"Sir, you should take a look at this." A tense Legionary suddenly says, and I turn my head towards the massive screen. The panel, which was showing the various Imperial bases that we just raided, flickers until we see a large goat-headed man wearing a flashy purple collared shirt with diamond-like gems adorning the collar. The mysterious creature raises a hand, which looks like a human hand except it's missing two fingers, and slams it onto the table in front of him. I almost felt the shockwave from that hit despite it being impossible!
That man oozes power, not unlike Alice or any other high-ranked Enforcer. I have no idea who this badly-dressed goat-person is, but he must be important, especially since the faces in the command room all turned grim. Well, almost all of them, except Mary, who is leaning back while looking at the displayed creature with an arched eyebrow.
"People of the Southern Arcane Council!" the man shouts. "We have heard your complaints, we have heard your plight! A traitorous rebel has risen against the natural order and is defying Enforcer authority while oppressing the masses!"
Oh, I see where this is going. I bet this is the official response of the Enforcers after the rise of the Stonecrusher Empire. Took them long enough, all things considered. But I know from first-hand experience that Enforcers aren't quick to mobilize, much less organize a unified war on such a massive scale.
"The entire Western Arcane Council has formed a Holy Coalition. This is a formal declaration of war against the foolish rebels who dare to call themselves an Empire!" The mysterious goat-man continues before waving his hand in front of him, thus causing the image to flicker again. The image stabilizes once we see a veritable sea of armed soldiers slowly marching forward.
"This is but a fraction of our might! The GoldenHoof Family has been blessed with the honor of leading this Coalition to victory!" the goat-man smiles, revealing a row of perfectly aligned white teeth. "Fear not, subjects of the Southern Arcane Council, for our Coalition will bring back order and put an end to your oppression!"
Of course, they will. The Enforcers are not lying when they are saying that they'll put an end to Imperial oppression. The days of the Stonecrushers are numbered thanks to our efforts as well as the incoming wave of Enforcers. Of course, the GoldenHoof leader omitted a tiny little detail. It's nothing extraordinary, really... but they forgot to mention that they'll replace Imperial oppression by the much better Enforcer oppression!
I grit my teeth as the video stops, the Coalition is going to be a thorn in our side. It's true that the Coalition will unknowingly help us to defeat the Empire, but I'm not looking forward to kicking out all those Enforcers.
I turn towards the pale Commander, "Do you happen to know how many Families there are in the Western Arcane Council?"
Terrence barely registers my question as he clenches his fists. "I don't have the exact number, but last time I checked the WAC had at least three-hundred and forty-two active Families. At least forty-five percent of those are on equal footing with the Wolfheart at the peak of their power."
Oh shit. A map of the United States appears, and it shows the current political divisions of the country. According to this map, the WAC occupies an area which is a little bit bigger than the entirety of Texas. To put in comparison, the SAC, which was the Council which the Stonecrusher belonged to before they destroyed it from the inside, only controlled an area which is about half the size of Delaware.
Today, the Empire controls almost all of it. There are a few neutral enclaves, but they only exist because the expansion of the Empire ground to a halt after their preparations for total war.
In comparison, the Order is controlling a single mansion in the middle of the woods.
I sigh, the odds are definitely not in our favor.
Terrence's ringing phone takes me out of my gloomy thoughts, and the brave Commander immediately replies. His frown turns into a grin as he nods and accepts whatever was being asked by the mysterious caller.
"I have good news," he says as he turns his head towards me. "The call was from one of our hidden recruitment offices. We were informed that at least a thousand hidden human mages have requested to join after they saw our latest propaganda video."
My jaw drops; it looks like things are heating up in a significant way.
"Do we even have the supplies for them?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. I know better than anyone that the Order is running thin, we are counting each shell with calculated precision. We are not counting the bullets that our soldiers use. But if we have to arm a thousand more people, then I'm afraid that we'll have to ration the rifle ammo we issue.
Terrence makes a difficult-to-read expression, "We should be fine, although it will push us to our limit."
I nod, we're not at the point of issuing a rifle to every two men, but we are dangerously close. I don't want to use human wave tactics no matter what. It might work against a conventional army that is lacking soldiers, but what uses is it against an enemy who can launch dozens of the magical equivalent of a cruise missile?
It would just waste the lives of the people who put their survival in my hand; it would betray everything I stand for. I want to save humanity, not exterminate it. I'm the only one in this universe who can do what I do; I'm the only one who can die as many times as I need to be.
It doesn't matter if I have to face cosmic horrors all by myself. It doesn't matter if I have to die hundreds of time to take a single step forward.
I have responsibilities now; I accepted the mantle of a dead god, and I have to live up to the Order's expectation. I'm not perfect, and I know that my determination might waver in the face of impossible odds. It might take centuries, but I will prevail no matter what.
It is the last stretch before the Order becomes a real powerhouse if we can overcome this challenge, then nothing should be able to stop us. Of course, the Oracle will make my life needlessly difficult, but I'll find a way to defeat her.
I always find a way.
What if it takes years to make my soul strength reach a point where Phase 4 is unlocked? I'll Rewind as much as it takes. Even if this form of growth is far from the best, a non-optimal growth is still better than no growth at all.
And I can work with non-zero growth, even if it will take a very long time.
I grit my teeth and look Terrence straight in the eyes. "I'll issue a formal declaration of war against the Coalition to show that we are serious. Get ready to broadcast on as many mediums as we can."
Benjamin Franklin once said that nothing in the world was certain, but death and taxes.
The Enforcers will soon learn that nothing in the world is certain but their death and the wrath of Prometheus.