Like Father, Like Son [Epic Quest - Azix Niraj]

Azix stood over the plague-ridden corpse with a sneer before spitting on his dead uncle's face. He turned to Yoshi and let out a slow breath, letting his Djinn Equip fade. As his appearance turned back to normal, a neutral expression settled on Azix's face. "We should burn the body to hopefully prevent anyone easily reincarnating him."

The orange magician smiled, "I hope you remember that, Emperor Yoshi." Noticing Yoshiro's wounded shoulder, Azix arched a brow.

Azix looked around for Ari and found her standing nearby Ruki who laid in a pool of blood. He assumed it was Ruki based on the clothing, it was impossible to identify by her face. Azix walked over to grasp her in a hug. "Are you ok?"

After seeing that Ariella was alright, Azix glanced at Garret to make sure his friend hadn't sustained any serious injuries. "That was good work from all of you. However, the fight might not be over. At the last rebellion meeting, they planned to strike Kaito at the same time as the rehearsal. We need to make sure the last immediate threat to your throne is removed."

Azix removed the magic carpet from around his waist and looked for the nearest exit. "Let's send someone to tell Lagi to meet us at the battle and get outside."

Outside, Azix waited for everyone to board the flying carpet before heading to The Battle for Remano. Hopefully they either made it in time to assist or to see a fallen Kaito.

Ruki was blown down by the stream of water Garret had shot her way. The plague snakes continued to eat into her body as Ariella cast a pair of spells of her own. Vines, which grasped at Ruki's legs and kept her from moving, as well as a spell of the plague variety; a sprite-like creature that landed on the woman's face and entered her body from there. The plague magic that both Ariella and Garret had cast was ferocious in its destruction of the woman's body, causing Garret to feel somewhat queasy. The bulky armor did him no favors of fresh air, either, and Garret silently suffered beneath the heap of metal.

Looking back to the Emperor, Garret noticed that the two King Candidates had finished the man with their blades. He stared in partial disbelief; his entire life, growing up, and the Emperor was a constant. He was renowned for being a powerful man. For being beyond a commoner's blade. His ruthlessness and length of rule were a testament of his ability. Yet all of that did not measure up to the power of a dungeon, and especially not that of two men who were able to wield that power together. Garret watched impassively as Azix spit on the dead man's corpse, only showing moderate surprise when he suggested the dead body be cremated. Ah, of course. That would make sense. A repeat of what occurred with Octavius should be avoided... There was still a sour taste in his mouth at the thought that Octavius had been revived. He was quite aware of where that distaste came from; while the man was well liked, and a legend among his people, Garret felt a certain degree of fear about the man. And fear bred hatred.

Simply understanding where his dislike for the general came from was all it took to allow Garret to suppress that anger; it was irrational. Even so, the possibility of revival was a definite window of opportunity that somebody could take if they wanted to use the late Emperor as a puppet in some elaborate scheme. Garret still had doubts now on whether or not there was some sort of ulterior motive to the revival of the General, and whether there was some hidden deal that was struck that had yet to be spoken of. Keeping those thoughts to the back of his mind, Garret scanned the room once more as Yoshiro spoke.

Garret ignored the comment from Yoshiro, his silence partially a testament to his professionalism and partially a show of how little he actually made small talk in the first place. The banter Yoshiro spoke, doubling as flattery, came across to the blue magician as a bemused comment. While he was no doubt serious in his assessment of their danger levels, Garret believed the man would be able to find strong enough allies to neutralize the advantage that Ariella and himself provided.

Azix moved to embrace Ariella, and Garret waited patiently on the side as the man checked upon the two. While waiting, the blue magician continued to scan the room for any new threats. It did not seem that any were forthcoming, but it never hurt to be on the guard; especially when a member of Azix's family had just so recently stabbed another in the back. The politics in the royal family were to be feared, as turning on Azix would remove a potential threat to Yoshiro's rule if he were so inclined. The prior Emperor was not unnecessarily paranoid; he had every right to be paranoid.

When Azix and Ariella caught up with each other, the orange magician set praise upon the group for their work. Garret slightly inclined his head, acknowledging the words of the King Candidate he had decided upon following. The situation had gotten somewhat hairy, but they had managed to make it out on top without any loss on their side, if one did not include the Princess Ruki as a loss. A part of him pitied her death, which was not quite as swift as it could have been, but that feeling was not particularly strong.

Azix's next suggestion made sense; an attempt to send relief, however much they could, to the battle being fought outside the city was certainly something that would be useful. The magician was unsure of how much more use he would be, however. The weight of the armor was beginning to impose upon him. Garret would not utter a word against the plan, though, and spoke up to volunteer in the informing of Lagi to meet at the battle.

Garret walked towards the door, each clattering step grating on his nerves as he made his movement to leave the Ball room. Halfway there he had finally had enough of the equipment. Garret pulled off the helmet and threw it to the side. Each gauntlet came next, first the left and then the right. They clattered as the struck the floor, but Garret continued by removing the chest plate armor that had restricted his upper body's normally dexterous movements. His cuisse and greaves were removed shortly after. With the armor removed, Garret took a breath of fresh air and recovered his equipment. Simple garments were worn beneath the armor, and those garments did not quite have the operative-level setup that he preferred using. Even so, at the cost of losing some time in the removal of the armor, he was now able to move more freely. Cracking his neck left and right, Garret exited the Ball Room to meet up with King Lagi.


Garret's exhaustion was not heavy enough to slow the man down, but he had expended a great deal of energy in the fight within the room. Using a breathing technique he began to circulate oxygen into his lungs in the most efficient manner possible so he could catch a second wind. As much as the magician wanted to claim that he was always using the breathing technique, it was not quite second nature to him. By the time Garret approached the King he had regained his breath and his body was no longer screaming from being tired. The magician followed proper protocol, treating King Lagi with respect as he bowed due to the difference in station between the two. "My apologies, Sir. When I entered the ball room the battle was already underway. It seems as if the Emperor of Kou has been slain... And your fiancee has died, as well. She attempted to attack Yoshiro, of all people, who sided with Azix and killed the Emperor. Shortly after... She was slain." He was unsure how the man would take the poor tidings that Garret brought to him. He watched the King's reaction closely, attempting to confirm whether or not the man held any hostilities due to the outcome of the coup that was held in his ballroom. He had seen Lagi fight in the coliseum, and there was no doubt that the man would be dangerous if he were to become upset and attack at this very moment.

Lagi was sitting in some sort of waiting room, being surrounded by guards. He sipped his wine and waited patiently wondering when everyone would be done with their little squabbles. “What the hell is going on?” Lagi had no clue, was this all a part of the plan? He remembered telling Ariella the  truth about what was going on,  but he didn’t expect her to participate in the Emperor’s assassination. Maybe he was expecting something a little different, like taking care of Kaito and Lilly. Then again it seems that she had her own linked in affairs with the family, and her connection was through Azix.

Lagi knew that Azix was a Kou baby, but he didn’t know that Aix was a direct relative of the emperor himself. This wasn’t something that he would of expected, was this a serious fight? “Azix, a king candidate. “ With the powerful people that Azix surrounded himself with, it was clear to Lagi that he could indeed stand as a threat to him if left unchecked. Azix was his friend, so Lagi thought. Then again, how did it all begin? Submitting to Kou   for the sake of being king, but he in a losing fight and remained under Azix’s thumb in a sense.  

What then? What happens if Yoshino or Ruki dies before the plan to Kill the emperor  had taken off.”Ruki…” Why did he even care? She was using him? Was it because he wanted to believe in something that wasn’t truly there? Was it all based on his weakness that leads towards his attachment problems with women? Lagi didn’t know, but it bothered him, and he wanted it to stop.” I have to go….” Lagi got up, but Garret walked in as soon as he did. “ ….” He sat back down after he was being greeted by Garret, but something was bothering him.
.
And your fiancée has…..

That was when something inside of Lagi snapped. But why? Why did he feel anything at all? She was going against the plan in order to do something so selfish. “Such a stupid bitch……” However… his words didn’t match Lagi’s expression and voice. He was angry; there were tears in his eyes. IT was the curse of being too attached, or trying to make things work with someone. “Why……………………..WHY?!”  Lagi got up and walked towards Garret, but his retainer was holding him back” Hidan, get the fuck off of me! Let me hit him!! Just once!!!! Or else…. I don’t know what I’m gonna do….” This was a strange and dangerous moment right now for Lagi, but Hidan restrained him. His guards didn’t bother, but they knew that Hidan was the closest of all of Lagis’s retainers.” King Lagi, please be calm. It is unfortunate that your fiancé has died, but there is no reason for you to strike out at this man. He is but a messenger, and…. The emperor is also dead. We are free! Isn’t that what you wanted?” Lagi stopped struggling and Hidan let him go.” I just can’t be happy…. I’ve been betrayed by every women that I ever tried to love…. They either leave for unknown reasons, leave, betray... or steal things that are important to me…..my….heritage…. and now…. regardless of her….. she… I can say she tried…. Maybe I was blind… but she tried to love me… or maybe it was a lie…. But it was real to me godammit!!!!!!!….they just…. leave or die……”  

There was a period of silence after the king exclaimed his regrets. However, now wasn’t the time for that. “  I need to protect Reim from Kaito…. if you want a ride...follow me….” Lagi would say as he walked past Garret    and called out to his dragon in the nearest window.” El Drago!!!!” Lagi would then jump out of the window, successfully landing on the back of the dragon that served as his partner and waiting for Garret if he did come. “ Were going?

“  El drago was a bit concerned, he didn’t know what was up with lagi. “ Are you ok?”  El Drago would say as he flew at 25 m/s. “ No…”

Exit.

Ari stared at Ruki’s body as it melted from the various plagues destroying her flesh, not moving until Azix hugged her, turning a slightly blank look up to him. She did not let relief set in, not yet.

“She stabbed Yoshiro, I was afraid she was going to hurt you next. But this… this is horrible.”

She shook off her disgust before giving him a small smile, listening as he praised their efforts before frowning when he mentioned Kaito. Perhaps Lilly was with him. Was she prepared to deal with that possibility? She could not doubt herself now, so she focused on Azix’ words, following her lover from the Palace and boarding the magic carpet. It seemed the battle was not yet over. She hoped Garret was alright, she had seen him flinging his armor away before going to fetch Lagi.

Yoshiro stood in stunned silence, unable to believe his father and sister were both dead. When Azix called him Emperor, his heart stopped for a moment. It was actually happening, he had defeated his father with his cousin’s help and he was now the ruler of the country. Giving everyone a serious look, his voice was quiet but strong.

“Thank you all for your help. Azix is correct, though. As long as Kaito lives, my rule is not secure. Let’s go. But first…”

Yoshiro looked around before finding a burning oil lamp. Snatching it up, he slammed the item across his father’s body, the oil splattering across the body and igniting in a whoosh of flame. He repeated the action with Ruki’s body and another lamp, ensuring neither of the two would be able to be resurrected. He could only imagine the horrors of either being brought back. The bodies were far enough from the walls and curtains to keep the Palace from burning with them. He called out for his own personal guards that had been waiting outside, ordering them to make sure the bodies were destroyed and to keep the fire under control. The matter dealt with, he followed his cousin and Ariella from the building and stepped onto the magic carpet. It was time to finish this little coup.

((Please proceed to the Battle for Remano. This thread will resume once the Battle is completed.))

Lagi returned from the battle a bit earlier due to the fact that Azix and co was either busy socializing or whatever they were doing. “….” Lagi went inside of the dining room to check out the place and the carnage that was left. There was still the fresh scent of blood and the lightest scent of charcoal or something of the sort. A smell that could be semi related to the fire and brimstone that one would curse upon another. “….” Lagi walked around, tracing his hand all over the dried blood that remains.

“They burned the bodies…..” Lagi would the gag immediately, but he would refrain from throwing up. He was the king, but he was still human. There were still things in this world that bothered him, but it was all over now. It wasn’t necessarily about who was from Reim or Kou, it was blatant racism that didn’t really need to exist in the first place. Lagi wanted to break those barriers desperately, this kind of discrimination wasn’t needed in his country anymore. If Yoshino wanted to make it work, this had to stop, a long-term grudge with the Kou empire would have to end. “
“….” Lagi wasted no time, he decided to head on over to the council room and informed the guards if they see anyone notable, Azix, Yoshino, or anyone that was seemingly looking for him or needed to be there they would all meet up there and have a final discussions about the things that comes after this. “The only thing that I have left to do is wait. “ Lagi would say this silently to himself as he went over to the former council room and sat down in his seat, for as long as it could be his seat. Who knows, maybe this was a day of overthrowing and Lagi was next, he was out of the loop. However, that wouldn’t stop him from trying to do things that were right.

On the way back to the Palace, Yoshiro would turn to look to Azix with a contemplating eye, deep in thought for a few moments before he spoke. He made no effort to hide his words from Garret, the blue magician was obviously a trusted confidant of his cousin.

“Cousin, I have a proposition for you. If Kou is to solidify a true alliance with Reim, we will need an ambassador, one the Reim people will trust but one that I can trust as well. I know you have had your differences with the Kou regime, but now that it will be under new leadership, would you consider coming back into the fold?”

He would wait patiently for the answer or any questions his cousin might have. He knew it would not be a simple decision to make, his cousin had clearly shown his favoritism towards Reim, but he also knew how tempting the offer would be. It would re-establish his family’s power and name in Kou while offering Azix a chance to ensure that the peace treaty was upheld.

Azix gave Yoshiro a surprised look in response and ran his fingers through his hair. His eyes drifted off to some distant point on the horizon as his cousin's offer was considered. Azix was hesitant to draw loyalties to Kou, however it allowed him to remain within Reim and continue to help. It also was a way to keep tabs on Yoshiro and make sure he didn't follow in his father's footsteps. With a sigh, Azix realized that his cousin was right, the two main reasons he had turned against Kou was the invasion and a distaste for Gao.

Still, Azix felt torn and he turned to Garret. He made quick gestures with his hands and finger, communicating in sign-language. 'What do you think?' Azix knew that this decision didn't just affect him but his entire household as well. He didn't feel right to decide without at least getting Garret's opinion.

Garret looked down at the ground below them as they zipped over the scenery. They were high up enough that it didn't cause him to get sick by the fast passing ground below. Hmmm, the countryside is hurting a bit, it looks like... Yet this 'war' was a fairly short one. They did not cause so much damage as to be irreparable for years on end... Garret's attention was focused once more on those sitting on the carpet with him. He doubted that an enemy would have the capability of striking them from the ground at this height, and so the only true dangers would come from others who were flying or from those on the carpet itself.

Yoshiro began to speak, and Garret listened closely to the words he said. When he finished, Garret mulled over the offer that was given to Azix. Garret believed the offer held some merit, but wondered if a part of the reason the citizens liked him at all was because he didn't hold a position created by the Kou's government in Reim. The question was whether or not what he had already achieved would be enough to speak for his integrity. Garret tried to put himself in a citizen's frame of mind to understand what they would think. After a short period of thinking, Garret believed that most people would stomach it simply due to his workforce initiative.

He looked over towards the light magician, taking note that the man was thinking over the options just as he was. The inner struggle wasn't easily visible; Azix seemed to be a man born with masks. Even so, Garret's familiarity with the magician gave him a better insight to the man than most. It was of only slight surprise to Garret when Azix began speaking to Garret in sign-language. Garret set his leg up so that his foot was resting flat on the carpet and his knee was folded, giving him the opportunity to hide the movements of his hands while he replied to Azix. 'There is more merit to accepting than there is demerit... Especially if you obtain the authority to deflect improper designs made from Kou to Reim. I feel it would give you that access easily.'

The thought of Azix and, by extension, Garret no longer being 'in the fold' of the Empire was somewhat of a shocking thought to the magician, yet he kept that shock on the sidelines for now, instead more concerned about the outcome of the current situation they were in.

Azix 'listened' to Garret's response before looking back over the countryside. He considered for a moment that Ariella may have a problem with it. Not only had Kou invaded her homeland, but the new ruler was someone that had betrayed her trust before. In the end, Garret saw the benefits such a position would hold which swayed the scale. Azix hoped he was over-thinking Ariella's reaction and that she understood.

Azix turned to Yoshiro, "Hmm...I guess the new leadership isn't so bad." Azix winked at Yoshiro as he clasped his cousin's shoulder. "I would like that. However, after everything settles down, I promised Ariella that we would take a vacation and travel the world. We can talk about that later."

The carpet flew over the Palace gates and settled down in a grassy spot near the entrance. Azix stepped off the magical carpet and waited for the others to follow suit before wrapping it around his waist. "Well, my Lord. Let us go speak to the King." Azix headed inside to see where Lagi had went to.

Yoshiro listened to the response, issuing a soft chuckle at Azix’ initial response, nodding in understanding at the rest of his statement.

“Absolutely. You have more than earned a vacation, cousin. All of you have. We will work out the details later.”

Yoshiro turned to Garret with a thoughtful look, running his chin as they were about to land.

“I could not very well offer him a reward without offering you one, as well. If there is anything you desire, please let me know. For now, I believe it may be time to speak with the King of Reim.”

Yoshiro would lead the way into the Palace, a guard bowing politely and informing them to proceed to the Council room. Yoshiro followed the nervous looking guard, entering the room and issuing a deep bow to Lagi, his voice ringing out.

“King Lagi!”

He twisted his head when he heard the door open once more, Octavius and Roark entering the room a few moments behind them. Yoshiro straightened, offering smaller bows to the newest additions to the room.

“Good, everyone is here. I have upheld my end of the agreement, my father is dead. I apologize for the loss of your bride, however I told you not to trust her. She attempted to kill me as Azix and I dealt with my father. For that crime, she paid with her life.”

Yoshiro would not reveal it had been Ariella that had taken Ruki’s life, taking responsibility for the death of his treacherous sibling.

Octavius had his arms crossed as Roark moved to stand behind his son, looking between the King and the new Emperor of Kou. He was exhausted from the battle, but he would not let that keep him from speaking up.

“You killed your own father? What is to keep you from pulling the same treason on this country?”

Yoshiro arched a brow at the General before looking to Lagi.

“I do not answer to you, General. My agreement was made with the King of this country. Kou may have put him on the throne, but he has done nothing but defend this country from our influence since then. It is him I will speak with, not a resurrected General, regardless of your influence in this country.”

Roark simply stood behind Lagi, resting a hand on his son’s shoulder. He was impressed that Yoshiro had reinforced the power Lagi held, but he did not speak aloud. It was not his place to speak.

“…….”  Lagi sat in his chair in silence as everyone made their way inside of the place; he took notice of his father, Octavius, Azix and co., and Yoshino. When Yoshino mentioned Ruki, he held up a deep sigh.”   So many things could have been done in those crucial moments; did you seriously expect Ruki to beat you? At the very least, salvage what you can, that was the idea that I thought you had when you continued with your sibling relationship with Ruki. A proper burial was granted? No, you burned the bodies with reason……. a harsh fate for those related by blood, a throne obtained by bodies, I want this to be the last time that anything like this ever happens again. Promise me that you will be different than your father. “ Lagi was angry, his body language was made apparent but he tried to ignore it. “Yea, you warned me.  I understand, I guess it can’t be helped, its war….people die.” With that being said, Lagi swallowed his feelings and hardened his heart, switching over to  the point of affairs. It was all too apparent,  it was as if there were two people fighting inside of Lagi at the moment.

“Personal matters should be separate; in the meantime, we won. What now, since you are emperor, what is our current relationship with Kou now?  You know, in my coronation, I wanted to believe in the fact that we could bond and continue to help each other without fully engulfing one another; I wanted to believe in a beneficial relationship between countries. However, i would like a fresh start with Kou if that is to be pursued.  . “ Lagi felt miserable, he rubbed his temples for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

“Also,  I guess it’s also time to discuss my rule as well. The official pact that was made with kou as a puppet ruler under them, I want that contacted agreement to be gone as well. I learned with my time as ruler that there was always a heavy disdain due to how I gotten myself on the throne,  since I have assisted In your quest to defeat your father,  I would like for you to acknowledge Reim as an equal. This is one of the first steps, dismantling the hold that Kou has on reim through me.  This will leave the people with a choice of what they want to do, if they want to choose me. Its a bold move that can backfire on me, but the essence of a true government is one that isn't directly influenced by the government of another country. The person that is placed on this throne is either a person elected by the people, or the direct blood heir to the previous emperor of reim.

Azix still hesitated, and the blue magician wondered if there was some matter of consequence that he was missing. Something significant enough to give Azix pause, in spite of the benefits to the decision. Garret listened to Azix's continued discussion with Yoshiro. The light magician agreed to the proposition, but mentioned a vacation with Ariella. Ah. Ariella. I wonder how, exactly, she'll take the news? What will her part in that be? I wonder... I have simply supported Azix with assistance when he asked for it, or when I felt he needed it... He briefly wondered how Ariella supported the man.

Their dynamic was lacking, but that was something they could take care of later. Right now, there were other pressing matters to attend to. These sentiments were echoed by the new Emperor, Yoshiro. The man told Azix that the light magician had earned a vacation, that all of them had, and Garret held back a laugh. Emperor slaying and King slaying earns you vacations, does it? The thought amused him greatly, and so when Yoshiro turned to Garret and offered him a reward the blue magician did not realize it was him that the Emperor was speaking to.

After posing the first half of the question, Garret caught on that Yoshiro was in fact speaking to the blue magician. The comment nearing the end of his question posed the desire to hurry along, but Garret would remember those words; there was definitely something he wanted from the man. "I will hold you to that. When you have a chance to speak to me after the discussion with the King, I intend to take up some of your time." It was not the most flattering of 'starts' with the Emperor, but the man clearly stressed his hurry as the group got off of the carpet, and Garret emulated that rush.

The group made haste towards the council room, their footsteps clacking against the stone floor. The echoes were not ignored by Garret, who listened closely for any irregularities. There was always danger, and it could be simply lurking around the corner. They made it to the room without any trouble, and both Octavius and Roark appeared in the room shortly after. The Emperor paid his respects to those in the room, and Garret followed suit out of habit, but inwardly he felt somewhat hollow; he had assisted in a heinous crime, killing the Emperor of their country. He then followed by killing some more of their soldiers. He would not trip over the decision, but it was not something he particularly enjoyed doing.

When everyone was present, Yoshiro explained the necessity of killing Ruki. Garret inwardly winced, knowing that it was a sore spot for the King. There were some things that many people would not allow logic to sway, and speak based on their emotions. Yet Lagi held back his words, waiting. Octavius did not maintain the same level of discipline, and Yoshiro reminded the Fanalis general of who was in charge. The blue magician held back a smile of amusement, and subconsciously rated Yoshiro higher due to the exchange.

Once those exchanges were over, however, Lagi made his own will known. As expected, he was upset with his bride-to-be dying. The man's temper was held back, though he could hear the undertones of anger beneath his voice. Recalling how he took the news originally, Garret knew that this could eventually become a big enough problem that it would threaten the relationship between the two. Well, of course, assuming that it wasn't already. Shortly after, Lagi spoke for a few minutes discussing what he wanted going forward. Garret couldn't help but recall the prior time his rule was being discussed during the summit with Asisiak and a few members of the spy organization.

Garret simply stood back and continued to listen to the discussion being held between the different parties involved. He was particularly wary of any decision to start hostilities anew.

Out of habit before a meeting, Azix grew quiet as they hurried to the council room. The political ramifications of this meeting in particular would be great. Considering relations between Kou and Reim had been strained for months, the slightest misstep from Yoshiro could shatter any hope of salvaging any type of alliance. The problem was further exacerbated by the carnage of the recent battles. With an amused smirk, Azix realized that an hour ago, he would not have worried about these issues. Now that he was ambassador, it was his job to make sure Kou didn't get completely shafted.

The orange magician shifted his thinking from the problem to the solution. Reim would obviously require some reparations, thankfully Gao had at least removed the majority of the Kou troops. Azix put himself in Lagi's shoes to try and see the situation from a King's perspective. Would he ask Yoshiro to fund the cost of rebuilding? Would he be upset about the death of his bride? Would he try to betray Yoshiro and claim Kou? Azix believed Lagi would at least fight for the sovereignty of Reim. The beast tamer had struggled against the perceived leash that had been placed around his throne.

Of course, Azix also wondered how he could use the situation to further his own goals. Both the Education Reform and Workforce program had proven successful, at least in his eyes. If Yoshiro planned to offer economic support, Azix planned to divert some of that money into his welfare initiatives to expand them further into Reim. Buildings schools and Opportunity halls outside of Remano would definitely improve the quality of life for more of Reim's citizens. Of course, since he was once again on Kou's payroll, he could use that to help the expansion.

As he entered the council room, Azix hoped he had considered all the variables. He imitated Yoshiro's bow to the King then turned to greet Octavius and Roark as they arrived. He arched a brow at Octavius' outburst before he remembered that the General had been kept out of the loop. Azix glanced at Yoshiro to see how he would react and gave a smile of approval at his response. His cousin had put Octavius in his place while securing Lagi's position at the same time.

Lagi was obviously upset from Ruki's death which surprised Azix. The Dragon King was known to have quite an appetite for women, so his attachment to the bitch was confusing. With effort, Lagi was able to set that aside and opened up negotiations. He started by expressing a desire to share a beneficial relationship to both parties and demanded Reim's sovereignty to be recognized.

Azix suppressed an urge to grin at guessing Lagi's train of thought correctly. Mostly because the next statement was one that he hadn't predicted. Lagi suggested that he planned to have the people of Reim determine if he stayed on the throne. Azix wondered what decision the public would come to. He turned back to Yoshiro to see how the man would respond. Azix kept quiet, knowing it wasn't the time or place to speak yet.

Yoshiro listened to Lagi’s words, his face serious as he listened to the King speak. When he mentioned Yoshiro’s father, his face pinched.

“I did what I had to, to end the terror on this world. Yes, I killed my father, with the help of my cousin. But can you honestly say there was a better way? If he had simply been imprisoned, he could have done just as much damage. As for their bodies, I was not going to risk them being brought back from the dead. They will still receive funerals, so that my country may mourn for the loss of an Emperor and a Princess. You do not need a body for that.”

When Lagi went into detail about their past and future partnership, Yoshiro hummed softly in thought. It was true that Lagi’s reign was full of conflict, the people did not appreciate what they saw as a Kou puppet on their throne. His public announcement asking the rebellion to stand down while he married a Kou princess had not helped matter any. He looked to Octavius, the General had not appreciated his authority being brushed off. He knew it would be easiest to have the support of everyone in the room, so he addressed his next comments to Octavius.

“I have heard a rumor, General Octavius, that you wanted to turn this country into a republic. Is this true?”

The General frowned, disturbed that the newest Emperor of Kou had such knowledge, but grunted softly before responding, his arms crossed over his chest.

“It is. When my friend, Emperor Claudius, died, I began searching for the means to do just that while allowing his shadow play the part of the Emperor until I could gain the support and people I needed. A plan that was destroyed when I was killed in combat. While I would still like to pursue the idea, I understand that now is not the ideal time for such a change in this country.”

Octavius turned to look at Lagi, his face serious.

“You have done much good in this country, do not think my ideas for a republic were born because of you. I was formulating this long before you took control of the throne. The only direct heir of the throne is not even aware of their bloodlines and I will not have them on the throne if I can avoid it. I will support your current rule, but once the dust has settled and we have some stability, I would like to revisit the idea. I believe the people would support this plan, simply because it is harder to corrupt an entire Senate than to corrupt a single ruler. Would you be open to discussing this change in the future, Lagi El Nagi? Of turning Reim into something that will make it stronger and purer? Right now, we need a central ruler to settle matters with Kou, but once we have some peace, would you be willing to discuss making Reim even greater?”

Yoshiro arched his brows in surprise at the General’s words. He had expected Octavius to demand that Lagi vacate the throne, but the man proved to be smarter than he looked. Yoshiro looked to Lagi.

“Regarding Kou’s involvement, we will no longer claim you as part of our country. You are Reim, your own separate, powerful country. All I have ever asked for, since we made this plan, was for an alliance. I would like an assurance of peace as our troops return home and I would like to maintain trade between two of the most powerful countries in the world. I understand we have much to repay in terms of reparations and I am willing to work out those details with you. Supplies, currency, even physical assistance if you desire it, though I think your people would be more comfortable rebuilding on their own, without soldiers or citizens here to assist. What say you, King Lagi?”

Yoshiro did not bring up Azix’ role as an ambassador yet, Lagi’s rule needed to be settled before anything else was discussed.

Surprisingly so, Orie is exposed to most of Lagi’s emotions. Whatever his feelings are, even his occasional drinking, she shares all of that with him. However, she was a bit worried, Orie popped up from his shoulder and looked at him with a pleading face. “I know……” He would say, but he was addressing his pet. With that being said, Orie made a sound of relief and return back inside of lagi. “Ok, Octavius first. General Octavius…..You want to make Reim into a republic, and yet you spare the emperor’s child of the pressures and the sacrifices of ruling. The tough decision you have to make and the chance of every change of the people’s feelings whenever you do something. I personally feel as if you shelter them too much in this case, only by acknowledging their god given right, and their own choice to step down would be appropriate. To live in ignorance, is that life? Though, you contain this information, and you are free to withhold it from me. My offer still stands, if that man should wish his father’s legacy before the upcoming changes. For him to wish something he knew he had....as to my word as king i follow through.

Lagi wasn’t sure of the gender, but he made a wild guess that it was a man. Clearly, it was the man’s right to rule, was it not?” Nevertheless, I agree with the notion, and disagree with the fact that I am a man to be corrupted. I have been corrupted by the darkest power that you can imagine from the contractor himself, and even he complained that my own desires even overwhelmed the dark rukh up to the point that I was playing by my own rules, not his. Though, the pure concept is enough for me to consider. I will remain as king for the time being, and we can discuss the matter of making it a republic together, for the sake of Reim. Once again, welcome back to the land of the living. The people greatly appreciate the return of their hero. “

Changing his sight over to Yoshiro, Lagi addressed what he said earlier. “Yoshiro…Emperor Yoshiro…your request for an alliance is accepted, a verbal agreement is good until it is put into writing. You have your assurance of peace, as well as any kind of food that you need for the long trip back home. I only have to offer the pleasures of a bountiful harvest; fruits and vegetables at best, water, and even horses if you need them. Though, you have my word, you will not be met with any military hostility from my country, neither any hostility from my people. We just finished a war, the fighting is OVER, and none of it will be tolerated. The people of Reim are proud, and I realized that I wasn’t answering them in the way that I should have, Ruki taught me that……………………………………………………………………………………………………. anyway, in addition to the people of reim, I contain a group of ravenous smashers that are able to handle hard labor and construction work. They are easy to communicate with through sign language, and each smashers strength and stamina is equivalent to that of 10 men. With the people’s diligence, and the help of the El Nagi beasts, we will manage. We will be fine, and you and your people will be fine.

Azix arched a brow, wondering how Yoshiro had learned of Octavius' desire to see Reim as a republic. The orange magician turned to Octavius with a subtle look, expressing that he hadn't betrayed the Fanalis General's trust. Azix continued to listen to the conversation in silence, considering how that would affect a partnership between Reim and Kou. Especially since Lagi didn't seem opposed to the possibility of changing Reim's form of government. While Lagi had no problems with maintaining a good relationship with Kou, Azix was unsure if a Senate would feel the same. The war had a detrimental effect on the people's image of Kou, currently. It would take time to cultivate good will, which unfortunately would be a part of Azix's job.

The orange magician arched a brow at Lagi and couldn't help but chime in. "Don't forget about the workforce program as well, King Lagi. We should utilize their experience to help with rebuilding. We can talk later about coordinating our efforts." He flashed Lagi an apologetic look for interjecting and let the talks resume around him.

Garret felt sympathy towards Lagi as Yoshiro explained the reasoning behind burning their bodies. His reservations towards it, however, were lightened when the new Emperor spoke. The fact that they would still receive funerals somehow put the blue magician at ease; though that was somewhat to be expected, as he had grown up in Kou and tradition was extremely important. Before long, the Emperor spoke of details entailing the change of the Reim Government system, which surprised Garret. He hid his surprise in a stone mask of impassiveness. It wasn't that he was interested in the politics themselves, as he never truly cared for them, but any bit of information was a valuable asset in espionage. Garret was still in the habit of attempting to keep himself from leaking any intelligence at all, including his state of knowledge.

Garret was unable to keep his face impassive as Octavius spoke his following words. The implications were clear, and Garret wondered exactly how they had managed to keep it such a secret. I bet only one or two people knew... We had never caught a single scent of the man not being the true leader of Reim... A long engrained schooling made Garret avoid the use of the title 'Emperor' due to Emperor Gao Yuan Zu detesting anyone else taking up the title. It was such a natural avoidance that Garret's mind did not even touch upon the idea.

The words spoken in this room, at this time, continued to surprise the magician. The thought of there being a direct heir, and Lagi willingly abdicating from the throne, was something he could never have thought of happening. Especially not with the willing deal Lagi had taken when he became King of Reim. Then again Claudius - rather, Fake Claudius - had said some provocative things towards Lagi. I suppose it is understandable. The mention of the man's beasts that he had available to help support the destruction done to the land was out of Garret's scope, but the magician had to hold back a chuckle as Azix explained that he wanted his Workforce program to be factored in as well. The man went so far as to mention the talk of coordinating their work together for the maximum benefit of both groups.

Of those present, there were only two who had not said anything yet. Those two were Roark and Garret. Once Yoshiro responded to Lagi's comments, Garret would make his move. The blue magician sensed that things were coming to a close here, and thus cleared his throat, stepped forward and bowed to Yoshiro. "I would request a private audience with you, Emperor Yoshiro. Simply let me know when you will be available for such, and I will be there." He had been hurried earlier, and had acted brusquely, yet now there was no reason for him to ignore decorum. Especially not with the request he planned on asking the man, when the time came to do so. He lifted his head up from his bow, gauging the new Emperor's reaction.

Yoshiro allowed Octavius to speak as much of the conversation was directed at the General. Octavius’ face was a mask caught somewhere between anger and confliction when he spoke, telling of some internal argument with himself.

“Lagi El Nagi, you do not have the experience necessary to dictate to me about who should or should not be ruler. Claudius did not wish his child to be buried in the hypocrisy and corruption that politics is brewing with. It is a father’s wishes I followed, not an Emperor’s and certainly not some self-declared King’s. I have more right to your throne than you do and I have the paperwork to support that, so think carefully before you condemn my desire to keep the rightful heir in the dark about their legacy. They will be informed, when the time is right.”

Roark finally spoke, interjecting as he rested a calming hand on Lagi’s shoulder as he glared at Octavius. His voice rang out with authority as he interrupted the two verbose men.

“That is enough, General, I believe my son has been duly chastised. Lagi, Octavius is correct, you have no right to judge his actions. Octavius, we both appreciate your acknowledgement that while Lagi has no right to the throne, he has done much good. But you will not stand there and let your temper get out of control. You know Lagi only did what was necessary to wrest control back from Kou. He has agreed to speak about a republic at a later time. Now, with all due respect, both of you shut up before either of you say something you regret!”

Yoshiro raised a brow at Roark’s tone but his face was otherwise neutral. He did not show his surprise at the bickering between the three powerful men currently attempting to piece Reim back together. He was not even remotely shocked when Octavius snorted and stormed from the room. The man still had the temper of a Fanalis, but he knew when to control it, it seemed. Without allowing anyone else to interject, Yoshiro spoke, glancing between all people in the room.

“Lagi, I shall see to it that some reparation money is set aside. When and if you require other items, simply send word. Azix, your idea to have the Workforce Initiative is a splendid one. It shows that even a program started by a man from Kou was developed to help the people of Reim. Iatsu, if you would like, we can meet for dinner, if that is agreeable. Right now, I would like to get the blood and scent of battle off of my body and I am sure you all feel the same. Roark, I want to thank you for being the voice of reason these past few weeks, I know it must have been difficult to contend with both the General and your son, all while assisting the rebellion. I know a speech needs to be made regarding the withdrawal of the Kou troops and the new terms of our alliance. King Lagi, would you like me there to reinforce our determination to create peace between our lands or do you feel the people would respond better to you making the announcement alone?”

Yoshiro would wait patiently for Lagi to respond and agree to whichever decision the king made before giving the men in the room a deep bow. He would give a small twitch of his hand to Azix, beckoning the man over, his voice quiet.

“We will discuss your appointment after I have spoken with Iatsu. The speech should be made today, if possible, I plan to return to Kou tomorrow evening at the latest. Perhaps in the meantime, you should discuss things with Ariella before we make an official announcement regarding your appointment as ambassador.”

He would give the room another bow before moving to leave.

“I shall see you all shortly.”

With that, Yoshiro would retreat to his quarters, eager to scrub the putrid scent of death from his body.

Lagi wasn’t easily rattled, hiding the heir from him was something he didn’t appreciate or respect as well. Though he respected Octavius, he was just not in the best of moods at the moment. He tried to keep it buried within him, but the fondest of memories kept being brought up, as well as the fact that he has been used continuing to float right in front of his face. He didn’t like those latent thoughts of being someone puppet, nor did he desire to be controlled any longer. Lagi had his fill of servitude, and he refused to be a slave of secrets either. “I’m sorry….” Lagi would say to his father with remorse and a hint of sadness, thought that would change back to his hard exterior just as quickly as his humanity was shown.

Those private moments were only for family, and slightly being revealed to Garret unintentionally. “Make the speech Yoshiro, I think the people honesty had enough of me for the time being. After all I done, the moves I made, only a few know the truth. As it is, I a painted as the enemy, I don’t think my presence is well received. So, I think that it would be better if we were together, as well as Octavius if he isn’t too angry with me. “ Lagi would then reach into his pocket and simply grasp his orb of communication. “General Octavius, I’m sorry. Come back, I would like you to be here when I announce the end of this war and this reinforcement of peace with Kou. Though, if you don’t want to come, I understand, we will talk later.” Afterwards, Lagi takes in a deep breath. “ That’s all for now. “ Lagi got up and excused himself from the room

[Exit]

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Garret narrowed his eyes as Octavius made his threat, his hand clenching his staff and ready to support Lagi should the Fanalis commander make a move. While Octavius had a point on the legitimacy of Lagi's rule, depending on those who supported Lagi such a legitimacy would not even be necessary. Unfortunately, Garret had been out of the loop with Azix, and was unaware of how good of terms his King Candidate was on with the grizzled General. His dislike of the Fanalis caused him to blindly ignore the points he had made.

It was only Roark's intervention that kept things from escalating. After he told the two to calm down, Garret found himself without reason to attack the leader of the Fanalis Corp. Yet his attention was soon grasped by Yoshiro, who began discussing his plans for the evening, going so far as to tell Garret that they could dine later in the day and discuss his request with the new Emperor. He bowed his head in acquiescence, acknowledging the setting and time of their meeting. Once everything had been set, Garret moved out to change into fresh clothing after taking a bath of his own. The smell of death was a common one to the blue magician, and he was fairly desensitized to it, yet Yoshiro had shown his displeasure of the scent which was the reason the Emperor had presented for putting off their meeting.

When the dinning period began to approach, Garret received a letter on where to meet Yoshiro, including a Paige who would escort him. Garret was a man who wore clothing in layers when he left a place equipped for the possibility of combat. Simple cloth adorned his innermost layer, followed by a well-fitted silk cloth from Kou. Its sleeves were voluminous and riddled with pockets on the inside, allowing objects to be stored within. He wore a bandolier across his waist, with another draped diagonally from his right shoulder to left hip. These bandoliers contained a variety of smoke bombs and flash bombs. Garret's blade, Desceld, was strapped to a belt just below his bandolier. His staff, the Exuro Staff, was held firmly in his left hand as he walked down the Palace's many halls. Upon his right hand was a single ring; his Household Vessel.

They arrived at a set of doors, which the Page made motion to, Garret assumed this to be the spot himself and the Emperor would dine. The guards at the doors, Kou men themselves, made that much apparent. He walked towards the doors and was stopped. "Your weapons, sir."

Garret kept himself from rolling his eyes; his entire existence was a weapon, though these men did not know. He began with his blade, Desceld, followed by the Exuro Staff and then the bandoliers that held a variety of combat-oriented objects within them. "Be careful with that. Some of those items will explode, if handled improperly." The man who was taking the objects from Garret narrowed his eyes at the blue magician, setting the things aside on a table near the door while another guard patted the blue magician down. The Household vessel was missed, due to its inconspicuousness. It was determined that Garret had no further weapons upon him, and that he was cleared for entry.

One of the guards knocked on the door, announcing Garret's presence and receiving permission to allow the man to enter. When the doors were open, Garret took note that it was actually a simple guest chamber, albeit for an important guest, and walked into the room to begin dinning with the current Emperor.

Azix's hand reached for his wand at the anger in Octavius' tone, concerned that he would have to subdue a fiery Fanalis temper. Roark however managed to calm the situation down by telling both his son and the General to shut up. After Octavius left, Yoshiro made plans for a speech with Lagi and then a dinner with Garret. The new Emperor then pulled Azix aside to schedule a meeting before he left.

With a bow, Azix agreed before heading to his house to bathe before meeting up with Ariella. As he soaked his body in the steaming water, he found it cleansing not only for the physical grime, but the mental as well. The days leading up to the assassination had been emotionally exhausting, however they had been worth it. Now, he could focus on relaxing. Soon he would have to worry about rebuilding, but that could wait.

Once he dried off and got dressed, Azix caught up with his Kios Council; consisting of Jarl, Viri, Gillus, and Janus. Miss Viri and Janus had just gotten back from checking on the families, making sure everyone was safe. He informed them of the Emperor's death and that a speech would be made later, announcing a peace treaty. They probed him for more details, which he deflected until Viri put a warm plate of food under his nose.

Azix looked up at the elderly woman with a mock scowl on his face, "You play dirty. Fine, I'll tell you what I know." He gave them a watered down version of events and proclaimed his cousin had single-handily taken down Gao, in between large morsels of his meal.

After he finished his meal and the others were satisfied with his gossip, Azix departed to meet Ariella at her inn. He knocked on the door, waiting for her to answer it.

Ariella ran the brush through her damp purple locks, making them shimmer and shine before tucking the brush away. She had not been back from helping clean up the battlefield for long, but she had used her minutes back to scrub the filth of battle from her skin and hair. While she had wanted to go back with Azix, she had not wanted to be underfoot while he discussed the politics of his homeland. Her help on the field had been met with gratitude, though, as she was glad to be of assistance. Just as she closed the drawer she kept her brush in, there was a knock on her door and she stood to answer it, smiling brightly when she saw her lover standing there. She flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly before allowing him into the room.

“How did things go? Do we finally have some peace and quiet, my love?”

Yoshiro looked up as one of the guards led Garret into the room, standing from his desk where he had been scribbling out communique for various branches of the Kou government. He gave the magician a bow of respect before dismissing the guards, waving Garret over to a table prepared with a light dinner. It was a simple meal, steamed rice, thinly sliced pork and vegetables served with a side of egg drop soup. Instead of wine was tea; Yoshiro knew he had far too much to do this evening to be muddled with liquor.

“Iatsu, thank you for agreeing to meet with me over dinner. With all of the commotion, a meal is some of the only spare time I have, I fear.”

Yoshiro would take his seat, pouring himself some tea into a delicate cup before arching a brow at the blue magician. He wasted no time with small talk, getting to the point quickly after he took a sip of tea.

“I offered you compensation for your assistance. I am assuming you have decided upon what you would like to ask of me?”

Despite how frazzled he might look, his tone was friendly and open, truly grateful for the help the magician had provided in helping to take down his father.

Garret bowed in return, deeper than the man had done to him and for a slightly longer period of time. As the Emperor, the man deserved a larger amount of respect than a man of Garret's station. The blue magician looked towards the meal on the table, glancing over the contents and judging the quality of the food itself. It was not quite a generous spread fit for an Emperor, instead it was a very simple yet hearty meal.

When waved over, Garret took a chair opposite of his nation's leader. Garret took his portion of steamed rice. The white kernels looked fluffy, steamed just perfectly and glistening with the moisture of a mouth-watering texture. There was a selection of cooked vegetables as well, the heat rising from it gave Garret the impression that it had just recently been cooked. And the thinly sliced pork, alongside of it, completed the steamed rice. Garret noted that Yoshiro sat and grabbed the tea, pouring himself a cup. Looking around for a servant, Garret noted the room was bereft of any such individual. Strange. I never expected to see the Emperor pour his own tea... Garret shut his eyes, imagining the consumption of the food in front of him before grabbing a pair of chopsticks. With Sleight of Hand the magician twirled the pair of chopsticks across the top of his hand at an incredible speed before digging in.

He managed to get a mouthful of rice, followed by a strip of sliced pork, before the Emperor took a sip of his drink and began to speak. Noting his eagerness to jump straight into the topic before they had ate, Garret carefully placed his chopsticks down on the table and gave his complete attention to Yoshiro. Garret's chewing of the food was finished when the question of what he wanted had been asked of him. Garret drew a deep breath through his nose and exhaled. He was going to be requesting something unorthodox. "My request is a difficult one to fulfill, but one I believe you should be capable of." He moved his hand over to the tea pot, slowly pouring the liquid into his own cup and washing down the food he had just swallowed with a swift sip of the relaxing drink.

"I would like all records of my existence erased, and no mention of my true hand of assistance made in any official reports. I do not care what others write about the battle, and my potential involvement, but as far as the government is concerned I no longer exist. I want my nobility struck from the list of living nobles; the man known as Takegawa Iatsu is dead. Killed in the war in Reim, fighting for his country." Garret watched Yoshiro closely, gauging his reaction. What Garret was asking of him was a drastic request. It was on a similar level of being disowned and without history. A lowly servant would have an equal status as Garret, insofar as Caste was concerned, if he went through with this. Garret was partially curious how Yoshiro would take the request, or if he would attempt to convince Garret otherwise.

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