Sequi was a port city located northeast from the capital of Anima and was a week away by foot from the town of Parte. Its lands were fertile, the climate was milder than the frigid north, and on the eastern side of the city was the coastline facing the Ocean of Ius. Sequi was the center of foreign trade as it facilitated the entry of goods from the resource-rich eastern continent.
Mana stones used for daily tools such as lanterns and stoves were sourced from the mines of the Archipelago of Orto, the capital region of the eastern continent. The port of Sequi was also the gateway for all freight and passenger ships bound to the eastern territories.
Due to the presence of foreign trade, the city of Sequi considers itself as a neutral and a self-sustaining city. The influx of merchants and a healthy economy elevated the income of its residents. Among the affluent merchants who opted to reside in Sequi, there were four notable individuals that contributed greatly to the city's development.
The richest merchant was Tuerri Monte, the sole supplier of Mana Stones and the leader of Orto Mercantile Group. The second notable one, Ver Germana, a Fae Halfling who sold medicinal goods and equipment originating from Silva. The third was Mercado Falsum, an affluent farmer who supplied wheat and ran logistics throughout the western territories. And the fourth notable was Finn, a wealthy miner who supplied precious metals and Mythril from the southern regions of Jumana.
These four merchants were known as the Council of Merces.
The Council ruled over the city, enacting laws while further improving Sequi and its economy. A public vote was raised twenty years ago to establish Sequi's neutrality and to avoid religious intolerance. The residents chose not to align themselves with the Church, Palace nor Seditio and opted to bar off the factions. The Council back then legislated the Agnoscere, a decree enforcing strict regulation of personal beliefs and banned the open practice of customs and traditions. This helped in keeping the tensions of the three factions at bay.
However, due to the fall of the Palace of Anima several days ago, the influence of the council of Merces had weakened and conflict arose amongst its members. Seditio and the Church of Arbor had been putting pressure on the council to ease up the bill and to allow their factions to set up guilds and havens for their followers.
Tuerri Monte, the head of the Council of Merces ardently refused both of the faction's requests, and this did not sit well with Seditio and two of their members, Mercado Falsum and Ver Germana who were pushing for reform.
Five days ago, Seditio had put up propaganda to incite fear and paranoia to the residents of Sequi, by branding Moirais as monsters that incite massacres by summoning Calamities at will, this was further reinforced when Seditio spread the word of the incident that ensued during The Great Judgement of Anima.
To add fuel to the fire, there were bounties posted against Moirais on the propaganda posters and leaflets. It planted greed into the hearts of the residents due to the generous rewards and sprouted violence and murder toward Moira kin, and their followers. Bloodshed had become rife and started to paint the streets of Sequi red.
The city started to kill itself from the inside.
***
It's been three nights since Athos and his companions left the manor in a hurry, Omri and Sagitta had informed Athos that there were people on their tail a few nights back. The three managed to lose the pursuers as Sagitta teleported the group near the border of Sequi. The group would set up camp in the day and move along the treetops at the cover of the night, it was to avoid the suspicion of Subjugators and Mercenaries hunting for bounties in the forest.
The dinner Athos ate earlier tossed and tumbled in his stomach every time Omri leaps to the next foothold. Omri had been carrying Athos on his back ever since leaving Parte, despite having a recovery enchantment placed on his body, Athos still felt a little light-headed.
"Ugh… I feel sick."
Athos gently taps Omri on the shoulder. "Can you upgrade the enchantment to a higher one? I feel like I'm going to hurl a few minutes from now…" His face grew paler by the second.
"I'm sorry my prince, please bear with it for a little longer, mother just went ahead to scout for a place to set up camp… she should be-"
[[Omri, I've found a forest clearing, by a small spring. Face the east and start moving from thereon, it's a hundred meters away so you'll see it after running for a minute or so.]] Sagitta's voice rang inside both of their heads.
"Alright then! Just bear with it for a few more minutes my prince… Please hold on tightly." Omri layered a minor haste spell on his enchantment and got down from the treetops, he then ran through the forest floor at maximum speed.
Athos clung for his dear life. He noticed that Omri had been a lot faster lately compared to his sprint when they escaped Anima.
They reached the clearing within 12 seconds, they saw Sagitta clapping her hands as they arrived.
"Not bad, Omri… Last time, it took you 30 seconds to cover the distance." Sagitta's eyes glimmer with joy, she then pats Omri's back. "Good, at least your movement has improved."
"Well, it's been a while since I ran to my heart's content, Mother." Omri bends on his knees to let Athos down from his back. Athos's legs trembled as he slowly got off him.
"Are you alright little prince?" Sagitta casts a recovery spell on Athos. "You look a little pale…"
Athos' face loses its color, he swiftly darts off to a nearby tree and retches. Omri gave chase and soothed the prince by stroking his back gently as he hurled out the contents of his stomach.
Sagitta approached the two. "I guess it's high time we take a break... We'll probably reach the outskirts of Sequi in a few hours." She then pulls out the tent from her spatial inventory. "Let's set up camp for the rest of the night and get some rest."
***
A golden chandelier decorated a lavish study room, its colorful mana stones glistened as mana coursed through it, illuminating the entire space. The furnishing inside the study was luxurious. The floors were fitted with a crimson velveteen carpet, the lounge and armchairs were finished with leather and were gilded with gold leaves, the bookshelves had the mild fragrance of sandalwood, and an ornately carved rosewood round table was the centerpiece of the space.
Three people sat across each other on the center table, their faces had a bitter expression. It seems that they were in the middle of a heated discussion and their loud voices reverberated inside the study room.
"I refuse to approve of the reform! Sequi will retain its neutrality!" A platinum-blonde man exclaimed. "If we suspend the Agnoscere at this time, it will only bring more bloodshed to Sequi!" His olivine eyes glinted sharply and his brows arched in anger.
"The people are clamoring for religious freedom, Tuerri." An elvish woman slams her hand on the table. "We cannot afford to anger them more, a lot of blood has already been spilled-"
"Our people have been flourishing through the decades since the decree, Ver." Tuerri glares at the elvish woman with a deathly expression.
"What you should realize is, our people are being swayed by greed!" Tuerri bangs his fist on the table, leaving a small indent. "Those damned propagandists from Seditio are misinforming the people and are destroying their rationality! If we let them-"
"I'm sorry Tuerri, but I'll side with Ver this time. Quelling the public comes first!" A white-haired man interjects. "You're aware where we get our taxes from right?" His malachite-tinted eyes squinted as he gazed at Tuerri.
"Mercado, are you insane?! Our people are already killing each other off and all you think about is money?" Rage fills Tuerri's thoughts, his olivine irises dilate in shock and anger. "Can you not see the bigger picture?!"
"You're the one who's not seeing properly, Tuerri!" Ver stands up from her seat and slides a bundle of paperwork toward Tuerri. "Our revenue is down, the Church refused to course their goods to our port and the western territories have increased the tariffs by tenfold! Our people will starve-"
"We can alleviate the food issue, we have enough in the granaries for our people to last a year!" Tuerri scratches his head in frustration. "A year is enough to convert our cotton farms to produce food-"
"But how can we farm if the people refuse to work out of spite?" Mercado crosses his arms and smirks condescendingly. "If we cannot settle the people's anger and frustrations, then we're back at square one." Mercado sighs. "Enlighten me, Tuerri."
"Suspending the Agnoscere means we are condoning the murder of innocents! Sequi's neutrality will be no more if both of you insist on that uncivilized path." Tuerri then glares at both Ver and Mercado.
"Then I suggest we put this to a public vote then." Ver's lips curved, a sarcastic smile decorated her face.
"Or even better, we can vote now as the council convenes this meeting." Mercado chuckles. "Oh… wait, we can't! Finn hasn't returned yet from the Southern territories." He then smirks at Tuerri. "I guess it will be a public vote then!"
"Both of you… I can't believe I'm hearing rubbish from your mouths." Tuerri's face cringes with disgust, he then stands up from his seat and walks over to the door. "I won't suspend the Agnoscere and I'll certainly find Finn."
Tuerris then walks out of the room and slams the door behind him. Leaving Ver and Mercado alone in the study.
"Wow… You really got him good there, Mercado." Ver snickers as she tied her moss-colored hair into a half ponytail. "Or should I say… The 3rd Brother?" Her gray irises glints with delight.
"We need to force out the wolf from its pack." Irae cackles. "After all, a wolf wouldn't be able to survive on its own."
"Is that the reason why you got rid of his twin brother a few days back?"
Irae nods, he then stands up from his seat. "We need to cut off his limbs, once he's disabled, We'll go in for the kill." Irae then takes out his green Seditio cloak from his spatial inventory and puts it on.
"By the way...make sure that our brothers in the south practice discretion. We can't have Finn return early." Irae then activates a teleportation circle beneath his feet. "I'll be out to hunt prey."
"Understood, Big Brother." Ver gives a curt bow.
"Send a swift letter addressed to me should you need assistance." Light flashed from the circle and Irae vanished from the room.
~~~~~
To be Continued.
~~~~~