54. Strategy

  I stood before the mirror with my shirt off, examining the black mark that had formed above my chest over the last few weeks. It had been twenty-four days since the battle, and while the time I had spent with Mai Mai, and the visits from my friends, had both been great, the fact remained that it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself.

  It would take me years, perhaps centuries to purify the corruption that I had taken into myself, but having it isolated meant that it would barely effect me. I wrapped my chest in bandages and dressed.

  I had chosen this path, and I had dragged the world of Atla along behind me. The alternatives weren’t any better, but while I could call myself a protector, the fact remained that I was putting Atla, both my world-child and the people who lived on him, at risk simply by being alive.

  But aside from turning myself over to the Divine Fates Empire, I could think of nothing that would protect them from another incursion.

  If I continued to stand in defiance, as we had three weeks ago, then eventually, we would fail. The forces of the Divine Fates Empire were vast, and we were but one world. We needed help, but even help wouldn’t be enough when the enemy knew where we were and could send the tips of their spear straight at us.

  My legend had grown considerably after the battle, and the number of worshipers I’d picked up was considerable. Unfortunately, all that did was add to my stress. Billions of souls called Atla their home, and in claiming this world for myself I had made myself responsible for all of them.

  In a sense, I truly was the worldfather, not just in legend but in fact.

  Deciding I had wallowed in self-pity for long enough, now that my wounds from the Battle for Atla, or the Battle That Never Happened as some were calling it, had healed enough for me to focus on the future, I stepped through the waygate and into the Di compound in Mer’cah on the other side of the world. A servant saw me arrive and immediately rushed to tell the others, and soon a conference was called.

  Soon, Di Ram, Tonilla, Hien Ro, Thaseus, and many others were there, including members of my clergy who were carefully taking notes. When I was informed that everyone had arrived, the entire courtyard was filled with the leaders who followed my banner.

  As I looked out at their faces, some hopeful, some haunted by the realities of the battle they had just survived, or not survived, I was struck by how young some of them were. Even those who had decades of experience seemed deceptively young.

  I cleared my throat, and the few conversations that were happening fell silent.

  “The Divine Fates Empire is invading our dimension,” I stated. “They have declared war, and as such, I declare war upon the Divine Fates. This is a battle for our very existence. Make no mistake, if they take the world of Atla, then its native inhabitants will be reduced to mere servants and slaves, as the Qi of our world is once more siphoned off to serve a faraway overlord. I do not declare this a war of conquest or glory, but a self-defensive measure required to ensure the safety of our people.”

  The room was silent as I paused my pronouncement. I had expected more than a look of grim resolve, but that was all that I found on my followers’ faces.

  “The force arrayed against us is mighty, and we will not survive the coming tribulations without help. Tonilla, before all of this happened, I saw that you would visit the court of Duke Valan and secure an alliance. I still see that happening, but the urgency has increased. I request that you leave immediately.”

  I presented her with the fan that Lady Omaia had presented to me months ago during the visit of the five Xian Lords. She nodded, then channeled her Qi into the interdimensional artifact, vanishing into another realm.

  “There is one more ally to secure,” I declared. “And that is Prince Ostain. When I looked the first time, I could not foresee who it was that I should send on this task. However, I have seen his face now, and so I name him. I choose Shisuke of Nonpo to represent the needs of the Atlian people to Prince Ostain’s court,” I declared, and I took out the necklace with a multi-hued gem. I set it aside, as Shisuke was not among us. “I ask that he be brought to me so that I might explain to him what duty it is that I am requesting of him.”

  The others nodded grimly, and a servant was dispatched. It would take him an hour or two to navigate the Waygates to reach Nonpo, and perhaps another few hours to find Shisuke, but--

  “Oh, he’s here,” the servant said, stepping back into the room. I looked up in surprise and the tall Nonponese man stepped in behind the servant. “He was waiting outside to say something to you when had finished with your supporters.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “He should have been included in this meeting if he was present,” I said, “for I have never once seen him as anything other than a proud leader who is seeking to do right by the people who follow him. Shisuke, I have a request to make of you.”

  “And I one of you,” Shisuke said. “A trade, perhaps?”

  “My request is that you journey to the court of one of the Xian overlords and secure an alliance between Atla and the court of Prince Ostain,” I informed him.

  “Oh. Is that all?” he asked. He scratched the back of his neck. “How long will I be away?”

  “I cannot say for certain,” I admitted.

  “Well, my own request was to formally join the Many Peaks Alliance as a full member,” He admitted. “So as my overlord this is within your prerogative to request of me, so I accept.”

  “I dislike the perspective that the alliance is a strategy to overtake the world. It’s purpose has always been to elevate the Atlian people, and never to conquer. That the first force that has seen fit to truly challenge it has come from off-world should prove that it was not only prudent, but necessary to unite the different people of this proud world under one banner,” I said.

  “And it has taken the Battle That Never Happened for me to see the wisdom of that vision,” Shisuke admitted. “Very well, I accept this task of yours.”

  I nodded. “Very well. Your request for full membership in the alliance is accepted, I leave it to the administration to figure out the exact details. Do not think that it was overlooked that Nonpo answered the call when the world of Atla was under attack, Shisuke. I saw you there, in the darkest hour, fighting on the front lines.”

  “And I saw you in your resplendent glory, wielding power beyond my comprehension,” Shisuke admitted. “Until that moment, I believed that your legend was exaggerated.”

  “That is not something that I can do consistently,” I admitted. “There was a unique confluence of factors which coincided to allow me to cause the reversion. Let it never be said that my efforts alone won the day, for there were ten thousand heroes of that battle.”

  “I think you should stop talking now,” Shisuke said, motioning to the clergy, who were furiously scribbling so fast and with such fervor that their eyes were bulging and their faces red. “Or you will perhaps inspire another religious movement in your followers.”

  I sighed. “Very well. Once we complete this meeting, Tonilla and Shisuke will depart. My convalescence has taken me out of the loop for some time. Let us review how the world has been adjusting to the discovery that there are those out there who would seek to conquer them.”

  Di Ram cleared his throat, and took the floor.

  “We have put out the call for arms,” He stated. “And many have answered. We are in the process of organizing our forces, but so far the Atlian army has over two hundred thousand recruits of the Silver path, and almost six hundred soldiers of the Golden Path. While we are lacking in diamond ranked cultivators, Tornolai has taken an honorary role as general of the first division.”

  Di Ram coughed.

  “He is the only warrior in the first division. It’s also the army’s strongest division at the moment.”

  I nodded. “Why isn’t he in this meeting?”

  “He was informed that it was scheduled,” Di Ram assured me.

  “He’s probably sleeping off a hangover,” Di Tonilla said, mildly disgusted. “We can likely rely upon him when the time comes for a true battle, but outside of the actual fighting we should consider him unreliable and unpredictable.”

  I sighed, but it was often the case that the more powerful a person was, the less biddable they were.

  “The second division is made up of the Petal Blossoms and their support staff,” Di Ram continued. “As our second strongest division, they’re working on training others in the use of the Northern Star Guiding Formation, but so far none of the groups have managed to perfect it. We were hoping for your insight into the matter.”

  I was silent for a moment. “I shall have to review those who are hoping to learn the formation personally,” I said at last. “There are so many factors to consider that I cannot list them all. I’ll not say that it’s impossible for others to learn this technique, but it shall be difficult for the applicants.”

  Di Ram nodded. “The third, fourth, and fifth division divide up the remainder of our strength. They’re our more traditional forces. While each of the divisions might have once been able to conquer this world, I am not confident in their ability to defend us against a platinum level threat in the future.”

  I grinned.

  “Oh, don’t write them off yet,” I said. For I had a few tricks which might just give the traditional divisions a leg up.

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