On a bright and sunny day with nary a cloud in the sky a large crowd is gathered in front of a stage on a square. Judging by the rather new looking statue it is a commemoration for the statue however the atmosphere is rather solemn, a funerary memorial service for a departed hero.

The statue depicts a robed figure standing firm on a pedestal as if warding off an enemy for those behind it, words are inscribed stating a few simple words and the identity of the figure. The crowd before the statue itself is not one made up of commoners but many nobles and soldiers along with mages and students, a rather diverse gathering is attending this service. Of course the ones providing words from the stage are not ordinary figures as well, generals, archmages, and high nobles are standing there ready to or having already given words of eulogy. However there is one figure standing out particularly and which all hold great awareness of, the crown upon his head and the imperial guards arranged throughout the area speak to his identity. As each figure gives their speech until the very last speaker is him and with a sweep of his cape and a hardening of his face he heads to the front of the stage and addresses the crowd.  

“There are only so few words I can speak about simply how profound an influence Lord Hierarch Garrick had on me, as we have already heard he was a stalwart guardian of the country. So many titles did he have for one who gained them all by himself in the more than a century of service to the empire, margrave, general, hierarch, professor, so many. He was one who has time and time again for generations protected us and aided in pushing our borders into the vast expanse, he was a teacher as well and a respected mage who delved into the abyss of magic and exposed secrets for us all. However I viewed him as something else, a figure of the utmost respect. Ever since I was a child has he stood by my side to help guide me, to find my own path to take and have the strength to stride upon it. I viewed him as a grandfather who was always ready to lend an ear whenever I had trouble, and prepared to provide aid if I got into trouble. He was and this is my honest word a better family than my true family, as I have ascended to the throne in these times in the wake of his death I once more honour him. May all those who are born in the future thanks to the blood and sweat he has given to ensure the prosperity of our empire know his story and deeds. May all be sheltered under the empire’s wings”

As the figure steps down from the stage to signal the end of the service many start to disperse from the ceremony though some linger to speak to others in the crowd. The emperor and a few of the other figures who were on stage depart and enter a pre arranged carriage pulled by magnificent creatures in the livery of the imperial family. The atmosphere is a quiet one as the figures prepare for a long ride to their destination, beside the young emperor is an older female dressed in formal military affair, an older skinny man dressed in muted formal robes of a magician and another old man with an aged bulky body in formal wear fitting for a noble. Eventually one of the figures the older female speaks to the young emperor.

“It was hard wasn’t it facing the crowd”

“Yes, but it was my responsibility as is the empire itself. I will not see it crumble because the ones leading it do not care about the future prosperity of the country and see only the pretty baubles gathered over the ages. I knew what I was doing deposing the regent and ensuring my siblings did not rise to the throne, I knew but but I did it anyway”

“You did what you felt was right for the greater good and that is only what anyone can ask of you”

“Hmmph gramps would have simply asked for a bit of peace and quiet for himself along with later a drink and some good company”

“He was settling down, we all had quite a bit of turmoil when we were young. Of course he would have eventually have gotten bored and started doing something again, he was not one to change his ways too heavily. He was like that when we were young and was still like that later on, he was never one to shirk responsibility for the people. Still do not beautify him too much in your memory, we all have blood on our hands and must deal with it. He was a strict man when at war and hated to tolerate failure, much less his own. We all have done things we do not wish to speak of and you do know his nay sayers will only stay quiet for so long, he did do things we would not approve of. Even now we do not know the extent of the rules he has broken in his research but still....”

“But still we use his work, is there even a way to phase out his reforms without losing too much power. If we removed his teachings and creations simply because of the tarnished methods used to find them then we lose the edge we have against the other powers. We have all done things we do not prefer as you said but still even now what do we know what his intentions were when he commited his acts”

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“As history will know it is the result and not the method that will be recorded, he is and will be a hero of the nation and that is enough. Unless you wish to disgrace his memory and earn the ire of so many who served, worked, or were saved by him. He took many lives and some were not done with methods we like but how many more did he save. How many more would not have been born without what he did to preserve lives. Our lives yes but the world is not fair, enemies will be enemies when we need them to be and remember I know this lesson well as do you”

“Things are never so black and white as the stories are they”

“Of course, exactly how many peoples would say we are a heretic existence with our acceptance of necromancers for generations. However without them would we have survived so many wars as we had during my generation and the ones before it, even now we have made use of it. What is done is done and we can only step forward, a favorite saying of his”

“Quite sure it was worded differently but still you have your point, hmmph if only my actual family was so kind”

“No need to bring up old sorrows young one, they had their reasons and perhaps they were bad ones but regardless we have been here for you and will be for a time still. Do not mope in the past, we have a nation to safe guard”

“Listen to him your imperial highness, there is much to be done still. There will be time to mourn in the future, don’t worry about forgetting him he is not the type to ever truly begone”

“But do we know he is dead, his creations still exist do they not”

“However that could simply because he made them to last, none of the intelligent creations can sense him anymore and how can one survive such a massive blast as we found”

“Hmmph that one is like a cockroach, if he is still around then he will be fine. We all still have quite a few years left in us so if he is around he can make his way around. He once was stuck behind enemy lines for years after our army was shattered in a campagin and he ended up leading a peasant revolt and became lord of the region we were fighting for, that land is still prospering under his care. Of course we still have to ensure that what he left to us is still cared for, we were all given a portion of his assets as written in his will so we can only work towards the expectations he had of us”

“I know that oh so old ones, exactly how did I finally get enough resources to crown myself emperor, You all were part of it so take responsibility and do the paperwork for it”

“No, I have enough on my plate”

“Same”

“Sorry my emperor but this is part of the learning process”

“He gave you all skeletal clerks didn’t he”

“I will neither confirm or deny if I or anyone else has accepted such banned items”

“Of course, how could we accept things that would be against the codes of allowed magical works”

“Yes, why would anyone break such rule to avoid bureaucracy”

“Who said that they are against the rules, we have enough death row criminals and who said it was bone from sentient creatures. The old gramps was good at his work, how else do we have our dragonic golem corps”

“Surely this was a message that he wanted to convey”

“And how do I know that you three did not split some between you all that were supposed to be mine”

“Ohh my lord you want to administer all the land from a margrave along with your personal demesne and the empire, how hard working”

“Stop mocking me, fine if that is how it is. Just get the necromancers from the academy to work on more, surely he left the instructions to make more”

“He did, of course the first batch is for the government but there is reason they are hard to make”

“Of course the intelligence factor is hard to calibrate, still if he was here there would be more”

“He was a one of a kind, we cannot expect for another to be born with so much talent”

“Hmmph I am not sure we want another, such a trouble maker he could be”

“And who was the one who made sure he did not go mad, he still has the garden you suggested in perfect shape”

“Sigh just stop”

“Is there any chance for a good drink once we arrive”

“Yes, that sounds good”

“Alcoholic old fools”

“Why young emperor even you will appreciate alcohol before long, besides who said we were getting drunk. We know how to moderate”

“You mean drink a barrel of lowest concentration alcohol”

“It works it works”