With Rachel by my side, I follow the steps of Geo and Mistress Kane. Together, we move through the compound, past tents and roughly constructed cabins, walking towards the sole structure within eyeshot that would not seem out of place in a moderately well-kept town.

The building itself is nothing impressive but contrasted with its surroundings- it's the very image of prosperity. Though diminutive when compared to the manors of the Blackshire Clan, the structure we move towards towers over the other dwellings occupying the space.

We enter the building, and Geo guides us through the hallway into a room. Light streams through the windows at the end of the room. Its brilliance reflects off the polished metal swords that hang suspended on each wall.

At the far end of the office, a solitary desk stands. Geo walks to the desk, pulls out the seat from beneath it, and sits. Mistress Kane takes her place beside him. Contracting his fingers in a beckoning motion, the man instructs me to walk forward. Complying, I grip Rachel's wrist and take her with me to the head of the table.

'Well then, you wanted to talk, so talk.' Geo says.

'I have an opportunity for you.'

'Oh? And what opportunity is that?' With a broad grin on his face, Geo leans back on his chair. Though he strains his neck back to look up to my eyes, the man still somehow looks down on me…

Well, that in itself could be useful…

'What I propose is an alliance of sorts. A mutually beneficial relationship that will bring us both what we desire.' Hearing my words, Geo begins to chuckle.

'And tell me, kid, what do I want?' My turn to smile, my turn to look down, I peer into the depths of the black-haired man.

'You want what everyone wants: power. But more than that, you want vengeance, and I can give that to you.' Geo's chuckle mutates into booms of laughter, shaking the very foundations of his manor.

'Kid, I'll admit, your fight just now impressed me.' Geo raises his hand and points his thumb towards the woman to his side. 'As powerful as she is to us, she's nothing when compared against a true rank-four expert. You couldn't even defeat her. All the people I want dead are far more powerful than she'll ever be.'The woman scoffs but otherwise remains silent. 'What makes you think you have anything to offer me?'

'It's quite simple, really. I have already made the first move against our mutual enemies. The pieces are in place. At any time, I can knock them down.' Geo's laughter resumes.

'You're speaking in riddles, kid. This time, try the common tongue so the whole room can follow.'

'When I saved your men, it wasn't out of the goodness of my heart… Well, we get ahead of ourselves. Let us walk before we run, shall we? I assume you are aware of the conflict brewing between the Blackshire Clan and the two other mid-tier Clans that rule over Gandel city.'

'You'd assume right. Relations between those Clans are about as good as can be expected; by that, I mean they're on the brink of war. Gandel city is a powder-keg…' Pausing, Geo straightens himself on his chair and leans forward. 'Are you telling me that you have the match?'

He's smarter than I gave him credit for.

'I don't just have the match. The fuse is already lit.'

Cynthia slams a hand on the desk. Staring at me and then Geo, in turn, her flared nostrils and gritted teeth project the woman's frustration.

'What are the two of you talking about?'

'Apologies, I believed myself to be obvious. I did not think I would have to spell it out for you.' The woman's face glows red at my remark. Had she the Arts remaining, I have no doubt, my provocation would not have gone without disproportionate response.

'I would be cautious about antagonising Cynthia. We might all be rank-three Tension Masters, but her Tension Control has long since entered the fourth rank.'

Oh?

It didn't feel like she was holding back. Perhaps the woman lacks the fluid Arts to take full advantage of her powers. Even still, when the time comes for me to make my final move, she might prove troublesome.

'I would say I meant no disrespect, but we both know that would be untrue. I have no respect for you, your people, or your cause. If not for my need of you, I would never stoop so low as to grace you with my presence.' Geo's features remain unchanged. No, if anything, his smile broadens slightly.

He's unmoved by my derision.

I expect nothing less from a man who seeks to challenge the gods. Of course, he shall surely fail, whereas I shall reign supreme.

'You've mentioned that you need us, but you've yet to explain why you require our assistance. If your words so far are to be believed, you're already in the process of instigating the conflict you desire. If that's true, what need do you have of me? Geo asks.

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'My goal is not simply the ruin of the Blackshire Clan, but to also reap the benefits of their ruin. I wish to claim their treasury for myself. For that, I need an army, your army.'

Tension ignites and surrounds the black-haired man. Standing to his feet, Geo manifests countless orbs of fire behind him, all of which he aims solely at me.

'I think I've heard enough.' Geo says. 'I agreed to this talk because I owed you that much for saving my people, but what you're suggesting is suicide. Rachel, my dear, come, stand by my side.'

With wide eyes, Rachel turns her face towards me. She doesn't make a move, but I do. Sans hesitation, regret or remorse, I step behind the girl and grab her. With one arm, I hold her waist, pressing her back to my chest. With the other hand, I draw my sword and place the blade across her throat. Wildly, without rhythm nor pattern, her heart thumps within her chest; conducted through her back and past my ribs, I feel the vibrations as if they were my own.

'Oh, I do appreciate pretty things. I would hate for something so lovely to get ruined just because you lack the civility to talk like gentlemen.'

The spheres of fire increase in intensity and luminosity until their light outshines the sun and sweat pours down my face.

Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. The power radiating from Geo's Art denies any hope of surviving it. With a loose thought, the man could incinerate me along with most of this building. This isn't how I planned it. Rachel's the only card I have to play.

The irony isn't lost to me…

'I'd prefer it if you let the girl go; she still has some use to me. That said, you know where we are. If I let you go, you could lead your entire Clan here. You're far too dangerous to be left alive, even if it means sacrificing the girl. Besides all that, I just don't like you. You're an arrogant high-born son of a bitch, the very people I've dedicated my life to wiping off the face of Aspire. I'd be lying if I said my disdain for you wasn't a factor in my decision to kill you now.'

Mistress Kane begins to cackle like a madwoman. Her laughter combines with the roar of the fire around her, harmonising into a symphony of absurdity.

That's what this is…

Absurd!

This situation is absurd.

To think, the very efforts I've made to ensure my act is believable might be the very cause of my undoing. Is there a more fitting word for this other than absurd?

Unreasonable?

No.

It's very reasonable. Now that I think on it, in Geo's position, I would certainly do the same.

Except…

I wouldn't hesitate…

Despite everything, I can't prevent a smile from establishing itself on my lips. Locking eyes with the black-haired man, I press the edge of my blade into Rachel's neck; a thin trail of blood spills onto my sword; it runs the width of the blade and drips onto the wooden floor beneath.

'Do you really think I would have come here without doing my research? I know exactly who this girl is to you. She represents your only hope of luring out Nero XIII, claiming Xan's reward, and advancing into rank-four.' I can see it on his face; he's wavering. Gone is his shit-eating grin. That loathsome smile that proclaims he's above it all. Taking its place, a blank, emotionless expression. An expression that should disguise his true feelings but instead reveals them.

'That's right, I know. She's your only hope to achieve anything in this life.' Pausing, I allow my words to register on Geo's face. 'That is, your only hope other than me.'

Here stands the golden bridge…

Take it, you fool!

Turning his head towards the cackling crone, Geo silences her mirth with voiceless concession.

'You cannot be serious! Kill the boy!' The woman shouts. 'He cannot be trusted!'

'Perhaps not, but he's right. Without the girl, we have no hope of advancing our cause.'

'Then take her first and then kill him!'

'Do you believe you can reach the girl faster than I can pull back my arm?' To illustrate my point, I allow the edge of my sword to cut deeper into Rachel's neck. 'If you believe yourself so confident, come and have a go. Perhaps I should kill her now. Maybe with no other option, you'll be more inclined to open your ears and hear what I can offer you.'

For a moment, nobody speaks. Other than the inferno blazing behind Geo and the soft pitter-patter of Rachel's blood hitting the floor, not a sound is made.

The flaming spheres dim until, one by one, they vanish in the air. Geo sighs. Returning his smile to his lips, the bandit, freedom fighter, revolutionary, or whatever returns to his seat.

'I'll be the first to admit you have balls. Okay, I'm listening, but I'll warn you, if I don't like what you're proposing, I'll cut my losses with the girl and kill you both. Is that understood?'

I lower my blade from Rachel's neck, release my hold around her waist, and re-sheath my sword.

'Perfectly. However, I don't believe you will find my offer to be objectionable in the slightest. As I said, in order to reap the benefits of the chaos I have seeded, I require your forces, all of them. Every Tension master you have holed up in this little rat's nest.'

'Careful.' Geo says.

Heeding his warning, I place both hands out in front of me in a sign of surrender.

'You do understand that even if we manage to breach the Blackshire stronghold, fight our way through their remaining forces, and pillage their treasury, such an act would have us traced wherever we go and annihilated. The only reason this compound still stands is that we're yet to do anything to give powerful investigators a reason to turn their farsight our way. What you suggest would have us hunted like dogs wherever we go.'

I reach into my satchel, extract a bottle, and place the glass onto the man's desk.

'Where did you get this?' Lifting the bottle to his eyes, Geo examines the liquid therein.

'So, you know what this is?'

'Of course, I do! I also know it's more expensive than even a young master of a mid-tier Clan should be able to afford.'

'And yet, here it is, and I have more. Enough, in fact, to cover every member of your resistance long enough for a single attack on the Blackshire stronghold. While their most powerful members are busy fighting with the Bishop and the Vorpal Clans, we can take everything they possess. Of course, I will be taking the lion's share of the profits, but that doesn't mean there'll be nothing left over for you and yours. I have seen for myself; there are more than enough ether-crystals and body-refinement potions for at least thirty of your members to reach the fourth rank of Tension Resistance.'

Once again, the room falls into silence. Lifting, once more, the glass vial of perfume, Geo swishes the liquid within. He takes a deep breath and begins to shake his head.

'Kid, it's a good plan, but the fact remains I don't trust you.' I reach into my satchel and draw a parchment along with a quill and a bottle of emerald ink. Placing the contract on the table, I slide it towards Geo.

'A spirit pledge?'

'There's no need trust me when we have this. Though, I'd like to add one thing. The girl, I've taken a liking to her.

'She's coming with me.'