The classroom was quieter than usual that morning, the muted rustle of parchment and the faint scratching of quills filling the air as we waited for the lesson to begin. A soft breeze drifted through the open windows, carrying with it the distant hum of life beyond the Academy walls.
Mr. Guseman entered with his characteristic energy, his robes fluttering behind him as he strode to the front of the room. His presence commanded attention—not because he was imposing, but because his voice carried the weight of someone who had seen far more than the rest of us could imagine.
“Good morning, class,” he began, setting a stack of books on his desk. “Today, we’ll be expanding our focus beyond the Ash Kingdom. To truly understand your place in this world, you must first understand the history and structure of the Nexus of Worlds.”
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The map he unfurled was unlike any I had ever seen. Its surface shimmered faintly, the intricate lines of mana-based cartography glowing as they shifted to reveal different layers of information.
“This,” Mr. Guseman said, tapping the map with a long, slender pointer, “is Minor Eden, your home world. It is one of fifty-four planets currently connected to the Nexus.”
He paused, letting the statement sink in. The room fell silent, every student transfixed by the glowing map.
“Fifty-four planets,” I thought. “And we’re just one of them.”
Hexa’s voice chimed in. “Fascinating. The scale of the Nexus is far greater than we initially estimated.”
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Mr. Guseman’s pointer traced a line across the map, highlighting the central continent of Minor Eden.
“Our world is divided into five continents, the largest of which is the Ashlands, home to the sixteen major powers that dominate Minor Eden’s political and military landscape.”
He gestured toward the northern regions, where clusters of city-states and sprawling kingdoms dotted the map.
“The Amarri Empire, to which the Ash Kingdom belongs, is one of these powers,” he explained. “It is a coalition of these 16 powers united under a single banner for the purpose of mutual defense, trade, and, most importantly, control over the world teleporter.”
At the mention of the teleporter, the room buzzed with whispers.
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“Quiet,” Mr. Guseman said, raising a hand. “The teleporter is the lifeblood of Minor Eden. It connects us to the Nexus, allowing not only trade but also the movement of armies and resources across vast distances.It resides in the planet's greatest city Pict. However, it is not a human creation. And requires the immense mana density that Pict provides.”
He let the words hang in the air, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.
“It was gifted to us over twelve thousand years ago by the Dwarven Kings of Major Eden, another planet within the Nexus. Without their technology and mana expertise, our world would have remained isolated, a backwater in the cosmic web.”
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Hexa’s voice was analytical as she processed the information. “Twelve thousand years is a significant timeframe. The technological disparity between worlds within the Nexus must be vast.”
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As Mr. Guseman continued, the focus shifted to the alliances and rivalries that shaped Minor Eden.
“Each of the sixteen powers has its own agenda, its own goals,” he said. “While open war among the 16 is rare, the balance of power within each power is fragile. Alliances shift, territories change hands, and weaker kingdoms are often swallowed by their neighbors.”
He pointed to a cluster of smaller kingdoms on the map’s western edge.
“These are the Free Duchies of Umbar, a region known for its cultural diversity and openness to non-human races. Unlike the Ash Kingdom, which is predominantly human, Umbar’s cities are home to elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and other sentient species from across the Nexus.”
The mention of non-humans piqued my curiosity. While I’d encountered goblins and merfolk in Valda-Ashdock’s raids, I hadn’t considered the possibility of coexisting with other races outside of combat.
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“Hexa,” I thought, “does the Nexus favor any specific race?”
“Unclear,” she replied. “However, the distribution of mana density and access to Nexus resources likely skews in favor of long-established civilizations, such as the Elves of Terra Primus.”
Mr. Guseman confirmed her observation as he continued.
“The Nexus itself is a paradox,” he said. “It unites us, but it also divides us. The closer a world is to the Nexus’s center, the denser its mana and the greater its opportunities for growth. Planets like Terra Primus, the first world in the Nexus, enjoy unparalleled wealth and influence. Meanwhile, peripheral worlds like Minor Eden must struggle to compete.”
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He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before moving on to the darker implications of the Nexus.
“While the Nexus allows for incredible advancements, it also serves as a tool for domination. Throughout history, powerful empires have used the webways—the physical structures connecting the planets—to subjugate weaker worlds.”
The map shifted again, this time displaying the intricate lattice of glowing lines that represented the Nexus’s webways.
“These pathways,” Mr. Guseman explained, “are both a blessing and a curse. They allow for travel and trade, but they also enable invasions and resource exploitation on an unprecedented scale.”
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I stared at the webways, a sense of unease settling in my chest. The Nexus was vast, beautiful, and interconnected, but it was also dangerous—its potential for harm as great as its potential for good.
“Hexa, what do you think of all this?”
“The Nexus operates on a delicate balance,” she said. “Its structure promotes cooperation but also incentivizes competition and conflict. It is, in essence, a living manifestation of a prisoner’s dilemma.”
I nodded silently, her words echoing my own thoughts.
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As the lecture concluded, Mr. Guseman handed out a series of reading assignments, encouraging us to study the histories of the major powers.
“Understanding our past,” he said, “is the first step to shaping our future.”
I stayed behind after class, watching as the glowing map faded into nothingness. My mind raced with questions, the enormity of the Nexus and its implications pressing down on me.
“Hexa,” I thought, “we need to learn more.”
“Agreed,” she replied. “I’ve already begun compiling data from the Academy’s archives. With time, we can construct a more comprehensive understanding of the Nexus and its dynamics.”
As I left the classroom, the corridors of the Academy seemed both smaller and larger at once. The world I had known felt distant, a mere fragment of a much larger puzzle.
And I was determined to solve it.