Lassim sat at his workbench, quill poised mid-air above the parchnt. The past few days had passed quickly as he’d worked on the array lines that now crisscrossed in complex patterns in front of him. He’d managed to take in Rlyis’ suggestions for the rune concepts he should create and the [Redirect] and [Horizon] runes were beginning to take shape. He still had a few more to add and shape, but he was making good progress while the others continued their work too.
Across the room, Rlyis worked silently at her own station, revising the prototype schematic with the placeholders for Lassim’s runes now ticulously marked.
The atmosphere was subdued, the quiet only broken by the occasional scrape of quill on parchnt or the faint creak of Rlyis shifting in her chair. They were making progress, but the most important piece hadn’t been finalized yet.
Eno entered the workshop, his tal greaves clicking sharply against the floor. His usual easy confidence was missing, and he had a parchnt in his hand.
Without a word, Eno leaned against a nearby table, his arms crossed and his expression dark.
Eno muttered, tossing the parchnt onto the workbench. "We’ve got a problem."
Lassim set down his quill, giving Eno his full attention. "What’s wrong?"
Eno sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Depends on how you define ’wrong.’ I’ve been working with the Administration Hall to push our request for Astrium Veinstone, and… let’s just say things aren’t exactly going smoothly."
Rlyis looked up from her notes, arching an eyebrow. "What’s the problem? Didn’t you say you had so old contacts in Stellanora?"
"I did," Eno replied with frustration evident in his voice. "And they ca through—at first. We managed to get the nobles to at least entertain the idea of granting us a small mining allotnt. But things have taken a turn."
Eno took a pause, uncrossing his arms and pulled a stool to sit down and rest in with a slouched posture, "The good news is, I’ve made progress. I’ve lined up a deal for the Astrium Veinstone with one of the smaller rchant companies in Stellanora. They’ve got a solid reputation, and they’re willing to prioritize our request while also having a mining rights quota already obtained for the Astrium Veinstone. The parchnt is the contract I’ve already managed to sign with them."
"That sounds great," Lassim said, though he caught the hesitation in Eno’s tone. "So what’s the catch?"
Eno exhaled sharply. "The Steel Snake Sect has gotten involved. They’ve sent envoys to Stellanora and are trying to monopolize the entire Quarry for themselves for so reason. Not just the mineral we need, but they’re upsetting every other company and sect that regularly obtains the ores and raw minerals they need from the Quarry. These arrogant—," He caught himself and then sighed, "They’re throwing around massive bribes, promising long-term exclusivity contracts with their sect, and using their influence to box us out. The nobles that control the entry permissions and quota allocations are starting to lean their way. They’re even putting a pause on already won contracts—including the one we’ve already signed—with mining companies like the one we’ve been working with."
Rlyis muttered a curse under her breath. "Those damn snakes."
Eno nodded. "And they’re playing dirty, too. They’ve already caught wind that we’re purchasing a decent amount of Astrium Veinstone with a potential follow-up contract for massive quantities based on the success of our current project. Just like they’re doing with all the other competition, these assholes are now spreading rumors about our Lightning Sect being unreliable partners, saying we don’t have the resources to match what they’re offering."
Lassim’s frown deepened, his mind working through Eno’s words, but one part eluded him, "The Steel Snake Sect," he repeated.
"I haven’t heard of them before. What’s their deal? They’re not from the Veridian Continent, are they?"
Eno replied,"They’re not a top-tier or massive sect like ours. They’re not even the equivalent to us. On the Veridian Continent that’d be the Myriad Spirit Sect—if you’ve heard of them—but they’re no pushovers either. The Steel Snake Sect has a reputation for being fiercely ambitious. Their focus isn’t just on cultivation and martial strength with the region they manage—they’re relentless when it cos to securing resources and expanding their influence. They’ve built a foundation on acquiring strategic assets, and they’re not afraid to step on toes to get what they want."
Rlyis interjected, her voice sharper than usual. "They’re opportunists. They won’t start an outright war with another sect unless they’re sure they’ll win, but they excel at navigating the political and economic landscape. They’re quite like how the Sun Sect was to us before the sect war, but towards the hegemony of the Myriad Spirit Sect. If there’s a chance to gain control over a valuable resource like the Quarry, they’ll push as hard as they can—through negotiations, strategic alliances, or sheer pressure. They’ve been expanding steadily for years, and this is just another small next step for them."
Lassim frowned, his gaze flicking to the fractured remnants of the alloy ingots on his workbench. "Well, I am at least familiar with the Myriad Spirit Sect, as I went to the Myriad Spirit Academy for my initial months of cultivation. I would’ve joined them, but the headmaster sent here. Well, anyways… They’re after the Quarry now. Do they have the strength to take control outright? I can’t imagine they can really compete with us, right?"
"They don’t need to directly compete with anyone," Eno replied, his tone grim. "That’s not how they operate. They’re using their influence and resources to win over the damn greedy nobles who manage the Quarry’s access. They’ve probably promised long-term trade deals, military protection, or a share of whatever resources they extract at a higher rate than is currently taxed. The nobles care more about the growth and stability of their profits than who’s in charge. If the Steel Snake Sect can make themselves seem like the better partner, they’ll take the deal."
Eno continued, "And if they succeed in securing the Quarry, getting Astrium Veinstone will beco almost impossible for the near future. They’ll either jack up the price, which we can handle within reason, but they’ll most likely refuse to sell to anyone who doesn’t align with their interests. That’d be us since we’re another hegemony type sect, despite being on a different continent."
Lassim’s eyes narrowed. The Steel Snake Sect was a direct threat to his project. "What’s our next move?"
Eno glanced at the nearby clock embedded with faintly glowing runes and stood up, stretching his back with a quiet groan. "Well, we don’t have much ti to figure that out. I’ve got another conference scheduled with the Stellanora rchant company in about thirty minutes. I think you both should co with this ti."
Rlyis raised an eyebrow. "Why? Usually, you handle this kind of thing solo."
Eno shrugged, his expression tight. "Normally, yeah. But this is getting complicated, and I want you two to see what we’re dealing with firsthand. Plus, Lassim,"—he gestured to the young man—"you’ve been working on that teleportation device and could use so context for how these kinds of negotiations play out. If the Steel Snake Sect’s pushing this hard, you need to understand the stakes and how the people on the other side of the table think."
Lassim stood up, "Fine by , but how exactly are we going to conference with them? Isn’t it just a text ssage?"
Eno gave him a knowing grin. "You’ll see. Let’s just say that what the big sects, like ours, use for communication… it’s a few leagues ahead of what we’re carrying around in our pouches."
Rlyis sighed, tucking her quill into a holder and rising from her seat. "Fine. Let’s go. I want to see just how badly these nobles are twisting things."
The trio left the workshop, walking briskly toward the circular Administration Hall at the heart of Skybound Village. The towering building was, by now, a familiar sight to Lassim, its etched walls humming faintly with the charged lightning being channeled through it from the lightning rod atop its structure.
Inside, the usual bustle of disciples and ssengers escorting new arrivals filled their sight lines.
"Straight to the conference room," Eno said, leading them past the receptionist and Resource Manage seated at their desks in the main hall towards a side chamber guarded by two Lightning Sect disciples. They saluted Eno with familiarity as the group entered.
The chamber was round, dominated by a rune-inscribed pedestal in the center. Atop it sat a crystal orb the size of a man’s head, its surface shimring like liquid starlight. The air vibrated faintly with the power coursing through the array.
Rlyis let out a low whistle. "Haven’t needed to use one of these in years. Still as impressive as I rember."
Lassim stepped closer, studying the orb. "This connects directly to the Stellanora rchants?"
Eno nodded, moving to the control panel. "Yep. Well, not just them but really anyone else that has one of these too. The array is powered by a network linking major sects and key trading hubs. Expensive as hell, but when you’re dealing with intercontinental negotiations between major powers, it’s worth every elental source stone you can throw at it."
Eno activated the array with practiced ease, pressing a sequence of glowing symbols. The orb pulsed, then began to shimr with a distorted image that gradually clarified after a series of bell-like chis into the face of a middle-aged man. His features were sharp, angular and his neatly trimd, and pure silver beard complented the also silver tailored robes he wore—marking him clearly as the sa elent as Eno; a tal Spirit Warrior.
"Dorian!" Eno greeted with a casual wave. "Right on ti."
The man inclined his head, his smile was polite but he seed to be a bit stiff and tense. "Eno. It’s good to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances."
Eno gestured toward the others. "These are my companions—Master Rlyis, as you may recall, and Lassim, the Lightning Sect Master’s personal disciple. We’ve also been training him on how to be an Array Master as well, but at the mont he’s convinced us to work for him. Make sure you treat him well."
Dorian’s gaze lingered on Lassim, his eyes narrowing slightly as if evaluating him. "An honor," he said smoothly. "Now, not to rush things, but let’s get to the matter at hand. As I ntioned in my earlier ssage, the Steel Snake Sect has escalated their efforts. The situation with the nobles is... delicate."
Rlyis crossed her arms. "Let guess—they stepped up their bribes, promises, and added a smidge of additional, thinly veiled threats?"
"More or less," Dorian admitted, his tone grim. "The Steel Snake Sect has been making significant offers and they’ve stepped up the harassnt towards the various mining company offices here in Stellanora. They’ve been sending so muscle around to threaten, but not damage them and the offices are mostly staffed by managerial types. It’s been a bit traumatizing for a few of the ladies as well. The nobles overseeing the Quarry are now leaning heavily in their favor and haven’t put a stop to it and we can’t even convince the guards to arrest anyone. Contracts, including the one we signed, are effectively in limbo."
Lassim frowned. "What about our contract and the fact that you already have a quota for the minerals we need? Doesn’t that protect you and our claim?"
Dorian sighed, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "Technically, yes. But the nobles control access to the Quarry. If they decide to prioritize the Steel Snake Sect, our contract becos aningless. They can simply deny us entry and that’s currently where we are now."
Eno’s jaw tightened. "So they’re just going to keep everyone out? They’re going to lose so much of their daily taxation revenue that I don’t see why they’d do this."
"Not outright," Dorian said. "But they’ve proposed an... alternative solution…"
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