Eternal
Year 56
You enter Brenda’s office where upon the pair of your smile at each other.
“So, how’s the new bride?” you ask.
“Wonderful, of course. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. Thank you for performing the wedding personally.” Brenda remarks.
“No problem. Glad to do it, but I said it before and I’ll say it again. Never did I EVER believe that you’d remarry. Let alone to Warrick of all people! I remember when you hated his guts!”
“Ha ha, yeah…that seems so long ago now. I was too full of misplaced anger and hate. Glad I moved past it and reconnected with Warrick again.”
“Sure, but I just never knew how well you two were reconnecting. When you both told me, I was completely taken by surprise.” You chuckle.
“Well of course you were unaware. You were too busy fighting demons, monsters and sorcerer kings. Yeah, I know it still seems strange, but Warrick and I have a lot more in common than not, you know? I mean we grew up together, we trained together, and we served together. We’re both Eternals. We’re just always going to have that special connection. I mean I will always love Roldan, but why spend the remainder of my life alone if it feels right with another? We both came to that conclusion.”
“Hey, you don’t need to explain to me. I understand and I’m happy for the pair of you. Anyway I just came here to let you know that the new Eternals have been released from their tanks.”
“So did they meet with your standards?” Brenda asks.
“Yes, most of them seem to be very much like the third generation though perhaps with signs of displaying higher intelligence overall. I’d definitely say they’re ready for your training.” You reply.
“So you do still want me to train them?”
“Sure, you did well enough with the third generation didn’t you? I’m just wondering where the hell we’re going to send them when they’re all grown up. It’s likely that Nyttrus will be completely under our control by that time.”
“Maybe we’ll discover a new continent?”
“Maybe, I’m certain they’re out there, though I’ve cut down on spending for exploration for awhile. I’m trying to focus on rebuilding the destruction that was caused to the Nakol and getting Nyttrus under our control as well
“How is it going over there anyway?”
“Better than I expected, worse than I hoped. We’ve got more than a few strongholds there now, but the Iznac are far from being beaten, unfortunately most of the humans there are sick or dead due to disease and Iznac magic. Flog’s also dead and the orcs have become slightly less disciplined as of late without his calmer leadership. There have been a few reports of deserters running off into the jungles and forming their own communities. (Sigh) Going to have to do something about them of course.”
“What about the kobolds?”
“Heh, Dedicated as always. The original leader I sent, Snilkez’ka is still alive and kickin’. She and the rest of them are the main ones holding down the forts. Never thought I’d be so glad of their high birth rates. The third generation Eternals are getting shipped over there soon, so hopefully things will get better.”
“Will you be going over there?”
“I dunno. I might, if only to keep myself busy. There are no more major challenges here on Evigrus anymore and I’d rather not send Decena there. Wasn’t a pleasant experience for her and its not necessary for her to go through that again.”
Brenda nods and you suddenly go into a brief speech about Decena and how proud you are of her and engage in general praising of Decena’s accomplishments.
“You know…and I’ve never addressed this because I didn’t think it was my place to do so, but I still don’t understand why the two of you split up…I mean granted the age difference might normally cause difficulties in being able to relate to one another, but considering that you’re both warriors, you both have an unwavering dedication to preserving the Empire and more importantly you are both Eternals, you have a lot more in common than most people. I mean she is your protégée is she not? It only seems natural that the pair of you would be an item.”
Brenda’s bluntness takes you a bit off guard. She normally isn’t so confrontational.
“It’s complicated.” You answer.
“No, it really isn’t. Look I don’t know the whole story, but I DO know at one time you and Decena were together even if you didn’t make it public knowledge. I also know that you DO care for her and its not just in an average friendly way or a master-subordinate way. You love her and for some reason you’re denying yourself of it.”
“I’m not denying myself of anything.”
“Well what then? I know it wasn’t Decena’s idea, that girl still worships the ground you walk on. Probably more than anyone in the entire Empire.”
“Look Brenda, I understand you’re still on a positivity trip due to your own newfound marital bliss, but my situation is different. It will ALWAYS be different all right?
“It’s not that much different…”
At this point you slam your hands down on Brenda’s desk and get in her face, knocking over a few things on her desk.
“IT IS DIFFERENT. You can’t understand and be glad that you don’t.” you remark. Brenda is silent at your aggressive stance. You stare at her for a few seconds and then back away.
“Now then, the new eternals will be transported here in a few days, I suggest you prepare yourself.” You say and turn to leave.
Brenda though is in rare form and can’t help but continue.
“Emperor?” she says.
“What?” you answer.
“You didn’t do to Decena, what that svelk bitch did to you and I don’t think Alison would want you spending the rest of your life mourning her.”
You stand in the doorway for a moment with your back to Brenda.
“I know I didn’t do what Semra did. I was hideously more successful…and as for Alison…she doesn’t want anything. She’s dead.” You reply and leave the office.
Well you’re in a shitty mood now.
You spend the rest of the day doing a lot of introspection, weighing pros and cons, taking into consideration every side and all your personal feelings on the matter. Every once in awhile you speak to Alison’s portrait as if she’s going to answer. All of which ends up pissing you off even more because you find it to be a pointless endeavor when you should be focusing on more important matters.
You’ve got a damn Empire to run and here you are struggling on what to do about a girl (Or actually a full grown woman now, that has a bit of an arrested development) that likes you. What the hell are you an idiotic hormonal teenager? You thought you settled this a long time ago.
You begin to mentally blame everything and everyone. You blame Brenda and Warrick for their new happy marriage. You especially blame Brenda for bringing this up to you. You blame Decena for becoming so attached to you. You blame Semra for…well everything. You blame Alison for dying on you. You blame Cyrus for killing her. You blame Casimir for setting up the assassination. You even blame Marik for having a hand in creating Decena and then not successfully killing her.
Ultimately though you’ve got nobody to blame, but yourself and you know it and you need to just make a final decision on what to do about Decena.
You enter Brenda’s office where upon the pair of your smile at each other.
“So, how’s the new bride?” you ask.
“Wonderful, of course. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. Thank you for performing the wedding personally.” Brenda remarks.
“No problem. Glad to do it, but I said it before and I’ll say it again. Never did I EVER believe that you’d remarry. Let alone to Warrick of all people! I remember when you hated his guts!”
“Ha ha, yeah…that seems so long ago now. I was too full of misplaced anger and hate. Glad I moved past it and reconnected with Warrick again.”
“Sure, but I just never knew how well you two were reconnecting. When you both told me, I was completely taken by surprise.” You chuckle.
“Well of course you were unaware. You were too busy fighting demons, monsters and sorcerer kings. Yeah, I know it still seems strange, but Warrick and I have a lot more in common than not, you know? I mean we grew up together, we trained together, and we served together. We’re both Eternals. We’re just always going to have that special connection. I mean I will always love Roldan, but why spend the remainder of my life alone if it feels right with another? We both came to that conclusion.”
“Hey, you don’t need to explain to me. I understand and I’m happy for the pair of you. Anyway I just came here to let you know that the new Eternals have been released from their tanks.”
“So did they meet with your standards?” Brenda asks.
“Yes, most of them seem to be very much like the third generation though perhaps with signs of displaying higher intelligence overall. I’d definitely say they’re ready for your training.” You reply.
“So you do still want me to train them?”
“Sure, you did well enough with the third generation didn’t you? I’m just wondering where the hell we’re going to send them when they’re all grown up. It’s likely that Nyttrus will be completely under our control by that time.”
“Maybe we’ll discover a new continent?”
“Maybe, I’m certain they’re out there, though I’ve cut down on spending for exploration for awhile. I’m trying to focus on rebuilding the destruction that was caused to the Nakol and getting Nyttrus under our control as well
“How is it going over there anyway?”
“Better than I expected, worse than I hoped. We’ve got more than a few strongholds there now, but the Iznac are far from being beaten, unfortunately most of the humans there are sick or dead due to disease and Iznac magic. Flog’s also dead and the orcs have become slightly less disciplined as of late without his calmer leadership. There have been a few reports of deserters running off into the jungles and forming their own communities. (Sigh) Going to have to do something about them of course.”
“What about the kobolds?”
“Heh, Dedicated as always. The original leader I sent, Snilkez’ka is still alive and kickin’. She and the rest of them are the main ones holding down the forts. Never thought I’d be so glad of their high birth rates. The third generation Eternals are getting shipped over there soon, so hopefully things will get better.”
“Will you be going over there?”
“I dunno. I might, if only to keep myself busy. There are no more major challenges here on Evigrus anymore and I’d rather not send Decena there. Wasn’t a pleasant experience for her and its not necessary for her to go through that again.”
Brenda nods and you suddenly go into a brief speech about Decena and how proud you are of her and engage in general praising of Decena’s accomplishments.
“You know…and I’ve never addressed this because I didn’t think it was my place to do so, but I still don’t understand why the two of you split up…I mean granted the age difference might normally cause difficulties in being able to relate to one another, but considering that you’re both warriors, you both have an unwavering dedication to preserving the Empire and more importantly you are both Eternals, you have a lot more in common than most people. I mean she is your protégée is she not? It only seems natural that the pair of you would be an item.”
Brenda’s bluntness takes you a bit off guard. She normally isn’t so confrontational.
“It’s complicated.” You answer.
“No, it really isn’t. Look I don’t know the whole story, but I DO know at one time you and Decena were together even if you didn’t make it public knowledge. I also know that you DO care for her and its not just in an average friendly way or a master-subordinate way. You love her and for some reason you’re denying yourself of it.”
“I’m not denying myself of anything.”
“Well what then? I know it wasn’t Decena’s idea, that girl still worships the ground you walk on. Probably more than anyone in the entire Empire.”
“Look Brenda, I understand you’re still on a positivity trip due to your own newfound marital bliss, but my situation is different. It will ALWAYS be different all right?
“It’s not that much different…”
At this point you slam your hands down on Brenda’s desk and get in her face, knocking over a few things on her desk.
“IT IS DIFFERENT. You can’t understand and be glad that you don’t.” you remark. Brenda is silent at your aggressive stance. You stare at her for a few seconds and then back away.
“Now then, the new eternals will be transported here in a few days, I suggest you prepare yourself.” You say and turn to leave.
Brenda though is in rare form and can’t help but continue.
“Emperor?” she says.
“What?” you answer.
“You didn’t do to Decena, what that svelk bitch did to you and I don’t think Alison would want you spending the rest of your life mourning her.”
You stand in the doorway for a moment with your back to Brenda.
“I know I didn’t do what Semra did. I was hideously more successful…and as for Alison…she doesn’t want anything. She’s dead.” You reply and leave the office.
Well you’re in a shitty mood now.
You spend the rest of the day doing a lot of introspection, weighing pros and cons, taking into consideration every side and all your personal feelings on the matter. Every once in awhile you speak to Alison’s portrait as if she’s going to answer. All of which ends up pissing you off even more because you find it to be a pointless endeavor when you should be focusing on more important matters.
You’ve got a damn Empire to run and here you are struggling on what to do about a girl (Or actually a full grown woman now, that has a bit of an arrested development) that likes you. What the hell are you an idiotic hormonal teenager? You thought you settled this a long time ago.
You begin to mentally blame everything and everyone. You blame Brenda and Warrick for their new happy marriage. You especially blame Brenda for bringing this up to you. You blame Decena for becoming so attached to you. You blame Semra for…well everything. You blame Alison for dying on you. You blame Cyrus for killing her. You blame Casimir for setting up the assassination. You even blame Marik for having a hand in creating Decena and then not successfully killing her.
Ultimately though you’ve got nobody to blame, but yourself and you know it and you need to just make a final decision on what to do about Decena.