V5: Chapter 2

…

A whole lot of bullshit that can't be avoided.

That's the best way to describe what's coming.

Apocalypses change the whole dynamic in a game. They're the closest thing to a campaign-mode that the game had. Each one has a cast, a set of characters, different enemy Champions, different positive and negative events, and specific loot tables. Every apocalypse released came with expansions to the game's systems for free.

You pay for the new content, which pays for the fixes and upgrades to the UI.

Between expansions, you could buy Champions for Factions, which come with new units that can only be deployed with that Faction. These guys came with their own little stories and challenges, and not allowed on Ranked Multiplayer. If the devs had to balance all their little additions, the game would've bloated in the extreme, so they didn't bother… and managed to sell wacky, cool characters without getting murdered in the forums.

Sadly, I haven't found any DLC Champions, but back to the situation.

I'd thought that the coastal regions were going to get fucked over first, so I'd prepared for that.

The Sahuagin are Lovecraft-flavored abominations that live beneath the ocean. The story goes that most of the Ancient's experiments with esoteric and cosmic energies involved were held in undersea domes, so that they had loads of water to act as a buffer for any radiation or to dissipate leakages. The problem was that their containment methods were too good, and the thing they brought down from space corrupted and took over the bottom of the ocean, then it spread its cult all over the world.

Those cultists brought down most of the ground-to-space infrastructure and blew up a lot of important shit.

Thankfully, the Ancients gutted their mind-control abilities and ability to use psionic bullshit, but those were going to come back the more Citadels they got under their control.

The Forgers were going to have to deal with that, while the Wardens were in the line of fire.

There were other apocalypses incoming from different vectors, but while I went over to find out what the hell happened with the Conquerors, I was worried about the Sahuagin and how the Forgers will do against them.

8 times out of ten, if the Sahuagin show up against the Forgers, the Forgers beat the stuffing out of them. To make up for the last twenty percent, I'd started contacting them, working with them to clear their part of the former Academy, and generally build diplomatic ties with them.

Now, while I went and made sure a civil war didn't devastate the strongest race on the continent, I could only hope that they'd be okay.

No matter how good my plans are, I can't defend myself against curveballs.

…

Tradestown had no choice by to expand and grow into a human and Orc city as the hub of trade between the Conquerors and us. It was larger than most of the towns that made up Talon Hill's inner regions, though nowhere close to my actual capital. With a population of fifty thousand, half of which were Conquerors, Tradestown had wide roads, large buildings, massive warehouses, and loads of landing strips and infrastructure for both my flying and ground-based transportation.

I hadn't been to Tradestown since I last met Crusher here five years or so ago.

Not very easy to forget, since he'd all but asked me to help keep his people together.

So, I'd told him about harnessing all his people's aggression via a the Colosseum Wonder, having their young practice hunting, and putting lots of time between classes where they have to read or write. Since then, he'd been more than cordial with me, supported me, and worked with me. I thought that he was cool as hell… yet upon landing I found Tradestown hosting a heavily-wounded and weakened army led by his daughter Conquest, while he was claimed to be a traitor.

Not ideal was an understatement.

Her physician woke her up when I arrived and I went to her, but any thoughts on an in-depth and long interview faded away when I saw her.

I'd wished the physician had told me to go away, instead of allowed me in.

"Your aid here will not be forgotten, King of Wisdom." Conquest was wounded heavily, by Conqueror standards. That meant that she was now being forced into a magical coma, so that her outsides can grow around her insides. The physician of the Conquerors described her wound as disemboweled and nearly bisected. Apparently, she healed her innards before they could spill everywhere, held it in during the whole retreat, and that saved her life. Don't know how that worked, but that's how magic just is, I guess. "But, I must ask for more time to heal, before… urgh… speaking with you."

"Then, I will ask once you and your army are both fed and healthy. For now, focus on becoming the leader that they need." I leveraged Conquest's dedication to honor, loyalty, and responsibility and she caved. With a nod, she allowed herself to collapse onto the large cot she'd been laid in. In just a few minutes, she was already asleep and the physicians and mages started tending to her again, just like they'd been when I arrived, so I addressed Morgan and Ayah. "Come on, we need to gather information."

"I've got my notebook ready!" Morgan was cheery and all smiles, while we made our way outside of the field hospital. Thankfully, I had to foresight to get some extra supplies stored here. Just in case we needed to launch a force that can outfit the town for a siege. I'm sure that the more tactically-minded of the Conquerors would notice… and be happy that they were being taken seriously as opponents. Those supplies were mostly weapons, but there were plenty of medical supplies, since I expected that fight to cause a lot of casualties. "Where to first? Lady Conquest's lieutenant, Triumph, perhaps?"

"We'll do that. Ayah, get accounts from the regular soldiers. Morgan will take up bodyguard duties."

"Yes, your majesty." Ayah bowed and left. I gave the Ancient Administrator the signal to stay within earshot just in case, and she made her own signal confirming that. Couldn't be too careful. "I will return within the hour."

With that said, I was left with the destined Archtraitor, as she walked beside me eager to take accounts via a notebook and self-inking, magical quill that she just had on her person.

The world might get destroyed by this nerd.

Anyway, I brought her up to speed.

"I haven't worked with Conquest's troops, just the Champion herself, so keep that in mind while we speak to them. We can't show weakness." The field hospital in the town square had every tent filled to the brim with physicians and mages as they worked to save as many lives as possible. Conquerors had hardy constitutions, but all that mass and size also meant that it wasn't easy to get pain-killers to work on them. Magic was the only option, and when mana was limited, it was better to heal than dull pain. Needless to say, most of the Conquerors were enduring healing both magical and physical without any analgesics… and there was barely any noise being made through the whole camp. Hardy bastards, yet they were somehow thrown out of their own capital. "If you have any doubts, show off the fact that you're powerful, and they'll follow you."

"I see, I see." Like a fresh-eyed reporter, she took notes and nodded as she followed me. If you ignored the fact that she could kill most of the people in this camp with a flick of her wrist and some magic, she'll seem like your average, mousey intern eager to please. Oh, wait, she has a salary and is related to my boss. Nepotism hire that actually has talent, I guess. "How far can we go for the sake of intimidation? Words only or is physically overpowering them without harming them permanently allowed?"

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Physical contact and harm are both considered assault. Focus on words and maybe showcasing your skills, but never draw a weapon, including magic. Don't threaten them, either." This sort of thing was common sense in my opinion, but there was a lot of common sense that I took for granted that many didn't follow. A lot of mercenaries got turned into paste by a Conqueror for being idiots and drawing steel or flaring magic. A pointed weapon is a death threat, so they react accordingly. "If you have no idea what to do, it's better to stay silent."

"Understood!"

With that exchanged finished, the two of us went ahead to try and get an idea on what happened to the Conquerors.

I really hoped that Demons weren't involved, but at the same time I couldn't think of any other reason that this all happened that exonerated Crusher.

I liked the guy and hoped that none of this was his fault, despite the fact his daughter attested to his betrayal… and the fact that he was the one who nearly killed her.

That was pretty damning evidence.

…

I gave Morgan some tips and advice, then she proceeded to use that information to extract every ounce of detail she could from everyone that she met.

Man, it must be nice to be born with 'I Win' stats, because you're the final boss.

"How do your injuries affect your memory, warrior? Do you expect me to believe that a mere cut such as the one you have has addled your mind?" Morgan took on a new persona the moment we entered the first tent on the way to Conquest's lieutenant. She'd asked me for the chance to practice, and proceeded to just make all the honorbound warriors she encountered dance in the palm of her hands. "The battle is not yet over. Rest when you have seen to its end, and once again aimed your weapon at the heart of the foe!"

I was just standing in the background and watching her work.

"I will not have my honor sullied… not by you, nor myself!" Breaker grunted. The dude was being operated on as we spoke. His leg was being sewed back on, while healing magics hasted healing. I've felt healing magic before. The nerves came first, as they were the finest and smallest parts of any area of the body. You felt pain of the wound healing until it was finished, but Breaker was talking through it just like all the rest cajoled by Morgan. "As we fought the damned warriors of the betrayer, we found their strength enhanced by unnatural might, and their bodies seemed to jump and warp as they swung their weapons at us… and their blood burned our skin when they spilled it upon us."

The more that I heard, the less that I liked, because while things were making sense… they also weren't.

This was clear signs of corruptive influence, but this event was supposed to happen if Demonic infiltrators weren't countered. Leave your lands unguarded and unprotected in the shadows, and you're going to find villages, forts, and even Champions turning over to the side of the Demons. Towns and forts become fleshy hives that churned out corrupted soldiers from the pops that it consumed, and those Units have lots of strength and do poison damage to their enemies when hurt.

The issue was that Demonic infiltration and corruption shouldn't happen until there's an actual demonic foothold on the continent. This wasn't just an issue with me correlating gameplay with reality, but the fact that Demons are horribly, terribly cursed by the Ancients. They need corrupted land to live on, and followers to do their dirty work, because if they don't, they'll die horrible and gruesome deaths.

Gameplay is fickle and fucked, but lore is true and steadfast.

However, if the impossible is the only option, then it must be possible.

Therefore, someway and somehow, a Demonic cultist or someone adjacent to them managed to infect Crusher and corrupt him to cause this crazy mess.

But, if it's just corruption, and there's no real Demon involved sitting in a tower of flesh and bone that's nigh-unassailable…

"This corruption that you speak of. It stirs memories in me in certain texts. I believe this is a weapon deployed against the Conquerors in hopes of destroying your people. Not a wanton act of betrayal by your best and brightest." I noticed Breaker's eyes widen at my words, and his composure nearly broke. The fact that he was having a limb reattached barely made him blink. That the Champion of his people was corrupted and not betraying them after all? That almost broke through his placid mask. "Come, Morgan, we need to gather more information. Tell a guard to send a runner to fetch the sister artifact to my Staff of Cleanse. I think that we may have a chance if we work quickly."

Corruption with Demons in play needed the Panacea Staff to heal it and return your Champion/Town/Pops to your side.

The Cure Staff 'struggles' to fight against Demons, according to the text, and there's a blurb about Demons having to use more power to overwhelm it.

Therefore, if there's no Demon in play, then it was worth trying.

Still, Morgan whispered to me the moment we were out of earshot of any Conqueror.

"Don't you plan on betraying them? Why not let them weaken further before aiding them?" Morgan suggested, but I didn't stop moving towards the next tent for more information. She followed me with a steady breath. I couldn't see her face. But it was eerily easy to envision utterly calm, almost soulless eyes piercing through the large lenses of her glasses. This woman who'll hold this world in one hand and crush it with a laugh. "This doesn't seem like the right move, Jack."

Time to try and reign her in and save the natural source of supersoldiers I'll need to kick her ass.

"Don't be afraid to look ten years more into the future, Morgan. Have faith in your ability to plan and overcome challenges. I planned to betray the Conquerors, yes, but I wanted to make them mine. Not kill them. Their strength, their power, their talent, and ability. I want it all." I did my best to give my speech in a way that'll reach an apathetic monster masquerading as a mousy, nerdy Champion with far too much talent. The best way to do that was to sound evil… though, I had to admit that I wasn't really doing much more than adding some flare to my real strategy. No matter how you slice it, my plans are cruel and tyrannical. Also, I kept facing forward. I felt like I'd keel over and puke if I saw the visage my imagination drew up. "If they die, who would you have hold the line against the rest of the world? Which other people on this continent can hope to strike back against our foes?"

There was a long and terrifying silence from Morgan as she followed me, and I felt like I was being judged, weighed, and measured by the creature supposedly guarding me.

Or, maybe, I was completely paranoid and gaslighting myself and she was just asking a real, logical question as I misinterpreted things.

"Oh, that makes sense! You're right, Jack!" Whichever was the case, when Morgan spoke again, her voice was cheery as usual. I looked back, and instead of getting a sword through my back the moment I let my guard down, there was a brightness to her eyes that made me question everything I knew. Was this really the person who'll bring an end to the planet? "This helps us out way more, especially if we can find out how to prevent the same attack from harming us."

Some people say that lies are kind, while the truth is cruel.

In this case, I honestly didn't know what I wanted from Morgan.

So, I put the thought aside for later and refocused.

I needed to do all that I could to save the Conquerors, or at least get enough to have a stable population to produce armies from.

Gotta survive the mid-game, before I worry about the late-game and the end-game, after all.