I was finally out of the nutrient bath. Two weeks stuck in a tank with nothing to keep me entertained was awful. I'd already spoken to Yurnel about having some sort of holographic screen set up for the next person who would end up there; apparently whenever the Wardens of Life were forced to use it, the patient was constantly unconcious from pain and medication. Yet another thing that Yurnel and her team couldn't help but want to study; our ability to focus beyond pain and fight a drug induced coma.
Carrie and Yamato had spent the time working to introduce a Nephilim presence on Earth using our track record with the Scourge as our claim to being peaceful to the rest of the world. It hadn't gone well in places that the Scourge hadn't been able to get to, such as Europe, but North America and Eastern Russia were very happy to recognize us as something they wanted on the planet. Unfortunately, with North America all but destroyed and any policing and deterring capability that the States had before shattered, more volatile areas of the world erupted into conflict. The Korean Penninsula restarted their unification war, and then was promptly conquered by China; and that was just what I was told before leaving the nutrient tank.
Canada, having lost its population to Scourge and absorbtion by what was left of the States, collapsed entirely and when Carrie announced that the Nephilim wanted the northern areas of North America, the world's government happily gave it to us. Even got Alaska and Greenland in the deal, which was a surprise. All of Central America was a timebomb waiting to explode with the largest Cartel Gangs having taken official control of what was left of the area. Africa's continent-wide war was showing no signs of stopping and had officially become a religious crusade on both sides. Everytime either side reached out to the Nephilim for some sort of sanction, Carrie had firmly told them that we were not divine or godly in any way whatsoever.
Further drama on the religion side of everything, was that the Islamic nations were banding together to form what they were now referring to as the Islamic Kingdom with their new Caliphate as their head of state and religion. Most Christian religions were crying for something similar, but the upper clergymen of each side were refusing to cooperate with the others. For the Buddhist and Hindu religions things were moving along as usual and the people who followed them were happier than ever with how everything had shaken out for them. I couldn't blame them for that; most of the richest nations had either collapsed or were being pushed that way due to religion and conflict, and they were able to focus on building their economic power further which was leading to a boom in their economies.
Australia and South America, in general, were having a similar economic boom and that was allowing them to focus on rebuilding in the case of South America or expanding in the case of Australia. Most of Asia was holding its breathe waiting for whatever else China decided to do.
I spent nearly a full day learning the details regarding all of that after I'd been allowed to return to my duties. Carrie and Yamato then met with me bright and early the next day.
"Commander, please tell me that Principality Applewood is playing a joke on me," Yamato pleaded.
"I've told her that I'm not and that this was what you wanted her to do but Kyouka isn't listening," Carrie said.
"Kyouka, sit down. Carrie, be quiet for a minute," I told them, massaging my temple. "Let me work this out the way I actually wanted it from the start."
"Now, Kyouka, what Carrie's told you is true. As the Nephilim who killed a Scourge Queen, sorry captured, you're the person I want to leave in charge of Nephilim presence on Earth for the forseeable future," I turned to her. "What I didn't tell Carrie or anyone else up til now, is that I will stay here with you and help you settle into your position and guide you for about a year. It's what I did on Rallypoint with Julio, it's what I planned to do with any other human colonies that we manage to make, and it's what I'm writing into the Demigod playbook for the future."
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"I do not understand why it has to be me," she said.
"It's because you've become a Principality," I explained. "Carrie's had a different go of it all because I've used her as an assistant since she signed on as a Cadet. I liked how hard-working she was and I've taught her as I've gone along. At this point she's more useful to me as my second-in-command than as a potential Planetary Leader. The Principalities that are proving themselves now and in the future, you and Julio for now, are going to have to prove themselves as Planetary Leaders or Extermination Generals. For Earth's Scourge infestation, I played the role of Extermination General and back on Rallypoint I worked as the Planetary Leader until we left. Eventually Horsemen will replace Principalities in the two positions but they'll still need others to act as their right hands, which will be how other Principalities rise."
"Which means that you're going to be in charge of Earth for a long time for the Nephilim," Carrie interjected.
"Carrie," I sighed. "Please"
"Kyouka, I want whoever takes over after me, whether it's here on Earth with Nephilim matters or it's the Nephilim Army in general, to be able to work toward the future I see. One where all Scourge are gone and we can become more than soldiers. At the moment all we can be are soldiers, but having the knowledge about how to interact with peaceful society without friction will be something critical the higher we go. I'm not just forming an organization dedicated to the extinction of one race to save all the others. I'm building a race. A civilization that will be able to protect itself from anything the universe throws at us and one that can point to humanity and Earth and say 'That's where our ancestors came from. That's where we started our fight. This is how far we've come since then.' Being able to say that doesn't end with swords and spears. It ends with building cities and finding new technology, expanding our horizons, creating works of art, sharing music and culture with everyone else out there."
"It needs the sword and the spear to protect those who can't protect themselves, but it doesn't have to use them as the be all of its culture. That's what I see the Nephilim becoming, that's what I'm working toward. And one day, the rest of humanity will be right there beside us, carving our names into the universe and making sure everyone who comes after knows that we were here."
"I need you to help me with that," I told her. "It starts here, but who knows where it will all end."
"What if your faith in me is wrong and I fail?" she asked quietly.
"Then we'll try again," I told her. "As many times as it takes until it's all either gone in flames and ash or you succeed and prove me right. I chose you to lead others as a Paladin, and then again as a Wing. Now I'm choosing you again to lead more people. I'll be there with you for the start, but eventually you'll have to take your own steps. And I know when that happens you'll do great. Because I believe that you can do it and succeed."
"I'll do it, Commander," she said quietly. "I'll prove your faith in me was right. Please guide me as often as I need it."
"All you need to do is ask," I smiled at her. Now that this was done it was time to get started.
"Carrie, Yamato, I want the two of you to work together and spread the names of the people the Wardens took among the people left. Leave the names of Nephilim off that list and say that if they aren't on the list they need to make contact with the Nephilim and ask us directly. It's not a foolproof way of doing it, but it's the best one I can think of to let us find and protect our families from anyone who might attempt to hurt us."
"It will be done, Commander," Yamato said, rising to leave.
"I've actually got a few questions about that," Carrie said.
"You found your sister already and want to bring her aboard the Phoenix? I won't say no, but she's your responsibility and any problems will be taken to you before they come to me," I said.
"Actually, it's about your family," Carrie said. "Some people named Alan and Margaret James contacted us and asked about a Rickshaw James already. I think that's your parents."
It was and it wasn't something I was ready to face.