Chapter 168: Next Steps
Stannir looked out of one of the complex's windows, and stared at the lands around it with a smile. "It has become something special... You'll see this place become full with you at the head of it." Stannir looked at Salina, frowning. "I don't think its just me... I think its the group of people I'm with and the title I was given."
"Are you being an idiot again? Do I have to slap you in the face?" Stannir shook his head, and covered his cheeks with his hands. "No... I'm not being stupid at all... I'm just saying they'll be coming here to be safe."
"Wrong... General, they're coming here to fight... You'll see more and more people return on the Unifier, wanting to join your side, and join your fight." Stannir looked up at the old monster that had walked in. "To fight against the Supreme?"
"To fight for Athlos... No one knows yet, that we're against the Supreme... This is why we're left to our own decisions at the moment... Remember what the sand dragons said when they reported to us about what's happening in the Capital?" Stannir nodded. "They're really pushing our agenda in the island chains to set this place free." Stannir looked at the window in thought. "Its interesting even after taking out the queen, nothing has been mentioned from the Supreme... I'm sure Mouse and the old shadow will also come back with a completed mission as well... Why isn't there a response coming from them?"
"If they did that, than the Supreme would have to accept he's the one who ordered their creation." Stannir nodded at the old monster. "See general... He's using his brain... I'm sure you would've figured that out as well." He felt his face start to turn red, turning to face out the window. "What should we be doing now?"
"After taking out two of his allies, we need to start looking for the others... The moment we strike against the Supreme, we'll be seen as enemies, and everyone we know will turn against us." Stannir nodded, and felt his heart become heavy. "Yes... I know that... We need to be ready to fight our own people at that time." He turned and sat in a wooden chair that creaked under his weight.
"Don't think of it like that... The people here we have now are the ones who will be fighting... We're not asking for others to join us yet... The ones who'll join us to fight against the Supreme are the people that are trapped here in the firelands, and also the island chains... They may have different ideas about why we're doing what we're doing..." Stannir nodded in thought. "I've always been wanting to be a hero, it seems that we're destined to become villains instead."
"We're what we need to be... We fight for Athlos, and protect Athlos... If Athlos needs us to be that way, than that's what we do... If Athlos needs us to be murderers, than that's what we have to be... As you say. For the glory of Athlos." Stannir nodded. "You're right..." He stood up, walking to the old monster. "Thank you... Lets go and see what the others are up to."
"You mean you want to see how I've been training the fireeaters?" Stannir nodded. "I haven't seen them for a while... I hope you've been training them hard."
"Don't worry about that general... They're in excellent shape, and are becoming a force of their own." Stannir smiled. "Well, lets go and see them."
"Yes. General." He frowned when he heard those words, looking at Salina's giggle, followed the old monster down the stairs, outside and to the rear of the complex where he could hear fighting and running. He stood on the edge of the training ground watching the fire eater unit fighting against dummy troliaths and practicing their aim. He nodded. "Where did you get the dummies from?"
"I made them..." He turned and saw Harnio looking at the dummies with a smile on his face. "They look very realistic."
"They are... It didn't take long for me to make them... The materials are here all around us... The monk has been very helpful lately... He seems to be in a happy mood." Stannir nodded. "You're right... He's definitely been happier, than his usual drunk self... Must be something to do with Raven." He saw Harnio nod. "Yes... I also think the same."
Stannir nodded, and took a step forward into the training yard, followed by the old monster.
"ATTENTION!"
He watched as the unit formed up in front of him. He stood in front of them at attention. "Permission to form up as well?" Stannir nodded at the old monster, and watched him stand next to the squad leader. "Fireeaters... Welcome to your training complex... When you fight these beasts you need to kill them with one shot, one strike... You don't have time to do anything pretty... They just have to die." Stannir formed his hook sword, and threw it at the dummy causing it to instantly turn into dust. "I knew if you'd walk into this place, I'd have to replace the dummies... At least I made a lot of them." Stannir smiled as he heard Harnio mutter behind him.
"That's just one beast... When they attack there're countless numbers of them... You can't be beautiful on a battlefield... You need to be strong, and protect the ones next to you... GET BACK TO IT! INSTANT KILLS!"
"SIR, YES, SIR!"
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on their training general." He nodded at the old monster and walked away from the training yard. He turned to Harnio. "What about you? I see you're still wearing your old tower robes... You need something suitable for yourself as well."
"Don't worry about me... I'm working on that at the moment... The monk is finishing the forges for me, so I'll be busy with that." Stannir nodded. "Where are the forges anyway?"
"There're below near the Unifier... Heaps of space down there, and also easy for me to transport them onto the Unifier." Stannir smiled. "That's a very good location. Do you need any help with the forging? You've seen my work already." He frowned as Harnio shook his head. "No... There was only one person that was able to keep up with my work speed, and now he and his family are no longer with us."
"Yes... But..."
"No buts... I prefer to work alone, and I can be more efficient that way as well... This is where I must go to the forge... My material should be just about ready." Stannir nodded in silence watching as Harnio faded from his view with a single step. "How does he do that?"
"Because he's a wind walker... They all can do that... Don't worry about him... What else can be done here at the moment, while waiting for Mouse to return?" Stannir put his hands behind his back and walked into the forest. "There's nothing that we can do, but wait, and keep training." He looked at his metallic arm, watching it reflect his face in the sunlight. "How was my blood lust self able to do this?"
"You don't need to worry about that... What's done is done... What we need to be doing is making sure you can speak the ancient language... Then, when the time comes you'll be ready for the test." He nodded. "Its a pity that I'm unable to learn it, as I learn by fighting."
"Its a language... How can you learn a language by fighting?" Stannir shrugged his shoulders. "No idea Salina... But I'm sure we'll think of a way that I can learn it quickly."
"Hohohohoho... You shouldn't be trying to rush something... That's when mistakes happen." He turned and looked at the old shadow staring at him. "What about Mouse?" He breathed a sigh of relief as Mouse jumped down and smiled at him. "He's fine... We've removed the master of the taint... But there're still countless armies of trolaiths around... More than a small group like ourselves are able to deal with." Stannir cursed. "But if the master is gone, does that mean they'll just sit there and wait until we kill them?"
"I'm not sure... That's the problem... We've seen them being able to act on their own independent thoughts... But we've also seen them commanded by an alpha..." Stannir clenched his fist. "Are we able to identify where the locations of the alphas are?"
"That's not a problem... The issue, we should be looking at, is what's our nest step?" Stannir looked at the trunk of a tree in thought. "That's what I've been trying to think about now..." He looked at the old shadow and Mouse. "Do the both of you have any ideas?"
"We need to prepare for the death of the Supreme... It shouldn't be too far away... When that happens, we have our own mission to carry out..." Stannir waved his hand at them. "You're both free to move as you will... As long as we know what you're planning."
"Hahahaha... He's really becoming a general... We want to destroy the jewel that the Supreme wears all the time... There's something dangerous about it, and it needs to disappear." Stannir nodded. "Fine by me... But we won't be able to get close until he dies and during the funeral... That's when he's still wearing the crown and jewels."
"Correct, but there's a time when no one is wearing them... Just before the new Supreme is chosen." Stannir smiled. "I'll leave that for the both of you."
"Hahahahaha... I'm too old... If I went to the Capital, I think the winds during the trip would kill me... This is for my apprentice to deal with... I prefer to stay here in the warmth... My bones like it here." Stannir saw Mouse roll his eyes at the old shadow. "The both of you should go rest, and enjoy being back in Paradise... When we have an idea of what to do next we shall decide then."
"Fine with us... See you general." He watched as the old shadow jumped and left him and Mouse alone. "What's the matter Mouse?" He frowned at his signing. "The master was able to make clones... Did you get them all?" He cursed as Mouse shook his head signing. "You only got six... Also the original... I guess that's a good start... We need to find those clones and remove them as soon as possible... Mouse you have your mission... If you need the priestess, she's with Cliffhopper's wife... Those two are almost inseparable." He watched as Mouse jumped into the trees around him and cursed. "That is going to be a problem... The master was able to clone himself... We still don't know the other allies the Supreme has for his plan, nor what his plan is."
"You shouldn't worry about that too much... Each problem that we face, we'll be ready for it... We have to be ready, as you heard from all the old ones... This is our last chance." Stannir nodded. "That's still a lot of pressure... We can't make any mistakes, and everything we do has to turn to gold." He sat down in the forest and put his head in his hands.
"You worry to much... You should be more like us brothers." He looked up at them and smiled at Drummen and Cliffhopper as they stood in front of him. "If you knew what I knew, than you'd also feel the weight of the world was on your shoulders."
"The thing is I know what you know..." He looked up and saw the priestess walk towards them with Cliffhopper's wife next to her. "I know about the clones, and that we need to remove a large hidden army out there somewhere before the Supreme dies..." Stannir stood up and looked at her. "Can we find this army?"
"Leave it to us Stannir... We brothers are good at finding things, and the priestess will be able to find all of the clones... We can't have a clone start a war now can we?" Stannir shook his head. "No we can't... Ring the bell, and call everyone to the meeting hall... We have to make some plans."
"DIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGG! DDDDIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGG!"
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