Eldovian Era 1710, 18th day of the 11th month

"Let me get this straight," Jeremiah sighed as he looked at the warehouse stocked with crates of Evanine Crystals, "You spent four hundred gold to buy 55kg of Evanine Crystals, but they're all useless?"

"I did explain the concept of charged and uncharged crystals to you, didn't I?" asked Rassa.

Jeremiah sighed, "You're getting cocky, kid. I'm still your Captain".

Rassa smirked, "The good news is, Captain, that I've got a way to earn back that money".

"Really, is that what you call spending the other 600 gold I gave you?" Jeremiah asked with a crooked eyebrow.

It'd been three days since Ebony had insisted they go ahead with the plan Rassa had devised. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts to come up with lies, they couldn't hide from Jeremiah. They had to tell him the truth. Or at least part of the truth. But considering Rassa's determination to keep his secrets, he understood that the kid didn't want the limelight, and so agreed to pretend that the skills and ideas were that of a random, unnamed individual that none of them could identify. That was the solution that Ebony had come up with. If Rassa didn't want to draw attention to himself, or those around him, it was the best they could do. At least until they had enough influence to protect themselves.

"What's with all the mirrors?" asked Jeremiah, his eyes wandering around the warehouse, "You didn't look to be the vain type".

"I told you that charging the crystals takes natural phenomenon," Rassa replied, "You can't use crystals to charge other crystals, but that doesn't mean you can't cause those phenomena to occur yourself".

"Last time I checked, Mirrors cracked under lightning strikes," Jeremiah stated.

"I'm not trying to charge crystals with lightning, it'd be crude and unmanageable," Rassa replied.

"Then what are you charging them with?" asked Jeremiah.

"I'm only charging one for now," Rassa said, "You'll see when I manage to set it up, then shortly after, I'll earn you back your thousand gold and then some".

Jeremiah looked at Rassa for a long moment before shaking his head, "I don't like the mystery around you kid. But even if I don't like it, I can't help but be intrigued".

"You know what you promised," Rassa warned.

"I know, keep you out of the limelight," Jeremiah replied, "Give me some results and I can start my own work".

"Before the start of the Festival, you'll get your money back then," Rassa said.

"And the extra?" asked Jeremiah.

"Well, you did say I had to make my own money," Rassa replied.

Jeremiah's eyes narrowed, "Those are Token products kid, you aren't thinking of stealing the profits are you?"

"Well, not all of them. I'll split it with you, 50% each," Rassa said.

Jeremiah blanched. The gall of this kid, he'd underestimated him.

"Do you really think that I'd agree to-"

"Without my idea, you'll get nothing back and have wasted a thousand gold," Rassa chimed in.

Jeremiah sighed, gathering his inner strength to not pummel the hooded fiend before him.

"70-30," Jeremiah proposed confidently.

"I'm not negotiating," Rassa deadpanned.

Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he stared down the kid. But those dark eyes were determined, there would be no moving him. And beyond that determination, Jeremiah could see something else. Something that he was reluctant to admit scared him. The old Captain indeed questioned for a moment whether he'd made a deal with a dark god. Because if Jeremiah didn't agree to this, then the kid would take all the profits beyond the thousand gold, and there was nothing Jeremiah could do to stop him.

"Fine, 50% each. But I want it in writing," Jeremiah replied.

Rassa shrugged, looking nonchalant, "I'll get Ebony to write out a contract and bring it to you".

Jeremiah left with an angry gait.

Aegin emerged from the shadows in the corner of the warehouse, "Didn't think you'd make Jeremiah bend so easily".

Rassa raised an eyebrow, "I can make an Emperor bend if I'm in the mood to. Lucky for them I don't have such ambitions".

Aegin believed him.

"Just money then?" asked Aegin.

"Got no need for anything else for now," Rassa replied.

Aegin nodded, indicating to the mirrors, "Explain why we need so many mirrors again? Because Jeremiah was right about one thing, I didn't think you were this vain either".

Rassa rolled his eyes, "You don't want me to explain, remember?"

"Well, if you explain things in a way that didn't make my head hurt, I might be inclined to listen," Aegin replied with a smirk.

"It hasn't happened yet," Rassa stated.

"Doesn't mean it won't," Aegin pointed out.

Rassa sighed, "Evanine Crystals, Elemental Crystals, are one of the most versatile materials you can find in this world. Not only can they be imbued with elemental abilities given the right circumstances, but they can also be persuaded to perform roles assigned to them with the help of the Mist".

"You mean the Mist that charges them?" asked Aegin. Rassa nodded before Aegin continued, "I thought you said these weren't charged".

"They're not charged with elemental energy," Rassa corrected, "They're still charged with plenty of Mist. All that's left is to give that Mist a purpose".

"Which is where the mirrors come in?" asked Aegin.

"Not quite," Rassa smiled, he found it amusing to watch Aegin connect the dots, "In order to give the crystals purpose, they need to be told what their job is, you do that by inscribing runes into its surface".

"And you said that chipping away at it wasn't sufficient," Aegin replied.

"Not if you want it to be effective," Rassa said, "The best way is to burn your instructions into the surface, that's where the mirrors come in".

"So you're going to use the mirrors to write that rune thing on the crystals?" asked Aegin.

"No, I'm going to use the mirrors to make a tool that can write the runes into the crystals," Rassa replied, "What many people fail to realise is that light is one of the most powerful elements there is, capable of far more than just healing and prayers. Light, if focused properly, can cut through even the hardest materials".

"Even anthrite?" asked Aegin.

Rassa paused at the name of the metal that had caged him for so long, but nodded all the same, "Yes, even anthrite".

Aegin grinned excitedly, "See, that wasn't so hard".

Rassa smiled, "Help me move these mirrors into position".

Rassa moved towards the pile of mirrors they'd brought and Aegin followed.