“I hope you will consider my offer Mr. Manager,” the Elder said, “It’s tiring to keep standing at this age.”

Alex stood still. It was the most incredible conversation he had ever had. The Elder catman answered a lot of the questions he had. But dumped him with a lot of uncertainties as well.

“I will let you know after I talk with the Goddess,” Alex replied tersely.

One thing was for sure, the Elder wasn’t a caster. But he did have some kind of Bio-rune on him. The Elder had, what could only be, perception enhancement artefacts of some sort. Even though he couldn’t sense any mana, he knew which way to dodge when Captain Zavin shot an air-missile!

“The King will be pleased,” the Elder said with a slight bow. The Elder turned around to the back of the tent. The Elder knocked on the sheet-wall and a secret exit appeared.

“Wait, before you leave,” Alex suddenly spoke, “how do you know to speak my language?”

The Elder stopped and turned around. Leaning his torso on the walking stick he said, “We heard of this Goddess Nekya that had come down from the sky and taken the Kingdom of Scown in the north. Catfolks from Scown reached our gates more than a year ago. And the previous King ordered me to learn the Goddess' words. We saw this Goddesses strength and wanted to establish talks.”

“Oh,” Alex mouthed. Obviously the plan had not gone according to plan.

“Don’t pity our King, Mr. Manger. The King will rise again. It will be best for everyone if it is not against your Goddess,” the Elder finished and immediately darted out from the shack and disappeared.

The shack felt oddly empty now that the Elder had left. In the quiet, he turned around to leave.

“That old cat is gone, eh?” Captian Zevin spoke. “You know, it’s rude to keep speaking in that cat-tongue when I don’t understand.”

Alex shrugged and replied with a smirk, “Go buy a bio-rune. Who’s stopping you?”

His thoughts kept drifting to the Elder’s offer. It just didn’t make sense.

An offer to meet the deposed royalty. The newly proclaimed king that had escaped from the clutches of Nekya and Devin. This could be his chance to kill the King and end at least one of the rebels in the city. But such an open invitation had him suspecting it was an ambush!

It would be a great win for them. Without the royals, the faction would likely collapse. All he had to do then is sweep up the listless royal-devouts and bring them under his banner. More importantly with them gone, it would just be the True-Nekyans that would be left.

“You’re too smart for your good.”

“Huh?” Alex said, startled.

Captain Zevin’s voice broke him out of his thoughts.

“You think the rest of us are dumb here, eh?”

Alex looked at the Captain in confusion. He said, “What are you talking–”

“I know it was that brat of a Worlder kid that put the Leypoint there. She wanted to look flashy, ain’t it?” Captain Zevin said, his thick brows creased and his face warped into a frown.

“Now wait for a minute. Why would you say–”

Before Alex could finish the sentence, a large fist came flying at his face. He stumbled back, stinging pain on his face.

“This is for trying to hide it from me.”

Alex reflexively raised his arm, and cast [Shield] around his arms. But the blow landed in his gut. He retched in pain, an unfamiliar salty taste filled his mouth.

“And this is for thinking I can’t handle it,” Captain Zevin scoffed.

Alex immediately staggered back. The attacks weren’t fatal. Just bare, punches. But even that felt his body aching. He needed to put some distance between them.

He cast a weaker [Shield] all over his body, and braced himself.

But no attack came. Instead, he watched the Captain dust off his hand as he said, “We’re square.”

Alex didn’t immediately lower his guard. It was fine with him if the Captain wanted to vent. It was better than jeopardized the entire expedition.

“Oh come on, I didn’t hit too hard. Stop pretending like you’re scared, eh?” the Captain said.

Alex finally relaxed.

“I didn’t know how you’d react. And with everything else, I couldn’t risk the expedition anymore.”

Captain Zevin chuckled darkly and said, “Once you get into the line of mercenary work, you quickly realise what assholes Worlders can be. I’ve lost too many people in my life to lose shit over it. They knew what they were getting into, and their families are gonna collect a hefty check.”

It was a depressing thought, but Alex understood the sentiment. Most mages would be happy to risk their lives with the lure of Leycrals. That was one of the main reasons for Academies to start popping up. The stories of mages just a few centuries ago recruiting apprentices and disciples just to throw bodies at the planets were too many.

Captain Zevin ran his hand over his bald head and laughed, “Why didn’t you put up a shield? Your face looks nasty.”

“Let’s just go,” Alex said shaking his head. He touched his bruised face and winced. It was surely going to leave a black-eye.

***

“Open the gates!” a guard roared and the large structure slowly groaned open.

Alex could see the two catfolk guards sneak glances at him. They didn’t know what happened inside the shack, and Alex wasn’t going to volunteer an answer.

As the door ground open, Alex stepped in and left straight his quarters. He needed time to think things through.

Alex didn’t get too far though.

Just as he was about to part ways with Captain Zevin, the retainer appeared out of nowhere. His slick hair combed neatly as he walked with his hands behind his back.

“Mr. Alex, what happened to your face?” Devin said.

Alex shot a peek at Captain Zevin and shrugged, “It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“But–”

“Let it go, Devin. And before I forget. I need the two guards later in the evening. I’m going to visit the Leypoint,” Alex said.

***

Excerpt from The End of the Clone Secrets, 3rd Ed., Digstone Academy Library

In the year 2133, the House of Hivenall and the House of Clayhall went to war over allegations of corporate espionage. While the Hivenhall House had their prized [Cloning] spell, the House of Clayhall held their zealously guarded ‘Golemancy’ secrets.

Both the Houses were renowned for the mastery over their crafts and highly sought after in the entire Kingdom of Savendia. Led by the heads of the two house, the Duke Hivenall and Marquis Clayhall fought to a bitter end.

Although Duke Hivenhall had a larger army, Duke Hivenall was severely limited in the number of clones he could upkeep and maintain mana supply to. On the other hand, Marquis Clayhall managed to deploy thousands of clay Golems. Overwhelmed, and steady being pushed by a lower noble, the Duke even went on to distribute the Hivenhall [Cloning] spell among all his army. But it was too late to turn the tide.

Marquis Clayhall pushed into the Duke’s mage-tower and after a month-long siege, broke into it.

None of the Duke’s family is known to survive. But the war resulted in the [Cloning] spell becoming known to all mages.