"Who are you?"

Leah's question was not a difficult one to answer. After all, Jacob knew exactly who he was. It was just the current situation did not allow for him to be himself. Considering he was not someone from this world.

Instead, he searched for an answer that could fill her thirst.

Not only her, but Matthew's and Angelia's as well. Jacob could see how they were eyeing him, awaiting his answer.

His reply needed to fill a certain amount of requirements. One, allow him to explain his knowledge of the Order of Mother Nessa and its workings. Two, tell why he was able to have a Holy Aura even if he was not a part of the temple. Three, whatever he said had to fit his current persona.

Jacob's brain went into overdrive as he went through all the information he had pertaining to this world. Was there any possible solution to his current problem?

During the development of the game, there were many organizations that emerged but were tossed aside. Pathfinder's final product only had a select few that made it. Yet, that did not stop them from coming up with small notes about organizations that appeared in history. All extinct, but still existed.

As long as Jacob could get one, that was all that mattered. And he did.

Out of all the factions in the game, past and present. There was one that Jacob was interested in but never worked on nor helped create. Valorie, a friend of his came up with the faction and its cause. However, it never fit with the game world that would be open to players. Thus, it was something you could only find about if you knew the lore of the world.

Jacob just hoped it held up here, or else things may not go as he has planned.

"I am Vulcan del Lezhalt. You know this. However, I'll tell you something you do not know about me. After the death of my parents, I looked into their deaths in hopes of finding the killer. I wanted vengeance, but found no signs, nor was there a clue. Left distraught, and feeling hopeless I drowned myself in books. Searching for something to keep me from falling into the abyss. Do you know what I found?"

Jacob looked at Leah for a second before he continued.

"A book of old, one that greatly interested me. Not because of the knowledge I gained, but instead because of what the book contained. Do you know who the founder of the Valorian Empire is?"

He was unable to see Leah's expression, but Jacob figured that she snorted at his question. It was a dumb one to ask, but one that had to be asked.

Based off the history they created but never fully finished, Jacob knew who it was. This world had a deep history, and he wondered how it came together in everyone's head.

"Why are you asking me that? Everyone knows the founder is Bolin, who belongs to house Lishi."

Jacob said nothing, but looked at Angelia and Matthew.

"What about you two?"

"The four great houses have always determined who the next emperor is. It's been that way since the founding. Even the current emperor belongs to house Amari."

Matthew answered.

"There was another one..."

Angelia started to say but stopped.

"Everyone has been taught the history of our empire, but what they do not want anyone to know is the person, or house that founded it. Their legacy has been buried deep in the history books, that no one ever goes back that far to take a look. Or they can't, due to the limited books from that time period that contain that information. The person who founded the empire we know today was Ammon, a commoner that rose to power. Something no one would ever believe to be true, and the nobles would never admit is true."

"When Ammon created the empire, he also created an organization whose sole purpose was to keep order in the empire. Not like the guards, generals, or knights we have today. Their purpose was to keep the peace and maintain a balance between both commoners and nobles. Although they no longer exist after Ammon's family was overthrown by the four great houses, their purpose still holds today. That organization is..."

"The Sacred Order."

All three of them showed a look of shock upon their faces. Not everyone knew of Ammon, and few knew of the Sacred Order he had created. It was meant to be that way. An empire whose emperor's were never the rightful owner, and a family long forgotten. A great mystery that the players could uncover as they played the game, and choose to restore the house or leave it be. That was an entire plotline that Jacob would never see come true, as the surviving members of that household were hidden. As much as Jacob knew about the game, that was something he never found out.

"This, was a good history lesson. Yet, it explains nothing."

Leah told Jacob after she recovered.

"I was not finished. The order you serve is an organization dedicated to the mother herself, its purpose is to spread its faith across the land as well as help those in dire need. We can agree to disagree whether it does its job correctly, but, there are sub-factions within the order that hold its own purpose. One being, the Sacred Order. Which is an organization tied to the Order of Mother Nessa, thus having access to her secrets. If you read though the history, you'll find the records."

Jacob smiled.

That was something he was not too sure about, but he figured Leah would never go back through the archives and find proof. The Sacred Order was actually tied to the Order Leah served, he was just not sure if they had complete access to the same information.

Still, it would be difficult for her to find that out let alone anyone else. Just like the founder of the Valorian Empire, that organization was buried in history.

Leah was about to speak so she could ask another question, but Jacob seemed to sense her.

"We've spent enough time on this matter, we do not have anymore time to waste. When things are over, we can dwell deeper into the subject."

Leah nodded at his words.

"Then I shall prepare what is needed."

Mikhal was standing next to fire large catapults, his eyes staring off into the distance. As loud as it was around him, there was silence in his mind.

A bearded man stepped next to him, as he too looked at the large walls of ChangLi.

"Ian is getting restless, and it is not just him."

The bearded man said.

"Tell them to have patience Andrew."

Mikhal told the man without breaking his focus away from what he was observing.

Andrew looked back at the masses of warriors they've gathered, the horses, and siege equipment. How was he supposed to tell them to have patience when this was only a portion of their army? The size they brought here was enough to raze the entire capital to the ground, yet, Mikhal did not order them to do that.

"They don't want any patience, they want action! Why are we just sitting around here, when we could be up there? What are we even doing Mikhal?"

Andrew asked, not for his sake but for the others.

Finally, Mikhal drew his gaze away from the direction ChangLi was in to look at Andrew.

"I told you before, I want them to know fear. I want them to believe they will have a chance, so when they see me they'll be crushed. What we need is not a brainless victory, but one that will shake the core of this empire. All that we've experienced for the last hundreds of years, we will pay it back tenfold. For that, we need to wait."

Andrew shook his head.

"It would not be a brainless victory for us. Villages destroyed, families lost, being beaten and made a fool of. We've all experienced the same, some more than others. We all know what we are fighting for, so let us fight. Let us go on our rampage, and shed blood even if it is to make us feel a bit better."

Mikhal nodded his head.

"For us no, but for them it would be. Who has not gone through any hardship in life? We'll just be another group rising up and falling to them, what we stand for will mean nothing. When others look back in the past, they won't see us as a rebellion trying to make the empire, no, our lands a better place for us of less noble status. Instead, all they will read about is a group of commoners fighting to overthrow the emperor or something they'll make up. No one gives a damn about our cause, and the scribes will record it as they see fit. For us to make an impact, we need to make sure they will engrave this day into their bones, so they will never forget."

Andrew was silent.

Mikhal placed his hand on the older mans shoulder.

"That is not the only thing I am waiting on. Those inside will believe we are planning on using the gates to enter the city, and will try to do everything to prevent that. We are doing something else, and that also needs time."

Andrew nodded and looked back at the soldiers they've gathered. It would be hard to sell, but he could make it work.

"What is the status of Veronica?"

Mikhal asked.

As Mikhal asked that question, he could hear the sound of hooves galloping on the ground inching closer in their direction. He could not help but look to see what was going on.

"It sounds like our messenger is approaching, let us pray he brings us good news."

Andrew said as he spotted the hooded fellow.

As the person reared their brown horse stopping in front of Andrew, Mikhal could feel something was off. The hooded figure's heart was thumping out of control. That could be due to the adrenaline, but Mikhal knew this was different.

As they jumped off the horse, almost stumbling in the ground. They removed their hood, revealing a head full of brown hair. It was a man whose cheek bones you could easily see. As if he was malnourished.

"The general... the general... she..."

The man started, but was also trying to catch his breath at the same time.

"Spit it out already."

Andrew told the man.

"Veronica split her army, she's on her way here."

Mikhal paled at those words.

"How many?"

Andrew asked.

"Five hundred, no more than six."

The messenger replied back.

Mikhal sighed as he looked at Andrew.

"Get the catapults ready to fire again, after we've launched one last volley burn them and gather the men. It seems you do not have to tell them about having patience, as we are out of time."