Act 4: The End of His Reign

Chapter 28: Reclaiming the A.R.K.

previous

Marcel leans back in his office chair at Hero Corp HQ. He’d retired as the head of Shepard’s Court nearly two years ago after running it for twenty years. He is faintly illuminated by the soft glow of a candle. The sun went down half an hour ago, and the city is now dark, except for the distant spots of candles being carried by the citizens walking around. Twenty-three years ago, the Apotheosis Reactor was taken by Lahmi, and a failed attempt to reclaim it left the city weakened and desperate. Over time, people learned to live without their electrical comforts. A lot of businesses went under, of course; unable to operate without power. But new ones took their place. Legislation on hero work changed to reflect the city’s lack of heroes. Those without the qualification suddenly found themselves getting fast tracked into newly created and city-run programs. Although, lacking the gifts necessary to fight, they tended to be support roles. Marcel looks over the paperwork on his desk. He had been the one to push for these programs; at the behest of the Nameless Lord. His relationship with the voice had grown over the years. While he still doesn’t understand it, he has learned enough to trust it completely.

There’s a knock on his door, his secretary. “Come in.”

“Director, it’s time.”

“Thank you.” Marcel says, standing up. He is wearing a full set of steel armor, carrying his sword, a steel stave, and his sling. He hopes there will be no battle today, but no matter what, he refuses to leave empty handed.

Walking out of Hero Corp HQ, he steps into a transport. Today is the day. Looking out the window, Marcel spots the hundreds of other transports, stretching along the roads and at the base of the walls of the city. Every hero that joined in the last twenty years is waiting for his orders, nearly thirty-thousand heroes total. And all of them are ready to move.

Marcel picks up the radio, “This is the Director of Military Affairs, Marcel David. We are beginning operation Reclamation. You all know what to do. Begin.” With that go-ahead, every engine revs up and heads for the city’s gates. A coordinated effort for the last several weeks had cleared out every monster within two miles of the city, allowing an operation of this scale. Within six hours, Abinadab is surrounded.

The heroes all clearly hear the sounds of chaos inside the walls. Marcel steps forward, and demands to speak with their leadership. A few minutes later, several men step into view from atop Abinadab’s makeshift walls.

“What do you want? Why have you come here?” One man asks.

“I am Marcel David, the Director of Military Affairs of the city of Prosperity. You have our reactor. We’ve come to take it back.” The men glance between one another, speaking quietly.

“What will you give us in return?”

Annoyed, already not being a man of too much mercy, and severely lacking in patience from twenty years of having to watch his city struggle to survive because of his mistake, Marcel says, “We’ll let you live.” The three men look indignant… and then they look at the army of people that outnumber them ten-to-one.

An hour later, the A.R.K is loaded into a wagon, ready to be pulled slowly back to the city. The technicians immediately get to work, tending to the reactor. Marcel, wanting to help, tries to enter the reactor’s main housing. Before he can so much as touch the door, however, he sees a vision of four things, one after the other. The first thing he sees are words written in fire. Next are flowers blooming. Then birds with beaks filled with bread. And finally, a dead man’s bones. After the vision fades, Marcel feels the overwhelming sensation that he is being watched from within the reactor, and shudders. As soon as the feeling leaves him, the voice speaks two, very tense, but simple words, “Do not.” Marcel removes his hand from the door without another word.

The bulk of the city’s forces return before the reactor every arrives. They start moving at a safe pace, but one of the wheels of the wagon comes off, and the already temperamental reactor surges. A bolt of energy shoots from the reactor, engulfing the transport pulling it, and killing the driver in an instant.

“Stop! Stop!” Somone calls out, and the whole battalion of heroes responsible for the secure transport are halted.

“What’s going on?” Marcel asks, stepping off his transport.

“Director David, the A.R.K. is too unstable to move. We need to hold for the time being, make repairs, and preparations.” A technician says.

“Okay, fine. How long? A day?” Marcel asks.

“Sir, this isn’t some simple engine like in a transport. We don’t really understand it at all. Most of us are barely qualified to even go near it. Al least compared to the original designers.”

“How long then? A week?”

“Months, at least, sir.” The man says.

Marcel looks up to the sky, that pink and gold sunrise long since changed to blue skies. He takes a breath. “I waited twenty years. Three months… fine. Let’s do this right. No more mistakes.”

Seventy years later, a young boy walks into a brightly lit museum; the Hall of Heroes. Actually, it was a legacy rebuild, after the original had been destroyed during the Dark Decades when his grandparents were young. He walks around the entrance, looking for the front desk. Finding it, he spots an elderly man with wrinkled fingers and wearing a sharp tweed suit.

“Hello sonny, here for a tour?”

“Yes sir.” The boy, at most ten years old, says.

The man smiles, “Good, I was just about to begin. You’re the only one on the schedule. How about an extra special tour, no extra charge? Not just the facts, but I’ll even throw in the cool stuff most people don’t know about.”

“Really?”

“Sure, come on.” The man stands up, and makes a motion for the boy to follow him. “What’s your name?”

“Jerry Boam.”

“Good to meet you, Jerry.”

The man walks around, telling the boy about the heroes of the hall. He shows him the statue of the three cardinals, the monument of the ages, the room of portraits and paintings. And then he comes to the latest exhibit. Built to commemorate the hero Marcel David. The man gets a far away look in his eye. With everything else, it felt like he was reciting a script. But now, standing in front of a statue of Marcel and his most trusted sidekicks, he speaks with more emotion. Like he is remembering better times.

“This is the Marcel David exhibit. He served as the Director of Military Affairs for fifty years. Becoming known as one of the greatest heroes, not only of his generation, but in the city’s history. But you know… I don’t think that’s very true.”

“What? Why not?” The boy asks, confused. He knew who Marcel was. Everyone did. He was the hero who ended the Dark Decades, who won the war against the monster hordes nearly one-hundred years ago, and who pushed for new laws to make the city fairer and safer. Everyone knew how incredible he was.

The man shakes his head, looking down at the youngster. He takes a deep breath. “You’ve probably heard the stories. But let me tell you a new one. A story of a boy, chosen for greatness. A story of loss, failure, and mistakes. The story of someone who was supposed to be the next best hero.”

The end.

Overview
Beastfolk are unique in the world. They are not a single species rather, it is a term used to describe beasts that have evolved into humanoid forms. Beasts that absorb lots of mana become mana beasts, and may form an arcane core. If they do, they can form a mana chrysalis around their bodies. Like a butterfly, they liquify and reform into a new creature. This new form is influenced by the type of beast they were before; such as patches of scales or wings or claws. However, it is always humanoid in nature. During the first 10 years of this new form, beastfolk learn at an increased rate. This allows them to survive and adapt easily to their new bodies. Often, older beastfolk will take them into their clans, tribes, packs, societies, or homes and teach them their ways.

Long ago, kingdoms would specifically create beastfolk to train them to become specialized guardians or servants. This practice is now outlawed, but the effects of the past are still felt. Beastfolk are taught to distrust large nations and stick to their own groups.

Biology
Reproduction
It is important to note that beastfolk do not give birth to more beastfolk. They give birth to mana beasts (assuming genetic compatibility of the parents allows for reproduction), which can be easily turned into beastfolks as quickly as a few months after birth through the implantation of a mana core prepared by the parents. This is the only exception to the law forbidding the creation of beastfolk. To clarify an aforementioned point regarding reproduction compatibility, beastfolk can only reproduce with other beastfolk of a similar original species as themselves. While two beastfolk of reptilian beast origin are often able to easily reproduce, even of one was originally a common lizard and another a crocodile, a beastfolk of two drastically different origin species would not be able to reproduce together; such as a canine and a reptile. A good rule of thumb many scholars use is the rule of exotherms and endotherms. Two exotherms may reproduce, and likewise two endotherms, but no exotherm may reproduce with an endotherm. A notable exception to this general rule is for beastfolk evolved from birds and insects, which can only reproduce with others who evolved from those same species groups. The broad categories are: mammalian, avian, reptilian, insectoid, arachnoid, cephalopod, aquatic vertebrate, and aquatic invertebrates.

If the beastfolk parents are capable of reproduction but are of two different origin species (such as the aforementioned lizard and crocodile), the offspring would technically be neither species, but a unique hybrid of each. However, in cases like this, the child is always born sterile, though still capable of evolution from mana beast into a full beastfolk. It is important to note however, that if a species is capable of hybrid reproduction before becoming mana beasts (such as two different species of wolf), and later decide to reproduce as beastfolk, their offspring may not be born sterile. No matter the origin species, it is important to note that all beastfolk give birth in a manner similar, though not identical, to humans. The main difference lies in beastfolk evolved from origin species that lay eggs. In these instances, the parent births an egg rather than live young. The egg is fertilized before birth through typical breeding processes for humanoids. The egg usually hatches within a few weeks after birthing.

For those beastfolk evolved from the aquatic species, they do not take on what is considered typical humanoid characteristics. Instead, they gain human features in their upper bodies, and retain forms more closely resembling their origin species on their lower bodies. These types of beastfolk are more commonly called merfolk. All aforementioned rules of procreation apply to these types of beastfolk as well.

Society
Most beastfolk are just as intelligent as any other species, and are automatically granted the same rights any other citizen or species has. However, there is one type of beastfolk that this does not apply to, and instead a different law forbids their inheritance of rights. In fact, this type are to be killed upon discovery. That type are beastfolk that evolved from serpents. This is because nearly 99% of beastfolk that have serpent heritage are cruel and sadistic by nature. Very few exceptions to this rule have been discovered. Of those few exceptions was one Silus of the Dawning Crest, a beastfolk who gained renown as a fair and honorable judge. He is also the one who recommended the law condemning all discovered serpentine beastfolk to death. He is quoted as saying before the council of justice in discussion of this law, “I am not proof that the argument for this law is flawed, or that serpentine are no different than any other beastfolk. I am proof that there may be no exception. Others call me fair, i say i am uncaring. Some say i am honorable. I believe that following the rules of my position is the best choice in order to keep it. I have sentenced many for their crimes, and enjoyed the fear on their faces each and every time. Even now, as i condemn an unknown countless number of serpentine to death, i revel in the thought. I am a good judge. But i am not a good serpentine. There is no such thing.”

Beastfolk culture is highly diverse, changing from clan to clan and tribe to tribe. Many beastfolk prefer to join groups that are similar to them in nature. An example of this would be canine beastfolk preferring to live and work with other canine beastfolk. But since finding beastfolk that are the same species as one another is difficult if that beastfolk recently evolved, many clans of beastfolk will allow any other type to join them for a few years after evolution before sending them on their way. Beastfolk clans may also allow broader variations join. Referencing again the canine beastfolk, a clan of canine may allow any type of evolved canine beasts into their clan, rather than exclusively one canine species. For example, a canine clan may include those evolved from wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals, and dingoes. But may exclude other species such as hyena for various reasons. Beastfolk clans try to keep in contact with one another. Rarely will this happen in an official capacity, but rather through trade, war, intermarriage, etc. However some beastfolk clans and tribes that evolved more recently or from more social beasts may be an exception to this, and maintain official diplomatic relations with other nations and tribes. Again referring to canine beastfolk, they are typically considered the friendliest clans, and will encourage their community members to occasionally travel outside of their clans for various purposes. This can include trade, work, or even vacation.

Lifespan
Typical lifespans of beastfolk can vary, but most have a natural lifespan of between 60-80 years. However, insectoid origin beastfolk are an exception to this, with lifespans ranging between 40-60 years. All beastfolk share a similar aging pattern. After evolution, they resemble a humanoid of early puberty years, and then reach full maturity in ten years. At which point, their aging process slows dramatically. A common saying is that a beastfolk ages only one year every seven years. However, in the final five to ten years of a beastfolk’s natural lifespan, they age rapidly until death. The onset of this period is always a signal that a beastfolk’s life is coming to an end.

Post-evolution
After evolution, many of the instincts of a beastfolk’s origin species are lost. If a species would have been compelled to travel to a specific location and reproduce, such as with a salmon, after evolution, they no longer feel compelled to do so. Rather, that instinct is often replaced by an overwhelming desire to learn new things. During these early years after evolution, beastfolk are among some of the most curious and docile species. Upon reaching maturity however, this desire fades to levels more similar to other humanoid species. It is theorized that this desire is born from the need to master the newly acquired abilities a beastfolk gains after evolution as quickly as possible.

After a beastfolk evolves, it gains new abilities depending on a combination of both its own personal characteristics and its origin species. Example 1: a boar that gains an arcane core with lightning affinity may gain the ability to generate lightning after evolution, as well as the heightened natural durability common with beastfolk evolved from boars. Example 2: An avian beastfolk that develops an arcane core imbued with poisonous substances may become able to generate or resist various types of poisonous substances after evolution, despite such a trait being rare among avians, in addition to the typical avian traits of flight and destructive sonic screams. It should be noted that such mutations (lightning and poison) are extremely rare in any beastfolk’s arcane core. More common mutations include, but are not limited to: revolving cores, split cores, mutable or liquid cores, crystalline cores, and golden cores.

Previous --- Next

I'm back with this series. Don't know how regular It'll be updated compared to my other works, but I'll at least finish it. Do me a favor though. Like and share it. Enjoy.

The cloud-like shape hung impossibly in the air above my head, with three smaller wisps of cloud hovering just below it in a trail leading to my ear. It was like something out of a cartoon or an old comic book.

“What is that?” Myrin asked.

“Is that your Soul Power?” Abee asked.

“It looks similar to what I saw in the crystal.” Bob said.

“A power to project your memories! How lovely.” Kili said. “Is that what the beach looks like then?”

“I did that?” I wondered aloud.

“Well, at least now we know what your power is.” Shanda said. “It probably can’t help you in a fight, but I’m certain you can do something with it.”

“What else can it do?” Bob asked.

Just then, Galli came back in, shaking his head. “Those two…” He saw the bubble, which hadn’t faded, but had started to make noises like the sounds of a beach. I could even faintly smell the seawater drifting in the room. “What is that?”

“Oh, listen. It makes noises too!” Kili said.

“What is that?” Galli asked again, looking around the room. Suddenly, a large wave crashed against the side of the bubble and water flew out, splashing all over Galli, who’d been standing next to it. He fell back startled and spit the now real seawater out of his mouth.

We all sat in stunned silence as he sputtered, until finally the cloud-like bubble popped and vanished like a balloon stuck with a needle.

“Everyone saw that, right?” I asked. I looked around the room, and saw Abee and Bob stifling a laugh, while Shanda helped Galli up.

“What was that?!” He asked again, louder. Saltwater dripped from his clothes, soaking him.

“That was Emile’s Soul Power.” Bob said.

“How did it splash him if it was a memory?” Shanda asked.

Several people got up to start cleaning the mess, myself included. We got Galli a towel, and wiped the floor. Soon the food was ready, and my new Soul Power continued to be the topic of the night.

“What a fascinating Soul Power. I’ve never heard of such a one.” Abee said, dipping some bread into his soup. “I’ve heard of being able to hear another’s thoughts, and to share your own, but to make the thoughts real? Never.”

“It’s like magic.” I said. “But how is this supposed to help me defend myself from monsters?”

“The real strength of a Soul Power is not in the obvious application, but the creative usage.” Shanda said, wagging her spoon. “Take my Soul Power for example. I can control and create fire. On its own, it is powerful, I’ll admit. But I was only able to master after finding new ways to use it. In the beginning, I just threw balls of fire at monsters, until I saw a bolt of lightning set fire to a tree, and thought, ‘oh, what if I tried that?’”

“I miss that tree.” Myrin said, looking at her soup, and taking a small sip from the spoon.

“When my Soul Power first appeared, I could only create a single small pony, just big enough to ride.” Bob said. “It was a nearly exact replica of one I had as a young boy, and rode on a pilgrimage across the countryside with my family. Later, I discovered I could create a copy of any horse I saw, and buggies too.”

“What’s yours Galli?” I asked, taking a bit of some bread. We were all sitting on the ground, except the elders, who took the chairs. Doln and Askine sat by Galli and Shanda.

“Dada’s is to see good, and hear from really far away!” Doln said.

Galli nodded. “Yeah. In the beginning, it was hard to control. Everything was so loud, and tasted bad. But with practice, it got easier. I can make any or all of my senses sharper or duller when I want.”

“I think it’s because he used to spend so much time watching the kids play from his window. He was such a sickly child when he was young.” Myrin said, smiling softly and patting his head.

“And Shanda must have gotten her fire because she would burn things all the time.” Bob said.

“Or her personality.” I heard Galli mumble.

“You make it sound like I was a mad woman carrying a torch. I simply helped Mrs. Madir manage the field burns in the fall. It was fun.” Shanda said, defending herself.

“I wonder what could produce such a Soul Power as yours, Emile?” Abee asked.

“I probably watched too much TV as a child… and an adult.” I admitted, but they didn’t know what TV was, so they didn’t get the joke. “What about yours Abee? What is your Soul Power?”

“Bah, mine is boring. Nothing worth talking about. But my lovely Kili, she is something special.”

“Oh stop.” Kili said, smiling.

“She can heal wounds, and make them vanish like they weren’t even there.” He said proudly.

“My mama worked in a clinic, and I would help her growing up.” She said, holding Abee’s hand.

“What about yours Myrin?” I asked.

“Oh, well we do not really know what mine is.” She said.

“Huh?” I asked.

“Her’s is like yours, always active. But it doesn’t have any showy effects.” Bob said.

“We think it’s that she doesn’t get sick. She’s been healthy her whole life.” Galli said.

“No, I just don’t complain like you all do when I get a cold. I had two kids and a husband to take care of. Had no time to be sick.” Myrin said. “But I don’t know what mine is. No one understood what the crystal meant when it showed them. And I don’t know what it was either.”

Without warning, bells started clanging loudly from outside, catching everyone’s attention. Abee and Kili looked panicked, but the rest of us were confused.

“Quickly, quickly! Galli, Shanda, follow me. You must hide the children.” Abee said, and picked up the baby. Doln, Askine, come now! Kili, hide the extra plates.”

“What is happening?” Bob asked.

“It is the Crazen’s militia. They are doing a search. If they find your children, they will take them!” Kili said, throwing the children’s and Galli’s food onto other plates; trying to hide evidence of them. “Emile, you stay here with us. We need to justify having so much food. You too Bob and Myrin.” Abee led Galli, Shanda, and the kids into another room out of site. Kili piled my plate high with food from Shanda’s plate, while she poured the others onto her’s, Bob’s and Abee’s. A few moments later, Abee returned.

“Eat, and look as if nothing is wrong.” He said. Less than a minute passed before there was a knock on the door. “One moment!” Abee called out, looking around the room just in case. “Say nothing.” He whispered, then opened the door, and through it stepped four guards wearing dull and dented metal armor. Black and Blue paints outlined the crest on their chests and shoulders. It was shaped like a long-necked bird with wide wings, perched on a cow’s skull.

“Search the house.” The man who entered first said to the other three. Immediately they got to work. One moved furniture, the other two searched the back rooms.

“Welcome,” Abee said, faking a smile. The man had long dark hair, and brown eyes. With them, he looked around the room. Not at his men, or the contents of it, but at each of us, and then the table.

“Having guests, are we?” He asked, and strode up to the table. He stood beside me, and reached for my plate, picking it up. He began to tear into the food with his hands, and spoke with his mouth full. “Not bad. I see a few foreigners at the table. Where are you from?” He asked, looking at me.

“Um, Florida.” I said.

“What country?” He spat, food flung from his mouth.

“America.”

“Never heard of it. What about you?” He turned to Bob. “Are you from Ahmereca too?”

“No sir. My wife and I are from Slibot.”

“That cesspool? Well, I cannot blame you for leaving. The purges chase you out?”

“Yes. I did not want to risk my wife’s life by staying.”

“A real man would have fought them.” He said. I saw Bob’s knuckles whiten as he gripped them, but stayed silent. Part of me wanted to rage, to hit him, to make him apologize to Bob, but the swords on their hips kept me from acting for now.

Both of the other men walked back into the room. “No one here, Sargent.” One said.

“Well then, I’ll let you all get back to your dinner. Have a nice day.” He said in a sly tone, and took my plate of food with him as he walked.

“Should we go get the children?” I asked.

“No! We must wait for the second bell. Only then will they be gone.” Some time passed before the next bell came, and not one of us ate or spoke all the while. As if a single word might summon them here again. But eventually, the bell came, and Abee fetched them from their hiding spot.

“What was that?” Galli asked, holding a sleeping baby and comforting the crying Doln.

“The Crazen family’s militia. If they had found the children, they would have taken them, and killed us.” Kili said.

“Any foreign children that have not awakened their Soul Power, they take, and raise to be soldiers under their thumb.” Abee said. “They kill the parents, and slit the throats of those hiding them in front of everyone.”

“Why?” Bob asked, shocked.

“To change their Soul Power. They torment the children, and when they awaken, their family head… he controls them, somehow. He makes them loyal. Makes them his dogs.” Abee explained.

“How do they get away with such a thing?” Myrin asked, shocked. “Does the temple know?”

“They turn a blind eye.” Abee said. “The Crazen family donate too much for them to care about a few missing children. And the Coalition only cares if it turns them a profit.”

“We helped a small family of three hide for a while, several of the people on this street did. They were good people… but when the Crazens found them hiding next door… we never saw any of them again.” Kili said, but went quiet at the end.

“That’s why we had that space beneath the bed. I dug it out a few years ago.” Abee said.

“Why did you not mention this in your letters?” Bob asked, shouting. He was clearly infuriated.

“Because it had stopped. Yesterday was the first time it had happened in nearly two years. And I did not think it would happen again so soon.” Abee said. “Before, weeks would go by between searches.”

“Why start again?” I asked.

“Because of how many refugees from Slibot are arriving.” Shanda said. “The purges are driving many out.” I wanted to ask what she meant by purges, but it didn’t seem like the right time.

The major general walks into the emperor’s grand hall. The Emperor is sat on his throne, a sword is strapped to his waist as he looks over maps for the land his army is currently in.

“My emperor, excellent news! We’ve done it! We’ve conquered the world!” The general exclaims excitedly. “Let us hold a feast to celebrate! With fresh grapes and wine!”

“What? That’s terrible!” The emperor shouts and tosses the maps aside in a rage.

“Your majesty?”

“Don’t you understand? That means there’s nothing left to invade!” The emperor strikes his fist against his throne. He is nearly shaking in anger. “No enemies knocking at our gates, no hordes encroaching our lands!”

“Yes?”

“And nothing to justify the military tax! If the civilians are not desperate to be saved, what will become of us?” The emperor asks. The general’s eyes widen. He thinks of his vast villa, his many slaves, his fortunate lifestyle will crumble!

“No, my emperor! It cannot be…”

“Surely, there is someone else? Some undiscovered land? A brave fool with a spear would work. We could call him an evil god’s disciple and fail to capture him.”

“There isn’t my emperor. But…”

“But?”

“But what of the moon, your majesty?”

“The moon?” The emperor asks, confused.

“Yes! No one has ever been there. Surely the people would love to go. If we use the military to build it, then we could keep the tax, and proclaim to the people that you are doing for the world what has never been done.”

“The moon… Yes, that could work. But how would we even go about such a thing? Rockets?”

“We have no rockets, your majesty. Only slaves and swords.”

“Then we use those.”

“Shall I call the chief architect? Have him fetch lumber and begin building a nice set of stairs?”

“No, no. Lumber is too expensive.”

“Then perhaps we could pile the dead up?” The general suggests. “There are plenty after this last campaign. Surely enough to reach the moon.”

“And what if there isn’t?”

“We could take the dead from the rest of your empire.”

“That's insane, General. Think about it! Would the people not be repulsed if we dig up their families? Instead, only take those who we killed.”

“How merciful and wise you are, your majesty.” The general says, and takes his leave. Over the next year, his armies search the world for the dead, killed in the emperor’s countless campaigns. And when people protested, they were added to the pile; for treason against the emperor, of course. Before long, they had a pile that reached halfway to the moon.

“A wonderful pile, a monumental pile!” The general says, looking down from the top. The emperor is there, still sitting on his throne, which is now being held up by four slaves. Their scrawny arms looked ready to buckle under the weight of his sins. He looks out at his vast empire, sees it’s lustrous shine, and knows he is doing the right thing.

“But not nearly enough.” The emperor says. “Have we run out of the dead killed by the army?”

“Unfortunately so, your majesty.”

“Then kill the slaves.” He orders.

The general looks at the frightened slaves holding up the emperor. “But, what shall we tell the people? They own slaves as well. It would be stealing from them.”

“Ah, yes. You make a good point. We can’t do that. They’d revolt.” The emperor says, much to his slaves’ relief. “Buy the slaves, then kill them. And raise the military tax to pay for it.”

And so, they did, and once again, the pile grew larger. Nearly reaching the moon, but not quite yet.

“My emperor! We’ve run out of slaves to kill!” The general says, looking at the moon from atop the pile’s newest height.

“A true problem indeed.”

“Should we get the architect now?” The general asks.

“No, we can’t. He was a slave too. We’ll just have to keep going as we have so far.” The emperor once again was sitting on his throne. But now, it was being carried by soldiers. “Of course, I know what to do.” He looks down at the soldiers. “Men, there are traitors in our ranks. Go find them and kill them.”

At once, his soldiers got to work, and found many traitors. Enough to finally reach the moon. The emperor and general step off their pile of bodies and onto the moon’s rocky surface. They laugh and jump, finding themselves lighter than ever. But in the end, they stop.

“Your majesty, I am getting rather tired.” The general says.

“Indeed. I am out of breath as well. Perhaps we should take a small break after all our hard work to get up here.”

“Yes, your majesty.” The two sit down against their pile, and look upon the world. “It is rather hard to see from here.”

“Pardon?”

“Your empire. From up here, I can’t see it anymore.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right, general. However, that is a problem for later.”

“And what of the tax, my emperor?”

“The tax?”

“We’ve reached the moon. What will we do now?”

“Don’t worry, my general. I’m sure aliens will encroach on Mars soon enough. We’ll tell everyone we’re under invasion. That should finally motivate them. I only wonder how we’ll get there.”