8

The gunfire grew louder and closer.

“We need to go.”

Clara sighed, “Okay, blow it all.”

Amere TV was one of the nation’s main broadcasters. Tech had spread throughout the rest of the world but no place was at the forefront of research and development as the Meritocracy.

But since they were only a small nation of a few million they didn’t have that many nationwide broadcasting stations. Since the number of viewers would just not be able to support the large funds needed to run the broadcasting tower and the employees salaries.

Shadow left her side, a smirk on his face. A moment later scream and shouts came from the distance and the gun fire became even more intense.

“Everyone gather, we’re leaving. Daren, your turn.” An explosion in the distance, the groaning of metal burning.

The group rushed out, and were greeted by the sight of Shadow cutting through the enemy soldiers with a nasty smile on his face.

Clara and co took a long way around while Shadow distracted/obliterated the enemy soldiers. Clara turned around just in time to see the tower falling and the rest of the ugly broadcasting station go up in flames.

“I’ve always wanted to be a reporter, ever since I was a little girl.” Samantha said. “But seeing it like this, I don’t really feel a thing.”

The janitor shrugged, “I’ve seen you when you first arrived. So full of hope. You’re not cut out for the politics girl.”

The elite gathered around the building. Clara bid them farewell and got in the car.

Shadow appeared beside her.

The driver seemed unfazed by the violence taking place outside, he turned to her and raised a brow in question.

“Return to the clan headquarters.”

Her driver shrugged then started the car. When they were on the highway he turned on the radio.

“---I mean who is this woman? We’ve never heard of her before yet she speaks as if she’s somehow related to us. I for one won’t be listening to a word she says. After all what makes her any different from the so-called upper class? Let me ask you when was the last time the upper class did anything for you?”

“Do you think this is the Elora clan trying to control the media.”

“Some of it. Some of it is real even. You won’t be getting an accurate picture of people’s impression of you from the media. Even your little stunt won’t have that much of an effect.”

She smiled, “Really, what do you think I wanted to do?”

“Cause a peasant unrissing? That’s the closest thing I can think of at least.”

“No. I can’t rely on the people, they don’t trust me, and if I’m honest I know next to nothing about them. But I do want them to be ready. When the time comes for the clan’s to decide the victor I want them to survive the clash. As things were going they weren’t really active enough. Even if I couldn’t get them to throw their loyalty at me at least they will be thinking twice before accepting any of the other clan’s support. That’s all I can ask.”

“So basically your plan was to stir the pot?”

“Yes, do you think I should have done something different?”

“No, I’m not a sociologist. I won’t know the first thing about the impact your speech might or might not have.”

Clara sighed and cupped her head in her arm, “I’m not really cut out for this.”

Shadow leaned back, then sighed, “Why do you say that?”

“I’m not a leader, I don’t care enough about the people. Even half the things I said up there was mostly lies. I’m not a fighter, I’ll never be one. I’m totally at the mercy of other to continue surviving and somehow, for some reason they don’t mind doing all of the work in my place.” Clara clenched her eyes, “I’m the most useless person in my family.”

“Your wrong,” Shadow sounded serious, “It’s not a true family if its about who’s useful, and I bet that no one ever asked you to try to be the leader, am I right?”

She nodded into her arm.

“I’m not much for pep-talks but you really need to stop being so pessimistic, if you keep looking past the things that are important you won’t be there to keep it from disappearing…”

He looked away from her and out of the window. “Trust me, if there’s one thing I learned by growing up with my group it was the importance of family. All else is secondary.”

When they arrived Teresa was there to greet her. “Welcome back miss.” Teresa was smiling, although she seemed tired she still seemed all too happy to welcome Clara back.

“I’m back.” Clara said, before trying on an uncharacteristic smile and giving Teresa a hug. “Thank you for everything Terr.”

As she stepped back Teresa’s face seemed to have lost all of the weariness that came from last night. Teresa smiled then grabbed her hand, “Come your mothers waiting for you.”

Teresa nodded to Shadow then led Clara to the main house’s living room.

Her mother was sitting on a couch next to a small coffee table. She was resting her hands on a large sword. She nodded at Teresa then looked at Clara. “Sit.”

Clara took a seat.

“I’ve seen what you did today. Plus the other stations are all over this. Everyone’s starting to wonder just who you are and why they should care.”

Amara sighed, “And despite what you think I already know why you did it. You’re too soft, and you won’t be able to handle our enemies when the time comes.”

Clara wanted to speak, but what Amara was saying was true. Back while she’d been in school she’d been considered a genius, and her tutors have always considered her to be a prodigy.

Amara went on, “Showing that you care, even though you did it for the right reasons means that the others now have something they can use against you. Suicide bombers, poisons, the meritocracy has been through all that. But this time the citizens will have to go through it again. And it’s because people know that by doing so they can control you.

“I know what you’re going to say, you’ve made a logical choice, between one thousand dying and one million dying the choice should be easy, right? But now those death’s aren’t going to be unrelated to you anymore, they’re going to casualties from the other clans trying to harm you.”

Clara was still for a moment, “What do you think the chances of them actually doing something like that?” she asked.

Amara shrugged, “Not likely, but it gets more likely the further you push them into a corner. We’ve already seriously harmed one clan.” She looked at Shadow as she said this, “If there are any more actions on our part their will be reprecussions, no matter how little you want it.”

Clara gulped, it was times like these that she realize that her dearest mother was a warrior who been through battles too many to count. “Then what should I do? If no matter what I do, people are still going to get hurt. Should I stop?”

“No,” Amara glared at her, no, she was glaring through Clara, as if looking at something on the otherside of her. “You go on, you don’t stop, no matter the deaths that follow, you don’t stop. You can’t stop, because to do so would mean that you agree with what is happening, what they are doing, and that’s something that’s even worse that death, having the power to do right, yet being to afraid of consequence to change things.”

She leaned her sword to the side and stood up. “Of course, the deaths of innocents is not something we seek, but it is also for something more than the simple preservation of life that we fight and struggle.”

Amara stepped around the coffee table, fell down next to Clara and pulled her into a hug. “You’ve never seen the outside, compared to there this place is paradise, this place, no matter the lies, its enough for me; but I know, it will never be enough for my dearest daughter.

“You actually believe in the meritocracy, don’t you?” Her mother asked.

Clara paled, it was true, no matter the lies that went through everything, she still believed that those that had proven themselves, those that served their nation were the ones meant to be in charge.

She was a long way from believing that she was that someone, but she still believed that no one self-centered ever deserved to lead others.

“I do,” she admitted.

“I’ve know this for a long time, and although you might not see it yourself, you are someone the rest of us look up to, someone who believes in justice, someone that seeks to do nothing but good. For me, even though the world has jaded me, I still feel pride that my daughter would grow to be such a person.” Amara smiled then kissed Clara on the cheek.

They spent the rest of the time updating each other on what they were doing.

Amara explained that she had been fighting against a sea monster which had been invading the coastline and also troubling the merchants from a nearby port city.

As if that wasn’t enough the pirates to the East had also taken this time to invade. All in all their forces had been pretty much tied up protecting the eastern coastline and fighting off the cultists.

This just goes to show the limits of the power they hold. If it hadn’t been for the mercenaries Teresa had brought in then they might have returned home only to find their clan house in ruins.

With a greater understanding of the situation Clara now knew what she needed. She needed allies. The Sage Guild, whether they want to or not would belong to her. As soon as she had time to go interrogate Doctor Khostra she’d make a move to take in the Sage Guild’s power as her own.

But that was still not enough, it might be enough to survive, but she needed to trample the other clans in her way if she wanted to accomplish her true desire.

Clara looked over at Teresa, “Terr, we need to talk.”

It was a dark room. Within this room sat a man. He was hunched and holding his head in his hands.

From within the darkness came a voice, “So, have you found it?”

The hunched over man suddenly looked up. Fright came into his eyes as he looked blindly at where the voice was coming from.

“Yes, but,”

“No need to worry. As long as you do your part your family will be safe with us.” The voice said.

“Then, that’s good.”

“Where are the documents?”

The man gulped the closed his eyes and shook his head. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a document.

“This is everything we found about her. And also,” He then pulled out large folder. “This is the latest report from the development teams.”

A man came out from the shadows and took the documents. “Good, you know what to do.” Then the man turned and left.

“Shadow, Teresa has told me that you’re experience in espionage. I’m going to need you to investigate the heads of the Sage Guild.”

Shadow shrugged, “Fine.”

Clara turned to Teresa, “Is there anything else you want to add concerning our plan?”

Teresa pulled her lips in a line, “It might be a little hard to execute. It might be impossible.”

“I believe in you.”

“Ha, if only it was that simple.”

“It matters not whether the plan succeeds or not, if it doesn’t then we’ll have to think of something else. But for now it’s the only option we have. And it would be remiss to not at least try.”

Teresa slowly nodded, “I agree.”

Clara sighed, “I wish I could do something more.”

Teresa smiled, “You already are. There’s no reason for you to feel down. Every day you are improving, testing the limits and beating the odds. I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished. And I’m sure that you’ll eventually lead us to a bright future.”

“You always were optimistic when it came to me.”

She looked at Shadow and Teresa, “Is there anything I should know about? Teresa, have you found out any information I would find useful?”

Teresa nodded, “Yes, there was in fact something interesting that happened today. Ever since the cult came I’ve been pushing in more people to the civilian areas, hoping to spot something before our competitors.”

“And what have you found?”

“A strange rumour it seemed at first. I followed the lead regardless, and I came across something interesting.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense will you.”

“It seems that one of the clans have a loose hier on their hands. Familial strife I assume, but what’s really strange is that he manages to survive till now.”

“You mean he wasn’t in hiding?”

Teresa shook her head, “No, he is living openly. Part of the reason that he isn’t bothered could have to do with him seemingly not wanting any part in inheriting his fortune, another part, and I think the largest contributor, is that he is under the protection of the Hollowsberg kingpin.”

“Well, well, well. That IS surprising. A hier to a clan, under the protection of THE Hollowsberg kingpin.” Clara hummed and tapped the chair while she thought. She leaned forward then mock whispered, “I assume that it doesn’t end here does it? If I know you, you wouldn’t have brought it up if you didn’t already have a plan in mind.”

Teresa nodded, “Indeed, the first thing I did was to try and find out what family the clan heir belongs to. This wasn’t too difficult, there were plenty of incidents of him and his family shouting at one another, not to mention one of these happened just recently, right after the cult attacked.”

“Why is that?”

“A concerned family member apparently, a female. According to the people living in the area the relationship between the heir and the woman is quite good, unlike with the other members of his family.”

Clara once again tapped the chair in thought, “Now, I wonder the reason he decided to leave home. Never mind the manner in which he managed to gain the kingpin’s protection.”

Teresa volunteered the information willingly, “This too was a point of gossip among the peasants. The most likely scenario was that he had a falling out with one of the family elders.”

“Elders? Then he’s a member of those so-called blue bloods?”

Teresa smiled wryly at Clara, “Some might call you a blue blood as well Clara.”

She had a point, the blue-bloods were the founding clans that have remained in the control of the their founders direct descendants. Unlike the Maribara clan, which had long since devolved into a sect without even a shred of its founding bloodline to be seen, the Harcourt was, and had always been governed by the direct descendants.

One of the reason that the Harcourt’s bloodline remained was due to the excessive genius shone throughout all of the its generations.

The Harcourts were without any elders though. It was clan policy to have everyone that was able working, although retirement was allowed it was far from encouraged from within.

“If the heir’s clan has elders then it should be either Radnunn, or the Telmera,”

“It’s the Telmera, they’ve had some internal strife I was aware of. But what was truly interesting is that there’s no news of them missing a heir.”

“And I imagine that’s where the point of contention between the heir and the elder comes from?”

“Yes, it’s a blatant takeover. After learning this news even the surcumstances around the death boy’s parents seems suspect.”

“I can imagine, so the only question now is…” Clara pushed up from her chair. “Whose side think we should take?”

Teresa seemed hesitant to respond, “The boy would be the better choice, but…”

“What’s the matter Terr?”

“I’m not certain whether the boy would be very reseptive to perswasion.”

“You’re afraid that after we help him regain his empire he might not want to subordinate himself to me and would rather want to rule by himself?”

Teresa nodded.

“Then worry not, I’m looking for allies, not servants. There’s more than enough time for that afterwards, but for now we need friends more than anything. The real question is, would he be grateful?”

Teresa stood as well, “I’ve had our psychologist look at his case, she said that although there were a few things strange he still carried a reciprocal personality. So along with being sure that he would repay our favour…”

“…We can also be sure that he’s going to pay back a little revenge on the way, isn’t that right?”

Revenge was normal, if anyone was oppressed for the majority of their life they would want revenge.

“Then you can begin. I’m going to go now, I’ll be busy for the rest of the day. In the meanwhile I bequeath you the title of regent, and allow you to reign in my stead.” Clara jokingly stated.

Teresa laughed then gave a regal bow, unlike a womans, and more like a noble squire. “I accept this burden with gratitude, my lady.”

They both broke out in laughter at the silliness. Shadow only stood to the side and looked over at the new side of Teresa with wide open eyes of shock[Alt1]

After they said their goodbyes and parted ways Clara headed off to her next destination. Within a deserted wing of the mansion was a room. Infront there stood two guards. Clara was pleased to see that they weren’t slacking off.

She headed to the door and the guard to her right immediately opened it when he noticed her intention.

In the room sitting on a grand bed while sulkily looking at the floor was the one and only doctor Khostra.

“Well doctor, we’ve got a long day ahead of us. So you won’t be having much time to mope around anymore.”

And so the experiments began.

[Alt1]Sanatise this sentence