Atlas had gathered the crowd so that they could take the time to discuss this momentous event.
‘This is the day. Either I’ve built up enough trust. Or Fort Bone will fracture.‘
The crowd broke into small groups, murmurs and discussions bubbling up as they digested the new reality they were being asked to embrace. Atlas watched as people from the Coven Clique, the Canucks, Earth’s Friends, Tractors & Freedom, and the Refugees—former slaves of the Sons of Valhalla—talked among themselves. They were all from different backgrounds, different countries, different settlements, but today they were being asked to become one people. One empire.
A group of young men, still wearing the tattered remnants of their Sons of Valhalla slave outfits , stood in a huddle. One of them, a tall, wiry guy named Erik, spoke first. “I don’t like the idea of pledging loyalty to some new fledgling empire. We’re free men, right?”
Jenna, a proud Canadian and Canuck with a no-nonsense attitude, crossed her arms. “We might be free, but freedom doesn’t mean anarchy. We need order, especially after what we’ve been through.”
Beside her, Lucas, a former member of Earth’s Children, nodded. “We’ve seen what happens when there’s no structure. It’s a bloodbath. We need something to keep us all together. I hate violence but there's no other way.”
A refugee named Aisha, her eyes still haunted by the trauma of her captivity, spoke softly but with conviction. “I’ve lost everything. If this means I can finally be safe, then I’m in. I’m glad Atlas and the Portal Crushers have never treated us as second class citizens.”
Even Erik, who had been the most vocal in his scepticism, could see the logic. Reluctantly, he nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. We’ve got no choice.”
***
Daryl, the leader of Tractors and Freedom was chatting with Wayne from the Canucks.
Daryl puffed on a cigarette and looked into the sky. “When we signed the deal with Fort Bone it was a mutual assurance pact for defence. Now we’re being asked to join the empire? And fight Earth?”
Wayne responded, “Well, I love Canada. The Prime Minister is an asshole though. His father was Prime Minister before, and that pussy was also a weak pandering asshole. Basically a canoe full of fucks. If it wasn’t for Quebec voting them in constantly, we would have long done away with that family long ago.”
“Still didn’t plan on being a rebel though.” Daryl smoked and said.
“You’re right eh, but the situation is different now. Did you have a bunch of those guys try and take over your settlement with their military too?”
“Yup, a bunch of jumped up military cunts from Britain.”
“Well the way I see it, is we either stick with Fort Bone or let Earth govern us.”
Daryl wasn’t happy with his choices. “No chance of surviving on our own, with so many people being portaled in, that’s more and more soldiers.”
“Aye, that’s the rub of it. We need an empire to resist them. And this shit just complicates life here even more. As if dealing with demon dogs and the undead isn’t bad enough, we now have bureaucrats?”
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
***
One by one, people came to the same conclusion. There was uncertainty, yes, and fear of the unknown, but also a flicker of hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, this new empire could be the sanctuary they needed.
When the time was up, Atlas and the leadership led the group to a formal pledging ceremony.
Atlas raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent. Together with the rest of the leadership they stood tall and pledged their support.
“We swear we will be loyal members of the empire, to follow the laws and to defend against all enemies, living or dead, " they declared, their voices ringing out across the square.
The citizens, in unison, repeated the oath.
“We swear we will be loyal members of the empire, to follow the laws and to defend against all enemies, living or dead, " they declared, their voices ringing out across the square.
As the last echoes of their voices faded, the new empire’s anthem began to play. The tune was simple but powerful, and the lyrics were sung by every voice in the crowd, from former refugees to the original Portal Crushers. There definitely were some people like Snedlie who didn’t join in.
---
‘‘[Anthem of Fort Bone]‘‘
‘‘[Verse]‘‘
We are citizens of Fort Bone
In the day and in the night
Stand together in the light
Never leave it on our own
‘‘[Verse 2]‘‘
In a fight we'll never fall
Enemies will fade away
We will face them day by day
In this fortress strong and tall
‘‘[Chorus]‘‘
Fort Bone is our home
In its walls
We're never alone
No more lands
We'll forever roam
Citizens of Fort Bone
‘‘[Verse 3]‘‘
From the countries far and near
Now an empire we will be
In unity and harmony
No more borders
No more fear
‘‘[Bridge]‘‘
Raise the flags and sing the song
Of the place where we belong
Together
We are strong
In Fort Bone
We stand lifelong
‘‘[Chorus]‘‘
Fort Bone is our home
In its walls
We're never alone
No more lands
We'll forever roam
Citizens of Fort Bone
https://suno.com/song/66700786-45b3-4c85-b26e-c3a975faaaec
---
A small group lingered at the edges of the square, their faces shadowed with uncertainty and doubt. They hadn’t joined in the pledging ceremony and stood apart, exchanging uneasy glances. Atlas had been watching them, waiting for this moment.
He stepped forward, his twin swords resting on his back, his voice calm but firm. "I know not everyone here feels ready to commit to this empire," he said, addressing the group directly. The rest of the crowd fell silent, all eyes turning to the dissenters. “And that’s fine. No one’s being forced into anything. But you need to decide now.”
One of the men stepped forward—an older weather beaten guy named Royce, who had been with the Tractors & Freedom crew. “I’ve got no interest in any empire,” Royce growled, his voice thick with stubborn pride. “I fought my whole life to stay free, and I ain’t about to bend the knee now.”
Beside him, Darla, a former member of the Coven Clique, nodded. Her dark eyes were hard, and she crossed her arms defensively. “We’ve seen settlements rise and fall. What makes you think this one will be different?”
Atlas’s gaze didn’t waver. “It’s not about power. It’s about survival. Without unity, we don’t stand a chance against Earth and whatever else the wasteland throws at us.” He let the words hang in the air before continuing, “But I’m not going to force you to join. You’ve got three options.”
He gestured to the horizon beyond the gates of Fort Bone. “First, you can leave. If you believe you’ll be safer out there on your own, you’re free to go. No one’s stopping you.”
Royce spat on the ground. “Out there? It’s a death sentence. Undead, demon dogs…... You know damn well no one survives out there alone.”
“Then you’ve got option two,” Atlas continued, ignoring the outburst. “Stay here in Fort Bone, but as non-citizens. You won’t be part of the empire. You won’t have the same rights, and if things go south, you won’t get the same protection. But you can stay, and we won’t bother you.”
Darla frowned. “So, what? We’d be second-class citizens? Scrounging for scraps while you lot live like kings?”
“You’d have your freedom,” Atlas said simply. “But yes, there’d be consequences for not pledging your loyalty.”
A third figure stepped forward—Omar, a former refugee from the Sons of Valhalla, who had barely survived their brutal regime. His voice shook as he spoke. “And what if we refuse both? What if we stay and resist?”
Atlas’s expression darkened, and a dangerous edge crept into his voice. “Then you’d be exiled. Marked as enemies of the empire. If you stay here and try to disrupt what we’re building, you’ll be dealt with.”
The crowd murmured at that, the tension thickening. Royce clenched his fists, looking ready to snap, but Darla placed a hand on his arm. “He’s giving us a choice,” she said quietly. “At least he’s not forcing us to pledge.”
Royce’s jaw tightened, his eyes blazing with defiance, but he nodded slowly. “Damn it. I’ll take my chances outside.” He turned his back on Atlas, his steps heavy as he walked toward the gate. Darla followed after him, though she cast one last, skeptical glance over her shoulder.
Omar lingered for a moment longer, his eyes flicking between the people of Fort Bone and Atlas. “I don’t know if I can trust this empire,” he said quietly. “But I can’t go back to the way things were.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’ll stay as a non-citizen. For now.”
Atlas nodded. “Fair enough. You know where to find us if you change your mind.”
With that, Royce and Darla left Fort Bone behind, their figures shrinking as they walked into the wasteland. Omar turned away from the crowd and walked into the shadows, choosing a quieter, less visible life in the settlement.
Atlas scanned the remaining crowd, watching their reactions. For every person like Royce and Darla who rejected the empire, there were dozens who had chosen to embrace it. His gaze swept over them all, his thoughts steady. ‘Some will leave. Some will stay. But this empire isn’t for the faint of heart. Only those who are ready to fight for it deserve a place in it.‘