Weapon Lords #2

Dominus:	Why did we let it through?

Scipio:	What?

Dominus:	The proposal for a seventh lord. Why didn't we just vote against it?

Dominus:	We could have kept parity at three votes to three. Now we're forced to make a move.

Scipio:	That's true, but Midas has his own hand forced, as well.

Scipio:	And well… I worry about the vote parity. The longer the stalemate goes on, the more likely it becomes that Midas finds some other way around it.

Scipio:	Better to bring things to a close now, while we know who's on our side.

Dominus:	I suppose. What is your plan for the Sentinels?

Scipio:	Well, Midas' right hand man, Ascia, will certainly be in the running. He's been agitating to join the Sentinels for weeks now. Didn't make sense, before.

Scipio:	But it shouldn't matter who he sends. We're garunteed to become the Sentinel Lord.

Dominus:	Against Ascia? Unlikely. He's quite strong in his own right. It will be difficult to garuntee victory.

Scipio:	That's why we'll send our biggest gun. Dominus, you will step down as Weapon Lord and join the Sentinels.

Scipio:	Theresa can take over for you here, and now we have four votes. Midas will easily be defeated.

Dominus:	…

Dominus:	That's your real trouble, Scipio. You can only see the enemy in front of you.

Dominus:	Scipio, tell me honestly. Who do you consider your equal in battle?

Scipio:	…you, and Midas.

Dominus:	And who does Midas consider his equal?

Scipio:	No one, but you'd be the closest.

Dominus:	There's a strong possibility that this 'seventh lord' is actually a trap.

Dominus:	Suppose I do abdicate my position, and become the Sentinel Lord.

Dominus:	The position of Sentinel comes with its own responsibilities. In fact, before this, Sentinels were never allowed to leave the border while on duty.

Dominus:	What happens if Midas tries something that doesn't involve the council while I'm gone? I'm hundreds of miles away and no good to you.

Scipio:	…

Dominus:	And that’s only if he's straightforward. What if he's subtle? Suppose he waits until the Sentinel's term is up. They'll have to pick a new batch.

Dominus:	He copies our strategy, and now he abdicates to join the Sentinels. I can't rejoin, my term is up. What happens then?

Dominus:	Do you concede the vote, Scipio, or fight him to the death?

Scipio:	…

Scipio:	You're right. This is much more complex than I thought.

Scipio:	Please accept my apology, Dominus. I shouldn't have pushed it through.

Dominus:	What's done is done. It's not like we're without options, either.

Dominus:	The vote only counts in tie breaker senarios. If we can soundly defeat his proposals, it won't come into play.

Dominus:	If we manage to claim the position of Sentinel Lord, we can safely bring up his proposal and vote it down while we have the vote majority.

Dominus:	Still, I'd prefer not to be so far from here. If something does happen, you'll need me.

Scipio:	Then I suppose you can't go, and I shouldn't, for similar reasons…

Scipio:	We're going to need to find a different candidate then.

Dominus:	We have a few weeks to plan. Let's take it one step at a time.

Scipio:	All right, Dominus. I need to go talk to some people.


--scene 4--


Theresa:	Hey Dom! How was the council meeting?

Dominus:	God, I hate Scipio sometimes.

Theresa:	What?

I collapsed into a chair beside her, massaging my temples.

Dominus:	It's going to be war. They don't see it yet, but that's what it will come to.

Theresa:	War?!? Dom, you're scaring me.

I shook my head vigorously and refocused. I offered Theresa a sheepish smile.

Dominus:	I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Theresa:	What the heck happened at the council today?

Dominus:	It wasn't actually Midas who called it, though it may as well have been. Scuto's in his pocket.

Dominus:	Scuto proposed adding a seventh Weapon Lord to the council. He offered to split his tribe and become the seventh himself.

Dominus:	It was laughed out of the room, of course, but it got them talking.

Dominus:	Now, all of a sudden, we've got a seventh lord - The lead Sentinel.

Dominus:	He attends all the meetings and gets to talk, but only has one voting power: In the case of a tie, he makes the final call. Sound familiar?

Theresa:	The stalemate!

Dominus:	Right. Now we can't just keep blocking Midas' moves. We have to actually outvote him.

Theresa:	And… Scipio went for it?

Dominus:	He wants a showdown with Midas, even if he won't admit it. He just doesn't think he can win a physical one, so he chose the political arena.

Dominus:	God, I hate politics.

Dominus:	Now we have to find a candidate who will become the next Sentinel Lord, no matter what.

Theresa:	I'll… I'll do it Dom. I'll become the next Sentinel Lord.

Dominus:	No, you most certainly will not.

Theresa:	I'm stronger than you think, Dom! I can do it!

Dominus:	It's not a matter of strength. If it was, I'd do it myself.

Dominus:	No, I need you here most of all. You're the only thing keeping the Sword Tribe in check.

Dominus:	With you by my side, all is well, but if you go to the border for six months, a year, two…

Dominus:	The rumbles, aided by Midas, will start. I'm an outsider here, if I wasn't we wouldn't have this problem.

Theresa:	…

Theresa:	I see why you say you hate politics.

Theresa:	In a way, though, I'm glad. I don't fancy a solemn vigil at the border.

Dominus:	Nor do I, though we have to find someone who will. And someone stronger than Ascia. He's already declared his candidacy.

Theresa:	…

Theresa:	Would that I could give you an easy answer, Dom. In ages past, the Sword Tribe reigned supreme, and were the strongest by far.

Theresa:	For whatever reason, pickings are slim this generation. Beyond me and you, Dom, we don't have anyone who comes remotely close to him.

Dominus:	Though he won't say it, its much the same story for Scipio. It's certainly the Axe Tribe's generation.

Theresa:	Then… What will we do?

Dominus:	WE will do nothing. This is Scipio's fight, though he's dragged me into it. I won't have you involved in this war.

Theresa:	Why do you keep saying war?

Dominus:	Midas' grabs for power are getting more and more blatent. This is his final move. He wants to be king at any cost. If we stop this, he'll go to war over it.

Theresa's face grew ashen, and she drew closer to me.

Though she was stronger than any number of men, Theresa was a peaceful soul, and saw swordsmanship as an exciting sport rather than a method of deathdealing.

So like her sister.

Dominus:	Enough of this. Let's just hope I'm overestimating Midas' ambitions.

We sat in silence for a moment, then I rose and headed for the door.

Theresa:	Leaving me so soon?

Dominus:	It's time to see what we're up against.


--scene 5--


I found Aiden more or less where I expected him, on the training grounds. As usual he was firing arrows at distance targets I could barely see.

Dominus:	Aiden. Do you have a minute?

He glanced at me, then went back to firing arrows. Clearly I wasn't worth his time.

I stepped in front of him just as he reached for another arrow. He sighed, and lowered his bow.

Aiden:	What do you want?

Dominus:	You and I both know where we are headed. I just want to know where you stand.

Aiden turned away from me and went back to shooting arrows. He spoke over his shoulder, not sparing me another glance.

Aiden:	You and Scipio and Midas and your little games. All this political capaigning and maneuvering.

Aiden:	This is TELUM. Only strength matters here. You all seem to have forgotten that.

Aiden:	A Weapon Lord is chosen only by defeating every other challenger. He can be deposed at a moment's notice, and must be combat ready at all times.

Aiden:	Perhaps your people seem to have forgotten that. It is easy to spare your sparring partner when you fight with swords, but we fight to the death.

Aiden:	I've had fifteen challengers since I took this title, and I've left fifteen good men dead in the dirt. The price of ambition.

Aiden:	One day, someone will kill me just the same.

Aiden:	So how do I feel about Midas voting himself king? Of course I'm against it, it's a slap in the face to everything I've ever known.

Aiden:	And how do I feel about you and Scipio, maneuvering to vote him out? The very same way.

Aiden:	So I'll oppose Midas in his attempted takeover, but no more. I will not help you in your political maneuvering.

Aiden:	If Midas truly wants to be king, let him become so by defeating all his challengers on the battlefield. That is the Telum way.

Aiden turned to me then, his eyes burning into my own.

Aiden:	And you, who think yourself the strongest of us all? You, who seek my aid in a nonviolent solution to your problem? You know very well the answer.

Aiden:	Be it today, tomorrow, or ten years from now, one day the two of you will meet on the battlefield, and the survivor will rule Telum.

Aiden:	That is how it is, and that is how it should be.

Dominus:	…is there truly no other way?

Disgusted, Aiden turned away again and resumed firing. He said nothing more for a time, but stopped me when I turned to leave.

Aiden:	…why did you come to Telum, Dominus?

Dominus:	I suppose I was seeking a challenge.

Aiden:	And did you find one here?

Dominus:	…

Aiden:	Did. You find. A challenge?

Dominus:	…no.

Aiden:	No. The best swordmen in the entire world, and they can't hold a candle to you. 'Sword Saint' indeed.

Aiden:	Will fighting Midas at last give you the challenge you crave?

Dominus:	…no, I don't think so.

Aiden:	…no?

Dominus:	I've finally come to realize that there is no one and nothing who can be a challenge for me.

Dominus:	No matter how far I push myself, I find only more and more untapped power yet remains.

Dominus:	I don't know what cruel joke this is, but no matter what I do, I cannot improve. No matter who I fight, I cannot lose. There is no question, no uncertainty. I'm simply the best.

Dominus:	What can fighting prove anymore? I know my true might, and I have no equal.

Dominus:	Power is only a means to an end, but what end can I yet seek?

Aiden:	…

Aiden:	Perhaps there is no end. Perhaps you truly are the best.

Aiden:	Or perhaps too many victories have destoryed your mind. Who can say?

Aiden:	None of that matters here, in Telum. In the end it's all the same.

Aiden:	You say you are the best? Prove it. Defeat Midas.

Aiden:	Scipio will never improve if he continues to hide behind you.

Aiden:	And as for myself? I will continue to train, for the day when the next challenger comes.

I waited, but Aiden said nothing more. With the conversation clearly over, I left him to his arrows.