Chapter 13: Foundations 3

Yolani furrowed her brow, the flickering candlelight casting dancing shadows across the weathered parchment. The schematic swam before her eyes, a labyrinth of lines and symbols holding the key to Ember’s question.

She traced a finger along the faded ink, nail catching on the rough surface. “The thermo-regulation conduit…” Yolani muttered, more to herself than to Ember. “It’s here, isn’t it?” She tapped a section of the diagram, glancing up at the Crimson Aegis for confirmation.

Ember’s lips quirked in a half-smile. “Is it, though?” Her wings rustled softly as she leaned forward, red feathers catching the candlelight like glowing sparks. “Think harder, Yolani. What’s the real problem here?”

Yolani’s eyes narrowed, mind racing. She studied the schematic again, trying to see beyond the obvious. The conduit, the compressor, the auxiliary lines… Suddenly, it clicked. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at Ember with a triumphant grin.

“It’s a trick question,” Yolani said, voice ringing with certainty. “The conduit shouldn’t be replaced at all. We should double it up and run an auxiliary control line to the thermo-compressor. That way, we can regulate the temperature more efficiently and reduce the strain on the system.”

Ember’s eyes widened, mouth falling open in shock.

“What?” she breathed, voice barely above a whisper. In a flash, she was on her feet, wings flaring out behind her as she rounded the table.

Yolani barely had time to react before Ember was beside her, bumping her out of the way with a gentle but firm shove. The Crimson Aegis leaned over the schematic, eyes darting across the parchment with an intensity that made Yolani’s heart skip a beat.

For a long moment, there was only silence, broken by the flickering of an artifice candle. Slowly, a look of shock spread across Ember’s face, followed by a wide, gleeful grin.

She turned to Yolani, eyes sparkling with excitement. “You’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

Yolani felt a flush of pride at Ember’s words, but it was short-lived. In the next instant, Ember reached out, fingers curling around Yolani’s chin as she tilted her face up to meet her gaze.

Ember’s eyes held a predatory look, a hunger that made Yolani’s breath catch in her throat. “This is going to be much more interesting than I thought,” Ember purred, thumb brushing across Yolani’s lower lip. “And you, Yolani… You are remarkably interesting indeed.”

Yolani’s cheeks burned as she stepped back, putting some much-needed distance between herself and Ember. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. “So, are we going to make the modifications?” she asked, sounding steadier than she felt. “And if so, will I be allowed to help, considering the laws about making changes to the city?”

Ember chuckled, a low, throaty sound that sent shivers down Yolani’s spine. “This is authorization,” she said, eyes glinting with amusement. “I’ve already sent word to the Theotechnicians to get started.”

Yolani blinked, surprise etched on her features. “How?”

Ember shrugged. “They are my followers, after all. I am in touch with them.”

Yolani nodded slowly. She had assumed that the Theotechnicians were a separate entity bound by their own laws and regulations. But if they were Ember’s followers…

Ember tilted her head, studying Yolani with a curious expression. “Aren’t you able to communicate with your demi-divine?” she asked, voice taking on a note of concern. “As her oracle, it’s strange for you to be out of contact with her.”

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Yolani’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Elania. She had been trying not to think about her. But with Ember’s words ringing in her ears, a pang of worry crept in.

Yolani took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. “We’re working on it,” she said, voice wavering slightly. “Elania only just got [Divine Communion]. It’s all very new to us.”

Ember’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but a hungry glint quickly replaced the expression. She stepped closer. “Well then,” she purred, voice low and sultry, “Elania wouldn’t know if things got really fun, would she?”

Yolani’s breath hitched as Ember’s fingers trailed up her cheek, the touch sending shivers down her spine. She swallowed hard, mouth suddenly dry. “Ember, please…” she stammered, barely above a whisper. “Stop.”

Ember laughed and stepped back. “Oh, this is going to be very fun,” she said, tone laced with amusement. “Come on, rabbit. We have an auxiliary control line to install.”

Yolani nodded, heart still pounding in her chest. She followed Ember out of the room, trying to ignore how her skin tingled where the Crimson Aegis had touched her. As they walked, she couldn’t help but wonder what Ember had meant by “fun.” The thought filled her with trepidation.

Ember led her into the main workshop which was a hive of activity. Engineers and workers scurried about, hauling crates and tinkering with various contraptions. The air filled with the clang of metal and the hiss of steam, a symphony of industry that was both chaotic and strangely harmonious.

The Tower wove through the crowd with ease, wings tucked securely to her body to avoid knocking over any delicate equipment. Yolani followed close behind, dodging workers and trying to keep up with the brisk pace.

As they approached a group of workers gathered around a large table, Yolani noticed they were assembling an array of tools and materials. Pipes, valves, and coils of copper wire lay in neat rows, along with an assortment of wrenches, pliers, and other implements. The supplies needed for the thermo-regulator job.

Ember stopped beside a man hunched over an artifice forge, face smudged with soot and hands blackened with grease.

“Soren, my oracle and Master of Artifice here,” Ember said, gesturing to the man. “This is Yolani, the new spark’s oracle. She’ll be assisting us with the thermo-regulator modifications.”

Soren straightened up, wiping his hands on a rag tucked into his belt. He gave Yolani an appraising look, gaze lingering momentarily before he nodded. “A pleasure,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Yolani felt a flush creep up her neck at his words. She wasn’t sure what he had heard, but judging by the glint in his eye, it was probably nothing good.

Did all of Ember’s followers learn everything she wanted through telepathy? It was unsettling, drawing parallels with how the Neftasu Guards operated before the war had shattered the communication web the way stones had provided.

She cleared her throat. “It’s nice to meet you, Soren,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Soren took her hand, grip firm and calloused. “Likewise,” he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Yolani’s eyes slid to the forge he had been working at. A glowing mana shard held delicately in a pair of tongs caught her attention. “Did you just forge a new mana shard?”

Soren nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. “Of course I did,” he said matter-of-factly. “We’ll need them for the work—buffers along a new feed line to handle the extra pressure.”

Yolani blinked, mind racing to catch up. No one just created mana shards. She’d spent years trying to figure out how to meld the crystals together with no luck. Only the Celestial Engine’s dungeon provided them as rewards to adventurers who braved it.

Questions plagued her. “How did you—”

Ember’s laughter cut through the workshop, rich and melodic. “Running a flying city develops a certain skill set for those who keep it in the air,” she explained. “It’s been this way for thousands of years.”

Yolani felt a mix of emotions swirling within: impressed by the level of expertise, afraid of the sheer magnitude of the task at hand, and excited to maybe learn something new.

She looked at the mana shard, its soft glow casting a pale light on Soren’s face. The intricacies of the city’s workings were far beyond anything she had ever encountered in Neftasu. But… they were also primitive.

She’d already seen dozens of improvements to make in just about every system. Had the two cities had such different experiences that they went down parallel lines of hyper-specialization?

Excitement boiled inside her. There was so much they could learn from each other!

Soren set the tongs down, the mana shard clinking softly against the metal surface of the workbench. “We’ll need to calibrate the buffers carefully,” he said, brow furrowing in concentration. “Too much pressure and the entire system could overload. Too little, and it won’t be effective.”

Ember nodded, expression serious. “I know an expert,” she said, turning to face the young artificer.

Yolani swallowed. Well, what was a firearm other than the carefully applied pressure of expanding mana and gas?