Chapter 5; Why all this? I will tell you why.

Standing at the red wall of the warehouse, two men leaned against the walls. Karcheym stood there watching the process that could be seen while Lasq watched the rest of the process beyond the guards on a slim golden tablet with dhorium runes and a crystal onyx screen. Karcheym turned his head and glimpsed the screen. On it were silhouettes doing activities like lifting dumbbells or lifting them across an infinite walkway, the only identifying character on the silhouettes where white outlined numbers like "0041, 1001, 0181" that where currently flashing on the dark onyx crystal screen. 

"Why bring void space to slave ceremony. Too expensive." Karcheym said, a frown plastered on his face. He took his eyes off the screen placing the tablet down. "Haha, that's an emanation grade formation. Nothing much." he said leisurely. "So, failure for slave. Experiment, right? makes sense." Karcheym replied, nodding at the end. 

"Technically not a failure my friend, it an emanation grade formation yes. But it's a grey level. But an experiment it was, by Elder Chine of my family, she was trying something new. In her opinion it didn't work out, so she gave it to me as a gift that cheap witch." Lasq said casually, but this shocked Karcheym. "So almost failure from Elder, too valuable for slave. Why give your void-space to army??? Don't call grandma-Lasq witch.", Lasq just shrugged with the wave of his hands then he got a serious look on his face.

"A small price to pay, the contributions would earn me some merit. Plus, this elaborate farce of a naming ceremony for the damn slaves was my idea. A risk I have to take." Lasq said, Karcheym noticing his friends serious tone raised an eyebrow. "Have not seen you this way, last time was blood point." Karcheym said. Lasq chuckled, "I remember, I think my whole parish remembers. Not every day a slave saves a noble from the direct lineage of a patriarch no less. Most importantly I found a brother, I gained more in that rebellion more than I lost." He said as he passed his hand subconsciously over his chest. His friend watched the hand for a bit, "Hmph, the Red sand rebellion. Still no progress in cultivation."

"No, that bastard really did me dirty. He cut deep enough to kill but they say he cut the right organ and poured his spiritual power just right. The bastard damaged my smith-core." Lasq said his hand tightening into a clenched fist. The words burnt him till this day, when the Royal Alchemist had told him, the point of power that is formed parallel to one's heart that exist only in the spiritual within your body where the furnace energy one absorbed from the physical realm is collected and then used as the source of power for a forger was damaged causing him true despair. 

"No cure possible?" Karcheym asked, still watching the soldiers asking the slaves and writing out their information. Resisting the urge to burst out in his friend's face, he blowout a deep sigh making a conscious effort to unclench his fist, "No, if he had shattered it completely, they could have been a hope. But the way they explained, It's like a waterbag with thousands of small holes. No matter how much energy I absorb, it can never reach the limit for long enough to use my individual Spithen technique to break and reshape the limit. I can never grow, the damn bastard." He said his voice low but vibrating with a tension that could shattered the air. 

"But leaving that unsavory topic, but like I said it a risk I must take. The position of the post for Steel-Tumen, a thousand-man command. And honestly am not one for promotion but I have an easy feeling about the new tribal rebellion. And central command is taking it way to easy." He said his friend throwing him a quizzical look, "Who taking it seriously? You, you just looking for promotion." Karcheym replied bluntly making his friend burst out in laughter. 

"Hahaha, yes my friend I do understand your mistrust. I haven't been one of the most dutifully in for the past years since the incident. But this is my chance to move on, to make something of myself." then he paused self-importantly before falling into a chuckle after eyes his friend, "And yes of course, a chance for that easy promotion." He finished with a pat on the shoulder of Karcheym's hand.

"But how all this for slaves, get you promotion? Make you more serious?" Karcheym said, while gesturing to his chest he noted," Not like slave your favorite, no." With one last pat across his chest, he smiled wearily. "You see my friend, like I said the higher-ups aren't taking this seriously and if I get the rank. Well, I would rather reduce those risks to the lowest level."

That caused Karcheym's eyebrows to farrow, he turned to Lasq "This does? reduce risk?", But rather than answer the question Lasq asked one of his own, "What's the biggest variable on a battlefield with a kingdoms control?" while placing down his relic-tablet. "Number of soldier." While turning from him stare at the process ongoing, "Yes my friend, the numbers of soldiers. And what happens to these numbers when the higher-ups don't consider he task below notice?" He said as he turned back to karcheym. 

"Less number of soldier given." Karcheym answered, and Lasq gave him a short node. "Exactly, and there is no way to make those old geezers to provide more qualified soldiers once they have decided. But there is one way to get more numbers, do you know how?" and he received answer immediately "Slaves." 

Karcheym was starting to understand a little bit, but it still didn't make sense. All this was unnecessary, there were multiple slave soldiers in the imperial and parish armies, if he really wanted them once he got the rank not many would refuse him the fodder he required. And his friend could see the lingering confusion pasted on his face. 

"And the major question is, why all this?" Lasq stated gesturing to all that was taking place, "Well its simple, I don't only want fodder just to feel the numbers I need units that can fight. And for that I need more spiritual combatants, I mean forgers, rangers or even breakers I really don't mind." the frustration of the situation sipping out of his voice. 

"There no time, best you can get is ignition beings, no." karcheym brought up the problem he saw with this plan. "I don't mind even if all I get are the lowest level ember-kindlers, as long there are more of them a year from now then the risk has reduced, and my probability of victory is higher. And you never know my dear friend, maybe there might be a miracle and one of them might become a shaping being like us, you just need to have faith." but the long look in Lasq eyes told Karcheym that his friend didn't really believe in that possibility. 

Lasq, lost in thought couldn't help but think of the power systems that govern this world, those that could manipulate the spiritual energy of the realm that was in furnace or void energy were the true rulers of the realm as the deities stopped interacting with the world since the shattering. Now the spiritual beings whether forgers, rangers or breakers were divided into six level beings: - Ignition, Shaping, Ascendant, Transcendent, Spirit and Cosmic beings respectively each divided into three different phases. This system had accurately quantified the level of power and was used mostly all across the realm, the higher you the more significate the difference of power, but most importantly it also signified the length of one's life. 

"But why go so far? why so worried?" karcheym asked pulling Lasq out of his thoughts, he could see just like those old geezers that they all consider this new desert tribe uprising, the same as usual. "Do you know what year it is Karcheym? Well, more importantly what significant event is to take place this year?" Lasq asked and taking the shake of his friend head as a negative he continued. "It's the last year of the Treaty of Ashen Rivers. And do you know what that means, a conqueror is about to be unleashed."

Karcheym was confused not knowing what any of the things his friend was saying now, he late out a questioning "Conqueror?" only knowing one conqueror his entire life, and that was the Suncross Order Empire that he served know that treated all the desert tribes as feeder grounds for slaves. "Yes, the conqueror, not just any conqueror but the conqueror?" Lasq said in an exaggerated tone, his story telling side taking over. 

"You see my friend, as a slave your information is always a bit lacking so I will tell you what most civilians already know. After the Age of shattering that began the legacy of forgers and breakers and the next Age of binding that empowered those legacies creating the power of bloodline and also being the legacy of rangers. Disorder was introduced in one era and order in the next. And those newfound beings of power those of powerful bloodlines and obvious those of great power outside the constraints of bloodline all founded nations, a bid for permeant power and resources in a time where order was required by Saint of bondage and fate."

"But you see he, just like everyone else was not immortal, at least not fully only leaving a legacy of avatars. With his death, the age of binding was over, and the next era was nothing like the shattering but it sure come close, wars were raged resources gained and lost and nations were conquered. But most importantly we learnt three important things." Lasq said with a dramatic pose. " The first was that the birthplace of power, the origin of the shattering and the binding, the home of the Saints, The Free State Of EMBERHOLD, was by far the most powerful nation and there only condition for peace, there state-religion was to be let into every nation without fail. Second, there were to be ten major nations that could control large areas or at least have the power to defend their sovereignty, the four most powerful, except Emberhold of course, the those lead the bloodline families, the touch of the deities had returned and wouldn't be leaving anytime soon as they are the ones that gift the bloodlines. And third, there was one nation that took their deities domain to heart, the bonded scum of Ignarion the deity of Conquest and Conflict, The Drakonid Dynasty. They are unofficially considered the universal second best and their lust for conquer is far and beyond the greatest threat to any nation. Only the watchful eye of EMBERHOLD keeps their conquest at a low, to only small nations."

"Well, that was until a few thousand years ago, when they decided to attack another great nation. At the time there were twelve nations in consideration to be great, the last consider just shy of first rate. But unfortunately, they were both on the same continent as the conquerors. In their most daring bid ever, they tried to take over their entire continent there first step to world conquest. The two nations erased from the history books, almost all the small nations raised to the ground and the last superpower on the continent, The THALASSRA'S DOMINION were placed on the backfoot." Lasq emphasized, his voice ramping up for dramatic effect. 

"In an unexpected act of solidarity, two of the bloodline nations sent their support leading to ambush that cleared out a quarter of dynasty's army. Which gave the other nations close the Thalassra's Dominion to submit under it creating a religious federation that could rival the strength of the newly wounded Dynasty. But that didn't stop those madmen, but they had fulfilled their objective, they had stalled them long enough for Emberhold to react. The result, the treaty of ashen rivers." Lasq paused, holding his breath then letting it an in a deep sight, "It forced the conquerors to heel, It gave everyone a moment to breath and most importantly a moment to prepare for their next encounter. And to be fair, the other three bloodline nations and the nation of rangers made good use of it, the four have grown so powerful that if they aren't their match, they are simply a step or two behind."

While Karcheym was enjoying his friend's impromptu history lesson, he didn't understand what any of these had to do with the rebel tribes in the desert that had joint up to attack the empire. "Why tell all this? Irrelevant it sounds." ,Lasq paused, his braws farrowing as he tastily replied, "Irrelevant, are you that impatient that you can't wait for a bit? Let me finish and you will see what am trying to get at. It's all veryyyy...relevant, trust me old friend."

"Now where was I, Ohh yes, with four after of the other eight nations up to speed and the threat of Emberhold looming, you would think everything is fine. But there two problems with this conclusion, the first is their patron deity, it demands conquests and conflict and am sure after the last humiliation, they are just waiting to show their might again so i don't think they will be in for a small fry. But secondly, the looming presence of the Free State of Emberhold and the church aren't as threating as they used to be, most importantly after that incident just a few years ago, even we have become more daring, late alone the dynasty." Lasq continued his story, not clarifying on this point, since even someone like Karcheym knew of that large event.

"And now as the contact bound by the threads of fate, a manifestation of the power of the deities comes to an end, what do you think they will do, Huh? It's obvious, conquer. But where to begin, that the question everyone is asking themselves, but I have the answer." He stopped then, staring at his fried with a raised eyebrow. Karcheym's brow farrowed, "You think us, why?", his confusion obvious as it was painted across his face. 

He laughed then, a long dry laugh, a laugh that seem built on frustration and something deeper, but Karcheym couldn't decipher this side of Lasq his dear friend for the life of him. "Well, I have many convoluted reasons that wouldn't make sense to you, but I will a few that I think would make the most sense, and maybe I can convince someone except myself, my dear friend.", he sighed deeply before taking on a rare serious expression upon his face. 

"First, they need to test Emberhold's power without obvious bring their entire wrath down on them, there probably just want to test their new bottom-line. So, invading the Holyland is probably off the topic, but the continent, not so much. And like I said it has to be a powerful nation, and there only two other powerful nations on this damn land and the others are nomads. We are the only ones with actual real estate they would want to take.", Lasq raised his hand immediately already knowing the objection karcheym would have, "Yes, the ashbourn do have multiple outposts in that wasteland that they call home, but there to busy moving around to develop anything worth a damn in those place, it why nobody, not even them calls them cities, towns of villages. Coz there barely anything man, in my opinion, that's the last place in the great ten that the Dynasty would want to conquer."

"The second reason, I think is simply because we are the best training field for them to dust off their rust. We are one of the few nations where everything goes unlike some others that are stricter shall we say about the spiritual-being makeup within their ranks. We have it all, the numbers from the slaves, the highly skilled from the citizens and collection of forgers and rangers and even the odd breaker here and there. Very few nations have such diversity within our arsenal. And with our lack of a strong naval presence, we have nowhere to hide." Then his eyebrows rose sharply only to deep down a second later with a sigh, "And don't even get me started with the inherent division within our systems of governance. With only one Patriarch family supporting the Royal family and the central government while all the other six remain routed to those damn territories they call parishes scrambling for more power individually rather than the empire as a whole. Just the right type of inadequacies the Dynasty loves to exploit."

"And of course the most obvious reason in our mineral rich empire, one of the three in the lead at that, and the other two a way to powerful. And of course, our large sovereign wealth built on those mineral resources, but most especially that high quality dhorium mine we have recently discovered. They do need somewhere to get the rare metals to build those relics they need to launch their worldwide conquest." Seeing that at least this reason had caught his friend's attention he let out a soft chuckle. Seeing that his friend had paused, Karcheym wanted to ask the burning question on his chest. 

"Why you think they come in this rebellion? Too weak in karcheym's opinion.", Lasq stopped laughing, an actual smile pasted on his face his he began this conversation. "Finally, a great question my friend. And the simple answer is it doesn't add up. A few barbaric tribes that are too scared to move from there safe zones all move to a single location, create a united front and somehow settle on a minor mineral mine and have just the right professionals to create tools of war to arm a couple hundred men, even their high-ranking officers holding relics of unknown levels. Too many coincidences for me to stomach.", This last statement really had Karcheym relying. He flat out didn't believe in coincidences, and all this information overwhelmed him with its suspicious nature. He might not believe his completely, but something did smell fishy. 

"And if the reports am hearing are true, too many ignition-beings are being sighted in their ranks, some have even said they saw more than three shaping-beings. All forgers at that, it's too unnatural mostly for those barbaric tribes.", Lasq brows continuing to farrow deeper as he spoke. "What I believe is that they are experimenting? Try to use these tribes to test out some new-fangled technologies and methods and selling of their old and outdated wartime equipment and relics. But significantly I think, it's their first wave of offence, shaving their toes into the sand if you will."

"Question friend, what if Lasq wrong. What if not test by Dynasty?", while slightly convinced he still worried his friend was backing up the wrong tree. "The am wrong, then I bring relic to a sword fight. For you know what I always say Karcheym. There is no downside in being overprepared, but underprepared, there is only damnation pay.", with that Lasq sighed, leaning back against the warehouse walls, picking up his relic tablet once again and returning to his former activity like nothing just happened.