Kurt was still having the same problem, he had too many places to control and not enough officers to send to them.

The biggest problem with Sylvain was who he should send there. It wanted to avoid anything too troubling so sending back Victor to take over wouldn't have been the best idea.

Betsy was already swamped, Sara had her own place, Arthur as well he would have to start thinking more broadly meaning one of the goblins.

He had made some discussions and there seemed to be agreement. That the Kitsune wanted to stay for a few reasons. He thought about Jacob being in charge but he didn't seem to even want it. But for now it would be enough. Especially with Maliki and the goblin crew watching over for a moment, the goblins would set up a wyvern nest and more would come later.

The gnomes had already begun construction on the mansion again. They still seemed to be everywhere yet sort of always in the background. You could always trust a gnome because you could rarely actually ever find the same gnome again.

Which meant the only people that had to leave were Kurt and Talia. Which meant they wouldn't be taking the ship back. He didn't have to pretend with all the niceties now. He was the leader now.

He picked up Talia to fly her back in his arms. He could fly much like Horus now so in any position though for faster moving there was optimal positioning.

Talia seemed happy enough to be in Kurt's arms. "How did I ever get here?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Maybe."

"You became stronger than everyone else."

"Is that all?"

"Where is the man that just walked up to god told him no and then…"

"He was asking something I couldn't give," Kurt turned away. "It's like it just follows me around."

"What does?"

"Violence, power, I just wanted to make a little money."

"You have done that though."

"I'm a killer."

"So am I," said Talia, "you've seen."

"I never wanted to be."

"I know," said Talia, in Kurt's arms flying, then hugged him closer.

"I could be worse though."

Kurt closed his eyes and heard that same gurgling noise, the screams. Had he gotten so used to them?

"Maybe we should just enjoy this," said Talia, "your kingdom is beautiful from up here."

The trip back was much faster, without having to follow the twists and turns of the river and the speed Kurt could maintain. It didn't take them more than a few hours to reach the pillar.

He had come to the level the throne room was on hoping to catch Layla. As he and his wife walked in, Layla was there. She didn't seem too busy. Travis, Thomas and Simon were there. He was actually hoping Rosie or Ishtar was there.

"Sir Kurt," said Layla, "you're back early."

"Yeah, what's all this about?"

"Well, the goblins have returned from their…umm…mate exchange."

"I'm sure Mistress Lilly is ecstatic."

Layla gave Kurt a look, "More than you know."

"But what about you? Did they kick you out?"

Talia giggled.

"No."

"I think I would have been informed if we saw a boat coming back down the river."

"We flew."

"I'm not following you, you were supposed to come back with everyone. A typical boring visit."

"The thing is…," said Kurt, rubbing the back of his head.

"What did you do?"

"They attacked me."

"The elves attacked you," said Layla with a puzzled look.

"No, not them exactly."

Talia was laughing.

"I feel like I'm missing something," said Layla.

"Do you want me?" said Talia.

"Could you?"

"Your majesty, We are pleased to report that the Kingdom of Sylvain is now a vassal of Wellspring."

Layla looked at Kurt, "That leads to many more questions. This was supposed to be a diplomatic trip. We were not supposed to take over the Kingdom."

"I swear I…" said Kurt, "it just sort of happened."

"The King was a puppet of the shadow, and the god Mordor," said Talia.

"The god Mordor claimed Sylvain, and he just walked away after you showed up. And gave it to you."

"He's dead," said Kurt.

"Dead?" said Layla. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to get involved in that mess." Layla's crown still floated above her head. Kurt wondered if he could get one of those.

The conversation continued in a similar fashion until Layla was fully informed of what had happened in Sylvain.

"Hmm," said Layla. "It's unexpected, but not unwelcome I guess. Though it does lead to who is going to stay there."

"I was thinking of one of the people here," gesturing towards Travis, Thomas and Simon.

"Hmm," said Layla, "that wouldn't be a horrible idea. But it would be better if it was Lilly."

The three goblins nodded.

"I don't know if she would stay, and not be adversarial after enough time."

"That's true. And you don't think it should be Victor?"

"I think it would be confusing to some of them."

"I see, we are still a bit short on people to trust."

"Which brings us back to Travis, Thomas and Simon."

"And not Hank, Tom and Joe?"

"I mean…I thought it was normal for the highest ranking goblins, your council would be ranked higher."

"Do you think none of them are ready?"

"It's not that," said Kurt, "and don't try to trick me."

It was difficult to run so many things, and Kurt had come to depend on his council a lot more than he realized until he thought about losing one of them.

"And Joshua is with Betsy and I don't want to have that discussion," said Layla.

"We can wait," said Simon, "we could send Boris in the interim while Kitsune is still there. Also there is another cohort of goblins that we know. Who has been asking for an opportunity."

"I have no objection," said Kurt. "I think I need to go talk to Arthur and Betsy about recruiting. Or involving more people."

"I think we are going to have to talk with Ishtar whenever she shows up."

"I'll tell Susan to send someone for us."

Layla smiled, "yes, she would be the first to know."

Kurt went to the mess hall but Susan wasn't there today. So he went up to her apartment in the pillar. They were the first one to move in and they had never left.

Half the section was for them and the other half was empty with a long hallway toward something Kurt hadn't thought about in a while. There was a fire at the doors but not inside.

It had been a while since Kurt had anytime to enjoy his domain, everything had gotten in the way. And it got so much bigger. Many were more of an alliance on Earth. Nobles pledging to the winning side of the current war.

He had the time today and he felt some pull about it.

As he approached the room he felt a comfortable thump in his chest. The inner power that Kurt had trouble using seemed to be in a slow rhythm.

The fires on the outside of the doors flickered and the room seemed to start to melt with the changing light. The pillar in the center was empty and started to twist and turn, and create a new shape. Spinning in place.

The light flickered more as he stepped into the morphing room. Something about it though was welcoming, warm and calm.

Another flicker in the fires and above the pillar an object formed, shapeless and folding within itself. It was a much smaller version of what was above Layla's fountain.

Kurt glared into the object followed one of the folds in through the space it was moving through. It floated above the podium. Before he had trouble but it was as if it was an expression of Layla's space manipulation. Almost like a portal that leads to itself.

One more step forward and the red glow began from the object and a red liquid perspired around the folding object swishing into waves, but thin enough to be translucent, a single drop formed and fell to the podium but as it hit the surface the stain folded in on itself as the object and it was left clear and undamaged.

The podium hadn't stopped spinning but now was at a regular rate.

He looked around the room, this wasn't the first time he'd been in it. He saw the murals. But they had definitely changed somehow.

He looked back at the entry way where the circular room's mural would begin.

And Kurt stared in disbelief and blinked his eyes a few times. He spun around and witnessed the rest room.

He understood what it was saying.

How could he not.

Coming back to the beginning he saw it. Those eyes. Those little paws.

It was that damn squirrel. The mural was about him. The room had made a whole story board of Kurt's life.

The copycat, the goblins, the lich, everything right up to the killing of Mordor, Compressed, things were missing but the broad strokes where mostly there's

"What the hell did I just do?"

"I'd like to know that too," said Layla.

"When did you get here, did you think I wouldn't notice this right next to my well?"

"Is it bad?"

"No, I don't know. I don't feel bad."

"Jerry, Jerry get your sword something weird out here," they heard Susan scream from down the hallway.

"What is it?" said Jerry opening the door. And out ran Robby.

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