[Thedas] Brákmar

Brákmar, the City-state of Darkness and Evil. The name would be enough to tell what kind of place it was, the worst hellhole filled with the worst criminals the Realm had to offer. Crime ran rampant inside its walls, with things like pickpockets being the least of those, at least if one were to go off reputation and rumours.

It did not bother Gaius much as he arrived in the city. Noxus encouraged their citizens to take what they wanted and fight their way up, that once a lot in life depended on skill, wit, and tenacity, not birth and good fortune, even if that helped at times. Still, the soldiers he took with him were much more nervous.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, sir?" Asked his lieutenant, throwing a glance at a group of thug-like citizens glaring at them. "You know what they say about this place..."

"I'm very aware, Lieutenant." Said Gaius calmly without breaking his stride. "As for how good of an idea this is, Julith is among the most powerful entities in The Realm, and for all their... flaws, Brákmar has a powerful and tenacious army. They would make good allies, and their mentality is not to far from our own. But remember that we are still Noxus and, for the moment, guests of the city's mistress. The citizens would be fools to do anything that might anger her"

Gaius was, of course, right, and none of the people of Brákmar did anything to hinder their way, and they got nothing more than a few glares. Neither did it take them much to be let into the castle, positioned at the height of Brákmar. As they walked inside, Gaius could not help but feel a little nervous, but he was NOT about to let his soldiers or anyone else notice. Just as the city's clock rang, Gaius was shown into the Throne Room by one of Julith's little horned minions, leaving most of his entourage outside.

The Black Wolf had arrived on time, and Gaius approached the throne, dressed in the armour that was as much part of his reputation as his nickname. Once he was close, he did as any knight with any sense of honour would do: he kneeled. For someone like Julith, it was best to do things by the book.

Gaius rose at her words, using the moments as she talked to get a better look at her: Lady Julith, The Butcher of Brakmar, The Witch Demon. Yes, much like Swain, she exuded confidence, and she was not a woman easily intimidated. Why should she? This was her realm, she had all the cards, with the magical power to back it up, if rumours were true. Still, Gaius had seen enough power in his life to recognize it when he saw it.

"As you say. Lead the way, Milady." Gaius said politely, letting himself be escorted to whatever comfortable environment Julith had in mind. He threw only a slight glance at Julith's small goons. Yes, it was obvious that she did not feel she needed guards if those were the ones she had picked for herself.

Gaius did not like taking unnecessary risks or throwing his lot into a plan he did not believe in, even if doing so would go against orders. Sure, he did have a reputation for getting the job done, but that did not mean the way to get to the goal was what his superiors had intended. Jericho Swain, thankfully, had seen the usefulness in his steadfast loyalty, so he was generally given the freedom to make his own choices.

Gaius walked silently, glancing over the Gobbowl field as they arrived at the meeting chamber. He had never been much into the sport himself, but he knew Noxus had at least one team of players, and they had generally not done poorly for themselves. As Noxians, it was all or nothing for most citizens. The Legatus sar down when bidden, the chair creaking slightly due to his armour.

"The possibility of an alliance," Gaius said, feeling that being direct might be best for a woman like Julith, " Between Brakmar and Noxus. I thought it would be more courteous of me if I visited personally, as I represented the Black Rose. I'm sure you know that the emperor of Valm, Walhart, has declared his intentions for conquest and has already roped several fools to his side." Gaius leaned back, folding his gloved hands. "Perhaps that was a little too straightforward?" There was a slight smile audible in his voice.

"You've always inspired me, Lady Julith; you do not use borrowed power; you claim it and do not hesitate to use it." He paused, grasping the glass and holding it between two fingers as his eyes drifted to the field below. "I make no secret of my disdain for those blindly following divinities, unable to grasp true power due to some weird sense of obligation to a higher power."

Gaius nodded: he had expected something like that and would not have come if he had nothing to offer in return. "Grand General Swain is interested in obtaining a blade called Soulbrandt, located in the Kingdom of Boletaria, ruled by King Allant XII. I have been tasked with getting the city on its knees and given the freedom to do so however I see most fit." Gaius explained, swirling the wine in his glass as he spoke. "I would like to petition for your support in this assault. Boletaria is rich with resources, and some secrets might interest you there. On top of whatever spoils we might forcefully claim, we will supply Brakmar with other resources,"

Gaius pulled out a small container filled with a blue liquid.

" such as Ceruleum. Nowhere else but in Noxus can Ceruleum be abundantly found, and we use it to power our weapons and vessels, not to mention everything in our homes. We are willing to trade Ceruleum to Brakmar and even show your people how it can be implemented for your machines and weapons." Gaius gave the container to one of Juliths little minions, watching as it hurried over to give it to its mistress. "Powerful magic is rare, but with this, even a regular footsoldier could become a force to reckon with."

There was a pause; he examined Julith, and then he sighed.

"Several of my landmen and I were born without the ability to manipulate aether, so we cannot harness magic. We needed to level the playing field; this was the solution. Even the weakest of my soldiers can take out several soldiers in realms like Hyrule, who still mostly relies on regular weapons and magic."

"Glad am I to hear it, Milady," Gaius said politely. " And yes, the power of Huppermages is the stuff of legend, but you're a rare sight these days. Your numbers are not what they used to be, and most, as I understand, have joined up with the forces of the Kirin Tor."

He nodded, "A demonstration is more than reasonable. You shall have it." he assured her, and had expected it, it would have been ignorant to accept something from face value... and from what Gaius knew, Julith was anything but ignorant. He knew she had lost her husband, and that alone was a terrible blow, but also not something he was planning to bring up. "Yes, an old Kingdom like Boletaria is bound to have its share of them."

Upon the mention of gods, Gaius pondered her words even as she spoke them.

"I am of the novel notion that mankind is ready to move beyond the need to follow higher powers," he explained, careful to choose his words wisely. "Gods of the sky, earth, life and death claim rule from their lofty halls and expect, no demand, mortals follow them in exchange for some modicum of power. Look at the people of Hyrule, who blindly follow the mandates of their goddesses, looking not to the strength in the average citizen but to the ideas of those chosen to save the realm."

He paused; there was conviction in his voice and words.

"Nothing is more rewarding for an officer and a leader than watching a young soldier claw his way up and make something of himself by his strength alone. Or am I wrong you do not feel the same when you look upon the girls you have aided to rise to fame and fortune on the field? Their wit, slyness, and skill." He looked towards the Gobowl field before looking at Julith again. "I do not take issue with how you govern your people, of that you can be assured. If anything, you, as a Huppermage, are the living testament that gods are unnecessary to become a force to reckon with."

"I see; then, by your own words, we might as well be gods ourselves, Lady Julith," Gaius said with a slightly half-smile. He found Julith's view exciting but also curious; she was a woman of great power, so what did she gain from defending her gods? " And yes, you are right; gods are not almighty. Perhaps your way of thinking is more similar to mine than might seem at first glance, and our people's values might be a lot closer than they might appear. By giving your people the freedom to follow their gods, you gain access to a more substantial army. A soldier whose abilities have taken on aspects of their divinities are more-- powerful." There was a moment of silence as Gaius' voice trailed off; he furrowed his brow inside the helmet; it was so simple... but perhaps that was the solution. "You've given me much to think about, Milady."

"I shall be sure to tell the Grand General of your desire to meet him," Gaius said. " As for Boletaria, it is a feudal realm ruled by a king. The people think their use of magic is not magic but Miracles, mainly because that is what their church keeps feeding them. Their people are all part of a rigid hierarchy where the poor and rich know their place. Dreg fighters are usually sent out as cannon fodder and meat shields for the actual armies, yet their knights are regarded as... compassionate." That hypocrisy was almost funny, hiding behind their walls and throwing weak meat at enemies; that would not work with the plan Gaius had in mind.

As Julith mentioned the Gobbowl game, he nodded.

"Yes, Noxus have a team, and I've been to a few of their games over the years. You are correct; as a commander, I encourage my soldiers to partake in such activities to bond and build skills, better on their cunning and trickery."