BECMI Chapter 63 – A Roadmap to the Future

I surveyed the lot of them calmly. They’d never seen me animated, always cool, calm, collected, and in control of my decisions. If I killed, I did it impassively, instantly, lethally, and didn’t think twice about the decision before them.

But I took care of them, I dealt with them icily straight, and I did what I said was going to do.

“I have shared with you things that likely no other group of people on this entire world know of,” I began to all of them. “The simple Rule of One has changed all of your lives, and made you all so much more than you thought you would ever become.”

Buck just pumped a fist, prodding the others to nod to me. They’d seen the before and after illusions, knew the difference in vitality and endurance… and now they were much more like the after, than the before!

“The dwarves I have introduced to the potential of their ancient magic… magicks taught in the land called Darkmoor we left behind us. It may not work for you after the changes Clangyr made of you… but I believe I have a way.”

All the dwarves tensed up even as my eyes moved on. “To my fellow elves, I have let you know you do not need to choose between the paths of war and the path of magic… but you do need to pay for them.

“To the humans, the knowledge that you are not bound to one Class gives you options that you can use in the future… and you are not bound to the ideals of a clerical or druidic knight!

“To the hyn, the knowledge that their reputation for stealth and ability to survive is definitely far more than they expected.” Buck grinned widely, while the Northmen and three human adventurers nodded again. All of them knew they had come out of this experience as people far more dangerous than before, fought creatures only great heroes in the tales had… and there would be more in the future!

“These things alone would ensure that if you step back out into the normal world, you would go farther than you once believed.

“But these are minor things. Things that in your hearts you know that all members of your people are entitled to know, that anyone can grasp and use… all they need is to know that Warrior’s Magic and the magic of your peoples is there.

“Any and all who come into my service will gain these benefits. Even if they are dragons.”

Cirru straightened proudly.

“The next step you may choose to take is a formal Oath of Allegiance.” I let the weight of that come down on all of them. “Yes. An Oath, not an oath, not mere words. This is not a thing fueled by personal honor. This is a great and terrible promise with teeth and POWER, not wasted breath.

“If you care to take this Oath, then you are promising to serve me, no more, no less. Breaking this Oath will be lethal, more dangerous than a mere . A merely forces compliance on you. An Oath… must be Sworn! It must be believed! And to dare even try to swear False Oath… don’t even try it if you don’t believe.

“If you Swear Oath and enter into my service, there is another step beyond that.” I stepped sideways slightly, placing my hands behind me, studying them all icily. “If you do not wish to Swear, you will become an agent, a contact, a mercenary, someone I will have dealings with, but you are not one of mine, merely someone I trust, an ally, perhaps even a friend. But you are not mine, and you will not benefit from the things those who follow me will. You will profit from my business and perhaps my advice, and that is all.”

“If you care to make an Oath of Allegiance to me, then take a knee, and I will guide you in the words.”

And I stood there and waited.

If none of them cared to do so, that was fine, I could work with it, and my career would go on mostly alone. I would be working mostly through my Sims… but my Sims could do a lot, so I didn’t much care from that standpoint.

It would be a big hit to my ego, and I’d think less of them, but that was not my decision. I’d leaned into the image I was presenting, and if they couldn’t get past the imagery to the deeds behind them, then arm’s-length is where they wanted to be, and where I’d keep them.

The one hyn was the first. No hesitation, bounced out of his Disk-chair, went right down to one knee with his sword out, like a proper undersized knight. Sir Horn’s sword came out and drove down right next to the smaller hyn as he adopted the same pose.

Hanvol the Mage knelt, leaning on his staff, as Guyven, his eyes flashing with the promise of wealth, turned his into a courtly flourish.

The Northmen rose behind them, led by the Skifnersons, who fairly glared at the others for being beaten to it by the southerners. Axes and spears thumped to the ground as they knelt.

The elves were all next, not having a clear idea of my real age, and anyways my power and the knowledge I held was clear enough, even if they didn’t know my tribe or clan and I didn’t speak much of them.

The last were the dwarves. In truth, I didn’t expect much from them, as they were famously slow to trust, very clannish and took years to build up their relationships.

“Lady Edge,” Prince Ukker began gravely, “it is true that we dwarves are slow to trust, even in battle with lives on the line. Such words from any not of our people would normally only invite scorn from us, let alone an elf-maid.

“And all that would be true even now, save that we have known you a great many years now.

“While we dreamt in stone, you came to us each nightfall, checking on the Portal through time. Night after night, week after week, as they became months, and turned to years.

“And you sang to us, Lady Edge. A thousand songs we did not know the name of, and you sang to us, telling us it was not yet time, but it was coming, and not to worry, not to be lonely, for you would lead us to freedom or to death, and you would not let us die.”

The butt of his Axe struck the ground, and his knee followed it. Sternly and emphatically, those of the eighteen other dwarves, including Revered Cruxin, followed their Prince.

“If we are free to choose, then this be our choice. Freedom or Death!” he announced, raising his fist.

“FREEDOM OR DEATH!” the dwarves behind him swore solemnly.

“FREEDOM OR DEATH!” everyone else roared back at them.

It was hard keeping a straight face at that, ice maiden and all, and they sure were looking for it, that was true.

If my eyes started glowing from within, and rose petals swirled in the air as a dire Chord struck all around, well, hey, if I had to look unmoved, the magic sure did not, right?

“These are the words!” They flared behind me in symbols everyone could read, even those still struggling with literacy lessons. Notes beat like the drums of a god, and they said the Words that transcended language.

The Oath RANG. Thunder roiled and struck overhead with a clap of acknowledgment of that Oath and its power.

“I, the Lady Edge, Blood of Magic and Soul of Void Phoenix, do accept the Oaths of Loyalty of the Company of the Free, and the Duty that they bring, in TRUTH, HOPE, and VALOR, on this day, before gods and mortals!”

Lightning clapped twice overhead, north to south, east to west, and the Sublime Chord rose, taking their hearts with them as the world witnessed the Oath and the whole world shook with the Words of Creation worked into an Oath.

Oh, fuck yeah, this was not a small thing. Their hearts felt too big for their chests right now.

They were my Vassals, and I was their Monarch now.

They stared at me there, Blood of Arcane, Soul of Void Phoenix, magic burning and singing around me there, and they knew my serenity was a lie, and that wrath boiled underneath me and I leashed it in all the damn time, because I could change the world very, very violently if I did not.

“Oh, fuck,” Guy murmured, staring at me in utter shock and awe.

Buck, on the other hand, had the biggest smile of his life on his face. “This is gonna be so goddamn cool, Guy!” he chortled with glee. “We hitched the wagon to the biggest star we are ever gonna meet!”

The rake from Federyn City could not bring himself to deny it.

I turned my eyes on the last one. Cirruluxul was the only one standing, unable to hide her unease as she contemplated what she’d just felt, the forces at work. She turned to meet my even gaze, unable to hide the worry in her palest blue eyes.

“I am not free to choose, Mistress,” she told me simply, bowing to me.

“And that is Truth.” And it rang out, and everyone knew it was, alone as she stood here, not part of my Allegiance. “You are free of your submission. Your shares have already been added to your hoard-gold. Depart in peace, Cirruluxul.”

The young blue dragon bowed even lower to me. “Mistress, may I return if I decide to give my Oath?” she asked simply.

“You may,” I answered simply. “You may also leave your hoard-gold here and retrieve it when you have found a lair.”

She did not delay. She skipped over to the two that held her hoard-gold, checking them both with merely a touch, and it was as I said.

She transformed with speed and a roar, magic swirling and layering on as she leapt straight up into the sky, azure wings streaked with white beat at the air and launched her skywards through the concealing illusion, barely stirring up any dust as the flight magic allowed her to take wing with impossible agility. Two more beats and she was streaking away north and east, going to check up on her family.

Number Four calmly led both of hoard-gold away towards the stable to be secured. It would be transferred to more permanent stone holders until she returned for them.

I was reasonably certain she’d be back soon. She was looking for her kin, seeing if any of them were still alive, and likely having to ascertain her position in the new hierarchy of the Bleaklands. It had still been over a century and more since she’d been lost in the Inn, so she would have lost years on her family, yet her strength was still going to be above her siblings on a couple age tiers above her in some ways.

Whether she thought any of them were worthy to bring into my service was another matter entirely.

My attention returned to the Company of the Free, still breathing deeply after feeling the Thunder of their Oath, and looking around and seeing their fellow Vassals, and their new Monarch.