The Divide
Series Metadata
Listing Series
-
Tags
Summary
Scott was sitting at the bar, swirling a glass of some bright and effervescent drink. He pitched his head back and downed it, feeling the familiar burn on his throat. Pulling his fedora down, mostly to hide his face, he glanced over at the man in the booth in the corner. The man was concealed by the only bit of darkness in the whole tavern.
He was also convinced that that man was watching him.Series
- Part 1 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
He’d delivered every shulker box, except for one.
The cyan box was placed in his inventory and seemed to mock him as he paced back and forth in front of Scott’s mansion. Should he personally deliver it or just leave it outside? Delivering it personally meant no risk of it being stolen, but it might look weird. But just leaving it outside meant anyone could get it.
Jimmy held it in his hands and stared at the accursed thing for what felt like far too long. He refrained from saying anything harsh - lest he be heard, gods forbid - but he wouldn’t be able to for long.
Series
- Part 2 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
The footsteps stopped, and two shadows were barely visible under the door. Faint conversation went on from outside, hushed enough that he couldn’t hear much of it except for small snippets. Those snippets weren’t particularly helpful, though. They were mainly just questions of, “Are you sure?” and other such nonsense.
He was growing bored. If they didn’t knock soon, he wouldn’t answer.
“King Scott,” fWhip’s voice said. “I am fWhip of the Goblands, and with me is Mayor Lizzie of Animalia. We wish to talk about a potential alliance of our empires in a coming conflict.”
That was his cue.
Series
- Part 3 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
"Hey, Scott!" Joel yelled. The god's booming voice rattled the ground a little. Realising this, Joel smiled sheepishly. "Sorry 'bout that. D'ya wanna come in my carriage? We're having a... meeting, if you catch my drift." Joel was far from conspicuous. From his carriage - cloudy white with accents of gold and green - he saw Lizzie and fWhip in the window. They beckoned him over with friendly smiles.
Shrugging, he approached the carriage. Joel opened the door for him with a, "After you," before following Scott inside and shutting the door.
He sat himself next to the god, with no other choice.
Series
- Part 4 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
He couldn't shake the feeling that he shouldn't be conscious right now, let alone alive.
In his head, a string of words repeated over and over, but he was unable to make out what they were saying, only that they seemed to be encouragements of some sort. He scoured his brain for them, but turned up nothing. It was a fruitless endeavour.
Series
- Part 5 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
He felt the carriage jolt, halting and resting in its final position. Someone opened the door to Scott's carriage and he stepped out and onto Glimmergrove soil. It was a nice area, truth be told. Everywhere he looked he could see decorations for the equinox ball, posters advertising it stuck to the front-facing windows of shops and securely tied to trees.
The other emperors stepped into the castle, with their things being taken to their rooms by Katherine's staff.
Aeden and Aphid caught his eye, and the twins nodded in his direction knowingly. He allowed the tiniest sliver of a smile to show on his face as he returned the nod and entered the castle. A servant bowed when they saw him and offered to lead him to his room. He accepted the offer, trailing behind them.
Series
- Part 6 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
He looked down at the tube inserted into his wrist. The healing potion was already almost fully depleted, so he removed the tube and let the tip fall to the floor.
Most of the other rulers had almost finished their healing potions, but many were still unconscious. The nobles at the ball would be in a similar state, as well as pretty much every other guest here. No one would know if he were to snoop around.
With a plan set in his mind, Scott left the room and stepped out into the corridor.
Series
- Part 7 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
But look at where that left him. Alone. Accused of poisoning people and setting explosives, and thrown into a war. Unless he developed godly powers overnight, there was no way his empire alone could take on Stratos, Goblands and Animalia. Especially not all three at once. And hell, there'd probably be more people on that side than his. They had the numbers and resources and strength to back them. What did he have?
Bombs, a voice in his head told him. Lots and lots of them.
A few bombs wouldn't have much of an impact. Some damage caused, lives lost, but the war would not stop for that. It would plough on and shatter everything he had built until it was just sand to be blown away by the wind.
He was just a mere blip in the history books. And Tumble Town would be, too.
Series
- Part 8 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
"You're drinking yourself to death," a voice giggled. "I wonder how much it'll take this time. Another gulp? Another bottle? Go on! You're made of strong stuff, you'll manage it. Do it." He shuddered, the bottle slipping from his hand and smashing on the ground. The remainder of the gin spilled across the floor. Scott groaned and went to look for a mop.
Damn it all. Damn the people who cast him out. Damn the ones who stood by in his pain. Damn the fae that did nothing or did the worst possible thing to all of his people. Damn those that were the reason Chromia had to be created in the first place.
(And damn everyone that hurt Jimmy, and forced him into this war in the first place.)
Series
- Part 9 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
The white-haired Chromian muttered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just- ignore them. It's been a long day of travelling to get here." She stood straight, and easily towered over Jimmy. "King Scott sent me and some soldiers - as well as some potions and extra supplies - to assist you. Since he cannot outwardly help, given the situation, he decided to send whatever he could spare to you."
"Oh." Standard procedure in war, he supposed, but that woman didn't look very happy to be in Tumble Town. She didn't look at everything as if it were something stuck to the bottom of her shoe, but it was a near thing.
Once again, Jimmy felt his blood boil. His father would be rolling in his grave, seeing Jimmy accept her distasteful glares.
Series
- Part 10 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
"Is it a talking shit night, or a drown-your-sorrows kinda night?" Owen asked, already refilling Scott's half-empty glass. "Because I'm down for either. I need entertainment."
He shook his head. "I wish it were a talking shit night. No, drowning my sorrows." To drive his point home, he drank the newly-refilled glass. He shuddered again, hiccuped and felt the tingles crawl over his skin like spiders, then the sensation died down into a pleasant warmth. Owen looked at him blankly. "I saw him again. In my head."
"Ah. That's the reason." Owen scrutinised the current bottle he held, then reached under the counter for a different one. "It's bad to mix drinks and all, but you need this." He poured Scott a separate glass of a transparent drink. Owen leaned forward. "What was the context?"
Series
- Part 11 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
"I'll do it."
"Will you?"
He paused to take a steeling breath. "As long as you don't tell anybody about the rumour."
"I can't exactly promise that." Sausage said, smiling. He pocketed the vial and stood up. "How 'bout you stay here tonight? It's getting late." As if on cue, the sky overhead darkened with storm clouds. Scott scoffed under his breath. Just his luck.
Series
- Part 12 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
So far, he had no real plan other than to survive. Isn't that what everyone wanted in the end? To survive? Jimmy just wanted his people to escape it mostly in one piece. If he could, he would try and keep Tumble Town an independent empire. That was what his ancestors had fought for those many years ago. That was what he was there for: to keep the peace, and ensure they remained independent no matter what threat arose.
But it was so hard. The easiest route out would be to just surrender and see what happened. His people would survive. Tumble Town would survive. That was his end goal. If it meant he had to relinquish their freedom, then he'd do it. Anything to ensure Tumble town wasn't wiped out of existence and erased from the history books.
Even if they would be known as the empire with the quickest surrender in history, at least they wouldn't be forgotten. Ridiculed, yes. But forgotten? No.
Series
- Part 13 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
When he arrived, everyone else was there. Mentally, he cursed his apparent tardiness. This wasn't a good first impression. Scott quickly took the one available seat, sandwiched between Sausage and Lizzie.
fWhip looked oddly good for a man currently preparing for war. There were no bags present under his eyes, his ears didn't sag, his hair was surprisingly immaculate and he looked every part like the ruler he was meant to be. For Scott, that could only be bad. If he wasn't nervous at all, then what was he planning to make him so relaxed? It couldn't bode well for anyone.
Series
- Part 14 of The Divide
-
Tags
Summary
Jimmy was grateful that the 'meeting' Scott arranged wasn't too serious. It was surprisingly relaxed; torches scattered around here and there to keep the monsters at bay, a few blankets laid down on the ground for them to sit on, two baskets perched neatly in the centre. Two sets of plates, cutlery and glasses were set out especially, and if he squinted he could see a wine bottle or two in one of the baskets.
He had to remind himself several times that this was a meeting and not anything else. Just a meeting between pals. Nothing more, nothing less.
Series
- Part 15 of The Divide