me - what you are doing is dangerous Stephen, regardless of whether it succeeds or not.
Stephen - does it matter, it is only a matter of time before the Academy is involved in this war. I want to declare my neutrality. this civil war of ours will destroy the nation. let it, just keep my students out of it.
me - well, it is your choice. beware The third emperor, he is a tricky man, and how dangerous he is, is something that you should understand.
Stephen - well, he managed to make a puppet out of you, so do you think that I would dare to underestimate him.
me - well, you are the chancellor of this academy, so it's your choice. the third emperor is not an easy enemy to deal with.
Stephen - well, that doesn't mean I have to sacrifice my students, just so that the Academy will be safe. well, I would rather die fighting than let another innocent die due to this stupid war.
me - it's your choice. well, be ready for the emperor, he is a quick to anger man, so don't go screaming at him.
Stephen - well, then how are you going to call the third emperor.
me - first of all, I need a neutral zone. where neither of you holds influence and then I need some paint.
(after a couple of minutes. )
we right next to the walls of the academy. this should be a zone of overlap between the emperor and Stephen, the closest thing we shall get to a neutral zone.
me - now we need to sleep. you should also do the same.
Stephen - okay.
soon I fall asleep and this time we are in a black void. good, this is not the emperor's territory, which means he doesn't hold too much power.
me - third emperor, where are you.
the very first thing I feel is an unimaginable pain. the third Emperor is deciding to punish me. it feels like somebody put a ten-tonne rock on my lungs.
me - I have not failed you, Lord. I need to discuss something with you.
suddenly the pain stops and I can breathe again.
third emperor - so you claim it has not been too much of a failure. why did you not kill the crown of this academy? his death would have brought some much-needed balance.
me - simply put, I don't believe it would have too much of an effect. you want me to be the monster, but the monster has been used so much that it is not affecting the people it is meant to. we have a troop that is meant to play a similar role as mine. killing the crowns will only cause more chaos.
third emperor - so what do you propose?
me - well, what about a kidnapping. give me the opportunity to kidnap the people the people on the list. rather than rely on the rage of loss, isn't it better to leave something dangling, something that will actually bring them to action?
third Emperor - you are playing with fire, young man. killing them will be a simple task. you will need a safe space to store those kids if your plan is to work. with your present strength dealing with just one of the people on the list will be hard, let alone the elders that shall be chasing you soon.
me - there is something you could do my lord, something that will give me the ability to create a place where I can hold power to a level similar to my power at peak.
third Emperor - we shall discuss this later, for now, I see we have company. is this the reason that you dare to summon me here?
saying that he points his hand creating an avatar of Stephen right next to me. it appeared in the form of a bluish coloured aura, which took the form of Stephen.
me - well, I tried to convince him otherwise, but he holds quite a bit of power and he is the craziest among us.
third emperor - well, what are your demands, chancellor of the wind academy.
Stephen - well, I only want one thing. I don't want my students to be targeted by your machinations.
third emperor - you both dare to make requests out of me while you are both so weak. I can crush you completely right now, especially you immortal.
Stephen - I am sure that you do not want any chaos right now. I hold the ability to command a significant number of troops in the army. I don't mind using it to attack the wind family.
third emperor - do you want to rip this nation to pieces. an academy fighting a noble family is one thing that we do not want. that absolutely cannot happen.
Stephen - well, the war happening right now will reach that stage soon anyway. you of all people should know that every faction is sharpening their blades. I don't mind being the one to start the war.
me - now, let's calm down and behave civilized. Stephen, let the third emperor make a decision.
(after a couple of minutes)
third emperor - fine, I shall see if immortal has a suitable replacement plan which might work. if it does not work, well immortal is not the only monster I have and you young one, do not challenge me like this. their empire will be ripped if you were to take any action.
Stephen - I don't mind, emperor. we were created to destroy the wind family. I....
the third emperor waves his hand and Stephen suddenly pops completely. I know enough about the third emperor to when he is angry, so I bow down. he can kill me instantly after all so why take a risk.
me - third emperor, I apologise for my friend's behaviour. he is just a tad bit angry that his students have been targeted. he has always been protective of his own.
third emperor - a young one that is angry does not cause me anger. I am just annoyed. now tell me about this plan of yours to kidnap the crowns.
me - it is simple my lord, I want to kidnap the crowns and place them in an unconscious state, in a secret place. then I plan to send a ransom request to each of the academies. something that would be impossible to fulfill.
third Emperor - what about this safe place of yours.
me - that is where you have to help me, Lord. you have something that can boost my power by a lot. you are supposed to have a refined god core with you.
third emperor - no, I won't be giving such a precious item for something so trivial. if you can't do it I do have others, who will be able to what I want. so why should I take a risk with you, wasting so much resources on you.
me - lord, Even you can feel the intensity of this war. the power difference between the throne and the nobles is so close that nobody knows who shall truly win. right now, the old methods of dealing with such wars will not work. my method is more suitable for such times.
third emperor - and who do you think is to blame for all of that. I warned him, that doing so will result in this. he listened to some half-baked plan from some other worlder and did not even stop to consider whether it would work.
third emperor - I have given you the bone weapons and they are powerful, so why are you complaining.
me - they need immortal mana to run, my lord. right now I don't have enough mana of that kind. I am barely surviving in this new body.
third emperor - yes, I have seen that. well, I can give you something, but you will have to pay the price for it in the future.
me - I don't mind that, Lord.
I already owe a debt, so why should I be too worried about owing another and anyway, the third emperor has a lot of good things.
third emperor - fine then, I shall grant you a magical device. the heart of a space wolf, to be more accurate.
shit, the emperor does have a lot of good things. that thing is the most desired item among us space mages. now, I will need to calm down and see what the cost of all of this is going to be. that kind of thing does not tend to be cheap.
me - what shall be the cost, Lord.
third emperor - let's see, you have experience conquering a world before haven't you.
me- I have been in the phantom zone for almost fifty years.
third emperor - I have discovered a new world. it is a small one, but it is quite packed with resources and the residents are weakling.
me - their power levels, Lord.
third emperor - well, the strongest I can see is a level five. with this new magical device of yours, you can quite easily take over such a world.
me - then it is a fair trade, Lord. what shall be the time limit for this conquest?
third emperor - take your time for this, though I would rather like it if you can complete it before the end of this civil war.
me - then shall we establish a contract, Lord.
third emperor - there is no need for that, the world is already quite chaotic. I don't want another contract to maintain.
me - okay, Lord.
third emperor - but if you want to go forward with this weird plan of yours, I need some kind of collateral should you fail.
me - what do I have that could interest you, my lord. my body is useless and my soul is already half yours.
third emperor - your soul is partly mine, but the souls of that legion of yours is enough of a collateral.
me - I have no idea what you speak off, Lord. my legion has passed long ago, their souls would already be in the underworld.
third emperor - I have heard of a treasure that you have snatched from the gods, a certain rock.
me - "the rock of the underworld".
third emperor - now, do you consider me an idiot, that you would not have used such a treasure to save the souls of the seven hundred and twenty-two soldiers of yours. all fine soldiers stored in that rock. where have you hidden it?
me - Lord, I can't give that to you. if possible ask something else from me.
third emperor - well, you said it best, you have nothing of value to offer, so that means that this deal of ours shall not happen and you have already failed me, so that means I can only do one thing with you, that is dissipate your soul as punishment.
me - I can't give it to you, Lord because it has been hidden in a place, that I definitely can't go back to. whatever border they have managed to maintain will collapse.
third emperor - the phantom zone, so you did have them stored somewhere safe. fine then, just give me the location of that place that you have hidden it in or die right now.
me - I shall give it you, Lord, but only if I were to fail. I don't mind making a contract to do so.
third emperor - fine then, you shall have your wish, but do not expect to double-cross me. if I truly get angry, a river of blood shall flow from the blood of every person that dared to fight with you, helped you, or even talked to you.
me - I know, Lord. it is why I fear you.
third emperor - fine then, we have nothing more to talk about here.