35. Who To Trust?

The mishap around the Eastern City Wall market had taught Lukas his lesson. He knew not to wander too close to the region and only sent clones for deliveries and investigations to the area. It meant Lukas couldn’t freely hunt for shards and essences. It was unlikely he’d find what he wanted in the shops, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. 

Lukas scoured the usual market streets near the ports and then also checked the high-end shops near the town hall. They stocked the best of what the merchants had to offer—to the public, at least. None met his requirements. None contained arcanic or magic-adjacent concepts. He believed the Essence of Repulsion could potentially fill one of the three reagent slots, but Lukas worried it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want to end up with an inferior product because of his impatience. 

Now, as he regained clarity, Lukas recalled the times Minarv had spoken about how he always rushed towards what he wanted, forgetting all else. Lukas struggled to think of little else besides his goals and what he wanted and needed to achieve them in his timeline. He was pushy. Often selfish. It was part of the reason their relationship initially struggled, and they had parted ways several times over the years. Lukas had much growing and maturing to do. Things didn’t stabilize until his fourth decade on the Realm of Greater Beings, even then, politics and his personal agenda made things challenging.

Pushy was the word he often used.

Lukas never disagreed. He tried for her. However, he had a tendency to hyperfocus and get carried away. At the end of the day, he was sure that they had no future. So, he prioritized his escape from Fracture and pursuit of godhood. Now, he wondered whether more time with Minarv would’ve helped him find the happiness his clones kept badgering him about.

Patience. There is no need to rush.

The public job boards didn’t have what he wanted. Some high-tier contracts listed essences, but he either had no interest in them or the listings didn’t come with specifics. It didn’t matter. The quests were well beyond his strength levels and capabilities. Eventually, he found himself at the Shadow Seekers’ guildhouse. It wasn’t intentional. Checking familiar and unfamiliar shops while avoiding shady neighborhoods somehow led him to the building. It was a relief Lukas hadn’t sent any of the clones. 

Elvis and Magic Elvis were busy with their jobs. While the other two clones were in the undercity, investigating the area where Penelope had taken Lukas during the first delve. He entered the building not to train but because he was lost in thought, and it was familiar. 

“He’s here!” The voice was familiar, but her tone wasn’t. It was the receptionist who usually treated Lukas and his clones as trash and didn’t consider him worth his while. “Lukas Zaun is here!”

Several familiar and unfamiliar faces around the hall looked up from their drinks, meals, and paperwork. Some cheered. Others smiled and waved. Snake emerged from the upper floor and fluidly descended the stairs, almost gliding over them like a snake. 

“We were wondering when you’d show up!”  The chapter’s vice leader exclaimed. He slid an arm around Lukas’s shoulder and pulled him close. When he continued, the man spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “A newbie. A blasted, newly sharded, green mule fetched a pearl before any of the big, snot-nosed bastards. Thanks to Lukas Zaun here, the Shadow Seekers won.” 

“And brought a pair of murderers to justice,” Kwame called, emerging from the door leading to the training grounds. Dust and sand covered his boots, but the rest of his outfit was immaculate. “The Union is investigating their guilds. The chapters are likely to fall, but things might escalate even further.”

“That’s certainly good to hear,” Lukas said, rubbing his right arm. “I was pretty sure I was going to die.”

“I was pretty sure you did die.” The quartermaster laughed. “But then you showed up intact with the pearl before anyone else.” He looked around the room, speaking louder as he continued. “Including Moon Rabbit’s prodigy!”

More people cheered.

“The next round is for me!” The man behind the man shouted. “For Mister Zaun improving our reputation.”

“Before we ruin it again!” Big Mouth called, and countless voices echoed the sentiment. Some even chanted it.

A fervor washed over the room. Lukas walked into the guildhouse for some quiet and the chance to think. Instead, he found a party, and somehow, he was the center of it. Suddenly, he no longer thought his last trip to the undercity was stupid. He was glad to have taken the risk. People shook his hands. Many congratulated him. Some offered to train him. Others offered to take him on dangerous jobs with incredible rewards. It was starting to get too much for Lukas, but Snake rescued him just then.

“I’ve got something for you,” the man said, pulling him aside. “You look like you need a break.” Snake nodded at a large pair of doors behind reception. “Should we talk somewhere a bit quieter?” A round of cheers went up just then, and the sound of breaking glass followed. “Or private, at least.”

“I’ll take you up on that,” Lukas said, accepting the mug of mead pushed into his hands before following Snake. He weaved through a few people, redirected a few others, and then they disappeared into the backroom.

It was significantly smaller than the front hall and the attached cafeteria and was not run down at all. The design was far from grand, and the furnishings were also modest. It was better kept but still modest. However, given everything he had seen of the guild thus far, it was opulent. Lukas tried to push thoughts of the ritual, shard, essences, and Minarv out of his mind and focused on whatever the chapter master had to say.

“In all honesty, I wasn’t happy when Kwame picked you for the job. It's too risky. You’re too green. More importantly, you’re an unknown. We haven’t had the time to vet you well enough for such a job.” Snake sighed. “But he insisted. I didn’t know if he really trusted you, didn’t care about you enough to use you as a sacrificial lamb, or you’re just that good.  He might not say it to spare your feelings, but we agree on one thing: what you did was mighty stupid. There was no good reason to go for the pearl. As soon as the run began and someone shot at you, you should've fled.”

“No disagreements there,” Lukas replied. “It was what I planned to do until the unused path appeared. It was calling to me, and I gave in to greed.”

“And almost died. That shadow shroud of yours is mighty potent. It fooled Kwame. He was sure you suffered a previous injury.” Snake smiled. “But you didn't. You proved your prowess and value to the guild. And we reward that here.”

Snake slid a black badge across the table toward Lukas. It looked the same as the one he currently owned, except the patterns carved into it were far more intricate, and it was made of metal instead of wood. “You're no longer a probationary member. Other guilds might want to poach you now, but we're willing to grant full membership and promotion to tier two. Typically, that doesn't happen unless you have two ascended shard abilities and have completed far more quests.”

Lukas wasn't sure what to say. He didn't realize the clone's impulsive and suicidal activities had turned him into a hot commodity. He picked up the badge and studied it closely. His arcane senses detected nothing, but he could tell at a glance the badge would be challenging to replicate unless one used a cloning ability, of course.

“We are not the most popular guild, and I think you now understand why. The badge might draw the ire of the many organizations we watch, limit, and police. But you'll get access to one of the best information networks and black markets on Fracture. The Union of Guilds deems us a necessary existence, and despite public opinion, our reach extends far.”

“Thank you.” Lukas removed the badge he wore and replaced it with the new one. “I don't know what to say.”

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” Snake laughed. “You seem like the type of person who has a lot to say about a lot of things. At least, the chapter president thinks so. It's rare of her to talk so highly of someone.’

“She knows of me? I don't think we've met yet.”

“Tier-two membership comes with privileges,” Snake continued, ignoring the question. He took a seat and crossed his legs. “Most valuable of which is access to exclusive merchants and stocks not available to the unaffiliated. You've probably guessed it now that a lot of shards and essences are never made available to the public. They're too potent for free trading or far too rare and valuable.”

“That's why I wandered in today, actually. I've been on the hunt for arcane and magic-adjacent essences, but—”

“You'll almost never find them in the shops,” the man’s impossibly long arm snaked across a nearby table, retrieving a bit of parchment and a quill. He scribbled down a few names and directions. “Check these shops. Flash your new badge. If they have something suitable and it's not already spoken for, they'll grant you a fair shot at purchase.”

“This just solved one of my biggest problems,” Lukas said. “I need arcane essences for a ritual. It might give me the leg up I need not to be so weak and helpless anymore.”

Snake laughed. “Please. You're far from it. I hear it's the same for your brother. Healing from any injury overnight is a potent power. It's a shame he'd rather prioritize artisanry. The guild could use someone like him.”

“That's his primary concern. Elvis doesn't want to be used. He'd much rather work towards building his own smithing enterprise. Occasionally, delves are a means to an end. Not a career path like it is for me.”

“You don't have to explain.” Snake waved dismissively. He waved at a nearby chair. “Sit. Tell me your plans.”

“I have a few jobs in Iskander.”

“Jobs? Plural. I didn't know there were any besides the one with the Cold Fire Sorcerer.”

“The other isn't strictly legal.”

“Does it involve any other guilds or their activities?”

Lukas shook his head, picking partial honesty. The Shadow Seekers and their reach was much too valuable. He didn’t want to give away specifics, but if they valued him, they were likely to help him hide and escape Iskander if things went wrong. “Criminal organization. It doesn't affect any guilds. As far as I know, no lives will be in danger because of the job or its aftermath. I merely need to help someone acquire something.”

“As long as you're not participating in the trafficking of people or the murder and torture of innocents, it's all good.”

“I'm almost sure my employer has a hand in such activities, but the job doesn't involve any of it or won't. He is a collector—”

“I don't need details.” Snake threw up his hands. “None of my, the guild’,s or the Union's business. Just don't get caught or tarnish our name. Maybe give us a few hints of your employer's illegal activities afterward. If it involves trafficking or harming innocents, we'd very much like to get in their way.”

Lukas nodded. “I can do that. It's not like I like these people or owe them any loyalty. The pay might've been good, but I mostly took the job because it seemed I wouldn't live for long if I said no after finding out what they wanted from me.”

“You could've come to us for protection, but I understand why you did what you did.” Snake crossed his arms. “These essences and ritual. Do you need them for a shard ability, for the success of the job, or is it about survival?”

“A bit of all three.”

“And do you intend to stick around Iskander afterward?”

Lukas shook his head. “I want to follow the sorcerer. There is much to learn from her. It will be lucrative, too. If she won’t have me, I'll try making my way to one of the mage or academy cities.”

“You're young. The guild has chapters or allied organizations in pretty much every major city. It's the right time to see the world and figure out what you want from it. If I didn't knock up a barmaid and fall in love with the little girl she gave me, I'd also be out there.” Snake shrugged. “But that's life. You pick whatever is most important to you, run after it, and hold on for dear life. Channel all your strength into ensuring Fracture can't shake you off.”

“Sounds like you found the secret sauce for happiness.” Lukas sighed.

“There is no set sauce,” Snake said. “It is different for everyone and changes with time. There was a time when I was happiest after completing jobs and winning fights, just about surviving and then finding a cold mug of mead. Now, it's whenever I manage to get home before my girl goes to bed.” He smiled. “You're young and have plenty of time to figure things out. At your age, I most often found happiness under a skirt.”

You haven't yet made it to my age, buddy.

Memories of a killed clone flooded Lukas. The journal vibrated a moment later. Something had snapped El-Three in half and eaten his head. It was big and reptilian. The memories were incoherent. He got flashes of battle and hazy images. It was likely the clone had suffered a concussion. 

“Thank you,” Lukas said. “For the promotion and advice.” He pocketed the list of merchants and directions. “I'll check them out tomorrow.’ 

“Not all of them are available every day or have time to show exclusive stock to window shopping guild members. I've noted what day and time is best for each.” Snake waved toward the door. “Now go. Enjoy your party.”

“It's not really my thing. I'd rather—”

“You're officially a guild member now. Those are your comrades, and they're celebrating your accomplishment. You don't have to get drunk. Just nurse a mug for a bit. Socialise. Then, go back to your inn. If you're lucky, someone might have leads on something you want or need.”

“I suppose I can do that for a bit,” Lukas said, making his way toward the door. He wanted nothing more than to get some peace and quiet to go overcome the killed clone's memories and check the journal, but he followed the vice chapter leader's advice. Replacing himself with a clone wasn't an option either. There were far too many watchful eyes. Sneaking out would be a pain.

Lukas socialized. He had a drink. Some food. He shook hands. He told people about how Kwame's training and running across Iskander's rooftops helped him complete the job. Kwame also talked about how he had watched until Silver bolts started raining from the overlooking cliff. 

The quartermaster explained what guilds were involved in the malicious acts and how he and the expedition dealer dealt with the issue. They had killed one, and the other surrendered. The dead man's guild feigned ignorance and refused to believe the accusations, claiming it was a cover-up for the Shadow Seekers's murderous ways. While the other had excommunicated the perpetrator and claimed he was acting on his own to get his nephew a leg up.t The man was to suffer the Union's wrath alone.

It was late in the evening before Lukas got out of the guildhouse. He summoned a clone to watch his back, and they sped back to the inn. If it weren't for Penelope, he would've found cheaper, alternative accommodation. Renting an apartment would likely cost him less. He would need a clone to prepare food, draw baths, and run the place, but it would come with more privacy. However, the chances of getting robbed would also be significantly higher.

The smithing clones were still out when he reached the inn. El-Four hadn't yet returned. Lukas started with the journal.

You have uncovered Lady Silverspine’s local interest. The Great Leviathan, a distant sea serpent cousin of hers, slumbers deep under Iskander. Drakan’s followers are using draconic remains to mutate local creatures in the hopes of breaking through the Leviathan’s protection spells. Their long-term plans are unknown, but the laboratory or ritual room needs to be destroyed. You will be rewarded for your efforts, and the journal’s capabilities will further expand.

“Well, that’s interesting,” El-Three said. “How are we going to tell Penelope?”

“I don’t know,” Lukas said. “We need to tell her some things if we want a long-term alliance, but how much are we going to share?” He sighed. “She’ll need to find out about you lot sooner or later.”

“We’ll need to trust her if we want an in with the conclave. Good employer. Good source of knowledge. She came through on the shard. Might as well tell her.”

“Yes, but the question is how much do we tell her?”

El-Three shrugged. “I don’t know, boss. But if we follow her, you need to tell her about us clones, at least.”

“But then, how do we explain Inspector’s Compendium?”

The clone shrugged again.

“I don’t think following Penelope or the conclave is the answer,” Lukas said. “Yet, at least. We need to get stronger. Significantly stronger. Otherwise, exposing ourselves to a council of powerful mages or sorcerors might just lead to us becoming their tool. It’s better to join as an equal than a hopeful.”

“Right. They might limit our freedoms and movements. I think we should just take things one step at a time. Let’s focus on upgrading Minarv’s ritual, do Mister Grey’s job, and figure out how to complete Silverspine’s job first.”

“That’s a lot to do. I think the ritual can wait a bit. The other two take priority.”

“You know best, boss,” the clone said, flumping on the bed. “I just wish you weren’t in such a rush to leave Iskander. Kat will be sad.”

“And whose fault is that?” Lukas asked. “Mine for not nipping it in the bud sooner?”

The clone didn’t answer.