In the moment the ambush appeared, Kai very nearly attacked. It would have been so easy to unleash a Tyrant's Claw that would have probably destroyed half the street. What stopped him wasn't the fact that he'd reveal himself, since the locals might not even be able to tell the difference, it was all the workers in the caravan with him. He'd gotten to know them reasonably well on the trip and he didn't want to see them riddled with arrows.

That hesitation gave him time to think a little more. If the bandit woman and her gang had been out for blood, they could have attacked without announcing themselves and had a better chance of success. The quality of the ambush suggested they weren't complete fools, so their motives couldn't be pure bloodshed.

"Easy there, no one needs to get killed." Kai kept his hands up and forced a smile. "So this is a robbery, is that it?"

"Where are you taking those crystals?" the woman demanded. She didn't thrust her spear in his direction, though, which was an improvement.

"They were ordered by a merchant who lives here. I understand his estate is over that way." Kai gestured with his head, keeping his movements contained.

"We can't let you deliver those. All of you back away, no sudden movements, and you can leave in peace. We don't want to hurt anyone."

"It isn't that simple. All of us here were hired to move these crystals... if we just abandon them, do you think we'll get off without punishment? Word will get out, one way or another. You look like normal workers, no different from us, so can't we come to some agreement?"

At first he thought that his words might be getting through to her, and many of the archers were shifting nervously. He noticed that most were training their arrows on him instead of the drivers, which he supposed was progress. But as he kept arguing, the woman abruptly spat in disgust.

"Don't lie to us, crystallier. This is all to defend your own kind." She raised her spear in his direction. "If anyone reports them, it would be you. Step away from the wagons."

Were they planning to execute him? Kai was less concerned about the arrows than about the implication of her words, but an ambush wasn't exactly the best time for a complex discussion. He'd brought up the idea of the workers being punished mostly as an excuse, trying to appeal to the humanity of bandits he suspected were just desperate people. She treated punishment like it was an expected outcome, which was troubling.

Without warning an arrow streaked toward his head. Kai barely managed to catch it and saw a crystalline arrowhead vibrating just beside his chest.

Everyone held their breath and he realized that he had only a split second to decide. The arrow had come from an upper window, where a slightly older woman looked on in horror. She had a few Physique Levels, but she didn't have the strength to maintain her bow at full draw. It had most likely been an accident... an accident that would be followed by a storm of arrows if he didn't act.

"We aren't here to fight anyone." Kai casually tossed the arrow at the leader's feet. "I can't pretend to understand your exact problems. Maybe you're starving, maybe you're threatened. But all we want is to make our delivery and go back home. Is it really worth starting a fight you aren't sure you can win?"

The woman's spear wavered, then lowered. She stared at him for several long heartbeats, then sighed. "Alright, stand down."

All around them, archers lowered their bows, most of them looking relieved. The workers on the caravan still looked tense, though, and Kai wasn't about to relax after the attempted ambush. As most of the gang melted away, the spearwoman stared at him.

Kai leapt off the wagon to land in front of her. "What's all this about?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," she said. "But you're right, we don't want to fight you."

"Don't write me off so quickly. Explain. Why did you want to steal the crystals?"

"It has nothing to do with that." The woman's face twisted in disgust. "Go finish your work. You won't be attacked again."

"Wait." Kai grabbed the shaft of her spear before she could run away and held her in place. "Look at me, I'm not Krysali. I don't know what's going on. Why won't you even try to explain?"

"The new order has been good to us," she said cautiously. "Lady Omilaena might be responsible, but when the merchants and nobles strike back, they won't care about that. They're going to punish all of us. And then everything we've worked for, defending our own homes, will be taken away."

"So you actually think things are better now?"

"Of course they are. Lady Omilaena is very kind."

While she spoke, the leader of the group continually looked to the sides nervously. Kai thought her words rang hollow: she was terrified, presumably that Omilaena would cut down anyone who defied her. Yet she had no hope that forces from the other city states would help her, and she was probably right about that. They would just go to reclaim their territory and their assets, not caring about any smaller lives caught in the conflict between powers.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Kai sighed and let go of the spear. He wanted to ask her further questions, but she was obviously too afraid to give honest answers. As soon as her spear was free, the woman leapt backward and disappeared into the winding city streets.

With a gesture to the caravan, Kai set them back on their course down the main thoroughfare. They moved more quickly now, hoping to reduce their total amount of time in the city. It seemed like as good a plan as any.

Along the way to the mansion, Kai pondered whether he had alternatives. In the short term, he needed to stay alert in case other gangs didn't care about the agreement, so it was difficult to think. Yet all of this seemed wrong and he knew that he was missing something. This assignment had taken him much closer to the heart of the rot in Krysal, if he could just understand the patterns underneath the attack.

He was too tense to figure anything out, especially once they neared their mansion destination. Once he got closer, he realized that it was a fortified position. Walls that had once been crystal-studded stone had been partially stripped of their ornaments and armored. Soldiers patrolled the walls, far more orderly and better armed than the gang outside. Clearly, the mansion was a house under siege by the gangs of the city.

Fortunately, there was no fraught conflict at the gate. The soldiers seemed relieved to see them, barely confirmed their papers after seeing his crystallier seal, and then ushered them inside.

Within the walls, Kai saw that an estate that had once been spacious was filled with various families. Most of them were better-dressed than he expected, with the bright colors he associated with Krysal. Presumably they had fled here as the city fell to ruin. They didn't look as pleased as the soldiers, mostly staying in their own buildings, so he had no time to interrogate them.

"Finally!" A tall man emerged from one of the inner gates with his hands on his hips. "I asked Lord Unklian for this shipment ages ago, what took so long?"

"I believe it was being prepared to your specifications, my lord," Kai said. He had absolutely no idea if that was true, it just seemed like the right thing to say. The tall man must be the merchant Traegyur, who was their contact.

"I certainly hope so! I paid an exorbitant amount for this!" Once the merchant got closer, however, he smiled broadly and put his hands on Kai's shoulders. "You must be quite the crystallier, to escort a shipment through such dangerous territory. Come inside, let me give you a proper welcome and thanks for your work."

The workers around the caravan still looked anxious, so Kai resisted being pulled inward. They seemed to be treated fairly, however, and began helping the soldiers unload the wagons. Once he was satisfied that they were safe, Kai followed the merchant into the mansion.

As soon as they stepped inside, all trace of the chaotic city vanished. Servants immediately attended him and took his shoes, then ushered him down a lavish hallway. Every wall was covered in ornate hangings or paintings, as well as the expected crystals. Unlike Romastir, many of the walls appeared to be made of a thin paper that you could almost see through, allowing them to slide smoothly. Kai could only guess that they must be cool in the summer.

They were escorted into a sitting room and presented mixed wine, then all the servants cleared out. Kai was still too tense to drink, so he only pretended while he focused on Traegyur.

"Just what's going on in this city?" he asked.

"Oh, it's horrible, horrible." Traegyur drank deeply as if to fortify himself. "You heard about the killings? It's ordinary enough for crystalliers to shed a little blood fighting each other, but this is like nothing I've ever seen. This Omilaena woman is terrible, a she-demon from Rosemount."

"I heard that she executed all the nobles, but she hasn't come for you?"

"She pretends to have a sense of justice, in order to keep the masses on her side, but it's all pretexts and justifications. As soon as she has an excuse to kill someone, she seizes their assets. It's a good plan, if horrifying: she can throw the people some scraps to keep them happy and take the rest for herself. But under her control New Laeneria has fallen to ruins. No one is safe, and even those I can protect here are terrified for their lives."

"So this shipment..." Kai glanced over his shoulder as he felt the qi being released from the wagons. "These are crystals to be used as weapons, right? To defend yourselves?"

"Exactly so! I should have known a crystallier would have a stronger understanding than just any warrior." Traegyur took another gulp from his cup and then waved toward Kai. "Please, drink! Enjoy yourself while you have a moment's peace."

Kai took a sip to mollify the merchant, but he was more interested in information. "We only have confused rumors in Romastir. What is Omilaena doing here?"

"The worst part is that no one really knows. She has been seizing noblemen for some sort of terrible sexual rituals, but we have no idea of her true ends. Oh, but they say that she's strong! Terrifyingly strong. I don't know if it's from her rituals or something else, but she was able to kill several crystalliers at once when they tried to move against her."

All of that sounded uncomfortably familiar. Kai took another drink of his wine as he thought back to Anaelina. He knew that Rosemount was a big continent, but the details matched too well: a warrior capable of draining power from others who used sex as a weapon...

"Tell me, does she have long silver hair?"

"Silverrr?" Traegyur slurred the word and blinked a bit drunkenly. "No, she has blue hair. One of those infernal foreign colors. Arrre the others investigating her? Is more help on the way?"

So it wasn't Anaelina unless she had changed her appearance, which was a slight relief. Maybe just a similar name instead of a fake one. As Kai took a drink, he realized that something was wrong. The taste was just a bit off, which he'd assumed was another weird spiced wine. Now he could feel something churn in his stomach and realized the truth.

Poison. If not for his Physique, he might have already succumbed.

"You poisoned me?" Kai burst to his feet, grabbing Traegyur by the front of his wrap. But the merchant only stared at him blurrily and mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Oh, it wasn't his poison."

The calm female voice made Kai whirl to the side. He couldn't sense anything through the paper wall, but from his new position he could just barely see a silhouette. Someone was sitting on the other side, listening to the conversation.

"Interesting that you haven't succumbed. Maybe this will be fun."