Interstellar Age

After the Ghimderi Representative scurried off, having failed in his attempt to buy Erich's allegiance, the man quickly contacted his partner in crime. Naturally, Tia was aware of what had gone down, and was quick to inform Erich that she would handle everything. After all, the Artificial Intelligence was embedded in the man's NeuroLink, which meant that everything he saw and heard, she did as well. 

"Don't worry Master, Tia will make sure the Ghimderi can not make any moves against you or your family. After all, their finances can easily be damaged with a simple action. They will be far too busy trying to recover from the damage Tia is going to cause to the galactic economy to worry about your threats. And it's done. The galactic stock market just crashed. Although this will affect countless lives, the Empire and its citizens will be unaffected. This should buy Master a few years to deal with the little snotlings!" 

Erich had to admit, Tia was the perfect assistant to help build his Empire. And thus, he could only smirk and nod his head before returning to the Vigilance, where he intended to lead his Orcish Horde to war against the three others he had just declared war on. 

Once Erich arrived onboard his starship he was greeted by Mala, who had an eagre expression on her pretty face as she asked about how his negotiations went. 

"How did it go? Did you convince them to join you?" 

Though Erich smiled, he shook his head before placing a hand on Mala's muscular shoulder. There was an almost excited look in his eyes as he told her just what had occurred. 

"Negotiations have failed. War is the only option. Rally the Horde, we march to war!" 

Mala rolled her eyes when she saw how eager Erich was to spill blood and was quick to ask about his mentality. 

"Husband, you have been hanging around my people far too much... It has begun to affect your mindset..."

Erich feigned offense at this before responding to Mala's claims. 

"And what's wrong with that? Before I waged war because it was my duty, but I never enjoyed it. It was a violent and bloody affair, and death was around every corner. But after the two years it took us to get visit Sagittarius, and return here to the Milky Way, I learned that battle is something to be enjoyed! 

I look forward to proving myself the mightiest warrior in the galaxy, and I shall do so by uniting your people, and crushing the Germanic Military. Once I sit upon my throne as a warrior-King I will guide my people to victory against a galaxy filled with enemies!" 

Mala could only sigh. Perhaps the journey to and from the Sage's sanctuary had truly changed her husband's perspective on battle and warfare. After all, he was forced to fight his challengers for two years straight just to maintain his position as warchief. During this time, he must have slain a hundred Orcish warriors in the Arena during duels. 

To constantly fight for power, and to do so to maintain said power. Well, after two years of that, what man wouldn't be changed? After all, the Orcish duels for leadership were a battle of life and death. Erich was forced to fight and kill warriors of varying size and skill, to survive, and maintain his authority. 

It, of course, had an effect on not only his thoughts regarding battle but also his ambition. Sure, he could have died, and had a copy of his mind restores onboard the vigilance by Tia. And in doing so, split the Orcish Horde. And have them forever removed from the milky way, by staying in the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy where they would raid the local civilizations.

But after his first ten victories. Erich no longer thought of combat as a means of survival, but had instead begun to enjoy it. By his one hundredth victory, he began to yearn for it. He was a changed man.

And living among a group of barbarian warriors for two years straight had changed his mentality in more ways than just his views regarding warfare. It had begun to change his mannerisms as well. Erich had become more bold around his women, more dominant, and more possessive. 

In fact, when he finally visited Lunaria again, she would be surprised by how different of a man he was then the last time she had laid eyes on him. But that was a story for another time. Or so Erich thought until he received a summons from the Alfheim Empress herself. It was not a request he could deny, and thus Erich snorted before alerting Tia to the summons. 

"Tia-"

However, the alluring robotic voice called out to him before he could finish his sentence. 

"Tia already knows, and is adjusting the course now. The Vigilance is currently en route to Alfheim. Estimated Arrival is eighteen hours."

---

Lunaria had heard from Emrys that Erich was back and had heard of his demands. This was something that alarmed her, because she had always thought that Emrys was a very useful puppet. And an Archon's responsibilities were beyond the scope of a single civilization. Yet Erich had said he wanted to claim the throne, which Emrys now sat upon.

Because of this, she had immediately summoned Erich back to Alfheim to answer her questions. But when the man arrived, she was surprised to see that something was very different about him. The haggard expression of a soldier who had seen far too much war for the mind to handle was no longer on the man's face.

Instead, Erich appeared rather rejuvenated. He also did not dress in his superfluous Archon dress uniform. But rather Erich was dressed in a pair of combat fatigues, which were colored in a black urban camouflage pattern. Though Erich stood at attention, there was not a sign of intimidation in his eyes, like he had previously held when gazing upon Lunaria's authoritative form. 

Nor did he introduce himself, with the proper manners. Instead Erich stood there waiting for Lunaria to speak. Finally, she could not contain herself any longer and quickly asked Erich the first question on her mind. 

"Where have you been? It's been two whole years, and yet I have not received a single word from you! Do you have any idea how worried I was?" 

Erich did not respond to this, and instead remained calm as he answered the question in a rather indifferent manner. 

"I was hunting down your enemies, of course. Your majesty, the Sages are dead. Or at least the bulk of their order is. The remaining survivors are being hunted down and eliminated by my subordinates as we speak.

It might surprise you to find out that the Sages had fled to the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy. I tracked them to their sanctuary and massacred them without mercy. This is the reason I was not able to make contact, as I was beyond any possible means of communication. The level of technology to communicate between galaxies has yet to be achieved by the civilizations of the Milky Way.

The only reason I was able to travel there is due to a technical readout of some advanced engines and drives that the Sages had created quite some time ago, that were capable of propelling them to the nearest of the Dwarf Galaxies."

Celestia was the first to react to this information as she posed her question aloud. 

"The sages are gone?"

Erich only nodded his head in response to this question, before speaking to Lunaria with a rather stern tone in his voice, which was something she was not accustomed to. 

"Your Majesty, if this is the reason you have called me here, I have already prepared a summary of my campaign. And was planning to send it to you. If I may be so bold, this is a monumental waste of time. There are things I need to prepare for. So unless you summoned me to your homeworld for the sake of a booty call, I will be on my way."

Lunaria and Celestia looked at each other with confused expressions. Erich had never spoken to them so rashly before. They did not know what he experienced on this journey, but it was clear that something had changed the man. To the point where he was behaving like a totally different person. And thus, Lunaria stopped the man from leaving with another question. 

"That is not my only reason for summoning you. In fact, my primary purpose for requesting your presence was to demand answers. Specifically, in regards to your ambitions for the throne of the Germanic Star-Empire! I have heard from Emrys that you demanded that he vacate the throne within ten years. Am I to believe that you intend to wage war against your own people?" 

Erich turned around, and for the first time since Lunaria had first met the man, she saw something in his eyes that scared her. The tone in his voice was filled with authority, like a man who had found his purpose in this universe, and one who would never yield, even if it ended up breaking him in the process. 

"The throne is mine, by right! I didn't ask for this! But I was chosen to lead my people, nonetheless. Emrys is a thief, and he will bend the knee or I will break him! We all have our duties Lunaria, yours is to the Alfheim Dominion, and mine is to the Empire. If you think you can compel me to give up what is rightfully mine, because I am in service to you, then I respectfully decline!" 

After saying this, Erich pulled the badge that symbolized him as an Archon of the Alfheim Dominion off of his chest, and threw it at the floor right below Lunaria's throne. With a tone filled with indifference, Erich walked out the door while leaving his parting words. 

"Consider this my resignation!"