The Best Man: The Good Man Series Book Three (Wattpad Preview)

Chapter 15: The Alden Republic

The man was chained to a wall, removed of his personal effects.

"Who are you?" Morek asked.

"Inquisitor Nestulik, my fine gentleman," he said with a refined accent and clear words. "How may I be of service to you?"

"We want a confirmation of-" Morek began.

"Wait, do you not want to know of my origination?" he asked, seeming surprised. "I am Inquisitor Nestulik, one of the Emperor's Imperial Elect."

"The who?" Casaris asked.

"Why, the Imperial Elect," Nestulik told them. "I used to be one of the most distinguished nobles in Voriontu. Borious fought with my father in the first war with the beastly Orcs. I am a man of great renoun. I was one of the Emperor's first choices."

Morek tried to get back to his question, but Casaris interrupted again, wanting to know more.

"How many are you?" his brother asked.

"Many!" the inquisitor exclaimed. "We control all of the Emperor's armies. For our service, His Majesty gave us magic."

"You cannot give someone magic," Morek refuted.

"Retrieve my blade," the inquisitor commanded.

Morek sent for the madman's blade. One of the Guardians handed him a well crafted blade of polished black, recently crafted with care. Set into the leather wrapped hilt was a red stone, magic pulsating within it. Morek easily pulled the stone from its casing, dropped it, and crushed it under his foot. A small scream slipped from Nestulik's lips.

"He gave you an illusion of magic," Morek coldly stated. "Now I have questions to be answered."

"Of course, but let me tell you of my origin," Nestulik started again on another tangent.

Morek pointed the black sword to the neck of the Emperor's pawn. "Answer my question."

"You have the floor, sir," Nestulik gulped, fear evident in his unusually confident voice.

Morek asked of the rumor that another group of humans was present off the mainland and that the Emperor planned to send his armies to subdue them under his control.

"Well, well, I must say, your knowledge is impressive," the inquisitor said. "You are correct. My lord plans to unleash his soldiers on the Seridians, as he calls them. Their people outnumbered ours until the Emperor began his recruitment throughout our land."

"Recruitment? You call the mass genocide and impression into an army recruitment?"

"All will bow to his might."

"Not me."

Inquisitor Nestulik began laughing, but his cackling was cut off as his head fell to the floor by his own sword. Morek threw the blade down in disgust and left, followed by his brother and the other Guardians. Morek retreated to one of the small houses near the center of Umard Woods and rested. His world fell black as his body hit the comfort of a bed.

He awoke, still clothed, with the last of the day's light shining in through the window. A knock came at his door, bringing Morek fully awake. Casaris stuck his head inside.

"May I enter?" he asked.

"Come on in," said Morek tiredly.

The brothers stood in silence for a moment. They had never formed such a bond as they had on this journey. The two would do anything for each other. Casaris would die for Morek, and Morek would do the same for Casaris.

"It had been hard," Morek said, voicing his brother's thoughts.

"I know," Casaris replied. "But it is almost over."

For the first time since the death of his father, Morek released his emotions. He fell into the strong embrace of his older brother. Casaris found himself in a precarious situation. He was the oldest, but he found himself always under his younger brother's power. Still, it was nice to have the ability to support the man he would always see as the young boy from Harthwait. They talked as the sun set below the homes of the trading village.

Finally, Morek separated from his brother. He removed his black cloak and hung it off the back of a chair. He then removed his tunic, and for the first time, Casaris saw the scars his brother had collected from his many travels. Morek pulled on a new tunic from his bag. Casaris poured them both a glass of water from a pitcher on the desk in the room.

"So, what did you come about?" Morek asked.

"Concerns," his brother responded. "From our army."

"About?"

"When we destroy The Empire, what next?" Casaris asked. "They are concerned that after everything we have fought for, it will all be lost to bickering or war."

"No, I have plan," Morek told his brother.

They discussed it briefly, and Casaris went to the others to tell them of the meeting to happen in the morning."

Morek slept deeply that night, awaking to the sun close to noon as he pulled on his clothes. He raced to the assembled group in the town center. Casaris approached him.

"I figured we could all use the rest, and I told them to meet at noon," he smiled.

Morek climbed atop the small rock the town was built around, legends saying it was the very top of the head of a giant that protected the city.

"You have expressed concerns," he began. "About what will happen after we defeat The Empire. I have a plan. The races will return to their assigned borders. As for the humans, we shall create a new form of government I call a republic. It is a council of representatives from each portion of the land to rule as one body."

The group nodded in agreement.

"But, if that is so, we all must agree," Morek said. "If you agree, please raise your hand."

At once, every hand raised. Stories would later say the republic began there at that first decision.

"What do we name it?" someone asked.

The others started mumbling and nodding in agreement.

"The Alden Republic!" shouted a young voice from the back of the crowd.

It was Nomes. The small Guardian shouted his idea again, receiving a chorus of agreement.

"The vote?" Morek asked.

All hands raised into the air.

"Alright," Morek said, a smile on his face. "Then let's fight for the Alden Republic."