Cara had been pushing herself to the limit, training non-stop for two days straight as she battled armies of demons. Her friends had grown increasingly concerned for her well-being, but Cara was determined to achieve her goal of surpassing Jared. Despite their efforts to assist her, they couldn't match the tireless work of Jared and his faction. On the third day, just as Cara was about to head out for more training, she was halted by the unexpected arrival of a young boy and a woman.
“Excuse me,” The boy said, “Are you untitled fact-ton 451?”
“I guess,” Cara replied before muttering something to herself, “We really should name ourselves,”
The boy clapped, “Yay, I’m Arien of the New World Order! We came here for peace!”
Cara blinked slowly for a few moments, “Oh you’re that faction in third place,” She finally said, “Come in I guess,”
As she let the two enter Arien smiled before asking, “Can we speak to your king? That would make things much faster,”
“We aren’t really a Monarchy,” Cara explained, “More of an Oligarchy if I had to put a label on it,”
“Oh I understand,” Arien said before pulling on Tilly’s sleeve and whispering into her ear, “What does that mean?”
“They don’t have a king,” Tilly explained, “It’s like a group of people ruling over them. Does that make sense boss?”
As Tilly finished her explanation, Arien's face lit up with understanding. "Oh, so it's like a group project where everyone is in charge but no one really knows what they're doing," he smiled, earning a chuckle from Tilly and a raised eyebrow from Cara, "So who's the leader of your...oligarchy?" he asked.
Cara let out a sigh, "We have three leaders here, I'll go get the others. Please wait here." She quickly returned with Katie and Jordan trailing behind her. Jordan extended his hand to shake Tilly's, presuming her to be the leader, but Arien interrupted to inform him that he was the king of their faction. After the brief introduction, Jordan cut to the chase, "What does the New World Order want with us?"
"We want to form an alliance with you and all other guilds," Arien explained, his eyes lighting up with hope. "We want to establish peace among all of us."
Jordan nodded in understanding, "And what is our role in this alliance? What do you need us to do?"
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"I only ask that you help seek peace among other survivors when possible," Arien replied, a smile spreading across his face.
Katie inquired, "And what can your faction offer us?"
Tilly took over, "We can provide many things. We have some of the best blacksmiths in our faction, so we can offer high-quality weaponry to your base. Additionally, we can provide protection against attacks from other factions and offer new guild members."
Cara interjected, "When you say 'every guild,' do you truly mean it?"
Arien answered eagerly, "Yes, we mean every guild that wishes to join us!"
"Then I'm sorry, but we will have to decline," Cara said bluntly. Sensing Arien's confusion, she continued, "There's a faction nearby, The Soldier's Army, that may be interested in joining your alliance. However, if they do, we cannot work together."
"But I'm sure you can work it out if you try," Arien pleaded.
Cara bent down to look Arien in the eye, "I'm sorry, I want peace too. But you need to understand that people like Jared want nothing more than to tear you down. If he joins your alliance, he'll tear it apart from the inside."
Tilly growled, "Hey, I won't let you talk to the king like that! I demand you fight me right now!"
Cara's expression turned cold as she asked, "Can you defeat a demon army by yourself?"
Tilly was taken aback by the question, "What? No, I can't."
"Then you're wasting my time," Cara stated firmly before turning and walking away.
Arien and Tilly exchanged worried glances as Cara left the room. Jordan sighed, "I apologize for her bluntness, but she has a point. Jared is not one to be trusted."
Arien nodded, "I understand, but we must try to unite everyone if we hope to rebuild our world. I will speak with The Soldier's Army and see if they are willing to join our alliance."
"Very well," Jordan replied, "We wish you luck in your endeavors."
As Arien and Tilly left the room, Katie turned to Jordan, "Do you think it's wise to let them form this alliance without us?"
Jordan shook his head, "No, but we have to be cautious. We can't risk being betrayed by Jared or any other faction that may join."
"Agreed," Katie said, "We'll keep an eye on things and act accordingly."
The trio fell into a thoughtful silence as they contemplated the possibilities of a world at peace. They knew it was a lofty goal, but they were willing to do whatever it took to achieve it.
***
As Cara walked away, her system glowed faintly, reflecting her determined face. She noticed a new notification on her relationships tab, "Arien Cromwell, Aspects: The King, Thunderbringer, Understanding: 11%". Cara's smile widened as she realized that this relationship could be a valuable asset in her quest for strength. She activated her aspect targeting, focusing on
Feeling empowered, Cara knew that it was time to take action. Perhaps it was time to pay Jared a visit, to reclaim their lost territory and negotiate a truce, or if necessary, to declare war. She was determined to lead her guild to victory and make her mark on this new world. But first, Arien was going to pay Jared a visit. Cara almost wished she could watch that exchange.