If Edgar wants to see you, then why not? If he had anything sinister planned for you like having his escort kill you when you arrive. Besides you're old and you didn't worry about dying in combat when you were twenty, you're not going to start worrying about it now.

You pack a few things for your trip and get your horse ready since you know Rask carriages don't travel through ED territory anymore. It's hard getting on damn a horse ever since losing part of your leg, but you're not about to walk the way there!

When you reach the border the next day, you see a group of soldiers camped out in the distance beyond it. You see an ED Flag flying so you assume that's the escort Edgar told you about. When you approach several of the soldiers point muskets at you…heh you sometimes forget of how technology has marched on.

They immediately ask for identification and you state your name and hand them the message with Edgar's seal on it. The leader, who is a blonde woman with fair features reads through it and greets you.

"Greetings sir. My apologies on the initial caution, but we had to be sure. I am Sergeant Kalah, and I am to escort you to Prime Eternal Edgar. I am told he will be most pleased to see you, though I must admit I was also curious about you myself. Many are, as the Prime Eternal has mentioned you several times in high regard."
"Heh, yeah I've heard about that before. Never get used to it though. Well let's get on our way then."

Sergeant Kalah is very talkative on your trip, and goes on about great the ED is, and how it provides for all. She sounds very much like you did a long time ago. You're a little curious about something so you interrupt her propaganda speak.

"Tell me sergeant, you and your men are all on the youngish side, what generation of eternal are you exactly?"
"Me sir? I am fourth! We all are, we are newest eternals to serve directly in combat and I'm proud to say that we are so far the first to have natural night vision!"
"You can see in the dark eh? That must come in pretty handy. Wish I'd had that back in the day."
"Oh yes, the glorious Eternal Dominion was able to fight those treacherous svelk mercenaries that the cowardly Felkans employ on equal footing when we were deployed!"
"Hmm, any other natural abilities?"
"The fourth generation also regenerates better than the third even though they were the first to have such abilities. Under the right circumstances we can potentially regenerate a lost limb."
"Now THAT is something I definitely would've liked to had!" you say knocking on your wooden leg. "Still, with all these advantages I'm sort of surprised you haven't utterly crushed the Felkans yet."
"I believe we would, even with our resource shortages. Most of us do! We have the Felkans on the run, I do not understand why we have not pressed forward with our attacks, I long to be in combat again…but it is not my place to question the Prime Eternal's decisions, I'm sure he has a good reason…"

Wow, that line sounds familiar.

"Well all I can say is, sometimes the political aspects of a nation are more complicated than the wars." You reply

Sergeant Kalah doesn't argue, but just says that you may have more wisdom about such things. Kalah and you continue to speak with each other about various subjects and she's courteous the entire time, in fact she's downright friendly. You definitely weren't expecting that and it's sort of a nice change of pace. While traveling through a town, a couple of pathetic peasants are being beaten in the streets by another soldier, though his uniform seems to be a different color even though it has the same markings.

"You there! Why are you beating these peasants! What crime have they committed?" she demands.
"Ma'am! These peasants were caught stealing food."
"Well you shouldn't be beating them just for that…you should be chopping their hands off!" Kalah says, followed by pleas and screams of the peasants.
"…yes ma'am…alright get over here you lousy thieving scum, let's make this quick!" the soldier says drawing his sword and striking out at the screaming peasant. However, in his enthusiasm to follow orders he ends up hacking off the peasant's entire arm.

More screaming arises from the female peasant who rushes to what is probably are dying husband. Sergeant Kalah rolls her eyes.

"I swear never let a human do an Eternal's job…men shoot all three of them."
"No wait!" the soldier says before several musket balls hit his body. The two peasants are also killed instantly.

The onlookers of this event duck and hide, but the sergeant makes her point known.

"Listen up! This town is now on watch! If I hear of anymore thievery or other crimes, I'll be back to burn down this whole town! And for those of you in charge of keeping the law around here, I better see more competence displayed in the future than I saw today or I'll have you drawn and quartered! You are ALL servants of the Eternals! We are your masters, we know better than you and you will OBEY."

And there it is, the ruthless arrogance. It would appear than Kalah's friendliness extends only to other Eternals. Can't say you're surprised though. You all move on and eventually you reach the capital and the palace where Edgar resides. Funny how this is the first time you've ever been to the palace after all those years serving the Empire.

"This is where we part company, but I must say I hope we meet again in the future, it was an honor to meet you."
"And it was a pleasure to meet you too…" you say and then you decide to give her a big fat thrill. "…and if I may say if we have more eternals as pretty and commanding as you, we will no doubt rule for thousands of years to come."
"…I…oh…well thank you sir!" she stutters and smiles before riding off.

New guards accompany you into the palace and through it. You've never been in here before, so you do a little sight seeing as you walk. Eventually you reach the royal bedroom. An older woman is sitting on a chair outside sobbing. She looks regal. Did Edgar get married? You've never heard of their being any sort of "queen" of the ED you always assumed he was just ruling alone. Another older muscular man with a stern expression is standing nearby pacing. When you arrive, he frowns even more.

"Oh so you decided to come after all. A pity." He says.
"Well, I certainly can say your military is politer than the royalty around here."
"That is probably because they believe all the stories Prime Eternal Edgar says about you. Such is the foolishness of youth."
"And who the hell are you exactly?"
"Hmm, not surprised a deserter like you doesn't remember me. My name is Rissok and I served under you during the Empire riots. I saw you kill my friend in cold blood. A true eternal who served with honor!"

"Oooooh now I remember. You and your other buddy were looting houses while Felding was attempting to rape a woman. Yeah, real honor there." You say and Rissok gets in your face.
"Don't mock me! You are only here because the Prime allows it! If it were up to me, I would have you labeled as a traitor and have you killed!"
"Well nothing is stopping you. You got the guards here, Edgar's too sick to prevent it and I've only got one leg, so I'd say it's a fair fight." You remark.
"Stop it! Stop it please! My Edgar is dying! Can't we have one moment without murder and killing?" the woman sobs.

At this point Rissok storms off without another word, the guards stick around and tell you that you may enter at any time. Before you do, you have to ask the woman who she is because you get the impression she isn't an eternal. You just sense it.

"My apologies, I didn't know that Edgar was even married. What title do you go by, queen? Emperess?"
"(sniff) No, I'm none of those things. I'm just Eva. Sometime Lady Eva if we're being formal, but I am not married to Edgar nor am I common knowledge to a majority of the public, I am merely his companion of sorts. He could not marry me, for concern of marrying a non-eternal might weaken his position of leadership. I understood this from the beginning though and do not blame him for it. Eternals have more wisdom on these matters."

You're pretty sure that isn't necessarily true, but you understand Edgar's rationale and Eva seems to genuinely be in love with him. You ask her if she wants to come in with you, but she says she has already said her goodbyes and that he wants to see you alone when you arrive. Having no other questions, you enter the bedroom.

When you see Edgar, he's lying in his bed and looking completely unwell. He's pale and his face has a gaunt looking appearance. You can't even believe this is the same man you fought along side at Fort Defiance.

"Edgar? "
"(wheeze) ah…you came…I knew you would. (cough cough) You're also looking much better than I am…minus a leg I see. How did that happen?"
"Long story…but you! How the hell did you get this sick?! Other than physical pains racking my body, I've never been actually sick. I didn't think we could!"
"Well…after you've suffered five or six assassination attempts all laced with various poisons, it tends to fuck up your body a lot quicker…anyway there isn't much time left I doubt if I'll make it through the night (cough cough) you've read my letter I take it?"
"Yes."
"Well then you know that when my death comes, anarchy will ensue."
"Don't you have a successor? What about Eva?"
"I don't know if you've noticed, but we can't have children. We Eternals seem to be sterile or barren. I've had people try to look into this problem, but they haven't come up with anything yet. It would seem what makes us superior, takes away our ability to reproduce. Maybe it's nature balancing itself out, so that we don't take over the world like so many of our younger eternals seem to want to do."
"Hmm, I have to admit, I always wondered why all those strumpets I slept with during my merc days never came back with little bundles demanding support." You reply. "Anyway (cough cough) I've drawn up official forms for the person I think could be a successor…"

You already know where Edgar is going with this.

"Oh no…don't say that's why you dragged me out here…Edgar they aren't going to listen to me! I haven't even been living in the ED since it's formation!"
"That doesn't matter! You're still an Eternal! One of the first and probably the best of us! (wheeze cough) They'll listen more likely than you believe, why do you think I always spoke so highly of you? The younger ones will most likely follow without question, your major opposition will probably be the second generation…but there aren't too many of them left, you could easily purge them all if you had to."

Sheesh, you haven't even agreed to anything and Edgar's already suggesting mass purges. It's like you never left the Empire.

"Please…I tried to build something here…(cough) I tried to do what you might've done if only you'd taken the reins of power, but I can't go on any longer. The only person who can guide the Eternal Dominion into something worthier is you. I'm asking you not just as former comrade in arms…but as a (cough cough) a fellow Eternal…"

Edgar's trying to guilt you into this mess, but it's just not going to work. This plan of his is doomed to fail and you know it. Every high ranking Eternal is probably going to be vying for power and that idiot Rissok will probably the worst of the lot before Edgar's body is even cold. Still, this is his dying request. You could always accept his proposal just to appease him on his deathbed.

You tell the truth and decline

You didn't lie to Kane when he asked you to join him.

You didn't lie to Brenda when she asked you to join the Eternal Dominion

And you aren't going to lie to Edgar now. It might not be what he wants to hear, but it's what he's going to hear.

"Edgar, I'm not accepting this position. First of all it's not realistic despite what you want to believe and I think deep down you know that. Second of all, if I wanted the reins of power as you say, I would've taken them a long time ago. Did I ever think about it? Sure, but I came to the conclusion that it wouldn't lead to anywhere good…and given your condition I'd say I was half right. I say half right, because it is apparent that you did gain a loving wife out it, or whatever she is to you."

Edgar is silent while you continue.

"And while I don't say my own path was any better, it was ultimately mine and it's one I intend to finish whatever the future may hold for it. Edgar, don't worry about what you accomplished and if it'll last. Just be proud of it now and spend your last moments with your wife. That's who you need to be concerned about."

Edgar hacks and coughs up blood and spits it into a nearby bucket and struggles to breathe, but manages to answer you.

"Very well…you've made your point. And you're probably right. You usually were. (wheeze) Bring my…my wife in. I do wish to spend the last moments with her…and farewell…my brother."
"Farewell Edgar." You say with a nod and leave.

You step outside and tell Eva that Edgar wants to spend his remaining time left with her. She seems happy with this idea though of course still upset. She runs in and one of the guards says he will escort you out. On the way out, you run into Rissok in the halls and once again he gets into your face.

"Leaving again are we? Just as well you aren't welcome here anyway. In fact I'd suggest you make it quick. As soon as Edgar's breathes his last breath I'm going to make a lot of changes around here."
"You're saying you're going to be in charge after Edgar?"
"Of course! Others might say they are, but they'll be silenced soon enough, just like all traitors will be. I am the only one qualified to run this nation!
"Hm, well…we can't have that." you say and with a quick motion you pull out your dagger and stab Rissok in the neck. Blood spurts out like a fountain when you pull it out and Rissok gurgles clutching his throat attempting to curse you the entire time.

You pretty much expected to get your head blown off by the guard standing next to you, but he just stood there and did nothing.

"I had a feeling you were going to do that." He says in an almost bored tone. "How old is that dagger anyway? That design was outdated even before I was born. We use a much lighter weight metal now that allows a for a smoother cut."
"Still gets the job done. So I'm guessing by me being still alive, you have no objections with his death?"
"Feh, you could've killed him in front of the entire army and nobody would've lifted a finger. He was an asshole and I know I wouldn't have followed him even if the entire Eternal Dominion depended on it. Besides, we third generation eternals are more fit to run things than any of the seconds. Just glad you didn't decide to stick around, would've hated to have to kill a legend."
"Well if you ever decide to go to war with Rask, you might still get your chance." You say and the pair of you leave Rissok's body behind in the corridor as you exit the palace.

A carriage takes you back to the border where a horse is supplied to you to make the rest of journey home. And you are certainly glad to get back. It's certainly been a strange few days for you, but then you're use to strangeness going on in your life.

A couple days later you get the news that Edgar has died and that the new leadership of the Eternal Dominion as of now is uncertain. Rask of course is still fully expecting war to come their way, but you suspect that probably other than a few skirmishes, most of the fighting will be within the ED itself, or pushing ahead against the Felkan Kingdom.

You also realize that you really are the last one left now. Kane, Roldan, Gerald, Warrick, Brenda and Edgar all gone. The thought saddens you and you're reminded of the phrase Gruz told you as he died.

"You'll outlive everyone…"

It looks like it's come true at last.

Oh sure there still are all the newer eternals around, but you were the first to be the perfect Empire soldiers in the misguided hope that you could save it. A project that failed utterly for its leaders.

You think about some of the other Eternals in your class that didn't even make it past training, or the few like Cyrus that were transferred to the Shadow Guard. You also heard there was a group of eternals that came before you, though all of them died in training and never even made it into the field while the Empire was still "perfecting" their plan.

You wonder if all of you had made it and kept together as a separate unit, would it have made a difference? Who knows? You wonder if you'll even be remembered as the years go by. Not just years or decades, but centuries. Edgar tried to create something to last and while he'll probably have the best chance out of everyone in your group, ultimately history may just list him as a footnote as some obscure ruler.

As for the rest of you, you'll be forgotten. At best, you may have the "honor" being brought up in tall tale by drunkards and bards in taverns, which you can live with, but you'd like the rest of your old friends… no, your old brothers and sister to be remembered.

That's when you get the idea. You shall write you memoirs. Maybe nobody will read them or care, but what the hell, you need something to occupy your time in your twilight years. You've got a lot of it after all.

Grabbing a quill and some parchment you begin to write. You want to get as much down as you can, but of course a lot of history has passed and you're having a little difficulty of where to start.

"Damn, I should've done this a lot sooner…oh yeah…might as well start with her."

Mistress was her name, and that was about the only thing I ever knew about her. Oh that and the fact that she was a sadistic svelk bitch that helped trained me and my bothers and sister to be killers. Not just killers though, Eternals.

This is our story.