Larry Correia - Warbound

“I told the whole Imperium that I was their devil…” Sullivan shrugged. “Then they went on a crusade killing every single thing they could get their hands on that might have been touched by the devil. Didn’t seem wise to go waving a big flag saying I survived.”

“I am curious. How did you survive? Saito’s death spell obliterated the palace.”

“Heinrich. He showed up, grabbed me, and Faded us through the bedrock when it blew.” It had been a hell of an exciting few days after that, hardly able to walk, full of holes, beaten half to death, and trying to get out as the city of Shanghai melted down around them. “You?”

“One of my brothers, Hayate—so a literal brother in this case—Traveled me away the instant before Saito’s spell triggered… but you were already aware that I still lived.”

“I’ve been laying low, don’t mean I haven’t been paying attention.” Sullivan said. “Your story went all over. The Imperium found out they’d been snookered, and then you cleaned out that nest of vipers. They even named you First Iron Guard.”

“I offered my seppuku . The Emperor disagreed.”

“How does it feel to go from traitor to national hero?”

“I would not know. I was never a traitor.” Toru chuckled.

Sullivan just smiled and shook his head.

The two men stood there silently for a time. Toru turned and studied the sea. “This war was brief, but costly. The last of the infiltrators have fled and are hiding in sewers, high mountains, or desolate swamps. They are nothing more than a dangerous, carnivorous nuisance now. I have been led to understand that this is the case in other lands as well, and where the Iron Guard cannot go, the Grimnoir have hunted these creatures nearly to extinction.”

“Rumor I heard was that they’re making you Chairman.”

“No. That office has been forever retired. I will merely serve as a humble advisor to the Emperor and the council on strategic matters. It is a posting of minor importance.”

Sullivan knew that was either false modesty or an outright lie. “I bet. And what do you plan on advising?”

“The nature of Okubo Tokugawa’s grand vision must adapt. With the Enemy imprisoned, we can look to a better future. The Imperium schools are no more. Unit 731 has been disbanded. I ordered an end to the experiments, and for now, our borders will stabilize and consolidate rather than grow… But already I have said too much… Did you know that the Imperium has decided to remove our military presence from Shanghai?”

“I’d heard something to that effect.”

“While our military was occupied dealing with the infiltrators, a charismatic young man managed to unite the city’s various feuding factions into a coherent resistance. With the Imperium Section in ruins, the council felt it was no longer economically viable to help manage the city.”

“So now it’s not just a Free City in name only.” Sullivan tried not to smile. Good work, Zhao.

“He is lucky he gave up my ashtray…” Toru shook his head ruefully. “But were you aware that Big Eared Du was murdered? There were many turf wars between the gangs after we pulled out. The new mastermind of the Yuesheng Greens is a mysterious figure known only as the Alienist.”

Now that was news. Nobody had seen Wells after the battle. “That I did not know. Guess he didn’t want to go back to Rockville… Not that there is a Rockville anymore.”

“And what of you, Sullivan? How have you passed the time?”

“You know me. Reading books, playing with spells. Nothing important.”

“Ah, of course… Elder. ”

The Imperium’s spy network was better than expected. It wasn’t like he’d known about the society’s job offer for very long himself. “I was never much for titles.”

“And what do you ‘plan on advising’?”

“I’m more a hands on type, but if the Imperium torture schools are shut down and the eugenic madmen really are done, then I’d advise… restraint.”

Toru nodded thoughtfully. “There is wisdom in this.”

They’d lost a couple of the elders during the war against the infiltrator. Browning had filled one spot, and they’d figured who better for the seventh and final position than the man who they should have been listening to from the beginning? Montand had given Sullivan his vote before stepping down. Churchill had voted for him too. The deciding vote in Sullivan’s favor had come from the already serving American elder, and Sullivan had been surprised to learn that was William Donovan, newly appointed head of the OCI. And now that a long time knight had ensconced himself into the government job of watching Actives, they’d managed to completely sabotage Roosevelt’s control and registration schemes, all without the president being wise to it at all. Sullivan had to give them credit. The Grimnoir knew how to take the long view.

“One other thing I must know before we conclude our business, what has become of the Spellbound?”

Of course the Imperium spies would want to know about her . Faye had saved the world after all. “She’s not the Spellbound anymore.”

“There have been rumors.”

“They’re true. Faye’s not a Traveler anymore. That magic was connected to her curse, and she burned that up trapping the Enemy.”

“No longer a Traveler… I was not aware of this. Someday the Enemy may escape, but for now the entire world owes her a debt.”

“She’s fine,” Sullivan assured him, because even if she was no longer the most powerful wizard in the world, she was probably still the sharpest. The Imperium didn’t need to know that she was actually a Cog genius who was taking magic into all sorts of exciting new directions, especially now that she’d taught herself how to connect her magic to different parts of the Power, with all of that talk of folding. Last time he’d talked to Francis, the kid had sworn up and down that Faye was dead set on figuring out how to Travel again. He had no doubt that she would. Faye might have lost some of her abilities, but that girl was only getting started. She’d saved the world, and now she intended to change it into something better.

Surprisingly enough, Toru actually seemed a little moved by her sacrifice, but that was just because to some of them, magic was more precious than life. “How is Faye dealing with the loss?”

“Faye is tougher than any of us… But come on, Toru. You’re not here to reminisce about old friends, not that she ever particularly took a liking to you.”

“No, that she did not…” Toru kept on watching the waves crash against the rocks. “I am here to finish what we started. It must be decided who is the better warrior once and for all.”

Sullivan took his hands out of his pockets. His Power was ready. “It really doesn’t have to end like this.”

Toru lifted the still sheathed long sword. “Do you know how I knew you were still alive, Sullivan? No?” Toru had the blade in both hands, like he was balancing it carefully. “This is the no-dachi of Sasaki Kojiro, a sword which once belonged to my father. At the time, I took its discovery at Mason Island as a sign of my father’s approval. Finding this sword at that particular time was very important to me.”

“I didn’t recognize it.” The only thing Sullivan had noticed about it up until then was that Toru was probably going to try and kill him with it.

“When I was captured in Shanghai, this sword was still aboard the Traveler . As was this…” Toru placed one hand on the katana at his waist and slowly drew it. It was three feet of killing steel. “Only then it was in two pieces. I have since had it repaired after my office was restored. Both of these things should have been lost to me forever. So how was it that these items came into my possession?”