Yugi Gurom rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It had been two years since he had led the rebels, his courageous White Orc Brigade, to overthrow the tyrannous King, his brother Kelseth Gurom. Many might say that two years is a short time to rule, but Yugi felt the time pressing into his shoulders and weighing his steps. He let his gaze sweep over the throne room’s marble floors and gilded halls. It was here that Rei had made his last stand. Magic and mops had wiped the room clean but he could still see the blood splattered against the stone steps and running through the marble cracks. It was not the first time blood had been spilled in these halls, and hadn’t been the last either. Yugi pressed his fingers back against his eyes and sighed. It had been an unnaturally clear day when his brigade had stormed the castle, with blue sky and warm winds caressing the backs of angry men. Yugi swept his eyes to the outside of the castle to where he could see the citizens, his citizens, marching past the gate. Yes, it was very much like today.

“Your highness.” King Gurom turned away from the window. His general Kaiser was sitting at the massive wooden table in the center of the room along with his head advisor Sylba and Treasurer Martin. Yugi could still picture them riding at his side across the plains of Erutu, swords and staves pointed at the Black Army. It had made so much sense then, had seemed so clear what he had to do. But now the Black Army had been rechristened the White, and shadows and wrinkles had found their way under the eyes of all his companions. Sylba stood and Kaiser pulled out the chair at the head of the table. Yugi glanced at Kaiser, the image of a gallant knight in steel armor replaced with a military man in crisp uniform. The ease with which he moved, even sitting, betrayed the strength he held and his rigid posture gave the perfect impression of discipline. He would almost be a model officer if Yugi didn’t catch him gazing longingly out the window at these long meetings. He’d never lost that spark of adventurous curiosity he’d had as a kid, even now Yugi saw him sneaking glances at the open sky from time to time.

“They’re just angry at the high taxes and too foolish to realize that a better lifestyle demands a cost. Please don’t worry about it your highness.” Sylba said as she pulled him back towards the table. She seemed tired. The wrinkles were more prevalent on such a pretty face, marring the beauty that long ears, fair features and straight black hair afforded.

“They might also be angry that I executed their high Necromancer.” Yugi sighed as he allowed himself to be guided back to his seat.

“He committed treason!” Martin slapped his hands on the table. The movement stirred plenty of the papers covering the large table as Martin was not a small man. He was a good head shorter than both Kaiser and Yugi, but at least half again as wide. Martin was the only one to keep his hands clean during the war, though he’d never let you tell him that, preferring instead to manage the coin that passed through the brigade. Honestly, the rebellion probably would have failed months before they even started gathering people if not for his help. Yugi had tried to offer the man at least part of the palace once they’d succeeded but Martin had refused.

“I can’t, Yugi. Well I suppose I should say Your Highness now shouldn’t I?” He laughed a quiet laugh and looked at his hands, the gloom of the small room at the time shrouding most of his large frame. “I didn’t swing a sword even once this whole time. Look.” He raised his hands, the pale flesh bright in the otherwise dark room. “Not a drop on them.”

“We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“Exactly. I didn’t swing a sword but my hands are filthy Yugi, just like yours. Give the house to the servants or the people, I can’t take it.” The thud of Martin’s body dropping back into his chair woke Yugi from his stupor. He gave a small smile. Martin was a good man. They all were. Even now they were trying to ease his mind. Yugi settled into his own chair and lifted a hand to quiet Martin.

“The bastard was smuggling people! Our people! Out of the kingdom. Why if you hadn’t executed him I would’of--”

Yugi lowered his hand and slowly regarded his friends. “I agree. A country is its people and what he’d done was unforgivable. But it is our duty to listen to our people when they speak, even if all they speak of is their unrest. We cannot expend more of the treasury lightly, we cannot lessen the strain on the people at a whim, and so far we cannot even make them understand why, but we must continue to try, because that’s what we promised ourselves two years ago.” Yugi’s friends looked down at the table a few moments before Kaiser sighed dramatically.

“Our mighty and benevolent king is right, again.” Kaiser fixed Yugi with his gaze, “But you know this will get worse before it ever gets better; Eredin has begun to move.” Yugi started at that announcement and opened his mouth in disbelief, but it was Sylba who spoke first.

“So soon? There are still two years until the Festival. Why would they move so early?”

“It’s because they can afford to.” Martin replied, the red of his face already faded from his earlier outburst. “They’ve been growing too quickly for too long so they have nothing but surplus. They believe they can hold the war for two years, and they’re probably right.” Kaiser nodded, Martin’s analysis apparently matching his own.

“And if they really do have the Colossal One, the Immortal on their side…” Kaiser let the thought hang. Yugi frowned. He had heard the rumors that the great sleeping guardian of Taron that had disappeared over a century ago had been sighted in Eredin. If it was true, then they weren’t ready to handle them. Not yet. Yugi sighed, it looks like it will be another long day.

“Gather the leaders of the guilds, dark and light, we need to start preparing our own forces as quickly as possible. Also send word to Grimax and Lonwin that we will release our restrictions on our academy for exactly one year if they will do the same. We all need to raise as many soldiers as possible before the time of the Festival but our timeline just pushed forward.” Sylba cast an uncertain look his way.

“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” She questioned. “It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that that would help both of them more than it will help us.”

“Yes.” Yugi returned Sylba’s gaze for a moment before focusing on the map in front of him. “If the Colossal One truly is in Eredin then he will create his demon king. And if a demon king really appears then the light of the hero will at the same time. The academy will gather those that might fit those criteria from all of our countries. Send the word.” Sylba bowed.

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Good. If the rumors of the Colossi’s reappearance were false, then Yugi had just given two of his closest enemies a huge boon. Well, they claim to be allies but Yugi wasn’t foolish enough to believe that this was a world that allowed such things. More importantly, if the rumors were true, then the light of the hero would show itself in hero-candidates, and Yugi would gladly give himself to the great god Ancilith if it meant keeping that Hero in Taron.