New Tis, Old Problems
Anrosh sat at her desk, sifting through papers, always papers. A mountain of them high enough that her view of the door was obscured. Sotis, she wished that she had never accepted to be a Sect Leader. It was an overwhelming amount of work, and all just to keep the sect running. Which was no easy feat for the second largest Sect in the world. The last decade had been chaotic, to say the least. So many smaller Sects on the Frontier had thrown their lot in with the Twilight lody Sect just on their fa alone. That wasnt that surprising, it happened often enough, weak follow the strong. And the Twilight lody Sect had several power houses, Erdania who everyone had started to call Gravity Titan, Anatalien the Ruler of the Empty Sky, Nayra whose na had changed, much to her chagrin, to Daughter of Dawn and DeathAnrosh liked it a lot more than the na that they had given to her, as if she deserved such a thing. They called her the Cold Hound of the Undying. She didnt know whether to be flattered or insulted. No, it wasnt just Ryuns na that was whispered in taverns with trepidation and awe.
The Sect had grown, had allied with many larger sects and absorbed others. The actions during the war had just served to increase their fa, which brought even more Sects under their banner. They called them one of the big three, the successors to Zenshuen. Which was true, to Anroshs eternal hate. It only ant more work for her. Because it certainly wasnt going to be Ryun who went around making sure that their relations with other sects were solid, that they had trade agreents and alliances set up. No, of course not. It was all on her.
And she had to make sure that everything was running smoothly, they had work to do. Three years had passed since the Ninth and the last Iteration had arrived to the Infinite Realm, and the world was very different than it had been before the war. The Sects had expanded, both in the frontier and toward the core, so Classer factions had even allied or completely joined with the Sects, most of those had been absorbed by the Dragon Heart Sect, but it was the first herald of great change. The Triumphant Hive had expanded and ramped up their training of the younger generations, while the Exalted Empire conquered or allied with most of the other important factions. The world seed split between the three, the Triumphant Hive, the Exalted Empire, and the Sects. And for now at least all three were focused on the common goal. Defeating the dos. It had taken years for them to prepare, and they were preparing still, but it was so much work. Growing the Sect in power, size, and influence, all the while keeping everything whole.
She wouldnt have survived if she hadnt acquired several teams of talented individuals with classes geared toward diplomacy and managent. Even with them, she was always swamped. There were big decisions that required her to sign off on, too many of them. Like the one that she was reading at the mont. It was a proposal from a new builder that they had let into the sect, fairly high tiered, Verdon was his na. She rembered eting with him just a few days ago, the surprise at learning that he was a Ranker. He was going to be a great asset, Anrosh could tell. And if the plans in front of her were anything to go by she was right.
The redesign of the city was substantial. It was almost too much, but she knew that they couldnt delay it any longer. Currently, the city was just a huge ss, buildings built wherever there was room, the original walls had been exceeded long ago and new walls built around the expanding city twice already. Traffic jams were a constant nightmare, even with so ideas that Ryun had told her to implent like the traffic lights and people to regulate the traffic. She had even invested in more air ships to combat the issue, but it worked only for a ti. Consequence was turning into a hub of the entire Sect Frontier.
Verdons plan called for tearing down a lot of the city, then rebuilding it almost from scratch. It was a multiyear plan even with powers such as his, and the more she read, the more she realized that what he wanted would cost them a fortune. They would need enchanters and formation makers to put the things he wanted straight into the walls as they were being built. The sewer system which would replace their current combo of dumping half of it into the river and purifying the rest with powers. It was a full redesign from top to bottom.
Anrosh sighed, it was going to be a headache that would last her years, less than a decade if she was lucky, more if she was being realistic. In the end, it was necessary. Consequence had to evolve, and beco a proper defensible city.
She signed it just as one of her assistants knocked, then walked in through the open door.
Sect Leader, we have an issue, she said, only slightly winded. But looking nervous, which imdiately told Anrosh what the issue was regarding.
What is it now? Anrosh asked
The Sect Head and Sect Leader Jhan-Ekoa are
Anrosh groaned and interrupted her. Just bring the cost of the damages, Im not going to try and stop them.
Ryun and Erdania had turned into the biggest naces to the city. Especially recently as their other paramour hadnt yet returned from the afterlife. Anrosh understood, but their outings had started to get out of control. They, and by they Anrosh mostly ant Erdaniathe woman was a terrorstarted drinking contests that lasted for days and demolished entire taverns, and Ryun then indulged her when she inevitably wanted to celebrate her victory. The last ti their coupling had leveled the inn they had stayed in, Anrosh had to apologize to the owner and pay twice the amount of what the inn was worth just keep Ryuns image intact, she even allocated her best builders to build a new inn at a fraction of the ti it usually would take.
Sect Leader, her assistant said. Its not they are in the forges; the Sect Head threw everyone out.
Anroshs response froze on her tongue. The forges were another thing entirely. She grimaced and then stood up. Fine, Ill deal with it.
She could imdiately tell that this was serious when she approached the crafter district. The smiths and their apprentices were outside on the streets, so barely conscious, but still standing in as close to the entrance to the great forges as they could. The air was thick with Qi, and heavy with willpower. Even Anrosh stumbled, then had to equip her armor and make it nullify the Qi. She walked through the throng and glared at the smiths.
What are you doing? You know that you cant stay near when he does this!
Forgiveness Sect Leader, the lead smith said, breathing heavily. But it is a chance all of us would gladly risk our lives to get. The inspiration
Anrosh grimaced and shook her head, lunatics, all of them. Hoping to glimpse sothing to help them advance in this madness. She opened the heavy doors and the wave of Qi washed over them all, she heard groans and people tumbling to the ground behind her. This was beyond serious.
She walked briskly toward the main forge, where she knew she was going to find him. The doors to the main forge were closed, but the Qi emanating from there was intense. One side was an absence of everything, drawing you in, almost as if it wanted to erase you and all that you ever could be. The other was sold as the earth, no, more than that. A promise that you would never break in its embrace. Worldstone Qi, Anrosh knew.
She prepared herself to storm in when the Qi intensity lowered, and then the great doors groaned as they were pushed open and a naked shape walked out.
Erdania was a tall woman, fit and lean, her muscles clearly defined and her body made even more impressive by the series of silver-white tattoos that covered her dark skin. Right now, what made her even more impressive was that she was glistening with sweat.
You were not just doing that in there, Anrosh glared.
What, of course not, Erdania scoffed. Forges are not the place for sex. Wait, ignore that, I forgot that one
Stop, Anrosh interrupted her. Vile woman. Couldnt you have at least put so clothes on, you knew that I was coming. There was no way that she didnt. Both her and Ryun were powerful enough that they could tell what was happening anywhere around them.
Like what you see huh? Erdania raised her eyebrows.
Dont play with , Anrosh told her, feeling the air around her shimr as her power cooled it.
Oh, I dont think that Narya would mind that much, where is she? Out and about, training soldiers and forgetting about dear old you.
Anroshs glare intensified, and the air chilled around her.
Erdania laughed and raised her hands in the air. Peace, forgiveness. It is scorching in there, Erdania waved her hand. I was not about to ruin my clothes.
So, what happened? Why is he doing this now, here, and why are you enabling him?
Erdania grimaced in sha. It was apparent to Anrosh just how much Selia kept the two of them from going overboard, she couldnt wait for her return.
Well, Erdania started. He got a missive from the Exalted Empire.
Anorsh tilted her head. That isnt enough to do this.
It was about his order, the ore had been delayed, again.
Anrosh sighed. Ever since their return from war, Ryun had thrown himself into smithing. In his words he was yet to touch on what he and Selia had achieved together, but he had made great progress in his craft. That shouldnt be enough to make him do this in the middle of the city.
The missive was from the Herald of the Machine himself, Erdania added.
Ah, that would do it. Anrosh still didnt quite understand the rivalry that the two had, but it was intense.
I am going to assu that the wording of the missive was less than diplomatic? Anrosh asked.
Erdania snorted. Ha, oh no, it was all prim and proper, with all the respect due and all that crap. But it still boiled down to the Herald gloating about how he decided that the ore intended for our Sect was better put to use in one of his new weapons projects. He confiscated it from the rchant house Ryun ordered it from. He said, and I quote The Twilight lody Sect will surely be willing to wait for the ore intended for trinkets in light of the recent discoveries that might prove a valuable weapon against the Dos. Its just him being petty, Erdania waved her hand. The rchants have already reached out and told us that the shipnt will be coming next month. I still think that all of this stems from that one ti Ryun unknowingly insulted the Heralds ch design.
Anrosh sighed. Then opened her mouth and spoke. I know you can hear , she said to the air. If you want to vent your frustrations with your rival buddy from across the world, do it in your own forge. Thats why you built it, the sect is losing coin with every mont our smiths arent in here working.
A few seconds passed with nothing happening, and then the weight of Qi winked out.
Do try to keep out of trouble, please, Anrosh told the other woman.
Erdania dipped her head in genuine apology. Ill make sure of it, I shouldnt have let it get this out of hand.
Anrosh closed her eyes and muttered curses to herself as she turned to leave. Sotis, she really hated her life.
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