image [https://imgur.com/0DaXDOM.png]

KÁ, the Lord of the Center, stared into his Orb of Farseeing. The Western Capital was burning, and its Lord had fled after killing multiple high level Heroes. What a massive waste. There was a disturbance in the East as well that he had been trying to ignore. Flashes of images prowled at the corner of his vision, but he repressed them. If the Gods wanted to talk to him, they would.

He turned away from the Orb. His perfect face showed no emotions. He made no unnecessary movements. The Gods disliked high level heroes dying needlessly, so he did as well. This instance was especially egregious. Very well.

“Force summon the four Lords immediately.” Four of the eight large flat circles spread around the edges of the room began to glow. Three figures appeared on top of them. The Lords of the South and North looked calm and composed. The Lord of the East was looking a bit fidgety. The Lord of the West did not appear. That was… unexpected. Was her will so strong that she could ignore a direct summon? Or perhaps she was so far gone that the summoning magic could no longer identify her.

The lord of the South was a slender pale man, a parasol still held above his head. “This was very abrupt, Lord of Lords. What is the issue, and how may we deal with it efficiently?” The Lord of the North, their figure totally concealed under rich furs with only glittering eyes peering out, nodded their ascent. The Lord of the East shifted, sweaty. His heart rate was high. KÁ stared at him. Berossus was a fine enough Lord. He walked over to him, the Eastern Lord stood up straighter, asserting control. KÁ looked down at him, at over seven feet tall it was very easy to look down on most people. “Yes. I have seen your failures. Deal with it.”

Berossus immediately inclined his head. “It is being dealt with currently. I apologize for you needing to notice it.” KÁ stared at his exposed neck. The Gods despised waste. He turned his attention to the others. “The Western Capital burns. The Western Lord has been claimed by some kind of curse of rage. She has shifted so substantially from her previous state that I am unable to recall her. I will send three Vessels to deal with her. But her position must be filled. You may choose from your own aristocratic followers, as hers have been decimated.” The Lords nodded immediately, their bodies betraying them with how eager they were. KÁ stood looking at them for a long moment, then turned his attention to the windows that looked out onto vast blackness. “The Lord that deals with the source of the downfall of the Western Capital will get the nomination.” The three Lord’s glanced up, wary.

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KÁ moved his hand and marble sculptures of fourteen heroes appeared, each carved with stunning detail. “Someone put a cursed item onto the Western Lord. The only ones that could have had such an artifact, and be close enough to the Lord to enact this curse, were these Heroes. The immediacy and totality of the destruction hampered my ability to source more reliable information. Find each of them and either gather proof of innocence or kill them. They are all under level twenty.” The Lords relaxed, the Southern Lord smiling widely. He nodded his head. “Ah, a friendly competition. We can send our players into the Western lands without restriction?” KÁ nodded. “There is no ruling Lord there currently. Do what you must. The borders will be maintained, however.”

He turned back to look at the three of them. “If it is not dealt with within the week I will deal with this problem. I will be unhappy if I have to deal with this problem.” The Lord of the South stiffened, nodding quickly, the others also inclined their heads.

He turned away. “Force return summon the three Lords.” They vanished from the room, only the faint scent of their various emotions still on the air.

“Dispatch Three Vessels to the last known teleportation spot of the Western Lord. Additionally send out two thousand four hundred and twenty one Eyes to assist with tracking.” He felt the confirmation, and then glanced back at the Orb. He had done what he must, for now. In seven hours he would resume his surveillance of The Continent.

He left the room he spent seventeen hours in each day, closing the rune locked stone door behind him, and descended down the several hundred stone and rune trapped steps. With each step he felt himself relaxing his muscles, his mind, and his heart. His size reduced until he was no larger than any average man, his face also softening until it was fairly mundane. Soft and kind. A gentle smile played on his lips. The next seven hours were all he looked forward to. He got to the bottom, and took out a small silver key, fitting it into the lock of a wooden door. He opened the door, and entered his home.

The smell of fresh bread and a warm stew immediately filled his nose. His cottage wasn’t very large and he immediately heard the wailing of a child and quickly closed and locked the door before moving into the next room. “Oh finally!” His wife, Lorette, was struggling with his small son Alistair, while his ten month old baby wailed in the nearby crib. She looked frazzled. He grimaced as he hurried over. “I’m sorry! A meeting ran over a bit!” He scooped up his daughter and gently bobbed her up and down. She began to thrash, crying even more angrily. “No, go deal with our son, she’s hungry for milk!” He smiled crookedly as he traded her to his wife. He put his arm around his son. “Alistair, what’s wrong?” “NOTHING!!” The boy then burst out sobbing, and went limp in his arms. He glanced up at Lorette. “Something happened?” She sighed, as she began to breastfeed their baby. “He wanted cake for dinner.” KÁ tried to restrain his laugh, and she glared at him further. “I’ll find that funny once they are both asleep, and not before then.”

He gathered his petulant child into his arms, and leaned forward to kiss his wife. She gave him a chaste kiss in return. Her eyes were still a bit hard. “I’ll also find that more enjoyable, once they are asleep.”

He nodded, smiling.

He would burn the world to keep his family safe, if he needed to.