[Elara Twice] I’ve called this meeting to discuss a potential alliance with the Kathoric Dynasty. I’ll extend you a proportionate stake in a particularly sizeable opportunity in exchange for your support.
[Zeppo Hammaltin] Why the fuck would we do that? What do those corpses have that we want, anyways? Isn’t Four the one sellin’ to them?
[One] I agree. What value would their support bring?
[Elara Twice] Coffee. It’s the way off this planet. For me. For you. I’m done with the grand plan. You all can stay, but I need to find… I need to get out of here.
[Four] You think coffee is going to get us off here? I'm in!
[Elara Twice] It is if we’re making M-Brew.
[One] Letting people inside will bring chaos.
[Two] Do you have any other leverage?
[Elara Twice] Golgheim won’t oppose. I'll make sure of it. And I have a plan to get us off here. Don't worry.
[4 votes for, 1 against. Motion passed.]
– Elara Twice, Records of the Prime Council
Chapter 38 – The Leaders of Aris
[Prime Speaker has called upon the Primes of Aris for a meld – agree?]
[Timer: 10 minutes]
Toki strode into the Elder’s clay beach house. Toki’s joyful afterglow from the crab feast had faded, replaced by the seriousness of the system message. The Elder sat meditating in the center of the room, his imposing form radiating wisps of mana even in repose. How profound. I wonder what he is learning. Why does the mana behave that way with him?
Edgar on the other hand lay sprawled unconscious on the floor nearby, his plumage muted in the dim light. Toki had left Edgar in the care of the Elder while she started distributing tasks and teachings to the other monkeys.
As Toki approached the Elder once more, her expression hardened into one of grim determination. She placed a platter heaped with roasted crab meat in front of the meditative beast. "The monkeys have prepared food, Elder. I thought you might be hungry."
The Elder's amber eyes opened slowly, fixing upon her with piercing intensity. "Thou art most kind, Glassbreaker. Mine hunger is great after our battle."
"I need to meditate and commune with the other leaders of this planet. Can I count on you to keep watch and make sure we're not disturbed?"
Alpha inclined his head. "Fear not, none shall pass whilst I stand guard. Commence thy meditation and trouble thyself not with worldly concerns."
Toki allowed herself a small smile. "Thank you." I’ll be plenty troubled by world-ly concerns. Sorry, Elder. She settled cross-legged on the floor next to Edgar and closed her eyes, preparing to enter the meld.
[3/4 Primes have agreed to council]
So Two is still alive. As Toki agreed, joyous howls erupted behind her, no doubt Alpha devouring the proffered meal with relish.
The physical world fell away, and Toki found herself standing before the Council table. She was once again surrounded by darkness, save the paradoxical light of the table and chairs at the center of the room.
Instead of the usual pentagon, the table had morphed into a square, with only two other Primes present - One and Four. She took her seat to the right of One, squaring her shoulders.
This was her battlefield now.
One spoke first, his voice resonating with authority. "It appears Three has failed in his attempt to slay the [Elite]. The updated bounty from the Kathoric Dyna—"
Toki met his gaze unflinchingly. "He's dead." The words hung in the air, stark and unadorned.
One made to ask another question but Toki cut him off with a sharp gesture. "I have Three's vote now. I'm the [Elite]. And I'm the one who killed the dragon." She let that sink in for a moment, reveling in their shocked body language.
Everything had changed.
One and Four stood abruptly, their chairs sliding back against the floor. Disbelief etched into every line of their faces.
"Sit down," Toki commanded, her voice ringing with newfound authority. She waited before dropping the next bombshell. "Two is still alive. She got away."
Four sputtered, "But how? You weren't even level 50! They both went after you? The Order of Whispers?"
Toki shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as her heart raced. "Two and Three conspired to kill me. What's a girl to do?" She leaned forward, fixing them each with a piercing stare. "Now sit down."
As they sank back into their chairs, Toki's mind whirled with calculations. Four wants to activate the world trial immediately, but that's not favorable. Not yet. Toki needed to side with One for now, play the long game.
"Let's talk about this trade deal," Toki said, switching gears abruptly. "What exactly are the Primes getting out of it?"
One and Four exchanged a look, their expressions deliberately blank. "What are you looking for, Tokyo? That is who you are, correct? I suppose that makes our previous Five, another Twice."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“Eris? Perhaps Pamela? Or was it Elara?” Four added.
Toki scoffed. "Cut the bullshit. I know about the coffee." She leaned back. "In fact, I was just chatting with the Kathoric Dynasty yesterday."
One responded immediately. "Have you chosen to marry then?"
A harsh laugh escaped Toki's lips. "Fuck off." She stood, planting her hands on the table. "What this means is that things are about to change around here. And you'd better get on board, because I'm captain of this floating ship now."
Toki continued after a dramatic pause. "The earliest Falkori combatants could arrive within the year. War is coming, and we must prepare. Whatever it is you’re playing at ends here." She stared at Four then continued, “Or perhaps when I meet the young master tomorrow, I’ll shift the entire allocation to war materials.”
I can’t alienate Four in pressuring them, but I do need to force One back.
"We are getting resources equivalent to the first year's revenue upfront, then shares based on our stake after that. I am receiving herbs accounting for 14% of the gross. It would be unwise to reallocate the resources." Four answered first.
As expected. I can’t change allocation without breaking the game.
“Who is paying to harvest and scale the operation?”
“They are.”
“Why are they so eager to please? There’s no reason for them to pay up front here.”
“If you don’t know, then you don’t need to know. There is more to Aris than coffee.” One replied turning his head to Four.
“So I’ve surmised.”
Toki's mind raced as she processed the information. The Dynasty was getting 33%, the elves 14%. That left 53% unaccounted for. She turned to One, her gaze sharp. "And what's on the table for you, Two, Three, and Five?"
One shifted. "I'm getting 10%," he finally admitted, flicking a material list from the system towards her. Toki scanned it quickly, realizing that the items were all exotic, many she'd never even heard of.
"And the rest?" she pressed.
With a sigh, One sent three more panels her way. Two's list showed a deposit of 8% in off-planet crystal, while Three's contained war materials, such as combat tinctures, elixirs, and what appeared like war rituals and siege equipment. Toki guessed he'd been planning further exploration into the depths. Or he wanted to lay claim to all of Alabaster Ring. But it was Five's list, Elara's, that caught her attention. 5% again went off-world, but the remaining 22% was a strange mix of materials and a single book: "On the Theory and Feasibility of Proxy Hubs."
There are materials from Dutch’s horde that we could use instead. The adamant requirement can be completely covered here.
Toki frowned. "What's a proxy hub?"
"Five was convinced she could create a planet hub… or at least a pretend planet hub," Four explained. "The council was skeptical, as the manasmithing requirements exceed Aris's capabilities, but she wouldn't be swayed." He shrugged. "We assumed the current Five-seat had similar plans." He held his arms up in a shrug.
A chill ran down Toki's spine. Elara had been willing to trade her life away. But had she also been planning something bigger? The nerve on that woman.
Toki's mind drifted to the last Twice council meeting. Even through the haze of her hangover, she remembered Copper and Marrow's debate about trade materials. The elders were always plotting, always scheming. But Toki suspected there was a larger plan at work, one she wasn't directly privy to.
She couldn't risk buying the materials for the proxy hub. Not without knowing if she or the Twice family could actually create the device. The elders might have tried to appoint a regent for her, but Toki refused to be a puppet. She would make her own decisions, forge her own path. A world hub would solve many of her problems, but she would have to deal with the Twice.
With a deep breath, Toki turned back to One and Four. "I'm appropriating Three's materials and Two's stake."
One's eyes widened. "You can't just take what isn't yours. Two still has a claim to her vote."
Toki met his gaze, her voice laced with steel. "This is wartime. If we want to survive, we can't afford to squirrel away resources. If you're not happy with that, I'm more than willing to trigger the world trial early."
“I call a vote to unrestrict Aris.” Four leaned forward, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
One got up, then slowly sat back, his face tight with anger. “Fine, take their stakes. Do not blame me for the repercussions. The order will not stand for it.”
[agree / oppose – pick.]
[1 votes for, 0 against. Motion failed.]
Toki nodded to One, “We’ll see what they have to say.” Then she looked meaningfully at Four.
"I call a vote to claim the materials from Two and Three," Toki said, her heart pounding in her chest. She half-expected them to laugh in her face, to remind her of her place. But to her surprise, both One and Four nodded their assent.
[4 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.]
Toki allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before the weight of responsibility settled on her shoulders once more. She was playing a dangerous game, one where a single misstep could mean the end of everything she held dear.
"There's one more thing," Toki said, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. "I've arranged for Chad Velorum to arrive in Alabaster Ring. I'll be taking the final list of materials to him for approval."
One's eyebrows shot up. "I urge you not to further adjust the allocation."
Toki shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as her stomach churned with unease. "He has resources we need. I arranged for him to provide additional food supplies and he will be joining me as we descend to the coffee site." They don’t need to know I brought him here to help me reach the hub.
"And what makes you think he'll agree to help us?" Four asked, skepticism etched into every line of his face.
"Leave that to me." Toki's smile was sharp, almost feral. "I can be very persuasive. If there's nothing else, I have preparations to make."
One and Four exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, One nodded, his expression unreadable. "Very well. I’ll call a meet—"
“Nuh uh uh. Nope. Not yet. I call a vote to change the Prime Speaker. I nominate Five.”
“Do not do this Four. You place us in the hands of an infant.”
[agree / oppose – pick.]
Toki was surprised and unnerved. Becoming a player was one thing. She was unsure if she was ready for the leadership of all of Aris. Then again, these bastards are off siphoning resources for their own ends.
[3 votes for, 0 against. Motion passed.]
[Tokyo Twice has been appointed Speaker of Aris. Tokyo Twice has gained control over Prime system administrative features and delegation functions.]
Toki inclined her head, a gesture of respect that felt like ashes on her tongue. She turned on her heel and strode from the room, her footsteps echoing in the hollow space of her chest.
Toki's lips twisted into a bitter smile. She had always known that her path would be a difficult one, that she would have to make choices that others would balk at. But she had never imagined that it would lead her here.