The invitation arrived that morning, delivered by one of Lord Matthian's personal couriers. Expensive paper, neutral phrasing, and timing that couldn't possibly be coincidental. Zeke turned the card over in his fingers, studying the elegant script that promised an evening of civilized discourse.
Through his study window, he could still hear the distant chanting from the crowd at his gates. Three days now, and their numbers showed no signs of diminishing. If anything, the shifts had grown more organized, the songs more polished.
"A neutral gathering," he murmured, setting the invitation on his desk.
[Analysis]
This invitation of both Host and Ambassador Azra suggests either genuine mediation attempt or orchestrated confrontation.
Zeke knew which option his instincts favored.
But what real choice remained? Ignoring the rumours certainly hadn't helped. His business kept slipping away. The academies stayed closed to his wards. Even basic supply deliveries had turned into drawn-out negotiations as merchants weighed profit against the risk of association.
The past days had already been wasted finding new suppliers, leaving no time to address the protests outside. Ever since this had started, he had been playing catch-up, trying to undo the damage Azra had caused while dreading the next problem he knew was coming.
This was what it felt like to stand against the might of a nation.
Until now, the empire, though an adversary in name, had never truly invested much effort in suppressing him, as it turned out. But all that had changed now that he had become a Lord. In Azra, he had finally encountered a true opponent, a man who could marshal the vast wealth and influence of the continent's most powerful nation, with the singular aim of crushing him.
The eye of the colossus finally found him.
And so far, he had been on the back foot at every turn.
The problem was that he couldn't counter Azra's social campaign. It wasn't that he lacked the ability to lobby the upper echelon of merchants just as effectively; he could. But by doing so, he would have already lost. Every minute wasted on meaningless parties and frivolities was a minute stolen from what truly mattered: building his strength.
Azra, on the other hand, had nothing else to occupy him. He was merely a small cog in a much larger machine, a machine that would function just as well without him. His sole mission was to make Zeke's life a living hell, to force him into this silent battle of influence or leave him to swallow the losses.
So far, Zeke had chosen not to engage, but that decision grew less tenable with each passing day. Every moment of isolation strengthened the narrative of the reclusive brute, while the charming ambassador built bridges with ease.
He had severely underestimated how much damage Azra's whispers could inflict. At this rate, it was no longer unthinkable that he might lose his place in the city entirely, something he had once considered impossible. But he was done underestimating the spider's methods.
"Prepare appropriate attire," he commanded. "We're accepting."
The Matthian estate occupied a full block in the Second Circle, its architecture a study in calculated impressiveness. Not quite gaudy enough to seem grasping, yet grand enough to command respect. Zeke arrived at the appointed hour, noting how the doorman's eyes widened slightly at his appearance before professional courtesy smoothed his features.
"Lord von Hohenheim," the man announced as Zeke entered the main salon.
Conversations did not quite stop, but he felt the subtle shift in the room's energy. Heads turned, seemingly casual yet intent. Evaluating. Measuring. He recognized many faces: fellow Merchant Lords, prominent traders, a scattering of cultural figures who frequented such gatherings. Beside the faces he did not recognize, a translucent screen materialized, quietly revealing their identities.
And there, holding court near the chamber musicians, stood Azra von Hohenheim.
The man wore midnight blue trimmed with silver, a complement to rather than copy of Imperial colors. He held a wine glass with the same easy grace he brought to everything, currently engaged in what appeared to be a spirited discussion about musical theory with Lady Sarai, whose patronage of the arts was legendary.
"Ezekiel!" Lord Matthian appeared at his elbow. "So pleased you could attend. It was high time you graced one of my gatherings."
Zeke nodded politely, though his thoughts told a different story. He had spent that time cultivating strength while others mingled. Even among the Merchant Lords, few could match his prowess. It was a quiet testament to their complacency and indulgent ways. "Your invitation was well-timed. I've been meaning to reconnect."
"Excellent." Matthian's gaze flicked toward Azra's group. "Have you met our new ambassador? Outside of official channels, I mean."
"We've spoken." Zeke accepted a glass of wine from a passing servant and took a measured sip, noting how it paled in comparison to dwarven brews, at least by his standards.
"He's quite remarkable," Matthian went on, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "Did you know he studied music composition in his youth? Lady Sarai was just saying his analysis of Valdoran's Third Symphony was among the most insightful she'd ever heard."
Zeke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, he had. Azra had likely studied the interests of every guest in advance, arming himself with tailored conversation for each. "I'm sure his insights are... illuminating," Zeke replied.
Matthian's smile grew a little strained. "You know, several of us have wondered why you've been so... reclusive. Surely managing one's affairs doesn't require complete withdrawal?"
Zeke met his host's eyes. "Recent events have required my attention. I'm sure you understand the need to protect one's interests."
"…Protecting?" Lord Vantine materialized from a nearby cluster, wine glass already half-empty. "Such martial language, Lord von Hohenheim. Are we at war?"
"A figure of speech," Zeke said evenly, shooting the new arrival a look. "Though given the gathering outside my gates, one might be forgiven for feeling besieged."
Vantine's eyes glittered with amusement. "Can't fault people for vigilance in uncertain times."
"Indeed." Zeke's smile was sharp enough to cut glass. Vantine wasn't even bothering to hide his intentions, clearly aligning himself with Azra. "Though I wonder what uncertainty my household represents. I've done nothing but contribute to Tradespire's prosperity."
"…Have you?" The new voice came from behind, Lord Corwin, whose canceled contract still stung. "Forgive my directness, but there are questions about the nature of your contributions. Your connections with foreign powers, your unusual business practices..."
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"My successful business practices," Zeke corrected. "Unless ingenuity has become suspect in a city built on it."
"Ingenuity is one thing," Corwin replied. "But when one compromises on morality to get ahead..."
"I'd choose my next words with care." The words came out sharper than intended, but no one could blame him. From the moment he arrived, Zeke had been swarmed and surrounded by dissenting voices. He had known he would be playing on Azra's home ground, but this level of hostility still surprised him.
Several guests leaned in, sensing blood in the water.
"Then help us understand," Azra said, his voice slicing cleanly through the murmur as he stepped into their circle. Up close, Zeke caught the calculation behind his pleasant facade, a predator seizing the perfect moment to strike.
"After all," Azra went on, "we are all men of standing here. Surely there is nothing that cannot be discussed among peers?"
The circle of listeners swelled. Lady Sarai drifted closer, bringing other cultural luminaries in her wake. More guests abandoned their own conversations. The musicians played on, but the room's true performance had shifted to their confrontation.
"What would you have me explain, exactly?" Zeke asked, knowing he was walking into a trap but seeing no way to avoid it.
"Well, for instance…" Azra swirled his wine thoughtfully, "there are rumors of unsavory practices taking place within your household."
Zeke's jaw tightened. What was this? Another unfounded rumour he intended to spread? No, that was unlikely. Not with him here, ready to refute any such claims on the spot.
"Rumors are called rumors for a reason," Zeke said coolly. "If there were evidence, they would be called facts."
Azra did not reply, only smiled at him, as though patiently waiting. They did not have to wait long. From nearby, a voice burst forth, sharp with anger.
"You dare say such things, after all you have done?"
The accusation rang out from the edge of the crowd, and Zeke's heart sank as he recognized the voice. The speaker shoved through the gathered elite, his anti-scrying cloak falling back to reveal the fury radiating from him. The man who emerged could not have been more familiar. It was Konrad, one of his own employees and father to the twins, Keiran and Kallen.
Even before another word was spoken, Zeke understood what was about to unfold—the true nature of the trap he had walked into. In retrospect, he should have seen it coming. But buried under the avalanche of problems pressing in on him, he had overlooked the possibility.
"…Lord von Hohenheim is a fiend, a beast in human skin," Konrad continued, addressing the room at large. "He's taken my son, a boy with a perfect Space affinity, and bound him to service through manipulation and coercion."
Gasps rippled through the gathering. A perfect Affinity was rare enough to draw the eyes, which made the accusation of coercion all the more damning. Especially when it came from a concerned father, and one of his own employees, no less.
"Your son chose his path freely," Zeke said, fighting to keep his voice level. "As did your daughter."
"Freely?!" Konrad's face flushed deep red. "You tore them from us, exploited their trust, and twisted it into chains. And for what? To hoard power and steal their future!"
"Is this true?" Lady Sarai's cultured voice cut through the murmurs, carrying unexpected authority. "Did you deceive that child?"
Zeke's eyes swept over the circle of faces. Suspicious. Already half-convinced. This was bad. If Keiran were here, perhaps he could have swayed them, though even that was uncertain. With whispers of manipulation already in the air, his words might carry no weight at all. After all, the victim seldom realized what was being done to him.
"I—" he began.
"It is as Konrad claims," Azra interrupted smoothly. "Twenty-five children were awakened in his estate, and every single one now serves his household. Would anyone believe that to be a coincidence?"
"That's not—" Zeke started.
"Isn't it?" Azra pulled a folded paper from his jacket. "I hold employment records showing that all twenty-five serve House von Hohenheim in various capacities. Not a single one has been free to pursue independent paths."
Zeke's eyes narrowed. Konrad's betrayal ran deeper than expected. He had even provided Azra with confidential information to use against him. Every piece of ammunition was carefully gathered, waiting for the perfect moment to fire.
"…They serve me because they choose to," Zeke said, but even to his own ears it sounded weak.
"These children deserve to make their own choices, Ezekiel," Azra said with false concern.
"You dare say—"
"I dare speak truth," Azra cut him off. "Our mentor dreamed of a world where magic belonged to all who could grasp it. And yet you spit on that dream, using power as a tool of control, another advantage to hoard."
The gathered merchants were murmuring now, pieces falling into place. Zeke could see it in their eyes: the dawning understanding, the growing condemnation. He who hoarded rather than shared. He who corrupted his mentor's vision for personal gain. Even those from the anti-Empire faction, who should have been his allies, now regarded him with quiet accusation.
"If you truly honored your mentor," Lord Vantine said slowly, "you would allow the children to choose their own fate."
"You don't understand the first thing—" he began, but once more, he wasn't allowed to finish.
"We understand well enough," Corwin cut in. "Greed is the folly of merchants, after all. But to think that even Maximilian's supposed heir failed to rise above such base motivations."
"Perhaps," Lady Sarai added softly, "we should ask ourselves who truly deserves that title."
The trap closed with chilling finality. Zeke stood at the center of the circle, fully aware of how perfectly Azra had orchestrated this moment. Every element had been calculated: Konrad's emotional testimony, the employment records, the evocation of Maximilian's vision.
Truth twisted into a weapon, justice perverted into an accusation.
"…What would any of you know about Maximilian's dream?" Zeke said, his voice dropping to a deadly quiet.
"Don't I?" Azra stepped closer, and for a fleeting moment, the mask slipped. Zeke caught a glimpse of the cold calculation beneath, the patient spider who had waited weeks for this moment. "I knew him too, remember? I sat through his lessons, listened to his ideals. The only difference is that I still remember them clearly, while you seem to have forgotten everything but the power he offered."
Those words…
The moment Zeke heard them, his fists clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white, and a heady rush nearly overwhelmed his reason.
Those words…
Those were the exact words Maximilian had spoken to Azra before casting him out.
Time seemed to crawl as Zeke's pupils shrank to pinpricks. His gaze swept over the accusing faces around him. They pointed, sneered, shouted, and ridiculed. Mocking. Taunting. Actors. Fools. Bought and paid for, every last one of them.
He had come here to persuade them, to counter Azra's influence, but it was already too late. This was far beyond what logic or debate could mend. These people had made up their minds long ago.
As his eyes wandered, Zeke no longer saw individuals, no longer heard voices that needed convincing. He saw only enemies, their bodies too frail to fight yet their tongues dripping with poison, spreading it wherever they went.
Under their unrelenting barrage, heat rose in him, his heart pounding like a war drum. His formal attire felt like chains, binding him in place, shackling him while enemies prowled all around. His blood cried out in protest, begging to be unleashed.
A wave of cold rationality washed over him before he could act. Pure Mind Magic steadied his senses, quelling the urge to unleash his Magic. Akasha had intervened just in time, cooling his rage before he did something that might cost him his life.
Yet with the anger gone, all strength drained from him, leaving Zeke more exhausted than he could remember feeling in a long time.
He exhaled, trying to shake off the weariness that clung to his very soul. He no longer paid attention to what was said. There was no point.
The evening was over.
"If you'll excuse me," he said, placing his unfinished glass on a passing servant's tray. "I have responsibilities to attend to."
"Running away?" Azra called after him. "How unlike Maximilian. He always stood his ground."
Zeke paused at the entrance, glancing back at the assembled elite of Tradespire society. "Standing one's ground requires ground worth standing on. This," he said, gesturing at the elegant room, the gathered crowd, the perfectly orchestrated ambush, "is a circus. And I'll be damned before I allow myself to become your clown."
He left to the sound of scandalized murmurs, knowing that by morning every tongue in the city would be dissecting the evening's events. Outside, the night air had grown chilly. His ship waited, but Zeke chose to walk, needing the motion to burn off the fury threatening to consume him. Behind him, light and music spilled from Matthian's windows, the gathering carrying on without him.
Azra had won this round. Not through strength or skill, but by setting the stage long before the battle began.
Zeke gritted his teeth. He had played by Azra's rules and paid the price. A foolish mistake, one he would not repeat. He was done ignoring the problem, done clinging to the high ground, done choosing between equally bad options.
It was time to recognize this conflict for what it truly was: a battle to the death. Tonight, he had allowed himself to be wounded, but that was the extent of it. A true von Hohenheim did not falter at the sight of blood; they bared their fangs.
He had lost a pound of flesh. Now it was time to take it back.