text: eah, well I ain't playing. Look, I know all about you, and you probably don't know me at all but I remember your ruthless reputation when you were still in service of the Empire. There was a family that lived down the block from me and my wife. We we're friends and they even had a couple of children. Children that we would sometimes love to entertain because we couldn't have any of our own. But this family wasn't happy with the Empire's rules so they along with several others protested... "
  
  You stop the tanner right there.
  
  "Yeah, yeah, I know what you're going to say, I had them all killed for treason and had their heads put on pikes. Well I was trying to maintain order and I did what I had to do to get the job done. I'm sure this story pales in comparison to others have screamed at me in the past and you don't even need to make your point about hating me, because I'm used to it anyway. Besides you don't want your son going to Kenneth's Rest and I'm certainly not going to drag him along. If anything I'd wish he'd stop looking up to me as some sort of hero and following me around. I was hoping by doing this for him I'd finally be rid of him. So if you don't mind, I'll be going now and I'll also be disappointing you again, by not killing you before I leave."
  
  You turn to leave and that's when you get another unusual request.
  
  "If you take him to Kenneth's Rest, will you also look after him?" Ulivik's mother asks.
  "What?!"
  "If you want money to do so, we can pay. Just can you look after him for a while at least?"
  "Okay... now I'm confused. I thought not only did you not want him to go, but that I was also a ruthless bastard that would probably rob and kill him along a lonely road?"
  "Yeah, we don't want him to go, and yeah you are a ruthless bastard... but I also know you actually do have some sort of code of honor. You might've left the Empire behind, but the regimented way of thinking you have is still there. You wouldn't bother killing my boy unless you felt he was a direct danger to you, and I think we both know that isn't the case." Ulivik's dad says.
  "Well that's the truth."
  "The other thing is... we're not going to be able to stop him. He's been getting more and more restless about this, and he's going to want to pursue this career path whether we want him to or not. At this point he's just going to run away from home and who knows what trouble he'll get into. (sigh) Maybe it's just his nature, bein' a dark elf and all, but for good or ill, me and my wife have taken on the responsibility of raising him. And part of that is making sure he has the survival skills that he'll need to make it in this world. We can't teach him that, but you could. Look, like my wife said, we can pay you a good sum just for you teach him the basics, or whatever else is involved, if you need more, I dunno we'll try to figure out something."
  
  You're speechless for a moment. Just when you think you've seen the worst in people, something like this happens and surprises you.
  
  "I'm not sure what you expect me to do. I mean this job isn't something I can teach like from a book. Most of what he's going to have to learn is going to be from direct experience. I mean I suppose I could teach him some combat skills, but the rest is going to mainly be up to him."
  "Well do what you can, and take this in the meantime."
  
  Uliviki's mother hands you a small bag. When you look inside, it's nothing but gold coins. This has to be some of their savings, possibly all of their savings. They must really trust you, if they've given you this much.
  
  "I'll do my best. You have my word as an Eternal." You say and pocket the bag of coins. With those last words you exit the tanner's store intending to find Ulivik. Fortunately you know he isn't far.
  
  "Ulivik, I know you're around the corner. Stop sulking, or pouting or whatever teenage angst you're doing and let's go."
  
  Ulivik slowly comes out from behind the corner.
  
  "You're taking me with you?"
  "Yeah, I scared your parents into letting you come with me. Now grab whatever gear you want to take and let's go before all the good jobs are taken."
  
  Ulivik is completely giddy at this turn of events and runs back into the store to get his stuff. You on the other hand are wondering how the hell you got yourself into this. Then you feel the bag of coins again and remember.
  
  On your journey to Kenneth's Rest, you explain to Ulivik some of the things he should know such as haggling for better prices on jobs and the art of intimidation. You also teach him a few combat moves. He's a rookie to be sure, but his agility allows him from getting hurt too badly.
  
  When you get to Kenneth's Rest, the place is as busy as always. Ulivik is more than a little distracted by the surroundings, and you have to keep reminding him to stay alert.
  
  "Hey stop staring at the harlots and pay attention! Just because fighting isn't supposed to be allowed here, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. In fact people around here love to start trouble. Don't stare at anyone in the eye for too long and make sure you don't bump into anybody. You could either get into a fight, or someone might even try to pick your pocket."
  "Okay. Here isn't the job board that way?"
  "Job board? Hah. I never use those things. I go straight to the source. Trust me, if you want to get a job that pays well; get to know and make contact with the owners or government officials. Fortunately Kenneth used to work for me at one time, so it was quite easy for me to make contact with him. And when we find him, just keep your mouth shut, and let me do all the talking."
  
  Eventually you find Kennth, he's as jumpy as ever whenever you first see him.
  
  "Sir! I didn't expect you to be down this way so soon? What can I do for you today?"
  "Kenneth, will you relax? It's been what, like ten years now? I'm not your superior officer anymore; you don't have to keep calling me sir and getting all nervous and shit."
  "I know sir, just old habits you know? Who's this with you?"
  "This here is Ulivik, and he's going to be my apprentice for a while."
  "Apprentice? Seriously? Never pegged you as the teaching type."
  "Right, Kenneth, like all those years of training soldiers in this very fort count for nothing at all."
  "No, that's not what I mean... I just oh I dunno. It's just odd I guess. He's a svelk, how come he's not with his own people?"
  "That's a long and unusual story, and one I don't have time to go into. Besides we're not here to satisfy your curiosity, we're here for jobs, but seeing as this is Ulivik's first time and all, can we get something maybe a little less... lethal?"
  "Hmm, usually that sort of stuff is on the boards, but I think I got something. Oh! There's a nest of auravraxes a few miles from here."
  "Ugh, more of those furry things? I just wiped out a nest of them a week ago!"
  "Well that's all I got that's on the easy side. I mean I've got some other jobs too, but you said this was more for training your apprentice than anything else."
  "I can take on a harder task Mr. Bane. I mean I have to learn from experience right?" Ulivik pipes up forgetting that he was supposed to keep his mouth shut.
  
  Still, he might have a point.
  > take on the easy job
  Ulivik might think he's ready, but he's definitely not. Killing auravraxes might be easy for you, but they'll be more than enough for him to handle. Anything harder and he may very well be killed in the blink of an eye. Normally this would just be on the job training, but you were sort of paid to look after him for a while at least.
  
  "Give us the auravrax nest job." You say. Ulivik looks a little disappointed, but he doesn't speak out of turn again. Kenneth proceeds to tell you exactly where the creatures have been spotted in large quantities and the pair of you are on your way.
  
  Along the way, you tell Ulivik how he should approach fighting these things and how not to take them lightly as they can easily take an arm off or any other limb if you aren't careful. He seems to understand the risk.
  
  As you get closer to their nest, you begin to encounter the furry fiends. Ulivik slightly freezes up when they spot you and attack. You have to snap him out of it and take up the fighting slack.
  
  "Come on kid, move in and attack! This is the moment of truth!" you shout. Fortunately, this motivates him to do just that. Of course after the fight, he's got a very different view of things now. He's out of breath, his heart is racing and he's probably feeling a mix of excitement and fear, or perhaps just fear in his case.
  
  "So, is it everything you expected it to be?" you ask.
  "I... yeah, I mean no. I mean... (pant) that was intense."
  "Yeah, well it's about to get even more intense, we've still got a whole bunch more to kill."
  
  The auravrax nest is another typical hole in the ground filled with them. Standard stuff for you, but its Ulivik's true test. If he can make it through alive and in one piece, he might just have what it takes after all. You let him do most of the fighting, only intervening when it really looks like he's going to get himself eaten or when you're directly attacked. After he thinks he's killed them all, you point out that he should double check the entire dwelling just in case.
  
  "What? But we got 'em all! I mean if any were still alive they would've attacked by now."
  "Not necessarily. A few of the smarter ones will actually find some place to hide and attack when you think you're safe and let your guard down. Trust me, you better double check. It might be boring, but this is part of the job and you will do it if you want to stay alive. And while you're at it bring the bodies of the dead ones back here for skinning. You always need proof and the furs usually fetch a good price. It's a good way to earn extra money. Off your go, and if I hear any more whining from your apprenticeship is at an end and you truly will be on your own."
  
  Ulivik certainly doesn't want that, so he obeys what you tell him to do. You can sort of tell his "hero worship" is already starting to wane a bit though, but that's good. It'll keep him grounded and show him that this isn't some glorious profession that he thinks it is. You figure after about a week of this and he'll probably be ready to go back to wanting to take up his dad's business or at least considering it.
  
  Eventually after all the double checking, skinning and some sleep you head back to Kenneth's Rest.
  
  "I know I asked you this earlier, but it bears repeating. Is it everything you thought it would be?"
  "Some of it I suppose, I dunno it's weird. Part of me almost wants to go back to take up my dad's business." He says, causing you to smile to yourself at being correct.
  "Well if you want to get out, the best time to do it is when you're ahead. If you're going to stick with it though, I'm going to warn you, my combat training is only going to get tougher."
  "Tougher? But you saw me handle myself."
  "I saw you nearly get your head bitten off several times if I hadn't been there to help. And if you think if I'm being mean, you have no idea what being mean really is. MY first training instructor was a sadistic svelk bitch and out of all the people I've ever met, she still ranks number one."
  "So is this why you agreed to train me? Some sort of revenge then?" Ulivik asks.
  "Ha ha ha! Is that what you think? If I was going to hold grudges for something like that, I'd be bringing genocide to the svelk race. No, if anything she helped me survive and that's what I'm trying to do for you, assuming you even want to pursue this path. I'd say you'd better decide what your priorities are between now and by the time we get our payment from Kenneth."
  
  Ulivik is silent for the rest of the way, makes for a nice change. Still, you are wondering if he's going to let his steadily decreasing opinion of you change his mind about being a merc. Eventually you get back to Kenneth's Rest which is busy as usual, you also run into another face you haven't seen in a while, though you weren't really missing it in the first place.
  
  "Well if it isn't the infamous Bane of Rask, heard you were around." Eldolith remarks with her small group of svelk milling about behind her.
  "Eldolith, I notice your little band of cutthroats is getting smaller and smaller. Keep this up and you'll soon have no more warm bodies to hide behind and actually have to do the fighting yourself."
  "And I've heard you acquired yourself a new one. What's wrong, human aging finally catching up with you at last Eternal? Is this him? A svelk? Hmmm he is very young, is he your pleasure boy?"
  
  Before you can reply, Ulivik steps up and speaks.
  
  "I am a mercenary, like you and the rest of our kind!"
  
  This of course causes laughter among Edolith and her men.
  
  "You? You're no mercenary, let alone one of our kind following around a human like some harlot in heat. No, what you are is a poor mockery of what a svelk should be. Now be gone, your mere presence offends me." Edolith says and turns her back on you both. Ulivik nearly takes the bait, but you intervene and hold him back from getting himself killed. Eldolith and the rest of her group laugh and head to the inn.
  
  "Easy, there. Words nothing more. I'm sure you've heard worse when you were still working as a tanner."
  "Perhaps, but this is different! I'm a mercenary now, not some weakling tanner!"
  "To most you're still a snot nosed kid that doesn't know shit and that would be a correct assessment, especially to a svelk. Now I'm sure harsh words from one of your own kind has filled you with a bruised ego, anger and disappointment, but if you try to challenge her, she'd cut you down before you even knew what was happening, as would any of her men."
  "We could take them together!"
  "We? No, I might be able to take them. You on the other hand would get in my way and get yourself killed. Besides I am here to train you to become a mercenary, not be your personal avenger. Part of this training is learning when to pick your battles. Now I suggest you ignore her words for now, and let us get our payment from Kenneth. Money tends to cheer most up."
  
  Ulivik obeys and follows, then he asks an amusing question.
  
  "Is she the svelk bitch you spoke of that trained you?"
  "Ha ha, no not her. Eldolith pales in comparison. No, she's just another arrogant svelk merc that likes to do a lot of posturing. She's actually really insecure about her leadership position. Always has been, even when she was hired by the Empire decades ago, but those are stories for another time."
  
  You and Ulivik soon meet up with Kenneth who gives you your payment. This does cheer up Ulivik a little and soon he's forgotten Eldolith's insults. Predictably he spends most of his coin on some strumpet looking for an easy mark, she still gives him a good time though.
  
  The next day, Ulivik's training continues as it does for at least a year after which time you figure he's ready to go out on his own. He's still a little reckless for his own good, but you can sense he really does want to be independent. His hero worship of you is gone and he may even dislike you now, but the respect is still there as it always has been.
  
  Part of you feels glad that the "job" is over with, but another part of you feels a sense of loss. As strange as it may seem, you started not minding Ulivik's company. It's been a long time since you've lead anybody into battle or otherwise. Ulivik may have only been one svelk trainee, but it still brought back memories of the "old days". The old days, back when you had more of a purpose.
  
  In some ways training Ulivik gave you a higher purpose than just killing for coin again. You also think back to Eldolith's words about human aging. Sure they're meaningless now, but how long can you truly keep up a mercenary life? You are definitely in better shape than most humans your age and barring violence you still probably have several years left, but the future is something you are starting to ponder about. Despite being an Eternal, you ARE still human, and from your own experience, being an Eternal does not make one immortal. Growing "old" is something you never considered, at one time you always figured you'd just die in battle one day. That day may still come, but even you have to admit that the prospect of dying in battle no longer holds the same "appeal" as it once did when you were in the service of the Empire.
  
  At one time you also wondered what other skills you had besides killing. Now you see that you haven't given yourself as much credit as you should have. You have decades of combat experience behind you, experience that you could easily pass on to others if they were willing to pay for the knowledge.
  
  You begin to entertain the idea that maybe you should open up some sort of combat training school. The more you think about it, the more the idea appeals to you. You're going to have to remain a mercenary for quite awhile still as you attempt to gain the coin to get such a place started, and probably still go on jobs even a little afterwards, but you feel like you have a true purpose again.
  
  And so you set off with your new goal in mind... 
  > Continue
  Year 55
  
  After another hard day of training various citizens of Rask, you lie in your bed thinking about how much has changed over the years. Never did you think that you'd be running a real business, though to be honest if it wasn't for legitimate paranoia on the part of the Rask Alliance, you'd probably be spending all of your time still as a merc, as it stands you're practically responsible for training the closest thing to an army that Rask has, though it's probably more of an organized militia.
  
  It'll be the first line of defense if the Eternal Dominion starts to look to this way for expansion. When the ED started re-conquering the old territory of the Empire it was only natural that the towns and villages of Rask started getting worried. They didn't break away from the Empire only to replace it with something similar or worse. It was just their luck (and yours) that you wanted to become a professional combat instructor. Soon people from all over Rask were coming to see you. You hardly ever have to do any sort of mercenary work anymore and the mayor of Keplavisk is overjoyed by the fact that you set up shop in his town.
  
  As for the Eternal Dominion threat, you aren't sure what to think. There has been no formal declaration of war or even a diplomatic visit to Rask yet, but that doesn't mean there won't be, Rask has lots of resources after all. Still, the ED has its hands full still trying to keep everyone in line from the top to the bottom while attempting to gain more holdings. Mass orc migration to Rask are becoming common, even the svelk are more welcome in Rask again. Partly due to the possible need for more mercs if war comes to pass and partly due to dark elves being disliked by the ED, which apparently frowns upon mercenaries (and probably the attitudes of the dark elves in general).
  
  You have to hand it to "General" Edgar though, you didn't think he'd be able to get those chaotic brats calling themselves "eternals" organized, though it sounds like they're still as sadistic as ever and if the rumors are true, another generation of Eternals are being trained as well. You can't even imagine what they're going to be like. If war is coming like everyone thinks it is, you know immediately that you're probably going to be nominated and begged by the various mayors and council members to be some sort of commander. You aren't sure if you'd accept the position though you probably will mainly because you don't want to be bothered moving anymore and you'll be damned if you'll live under the rule of some half assed Eternals.
  
  Part of you wonders what the hell is going through Edgar's mind. He seemed more level headed the last time you saw him, like the incident with Kane forced him to mature, but you guess his aspirations for personal glory were just too great to keep suppressed for long. You also wonder about Brenda, she's the only other old Eternal that was left, and you have no idea if she's even still alive or serving with Edgar. You get your answer and then some in a few days.
  
  Another hard day of training various citizens of Rask and you're ready to close up shop and then two figures wearing hoods enter. You have flashbacks to fighting the Shadow Guard and you draw your sword.
  
  "Hold on! It's me! Warrick! See?" a familiar voice says and reveals himself from under the hood. The face is much older than you remember and sporting an eye patch, and the hair is now nearly gone. But considering you thought Warrick to be dead, you aren't completely convinced until the second cloaked figure reveals herself and speaks.
  
  "I told you wearing these things was a bad idea. He probably thought we were Shadow Guards!" she says. Her face is also much older and the hair is completely gray, but you definitely know this one is Brenda. Between the pair of them it truly makes you realize how much time has passed since you saw them.
  "And I told you, we need to keep a low profile, this situation is dangerous to the both of us." Warrick says.
  
  "Warrick back from the dead and Brenda, I was just recently thinking about what had become of you."
  "We need to talk to you about Edgar." Warrick says cutting right to the point.
  "Yeah I thought so... okay let me lock up and we can talk about this in my quarters."
  
  The first thing you find out is that Warrick is now working for the Felkan Kingdom. He says it's a long story, but it has its roots in his becoming disillusioned with the Empire much like you did. Warrick also goes on to say that's one of the reasons why he's here. Edgar definitely has plans to attack it in the future and the crown hopes to avoid another long and troublesome war by recruiting allies this time. He mentions real Felkan diplomats will probably be arriving in Rask soon to speak with the leaders of the towns, but he was sent to specifically reach out to you, because whether you knew it or not, your reputation here carries weight.
  
  As for Brenda, her position is much more dangerous. She is currently serving the Eternal Dominion, (another long story) but is trying to encourage an underground dissident movement. Not really difficult considering how oppressive Edgar's regime is. It is the hope of the Felkan Kingdom that the ED will wear itself out on keeping down riots and other potential conquests like Rask before it turns its eyes on the Felkan Kingdom.
  
  You tell Warrick that he's probably wasted a trip as the paranoid mentality of the Raskians are already preparing for war with the ED and will have no problem allying with the Felkan Kingdom and that you'll no doubt be called upon to command the people you've been training. Warrick seems relived to hear that, and you and he begin to do a little catching up. Brenda participates as well, though the whole time she seems a little preoccupied. Eventually as the night goes on, Warrick says he must be getting back to report to his superiors. Brenda says that she is not ready to leave as she wishes to speak to you about Roldan and his last days with you. Warrick understands, but warns her that she should not be away for too long so as to arouse suspicion. He would hate to have her sacrifices should lead to her death.
  
  "Sacrifices... as if he would know about such things. When the Empire needed him the most what did he do? He ran to the fucking enemy. Now his new masters give him commands and the running lapdog thinks he's free, but he's still a slave." She remarks with distain, before continuing.
  
  "Edgar may be an egomaniac with delusions of grandeur like he always was, but he at least tried to keep the Empire together, even if it is in a different form now. He believes in something better, even if he's not exactly intelligent enough to carry out that idea. And you, you're worst of them all. You just dropped out altogether and dedicating yourself to nothing, but coin like a fucking svelk. What the hell happened to you? You used be our leader."
  "I'm not exactly sure what your point is, but if this all pent up anger at me due to Roldan dying I... "
  "Don't you dare fucking mention him! I heard enough of hollow apologies in that damn letter you wrote to me."
  "They were Eternals as we all are. Dying in combat is always a possibility for us, I know their deaths weren't the most glorious, but at the time they died doing something they believed in. I can hardly help that the institution that they believed in, crumbled soon afterwards. I tried like hell to maintain my own belief in the Empire despite having it time after time again tested. Eventually I saw the light when I had to command a bunch of those new eternals while attempting to put down mass riots near the capital. Was leaving the right decision? I don't know, but it was for ME. The fact is ALL of our lives were nothing but duty and dedication to a corrupt government that deserved none of it. Kane knew that, Gruz knew that, and as much as I still hate them to this day, the Shadow Guard knew that. When the Empire was in its death throes it affected us all differently. I can't help the fact that you decided to stay loyal and it didn't work out resulting in you eventually having to capitulate to Edgar later on. At least you and Roldan had an experience that none of us will ever have. You have at least that to cherish."
  
  Brenda is silent for a moment as she takes in your statement. She looks at a ring on her finger, which is obviously still her wedding ring to Roldan. She smiles and then speaks.
  
  "You're right I suppose. You usually were when we all served under you. Even you couldn't have prevented the Empire from falling, the damage was done long before we came into existence. I guess I just never got over Roldan's death and had nobody except you to blame since you were the only one still alive. The funny thing is I didn't start blaming you until I found out you left the Empire. You were always our leader, and it seemed unthinkable that you would leave willingly. You know I think none of us really saw anyone else as their leader except you. It's probably why Kane wanted you to join him, it's no doubt why Warrick insisted on reaching out to you and it's why Edgar sent me... "
  "Excuse me?"
  "One of the things you were wrong about and Warrick too. I am not helping him though he still thinks I am. There is no underground resistance, or at least none that matters. Warrick and his Felkan masters think they can undermine the Eternal Dominion, but they are quite wrong. When Edgar first came to me and explained his cause and ideas I realized it was a just and worthy one. I joined in an effort to help with some of the details that Edgar himself is not nearly as skilled at, still he has proven himself to be more charismatic than he once was, at least to the other eternals and that's who is mainly important. He wants to create a nation where we Eternals are in control, as it should've been."
  "... so why would he want me for, wouldn't he consider me an enemy like Warrick?"
  "No, not like Warrick. While your abandonment did sadden Edgar, he always figured you had a good reason. He never questioned it. And now that you've told me your views I see he was right. It's really quite odd to see how high of regard he holds you. I guess your time with him during Kane's attempted secession really impacted him."
  
  "Brenda, this is a lot to take in, what exactly are you expecting from me then?"
  "As Warrick said, your reputation carries weight here and you have the ear of several of the mayors here. Perhaps you could explain to them that even with training that resistance will be useless and that the ED will just slaughter everyone. Better that they should surrender now and have a benevolent overseer such as... you running things."
  "And you really think Raskians are going to go for that idea?"
  "What does it matter? They are going to be conquered eventually anyway. I merely suggest other options to Edgar's plan, which was to convince you to just come with me where you could take command of a battalion to conquer Rask seeing as you know the place the best."
  "Heh, sounds like him. So what was the plan if I refuse altogether? Killing me I suppose?"
  "Didn't come up though I even asked him about it, but as I said Edgar really believes that you'll help us. Perhaps in some way he didn't want to think about the alternative. I'm guessing that you are considering the alternative?"
  "Don't see why I shouldn't, do you?"
  "You would have a true purpose again. Serving an idea greater than yourself."
  "I have a true purpose now. I'm training others to fight against those that would take their lives. The Raskians don't want to be ruled over and quite frankly neither do I, let alone by Edgar."
  "No! You would be different! You, like myself would be given an equal place in the decision making process! Even the other Eternal don't get that."
  "Yeah, that's the other thing, I'm loathed to live in a land that considers those new... things, eternals."
  "They are much different now, true they still have their sadistic streak, but only towards the non-eternals and who cares about them?"
  "I'm sure the non-eternals do, and while they may very well be inferior, enough of them can topple any government. We saw it happen, and it'll happen to you too if you aren't careful."
  "So are you saying you won't join us?"
  
  You get the impression that if you say no, she's going to attack you and you'll have to defend yourself. Killing Brenda is something you do not want to do, but lying and saying yes is duplicity you'd rather not engage in.
  > say no
  You didn't lie to Kane when he wanted you to join him and you aren't going to lie to Brenda, but you are going to try to reason with her.
  
  "Brenda, I didn't join Kane all those years ago, because his path wasn't mine and I'm not joining you and Edgar for the same reasons. However I would hope that we don't end up like me and him did."
  "What you think I'm going to try to kill you? No, I doubt if I could by myself. I fear I probably haven't kept up my combat skills as honed as you have. To be quite honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to do, if you rejected the offer. I guess I'll give Edgar the bad news, but I know he's not going to take it well and he'll definitely attack this place with his army and I doubt if you'll be spared for old times sake."
  "Then you're going to have to convince him not to. Look, this place is not going to bend to his will. The paranoia and the idea of freedom is stronger here than it has ever been. If you attack Rask, be prepared to suffer considerable losses as I personally will make sure of it. This is my home now. I'm not leaving and I'm not serving another empire either. Even if you win, you will not easily recover from the losses let alone be able to fight the Felkan Kingdom, in fact they will most likely take advantage of the chaos. Now you've been in contact with Warrick long enough to know that the Felkan Kingdom is counting on you being disorganized and weak from attacking Rask. If you want to play it smart? Attack them instead and don't worry about Rask."
  "What's stopping Rask from attacking us if they ally with the Felkan Kingdom?"
  "They won't trust me. The Felkan Kingdom can send all the diplomats they want, but the Raskians are ultimately not going to stick their necks out for them."
  "And you think Edgar will go for this idea?"
  "You know what? He'll go for it, because if he TRULY respects me, he'll fucking listen to my advice which has never steered him wrong, not to mention I saved his damn life more than once. I'm telling you to tell him, that he needs to consolidate his forces, get his house in order, maybe retake a few other areas of the old Empire and THEN attack the Felkan Kingdom if he absolutely needs to. Rask is just death zone, it didn't do the Empire any good and they only held on to it for as long as they did because I was here. I say that not as a boast, but as truth. Does Edgar have anyone like me in his army? I doubt it. The hostile inhabitants here didn't call me the Bane of Rask for nothing. A name, which I'm still called, even by those I'm helping. If he sets an army in these lands, I'll make sure they'll start calling me the Bane of Edgar."
  
  Brenda smiles a bit again at your last remark.
  
  "You always did have a way with words. I missed that sometimes. Okay, well I guess I'll go then, to deliver your message."
  "Brenda y'know there is another option. You could stay here, or go somewhere else. You don't need to follow Edgar. You're fully capable of doing something else with your life."
  "Trust me, it's tempting. I even thought about joining Warrick when he first approached me, but it's not for me. Warrick's path to me is one of a traitor, even if I do understand it and your path is one of freedom... something I guess I just can't comprehend. I still need the structure and hierarchy. I dunno, maybe I just need to be with other likeminded Eternals. None of them are Roldan, but I don't feel as lonely."
  
  And there it is at last. The real reason why Brenda is following Edgar, you knew it couldn't be because she blindly believed in his cause. You can't imagine what is going on in her head and there will be no talking her out of her choice, but you're glad you won't have to fight her and hopefully her message to Edgar will get through to him as well. You bid farewell to Brenda, probably for the last time. You go to bed that night, but you don't really sleep, you just wonder what events the coming months will hold.
  
  Months pass and just as Warrick said, diplomats from the Felkan Kingdom visit Rask. As you thought, they get a lot of promises of an alliance and some trade deals, but that's about it. The general consensus of the Raskians is that they won't be committing any troops unless war comes directly to their doorsteps. Great, now you just hope that Edgar follows your advice... 
  
  Year 58
  
  Edgar took your advice, or at least you guess he did. He never attacked Rask. Never even sent anyone, he did however send thousands across the Felkan borders a couple years ago. The war is still going on and you hear it's even more brutal than the one with the Empire. Edgar has adapted with the times unlike the Empire and is implementing stolen technology from the Felkans. You can only imagine how Warrick is faring and while it is unfortunate, you stopped being their "leader" decades ago and their motives, goals and dreams are their own concerns not yours.
  
  And your only concern lately is getting old. Every day you notice new pains in your joints and muscles. You're slower than you once were and not quite as strong anymore. You wonder how your fellow Eternals feel about getting old, though perhaps due to still being engaged in warfare, maybe they don't dwell on it as much. Brenda and Warrick will probably expect to die in battle, as for Edgar, the fool probably believes he'll live forever.
  
  You don't have as many students anymore, as many of the other towns have taken to creating their own combat schools, mostly run by those you taught. Mercenary work is even harder to come by nowadays; thanks to you each town actually has competent militias that can clean out hostiles without much mercenary aid anymore. Indeed they need something to do considering Edgar never attacked Rask.
  
  Even the ogre tribes in the far north have settled down. Last you heard, Flog "retired" at one of their primitive villages, a forced wedding to an ogre bride for killing her husband to be. Bet he wishes he'd died with his fellows at Fort Defiance now! Eldolith ended up taking her remaining men to work for the Felkan Kingdom, one of the last mercenary squads to stay in Rask.
  
  Ulivik said his goodbyes to his family and you even before the mercenary work dried up. Said he was bored of it and wanted to see more of the world and become an "adventurer." You think his parents were even less pleased to hear that than when he wanted to be a merc, and you've never quite understood the appeal of the wandering life of an adventurer either, but you wished him the best. When he left, he thanked you one more time for taking the time to teach him when nobody else would.
  
  You were always glad he got over his resentment of you due to your harsh training. And while it is true you did initially train him for coin and swore an oath to his parents to look after him during that time, it is because of those actions that you discovered a little more about yourself and focused yourself in the direction to open up your combat school.
  
  Of course your actions have now changed Rask to an extent that you may have very well put yourself out of a job, but you aren't worried. You still get students from Keplavisk, so you'll probably always have a bit of business. Even if you don't, you've been doing some saving over the years.
  
  You can only prepare yourself now, for whatever changes might come in the future.
  > Continue
  Year 65
  
  You get a knock on the door to which causes you to wonder who would be bothering you at this time of night. You're more than a little annoyed since you were sleeping.
  
  "Go away, I ain't getting up." you say from your chair trying to go back to sleep.
  "Open the fuck up, you useless old man!" you hear from outside and it's enough to motivate you to answer it and punch out the fool who said it. When you open it however, an unexpected visitor meets you.
  
  "Ulivik?"
  "Yeah, it's me! Well, aren't you going to invite me in?" he laughs.
  "Yeah sure." You say and the both of you head to your quarters to sit and talk. You still shaking the cobwebs after being awaken from your slumber.
  
  "Were you asleep?"
  "Yeah, what of it?"
  "Nothing! Just sort of surprised, I mean I know it's night, but its still pretty early."
  "Eh, it's been kind of a lazy day today, felt like sleeping for most of it."
  "You didn't teach a class today?"
  "Class? School's been officially closed for about two years now. I mean I get few people that seek me out looking to increase their skills every once in awhile, but nowadays everyone goes to that new military academy they opened up here."
  "Oh, I was wondering what that big new building looming near the edge of town was, so they didn't offer you a job there?"
  "Eh, they did, but I didn't want it. People who I originally trained run it and most of them I didn't even like when I was teaching them, so I'd rather not have to follow whatever silly guidelines they've come up with for that place. Anyway, I sometimes get paid to give speeches on tactics and strategies there. I get by. So where have you been and what brings you back?"
  
  Ulivik mentions he mainly returned to when he heard his father had died and that he's probably going to be around for a while to look after his mother. He then excitedly goes on about his various adventures of exploring ruins, caves and finding treasures and lost trinkets. Not enough to get rich, but he's not in it for that. You enjoy hearing about it all, it's not like you really go anywhere or do as much anymore. And as the years go on, you are finding yourself with less and less to do. You sort of thought your school and teaching would occupy your time and that if you got bored of that you could always break it up with a little mercenary work. But both of those options are pretty much closed off to you at this point, at least in Rask. The place is less wild and more peaceful now than it ever was under the Empire.
  
  You could move you suppose, but it's not such a bad life maybe you should just settle in and enjoy your elderly years in relative peace... 
  
  "..and so then I got my head split open and my entrails eaten by the clawbeast and died. Hey! Are you still with me?" Ulivik asks.
  "Huh? Yeah you got your entrails eaten and died." You answer.
  "Well glad to see you're still listening." Ulivik laughs.
  "Sorry, just a little preoccupied. Anyway, go on."
  
  Ulivik knows something's up with you, and he's got a pretty good idea what it is.
  
  "Hey, have you ever thought about leaving Rask and joining your old buddies in the Eternal Dominion?" he asks.
  "Wha... oh I don't think that's for me. Besides I only have two there, dunno if one of them is even still alive and I never really was exactly friends with Edgar. Speaking of which did you have much trouble traveling through the ED? I heard they aren't too fond of svelk there ever since most of your people have been hiring themselves out to the Felkans."
  Well as you once pointed out, we're not really liked anywhere we go, but I never really kept to the populated areas while in the ED so I didn't have too many problems. However, I did find that dropping your name helped me a few times. You're sort of known there."
  "Huh. Dunno, why I would be, not like I was ever part of the place. Guess Edgar really did look up to me. Unexpected."
  "Didn't he offer you a job too one time?"
  "Yeah. Don't think it's still available though. Like I said, my time serving big governments is over with. I wasted more than thirty years of my life doing it. Not going to waste the remaining years I have left even if it's a high position of power. Besides, I'm still not sure that I wouldn't have to kill Edgar if I ever got into an argument with him over something."
  "Surely it would be more interesting than sleeping all day."
  "Hah, probably. I dunno, I just feel like Edgar's Eternal Dominion is just mimicking a lot of the old Empire. Sure it's doing well now, but ultimately it's going to fall just like the Empire did, so what's the point?"
  "Hmm, well you could offer your services to the Felkan Kingdom, I think they could use the help."
  "Yeah, no. I'm not into lost causes. Did that before too and saw the results. The Felkan Kingdom could've won the war if they didn't fight so defensively. There were many times early in the