Whispers of a Dead Empire

A few weeks later:

"Have you heard that the domain's military has recently undergone a transformation?" Cato's voice seeped into my mind, drawing my attention from counting the coins that I recently made.

I tore my eyes away from the stack of coins that sat on my desk. Mentally, I made the note to break away a portion of it to ensure that I could cover some significant purchases for the domain. "I've heard some stories, yes," I replied quietly as I swept away a portion of the coins into a bag.

"According to recent reports, they have restructured the legion to mirror that of a standard adventurer party. Not only that, they now have access to various forms of magic. Including Lunar magic, if that piques your interest any." His blue eyes bore into me as if I were hiding some sort of major secret from him.

"That is rather interesting. So the domain is evolving then." I sat back in my chair and stared at him. There was only one lunar mage that I knew, and that was Alinore. Who I haven't spoken to in a few days. Not since Carter left me a note explaining that this was his goodbye. Which smarted a little considering I thought we were friends, but I would not hold it against him. Saying goodbyes in person can be hard, though it would have been nice to hear his voice one last time.

"That it is. It's ruffling a fair bit of the nobles, along with the scholars. Supposedly, this isn't just a domain but a fragment of another world. Many wish to explore the domain. However, many of the nations are restricting entry due to the nature of Asteria. Rightly so some may say, considering the existence of the undead." Cato strode into my chamber and found himself a seat across from me,

"I too held many reservations about it at first, but after meeting the Empress, I'm inclined to say that she acts very human-like. In fact, when she took an arrow, she visibly reacted to the pain. Not to mention, she seems to have emotion." I quickly rifled around my desk, brought out a small golden bell, and gave it a gentle ring.

"So I've heard. I've yet to meet her." Cato nodded his head as he crossed his arms across his silken blue shirt.

"Good luck with that. I highly doubt her bodyguard will let any of us within four meters of her. Especially me." I glanced to the right as I saw the door open, and a beautiful young maid walked in. "Miranda darling, can you get me some black tea and whatever this gentleman desires, please." She bowed toward us, and her long blonde hair almost scraped the floor from the movement.

" I'll take a gray tea, please." Cato told her as he kept his eyes locked on me, barely even sparing her his attention. "Alessia seems like she is quite the woman. If you can even call her that."

"Come now, Cato, you shouldn't speak so ill of them." I sat back in my chair and interlaced my fingers behind my head.

"Do you fault me? Never have we interacted with undead like this. Nor have they defied our expectations in such a way." He narrowed his eyes at me as the faintest traces of a scowl danced across his handsome face.

"No, I do not." I sighed as I pushed myself forward. "Yet, in these last few months since the domain opened, so many questions have arisen. Most of which we still don't have answers for. For instance, why did it appear in the neutral lands?" I strummed my fingers across the desk as the thoughts floated across my mind.

"I don't even think we have any existing maps of the area that it now lives in. The Assyrians torched a lot of the interior maps they had when they were being routed, so only the gods know what may exist there." As he spoke, Miranda wandered back into the room with a platter of steaming tea, held in porcelain cups that glittered from the light that seeped through the windows.

I thanked Miranda as she placed the tea on my desk before turning my attention back to Cato. "That may be so. But regardless, we all stand to benefit from Asteria. Already, the supplies I was given have been revolutionary. The pens alone have been well received by many, a scribe and nobility. The chef's knives are popular amongst many cooks for the ease of use, and not to mention the prices that I can charge."

"Ah, Redrick, ever the merchant I see." He quipped as he took a short sip from his steaming cup of tea.

"It's been a struggle to climb back into prominice, but thankfully the trade deal with Asteria gave me the foothold I needed. Now all that is left is to watch many of the older houses burn for their crimes." As the words left my mouth, I couldn't help but feel a sense of vindication overcome me. Everything I've been working years to attain is now within my grasp, and as one, my plans were slowly coming together.

"Just be careful not to let that slip in public. Your head may join everyone else who opposed them." He sipped at his tea once more, then silence seemed to fall on us like a warm summer night. At least until one of my butlers appeared in the doorway.

"Master Redrick, you have a letter from Master Kharon waiting for you." Agni, my head butler, gave us all a bow and flicked his white glove-clad hand, and a letter appeared as if the air itself had created it.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting a correspondence from Sir Kharon today." I mused quietly as Agni walked over and placed the letter on my desk.

I took it and quickly undid the seal,

Redrick,

The Empress requests your presence within Asteria in the next three days, along with the Corinthian Envoy, for an inauguration not since seen well before the fall. We formally invite you and whatever envoy and diplomatic official that wishes to visit. As always, any person with diplomatic immunity will be ignored by the mobs and be treated with respect.

During the inauguration, the Empress will provide dining and refreshments. To assuage any fears, none of the food will be prepared by any of the undead. However, we ask that all personal arms and weapons be left behind because of security concerns, as we will provide the event security.

We look forward to seeing you,

Kharon

"Well, this is interesting." The words left my mouth as a wave of confusion followed.

"What is it?" Cato sat forward, clearly interested in whatever I just read.

"Kharon said that there will be an inauguration of some sort in a few days and that the Empress invites you and I, along with any other official that wishes to attend. It is said that there will be food and drink provided, matched with even security." I placed the paper on the desk and slid it to him.

He took the paper and eyed it warily. "Hm, that would explain a bit of the rumor that I've heard recently, especially in concerns about a recent militarization. But I don't think there would be anything worthy of a celebration."

I shook my head and ran my fingers through my mane of red hair. "I'm not sure. I doubt this would be a play to kill us all off. More than likely, this is a display of good faith. As for what, though, I'm not sure. She can be difficult at times to read."

The man sighed and put the paper back on my desk. "A few nearby states have been petitioning the crown for permission to send envoys to the domain, so I suppose I could pick a few of them to make the journey. It was inevitable. I had only hoped I had more time" He stood up and gave me a nod. "I'll be back; feel free to go ahead into the domain."

I waved to him as he left and sat back in my chair. This domain was gonna be the death of me. Already, it was a buzzword whispered across the nations, and now it was getting ready to make a major play. But we will find everything out, in time, of course.

A few hours later:

"Greetings, Sir Redrick." Kharon's voice greeted me as I pushed through the veil that separated our worlds.

"Lord Kharon, it's always a pleasure." I purred as I gave him a bow. Next to him were two praetorians that I'd never seen before.

Praetorian Sergeant Asterian Blade Master

Praetorian Sergeant Battle Mage.

The one on the left was a zombie who looked relatively unscathed. His uniform looked freshly pressed and as if it were brand new. Which was comical considering the state of the wearer. His hair was long and clung tightly in greasy strands that defied the wind. The most interesting part, however, was the armor he wore. Instead of the freshly polished plate I would expect, a thick black cloth vest seemed to sit just on the zombie's chest. On various weak points across the zombie's body were additional black cloth pieces, like his forearms, knees, and shoulders. What was the point of them?

On the right was a figure shrouded in a magi's robe. One that refracted the rays of the morning sun into kaleidoscopic colors that swirled and danced around it. Its eyes were invisible in the sea of darkness that seemed to spew a few centimeters out of the hood and wrap around it like a strange helmet. I glanced at both of them once more and saw the text above each was more purple than red, and it sent shivers down my spine. These were both closer to bosses than actual mobs. What magic did she possess to field such powerful guards?

"I thank you for coming. What of the other envoy?" Kharon asked as he gestured for me to step onto the boat.

"He has gone to collect a few others who wish to strike up negotiations with Asteria. He will be a day or so behind me." I glanced around the dock and saw that it was bustling with life. A few teams of adventurers were mounting onto boats, with more cloaked ferrymen at their helm. "Kharon, I see that you have expanded the workforce." I coated my words more in jest than anything else in that moment.

"Ah yes, it had to be done. The sheer influx of adventurers has been increasing day by day. The only thing that keeps them from killing them is the fear of the river. It has claimed many who thought they could do without paying the toll." His words cut through the warm air with icy coldness as he gestured towards the seat. Sometimes I forgot that with how human he seems, underneath the surface was a monster, just waiting to be released.