Gathering the generals three

Okay. So I had rejected miss Bob for the role of duke. That was a problem. John had only given me three candidates other than himself.

So as I stood now I would be one person short. I couldn't have one duke be given extra power because with the effects of war now people were liable to be split into factions.

And if I forced those people to cooperate too soon then civil war was the only possible outcome

So I needed to find another duke. But I didn't have any connections that I could recruit for this role. So I had only two options. I could ask the next candidate if he knew where the a good replacement duke was or I could fly back and ask John for another candidate.

John was more trustworthy but it would take me about an hour to fly back. And I had a week to win a war. I needed to get the successors together today and start fighting tomorrow. If I flew back to John then I would need to pull another all nighter. I couldn't take that kind of sleep deprivation.

So the only option was the ladder. I had to ask the next candidate.

*Fwosh*

I landed using the sigils on my feet to decrease my speed.

I was landed in a large grass clearing. Which due to this lands excessively forested nature was very strange.

*Honk*

In the distance I saw a red figure that was hidden between the trees. This figure walked out into the open.

It towered just a few feet below the trees. It had a bulbous red sack of a nose and a painted on smile on it's face.

It's skin was deep red and it's hair was a bushy red Afro.

It was the giant clown that John had spoken about.

"Why are you here?" It asked in hushed tones. It spoke as if something grand and horrible was watching it.

"I THE GRAND GREG WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU A JOB!"

I screamed at him as I needed to increase my volume for him to hear me from his towering posistion.

"Shhhh!"

He stuck his finger up to the mouth. He shushed me while his finger pushed up his bulbous red sack.

"Be quiet!" He whisper yelled.

Is whisper yelling possible? I have no idea. But this guy certainly managed to do it.

"IF I'M QUIET THEN YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR ME!" I screamed

"It's sleeping."

Maybe there really was some monster he was hiding from.

"What's sleeping." I asked my tone now slightly more hushed.

He must have had good ears because he managed to hear me just fine.

"The brids. Their sleeping."

My face curled in a mix of confusion and offence. I was forced to lower my tone… over what? Some stupid bird.

"What!" I screamed my tone smouldering with incredulous offence.

The birds flew from the trees in a great symphony of feathers and chirping.

The clown looked down at the ground. A sad look was in his eyes.

I simply stuck my nose up at his stupidity. Why would I care about some stupid birds?!?!?

"Now. Would you be willing to become the next duke?" I asked him

"Would I be allowed to keep pet birds?" Asked the clown

"It's not my business what your pets are. Would be willing to take the role?" I asked him

He nodded

"I would."

I gave him a smile.

"Okay good. Now do you know anyone else who would be willing to become a duke."

The clown scrunched up his face in contemplation.

"I know a guy. He's right here in this forest. He's the exiled son of duke Oscar. Fair warning though. He's insane." Said the clown

I smiled.

"To rule is madness. Let's see if his madness is the right kind."

🐐🐖🐐🐖🐐

The clown led me to the exiled noble. He had a quiver of arrows at his back. A sharp clean shaven face and a look of almost deranged intensity in his eyes.

"Caffy." He said while glaring towards the clown.

"Who is this creature. Why did you bring him here."

I couldn't waste any time.

So in a flash I was in front of him. My charm was emenating off me in titanic waves as I held deep eye contact with him and shot my hand straight forward for him to shake.

"Hello! My name is Greg!" I said enthusiastically.

He took my hand.

"My name is Oscar junior. It's nice to meet you Greg." Said Oscar

I grinned.

"Nice to meet you too. So do you want to become a duke?" I asked him

He grinned something flickering behind his eyes

"The aura of majesty that defies logic. A brash brute forced manner of conversation. And a scar around your neck. I thought you were supposed to have died a week or two ago. My king." He said with an opulent bow

He had caught onto me.

"So are you in or not?" I asked him

I didn't really care though.

He grinned.

"Of course I'm in."

🐐🐖🐐🐖

Within the fiery pits of hell there sat a woman. She sat upon a massive golden throne.

She had incredibly massive honka balogas and a grin on her

She had wavy hair of a deep brown colour and she had rows of fangs rather than teeth.

Her skin was deep red and there were horns coming from her head.

"A man who's mind was born from nothing just started a war with a god?" She asked in confusion as she looked at the dimmintive imp across from her.

The imp nodded

"Yes. Superius is the one who declared war on him." The imp said

She reclined on her throne.

"See about providing him aid. I think almost everyone has been pining to end that bastard. That guy gives us a good excuse." She said

The imp nodded.

"Fair warning mistress. Giga Chadus is already providing aid. So you may need to interact with him if your providing aid too."

She groaned and ran her hands down her face.

"Ugh not that creep."

"Are we still providing aid mistress." Asked the imp

She waved her hand with a sour expression on her face.

"I hate superius more than that guy. So sure."