Deal
Deal
"What now? Kis'Shtiengbrah?" Samael asked. He had joined the battle late and found Dementi and Dagla having started a slaughter-fest before him to be quite depressing. He had planned to join the fun, but alas his lateness meant that there was little blood left for him to spill.
"Hmm, there is someone I have to deal with," Dave answered. "Bud, bring him over!"
Soon the enormous Shadow Ghoul came into the courtyard right in front of the palace where all of the Undead Legion's Abyssal Knights stood.
In his hand was the only other player left alive within the capital. The ghoul had unceremoniously dragged him by his blue kimono.
"What do you want?" the player spat defiantly.
"It's not about what I want, Demetri. I've brought you here so that you can tell me what you want," Dave replied with his distinct smile.
"Don't talk riddles with me, David Ruster! I've incurred enough losses thanks to your intervention! You can't even begin to imagine the extent of what all of this cost me! So spare me the gloating! If you want to kill me, just do it and be done with it already! I've had it with this shit of a game!!!" the guild master didn't even try to hide his disdain for the Draugr. He had been unable to logout since he was surrounded by enemies, yet even if he could, he wouldn't have chosen that option. Demetri would prefer death by an enemy over being branded a weakling who fled from battle, even if it was merely a virtual one.
"Easy on the offensive bro! I think we can both agree, that if I wanted you dead, you'd be already dead. I don't have any personal beef with you, as I did with Warlord, so no I have not summoned you to kill you personally or any other stupid shit like that. In fact, you could say I do feel kinda bad about screwing you over. After all, it was you who bought the Conquest Right from me and your payment was rather handsome. So, I would like to offer you a deal," Dave explained.
"What kind of deal are we talking about?" Demetri's face lightened up. He was beginning to like where this might be going.
Dave smirked, as he now had the full attention of the other party. "Albert," he called.
Suddenly, the old man with the Hawaiian dress and the famous coconut with a straw drink showed up.
The world around the players suddenly froze over. The AI's existence was to remain unknown to the NPCs, not even Nick or any other god could appear or move whilst Albert's physical representation was in the vicinity. He took a look around before he spoke: "Just as predicted you used the third option and the results speak for themselves."
"What's he talking about?" Demetri asked.
"The third option of conquering a kingdom is to use another Conquest Right gaining the invasion perk. This way, Warlord had been unable to kick him out of the city, once he changed to his player appearance and became eligible to be granted the Kingship. Now, as it appears there is an army that is still stubbornly moving your way. You might not be able to keep your Kingship if they arrive in time," Albert pointed out while sipping from his drink.
"I don't think I have too much to worry about there," Dave replied. To his right and left, the Undead Abyssal Knight's very existence was too high level for any player in the current game to contend with. Not to mention their personal armies that numbered in the millions. Yet even if anyone wanted to complain about it, the fact was, as anyone who watched his adventures had seen, that Dave had gone through hell multiple times to earn the right to use them.
"Well, you never know. Humans have shown me that they seem to have a tendency to achieve the impossible, You yourself are a very entertaining living example of that."
Dave pondered a bit about Albert's words. He was right, though slim, there was always a chance that someone could do something unpredictable. Dave didn't know what to expect from a coalition of the other two Super Guilds. For all he knew, there could be someone in Conquest that had an ability that could neutralize Dave or his army, bringing to his knees. He didn't want his current victory streak to cause him to grow too arrogant.
"True," Dave agreed. "However, that falls just into my plans. I have summoned you because I would like you to help me set up a contract."
"And who shall be the other party of this contract?" Albert inquired as he drew an in-game contract parchment.
"Why, Demetri here of course."
Dave was met with Demetri's gaze which spelled confusion. How had it suddenly turned from making a deal, into a binding contract under Albert.
"Yep, you. As I said, I had a deal for you. I'm offering you all of this," Dave said as he waved his hand all over the area.
"The capital?" Demetri asked, still not grasping the full extent of what Dave was on about.
"The whole country," Dave corrected him. "However, the Kingship will stay with me. Think of yourself as a 'hidden puppet master' behind the scenes. I'll remain king in name, but you'll get to control all the resources. Army, cities and citizens."
"Huh? Why would you do that? Over the years I've learned that if something sounds too good to be true, it isn't. And even if it is, it comes at an insane cost. So, Mr. Ruster, what's in it for you?" Demetri asked.
"Half of the profits," Dave stated bluntly.
"You're insane! Do you know how much money I'll have to spend before this kingdom starts earning me a single dime? Do you know how many people I'll have to hire just to get this thing to functional order? Did you forget how much damage you caused with your stunt not too long ago and today? Not to mention, what about the military forces? There are tens of thousands of Undead walking all over the kingdom, ravaging its resources and killing its people. Your Undead caused more harm than good!" Demetri criticized in all earnestness.
"Oh, then why are you smiling?" Dave asked with his own wide grin.
"Because I'm in. I've always liked a challenge. Shit, let's be real, this is the only way for me to recover my losses anyway." Demetri had a nearly insane type of glint in his eyes as he looked towards the future.
"Well I am happy, you seem happy with this deal."
"Yeah, I'll immediately call the rest of my underlings. They'll need to start taking care of some of the paperwork. I'll also need to sponsor your company."
"Why is that?" now it was Dave's turn to be surprised. Didn't Demetri just 'complain' about having to spend insane amounts of cash?
"You're gonna be in partnership with Demetri Rospatchov, I can't have one of my associates earning less than a tenth of what I do."
"What about the Devastators?"
"Huh, what about those scrubs? Not only did they practically blackmail me when I hired them the first time, but today they showed me once and for all that they can't handle their shit. The situation was perfect in their hands and yet they still lost it. Not to mention I spent a small fortune supporting them with a mercenary army… They're lucky the Bratva isn't the same as before. Were we still in my Dedushka's days, I'd have them iced under," Demetri said in all angriness.
"Bratva… as in the Russian Mafia?"
"Yeah, you got any problem with that? Protégée of Tivo Giovanni and Dante Silvana."
"Nah, I just find it pretty interesting that I keep ending up making deals with criminals."
"I'd rather you don't use that term around me and my men. 'Gentlemen' is more favorable," Demetri said.
Dave shook his head and sighed, then forwarded his hand for a handshake.
"We have a deal then," Demetri shook the bony skeletal hand back.
"Good, I have the terms here on contract then," Albert showed the details.
***
Sovereign Kis'Shtiengbrah assigns player Demetri as the one in charge over the Kingdom of Qin.
All resources, materials, & tax income generated from the country are to be split in half between the two parties.
Sovereign Kis'Shtiengbrah will retain Kingship Rights and have the final say in major country decisions. All other decisions are to be made by player Demetri and those he appoints to aid him in this task.
If player Demetri shows any hostile or destructive behavior toward the peacefulness and sovereignty of the Kingdom of Qin, he shall be stripped of all rights. In such a case Sovereign Kis'Shtiengbrah will regain full control over the kingdom.
For the duration of the validity of the contract Sovereign Kis'Shtiengbrah relinquishes his right to remove player Demetri from his position of power as long as the latter remains benevolent and honest toward the kingdom.
Sign here:
***
"Simple enough," Dave signed the contract after reading through it.
"Oh it is not, I am the one to judge the behavior of man. If there is ever an opportunity where Demetri decides to betray the trust you have given him, my decision shall be instant and final," Albert pointed out.
"You okay with the terms? Any changes you want to propose?" Dave asked Demetri who was in the middle of reading through it while talking to someone in russian.
"Nope seems good to me" Demetri signed it as well. "I'm just glad you did not involve the Devil Lawyer in this. Now, when do we start?"
"Well, before we start anything, I'll have to secure my Kingship. For that, I'll need to make sure some of our incoming friends know that we're not to be messed around with," Dave answered.
"Albert, thanks for the Contract. You can go now, I'll be needing my Undead soon."
"As you wish. Call me whenever you need me. And good luck with what is to come."
Albert disappeared the next moment, leaving Dave back with his Undead.
"Dagla," Dave called the Abyssal Knight. "I have a favor to ask."
"Please ask all you wish," the Arch-Lich answered back.
"You remember that time where you controlled the Teleportation Gates of the Qin Kingdom?"
"Yes, I still have access to them."
"Great, I have a good use for that right now." Dave said stroking his beard, "Let's be good hosts and give the Blood Ragers and Heaven's Dawn a welcome party they will never forget!"