How I Became The Villain

Kade sat in his oversized chair in the war chamber, staring at the glowing map of his territories. The aftermath of the battle at the eastern ridge had left him shaken, but the castle's eerie quiet had lulled him into a false sense of security. That was, until moments ago, when news of another brewing conflict reached his ears.

"Why does it always have to be me?"

he muttered to himself, drumming his fingers on the table.

"Can't the bad guys just… take a vacation or something?"

The chamber doors opened, and Vask entered, his pale face unreadable. He bowed low, stepping aside as the commanders filed in behind him. Kade's attention snapped to them, noting their calm but purposeful demeanor.

First was Vala, her ice-blue gaze sharp as she carried a scroll of detailed strategies under one arm. Brug followed closely behind, his grin wide, his massive hands clenching and unclenching as if eager for a fight. Selyna slipped into her seat with a teasing smirk, twirling a dagger lazily between her fingers. Thadric, the towering fortress of a man, was as stoic as ever, while Rynor's ember-lit eyes flickered with a quiet intensity. Elvara brought up the rear, her silver hair crackling faintly with static as she gracefully took her place.

'My lord,'

they said in unison, bowing deeply.

Kade gave a small wave, trying to keep his face neutral.

'Yeah, yeah. Let's skip the formalities and get to the part where someone tells me what's going wrong this time.'

Vala stepped forward, unrolling the scroll and placing it on the table.

'The situation, my lord, is more complex than a single battle,'

she began.

'We face not just one enemy, but a network of cities, each with its own champions and rulers. Their politics are intertwined, and their alliances may soon turn against us.'

Kade blinked, staring at the map as if it might explain things to him.

"Politics? Networks? I didn't sign up for a political thriller. I signed up for a villain gig with a nice throne."

'So… these cities are like, what? Different factions? Rivals?'

he asked, trying to sound like he understood.

'Precisely,'

Vala said.

'Each city is a power unto itself, with warriors, heroes, and rulers who are either allied with the heroes or neutral for now. Some may be persuaded to align with us, while others will oppose us outright.'

Brug grinned, slamming a massive fist on the table.

'Let Brug smash them all! Make them know Kaedus's power!'

Kade winced at the sound, waving a hand.

'Let's hold off on the smashing for now. We're not trying to start a world war.'

Selyna leaned forward, her sharp green eyes glinting.

'Not yet, at least. But if we play this right, we can turn some of these cities into allies. Others, well… they'll crumble when they realize who they're up against.'

Kade rubbed his temples, trying to keep up.

"Allies? Enemies? Crumbling cities? This feels way above my pay grade."

'Alright,'

he said, leaning forward.

'Which cities are we dealing with?'

Vala pointed to the map, where glowing markers highlighted the surrounding regions.

'To the south lies Lunareth,'

she said.

'A city built atop an ancient magical spring. Its ruler, Queen Sylvena, is known for her wisdom and power. Her warriors are formidable, but she values diplomacy over conflict.'

'Diplomacy?'

Kade asked, his interest piqued.

'So, we could… talk to her?'

'Perhaps,'

Vala said.

'But we would need something to offer in return for her alliance. The magical spring is the source of her city's wealth and strength. Without it, she would have little incentive to risk her position.'

Rynor tapped the map with his staff, his voice low.

'To the west lies Ironhold, a fortress city ruled by Lord Garron. His warriors are unmatched in combat, but his hatred for magic users is well known. He is unlikely to ally with us willingly.'

'Sounds like a fun guy,'

Kade muttered.

Vala continued.

'To the north is Zerynth, a city shrouded in mystery. Its ruler, High Sage Verath, controls a powerful network of spies and assassins. Their strength lies in the shadows, and their motives are difficult to discern.'

Kade leaned back, his head spinning.

"South, west, north. It's like they planned this just to give me a headache."

'And what about the heroes?'

he asked.

'They remain a threat,'

Thadric said, his deep voice steady.

'Though we defeated them at the ridge, they will regroup. Drelan the Radiant is not the only champion in their ranks. We must prepare for retaliation.'

Kade sighed, rubbing his temples again.

'So, basically, we're surrounded by powerful enemies, and I'm supposed to figure out how to deal with all of this?'

Elvara smirked, sparks flickering around her fingers.

'With respect, my lord, you already showed the heroes a fraction of your strength. They will not attack so lightly again. But the cities… they must see your power as well.'

Kade sat in silence for a moment, staring at the map. His commanders watched him expectantly, their faith in him unshakable. He swallowed hard, trying to think.

"If they knew I have no idea what I'm doing, they'd probably riot. Or laugh. Or both."

He straightened in his chair, putting on his best "Dark Lord" face.

'Fine. We'll send a message. Let the closest city know who they're dealing with.'

Selyna's smirk widened.

'Which city, my lord?'

Kade hesitated, his finger hovering over the map.

"Don't pick the one with the magical spring. That sounds complicated. Go for the fortress? No, they hate magic. Shadows? Too sneaky."

'Lunareth,'

he said finally.

'Let's start with diplomacy. See if Queen Sylvena is willing to… negotiate.'

The commanders nodded, their gazes filled with approval.

'An excellent choice, my lord,'

Vala said.

'Shall I prepare a diplomatic envoy?'

Kade nodded, trying to look confident.

"Sure. Diplomatic envoy. That's a thing people do, right?"

***

As the commanders left the chamber to carry out his orders, Kade leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh.

"This is getting ridiculous,"

he muttered to himself.

"Politics, alliances, wars. I don't know how to handle any of this."

Vask appeared at his side, silent as ever. He placed a goblet of wine on the table and stepped back, his expression unreadable.

'You handled the situation well, my lord,'

he said.

'The commanders trust your judgment.'

Kade picked up the goblet, taking a long sip.

'Do they?'

he asked, raising an eyebrow.

'Because I feel like I'm winging it every step of the way.'

Vask gave a faint smile.

'That, my lord, is the art of leadership. Appear confident, even when you are not.'

Kade let out a short laugh, shaking his head.

"Leadership, huh? If they knew how clueless I really am, they'd probably revolt."

He glanced back at the map, his eyes lingering on the glowing marker for Lunareth.

"Alright, Queen Sylvena,"

he muttered.

"Let's see if you're ready for a performance."