Panta leaned back in his chair, his arms resting on the armrests and hands folded on his lap. There were still piles of papers on his desk, and he suspected that particular distasteful fact would remain the case for some time, no matter how hard he worked. Dealing with all of the reports and messages almost made him wish to still be in the heat of battle, where quick thoughts and action are the only things that mattered.

Then he remembered the price of those battles, and that wish diminished to a nearly non-existent level, but it didn't vanish entirely. Hard as it might be to admit, there was a part of Panta that craved commanding a battle. The ultimate struggle of two forces with the fate of thousands on the line… There was nothing quite like it.

It was too bad that battles that required his attention, even more so his entire focus, were few and far between within most of the Republic, let alone his little corner of influence. It was a good thing for Panta that the nobility of the Republic insisted on perpetually drawing him into their little schemes. They always gave him some level of entertainment… not that he would ever again let himself revel in that particular poisoned chalice.

More often than not, the nobles tried to foist petty things of little consequence onto him, which were easily avoided if mildly irritating. Sure, you could say that it was his fault for being both competent and driven enough to rise to a level that drew their attention, but that didn't change the facts. However, when one showed up and ended up piquing his interest, it was undeniable that he got a little thrill from dealing with the situation, not that he always or even usually did so in a way that the noble desired.

…Panta doubted this would be one of the times he was in control of how this situation turned out. The old senator sitting across from him was not the type of man who bothered with complex schemes and political maneuvering. No, he had too much power, personal and societal, to bother with such inconsistent and annoying strategies.

"So, Senator Cross," Panta said after they sat in silence for a couple of minutes sipping their drinks, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Mmm, no, I don't think it will be." The senator said, an affable smile on his lips.

"Excuse me?"

"A pleasure. I do not think anything about this situation could be considered a pleasure… for you. You know, I served as a prefect in the Triad in my youth? It was centuries ago, and the only thing of note about that period was a distinct lack of beastkin hoards… But I have fond memories of the fort and Southtown."

Feeling that he wasn't done speaking, Panta waited, watching the other man carefully. Coss's eyes glazed over, and the hard lines of his face loosened. In that moment, it was like he had lost three decades. "And now, most of what I remember stands in ruins… But do not misunderstand me. From what I have learned, I can only applaud your decisions and actions as they diverted an utter catastrophe, but the results have much to be desired. But I am here to ensure that fate does not repeat itself."

"And how do you envision that happening?"

"You are aware that Fridgia came north to kill you?" Senator Cross said, changing the subject. "In his eyes, you failed him, his family, and his people. Irrational in a certain respect, but that applies to people in general. He needed legions, and the latest news he heard was four sitting up here wasting away, watching the border. After all, everything going on around the Triad is, 'little more than a skirmish with beasts.'" At the end of his speech, the senator raised his voice in a mocking mimicry of another person. Switching back to his normal tone, a hint of amusement in his voice, he added, "After seeing the aftermath of the fighting weeks later, well, only an incompetent fool could hold onto those emotions. And Fridgia is no incompetent fool."

"I had my suspicions." Panta acknowledged. "However, if he chose to follow through… There was nothing anyone within the fort could have done to stop him. Well, perhaps not nobody, but no one under my command. I thought it was better to allow him the opportunity and attempt to minimize the losses."

"A sound assessment." The old senator who could have stood up to Fridgia said, his eyes glinting with a cold intelligence. "If a city lord wants someone dead, only another city lord can stop them."

"And someone who might have held that title in the past isn't up to the challenge?"

"Hmm? Not quite. Once you hold such a title, you can contend with anyone of a similar rank. Even old age won't diminish that reality. However, it is frowned upon for those at the end of their lives to step in and alter the decision of those younger. Something of a courtesy. After all, we old farts won't have to live with the repercussions nearly as long."

"Yes, the world is ever-changing. Someone being around longer will have more time to bring their plans to fruition for the betterment of the Republic." Panta commented, forcing his voice to be neutral.

"Hmm?" the senator hummed, looking up at the ceiling, lost in thought about something. "Yes, that is also a good reason. But all of this is beside the point of my visit here. With Fridgia's anger abated and Senator Ponpti forced to adapt to the situation, you have navigated the current internal strife."

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Ponpti's jaw clenched the slightest amount in annoyance. All nobles carried secrets about their families and, in general, about themselves. Ruling anything of note went with the territory of creating and hoarding secrets. However, this wasn't about everyday mysteries.

Any commoner who rose high enough in rank quickly learned a fact. There is an impassable barrier separating the oldest families and everyone else. It wasn't the breeding and the absurd number of orbs everyone of them was born with… or at least that wasn't the entirety of the problem.

It was knowledge. Something that everyone knew after a certain social rank, but no one below was ever told. It was such an iron-clad rule that it bordered on miraculous that the secret hadn't leaked. Frankly, it was infuriating to Panta, but it was an annoyance that he had long gotten used to, like an old wound.

"And now you are willing to talk to me about the purpose of your visit."

"Correct. It's nothing personal, but if you cannot hold onto your position, you are unfit. Now is not the time for weakness." A frigid wind billowed behind the senator's eyes as he said the last word. Panta even felt a ripple of goosebumps run over his body as he felt a rush of trepidation, an emotion he hadn't felt in years.

"You would be okay with an ineffectual politician taking my place?"

"Ohh, no." The old man said, a smile on his face, "Part of my reason for being here was to ensure that never happened. Besides, Victorus is more competent than he lets on. Not to mention that he already told me the position would only be temporary."

"And you trust him?"

"As much as you can trust anyone's word in our circles. More than most, actually."

"And his trust for you?"

A smile curled the older man's lips, "As much as you can trust anyone's word in our circles."

Panta snorted in amusement, then waved his hand, signaling to get on to the main topic of this discussion. "You have to start reforming the Lost Legions."

For a second, Panta's entire body froze as he processed the words. With a flex of his willpower, he stilled his emotions both external and internal as he asked, "I have to? Is that an order?" Panta glanced down as if expecting to see a scroll in the other man's hands detailing the command by the senate, but there was nothing.

"No, there are no official orders. This is a practical… suggestion based on the reality we find ourselves in. And, if we are being honest among friends, there might be a little pressure from the founding families."

"What would be their suggestion for the use of these legions?"

"What else? The defense of the realm. No matter how kind the Kin appear, there is nothing like a strong force to remind them peace is the best option. Not to mention, you never know when the Lettairry will show up again. And I guess… the Western Forts need to be retaken sooner rather than later. The damage that the Beastkin can do if left unchecked is incalculable, and it has yet to be determined if they are being controlled."

"Is Cross intending to do the same?"

"The idea has been thrown around with increasing regularity and intent. But that doesn't matter much for you. What should concern you is that an argument can be made that, with events slowing down and becoming more stable around here, if you continue to ignore what is happening to the west, you are no longer upholding the duties of your station."

"…I see," Panta said, his voice clipped and short now that the conversation had made its way to the desire and threat of the interaction. It was… irritating. Panta got scraps of information that he suspected anyone in the Capital could tell him at this point. And he had no choice in how he could respond.

It was clear that Panta either started acting in accordance with the will of the senator and those he represented, or he would be replaced. Actions that could very easily lead to him being replaced. Convenient how that worked. Sure, they were being polite about it. Perhaps even cordial, but a dagger at the back was a dagger at the back, no matter the amount of velvet that wrapped the blade.

However, ultimately, he didn't care. Let them plot as much as they want. Tacit permission it might be, but Panta couldn't deny that officially forming legions would help the Republic in these turbulent times. "…Pushing west is an idea that I have been considering recently." Panta finally said.

"Wonderful!" Senator Cross declared, clapping his hands together and standing up. "Oh, and you don't mind if I stay here instead of returning with Senator Ponpti, I am sure? With how you are moving west soon, I believe it will be faster than taking the long way around."

"Of course, Senator," Panta answered, "And I have no doubt that the Kin will be very interested in having an official representative of the government staying nearby."

"Ha!" Barked Senator Cross, a spark of amusement dancing in his eyes as he got up and moved to the door, "Well played, Guardian Panta. I think I'm gonna like you."

In the long term, Panta might end up agreeing with the sentiment. Right now, however, the old man was right, their interaction was a lot of things, but pleasant wasn't one of them.

**********

The darkness of this night was near total, as overhead, the moon hadn't risen, and the stars were mostly blocked by clouds. Off in the distance, both in the Ruins of Southtown and across the river, were lights twinkling within the Tirad proper, but on what remained of the outer rings of Southtown's walls, there were no puddles of illumination.

A perfect environment for the figure wrapped in a cloak, making its way along the top of the fortifications. Every few crouched steps, the form would stop and pop up, furtively glancing around before dropping below the battlements again and scampering forward.

Eventually, the figure came to a stop, and its fidgeting became worse every second until a lilting but cruel voice caused it to freeze in place. "Well," said a shadow that boiled up from the ground until it formed a silhouette and condensed into a dark elf. "Will you look at this? A little rat was scurrying along the wall. Pathetic. If you don't have something worth my time, you will never see the light of day."

"Of course I ha—

"Milord."

"What?"

"Pathetic female." Said the Letairry as he blurred forward, grabbing the hooded figure by the neck and lifting her off the ground. Like he didn't have another care in the world, the dark elf said, "Can you not even understand a simple word? Is that too hard for you?"

Choking out the words, the woman wheezed, "I understand, milord…"

"Good," Said the elf, sounding for the first time not annoyed or angry. Though his tone wasn't exactly satisfied, it was something close, and it was enough for him to drop the woman. "Now, you have news?"

"Yes, milord." Gasped the bowed woman facing the ground. "Senator Ponpti is taking a delegation of Kin to the Capital."

"Ohh? Good, it's about time," murmured the dark elf before his eyes focused on the bowed woman. "Explain everything you know."

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