231 Requiremen

"L-leaving? No! You can't! You can't just give up and die like this!" George protested.

Remian blinked. "Who said anything about dying? I'm just going south."

"What does that mean, exactly?" George demanded.

"More time with Phoebe, mainly. We're going to investigate the Black Ruins all over the Wildlands." Remian paused. "Don't worry. We'll have the Eagle Lord for support."

"Isn't that… beneath him?" George asked, weakly.

"Actually, it's more like his wife supporting us."

"Ah. That'll work." George suddenly thought of something. "This sudden retirement to the south… it wouldn't have anything to do with Mandy arriving tonight, would it?"

Remian froze.

"You're running away!?" George blurted.

"I'm not running! It's just… I'm going south. That's it. That's all."

"Who are you trying to kid? You decided to drop everything and run the minute you heard she was coming to town! What are you afraid of? Your girlfriend has already met your ex-wife!"

"I'm not afraid! I just… don't want to see her."

"You're still not over her?!"

Remian whacked him over the head with a paper fan. "Whatever the case, that's my problem. The paperwork is already done; Kara-Goth is yours now, so don't mess it up!"

"But… but don't you have three students? What about Mindy? And Tim?"

"Mindy already has my airships. Tim now owns the industrial district in Fal'Herim. Not that he needs it. Last I checked, he practically owned Fal'Herim itself."

"Then… you're really leaving? Just going to waltz off into the archaeological dusk and never come back?"

"Well, my family is in Three Pines, so… yeah, I'm mainly going to be resupplying there. Goodbye, George, so long, farewell, I might never see you again…"

"Yeah, yeah, just go already, before I start crying!" George snorted and turned around dismissively.

There was an extended silence. Then, George turned around again.

But by that time, Remian was really gone. George suddenly had a terrible, sinking feeling.

Then, he paused. On a hunch, George took out his communications crystal and called Remian.

"Hmm?" Remian answered.

"You're still going to answer my calls, aren't you?" George asked, hesitantly.

"Sure. Anyway, I'll be at Three Pines. You should come by for a visit sometime. Bye."

Feeling somewhat more relieved, George sighed. "Bye."

***

"It is done." Remian said quietly.

Darian nodded. "Then, as we agreed. He's waiting for you."

That evening, at Three Pines, Remian had an important meeting with some Very Important People.

Darian brought them together in a newly built balcony surrounded with leaves as if curtained away from the rest of the world.

"Doom." Remian greeted Darian's teacher.

"Remian." Doom's face was serious. "I hear that you've ended relations with Kara-Goth. That should be the last of your ties with polluting and nature-destroying entities. Are you sure that you and Three Pines are prepared to commit to friendship with the Wilds? Even if it means enmity against mankind?"

"No." Remian said flat out, drawing widened and narrowed eyes from Darian and Doom. "I believe that friendship with the Wilds is for the betterment of mankind, not its detriment. I believe that living in harmony with nature is the right thing to do. I understand that people have needs and right now those needs tend to destroy nature the way you hate so much, but the thing about mankind is that we are able to learn, and develop and invent. Total harmony may be impossible; even Wilds eat other Wilds for food… but I fully intend my people to live in the Wildlands as natives, not invaders."

"How idealistic." Doom snorted. "Well, it's a moot point anyway. I don't have the authority to decide your fate on this matter."

"Who does?" Remian frowned. "I thought…"

"The Earth Emperor has made his decision. He refuses." Doom said directly.

"The Earth Emperor…?!" Remian stared.

"Among the Five Emperors, the Earth Emperor rules the center. His word and whim are law."

"But… but you said I had to… to…" Remian spluttered.

Darian held out his hand. "Wait. Let him finish."

Doom cleared his throat, giving Darian a disgruntled look. He had been quite enjoying Remian's reaction. "The Wind Emperor also denies you either friendship, sanctuary or citizenship and eagerly wants to have you for dinner. You would not need to plan a return trip."

Remian blinked. "What does the Wind Emperor have to do with anything?"

"The Flood Emperor wants to destroy all humans everywhere, not just those in the Wildlands." Doom continued.

Remian paused, starting to see the picture.

"The Flame Emperor finds humans interesting, as long as they don't enter and mess up her territory, she doesn't care what you do."

Realizing where all this was going, Remian suddenly felt nervous. "And… the Wood Emperor?"

Here it was. Kara-Goth and Three Pines were both within the Wood Emperor's domain. Based on the way Doom was speaking, this opinion, and only this one would matter.

Because, at the end of the day, the Emperors, while united, were autonomous. They each decided what was what within their own territories. In other words, no matter how much the Deep Emperor wanted to destroy them, or how much the Wind Emperor wanted to eat them, as long as the Wood Emperor decided they could stay, they had a chance.

"The Wood Emperor says that if you want to stay in these lands, you must live by our rules." Doom answered.

"What does that mean, exactly? What does he want me to do?" Remian asked.

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"You need to win your territory the proper way… as a King of the Wilds."

***

"A… a King?!" Remian spluttered. "Not a Lord?"

"Do you want Kara-Goth to be destroyed?" Doom asked, flat out.

"Of course not!" Remian protested.

"Then you want to protect a swathe of territory from the Eagle Lord's domain all the way to Shadowflash's domain. That much territory is the domain of a King. Unless you planned to protect only the settlements and not all your roads and mines and farms around them? Were you planning on ousting Shadowflash and the Eagle Lord to replace them as Lords?"

"No, but surely having them as Lords are enough?!"

"No buts. It so happens that there seems to be a few Kings who recently left these parts, and there are already about thirty challengers bidding for their turf. If you want that land, you'll have to fight for it, and win."

"You mean… the Storm Pegasus King who went north with the Tide?" Remian guessed.

"The Great Ape King left too. Right now, the only Kings around here are the Earth Lion King and the Star Wolf King. Technically, the lands you want belong to the Star Wolf King, but he's interested in both the Emerald Woods and the Five Lakes region. Also, he's Carrie's dad, so he's somewhat nonchalant about you. Since he wants to take a different territory, you can challenge the other thirty for the lands he's leaving."

"But…" Remian held his head. "Can't we just leave Kara-Goth and Three Pines under his rule or whoever gets to be King?"

"Do you want to make the final decisions for your people, or leave them at the mercies of Wild Lords and Kings?" Darian prodded.

Remian grimaced.

"Fine. Who do I have to fight?"