Defiance of the Fall

internal strife, and a shared base like this is even worse.
I fear this Tsymo might belong to one of the Lord ’s enemies.
After all, he killed quite a few scions in the Tower of Eternity. ”

”So what should we do? ” Jennifer interjected.

”Worse comes to worst, we will have to create a scene that will force some higher-ups to come, ” Calrin said.
”That way, we can plead our case to a new party.
And the Lord has prepared a few things for us in case the situation goes south. ”

”But what if they steal the technology of our vessels? ” Tina asked.

”I asked the young Lord about that scenario, ” Calrin said.
”According to him, they won ’t get close to unlocking the secrets of these ships even if they had ten thousand years.
I say let them have at it.
When they realize it ’s futile, we ’ll be put in a better position for the negotiations.
Don ’t worry; ol ’ Calrin has the situation under control. ”

But as the days passed, Calrin started to feel less and less confident.
They were essentially treated like prisoners on lockdown, except that their items weren ’t taken away.
Being away from the consortia, Calrin didn ’t have access to the Mercantile System either, making it impossible to contact anyone for help.

Had their preparations been insufficient? Would he really have to pull that card?

After one long week, they were finally called to a conference hall.
By that point, Calrin ’s nerves were already frayed, and he didn ’t have the energy to pretend to be satisfied upon seeing that they still had to deal with the insufferable Tsymo Sendroska.
At least there was one more person in the room; a stern middle-aged woman with a stack of diagrams and schematics in front of her.

A technician, perhaps? Or an Array Master?

”Sit, ” Tsymo said as the three were led into the room.

”Being witness to the hospitality of the War Coalition has been a unique experience, ” Calrin commented.
”I pray my lord and his benefactors will not see it as a slight against their prestige. ”

”An army has its rules and regulations; no one is above it, ” Tsymo said without a care.
”Now, we ’ve tested the vessels.
While they barely meet the specifications you listed, there are multiple problems.
For one, it is impossible to properly gauge many of the technologies you spout.
And even if they work, the cost-to-benefit ratio will be abysmal.
As such- ”

”Excuse me, what do you mean by benefactors? ” the woman interjected, drawing a displeased look from Tsymo.
”The Peaks? No, that can ’t be right.
They don ’t have the skills to manufacture these types of vessels.
They are much too advanced. ”

Calrin glanced at Tsymo, and he knew he didn ’t have an option.
Someone bought this bastard off, and this technician was his best chance at getting fair treatment.
The other option was to blow up the whole chamber to attract the leaders of this place.
But negotiating from the position of a terrorist was an uphill battle Calrin didn ’t feel confident in emerging victorious from.

”While my young Lord is on friendly terms with multiple people from the Peaks, they are only the sponsors for this meeting.
The Lord ’s benefactor is someone else, though you might not have heard of him, ” Calrin said before adding a pause.
”He has gone by many names, but my Lord knows him as Alvod Jondir. ”

’

”Jondir? ” the technician slowly said before her eyes widened in shock.

”The Eveningtide Asura? ” Tsymo scoffed.
”Are you trying to threaten us with the name of a dead man? As I suspected, you are up to no good.
As such, I see no option but- ”

”I hope I am not interrupting, ” a calm voice suddenly interjected, and Calrin was both shocked and delighted to see a scholarly-looking man had appeared out of nowhere.
He had no aura yet somehow exuded an innate pressure that almost made Calrin bow in deference.

A Monarch.

”Your Royal Highness! ” the technician and Tsymo exclaimed when they saw the new arrival, and Calrin was delighted to see Tsymo ’s face go deathly pale as he shot to his feet.

”My young friend, I am sorry to have left you waiting so long.
I wanted to personally welcome you after my friends told me you were coming, but I was forced to deal with some matters inside the Million Gates Territory, ” the man said with a warm smile before turning to the quartermaster.
”Tsymo, is it? Why are you just standing there? Why have you not offered our guest some refreshments? ”

”Of course, ” Tsymo hurriedly said, his haughty demeanor long gone.

”After you ’re done, you can present yourself to the Wartime Tribunal.
Your employers might be an important sponsor for our endeavor, but they are not above the law. ”

Calrin ’s face remained impassive as Tsymo served him tea with a constipated look, but his heart wasn ’t as calm.
This was an even bigger fish than he had expected.
Calrin didn ’t know if this Allbright princeling was telling the truth or if he had been forced to act because of the threat of the Eveningtide Asura.
And Calrin didn ’t give a hoot.
He only cared about what the shift in reception meant for him and the Thayer Consortia.
There were profits to be made here.

The only question was how far he could push things based on a lie.

———————–

”Ow shi- ” Zac swore as he woke up with a start, but he was surprised to find that he didn ’t actually hurt at all.

Zac realized he was lying prone on the ground.
He looked around with confusion, trying to remember what had just happened.
He remembered Iz pushing her golden sun toward the incoming slash of his [Rapturous Divide], followed by an incredibly bright light.
It had felt like it had consumed everything and completely engulfed him, yet both he and his surroundings were fine.

Or as fine as one could expect after such an intense battle.
The whole area was scorched and marred beyond redemption, and echoes of his and Iz ’s Daos were engraved into the ground.
Cracks also reached deep into the ground, an effect of [Arcadia ’s Judgment] and the geyser eruption.
If this little island had been a barren rock before, then it was now a truly desolate wasteland.

”How are you feeling? ” Iz asked, and Zac turned over to see her sitting a few meters away from him.

”Your face! ” Zac exclaimed with shock as he saw a small cut that barely missed Iz ’s eye.

’

”Don ’t worry, ” Iz said as the wound started burning.
A moment later, it was gone, leaving not even a scar behind.
”I just wanted to show you how far you had come. ”

Zac wryly smiled as he got to his feet.
A small nick wasn ’t much of anything, but it still felt like an accomplishment.
So his [Rapturous Divide] hadn ’t been completely overwhelmed at the end.

”What ’s going on? ” Zac grunted as he looked around, trying to figure out what kind of attack had knocked him out.
”What happened at the end there? Did you cheat and throw out some treasure? ”

”That depends on how you define cheating, ” Iz said after some thought.
”I didn ’t use any treasures or outside help.
I fused two Aspects to allow my Golden Sun to unleash a wave of the Abyssal Star.
Its effect is disruption.
It breaks apart most skills, and it even disrupted your consciousness for a moment. ”

”Isn ’t that too powerful? ” Zac muttered.

”Not really, ” Iz said.
”You wouldn ’t have lost your consciousness had you blocked your sight in time.
And if you had avoided letting the light of the Abyssal Star enter your eyes, you would have been able to hold onto your skill better.
It would still have broken down, but that is because my heritage has an inherent advantage over certain concepts that particular skill is based on. ”

”Well, I guess it was a valuable lesson, ” Zac smiled.
”There are only so many kinds of heritages that exist here on the Frontier.
Getting exposed to some new things will help me shore up my weaknesses.
But what did you mean when you said you fused Aspects? Is it Dao, or those forms? Something I can do? ”

Zac wouldn ’t mind getting a transformation like that based on his Daos.
Just the thought of getting Aspects to match his two stances seemed incredibly powerful.

”It has some natal prerequisites, ” Iz said with a shake of her head, instantly dashing Zac ’s hopes.
”Bloodline, Inheritance, Dao, Energy Control.
You could consider it akin to Dao Intent and Atavism, but slightly more complicated.
Truthfully, I don ’t think it ’s a path suited for you. ”

”That ’s fine, ” Zac smiled.
”I have my hands full anyway.
Still, those forms of yours were pretty amazing.
Though I have seen more than enough of that terrifying flower. ”

”It didn ’t manage to keep you contained, ” Iz smiled.
”And its flames only left some small blemishes. ”

”So why am I fine? ” Zac muttered as he looked down at his body.
”Is my new constitution that amazing? ”

”Of course not, ” Iz giggled.
”You looked a bit pitiful when you were knocked out, so I poured some elixir on you. ”

”Never mind, ” Zac coughed as he dragged his hand over his once-again bald head.

Still some ways to go.