Chapter 125: B2: C25: Fractured or Manipulation 1
Zarian was standing with a porcelain tea cup in his hand, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the top of the Central Library Artillery Tower. Wisps of vapors rose from the scalding hot tea. It was a dark blend. It had a herbal scent. Slightly minty.
His village’s most important guest, Empress Ruvaria, had just brewed it for him and the other occupants inside of the spacious meeting room.
One might think in a political meeting like this, there was the danger of poison. But Ruvaria was the type who was so powerful the use of poison would be too far beneath her.
It was actually a flex that she could be the most powerful Master Ranker across most of the Lesser Worlds and still serve other people tea.
There were only six of them, the Floridians and the empress, who seemed present.
Zarian could make a case that a few of their skill-summons, Hannah’s Magi and his own Para, could be major decision makers, too. If so, then the choices made by all eight of them could possibly rock the entire foundations of the entire universe and maybe further beyond.
Zarian imagined the man he was a year ago wouldn’t have believed he’d gotten this far so fast. Granted, many incredible things had happened.
He couldn’t blame the man he was before for not having the capacity to imagine all of this.
Here he was, holding an entire universe hostage, able to look out the top floor window of a weaponized tower and see many people scurry about under him like ants.