"You see, Amukelo," Naguk continued, his tone softening slightly, "the time you met me in that cave was when I had barely escaped one of those sabotages. My friend—the one I mentioned—sacrificed his life to save me." His gaze lowered briefly, a shadow of grief flickering in his eyes before he straightened. "And I know you're strong and loyal. As cold as you seemed back then, you still helped me in your own way."
Then Naguk paused for a moment before continuing, "Because of that, I think I can trust you. Will you join me?"
Amukelo looked at Eliss for a moment. She seemed as conflicted as he wasl. He exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair as he pondered. Finally, he spoke. "I would happily help you, Naguk. But there's still one problem. When you get into power can I have one request."
Naguk leaned forward slightly. "What do you want?"
Amukelo continued. "Is there any way you could elevate our guild's rank once you're in power? We need to travel freely through different nations. Right now, our rank is holding us back, and I don't want to keep sneaking across borders."
Naguk rubbed his chin. But before he could respond, Ghak shouted again. "It's your problem that you didn't elevate your rank before traveling!" She jabbed a finger in Amukelo's direction. "You should be thankful Naguk didn't throw you into prison the moment he found out!"
Naguk turned to her with a scowl, raising his hand to silence her yet again. "Be quiet, Ghak. I've heard enough from you." She glared at him, and clenched her teeth and fists, but she didn't speak further.
Naguk turned back to Amukelo. "I don't know for certain," he admitted. "I've never held power, and I don't yet understand the full scope of influence I'll have if I become a council member. But I do know that I'll have some control over quests and the adventurer system. Maybe there's a way to expedite your guild's ranking through that."
Amukelo nodded thoughtfully. It wasn't the definitive answer he hoped for, but it had to do for now. "If that's the case," he said finally, "we'll join you."
Naguk smiled faintly, nodding in approval. "Very well. In that case, you're free for the rest of today. Take the time to rest or prepare. But I expect you here tomorrow morning. We have two weeks until the match, so we'll begin assigning roles and discussing strategy tomorrow."
Amukelo nodded again, and he and Eliss turned to leave. They walked in silence for a while before Eliss finally broke it.
"I don't really like this," she admitted. "Sabotaging other candidates feels unnecessarily… brutal."
Amukelo sighed. "I don't like how it looks either," he admitted. "But from what Naguk said, he's already suffered plenty because of his opponents. Sabotage might be brutal, but it seems like it's the way things work here. If we're going to stay in this nation and keep moving forward, this is our only option."
Eliss didn't respond immediatelyl. Finally, she let out a long sigh. "I just… I wish there was another way."
"Me too," Amukelo said softly. "But if there is, I don't see it. We'll play along for now. We'll help Naguk, see where this leads. And if it gets too messy, we'll find a way out."
Eliss nodded reluctantly, though her expression was still troubled. "I hope you're right."
The next day, Amukelo and Eliss made their way to the same building. As they approached the two guards standing at the entrance, one of them gave them a cursory glance before stepping aside to let them in. One of them muttered, "You're early."
Amukelo raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment. Instead, he nodded politely as he and Eliss stepped inside. The room was quiet, with only a few orcs scattered around. Naguk sat at the head of the table, glancing up as they entered.
"You're early," Naguk remarked, leaning back in his chair.
Amukelo frowned slightly. "Early? We're on time. This is the time you told us to be here."
"Exactly," Naguk said with a small, approving nod. "But being early is better. I won't have to waste anyone else's time explaining your situation."
Amukelo tilted his head, still puzzled by the orc's reasoning, but decided not to argue.
Naguk leaned forward, reaching into a pouch at his side, and tossed two small medals onto the table. "Here," he said. "These are for you."
Amukelo stepped closer, picking up one of the medals and turning it over in his hand. "What are these?" he asked.
Naguk crossed his arms. "These will keep you out of trouble. If a soldier stops you or questions your presence, you show them that, and they'll know you're working under my authority."
Amukelo nodded. "Thanks," he said, slipping the medal into a small pouch on his belt. Eliss followed suit, tucking hers into the folds of her cloak.
Naguk gestured for them to sit. "Now, let's get down to business. Since you're here before the others, I can explain your role without interruptions."
Amukelo sat down, leaning forward with interest, while Eliss remained standing.
Naguk steepled his fingers. "We've decided to place you two on my protection team. It's a straightforward role, but an important one."
"Protection team?" Amukelo asked.
Naguk nodded. "Yes. It doesn't require you to have detailed knowledge of the terrain or the political intricacies of our nation. After all, you're outsiders. I figured it was better to keep you in a role where your skills as fighters can shine."
Amukelo leaned back. "Good call," he said, a hint of relief in his tone. "We almost died just trying to get here. Wouldn't want to rely on us for anything involving orcish geography."
Naguk let out a short chuckle. "Exactly."
He leaned forward again, his tone turning more serious. "Here's what's going to happen. Over the next two weeks, we'll be traveling to various towns and villages. The goal is to rally support and convince the people to vote for me as the next council member."
Amukelo listened carefully, nodding slightly as Naguk spoke. But Eliss's expression grew troubled. "Convince them how?" she asked cautiously.
Naguk's sharp eyes met hers, and he sighed. "By earning their trust, demonstrating my strength and leadership, and… ensuring that our opponents' plans don't gain traction."
Eliss frowned. "Ensuring how?"
Naguk's tone hardened. "The other team will handle that. Their job is to sabotage our opponents."
Eliss's face fell, and she glanced at Amukelo, who avoided her gaze. She hesitated before saying, "Is that really necessary? Isn't there a better way? Something less… destructive?"
Naguk's expression softened slightly. "I understand your hesitation, but the truth is, this is how things are done here. Our rivals won't hold back. They'll do whatever it takes to secure their victory, and we can't afford to be naïve."
Eliss lowered her gaze, her hands clenching at her sides. She seemed to want to argue further but couldn't find the words. Instead, she muttered a quiet, "I see."
Naguk nodded, then continued, addressing both of them. "After these two weeks of campaigning and maneuvering, there will be a final match. It's a public event where the remaining candidates compete. The winner usually earns the support of undecided tribes and solidifies their claim to the council seat."
Amukelo's brow furrowed as he absorbed this information. "So, it all comes down to a fight?"