90 A Promise Kep (2/2)
”Are these embassies causing trouble in any way?”
”Not at all,” Risben's eyebrows shot up. ”On the contrary, crime has never been lower. Police officers go home with no threat to their lives. I'm sure their wives are thrilled!”
”Well there you go!” Will clapped his hands with enthusiasm. ”World peace sounds pretty good, eh General?”
”Yes.” Risben let the word drag.
”Where's the but?”
”But who keeps you in check?” The General's eyes bore into Will's. ”Who keeps you honest?”
”You do.” Will said flatly. ”At least you and the whole world. I am not introducing a new power into this world for everyone to fight over. Instead, I am giving you a way to go home each night. I am implementing a new type of energy that will not harm the planet and essentially erasing famine off the map.”
Will was pleased with the research Leo, Michael and Jonathan had put in for the last year. He could only imagine the food they could grow with their aura, the elemental crystals which were fueled by aura could replace fossil fuel in a matter of years. Earth aura users could help speed up tree growth locate precious minerals.
”So you wish for us to take your gifts at face value, and not treat it as an invasion?”
”Say the word, General.” Will said in a low flat tone. ”And I will take all of my people back through a portal to our own world and we will never darken your doorstep again.”
”That isn't fair, William.” Risben held up his hands in defense. ”We wouldn't need to resort to that.”
”Then what, General?” Will's tone remained the same. Though he was no older than twenty, he had freed slaves and won two wars. He was not your average full time job youth who came home to play video games.
”Just let some within the Armed Forces train with this magic!” Risben stood up and brought himself to sit next to Will.
”I don't see how that would help the world.” Risben opened his mouth to object, but Will raised a hand to stop him. ”Hear me out.” He said with authority. Imagine that I give you this so called 'magic'. You now have a battalion of flying elementalists. Then when another country attacks, you can raze them to the ground, correct?”
”We do have an escalation of force, you know.” Risben cut in.
”How fair would that escalation of force be if all it took were a raised eyebrow to set an opponent on fire?” He raised an eyebrow for show and noticed the general losing two shades of color in his face in the process. ”Then you could blame the 'misfire' on a soldier who wasn't trained properly.” Will took another grape from the basket and popped it in his mouth.
”Will, our food is here.” Maya complained as she took her omelette from the waitress. ”This is vacation, put the work away for now.”
”I think the matter of National Security outweighs your need for vacation.” General Risben growled.
”Sure,” Maya pointed her fork at the General accusingly. ”Why don't you work in a field your entire life,” The fork seemed to suck in the light around it, her aura surrounding it. ”Then almost get sold into servitude to two disgusting guards to work of a supposed 'debt', only to be saved by a boy in an inferno, watch him play with fire in the palm of his hand for months before dying, then you should totally get resurrected by a dark god to kill whole families against your will. Maybe you will be as lucky as me to have your bond to death severed by the boy who plays with fire, then tell me how unimportant VACATION IS!” she jabbed the fork out, cutting into the table in front of Risben as if it were made of butter.
The General's eyes went wide as he watched a dull fork wielded by a bathing suit clad young woman take out a chunk of table that a bullet wouldn't be able to penetrate. He looked at Will, but the youth only raised his eyebrow as if saying 'Don't mess with this girl's vacation.”
”Right.” Risben cleared his throat. ”Maybe we should consider making an appointment in the future.”
Will waved a fork in the air in farewell, then turned to Maya. ”Did you really have to scare him off with a fork?”
”Don't mess with my vacation.” she smiled devilishly as she cut into her omelette