CEO IN A FANTASY WORLD:
BOOK IV
Tristan H. Brown
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing ©
All rights reserved. This book and cover are under
copyright. No part of this book may be reproduced or
used in any manner without written permission from the
author except for the use of quotations in a book review.
Copyright © 2019 Tristan H. Brown
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places,
and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing ©
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FOURTY
CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE
CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO
CHAPTER FOURTY-THREE
CHAPTER FOURTY-FOUR
CHAPTER FOURTY-FIVE
CHAPTER FOURTY-SIX
CHAPTER FOURTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER FOURTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER FOURTY-NINE
CHAPTER FIFTY
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
CHAPTER ONE
Caesar sat in complete silence as he patiently waited for the sun to go down, although he gave precise instructions, he still wanted to oversee the tasks at hand personally. He didn't want there to be any possibilities for his plans to derail.
Soon, the sunlight that seeped into the room became less apparent, until finally, it was replaced by the vibrant moonlight. Seeing this, Caesar's lips curled as he stood up from his chair. He wore a black trench coat, a white dress shirt, a black tie, and a pair of black gloves and shoes. He purposefully wore all black as to be more obscure within the night.
He walked out of the room and headed for a relatively concealed window inside the halls. He jumped out of the window and made his way to the top of the mansion. He then peered down on the entire stronghold as the midnight breeze fluttered his snow-white hair, creating an almost ethereal picture.
He scanned near the outside walls and focused on the three points he had ordered Falthor, Faust, and Soka to assemble their soldiers… if everything went according to plan, they should be ready in a few minutes or so.
Caesar waited for a few minutes, and as expected, three groups of soldiers stealthily moving through the dead of the night soon appeared in his line of sight. They adorned dark garbs, perfect for obscurity while carrying less apparent weapons such as daggers, sabers, and small axes.
Three figures of varying sizes were leading them, presumably, Falthor, Faust, and Soka, each with a vastly different physique and weapon choice. With Falthor sporting two small axes, Faust carrying a scimitar and Soka wielding two daggers.
After meeting up, the three groups split into different directions, with Faust going north, Soka heading west, and Falthor heading south. Each heading to a different region in which the furbolg, ghoul, and gnome clans respectively resided.
'If my memory serves me correctly, Faust's group should be heading north, where the furbolg clan lives…' thinking to here, Caesar squinted his eyes and hopped off the roof, once he landed on the ground, he quickly ran after the group that headed north.
Although he didn't fully trust Soka, he didn't believe that Soka had the capabilities of being the foremost spy within the fox-kin stronghold, while he somewhat trusts Faust, many things pointed Faust to being the mole. Alas, after getting to know him, he felt as though they were attempting to frame the man.
Caesar shook his head and discarded his unnecessary thoughts. He traveled atop the trees and concealed his mana as best he could while following the group. They traveled in an organized and efficient manner. The group of soldiers had no breaks while moving and soon arrived in front of a very tall and thick tree to which they halted their movement.
They cautiously approached the tree, which was abnormally large compared to the surroundings, it's branches extended out a few dozen meters, and its bark was a dark brown, a few shades different from the other trees.
Suddenly, from a relatively large opening in the base of the tree, a half bear, half-man, looking creature walked out, it was coated in a thick brown fur and walked on its hind legs. It held a robust staff in its right claw, and many different emotions flashed through its eyes as it gazed at Faust and his soldiers.
Faust took a step forward, and half bowed respectfully, common courtesy for a guest, "it's a pleasure to meet you of the furbolg race, we are not here to fight nor pillage any of your belongings, please do not be alarmed" he spoke with his hands in the air, signifying his stance.
Caesar, who could barely hear their conversation, moved a bit closer and listened in.
"You say you come in peace, however, why is it that you've brought so many soldiers carrying weapons of war, is this not insinuating that you're expecting battle?" The furbolg's deep and heavy voice was carried by the wind and entered into everyone's ears.
Faust's brows furrowed, he took his saber out of his belt and threw it on the ground, to further prove his harmless motive. "Please do not misunderstand. We were just afraid that the trolls would attack us amid travel," he replied with an apologetic tone.
Soon, the rest of the soldiers following behind Faust set down their weapons and put their hands in the air, albeit, the weapons were still close to them, if the need arose, they could reequip themselves in a matter of seconds.
The large furbolg which practically dwarfed Faust swept his gaze amongst the crowd and nodded his head appreciatively, "very well, you have shown me your sincerity. However, what is the reason you have come here if not for battle?" he asked curiously.
Faust breathed a deep sigh and raised his eyes with resolve reflected inside of them, "as you may know, the trolls are getting more and more arrogant, directly pillaging, massacring, and even robbing the smaller clans in the broad of daylight… even us, the fox-kin tribe, which was once the strongest clan in this area, faces destruction from their might. Because of this, we have set aside our pride and have decided to ask of you, and many other smaller clans to band with us and defeat this enemy together," Faust spoke with a loud and confident tone, further proving his honesty.
The furbolg scratched his chin with its left claw, "although we may look like unintelligent beasts, that couldn't be further from the truth. I am v
ery aware of the threat the trolls provide, while also their capabilities. Just a few years ago, your clan was stronger than the trolls. So, I ask of you, how have you devolved into such a pitiful position, as to be begging other clans for help?" the furbolg asked, although the contents of his words could be considered rude, no one present was offended.
Faust gripped his hands tightly at the furbolg's words, "we were far too conceited, battles amongst ourselves and clan heads who wanted to lead the clan started infighting… during this time, we were infiltrated by spies, and soon, we weren't even capable of hunting without being ambushed," Faust replied honestly.
The furbolg nodded his head and sighed, "such is the fate of the upper echelons, with powers comes great responsibility, alas, you never monitored the other clans nor garnered their support. At the very least, your clan didn't become a local tyrant such as the trolls currently are," The furbolg said with a strange look on his face and looked toward the starry sky.
As Faust was about to respond, the furbolg continued his words, "our clan contains many women and children. If we were to join you, we would put all of our clansmen at risk. Such is the risk of war… what merits do we gain for joining you besides the trifling emotion of doing the right thing" The furbolg spoke bluntly, it was clear that his intelligence was not to be scoffed at.
Hearing the furbolg’s blunt words, Faust closed his eyes and thought about what that man would say, what Caesar would say. After a few moments of thought, he abruptly opened his eyes and patted his chest, "for the hope of a better future, for a place where your women and children can live without worry, although it is indeed a risk, sometimes, a risk is worth taking" he said.
"Hahaha"
The furbolg burst out in deafening laughter, "you're right, once the trolls destroy your clan, all of us are next… any possible threats without foundation will be eliminated by them" suddenly, his words stopped, and his smiling expression was replaced by one with graveness.
"Say we join you, and many other clans join you as well, what's your next plan? Surely this isn't the just of your strategy. To acquire more troops?" he said while studying Faust.
Faust's face became troubled as he scratched the back of his head, "I actually don't know the next plan… our strategist didn't brief us on the future, he just merely assigned me to this role" he spoke truthfully with a wry smile playing on his lips.
The furbolg nodded in understanding, "ah, so it wasn't that the fox-kin clan put aside their pride, but more so, you've gained a competent leader… very well, I want to meet this man personally, and I'll decide whether or not it is truly worth it of us to join your coalition," he replied after some thought.
A few seconds after his words ended, a nearby bush shook, and a tall man exited, his most striking features being his snow-white hair and piercing red eyes. "I believe that could be arranged," Caesar said slyly to which the furbolg's lips curled.
CHAPTER TWO
"And, you are?" The furbolg asked curiously. He had been aware that someone was spying on his and Faust's conversation. However, he wasn't quite sure of the person's motive, nor location.
The fox-kin soldiers opened their eyes wide in surprise, including Faust, none of them had sensed Caesar nor expected him to have been following them.
Caesar didn't pay much heed to their shock, and half bowed elegantly, putting his right hand over his heart while smiling… "it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, I am referred to as Mephisto. However, my friends call me Caesar," he greeted courteously.
The furbolg nodded his head, "I am known as Tiberius, but my family and clansmen call me Tibber, alas, I am more interested in your position within the fox-kin than your name" Tiberius said bluntly.
"Of course, I am the strategist that leads the fox-kin…" Caesar said as he straightened his back from his bowing position. Although he was still shorter than Tiberius, who was as tall as a bear, he wasn't dwarfed like Faust.
Tiberius stroked his chin in contemplation while glancing between Faust and Caesar, "does he speak the truth?" he asked while shifting his attention to Faust, who nodded in response.
Seeing Faust's confirmation, confusion flashed in Tiberius's eyes as he examined Caesar… "why did you not reveal yourself in the beginning? Did you perhaps not trust the furbolg clan's morality?" he asked.
"You misunderstand, in truth, I kept myself hidden on the assumption that the trolls may have attacked… as you may know, their information gathering skills are top-notch," Caesar explained.
Tiberius nodded his head in understanding, although he doubted that Cesar gave him the real reason, he didn't sense any ill intent from his words.
"So, since you are the man in question, I'm curious as to what your plans are… surely gathering more troops is not the limit to your insight" The furbolg spoke after scrutinizing Caesar for a few moments.
Hearing Tiberius's question, Caesar couldn't help but let out a chuckle… "the plan isn't only recruiting soldiers, but also utilizing them… Strength lies in attacking after all," Caesar explained with a wide smile.
"You mean to bring the fight to them? Wouldn't we lose more men that way?" Tiberius asked. He didn't understand why Caesar would prefer starting a siege battle when the defendants have the advantage.
"Surely you jest, the attackers always hold the advantage, while the defenders are forced to respond. With me leading, the chances of us losing once we reach their walls are…" his words paused for a moment as he stroked his chin.
"Zero!" he said.
Tiberius squinted his eyes, "I can see that you are very confident. However, I am not sure that I alone am qualified to place the lives of my clansmen in the hands of a stranger. It doesn't matter how competent you are. Thus, I have decided to consult the members of my race with your proposal. I will send a messenger tomorrow at noon, notifying you of our stance," he said and turned around to walk back in the thick tree.
Seeing his broad back disappear within the tree, Caesar turned around and faced Faust, "you did well in convincing him… I'm impressed," he complimented.
Faust scratched his head, "I merely spoke the truth… without help, our clan that has stood for hundreds of years may fall," he replied humbly.
Caesar smiled in response, "it's good that you are shedding your pride and arrogance, without those two traits, you and your clan will reach higher than ever before."
Without waiting for Faust's reply, Caesar hopped onto a nearby tree and waved his hands at Faust and the group of fox-kin, "I'll see you back at the stronghold," he said.
Faust wanted to ask a few more questions, alas, Caesar disappeared from his sight in the next second, causing him to smile wryly and order his troops to return. He would just ask him once they reached the stronghold.
Caesar, who was traveling atop the trees was in the midst of deep thought, 'Faust convinced that furbolg much better than I had anticipated, although I followed him on the presumption he was a spy, it would appear my assumption was false' he thought to himself.
Thinking to here, Caesar immediately thought of the green-haired clan leader, as well as a few others… they were the most reasonable choices. However, he didn't think that the trolls, or whoever is helping the trolls, would select such buffoons.
While Caesar was in deep contemplation, he soon arrived outside the stronghold walls. He scanned the surroundings and didn't see any signs of Falthor or Soka yet, so he stealthily jumped on the walls and waited for their arrival.
The fox-kin Night watch could be considered decent at best, one soldier would be responsible for an entire 10 meters amongst the walls, not to mention half of the time the Night watch were generally too tired to actually stand guard, so they just fell asleep.
A vein appeared on Caesar's forehead as the sound of the nearby guards snoring entered his ears. He stood up and nudged the sleeping male with his foot.
"Hmm, oh, M-mr strategist, what are you doing on the walls" the fox-kin man, still half asleep, asked in a confused manner after seeing Caesar'
s face.
"I'll take your shift for the night, go back home and get some rest" He replied with an irritated tone, he didn't want to listen to the man's snoring for the next hour.
"A-are you sure? I mean, w-will I still get paid?" He asked, wide-eyed.
"Look, no one is going to know about this besides you and me… now go and get some rest" Caesar responded and shooed the guard away with his foot, to which the fox-kin male stood up and scrambled away with a happy smile.
"Man, the strategist is so nice!" the guard muttered while walking back home.
After the fox-kin male finally decided to leave, Caesar breathed a sigh of relief and went back to waiting for Falthor, Soka, and Faust. On the assumption that neither of the groups ran into any problems, they should arrive within the next hour.
Thinking to here, Caesar sat down and closed his eyes. About 10 minutes later, Faust and his group returned without much trouble. Caesar thought about approaching them, but on second thought, he just waited until they snuck back in the stronghold and split up.
After about 35 more minutes of waiting, Caesar could finally sense two groups of mana in the distance, he snapped his eyes open and looked in East. He could see many blurry figures walking.
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