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The letter from Infernus' leader had come in just yesterday. SitzKrieg stared at it, trying to get the words through his head, yet they refused to make a mark in his mind. The words left him in astonishment, suspicion and almost desperation. Okay, maybe a bit of desperation.
Dear SitKrieg0 of the Commonwealth,
The Infernus of Yggdrasil would like to invite you over to our Ashen Bastion for a proposed alliance. The terms are simple; you join us, assist with building and military, and we defend you from your enemies.
If you plan on declining, remember, no one is on your side. We are all you have. I'm sorry to say it, but the Commonwealth cannot last longer. You have influence, but not nearly as much as your opponents, the Cass Coalition and Westhelm. To have them both against you is to wish you and your people doom.
Surprisingly, it was that part that made his decision. He could hide. He could run away and forget the life he once had. After all, isn't that just what the other Commonwealth leaders had done? But there was one thing stopping him; the people he dragged down to hell with him.
To watch his citizens die because of him, leaderless and utterly planless was to give up the spirit of the Commonwealth. Not the best in any way perceivable - there was always one to one-up them - but they fought hard. They persisted. They stayed. And they still are. That was already so much more than SitzKrieg could have asked for.
Whatever, he couldn't spend all day thinking like this. Not as a leader. Not as a failed one.
He looked back to the letter, going over the sacred words that held his future within.
Together, if we ally as one, erupt the volcano ourselves, there may be a chance. For you to restore glory to the Commonwealth, and for us to escape what has been written already.
God, does he hate being a leader.
He grabs a spare piece of paper, almost considers finding something of higher quality so as to not prove their 'weakness', but decides it will do for now. He can find something later.
To whom this letter finds its way to,
As the leader of the Commonwealth, I accept this proposal. We will however need to discuss plans on transport, as unfortunately having a group of people wandering around until they reach the bastion doesn't seem all that great of an idea.
We will try our best to assist you with military, though building is our strong suit. When we meet, we fortify the Bastion, Fluixon, I assume he is with you, will be trapping. And you lead our combined military.
We will meet you soon.
He sighs, folding up the paper, turning to the big gap in the acropolis; looking out at the setting sun, and what it'll mean for tomorrow. He will have to evacuate all the remaining citizens and bring them to Infernus. It's almost funny, a civilization made to build is now being led to where everything is going to burn.
Oh well. He doesn't get to choose it all. It's better to have some allies rather than none; even if he didn't ally with Infernus, Westhelm and the Cass Coalition would probably still want him dead. All paths led to one fate, didn't it? Great, it sounds like a Greek tragedy.
Zekor walks in, eyeing SitzKrieg as he sits himself next to him. "You look like you just watched the Commonwealth collapse."
SitzKrieg lets out a bitter laugh, turning his attention to a mouse scurrying nearby, trying not to think about it too much, "it might as well have. You've read the letter, haven't you?"
"Yeah. You want to bring us to that bastion?" Zekor looks concerned, and SitzKrieg can't bring himself to look at him. Not yet, not ever.
"Do we have a choice? It's die to Westhelm and die alone, or die to everyone else but die with support. I don't want the citizens to die alone. They deserve to have someone wanting their safety, don't they?"
He'd be lying if he said it wasn't for him too. But Zekor still feels unsure, being trapped in the Bastion where the conspiracy stays is only calling for trouble. Yet there's a small part of him that agrees. It may be better. Maybe. After all, they can't stay in hiding forever. If only, oh, if only. Zekor gets up, ready to walk away, but turns to SitzKrieg for one last statement; "I don't see eye-to-eye with you, but I can only hope you're making the right choice here."
SitzKrieg waits for Zekor to leave before letting out a sign he didn't know he was holding. What right choice is there when every path leads to death? There isn't any more time to redeem himself, or his nation. They were all betting on a losing dog. How did he become a leader anyways? All he originally wanted was to find people who would help him make a place beautiful for them.
Then it was all promotion after promotion. Leader of Mykonos, to one of the leaders of the Commonwealth, to the sole leader. But it felt like he went from a king to a pawn; same range for movement, yet now there was only one way he could go.
Forward.
Wherever that may take him.
I may add another chapter with my design of SitzKrieg but I'm not sure