The Astral Throne has stalled its persistent bloodline degradation ritual. We do not know why and how it has escaped our notice but suspect it has instead started casting a variant ritual. Deciphering the new environmental manadraw will be critical to understand the potential lasting effects. Regardless, it has spared us the military strength we will need when the Spearbreaker is set loose. The seal continues to weaken and there may only be several centuries remaining before war once again arrives at our doorstep. We must cull the Spearbreaker’s residual forces and weaken his foundations while we have the chance.

  – Director of Prospero Station, 25th Centennial Leadership Summit - Cazoran

  Chapter 10 – Elite Transition

  Toki hunched over a worn oak table, her slender fingers tracing the dense language sprawled across the contract before her. Golgheim had not wasted a moment after their spar to understand the details of her predicament. The contract now rippled under his touch - a system draft contract was akin to an item, granting it the ability to be seen, negotiated, and updated collaboratively unlike many system items.

  Elara said not to blame him, but I can’t help it. He knows way more than he’s telling me. He’s right about one thing though - I need to get stronger. I need to stop running.

  The light from the single enchanted orb above cast shadows that flickered across Golgheim’s face. He leaned in and sounded out the language of a specific contract clause; his face etched with lines of concern but also wisdom. They sat inside the cozy common area of Golgheim’s estate. He calls it an estate, but it’s really a glorified cabin. Very glorified. How come he even needs a cabin! He’s a fucking planet…

  Toki was frustrated. Golgheim had dropped a bomb on her and now refused to explain the details of his past. The only thing that Golgheim said was that, long ago, they had powerful enemies – many even stronger than the Falkori.

  "Clause twelve," Toki mused, tapping the document impatiently, "it seems innocent, but there's a subtext here that could be exploited." Her voice carried the tremor of curiosity, tempered by the frustration of the night's partial answers.

  Golgheim nodded, his eyes reflecting a galaxy of thought. "Aye, it’s true. Any further syslitigation would force you to use Law Cats again, regardless of the outcome here.”

  Meaning if the dragons destroy Aris and I survive, I still have to use Law Cats as my lawyers… that’s an elfshit deal.

  He continued, “For us, this is not particularly relevant. If you lock into this current rate, it will carry over even if you gain leverage by growing stronger."

  Like this, both Toki and Golgheim amended the traps within the contract and their conversation ebbed and flowed. It was an intricate blend of Toki’s curiousity and Golgheim’s experience. Around them, the stacks of paper notes continued to rise higher, witnessing the covenant being woven clause by meticulous clause.

  Toki was curious why Golgheim had this much experience, but she assumed that through his long life, he must have used lawyers before. Amidst the deliberations, Toki reached for the manamelon that sat, incongruously bright, amidst the drab sea of documentation. Her hunger from the previous day had spilled over—Golgheim had fed her after her stomach rumbled for the fifth time.

  The fruit, her dessert, looked as if it contained a piece of the night sky itself, stars captured within its translucent skin. As she took a bite, the flesh yielded with a satisfying snap, releasing a cascade of flavors—both sweet and tangy—that pirouetted upon her tongue. A dribble of juice, luminescent as liquid moonlight, traced a meandering path down her chin

  Mother taught me to savor them, she recalled, her gaze momentarily distant. Memories unfurled within her mind, tender vignettes of shared laughter and the simple joy of splitting a manamelon on a swing set. These were among only a few memories Toki had with her mother – Margaret Twice had left before her eighth year, stolen away by pirates they said. They refused to give any details. They being everyone. Toki believed they felt guilty, but she couldn’t get a straight answer from anyone.

  Though the manamelon's sweetness lingered, Toki wiped away the errant droplet, her whimsical smile a fleeting ghost as she refocused on the task at hand. The surge of mana from the fruit would strengthen her aethercore, the crux of her mana capabilities. She felt the energy coursing through her and a wave of joy flooded her senses. “Manafruit are contagious. Be warned!”—mother’s saying.

  Golgheim saw her smile and started lecturing, “Alabaster Ring is known as one of the prime exporters of manafruit and supplies the rest of the world with them, did you know that? I’m sure the air-galleons are preparing to leave now with our harvests. You have dealing with the Partridge family, no?”

  Toki did know – she had personal experience in the business. She also knew that without manafruit, most forgers would have rather weak capabilities. Allie Ring’s lucky because these fruits prosper at higher elevation, there’re only a handful of areas on the planet in which they can be grown.

  Her eyes sparkled as she nodded to Golgheim, an effervescent excitement bubbling in her voice, "It was a poor yield this year, though. By the way, did I tell you about the Luck I won from Dutch Eternal? Do you think it matters for the contract?" She continued, "it was a bounty reward after… you know." Her words danced despite the circumstance.

  Golgheim leaned back, his chair creaking softly under the shift of weight. His brows arched in genuine surprise, a testament to the notion that even the most composed could be caught off guard. "Luck? From Dutch? I suppose she must have had some run-ins with the dynasty. They are system sovereign over most of this zone. It would make sense that they targeted some of the dragons. Unexpected." His tone was a blend of incredulity and avid interest, a scholar suddenly presented with an unforeseen epiphany.

  "Yeah," Toki affirmed, the corners of her mouth twitching in a wry smile. "I suddenly have over 300."

  "Huhhh!" Golgheim exclaimed, almost falling out of his chair. Toki could see his mind immediately turning over the implications with the frantic shuffling of notes. "Such a reward! Unheard of! My old friend only had a little more when… and they were… well that was a time long ago. We must ensure it is spent wisely." He steepled his fingers, in comic transition, his demeanor returning to one of solemn instruction. "Let us explore the details of the skill shop, shall we?"

  Toki nodded. Inside her mind she chuckled.

  "Support skills are some of our most foundational tools in building our path, but we don’t use our own mana for them. Isn’t that strange? In fact, your [Telekinesis] is the same. You can control five objects for 20% of your ambient manadraw each. Essentially, you’re siphoning off the mana that naturally cycles through your aethercore to power these support skills.”

  He continued, “For [Telekinesis], since you haven’t 50-capped yet and you didn’t invest into intelligence, your force capacity is fairly limited and the telekinesis is weak. In a sense, these support skills are similar to enchantments in that they use mana from the environment. I have debated many hours on whether to call them support skills, guideweave, fractals, or wavefunctions. They—" he was cut off by Toki.

  “Yeah, yeah. I know this. Support skills use ambient mana alone. Bloodline… er… Dao-Bound skills use mana from our aethercore.”

  “That’s right, our aethercore is like a battery and is always being charged by the environment. These special Dao-Bound skills are far more important than you may realize – not only because they use your personal mana, though. You know they also use intent from your soul as well. These skills are truly manifestations of yourself.”

  Toki frowned. She knew very well. Unfortunately, all her Twice flame was good for was helping her with enchantments. “Enchantments use ambient intent and ambient mana.”

  “It is a nice duality. Everything that exists within us also exists in the world. But when we use our personal intent, from the soul, or mana, from our aethercore, how can it make such a difference – the avenues for research are endless… I would test the effect on ench…

  I’ve heard this a thousand times. Golgheim continued on his own. Intent IS complicated though; how do our souls reside in the Primal if our bodies are here? I’ve always wondered… And where is our aethercore? I feel the connection but have no idea where it is.

  Golgheim nodded, "each support skill imbues its bearer with great capabilities. I’d imagine the dynasty’s skill shop is grander than our own, but we have our own excellent selections.”

  Toki absorbed the words. She found herself eager to try new skills. [Telekinesis] had given her exceptional control in applying mana to external objects. It was necessary for many of her enchantments. She had only held back choosing new ones this long because of the recent chaos. That and speaking to this old man. He can be helpful sometimes… I guess.

  Toki knew that it was Golgheim and Elara that had guided her in the first place. She wouldn’t be half the enchanter she was without both of them.

  “Pull up the skill shop, I’ll share my thoughts. Filter for 50-luck purchases only.” Golgheim commenced with a meticulous exposition of the various skills available for purchase, each description laced with clarity and precision.

  “I’ll start with [Telekinesis], [Telepathy], and [Advanced Mana Control]. All are connection skills to strengthen your aethercore. I know you aren’t the supporting type—the intricacies of [Telepathy] are wasted on you. With it, you can create fantastic and large-scale skills by linking your own aethercore to other people’s aethercores. Shame, really. The effects are truly marvelous.” He disappointingly nodded his head.

  Then he continued, “you already have [Telekinesis], but I also suggest [Advanced Mana Control]. This will let you tune the mana draw from both your support skills and your Dao-Bound skills. Perhaps we can learn more about your mysterious fire when you are able to push more mana into your bloodline ability and with a greater degree of control.”

  Toki considered. A risk that it might be wasteful. But… my fire could do something! If it could, that would be amazing! Why didn’t Elara recommend this instead of telekinesis?

  Toki immediately bought [Advanced Mana Control]. “Done, bought it!”

  “Wait, wait, wait! Don’t buy anything else. You did not let me finish, foolish girl! We can use your purchases to set a trap in the contract.”

  “How does this affect the contract?”

  “Oh dearie, just you wait.” Golgheim had a sinister smile. Must be tweaking after getting conned by grandmother.

  “Let’s continue.”

  “Each of these additional skills was found or developed by my faction long ago. I suggest you stay away from [Bloodline Deviation]. It is intended for people with far weaker bloodlines. The Twice bloodline has existed long before the system and even I know little of its capabilities. It would be a waste to break it down.”

  Toki knew he purposefully didn’t mention the Authority she possessed. Whatever its function, it was meaningful to the Twice clan and held a large degree of power. As she half-listened, Toki had already started playing with [Advanced Mana Control].

  She reached for her connection to her aethercore and visualized the mana flowing into it. There was an endless flow into and out of the core. She took a portion of the inflow and instead directed it towards a nearby inkwell. She applied the system function for the support skill, [Telekinesis], and observed the differences while controlling the floating inkwell.

  It certainly improvs my control.

  Toki experimented by pushing the limit of [Telekinesis] to 30% and then to 60% manadraw, effectively pulling away the majority of the mana influx into the core instead into the inkwell. In turn, the connection felt strong – like a grip now, compared to a pinch before. If you pinched an inkwell, you’d constantly feel like you might drop it. Now was not the case.

  Wonderous.

  He paused to let Toki acknowledge, then resumed, “Both [Intent Refinement] and [Condensation] would be valuable for you. [Condensation] will improve your combat capabilities far quicker while [Intent Refinement] is more suited for your enchantment – it may also assist you in tuning your fire as well.”

  “Toki.” He rapped the table.

  “Yes. I’m listening.”

  “Good. I seem to be missing something.” Golgheim spoke to himself. “What was it.”

  “Nothing, you were talking about how we can trap Law Cats.”

  “That’s not it. But it will come back to me. Anyways, an addition to our contract," Golgheim proposed, leaning forward, his hands clasped atop the scattered notes. "We will add an elite transition clause."

  "Elite?" A single brow arched above Toki's right eye.

  "Indeed, it balances the value of the contract by placing a bet on yourself. It permits a larger portion of your reward to be claimed by Law Cats upfront—up to sixty percent instead of forty. The details don’t matter, but it’ll likely be through various performance benchmarks," he explained, his steady gaze meeting hers across the table's expanse. "In exchange, it offers a lifetime benefit at a significantly lower rate for you in all future dealings. It is the embodiment of investment, securing prosperity beyond the immediate horizon."

  “What’s the catch?” There’s always a catch.

  “It’s a trick for lawyers to catch arrogant youths who dream of power. Most people die before having another legal battle. You don’t think killing a dragon is common, do you?”

  The house always win… huh… “And I won’t?”

  “No, not anymore Tokyo. Once you purchase the third skill, everything will change. Mortals do not claim bounties of over 200 luck. They die trying.”

  His eyes have changed. What is it? Greed? No, that’s not it. Suddenly they are less heavy.

  Toki smiled then sidestepped, "sixty percent?" The number lingered in the air, heavy with implication. "Isn’t that a lot? And the lifetime benefit... will I even need it?" She trailed off, her mind alight with the strategic calculations. “I don’t really want to go out to face something crazy like Dutch ever again.”

  "You will most certainly need it. Especially now. Start with 30% and go as high as 70% while negotiating.” He continued in a whisper and balled his fists, “fate, indeed, is a cruel temptress."

  He added, “In killing a stage-two bounty, I’m sure your reward is worthwhile. It would probably catapult you well beyond your mortality. But there are plenty of powerful people in the universe, Tokyo. I’ve learned this the hard way. This clause is double-edged but it will be worth it. Believe me. If you survive now, you will always need a lawyer."

  "If you think the elite transition clause will help us, then let’s put it in. I have no idea what I’m missing out on anyways. The system hasn’t even told me the reward."

  "Very well," Golgheim consented, pride and concern mingling in his expression. "Let's add it in. Let’s also put clause twelve back in." As his hand moved to draw up the new terms, they seemed to bear the weight of countless similar pacts, each one a testament to the balance of ambition and sacrifice.

  "Remember, Toki," he said softly, "these choices we sow now will define your future for good or bad. I know Law Cats will treat you well. But be careful. Not everyone is as nice as Marshmallow."

  How does he know Marsha?

  Golgheim added solemnly. "Do not reveal that I helped you until after the agreement is signed. To think you would choose the same path… perhaps there is more to it….”

  Strange. “Why?”

  He waved her off the topic.

  As they bent over the parchment, their dialogue continued. Amendments were readjusted to fit the new information and the conversation became a litany of what-ifs and how-tos, each sentence weaving the contract tighter and stronger.

  "Remember," Golgheim whispered, his hand pausing mid-stroke, "these trap clauses are important, don’t draw attention to them."

  "Do you know who you’re talking to? I am Elara’s granddaughter," Toki affirmed. "I’ll make sure it ends up B-grade!"

  “Heh, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

  Toki looked at the timer.

  “Thirty minutes left.”

  Golgheim's gaze lifted from the contract, and he peered at Toki with a furrowed brow. "Tokyo," he began, his voice tinged with gentle admonition, "We've been toiling over these terms for hours. Maybe you should prepare before the meeting, no? A fresh robe might make an impression."

  Toki looked up, a smudge of ink gracing her cheek like a misplaced badge of honor. Her white hair was a nimbus of disarray. "There's no time for vanity, Golgheim," she retorted, her tone laced with sarcasm but underscored by fatigue. "The contract demands our full attention."

  "Indeed, it does," he conceded, leaning back in his chair, the leather creaking in agreement. "But it also requires you to present yourself as the formidable forger you are. Perception is as powerful a weapon as any clause we draft here."

  "Perception won't change the nature of our agreement," Toki snapped, her focus unwavering as she reviewed their work.

  "Perhaps not," Golgheim replied, his voice soft yet insistent. "Yet it will influence how others perceive your commitment to this accord. You mustn't forget the role of appearances in the theatre of negotiation."

  Toki sighed, her resistance crumbling. "Fine, to tell the truth…" she acquiesced, pushing back from the table and rising to her feet. "I haven’t cleaned up because I want her to underestimate me. She is sharp. I can only hope to sway her with grit and ruse. If I look polished, I might as well tell her that our traps are real."

  "Hmph, you are Elara’s grandchild after all. Lay my mind at ease and keep vigor of the mind at least, dear girl," he said, a smile warming his features. “These dragons are certainly a threat, but they will take time to arrive here from the Floating Isles – in that time, we can prepare, and hopefully Marshmallow can block their entry.”

  “I’ll rest. I don’t think we have anything else to go over now anyways.” Toki spent her remaining time in the guise of ‘rest’ preparing her story. She didn't want to argue. The time was spent in thought about how to deliver the proposed changes to the contract and how best to equalize the power dynamic between her and Marsha. Toki was cold, still a little hungry, but ready.

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