The war games ended up being cancelled with the decision that no one wanted to partake after the demise of the Emperor’s guards.  It became even worst when the rumor started going around that the guards were actually the Emperor’s finest Moon squad.  Soon Caden, the Duke of Ventris, began getting loads of visitors.  Visiting emissaries, ambassadors, earls, viscounts, barons…you name it, they came.  There were even some who brought their daughters with the hope of cultivating a relationship between their children and Hiro, only to be met by Lady Goodard and her smile.  Yes, somehow Lady Goodard came to make an extended visit with Lyra at her side and she was there to greet each and every one of the visiting families.  The wives of these families could only bear with it and crush their hopes as they watched Lady Goodard’s smile.  Eventually even the Emperor came to visit but this time he brought his entire Moon squad.  Caden was ready to cry when he saw the battalion from afar with all their banners and dust raising up in the air.  But he managed to meet with the Emperor and was greatly relieved when the Emperor said that he was only visiting.  Then he began sweating when the Emperor dropped the hint that he wanted his Moon squad trained by the new Ventris instructor, after all how do you tell your Emperor no?? 

Luckily Hiro was passing by on his way to the kitchen when he overheard them talking.  Discretely opening the door he caught his father’s eye and nodded for him to reply yes to the Emperor’s request.  Then with a quick motion he managed to get his father to let the Emperor know that he needed to speak to the instructor before he could make a final decision.  Hiro made his way over to his father’s library and sat waiting for his father.  It didn’t take long for Caden to arrive.

“Hiro, you want to train them?”

“Sure why not?  We just need them to take a blood oath to never reveal who the instructor is.  Then there are a few things which the Emperor must understand.  The first is that once he agrees, they belong to me until I have released them from training which may be from six months to a year.  The second thing is that he must provide all the training equipment, food and medical supplies.  The third is that your instructor will require a down payment of one million gold Suls, with a final payment of two million gold Suls upon delivery of his trained guards.”

“WHAT!!!  Are you trying to get me killed!  Who the hell will pay three million gold Suls to train a single battalion of guards?!!”

“He’ll pay, don’t worry.  And Fourth, he will not in any fashion, directly or indirectly, try to discern who the instructor is.  Those are the four conditions.  Oh and let him know that once the training is complete he will even be able to have a handful of guards who will be able to further train other troops.”

“Um, Hiro, it’s all nice and well to train the guards for the Emperor but won’t that leave us on par with the Emperor?”

“On par?  What gave you the idea that the training that I’ll be doing for the Emperor’s guards will be anything like our own?”

“Whew, for a while there I thought that you wanted to train our guards for some nefarious reason,” Caden replied wiping his brow.

“No, nothing like that but when I’m done our four hundred guards will be able to wipe out his entire ten thousand troop guard battalion easy.”

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“AGHHH!!! I give up!  I’ll just go tell the Emperor your terms.” Replied Caden as he walked out the room a bit light headed.

Hiro watched his father leave the room before heading to the window.  ‘We’re going to need to get more men who will be loyal to the Ventris family.  I’m going to make an entire army right under the nose of the Emperor, but I’ve got to do it so that *they* don’t notice me until it’s too late.  I’ll need to organize an assassination squad and an intelligence squad as well.  If I remember correctly Ataria was part of the alliance however they didn’t have a hero to send to defeat the Demon Lord.  I’m lucky that they won’t notice me for now but that doesn’t mean that I can be careless.  I’m going to have my revenge but I’ll make sure that they have no place to run to.  The first thing to get done is for me to grow up a bit.  Then I’ll start my plans, so they’d better not die on me until I’m ready for them to do so.’

Suddenly Hiro felt a presence in the room, it was not one with killing intent so he simply watched out the window, patiently waiting for the person to decide when they would present themselves or just leave.  He stood there for over half an hour before the intruder finally stepped out of the shadows.  Hiro turned and watched him for a bit, trying to figure out what they had come to him for when it hit him.  This person’s aura was very familiar, he frowned and then pulled a chair and gestured to the intruder to follow suit as he sat.  When the two had finally sat, Hiro finally spoke.

“So Darian, you found me.”

The man slowly pulled his mask down to reveal a smiling yet tear filled face.  “Lord Hiro, thank the Gods you survived!”

“I didn’t survive Darian, I died,” refuted Hiro with a  small smile.

“But you’re here in front of me, alive!  This doesn’t make sense!”

“I’m alive yes, but I did die.  The four Gods saw fit to reincarnate me, it will be some time before I can do much.”

“Then you’re power, your skills?”

“All gone, however I do have the knowledge of the past so regaining them will only take time.  Time I must have in order to grow so I’m glad my friend that you managed to find me.”

“I kept everything, all your books and skill crystals.  Even the Dragon crystal you were hatching.  I managed to retrieve everything before those traitors came to loot your tower.”

“Thank you old friend.  Did you happen to retrieve what’s left of my sword Vermillion Blue?”

“Yes my Lord, but it’s damaged beyond repair.”

“No worries there, I don’t plan to use it.  At least not as a sword but rather as a symbol.  When the time is right, we will descend upon the traitors and show them exactly how cold revenge can be.  But first I must regain my power and skills.  Is the shadow corps still active?”

“In a sense my Lord.  Of the six, only Night is left.  They were hunted down by the traitors and their kin.  The only reason Night survived was because he was here in Ataria at the time and was able to hide among the people.”

“So what’s the old freak up to these days?”

“Umm,” hesitated Darian as he shifted from foot to foot in anxiety, “He owns the Beguiling Flower House in the capital.”

“PPFFFTTTttt!!!!  Ha ha ha ha!!!!  He owns a brothel house!!!!” Hiro laughed till his eyes started tearing up.  “Night, the most obsessive compulsive must-do-right man owns a brothel house?!!!!”

“Yes, though I must mention that it also acts as a cover for his intelligence gathering.  He’s actually quite good at the spy game.”

“Good!  Just the thing I was looking to create.  This will save me some time and effort.”  Hiro rejoiced as he smiled, “Tell Night that he will be opening a branch of the Beguiling Flower House in the town of Flansbur.  If he hesitates, complains or flat out denies my order, then tell him that I will find Solaria and I will provide her with his life trace.”

“His life trace??  But that will mean that…”

“Yes, she will be able to find him no matter where he goes,” laughed Hiro, “Sneaky and horrendous is it not?”

“Then with your blessings my Lord, I will be on my way.” Replied Darian as he faded back into the shadows, “Oh and congratulations on your betrothal my Lord.”

“Wait what?” mumbled Hiro in shock as he stared at where Darian once stood. “Betrothal?  What betrothal?”