The infamous Jordsand community. A bastion of simply the best and brightest military minds that seemed unbeatable. However, just as they were revered all throughout Planet 4, scant details about them existed outside of its community. Wild speculation about these almost god-like figures existed in just about every active community participating in the Death Match Tournament. Placing well in this tournament would bring prestige and respect to anyone, much less winning the entire thing. In living memory, only one community has been able to win this tournament in the last 10-20 millennia. The Jordsand community.
Everybody had questions about this community. Very few have any idea of what they are talking about, and even less have truthful answers. Unlike every other community, this one does not let just anyone go in and out of the community as they please. Not even the head of state of the other communities had that privilege. Only an invite would suffice.
At the head of the most powerful community on Planet 4 was a legendary man by the name of Luca. No one knows just what kind of a leader he is, not even the highest-ranking individuals below him. On this planet, nothing interests him. Nothing. He has not lifted a finger to intervene in any Death Match Tournaments for the past few thousand years. Yet, his community is still on top.
For the first time in a long while, Luca held a meeting between him and 3 of the most powerful strategists under him. These 3 were Marisha Umnaya, Xerxes the Great, and Charles Portal. This group actually consisted of 2 others that were currently on assignments in other countries; Douglas MacArthur, and Tamerlane.
Marisha Umnaya was one of the newer additions to the Jordsand community. However, despite being the youngest and most inexperienced in this world, she has shot up in power and prestige astronomically. Just a few hundred years or so ago, she came onto Planet 4 in the Russian community. At first, she hid her strength to see just where the top Russian strategists were in terms of power. Disappointment was all that she felt after she had her answer. Soon after, she received an invitation to the Jordsand community which she accepted.
Xerxes the Great’s most famous moment in history was the failed second invasion of the Greek city-states in 480 BC. A legendary existence on Earth at his time. Among this group, he was the oldest, yet the most optimistic of the bunch. When he was teleported to Planet 4, he started off in the Persian community. However, after rising through the ranks, he saw just how unlikely his Persian brothers would be able to accomplish anything, and decided to travel to other communities to learn more. When he made his way to the Jordsand community, he was actually accepted in by Luca himself. The rest is history.
Charles Portal, Marshal of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom during WWII, was supposed to go to the British community. However, that was not the case he found himself in when he was transported to this planet. Instead, the very first thing he saw when he stepped out of the portal was Xerxes who had come to greet him. The two of them really hit it off and became close allies.
In a rather simple room filled with four fancy couches and a beautiful table which had a satisfying blue decoration all along with it, these four individuals got together to hold a meeting. Which was quite a rare occurrence.
“Luca, I haven’t seen you in quite a while. How have you been these past few hundred years?” Xerxes asked.
“Well, rather boring actually. How have the matters of our community that I dumped on you been going?” Luca asked without even looking at Xerxes.
“Well, when I was in the Syrian community, I was in charge of many more times the number of people than just the ten thousand or so that we have in our Jordsand community.”
“Right, then we should talk about the progress reports of the various communities. Marisha Umnaya was it? I believe you were the one who was in charge of it this year. How is it going?”
“Well, dear leader, many of the communities have been sorely disappointing. With the help of Charles Portal over there, we were able to dominate the skies in tournaments from the British to the French, to the Japanese. Not to mention all those older, useless places that still fear their made-up gods.” Marisha Umnaya replied.
“Anything else?”
“Mmm...I suppose it doesn’t seem like any community will be able to beat us this year. From what I have seen.”
“Anything else?”
“The current second place community seems to have been lacking in quite a few areas when I went to participate in one of their tournaments. It doesn’t seem to me that they will be able to hold onto their position this time around.” Marisha Umnaya said, starting to get a bit irked. Normally, everyone she spoke to showered her with praise and compliments, but Luca was the complete opposite. She had grown accustomed to being the center of attention, now that the leader was here, she couldn’t exactly make a bad first impression of herself.
“Is that all?” Luca asked with that same monotone voice that he talked to everyone with. Not even bothering to give her a glance.
“Yes...I don’t know what else you want me to say.”
“Oh very well then. Another Millenium passed and humanity has barely grown any stronger. Another millennium wasted with nothing to show for it. A disappointment to say the least. If things keep on going like this, then I may have to take drastic measures on my own.” Said Luca nonchalantly. God knows what such a statement entailed.
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“I protest, dear leader. I think that the advancements that humanity has made recently are leagues above what was considered possible in the past.” Charles Portal put in his thoughts.
“I’m with Charles. Advancement in every field grew exponentially during his time in the 20th century, but it continued long into the 22nd century where I lived.” Marisha Umnaya spoke up.
“That may be so by your standards, but nowhere near enough for the purpose that I need. My patience is wearing thin, I’ve waited too long. Far longer than any of you can imagine. This has put me in a very disadvantageous position.”
“How much more powerful are you talking about? I think the progress we have made has been astounding already. Certainly more than anything I could imagine when I was conquering the Greeks all those thousands of years ago, hahaha.”
“The short answer is a lot more advanced. Charles Portal, do you remember the Black Fortress aerial blueprint that was given to you?”
“I do, yes, it was so powerful that I was able to use it in the Chinese aerial tournament with nothing but NPC generals. And I still came out on top. It is the most unique piece of aerial engineering that I have ever seen! Even though I’ve seen my fair share.”
“Yes, well. I need at least a few individuals who are capable of creating or effectively using such weapons on their own. That is the bare minimum. I don’t really think I’d be able to hope for much more in the next few thousand years.”
“What exactly do you need such individuals for, dear leader. Are we not enough?” Charles Portal jokingly asked.
“No, honestly, on this planet there are only a handful of people who even have the talent I require. None of them are able to satisfy my requirements just yet.”
“Who are they? Am I one of them?” Marisha said in a suddenly chilling voice.
“Yes, you are. There are a couple in the Chinese community, a few in the United States, India, some in the European ones, and others scattered throughout the various other nations.”
“What about me, dear leader, am I one as well?”
“You have potential, but in the long run, you have absolutely no place in my grand plans.”
“...Oh…” Charles Portal said, trying to hide his disappointment.
Xerxes wanted to try and cheer his close ally up but decided that changing the topic would ease the awkwardness in the air.
“Then, why have you suddenly arose from your long inactivity period? Has something caused you to stir so quickly?”
“Mmm, I got a bit bored with my previous tasks so I decided to come back and entertain myself for a while.”
For a little while, no one said anything. Not because there was nothing to say, but the three were extremely curious about Luca and wondered if they should pry into his background further. After all, this was the man that created the greatest community on Planet 4. It also went without saying that it was very likely with the way that he was talking that he was more capable than anyone in leading an army.
“...Where...were you?” Marisha asked boldly ready to extract more information out of the leader that she had to follow.
“That’s none of your business, little lady. Although, if you eventually reach the skill that meets my requirements, then I have absolutely no qualms with showing you. However, as you are right now, you are far too weak.”
Marisha kept a calm face on the outside, but on the inside, she was fuming. This was the first time that anyone had ever disrespected her like this. She had grand ambitions to become even stronger than Luca and take over the Jordsand community. Despite this, no one had seen Luca fight ever before. Not even those members of the community who were over 10,000 years old.
“I want to see just how well I stack up against you, Luca. Care for a match?”
“You’re a lot bolder than anyone I have ever met previously, Marisha. But let me make myself clear one final time. You. Are. Too. Weak. When you have more experience, then I’d gladly have a match with you.”
Marisha was fuming even more now, but she dared not show it. A brief moment of silence later and it was once again Xerxes who decided to break the awkward air of the room.
“Say, I remember you had a match with those very capable bunch from the Chinese and Mongolian communities a while back. Were they…”
“They were decent strategists. However, they were a bit weaker than I’d have liked. Who were they again? It was Zhu Ge Liang, his Three Kingdom allies, and various strategists of the steppes, correct?”
“Yes, as far as I remember. You took them into your personal war room and did battle with them. I kind of wish I was there to witness it.”
“Haha. Well, it wasn’t very much of a very interesting simulation. They could not survive my onslaught for more than a few weeks. Granted the difference between our technology was light years apart, but they held on a bit longer than I’d originally estimated. I’ll give them that much.”
“Say, those I sent to gather intelligence in the Chinese and Mongolian communities have confirmed that Zhu Ge Liang and all of the other strategists that you fought never made it back to their respective communities. What...what happened to them?”
“Well, after my simulation with them, I issued them a challenge. A rather simple one. They had to endure a portion of the wisdom that I have experienced throughout my life. All of them accepted,” Luca said as he was trying to remember what happened exactly.
“...and…?” Everyone perked their ears up to listen to what Luca had to say next.
“And they all lost their minds. Well, Zhu Ge Liang managed to make it back to the Chinese community, but the rest did not.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, where did they go, exactly?” Xerxes was now invested into this conversation as this had been bugging him for a couple hundred years.
“I had to take them to somewhere, somewhere...nicer.”
“I’m sorry, to where?”
“Tell you three what. If any of you decide that you want to take up my challenge, then I will show you where. It doesn’t matter if you pass or fail, I will show you regardless.”
“Oh, alright then. Ah yes, as the unofficial administrator for the Jordsand community, I have received word of a mock Death Match Tournament that the Chinese community has started.”
“And?”
“And I have just sent them a confirmation telling them that we will not be participating.”
“I see.”
“However, I will be sending a few representatives, including myself, to attend.”
“Alright, that sounds fine.”
“Good. Would you like me to do a bit of scouting or gather intelligence or anything like that, Luca?”
“Do whatever you want, I couldn’t care less. Now, there are a few more things that I need to take care of. One more thing, I have written a letter to the Chinese community head of state about something regarding the mock tournament. I need one of you to deliver it to him.”
“Of course. Stay safe, dear leader.” Charles Portal said customarily, but inside he felt terrible. The words that Luca had told him earlier really impacted him. He thought he was one of the best aerial strategists on the planet, and he knew he was. However, what Luca had told him was that he was essentially a non-factor. Essentially useless. This was a new low for the man who spent centuries up in the skies.
“Bye,” Xerxes said while taking a look at his dear friend. What could he say to cheer him up? Nothing came to mind. He then turned to Marisha Umnaya who simply acknowledged what Luca said. Finally, he managed to catch the last figure Luca left before finally disappearing altogether.
For the 3 of Jordsand’s best and brightest, this meeting had impacted them all significantly. Luca was a man of great mystery, and this meeting that they had with him did nothing more than to amplify this trait of his.
As Luca left the room, he had many thoughts running through his mind. However, he pushed it all aside and headed for the portal at the center of the most important building in the Jordsandinian community. Normally, a huge sum of money would have to be used to transport anybody. Except for new arrivals where it was used at no cost. Luca stood in the portal and began muttering something.
“Access code, Eluca-315. Transport me to Planet 2, planet of the businessmen.”