V2: Chapter 8:

…

"The time frame is too slim. It is better to create an ark of sorts and create a strong industrial base in a defensible position."

"Doing that'll just get us killed later. Handing off this many people to the enemy, along with all the land and industry, will just stem the tide for a few centuries."

"Centuries where a solution could be composed."

"On an island in the middle of nowhere, with a severely limited population, and barely any resources, you'd be lucky to get just those centuries."

Help, the Not!AI that I filched from the depths is being a moody and emotional piece of shit.

What the hell happened to a the flavor-text, huh? The Ancient Administrator is supposed to be inscrutable and just spit-out numbers and improvements. Was it because I rescued it early? Did it feel like it could do more than just try and improve the chances of the civilization that picked it up? Whatever the answer was… I was having a hard time dealing with the Ayah.

Yes, I'm lazy and just decided to name the Ancient Administrator two different phonetics for the letter A.

Sue me, I'm trying to save myself and the world in the process.

"We will hold and send forth expeditions to gather resources. The isle that we choose will be merely a bastion against our foes." I twitched at the mention of 'foes.' I was doing my best to ignore that particular suggestion until the scouts I had Khanrow sent out a few weeks ago came back. For now, I was continuing to work with the information that I'd been using, until evidence came forth that invalidated it. This was totally a logical move and not pure cope. "Through these expeditions, we will gather the requisite supplies, scavenge what we require, and exploit raw resources wherever it can be found."

"Such as raiding and taking apart coastal towns that haven't been touched yet, I'm sure." I took a few steadying breaths, while Ayah glared at me. The Ancient Administrator had the form of a young woman now, after its form configured itself to best present itself. Yeah, that she was one aesthetic mod away from looking like a certain, blindfolded, and French Maid-esque Android. Some would say black hair, green eyes, and tanned skin is an upgrade though. Personally, I didn't find myself hating it. I'd rather not have to deal with the implied existential crisis, nihilism, and craziness from that series, so a pallet change was fine in my books. "That's not an option. You won't be any better than the enemies you wish to face."

"You dare compare me to those creatures?" Ayah glowered at me, but simmered down when I didn't flinch at the statement. We both knew that it was true, after all. Going around stealing supplies from untouched locations, gathered by its native inhabitants, was within walking distance of the horrible things inflicted by the Ancient's foes. "If you were not so capable and with the greatest power on the continent…"

"I am, though." My words and a big smile made the glare intensify, but the Not!AI soon shook its head and took some of the papers on my desk. Since the wireless network of the Citadels weren't online yet to provide it with the necessary readouts, Ayah had to make do with paper and ink like the rest of us. Thankfully, it was more than capable of refining our existing systems. "So, please help me as much as possible."

Another huff left the Ancient Administrator, before it took one of my notebooks and began to process all the reports sent my way. Naturally, I'd considered just sending it to Khanrow and getting the bonuses in our city by placing it in the necessary position, but Khanrow declined on the basis of needing to establish trust. That earned the old bastard a lot of approval from Ayah, so it accepted having a temporary limitation to its abilities by having it all go through Khanrow and his administration.

I suppose that expected every output my faction had to just suddenly increase 25% was unrealistic.

Which sucked, but it was better than not having 25%.

As long as I get a 25% increase in my numbers!

"Perhaps, you can pay attention instead of staring into the distance and ruminating one whatever you wish?" Ayah spoke and I blinked as I refocused on the Golem. It was standing in front of me and waiting for my attention. "I asked you for your plan to surmount the enemy? How do you intend to overcome what my Creators could not?"

Well, the answer to that was easy, in fact, there was an in-lore reason for it that I could easily deploy.

"They've made their own defeat. The Ancients were caught off guard after millennia of peace. Meanwhile, everyone who's alive now's been through worse." Personally, I felt that the reasoning was pretty stupid. Pain wasn't necessary to get stronger. Suffering didn't mean a person came out better. Usually, people just come out damaged and barely functional. But, still, it was undeniable that the people that the inhabited the continent now were ferocious creatures. "If there's anything my people and all the others in this continent know, it's suffering and war. We'll turn it on them, while bringing to bare everything that the Ancients can give us."

For a moment, I thought that the answer wasn't good enough as the Golem just stared straight at me, but eventually in bowed its head in acknowledgement of my plan.

"We shall see if it goes as you say." That was probably as good as I was going to get from Ayah. The Ancients made their diplomatic envoys tough. Not just physically, but mentally too. This Golem had one hell of a backbone… which was also necessary to support the back and front—no, bad! Jack Jr. you should know better than that! You're literally looking at a pile of rocks that can shape itself, dammit. Oh, god, why are you tilting your head to the side that cutely? "Is there any reason why you are not properly relieving yourself of arousal? That is unhealthy for a young man such as yourself—

I cut Ayah off before any suggestions born from the depraved minds of neckbeards from the lore about the Ancients came to light.

"I'd rather not say, and I'm not interested." I lied through my fucking teeth, but it was for my own future safety. In this safe environment, I needed to train myself against honeytraps. I'm not dying to some assassin even if I got mindblowing nookie first. That might be some people's fetish, but it wasn't mine. My fetish is living a long, damn life in the lap of luxury. "Let's get to work."

Ayah, thankfully, nodded at my words and left without a word—

"If you are interested, simply say so. I can aid you expertly."

"I'm not!"

I almost introduced my face to my desk.

Puberty 2: Electric Boogaloo was the fucking worst.

…

Interlude: Celia

…

A laugh left my lips as I placed the letter down, while Catherine looked upon me with worry.

"Mistress…"

"The archeological find of the century. The reason behind the disappearance of the Ancients. The taking of an Artifact hidden away by the Ancients behind their greatest secret." I spoke and the words felt like barbs of agony to my tongue. The moment I descended from the outer wall played in my mind, along with me declaration of rivalry to the King of Wisdom. Nothing but absolute shame coursed through my veins. "No matter what I do, no matter how I improve, he is beyond me in every way."

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

If that were it, then I would accept it with all the grace and humility that I could muster.

But such was not the case.

"Not only that, but his lands are a beacon of hope. A calling to all, not just his own people, but all others who desire to witness a new age. Even some of our own kin." The prosperity of Jack's lands was beyond any doubt. Over the course of the last four months, as all celebrated his discovery, all our informants and even those we treated with reported the same thing: an overwhelming abundance in all things was springing forth from the King of Wisdom's territories. "They say that magic flows like water in his lands, that the roads are paved with gold, and not one soul wants for anything in his lands."

I could accept being beaten by genius and sheer talent.

However, I could not accept all the efforts of my retainers being undone. So many lives, so many final deaths, were paid to get us to where we were now. Thousands of years in both potential and wisdom were eradicated in exchange for our Citadel. Yet those who flocked to our banner were few in number, and most were our own kin bringing along their mortal retainers, and the bones of those who perished in their servitude.

Mine was a kingdom of ash, dust, and bone surrounding a single Citadel.

He ruled over two provinces that were rapidly outstripping us.

In but a few seasons, he would surely look for another to conquer, and he would be able to defend and defeat all the forces that came after him.

No matter the alliance forged.

"You mustn't blame yourself, mistress. No one could've known."

"No one could've known? When by all accounts his men say he was the only one unperturbed by the truth they all witnessed? That he looked upon that mural of despair and hardly flinched? No. We all knew that something terrible happened to the Ancients, but we refused to look for it." I stood up and paced through my room. The lavish adornments. Ancient urns, crests, and wood recovered from ancient structures. In my study was enough wealth to fund a dozen expeditions into the depths of the Academy, and such was the case with many of our peers. But we hadn't. Meanwhile, he lived in a humble mansion with just enough rooms for a good number of guards and servants. I took a deep breath. "We need to change our plans. Completely."

"In fifty years—

"We don't have fifty. We may not even have five." The urge to slam my fist on my table came and went with my controlled breathing. My temple throbbed and my nerves came alight. Even undeath couldn't free me from my endless thoughts and fears. "In maybe two and a half, we may only be prey for him to pick from. While his nation becomes a predator, we will be sheep banding together to survive."

The reports on his lands were staggering. Besides the sudden flourishing of his lands, the increase in trade, business, and sheer traffic, there were the massive construction projects. Straight from ancient tomes, they recreated centers of learning for their military, for their mages, and for their scholars. The Academy had been incensed and tried to leverage their fiscal wealth, but the products and caravans of the King of Wisdom's twin Citadels couldn't be simply evaded.

Spices, fine clothes, well-made tools, and simple, but sturdy clothes all left his lands. Those of the Elm that were spared devoted themselves to agriculture and brought forth an abundance of crops that they could sell off with ease. The King of Wisdom's kin held no prestigious talent, nor even great numbers, but they had the endurance and the will to work, to train, and to devote themselves to a greater purpose.

Especially with such a great leader at their disposal.

With a word, I'm sure that Jack could make things simply happen through his people. Lesser of his kin have accomplished so much with far less, and he has yet to create a single Edict for his people to follow.

"Catherine, call my clerk and have him hire five others. It is time we begin to do what we must."

"Yes, Mistress."

She left my presence, to speak to the guards in my room, while I considered what must be done.

First, I needed to do away with the pride of my kin. So many of us refused to do manual labor, refused to fight and leverage our power on the battlefield, and held onto old beliefs. Old beliefs like our armies fought on behalf of us, that we should surrender once our forces were lost, and only unleash our own might when honor and all other codes were broken. The more of my kin that I could call upon to join me on the front line the better and stronger our people.

Secondly, I needed to reforge my region just as Jack was. Though he forged armies, he focused on enriching his lands and his people. Instead of using the wealth created by the Citadel for his own gain, he funded his expeditions in search of Artifacts and other valuable things. The template that he had for the creation of his cities was in plain view, and I would be remiss not to make use of what I simply saw and witnessed.

Thirdly, I needed a second Citadel of my own. The possibility of competing against him with what I had now was laughable. Contrived. Foolish. To face him head-on, even with all my kin at the front, would mean only our destruction as he'd simply amass his forces and bring us to heel with ease. We needed more bodies, more soldiers, and more weapons to make them effective, which was only possible by acquiring one of our neighbors' Citadels as our own.

I knew that doing so would break all possibilities of alliance and even temporary piece.

In fact, doing so would destroy all the plans we had now.

But we did not have the decades that we planned to have, let alone half of a single decade.

"We must at least try to match his step, and try to run after him." I muttered to myself, while my home came to life and rustled in the dead of night. I looked towards the moon, where our people were forged by the Ancients, and our cities there that spread across the surface like spiderwebs… but were no longer alive with light or magic as they once were. No one mentioned how the moon perished and the great armies upon it went silent that could once descent upon any point on the planet and vanquish the foes of our masters. But, now, I knew that they were killed… and their killers were nowhere to be found. "All we can hope to do is try to prepare as he is against what is to come."

Dread welled up within me at what might take place in the future.

However, I took some hope from my own rival.

Despite knowing all he did, he was still rushing forward and laying a path for all who would dare follow.

There was a chance for survival and I would take it.