Edellan placed a wrapped bundle of tools into their bag, carefully preventing the dirty metal from touching their clothing. It didn’t take long for them to gather their things after hearing Marla’s announcement.
Beside them, Mikell wrung his hands. “You don’t have to come with me, if you don’t want to. We’re going pretty close to the Outlands, and the settlement isn’t even done yet. It’s not exactly safe.”
Edellan zipped up their bag. “I want to come. It’s not like I’m really attached to Vinayre or anything.” Although they didn’t say it aloud, they think about how Mikell became their second best friend. When the group announced their plans to move to Fort Kernstone, it was a no-brainer. “Besides, kernstone is a major enchantment material, right? It’ll be easier to work on Goose there than over here.”
“If you say so.” Despite his slightly guilty tone, Mikell has a small smile on his face. “Let’s do this then.”
----------------------------------------
Caexil Innohyre doesn’t know what he did in a past life to deserve this. Sitting at the head of a meeting table, he waits for Mirielle to sit down at her spot. To his right and his left, the rest of the city council look impatient. An undercurrent of stress and anxiety fills the private, elegant meeting room. On another day, he might have been able to admire the original Vinayre city hall.
He clears his throat. “Good morning. Now that everyone’s here, we can begin. Today, our main agenda will be to continue discussion of points made yesterday in regards to Danglawan’s proposal. Archmage Ryne, you have the floor.”
When the second Calamity hit, Archmage Arin Ryne impressed Caexil with his determination and quick thinking. He rose to the position of guild master after Archmage Aspirash’s sacrifice, because he had the most clear vision for the guild moving forward. Arin rallied the Arcanist’s Guild into joining Vinayre rather than splintering off to find others from Arishelm. Even back then, Aris knew how to inspire growth in people. Caexil just wishes he will expand his viewpoint beyond those studying magic.
“Thank you, mayor.” The blonde arcanist guildmaster stands, hands crossed behind his back. “Good morning, I’m glad to see you’re all as passionate about this subject as I am. As we discussed yesterday, my guild is close to completing the new preservation spell. If we are given another week and 3000 more lymm in funding, we can wait for Seraquinn and Plux to leave the city before announcing the spell’s completion. If the spell can’t be completed by that time, we can wait until it is.”
Caexil resists the urge to sigh as several members look annoyed. Without using his telepathy, he can already guess at the coming counterarguments. In particular, he sees the Commerce Department head and the botanist guildmaster frown slightly. He wants to believe in Arin’s plan, but it’s clearly assuming a best-case scenario.
The head of Commerce Pekino Rouss stands as well. “Excuse me, Archmage Ryne. Although we are pleased to hear that your project is coming along, our budget cannot meet your expenditures in such a short period. We do have other ventures to complete as well. Would it be possible to extend the timeline to three weeks?”
“My project will remove our reliance on the Temple for the preservation spells, guaranteeing the survival of those with chronically low aura. Is that not our greatest ethical concern at the moment?” Arin raises his eyebrows and meets Pekino’s gaze head-on. “Surely there are other items which can be deprioritized.”
Pekino’s jaw tightens. “We’ve been deprioritizing items for close to two months now. We can’t expect to continue this indefinitely. While I don’t wish to offend, I must remind the council that your project has been repeatedly delayed.”
Before the Calamities happened, Caexil used to be an accountant for city hall alongside Pekino. They weren’t particularly close, but he admired Pekino’s ambition and determination to climb the ladder. In a way, Pekino and Arin share a lot of the same personality traits, but their differing opinions cause them to butt heads frequently. Caexil hopes their debates don’t lead to actual resentment.
Arin’s nostrils flare slightly. “Research is about discovering what works and what doesn’t. One of our prototypes is showing limited success. With a bit more time and funding, we can refine it further. In opinion, our primary concern is the Temple of Eurimas’ push for power. The Arcanist’s guild’s project is critical for us to regain control of the city and stop the Temple from thinking they are free from consequences. Do the shipyards contribute more to that goal than striking at the Temple’s economic powerhouse?”
Taking a deep breath, Pekino continues with a more controlled voice. “A way to connect with Ballaturne could give us more allies --- more opportunities and resources for your research. Additionally, people have loved ones in Ballaturne and are desperately trying to reunite with them. Half of the workers building the shipyard are doing this for the end goal and not the money. To keep delaying and pulling back on funding is doing them a disservice. We are losing their trust. Are you prepared to tell them why you’re keeping them from their loved ones?” As he talks, his tone gets progressively harsher.
Caexil clears his throat, drawing the council’s attention. “Gentlemen, please keep this civil. Although this topic hits closer emotionally, we must stay level-headed.”
“Of course, my apologies. That’s all I had to say.” With that, Pekino sits back down in his seat, folding his hands together. Caexil remembers seeing a similar expression on his face when their supervisor said something stupid and Pekino needed to find a way to change his mind. He knows Pekino likes having the last word in discussions, sometimes to his detriment. However, Caexil thinks his coworker does genuinely believe in his own words rather than simply enjoying the power of his position. It’s Pekino’s occasional bout of pettiness that Caexil finds annoying.
Arin clasps his hands behind his back, mind clearly racing to provide a counterargument. Before he can speak, the Botanist guildmaster Givalla Rozene stands to her full height which is almost a torso shorter than Arin. Dressed in a blue dress shirt and slacks, she has her curly black hair tied in a bun. Caexil knows she is taking this seriously since she usually shows up to these meetings in her gardening uniform.
Givalla meets Arin’s gaze with a slight furrow to her brow. “Archmage Ryne, I understand your position on the Temple of Eurimas, but can your spell be mass-produced like theirs? Looking past the Temple’s power grab, if our other concern is those suffering from low aura, we should consider a backup plan. The Botanist’s Guild has successfully grown squash even if they’re not fully mature yet. May I suggest that we increase the amount in reserve to about 30%? I understand we need to recoup costs, but I worry our plan may go poorly.”
Caexil admires Givalla for entering politics despite it not being very enjoyable for her. She has a strong sense of duty and handles diplomacy well, so it’s not surprising the Botanist Guild appointed her as guildmaster. Although their conversations have been limited, he hopes he will get to know her better as someone in a similar situation. Perhaps he’ll get a few tips from her on taking care of orchids.
Pekino replies, “If we are to meet Archmage Ryne’s funding needs, then we absolutely cannot lose profits from the greenhouses. This may be difficult to hear, but helping those with low aura is not our priority. Pushing back on the Temple has greater long-term implications.”
Several council members scowl at this response, but many look stoic or indifferent. Maintaining a calm expression, Caexil lets out a steady exhale. He can’t callously throw those with chronically low aura into danger, but Pekino is right about the Temple’s actions affecting more than just a subset of people. It’s an utilitarian approach that leaves a bad taste in his mouth.
“The Alchemist’s Guild is willing to put 1000 lymm forward from our own funds to sponsor Archmage Ryne’s project on one condition. You must keep it a secret from the Temple of Eurimas.” Mirielle catches everyone’s attention as she rolls up the cuffs of her sleeves. In contrast to her normally bright and active demeanour, she seems far quieter this morning. Caexil wants to ask if she’s alright, but he doesn’t want do it in front of the group.
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Arin can’t entirely hide the surprise from his eyes. “That would be very generous of your guild. Thank you, we will keep it confidential.”
Around the table, the council members glance at each other, taking greater consideration of Arin’s proposal. Since the Alchemist’s Guild is known to be the most dependent on good relations with the Temple, most people seem shocked that Mirielle is taking a big risk. She has been relatively neutral up until now.
However, Caexil isn’t surprised that his friend ‘Miri’ will go so far to protect the innocent. Her concern for her patients drove her to take the Temple’s side when they stole those sacred scrolls. In doing so, she lost Arin’s respect and her friendship with Van. He empathises with her determination to protect her patients and feels similarly towards the city of Vinayre. At the same time, he wishes they can put all these heavy moral burdens aside and have light-hearted brunches as regular friends. Perhaps it will become a possibility in the future…
Down the table, Tiami clears her throat. “The Hunter’s Guild will contribute 500 lymm to the project. Does the council’s budget cover the remaining half?” She addresses Pekino with a steely-eyed stare. With her brown hair braided and ironed black coat, his girlfriend looks stunning today, ready to face anything.
Pekino clasps his hands together on the table and meets her gaze evenly. “The budget can cover it if this is the direction we are going. Does anyone have any comments or objects they wish to contribute before we vote?”
Sweeping his gaze around the table, Caexil can see many expressions of relief from the council members who don’t need to personally shell out money. Although everyone dislikes the Temple encroaching on the council’s power, they aren’t as close to the issue as Mirielle and Tiami. For example, the trade guilds like the weavers, leatherworkers, and more don’t need to use those preservation spells directly or interact with those with chronically low aura on a daily basis.
Pulling back his chair, Caexil stands, and the entire council looks at him. Even after multiple months, he still isn’t entirely used to the weight of those stares like they’re looking at someone respectable. “I have no objections to Archmage Ryne’s request for additional funding. However, I caution us to hide how close the project is to completion while Seraquinn and Plux are in the area. It might provoke both groups into doing something rash. I propose that we increase the amount of security around Una City during this time.”
The captain of the guards Eridus Bluge crosses his arms. “While I agree to hiding the project from the Temple, we are already stretched to the limit with guard rotations. We cannot simply add more shifts without additional people.”
Raising her chin, Tiami says, “Then the Hunter’s Guild can provide help. There should still be some money to spare for our labour considering we haven’t been spending much from our budget. Unless that has been one of areas cut?” She looks around the table, her face stony.
When her hazel eyes meet his, Caexil barely holds back a wince. Their conversations have become stilted lately due to his request for her to remain close to the city. While it’s true that risking the Hunter’s guildmaster is dangerous for the council, he also doesn’t want to lose her to whatever is happening to those missing hunters. They need to properly talk about it, but the Festival preparations have left them too busy for an in-depth conversation. A part of him fears that they’ll break up after this.
His shoulders relaxing, Pekino replies, “It should be enough to at least pay for half of your hunters. You’ve barely requested any withdrawals.” He doesn’t even glance at Arin, but there’s definitely an undercurrent of annoyance in his voice.
Caexil nods. “Motion to pass?” After receiving unanimous ayes, he ends the meeting, and the council members start filing out of the room.
However, one remains long after he finishes writing his notes. Tiami smooths out her coat as she stands. “Do you have time to talk?”
***
When Elle returns from the Alchemist’s Guild, only Thermal waits for her at one of the tables in the lobby. A few other groups of hunters chat at nearby tables, their weapons within arms reach. He looks up from his book. “Good morning, Elle. Did you have an enlightening conversation with the Alchemist’s Guild?”
She sits down next to him. “Yep, I got some important stuff to share later when Serena gets here. How did your meeting go?”
“I learned some new information, but I will save it for later as well.” Thermal regards her for a moment before speaking, “Are you feeling alright? You appear a little lost.”
Elle bites the inside of her cheek for a moment. “...Yeah, I just had an interesting talk.” Given Mirielle’s tenuous relationship with the Temple, Elle doesn’t want to mention her name with prying ears around them. “What do you plan to do after this mission is over?”
He leans back in his seat. “This is quite sudden. Hmm… I suppose I will continue my research or make my best attempt at it with limited resources. Sadly, the libraries in Vinayre are not as comprehensive as the ones in Lerabell. Perhaps I will be able to get funding for a well-guarded expedition in the future.”
Elle’s heart sinks in her chest as she thinks about saying goodbye to their current team. Despite only knowing Thermal and Serena for a couple of days, she’s not ready to let go of this little bit of stability. “That sounds pretty cool. Good luck with that.”
Thermal closes his book. “And what about you? You are a rift-diver, so I suspect the road ahead is less clear-cut for you.”
“I need to find someone from my world called Van Nguyen. Aside from that, I don’t really have any solid plans.” She hesitates, subtly checking if anybody is eavesdropping. Everyone else appears to be absorbed in their own conversations, so Elle leans in slightly closer to Thermal. “But I do have a mission even if I’m not too sure where to go from here. Have you heard of Sinkpoint?”
After going on a mission with him, Elle thinks he’s trustworthy enough to not spread her information about Equinox to other people. Either he won’t believe her and refuse to share it, or he’ll see the wisdom in keeping it secret. As an academic, Thermal might even find her quest useful for discovering how this world works.
He raises his eyebrows. “No, I have not. What is it?”
“The name of this world. I was sent here by a goddess called Equinox.” She tells him the story behind her arrival and her search for Van Nguyen.
As she continues, Thermal looks increasingly contemplative, covering his mouth with his hand. When she finishes, he sets his hand back on the table with a curious expression. “Interesting… I never suspected you would have such a reason to come here. This concept of a ‘quantum graveyard’... I wonder if the Umere Academy had any research on similar topics. The ruins of Lerabell would be my best suggestion if you can’t find Mr. Nguyen.”
“Why haven’t you gone back to your school if there’s so much important material there? I assume you’d be able to find your special paper and ink there.”
He sighs, “Yes, the Umere Academy has many resources. However, the dangers in retrieving them are not to be understated. I barely escaped from there with my life, and I had to rely on some strangers’ good will to do so. If we are to go on an expedition there, we will need more people than just us.”
Elle nods. “That’s reasonable. I was hoping to get more allies before I really dive into this quest. I’m still not sure what Equinox wants from me.” Since they lack any new information about Equinox, she decides to change the topic. “So what was the academy like? I went to a university before all of this happened, so I’m curious if it’s similar…”
Thermal’s face brightens. “Oh, you pursued higher education as well? The school had the best silent study rooms, because we would always cast Silence. Anyone who tried to counter or dispel it would meet the wrong end of a wand…”
They chat about their respective colleges for awhile, waiting for Serena to return. It seems like the pains and successes of post-secondary don’t change between universes. In the afternoon, someone approaches their table. Elle looks away from Thermal, expecting to see Serena.
Instead of her, Tiami stands there with a tired expression. “Hello, Elle. Can you spare some time to chat now?”
Exchanging confused glances with Thermal, Elle nods and follows the guildmaster into the same, secure meeting room as before. She takes a seat with some trepidation as Tiami closes and locks the door behind her.
Tiami takes a deep breath, pulling up a chair near her. She looks at Elle dead in the eyes. “Why did you accept that quest from Equinox?”