Lisa realized that the atmosphere in the Archmage’s laboratory was becoming too tense under the weight of the biological discoveries about Lohan. The gleam in Yrneha’s eyes, already intense the first few times they met, now seemed even more dangerous, and for the Vice-President of Astralis Requiem, that kind of attention didn’t bode well.
Being able to generate interest in her was good, but arousing excessive interest in one of the most powerful people in Thalendor was becoming dangerous.
Lisa took a step forward, her paws sinking slightly into the pleasant carpet of that room, and her tail wagged elegantly, puffing to change the subject.
"Lady Ylasys, we appreciate the recognition of our development," Lisa said, her telepathic voice resonating with the polished coolness she was extremely accustomed to using in the formal meetings she had been involved in since she was young because of the Vance Group. "But Aeliana brought us here with the promise that you had an urgent matter that required our unique versatility. Astralis Requiem is ready to handle tasks like this, would you mind explaining what it entails?"
Yrneha Ylasys looked away from Lohan, turning her attention back to the fox.
Her magic monocle glowed with a violet light, and she let out a sigh that carried centuries of impatience and a disappointment that made the room’s temperature drop a few degrees.
The elf shook her head slowly, her long, almost white, blonde hair swaying in sync with the movement of denial.
"The investigation of the northern rift..." Yrneha murmured, her voice tinged with disappointment and a hint of anger. "Unfortunately, Lisa, that matter was declared ’closed’ just a few hours ago. While you were busy in Mythlorien, another group of otherworldly beings presented themselves to the Thalendor council and accepted the reconnaissance contract. They returned claiming that the source of the corruption had been sealed."
Aeliana, who was standing beside her, gasped in surprise. "But mistress! The mana flow is still unstable! I can feel the resonance from here! How could they have completed the mission if the forest hasn’t stopped crying yet?"
Yrneha looked at her apprentice with a mixture of affection and boredom. "Lia, my dear, politics and magic rarely move at the same speed. They brought what the council considers sufficient proof: a shattered resonance core and the temporary silence of the creatures in that area. For the nobles who fund the expeditions, and who spent tens, or even hundreds, of gold coins a day on it, this is a victory. For me..."
She paused, her long, slender fingers gripping the white wooden staff tightly. "To me, their work is clearly a patch job done by amateurs who barely understand the weight of the structure they’re handling. The result isn’t satisfactory, but officially, the crack is no longer a high-priority problem."
Lohan vibrated his diaphragm, feeling a pang of worry, knowing that news like this rarely ended well, and usually escalated into something worse.
He formed a small gelatinous hand and scratched the top of his "head" while processing the information. If another group of Players was already operating in Thalendor with enough influence to "solve" nobility-level missions, Astralis Requiem’s influence over Thalendor could be at risk before it even solidified.
"Lady Ylasys, if you’re not satisfied with the outcome, that means there’s still a loose end, right?" Lohan conveyed, his tone now more serious and focused. "Who is this group? Do they call themselves a guild too? Because if they’re causing instability in your city’s mana network, they’re a problem for our interests here as well."
Yrneha seemed to appreciate the Slime’s straightforward intelligence. She gestured with her staff, and a new holographic projection appeared in the center of the room. This time, it wasn’t a map, but the emblem of an organization: a stylized sun pierced by a golden spear.
"They call themselves the ’Broken Sun Guild’," Yrneha explained, her lip curling in a subtle sign of disdain. "Like you, they appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be the new architects of Elysium’s destiny. However, unlike the discreet and efficient demeanor Aeliana described of you, these Broken Suns act as if Thalendor were their playground. They’ve been causing constant chaos in the trading squares, challenging the authority of lower-level guards and using the rhetoric of being ’blessed’ to justify their erratic behavior."
Lisa narrowed her golden eyes. "Broken Sun... the name isn’t familiar to me among the major powers I know, which means they could be a mid-tier group attempting a leap forward or... a hidden arm of a larger corporation."
"Really? They managed to gain the support of the nobles by acting like that?" Lohan asked, curious about Thalendor’s internal politics.
Yrneha walked to the crystal window of her tower, surveying the city below. "They were clever, Halon. They didn’t seek out the direct lineage High Elves initially. They allied themselves with a group of lesser nobles, families who feel left behind by Thalendor’s slow progress and who saw in these otherworlders a tool to destabilize the status quo. For these nobles, having a ’guild of heroes’ under their command is a valuable bargaining chip. It was this support that allowed them to ’solve’ the rift quest, probably using questionable methods."
The elf turned back to the pair, her expression suddenly becoming much more serious and professional. She pulled a scroll sealed with a deep emerald-colored rune from within her robes.
"Considering that you made this journey and that your levels of development are... intriguing," Yrneha said, her gaze weighing on Lisa and Lohan. "I remembered a request I received recently. Someone of great importance in Thalendor, someone whose interests coincide with the preservation of the true nature of this world, asked me to find othermundanes who were not under the control of the Broken Sun to carry out a counter-investigation."
Lisa tilted her head, her interest piqued. "An espionage and analysis mission? Who is this applicant, Lady Ylasys?"
"This person’s name will not be mentioned," Yrneha retorted firmly. "But know that his support is worth more than a thousand gold coins to anyone seeking to establish themselves in Thalendor. They wants you to use your perspective as otherworldly beings to analyze the Broken Sun Guild. Discover how they ’solved’ the rift problem, what the true intentions of the nobles who support them are, and, most importantly, verify whether they represent a real threat to the integrity of Thalendor or if they are merely children playing with fire."
Lohan felt the adrenaline begin to flow. This was the perfect opportunity.
By investigating the Broken Sun Guild, they would not only be gaining the favor of an elite Elf, but also gaining the opportunity to legitimately deal with the competition that was tarnishing the Players’ name in the city.