But killing the strongest people on the planet in order to start a war seems like the opposite of that mentality. I need to be careful around this emperor. I have no goddamn idea what his angle on all of this is. Why would he want to start a guild war? And why was my name thrown into the supporters? I never fucking agreed to that. I just wanted to kill Loranor for what he tried to do to me.
Eleven of the emperor's holograms disappear, and the one remaining speaks. “You were right, Merrick. They were all paid off, and several of them were conspiring to assassinate me in the most lame way possible. I had to burn some long standing contacts and resources to confirm it, but it was well worth it. Now it’s time to see if this war will help the planet like you said it would.”
“Monsters are getting stronger and more aggressive, ambient mana levels are rising, causing more and more magical phenomena, and more dungeons are spawning, just like they have been for the last century, almost. Now that this initiation has started, we know why.” Merrick responds, dropping his usual sarcastic/snarky attitude for complete seriousness.
“Yeah, four planets means four times the initiates, which means they need a harder planet to test them on. And I assume you mean to either wipe out the Spacers Guild in its entirety or clear it of the cancer that has taken over it these last few centuries.” He looks melancholic for a moment before speaking with a slightly somber tone. “They have strayed far from the man who created that guild.”
Merrick stands up and gives the emperor a deep bow. “Emperor Kleon, I thank you for all you have done today. I promise it will all be worth it. But I must take my leave now, I have a war to prepare for.”
“Merrick Baradia, you better keep that promise. Now, everyone, leave me and the space mage alone. I’d like to talk to him in private.” The emperor demands.
Morah gives a deep bow to the emperor as well before leaving, though she looks fairly pissed off at her brother. I’d bet that Merrick went behind her back to set this up. She’s supposed to be the next family head, so news that said family is going to war is something she probably should know. Thankfully that’s none of my business.
Daniel stands up and just bluntly states. “I’m so fucking excited to go back to war, Ray! This is the best gift you could have gotten me!” Then he gives me a huge hug and leaves Loranor’s leg on the floor as he walks out of the room whistling.
I quickly teleport that leg into my storage core. Waste not, want not.
“So, I finally get to meet you. I’ve read the reports on you and your friends. Seemingly the only space mage from all four planets that has survived until now. Well, who the fuck knows if those mantis things have a space mage? I don’t know why the [System] categorizes them as people and not monsters. None of my people have been able to communicate with them, and I don’t speak bug, so I’m very in the dark about them as a whole. Ah, I’m rambling. Forgive me.
“You’ve done fairly well for yourself despite coming from a world without any knowledge of mana. I’ve seen initiates do better, of course, but rarely is it space mages that lead the charge. For some reason, all of you love to run away instead of facing me, which is why I’ve mostly ignored your kind. But the Spacers Guild has perhaps gotten too… out of hand. They got greedy and fat once they built all those intercity portals and figured they could make so much more money by exclusively pandering to the rich and powerful. And some of that is partly my fault. I should not have let them move in that direction unchallenged. But now it is too late. If I act personally, the rest of the guilds and houses will lose their trust in me. I’m supposed to be impartial during sanctioned wars, after all.”
I don’t like where this is going. I didn’t even want this war in the first place, and now the goddamned emperor is about to either demand or ask something of me, and I’m not sure I have the choice to refuse.
“I never wanted a war. I just wanted to kill a guy who tried to enslave me. This has gotten way bigger than I ever intended.” I say, hoping to stop what he’s about to ask next.
“Rational people don’t want wars, Ray. But they do see the necessity of them. Whether it be by the whims of the [System], some Great Being, or just plain luck, you have the potential to be the greatest space mage this planet has ever seen. But it will not be easy, and you can’t do it alone. So, I have a favor and an offer for you, if you’re willing to hear me out.”
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I nod my head.
“I want you to be the figurehead of the war against the Spacers Guild. If the less powerful guilds and houses that have been sidelined by the Spacers see that you, a space mage, are fighting for them, they will join you. And if you accept, I offer you a noble title and grant you the authorization to start your own Great House. Great House Alder. And you would, of course, get all of the benefits and advantages that being a noble grants you.”
Sometimes, I hate when I’m exactly right. At least he’s asking me and not demanding me. But fuck, this is all so sudden. I haven't even had time to process the events of the night, and now I’m being asked to lead some crusade against the Spacers Guild? At least he’s offering me something, not that I really know what being a noble will get me.
“I see you're not completely convinced yet. I could also be persuaded to reveal a few secret stashes created by a certain space mage friend from the past. Some good loot and techniques, I promise you. All created by the Space Sovereign himself when he was an initiate.” He offers.
Ah, I’ve seen his statue before. At that park in the undead city with other statues. I didn’t know he was an initiate, though. I could use that. Especially since I doubt the Spacers Guild wants to teach me anything now. God damn it, the war’s already declared and my name is already tied to it. There's no escaping this. Might as well sign up for it instead.
“Ok. Fine. I agree to be your figurehead, but I want those stash locations now. I need as much help as I can get.” I say with a sigh.
“Good lad. I’ll have them sent over more secure lines by the end of the day. One last tip, really play up the high and mighty act when trying to convince people to fight for you. Public dissent towards the Spacers Guild is at an all-time high. Now, off with you, Hero. You have a war to win.”
His hologram dissipates, and the orb shuts off.
“What have I gotten myself into? Not me. Merrick dragged me into this. If I die in this war, I’m going to haunt him and become the most annoying ghost of all time. Or maybe Duncan can bring me back to life long enough to kill him myself.”
As if timed by God himself, I get a [Quest] update notification.
[You have completed a secondary quest.]
Help Duncan reunite with his brother.
Reward
+1 Constitution
Message from [Quest] giver
Wow, auspicious timing. Good job with this [Quest], bad job at not starting a war that will soon involve the entire planet. To each their own, I suppose. The good news is that Clark is alive again, depending on your definition of "alive," and will make a great asset in this war. Good luck, and don’t think that being a general gets you off the hook from my [Quests]. You’re my agent first and foremost.
I get up and leave the room, finding Daniel, Stella, and Doctor Hari outside waiting for me. Daniel is barely holding back his excitement, while the other two just look worried.
“Well, the emperor just made me a noble of a brand new house, House Alder, and asked me to figurehead this war against the Spacers.” I say with a small sigh.
“That’s great! Look at you! Moving up in the world!” Daniel says with a laugh.
“Well, I guess I’m in then.” Stella says. “Let me know if you need a healer. What am I saying? Of course you’ll need a healer. You need a healer right now.”
“We can put my eye back in later. There are more pressing matters right now. I have to figure out how war works here and if there are any rules and regulations. I’m going to talk to Morah and Merrick.”
Doctor Hari hands me back my now repaired eye, and I store it away for the future. I don’t really even need eyes, so one is good enough for now. I expand my spatial senses to fill up the entire house and quickly locate the siblings I’m looking for in a room with about a dozen people gathered around the table. I open a portal there and close it after only Daniel and I step through.
Other than Merrick and Morah, everyone else in the room is in guard uniforms, captains, or something based off of the star pin on their collar that most guards don’t have.
“The man of the hour, everyone!” Merrick says as I enter.
I send him a glare and don’t even bother speaking to him. He knows he dragged me into this, and he’s not even sorry. I’m also starting to get the feeling that this war has been brewing for a while, and a space mage showing up and butting heads with the Spacers Guild was exactly what they needed to kickstart it.
“The emperor made me a noble and basically told me to be a walking recruitment ad for this war. I have no idea how a sanctioned Guild War is supposed to go down and no real war experience in general.”
“It’s pretty simple. Outside of any city limits, anything goes. Inside city limits, only the guild district is approved for combat, as it has its own wards and protections separate from the rest of the city. Killing a non-combatant civilian or fighting outside of sanctioned areas is a war crime and will get the council enforcers sent after you. You must either be wearing your guild colors or house symbol at all times. You must pay for any and all damage you do to the city, except for damage done to buildings that the other side owns. And hiding in the safe parts of the city is not outlawed, but it is a massively cowardly move. Everyone will hate you for that. The war officially starts in thirty-eight minutes.” Morah hands me a piece of paper with a bunch of names and locations on it and a patch that has House Baradia’s symbol on it.
“These are our allies who need to be ferried around the city. Get them in position at the Necromancers Guild. That will be our headquarters in the Guild District. And wear that until you create your own for House Alder.”
“Thanks, I needed to stop by there anyway.”
Shortly after leaving the Baradia compound, an announcement rings out through the city from some sort of magical PA system. I immediately recognize the voice, as I had just spoken to him, or at least one of him, less than ten minutes ago.
“Hello, citizens of the empire. This is your emperor, Kleon the seventeenth, with a message to every city. In thirty-five minutes, a sanctioned Guild War will commence. You all know the rules by now. Get out of the guild districts if you don’t want to fight, and get in there if you do. Good luck, and may the strongest win.”
“This is going to be so much fun, Ray!” Daniel says as we get to the first of many locations.