Chris

The Twins, or Gemini, as it was now called, was a much different city compared to the time I'd seen it last. Much like Frostheim, the years had done it well. Builders and Crafters of various Professions had a hand in transforming what was once closer to a military encampment into a thriving city.

Blue-green walls, made from a variety of granite I wasn't familiar with, ringed the large city in a ring that was nearly double the area of our own city. Gemini was home to more people, and it needed space to house them. The buildings themselves were also much different, but that much was to be expected. Just like we had advancements in regaining electricity and had gone to certain lengths to integrate the magi-tech we had, Marcus had done the same with his city.

The largest draw on the eye was the massive river that nearly split the city in two lengthwise. A few bridges spanned the waterway, connecting the two sides of the city, but it was like looking at two separate cities rather than one large one.

"Settle in. We'll stay here until we are needed." I said to the men. I wasn't sure who would go about finding accommodations, but it wasn't going to be me. There weren't enough inns in the city for all of us, I knew of that much at least.

Elliot and Hal both nodded and went about directing those under them. Gabriel was second on the uptake, as he wasn't as comfortable with his new Order as the other two were.

After leaving Frostheim, we picked both of them up along the way, making us a proper war party, rather than just a large group of men.

Over three thousand strong of the finest men and women our faction had to offer.

The Order of the Bear, Elliot's Order, was the largest, with over fifteen hundred. The Order of the Wolf was the second largest, at just under a thousand. The newest Order, the Order of the Fox, was the smallest, with just over six hundred.

There was also a contingent following Ashley, but they still weren't organized into a proper Order yet, and I didn't think she wanted to. She was rather insistent that Healers should only have one function in an army, and that was to stay in the back and heal. Not fight.

I wasn't going to push her on it, so her group of three hundred wasn't included in our fighting numbers. The Healers who went down the route of Support or Enhancer, as those with buffs were beginning to be called, were tacked on to Gabriel's Order of Mages.

Member numbers were for a variety of reasons: Order age, Class archetype, and the recruitment efforts of the three captains, but all three were growing into something impressive. It wasn't a proper army, but it was getting there. With some training and experience in large battles of all the Orders working together, it would soon become one.

"Lord Zalenski," Gregory, Marcus's Assistant, greeted with a small bow, "Lord Shieldwell is awaiting you."

Gregory was wearing a much more modern dress and looked half ready for battle himself, even though he was an Administrator's Assistant. For his Class, I knew it was a style of Mage archetype , but not what it was specifically or what level it was. It didn't feel very high to [Aura Detection].

I nodded to the man and was led off deeper into the city while everyone else went about themselves.

Even in my short time in Frostheim before leaving, it was easy to tell that there was a tension in the air. It wasn't bad, not like the last time, but it was there all the same.

That tension was even worse in Gemini.

The streets were scarce where people should crowd them. Shops were empty where trade should be thriving. Armories and Smithies were pounding out metal at a pace unfit for peaceful times.

The city knew what was coming.

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As Gregory led me through the streets toward the center, people's eyes caught sight of both of us. They went from curious at seeing the Lord's Assistant, to confused at seeing me.

They took in my bulky but polished armor, the heavy fur cloak drifting in my wake, the bear head settled on my shoulder that had been turned into pauldrons, and most of all, the massive hammer frozen to my back. I wasn't sure what they were thinking, but it was most likely in line with 'what is this barbarian doing here?'

I smiled internally.

I knew the names people threw at me. What people who didn't know me called me.

Barbarian. Madman. Crazy bastard.

It was easy to tell what they thought as they saw me, but the most important thing was what they did after realizing who I was.

They smiled. The pressure on them eased just a little bit. It wasn't such a shift to call it rejoicing, but it was a change in the positive direction. It was small, but it was enough to matter. Those small interactions continued until we arrived at the small mansion Marcus called home. He didn't subscribe to the Castle idea like we did, and instead lived in what was closer to a house. It wasn't the citadel we had created, but just another house.

It showed our differences.

"He's through here," Gregory stopped and waved me forward.

Passing through the doorway revealed Marcus on the other side. The man had seen better days, but he was still mostly like I'd seen him last, if a bit run-down and worn out. Preparing must have taken a lot out of him.

His aura was strong, much stronger than last time.

Like me, his evolution had done him well. I couldn't decipher what grade of Class he now had, but it was Epic at a minimum. The growth was too large for it to be anything less, but that was where my estimations faltered. Precision was never my strong suit, especially when he was reining his aura in.

He could be Legendary Class and Rare Profession, or Epic in both, or the reverse for all I knew, but I doubted it. I assumed Class was his priority, but I didn't know for certain.

"Christopher," Marcus greeted, "To what do I owe the honor?"

"War knocks on your door and you expect me not to show up?" I took the seat he offered and put my hammer off to the side. "I've just returned, and I hear you are gearing up to face the challenge alone?"

His face tightened a bit, "We can handle our problems ourselves. We do not need help defending what is ours."

It was clear he felt deeply about this; his entire attitude proved that. The first words out of my mouth caused a shift.

I didn't respond immediately, but instead studied him.

"I admire your conviction, but it is foolish." I finally said.

Anger colored his face at that, "Did you come here just to call me foolish. I don't need–"

"No, I didn't come here to call you foolish," I interrupted, "I came here to fight." My aura flashed with my words to drive the point home. "I see your point and understand why you did it. You wish to prove yourself and your faction. You aim to show the world that you can hold what's yours, defend what's yours, and punish any who seeks to claim what's yours. It's an admirable quality, but it is foolish. Foolish because it puts people at risk. Your people. Hell, you may even win, but it will not be without casualties. Casualties that will be higher because you refuse our aid.

"Going into a battle without your all is foolish." I finished.

"You think I don't know that?" Marcus said angrily, "I know that well. We've been in more battles than I care for, but I need to look at the bigger picture. The perception of what this will cause, and how that will affect things."

"Of whose perception?" I asked. "Yours? Your people? Or of others? Of people who don't matter. Will you truly fight alone for the sake of an opinion that has no bearing?"

"It's not that simple. If it looks like I rely on you to fight my battles for me, it looks like I can't stand on my own. That will affect trade, faction relations, everything. It will appear as though I am your vassal, rather than a faction in my own right." Marcus ground out. "Not to mention the price I will have to pay for such help." He added.

"I am not here for benefits. I am not here to wring more from you or to demand more from you. I am not here in the hopes or plans that you will give me anything. I am here because it is what I said I would do. I am here because that is what a friend would do. I didn't expect you to think so little of us. Of me. I am here to honor my word, nothing more."

"Honor your word?" Marcus asked, like he didn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, because it is what I said and it is the truth," I stated simply. "I and my army will stay here, if that is what you wish, but we are ready to stand with you as well. I ask that you not concern yourself with the opinions of people who don't matter. Don't look at this as a perspective problem or an image problem. Look at this for what it is. An attack. An attack on you and yours. And ask yourself if you want to face this attack alone, or with the help of a friend."

Based on what I could see, emotions flowed through Marcus at a pace I couldn't keep track of. Mainly confusion and disbelief, with a bit of skepticism mixed in.

"I didn't think you would be so eager for this," he said after a moment, in place of something else, I assumed.

I shook my head, "I am not eager for this, but since it's what's happening, the course has been set, and there's no changing it now. With that being the case, it's best to finish this swiftly."

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