Elzio and Echo met back up with Syrene and Carlin at the tavern. Nothing but pleasantries were exchanged as the small team put in orders for food and gathered drinks from the innkeeper. Their conversation was light and shallow, discussing the various neat and interesting things they had found on their first day of vacation, or whatever this trip was supposed to be for them. They had to keep a low profile. Genyl could be crawling with enemies, even knowing Ashlight’s extended alliance.

Both Syrene and Carlin wore similar expressions, expressions that were bursting with stifled information. Elzio was sure his face, however controlled, must have a similar energy radiating off it. Even Echo glimmered with anticipation, and most people couldn’t even see her.

It wasn’t until they were safely in their room that the dams finally broke forth.

Elzio held up a hand the minute they walked in, indicating that he would absolutely be going first. Certainly what the others had to say would be informative, but as far as grand strategy went, the newfound alliance between Ashlight and Echo would be the most groundbreaking.

What was almost disappointing was how little surprise Carlin and Syrene reacted with. Both certainly seemed pleased with the development, a wide smile on Carlin’s broad face and a thoughtful twinkle in Syrene’s eye. But neither seemed surprised.

“Yeah, I was hoping they’d find you,” Carlin said, leaning back on the bed and popping some remaining pork rinds in his mouth. “Turns out a lot of people here have been holding out hopes that we would stop by, make Genyl a similar offer to you made Ythrel. They seemed really receptive to the idea of working together. Lotta folks angry at Deluuth for…” He swallowed, smile slipping. “Various war crimes.”

“Ashlight’s progressive nature is well known among her people.” Syrene smiled approvingly as she leafed through one of the books she’d borrowed from the library. “It wasn’t the primary thing I looked at while there, but I wanted to check out a few history books while perusing the shelves. At first they kept this a secret, afraid that other nations would try to attack them, steal their resources. After a while, however, it became obvious that even the kingdoms with the most complex spy networks never paid any mind to their advanced technology, quality of life, so on. If what you’re saying is right, then it would be because no other nation has cared enough to try.”

“Even more than not caring, they actively don’t want to.” Carlin’s voice grew louder. “All the stuff Tylin and I worked for, a better world for the people, he always said bureaucracy got in the way. Process upon process, hearings and endless arguing, and it turns out in the end, they just didn’t want the country to improve. War and conquest were all that mattered.”

Elzio held up a hand. “Don’t raise your voice too much. We may be tentatively aligned, but there remains more to be discussed before we want any casual listener to overhear our discussions. And none of this precludes spies or enemy agents.”

Carlin exhaled, and as his lungs deflated, so too did his body. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I just… I don’t know. It feels like we’re fighting against something too big. What if the people just turn and worship another nexus? What if they reject any kind of civil rule? What if it was all for nothing?”

Syrene stood up from the desk, settling next to him on the bed. She placed a hand on his arm, her thin, scholar’s hands pale against his broad shoulder.

“You’re exactly where you should be,” she said. “What you’re doing here, it might not have been what you thought progress looked like, but it is where you need to be.”

“Yeah. Yeah I’m in the exact right place to change the world.” Carlin sounded the opposite of cheered by this. “But at what cost? What did I have to lose to get here? If we die here, none of it was worth it.”

Revolutions do not spread without casualties. Echo’s light flickered back to her as she grew back to her normal size. Your brother did not want what happened to him, of this I am certain. But what you have made out of it, what you are doing now? That is of merit. You have spent the early parts of your life learning what you find interesting, practicing skills you enjoy, with the faint idea that one day you may be able to use them. You did what you wanted. Her voice wasn’t scolding, but Carlin winced under her words regardless. All that time, your brother toiled to make a change in the world, one that would last. He laid out the road for you to walk. Walk it.

Carlin blinked furiously, before wiping a hand against his eyes and sighing. “You’re right. I know you are.”

“Change takes time,” Elzio said. He hadn’t known quite how to hop into the conversation before, not without being tactless. Echo hadn’t either, but that hadn’t stopped her. “Maybe you’re right, maybe this generation of people will reject their freedom because they lost their nexi. But unless another nexus does come around, that discontent will fade.”

“And what are the odds that happens?” Carlin’s face, now hopeful, turned to Echo.

I do not know. I would have to meditate on it.

This was, perhaps, the most fascinating thing about Echo. Her knowledge of nexi was innate and required her pondering to unlock. Neither Echo nor Elzio knew if this unlocking came with levels or if it simply was a matter of meditation.

“Let’s keep this moving,” Elzio said. “I think we have to take up Ashlight on her offer. We can’t solo Deluuth.”

“Right.” Carlin took a steadying breath. “Then if we do defeat Deluuth, that would leave Genyl in charge of the continent?”

This wasn’t something Elzio had considered before, but the idea wasn’t unpleasant by any means. “I suppose it would.”

Do you think this is all a ploy from Ashlight to gain control? Echo’s question was directed solely to Elzio.

That would be a century long con, he responded. Unless you’re claiming her attempts at creating peace and progress in Genyl was just to coax other nations into joining her, but given how unsuccessful that was until we arrived, I feel as though it isn’t.

Unless she did see us coming and simply lied about us being blindspots. Echo wasn’t letting this go.

By that argument, Elzio said, everything we’re doing is playing into her hand! There’s no way to win if you assume they’re lying about everything and this is all some power play.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

That is how we must think if dealing with nexi. You will learn that in time.

Elzio didn’t respond except to sigh, a little too loud.

“I don’t!” Carlin put up his hands. “Look, the people here have been happy since Ashlight first took on the role of advisor. That’s been almost two centuries.”

Damn. While Elzio was talking with Echo, the conversation with Carlin and Syrene had continued, and now he was lost.

“Sorry, no, I wasn’t annoyed with you,” Elzio said, massaging his temples. “I think leaving the continent in Ashlight’s hands is wise.”

Syrene smiled, tipping her head. “Of course. We were just speculating whether Fathina had a child, or if the gift had been passed down otherwise.”

Ah, so that’s where they’d taken the conversation. It was a good question. “I’ll ask when we return. But even if they don’t, that doesn’t mean Ashlight wouldn’t be a good steward over the people.”

“Would you all mind if I actually went and asked some more direct questions tomorrow?” Carlin asked, yawning. “Now that we know they actually want to work with us, I don’t need to be nearly as subtle. We want to know who we’ll be fighting with.”

“I think that’s wise,” Syrene said. “Elzio, I assume you’ll want to meet with their head of tactics. Perhaps spend the morning learning more about their political situation. I’ll be up at dawn to research more about multi nexi alliances, and then we can convene in the later afternoon to do some preliminary planning.”

“Perfect.” Elzio smiled, beyond pleased with how the day had gone. “If that’s the case…” He trailed off, less pleased now as Syrene rose from Carlin’s bed and moved to her own. “I suppose we’ll need to get an early sleep.” Syrene had barely even scratched the surface of her research, and Elzio desperately wanted to learn what she had discovered.

“In the morning,” she said, reading his disappointment. “I’m not going anywhere.”

But that clock was still ticking in his mind. If they fought Deluuth and things went south, he might very well die before learning everything the world had to offer, and that just wouldn’t do.

—

Ashlight and Fathina wasted no time in jumping into the details of their planning meeting the moment all parties convened. Their rush confused Elzio at first; with nations unwilling and unprepared to ever actually enter war with each other, there didn’t seem much to lose from taking their time.

Then he noticed the amount of guards around the room. Around Fathina specifically. He noticed how anxious she seemed, the way her hands fidgeted, her eyes darting about, how she jumped at small noises. Was there someone she expected? Was she setting them up?

But she didn’t really look guilty. She looked just afraid, even as the other party members entered, even as she smiled and nodded through all of their introductions. Finally, once Syrene arrived, Fathina rose and smiled.

“I’m going to fetch our heroes’ team lead, who is typically in charge of managing our arenas.” As she turned, a large squadron of guards followed her.

Carlin shifted, a sad look in his eyes as she left. “She must be constantly on edge.”

“I don’t understand why,” Elzio said. “Deluuth isn’t going to attack their capital city.”

“The city? No. Their councilors?” Carlin tucked a knee up on the chair, propping his chin on it. “After what they did in Ythrel, everyone knows Deluuth isn’t playing by the rules. Killing a councilor like that? Genyl’s worried they’ll come for Fathina.”

“Ah.” That made sense. “And she’d be the perfect target. She’s their most valuable asset, and the niece of the nexus. The strategic and emotional blow from her death would be even worse than that of your brother’s.”

An exasperated sigh escaped Syrene’s mouth, something Elzio noticed before he even registered the crestfallen look on Carlin’s face. Elzio wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do here. Assure Carlin that his brother’s death had also been a strategic and emotional blow? Was he not even able to compare the fallouts of various deaths without being expected to strategically watch his every word?

He was spared responding as Fathina returned, this time with a man about a decade Elzio’s senior.

The man nodded briskly at Echo, and then at Elzio and the others. “It’s good to finally meet you,” he said. “My name is Athin. I’ve been a hero in Genyl for over fifteen years and have overseen most of the arena crafting in that time.”

Elzio’s eyes flicked across the man as he pulled up his stats.

Athin Cragslit: Level 16 Swordsman

Level 5 Tank

Strength: 40

Intelligence: 17

Agility: 34

Fortitude: 40

Hit Points Pool: 950

Endurance Pool: 950

Mana Pool: 755

Certainly an impressive stats list, though Elzio had to again thank his blessed stars that he had recruited Syrene. Her 27 levels scattered across so many fields more than made up for her lack of battle experience.

Athin joined Fathina and Elzio’s party around a table, on which a holographic image of a nexus arena shone. It put Pyrthet’s similar setup to shame regarding sheer amount of detail, and the arena itself put anything he and Echo had spun up to further shame.

Not that Elzio was complaining. It was fantastic to have a real, full sized holograph to work with.

“To start,” Fathina said, “we must determine the rules regarding multiple nexi fighting alongside each other. Whether points may be pooled or if we will have to work with our own individual points.”

Syrene cleared her throat. “I’ve done some research on that over the past few days. I’m sure you have as well, and I’m sure the nexi in the room have their own takes on the situation, but I do believe that while an arena may host multiple nexi, pooling resources may be impossible.”

Fathina’s lips pressed together grimly. “You’ve read that specifically?”

“Not quite.” Syrene slipped a book out of her bag and flipped it open to a marked page. “What I have noted is that, in the case of Alayex versus the Brithinne brothers, the Brithinnes were unable to help each other.” Her eyes darted over the page as she read aloud. “But alas, upon the knowledge that one brother had specialized to fight and the other defend, Alayex was able to target the weakest of the towers and force down the victory.” She looked up, green eyes somber. “That battle is one of the only cases where multiple nexi coordinated in a single attack, and it is, as far as I’ve seen, the best recorded.”

I had not thought to consider the Brithinne brothers.

Syrene’s eyes widened at the rumbling voice of Ashlight, and Elzio had to remember that even though the woman was learned and leveled, she’d never interacted with a high powered nexus like this.

Their attempt to achieve universal domination was short-lived. That battle ended disastrously for them, both dying at level 10. Barely worth note. But Ashlight sounded far from dismissive. Rather, she sounded intrigued. They exist deep in the recesses of my memory. I will do what I can to bring that knowledge to my awareness.

Next to him, Elzio could feel Echo’s own light pulse with a tremor he couldn’t quite place.

Something on your mind? he asked directly.

I am very curious as to her tactic for unlocking her memory. Echo sounded pensive. But I will ask another time, if at all. We must focus.

It was one of the only times Elzio had heard Echo speak about the future. About improving and learning, not just unlocking her innate nexus intelligence but also finding new tactics. He smiled to himself as he turned back to the battle planning.

They were both going to survive this.