Chapter 24: Chapter 24 – Ambition

 

'Alara.' Aila called out in a singsong voice.

'Master, stop teasing me. That experience was intense.' Aila smiled inside her mind. Alara had climaxed hard when Aila went inside her mind and reinforced her cultivation foundation with an additional light core. Her sister was able to suppress her outward responses, even when she had the same experience.

'What is the response of the Silver King? Our message should have been received by now.' Aila brushed through her mind once again, and she felt a powerful surge of light elements within her new core. Alara murmured at the pleasant sensation.

'His father knew. He plans to fight, and entrust Ava to us.' She heard her master sigh. 'Is this not the right choice, Master?'

'It's already too late. He'll fight, weaken the kingdom, and an adjacent power that gave some helpful advice to the Prime Minister, will move in with their own army. Thules Kingdom is living on borrowed time. Hm. I wonder which one it is.' Aila contemplated.

'If I were to guess, it should be the Teshele further west. They are further away from the coast, and have to import fish, salt, and other necessities. Thules Kingdom is right in their way.' She said softly. 'The fools forget that Thules also blocks the rank threes, and keeps them from their border.' She waited.

'Then I have a place to send the stone bears when the dark panthers begin to take over their territory. I will also encourage the flame wolves to migrate. I might be able to push some iron tusk boars their way as well.' Aila said with a soft smile. 'That is only if the Silver King doesn't get his head out of his ass. I don't want Ava to grow up to be an orphan.'

'Master, you could always discourage Teshele Kingdom from going to war. They are no stronger then Thules, as they have to rely on trickery, and decades of planning.' Alara suggested. Aila went silent, which made Alara begin to panic. If her master was upset with her for the suggestion, she didn't know what she would do.

'Ava. Are you listening?' Aila asked softly.

'I am, Master. I didn't want to suggest anything. He is my father, but it isn't your responsibility to fix his mistakes.' Ava said, but her inner voice sounded sad.

'You're saying you wouldn't blame me.' Aila said.

'No, Master. I wouldn't blame you.' Ava felt Aila's fingers within her consciousness again, but this time, instead of a direct invasion, it was a gentle caress.

'He will survive, little water baby. I can't guarantee that Thules kingdom will survive intact, but I won't let you grow up to be an orphan.' Ava sniffed.

'Thank you, Master.'

 

* * *

 

"Report." The smiling face on the Teshele King, Erir Teshele, made the Minister of War sweat. To his subjects, he appeared to be a calm and benevolant ruler, but this calm facade was designed to hide his true intentions, as well as cover over the pleasure he gets when his enemies die. His ministers made sure they would never become his enemy.

"We've had a few reports of a lone cultivator on our border, Sire. We've sent scouts, guards, and a full squad of Foundation realm soldiers out." He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"What did they find out?" The words were softly spoken, but the tense atmosphere didn't disperse.

"All were beheaded. A message was left in the mouth of one of the heads." The Minister of War handed the bloodied sheet to the Court Secretary. The man quickly read it, and paled.

"Is this true, Minister?"

"There were large prints near the scene. At least ten different sets were confirmed." The Minister of War said in a somber tone, but the chill still went down his spine. The Court Secretary handed the king the message. After he read it, his eyebrow twitched.

"Interesting. Pretty bold to threaten us." A soldier ran into the room, his face pale, and a scroll in his hand. He went right over to the presiding court guardian, and handed him the scroll.

"Sent over inside the mouth of another beheaded soldier." He said quietly, and quickly retreated. The guardian cleared his throat, and walked over to the Court Secretary. He handed him the scroll and walked back to his place.

He opened the scroll, and immediately, a flood of death elements killed the Court Secretary, turning him to a zombie instantly. He stared at the court with blank eyes, and walked in front of the king.

"Master says this is your warning, and the only one. Enter her land, and she'll send hundreds of zombies with death cores. Master says to release me now." The Teshele king's eye twitched, but he remained outwardly calm. The Minister of War took his sword, but the king held up his hand.

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"Will your master interfere in what has already occurred?" The king asked.

"Master will only act if Teshele sends soldiers, assassins, scouts, assistants, assistance, or any interference. What has happened has already happened, and she will not hold it against the kingdom. Stay on this side of the border. Trade fairly. Or become a warning to others." The zombie lifted his eyes to the heavens. "Ah, Master will release me herself. Thank you, Master."

Before the king's eyes, his Court Secretary, who had been turned into a zombie through death element, was purified, and turned to dust. The king's eye twitched again.

"Minister of War, disperse the soldiers to the border towns, to fortify them against retaliation from Thules. That is on the condition that they would not interfere, nor retaliate to things we have already done. The Prime Minister is on his own for his little rebellion. Once our border is secure, let us study our other neighbors." The Minister of War bowed.

"As his Majesty orders, so shall we obey." The Teshele king waved his hand and dismissed the court.

 

* * *

 

"Do we have any idea who this 'Master' might be?" Erir asked a hidden guard.

"Someone new on the scene, and someone extremely powerful. Both the Black One and the Seer of Underground Black have acknowledged this one as a Master." The guard said. "However, we can not identify who this person is. Anytime our scouts get close, they are beheaded. There are no scouts left in Aros, and the others are quickly disappearing."

"Pull them back home. If our target is so strong that they can find all our eyes, it is only a waste of our strength. Anyone who can encourage Stone Bears to move to the border as guards is someone we should respect properly." Erir growled.

"So close." He sighed unhappily. "We shall have to change our focus, and rely on other plans for other neighbors. The one who watches us is almost on par with a god." The hidden guard nodded.

"From all the information we were able to gather before our eyes were blinded, that is actually their words. No matter where they ran, where they hid, they were always found." The guard snorted. "It's not like the Silver King was good for his people. Poorer parents sold their children, often the girls, and the clans benefited the most. Teshele Kingdom eliminated most of that through our king's hard work." Erir smiled a little.

"Go rest. Your shift is done." After his guard disappeared, he rolled his eyes.

He only fixed that issue because it was the easiest way to get the hearts of the people, and gain their support for his bid to the throne of his father. His siblings were too stupid, and stuck in the old ways. With such a simple thing, he was able to gain more soldiers, and a lot more support from the wealthy families.

The clans were done in his kingdom. It was intellect, and wealth that ensured his continued existence. His intellect told him that what the hidden guard said was correct.

He needed to cut his losses, and refocus. A god was not a being he could contend with. Also, by fortifying the border, he could continue to plan for the future when the information about this mysterious 'Master' told him what he was up against.

He was ambitious, but not a fool.

 

 * * *

 

Aila opened her eyes, and smiled a little.  She wasn't sure she could turn a man into a zombie, and program him to speak for her, but when he was killed by death elements, he became a controllable piece she could move.

Just like the others she used to hunt down the spies.  Death elements were quite useful, but she also found the other side of the coin when she used them.  There had to be a balance.  If she used the Death element, she had to also use life.

"I see.  I must tell my girls.  It is about balance.  Which means, I need someone for Ivadra real soon."  Just like normal, she heard a soft chirp as she spoke the young woman's name, and smiled.

'M-Master!'  Ivadra stuttered as she felt her Master enter her mind.  The affection within her intent made Ivadra murmur a bit.  Their Master's obvious affection, her intentions, and the way she handled her people, was something the entire group craved.

She was a god, after all.

 

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