Gaius Antonius & The Builder - Just Sign on the Dotted Line
"So… how was it?" Gaius asked with a smug grin, pulling a cigarette out of his coat and to his hand with a flick of his finger.
"Permission to speak freely?"
"Granted."
"Seven out of ten." Said the woman beside him. Well-muscled and missing one breast, not to mention her stoic demeanor, she was, clear as day, a transfer from the 465th Legion, the
Defiant Amazons. She was also, notably,
not Gaius' wife.
"A seven!?" Gaius balked, cigarette hanging loosely from his lip. "You've gotta be kidding me, Penelope; I don't get C's in anything!"
Without skipping a beat, the Centurion got out of bed and began getting dressed, voice impassive. "It's graded on a curve, sir; five would be the median of everyone I've been with. You got a B."
"Still not happy. My own loyal subordinate gives me a B! Assassinate me, why don't you!?" Gaius said in sarcastic despair, clutching his chest.
"You should be happy, sir. Anything higher than seven and there's a risk someone will catch feelings. Wouldn't want that." The night's paramour, full name Penelope Anotouli, chided with a little smirk.
The Seeker sneered and crossed his arms, blowing a plume of smoke out his nose. "How about you give me some good news, eh? How's the recruitment going?"
"Slow."
"Don't be so frigid!" Gaius snapped. "Gimme some more words; what's the holdup now?"
Penelope was, indeed, a frigid bitch, and would describe herself as such with pride. Antisocial as the Centurion could be, she was a master of logistics, and a powerful warrior besides, making her a fantastic pick for the first of his Centurions. A number which, two years later, stood at a measly six.
"As usual, the problem comes down to manpower. A Legion needs to handle its own materiel, arms, organization, paperwork…" The Amazon rattled terms off without missing a beat, disentangling Gaius' pants from hers as she spoke. "The autonomy of each Legion is how we make war over such great distances, but it makes building a new one a real pain."
"Need to make the stuff to supply the recruits, need recruits to make the stuff…" Gaius grumbled. "If we could just buy what we need in bulk, we could grow faster, but I don't have the points. To get the points to afford that, I'd need to do Legate stuff, but to do Legate stuff, I need a Legion!"
"Don't whine so much, this is just how it goes." Penelope half-heartedly glared at her Legate. "The Legion's growth will accelerate over time, until it reaches half strength. From there, it will be slow going again, as we will no longer be supplied an allowance."
Gaius fell back onto his back, staring up at the fine, sturdy aquamarine cloth of his spacious tent. There had to be some way to make this go faster, something other than years of doldrum. Callista had been granted a Legion straightaway, but that had been a propaganda move, for what the Clan suspected would be their sole King. That ceremonial force would not be afforded to the latecomers. "Damnit, if we could just outsource the labor, we'd grow so much faster…"
"Well, if you're looking for laborers, there is one possibility." Penelope trailed off, face falling into a slight grimace. "Are you familiar with The Brotherhood, sir?"
"Brotherhood, Brotherhood…" Gaius muttered, sitting up and pulling the cigarette, which had been floating around above his head, to his lips. "Now that I think about it, I once met an odd fella. Old man who called himself The Builder, with a bunch of no-talents following him around like he hung the stars in the sky. Those folks went by that name."
"That would be him, correct." Penelope confirmed with a curt nod. She swallowed in hesitation, but whatever the source of those feelings, she did not express them. "They've been growing quite a bit in numbers lately. They're mortals, in a sense. Mortals who couldn't have awakened their qi normally, but had it awakened by some treasure. They don't use spirit stones, because they see themselves as 'not real Devils'."
"No spirit stones!?" Gaius exclaimed, bug-eyed, and put his cigarette out on his arm. "In the desert? That's a death sentence. You'd never get past the Second… no, it would be the Fourth Heavenstage now. That insane!"
"Utterly, yes." Penelope said, now openly scowling as she fastened her tunic. "They consider themselves to be 'off the books', so to speak. They wouldn't be Cultivators at all without that treasure that awakened them, so by their logic, that makes them the lowest beings of the Cultivation World. They'd rather Clansmen with more potential use them."
"Okay, so they stay at the lower Heavenstages to do work for other Clansmen… what's in it for them? What are they trying to
do?" Gaius furrowed his brow, wondering if he was stupid, or had missed some detail.
"The work
is what's in it, sir."
"I don't understand."
"That's because you are also insane, sir. Trust my sanity."
"You ought to be more respectful, Penelope…" Gaius whined, holding his head in his hands. Thinking in circles like this would just give him a headache, so he gave up on trying to comprehend those closed-off avenues.
"Please focus, sir!" the Centurion exclaimed, though her tone did not change, only the volume. "Their mission statement, as an organization, is to assist the Clan in its endeavors. They believe the Golden Devils are the best hope for prosperity for mortal-kind, and so the Clan must spread. Therefore, they do the lowest, most unglamorous work."
"And how do a bunch of dead-enders help with Legion-building?"
Penelope pinched the bridge of her nose, evidently annoyed at having to spell the answer out.
"Because, sir, if they're unable to get past the Fourth Heavenstage, that means they'll be Aspirants forever."
"…so they'll be chore boys forever!" Gaius exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "Let's buy them in bulk! We can get this Legion running in half the expected time!"
"I'll get you more than chore boys, sir." Penelope declared sternly, putting the finishing touches on her outfit and ready to leave, a mere five minutes after they'd finished. "If we're to associate with that cult, we'd best make the most of it. I'll cook us up a contract that'd make a Forest Spirit weep."
—-
Peng Kingdom part of the Scorpion road had never looked so weird. Pristine routes where one could literally eat the food that falls on it. With numerous arrays that had the level of dedication one would expect in a Devils' Fortress.
But other roads were literally on fire, from all active volcanoes.
Which made the massive number of elderly Golden Devils, in a camp, all old soldiers that were emanating an aura of pure happiness all that much stranger.
If the observer knew the Brotherhood the first thing to come to mind was how slowing they were working on that day. Still doing labor that would kill a mortal. But far too slow for their 'usual' level of dedication.
One of them looked at the crimson sky from all the smoke present, the purple lightning coming from the closest volcano and said "What a lovely day".
The other elders present nod to that. "Aye, if we knew that a pissed heaven would give us so much, we would start the end of times early" all present laugh at that. Meanwhile a bird was looking at them with extreme level of concern.
In the center of the legionary camp, there was a big man sleeping. His face had the marks of lack of rest that were healing. Those that knew him would say he never looked as healthy as he was now.
In some parts of the camp there was smoke, from all the cooking. The smell of chicken and spices was being sent to the wind. That would also be a sigh of concern if one knew the Brotherhood.
Badly singing a woman with a metal ring on her neck. Yelled with impressive lungs "Food is ready, come to eat you lazy bastards!"
The group starts moving to a big table. And, with all the noise, the big man awakes, opens his eyes and starts to move. He makes a gesture to the woman. Which throws to him the metal ring. He continues to walk while putting it on his own neck after that he sits at the head of the table. The group continues to talk about the end of the days and how great it is so far.
Over the sounds of the banquet, another sound gradually makes itself known: the clopping of hooves. Louder and louder, until it couldn't be missed, a team of Bronze Aurochs pulled a carriage large enough to seat half a dozen people. It came to a stop just outside the camp, and three people came out. First was a tall, lanky man in black clothes, but rather than the usual simple long cloak, he had gone with something a little more eye-catching.
A collection of blacks and bright blues surrounded a sturdy breastplate, bracers and greaves, and a short cape fluttered at his back. Halfway between something ceremonial and something one would wear to a war, Gaius had picked this little number out to look both strong and diplomatic. But, looking at the people assembled, he had to wonder if he'd perhaps overdressed.
At his side was Penelope, dressed in a more understated Centurion's uniform, with only a few small customizations to make it stand out. She carried in one hand a thick roll of parchment, and held it as securely as if it were a precious artifact. Behind the two was a Legionnaire, dressed plainly and carrying a chisel and jade slip; a scribe, to record this negotiation.
Gaius looked around, not quite sure how to start things off. He eventually decided on something simple. "I see you're having dinner. I apologize, I didn't mean to interrupt."
Blinking once, the big man at the head of the table looks at the stronger Golden Devil. There was a pulse of Qi from his neck. Followed by a form of organized Chaos that just exploded from the impressive reaction of the eldery.
All of them raised from the table, some rock pillars raised and closed the bird in a cage. While some of the eldery star running back to the cooking area.
As one the rest bowed deeply and said "We salute Legate Gaius"
From some legionaries pockets come food and candies, after another (stronger) pulse of Qi. Some good cigars were put on the top of the table.
With the crew sting bowing and only the crew in the cooking area moving, the builder raises and walks to meet the Clan newest Legate.
"Legate, you are interrupting nothing, what can we do to you on this day?"
Gaius took a few steps back,in shock at the speed of the response. He cast a confused look at his second-in-command, who gave him only a hopeless shrug in return. "How, how did they…" He looked back at The Builder nervously - this wasn't the reception he'd expected at all. "I would ask how you knew who I was, but you folks seem to like your ceremony." He smiled, adjusting to the pleasant surprise. "So I'll enjoy it and let you keep your secrets. I'd like to offer you a deal, Mister…"
The big man nodded to that and said "I am the second builder, and we have no secret to a fellow brother-in-arms. Much less someone we still make mural art of. From the actions that you and the rest of the elite of the clan did that saved Abel Angelus" he said and even pointed to a tent that had a tapestry like art on It, that shows a grotesque looking hunter being completely dominated by a younger Zeno Angelus.
After that the second builder looked at the new legate and said "we will do our best to do anything that you wish for us to do. Just like good legionaries should" getting nods of approval from all the other old people in the camp.
"This isn't exactly a single job, more of a long term assignment. And you have plenty to gain here as well." Gaius looked around at the camp, marvelling at the degree of comfort the Brotherhood had managed to construct at a mere worksite. "It would be better to discuss this privately, it's a bit complicated."
Nodding to that, the builder moves close to the caged bird, his face starts to bulge with an impressive amount of muscle by using some kind of art while an impressive expression of fury was made.
"Flying-rat" the bird cries in indignation only to get hit by the wind that had come off from the explosion of movement that was made by a giant palm. "
Flying-rat" he said only to continue "you either do not work for the Great Pengs or are a sanctioned spy. If it is the second case you will be treated later on with all courtesy which we can provide. But we know that it is not only the eyes that those of your blood can improve. If you dare. To spy. On. A legate". He said and made a giant pause. "Your suffering will be the stuff of legends. My brother, the 5th brother, will show you the book of pain, so that you are aware how far is our imagination" getting a nod from an unhealthy man close by.
The crazy man said that and moved to a commanding tent that was just raised while he was threatening the bird.
Gaius dipped his head down a bit as he stepped into the tent, his two companions following close behind. He took a seat at the central table and waited for the Second Builder to sit opposite him before continuing. "I met your predecessor a while back - I'm surprised you're all still talking about me, I was just a Legionnaire then. Anyway, I met him… Was it fifty years ago? No, forty-seven, because it was at the Trials." He lit up one of the cigars the Brotherhood had given him, and paused as it touched his lips. "My favorite blend? How did you…"
Penelope, who was standing behind Gaius, kicked him in the shin under the table, which made him sputter and shake his head, breaking him out of that tangent before it could start.
"Er, anyway! What I'm saying is, you've got a lot more members now. Back then, it was less than one hundred."
The old Man blinked to that, there was a pulse of qi from his neck, which seems to be a back and forward from two sources of Qi, "we were closer to 10,000 at that time counting the mortals. We only send the ones that succeed in become cultivators on that day"
"Nowadays, we don't know the exact numbers because more mortal brothers are either trying to be part of the brotherhood each day. Or being born in the brotherhood. Our second generation alone is making for an impressive amount of adorable babies" The crazy man said with unfocused eyes, seems to have a little bit off.
"I'm glad to hear you're so prosperous; that will be good for both of us." Gaius held up a hand, and the Centurion behind him gave him the roll of parchment. "With the new era, the air around here isn't so dead anymore, and nobody stands to benefit more than your order. My offer will make sure we both prosper - and profit - from these times."
Grinning, The Seeker put the parchment down on the table, but kept his hand atop it, keeping it rolled up. A bit grandiose, maybe, but he'd been in a grandiose mood ever since he left that mental prison and taken his rightful place. "They say a Fourth Heavenstage can sustain themself in the desert with just that air, now, and you folks use the air a lot better than others. How many members are in the Fourth Heavenstage now?"
Nodding to that the builder starts to think hard while having a continuous flow of Qi coming from the neck. He said with a voice that sounded a little bit different. "Of that level or above we have 190 brothers, counting all of the core members and Diomedes' scions. Give us 20 years, are we able to provide closer to 300 in that exact level". Said The Builder.
"That's perfect. I'll take them all!" Gaius declared, raising his hand and letting the parchment roll out to its full length. Fully unfurled, the contract was thousands of words long; to even fit it all on one large page, the writing was quite small. "All the ones that aren't with Diomedes, of course; I'm no thief."
As The Builder read the contract, Gaius summarized it. "If you sign this, we'll enter a long-term partnership. When a Brotherhood member reaches the Fourth Heavenstage, they'll enter my Legion, the 433rd
Stargazers, as an Aspirant. Since they don't use stones, we'll instead pay them twice as many points as the other Aspirants. They will, of course, use many of their points to help the Brotherhood as they always have. You'll grow in numbers quicker, which gives us more Aspirants, and their labor will grow the Legion faster. Which means bigger missions, which means more points, and so on."
He grinned and tapped the blank line at the bottom. "All you have to do is sign here, and we'll be very good friends."
The flow of Qi moving around the neck had grown so strong that it started to make the ring look a bit red. The big man truly went deeply inside himself and even started to breathe so much air that would kill a mortal. He then muttered the words "The Seeker". And continue to think hard for a bit. When he opened his eyes once more his entire posture was different. He moved to his neck and removed the iron ring. Then the second posture returns to his previous one. From the ring he took an amulet that was kept inside.
"Since you will be the military leader of so many of our brothers we should inform you that we are trying to make more of these so called 'living wills', this one hold the first builder, Xi-Wang" the older looking man said only to continue.
"Since there will be times you want a spy, there will be times you will need to allow your soldiers to die and you certainly need to know your soldiers' full capacity. And having some that are capable and willing to die for your cause would make for another ace under your sleeve would it not". Said the second builder.
Gaius gasped. "A Living Will? You even have those?" He tilted his head, eyeing the amulet closely and feeling the edges of the consciousness leashed within. "That's a very precious thing; most people wouldn't even tell an Elder about something like that. Hmm…" He cradled his chin between his fingers, pondering the problem set before him. "Making more Living Wills? There… may be ways I could help with that. I would need some time to figure it out, but I might be able to replicate that amulet, with some help."
When the Legate said that the second builder tried to remove something from his back. A bit embarrassed he looked to Gaius and commented "I have one prototype in my possession, we only failed to bring to it a spark, a living will have a soul after all, and none of use can do those difficult arts" cough, he continue "with you permission I will leave the tent for a bit to take the disk off my back, otherwise I would need to remove some of my clothes" he finished.
Gaius waved his hand, and the tent flap opened. "Take your time, I'm in no rush. I came here to parlay after all." He glanced up at Penelope, who seemed pleasantly surprised at how smoothly things had gone thus far, and at the scribe, who was frantically recording the whole conversation and probably wondering if it was alright for him to be hearing all this.
Returning with an object being kept under some clothes. The second builder closed the tent once more. And show them two giant disk made of gravebroze, the 'lesser' one had a amount of arrays so great that it should had take the creator years, the second one was even more elaborate with arrays so small that thing look like a mirror. The builder carefully put both on the desk and start explaining "we use what we learn of computer with Abel Angelus and some other creations of his like the standard form of arrays, and so far we create what can be called 'less dumb wills'" he said and get three pulse of qi, two from the disks, "they agree". He commented.
"A cheaper way of making and preserving Living Wills, huh?" Gaius leaned forward, struggling to take in the sheer volume of array-script. "It would be a big project, and I couldn't make it happen by myself, but if you sign the contract, I'd happily help you where I can."
Gaius tapped his forehead, and suddenly a third eye opened from a vertical socket, letting him analyze the script from more angles. "I'm not a Soul Arts specialist, but I am a practitioner of them. I happen to know some very capable crafters as well. And Dao Magic makes interesting things happen, when you use a lot of it over a long time. I'll see what I can do. Seems like a fun project anyhow."
With some metaphoric weight being removed from his shoulders, and getting visible younger from the release tension, the second builder commented. "So long as we can reach that goal and continue to protect our family, we are willing to offer everything we have and we are"
Gaius smiled warmly. "I'm honored that you'd entrust these souls to me. I'll take good care of them."
And so, The Builder gladly signed the pact.
