Chapter 2 Part 1 of 1 (Patreon)

Chapter: Head of the Imperium

Eli’keen, leader of the was in the Imperium war room, he had only needed to be in this room three times in the last millenia since he joined the Imperium.

This wasn’t like the other times.

Clive Andross walked into the war room with his group of advisors and guards. He wore his armor, well used and repaired, his sword hanging from his hip almost a part of him. His balding head had been shaved the ever-present scruff of a beard.

He looked like a man born to frown, with deep lines across his forehead, his severe green eyes seemed to cut through man, maps and lies, getting to the heart of the matter. An athletic man, who gained his size through fighting instead of body alterations.

The new head of the Imperium, reached the massive map table, showing a rotating sphere of the ninth realm.

“Well its time we cleared up this fuck up. I have ordered all remaining forces in the tenth and ninth back to the seventh realm. Associations and mission hall are coordinating with the sects and alliances, it is about time they put in some work to defend their own freedom.” He rapped his fingers on the wooden table. Getting a few snorts and mutterings of agreement.

Clive swiped his hand across the map, to the seventh realm map, closing the matter.

“Eli’keen, can you get us all up to date?”

“Yes head,” Eli’Keen bowed and stepped forward.

“Since the loss of Avegaaren, fighting has moved to the seventh realm, with sporadic fighting in the sixth realm. The Mission Hall and heroes are containing the tears in the sixth for now. Some have gone to the eighth realm and are fighting the creatures there, the place is filled with dungeons and fighting constructs with the totems closed, the shattered can only travel between the eighth and ninth.”

“They cultivating?” Clive asked, leaning his chest over the table, commanding it.

“They are, and increasing in ability quickly, a few die from it, but they’re getting stronger overall.” Eli’keen noticed Weebla enter the room from a side door, staying in the back and watching.

“Alvans and their allies support us in the seventh realm, combined with the assistance of other groups the seventh realm is banding together for the first time since the Imperium was created.”

“Alvans this, alvans that,” Clive snarled and shook his head. “We hold the ten realms, we have for centuries, they’ve been barely an existence for a decade. Thank you Eli’Keen. Alright, so we’ve fought the Shattered before, done so for as long as the Imperium has been standing. Just got a few more of them to deal with this time. With our re-organized forces we will gather in the seventh realm city Cronen, then we’ll lead an assault on the ninth realm, retake the realm, draft those Alvans in, give them a free lesson on how to deal with Shattered.”

Eli’keen hid his grimace. He sees it just like another Mission to close tears. Eli’keen looked at the map, while the Shattered attacked everything they could, everything that had happened in the last three weeks spoke to planning, not coincidence.

“That should let them redeem some honor for losing the ninth realm.” Clive sneered as he stood upright and waved over his commanders.

Eli’keen closed his eyes and sighed. The loss in the ninth realm had been a big one, it had hurt the Imperium’s pride deeply.

Clive and his commanders started to strategize on entering the ninth realm and reclaiming it as Eli’keen moved beside Weebla, against the wall.

“He’s a party leader not a military commander,” Eli’keen said.

“He’s got the Charisma strength and age. Too old for us to mold into a leader, young enough to be an idiot.” Weebla said.

Eli’keen gave a twinge of a smile, Xun Liang’s loss and the loss of so many friends and family members had hit them both hard.

A messenger walked in, scanned the room and walked towards him.

Eli’keen pushed off the wall

“Report from our people in the tenth realm,” The messenger passed him a scroll.

Eli’keen reviewed it and frowned, quickly turning to alarm.“Akran, are you sure?”

“Yes sir.”

“We thought he was dead.” He looked at Weebla.

“Hoped he was, devious little bastard.”

“If he’s back in the ten realms then it doesn’t bode well. He’s anything but a dumb beast. He’ll have a plan. Where is he?”

“At the Ascension platform.”

Weebla scoffed. “Well Rekha wanted a strong opponent.”

“There’s no one defending the platform.”

“What?” Weebla hissed, stepping towards him.

“Everyone was pulled back from the eighth and higher.”

“Shit, if he destroys it, then we’ll never have another ascendant, those formations were made by them, we haven’t any idea how they work still.” She hit her fist into her thigh. “Fuck.”

People looked over at her outburst.

Eli’keen took the scroll and walked over to Clive who was looking.

“Something happen?” Clive asked.

Eli’keen passed him the scroll.

“Akran, he’s the strongest Devourer we have seen, nearly four hundred years ago he attacked the ten realms and he was a level three devourer, scrying formations were able to get a reading on him, he’s a level five, all the elements packed into one body.”

Clive let out a low grunt.

“He has to be the one coordinating this.”

Clive finished reading and closed the scroll passing it back.

“He has a large number of sworn I’ll agree, but leading this, the Shattered are little more than beast, some can take human form, but they’re not like the demi-humans of the ten realms. Says that his sworn have spread out and are creating tears from the shattered realms to the ninth, sure he can control his sworn, but the other shattered, ain’t no way.”

“What about the Ascension Platform?”

Clive sighed and put his hand on Eli’keen.

“In two millenia not one person has ascended, while I’d love to have a few ascendants on our side, its not going to happen. If this Akran takes a liking to the place and gets comfortable, I’d thank the gods and skip down the halls. If Akran moves towards the front lines we’ll need to deal with him. Right now we have to retake the ninth and clear the shattered there.” Clive patted Eli’keen’s shoulder. “Get me the number of Elves and Gnomes that can fight in the ninth realm, we’ll need them to assist. Where were we?” He turned back to the commanders.

Eli’keen walked over to Weebla.

“Pretty sure of himself,” Weebla transmitted her voice through mana to his ears, so no one could hear.

“What is Akran up to, he’s been gone for so long and now he shows up at the ascension platform to destroy it? He must want something with it.”

“I agree, and leading an offensive on the ninth realm. That’s more about vanity than a tactical choice. You see how they’re planning to regain the academy and the city, plenty of room beyond to create tears.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve been out of sight out of mind for years, now people are seeing the Imperium’s strength for the first time in a long time. There’s talk of securing our land first and then considering our options. Use this as leverage against the other realms. Use the Shattered as a way to level up and increase our profits.”

“That’s,” Eli’keen shook.

“The Imperium comes from the Associations, a group that barter with power daily, you think they’d be against using leverage to use a better deal with the rest of the ten realms?” Weebla reached up and patted his arm.

“Don’t worry, there are others in the realms that care about more than just profits. There are other options, but we’ll need information to convince them.”

“The Imperium has stood longer than the ten realms existed, its foundations are firm and unwavering.”

“A society is built upon people, its roots are in its history, but the living guide it, not the ones that made that history. I feel that history is being made, and our actions will see us to tomorrow or cut us off thinking of glories past.”