He knows, I thought. He knows about the authority attribute.

Weiland stared at me like I’d grown a third head. The conversation at the table had stopped, and now all eyes were on me.

“You alright, Ghul? I’m not sure what the fork did to deserve that.”

I frowned and set the broken utensil aside. I’d been unable to control myself, and I’d probably given something away to Weiland’s father. If he’d watched my reaction, he’d recognize how shocked I was.

Baldavin snickered. “I know the gauntlet is exciting, but if you’d please refrain from destroying the cutlery, I’m sure the establishment would appreciate it.

“Sorry, I just don’t know my strength sometimes.” I grasped for an excuse but couldn’t find one. “I was just trying to straighten it out.”

Mentally, I cursed my loose lips. Who goes to a dinner and tries to straighten a fork? After several strange looks sent my way, the conversation resumed. The topics were political, and nothing that I knew anything about. Blooded individuals’ inheritance laws didn’t concern me; my mind had other worries. I drifted further away from the conversation than I should’ve.

Instead of talking, I focused on trying not to panic. One of my secrets was not as secret as I believed, and someone in a position of authority had just made a thinly veiled reference toward it. My mind ran wild with the possibilities. Was I going to be safe? Was he going to hold the attribute over my head? If he was going to turn me over to the temple authority, why would he arm me first?

My gut told me that Baldavin didn’t have malicious intentions toward me, but I’d been wrong before. I lacked sufficient information. What was authority? Kylen mentioned my name, which snapped me out of my thoughts. I needed to make conversation, or I’d look even stranger than I already did.

“Ghul and I experimented with a new ability of his yesterday,” he said. “And the force of the blow knocked me into next week. I’ve never felt anything like it, I was seeing double for the next six hours!”

“I’m not sure that it was that bad. You were already exhausted from the night before,” I downplayed. I wished he wouldn't talk about this now.

“I might’ve been tired,” Kylen said. “But I don’t usually sleep for twenty hours straight. That’s not normal for anyone.”

Had Kylen really slept for that long? I’d lost track of the hours over the course of the day yesterday, and he’d been asleep when I returned from my sitting with Phoebe.

I winced. “Yeah, that’s my bad.”

“Knock a screw loose, did you?” Baldavin said. “I remember when I got my first powerful ability. Although not as damaging as yours, as my talents never lent themselves toward physical pursuits, I ended up accidentally making my manservant glow for a season! Poor Harald never forgave me.”

Weiland laughed. “Father’s leaving out the fact that Harald glowed at night, too. He gave the poor man a bout of light-induced insomnia.”

Ouch. My sympathies to Harald, even though I couldn’t imagine what facet of the System made a person glow.

“How’d you manage that? What basic ability did it come from?” I asked. It was rude to ask questions about a person’s abilities, but I couldn’t help myself.

Baldavin seemed unbothered by my social faux pas. “It was an intermediate evolution of [Energize], which is the basic ability associated with arcana, if you subscribe to that school of thought.”

“And what function did making a person glow serve?”

“Next to none,” Baldavin declared. “But it wasn’t about the function of an intermediate evolution. Later, the glowing ability would become the targeting component of [Mark For Death], which is a useful tool that weakens those who stand against me.”

“If it’s anything like what the name entails, then it sounds like it would be.”

I made a note to avoid getting on Baldavin’s bad side. Anyone with an ability called [Mark for Death] wasn’t someone that I wanted to be enemies with. Nor was it someone I wanted holding something over my head.

“I’ve been trying to replicate his glowing ability for some time,” Weiland said. “But I’ve had no such luck.”

“Everything’ll happen in time, Wei,” Baldavin consoled. “You cannot walk the same path that I did. Each person’s System is unique to them.”

Weiland huffed. “So you keep telling me.”

I had never seen this side of Weiland before. He was less of a scholar and more of a person. The two of us had wildly different upbringings, and I think I’d generalized him more than was fair.

The exchange about the System was intriguing. Baldavin’s ability made me want to explore unlocking [Energize]. I had an arcana value of II, although I never used the attribute. That would have to be a project for later.

I turned and addressed Kylen, who was shoving a sizeable chunk of grilled chicken into his mouth.

“Have you been working on any new abilities? If you need a target dummy, I’ll gladly return the favor. I can’t say that I feel great about knocking you out of commission.”

“Not really,” he said. “I’ve been spending what little free time I have lately in meditation. If we’re going to go to combat, then I’d like to have stilled my mind and body before then.”

“Meditation? What’s that?” I asked.

I’d never heard the word before, and Kylen didn’t talk much about the specifics of how he practiced his faith.

“Meditation is an exercise that intends to train attention and awareness. You sit and take stock of your thoughts and your body, controlling your breathing. I find it helps with understanding my emotions from the day before.”

“Yes, keeping doing that!” Baldavin exclaimed. “It’s a great practice. Especially when you’re calming down after the heat of battle. The blood-price that the System demands weighs heavy on some, and it’s best that you don’t lose track of your humanity.”

Kylen nodded. “The Stormbook says as much.”

“Much of what it says is sage advice,” Baldavin said. “Although I often disagree with how its words are used as an excuse to justify hatred. Zeus was wise when he wrote it.”

“Zeus is always wise,” Kylen said.

The assemblyman tilted his head and then nodded in agreement.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“It is so.”

A servant came and cleared away a stack of used plates. Then, a different servant brought out dessert.

I thought about Baldavin’s earlier comment as we ate. The reference he’d made about authority was discreet enough that they could dismiss it as an odd turn of phrase. Plus, judging from the looks on their faces, Weiland and Kylen did not know what he was talking about. He might still be interested in keeping it a secret, I thought. I need to talk to him privately.

We chatted aimlessly for another hour. Weiland talked with him about what life back home was like, and Kylen and I ate our fill of the well-prepared food. If we were going to march tomorrow, then why should we do it on an empty stomach?

I didn’t know when we’d next have the opportunity to eat so lavishly.

After dessert, Baldavin addressed us three.

“Well, I’d hate to keep you for longer than I must. Fight well, legionnaires. Be vigilant in battles to come. You all have my blessing.”

We thanked him, and Weiland led us to the door. I didn’t get very far before Baldavin’s voice called out to me.

“Ghul, if you’d stay for a few moments. There’s something I’d like to discuss.” The nervous feeling in my stomach intensified. There it was, I thought. Here is where I face my doom. At the hands of a man who came bearing gifts. How’d that expression go?

Weiland turned around and gave me a confused look.

“What’s going on, Ghul? Why does my father want to speak with you alone?” He whispered. “I didn’t think that you’ve ever met him before now.

“It’s nothing,” I lied. “I’m sure it’s just something to do with the gauntlet. He’s probably just going to tell me to take extra care with it.”

Weiland didn’t look like he believed me. I’d have to come up with a better explanation for later.

“Head on out,” I insisted. “Seriously, it’s nothing. I’ll follow behind you shortly.”

He looked back and forth between his father and me twice, and then left. That meant Baldavin and I were alone in the dining room. He still sat at the far end of the table, but he’d gotten back out his seeing orb and rolled the colorful sphere along his knuckles. If he wasn’t a politician, then he could be damn good at sleight of hand.

I walked to the table and sat down across from him. The velvet box of Prototype Nine sat between us, alongside a half-drunk glass of wine. I said nothing to him, and instead, I focused on keeping my face as neutral as possible.

Baldavin let out a sigh. “I’m going to pour myself another glass. Would you like some? I find matters of importance are best discussed over a shared drink.”

I shook my head. “I’m alright, thanks.”

“That’s a shame. The bottle’s from a good year,” he said.

There was a gleam in his eye, and I wasn’t sure if I trusted what he offered me. Besides, I felt it was best for me to keep my wits about me.

Baldavin poured a liberal amount for himself, swished it through the air as if he was going to savor the flavor, and then downed the entire glass in a single drink. The belch he let out afterward reverberated through the dining room.

“You tell me what you know, and I’ll do my best to fill in the rest,” Baldavin said. “Apologies, you’re the first fledging I’ve encountered.”

“Know about what?”

I was reluctant to answer his question or admit to anything. If it came down to where it was his word against mine, they’d probably believe him.

He scowled. “Don’t fence with me, Ghul. Authority. What do you know about the 6th attribute?”

Well, that was quick. Baldavin was direct. I saw no point in playing dumb.

“Not a lot,” I admitted. “It seems to replace Supplication, but I don’t know anything beyond that. I’ve enhanced it, but I’ve not yet been able to do anything with it.”

“You’ll need the basics, then. That’s okay, though I might not be the best person to give them to you. I’m surprised you enhanced it. How’d you manage that?”

“It was when the Psychic Prince launched the mental attack against the Legion,” I explained. “I just toughed it out, and the System liked it enough to reward me.”

Baldavin laughed. “I bet Vivek wasn’t thrilled when that notification popped up in his chain. To think that someone with unchained authority is in the Legion of New Rome? It probably ruined his night.”

“Vivek? Who’s that?”

“Vivek’s the birth name of the Psychic Prince. He’s not someone you should ever play a game of chance with. He’s got an uncanny knack for feeling out a bluff.”

The level of casualness with which Baldavin spoke about the greatest enemy of New Rome astounded me. He talked like they were friends, like they’d have each other over to play games and share drinks.

I raised my eyebrows. “Do you often play games with the Psychic Prince?”

“In my line of work, more often than you’d think. Once you get past the subtle mental manipulation at all times, he’s actually quite easy to be around.” Baldavin frowned. “Though, I suppose that’s exactly what I’d say if the subtle mental manipulation was working. Hmmph. Where was I?”

Someone using the System to manipulate emotions scared me.

“You were saying something about unchained authority?”

“Ah! I was, yes,” he nodded. “That’s how things are now. Let’s talk about the past first.”

I wasn’t sure I understood any of what he was saying, but I nodded along with him. Baldavin took a large breath before he continued.

“Have you figured out the easiest path to power yet?”

I thought about it for a moment, and then spoke. “It’d probably be killing Horrors, right? I haven’t advanced nearly as much in any other way.”

He nodded.

“Yes, but it’s not just Horrors. I assure you, the nanites you gain from slaughtering any other living thing with a System are just as real. Have you ever killed a person?”

I gave him a stiff nod.

“Good, then you know firsthand how effective wanton murder is as a method for improvement via the System. There’s nothing that keeps you from slaughtering every soul you come across for personal gain.”

I wasn’t sure if I’d describe what’d happened to Ollie as ‘wanton murder’, but I didn’t contest his point. It was killing a man that gave me my first taste of power.

Baldavin raised an eyebrow at me. “So why doesn’t everyone just do that, then? What prevents the world from becoming a murderfest until only the powerful are left standing? The answer is simple: authority. Few people have it, and even fewer know how to use it.”

“What’s it do?” I asked.

“It’s not what it does, it’s what it doesn’t do. Supplication is a modified version of authority that places an artificial restriction on the User. The gods have an agreement with most Users, unbeknownst to them. Past a certain rank, every nanite that is harvested by the User goes to nearby gods. Supplication makes it no longer worthwhile to go around slaughtering the masses, not when they can gain power on your behalf. The System introduced it after a decade of bloodshed that decimated the global population.”

Baldavin’s words troubled me. He seemed to imply that people existed simply because the System had made them no longer rewarding prey.

“But I’ve got authority. Not supplication.”

“Which means you’ve exited the agreement, Ghul,” he said. “You’ve got no limitation, but you’re also going to become an appetizing prize, if you give it some time. A bigger fish’ll come and eat you for a snack. You’re vulnerable, and still in the nest. Hence the title ‘fledgling.’”

I gulped. I felt like an unfattened meat bird.

“Do people often leave the agreement?” I asked.

“It’s supposed to be universal. But maybe a half-dozen people each year sneak around it. People like you. They’re spread across the globe, doing many things. Some become heroes, and others become villains. Most die before they can make it off the ground.”

I didn’t like how that sounded. It didn’t feel like a favorable assessment of my odds.

“But not you,” Baldavin said. “You chose the right place to be born, as Zeus encourages the development of local talent. You’ll fall under the aegis of his protection. Though, I wouldn’t go around advertising your unusual [Status]. The attribute is an open secret. It’ll create trouble for you from anyone that’s unaware.”

Thanks Zeus, I thought. I’m glad you aren’t going to slaughter me like a pig for my nanites. That’s a major mark in your favor.

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” I asked.

He nodded. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty, so go right ahead.”

“You’ve got authority too, right? How many of us are kicking around the Empire? What’s the ability associated with it?”

Something I said made Baldavin laugh.

“Yes, I’ve got authority,” he said. “I’m not sure if anyone’s keeping a list of those who live in New Rome, but I’d estimate it around three-dozen if you include the divine. As for the abilities? The attribute only has one, and it won’t be available to you for a long time.

Baldavin leaned forward, and the chair creaked under his weight.

“It’s called [Ascend].”