Theon Airikson: Neighbors

My sleep was silent, too silent. I slept like a corpse and even that bothered me a little bit, but then again when you think about it, was there ever a reason why I shouldn't have enjoyed my sleep. This is the second day in the journey of my new life, it would be filled with taking care of a few things and training…probably. But first of all I needed to see what I could do with the Ark-Land, the faster I upgrade it, the safer I'd be. Any other plans about logistics with the Lee's or getting the demon monkeys to be more involved with the well being of the Ark-Land would have to wait, for now it's back to the giant peach tree.

I stepped out of the Manor with Watson in tow, not that I needed him to, but until I've got assistants and guards of my own, he had taken it upon himself to watch over me, I guess the assassination attempt last night left him a little bit worried. From the entrance of the manor I could see the shores where the fight had taken place, there were no bodies left behind as it had been cleaned up while I was asleep, by whom? I'm not sure it matters, but I'm thankful I did not have to wake up to see the assassins dead bodies stinking up my property.

"Watson what's the state of our current location, any luck in figuring out a solution to our food situation?" I asked as we drew closer to the peach tree.

"We're still anchored Young Master, but I've detected two small Ark-Lands within 6 hours of us. I sent a tamed beast to go scout and we discovered the Ark-Lands are basic but Inhabited."

" Inhabited you say? What are their manifestations?" I asked as we finally got to the base of the peach tree, where I stopped to finish the conversation.

"Simple villages young master."

"Oh! What do you think would be viable, do we initiate contact with them for trade or do we try to subsume the Ark-Lands or add them to sect, to establish a little bit of growth." I asked him as I folded my hands in thought.

" We do not have the man power to attack and assimilate any of the Ark-Lands, both of them have powerhouses in the late foundation establishment stage. Now a single one wouldn't matter, but both villages have at least 8 each. One only might be inconsequential but eight of them would send anyone running. Plus in order to prove yourself I don't think this is something you would want to disturb your lady mother with, or the rest of your demon clan. I'm under the impression they don't think much of you Young Master." I raised an eyebrow at that, prompting Watson to bow his head low.

"Forgive me if I have overstepped young master." I nodded and continued.

" Think nothing of it Watson, however! assuming we had options, would it be better to trade with the villages or attack them?" I asked as I leaned back against the peach tree.

" Their Ark-lands are basic, there's barely anything that it can offer to us in the grand scheme of things, however what we lack the most now is land, and any Ark-Land you subsume or add, will increase the scope of the sect and enjoy from it's benefits, even if they have nothing to offer of their own. Plus the addition with increase the rate of Qi absorption and the Qi capacity of the Ark-Land, which should be a step in the right in getting the sect back up and running, we need to be self sufficient as it is. So if we had options it would be viable to absorb them rather than trade, and they have people that can be indoctrinated as servants, and if there are any talented cultivators amongst them, new disciples for the sect, enough to start rebuilding the forces of the four winds sect."

I nodded in agreement, in retrospect perhaps it would be best if I just built up our power, honestly the Wind-Ice Macaque demon tribe were an already established force that pretty much hates my very existence. There's no guarantee I can bring them to heel, not until I've proven myself capable and to be their so called Monkey Prince. Watson saw this, he knew they would be unreliable but for the life of himself couldn't bring himself to tell It to me straight. But that's understandable, until yesterday I've always been sort of a difficult person who couldn't take facts when he was he is wrong or heading down the wrong lane.

"How's the relationship between both villages?" I asked.

" Actually very bad, based on rumors both used to be a part of one whole Ark-Land, but there was fight between two brothers and it caused a split, how that was possible, I don't know, but not everything in the universe has been discovered. Either way there's going to be a wedding ceremony in about a day, the daughter and son of both checks are getting married as a way to bury centuries of bad blood and reunite the Ark-Lands so that they can begin their step to conquest, they have grand ambitions young master." I nodded at that, smiling a bit at Watson's attempt at humor.

In this day and age, not unless you're absolutely lucky or come across some treasure, raising a new force from the ground up is impossible. The already established forces will gobble you up in seconds, there was enough competition as it is, there was no room for any other competitor to come into the scene. None the less I already had the bare bones of an idea in my head, but even if I would put it into play, it wouldn't be as both I and the Ark-Land are right now.

"Well I'll solve the issue of land and space in a few minutes, hopefully I should be able to reinstate an important aspect of the sect. We did receive two epic grade Ark-Land from Malia during her last visit, I don't see why we shouldn't put it to good use. And then let's move on from there and see what we've got, you and I will pay the villages a visit in a few hours, and keep an eye out, I don't want them knowing we're a few hours away from them."

"Yes Young Master." I nodded at him with a smile then began my ascent, going up and into the peach tree, smiling at the metal door closed behind me. It was time to get to work.