, sir", Pepper nodded, "the town of Northspark is some hours march away from here. If you’re able, we should leave immediately.”

"Then, let's not keep the man waiting for us. Take whatever forces we have left, we march now." Aleko immediately ordered, his tone changing drastically from the previous one; mostly like due to the fact that no one actually understood the subtlety of the self-deprecating jape.

Prior to the march, Aleko and Bulkwyn had mustered some of the Elite Rangers, a handful of highlanders and some score of drow vanguards to join them on the walk towards the capital of the region, the town bearing the same name as the fortress they had captured yesterday. In this time, Aleko took himself a couple of moments to ease his bladder; he cleaned his hands with a handful of pure snow, inspecting it beforehand to make sure it didn't have drops of yellow in it. Once the shepherd was done, he took another moment to walk over to a tree and lean himself against it, a heavy sigh trailing out as a puff of steam exiting his long snout; he had the hurting arm resting against the tree trunk, the other one hanging loosely next to his body. Within a second, he grunted loudly and snarled as he slammed the thick of his palm against his temple in a repeated manner.

Idiot, sodding mutt, letting yourself so damn exposed! He scolded himself between grunts. I'll show that crusty old bear what tyranny is all about.

"Sir, a-are you... oh, gods."

Aleko promptly turned his head only a little, his face not visible towards the voice from behind. He immediately identified it being MacFinlay's. He knew that he couldn't explain to him what he just saw, so instead he replied to the wolf's attempt of a question with an oddly calm voice, which carried a rather menacing undertone to it.

"I am quite fine, Bedpan. Are the preparations in order?"

"Uh, y-yessir. We're ready to leave." The wolf answered, his voice giving away the uneasiness that overtook him after witnessing his superior's outburst and sudden change of tone.

"Good. Get in formation."

"Sir!" Bedpan saluted and promptly left his Emperor alone.

Aleko turned his head back towards the ground and relaxed his shoulders, the thumping pain in his temple drawing away the temper inside him. A matter of seconds later, he took his place within the marching formation, visor down, acting as if nothing had ever happened. MacFinlay was still close-by, but whatever plan he had to socialize with the heir was most likely gone. For the following hours, the silence Aleko had about him tasted in a very different way compared to the other times he kept his mouth shut through the marches; it would seem that sounds around him would be siphoned by something, everyone seemed rather reluctant to explore the oddity. The long walk did help him get a grip of his fiery emotions, but even so, he could still feel a knot of rage in his throat. In due time, they reached the gates of Northspark city, where a couple of musketeers defended the niggardly towers laid at the sides of the gatehouse. Once challenged, Aleko walked forward and lifted his visor, his glacier glance falling upon one of the human guards.

"Aleko Farland Sendrakon, first of my name and heir of the Sendrakon bloodline, I come to announce the fall of Fort Northspark!" His voice boomed at the two guardsmen. "I wish audience with the mayor of the town!"

Not long after, the gates opened, Aleko was the first to walk inside, to the dismay of a squad of Elite Rangers that were tasked with defending the Emperor; they quickly caught up to him and matched their pace with the heir's stride, which seemed rather adamant about stomping his way to the center of the town.

This is my victory. It feels different because it is for me, not for the general of my army, or for the king of the Freedom Islands. This land is now mine. I do not know what to do with this notion, yet, it empowers me. I need to calm my blood some more.

He met with the mayor of the town, the White Shepherd gave him a scrutinizing look before he nodded his head towards the lanky human.

"T..t..the heir? The heir of the Sendrakon bloodline?” The mayor stuttered, obviously taken by surprise. “That means… That means you are from the New Empire… but… why are you here? What is happening?”

Aleko lowered his head to align his eyes to his and clasped his hands at his own back.

"I thought the guardsman told you? I'm here to tell you that the fort of Northspark is forfeit. The army has been all but eliminated, the surviving troops have been captured; general Asimov Dunngard has surrendered prior to his apprehension. He tried to negotiate himself out of the situation, but it would seem that few know the privileges of being captured." Aleko addressed to the man calmly.

"Which is why I hope that you will have the wisdom to avoid more conflict and forfeit the town and all of this region's settlements, as well as its resources. As long as the relationship between this region and the New Empire's core remains civil, you are promised prosperity, security and attention, as well as the benefits of a different mind-set of lordship and ruling; if you wish to resist even under the circumstances you find yourself in, I'm afraid I will have no choice but to take away your position and offer it to a loyal vassal." Aleko took a quick break in his speech to take a few steps away from the mayor to gaze at the mob of residents crowding to witness the commotion.

How in all the hells am I able to speak like so without stuttering?

"Citizens of Northspark, you will find my rule a gentle, yet, productive one, based on honesty and workmanship. You will find kindness and prosperity, under the condition that you pledge your allegiance to me, the last of the Sendrakon bloodline. I may be a bastard, aye, but that means half of my blood will quench the tyrannical other; I too know what the people have been through under the seemingly unending dynasty, the Sendrakon have grown too accustomed to their well-being and took their underlings's loyalty for granted. I stand here in front of you to promise to you that the end of childish regimes and careless behavior has ended with the death of the last pure blood. I may be Sendrakon, but I am also Hyde. I am unfortunate, but also blessed to wear both of these names, so I will take them and bear them with courage and pride in my heart, to lead my people to a New Empire, where you, the people, will have the most important voice in leading the Empire. Your pleas and suggestions will be carefully listened and applied, for the better of Avalon. For the better future, for our children, so that they do not have to live through the atrocities the elderly had to suffer." Aleko then turned to the mayor.

"You must understand, I am no threat to you since I did not come here to point the tip of my sword at your neck. I couldn't come to have this discussion with the Old Empire's army breathing down my neck, I had to make sure you could listen to my proposition with no interference, surely you can understand that. I am sure we can forge a fruitful cooperation, once you have replaced the banners and accept me as your leader." The shepherd took a deep breath and straightened his back, feeling rather light-headed after he had lost focus on his breathing.

"Now then, my dear mayor, what will be your verdict?"

There was certainly a seed of doubt inside Aleko as he saw the lanky mayor lower himself to one knee and bowing his head. The heir could only lower his head to follow the movements of the human, surprised of the man's sudden cooperation. Then, the entire crowd around him followed suit, the town center was filled with clatter of armor pieces or the rustling noises of clothes creasing. Aleko could easily notice the people not being very enthusiastic by the change of allegiance and he couldn't blame them for that. He knew that there was very little he could do right then to alleviate the fear poisoning the populace's hearts, they unfortunately had to wait for the wind of the new regime to pass over them; of course, there will be those who are unhappy with most things, Aleko knew not to pay them any mind, lest he would be bickering over the most unimportant nothings like scurvy crones. And of course, there were voices of contempt echoing through through the crowd, which the mayor quickly silenced by sending his spearmen to apprehend them; the heir had the urge to stop them from doing so, but then, he had little to no thought on how to deal with them personally. He thinned his lips as he watched the guardsmen take the agitators away.

"I understand there is doubt and fear." He replied to him. "It would be naive of me to believe that a speech alone would be enough to win the lot's hearts. I will prove my words with actions, my good man."

"You're also rather - blessed - to find yourself in a key point on the map of Avalon. You will find yourself rich yet."

But otherwise, indeed, the province of Northspark was now a part of the New Empire movement. General Ironfist was glad about the success too as he bellowed and clasped the heir's back with a heavy hand back at the newly-conquered fortress.

“With this ‘ere combined outpost o’ Northspark an’ Paletower, it gon’be much easier to bring me’ forces on future assaults on this ‘ere ‘Kindom o’ tha’ North’. Har! Maybe ther’be some emperor in ye’ afterall, lad. But don’ let it get to ye’r head!”

"Do not worry, general", Aleko started, landing a palm of his own on the dwarf's shoulder, "I know my place. It's a province, aye, but it's ours. There are more to come yet."

Then, the general made his intentions more or less clear as he parted towards the town. The smiled lightly and nodded his head.

"I was about to suggest leaving a garrison in the town also. We wouldn't want civil unrest on our hands, would we?"

But the time of relaxation had finally arrived, the shepherd had the liberty to take off the plate armor and allow himself to walk only in his crimson gambeson bearing black trims, a pair of padded leggings, the pair of rather thin boots that fitted under the plate leggings and sabatons; the only bit of plate armor left on him were his gauntlets, a brand that scholars of Master Winzent GrauFell's teachings would wear at all times, denoting their exquisite swordsmanship and dueling prowess. Of course he joined the celebration with his subordinates and the helfling general, quietly sitting on his own stool with a cup of wine in his gloved hands; Bedpan and Thunder were both close to the Emperor, the same with bits of the squad under Yearling's command, sharing their happiness with the rest of the forces celebrating their first real victory in a long while. This time, the heir actually finished his cup and even asked for a refill to be able to properly toast with his comrades; once he was called for the toast, he chuckled to himself and pushed his body up to stand on the table too, his cup also raised.

“To Aleko Farland Sendrakon the First! Also known as ‘Frosty’!”

"Oh, gods-"

“To Emperor Frosty! Long may he reign!”

Aleko shook his head and laughed at the choice of name, but still, he took a big gulp of the wine with the rest of the troops.

Better than Emperor Winter Bunny, I suppose. He sighed and took advantage of the rather silent moment to address himself to the celebrating soldiers.

"Well fought, men, well done." He started, his voice managing to quiet the entire room. "Some may say that there's nothing to celebrate, that we're still far from accomplishment; I agree, there's a long road ahead, but today we took one, firm step forwards with our right foot. I say, let's be happy we have something to drink and whoop about, aye?" He waited for a unison reply, which did arrive.

"Let it be known that today, the first step towards the Second Unity had been taken, aye? For Avalon!" He concluded, his voice raising to a proud shout in the end.

Yet, how am I able to make anyone fight for a cause that I just can't make myself believe in?

After he had finished a third cup of his wine, he found himself mildly inebriated as he immediately noticed the room spin around him while he tried to stand up, so, he sat back down with the rest of the men and turned back to them.

"Whew, seems like this mutt's sitting it out a little."

The table roared with laughter at the light-weight, Thunder seemed to have brightened after he had lost one of his men, while MacFinlay didn't seem so uncomfortable around the Emperor any longer; as a matter of fact, he actually found the courage to wrap an arm around his nape as another song erupted in the hall, which Aleko did sing out with his rather lackluster voice. But after he had recovered his sense of balance, he decided to go to sleep, as he preferred to not make any poor decisions in the company of his underlings, he wasn't a simple lieutenant anymore. He heard enough tales of drunken lords to know how poorly an evening could end and the little respect they are given for being petty drunkards.

I am no drunkard, no no, I am an Emperor. Har, Emperor of the smallest corner in Avalon. A little Emperor. Heh.

There was a hard thud against him, or so he perceived, as he reeled back from the impact of a female running in a bed sheet only; he blinked a few times and frowned, rather confused by the minimal choice of attire she picked to wear for that night, especially with so many drunk men around. Then, two soldiers appeared, who seemed to be adamant about catching her. All that he could do was to put his hands on his own hips and follow them run with his head, his body leaning forwards a little from the alcohol swirling in his head. He licked his lower lip and opened his mouth.

"You'll catch a cold if you keep running like that." He commented, but the trio was long gone by the time he finished the sentence. He blinked slowly and took a deep breath through his nostrils.

Aleko wanted to shake his head in disapproval, but then he remembered that if he would do so, he would most likely loose his balance again and this time, there was no stool for him to land on. Instead, he continued his way to his quarters, replaying the events of the last few days in his mind over and over; he especially enjoyed how well he acquitted himself through the brief combat he had, getting away only with the self-inflicted bruise from the drop-kick stunt he played on the war mage. Lucky him, he didn't suffer another bruise on his way to the room he claimed, from where, he could hear a female humming a certain tune; rather intrigued by such an odd situation, the shepherd walked inside the dim-lighted room carefully, noticing a familiar frame leaning though the window. He recognized her as being none other but general Bulkwyn singing a sad tune composed to wail and commemorate fallen comrades. The minor key of the tune floating in the intimate darkness of the room had pulled Aleko from his happy drunk to a more sober state as he could place the lyrics of the song into the melodic tune. In the end, he became too curious about why would she sing this ballad during a victory celebration, so he attracted her attention in the most subtle way he could by closing the door behind him. He did obtain a reaction, the woman turned around and pardoned her intrusion after she realized she stumbled into the wrong room. Her voice had changed once more, completely different from anything he had previously heard from Bulkwyn.

“This… Isn’t my room... is it? I’m… I am sorry, sire. I…” she stammered as she pushed herself away from the window and fought to keep her own balance.

"Don't need to apologize, general." He replied calmly, though there was a definite slur to his talking. Seeing her approach the door, he immediately thought of the indecent trio from before.

If Bedpan's words were true, I can't let her out like this. He thought as he stepped in her way, his frame rising over hers with a half a head difference.

"I think it's best you sit down a little. You'll trip'n'fall, hell knows what happens next with these" he stifled a burp as he turned his torso to wave at the outside world "rowdy men, all to happy and rowdy. And really happy. So, sit down, I-" he removed the half-empty bottle of wine from her clutching hands and presented the bed to her "-will confiscate this for the time being."

As he saw her sit in front of the bed and pressing her back against it, Aleko picked up a chair and placed it in front of her, so that he could talk to the woman face-to-face. He examined the deep-green bottle and gave it a swirl with a flick of his wrist, the dark liquid sloshing against the smooth inner walls and leaving a distinctive trail of wine behind; he took a whiff, the combination of fruity aroma and the sour odor of saliva aggravated his nose, but at least he knew that the general did not poison herself with wine made for non-anthro consumption. Seeing her curl and rub her head in a rather vulnerable position, Aleko remembered that slip of hers at the mention of war-mages, not to mention her outburst and determination to slay the four mages that threatened to foil their plans. He swirled the bottle twice and lifted its bottom, his lips connecting with the lips of the bottle to allow a sip to flow against his tongue; he tasted the liquid with his entire mouth, but to his disappointment, the wine was of the same quality as the one downstairs. He put the bottle away and sighed heavily.

"We did a good one, Bulkwyn." Aleko started and muffled a hiccup. "But why sing Fate over Demise, of all the songs that can be sung after a victory? Yes, we lost men, but like I previously said, it's our first step to success. We rejoice now."

For a half-a-second, he knew that she wouldn't answer yet, he showed impatience now towards her. He nearly felt bad for it, until, she did open up to reveal her deep hatred towards magic users. It was a harrowing tale, difficult to listen to, let alone becoming the "protagonist" of such a traumatizing experience. All that the heir could do as to look away from her as to not pressure the woman into telling him all about it and half-way through the story, he picked up the bottle to take another swig. He hated it when women cried. His face, once beaming collectively with the happy group downstairs, curled downwards into the mopey mood of the room. Of course he refused offering her more of the drink, after all he was trying to make her sober up enough to be able to walk herself to her chambers. But once she was done, she stood up and invigorated herself, sniffling away at her liquefied snot. She asked for permission to leave, to which, Aleko replied with silence. He once again stowed the bottle away, stood up and started undo the small buckles holding his plated gloves on his wrists and palms; he placed the two next to the bottle with care and then placed the chair back in its place, rather meticulously if anything. It soon became evident as why he took his time with these actions as he turned back to her, walked up in front of her and clasped his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her with an empathetic expression.

"Pepper. I may not be the best person to tell you this, with you being old enough to be my mother and having the experience of a life time on your belt," he started, blinking slowly as he controlled his slur to help him deliver his message quick enough so that she could have no chance to retaliate, "but such grudges do more harm to you than they motivate you to overcome your... experience. Today feels like you have failed because men have died under the attack of war-mages, but you know what? Men would have died if there weren't any war-mages either, you see."

"I've seen you crack his neck from my side, I saw the satisfaction in your action, but think about it like this: what was his fault in what happened to you, or the 26^th? I'm not trying to downplay your suffering, Pepper, I'm trying to make you pull yourself out from it, I'm trying to have you stop beating yourself over it; because one day, you will slip because of this grudge, then you will blame yourself a thousandfold and I don't want that to happen to my favorite general." He rolled his eyes.

"I know, we've been knowing each other for a week, but yes. It's only natural that anthros root for other anthros, no? But, very seriously now, listen to my advice; if there's someone you really need to put down, then it's that one wizard who took enjoyment from it, but not even he deserves your hatred. Hate Bojor Ironfist for being a callous half-man, gods damn it." He sighed through his nostrils and rubbed his eyes in a sort of frustration.

"You've got an entire army holding your back, just as glad to sacrifice their lives to make sure you live and that the task you give. Look, even the 137^th knows about Leftenant Mousy "the Undying", we had you as an example on how determination is key to survival and efficiency. As a matter of fact, I do feel rather displeased with myself for not realizing that none other than Madame Mousy the Undying is a general in my grand army, not until you pulled your tag out." He gave her a mild shake and lowered his head so that his icicle eyes would be as the same level as hers, while keeping his snout at a comfortable, non-invading distance.

"So, for the sake of your name, for the sake of the soldiers you inspired, for the sake of a fan standing in front of you, accept the defeat and pull yourself away from the past, lest you'll drown in your sour memories."

The province of Northspark was successfully annexed. The troops were filled with confidence after the Emperor secured this victory himself by marching on the field of battle alongside the men and women of the army.

[Military Morale +] [Dwarven Esteem +] [Anthro Esteem +]

Territories : 69/520











The provinces of Whealbee(Human Kingdom ; Eagleblade) and Graw’aa(Elven Lands) were successfully annexed. The peaceful victory at Whealbee has brought relief to the common folk, perhaps there are indeed ways to end this war without all-out bloodshed. The victory at Graw’aa is another step in the right direction for the campaign, yet the heavy losses dishearten the troops.

[Human Esteem +] [Elven Esteem +] [Population Morale +] [Military Morale - ]

Territories : 71/520
The nations are now fully aware of the existence of Aleko Sendrakon, the heir to the Imperial Throne. However, the vast majority don’t know what to make of this. Some doubt of his chances for success, other believe that maybe he is the beginning to an end to this war but are not particularly confident in him. Many have never heard of him outside of rumor, there being only speculations about what type of person he may be. More importantly, the common folk are more worried about their daily lives being affected by the resuming of the war. The military troops themselves do not relish the idea of an all-out combat once again against potential former comrades in days long past.

[Population Morale - ] [Military Morale - ]

Morning caught Aleko wide awake, him suffering from restlessness after the passing of a tumultuous day; his shoulder joint still stung him in all the most unpleasant ways, but at least he wouldn't return home with a scar to tell about his little bout. With his fur clean, his garments strapped to his body under the weight of a plate suit, his long sword hanging stiffly from his waist and the rifle strapped on his good shoulder, the shepherd made his way to the courtyard of the newly acquired fortress to meet with his two generals, receive their reports and head home. It took a couple of hours for the dwarven general to make his appearance, who had only the best of news coming from the hometown they recently annexed along with the province. With nothing else needing his personal attention there, the emperor pulled out the peculiar stone general Bulkwyn handled him, giving it a firm squeeze in his leather-gloved hands.

"Well, we may have this, but master Cyrus didn't leave any instru-" once more, he found himself interrupted by a sickening sensation of becoming nothing but outspread matter for a fraction of a second, then, regain his physical form within the next fraction in a completely new environment.

Of course, he did recognize the study as soon as his eyes adjusted with the lighting and distance of objects in the room he had been teleported in, but just under a second ago the chilly air was chapping away at his wet nostrils, the earthy soil of the courtyard lightly sinking under his weight replaced by a creaking hardwood floor. The halfling had to blink a few times to adjust himself to the new surroundings, his stomach taking a rather hard blow that left him winded. To Bojor's groan, he could only nod.

"I'll never get used to-" Aleko then loudly cleared his throat after swallowing a sip bile "-I'll never get used to this."

Now, he was aboard his new home after a worthy success. As he walked over to his quarters, steel clattering against the hallways as he made his way through the half-familiar corridors, his shoulders slowly dropped as tension slowly made out of him, his body now adjusting to the non-combat status.

But I can't help it he thought, it doesn't feel right. I did this one for myself, not under some orders of any sort. Well, I've done it for the people too, but those people respond to my calls. I'm not made for this. This Empire isn't mine.

The shepherd groaned and shook his head once he was in the confinements of his quarters; he loosened every strap that held his suit of armor on him and slid his body out, his pores and furs feeling most grateful for being released from under the constant pressure and stiffness of padded clothing. A nice, hot bath would definitely help him to soak his muscles loose and finally relax.

And this why it all feels odd. Everything is offered to me on a silver platter and I still don't know exactly why.

Before he could get to the wash closet, he noticed the plaque, a hard, cold knot rolling down his throat as he read the names of those who had lost their lives to bring him to such luxury. It felt ever worse. But clarity hit him once he had finished bathing, a sort of a queer idea running through his mind, but at the same time, a sound, well-mannered decision. By the time he had dressed in more comfortable, yet, still nobly attires, the wizard had showed up to greet the heir and congratulate him for his victory. It indeed was weird for the canine to learn that the rumors spread alarmingly fast, which only meant that the secrecy of their actions could only be taken in a very narrow time frame before all the wrong attention will be upon them. Master Cyrus was certainly proud about the success, adamantly reminding Aleko that the true empire would finally make its glorious return.

You're clinging to a dream like a heavy anchor, old man.

Then, Scribe made its appearance, bless it. Aleko felt an eerie charm about the skeletal being as it showed enthusiasm about him too, in its own way. Poor child. Which reminded him:

"Master Cyrus", Aleko started, "I have a request from you, if you'll allow me to appeal to your resources. I-" he cleared his throat once more before he turned his gaze over to one of the large windows viewing the world below "-I can't help but to feel rather uneasy in this fortress. Leaving aside the accommodation issues that I am still struggling with, there is this sense of- I can only describe it as if I feel I do not deserve all this, at least, I feel uncomfortable having all this luxury all by myself."

"As such, I wish to bring someone aboard the Escalyber to share this luxury with me, someone that deserves it more than I do for all the efforts and hardships they had to endure for my mere existence. Cyrus, I would like to ask you to find my mother and have her brought to me. She deserves to be treated as the mother of an emperor, therefore, I will not have her on Freedom Island a day no more."

“Your... mother?” Cyrus pondered for a brief moment before giving his answer. “Of course... She is welcome here. I will send word and arrange for her to be brought here as soon as possible. I assume she currently lives in one of the provinces from Freedom Isle, no?”

"That is correct." The canine answered, nodding to the wizard. "From her last letter, I understand that she has retreated to a cottage in the province of Zeiserberg, at the outskirts of its capital city. Here." Aleko reached for a pocket, from where he pulled a small golden medallion with a couple of emerald finely-cut stones which he offered to Cyrus.

"In case she will be reluctant to follow you, show her this. Once you show it, heh, there will be very little in her way to find me. I'd bet a couple of hundred she would walk the distance." He stated with a small smile, the features of his beautiful mother passing through his mind in one of his most treasured childhood memories.

Before their discussion concluded, Cyrus had brought to his attention that only he would be able to discover the motivations of his generals and and envoys. That brought a frown upon Aleko's forehead and a pout of frustration. He brought his hands from his back unto the sill of the large window and lowered his weight upon them.

Bastards, he thought bitterly, his fingers tapping the metal, you were too afraid to reveal your intentions. Too afraid to even lie to me, lest I would have caught you later. Or Cyrus might be hiding their opinions from me. The canine snorted disdainfully as he pushed himself away from the window and turned towards the throne, walked towards it and stopped right in front of it.

They never really work fully in your favor, do they? Up here, there's no such thing as loyalty. It's partnership. Quid pro quo. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. I am curious, what would happen if I were to pull a couple of rugs from under some people's feet?

He tapped his fingers against the throne's arm rest before he left.



The same tap pattern could now be heard vibrating through the heavy table in the council room. The emperor, dressed in dark blue garbs that contrasted will with his white fur and piercing gaze, appeared relaxed, yet, very present within the discussions held at the table. He only moved his eyes to meet Marcus's own as he addressed himself to the emperor. To his question, Aleko nodded slowly.

"Yes." He uttered in a lax tone.

He had to keep an open ear and mind to the following discussion, as the talk of Mage-Trees seemed to touch a few sensible spots here and there, especially since a number of ethical issues have been raised on how to handle the odd resource. Of course there were clashing opinions, the high elf envoy became a nuisance in a very short amount of time since he had opened his mouth, but Eamon struck a nerve in Aleko. To him, it became very clear that the anthro was there for personal gain, knowing that the transport of the trees and the production of sap would fill his hefty vaults with more gold. With ideas here and there, thoughts and opinions thrown around like paper pellets, it soon came time for him to have the final say in the matter. He glanced to his left and right, noticing the envoys waiting for his conclusion. The halfling sighed and tapped the table once more.

"Master Groverunner." He called, his eyes immediately darting towards the elf. "Believe me when I say that I understand your reluctance about the nature of those trees, their properties and the means of obtaining them. I know that it bears a great insult towards your culture and I'd like to have a quick discussion about that. Allow me to formulate an analogy." Aleko cleared his throat and straightened his back.

"Most of us here enjoy consuming meat, am I not right? Fowl, pork, beef, venison, you name it, most of us do. Us, carnivorous anthros, enjoy meat too, oh, we do love it, especially if it's prey meat. For a wolf, prey could mean a pig, a boar, a stray sheep, even a deer. But it took us several thousand years to evolve from what we would now consider cannibalism. Due to that issue, all natural prey anthros are now very reluctant about natural predators, not to mention any form of meat. Yes, even from un-evolved livestock."

"But have they imposed this reluctance on other races that consume meat on a daily basis? No, that is because they understand that for some organisms, it is impossible to live without meat. Try keeping your children on vegetables only diet and they will die in a matter of weeks. What I mean to say is that, although it is highly troubling and deeply disturbing for them to see their lesser kin slaughtered for food, they understand the necessity of the act and accept the usefulness of the resources obtained from livestock."

The emperor then lands his palm against the table, pushing himself on his feet, allowing him to stride around the table at a slow pace.

"Which brings us to the issue at hand. Those trees, let me tell you, disturb me as well; yet, it would seem that the properties of its sap could grant us quite some advantages. The humans have discovered that it may be used as a healing balm, the anthros have found it may be conversed into a sedative gas, both of which may bring significant advance in medicinal practice and science. With these on the table, Master Groverunner, you find it more ethical to deny life and salvation from the wounded and sick in favor for an edict put in practice by ancestors long gone and dead?"

Yes, I'm painting a big bull's eye on your back, elf. He thought to himself. You'd better start thinking progressively if you don't wish to be replaced.

"Master Weissnout's proposition sounds better to me, under a few conditions: saplings are to be distributed in equal number to our human and anthro allies, so that Winterpeak may further their studies and obtain the aforementioned balm, and Freedom Island to concoct the gas. Which brings us to the second condition: you may not arm your troops with this sleeping gas just yet. I will allow you to manufacture and test it- here's my third condition -in clinics for surgical procedures that requires the patient to be fully sedated. If you two prove that this sap can be safely used as a balm and as a sedative, you two will have won yourself eternal gratitude for creating a project that could save millions of lives."

"Therefore, you are to collect the sap, destroy the trees as you see fit, share the saplings and start studying. Under no conditions are you to use those saplings for anything other than the production of more magical sap, or I will see that the Emerald Council will pay you a personal visit. Any other questions?"

---

The Ice Trolls were on the move and wreaking havoc, a rather frightening thought. For some reason, though, Aleko found it amusing enough for him to choke a smirk. But all of the amusement he felt was soon bashed away by Groverunner's less than subtle attitude towards the situation.

When captain Riley told us that elves stick their ears into every little issue that isn't theirs, I thought he was only being a racist knob, the shepherd sighed as he drew attention upon himself with several taps on the table, I hate it that he was right. I need to deal with this folly with a firm hand; I am in control, not the elves.

"Master Groverunner," Aleko uttered, throwing a stern look at the elf, "I see that you wish to extend your authority over other nations' governments and internal affairs. Why won't you take a seat in my stead, then?" He lifted his eyebrows briefly and allowed for a few seconds of silence to pass before he would continue.

"We will have to keep the troll population in check. As I see it, lethal force is necessary in order to keep them under control, at least, for now. And, what I mean by for now, is that we might be able to employ the knock-out gas to sedate the trolls and relocate them. What I am saying is that this situation will be dealt with in two phases: first phase, thin out the population using lethal force with caution, do not render them extinct unless you're forced to do so; second phase, once the anthros manage to concoct a distributable form of this sap gas, you are to sedate the trolls, trap them and have them moved someplace where they will not pester any forms of civilization. Where you will put them exactly, it is up to you to decide, master Cloudkeeper."

With the meeting coming to an end, Aleko headed towards the most quiet part of the fortress, the study. There, his mind could cleanse itself, just by throwing long glances over the neatly arranged bookshelves; the smell, the air itself seemed to calm him down. He found it useful to visit the study after each and every meeting with either the envoys, or the generals, as it would offer him the needed calmness to replay the conversations and review the attitudes of every individual. He certainly took a disliking to the elf envoy today. Luckily, he didn't have enough time to think about it, as Cyrus had made his appearance; perfect, as Aleko would quickly inquire about his mother. No success yet, no wonder, but it should be understandable why the shepherd was so eager to have his mother come on board the Escalyber. It was a much safer place, befit for a woman that had been through a tough life.

Then, Anna made her apparition in the study, promptly bringing up reports for him; she once again apologized for her intrusion, to which the shepherd smiled warmly and shook his hand dismissively. Per master Earthward's request, the emperor made his way to the research chamber quickly after Anna took her leave. Once there, the canine was greeted by the dwarf, the lizardman and the sorrowful chief engineer. These three had a remarkable invention on their desk, one that left the young emperor genuinely excited; Aleko examined every corner and detail of the apparatus, absorbing its shape and mechanisms.

"Of course I approve of this, it's a marvelous invention! I am most impressed by your work, Master Earthward, T'Chun and Reginal. Yes, this must be replicated and deployed, both for civilian and military use." Aleko then stopped and laid a finger on his own lips, lightly frowning. "Though, if we were to lose one of these to the enemies... an encryption method must be found to avoid incidents. But I am sure that will pose no problem for you. Marvelous work indeed. I will see that you are rewarded accordingly."

For a while, though, the image of the anthro haunted the emperor. While he did not want to be too pushy about any issue that wasn't his, it worried him that one of his underlings might be facing potentially dangerous amounts of sadness. He would look into this issue some time later, now he needed to clear his mind some more in the study. Which, in the end, did not quite work in his favor, as he managed to stumble upon a book that seemed to draw his curiosity to no end, so much that he snatched it for himself.



Blasted book. Good thing the day was rather easy for the emperor to endure, with two major reports to review and plenty of time to steal incognito naps in between various duties. The one bit of information that made the young emperor sink into himself was that Avalon started to grow aware of his movements. From now, caution had to be exercised, the next few steps had to be subtle and well-mannered. As well-mannered as a foe can be, for that matter. And, there was now word about his mother's whereabouts yet.

Issues are mounting up now, Aleko thought to himself, gazing pensively through the window pane in his personal quarters, my mind needs to remain brisk and crisp.

He turned his attention back to the dismantled rifle in his lap to resume cleaning the dark grey residue that accumulated in all the most impossible nooks, crannies and grooves of the intricate trigger assembly. He sighed and took a quick break to reassess where else the gunpowder had built up, shifting the mechanism into the light in the attempt to find any of the build-up.

I've killed a few days ago, he pondered, I've seen combat again. My shoulder's a bit raw, there's a bruise on my chest. I've struck down men with my blade and shot down others. You do get used to it, so much that it feels like second natures. That's worrying. What... what did my father think of killing?



Good reports were coming in, which finally made Aleko react. He'd been doing rather decent so far, even though he had very little idea of what and how emperors should do; of course, the generals played a big role in the success of the operations, but they acted under his supervisions and at his orders. He couldn't help but to feel some pride within him, seeing himself succeed in the boots of his late father. Word of his mother has yet to arrive, which started to worry him; where could she have gone to? Even if she weren't in the province, someone could easily point where she could have went. If they managed to find him, a woman that's not meant to be hidden would be a lot easier to fetch. Curious.

The letters were related one to another, about the general Asimov he managed to capture during the assault. The vile thoughts that ran through his mind at the moment of capture were long gone, Aleko finding himself a lot more composed and apt to deal with the captive general accordingly and avoid any incidents that would brand him a criminal. Even so, the eyes of many he would still be considered one, just because he bears the name. Sendrakon, thought to have been extinguished in nine-hundred ninety-six, stands now twenty-five years later through his blood.

Aleko choked loudly and starting coughing violently until he spat out the bite of pulled pork that nearly killed him. He was on his feet, his eyes planted on the desk as his mind ran some frantic calculations, each and every time the result would be the same.

"No," he uttered, speaking his mind to himself, "this can't be right. What in the bloody Skerom is... no."



"General," Aleko called the man beyond the cell bars, "I would like to have a quick word with you. If you answer me this, your freedom is guaranteed."

The halfling sat down on a chair in front of the cell, his doublet and trousers matching the colors of his eyes and fur.

"I'm not seeking any information about the Old Empire, general, my men have tried enough. This one's more personal." The shepherd leaned against the back of the chair, his gaze never leaving the eyes of the human locked behind the bars.

"On the field, you estimated my age at twenty-seven to twenty-eight. Is that correct, or have I misheard?"

The answer came soon. Aleko found himself grinding his teeth before he pushed the chair away in order to stand up and take his leave.

"Thank you, general. You will be released and sent back home."

Mere moments later, Aleko found the wizard after he rushed down every corridor and room that stood in his way. He left aside the courtesy of greetings and instead pulled the old man with him in his personal quarters and locked the door behind. Aleko threw a fist at the door to vent some of his anger, but seeing it as being insufficient, he also slammed his forehead against the door. But when he turned around, the halfling bore a big smile, one that was a far shot from being warm or friendly.

"Master Cyrus. I believe that the court wizard is the wisest, most knowledgeable individual within a noble infrastructure, am I not correct?" Aleko started, leaving very little room for the old man to reply before he continued. "That means, you are most assured that my father, the last of Sendrakon, died in nine-hundred ninety-six; that would prove your knowledge in relatively recent history, correct?"

"Good. We are currently in year one thousand twenty-six, gods bless us to see this year. Now, being a wizard, one could assume that calculus is also a feat of yours, no? So, let's see, if we subtract nine-nine-six from ten-hundred twenty-six, we obtain... ah, thirty! Well, quite easy, is it not? If you add thirty to nine-nine-six, you obtain one thousand twenty-six. Good, good, so we are proficient in this department too, no?"

"How about biology, Master Cyrus? Surely, one would know that all humanoid races bear their offspring in the womb for roughly nine to eight months, am I not correct? Of course I am. How do I know?"

Aleko, which strode around in a calm demeanor, suddenly launched a kick at a chair, hurling the object against a wall; the wooden furniture loses the bout, dismantling and splintering all over the floor.

"I know for certain that my mother didn't carry me five years in her womb, Cyrus!" Shouted Aleko, snarling and growling viciously. "Unless my father in fact survived the purge, I don't see how it happened, Cyrus! Are you following me? How in all the fucking gods' names am I here? Did his ghost fuck my mother during her sleep, Cyrus? Does my mother crave decomposed cocks? Or are you a sore liar looking for a scapegoat for your ambitions?" Aleko stepped up to the elder, raising a finger.

"I told you. If I found something, anything suspicious, I leave. How about you become sincere for once and tell me where is she. Where is my mother?" Aleko slammed his fist against the table and snapped his fingers repeatedly afterwards in front of the wizard's nose.

"Where. Is. My. Mother! Focus, Cyrus, focus on the truth and tell me!"