President Bob

“So, we live to see another day,” I said to Carl.

“Indeed, we do. And I had put quite a bit of effort into your escape plan,” he replied.

“Well, we can always use it another time. Not like Champion Michael isn’t going to call forth more threats. I heard a rumor as well. An Astrologer person?” I asked.

“Someone Champion Michael met and had information. They also wounded the Ritualist as well. Came close to taking him out but was wounded in return. Everyone is keeping an eye out for him with instructions to treat him as a VIP guest if he does show up,” Carl explained.

“So the outside world makes a move at our moment of weakness, or triumph, depending on how you think about it. Find out what you can,” I told Carl who nodded. “Anything else?” I asked.

“They grabbed up all the super worm scales and scoured for any portion of the monster the Ritualist had become. Nothing concrete was found, but several things were melted or destroyed just to be safe. Including the box he was being moved around in,” Carl said.

“A prudent precaution. We don’t have anything, do we?” I asked.

“No. Absolutely nothing. Not even something off the books,” Carl said, and I let out a sigh of relief. I was not about to poke the Champion in a sore spot or have the Ritualist return in any way. All these battles were hard on the nerves.

General Terrance

I looked at the captains sitting in the conference room. Some were unhappy, others were glad not to be a target. “Are there any objections to my promotion?” I asked and no one said anything as I looked from Captain to Captain.

General Smith’s Vice General had been killed as well in the final assault. There was no one to really object to my promotion, even if several people were unhappy about it. After Tyrese, no one would argue with the Champion’s decisions regarding the RMPF. The fact that I had organized the last few attacks and the follow up helped boost my visibility.

“Very well. Then I will be considering applications to be Vice General over the next ten days and making my decision then once things have settled down. If anyone wants to throw their name into the ring or nominate someone else, please speak to me privately,” I said. I needed to get a handle on who was supporting whom.

It would basically be an informal election with my thumb on the scale deciding the outcome. “You all have your assigned posts, lets try to get back to general order over the next ten days. Dismissed,” I said and everyone filed out of the conference room.

I let out a sigh once everyone was gone. It was like herding a bunch of fussy cats. Everyone thought they were important but didn’t want to take big risks. That was the joke about the RMPF, only people who weren’t risk takers joined up.

Chief Administrator Clarissa

“We lost 1,589 people over the course of the conflict including missing in action. Another 186 are awaiting restorations but are in stable condition. Only 14 remain in critical condition and require a restoration. And 1 in super critical condition, unable to get a restoration at this time,” one of my subordinates detailed our recent losses. They were in charge of personnel and keeping track of the general population.

“Anyone who can walk or move, in the group of 186, put them in the group of trainers for new arrivals or the camps. The 14 in critical condition, how many are gray shirts?” I asked.

“There are 7 that are gray shirts. The remaining 7 come from various other groups. A total healing cost of 185,000 points for those 7, the other 7 were already authorized by you yesterday at a cost of 331,000 points.” I nodded at that information and considered my options.

“I will authorize the healing for the gray shirts,” I held out my hand and a piece of paper was passed over. I checked the information and signed off on the withdrawal for the healing. “Anything else?” I asked.

“No mam.” He was okay at his job, but not inspired. Too hesitant on making decisions and understanding the scope of what we were doing. Such things could be fixed in time, but they took time.

I turned to the woman who managed the rotation and hunting camps. “How are the rotation and camps looking?” I asked. With all the losses it would require a massive shift in personnel.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Rough, but we are on track for reorganizing by tomorrow. It helps that everyone is in the plaza at the moment. Even with the lack of proper accommodations and the destruction at the gates. Only the East gate really suffered damage to the buildings. But we are set for handling the new arrivals tomorrow, which brings up the order of repairs?” I frowned at that. I had seen the cost estimates and it wasn’t pleasant.

“The first thing is to get the rotation and hunting camps operational again, since they are the primary sources of income. So, the outer areas will be a focus of repairs. After that will come the City Shield, this building, city buildings, and then any other structures.”

There were still the research reports on the scales. Movements of other organizations. And various other departments that operated under me. If I wasn’t already being paid an astronomical amount, I would have asked for another pay raise.

The Astrologer

“And now the crisis is over,” I said with a grin that wasn’t fake. I stood up, making the chair that was me disappear. The Envoy slowly stood up as well, leaving his chair behind.

“Indeed it is done. It is not truly over. For she is annoyed.”

“Please convey these words directly to the most esteemed Divine Empress, ruler of the West. I thank her for her forbearance, but also remind her of our last discussion. The rebels that constantly seek to disrupt her supply lines find no help or succor from the East. Until her own house is sorted, she should be careful where she casts her gaze. For the Astrologer ruler of the East is not to be taken lightly,” I said.

That was the trick with the envoy and her. I couldn’t just roll over. So, I had to make some threats in return, even if they were completely pointless. If I didn’t make threats, they would suspect I was weak. From the Art of War, when weak, show strength, when strong, show weakness.

One light breeze and my house of cards would collapse, and it would be the end for everyone. I could tell the Envoy was salivating for such an outcome. He reveled in her brutality. I could tell he wanted to strike at me. But for as much of a mad dog as he was, he had been whipped into obedience long ago.

There was a reason he was her mouthpiece while I acted on behalf of my progenitor. He was of comparable status. “Convey your message. But she is displeased at this. I pass the warning.”

“Envoy, a pleasure, safe travels on your return,” I said.

“Astrologer, a pleasure as well, safe travels wherever you wander,” the Envoy said without his usual odd way of speaking. I suspected he did it just to challenge himself. The man liked to push everything and considered even a verbal spar a training opportunity. The most annoying type of personality. He departed, running away.

I shifted my Astral Projection shell that existed around me and floated away through the air. The last bit at the end was a very real warning. The Envoy would not even think about saying something without her permission. The fact she felt confident enough to send a warning meant she was close to a second meta-point.

Speculating on the outcome was pointless but just indicated my timeframe was getting shorter. If she managed to get it before I was freed, then she would move East to test my strength. I wasn’t confident in winning even with my true body if she earned a second meta-point.

The fact she had matched me when I had two and she only had one. Single handily countering me and all five of my Valkyries at the time, even killing one. I shuddered at that fight. I had wounded her lightly with a cursed injury, but the fact that I didn’t win outright spoke volumes. Now she had only gotten stronger, while I had lost my companions and had stagnated.

With only this weak body to act in my place, I wanted to scream and rage. But now was not the time for such futility. I had a meeting I needed to prepare for. I raised the stub that used to be my right hand as I floated through the air.

“So I Predict,” I ended the skill and used the outcome to extend my time. A horrible use of such a powerful skill, but the only way I could maintain this body without access to the original. I felt my flesh reform under my Astral Projection and I easily shifted the projection to show a new hand.

Not as much time as I wanted since I needed to heal the injury. It would not be easy to find another opportunity to use the skill again. The requirements were asinine, but it was a skill I had chosen above all other options. A choice I had not made lightly and one of the two sources of power I had that went beyond reason.

I had no idea what my third choice would be. Temporal options that were useful were not possible unfortunately or worth the risk of wasting a third opportunity. Such a shame, that I could only be freed the hard way going forward. Ignorance was the best option up till now, but that had been ruined. Curse the System and its machinations.

It was far more perverse than even the most jaded of people realized. I wondered if the truth would kill Champion Michael from depression or shock. Doubtful, but it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility. I had only managed two meta-points through sheer luck and realized the truth behind them after much annoyance.

Champion Michael could have earned one and used it to free me. There would be many routes I could have presented to him at that time when I called my favor in. It would have been tricky, but I could have forced him to pick an option I desired. Now that was all ruined and he would have to go the direct route to free me, and he was too weak. Far too weak.

The fact that killing the Ritualist took so long, showed he was far from the necessary strength. I would have to guide him directly and hold his hand. Dammit! There was no other choice now that I had revealed myself.

As I floated over the various zones, I considered other options to free myself for the millionth time. There was nothing. No one and no option that could be made ready in time. Once she took over, there would be no chance to do anything. Eventually she would come across my prison, and I would weep tears of blood, her power insurmountable at that time.

I wanted to cry, but no one would care. I was all alone.