Much to Lukas’s relief, there was no Void incursion. He hypothesised the pinhole portal was too small to do anything besides maintain a connection. Knowing Ephram, he likely had concrete defences in place to keep unwanted entities out. It wouldn’t surprise him if the Void Heart was one of the things that came through the opening. He had sensed more Void presences deeper in the vault, but didn’t bother investigating.
The machine and Morph simultaneously exploded. The arcane crystals powering the machine fed Drakan’s Flame, melting everything and bringing the ceiling down on the vault. Several internal sections of the estate collapsed on top of it, but it wasn’t enough to extinguish the flames. Drakan’s crimson leaked through, turning stone into slag.
Morph’s memories concerned Lukas. Practising transformations with the Silver Dragon’s tooth hadn’t produced such violent results. The clone had only transformed his heart and lungs. It seemed the dragonfire had leaked into his bloodstream, empowering him but also driving him berserk. Flashes of the overwhelming, delicious rage were simultaneously terrifying and intoxicating.
The Greater Dragons’ magic carried too much power for a mortal body and mind to handle. It wasn’t enough to scare Lukas off Drakan’s Heartscale. Instead, they would need to explore its power with utmost care. Morph had taken on too much at once without realizing what he was getting into. They couldn’t afford to do the same again. Animancy came with far too many risks, and they’d need to tread carefully.
The Shadow Seekers demanded an emergency meeting with the Aquila, city councils, and local Union representatives. Lukas was invited to attend as a fly on the wall and provide testimony as needed.
“This is ludicrous!” the Aquila representative exclaimed. “You moved against—”
“We wouldn’t have to lift a finger if you dealt with the corruption and crime in your ranks,” Ogden cut her off. The woman’s face tightened, and he nodded, sitting back in her chair. “I should remind you that this isn’t a trial or debate. Ephram’s crimes were found, and he has been punished. This is a presentation of evidence, and you’re here to hear about what went on under your noses.” The tiny man’s volume was low, but his cold tone and lack of hesitation commanded the room. “Be glad that the Union and city voted against making this an open-door meeting. Your dignity and reputation are preserved. For now.”
The stark contrast between the Gray and Iskander chapters of the Shadow Seekers guild continued to surprise him. Everyone treated one with the utmost respect, while the other was considered a joke and a den of criminals. Some claimed that the local chapter was the guild headquarters, but Ogden had denied it when asked. He claimed that the Shadow Seekers had no such thing.
The local branch was amongst the oldest, and its reach extended to all corners of the Schwarzberg kingdom. Apparently, their functions were the same, only the modus operandi differed, adapting to the local environment. Order, discipline, and precision fit perfectly with the area’s military nature. Meanwhile, Iskander was a land of corruption. Wearing a criminal mask helped Snake and his subordinates blend into the landscape perfectly.
“It goes without saying that the evidence is irrefutable,” the Union representative leafed through the ledgers, contracts, and research documents that the clones and Shadow Seekers had retrieved before everything came down. “We have testimony of victims as well. Kidnapping of special children.” He picked up a neatly bound stack of ivory parchment. “Experimenting on them. Sedition. Plot to undermine the Union and kingdom.” The man sighed, shaking his head. “And that’s just the top of the iceberg.
“Void communion rituals.” He unrolled a long length of leather covered in faded inscriptions and spell circles and then held up the schematics. “And whatever this monstrosity is. Deem yourself lucky that most of the plans were destroyed. If Mr Zaun’s testimony of a Void portal is to be believed, the consequences for your guild would be dire.”
“It wouldn’t just be Frozen Phoenix’s name that is stricken from the guild boards,” said the second Union representative.
“How do we know this machine existed?” the male half of the Aquila pair asked. Lukas recalled the face from Morph’s memories, but didn’t get around to learning his identity. “We looked into this Zaun after he journeyed and interfered with our guild members. The Iskander chapter of Aquila reports that he’s a known troublemaker and is tied to the deaths of a nobleman. He fled the city before the authorities could question him.”
“Is it the same guild member who tried to recruit me?” Lukas asked. “Are you sure he’s not mad that I rejected him?”
“Ogden.” The Union representative was the only person who didn’t look at Lukas. “Please ensure your guild members don’t speak out of turn. This isn’t a free-for-all.” She turned her attention to the Aquila guild members. “I assure you, we’ve done our due diligence and corroborated with Union representatives in Iskander as well as the Shadow Seeker’s chapter master. Zaun might not be trusted. However, we have accepted his testimony and evidence.”
“Besides, traces of Void energy are still leaking through rubble. They’re fading, but our finest arcane inspectors have had no trouble sensing it. Machine or not. Ephram was dealing with the Abyss. There is no doubt about it.” The second Union representative crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “The question isn’t whether you speak the truth but whether more of your guild’s council members and high-ranking individuals are involved in this awful mess.”
“Ephram worked alone,” said the female Aquila council member. “We’ve rounded up the people who worked directly under him and have sent birds to parties in the field. They’ll be surrendered to the Union and the kingdom authority for investigation. We too need to know who is an ally and who a threat. The Void is a concern for us all.
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“As are all the dragonblooded and descendants of magical entities,” she met Penelope’s eyes as she continued. “Believe us, we value your kind and would never allow anything of the sort to happen. Aquila has invested heavily in the protection, training, and proliferation of your kind. Its—”
“Stop.” Penelope held up a hand. “I have no respect for you or your guild. Sucking up to me isn’t going to change that. Politics and corruption. It’s all I’ve seen and can’t tell how else Ephram got away with his activities for as long as he did.” Her eyes moved to the city council members who had remained silent thus far. “I think the Union should be looking into your lot, too. This organization, the Revolution, has completed countless city contracts and projects. One has to wonder whether you turned a blind eye or were directly involved.”
“How dare you—”
“She’s right,” Ogden stated. “In fact, the esteemed Union representatives and I were discussing the same earlier. Willful blindness. Negligence. Corruption. Cooperation. I can’t tell which one is worse.”
“We, as representatives of the Schwarzberg royal family, grant the Union and Shadow Seekers guild full access and authority in this investigation,” the minister from the king’s court sounded bored and annoyed. It seemed he wanted the meeting over and done with so he could go home. “The Aquila and the city shall undergo a full audit.”
“But—”
“If you’re speaking the truth, you should have no reason to lie,” the minister cut off the Aquila guild member. “You don’t hear the city council protesting. It's in your best interests to cooperate as well. If we sense any resistance, the kingdom will remove your rights to operate within our borders. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ll have to abandon significant assets, will you not?”
Lukas suppressed a smile. He liked the man.
“You can’t do that!” The female Aquila council member jumped to her feet.
“You’re correct. I might not have the authority to do so. However, I have the king’s ear. You do not. My whispers won’t fall on deaf ears. Your protests might. Will you take the risk? Is your guild ready for the stress?”
“I require full access to Ephram’s properties and affairs,” Ogden said. “And that of all of the members of the Revolution. A good deal of them don’t come under the city or Aquila guild’s authority. They’re private assets, but we need to investigate all traces of Void influence and connections to this eugenics and experimentation controversy.”
“Granted,” the member of the royal court said, attention moving to the Union representative.
“Seconded.”
“My guild members also deserve immunity,” the short man commented, looking over his shoulder at Lukas. “Several city and kingdom laws needed to be broken to bring this plot to light. They need to do more of the same.”
“Does Zaun not already have the necessary clearance?” asked the Union woman.
“He hasn’t reached tier four and doesn’t have the necessary rank. We couldn’t have uncovered all of this without his efforts and disregard for self-preservation.”
“Granted.”
The woman from the royal court looked Lukas up and down. “Don’t abuse it.”
“I’d never.” Lukas grinned, putting a hand over his heart. “Would I be breaking any laws using my new infamy and reputation to promote my business?”
“The members of the Revolution were valuable to the city,” one of the city council members said. “I’m not defending what they did, but we needed them to keep the Gray safe and flourishing. Entrepreneurial artisans will be needed to fill the hole.”
“In that case, I need a better workshop and property.” Lukas pushed his luck. “I need someplace more easily defended against all my new enemies.” He flashed the Aquila guild representatives a smile. “People might also come after my inventions.”
“I believe there is a newly confiscated building near Weaver’s inn,” the woman from the Union representative said, meeting the city council members’ eyes. “We’ll see if the deed can be transferred to your name. I’m sure tax exemptions or reductions can be added to your compensation.”
“Thank you.” Lukas nodded. “I’m honored and grateful.”
“I fear for Mira’s safety,” Penelope said. “If you don’t need anything more from her, I’d like to take her away from the city for a while. Ephram’s experimentation has made her a danger to herself and the people around her. I’d like to train Mira. Perhaps turn her into an asset for the city and kingdom. Silver and black dragonfires are contradictory existences. But together, they can turn into something grand.”
“She is an Aquila asset!” Her guild member exclaimed.
“It’s time your guild stopped considering people assets and property,” the Union man said, narrowing his eyes. “Assuming this isn’t an Aquila-recruitment attempt, the Union permits you. The girl has proven her talent, and she’s been through enough. Teach her so she doesn’t become the source of her own heartbreak and tragedy.”
“All of this could’ve easily been avoided if Weaver didn’t get lazy and claim blindness,” said the city council member. “Are we sure the Conclave didn’t have a hand in this?”
“Do you really want to pull at this thread?” Penelope asked. “First of all, Weaver isn’t a member of the conclave but a close ally. He houses and helps us communicate. That’s all. Secondly, we believe the Revolution was responsible for his blindness. His communication and divination were restored as soon as Ephram’s compound came down.”
“Could this Void machine of his be responsible for the interference?” the court representative asked, finally appearing interested. “I thought it was the storm.”
“The storm could’ve been used as cover for firing up the machine,” Lukas said. The Union member glared at him for speaking out of turn again, but he didn’t care. “It was volatile, and I’m sure its activation came with a powerful arcane surge. My attempts at shutting it down were enough to make the thing go critical and explode. A storm heavy with magic would be perfect for hiding such a pulse, would it not?”
“It also surprises me you’d point fingers at Weaver after everything he’s done for the city and kingdom,” Penelope said, sounding angry. “Is he not responsible for preventing countless monster incursions and disasters? The Gray and the surrounding landscape would be a significantly worse region if not for him. Or does the past century of efforts mean nothing?”
No one spoke up against the Cold Fire Sorcerer. The light show that her spells put on attracted the city guard and Aquila guild members from across the city. Lukas didn’t doubt that she was the strongest person in the city. Everyone knew better than to speak up against her.
It’s easy to talk shit about the Conclave from afar. They don’t have the balls to say anything to her face.