Chasmfall (The Weirkey Chronicles Book 4), page 4
"Hey, it's helping me strike a better deal. There's not much of a market for these things here." Theo turned away and finished his negotiations. In the end he purchased the darkburn bonsai and a large number of the dark planks. That left a considerable amount of money, by her count, so he must be planning other purchases once they returned to Norro Yorthin.
Afterward they left the shop with Fiyu bearing a smile and the bonsai in both hands. On the walk back, Theo barely seemed to notice the environment, instead toying with something in his pack. Eventually he handed Nauda the glowing seed.
"You might as well take this into your soulhome now, so that it isn't stolen. Fiyu and I agreed we don't have a good use for it, and I think it's by far best suited to you anyway."
"You're sure?" Nauda had half expected him to throw it into that awful black hole in his soulhome just for the power, but accepted it. The seed tingled in her hand, levitating a hair off her palm from the sheer cantae surging from it.
"I did some investigation and found out that it's called a surgestalk seed. Within a soulhome, it can quickly grow into dense material. Not so useful for generating cantae, but excellent for binding chambers together. I thought you could plant it between your main building and the tower, to help tie them together."
Of course he already had a plan for it. Yet as Nauda clenched the seed in her fist, she found herself considering a different use entirely: if the plant could grow so quickly, she could use it to help ascend to Ruler. She'd already fortified her roof and begun a pyramid foundation, but if she could convert it to a bed for the surgestalk, that might be even more effective.
"Thank you, Theo." Nauda had to focus hard to absorb it into her soul, but once there, it began pulsing with potential. "I'll begin work as soon as we get back."
"We should. There are only four months until we need to leave for the Chasm of Lamentations, and we-"
"Really? We aren't even back to Norro Yorthin and you're already thinking about the contest again?"
Theo frowned and was about to reply, but Fiyu spoke up first. "Perhaps it is premature to speak of such things? We all have materials to purchase, and House Blacksilver will reward us for our work. Once we have assembled all our sublime materials, then we can draft a full plan."
It was such a sensible suggestion that even Theo couldn't object, so they managed a relatively friendly conversation on the way back. Senka was waiting for them when they returned, drooling all over the bench. She mumbled sleepily and refused to rise, so Nauda ended up carrying her as they went through security and then finally returned to Norro Yorthin.
Nauda missed the life around her as soon as they stepped through, but when she stared up toward the huge cyclone above the city, she did find herself smiling. In a sense, this city was more of a home to her than Nlukoko or Myufuru had been, and certainly more than home itself.
As soon as they checked in with House Blacksilver and delivered the supplies that had been the excuse for the entire trip, they separated. Theo obviously had his purchases to make, while Fiyu seemed eager for some time in her secured room. Nauda dropped off Senka and instead headed to the Blacksilver office, wanting a different kind of connection.
Antha wasn't exactly a good friend, but the woman who ran House Blacksilver's distribution wing had been a pleasant acquaintance. Nauda did her best to be understanding of the woman's position, and they could commiserate over Theo's aggressive approach to resource acquisition.
"You're back." Antha gave her a surprisingly broad smile, even rising from her desk to greet her. "I thought that you could handle yourselves, but since some know that you have Chasm Invitations... well, the closer it comes to the competition, the more likely it is that you would be... targeted."
"Does that happen often?" Nauda asked. She didn't want to spend yet more time thinking about the Chasm, but couldn't ignore a statement like that.
"Usually any violence is kept under control, especially since Aathal will react so strongly. But all three of you might want to be more cautious over the coming months, because you never know who might be desperate. Some of the smaller Houses think that getting a Chasm Invitation might be their best chance to settle debts or rise in the city."
"We'll do our best to be cautious. We've earned some more merits for this, so may I take a look at the merit book?"
"Actually..." Antha frowned and placed a hand on the book that Nauda had been asking about. "This is out of date, and a new one hasn't yet been created. Merit prices have changed."
Though she told herself it meant nothing, Nauda didn't truly believe it. "They always do. Is something different about this?"
"There have been some huge economic shifts. Not just in Norro Yorthin, or even the Ruling City alliance, but across the continent. From Maustin to Saan Fraskin to here." Antha gave her a weak smile. "Perhaps you'd better sit down and I can explain this over some tea."
Chapter 3
Theo left the shop in a good mood, both because of what he'd acquired and what it would allow him to do. Though the others didn't want to discuss soulcrafting immediately after such a long expedition, he knew that they wouldn't rest for long. Soon enough, they could begin their final preparations for the Chasm of Lamentations.
His profits from Aathal had purchased another step closer to his final goals. As soon as he reached the sunlight, he raised the large vial to his eye to get a better look at it.
The abyssfluid surged within the container of sublime glass, trying to cling to his fingers but also flickering toward any other large object. It was apparently drawn to sources of mass, which made it a rare material that was aligned with an abstract trait of gravity. As a tool it was moderately useful, but within his soulhome, it would be the perfect centerpiece for his new chamber dedicated to his sense of gravity. He'd been building up the instinct for some time, especially in Ichil, but finishing the chamber would make an immense difference.
When completed, the room wouldn't give him a sense equal to Fiyu's, but he'd be head and shoulders above most soulcrafters he faced. With the types of threats they'd face in the Chasm, awareness might be more useful than brute power.
Flashing a sublime material in public might have attracted a little attention, so Theo promptly drank the abyssfluid and drew it into his soulhome. Nothing to steal, at least for the type of thieves that might be nearby. If any of them had any skill, they'd recognize the strength it took to absorb such a material and keep clear of him.
Unfortunately, as he returned to House Blacksilver, Theo's mind turned to less pleasant matters. The unfortunate truth was that exploring the Chasm would not be a contained conflict like the duel against Esaire. Soulcrafting would matter, just not exclusively. That meant that using his time effectively along other lines was likely more important than any soulcrafting expertise.
So, on his way back, he purchased a sack of candied gems.
There was no way of knowing where Senka had gone, so Theo reserved one of the meditation rooms and set about trying to work. She appeared not long after, her head poking up over the wall. "Theo! Whatcha doing? Hey, hey. Whatcha doing?"
When she got close to him, Theo opened his eyes and sprung his trap: he opened the bag of candies and waved them in front of her. "I bought something for you, Senka."
"Yummies for Senka? Gimme! Gimme!"
"You can have one." He tossed a single gem to her, which she snapped out of the air like a dog. Once her squeals had confirmed that they would serve as a proper incentive, he closed the bag and pulled it away from her. "Senka, we need to talk."
"Senka doesn't like talking, Senka likes eating!"
"I'll give you another one if you listen - wait, no." She threw herself at him, flailing for the bag, but it wasn't difficult to grab her face and push her back. Disgusting, given the levels of slobber, but not difficult, so he forced himself to continue in a level voice. "You always want to come with us, but sometimes that can be dangerous. Like when you jumped off the log. That could have gotten you killed, and maybe other people."
"Senka didn't do that! You're making things up like a meanie!"
Theo took a deep breath and forced himself onward. "But you've been helpful too. I want to train together, Senka, just like I train with Fiyu and Nauda. If you can work with us, it would be easier for everyone."
"And then you'll give Senka yummies?"
"Well... yes. Can you try that for me?"
She could certainly try, but as Theo spent over an hour banging his head against the problem, he wasn't sure that he could succeed. Senka's desire for the candies was intense and undeniable, it simply didn't translate into effectiveness at any of the exercises. He'd tried hiding sublime materials under buckets to test her ability to track them down, but she refused and simply tried to steal candies. Trying to make her consistently obey commands to follow or move only resulted in tantrums. The only command that had any success was ordering her to stay in place, which could very well be because she was lazy.
He tried treating her as an equal, as a child, or as a domestic animal, all of which led to what he could only describe as "antics". The most frustrating part was that he couldn't pin down her actual level of intelligence, which seemed inconsistent. Perhaps the compact nature of her soulhome was some sort of mental damage that led to wild swings in behavior.
If so, then trying to train her might be entirely useless. Theo tried to cling to the memories of the times that she'd been helpful to all of them and shoved down his frustration. Still, he couldn't help but think, repeatedly, that this was not why he'd returned to the Nine Worlds.
At least she left him alone for a while, no doubt wanting another candy for sitting in place. Or perhaps she'd just fallen asleep. Theo glanced back to check on her, only to find Senka sitting on one of the buckets and examining him.
"Does Theo want a Senka pet?"
It might have been an earnest question, but he didn't care. "I don't want a pet, I want you not to get all of us killed."
"But Senka wants to get us all killed." She promptly smiled innocently at him, and he wondered again if she really understood words or just imitated language.
"If that's true, then we'll have to leave you behind."
"Oh, stop being a grouchy fumpet." Senka hopped closer to him, actually maintaining eye contact for once. "Senka will be good when it matters. Did Senka get you killed when the eryo attacked? Your sporping material is under the left bucket, by the way."
Even though he recognized it as the correct answer, he still looked over to it. She might have looked under the bucket while she was supposed to be doing something else, but she sounded so confident... at that moment, Senka grabbed the sack of candies from out of his robes and ran off, cackling and shoving them into her mouth.
He could have taken it from her and chose just to stare, wondering what he was doing with his life.
At that moment, a shadow fell over him, following by a heavy cantae presence. Theo immediately got to his feet to see Dhan approach. The Blacksilver Authority wore his mask for once, rendering his face an ominous oval. Though he tilted the mask up to the top of his head as he approached, his eyes remained just as hard and distant.
"We need to discuss House matters. Where are your allies?"
"Conducting their own affairs," Theo said. "We've barely gotten back from Aathal, has something changed since we left?"
"Yes and no. They are not matters to be spoken of idly. Find your allies, dispose of that creature, and meet me in the main hall. Do not be tardy."
Across the courtyard, Senka continued shoving her face with candies as if nothing had changed. She was the only one.
~ ~ ~
Fiyu was of course in her room, and Nauda had actually come looking for him, so it wasn't difficult to obey the instruction. Soon enough the three of them stood in one of the dark halls of House Blacksilver along with Dhan. His Authority-tier cantae closed around the room, and Theo was fairly sure that even Senka couldn't worm her way through that. After several seconds of silence, Dhan took a deep breath and spoke.
"Currently, you possess three of the six Chasm Invitations that House Blacksilver holds. This is a greater number than new members would have been expected to gain, and we thank you for it. However, given the rigors of the Chasm of Lamentations, we would like to request that you give the House your Invitations. In return for compensation, of course."
Theo's mind immediately slipped into a thousand suspicions, in particular wondering whether they had always intended to make the demand. While he was thinking, Nauda took a more practical approach. "Didn't you reserve three for the Authorities? That means everyone above Ruler already has them."
"That was our plan, yes. However, the heads of House Blacksilver feel that we should place particular emphasis on success this year, thus we should send three of our strongest Ruler-tier soulcrafters as well. We understand your disappointment, and would give you more merits than you paid to acquire them, especially at this late hour."
"That doesn't make economic sense," Fiyu said quietly. "You allow any Blacksilver member to purchase Invitations, then take them back for a greater sum. Unless it was always a lie, this must reflect a change in plans."
"There are... new factors." Dhan didn't look particularly happy about having to say more, but after the emotion wormed its way across his lips, he pushed forward. "This year, House Crimson has been particularly aggressive acquiring Invitations. Norro Yorthin is also under economic stress, and some Houses are likely to fall over the next several years. So this event has changed from an opportunity for advancement to a critical challenge.
"So I will ask again. We won't force you, but we believe it would be for the best if you returned your Chasm Invitations."
"No." Theo didn't know about the changing details, but he'd been investigating the Chasm and it sounded like all his past knowledge was still relevant. This was his best chance to pave a way toward his revenge. "We've been soulcrafting and preparing for this for a long time."
Thankfully, Nauda and Fiyu nodded their agreement. Dhan sighed and readjusted his mask, which Theo thought was just a stalling tactic. "Fine, I suspected as much. The other Authorities didn't want to, but we have a second offer: helping you prepare."
"And in your great wisdom," Nauda said dryly, "you decided to begin that process a few months before the Chasm opens."
"We don't think you're particularly likely to accomplish much in the Chasm of Lamentations, but we'd prefer you to survive."
Though Nauda kept up a mask of irony, Fiyu smiled at him without hesitation, and she was right that this was a positive turn. Theo hadn't anticipated having an Authority to assist their preparations: that meant weirkeys, which meant a vastly increased reach. He reorganized his plans before speaking up.
"I've researched the Chasm of Lamentations and I believe there are steps we can take even as Archcrafters to reduce the dangers. For a start, if you can take us to a number of locations on Noven, we-"
Dhan cut him off with a raised hand. "We want to help, not serve as your personal transportation service. After all, all three Authorities will be House Blacksilver's vanguard in the Chasm, and we have preparations of our own that require our weirkeys."
"Fine." It had been too good to be true, so he'd thought of a backup plan. "In your travels, you should be able to pick up foods appropriate to Ruler-tier soulcrafters. If you can help us assemble a Nine Worlds Feast, that will go a long way to preparing us to face the dangers."
"You really don't lack for ambition, do you?" Dhan frowned at him, but he hadn't rejected the suggestion out of hand. "You realize that most Authorities in Norro Yorthin still haven't assembled a Nine Worlds Feast? We don't have a complete set of weirkeys, so we can't simply travel everywhere to buy you things."
"We already have some," Nauda said, either knowing what they were talking about or presuming. "We have excellent foods from Tatian, and we've eaten sublime materials in Fithe, Deuxan, Aathal, and Ichil. That leaves only four other worlds, right?"
It wasn't quite that simple, since not all sublime foods were created equal. The feast that Nanjuma had given them in Myufuru was certainly sufficient, and Theo hoped that the rainhorn meat and other materials from Deuxan were up to the task. He doubted the sublime foods they'd eaten in their other travels, or even in Fithe, were strong enough, but Nauda's way of framing it was more persuasive.
"Oh, very well." Dhan waved the matter aside. "The House can easily find you excellent sublime foods in Norro Yorthin, and we'll see about picking up others in our travels. Anything else?"
"Two more immediate requests," Theo said quickly. "I absorbed a number of sublime materials in preparation for my duel last year, but they're better suited to my allies. I haven't yet been able to extract th-"
"Then let's just take care of it." With troubling speed Dhan stepped in front of him and began reaching into his soul, forcing Theo to rapidly lower his defenses or risk having them damaged.
In an instant, Dhan loomed over his soulhome, pressure striking his soul like a whirlwind. Theo hastened to locate the sublime materials that the others had given them, which he'd been struggling to extract without reducing their potency. Dhan simply extended his influence and plucked them out, returning them to the physical world and reminding Theo how much he needed to reach Authority.
The others accepted the materials and focused on absorbing them, Fiyu happily cupping her mistsphere before drawing it into her soul. He saw the skull of black bone, the glowing magma, everything else they'd sacrificed to help him. It seemed that they intended to begin soulcrafting immediately, while Dhan turned back to him impatiently.
"You said you had one more request?"
"One more for now." Theo glanced over at the other two, but decided that they would welcome this request even if they hadn't discussed it. "We need transportation to Arbai, to a location nowhere near the city's gate. We have a school of allies there who can provide us with resources, stoneshapers, and other assistance. No need for you to do further work, and far from the reach of any rivals on Fithe."
