Once more, he started reading the letter, addressed to none other than himself.
"Dear Mr. von Weiss, God of Strength"
He couldn't help but scoff.
"We are pleased to be able to extend to you a grandiose offer in representation of the Magic Council of Fiore. The members of the Council have unanimously voted in favour of granting you the privilege and honour to lead a newly formed Guild under its command. You are to report to the Magic Council headquarters in Era within 14 days of receiving this document.
Should you fail to do so or refuse to comply, the Council will be forced to strip you of your official title as a God of Ishgar and impose sanctions on the unofficial organization known as the "West Fiore Trading Company" and its members for breaching § 31a and § 22b - 22e of Fiore Law regarding the rights and activities of Guilds.
We look forward to seeing you at our office.
Sincerely,
D. Fitzgerald, Head Secretary for the Magic Council's Guild Office"
He had to force himself to suppress the nigh desperate laughter. Is this how far things had come? He knew that there would be consequences for accepting this overblown title from the bureaucrats in Era. No matter how much they would coat it in legal jargon, the intent was clear ... the Magic Council wanted to get him out of this guild and make him some kind of figurehead for a new one. The letter was an ultimatum, and as far as Joh was concerned, the Council would follow up on its promises, and they would do so swiftly and without second thought. If he wanted to keep the integrity of the Company's trade routes intact, well ... there was little choice the Vice President had, as far as he could see. There was also the fact that, with the Magic Council's continued involvement, they could pull some strings behind the scenes, perhaps even threatening the other, darker side of the Company ... a risk not worth taking. He really had no choice. Who would've thought that he would leave the Company, and especially under circumstances like these? It was ridiculous.
He took the letter and turned it before holding it into the flame of the candle, the fire not hesitating to spread and scorch the document, slowly but surely. Staring for a few seconds, the man waited until the flames had consumed the majority of the paper before dropping it into the empty waste paper bin beside his desk, the last of the writing turning to ash within seconds, before opening a drawer and pulling out a piece of his own, blank paper along with a pen, carefully setting it down before himself with stoic expression. He began writing:
"To my dear friend Ruvel,
It is today that I, with heavy heart, must hand in my resignation as a Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company and all positions and organizations associated with it for personal reasons. I can assure you, it was not an easy decision to make, and I have tirelessly explored any and all options available to me, none of which are viable and realistic alternatives. I apologize to you directly for betraying the trust you have placed in me all those months back, and for letting down the Company, the people that raised me up higher than I could have ever imagined, and the family that has given me purpose, the family I have sworn to protect. I personally have failed you and my brothers, my sisters, and I bear the full responsibility for this."
He set down the pen, clenching his hand into a fist. He had to focus.
"Please do not try to hinder me or persuade me to remain. My decision is set in stone. I want to thank you for all the time I got to spend here on Tolgalen. Should you or the Company ever need me, you will know where to find me.
With best regards,
Johann von Weiss"
Without hesitation, he grabbed an envelope and folded the piece of paper, sealing it within and placing it on his desk as he stood up. Well ... this was it. He took a last look around his office, sighed, and opened the door to the room, vanishing into thin air as he closed the door behind him, leaving behind nothing more than an empty office and a meager attempt at justifying his actions. His next destination would be Era. He would show the Council what good it would do them. He would lead, but he would do so on his terms.
The fresh spring breeze from the mainland of Minstrel swept through Johann's hair as he made his way up the stairs to the provisional stage that had been placed before the great archway that formed the entrance to the newly constructed guild hall. It was pretty amazing what Magic could do, especially with the backing of the Magic Council of Fiore and, perhaps most importantly of all, it's seemingly nigh endless funds. The small port town down towards the docks had grown pretty nicely, not on par with the docks of the Company, but impressive when considering their schedule, the guild hall, of course, finished long before that. The fresh air and the smell of the sea brought back memories the newly appointed Guild Master had thought he had long forgotten. He had grown up here, after all. It had been a while ...
"... To finalize the grand opening of this guild, I will now give the word to the Guild Master!". Joh had stepped up onto the stage, dressed in the red and white uniform of Dies Irae, now getting a good look at the crowd that had gathered before the stage, the soldier stepping to the side. Most faces were wholly unfamiliar to the man, still, some he had worked with before or seen in passing, and some he knew all too well. He took a deep breath, raising his voice. He hoped that a speech would be adequate for this occasion. It was, after all, his brainchild they would unveil on this spring afternoon.
"I want to thank everyone for coming today. I am certain that the journey was long and harsh, but I'm glad I may open what I hope will become your new home. Today, with the aid of the Magic Council of Fiore, I stand before you not as a God of Ishgar, but as the Guild Master of Dies Irae. I am certain all of you are aware of the purpose of this organization, but let me assure you once more, with your assistance, gone shall be the days of darkness, as I swear by my name, and by the name of this guild, that we shall defend the citizens of Earthland with everything we have. It does not matter who you are. It does not matter where you are from. A common goal shall unite us".
Once more, the man took a deep breath, before finishing his statement
"A new day is dawning, and it will be our day. The Day of Judgement. Welcome to Amber Island, everyone", stepping back and allowing the Recruiter in a similar uniform to that of the Guild Master to speak up. "T-thanks for your attention. Recruits, please line up to the side here so the guild master can give you your stamp before you will be granted access to the guild hall". With a nod, Johann turned, making his way down and to the side, where two uniformed soldiers were waiting at a table, the ledger that would contain the name of all recruits before them. "Alright, first one. Full name please, where do you want the guild mark?"
Word Count: 1,498
Last edited by Johann on 28th June 2019, 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total