The Thunderer’s home was delightfully humble in Leon’s opinion. It was relatively small, built around only a single courtyard, but it was located quite close to the Elder Hall. Due to its size and the Thunderer’s power, it wasn’t heavily guarded, either, with only two people rising to meet Leon as he drew close. It was, however, quite well-fortified with strong enchantments, and it was located close to another building that the Thunderer had constructed to house the government he’d been establishing. Leon knew the Thunderer was at his home given just how many people were moving between his home and the government building.
“Halt!” the stronger of the two Tribesmen rising to meet him and his entourage shouted. He was only of the sixth-tier whereas the other was fifth. Given their long red hair and impressive stature, Leon guessed bother were Bears. “State your name and reason for approach!”
“I am Leon Raime,” Leon swiftly declared, not wanting anyone else to take that privilege. Much like the Royal style that his Tribes had been using for him, a part of him quite liked it when others introduced him, but on the whole, he preferred introducing himself. “I’m here to speak with the Thunderer.”
Leon didn’t elaborate much, trusting that the two would know who he was and not press for information. The widening of their eyes and flickering of their auras told him he was right in the former, at least.
“W-Wait here,” the sixth-tier Bear half-whispered as he glanced at his comrade, then plummeted to the courtyard below, quickly vanishing inside.
Leon and his people hovered there for a moment, Leon feeling a little awkward as he stared at the remaining guard with some amusement. The fifth-tier mage appeared older than Leon, yet he seemed to be doing his level best not to stare. His aura was frantic and his lips were strained, though slightly curling upward. If Leon had to guess, he would’ve said the man was excited.
So, he said, “Surely, it won’t be an issue if we wait on the ground?” Without waiting for a response, he dropped from the sky.
“Wait!” the fifth-tier guard called out, but Leon ignored him, as did his followers. A moment later, he touched down on the gray stone tiles of the Thunderer’s empty courtyard. There were a few people in the surrounding peristyle who stopped and stared due to his arrival, but Leon focused on standing there looking confident and unconcerned with what could be seen as invading the home of a tenth-tier mage.
Fortunately, no one did say anything, and as his family, retainers, and knights landed all around him, the Thunderer himself stepped out into the courtyard, followed closely by both Hector and the sixth-tier guard.
“What is this insolence?!” Hector immediately shouted before being silenced by the Thunderer with a single raised hand.
The Thunderer coldly stared at Leon, his expression impassive. After tacitly offering the man the initiative and having him respond with silence, Leon decided to speak first.
“Thunderer! We have some important matters to discuss regarding the meeting of the Elder Council in a couple days!” He kept his tone light and inviting, but he narrowed his eyes in a silent indication that he wasn’t asking.
The Thunderer didn’t let even a spark of emotion pass over his face, but the Tiger behind him looked incensed. If the Thunderer had lowered his hand, Leon guessed that Hector would be screaming in anger. As it was, it almost felt like Hector was trying to set him on fire with his eyes.
After what felt like close to an eternity, the Thunderer finally said, “Very well.”
Without another word, he turned slightly and his raised hand lowered slightly to welcome Leon inside.
“Wait here,” Leon ordered his followers.
[Are you sure?] Gaius silently asked. He attracted a few more looks from his people, all asking him the same thing in one way or another, but he just smiled and nodded. Gaius frowned but restrained himself from asking any further questions.
Leon then strode forward into the proffered hallway. The Thunderer fell in beside him, and Leon assumed Hector was ordered to stay behind as well as the Tiger didn’t follow them despite looking like he very much wanted to.
Neither he nor the Thunderer spoke until they were alone in the Thunderer’s office, surrounded by powerful privacy enchantments. The Thunderer immediately took a seat in an armchair and waited for Leon to do the same. Leon, however, took a moment to check out the Thunderer’s office.
It was as spartan as the rest of the house, with few decorations. The furniture was aesthetically pleasing and was undoubtedly quite expensive, but there wasn’t even a tapestry or painting on the wall and there wasn’t a single relief or statue to be seen. It was a fully functional office, devoid of more personal touches that anyone else might’ve put in their workspace.
After taking the place’s measure and finding that he appreciated the business-like atmosphere, Leon took a seat in another armchair across from the Thunderer and turned his scrutinizing gaze to his opponent.
He was deadly serious, his emotions completely impenetrable. He couldn’t discern even a hint as to what was flying through the man’s head at the moment. But since the Thunderer didn’t seem like he wanted to speak first, Leon took the initiative again.
“So,” he said, “we have that vote coming up. I don’t think the Ten Tribes has had one so consequential in all their history, nor will they have another like it for a long time.”
The Thunderer tilted his head slightly and his stoic demeanor finally cracked as he replied, “As you say. The matter of how we will rule ourselves is of paramount importance, and everyone is taking it seriously.”
“Quite seriously,” Leon agreed. “In some people’s case, they’re taking it perhaps a little too seriously.”
The Thunderer gave him a questioning look that Leon could translate without effort.
“I’ll explain what I mean by that in a moment. First, though, I would ask you a question, and I hope that you’ll see fit to answer me honestly.”
“That will depend on the question. I don’t want to hand out guarantees for such unknowns.”
“Good, I like that philosophy. Then I’ll get right to it: I believe that the Ten Tribes should decide their fate peacefully, not by force of arms. Do you agree with me?”
“All who desire to bring prosperity to the Tribes believe this.”
“And do you count yourself among them?”
“Yes.”
“Then scheming to win it by underhanded means is an illegitimate tactic?”
The Thunderer’s eyes narrowed. “Define ‘scheming’.”
Leon grinned. “Using dishonorable or illegal means to acquire votes. I know that that’s a broad statement, so I’ll also say that I don’t include normal politicking in it. Convincing a Tribe or even singular elders isn’t what I’m talking about. I’m talking about levying threats or using violence to get what you want. I’m talking about plotting against fellow Tribes for perceived slights.”
“It is the duty of all Tribesmen to work for the betterment of the Tribes,” the Thunderer answered. “Those who conspire to harm their fellow Tribes are unwelcome on Kataigida.” He leaned forward and gave Leon an intense glare. “They especially aren’t welcome in positions of power.”
“I would agree with that sentiment,” Leon began with a smirk, “if I thought you meant it.”
The Thunderer’s glare magnified in intensity. “You doubt my intentions? My sincerity?” His aura began to rise in tandem with his anger.
“How can I not when those who’ve sworn themselves to you had to be browbeaten and threatened into it? How can I not when your own Tribe conspires to attack the Jaguars no matter which way the vote goes?”
The Thunderer chuckled to himself despite his aura not decreasing at all in ferocity. “Those are quite the accusations. Extraordinary accusations require extraordinary evidence, you know.”
“Then allow me to wave my hand and conjure some from the air!” Leon dramatically said, though he didn’t move. “I don’t actually have any, but for a man such as yourself, a cursory look around your side will reveal the truth.”
Leon sighed and leaned back in his seat and averted his eyes from the Thunderer. He didn’t mind if the Thunderer was angry, but he didn’t want the Thunderer to be murderous.
“I can accept,” he said after a moment, “that you truly want what’s best for the Ten Tribes. I wouldn’t be here otherwise; I’d just trust in the votes I’ve collected to oust you from power and let that be the end of it. But right now… well, I believe that you are sincere in your desire for peace among the Tribes. That you’re honest in your desire to bring them power and prosperity. So here I am, hoping we can find a peaceful resolution to our current arrangement before anyone has the chance to bring unpleasantness to the island.”
“Are you threatening me?” the Thunderer demanded.
“No,” Leon easily replied. “As I said, it is your side who intends to bring war and death to this island. I heard it from the Beast Lord’s own lips: your birth Tribe is planning on attacking the Jaguars no matter how the vote is decided. Whether or not you remain in power doesn’t matter. Hector seemed all-in on the idea, and I believe that he intends to join in with whatever force he can spare. Given you placed him in charge of the army you’ve built—mostly from Hector’s own Tribe, no less—I can believe that he can spare quite a bit of force.”
“You claim that scheming is an illegitimate tactic, yet you come here to spin lies for your own benefit?” the Thunderer growled.
“Poor lies they are, if they are, indeed, lies,” Leon replied. “All it would take is a few cursory questions, just some due diligence on your part, and they’d be exposed. As it is, you’re the only tenth-tier mage on the entire island; you occupy a unique position among the Ten Tribes. If we can pledge to keep any disagreements between us peaceful, then peace is retained within the Tribes.”
“I have no intention of allowing peace to be broken,” the Thunderer said. “We have not fought each other for many thousands of years; I will not allow that streak to be broken under my watch!”
“Good,” Leon stated.
Silence fell between them for a long moment. Leon wanted to give the Thunderer some time to mull over what he’d said, for his words to take root in the Thunderer’s mind before speaking his next piece. As far as he could tell, it was time well spent as the Thunderer didn’t seem quite so intent on trying to stare a hole through his face anymore.
“I’d like to also say,” Leon eventually said, “that I respect you a great deal, Thunderer. I wasn’t aware of the taboo among your Tribe of using old names, and when Nikolaos used one of yours during your visit to Raikos wasn’t something I would’ve allowed had I known at the time.”
“You seek to be our King, yet you know so little about us,” the Thunderer softly replied. “Yet, I appreciate the thought. Thank you.”
Leon smiled and nodded. “More than our Tribes, I want us to remain at peace. I don’t disagree with the need for the Ten Tribes to centralize in order to grow stronger. I believe that what you’ve done so far is good for the Tribes as a whole. If I were to replace you, I don’t think I’d change anything on its face. The balance of power between the Tribes and the Empires has to change somehow, and reforming Tribal society is a good way to achieve that. I want to assure you of that.”
“If you wish for me to surrender, I will not,” the Thunderer said. “I still believe that my people have moved beyond needing Kings. I do not want to be King, nor do I want to see us return to the servitude of our Ancestors.”
“Have you ever spoken to the Booming Brown Bear of your concerns?” Leon asked.
The Thunderer looked a little taken aback. After a moment of silence, he replied with some disbelief, “Our Ancestors do not guide us so directly…”
Leon grinned in solidarity. “The Thunderbird was the same. My Clan declined hard without its core members, without Jason Keraunos there to unite them. Still, it took thousands of years for all our many branches throughout the universe to wither. During this fall, the Thunderbird remained silent, as she had for ages beyond counting.
“When my father was… when he died, and I was left the sole remaining bearer of the Thunderbird’s power… the Thunderbird continued to remain silent. I saw her once, briefly, when my power was awoken, and I rose to the second-tier. The Thunderbird did eventually reveal herself to me and offer herself as a mentor of sorts after I reached the sixth-tier, but even then, she still has her own maddeningly-unpredictable schedule. Sometimes, she comes to me once a day to train and talk. Oftentimes, however, she’ll go for weeks without visiting. I haven’t spoken to her since before I reached Kataigida.”
“You are lucky,” the Thunderer said, “to have so personal a connection with the Most Venerable.”
“I know, and I do my best to appreciate it as much as I can,” Leon replied. After a moment of silence, he continued, “I want to rebuild my Clan and to bring as many of those who are yet loyal to its memory with me to glory and prosperity as I can. And fighting with you would be detrimental to that goal. No matter what, I would like us to commit, even if only here, privately between ourselves, to not disturb this peace. To condemn any violence between the Tribes no matter who starts it?”
The Thunderer nodded in agreement. “An easy thing to agree to. I do not want you dead, either, Leon Raime. I only want the Ten Tribes to move forward in their own direction, not to be dragged back to the system that trapped us upon this plane so long ago.”
Leon rose from his chair and took a couple steps forward, not quite getting in the Thunderer’s personal space, but close enough to reach out his arm and offer it to the man.
The Thunderer looked rather surprised by the gesture, but he hesitantly rose from his seat as well and clasped Leon’s forearm.
“Peace,” Leon said with a smile.
The Thunderer responded with a smile of his own, one that looked more genuine than any he’d put on since the meeting began. “Peace,” he said.
---
The time had almost come. Leon stood outside of the guest palace in the Jaguar district, his gaze fixed south. The Elder Council would meet in a matter of hours, and the Hawks and Ravens could be seen in the distance, moving as quickly as they could. Most of the Hawks were flying under their own power, either purely using magic power, or by transforming and using their wings. The Ravens, on the other hand, were showcasing their wealth and prowess of engineering by flying in a dozen arks.
Leon, as excited as he was to have them finally arrive, was just a little disappointed. Though they’d had a few weeks to organize as much as they could, neither Tribe was able to bring all of their available elders with them since they were the most distant from Stormhollow.
The Hawks, with their army still on the Sword, had forty-four elders on the island, more beast problems in the east—though none quite as serious as what Leon had helped deal with—they could only bring twenty-eight of their elders.
The Ravens were better, but many of their elders had returned home after swearing their oaths to Leon, confident that they’d have more than just a few weeks to prepare. Of their ninety-eight elders, they’d only managed to wrangle together seventy-seven elders who could reach Stormhollow in time.
Leon had also been informed—quite gleefully in Menander’s case—that the six elders that he’d seen with Hector would not be participating in anything else for the remainder of time, so he could hardly count on their votes anymore. The remaining elders who lacked bloodlines were being watched carefully, but no one quite trusted them anymore.
In total, he had four hundred and forty-six votes. The Thunderer, meanwhile, was estimated to have three hundred and eighty-eight votes, so while Leon was disappointed in his numbers, things weren’t looking as dire as they could be.
He saw to it that the Hawks, who arrived first, were warmly welcomed to the city. The Ravens were a little more aloof and didn’t land in the Jaguar Tribe’s district as the Hawks had, but he welcomed them as well as they allowed him to.
Then, he met with all of his elders in the Jaguars’ front courtyard. Thousands of Tribesmen arrayed before him, including the hundreds of elders who would soon be making their support for him official in the eyes of inter-Tribal law. Chiefs and their strongest warriors had come, too, and with them were his Tempest Knights, his retainers, and his family.
Of them, only Cassandra looked upset. Leon had decided to again leave her in the palace, with all of the Tempest Knights to act as her guard. He would be surrounded by elders; he didn’t need them to guard him for this moment. As a result, Alix and Alcander would be staying as well.
With a smile, Leon walked over to his second wife and pulled a crown from his soul realm. Cassandra’s eyes widened in immediate recognition and she accepted it as he pressed it into her hands. It was the crown that the Grand Druid had given him after he’d demanded it back, the crown of Nestor’s sister Penthesilea.
“Hold onto this for me,” he said. “I’ll return a King, and you’ll no longer be a Princess, but a Queen.”
Cassandra stared at him for a long moment before a grim smile graced her face. She pulled the crown into her soul realm and simply said, “Just return.” She gave him a kiss, then walked back inside.
Leon watched her go with a deep feeling of anxiety and apprehension settling into his stomach. But he projected as much confidence as he could and turned back to his supporters.
“Let’s go!” he shouted. His supporters answered with cheers so thunderous he thought that all of Stormhollow might’ve been shaken.
And with that, he took flight and made for the Elder Hall.
It was time to become a King.
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