Chapter 113: The Election—and the Third Ranking

Cassian bent down and pressed the cloud with his fingers. It yielded softly, almost like dough.

He stepped onto it.

"Let’s go."

The view rushed backward. Aurelia and Rhea called out behind him, and Ghost One quickly shrank to a small shape on the water.

"Fast!"

What surprised him most was the lack of wind. He could feel a little pull as he accelerated, but no air struck his face. It was as though the cloud sheltered its own little space from everything passing outside.

He gave it another thought.

The cloud shifted around him and enclosed his body. With his current Spirit, that protection should withstand a full-strength attack from a Level-20 Dawnwing Vanguard.

Speed and defense together. Cassian was very pleased with the Art.

Its Aether consumption was considerable, but he had Life Water for that.

He slowed down, and Aurelia soon caught up.

"That’s an impressive skill," she said, looking from him to the cloud. "And that speed!"

Cassian laughed.

"One of the great flying arts. I’d have been disappointed if it couldn’t do this much."

Rhea reached them a little later, her small wind wings beating rapidly. Cassian turned back toward Ghost One and brought the cloud down to the deck.

Mina’s projection was waiting. She looked at the cloud beneath him, then up at his face.

"Will you still want the ship to carry you, Lord?"

Cassian nearly laughed again. Was she worried he had found a replacement?

He stepped down and patted the rail.

"Of course. Flying myself isn’t as comfortable as traveling aboard you."

Mina brightened at once.

"Yes, Lord."

——

Several days later, Cassian lay in a sun chair while Rhea worked the tension from his shoulders.

He wore only a pair of shorts. The sun warmed the firm lines of his chest and arms, and a few of the bolder Eclipse women had tried Summer Cool themselves. The view across the deck was very pleasant.

Most newcomer Lords spent their days anxiously leading hunts, afraid of falling behind if they stopped. If they could have seen him now, they would have been sick with envy.

Cassian stretched comfortably beneath Rhea’s hands.

"The Carrier has almost everything," he said. "It just needs a swimming pool."

A notification sounded.

Cassian straightened. He had only left alerts on for important messages.

He opened the Shattered Marches Channel. Golden announcements appeared one after another.

[One hundred Regional Wardens in the Shattered Marches have reached Rank VII.]

[The Marches Command Election has been triggered.]

[From 12:00 today, every Domain may open a Waygate to the outer sea. Killing sea creatures of Level 40 or higher grants Ballots in addition to normal Battle Essence and item rewards. Ballots cannot be transferred.]

[Candidates: The one hundred Regional Wardens who have currently reached Rank VII.]

[The candidate who receives the most votes will become Commander of the Shattered Marches.]

[Vote standings update in real time. Settlement: Tomorrow, 12:00.]

[The coastal Shattered Marches face repeated attacks from sea creatures. Only a Lord recognized by those who fight them may command the Marches.]

"Just one day."

Cassian grinned.

"And earlier than I expected."

At this point, barely one Lord in a hundred had the strength to hunt beyond the coast. The early opening suited him very well.

Limiting the candidates to the first hundred qualified Wardens was familiar enough. The old Regional Boundary Defense had used a similar qualification threshold.

The Channel filled with messages. Most were complaints.

[Anonymous Lord: Already? I’m only Rank V!]

[Anonymous Lord: Level forty or higher? Most of my troops are Level twenty-five. I think I’ll sit this one out.]

[Anonymous Lord: Sensible. I’m about your strength. I bought a Common warship last time I went home, took it out to sea, and lost everything.]

[Anonymous Lord: Don’t let the price of votes blind you. Without strong flying troops or a good ranged force, you shouldn’t go.]

Some War Lords had already made a start.

[Mira Calder: I have a hundred and sixty Ballots. Once voting opens, every one goes to Cassian. Northwatch hasn’t forgotten who saved us.]

[Black Banner Lord: I’ve collected a hundred and eight Ballots over the past two days. One thousand Aether per vote. Candidates, message me if you’re interested.]

Most ordinary Lords who went after Ballots meant to sell their votes. The Ballots themselves could not be transferred, but a Lord could provide proof of casting them for a paying candidate.

Even some of the candidates were already abandoning the race. There was only one seat. Making a good profit while everyone wanted votes was an attractive alternative.

Then another announcement left the Channel stunned.

[The Third Shattered Marches Region Ranking has been triggered.]

[Ranking Basis: Votes received during the Marches Command Election.]

[1st: Warden’s attributes +80 each / Region Fortune +8]

[2nd: Warden’s attributes +50 each / Region Fortune +5]

[3rd: Warden’s attributes +30 each / Region Fortune +3]

[4th–10th: Warden’s attributes +20 each / Region Fortune +2]

[11th–20th: Warden’s attributes +10 each / Region Fortune +1]

The reaction was immediate.

[Anonymous Lord: They combined the election with the Region Ranking?]

[Anonymous Lord: So much for staying out of it.]

[Anonymous Lord: Does that mean my votes just became more expensive?]

[Bren Orwick: Whitefield is buying votes. High prices.]

[Anonymous Lord: Weren’t you selling yours a moment ago?]

[Bren Orwick: I might not have a chance at command, but surely I can make the top ten.]

People who had enjoyed Region Fortune knew exactly how valuable it was.

There was only one Commander. There were twenty places in this Ranking.

Whitefield had lost all its Fortune to Cassian’s Alliance. Bren could hardly ignore a chance to win some back. With his family’s strength and money behind him, a place in the top ten was well within reach if he committed everything.

He was not the only one changing his mind. Other Black Banner Wardens who had planned to abandon the election began offering high prices for votes too.

In the Dawn Alliance Channel, Gareth sounded less pleased.

[Gareth Halvern: They’ve tied it to the third Ranking. We have fewer than a hundred friendly Regions across the Marches. Black Banner will probably take most of those twenty places again.]

[Mira Calder: This could help us. Now their Wardens have a reason to compete with one another instead of backing a single candidate.]

Gareth’s answer came almost at once.

[Gareth Halvern: You’re right. If their votes are split among a dozen or more contenders, our chance of taking command gets much better.]

Then one of the Lords in the Alliance spoke up, a little hesitantly.

[Alliance Lord: In that case... shouldn’t we first agree on who we’re going to support?]