Cloud Nation

At last, Marcus could take a breather, it wasn’t the end, he hadn’t succeeded, he had merely made it to the last chapter, of the first part, of a long series that would be his life. The worst was yet to come, and he could sense it.
All his worries about unifying Cloud, now that he was so close, felt meaningless, they were so far away now, so distant in his past, even if he had started mere months, or even, weeks ago.
Now, he stood on what would inevitable the theater of great battlefields.
The white fields, named such for the snow that colored them be colored black and red instead by the time summer were to arrive, the colors of human and demon blood alike.
It was exactly as the visions had shown him, flat and endless, only missing the battles.
Towards the southwest, the land would become hillier with lager vegetation, no true trees, but shrubs and tall grasses, which would now also be hidden under snow, in the summer, elk would come to graze there, the creatures after which the last tribe was named.

He had taken this time to think on his sainthood, he remembered many of the visions, they seemed to show him things, he had seen many events, but they seemed… ordinary? Usually his visions had been of consequence, they showed him vital moments, now they had just shown him going about his day.

Now that he had some small amount of free time, he decided to spend some time with his wife. They went for a stroll through the endless white, a walk that seemed as endless as the landscape, even if they hadn’t been walking for very long. It felt good to be away from the camps for a little while. Where they were waiting for the elk hills tribe, with only small amounts of troops, in order not to spook the chief.
“I still can’t believe they are real.” Izzy said, idly poking a rather large mound of snow with her boot. “I mean, I knew they were real, but I couldn’t believe it, even after all the stories my father told of the prophesy, when I was a child, and after meeting you, the man who would protect our people from them, still, there was a little voice in my head telling me they couldn’t possibly be real.”
Marcus looked her into the eyes, those deep beautiful eyes, once, they had seemed innocent to him, like those of a child, no, those of one who had been allowed to linger in childhood by the good times in which she had grown up, but not anymore, those were a womans eyes now, eyes that belonged to one who had seen death.
“Have you started to regret meeting me yet?” he asked, “Perhaps if we hadn’t crossed paths, you would still be able to believe them tall tales.”
She smiled at him, but shook her head.
“No, I do not regret, because hiding from the truth doesn’t make it any less true, and if you never started bringing the people of cloud together, no one would. I might have been able to live a few more months in peace, but then, I would have ended up like the villagers of the twin tribes, caught unaware.”
“What if the demons really were a tall tale?” he asked. Not sure why, or what he expected to hear.
“Then we would not have met, and I would spend my life looking for the husband I wanted, the one I could choose, and I would never meet you.”
“Did you choose me though? I had the feeling it was your fathers decision more than it was yours.”
“You are a silly man, Marcus.” She laughed. “You don’t think I would have married you before doing some research, right? I discussed it with my father before you ever showed up, when I heard of you and your mission, I was the one who suggested he marry me to you, for the good of the tribe, for the good of the world.”
Marcus was shocked, he had secretly felt guilty, having thought he had contributed to pressuring her into marrying him, but this revelation flipped all that on its head.
“I told you,” she continued, “I have been in my fathers council since I was twelve.”
“And your mind wasn’t changed, when you found out I came with a mistress attached?” he asked, hesitantly.
She looked at him, questioningly. “I could see the sparks between you since the moment I laid eyes on you, imagine my shock and surprise when, the woman who was obviously in love with the man I was now supposed to marry, came to visit me that same night. She told me everything, like you know, but what you don’t know is that she practically begged me to go through with it, despite her presence.” She paused, giving him a more serious looking smile. “So no, Marcus, I did not change my mind, nor will I, I have long since accepted the way it is, and I know you well enough to know that you will always return to me, and I know Naea well enough to know she won’t run off with you.”
Marcus nodded.
“I suppose you are right.” He said.
“I often am, thats why my father always heeded my advice even if he didn’t always act on it, because he is a smart man, you would be wise to follow in his footsteps.” She said with a wink.
“Well, I have been world renowned as a most wise individual.” He said, smiling, upon which Izzy burst out laughing.
“Marcus the wise demon slayer, it is then, may his reign last forever.”
“If I was truly wise, I would have just moved to another continent, but oh well.”
“No,” she said, more seriously. “That wouldn’t have been wise, just cowardly, which is why you could never have made that decision. You are among the least cowardly I have ever met.”
“Well, thank you for the compliment, my love.” He said, and he meant it, as he lent towards her, and kissed her.

It was a full week before the Elk hills convoy arrived at last, and shortly after, the red rivers arrived as well, having been allowed to leave their town behind, in light of recent events.
surprisingly, his visions had been given to him each day at noon, and they had described to him what was going to happen that day, so he had known of their arrival before anyone else, which proved it to him, his vision were his predicting the future, the immediate future, which was new and he had no idea how to use it. He had already realized that he could change things, but the visions, which were like memories that hadn’t happened yet, but more.. Vague, didn’t change.
It made him feel strange, he had known how conversations would go before starting them, so he could ask other things, but how was that useful?

He had only had a short time before the meeting to talk to Eredan in person, who had assured him that everything was fine.
Now, he found himself in a room with all the chieftains of Cloud, something that hadn’t happened since the end of the clan wars, over ten years ago.
As was now usual, Arthur was leading for him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the moot! Please be seated.” He announced, when everyone had arrived, signaling that it was starting.
“We have come here today to discuss two things: Number one being the demonic invasion which has already started, and the next wave will undoubtedly be arriving anytime soon. And secondly, the unification of the continent under king Marcus.” He finished, causing silent mumbles to fill the room.
Not only were all the chieftains there, but so were all the generals, captains, lieutenants, and everyone with a the slightest amount of authority.
“First lets all introduce ourselves! I am Arthur, and I represent our king, Marcus, and the Cloud central tribe.” He said, and all the chiefs took turns standing, and introducing themselves. Some introduced themselves, such as Borgh, humble as always, others had themselves introduced, like Eredan, who had been forced to choose a new second in command now that Marcus had poached his best commander.
The last one was the chief of the Elk hills, named Zardon, who introduced himself.
He was a tall man with a thick blond beard, made even lighter by the grey mixed in. Marcus estimated him in his late forties.
He was wearing a head dress decorated with elk antlers, and an elk fur coat, over a brown gambeson and chain mail.
“Lets call this what it is,” Zardon spoke, when everyone had introduced themselves. “This meeting exists solely to compel me to join you merry band of cowards and lunatics. Not to mention traitors. I see you, Borgh, last I checked, your nephew was chief of the green valley, but he is dead now, conveniently.”
Borgh stood at those words, his forehead turning red. 
“Now listen here, my nephew got what was coming to him, and King Marcus defeated him in a fair duel, as is tradition in our tribe, so don’t you go accusing me of treason.”
“Thats right,” Marcus budded in, “And I put him in charge after I won leadership of their tribe fair and square.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that half of your supporters are lunatics, Claith, I thought you were too busy creating real life walking skeletons to be joining dumb plots like this one.”
“Now, my lord Claith is not actually insane, ill have you know,” Maith said, standing to defend his cousin.
“Shut up Maith, don’t tell me what I am and am not. And you shut up too Zardumb, those skeletons worked really well I’m telling you, they were just destroyed in Emina’s tower.”
“Order!” Arthur shouted, obviously hoping to avoid the meeting devolve into an argument.
“You are right, Chief Zardon,” Marcus said, approaching him. “This meeting mostly exists to convince you to see reason, all here besides you and yours, and those you held up in your siege of my vassal, have seen the demons for themselves, would you really deny the word of seven chieftains? And don’t tell me you believe all of us lunatics.”
“He is telling the truth Zardon, believe me, I fought them myself, if it wasn’t for him, I would have died, along with the rest of my people. He saved my life, and that of my husband.” The chieftess of the white fields said. Marcus was glad to have won her over first, Zardon wasn’t known for his fluidity, or willingness to bargain, by he and the chieftess had a history, or so he was told.
“Are you sure Veth? He’s with the twins, those little bastards, do you really want to side with them?”
“The twins, crazy as they are,” she started responding, while the two men in question set next to each other, fidgeting, and whispering things in each others ears, “They found the truth that we have to find as well. We cannot protect our lands on our own, the demons are real, and we must band together, my old friend.”
Upon hearing those words, Zardon fell silent, looking over each of the chieftains present, and ending with his eyes on Marcus.
“So it is then,” he mumbled, before addressing Marcus. “So, you got anything to say for yourself, or do you only ever let others talk for you?”
“Chief Zardon, I implore you to make the right choice here, enough blood has been spiled, no more shall the people of cloud fight each other, because if we do, we only make the demons jobs easier.”
“Yeah, yeah, the same old speech you probably gave all those other nitwits, I’m sure you are as self-righteous as they say.” He grumbled, his beard dancing as he chewed the words. “Ahh, fine then, I suppose I have no other choice, I would duel you, but I doubt that will help me either.” He spat.
“I will join you, Marcus, but don’t expect me to go licking your boots like your other lackeys.”
Marcus smiled, “Don’t worry, Zardon, I will not.”

Still, the stubborn chief bowed as he said his oaths, and Marcus was now king of all of Cloud.
“Now that Cloud Nation has been unified at last, I have some more announcements to make.” Marcus said. “First of all, I will no longer be chief of Cloud central, that job will go to my younger brother, Arthur, as I’m sure I will have more pressing matters to attend to.” No one said anything, he doubted anyone cared or was very surprised but this.
“Secondly, I have decided to separate Clouds governmental task, and delegate them to the tribes, each tribe will fulfill an equally important and vital purpose within our nation.”
This was his ultimate plan, he didn’t say it now, but he knew the tribes wouldn’t be able to keep ruling their lands locally, each of the tribes would have to be headquartered in the same place, which would be cloud central, and their new purposes would become more important, and make the transition easier.
He explained his plan, as the chieftains listened, and silently nodded their heads, or just frowned, in thought, or fidgeted with their coats, as the twins were doing.
“Cloud central, led by Arthur, will take over national administration, The White peaks, led by Chief Brandon, will be in charge of intelligence, the gathering, storing, and analyzing of information, The White fields, led by Chieftess Sylvethia, will be in charge of covert operations, both inside and outside of Cloud, the Elk hills, led by chief Zardon, will be in charge of internal affairs, and law enforcement, the red rivers, led by chief Eredan, will be in charge of external affairs and diplomatic matters, as well as conflict mediation, the green valleys, Led by Borgh, will be in charge of offensive and war matters, they will be leading the all battles, The middle wood, led by Damien, will be in charge of support and infrastructure, building and maintaining roads, the north wood, led by Dannad, will be in charge of defense, I want those stone walls around every city on cloud, and lastly, the south woods, led by chief Claith, will be in charge of research and magical innovation.”
After he had laid out the basic plan, and job division, he answered a whole lot of questions. Did this mean certain troops would fight more than others? Did this mean some tribes wouldn’t be allowed to send generals? And a lot more.
Of course all troops would fight, and every capable general would be properly utilized, but these structures would become more concrete over time, until one day, their division, as they would be called, would matter more than the tribe of origin.

1 Cloud Central - Administration
2 White Peaks - Intelligence
3 White fields - Covert Operations
4 Elk Hills - Law and Internal affairs
5 Red Rivers - Diplomacy
6 Green Valleys - Offensive Tactics
7 Middle Woods - Infrastructure
8 North Woods - Defensive Tactics
9 South Woods - Research and Development

One day, Marcus was sure there would be no more tribes, and there would just be a Cloud Nation.

“How does it feel?” Arthur asked, When the meeting was over.
“How does what feel?” He looked to his brother, who seemed to have grown a few centimeters, both in height and width, since they had left cloud central. Maybe it was just the new outfit. He was wearing shoulder plates, and a white cape, with the Cloud central emblem on the back.
“You know, to officially be the king of Cloud. After all this time.”
“Honestly, I don’t know how to feel. I’m relieved that we made it, I’m happy this part is over, that I won’t have to fight any people anymore, but I’m under no illusion that the struggle is over now, its going to be hard.”
“At least until the chosen one gets here.” Arthur said with a sideways smile.
“By the goddess, after all this trouble, he better hurry up.” Marcus snorted. And they laughed.
“Imagine, if after all this, he just doesn’t show up.” Arthur continued.
“Well, in that case, I would have to file a complaint with the goddess, when I make it to her realm.”
“At least you don’t need to worry about that anymore.” Arthur padded him on the back.
“No, I suppose I don’t.” He smiled.

The next morning, when they were halfway on their way back, they were met by a man on horseback, carrying a red flag, the symbol they had agreed, to communicate that more demons had been spotted, and they increased their speed.
The next wave of demons was here.
They hadn’t yet gathered all their armies, but he supposed they would have to keep them spread across the continent anyway, unless they could predict where the demons were going to show up each time, but for now, he had no way of knowing.
When they got back to the main army, they saw them in a hurry to get organized, the battle hadn’t begun, but Marcus could smell it on the wind, war was here.

***

Sons of Cloud Nation

Once again, we ride to war, once again, we throw ourself at the tide, the tide of war and death, may we one day defeat them.
As the demons flood our lands, and we look the safety of the mountains to be our protectors, we fight on.
As our lands are burned and ravaged, and we seek to reclaim what has been lost to us, we ride once again, once again to death and war.
Even as we sing of lands long lost, we look to our children, and sing for them of hte lands we have, the lands which now nourish us, the places we have called home, some for generations, and some, for the first time.
For they are the refugees, those whose lands were lost, but they were not lost, for they have now found their home.
Even still, we return to fight, fight for lands long lost, as it is our birthright, it is our right not only to live, but to thrive, to keep what we still have, and maybe, just maybe, get back the lands that were lost, lost to death and war.
Even after years, we do not give in, we stand strong against the demon hordes, ever awaiting the return of what was promised, the coming of the chosen one, may he be our captain, the one who releases us, who ends this cycle of death and war.
May the sons of cloud nation walk safely, knowing our deaths, and our wars, were not in vain.

-St. Marcus Demon Slayer, King of Cloud nation (the Wise)