A/n: Lord Balkan...Well this one actually came to me really easily! Haha! Took me only 15 minutes, with distractions! XD That has to be a personal best or something! Anywho! Last chapter! Thought I'd end with the high lord him being the most important member of the guild and all...
Balkan – Leader of the pack.
By Puff the magic dragon567
K
Summary: As the figure at the centre of the guild, it is brought to one's attention how helpless it actually is.
The task of leading the Imardin clean up operation was always going to be a tough one. So many people were suffering from the battle. There were some magicians who locked themselves in their rooms and only allowed their servants to enter.
Of course, that was only in the most severe cases.
As a whole, the guild seemed to be healing well; but Balkan knew as well as any that the scars would always remain, even if buried in the subconscious part of the mind.
Becoming High Lord had not been a complete surprise. He had been the only magician nominated for the post, and everyone had agreed with the decision. Now it was his job to lead by example.
He strained as he forced his magic to raise large pieces of rubble onto the cart that had been prepared. The upper class families were yet to return, and with the Inner Circle in such a state he could understand why. The merchants and labourers had flocked back. They leapt at the opportunity to earn some money in the clear up operation; competition was becoming fierce, and prices a good deal more reasonable as the weeks went on.
Balkan brushed down his robes with a cough, he cursed to himself as the dust left dull brown stains on parts of the shining white that had been unanimously elected as the new colour insignia of the high lord.
Lord Osen tilted his head and sighed, "I think that's enough for you High Lord," he remarked courteously, "You've been working for well over seven hours…You need to rest." A look of genuine concern crossed his face.
The high lord nodded slowly, "I'm just trying to make up for the lack of magical help."
Osen raised his head to assess the rubble, "I don't think you alone can do that. They need time…" He watched as a pair of men, obviously previously employed at the dock, shifted another piece of rubble onto the almost fully loaded cart, "There is no better medicine than time…"
Balkan sighed, futilely trying to clear the dull musky brown from his robes again, "But time is not on our side. Soon we will be the target of frustration; we're already dealing with a lot from the houses!" He sighed, high lord was not an enjoyable title at times like these, "I'm not sure how long the guild will stay in existence at this rate…Think about it, we give away so many lives and inflict so much damage for it, only for the houses to refuse to fund it. It only needs us to fall out of favour with the king, then there's nothing we can do."
"You'll find a way…"
"I regret to say that this is beyond the power that I possess. I fear that all I can do now is hope."
