AN: Coming to you from Venice.
October 22nd, 629
After my meeting with Talexia and Ironheart, I helped Erhan set everyone up with return trips and planning. I also got in contact with Polly, letting her know what to expect.
There was no doubt that the Third Claw would go after those close to me. They had already been trying to, but now the gloves were off. They’d openly attack the noble families that my friends came from and there was nothing they could do about it short of directly fighting back, which was impossible unless they were at least at the level of a Duke like Talexia.
Tana and Feiden were the most susceptible here. While Ponteck’s family was at risk, the Kingdom didn’t actually know that Ponteck had been inducted into Sector 4. They just thought he was a soldier who joined Iron Legion. The chances of them going after his family were slim, and I left the decision about what to do up to him. Either way, he needed to go back home and he’d have Polly on speed dial just in case.
Feiden and Tana had to be much more direct. Helicopters were already dispatched with them inside to their territories and at this point, it was a race against time. I wasn’t too worried, but Both of them needed to make their families disappear. Talexia was also planning on absorbing their assets. It simply wasn’t feasible to let their families continue as they had been. If the Third Claw gave them any attention, they’d be consigned to eternal torture. Nobody wanted to take the chance.
So they’d have to be moved. Feiden was planning on moving his family to the Whetted City while Tana’s family would go to Talexia’s City of Joffrun. Both families would lie low and disappear for a while. Only issue was convincing them to abandon everything and run.
That was up to them. I had other things to take care of.
I took a teleporter to the Holy See after taking care of business in my estate. Once I appeared, I was greeted with the sight of an unhappy General Valdemar and a very happy Anderson.
Umara linked her arm in mine, the two of us stepping toward them.
I gave them a nod.
“General. Anderson.”
“You’ve got some balls, Cooper.”
Valdemar’s growl of a voice spoke enough to his dissatisfaction. I didn’t blame the man, but I also didn’t intend to argue with the ignorant.
“I did what I had to, not what I wanted to.”
“Did you involve my daughter in your atrocities?”
“To her chagrin, no, I didn’t. Did she not tell you? She should’ve arrived before me.”
“She refused to speak on the topic, as did the others. They said you should be the only one I speak to.”
“They’d be correct. All you need to know for now though is the fact that those people I killed were Nephilim, not human. And the humans I did kill were only the ten thousand who tried to raid my research center.”
“And how do you intend to explain your Iron Legion on my doorstep instead of the front lines?! You couldn’t have cooperated with me?! You couldn’t have at least warned me?! The Scourge will end up killing MILLIONS due to your actions!”
His voice echoed through the entire teleporter nexus, thankfully drawing no eyes due to it having been emptied. This particular place was for the high profile anyway, out of the public eye.
Realizing he was nearly yelling, Valdemar simmered himself down, even though his rage remained.
I sighed.
“Believe it or not, my decision was strategic and damn near divinely ordained, as much as I know how much you’d loathe to hear that. Either way, for the sake of time and not being called a heretic, let’s just leave it at the fact that my decision will save humanity more than hurt it. I don’t care if you can see it or not. If you’ve got a problem with me, you can complain to the Pope. I’m here on business though, so let me through and I’ll be out of your city sooner rather than later. Neither of us want me here longer than I have to be.”
“Indeed!”
Anderson exclaimed from the side, walking over and throwing his arm around my shoulder.
“Although I’m still at half mast after receiving your gifts, the last thing we need politically is to have the world thinking we’re harboring you. Although the Kingdom accusing us of housing a world-class traitor is nothing more than words, things are on a knife’s edge right now and it would ruin both of our plans for your name to cause more turmoil than it has.”
“Right. Thanks again for your help on the frontlines, by the way.”
“Oh, it was my great pleasure. Now, allow me to escort you and your wife to your army. The Pope has ensured you’d have free and secret passage to the outer city. We’ve also tried to clear out many of the civilians who were tending to your troops, but that largely failed, so we’re at least going to try and take measures to ensure that news doesn’t leak out for a while.”
Anderson explained as we left the Nexus and boarded a blacked out car. Not as nice as those out of Wonderland, but enough for the job.
Facing him and the fuming Valdemar with Umara at my side, I asked.
“What do you mean, tending?”
“Well, our citizens have been particularly welcoming to your Iron Legion. They’re more popular than our Templars right now! A few thousand people left the city walls to go bring them food and gifts. It’s been impossible to get them all back in the city since you were expected to show up.”
“Hm. Your people are generous.”
“Of course they are. But your Legion has risen to an almost mythical status thanks to your news outlets constantly pumping out articles about them, giving information that nobody else but them can seem to verify or source.”
“Those reporters must simply be good at their jobs.”
We approached the city walls, leaving through an open gate where citizens were going in and out with carts packed full of amenities.
Anderson rolled his eyes.
“Uh huh. Don’t think we haven’t noticed your activity. I know you were bursting at the seams with righteous fury, but you’ve already scarred a few of the Peerages and we’d rather not have to start being more open with opposition against you.”
“Well, just think of it as a vulnerability test. Maybe you could start paying me, then I’d be able to give you reports on where you guys are going wrong.”
“You expect us to pay you to breach our security?”
“I’d give you a good price. After all, it’s a service only I can provide and it comes from a trustworthy ally. If your people learned half of what my Sector 4 has developed, you’d be able to thwart any and all covert hostilities from the Kingdom. Take it from the expert who just robbed ninety percent of their noble vaults.”
“Well…”
Initially skeptical, he suddenly gave it some thought and frowned.
“...We’ll think about it.”
“Hm.”
I gave him a mild response, the car coming to a stop outside the camp that my Iron Legion had set up.
I pulled eyes the second I stepped into the open. Civilians weren’t sure who they were looking at, but soldiers knew the instant they saw me. My troops started calling for others, the word spreading like wildfire.
I let out a long breath, stepping over and sending General Gaffney a message.
Before long, a Command Tank rolled over, grinding to a halt near me. The General poked his head out of a hatch a moment later, jumping out and giving me a salute.
“Commander.”
“General, it’s good to see that everyone is well.”
“As well as we can be, sir. Everyone is worried, but nobody wanted to make assumptions before you could speak. They’ve been anxious.”
“Then let me speak to them.”
He nodded and moved to the side, allowing me to jump atop the tank and climb to its highest point on the hard shell of its cannons.
High above the crowd, I saw thousand running over and thousands more being yelled at to hurry. I simply waited, letting everyone gather. Some took seats at the very front, others stood atop tanks and vehicles, and the unlucky ones had to crowd around on the ground.
I felt shittier with every minute that passed, knowing what I’d have to say to them, knowing what was about to happen.
Eventually, everyone gathered as close as they could. There were civilians as well from the Holy See, as well as some reporters that happened to intermingle among them. My words would be getting spread, but at this point I didn’t give a damn about secrecy or keeping the Church’s political image spotless.
I cleared my throat, feeling more nervousness than I thought I would. My mind ran through everything I could say in this moment that might completely change what I had planned, as well as the consequences thereof. I forced myself to come back to the same conclusion and not fuck this series of events sideways by doing something stupid.
With one last breath, I spoke to me Legion.
“...My soldiers.”
Those words swept over the crowd, laced with my power and feeding into the ears of every person present, distance being rendered mute. Backs straightened, bodies went rigid, and the area went deathly silent.
“I’m sure you all have heard the news by now. My name is John Cooper, and as of a handful of hours ago, I’ve been declared a Traitor and High Criminal by King Alphon. For years I’ve been working in the dark to fight the subsect of the Scourge that has taken root in our home. Kingdom territory has been succumbing to corruption for decades, perhaps longer, and I did my best to try and excise the rot with my scalpel, what some of you know as Sector Four.
“Make no mistake, my plans worked. They worked almost too well. Now that it’s come to light, I have to bear the consequences so eloquently laid out by the King. Doing otherwise at this point in time would be particularly unwise. Unfortunately, that means I will be stepping away from my position as Iron Legion’s Commander, though not before giving one last set of orders.
I gave a brief pause, watching as some people visibly recoiled and chattered at the news. Everyone had been speculating ever since the decree dropped, and now, I was confirming it.
I continued on despite the rising volume.
“I’m sure many people, some among you included, would think that pulling Iron Legion away from the frontlines is a blow to humanity. Those like the King would think that I’ve abandoned all the progress we’ve made and have opened the gates for the Scourge to invade. I can assure all of you now that what I’ve done by pulling my undefeatable troops back into Kingdom territory is quite the opposite. I will not allow you, my Iron Legion, to face the full force of the Scourge by your lonesome, and I especially will not allow the Kingdom to try and stab you all in the back when you are most vulnerable facing your enemy.
“Instead, by bringing you back into home territory, I’m giving you the chance to defend your homes directly. The Kingdom will pay for its negligence when the Scourge overruns them, not you all, and it will be up to you to stand against those enemies when the time comes in the future. I don’t know when that will be, but I do know who it will be with. All of you hail from the territories of the Talerria and Raven Ducal households, so my orders are thus: you will return to them, and you will shore up defenses to prepare for the inevitable day that you must defend your home. Both Duchess Talerria and Chief Raven are prepared to take you in. They are trustworthy and the only reason that Iron Legion was able to be created those years ago.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be going back with you. Your Generals will henceforth be your highest command. They’ve led you well through these battles, so let them bring you home to your families. As for me, well, just think of my disappearance as me going on vacation. The Kingdom is no longer open to me and I have my own work to continue. Just know that someday, although it may not be as your Commander, I will return to finish what I’ve started. What we’ve done in the north is only the beginning of the fight against the Scourge. All of you are living proof that they can be defeated in a way unfathomable to your ancestors before you. What’s important is that you don’t allow yourselves to be splintered by the whims of the King. Keep this Legion whole, have each other's backs, and keep your eyes on the future. Hopefully, when I step back into this world, I’ll have the tools I need to finish the other half of our fight.”
I paused my words, taking out and lighting a cigar as a sickly feeling washed through my gut.
I gave myself a moment as smoke drifted through the wind, then decided to finish.
“...Until then, you all are going to have to keep going without me. I’m sorry that it all had to end like this. Although a part of me always knew, it still remained the last thing I ever wanted. Nevertheless, I trained you all to be functional without me, and I like to think that my best was enough in that area, even if it wasn’t in others.”
My words halted there, my body unwilling to give more. I felt my stomach churn, a familiar feeling.
I sent the cigar away.
“...Goodbye, everyone.”
Faster than they could react, I stepped down from the tank and disappeared from view, doing my best not to stumble.
My steps took me to the car that brought us here, Anderson and Umara watching me as I buckled over behind the car and vomited out my previous meal.
I dropped to a knee, staying there for a minute to gather myself. That surge of sickness flooded my body, making me feel like I couldn’t even muster the strength to stand.
Umara knelt down next to me, her hand moving over my back in an attempt to comfort.
I heaved a few more times before calming my breathing, then muttered.
“I gave it up, Umara… I just tossed aside my greatest achievement. Every ounce of control I had over this world is gone…”
“...It’ll be okay, John.”
Her words faded, and the sounds of footsteps approached from behind. Umara spun around, and I heard Valdemar’s voice.
“Where is he?”
His question was met with a snap of space. Umara stood and reached out with two fingers, a spatial fissure following their tips until they rested near Valdemar’s neck.
They were only stopped by Anderson, his palm outstretched. His bare skin resisted her magic’s strength over reality, the fissure merely pushing his skin around like pressurized air.
Valdemar was frozen, though looked down at Umara’s threat with placid eyes, no sense of fear in his gaze. It was Anderson who responded to her first.
“Careful, little one. As impressive as touching the Concepts with your magic is, you’re still threatening the Icon of Victory. You’d sooner be put down than disturb the skin on his neck.”
Umara responded with a glance at Anderson, not seeming to take his warning seriously.
“Our threats extend beyond physical. If your Icon of Victory is as wise as he’s supposed to be, then he should know that if he only holds criticisms and complaints, he should remain unspoken. He can receive explanations from me later if he’s so desperate.”
“I’m not trying to criticise or question.”
Valdemar spoke for himself, lowering Anderson and Umara’s hands.
“Well, perhaps I do have one question, but I think I already have my answer. The Talerrias and the Raven Family. Are they-.”
“You would assume correctly, General.”
I stood with those words, releasing my invisibility to him. His eyes finally found me, and I did what I could to compose myself.
“After this, you will need to support them. I left my Iron Legion in their hands, so if you ever want to fight alongside the might of my army, then you should make a good impression.”
“In the dark, of course. Because nobody would be stupid enough to be so obvious with something as hostile as arming a private military.”
“You’d think. Seems you’ve started to understand what I’ve done. Either way though, my job is finished. I need to return to one of your Peerages to meet a few people, then I’ll be out of your hair.”
I opened a door of the car and slipped inside, Anderson and Valdemar following. Once we were inside, we were driven back to the city proper, specifically the Verga Peerage.
We stopped outside of it, and I stepped out with Umara. Anderson followed, but Valdemar stayed.
I spoke to him one last time.
“General, you have my sympathies. I won’t apologize, but believe me, I had every intention to work with you to lock down that land bridge.”
“...I know you did.”
He let out a long sigh, staring ahead with a tired look.
“That's why I was so surprised by everything. For a moment I had thought you did something unbefitting of the intelligence we possess. Usually when someone does that, they’ve been possessed.”
“You know Anderson wouldn’t let that happen. He gets too much from me to let me turn traitor.”
“Yes, he does get too much from you. But I’m not so stubborn as to ignore what you’ve done for me. I thank you for training my daughter, for trusting her. I noticed her growth as soon as she returned.”
The two of us met our gazes, and I gave him a light nod.
He nodded back.
“Goodbye, Cooper.”
His door closed, and the car drove off. I stood there for a moment, then muttered.
“Don’t thank me too soon.”
“You’re really going to piss him off. He doesn’t usually apologize like that either.”
“Based on what little time we’ve had to speak, He doesn’t seem to apologize ever.”
“Summoners as hopped up on Psyka as you two tend to think they never have anything to apologize for.”
Anderson chuckled, getting no rebuttal from me and an enthusiastic nod of agreement from Umara.
We entered the Peerage, making our way up to the top floors of the building and through several secure hallways using Anderson's clearance.
Then, we reached our destination, opening a door to a sterile room. Inside I saw several people, all of which I came here to meet.
First were Ignatius and Willow, Vetsmon’s parents and the heads of the Peerage. They were standing with two other figures of the church. The most prominent was Hallowlight, her face covered by a blindfold, reminding me once more of her sisters.
Then there was Terrace Gold standing beside her, the man who had done the Crown surgeries for Umara and I.
After them were the two patients in the room. Graves was the first, and he greeted me as best as his limbless self could. I gave him a nod back.
Then I looked over at the other table, which held an unconscious Fourth Princess, the sight of her sickly and pained self making me frown.