Andrew took two and a half days just to get to the center of Azza, and another day and a half to actually find anything. In the meantime, nothing much happened on the surface. In the Elven Kingdom, the news of Jer'tunal’s death and Chris's ascension to the throne was still spreading, so there wasn't much to do there. In the City, people were still focused on the system and getting stronger, but there hadn't been enough time for any major changes to happen just yet. As for the Damir, according to Greg they were still being stubborn, but the rest of them were arriving soon, so hopefully they could knock some sense into them.
In Chris's world, Chris had given all his subordinates a substantial boost using the energy from the Blood Bow, putting them all through a round of mutations that took their abilities straight to the peak and their physiques into the lower end of high-tier, and Dyrdek was having a great time rubbing his improvements in Ka’lypso's face. His light paralytic ability had turned into a full blown touch of death, though he could tone it down if he wanted to, so all he needed to do was get close enough to scratch someone and they were done. Ka'lypso's ability had improved as well, but for some reason, Dyrdek's mutation had involved becoming more acid resistant, at least enough to tank a blast or two in order to get close enough to scratch her. After their first fight after the mutations, Ka'lypso had single handedly melted a four kilometer trail through the Maze to vent her frustration.
“So, you found the Core?” Victoria asked, the four of them all sitting around in the City headquarters.
“Unless there's some kind of giant creature living at the center of the planet, then yeah, I believe so.” Andrew replied.
Victoria paused. “That- doesn't seem impossible.”
“Yeah, it hit me the moment I said it.” Andrew muttered. “Let me get a closer look at it.” Andrew closed in on the core, not feeling anything that felt like a body as he got closer, but his aura vision wasn't exactly the best for that. The core didn't seem to be attached to anything, but then again, the dungeon core hadn't seemed to be attached to anything either, which could suggest it was the Core, or that he was in some kind of gigantic creature. Andrew frowned as he reached out to touch the core, and…
Andrew blinked as he woke up in the Room. “What-” He cut off as he realized no one had woken him up, and there was some sort of crystal ball in the center of the Room. Also, time was still passing outside… “Huh…” Andrew got up, walking over to the crystal and examining it. Small blotches of white, red, black, a sickly greenish gray, and some kind of iridescent hue floated around in the clear globe. The iridescent and white colors were the most numerous, but they were far from dominating the sphere, leaving most of the space clear. It was kinda like a fish tank for mini slimes… Andrew reached out to tap at the crystal ball, to see if the blobs reacted, and the moment he did, the sickly greenish gray blobs surged towards his finger, merging together into a single large glob, before he pulled away and the blobs dispersed again, going back to floating lazily around.
Andrew shook his head, walking over to Victoria and shaking her awake. “So, I think this is the Core.”
Victoria frowned. “The Roo-” She cut off, looking around as she noticed the inconsistencies. “Not the Room. Close though…” She got up, looking around. “No doors. But same thrones, and… what is this?” She leaned in to examine the crystal ball.
“I have no idea, but the ugly ones are related to me somehow.” Andrew sighed. “I assume you have the reds. Chris probably has the whites and Greg the blacks. No clue what the shifty rainbow ones mean.”
Victoria snorted. “You really did get a bum deal on the color wheel, didn't you? Right, I'll wake Chris, you get Greg.”
“What- ooh, that's new.” Greg jumped up the moment Andrew shook him awake, tapping at the crystal and gathering all the black blobs, getting immersed in pulling them in and letting them go again.
Chris cocked his head as he watched the blobs drift. “I find this oddly satisfying.” He gave the crystal a single tap. “Bloop.”
“Yes, yes, the blobs are very neat, but what do they mean?” Victoria rolled her eyes.
“Based on the amounts, and the presumption that this is the Core, I would assume that the blobs have something to do with our influence on the World.” Chris commented. “I've been here the longest, so I have the most, then Victoria because her system has been making waves, and then Greg and Andrew, because you haven't exactly done all that much. The colorful ones are probably Alexander. Or a bunch of different influential people who aren't differentiated between… Alexander hasn't exactly done much either.”
“He did kill Jer'tunal.” Greg pointed out. “That seems like the kind of thing that has an effect on the World.”
Chris shrugged. “Fair, but I'm sure he isn't the only one out there doing influential things. Though if this kept track of everyone's influence, I'd think it'd be more full… arguably completely full.”
Andrew sighed. “I hate it when you guess in such a convincing manner.”
“Well his last guess got you to the Core, so I'm inclined to trust him.” Greg chuckled.
“That just makes things worse!” Andrew complained. “Things are the way they are for a reason, and if you don't know the reason, all you're doing is shooting blind, no matter how accurately you're managing to do so!”
Chris shrugged. “As long as it works, I don't care.”
“I'm with him.” Greg agreed.
“Practically that's all you need, but figuring out the why can help you figure out how other things work.” Victoria pointed out.
“Sure, and if I have something I don't know, I'll study similar things to see if their whys can help me figure it out, but if there's nothing I want to know, why waste the effort?” Chris replied. “I say leave that to the people who already have the inclination to put in the effort. Like Jo. Or Debra.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever, so what does all this mean then? The blobs represent influence, sure, but why? For what purpose?”
“To take control of the World?” Chris offered tentatively. “That's the only thing I can see actually mattering.”
“So what, we just keep increasing the amount of blobs associated with us in this thing until we fill it?” Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Or at least until we hit a tipping point.” Victoria added.
Greg frowned. “How does that work with the four of us? If we're all trying to increase our influence, then at some point we'll conflict.”
“True…” Victoria muttered thoughtfully. “But at the same time, we'll be conflicting with anyone else who might take control, which I take as a win. We don't need the Core to make significant changes, we just need to make sure no one can get in our way.”
“Or at least make sure whoever gets control will be cooperative.” Andrew commented.
“Both good points.” Greg agreed.
“So now all we need to do is figure out how to get more blobs.” Victoria sighed, flicking the crystal sphere.
“Taking care of things with the Damir is probably a good start.” Greg pointed out.
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Victoria nodded. “Yeah, let's get to it.”
*
“Greg, this is not a Damir.” Victoria frowned at the large, scaly creature in front of her.
“Your friend has a gift for stating the obvious.” Laikiana chuckled.
Greg shrugged. “The Damir are a pain in the ass, so I figured I'd introduce you guys to my new friend before we have to deal with them. This is Laikiana, and she's teaching me how to fight like a Dragon.”
“He's a quick learner. Already he fights more like a sickly albatross, rather than a dead seagull.” Laikiana teased with a smirk. “Soon he may even have the capabilities of a puffed up pigeon.”
“Coo coo, motherfucker.” Greg snickered.
Victoria raised an eyebrow at him. “You really just brought us here to meet your new friend?”
“Sure, why not? Laikiana's cool! So much better than the Damir.” Greg stuck his tongue out in disgust. “Stupid arrogant vampires convinced they need to baby everyone else.” He added in a grumble.
“I've told you, you should simply crush a few of them with your superior might. Once they've seen your power, they'll be forced to listen to you.” Laikiana commented, shaking her head at his continued refusal to listen to her advice.
“And I keep telling you that you can't just attack people to get your way.” Greg sighed. “It's a poor substitute for superior reasoning.”
“Who needs superior reasoning when you have superior force?” Laikiana snorted. “It's up to the weaker to convince the stronger, not the other way around.”
“The problem is our force isn't exactly superior, it's more… tangential.” Victoria sighed. “We're untouchable, but our ability to actually hurt people is limited. Cultivators in particular are out of our reach, and unfortunately they tend to be in our way a lot.”
“I dunno, I think we did pretty well with the Elves.” Greg commented. “Sure, we can't hurt cultivators, but they can't really stop us either.”
Victoria shook her head. “It worked with the Elves because we only had a single, clear goal: remove Jer'tunal. Once that was done, there was nothing anyone could do but deal with the consequences, which happened to fall in our favor. But with the Damir, what is our goal? Save the humans? What defines saved? Back on Earth with no jobs, no modern education, and no common language? Taken from whatever lives they've built here and stuffed in Chris's world? Thrown out into the wild by a society that no longer had any use for them? No, the best option is for them to be accepted by the Damir as equals, and that isn't happening if their cultivator ruling class isn't on board. It's going to be hell even with them on board! The fact that we can do whatever we want just forces these people to listen to us. It doesn't do a damn thing to actually help anyone.”
Chris frowned. “What's wrong with my world?”
Victoria sighed. “Nothing, but it isn't their home. We can see if they want to live there, but if they prefer the Damir, then it isn't like we can force them to go. Otherwise how are we any better than the Damir?”
Laikiana shook her head. “You think too much. People will always be dissatisfied with how those with power use their power, so why bother worrying about it? Just do what you want and let everyone else deal with the consequences.”
“By that logic, the Damir were right to kidnap and enslave humanity in the first place.” Victoria retorted.
“Of course.” Laikiana nodded. “They had the power to do so and no one had the power to stop them. What more right do you need?”
Victoria frowned. “So if we decided to just destroy the entire planet, which Greg is capable of doing, and no one could stop him, that'd be right in your eyes?”
Laikiana blinked, turning to Greg who shrugged. “It'd take me a while, but yeah, I could get it done.”
Laikiana frowned. “Well, that would be a particularly cruel decision, but yes, it would be your right to do so. I do wish you wouldn't though. I enjoy having a planet to live on.”
“I think you're using a different definition of right.” Victoria shook her head. “You're saying right as in allowable, and by definition anything that no one can stop you from doing is allowable, but I mean right as in justifiable. As in, if what I'm thinking of doing was instead done to me, would I appreciate it? If the answer is no, then it isn't justifiable, and I would be wrong to do it.”
Laikiana cocked her head. “An interesting consideration, and one I appreciate, but ultimately a personal one. Such a right could only be applied if you had the power to enforce it, and… you don't.”
Victoria paused. “Well, that I can agree with.” She sighed. “But that doesn't mean we should just give up on it. The more people who believe in doing right, the better.”
“And I can agree with that.” Laikiana chuckled. “Though I still wonder why this prevents you from doing as you wish with… humins?”
“Humans.” Greg corrected. “Don't worry, I get stuff like that wrong all the time.”
“It stops us because I wouldn't want someone to come in and decide they know what I need better than I do.” Victoria sighed again. “Even if they might be right, I'd want them to talk to me, not just do things.”
“Hm, I can see that… It seems like it would be frustrating to have someone refuse to accept your help though.” Laikiana muttered.
“It is.” Chris agreed. He never understood why anyone would turn down being immortal.
Laikiana considered the problem for a moment, before grinning slowly as an idea occurred to her. “Have you ever considered a more practical form of persuasion?”
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “In what way?”
“As every Dragon knows, arguments are weak, and a display of force, particularly in a personal manner, can be a very effective form of persuasion.” Laikiana began.
“If you're suggesting beating people up again, I'm going to stop you now.” Greg interjected.
Laikiana rolled her eyes. “Yes, you've made your position on that clear, and no, that isn't what I was suggesting. At least, not in a direct manner. You see, if you wish for these humins to accept your help, then the most persuasive method would be a demonstration of why your help is necessary. And if what Greg has told me of this system of yours is true, then I may know of a few Dragons who would be very eager to assist in such a demonstration.” Laikiana chuckled, flashing a toothy grin.
Greg paused. “That- doesn't seem like a terrible idea?”
Chris shrugged. “Talking obviously hasn't been working all that well. Showing people exactly why they should work with us could be just what we need.”
Andrew groaned. “First terrorism, and now we're going to be mobsters running a protection racket?”
Greg rolled his eyes. “Why do you have to paint everything we do in the worst possible light?”
“Because we keep doing shady shit!” Andrew growled. “If we stopped doing terrorist and mobster-like shit, I wouldn't have to compare us to them!”
“What if we made it an actual demonstration?” Victoria offered thoughtfully. “Not that Dragons are a threat, because that's just blatantly obvious, but that… hmm, what are we trying to convince them of? That the Damir are treating them poorly? That there are better options?”
“I think our focus should be more on the Damir.” Chris commented. “Ideally they'll cease their racism and accept the humans, after which we can help both peoples together. Otherwise all we're demonstrating is that we're capable of providing them a safe environment elsewhere, which would involve proving that their current environment isn't safe, and we'd have to manufacture that, because they've clearly been surviving adequately up to now.”
“So we'd have to demonstrate that humans don't need the Damir to coddle them?” Greg muttered. “Why not just show them the City then?”
“You mean the City which is currently undergoing their own racial crisis?” Victoria retorted, raising an eyebrow.
Greg paused. “Fair… but you know, at least they haven't killed anyone yet.”
“Because they can't.” Victoria sighed. “The Doppelgangers outclass them in every way.”
Greg frowned. “Whose side are you on here?”
“I'm just saying, if we want to show humanity at their best the City isn't the greatest example at the moment.” Victoria sighed.
“Earth then?” Andrew offered. “Maybe one of the Nordic countries… They generally seem pretty nice. Plus, northern, which means cloud cover and darkness, which should make it easier for the Damir to interact with people.”
“You people have to complicate everything, don't you?” Laikiana shook her head. “The more you remove the demonstration from the personal, the less effective it will be. You don't need to show that humins can live without the Damir, you need to show that humins can stand beside the Damir. Put one of these Damir in a vulnerable position, force them to depend on a human. That will make your point better than anything.”
Chris paused. “Huh… I think we've already done that.”
Victoria blinked. “We have?”
Chris nodded. “Giana. She's been living in my world for a bit, and she's been forced to rely on humans for company. Particularly Erica, recently.”
Victoria paused. “Well… then we should have a chat with Giana, shouldn't we?”