Chapter 1054 Why are you telling me all of this?

Chapter 1054 Why are you telling me all of this?

Joannia revealed their worries and future prospects with a monotone, slightly depressed voice.

"What about the people of New Hope?" Jane asked a question, that also interested Seth.

"We brought whoever wished to leave with us. The rest will have to rely on the giants for protection," Joanna answered with a clear conscience. She wasn't able to do anything about the people that refused to leave.

"I see. Before you make the final decision, do you know how the system of Minas Mar works?" Seth finally asked, satisfied with her answers. Her slightly clueless look was answer enough. She may have heard rumors from people on the streets, but those people didn't know what emigrating to Minas Mar as such a big group really entailed.

Feeling prompted, Jane began to explain.

"You have to think of Minas Mar more as a gated community than a district. What we do is offer a safe living environment to the people, in exchange we require rent.

Minas Amr has no centralized governance; each Tree Station is self-governing in nature.

Apart from requiring and supporting the enforcement of Common District Civil Laws, Minas Mar does not intervene in, or take over duties of governance."

"Though we maintain the right to kick out anyone we don't like," Seth interrupted the legal text with a quick

commentary.

"In addition, there are various duties to be upheld by the governing body of a tree station, to ensure the maintenance of a healthy community..." Jane got back in the monologue when Joannia wildly waved her hand a requested a break.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked slightly exasperated.

Of course, nothing was written in stone. Joannia had many options, that didn't encompass joining Minas Mar. Another option was for her people to disperse among the various tree stations, settling wherever they liked it the most.

"You are right. We should talk about this in more detail after the games," Seth agreed with her. Farewells were shared and Joannia left, followed by her five guards. When the commander and her guards left, Leana turned to Seth.

"Let me guess, you will leave the further negotiations to us?" she asked, seeing more work sailing toward her on the horizon.

"Who else? Me? I fully trust you two with this. If she still hesitates, keep sweetening the deal until she agrees that she and her team become a subsidiary guild of Minas Mar."

There was no debate about whether, or how to recruit them, Leana was just complaining about the work contribution. Though he didn't advocate to change it, it was good to have an important task. If Seth had not spoken up, she would have definitely tried to invite them. An advanced air force with high-powered weapons was incredibly valuable for various reasons.

"If you would excuse me, I will go back to spending the remaining two days with Mina," Seth said with a smile and left, too.

...

---Gamma, Arget Nore---

The time was finally here, the Pythian game would happen soon. His withered, cold hand strokes the grimoire in his arms. The first attempt was a failure, but he still had their support. With the materials they gave him, he would be able to finally do it.

The 77th spell, carved into the black stone pages of the book. It needed a lot of preparations and rare, sanctified materials, but he had finally done it. In front of him stood a stone door, formed from gray, dim rock and covered in pictograms. Golden tablets framed the door, and there was an ident, that fit the stone page of his grimoire. He stepped closer to it and started chanting from the book, as he slowly and deliberately walked around the door in well-measured steps.

Had his heart not stopped a long time ago, it would be beating in excitement right now. With this ritual he would unleash a force Arget Nore would not be able to cope with, no matter how many golems they bought. This time he would rise and crush those vermin that dared to grasp for hope.

He would show them the darkness of the world.

The darkness....