Flying High.

Lexie and yourself exit the room, immediately getting ordered by two guards next to the door to follow you. It was weird since last night nobody gave a shit but suddenly this morning you were the most important person in the Syndicate.

Lexie and yourself followed these two Rathkin guards through out the castle, into the throne room and then exit it and began to go into another room. It wasn't until you saw that same man you saw before that you knew what was going on. You see him pacing around his room, almost looking nervous.

"What's going on..." you mumble out "Edmin?" you question.

"Darien, Darien, Darien..." his face immediately looking your direction, pacing around the room, his eyes now never leaving your gaze "I need you to go back to Rathkin." he smiles your direction.

"For what reason?" your arm wrapped around Lexie, holding her close "Why would I do that?" you ask.

"Because Darien." he pauses, walking up in your direction "I need you to convince the entire Syndicate army of this plan." he nods "Convince them this is the way to move forward." he replies "Convince them this is their best course of action." his eyes glare at you.

"And if I don't?" you ask.

"Many reasons..." he brushes his brownish, grey hair aside, "But just so you understand, let's just say..." Edmin continues to walk around the room, his head tilted to the ground "She won't be by your side..." his head moves up, glaring at Lexie, his eyes burning into her. "If you don't..." his hand goes to his throat, bringing his index finger across his throat, motioning to all he means slitting of the throat.

You glare at Edmin, not saying a word.

"Ignore it, Darien" Lexie whispers into your ear, trying to dissuade the tension.

"You're going to convince the Syndicate army I'm a friend of yours, a friend of the Syndicate, ready to help their every need." he huffs out "And at the same time, both armies can go back to their respective home towns." he lets out "The Syndicate will be happy because they killed that evil, backstabbing Rathkin King and Rathkin will be happy because they took out that piece of shit, war hungry Syndicate King." he begins "Think about it. Both kings, dead. Nothing but new blood raising in it's place, that new blood though, allied with each other, ready to help each other and ruling the entire continent as one." his hand punches down hard on a table in the middle of the room. "Don't you understand?!" he mentions. "We're doing this for the people...for the Kingdoms themselves, for the best of the best!" Edmin exclaims.

You just wanted to agree with him because the sooner both the nations are allied the sooner you can hunt down your biggest foe. But part of you wanted to fight for your kingdom, fight for the Syndicate. "Why should you, a piece of shit Rathkin tactician be the king of the Syndicate...that doesn't make sense at all." you grumble out at him.

Edmin shakes his head, clearly annoyed with you "if you back me..." he begins.

"Make me King." you interrupt him in a monotone voice.

Edmin's eyes go wide as he looks at you with disbelief "What?!" he laughs "You're joking."

"Nobody in the Syndicate is going to think you're loyal to them." you begin "Nobody will stand beside you no matter what." your head shakes back and forth, thinking how bullshit his plan is "But me..." you pause "The Syndicate knows me, the Syndicate loves me, the Syndicate will listen to me and I will listen to you, I will hear your words and react accordingly!" you plead.

"I didn't come this far to be another fucking drone." Edmin growls "Either I'm King or we all die." his lips curl up, his teeth showcase and his growl echoes through out the room "Both Kingdoms will die if we don't come to a conclusion."

"You can say what you want, Edmin..." you begin "But even if I tell the Syndicate to bow to you, they won't listen..." you glare at him "They won't listen to you at all because you can't fight." you laugh "Challenge me and win." you shake your head "If you beat me in a duel the Syndicate will love you..." you take two steps forward towards him, causing him to take a step backwards "But if you can't beat me...they won't fall in line."

Edmin snarls at you, his eyes shifting around the room uncontrollably "If that's the case..." he grins in your direction."A perfect solution..."

"A solution...?" you reply angrily. "Explain yourself?!" you question Lord Edmin.

"Well well well..." Edmin laughs out "If you won't bend the rules to my orders than what if Rixx is defeats you." his lips curl up, grinning at you "If he beats you, would he be allowed to rule?!" he asks for your opinion "And what if Rixx doesn't want to lead and nominates somebody else..." his eyes curl up in your direction, looking at you with his entire ****. "What then, Darien?!?!" he questions.

"Rixx?!" you stutter in your reply "what...what the hell, Edmin?" Why would he fight for you?! Why would Rixx risk his life for you?!" you ask.

"Because Rixx is nothing but a diligent pawn..." Edmin laughs out loud "Because after he's done with you, I'll rise to the top." his body fills with joy as his eyes glue to you.

You stay silent, looking at Edmin, not saying a word, surprised by his words.

"A war to the ****!" his smile showcasing his true feelings "Darien vs Rixx for who controls the Syndicate." his smile as big as can be, his attitude as bright as can be. "If a duel is needed, then this is what will happen." he forces the objective.

You think about it, thinking about Rixx and how powerful of a warrior he really is. You can only gulp as your mind races around all the possibilities. You know that you could turn down the challenge and make Rixx fight your high commander's first but that would mean Rixx would fight Lexie and Ashe before he got to you. There was no way in your mind you were going to allow either of them to fight Rixx at all, not this man, not this warrior, not this demon of a man...

You could only swallow hard as you thought about Edmin's proposal, you didn't think about this, fighting for control of the Syndicate in a duel, against the strongest warrior you've ever known...

"Go south, Darien" he laughs at your begging "In ten days we fight in Nillix." his lip curls up, smirking at you. "Ten days before you die and the Syndicate folds to my orders..."