World Conquest Online

They had followed Camilla to a large full banquet hall, where a large array of food had been provided. The four of them had been seated beside a group of old men who were discussing some philosophical debate about if a cat was in a box, where as another argued about a tree falling in a forest. Camilla had left them and sat with another group further up the table. The range of people in the room was vast, with Dom’s group being the youngest, with some older students being dotted around the room.

Dom had tried some new foods, and once again struggled with some of the tastes. His family were from a more eastern part of the Western Kingdoms, but his mother had originally been from the south. His taste followed that cooking, and that of the Academy. Jessica had laughed at him at one point, showing him some of the more enjoyable foods. Kish and Diane had kept to themselves mainly, and Dom felt it was a shame that they hadn’t been able to connect on a closer level.

The banquet soon came to a close and Dom’s group followed Camilla to another smaller room, where she explained that they had just eaten with some of the most intelligent members of the Hundred Peaks. She explained that the Ninety Ninth Peak was a place where the intellectuals of the Hundred Peaks, many of whom were retired Advisors, would gather to share their thoughts and create the plans for the worlds future. Some of the other intellectuals were invited guests who had become permanent residents.

"The reason you are here is so that you can spend as much time listening in to conversations and making contacts with some of the key people from the northern hemisphere. We have members of both the Western and Eastern Kingdoms here and this is a teaser of what you will be exposed to in the future. There are even some from the Combined States and Southern Empires, but only a handful." Camilla had explained. "There are many experienced Advisors and Strategists here, as well as retired Generals and even some fallen royalty. Some of these may become mentors for you in the future when your pathway has been agreed."

They had soon been escorted to individual bedrooms that were based in a separate building behind the manor. The building easily had over two hundred bedrooms, and was like a small hotel. Camilla had explained to them that it was the housing for all students that were part of the Special Arrangements Class. Most of the rooms were empty of life, but were assigned to someone who was elsewhere currently.

Dom’s room was on the second floor, and was beside Jessica’s. The room had a luxurious feel, with marble tops in the bathroom and silver taps. The room was painted cream, with gold trimmings, with the window view of a large training field behind the manor. Beyond the field was the Craik Forest protecting the secluded Ninety Ninth Peak.

Dom lay on the luxurious bed, his eyes quickly taking him to sleep and away from another chaotic day.

.....

The second day at the Craik Forest passed by very fast. Dom had awoken to a well prepared breakfast that had been delivered to his room, before taking a tour around the central part of the Manor. His morning was spent listening in to a strategic conversation between a group of former Military Leaders. They were fighting against each other, however the battle wasn’t real and they were imagining the forces that each side had. Dom struggled to keep up with them, but suspected that Subutai, Xun Yu and Xun You wouldn’t have a problem.

After listening in to the strategic master class, he was taken to the training field outside. Camilla knew that Dom was excellent with a spear, but even though he was part of the Hidden Peaks, he needed to be good with a sword. She had Captain Stirling meet him in the late morning and Dom was subject to a large torture session where Captain Stirling beat him vigorously. Dom used all of the skills he had learnt in World Conquest Online, as well as his many years at the Academy to fight back. He thought he hadn’t done great, but Camilla seemed to have been giving him a look of approval.

After his late morning beating from Captain Stirling, he headed to his room and bathed, before heading for a late lunch. Jessica had joined him, explaining how her late morning had been a history master class by a retired lecturer from Central University. It seemed that Camilla had arranged each of them with an individual itinerary for this one full day at Craik Forest, before they made their journey back tomorrow.

His afternoon followed similar to the morning, he sat in on a meeting between some former Advisors, who were discussing the best way to develop a growing city. Dom found it a strangely coincidental meeting based on his role in World Conquest Online. His lessons so far had been varied though, with Strategy, Martial and now Governance. He wasn’t sure what role Camilla had in mind for him, but she was definitely giving him a wide opportunity to get interested in different things.

The final session of the day was with a former Advisor to the Eastern Kingdoms, as well as a former Advisor to one of the Southern Empires. The two of them were discussing some land fertility with a former Western Kingdom Advisor. Camilla was also sat in the room, but she wasn’t talking much and also listening in. The Eastern Advisor was explaining how he suspected the northern crops would fail, and that they would need some southern land to support the population in the next ten years. The Southern Advisor was explaining that to do that, they would have to fight or trade to get it, the Southern Empire was currently in a stronger Military state than both the East and Western Kingdoms, so it wouldn’t be an ideal time for a war exchange.

As Dom listened in, even though he knew they were talking hypothetical situations, he realised that the normal person had little to no control on the outcome, and that everything was planned so far ahead for such deeper reasons. The hatred between the Kingdoms was built so that the leaders could control the directions from the top. His visit to the Ninety Ninth Peak had been an eye opening experience. He wished he had the knowledge of some of his game advisors, such as Shang Yang, but he absorbed as much information as he could. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

After the meeting, they headed to the Banquet Hall, where another banquet took place. This time the four students were sat elsewhere with another group. Dom soon learnt that they had a banquets nearly every evening so that the minds could continue to flow. It felt like an extravagant place, almost like a wealthy retirement home that was merged with a small university.

Before they were sent back to their rooms, Camilla had told Dom that she would speak with him alone before he departed the following day. She would be heading in a different direction with Diane and Kish to the mainland, where as Dom and Jessica would be heading the route back south with Captain Stirling. A journey Dom was not looking forward to, as it would most likely take two days.

When Dom arrived at his room in the student housing, he could see that his initials were now engraved on a silver plaque on the door, as were Jessica’s on hers. This was the Ninety Ninth Peaks way of saying it accepted them as a part of them. Dom hadn’t really felt like he had contributed much to the exchanges today, but they had accepted him and he was now a full member of the Ninety Ninth Peak.

.....

Dom awoke in his room at the Ninety Ninth Peak, quickly showering in the luxurious bathroom, before getting changed in to some travel clothes that were provided. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, noticing some similarities in his facial features to Camilla that he hadn’t noticed before. He then headed down to meet with Camilla who had arranged a meeting room for them.

Camilla was sat on a large office chair in the room waiting for him, she was wearing a travel suit and reading some letters that were on her desk. She looked up as he entered and placed the letter face down on the desk.

"Good morning Dominic, how did you find the Ninety Ninth Peak?" She asked him gently, her tone different again now that she wasn’t in front of other people.

"It’s been interesting!" Dom replied honestly, the day had passed quickly, but he had absorbed a large amount of information in the short period. "The topics were much higher levels than I am used to, but I think I have learnt some strong fundamentals."

"I hope so, they will go a long way in your future." She agreed, before clasping her hands together, her fingers interlocking. She closed her eyes for a second and then took a deep breath. "Dominic, the world is currently in a peaceful state, and normally it should be for at least the next five to ten years. This would give you and your peers plenty of time to learn and establish yourselves. However, there are undercurrents taking place that are out of our control, I am not sure how long the peaceful state will last."

"What is happening?" Dom asked seriously, interested to find out more information that could impact his future.

"I don’t know." She laughed, a laugh at herself more than anything. "The mighty Hundred Peaks doesn’t know everything. There are just bits of information here and there, strange happenings across the globe. Disappearances and minor Rebellions. Empires rise and fall, I think it may be time for more to fall."

"And new ones to rise?" Dom questioned, watching Camilla’s eyes as she answered. He had only known is aunt for a couple of days, but he could see the drive and determination to control everything in her eyes.

"That would be for the best." She accepted, before moving the conversation on. "There are two things I want to discuss with you before you leave, well three actually, but two important ones. The first one is the Central University."

She stood up from her desk, grabbing a separate letter from it and having a quick glance through, before sitting on the desk and looking down at Dom.

"Lady Annabel Howard will be attending as a guest speaker, and will be your Mentor. However I have high expectations of you and also the need to protect what little Kin I have left. I will be dispatching Captain Stirling as a guest sword instructor at the University, you will be signed up to his extra curricular classes." She continued, Dom wondered if this would impact his gaming time. He had also joined the Hundred Sword Peaks, with the explicit information that he wouldn’t be expected to train in swordsmanship. "I will also be supplying two freshmen students in the same year as yourself, who will be joining you at Central University as your personal guards."

"Personal Guards?" Dom questioned seriously, he didn’t need guards, he was a student and he already planned to live with Andrew and Kai. He also didn’t want to stand out, only royalty and nobility had guards.

"I know what you are thinking." She replied, putting her hand up for silence. "Firstly, you are of Noble blood and should start acting like it. Secondly, these guards will seem like normal students to everyone else, they will be accepted on military scholarships. This is their own special mission and training, Captain Stirling will be assigned their mentor, he is adept at most sword types. This isn’t a conversation, I have made the decision as your guardian."

"Who are they then?" Dom asked begrudgingly.

"That doesn’t matter as of yet, but I doubt you will be displeased. I have had them dispatched to meet you and Captain Stirling there. Annabel will just have to wait for them before she departs if they are caught up by something. The other Ninety Peaks aren’t as organised as our Hidden Ten." Camilla laughed, pausing for a few seconds. "Now, on to the second thing I wanted to discuss."