The Rightful Ruler[Job]

Assignment Name: Sparking Rebellion Part II[Repeatable]
Assignment Rank: C
Assignment Location: Reim
Assignment Rewards: 100 XP, 7,000 Huang
Profession Prerequisites: Must be located in Reim.
Assignment Overview:
The unhappiness of the people is growing and have been heard by some powerful people. Around the city, flyers are popping up in known areas of unrest, encouraging those that had organized secret meetings to now organize public protests in the Government Sector of Remano. It is time to start making the people’s complaints heard. Choose one complaint to focus on, be it the occupation of Kou, the increased number of soldiers beginning to enter the city, the decrease in jobs due to King El Nagi’s beast programs or even living conditions. Make sure to keep the protests peaceful, or else you and your protestors may get arrested!

*Special Note Once the assignment is completed, King Lagi will be allowed 1 post to calm down the protestors. Staff will decide on how effective it is and post the results in the thread. Once Lagi has made his post, he may post again in here in order to claim the same assignment rewards. There will be no further posts after King Lagi has posted, other than a Solomon's Proxy post.

Having returned to Remano from the Dungeon, Gremory, Yakuroro found himself faced with a situation far more dire than when he had left. Word of Kou forces landing on the eastern shores had reached the city and rumors of looming war spilled from everyone's lips. There had been a slew of assassinations and other drama within King Lagi's court. Some workers fearful that their jobs might be threatened by the rumored El Nagi beasts being introduced into the workforce. The many reasons piled atop one another and placed a large burden of pressure onto the citizens. The pot was beginning to boil over and with ingredients such as rebellion and an untrusted leader in the mix it was hard to see Reim surviving an attack from Kou.

As Yakuroro saw it, the country needed to be unified if there was any hope to keeping a full Kou occupation from solidifying. But there was little he could do all alone. Yakuroro began by gathering support here and there. First he stopped at Illius' office with a large portion of the treasure from Gremory in tow. Yakuroro entrusted the Reim Historical Society to use these funds to pay for a great deal of excavations. Upon directing Illius to hire labor through Azix Niraj's Opportunity Hall, Yakuroro departed the society HQ to make his way to Lady Soushui's estate.

There, Lady Soushui was able to bring Yakuroro up to speed with all she knew about the situation at hand. Kou was on the move and they were ready for war. Reim on the other hand was on the brink of civil conflict. There were supposedly a number of protests beginning in the government district and things could turn violent at any moment. With tensions rising across the board, Yakuroro would have to be careful in how he proceeded so as not to incite chaos.

Looking at the situation as a whole, Yakuroro came to the conclusion that Reim's biggest weakness at the moment was King Lagi. The Imuchakk didn't know exactly how he managed to obtain the throne by Kou's blessings, but the illegitimacy of his rule was a problem. Black rukh aside, this King had people out protesting in the streets. Something the previous and well loved emperor never had much trouble with. The acts of good King Lagi had done seemed to be overshadowed by resentment citizen's held over one issue or another. It was ironic that the King who ended slavery had to face citizens wanting his head on a pike and perhaps a bit sad too. But regardless of the El Nagi man's intentions, he had made an enemy of his own people. Reim would likely never see peace so long as he held the throne.

After thanking Lady Soushui for her assistance Yakuroro gathered his things and headed for the streets to see these protests for himself.

Word Count - 479/1000

As Yakuroro moved closer to the governmental district of Remano it became clear that he was going in the right direction. The tension in the air seemed to thicken with each step the Imuchakk took. Streets that had once been filled with vendors and shoppers were now full of empty stalls and a few scattered small groups huddled together whispering rumors. The vacancy of the roads soon reversed into an overabundance of crowded people as Yakuroro approached the inner ring of the city that surrounded the "kings" palace. It wouldn't be hard for the Imuchakk to force his way through the crowds of people, but he didn't want to bring attention to himself or hurt someone accidentally in doing so.

Taking to the sky by way of magic carpet, Yakuroro ascended higher than most would think to look and obtained a birds eye view of the situation. There were hundreds of bodies down there among the masses and they seemed to have an ebb and tide to them that was slowly pushing against the soldiers guarding the entrance to the center of the city. The protesters would clash against a wall of shields pushing and yelling to demand passage only to be stopped by the iron blockade of military men. The protesters then retreat for a time until another wave of reckless young men decide to push their luck again. Watching this pattern repeat a few times from above, Yakuroro began to worry.

Right now the people were simply trying to pass into the inner heart of the city, but the Imuchakk knew that there was enough kindling here to start quite the fire. All the situation needed was a spark. An angry youth chucking a rock at a soldier's head. A fearful guard pushing back a bit too hard against the disgruntled citizen screaming to be let through. It was only a matter of time until the situation took a turn for the worse and real violence broke out. The magician saw no leader standing at the front of the people. No one to guide them through their protest peacefully. Yakuroro did not want to be a hero or to take advantage of these people's frustrations and yet he felt a strong need to take action. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Yakuroro prepared himself and began a slow descent.

The protesters to first notice the Imuchakk slowly lowering down into the space between the guards and the mob of citizens didn't seem to care much about his presence. But the first to recognize him as the Imuchakk whom bested King Lagi in combat would begin to shout and spread the world.

"He's here! The Imuchakk who defeated the King!"

For once, the fame Yakuroro had garnered from that coliseum fight would serve him well. There was a large wave of excitement that flowed through the people as word of Yakuroro's appearance spread. This excitement soon died down however and the cacophony of angry shouts dimmed into a blanket of hushed murmurs. The Imuchakk before them was still on his magic carpet flying several meters above ground so all could see him, but now he stood and was facing the people of Reim with his magic staff in hand.

Yakuroro's eyes gazed out over the sons and daughters of Reim expecting to see animosity, but he was not prepared for the sheer pressure of the many eyes that stared expectantly back at him. Yakuroro could feel their anger on his skin and he tasted their frustration in the air. The Imuchakk knew that many here were waiting for him to attack the guards blocking their path. To lead a revolution. But that was not why Yakuroro was here. If fulfilled, those expectations would lead to a bloody conflict that would leave Reim weak in the face of the impending Kou threat. The Imuchakk was here to instead answer the expectations of those who simply wanted their country back.

Taking another deep breath, Yakuroro began to speak. His voice rung out loud and booming but even so he could not hope to address all the people present at once. Thankfully, there were many passing his message along through the ocean of people. "Thank you, people of Reim! I did not ask it of you, but you have given me a chance to speak to all of you! I will not let this chance go by in vain." The Imuchakk clenched his fist and paused as he swallowed a lump that had been building in his throat since the crowd went quiet. During that pause, a protester rung out,

"An enemy of Lagi is our ally! Kill the King! We will fight along side you!"

The pathetic man's voice was small among the throng but Yakuroro heard his words clearly all the same. Those around the man began to get excited and shouted in agreement ignoring the fact that the other citizen's around them looked on at such behavior with fearful eyes. It was a minority that wanted blood, but they were loud and their fervor was contagious. Yakuroro saw the black rukh gathering around these violent few even from his elevated position. Pockets of darkness danced here and there forming a network that would grow out of control if Yakuroro did nothing.


The Imuchakk shouted, a firm anger on his face as he pointed his staff to the sky and muttered, "Tempest Lance..." A swirl of storm magic built at the tip of his staff before being fired harmlessly into the air on a trajectory that would hit nothing before the spell reached its maximum range and fizzled out. All the people prepared to fight were silenced by this display of power and their building violence was snuffed out before it could take shape.

"I will not fight Lagi El Nagi again unless he turns his sword upon the people! Cast off your ideas of bloodshed, they will bring nothing but suffering upon you all!"

Yakuroro said only to be rebuttled by a number of people lashing out at him with shouts. Some called him a traitor, some cried out claims that he was working with Lagi, others simply looked on doubtful that the Imuchakk was truly on their side. But for the most part, Yakuroro heard the various complains of people being shouted as justification for taking up arms.

"You are not wrong to worry! Your country was stolen from you over night and your ruler was replaced with a young man who had no experience as a ruler. The number of wrongs done to Reim since that fateful night have only increased since then."

"So then you must know that we have no other choice but to take our country back!"

"Indeed! But there is another way. King Lagi's death will not solve your problems. In fact, it will only create more enemies and end Reim's future. But that does not mean that he should go unpunished! Lagi claims that he is a man of Reim. The good he's done can't be denied and there are many among you who know of his kindness. How many here were a slave until he took the throne?"

This statement was a heavy blow to the protesters looking to cause trouble and altogether confusing to most. It sounded almost like Yakuroro was advocating Lagi's acts as King. But any who had such delusions would find themselves quickly corrected.

"The true enemy here is not Lagi or the El Nagi clan! Nor is it the Kou citizens relocated to Reim for integration. The real enemy is the Emperor of Kou and his generals whom sought to control Reim for their own selfish ends! Now is not the time to worry about punishing Lagi for his sins, there is a much greater danger looming beyond the city walls!"

Yakuroro knew nothing about the state of Kou's forces, the line about the city walls was merely a figure of speech. But it did not stop some citizens from harboring fears that there was a Kou army just a few days march from the capital. This fear combined with a sense of confusion kept the crowds quiet as Yakuroro continued his speech.

"I will call the King here and I will address him together along with all of you. But remember, the ones who stole your Emperor from you were men of Kou!"

Yakuroro then lowered to the ground leaving many citizens unsure of what to say. There was no silencing them all as many disagreed with his words in one way or another, but those closest to Yakuroro had stopped trying to push their way past the guards, memory of the spell he'd just cast still fresh in their minds. The Imuchakk floated before the wall of soldiers and spoke to their leader with a threat that simply could not be ignored, "Summon the King here now. If not, I'll mow you down and go speak to him myself...Of course, in that case, I'll be bringing all of my 'friends' along too." The guard captain could say little but an agreeance before sending a runner to fetch the King.

Word Count: 1000+/1000
Magoi: 270/300

Spoiler:

Yakuroro waited for Lagi El Nagi to actually arrive on scene before giving his final words. It was a gamble to ask the protesters to wait. If Lagi didn't show up then it might not have been possible to stop a riot from ensuing. But the Imuchakk felt that chances for a peaceful resolution would be higher if he confronted Lagi publicly in front of the masses. This would not be like last time at the ball where Yakuroro had clumsily blundered his way into a coliseum fight. This time, Yakuroro was prepared for Lagi and the black rukh he held within. Once the King arrived, Yakuroro would ascend on his magic carpet once more and addressed the King in front of his own subjects.

"Lagi El Nagi...You have once claimed yourself to be a "Man of Reim" to your people. But many here fear you are a man of the El Nagi first. Or they fear you are a Man of Kou. But all those fears don't matter in comparison to what they really fear. The people standing before you now are all worried about the future. Their own future, the future of their friends and families, the future of their country."

Yakuroro cast his hand over the masses in a sweeping motion and paused for Lagi to take in the sight. The Imuchakk wanted him to feel the countless heavy eyes of his citizens in their agitated state.

"You have claimed...to be a Man of Reim...But what these people see is not a fellow man, but rather a false King put on the throne by the Kou forces that killed their beloved hero and stole away a widely cherished Emperor. Yes, the Emperor!" Yaku put emphasis on the word stressing what had been stolen from the Reim people. An emperor who had kept them safe from foreign dangers and had given even slaves the highest standard of living in all the world. "The one who ruled the Reim Empire before you sat on the throne." Further words to remind the protesters that theirs was not a country labeled Kingdom, but one that was an Empire stretching across the entire continent.

"I was wrong to call you a demon before, and for that I apologize. But I will not compromise in this, Lagi El Nagi, you are without a doubt NOT the King of Reim. Reim has no King, only a dead Emperor who's rightful heir has yet to be found. If you seek to calm the hearts and minds of your subjects then hear me, O' scion of the El Nagi! Cast off the false title of King Kou bestowed upon you! But not to retreat back to your clan in shame! Instead, do so as a hero! One who in Reim's darkest hour, saved her from the brink of destruction!"

The confusion among the protesters was apparent at this point but now was not the time to stop. Yakuroro continued before anyone could shout out against ever calling Lagi a hero.

"Let your final act as King be to decree an official search for the true heir to the Emperor's lineage! Then serve as Reim's general and rally your El Nagi clan members. There are Kou troops landing on the eastern coast! Your power will be needed to keep your people safe from their clutches!"

With that, Yakuroro's voice would lower and he would speak softly. Only those nearby and the King would be able to hear his final lines, but they were the most important. Looking to Lagi with an earnest gaze, Yakuroro spoke with sincerity. "Each of the people here have seen your benevolence in their own way. If you are not the monster I claimed you were when we first met, then prove it to your country with this act of justice."

Lagi arrived on horseback with a few of his bodyguards, but it wasn’t in flashy attire.  The king bore his crown, but he was getting into  a garment that was  strictly built for warfare. It too had the Reim insignia on it. “…..” He was still as he proceeded to let Yakuroro say his before giving his ultimate reaction.  Lagi reached into his pocket and grasped his  orb of communication, initiating the magic tools ability to have Lagi’s voice sound like a loudspeaker. He wanted every one of his Reim citizens to hear what he had to say.

“My people of Reim, this time is critical for us. This is the turning point of our lives, and I can see your strife. I can see your uncertainty, the lack of faith that you have in me. But fear not, for your king is a good-hearted human being that will make out whatever he can in order for Reim to achieve true prosperity. Everything I was attempting to make out, I was securing your future by leaving us to be independent and self-sufficient to a much higher level. The creatures were only meant to improve your lives, nothing more! Your tasks are safe; it’s simply that the creatures are a portion of the business today. Managing them is just as a portion of your business as your usual duties, this simply means that your involvement and cooperation is still more dire  with the variety at hand. You have not lost your jobs, and you will not lose your individuality as the people of Reim. There have been so many assassination attempts against me, but do you catch me hiding in the palace in fear of it?  To all of you in this crowd  who bear ill intent towards me and call for my head, do I not call you brother and sister? Do I not value you as an important voice to be heard in my land? The infinite amount of audiences I work through every day that is designed for YOU TO HAVE YOUR VOICES HEARD?

Lagi took a deep breath,  there was a lot more to say. “In spite of all of this, you call me a false king. Why? Because of a blood relation based off of the king?  Because of this being a title that was given to me by Kou? A false king would have been nothing more than a puppet for Kou. Without me, you would be using paper currency; do you recognize what they tried to get away from us that I fought against?! Have you ever seen the emperor’s true colors? The one before me, did you watch his final minutes?!  In those dire situations, you see men for who they really are.  For the humans who were willing to sacrifice their spirits for their emperor, he called them tools to be used and cast aside. Monsters, such slander against the people that was willing to die  for him! That was your emperor! “ Lagi remembered what the emperor said, it was that same reason that he decided to make that deal with Azix in the first place.

“You desire a true successor? A blood relation to the former king that may in fact result in a pair of illegitimate children that would have been here to assume the throne if the king desired to claim them?! Where would they be now? How can that be proven?! Why am I looking for a man who should be here right now, among you? A human being who should have come as soon as word reached about the Emperor’s passing, where is such a kid?! Simply because a blood heir could be found, doesn’t entail that they retain a king’s wisdom, courage, or teaching in economics. They retain likeliness, which is merely for your pleasure as you desire a man who’s already dead! He is deceased, and I have assumed his position. Calling for his responsibilities, contracting on the challenges, discovering and growing with you so I can be the King that Reim truly deserves. I bear my father’s support, the support of Azix Niraj as well. “Lagi was a king candidate, he had no desire to give up the throne. The fate of king candidates is to rule, that was all. Lagi knew that if he was replaced in such a way, he would have no more love for Reim from being neglected after all he’s done.  

“If you do not believe my words and claim that I have nothing to offer you, I will find your rightful heir and you will never see me again. That is what you want right?!” Lagi was angry, but he was keeping his emotions under control. He too thought about Shivali, the embarrassment and sadness that welled up in his heart.  If he is not there when she comes for him, the disappointment and sadness would only be there for her. Only then again, everybody wanted something? It wasn’t love at first, it was only money. They get what they want, enjoy the benefits, and throw you away once you fulfilled your usefulness. “Never doubt in your minds that  never sought to do what’s best for you. I will fight Kou and protect this city,  I will ensure that you all would lead prosperous lives free from Kou’s clutches,  and I will grant you the king that you desire. My personal feelings beside, before I am an El Nagi, I am a man of Reim. The claims of me being anything other than a man of Reim are falsified. As the people of Remano, we can achieve anything we put our minds to, while securing our futures for a better tomorrow. Yes we can! “

Abilities used

Spoiler:

280/300

The people listened to those two talk, surprised to see Lagi appear. Yaku brought up his concerns to the crowd, and some seemed to support those concerns; they spoke on how they wanted an Emperor, not a King. Their culture was besmirched when Kou took over, and Lagi's title was one such reminder of that. Though some questioned who Yaku was, and why an outsider was the one trying to help their country; what motives did an outsider have? And why would he bring up an heir? The citizens were not aware of any child of the late Emperor, and did not believe that such an individual existed. Would this outsider bring a puppet of his own to take the throne, claiming the puppet to be the late Emperor's child?

They continued to grumble, and conversations varied; many wanted change, but they were confused on which direction should be taken. As Lagi spoke, the people grew discontent with the way he spoke about their previous Emperor; no matter how much the King explained his side to them, all they recalled was the kindness of the Emperor, creating a disconnect between Lagi and his subjects. They agreed that there was likely no heir out there, though they thought he was strange for pointing out inexperience; he was plenty inexperienced himself. That he was willing to step down should a true heir appear, and that he was aiming to fight against Kou gave the people hope, though they were not completely satisfied.