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AR Chapter 326
🕑 Added 2025-02-18 06:18:21 +0000 UTCFrom the early days, we knew our position was of the highest import, but as the years have passed, it becomes more and more evident that the Alqat have a key place in our nation. We now are versed in counterterrorism, assassination circumvention, and aggressive negotiations, and this is all due to the Zaaktif’s willingness to allow us to accompany him on his journeys and stay by his side. As you have been selected to join our ranks, it is time to begin preparing yourselves for your new life. We’ll begin by training your ability to persevere through serious injury.
-End of initial address given to Alqat upon induction to the order.
The rest of the day passed without incident, and I enjoyed spending a short time with each member of my elite Keel as they stepped back into their positions of leadership, just where they belonged. I ensured each took proper time to rest and acclimate themselves to their new bodies and strengths, though I was surprised to find that Joral was the most resistant to my command.
“All the struggles we’ve been having with these ants are nearly at their end, there’s no reason for me to wait. I will push through and ensure that they are either exterminated or subjugated before sunsrise.”
“Joral.” I spoke with [Imperial Bearing] forcing his attention to be on me. “You will not. Instead, you’ll make sure that there are no problems immediately threatening the good of New Nievtra, and immediately after that, you will ensure you eat more than your fill. You will rest, and not until the suns are well and truly risen will you begin doing anything to deal with the ants. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Alpha.” Joral sighed. “Or, Emperor, I suppose.”
“Great. Have a good rest. I plan on seeing you before I leave in the morning?”
“Of course.” Joral flared his frills before turning and walking towards the Kou’Tal shepherds that had been in charge of the herds in his absence.
After forcing Joral to take it easy, I continued on my path around the ruined city. I’d spent several days focused entirely on ensuring there weren’t needless casualties from the swarming ants, and the swarm, or the citizens of the Empire, as I should be thinking of the keelish as, refused to be still. There were groups of keelish that settled into more lazy mindsets, their focus merely on continuing to survive. I almost wanted to walk past the packs of the weak-willed, but instead, I left them to their weakness and eventual fall to obscurity. There would be weak among my people, unfortunate as it was. However, they would never become Keel, and they could never ascend to leadership, something that, though uncommon, had happened in my experience as a human.
I continued walking, seeing my Keel at work. Shemira, Percral, and Ytte stood in conversation about how their duties coincided with each other’s, Shemira quickly taking the lead in their little conversation, though Took would be the final authority on all things to do with the Empire’s military, excluding myself of course.
“For now, the policing force will be rolled into the general military, simply because much of what we need to do is hunting for now. Even so, it will be best for us to solidify the differences between the roles and organizations of each branch. Thus, I propose that though we might be doing the same assignments in each branch, we assign packs to work together that will be, long term, working in the same part of the military.”
Before I went past the conversation and towards my rest for the night, Percral flared his frills in agreement before approaching me.
“Alpha.”
“Yes, Percral?”
“Thank you. Thank you for trusting me to continue proving myself. I’m glad I can look back and see how far I’ve come from the coward I was. I’ll make sure the city stays safe while you’re gone.”
He didn’t wait for anything else before turning and walking away. I couldn’t help but smile, looking at the hulking monster that replaced the shivering child that had lied to my brood about my death. Now one of my most trusted allies, one who served me and had gained the trust and respect of just about every keelish in our fledgling Empire. I smiled and kept on my way. I saw others, all the Keel guiding and leading the rest. With a smile, I left them to their work, trusting in their ability to lead our people successfully.
Before I was ready to return to my home to rest, I found Farahlia, who was listening to a series of commands Sybil was giving to a group of pack Alphas. As soon as I approached, though, Sybil dismissed her assembled subordinates. She started to approach me but I flicked my snout towards Farahlia instead of her and Sybil understood immediately. She flared her frills and stepped back.
“Farahlia.” I called and the khatif female turned up to look at me.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“We leave tomorrow. Are you ready?”
“Oh, yes, of course. I’ve prepared the guards who I believe would best suit accompanying me, and there are more still that may join with us if the scope of our travels changes at all. Do you have anything you desire me to do for you in preparation?”
“No. Have whoever you’ve chosen be read at sunsrise.”
I didn’t say anything else, but did bunt my head gently against Sybil’s before I left to rest in our home. There, old hides waited for me, and I settled onto them while wondering how successful our search would be. I idly prayed as oblivion found me, “Nievtala bless our search.”
As soon as the words left my lips or the thought crossed my mind, I was swept away to a formless vista. The impression of mountains filled my view, though they were nothing more than the shadow of them. The sound of winds blowing filled my mind, and I saw the Shandise, or at least ,I assumed the shadows of mountains I saw were them. Faint spots of glowing green appeared sporadically through the mountains, each weak and unimpressive, though there was a single large, vibrant light that shone far to the north, where the mountains met the sea.
I looked, trying to memorize anything that I saw, but the vision I saw was obscured. Nothing was clear, and the more I tried to commit something to memory, the more it slipped from my grasp. Even so, I felt that each of these glows was something that meant something worth investigating, even if it wasn’t a keelish swarm. My mind flew through the vision, and before I could internalize anything, I woke, the suns’ light peeking through the cracks in the ruined wall. It was time for me to go and find more to gather under my banner.
