Apocalypse Reborn: Academy Start: 3 (Patreon)

Apocalypse Reborn: Academy Start: 3

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Commissioned by J.A.

Wordcount: 2500

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You’d think having an in with the regional power of the continent would give me some leeway, but that wasn’t the case.

Just a turn after we got our two Citadels, the rest of them popped up like clockwork.

And, we received some visitors from above.

Not the little green men that I wanted to visit, though.

“Headmaster Alistair, you must listen to reason. The Ancients buried these structures and hid them away at their apex.”  Keeper Justinia was all done up in Victorian-era-esque clothing. She’d look like a smaller version of a Victorian lady, if not for her attendants being steampunk cyborgs with clanking gears in their backs and blank gazes. They were the mad scientist faction. Some say they’re neutral, but when you’re lobotomizing ‘feral’ versions of your people to make supersoldiers, I’d say you’re evil. “Not only do they invite war by existing, but their power was also feared even by their creators, and thus they sealed away. You must return them to their dormant states.”

“Keeper Justinia, your people and mine have shared good relations with one another since the Academy’s founding. We have worked together, faced the same foes, and both won and lost with one another… however, you have no right to make such a demand of the Academy.” That’s right. Having a man on an ego-trip is perfect for this sort of thing. Alistair wasn’t about to give up two superweapons just because someone told him to. “These Citadels will ensure the future of my people against the coming darkness. I trust that you have reviewed the threats encroaching upon the continent? Those that felled the Ancients?”

“We… have verified your findings, but do you not see that these Citadels are a declaration of war? They will see these great weapons arising and they will know that they must attack with haste, or they will be destroyed by their foes’ descendants.” Justinia managed to intuit the reason why the various crises started heading for the continent. If they let the Citadels stay standing, then they would be defeated by an enemy with far better industrial capacity than they did, so they forced themselves to march and attack. They were already planning on attacking, of course, but until the Citadels arose they were able to bide their time. Now, they couldn’t. “Not only that, but already wars are arising between those who have Citadels! The Conquerors are waging war against the Children of the Elm as we speak!”

“And, how do you propose we face the enemies to come without these Ancient weapons? When the Ancients themselves fell?” Alistair was doing all the fighting, but he was cribbing stuff off from my own notes and research. I didn’t mind. Go tell Keeper Justinia that she’s wrong, my guy. I’m rooting for you all the way. “You demand much, yet you offer no alternative. The battles between the Conquerors and the Children of the Elm will be settled soon enough. We cannot have them perish against one another.”

That… was news to me.

“The Academy will move to see these new assets used for the good for the continent. That involves stopping wars such as the one going on now. As we speak, we are exploiting and expanding the Citadels to our utmost.” My guy, you opposed grabbing these Citadels whenever brought them up. Now you’re looking at the rings on your hand like you need the rest of the set. “As we speak, arms and armor of the Ancients design are flowing into the Academy’s troops. We will stamp out this war before it can ruin us all.”

I really hoped that Justinia would oppose this, since the Keeper’s opinion actually mattered to Alistair… instead she bowed her head.

“Then, if the Academy wishes to rise to its true position as hegemon and rule over the whole continent, I withdraw my objections.” There was a satisfied smile on her face as she spoke. I guess she opposed the middle ground. Either leave the Citadels gathering dust, or exploit them to conquer the continent. The middle ground of just sitting and waiting for buildings to be made and getting maximum production was out of the question. Why? I don’t fucking know. That sounded really good to me! “The Scholars will be happy to assist and lend our services to you in this endeavor.”

“And, the Academy will gratefully accept your aid, Keeper Justinia.”

Goddammit, the Goblins are the worst allies to have. They are never committed, they never have an army, and the bonuses they give to allies aren’t worth it. Sure, it’s great they boost all your settlements research output, but research isn’t going to save you from a coalition of people out to murder you. Not only that, but they’ve got a shit ending that involves leaving the rest of the planet while irradiating it to make sure nothing comes after them. They latterly fuck off and leave the planet dead and destroyed just to make sure that they get away safely.

Unfortunately, since I was just present to take notes and watch how diplomacy works, I couldn’t tear down the budding alliance as it formed right in front of me.

Alright.

Guess I know what I’m doing for the next couple of years.

Either get the Goblins killed, or somehow make them useful.

Given their high-and-mighty nature, technological hoarder status, and the fact that they pick fights they can’t win and drag allies into their fights… yeah… the first option is a lot easier.

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Interlude: Celia

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I looked upon the ring on my finger with trepidation, while Jack continued to study his book.

“…This truly gives me complete control over a fragment of the Ancient’s power?”

“Mhmm.” The heir-apparent of the Academy Headmaster wore robes over his Academy uniform and had his hair straight and slicked back into a tight ponytail. He wore glasses as he read. He would not look out of place amongst the masses of noble children attending the Academy, yet he was much more. “Within the limits of the Citadel, naturally, but yes.”

“What can the headmaster do?”

“I’m afraid that you’ll have to experiment or read on the matter on your own time. The headmaster won’t approve of me sharing those secrets.” He spoke with a dull tone, but with a raised eyebrow. There was a slight quirk of amusement on his lip when he spoke. “There are secrets I can’t share with future rivals, I’m afraid.”

I scoffed.

“Only a lunatic would go against the Academy, even with a Citadel, you have two of your own.” The Academy signaled the start of this new age, and they remained its de facto rulers. Though warlords arose and new nations were said to be born, the Academy still held military superiority and economic dominance. To oppose them was foolish, as the Children of the Elm were learning. They were being crushed underfoot, after refusing to cease fighting, even as the Conquerors stayed their hand. “My people have a vested interest in ensuring that peace and prosperity continues across all the world.”

“Your support would be appreciated, but if too many join with us, then we’ll simply see a rival power arise from those with Citadels.” Jack spoke casually, but I paused at his insight. He continued to read, as if what he shared did not convey just how far he saw and how much he knew. Though I sat across from him, with a mere table between us, he seemed out of my reach. “The Forgers and Merchants, at least, will band together to fight against us. The Conquerors and your people will be good allies. All the others shall wait and see… no one will fight with the Children of the Elm, though.”

I took note of a people that he did not deem ‘good allies.’

“Headmaster Alistair declared the Scholars to be allies of the Academy. You do not believe that they are on par with the Conquerors and my people?”

“They don’t have a Citadel, let alone the willingness to fight. I appreciate their contributions to academia and research and even trade, but power is still power. They do not compare to your people or the Conquerors, especially with the coming cataclysms.” His response was blunt and direct. I appreciated it greatly, especially since so many tried to curry favor with me. Some would take offense to being deemed merely a military amongst my people, but to be acknowledged by the Academy’s heir, who himself already had an army at his beck and call, was something I took as a compliment. However, his next words confirmed my concerns and how much I lacked. “They’re going to make uniting the whole continent a pain.”

Unification of the whole continent.

I had dreamt of a land for my people, as did many others who rose to power on the backs of Citadels, especially with the oncoming threats from beyond.

We sought to survive.

Jack sought to thrive.

With just a sentence, I found myself utterly humbled bereft of words.

I didn’t know how long my silence lasted, but he looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow at me.

I forced a smile onto my face, much like all the smiles that I hated from those who tried to curry favor with me, as I looked upon him. Though it disgusted me, I knew that I couldn’t show weakness, and that I had to represent my people.

“Perhaps, then, my people will simply have to do more to make up for the shortfalls of the Scholars. Or, perhaps, you will need more capable allies from beyond the mountains?” I suggested the first, fully intending to do my utmost to get my people to stand as capable allies with the Academy, but suggested the second to display some measure of strategic acumen. For a second, Jack paused, but soon enough nodded. Relief filled my veins. “You should do your utmost to get allies, then bring the rest in line. People will rise to oppose you and those you have at your back, but they will flounder and hesitate when they realize how much more you truly have.”

I hoped to show some insight and was glad to see Jack nod again.

“You’re right. A battle avoided is a battle won. The longer it takes for an opponent to gather their nerve, the more we can prepare.” Once again, he shared his thoughts freely. The sheer brilliance that he had was on casual display. The sensation of defeat clung to me, trying to drag me down, but I shook it off. Not yet. I have not been defeated. “I’ll draft up a plan to make contact with potential allies. Can your people assist us? We want to keep it clear that they’ll be allies, like you, and not subordinates.”

“Of course.” I responded quickly and nodded, and before I knew it he was drafting a letter and instructions side-by-side on his table. His writing was neat, concise, and without error for the letter. Meanwhile, the instructions were written by his maid, whose skill with the pen with equal to the finest scribe. I had wondered, when I first met her, why he would need her. Since then, I yearned for someone as capable. There was somehow no task at which she was not adept. “Who do you plan to contact?”

I almost wished that he would hesitate, but he did not.

“The Wardens will be the most amicable, so I shall ask Alistair to contact the Merchants and then them. He’ll pick the Wardens to lord power over me, naturally.” He shared his intentions with me. Such words could easily destabilize the relations between the heir and ruling. For a moment, I thought that he made a mistake. Then, I wondered who would believed between him and I. I almost laughed at my foolishness. “I’ll see what I can do to get your people up and running. The threat of retaliation against any who attack you will act as a good deterrent initially, but it’s better that your people are strong, too.”

“We will not betray your trust.” The words slipped forth from my mouth without prompting. It was an assurance that I’ve given time and time again in order to gather all those who fell under my banner. Centuries and centuries of being hunted and backstabbed in war after war led us to seclusion. I barely managed to make them all move after building off the work my family had done longer than our records were kept. “The Guardians of the Moon will honor their pacts, Jack.”

Many scoffed at my words. A few laughed. The best I received was silence and quiet contemplation.

Jack?

“I know.”

Two simple words, stated with a gaze bereft of duplicity, and no hesitation in the slightest.

As though the skies were blue, he believed that the Guardians of the Moon would keep their word.

That I would keep my word.

Once again, I felt inadequate, but this time I felt something else arise within me.

The wish to be worthy and to reach him… or at least be within reach of him as a leader.

My people deserved a person such as him, so I would emulate him to the best of my ability.

The day will come when all that I fear will come.

The wars that will arise because of these Citadels will be unlike all that my people ever fought. Great hosts will be raised, armed with deadlier weapons and powerful armor and perhaps Ancient technologies long thought lost. It shall be a war on the scale only recalled in legend, when the sky shattered and the seas boiled and time itself bent and broke. Then, after all that, there still remained the foes which destroyed the Ancients at their zenith.

Earlier, I had feared that I only thought to survive this and felt inadequate as Jack sought to conquer the continent and defeat the Ancients’ foes.

Now, with his words of trust and assurances, I knew that he believed in my people and myself.

That we could rise and stand beside him, and that we were a people in his vision of the future.

We were not relics to be forgotten, failures that could not do their duty, in his eyes.

Thus, I would not disappoint him nor my people.

His trust will not be misplaced.