Eternal
Year 55
Another clear night and you look out across the Arat border from the fort roof knowing that the ED could invade soon…though you’ve been waiting for about five years now. If anything you’d wish that they’d hurry up and do it or as you’ve often suggested to Klemto, that you strike at the ED first.
He of course claims he’s still trying to sway the royals to do such a thing, most importantly the king. Seems the gnomes are still playing tug of war with their puppet strings. You suggested that a few assassinations would do the trick, but Klemto was a little upset at you for that suggestion.
In any case Klemto better hurry up and get this war started, because more anti-gnome groups are starting to pop up and it’s getting harder to keep them quiet, especially since they aren’t wrong about their accusations.
As for you, you’re a major now and you’re not only in charge of Fort Soot, but the entire Gan province as far as military is concerned. You’ve been busying yourself with having the soldiers keep to their patrols and training. Instilling the same routines that you did at Fort Green. Your results have been more or less just as successful. Dawn is still your second, though she’s a captain now and she’s more of a concern to you than any potential war right now.
You really should’ve transferred her to another fort, as she’s certainly competent enough to run one and even during the gnoll war you suspected that she had feelings for you that were more than just a professional respect. The problem is, you had feelings for her too and by the time both of you admitted them to each other it unleashed itself in a night of passion. This wasn’t like what happened between you and Alison at Fort Destiny though, you didn’t separate love and sex from each other and now you’re too attached to Dawn to have her transferred.
It hasn’t been an excessive problem in day-to-day operations, but to you it’s a definite weakness on your part. You don’t even know how the hell you can even feel love as you’ve never really experienced it before, but then you remember Brenda and Roldan and they did. They even worked together and married. Perhaps you’re over thinking it.
Speaking of Brenda, you’ve finally got information on what she’s been up to thanks to Warrick’s intelligence gathering missions. She’s apparently still in charge of all of the Nalin province and the only other Eternal that has equal rank to Edgar. She joined the Eternal Dominion years ago when Edgar came to her in Nalin, but Warrick has told you that she isn’t happy with the situation. Warrick has said that she is willing to give out Edgar’s plans and troops movements. So far they’ve been updating their equipment and consolidating their territory still. She claims that Edgar has his sights on either re-conquering Rask or invading the Felkan Kingdom, but nothing is certain yet. The big thing is Edgar has actually managed to completely unite the new eternals under a doctrine that only they are fit to rule and new generations of eternals are still being trained. You have to say, you’re a little impressed by his accomplishments.
Edgar a despot, Warrick a brainwashed spy, Brenda a traitorous informant and you in charge of an army that was once an enemy. If someone told you when you were fresh out of Gruz’s training school that this is how the four of you would end up, you never would’ve believed it.
“Roldan, Gerald…Kane, I can only imagine what you’re thinking as you watch us all from wherever you are.” You say out loud, briefly thinking about the good old days when things were simpler.
You stop with the nostalgia to return to your room to get some rest, where you find Dawn sleeping. You try not to wake her, but you’re doomed to failure. She moves over to cuddle next to you.
“Go back to sleep.” You tell her.
“Hey, if you’re here, who’s in charge of the fort?” she groggily asks.
“Lieutenant Baker.”
“Him? Ugh, I better go on duty…”
“Hey come back to bed. He’s capable of handling it, besides, it’s not like anything is going on.”
“I guess so. I just feel more comfortable with you or me in charge.”
“Yeah, well you’ve been working too hard anyway. You probably need more rest than anyone, so go back to sleep.”
“Mmmm, I’m up now, but if you’d like me to stay in bed, we could do something else…” Dawn says rubbing your chest and kissing the side of your face.
Yeah, you’ve been over thinking the possible downsides of this relationship too much lately. You take Dawn up on her offer and have fun living for the moment rather than pondering the past or concerning yourself about future.
The next morning you return to your duties as usual. For most of the day it looks like it’s going to be another routine one, and that’s when you get an unexpected visit from Klemto. When he arrives in your office, he has a slight frown in his face.
“I’m suspecting bad news.” You say.
“Well, it’s fifty fifty I suppose. Warrick has just given me news that Edgar is planning on attacking the Rask frontier. Not exactly sure how long it’ll take him, before he sets his sights on us again though. There isn’t really a government system in place there, it’s more of a collection of isolated towns relying on mercs to keep monsters at bay from what I’m told.”
“Edgar and I were both stationed at Rask for many years. He’s got the advantage of knowing the area and everything else, but he also has to know that the place tends towards lawlessness. He might be able to easily conquer towns, but the manpower involved in keeping them under control is a constant drain. Not to brag, but if it hadn’t been for me keeping a tight leash on things there, the Empire would’ve never gotten control of it as well as they did.
“Heh, well the ED has several eternals to keep a tight leash on it as you say.”
“And those eternals aren’t me.”
“Well, you seem to be in proud mood today.”
“Just stating the facts.”
“I see, well in any case that brings me to the next bit of news. You may be getting a transfer soon.”
“Transfer? Why?”
“Well the king and several others have always been uncomfortable with you in charge of the armies here on the frontlines as you probably know. It’s only due to the threat of the potential invasion and my circle’s influence that we managed to keep you in power here.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? After all their worrying about an invasion for years, you mean they’re suddenly not anymore, because Edgar’s attacking Rask? That’s pretty fucking short sighted.” You say.
“No, the intention is to still keep up the defenses here and keep the same procedures you set in place of course, but just uh, replace you.”
“Right, because I could suddenly raise an army and try to overthrow the throne at any given time…fuck. I thought you were supposed to calm those fears!”
“I tried! I really did! I mean I think I’m lucky we accomplished what we did! And I tried to fight for you on this too, but it’s just too much now and they want you gone. It’ll make everyone feel better.”
“Yes, everyone but me obviously.”
“Hey you’ve always claimed to be a soldier dedicated to the kingdom for good or bad. Isn’t this one of those times where you stepping down quietly to make everyone feel better would be best for the kingdom, instead of causing a fuse and potentially causing more problems?”
“So I accept this, and then what happens? Where am I getting transferred to? Some fort in the middle of nowhere again?”
“Well, that’s just it, you’re kind of going to be transferred to the uh…private sector. Are you familiar the merchant’s guild at the capital? Well, you’ll be the new head of security there!” Klemto says trying to make it sound impressive.
You can’t believe this.
“Are you telling me I’m not even going to be part of the damn army anymore? I’m just going to be a glorified guard?”
“You’ll be well paid and get a better place to stay than this dreary fort!”
“You know I don’t give a shit about all that, I’m a warrior! I want to fight!”
“And that’s still an option! I mean it’s not like you’ll be sitting around doing nothing. In fact with the guild could use a little extra protection since the rise in anti-gnomism going on lately.”
“Trust me, there’s some of that going on here too, right now.”
Klempto seems like he wants to pat your arm reassure you, but decides better of it.
“Look, I’m sorry about all this. It sucks I know, but the popular opinion is just not in our favor. That’s why we want you at the guild; most of my faction of likeminded fellows are there. We think we could still remedy this later.”
“You’d think with all your influence and control of the economy you’d be able to do something about this now.”
“Yes, well it isn’t as easy as you think.”
“Yeah, well it could be.” You say.
Klempto musters up all his courage and points a finger at you.
“And I don’t want to hear you talking like that anymore! I know what you’re implying and the answer is no! Unlike you humans, we gnomes don’t kill one another despite our disagreements! Now I suggest you prepare for your transfer, take care of all your affairs here and a carriage will come and get you in a few days. I suppose you’ll want that Dawn girl to take over here, which will be acceptable. I managed to convince the opposition of that.”
“Gee, thanks for small favors.”
At this point Klemto just backs away from you and begins to leave, before he does though he speaks once more.
“Y’know, you shouldn’t really see this as a bad thing. I mean think about how old you are getting. You humans don’t have that high of a life span. Shouldn’t you want to start slowing down on the war and battle a bit and start concentrating on enjoying your approaching elderly years?”
“If you’re still trying to convince me you’re failing miserably, because that’s the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard for several reasons that I’m not even going to get into. But I’ll address the age thing briefly. Yeah I know I’m not twenty, but I fucking know I’m still a better warrior than any of the soldiers under my command, let alone an average Felkan soldier. And while you keep saying I’m human, I’m not. I’m a fucking Eternal. We’re better than a normal human and when the ED invades they’re going to SHOW you that they are mainly because they aren’t afraid to do whatever it kill their enemies, unlike you lot.”
Sensing he better leave this time, Klemto quickly runs off out of your office, leaving you to ponder your situation. Just last night you were feeling good in the arms of Dawn, and now you got a bunch of shit shoved at you that you’re supposed to just sit and eat it.
It’s enough for you to attack the Eternal Dominion anyway.
Another clear night and you look out across the Arat border from the fort roof knowing that the ED could invade soon…though you’ve been waiting for about five years now. If anything you’d wish that they’d hurry up and do it or as you’ve often suggested to Klemto, that you strike at the ED first.
He of course claims he’s still trying to sway the royals to do such a thing, most importantly the king. Seems the gnomes are still playing tug of war with their puppet strings. You suggested that a few assassinations would do the trick, but Klemto was a little upset at you for that suggestion.
In any case Klemto better hurry up and get this war started, because more anti-gnome groups are starting to pop up and it’s getting harder to keep them quiet, especially since they aren’t wrong about their accusations.
As for you, you’re a major now and you’re not only in charge of Fort Soot, but the entire Gan province as far as military is concerned. You’ve been busying yourself with having the soldiers keep to their patrols and training. Instilling the same routines that you did at Fort Green. Your results have been more or less just as successful. Dawn is still your second, though she’s a captain now and she’s more of a concern to you than any potential war right now.
You really should’ve transferred her to another fort, as she’s certainly competent enough to run one and even during the gnoll war you suspected that she had feelings for you that were more than just a professional respect. The problem is, you had feelings for her too and by the time both of you admitted them to each other it unleashed itself in a night of passion. This wasn’t like what happened between you and Alison at Fort Destiny though, you didn’t separate love and sex from each other and now you’re too attached to Dawn to have her transferred.
It hasn’t been an excessive problem in day-to-day operations, but to you it’s a definite weakness on your part. You don’t even know how the hell you can even feel love as you’ve never really experienced it before, but then you remember Brenda and Roldan and they did. They even worked together and married. Perhaps you’re over thinking it.
Speaking of Brenda, you’ve finally got information on what she’s been up to thanks to Warrick’s intelligence gathering missions. She’s apparently still in charge of all of the Nalin province and the only other Eternal that has equal rank to Edgar. She joined the Eternal Dominion years ago when Edgar came to her in Nalin, but Warrick has told you that she isn’t happy with the situation. Warrick has said that she is willing to give out Edgar’s plans and troops movements. So far they’ve been updating their equipment and consolidating their territory still. She claims that Edgar has his sights on either re-conquering Rask or invading the Felkan Kingdom, but nothing is certain yet. The big thing is Edgar has actually managed to completely unite the new eternals under a doctrine that only they are fit to rule and new generations of eternals are still being trained. You have to say, you’re a little impressed by his accomplishments.
Edgar a despot, Warrick a brainwashed spy, Brenda a traitorous informant and you in charge of an army that was once an enemy. If someone told you when you were fresh out of Gruz’s training school that this is how the four of you would end up, you never would’ve believed it.
“Roldan, Gerald…Kane, I can only imagine what you’re thinking as you watch us all from wherever you are.” You say out loud, briefly thinking about the good old days when things were simpler.
You stop with the nostalgia to return to your room to get some rest, where you find Dawn sleeping. You try not to wake her, but you’re doomed to failure. She moves over to cuddle next to you.
“Go back to sleep.” You tell her.
“Hey, if you’re here, who’s in charge of the fort?” she groggily asks.
“Lieutenant Baker.”
“Him? Ugh, I better go on duty…”
“Hey come back to bed. He’s capable of handling it, besides, it’s not like anything is going on.”
“I guess so. I just feel more comfortable with you or me in charge.”
“Yeah, well you’ve been working too hard anyway. You probably need more rest than anyone, so go back to sleep.”
“Mmmm, I’m up now, but if you’d like me to stay in bed, we could do something else…” Dawn says rubbing your chest and kissing the side of your face.
Yeah, you’ve been over thinking the possible downsides of this relationship too much lately. You take Dawn up on her offer and have fun living for the moment rather than pondering the past or concerning yourself about future.
The next morning you return to your duties as usual. For most of the day it looks like it’s going to be another routine one, and that’s when you get an unexpected visit from Klemto. When he arrives in your office, he has a slight frown in his face.
“I’m suspecting bad news.” You say.
“Well, it’s fifty fifty I suppose. Warrick has just given me news that Edgar is planning on attacking the Rask frontier. Not exactly sure how long it’ll take him, before he sets his sights on us again though. There isn’t really a government system in place there, it’s more of a collection of isolated towns relying on mercs to keep monsters at bay from what I’m told.”
“Edgar and I were both stationed at Rask for many years. He’s got the advantage of knowing the area and everything else, but he also has to know that the place tends towards lawlessness. He might be able to easily conquer towns, but the manpower involved in keeping them under control is a constant drain. Not to brag, but if it hadn’t been for me keeping a tight leash on things there, the Empire would’ve never gotten control of it as well as they did.
“Heh, well the ED has several eternals to keep a tight leash on it as you say.”
“And those eternals aren’t me.”
“Well, you seem to be in proud mood today.”
“Just stating the facts.”
“I see, well in any case that brings me to the next bit of news. You may be getting a transfer soon.”
“Transfer? Why?”
“Well the king and several others have always been uncomfortable with you in charge of the armies here on the frontlines as you probably know. It’s only due to the threat of the potential invasion and my circle’s influence that we managed to keep you in power here.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? After all their worrying about an invasion for years, you mean they’re suddenly not anymore, because Edgar’s attacking Rask? That’s pretty fucking short sighted.” You say.
“No, the intention is to still keep up the defenses here and keep the same procedures you set in place of course, but just uh, replace you.”
“Right, because I could suddenly raise an army and try to overthrow the throne at any given time…fuck. I thought you were supposed to calm those fears!”
“I tried! I really did! I mean I think I’m lucky we accomplished what we did! And I tried to fight for you on this too, but it’s just too much now and they want you gone. It’ll make everyone feel better.”
“Yes, everyone but me obviously.”
“Hey you’ve always claimed to be a soldier dedicated to the kingdom for good or bad. Isn’t this one of those times where you stepping down quietly to make everyone feel better would be best for the kingdom, instead of causing a fuse and potentially causing more problems?”
“So I accept this, and then what happens? Where am I getting transferred to? Some fort in the middle of nowhere again?”
“Well, that’s just it, you’re kind of going to be transferred to the uh…private sector. Are you familiar the merchant’s guild at the capital? Well, you’ll be the new head of security there!” Klemto says trying to make it sound impressive.
You can’t believe this.
“Are you telling me I’m not even going to be part of the damn army anymore? I’m just going to be a glorified guard?”
“You’ll be well paid and get a better place to stay than this dreary fort!”
“You know I don’t give a shit about all that, I’m a warrior! I want to fight!”
“And that’s still an option! I mean it’s not like you’ll be sitting around doing nothing. In fact with the guild could use a little extra protection since the rise in anti-gnomism going on lately.”
“Trust me, there’s some of that going on here too, right now.”
Klempto seems like he wants to pat your arm reassure you, but decides better of it.
“Look, I’m sorry about all this. It sucks I know, but the popular opinion is just not in our favor. That’s why we want you at the guild; most of my faction of likeminded fellows are there. We think we could still remedy this later.”
“You’d think with all your influence and control of the economy you’d be able to do something about this now.”
“Yes, well it isn’t as easy as you think.”
“Yeah, well it could be.” You say.
Klempto musters up all his courage and points a finger at you.
“And I don’t want to hear you talking like that anymore! I know what you’re implying and the answer is no! Unlike you humans, we gnomes don’t kill one another despite our disagreements! Now I suggest you prepare for your transfer, take care of all your affairs here and a carriage will come and get you in a few days. I suppose you’ll want that Dawn girl to take over here, which will be acceptable. I managed to convince the opposition of that.”
“Gee, thanks for small favors.”
At this point Klemto just backs away from you and begins to leave, before he does though he speaks once more.
“Y’know, you shouldn’t really see this as a bad thing. I mean think about how old you are getting. You humans don’t have that high of a life span. Shouldn’t you want to start slowing down on the war and battle a bit and start concentrating on enjoying your approaching elderly years?”
“If you’re still trying to convince me you’re failing miserably, because that’s the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard for several reasons that I’m not even going to get into. But I’ll address the age thing briefly. Yeah I know I’m not twenty, but I fucking know I’m still a better warrior than any of the soldiers under my command, let alone an average Felkan soldier. And while you keep saying I’m human, I’m not. I’m a fucking Eternal. We’re better than a normal human and when the ED invades they’re going to SHOW you that they are mainly because they aren’t afraid to do whatever it kill their enemies, unlike you lot.”
Sensing he better leave this time, Klemto quickly runs off out of your office, leaving you to ponder your situation. Just last night you were feeling good in the arms of Dawn, and now you got a bunch of shit shoved at you that you’re supposed to just sit and eat it.
It’s enough for you to attack the Eternal Dominion anyway.