Some months ago

  After receiving our drinks from the butler, the three of us retired to a table in the garden to take a break. Brightvale Castle might not be the greatest castle in the family’s domain, but Dario Baggio had to admit it’s small flower garden was splendid.

  A lone ornamental piece of art, neatly interwoven with the garden and nature, stood at the back of the garden, and that was where the table was located. As Dario sat down, he glanced around the serene garden. It was an emerald patch of grass bordered by tall bushes at the edges. Rows of flowers claimed every part of the garden, forming a miniature world of their own. There was a path of stepping stones that curves around the garden, allowing guests a glimpse of the best spots as they walked around. Dario had to admit that the [Druids] and gardeners did a wonderful job, creating a unique, miniature world full of peace and beauty.

  Dario turned his attention to the ornamental piece that loomed over the table. The massive ornament had a large, flat-topped reverse pyramid of white stone being held up by an ornate, gilded frame which was turning slowly. The pyramid's sloping face had been carved with numerous pictures, and in time, Dario would see all the sides.

  “The history of the Baggio Family, or a version of it. You know, the glorious kind we want our friends and guests to see.” Mario explained with a chuckle.

  The three of them laughed as Dario focused on the reverse pyramid. One side of the pyramid showed the founding of the Baggio family, back when they were nothing. A picture showed Dario's ancestor, depicted as a handsome young man, riding in from the countryside to create the city's first trading company from nothing. Another showed him standing on the docks, his arms outstretched. In the background, ships were leaving the harbour, and on the horizon, the sun was shining over a great city.

  The pyramid turned, and another side showed a more recent history of the family. A picture of Dario's great-grandfather standing at the entrance of a small village surrounded by a patchwork of farmland. Another showing the village being build up as his great-grandfather had the vision that the village would one day be a bustling city.

  It was total nonsense. It never happened.

  Dario's ancestors were bandits. Smart, successful bandits who decided to set up a trading company to sell their ill-gotten gains after getting tired of being fleeced one too many times by black market traders. Once the trading company was set up, shipping, selling their ill-gotten goods to places well away from their place of origin, was the logical way to go.

  Dario's great-grandfather did create a city, but mostly by accident. He bought up farmland and created a village to oversee the running of the property. In time, the village grew to a city, and his great-grandfather leveraged his wealth and lands to gain a noble title. A story that’s not much different from the other noble families of the Bright Empire.

  Dario would love nothing more than to enjoy the peace and quiet of the flower garden, but Mattia asked a question as if he was trying his best to disturb the afternoon.

  “So, how are things in the capital? Was it as grand as they say? I heard you had an audience with Her Majesty.”

  Unlike Mattia and Dario, who were both happy to be simple scions of the Baggio family, Mario was ambitious. He wanted to be where the power was and was aiming to be a court courtier.

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  “Well, I was only there for three days but yeah, the capital was wonderful. Easily the grandest city I had ever been to. However, I did not have an audience with the Queen, I just happened to be in the hall room when Her Majesty graced the court with her magnificent presence.” Mario replied smoothly, but Dario grew up with Mario and picked up the strain in his cousin’s voice.

  “Was there a problem?” Mattia asked. Apparently, Dario wasn’t the only one who did.

  “Not really, just rumours of a war on the horizon.”

  Mario’s flippant reply failed spectacularly. Dario and Mattia looked at their cousin with wide open eyes. Mario just took a sip of his drink and smiled, inviting the question. Dario was willing to let his cousin have his fun.

  “That’s not funny, Mario. Who in their right mind would attack the Empire?”

  “I never said someone will be attacking us, Dario.” Mario replied.

  Mattia sigh dramatically. “Which land does our glorious empire wish to annex this time? The Kingdom of Steel? The Wine States? Please tell me it’s not the Wine States, I can’t be sober.”

  “The Vale of Dunkal.”

  The garden went silent. Dario could have sworn that even the birds stopped chirping. He could not believe it. The Vale of Dunkal was neutral territory, the boundary between the human kingdoms and the elvish lands. An incursion there would-

  Mattia laughed! A boisterous hearty laugh, and Dario quickly joined in. He realized he was tricked. Studious, serious Mario had managed to…Dario saw his cousin’s face and stopped laughing. Mattia did not.

  “That’s a great joke! The court is good for you cousin. You gotten funnier!” Mario just gave him a sad smile. Mattia was always a little slow, but even he understood what that meant. “You are joking, right? The Vale of Dunkal? None of the human kingdoms could go there.”

  “The Queen wishes for more land, and there’s no one holding the vale at the moment.”

  “No one is holding the vale because that’s neutral territory. Surely, the court knows that.”

  “They do, and so does the Queen. And Her Majesty’s words are law.”

  The three scions of the Baggio family nodded in agreement. None of them were willing to argue against the Queen even in the safety of their own lands.

  “What caused this?” Dario asked. “Why does the Queen suddenly want to-”

  “It’s not sudden.” Mario interrupted. “Evidently, there had been plans for some time.”

  “What?”

  “Oh yes, it is just that no one acted on them because it’s crazy.”

  “And it’s not now?” Mattia chuckled as if he heard the biggest joke in the world. “What’s the family’s position on this?”

  “We’re dead against it.” Mario said to the relief of his cousins. “According to my father, our family had been against this plan for some time, but now the forces for it are overwhelming.”

  “Why?” Dario asked, still not understanding why this was happening.

  “The new dungeon,” Mario replied bitterly. “That new dungeon the Adventurer Guild found near Viaggia, I think they called it the Tomb of Ten Thousand Techniques. With that dungeon, the human kingdoms are now in control of eight dungeons, four of them within the Bright Empire. With such riches, the average levels of the Classed among humans will rise.”

  “And the elves only have control of four dungeons.” Dario nodded in understanding.

  “That’s right, and with the increased levels and riches from ‘our’ dungeons, our Queen believes it is the duty of a great empire like the Bright to spread our wealth to those poor elves who are in need of them.”

  Dario stopped himself from laughing. Mattia did not.

  “Now, that’s funny! A war between species to spread wealth to the poor.” Mattia sneered and if Dario had less self-control, he would have nodded in agreement.

  “Mario, they only found the dungeon two weeks ago. Isn’t this a little too fast?” Dario said.

  “It is, but that just tells you how eager the Queen is in expanding our lands, even if it is against another species.” Mario sighed. “Like I said, this plan has been on the table for awhile. The Tomb was just the wood that ignite the embers.”

  “Is there no way to stop this?” Mattia asked, beating Dario to the question

  “Not when it’s eight dungeons against four. Unless something happens to one of our dungeons, this war is going to happen.”

  With that simple throwaway sentence, a crazy dangerous idea formed in the mind of Dario of House Baggio.

  “What if something was to happen to the new dungeon?”