Season 4: Ch6: Prep Time

  “You… want to go and visit the HeartForge?” Berus raised a bushy brow, the leader of the Justicars skepticism clear as day on her face.

  “Correct,” I replied, sitting across from the woman whilst in my human form attempting to get comfortable. “I plan to move my base of operations out from beneath your home as to not impede upon your hospitality any further.”

  Despite being a noble, the office space was cramped, scours of books and reports stacked up neatly on the many shelves that incorporated most of the room.

  I turned, flashing a quick smile at the Justicar named Donut glaring at me like a hawk, her eyes, akin to a certain Slime I knew all too well that was vigilant in hunting my foes.

  Suffice to say Slimey did not like her. Especially since the campiness of the room positioned her so close to me, her chestplate might as well be in my face.

  At least the invisible assassins nearby had the courtesy to give me space, but judging from the slight hints of distress on Berus’s face, that perhaps wouldn’t last too much longer.

  “The forge has been cold for well over a thousand years, the deposits have run dry, and there's none alive who knows how to repair or even operate the machinery,” Berus said. “Nevermind the monsters that call it home. I can't authorize an incursion.”

  “Well, it's a good thing I'm still alive isn't it?”

  Berus frowned, “One could say that, yes.”

  “Then consider this is a courtesy call rather than me asking for permission,” I continued, the noblewoman crinkling her eyes. “Once we clear the forge, my forces will handle the maintenance and operation.”

  “What is your plan for the HeartForge?”

  “To get it operational of course. It's about time some actual work got done around here.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” Berus frowned, her telltale glare on full display.

  “That I've been here for months, and besides meeting representatives, the constant dinner parties, and giving assurances, nothing has changed. No progress has been made to rectify your government or improve Humanity's standing. Even now my agents lay in waiting to eliminate the so-called fence sitters, who YOU pointed out for elimination. Yet time and time again, when I’ve asked you’ve delayed the order,” I said, casting my eyes over to Donut still glaring, “Tell me, Lady Gracemia, how exactly do you plan on going about fixing your nation?”

  At my words I could see a flash of anger in the woman's eyes, a hint of ill intent as she lowered her head and furrowed her brow.

  “What exactly do you mean by fixing?”

  Of course I anticipated her… resistance. However what I didn’t anticipate was the woman getting cold feet over what we had initially planed to do.

  “Exactly as I've said it. I have spent two thousand years in isolation, only to emerge back to the surface world and find, much to my chagrin, a world that has not only not changed much in the last two millennium, but is still on the brink of collapse thanks to petty infighting and corrupt politicians. Thankfully, the demon lords have been so busy fighting each other, that it has unintentionally brought mankind a reprieve,” I raised a brow and crossed my legs, eyeing the woman and her aid who observed me closely. Unaware that my slimes now reached every major city of Lizaria, “Now, I was led to believe your reformists could be of use, yet instead I find your faction just as obsessed with riches, territory, and power as the others while demons runamok and people starve. In short, Lizaria is broken.”

  “It…” Berus paused and exhaled, her eyes narrowing as she focused on me. “Lizaria has its faults. I will admit. However my intention with bringing you here is to provide a beacon to initiate change. To exorcise the ill-intended and rally the militants to expand our armed forces rather than ceding territory. With your presence known, we can inspire the upper echelons to wage a crusade. To finally pick up blades and-”

  “How naive,” I said, standing up with both paladins stunned silent. “I think I'll pass on being your figurehead.”

  “Pass?” Berus blinked.

  “I am in the business of cleaning. Of taking out the trash. That's my job. If we're not cleaning together, we have no business with each other,” I said, my words full of euphemisms. “Do you understand?”

  Berus clenched her jaw while Donut on the other hand was on the cusp of drawing her blade.

  “I do,” Berus said quietly, “But I believe, that things can be done differently. I want… things to be done differently. The more I think about what we’re… what we planned to do, the more I can’t help but think that we’re no better than the traditionalists who use murder and violence to get what they want.”

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  Sigh… What a shame. Funny enough, in my past life I would have probably agreed with the paladin, but after a lifetime of suffering…

  I knew better.

  “Here's a fun tidbit,” I smiled, “Did you know I have descendants?”

  “I am aware… yes.”

  “Then you know what has become of my clan?”

  At my question, the air of the room shifted, Donut, ready to strike as her posture dropped slightly.

  “....Yes.”

  “Then you know that I'm not particularly fond of your government. Lhikan believes you can be part of the solution, but all I see is nativity of a young girl and compla-”

  “You will hold your tongue!” Donut hissed, drawing her blade only for the Justicar to be smashed into a nearby shelf from the slime that left my body.

  Slimey began to form, her serrated teeth on full display as she came face to face with Donut with her maw ready to bite.

  “Stand down,” Berus hissed, ordering the eight blades that surrounded my neck to retreat. “Lord Hiro, please release my adjutant.”

  “Of course,” I said, flashing a smile as Slimey let the paladin go.

  “I hear what you are saying, and I would not say that I am not sympathetic…” Berus said carefully, “But what you ask for would result in an immense loss of life. Nevermind the local upheaval and civil unrest if our nobles and highers up were… cleaned.”

  Sigh.

  “I still think we may be able to assist each other. But until I see the resolve required to do what is needed, I don’t think we may be able to cooperatate much more.”

  With those words, I left, my form bubbling away and falling through a crack in the floor to rejoin my horde.

  Fun fact, slinking through cracks as a slime feels like being in a tight slip and slide. Anyway, reforming in my throne room consisting of a chiseled stone, Lhikan was there to greet me, the old paladin, perhaps my only remaining human ally.

  “Forgive me milord,” Lhikan said, falling to one knee, “I had believed Lady Berus would take a more… proactive approach in dealing with the corrupt officials. She has always been very adamant about halting crime, and fighting for the sake of humanity.”

  Lhikan wasn't wrong in his estimation of Berus, she was stern, just, and quick to punish troublemakers and those that failed her. From what my spies could ascertain, she had a loyal following with the militants of Lizaria and the reformists party. Unfortunately, she still believed in her Church. Still believed in the goodness of politicians and the system in place that had failed this world.

  But that's the thing, there was no such thing as a good politician.

  Sigh.

  “She will come around, or not,” I said, observing Lhikan’s reaction.

  “If…” Lhikan raised his head, his eyes tired but still lit with the embers of his warrior ferocity. “If she would stand in your way, then allow me to be the one to cut her down milord.”

  A good response. Although I could see that the decision burdened him.

  “We’ll cross that path if it comes, but know I will not burden you with such a task,” I assured before turning my attention to the army of goblins, skeletons, and spiders that stood in formation with their packs of gear resting at their feet.

  At the forefront, Gobledo, Captain of my armed forces, who stood so regal in his shiny paladin armor with the Muramasa at his side.

  Wow, the clone of Tywin wasn’t actually that inefficient.

  “First Company! Attention!” Gobledo barked, his elegant voice resounding through my throne room in the common basic as the goblins within collectively stamped their feet in unison and saluted.

  “CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!”

  A hundred voices. All shouting the mantra of my church with Gobledo at the head of the pack. An elite unit of my own making forged from the cast offs and dredgens of monsterhood.

  Beautiful… so beautiful. Like watching a child grow from a boy to adulthood. Except in this case it was a monster more into a… blonde monster with regal hair?

  “Your basic has improved greatly,” I said, resting a hand on Gobledo’s shoulder.

  “It is only thanks to your guiding radiance that I am what I am,” Gobledo said earnestly. “Your army stands ready milord. As do the ten you requested.”

  “Good,” I said as I cast my eyes on the ten goblin knights that stood before me at parade rest centered perfectly with the columns of nine goblins behind them. I reached out, activating my impart instruction ability. “Congratulations, you ten have been selected to become lieutenants. Each of you will lead nine goblins. Of which, you will select a sergeant who will then select two corporals.”

  Fortunately, the drills and ranking structure had already been taught to all of my goblins, at least, those that were slaved to me. The greater whole of my horde weren’t bound to me, so they proved harder to train, harder to teach, and perhaps worst of all, prone to breaking and dirtying anything given to them. But, with these first officers and ranking structure, I could finally begin making better progress with training all of my goblins.

  Of course, provided the others survived whatever it was that was coming for me.

  Cruel? Careless? Unsympathetic?

  Perhaps. But if I had to choose to sacrifice the monsters following me out of necessity or the ones loyal to me, well… the choice was simple. I would protect my own.

  At least Berus and her gang of knights would bear the brunt of the attack while the elite of my forces set up our fall back position with my phase spiders.

  “Slimey,” I ordered, giving the go ahead to my champion and her blobs to begin moving and handing out armbands. Each embroidered with fine spider silk that denoted the rank of their wearer. I’d have like to have them colored but alas dyes were hard to come by. But, that would be a future plan.

  “Once you have selected your subordinates, you will pass these out to the corresponding rank,” I said, the goblin knights before me accepting the bands with graciousness I could feel through our bond. Power. That was what each knight held in their hand. This they knew, a core understanding of all goblins. “Dismissed, prepare your squads to move out within the week.”

  The goblins saluted, a crisp clasp of squeaky-clean armored boots resounding before they left my audience chamber.

  Ah. Perfection. Simply… perfection. I could already imagine them in New armor, all I needed to do was survive the coming confrontation.