Mathew worked quickly making a contract. He needed this to go correctly. His new understanding of how he can use them only went so far. This was like testing a new bullet proof vest by shooting at it while you were wearing it. Dangerously risky.

There was no time to even consider opening his menu. He didn’t need them anyways. This was going to be different. Not only can he have Harrison bear the weight of the contract, he can ensure nobody died. At least, nobody that worked for Mark.

He had continued to use old world methods for contracts in the past. Contracts were powerful because they required a willing participant. Harrison was just greedy enough to let this plan work. So, a new method was needed.

To summarize what Mathew was doing was that his contract wasn’t going to be general blanket terms. Titles were used, full names, entire lines that seemed redundant but fully explained processes. He was putting an over abundance of extra specific things.

If Mathew had to type this up using a computer, it would take him days to have a finished product. That’s not even including checking spelling, grammatical errors, or references used. In half an hour, he created two contracts, both equally as long and convoluted.

There was no way Mathew would ever consider using this contract himself. Even if he was absolutely sure his soul was perfectly healthy. The three he had essentially enslaved on the first floor almost killed him when they started to invoke aspects on the contract. He wanted Harrison to hold all that power on his own soul.

He wasn’t worried in the slightest. Mathew knew if push came to shove, he could break the contract if he was forced to sign it as well. That would be bordering on the deadly side of actions, as he had no clue what the backlash upon himself would be, but it was an option.

With two minutes to spare, Mathew stood up and rolled his shoulders. He had been hunched over double checking a single part of the contracts. “Show time.”

“Mr. Harrison, I am finished if you would like to look it over.” Mathew called out.

“Excellent, let me-” Harrison grabbed the fifty page long contract. He blinked in confusion. “I’m not reading all of this. I thought it would be shorter than this.”

“Contracts are similar to any other crafting hobby. The more time and effort, the better the product. Where time is replaced by length for contracts.”

Harrison scoffed, “And have you hide a part of it? Nonsense. I’ll have you test it out on someone for me, and when it fails I’ll kill you.”

Mathew feigned worry. “There is no need for that. I promise you it’s perfect. Look, there is a line here that makes it so I can’t do anything to you directly. No attacks, spells, or throwing a rock. I can’t even speak negatively to you.” He shuffled to page twenty two, where that exact line is spelt out word for word.

The bald headed man paused. “Hmmm. What else is in here like that?”

“This one here makes it so you are in control as a Manager for lack of better terms.” Mathew didn’t want to use the title ‘Master’ or ‘Enslaver’ when both would have worked much better.

“Everyone who signs this agrees to a series of rules essentially. You hold the power here, nobody can act directly against you. Not without your permission of course. I added that just in case.”

Harrison eyed the stack of papers. “Why would I want that?”

Mathew shrugged, “Can’t be too careful can you? We can also adjust the contract, but that requires everyone to resign it every time. Just don’t have people attack you, and it’s like it’s not even there.”

Turning to the first page, Mathew gestured to an empty space. “I just need your full name and whatever title you wish to go by in this blank space here. That way, only you can use these.”

“And you have no way to break out of these contracts?” Harrison eyed Mathew.

“I do. There has to be an exit, or you give up more control. If you don’t put a lock on a door, then someone can just break the door. Adding a straightforward way out makes the contract stronger.” Mathew continues to explain everything, and truthfully. There was no reason to think this information would be leaving the two of them by the end of the day.

“The exit is to give up all of one’s UC with a minimum of 150,000. They also have to announce it to you verbally. If you are not there to accept it, then it won’t work. You can, of course, always terminate the contract yourself, making both of them entirely nullified.”

“Why would I want that?” Harrison asked.

Mathew sighed, “Contracts are dangerous. They do exactly what they are meant to do. If you want something else, you have to cancel this one, and I can make you a new one. It’s also so I can’t betray you with a loophole. No contract, No Loophole.”

“What about killing? Can you kill me?”

Looking into the man’s brown eyes Mathew told the truth. “If you and I sign this, I can’t kill you. I can’t harm you. There is nothing I can directly do to you in any negative capacity. You have control here. I just want to walk away with my life. That goes for anyone who signs this.”

Harrison smiled. “Good. However, I still want to test this out first.” He glanced over to two of his guards. “Bring over the girl. We can have her test this out for us.”

Mathew kept a neutral face. He expected he would need to sell Harrison on the topic more. Yet, his exact truths paid off. Now came the moment to see if his plans would work or not.

Beth was dragged over, she didn’t put up much of a fight. She stared at Mathew for a moment. Mathew didn’t see betrayal in her eyes like he expected. Instead, there was mischief. “Either she has an idea of what I am doing, or she has her own plans. Please Beth, just let me handle this.”

“Hey there, girly. Sign this.” Harrison handed over the prisoner contract.

She spat in his face. Harrison whipped it over with a hand and wiped the spit off on Beth's clothes. “Alright then, either you sign this, or I kill three others. Your choice.”

Mathew looked down at her. “Just sign it Beth. You will be fine. Trust me. Nobody here is dying if I have a say in it. I just need this idiot to sign my contract. He signs, it’s over.”

Beth looked up at Harrison with anger, then at Mathew. “Bastard, why are you helping him?”

Mathew shrugged, “My life for all of yours. Seems like a fair trade to me. I'd rather not die, but I have no clue who anyone really here is. Plus, it sounds like whoever is in charge of your group is a right up asshole. I bet he deserves to die.”

Harrison grabbed Beth by her hair, “Sign.”

Beth growled, but signed.

“Did it work?” Harrison asked. “There were no lights, no magic, nothing.”

Mathew couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. “There won’t be, but you need to sign as well. A menu box will show up confirming it via The Council.”

“You sign it instead then.” Harrison said.

“If you insist.” Mathew said a little too eagerly. He went to sign but Harrison spoke up.

“Wait no. I’ll sign it. You sign it at the bottom where she did. So you are both captured by me.”

Mathew paused. “Which is it. Want me to sign it, and test it out for you, and have to create an entirely new one, or, sign at the bottom with the woman?”

Harrison didn’t hesitate, “Sign at the bottom.”

Mathew did. Next was Harrison. Blue boxes popped up, and Mathew knew he won then and there.

“Excellent. If you want to test it out…” He gestured toward Beth.

Harrison looked at her. “Stand up.”

Beth did so, with a bit of a surprise on her face.

“Jump up and down.” Beth did so twice. Stopping on her own accord.

Harrison grined evilly. “Put your hands above your head, don’t put them down till I say so.” As she did, he walked away from her. “This is great. What are the limits there Val?”

“You can’t have them directly harm themselves, or do anything too drastically against their will. That will cause problems. I have clauses that if they go against your orders, there are varying punishments, but the punishment must match the order. It’s not perfect, as my skills are not there yet, but in time, I could make a stronger one.”

Harrison put a hand on Mathew’s shoulder. “I think you will do just that. However, just in case, you can't attack me, or harm me at all. No funny business either.”

Mathew felt the compulsion to follow Harrison’s orders. Yet, he subtly knew, he could fight them, go against the orders. He just nodded, “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of it. What will you do now? Start killing people?”

“Killing them? Ha! No, I have better plans. Imagine Mark's face as his entire group stands against him, behind me. It will blow his mind!”

“That seems a bit much doesn’t it? Wouldn’t he just mow down his own people?” Mathew asked, knowing there was no point in asking. He didn’t care for Harrison’s reasons.

“Probably, but then his own people will want to fight back. It’s poetic justice.”

Mathew just idly nodded. He followed Harrison as he forced everyone to sign the contract. Surprisingly, almost nobody caused a ruckus. A few did, and were eventually persuaded to sign. Mathew found it odd, but Harrison didn’t.

What took Mathew for even more of a surprise was that Harrison forced his own people to sign it as well. He half expected it, but not until much later. It far exceeded his expectations, and only further helped him.

Mathew’s heart started to beat faster as more people signed. Once everyone signed, there was only one thing left to do. That was to wait.

Thanks to his work, nobody was killed. Harrison wanted everyone alive to force Mark to fight them, or worse, fight through them to get to him and his goons.

An hour went by, and Mathew felt something fall into his lap. He looked down to see a small slip of paper. He looked left and right. Nobody was around him to do it. Mathew subtly opened it up.

“Cover your ears once the signal starts.”

Mathew knew it came from Mark. Someone with invisibility powers, or the ability to move objects. If they can teleport them, then he would want to meet that person.

Looking toward Harrison, Mathew did nothing to show he was waiting for a mysterious signal. The man looked happy. Pleased that he believes everything is going his way.

A clapping sound echoed through the cavern. Walking forward into the light was Mark, wearing his full combat gear, minus a helmet. “Well, when I took care of the trash, I expected to not smell it anymore. Yet, it still lingers in the air. You wouldn’t be responsible for that would you?”

He aimed his question at Harrison. “Trash you say? Ha! That’s where you are wrong, Mark. I am here for revenge. Come a little closer, I have a present to show you.”

Mark walked forward with confidence. Harrison just held his arms out, as if presenting something. “Witness the ultimate control I possess over your own people. Everyone! Protect me from Mark.”

Everyone stood up in near unison. Some people moved forward quickly, mostly those who were already here with Harrison, others moved slower or not at all. Mathew didn’t move at all, and fought against the order. It was easy for him to do.

Mathew expected to have to fight more against the order. “Is it because I wrote it? Or something more. Level? Stats? I’m not using any Axioms, but what could it be?”

Harrison sneered and looked back. “Damn it, I said move! Val, why are they not-” His eyes bulge outward. Mathew saw and felt two different things. He was very aware of his soul. Having used nearly a dozen contracts, that connection was something he was familiar with.

Right now, that connection was waning. Fading away as if it never existed. Visually, he watched as Harrison outright died. As soon as he died, Mathew felt the contrat dissolve. The entire contract put the power onto him, and with nobody to hold the other side, a blue box appeared.

Contract with President Harrison Todd is no longer valid.

Mathew stood up and smiled. He summoned a spear to his hands. “Now that your leader is dead. I suggest the rest of you all surrender. I believe you are outnumbered, out gunned, and leaderless.”

His movements were like a gun going off at a track race for everyone else. Twenty people appeared out of side tunnels or from seemingly nowhere. Harrisons goons were quickly killed with only two taken prisoner as they gave up instantly.

Mathew didn’t need to fight, but Jeffery did kill one person who tried to attack him directly. Mark watched idly as his people did their jobs perfectly. Eventually he walked over to Mathew and slightly glared at him.

“I had an entire speech ready to say. The signal was ‘flash’ by the way, not that you care anymore.”

Mathew stretched as if he just did a lot of work. “Sorry, I didn’t expect him to die that easily.”

“So, I have to ask. What did you do to him?” Mark asked.

“Do I have to answer?”

“As much as you want to say. Can someone else use it?”

Mathew thought it over. “I overloaded his soul. Other people could use it, but I doubt anyone can to my level of skill. It isn’t something that comes to mind without feeling the effects yourself.”

Mark stared at Mathew for a long moment. “Fine, I’m thankful for what you did. Nobody died because of you. If you want anything as thanks, let me know.”

“Actually, I have a few things in mind.” Mathew pulled out a much smaller contract than the one he gave Harrison. This wasn’t to control anything, it was a trade agreement.

Mark raised an eyebrow at the contract. “Funny, I was told everyone signed a contract, including Harrison, and he died. Plan to kill me too?”

“You and I both know that isn’t the truth. If you believed I could trick you like that, then you really forgot who I am.”

Mark sighed. “Sorry, I’m too used to dealing with Jon’s antics. He thinks everyone is out to kill me. Rightfully so. I’ve had ten attempts on my life in the past three months. Two of which were here. Not including Harrison or his brother. People who were close. Members of the clan I’m building.”

He looked over the three page document. “A Hearth Crystal? Why on earth would you want one of mine for? Unless…Damn it, you got the quest too?”

Mathew expected Mark to have the Path to Sovereignty quest as well. “I need one more Hearth Crystal to complete it. I assume you already did?”

Mark nodded, “The next part isn’t as easy to complete. It’s combat based. I can give you one, as a gift for saving, and a unity between our two zones. We can set up an embassy there. Once we figure out long distance travel, it will be easier to figure out. However, there are some other items you have listed I need answers for as well.”

Mathew raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Like what?”

“Why on earth do you need fifty mana cores?”