172 To Reconcile, To Plan (2)

From the bold words of Cyrus, two sets of eyes looked at him somewhat uneasily. Imran was the one to articulate exactly why as he said,

"The Bellicus family is not one to mess with, at least not with our current level of power. Even if I leveraged my entire family's might and all the ones under them, we would still fall short.

"How much do you even know about them?"

Cyrus just shrugged and said without any shame or embarrassment,

"Nothing at all. Just that they are Minerva's enemy and that they control the city guard."

"Okay, good, that is a start. So how would we be able to defeat them then?" asked Imran in a rhetorical manner, "The average city guardsmen has undergone at least 3 years of training, and that is a minimum. Most of them have been there for longer, constantly training and bettering themselves on the guaranteed salary that the city dishes out to them.

"And because this is a peaceful region there are plenty who have been training nonstop for over a decade, which means that the level of power they have attained just by right of not dying is going to be extremely high.

"Now think about the fact that there are hundreds of them spread throughout the city in small patrol stations disguised as ordinary buildings. A vast network of security and information all in the hands of a single family. A family that is also connected to the actual military, that sends their most promising heirs off to experience the frontlines as adjutant to the Southern General himself.

"Asmon himself is two years older than us, while have only been familiar with our own abilities for just over a month.

"We are outmatched through and through."

Though the grim reality would have crushed anyone else, to Cyrus it mattered little as he just clicked his tongue and said simply,

"So? We just have to be stronger than them, simple. Minerva will easily become stronger than that loser, especially given the gift I have given her. While you will have a chance of full access to the Venator's guild combined with using the prestige of Minerva and myself to gain yourself powerful tools for your Merchant Group in Glacies itself.

"While I will create an unparalleled system of spells that will rend my enemies into dust. Not to mention my other half is engaging in some rather crazy ideas, but one that will give myself my own base of power if done correctly.

"So long as we each focus on our own strengths, who cares about this whatever family? If we are more valuable than they are, the law will favor us no matter what.

"And at the end of the day...they are only human..."

Cyrus dissipated into shadows the moment he said that last piece, appearing behind Imran with a knife at his neck.

"If we just need to kill Asmon himself, he is but a mortal man. A bit of poison or a knife in the shadows will suffice."

Imran was surprised, as he always found himself to be, of his allies growth in his mastery of spells but still he remained cool and collected.

"I had forgotten about the contact with the Venator's guild you had arranged for me, I will definitely make good use of it. But that is not enough to take them down. Assuming that I do form a good relationship with the Guild...

"They will not act against an entity that controls the entire city and is related to the family that controls the military of this region.

"Not unless they know that they will win."

In response Cyrus just took the token that always hung on the necklace he wore and threw it to Minerva.

"Then what if I add the Legionaries? I know that their position is unique, but I am sure I can convince a few hotblooded fellows to assist us.

"We all know the stories. While I have even seen them in action, even if just three come to my aid, I am sure our enemy will willingly turn over Asmon out of sheer respect for the powers behind us."

Minerva had already seen the token before, but only the front half. Now that she held it in her hands, she turned it around and looked at the code on the back that denoted the rank of the one who had given it to Cyrus.

"Honoris..." whispered a shocked Minerva who suddenly started treating the token like it was a treasure.

Carefully she held it, passing it back to Cyrus at once as if she was afraid to somehow scratch it or damage it in at all.

Imran heard the word, and though he was not as familiar with the Legionaries as Minerva was, he could still recognize such a high position in the organization due to his connections and wealth.

Seriously considering their chances if Cyrus could get even just a single Legionnaire to assist and if he could get the Venator's Guild on board, Imran's eyes shone bright as he said,

"Yes...yes...it is possible. With the two giants at our backs, we would be on equal ground with them at least which would make them have to listen to us.

"But, we have work to do and a lot of it. I need to successfully get the Venator's Guild on board and you need to find a way to talk with the Legionaries.

"Once I have secured the support of the Guild, then I will immediately have my family start start expanding. With an exclusive contract with the Venators...heheh, we will be able to swallow all the other casino's in the city within a year if we do things correctly...oh the money..."

Ignoring Imran who started to salivate at the thought of his profits, Cyrus sheathed his knife and walked to the end of the room.

"Good, that's a plan then. Once we are on equal ground we can try to do things by the book, but..." a glint of insanity shone in Cyrus' eyes for a moment as death essence naturally drew itself from the air to himself, giving him an aura of fear and terror, "but if the law does not find itself on our side, then I will take things into my own hands."

'That should not be necessary, as we did learn that so long as you have the right amount of power at your back then the law is truly binding. Though that is a bit boring, at least it's a guaranteed way of resolution. If the law says one is guilty, then there is nowhere to run for hundreds of miles in any direction'

Waving goodbye behind him Cyrus said,

"Now we have a plan and I have checked up on both of my dear allies, I will be taking my leave. I have a busy day ahead of me, thanks to my performance in the duels I have quite a bit of work on my plate now..."

Pushing past the door open to leave, his steps were paused momentarily as Minerva called out from her bed.

"Don't forget about tomorrow at noon, you have to take me out."

"I...did not forget," lied Cyrus as naturally as he breathed for he had planned to spend all of tomorrow creating his latest spell, "I will come by here in the morning to see if you are well enough to go out for a bit, have no fear."

And then he quickly retreated, so quick in fact that he did not even bother to look behind him as he turned to the right upon exiting the door. Missing the strange look that Imran had after hearing the small extra conversation between the two.

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