“Hurry up! The broadcast is about to start.”

  Lilliana urged her friend to hustle faster. To her credit, the frortle crawled, climbed, and leaped over everyone and everything in her path in her endeavor to keep up with her towering friend. Being of a similar height to kobolds, frortles faced the same challenge of navigating crowds that frequently left her at less than half the height of an average person.

  “I’m trying,” Sachikawacha, the frortle in question, answered as yet another person carelessly bumped into her, which caused her to lag further behind.

  Annoyed and solution-oriented, Lilliana, being a remnimi, and thus taller than most, picked her friend up from beneath the armpits and physically carried her deeper into the auditorium.

  “Thanks,” Sachikawacha mumbled while blushing at being manhandled.

  “No problem,” Lilliana grunted through clenched teeth, the sweat of her brow and her trembling arms betraying the tremendous strain imposed by carrying a small but deceptively heavy person.

  The pair of them found adjacent seats in the semicircle of progressively raised rows, each row higher than the last so that most people could see over the heads in front of them. For everyone not overly burdened by verticality, the chairs could be adjusted to boost one to a higher vantage point, which is what Sachikawacha was doing while Lilliana scanned the crowd for familiar faces.

  “Sure are a lot of orphans here,” she commented as her friend fiddled with the adjustments.

  “And we are part of their number,” Sachikawacha responded after grumpily swearing while applying the final touches to adjusting the height of her chair.

  “True enough,” she admitted as she straightened her own uniform of black with accents of light blue. “It may also be true that it is easier to be in the seat before adjusting the height of it.”

  Sachikawacha gave a side glance to Lilliana before looking up at her now perfectly adjusted seat that remained out of reach.

  “Perhaps,” she stated noncommittally as she made preparations to climb.

  She bent low and focused her power into her muscular legs, and, with a sudden surge of force, she launched herself upwards. Her hands, rather frog-like in form, provided ample grip on the chair to allow her to pirouette midair, and with a few moves that would make a gymnast nod in approval, she found herself in her elevated seat.

  “I like my way better,” she stated flatly as she stared at her friend who was now at eye level.

  This expressionless stalemate continued until Lilliana cracked first in laughter. The pair of them were shushed by the gnome next to them just before he hit the wrong button in adjusting his own chair, which caused him to launch himself ungracefully off his seat. This precipitated more laughter, but eventually they settled down as the room filled up and illuminators on the stage brightened.

  They were here to listen to a speech from their Emperor, and while it was by no means mandatory that they attend, if rumors were to be believed, they may have a vested interest in what was to be announced. Given the number of uniformed youth in the room, all of whom hailed from one orphanage or another that was financed by the Emperor, it would seem that word had spread like wildfire.

  After some boring speech by the MC, a central disk on stage started to glow with magic. Then, there before them and larger than life, was a slightly translucent apparition of the Emperor himself, along with some of his companions and other important people in the background.

  “Sure is a nice view,” Lilliana whispered to her friend as her eyes gazed up and down the body of her Emperor. His wings and horns were a new look, but not an unwelcome sight.

  “It sure is,” Sachikawacha agreed as her own gaze strayed to a certain muscular and anthropomorphic amphibian beast in the background of the illusion.

  “Greetings, citizens of the Crossroad Empire, my beloved subjects,” their Emperor greeted in a smooth and soothing voice that captivated the audience. Even through an illusion broadcast, his [Leadership] Skills, now well known to the populace, did not fail to draw attention.

  “We have endured many hardships over the past few years. Though the trials and tribulations we faced together have required the sacrifice of many to overcome, we are still here, and we are stronger than ever.”

  Even though he presumably could not see all his audiences, he still paused, which certainly accommodated the more than modest amount of cheering from the audience. His expression, while kind, and laced with a slight but seemingly perpetual smile like he was in on some private joke, turned more solemn as he continued speaking.

  “For some, the sacrifice was of the highest order, and many have lost life and limb in the defense of our Empire and the world as a whole against threats like ravaging beasts, rampaging monsters, The Devourers, and the newest incursion by the fae.”

  Lilliana and Sachikawacha both knew that all too well, but they had long since cried their hearts out over the loss of their parents during the tumultuous times of The Skeleton War. Lilliana’s had died on the front lines, and Sachikawacha’s had been murdered by bandits that had cropped up in the absence of local military presence.

  “It is no secret that, historically, most Adventurers are orphans or come from unstable and abusive households. Recent events have created a surge in circumstances that have led to many wayward youths coming into the care of the Empire. And while the desperation of such youths in the past to seek the life of an Adventurer in hopes of providing for themselves is no longer a burden they must face, I do recognize that the allure of such a lifestyle may be appealing to many.

  “Mother died when I stood at the doorstep to adulthood,” their Emperor stated with barely masked loss in his voice. Many in the audience gasped, for the Emperor’s background was often shrouded in mystery. However, this was not the first time that he revealed some small part of it in passing without any further explanation, which would surely lead to more rumors. “I, too, became an Adventurer,” he continued as he pinched the edge of the gorget around his neck that had the coveted Diamond coloration and pattern to it.

  “I did have to struggle and pull myself up to where I am today. I was among the fortunate few who had some prior instruction and training before becoming an Adventurer, and I may not be here today if not for such an advantage. We don’t like to talk about it, but we all know that many Coppers and Silvers leave town for a quest or mission and never return, their bodies often never found. I have often wondered how much that could have been prevented.”

  He paused for a while as he appeared contemplative and solemn, and many in the audience appeared to be struck with similar feelings. Lilianna was on the edge of her proverbial seat, for her own parents had been Gold Adventurers. Sachikawacha sat on the edge of her literal seat, as if being such a marginal distance closer would somehow amplify the experience of the broadcast.

  “Being the sovereign of an Empire, it is within my power to change things for the better,” their Emperor continued with his expression far more upbeat than before. “I created an Empire, I constructed towns and cities for a populace, and I invited upstanding individuals to become citizens. While there is always room for improvement, I am proud of what we have accomplished so far.

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  “I have ensured that everyone has access to food, shelter, medical care, education, and fair representation before the law. Crime is at an all-time low, prosperity is the new norm, and social and economic advancement is a realistic goal for those who apply themselves. I have seen to it that everyone is provided with an equitable means to be sufficiently prepared to go into the world and make their way.”

  Lilliana caught herself nodding in agreement. Everything she had from the clothes on her back and the bed she slept on was financed by the Emperor’s personal accounts, not taxation. It would not be charitable to say that she enjoyed a high quality of life, for while she may not have the latest and greatest of anything, she always had the tools and supplies she needed to learn, grow, and thrive.

  Sachikawacha beamed a smile from tympanum to tympanum. Her family had known hunger and the absence of comfort. She had slept in the cold mud more times than she would care to recount. While it would be a fiendish offer to trade current circumstances for the family that she had lost, she would hesitate to make the trade given how accustomed she had become to not struggling day in and day out just to survive.

  “However, the security of our Empire and our lives is not guaranteed. The attacks by the fae these past few weeks have shown our complacency and vulnerability in a most humbling manner. Yet we are still here, unbroken and unified in purpose, and we shall overcome any obstacle or threat in our way to creating a world where we can live in peace in harmony with our fellow man and with nature.”

  More cheering followed, for while the people of the Empire came from many countries and cities that no longer exist as a result of exposed corruption in relation to The Skeleton War, not even the clash of their cultures could undermine the unity and comradery that had developed as months yielded to years. Many knew all too well how miserable those civilizations had been, how the poor had existed as mere fodder to uphold the rich. The loyalty of the Empire was founded in the appreciation for the abundance provided by the Empire, and the gratitude showcased by those in the audience was not performative in nature.

  “The security of our Empire is not just the duty of my flight and the military. It falls on the shoulders of common Adventurers who neutralize threats before they grow out of control, and who secure resources before they are squandered. Recent events have seen their numbers dwindle far faster than any of us would like, and replenishment of their ranks is paramount to our continued peace and prosperity.

  “To that end, I have coordinated with Grandmaster Chooka of the Adventurer Guild to codify some changes to the Adventurer Guild and to create the Adventurer Academy for prospective youths that wish to receive proper training. The goal is to help ensure that younger Adventurers survive long enough to make it to Gold, Platinum, and,” he continued as he winked at the audience, “if they are lucky enough, Diamond. This training will include the issuing of proper equipment, mentorship, chaperoned missions, and introductions to merchants and clients that would be willing to hire the services of certified Adventurers.”

  Lilliana was almost vibrating in her seat, such was her excitement. She had long dreamed of following in the footsteps of her parents (minus their unfortunate demise), but the lifestyle demanded an upfront investment that she could not afford. With the Empire footing the bill for her once again, an impossible dream had become within reach.

  Sachikawacha pondered the news with an open mind. Frortle Adventurers were rare, and, as a whole, her kind were known to be poor. This could be a gateway to changing her circumstances and the stereotypes of her people for the better. She ultimately reserved judgement for when official literature on the topic would be disseminated to the populace.

  “While I would like to say that I could afford this on my own,” their Emperor continued as his expression became a little more shy, the sum of it tinted with the hint of embarrassment, “even my own coffers can not tackle this alone. As such, a tithe will be imposed on all Adventurers of Gold and higher to finance this goal of ensuring others will survive to rise to the same lofty heights where they too can enjoy pitching in for the tithe.”

  The Emperor smiled at his own joke, but some people in the audience were grumbling. Adventures did not like to be taxed.

  “However, I would not impose such a financial duty upon you without recompense. The Academy will offer advanced courses to help you climb even higher. As Skull, my faithful friend, companion, bodyguard, and one of our newest Diamond Adventurers can attest, crossing from Platinum to Diamond takes more than competency and power. The Academy will teach you the secrets to becoming Diamond, as well as help you find the rare challenges that are required for such advancement.”

  Much of the grumbling stopped at that point. Adventurers had different levels of cooperation throughout their careers and across cultures. However, it was almost universally true that those who have been Platinum were the blind leading the blind for how to advance, for those who figured it out tended to covet such secrets. With powerful Platinums and all Diamonds being natural treasures and military assets of the highest value, it had often been treasonous to trade in such knowledge. Now, their Emperor was turning that whole world upside down, which would certainly cause a stir and most likely lead to more assassination attempts. Rumors had it that their Emperor intentionally instigated assassination attempts on his own person, but the reasons why varied from cold practicality to steamy erotica one could purchase from discreet vendors.

  More official words followed as he turned the broadcast over to Guildmaster Chooka, to whom Lilliana looked up to in general as a fellow remnimi and as a role model as a fellow woman. And, she may have also been experiencing complicated feelings in consideration of how captivating Chooka’s beauty was, for certain unknown yearnings churned within her as they continued their lifelong journey to coalesce into known and pervasive desires.

  Sachikawacha still had her eyeballs firmly glued to Hopper’s biceps, for she knew exactly what she wanted in relation to certain desires.

  The following briefing was informative, humorous, and delightfully enchanting. Lilliana would scrounge some money to see a [Memorist] to capture this memory into a crystal for future review. Her excitement grew, and by the end of the briefing, she, Sachikawacha, and the majority of impressionable youths in the audience were full of vim and vigor when it came to applying to the new academy. Many vowed that they would get in, but few took it as seriously as Lilliana.

  After the broadcast ended, the room was abuzz with conversation and speculation. Kobold ushers helped to direct the crowd to exit in an orderly and efficient way, which did not bother many clusters of people that chatted away about what the changes would bring. Lilliana and Sachikawacha were no exceptions as they waited their turn to exit.

  “What do you think of this whole ‘certificate’ thing that Chooka talked about?” asked Sachikawacha.

  “She made good examples, and it makes sense to me. My parents used to complain about how they would get a Gold [Healer] in their party that didn’t know anything about treating poisons, which is less than ideal when a mission would take them to a place rife with such afflictions. Having a means to standardize what skill sets people have and what their true capabilities are, especially in a way that is available for review by party members and employers, would be a boon to the industry.”

  “Yeah, I can see that,” Sachikawacha replied noncommittally. “But who is going to pay for that? The experts that proctor the examinations for each tier of some discipline are not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.”

  “I think that is a hidden nugget of truth that Chooka threw out there for us.” Sachikawacha’s expression contorted to one much like raised eyebrows if one overlooks how she has none, as Lilliana continued to explain her thoughts on the topic. “She and the Emperor hinted that renown, prestige, and respect from peers were part of the puzzle of advancement to Platinum and Diamond. What better way is there to demonstrate such mastery and competency than to be a proctor for these exams? Furthermore, it would be a great medium to recruit apprentices, and name the last Diamond you have heard of that didn’t have an apprentice.”

  “Skull,” Sachikawacha answered flatly as she held up a finger. “The Emperor,” she continued as another finger joined the first.

  “They don’t count!” Lilliana retorted animatedly with arms raised. “There were special circumstances there, and Emperors seemingly get a free pass to Diamond, so I hear. Plus, didn’t he train his pet hydra and frogs?”

  “I don’t think pets count,” Sachikawacha answered with express and strained patience in her voice. “Otherwise, I think we would hear more of people exploiting pet ownership to advance.”

  “Wait,” Lilliana shouted as her eyes widened in revelation. “I have heard that Skull sometimes wears a collar with a chain on it that the Emperor holds. Do you think that makes her his pet?”

  “Why?” Sachikawacha answered with a sly smile on her face. “Are you looking to join the club with a collar around your own neck?”

  “No!” Lilliana exclaimed with hands moving horizontally outwards from her middle to signal her disagreement. “Maybe” she muttered under her breath as she blushed while imagining such endless possibilities.