Chapter 25: Recruitment

Alex sought her out in the infirmary where she was caring for the wounded. He volunteered to help with lighter tasks like bandaging cuts or fetching supplies and in that manner, they spoke.

At first, it was small talk, but soon enough, Alex broached the topic of her brother.

"I heard what happened to Kain," he said quietly one afternoon as they worked side by side. "He was a good man."

Mira bristled, hands hesitating over a bandage. "Yeah. He was."

"It's not right, what they did to him," Alex went on in a low voice. "He didn't deserve that."

Mira's jaw clenched, but she didn't say anything.

"I've been thinking," he said, looking off into the trees, clearing his throat to make sure no one else was listening. "What if we didn't have to do what the demon king said? What if we could make a difference, actually fight for something real?"

Mira finally looked at him, her eyes hard. "What are you saying, Alex?"

"I'm saying we can do something about it. We don't have to be powerless."

Mira stared at him long after he was through with speaking before she finally shook her head. "You're talking about rebellion. You know what happens to traitors."

"I'm not talking about open rebellion," Alex said. "I'm talking about gathering strength. People like you, like me, who've had enough. We can watch each other's backs, make sure we're not alone when things get worse.

Mira didn't say anything right then, but he could practically see the wheels start to turn in her head. Duran hadn't needed convincing outright, either. He'd just needed to know another option existed.

Over the next several weeks, Alex's sphere of influence began to grow. Continuing to train, his powers grew in strength, his clones improving all the time. But more importantly, he started to gather people to his side.

Then there was Thorne, a mage who had been on the verge of being demoted after something went wrong with one of his experiments.

He, too, was biding his time to strike back, but the courage to take action all by himself was something that had never filled his sails.

"You really think that we are able to take him on, the demon king?" Thorne asked one night as he and Alex met in a secluded part of the palace.

"We don't need to take him on directly," Alex replied. "Not yet. But we can weaken his hold, little by little. It's about gathering your strength, gathering people ready for something different."

Thorne nodded unhurriedly, a slow movement of his head. "I've been waiting for something like this.

Alex's network was small, but it expanded steadily. He never rushed anything along, since he knew that he could not afford to raise suspicion. Already, the Demon King watched him closely; one wrong move might spell his doom. But Alex was a patient man; he had learned that much during his tenure as a pawn of the demon king.

He kept his meetings discrete, spacing out his conversations so a pattern would not be set. He would send his clones out to scout for allies, and upon finding one that sounded discontented, he approached with caution. Always testing the waters first before revealing his true intentions.

One evening, as Alex sat alone in his chamber, it was the last thing he expected to hear-the voice of the system.

[You are building a resistance," the system said. "A bold move.]

Alex let his back slide against the wall until his eyes were closed. "I have no choice. The demon king's suspicion is growing, and I need allies if I'm going to survive."

[Allies are useful," the system agreed. "But remember, your power comes from me. Do not forget where your true strength lies.]

"I know," Alex muttered. "But even with your help, I can't take on the demon king alone."

[Perhaps not now,]

[But in time, you may find that your allies will hold you back. Remember, Alex, loyalty is a fragile thing in a place like this.]

Alex opened his eyes, frowning. The system was right-he couldn't be fully trusting of anyone. But he needed them for now. He needed their strength, their skills. And he could offer them, in turn, a chance at freedom.

"I will keep that in mind," Alex said softly.

About 3 mouths had passed, Alex's influence panned out cautiously. He had gathered a few malcontented soldiers, mages, and healers-all of whom were quite happy to work with him, if only for their own survival.

But as Alex's network grew larger, so did the demon king's suspicion of him; he felt the weight of the king's eyes on him with increasing frequency.

The fights in the arena became more brutal, as if he was being tested by the demon king himself-to push him beyond the limits.

Meanwhile, Alex knew time was running out. The demon king would only put up with his rise for so long before he acted. When that finally comes, Alex had to be prepared.

He wasn't just gathering allies for a fight; he was preparing for war.