"What now?"

It was a question we all wanted to know. There was yet another alien faction—that just a few hours earlier, was trying to take our territory and kill our faction.

Enora claimed she didn't want to fight the entire time. It didn't exactly bring me comfort.

But that was the world now.

More fighters meant more security—our region would be easier to hold, and we'd have more flexibility in battle. But it also meant greater risk. Our faction kept growing, and how could I ever be sure everyone was loyal?

I pieced everything together logically, but the tension in my shoulders didn't ease.

Enora tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It seems like that is up to you." She sighed and glanced at the rest of her faction surrounded in the grass. "We are in your power now for better or worse."

"Let's take them in," Alex said.

I raised my eyebrows. Had he really just suggested that?

"I'm not sure it's that easy Alex. There are logistics that need to be considered." Ellison countered.

"Obviously." He agreed, not backing down. "I'm just saying, let's move past all the crap."

He scoffed. "Seriously Layton, I know you. You'll let them in. So let's get Jared over here and just work this out."

I glowered at him and then looked at Ellison who just shrugged. "He's got a point."

Was I really so predictable? Judging by everyone nodding, I guess I was.

"Fine." I conceded. "Enora, if you're willing, we'd like to negotiate a path forward that would assimilate your faction into ours."

She narrowed her eyes. "Just like that? You aren't worried about the potential threat we pose to your faction?"

"You aren't really a threat though." Durkil answered matter of factly. "We could kill you all easily."

Enora flinched at that, face flushing.

Durkil wasn't the diplomat Ellison was, but Enora was still chewing on the words. It wasn't a threat, just the truth. His directness reminded me of Mischief.

Durkil was only mostly right. We could kill them easily. That didn't mean they weren't a threat. Mischief had taught me more than once the great power of surprise attacks in a fight. We'd still need to tread carefully.

"Nick, can you get Jared?" He shifted away, and I took his disappearance as a yes. "Ok, so there are really only two major issues I see."

"Only two?" Enora asked, tilting her head.

"The first should be fairly easy. You need a place to live. For now I think we can give you the one unoccupied territory we are working to claim." I scratched my chin. "The only downside is that we can't establish a portal there until the raids are resolved."

Enora didn't respond. She was calculated, waiting to hear everything before responding.

"It's not far so it shouldn't be a huge issue, but you will have to defend yourselves from intruders and anomalies." I began to pace while I pieced together my thoughts. "In the meantime. There is another raid coming tomorrow. It seems to me, if there was ever a time you might have an advantage over us it would be when we are distracted with another faction."

That was when I would probably try and attack, assuming I was in their shoes. It would be the best opportunity.

"I see your point." She agreed. "What if I gave you my word we wouldn't attack during the raid?"

"No good. I don't trust or distrust you, it's just there isn't a need to risk it." An idea was forming. "If we allow you to join, you will need to defend the next raid."

Enora stiffened. "Why would we do that?"

"It's the best way to ensure the safety of my faction while still allowing you to join." I insisted.

"Please elaborate."

"Think about it." I pointed at her faction. "If we fight together, you could turn on us mid-fight helping the raiders. If we have to guard you while we handle the raid then we won't be at peak strength."

"So you want us to risk our lives instead?" Her face hardened.

"Yes," I admitted. "I think it's a fair trade-off—especially since risking your lives was already part of the raid you signed up for."

"Let's assume we choose not to go along with this?" She asked, prodding.

"Then this raid ends like every other raid has." I looked into Enora's eyes. "The question that you should be asking is, what would happen if you do go along with this."

She looked back, examining me. "Ok then, what happens?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"You get what everyone else gets. A fair shot, equal opportunity, a chance to build something new, your own legacy and land."

Her hands clenched and unclenched.

To me the decision seemed obvious. Why wouldn't they? And yet, she seemed to be battling something.

Was it really possible that she might reject the offer? She'd just doom her faction like that?

"Enora?"

She shuffled uncomfortably.

Her voice came out barely more than a whisper. "Ok. I accept."

I felt the tension melt away and my shoulders relaxed.

Then a second later a system notification flashed in my eyes.

The objective was completed. Everyone's attention shifted briefly from diplomacy, to their screens. We'd done it.

Congratulations! You have defeated the second of three raids. The next raid will commence in one week.

Hidden Objective Complete: You have successfully completed a raid through diplomacy.

Rewards calculating….

What's this?

Calculation complete.

Rewards: 200,000 UBC's for faction Layton Mischief, Training facility blueprints, interfaction teleporter blueprints, Three anomaly portals of varying degrees of difficulty, each member of your faction has gained 2 levels (and newly joined raiding party.)

Level up, Level up

There was a rush of murmurs. People seeing the new levels pop up on their status screens.

I gasped at the rush of stats—more than just from the levels. I opened my status.

Living up to the name - You have truly embraced your name "Shepard" herding new members under your banner, even the black sheep. +25 to wisdom, +25 to strength

A new title…the most in terms of raw stats yet.

My eyes bulged at the rewards. This was without a doubt the second greatest reward I'd earned since my second class and spirit weapon. An automatic two levels for every single member of our faction?

How much experience points did that account for? On top of that, two new blueprints?

200,000 UBC's for the faction!?

What did this mean? We found a peaceful way to resolve a conflict and the system rewarded us more than a perfect run. Much more.

"Layton." I rounded on Ellison. He was looking just as bug eyed as I was. "I earned a new title."

"Was it called 'living up to the name'" I wondered aloud.

He shook his head. "Have the biggest stick, so you don't have to use it. It gives me +15 to both Strength and agility."

Yeah that made more sense. How could he get the same title as me if it was a play on my own last name?

"Hey that's what I got!" Alex barged in, with affirmations from everyone nearby. Wait…did everyone just earn the same title? In terms of a faction upgrade this was astronomical. I ran my hands through my hair.

Then I noticed I was hearing more than just the murmurs from our faction—there was a rush of whispers from the dark elves. I understood every word.

Enora cleared her throat, snatching everyone's attention.

"It appears that my acceptance was enough to trigger the merge of our entire faction." She scratched her head. "I expected a bit more warning…."

Welcome to the club I thought, still reeling from the wave of new goodies.

"Decided not to wait for me I see?" I jumped.

"Jared! Uhh…I have a great surprise for you!"

***

It took some time but we caught Jared up to speed with everything.

"I have to admit, this is not the most ideal way to welcome a new faction into our fold." He mused elbow in his hand scratching his cheek. "But I see the reasoning."

Jared had removed his customary table and chairs. Enora sat across from me between Alex and Durkil. Her hands rested neatly, one on top of the other, listening intently.

"I didn't plan to leave them completely without help. We'll give them healers, and maybe even ranged support." I drummed the table.

I seriously doubted that it would go south though—the raid was already done and purchased probably. Meaning that whoever was attacking us next signed on for a much weaker faction. They were in for a rude awakening.

We just needed a little more time to get to know Enora's people before I was ready to give them any tactical advantages.

"Yeah, they'll be fiiinnne." Alex shifted in his chair to face Enora. "Layton's shields are great, you're going to love them."

I groaned. Alex was a freaking addict and his fix was using my barrier spell in fights.

Enora smiled awkwardly. "I'm sure."

Her people still sat uncomfortably in the grass while we wrapped up the plans. We were basically done.

Enora was pleasantly accommodating.

She agreed to live under surveillance, and to her people defending the raid.

Should it be this easy? I honestly didn't know. TV show's, and movies taught me that I should be suspicious and second guess everything or that if I trusted too early I was the naive one.

Why was it like that?

I decided a long time ago that I wanted to be different. People say trust is earned, but I felt it was more accurate for me to say it was something to be lost.

My childhood friend Kevin said that living that way was moronic. That you had to be careful, because once the knife was in your back it was too late.

That didn't compute for me. It implied that if I was skeptical of everyone I wouldn't end up with a knife in my back.

No, if someone was going to stab me in the back they were going to find a way to do it whether I trusted them or not.

Still…I wasn't going to hand them the freaking knife.

So far the time being, they'd fight the raid tomorrow, assuming we couldn't convince them to join. After the raid was completed, they would be moved to our last empty territory where they would be kept under surveillance.

Outside of that, we'd play it by ear.

"For tonight you will be provided essentials, and be kept under guard until the raid tomorrow." Jared thumbed his notepad. "Feel free to roam about the clearing, but for now remain a fair distance from our laborers. Your weapons will be returned tomorrow before the raid."

Oddly, both Alex and Durkil offered to guard Enora.

"I'm not really sure that's necessary…" I said, eyeing them both suspiciously.

Durkil responded, a little too quickly. "It would make me feel more secure to keep an eye on their leader Sir."

Alex gave Durkil a weird look. "Uhhh.. yeah what he said."

They were definitely acting strange. But it seemed harmless so I didn't push back.

"Alright then." I pushed away from the table. "Are we done here?"

People began standing but Jared remained seated. "Layton, a minute?"

I groaned. No more planning! Please!

Reluctantly I sat back down resting my elbows on the table.

"Yes?"

He just grinned. "Try not to be too excited. I promise it won't be long."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.