Music. Jasper marched up Merchant Avenue from the North Fork, surrounded by a large force of men that only seemed to get larger with every step. The jubilant rhythm of his steps echoed the victory pounding in his chest. Orion's tower was his. The battle had been swift, brutal, and decisive. A perfect operation. A part of him, the raw, avaricious part, wanted to return to craft tower and oversee the looting himself. There were treasures in there, riches that could set a man up for life.
But he crushed the thought. Such obvious greed would not serve him in the long run. Power was the real prize, and it required a veneer of discipline. He spotted a young guard, barely old enough to have left his apprenticeship, whose eyes held a particular kind of viciousness. Jasper liked that. You! The boy stopped and turned to Jasper. What's your name? Samuel, sir. Samuel. Jasper clapped him on the shoulder. Craft tower is yours. Secure the valuables. They are not to be touched. Aye, sir.
And if someone larger and mightier decides that they will ignore my order and push past you, what will you do? Stab them in the back as they push past me. The look of expectation on the boy's face was delightfully disturbing. Jasper smiled. I would not punish you for that, but perhaps you stabbed them in the back of the knee, or something less... final. Samuel nodded. Aye, sir. Make them regret it for the rest of their lives, but make that regret last a lifetime.
Patting him on the back, Jasper couldn't suppress a smile. This was exactly the kind of lieutenant he needed. Exactly. Jasper continued to Merchant Tower, his confidence swelling with every step. He was ushered past nervous guards directly to Karch's office. For some reason he didn't occupy Larson's expansive office on the top floor. He didn't bother to knock and marched right in. Karch was behind the desk, looking over a stack of papers. He didn't look up as Jasper approached his desk.
By the gods, you stink. It's the price I paid to remove Orion. I led the forces through their garbage pit. Jasper practically preened. Karch finally looked up. Ah, that was rather stupid. The path from those pits are narrow and easily defended. They were not defended well. So you were lucky. Jasper was annoyed. Karch should have been thanking him, not criticizing him. But Karch stood up before Jasper could think of a sharp, if respectful, reply.
Still you did excellent work. He nodded vaguely to his left. I saw your parade to the North Fork. It was well deserved. Karch started to pace, his bruised face immediately trading his pleasure at Orion being removed with the look of stern business. So, how does the tower stand? What of his reinforcements? Can we maintain control? The questions were sharp, precise. Jasper, for all his arrogance, was competent. The tower stands, though their main doors are splinters.
Our men control the entire tower and its immediate surroundings. Karch looked unmoved. Things are secure. Secure, you say? Karch walked back to his desk, a calm walk that oozed confidence. And what of the warehouse district? Karch sat down and once again looked as annoyed as when Jasper entered. What of the approach along the North Fork? Do you have defensive forces in place for when the craft knights mass for a counterattack?
The question caught Jasper completely off guard. He had been so focused on the singular objective, taking Craft Tower, that he hadn't considered the wider strategic implications. There were many paths for any Craft Guild loyalists to regroup and strike back. I... no, sir. The confidence drained from Jasper's voice. I haven't had time to secure the Northern Quarter. Karch spun around, his face a thundercloud of pure fury.
The calm, calculating politician was gone, replaced by the ruthless commander. Then what are you doing here bragging to me? Do you think a war is a single battle? Get out. Secure the lower quarter. Do not return until I know Orion's forces cannot strike at us from the shadows. Jasper stumbled back, stunned by the intensity of the outburst, made all the more intense by Karch's measured tone. Before he could even reply, Karch shook his head, his eyes oozing contempt.
And have you even considered sex? He has no loyalty, sure, but he is also unpredictable. Perhaps he would like to create more chaos by attacking for the fun of it. Jasper hemmed and hawed until Karch waved a dismissive hand. Leave me. You know what to do. Jasper turned and marched out of the office, his jubilant mood shattered. As he marched down the grand staircase of Merchant Tower, he realized that he hadn't even corrected Karch that Orion was dead.
But as the anger cooled, something else took its place. A grudging envy. Karch saw the whole board. Jasper had only seen the single victorious move. Karch controlled his rage until it was a tool, a weapon to be used with precision. It was a lesson Jasper wouldn't forget. Music. A podcast alchemy production.