Master

Chapter 45

A/N - When things are written like this in this chapter, it is a memory or flashback 

Also, 2 reminders:

1 - Malcolm's gifts include foresight and shapeshifting. I know people always forget so I'm just putting it here.

2 - For those with Patreon, please do not reference any of the new information from the Kalem gets jealous extra in Master comments. PLEASE. I uploaded a post explaining why, so please read it before you read this chapter.

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Lincoln's P.O.V

"The castle will be full in a week's time if things continue at this rate, but it's for the best," Malcolm says beside me, keeping his tone hushed while he eyed me as I did the map, "we need to get a better handle on the ground situation before we are overpowered."

"I agree," Alexander adds from my left, her stance firm as always. "We've bolstered our numbers as best as we can, it is time to take the fight to them."

"We've secured a blood flow strong enough to support us a decade if the war came to that. The castle is barricaded as is all the land under our clan's name now," Malcolm continues, his breaths hasty with his insistence, "we are ready to face them Lincoln."

I could feel their eyes on me, all of their eyes on me, - Malcolm, Alexander, the elf, and the rest of my council; Fae, Sterling, and Karios - but I kept my focus on the piece of cartography before me.

It was vast and compact all at once.

Wequie steps closer, sliding into the conversation as he leans against the nearest wall, "it would give us better standing amongst the few remaining clans to see that we're making proper, enforced moves." He adds thoughtfully, "It displays power and confidence, two things that would make them more inclined to support us."

The remaining members of my council, all hum their agreement, adding words of wisdom before they quiet once more and wait for my response.

I was focused on the map, this map of this world that was so... underwhelming.

Everything was smaller now.

I'd realized time ago that the world, this planet of ours, was beginning to feel smaller. Almost as if it was caving in but I hadn't truly taken notice of that feeling until now.

Time ago, when I stood before this map, it was like I was examining the entire universe instead of just one planet. Earth had felt massive initially, with so many places to see and things to discover.

That was before the lines had been drawn all over it, creating borders made of greed.
And now... now, it all seemed so small.

Smaller still with all the dotted areas that marked Diablos' territories. I knew he'd expanded his reach, I just never realized by how much.

The little red pins that littered every inch of the map showed his reign, his terror, in full and he was quite literally everywhere. In every continent, in every city, town, and crevice, his mark on this world was a bone-deep one.

"We've grown from where you left us. We are far stronger than you can imagine, the deals we share run deep, the path we've dug for ourselves through the mud will not be washed away."

There was much truth to Diablos' rambles after all.

"I've examined every scenario and every outcome I could see," Malcolm presses with unwavering confidence, "we can plan for everything, as we always have, we will still win this."