Nothing compared to his tyrannical family.

Alexander was one of seven seated within an expansive room arrayed with decorative objects, carefully aligned to ward off the emptiness that might prevail. Adorning the table was a swirling emblem, holding importance within the organization. The room was barely lit, yet he could see each of them clearly.

At the head of the table was Matisse, his cousin, who had called earlier. He methodically placed a crystal inside the half-open cryoscope, scanning every detail. Dossiers towered to his side, already read. They had been sitting in silence for a while, watching his every move.

This man was too slow to be young.

“Sooo, why are you hanging out with a noble?” The youngest asked, mischievousness present in his eyes.

A sharp shush was thrown in their direction, only to fall on deaf ears.

Alexander peered over his sunglasses. “If you truly believe that, I suggest you adjust your senses.”

“It’s all over the visions. There are pictures of the two of you being all chummy.” The man spat, folding his arms. “Everyone thinks there’s something going on.”

Council members stopped watching Matisse and tuned in to their conversation.

“You don’t need to act naïve if you want to know something,” Alexander explained in a condescending tone. “He wanted a tour and I gave him one. The rest came with the package.”

He wasn’t satisfied with the answer, and implored further. “Are you sure that’s all you gave him?” The man leaned forward, struggling to keep his crazed look to himself. “You didn’t give him any information? I hope you’re not turning on us. That’d be scandalous.”

No comment.

“Shut up, Declan.” A monotonous voice called out from beside him. “You mess around too much.”

“I was joking. There’s no need to be defensive unless…” A taunting smile spread across his face.

“That’s enough, Delcan. I can’t say I’m shocked you’d say something like that, but it’s equally out of line.” Matisse closed the cryoscope, his eternal smile present. “Please control your tongue. I don’t believe any of you would do that, so why talk about it? Let’s go see the others.”

The eldest rose from the table, his earrings swaying with his movement. His white and gold robe contrasted with the blackened floor beneath. Embellishments swung from his horns that had been recently polished. Showoff.

They walked through an extensive hall that stretched throughout the building. The council room was isolated, and the walk was pointless. Matisse’s slow pace made it all the more agonizing. The chain attached to Alexander’s belt jingled, providing a break in the overbearing silence.

“I’m onto you,” Delcan whispered, moving past him. Alexander chuckled at the child’s behavior.

Chairs more uncomfortable than the last stood before them, and a table long enough to accommodate their number. They were placed slightly higher, giving a commanding view. His grandfather sat among the regional managers and rose when the council arrived.

Alexander tuned out the routine speech, as many others did. Everyone seated themselves after Matisse and the meeting commenced.

One by one, each occupant stood and went over their reports for their region. They would have been done if Matisse didn’t insist on asking questions. His attentiveness was a respectable and annoying trait. The folders were passed to the appropriate council members for further review.

“Wow!” Declan’s outburst shattered the atmosphere. “The family’s doing great financially. It’s sad; it won’t be that way for long.” A sorrowful sigh escaped him, as if the world weighed down on him. What a troublemaker.

An agitated sigh was discharged beside Alexander. “What are you talking about?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Riley Buck’s gonna try to take Alexander’s casino. Why else would he be around him?”

“Are you seriously bringing this up right now?”

“It’s the perfect time to bring this up. We can discuss a solution. Any ideas?”

“He has a point. They’re notorious for taking over entertainment districts and taking down competition .” Matisse’s father pointed out with a stern look. “Usually it’s through blackmail, but they can’t find anything on you. The next step would be through a partnership.”

Matisse slammed a folder shut and gazed at Declan. “Okay, let’s talk about that. How do you plan to deal with this, Alex? It’s your business.”

“I wouldn’t mind a partnership. It could increase our profit to further benefit the family.”

“Or we’ll all end up living on the streets wearing cheap clothes.” Delcan chimed in, ignoring his cousin’s intense stare. “You could destroy our family.”

Alexander rose from his seat and addressed the room. “Tell you what. If he does happen to offer me this partnership and it does fall through, then I’ll give up my seat on the council.” Several members raised their eyebrows in surprise, and others scoffed. “I’ll also pay back everything lost.” Declan suppressed his snickers by covering his mouth.

“You’d be better off leaving it.” His uncle advised, worry etched in his expression. “It’s too risky.”

Someone as simple as him couldn’t begin to understand the magnificence of risk. He was too busy chasing, power and the tail of his son.

“I’ll take the chance. You are aware they have legitimate partners, right?” He placed a hand in his pocket.

The older man looked at him incredulously. “You believe you can make that small percentage?”

“Yes.” He grinned ear to ear, earning a chuckle from the man.

“I accept your proposal, but remember your end. It might be your business; however, the family could be affected. Any objections?” Matisse’s eyes moved across the room and none answered. “Alright, you’re all dismissed. Thank you for attending.” Matisse waited until the managers left to speak again. “Declan. You stay with me. The rest of you can leave.”

Alexander ruffled Declan’s hair and whispered in his ear, “Have fun, little bastard.”

Declan stuck his tongue out at him as Alexander treaded toward the door. This meeting proved to be more eventful than the last. A key in his pocket was tossed from hand-to-hand while he traversed around the building. A set of stairs and a short walk later, he arrived at the door hub.

The outline of the room was covered in doors. They had symbols posted above and distinct designs etched onto them. All represented separate countries within Valine. He used his key to turn the lock on a black door that was replaced by a green light. As he stepped through, he found himself in a similar room. The next set of doors was by district and city. He used his key to walk through the door, emerging in Zedek. Books were a temporary surrounding before he teleported home.

With his life in constant motion, it was no surprise that he had to attend another meeting. This one proved to be more intriguing than usual, due to the timing and host.

A local conglomerate of businesspeople was seated within a restaurant nestled in the city core. Zayn’s River, a famous landmark, cut through the city and traveled for miles. Its fiery substance smoldered beneath the bridge and vessels passed under.

The restaurant’s climate was filled with an overwhelming aroma, clinking noises, and too many conversations to learn from. The sensory overload prompted him to numb a select few. He came across mellow conversations at his destination.

“Hello, everyone. How's-”

His sentence was interrupted by an excited man. “No time for formalities. Take a seat and listen.” The man stood and posed in a cheap suit.

“There’s no need to be rude, Baston.” An older woman scolded him, a frown forming on her face. “Why did you call us here? You made it seem like some big emergency.”

“It is!” The man stood and slammed his hands on the table. “He could affect all of us, and his name is Riley Buck. We're all gonna go out of business with him around.”

“What'd he do to us?”

Baston facepalmed. “It's what he will do. All he has to do is build, and I know he isn't here for the scenery.”

“Can you get to the point,” a man in a blue suit asked.

Baston's eyes met his own. “Their usual plan is to take the most successful business. They'll get rid of any competition and take over the area in one swoop. Kaiser here is the popular one,” he gritted his teeth, “and he's been hanging around him.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Was that jealousy he detected or an astute observation?

The occupants looked between the two of and a buzz went through the room.

“He’s part of the same family of predators, and we're targets.” He motioned with his hands as he spoke. “Unless we band together and keep them out.”

Alexander spoke up. “Assuming you're right about this, how do you know he doesn't have other ways to take over? I'm sure you'd have contingency plans in place.”

“It'll decrease the advantage he has. Taking over or not, he's going to use you. Are you too naive to see that?”

“I'm aware of the family's reputation and what could happen, but I'm not making a decision based on assumptions.”

Batson’s face contorted into a canvas of bitterness. “I don’t know why I bothered. Riley shouldn’t have a problem pushing you out of the way. You’re a soft and selfish man, Kaiser. This district will fall, and it’ll be your fault.”

A sharp pressure embraced his body and diminished when Baston along with his posse, left.

“Maybe he has a point,” the same woman suggested, “I don’t like assuming the worst about people..”

“You’re all forgetting one important fact. He’s a noble!” A sluggish man wiped his hands on his pants. “He can do whatever, whether we like it or not. Let’s wait and see what happens.”

They continued to debate about the subject and a ringing sound followed. The occupants watched Alexander answer the phone, an unreadable expression on his face, and respond with a few words: “I’ll be there.”

He left money on the table and darted to his next location. Baston had a point about Riley, but it wasn’t enough to change his mind. Riley awaited inside his office, sitting in front of his desk.

“You must be here to continue the tour.”

“No. I wanted to talk about a serious matter.”

Alexander treaded lightly toward his seat and sat down. “What would that be?

“A partnership. Have you considered it?”

Alexander glanced around the room. “Uh, no. Are you offering?”

“Yes. There's potential in this place. I can help you expand and gain a diverse clientele. What’s your answer?” Riley looked at him expectantly.

The pitch was mediocre. Other than that, the answer was yes.

“You can’t spring this on me and expect an immediate answer.”

Riley tapped the arm of the chair and rose. “You have a point. I expect a definitive response tomorrow.” The bastard flashed a tight smile at him and left the room.

How was his club progressing? He needed to check on that.

He would have been more surprised if something hadn't happened.

The Allure's interior was in chaos. The carpet wailed as it was being ripped from the floor, each thread squealing in anguish. The wallpaper clung to the wall, its patterns reduced to nothing. The furniture fought against its captors, attempting to dismantle them.

It was a massacre.

Riley stood in the center, conducting with an authoritative air. His easy smile faltered, his eyes constricting ever so slightly.

“Riley, what in Valine is going on?” Alexander screeched. “Please don’t tell me you have something to do with this.”

“That’s where you’re correct, and I’m doing all of this for a reason. Believe me when I say this will help the Allure.”

Aw, what a hero! “That doesn’t matter. If you haven’t noticed, I own this too. You can’t do all of this without consulting me. What happened to communication?”

“You’re right, I should have asked.” He stated casually. “Do you want to hear my plan?”

“You’ve already tore my business apart, so why not?” He shifted his weight and folded his arms. “Let’s hear it.”

Riley clapped with a triumphant grin. “Our business. We’re going to renovate the Allure and host a reopening event. Apex Quest is going to be introduced to the global market, but we’ll need to tweak it.”

“Why?”

“No one is into long and drawn-out games anymore.” That statement was detestable. “We need a game that’s shorter and equally, if not more, immersive.”

“You’re wrong. It’s fine the way it is,” he affirmed.

“It won’t make it on the market.”

“I don’t care. I’ll handle my game the way I want to,” he paused, “and the interior.” If he let Riley manage it, the entire casino would be dark. Boring.

The temperature dropped. “As you wish, partner.”

Zedek became cooler and a flurry of tourists rushed into the region, signaling the end of renovation. An idiot would have considered this a coincidence. Riley had been stalling the renovation in order to progress his own, making up excuses as to why it was taking so long. After weeks of this, Allure was finally open to the public, along with his club.

The Allure lived up to its name, drawing in household names that filled the casino to the brim. They brought money and opportunity, only accessible through impression. They hail from separate districts, regions, and countries. A testament to Riley’s large web of connections and influence. Alexander doubted whether he knew everyone on a personal level.

Their secrets were blinding to the eye and outshone their expensive garments. The perception they crafted was cracked and tattered. They gambled away, not for entertainment but to be seen and heard. It’s the exact reason they bothered to show up. Every bet placed was a power play, and money was wielded like a weapon. His casino had become a battlefield for the elite to experiment with. The winners would stake a claim and return. The latter wouldn’t bother and would seek another territory.

It was honestly the most amusing thing he had seen all week.

Riley mingled with the people and kept a strict check on the itinerary. He, too, was at risk since his family name was. If this didn’t go the way he planned, their reputation would take a hit. Oh, the devastation that could incur.

The night proceeded, and the time came for Riley to make his announcement to the world. The man was verbose and eventually got to the point. They were partners. Alexander approached the stage and had to wrestle the microphone away from him.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Kaiser Loxmax and I want to thank all of you for attending.” And, unlike Riley, he’d get to the point. “Today’s theme is about growth, and what better way to demonstrate it than by including the community that helped me grow?”

The crowd nodded in agreement and murmured in approval. Riley’s face twisted into a frown.

“I don’t know where I’d be without them. Around the Allure, you’ll see booths of the local businesses you should visit,” he declared, his eyes alight with excitement. “You don’t want to miss out on the chance to play games and win amazing prizes.”

The crowd erupted into applause; however, he wasn’t done.

Alexander strolled across the stage and pointed to the crowd. “I want to invite all of you on our journey of continuous development and lifting the people around us. No one arrives at success alone, and it’s something I believe we all can relate to. That’s it, and thank you once again.”

Riley’s frown deepened as Alexander bowed and beamed at the crowd. He tensely strode toward him and cleared his throat. “That was certainly something. Would you mind telling me when you planned this because I didn’t see it on the schedule.”

Alexander tilted his head in confusion. “I talked with your assistant, and she said she told you about it.”

Riley peered at him through his eyelids. “She didn’t. I wasn’t informed about any of this, and I never saw any of these booths. No one did.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Alexander rubbed the back of his neck.

“I think I see what’s happening. You did this to get back at me, didn’t you?” His face twisted into a smile, while his eyes blazed with simmering irritation and amusement.

“I did this to increase our reputation and include everyone. It’s not all about you,” he shot at him.

“You’re right, it isn’t. Next time, speak to me directly before changing anything. Enjoy the party, Kaiser.”

A smirk formed on his face as he watched Riley prance away. What a wonderful party.