Chapter 7 Part 2 of 2 (Patreon)

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Once again a meeting of all the High Elders was called. What was once a yearly meeting had turned weekly.

Their expressions didn’t reveal anything as they took their seats.

The Head walked in as they were sitting standing at the desk between them all, his eyebrows pinched together in anger.

The High Elders quickly took their seats.

“Two hours, two hours!” He slammed his fist into the table, breaking it apart.

“Split Peak City, the largest city under our command in the Second Realm, our largest by population fell in just two hours!”

Elders eyes flicked to the Elder who’s faction had controlled the city.

“Don’t look at him you idiots! Are you so ingrained to your factions you don’t see what is happening? Are you so focused on attacking one another you haven’t noticed our supply convoys being hit across the realms. Our hidden forces torn out into the open. The blades hidden and out in the open pointed at our throats?”

Cai Bo, a High Elder who didn’t bow her head in front of anyone, dipped her eyes low, not wanting to gain the Insititute Head’s eyes.

“It seems everyone and their dog wants a piece of us. Information that should have been secret is nothing more than wife’s gossip. If I wanted a detailed plan of our supply convoy’s movements, or our troop deployments I just need to go talk to a farm hand!”

The pressure on the High Elder’s was stifling.

“At the same time, you idiots have not been able to control your own people. Internally we’re more of a mess than ever before. Are you all blind?”

He fell silent and sat down in his chair.

“After the fall of Split Peak, eight, eight other cities are under attack; three in the Second Realm, two in the Third Realm and three in the Fourth Realm! Other armies are forming up and preparing to attack us.”

“We need to make an example! Cut down our enemies and show the others that we will not go peacefully!” High Elder Saddan said.

“Just who the hell do we attack? There are twenty three different sects working together, forty seven different mercenary groups,” Head Foster sneered.

“What about the Adventurer’s Association?” Cai Bo continued quickly. “They have been a key part in this war; fighting against Meokar, and in Split Peak City. They’re offering discounted prices to join the armies attacking us.”

“Many mercenary companies are reducing their prices. They want more of the loot from the captured cities. Though they have been a leading part of this attack. What are you thinking?” Head Foster thought aloud.

Cai Bo swallowed quickly under his gaze. It was like standing in the face of a rhino, not knowing if it was peaceful or would charge the next moment.

“They are spread across the lower realms, but in the higher realms, they have a clear headquarters in Vuzgal. If we apply pressure on Vuzgal, force out the Association, then cut them down. Put a bounty on their leaders’ heads.”

“Vuzgal is a place I’ve heard of. Do you think that they will give in? There are a lot of interests.”

“I think that there is more to Vuzgal than meets the eye.” The fact that Mistress Mercy remembers Colonel Domonos. That we have records of someone of the same name joining our Institute who is supposed to be dead. There is something going on there, but I don’t know what.

“What do you mean?”

“I do not have anything definitive right now but I think that the Vuzgal leadership is linked to the Adventurer’s Association and they have a secret.”

Cai Bo gripped her hands tightly under the desk under the Head’s gaze.

“It shows weakness to give me ideas and your thoughts but not a plan to carry it out with. Though that is what we need right now. We might not have a plan to resolve this, but we need to share and help one another. Very well. High Elder Cai Bo, you’ve impressed me with your ability to put down your own conflicts and reveal information that isn’t confirmed but is possible. Go and rattle the Adventurer’s Association and Vuzgal, see what you can find out. For the rest of you,” he scanned the room.

“I am calling martial law! Pull everyone back! yYu will create mixed units of all your factions. They’ll be watching one another and pissed off, so it should reduce the number of instances of in-fighting and reveal who is giving out our information.”

“Some group must be leading this. It is too smooth, the events too close together. I am not saying that it is just one group, but there is an alliance among our enemies that are moving against us. They might not have even shown their teeth. Even this Adventurer’s Association that was slighted is joining in on the fight! All of our old enemies are growing bold and working together. Once one attack happened, the others started coming in one after another.”

“Find out who the real enemy is. In the meantime, we’ll make an example of this Adventurer’s Association. This is a list of cities that must not fall! If the others are under attack, pull back our resources and people. We cannot defend them all. We must cut off the rot to become stronger!”

Cai Bo and the Elders looked at the scroll Head Foster [mc12] put on the table. It was a death sentence to the city and the leadership who were sure to lose their position.

I just need to focus on the Adventurers Association. I have a thread I need to keep pulling. I must find out if Mercy has found anything else and devote resources to digging up the truth on Domonos Silaz.