I’d received a reception almost as grand as the one I’d gotten when I landed in Aridoria. Matthias and Luciano stood out front, ready to receive me while off in the distance many people spectated and cheered my arrival.It felt good being praised like this. I waved to the crowd with a true grin slapped onto my face. Though, the cynical side of my mind ask the other about the possibility that the crowds were merely cheering to receive some form of immediate relief like the LGA in Sofia, after all, these were mere commoners, they had little to no knowledge about the success and growth I’ve been orchestrating for their sakes.I shook off the doubts as I got into the car waiting for me, even if it were the case, it only meant that my image as the youthful, caring leader was shining through into the hearts of Schelarians everywhere.I was more inclined to be optimistic about it though. If they crowds weren’t arranged and a notice of my arrival was simply given, it really needs no explanati
“I beg your pardon?”“Well you better, my mercy is all that’s keeping you from a spending the rest of your life in jail.”The shocked look on Masud’s face was one I welcomed. He’d come here to tell me that the KUneeded to force a government on my nation before they could allow us back into the organization.It angered me. And though I knew for a fact that these were the words he would spew once we met, living the reality was a lot more provocative.“Mister President let us not deceive ourselves. You’re doing a very bad job of being a dictator and I can either help you stabilize the region, or I could help you get into a cell.” I regained my composure after breathing deeply, I spoke with a rather calm and condescending voice, he needed to be put in his place.Still his mouth hung open in shock but at my words he shook his head fervently, “I am no such thing. Unlike you Mister Fatah, my countrymen voted me in on basis of trust.”“Ah, yes, they voted you in but now you’ve refused to leav
It would see that my intel-ii ability only proved to be useful in informing me of basic information about individuals and my surroundings as well as objects. But with precision and skill as well as actually knowing what to look for, it would take a few tabs to get to the in-depth secrets of a person or an item.Just like the time with the Volstovian Ambassador, it took me from the second I laid eyes on him to the moment I began placing pressure to ask all the right questions of the intel-ii.The problem with the intel-ii was, you couldn’t simply ask it ‘Is this person a criminal?’ you’d have to actively search and compile the information it provides about the person and reach your own conclusion. I’d found out the Ambassador was scum simply by asking the intel-ii where the Ambassador had been and as the intel-ii provided a week of information on the subject’s whereabouts, I was provided with and extensive and detailed list of the Ambassadors last visited places.Strangely and quite an
If I’d known today would fill me with fear and paranoia to this extent, I would have gotten more sleep the night before.It was night time now; I’d spent daylight discussing various means to get out of the terrible predicament we now found ourselves in. According to Luciano, the men were well trained and only needed the proper equipment to not be utterly massacred in the obviously upcoming war.Though, Matthias naively held faith that much of the tensions at the border could be resolved with diplomacy, even offering to go speak with President Leopold of Verdantis. I knew for a fact that Verdantis would not let up on their offensive. I don’t quite know what they were waiting for yet, but I hoped they’d wait a bit longer and give me the chance to prepare a cushion for their attacks.As it stood, there was no bail-out for Schelar if Verdantis went ahead and pulled the trigger. I’d immediately spoken to the Volstovian Ambassador about the current developing events and our dire need for su
The journey to the border was long and arduous. Not because I was driving, no, I hadn’t driven in years. Last time I drove; I was a playboy millionaire with no care in the world as I cruised all around the beauties of the Maldives.No it was long because my thoughts were restless and arduous because as much as I wanted to press pause and consult the wicked game master for a retry, I couldn’t.My own self-deprecating thoughts extended time by a mile. I didn’t know if all I was doing by visiting the men was just me hanging around a game I’d a hundred per cent completed with nothing to do but gaze at the aesthetics. Except this is a game that auto-completes the moment all is lost.And all was lost.This was my tenth life. Even if I managed to get out of the country before the Verdantians got their hands on me, I’d have absolutely no means of expansion. I was barely twenty. If I got asylum in a different country for about fifteen years, I’d be eligible to enter politics and began running
I was surprised.Not at my cousin’s audacity, no, not at the quiet yet eerily resonating support he received from the others who cowardly stood behind him, using him as a stick to beat out their frustrations about me or as a shield to guard them from my fiery wrath that had just descended upon Loup himself.No. I was surprised at myself.As words left my lips I was being as violent as I possibly would allow myself to be with family, distant as they were. Luciano hung by my side and the veteran generals hung by his, whispering things that were meant to reach me but didn’t.All I could hear was a piercing white noise, like a mosquito’s song but on stereo. Annoying. I felt like shaking him off me and rebuking his touch but yet…I was still. Still staring firmly at Loup whilst my thoughts scattered, bouncing off the insides of my skull. He looked prepared, like he’d made his peace with this being the worst thing that would happen to him, in fact, as I spoke the words he actually looked rel
I’d taken to camping with the men, even watching the skulking Verdantians on the other side of the border. One of the latest rifles in hand, some binoculars and a can of pringles.And I’d done so all against the wishes of Luciano and Matthias who’d heard about it from Luciano the moment I abruptly decided to stay in the rough with the men instead of flying back to the capitol.I’d let myself go. And it felt good. I gave no explanation to Luciano for my unwarranted skills in fighting because I didn’t care to and he could go on without knowing. For much of the time I’d been at the border I’d looked upon everyone with many feelings.Guilt, pride, joy, it was so much at once and I truly didn’t know how I felt at all. A reoccurring thought as I fought many of the strongarm men in spars and challenges was ‘What would I do if these men realize just like me that nothing really mattered. Least of all Schelar?’The answers I provided to the question sent chills down my spine. The Verdantians wo
At the declaration of war, the intel-ii chose the moment to reveal a particularly helpful feature.Its sudden ping blinded me with a whole lot of tabs as it usually did whenever I activated it and a sturdy, brown and spiked tab then floated in the middle of my vision.~Wars~I tried putting it aside to focus on the rest of Luciano’s report as it was the least translucent tab I’d come across but it wouldn’t budge. I had no choice but address the blaring red screen.The tab was split into different sections and like most things with the intel-ii it had information that seemed to go on forever, I felt I’d be looking very distracted throughout the meeting but with a skim of the tab it looked like it would serve me more to pay it my undivided attention rather than pretend to listen to Luciano explain how we’d been caught by surprise.“Luciano, I’ll get back to you on this soon. My orders are the same as ever. Defend.”I didn’t need to see his face to know he looked grim. As it was it would