"Chief! Did you take a look at those records?"
The old man scratched his chin thoughtfully, "I have."
"What did you think?"
"It seems like we've entered a new era."
"So have you decided?"
With a sigh the old man responded somberly, "I'm afraid we have no choice in this matter."
"What?"
Tossing a crystal slip across the room he said, "Take a look for yourself."
"This. . ."
An stunned expression formed on their face, quickly followed by one of anger, "This is outrageous! This is a targeted attack! We can't do anything about this! I will bring this issue to the Honorable Leader and-"
"It is legitimate and fair."
"What?!"
"I reviewed it thoroughly. If anything it can be considered that it's tipped in our favor. Bringing this issue to the Honorable Leader would be a waste of time."
"But we clearly cannot fulfill these conditions!"
"I am aware."
The old man looked upwards, although all that he saw was a worn plain ceiling. Closing his eyes he let old memories resurface. As if basking the glory of what once was.
"Chief?"
"It seems we've been silent for too long. I. . . I am tired of idly waiting. If this must be the last Arena the South Province takes part of, then I shall make it the greatest they have seen yet!"
His eyes opened, an old fire reignited within. Rolling his shoulders to loosen the muscles he began, "Aaron, I have looked at the profiles thoroughly. However you have picked some incredibly talented people. I have no doubt you were keeping tabs on them."
Aaron, the disgruntled glasses wearing individual nodded, "Of course, just in case you ever changed your mind."
"Good! Tell me, how many were already recruited?"
"Just about over half Chief."
"Only over half? What an inkling of good news. Hand me the ones that still have yet to join."
Aaron skillfully selected a few of the profiles, "These ones."
Skimming through them he faintly smiled, "How many were already approached?"
"All but one."
"They haven't joined despite being offered by multiple of them. Either their suspicious, or they have another reason for not joining one yet."
"My exact thinking, which is why I am not sure how we're supposed to recruit them."
"Talented warriors who passed up the opportunity to further improve. Since the other Providences no doubt have access to the same information we do—if not more—it means some part of their offer was unappealing enough to have them decline."
Aaron pulled out three crystal slips, "I've been keeping tabs on that too Chief."
"Truthfully your talents should not be in the South Province."
"You know the reason why I stay here."
"Yeah, you have my appreciation."
Reading the slips the old man smiled further, "It seems they've grown too confident. I think I spotted the reason."
"Chief?"
"If this goes to plan, we might just have an offer that will be enticing enough for them to join."
"How? Our resources are very thin."
"Your thinking is too superficial. We shall head forth immediately, the sooner we accomplish this the better. Who's the closest to us currently?"
"I don't have their current locations, you'll have to give me a bit to get someone on that."
"Do so, for now I require you to fill me in on any additional information you have acquired since then."
Aaron could barely contain his joy. For how long had he waited? As the Head of the South Providence remained stuck in the past and refusing to move forward. After all this time they were finally standing up! Working to return the South Providence to what it once was! Adjusting his glasses Aaron nodded, "Yes Chief!"
"Good, let us get moving. There are a few things I must see for myself before we start making a move."
~ ~ ~
"The South Province is beginning to move sir."
"Ha! Of course they are, they have no choice. It's a shame anyone worth of value have long since left. What's their current moves?"
"It seems they're trying to recruit."
"That's funny, with what resources? They have nothing to provide for new talents. It would be a waste! The South Head knows this, why else would he have remained so stagnant?"
"Do we not intervene?"
"What a ridiculous thing to say. We will not use underhanded methods to win. Intervening now is tantamount to admitting we have no faith in our warriors. Besides this year's Arena is far too soon for new talents to be able to compete."
"Shall I still keep tabs on them then?"
"Of course, you are simply not to intervene no matter what. If you truly think it may be troublesome you can inform me, otherwise I no longer wish to care about such trifling matters."
"Yes sir."
"Soon the South Province will fall, and then The Gated Arena will be able to prosper greater than ever."
~ ~ ~
"He seems kind of clumsy."
Aaron adjusted his glasses, "I know, I swore that I found the wrong person. But the records show that this is indeed the same person."
"What's so special about him?"
"He shows an abnormal level of adaptation. The way he cleared his Trial was incredibly rare."
"I can't help but fail to see this."
"I-I know. I don't understand if he's intentionally fooling around or if it's something else. However the Trial is concrete evidence of his abilities. He's undoubtedly skilled!"
Aaron winced as he watched their target, despite what he said they suddenly tripped and fell. Watching the sight he sighed, "You should see the Trial for yourself."
"No need, the fact he's even here is proof enough. Perhaps he's much like Trune."
Aaron raised his eyebrows slightly, "Trune? I think I can see the similarities. . ."
"What's his purpose for being here?"
"He seems to have some sort of goal. I couldn't determine what it was exactly, but he's constantly working towards it."
"Excellent, what name does he go by?"
"Igneel."
"Igneel hm? I'll consider him a candidate, if he truly is like Trune then it would not be a bad addition. Who's next on the list?"
"We recently obtained the location of another. Next we shall head towards the Arcane Academy."
"A Sorcerer is it?"
"No, someone who has a thorough understanding of runes. It seems their form of magic is the rarely used Author Series."
"Oh? I didn't think anyone would still use that kind of magic."
"It seems their knowledge of magic was enough to grant them a Mark of the Arcane."
The South Providence Head raised an eyebrow, "What Stage are they?"
"Second."
"A Mark at Second Stage? That's something I would like to see."
"Shall we head off then?"
The old man looked towards Igneel with a faint squint, "Yes, the faster we move the better."
~ ~ ~
Timeon stared at a river, more specifically one still section. This was his actions for a large majority of his time. With a frown he turned, "It should have been solved by now, what are they doing?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"You were in charge of their transport."
"No one is supposed to know that remember? It was supposed to be an action between you and that other one."
"It's just us two in here, don't act innocent."
"So what am I supposed to say?"
"What happened during the transport. If they were informed of their mission it should have long since been completed. There shouldn't be any mishaps.", Timeon turned his attention back to the still part of the river, "Yet it still remains."
"A miscalculation on my part. It should only take another year or two."
"A miscalculation?"
"The heroes always end up as emotionless killing machines. After all that's what we want right? However that world doesn't operate on a standard like that. So I had to make sure they can adapt accordingly."
"What did you do?"
"I fused their souls with a few dying ones, during the process I altered their memories slightly."
Timeon frowned, "You what?!"
"Calm down old man, I didn't do anything major. I simply locked away some information, this was necessary to prevent them from messing with my soul fusion."
"Why did you even fuse their souls?!"
"Oh don't get mad with me! I had no choice! You come to me with such an important task with such short notice and get mad when I had to take some drastic measures to get it done!"
Timeon took a breath, "My apologies, this has never happened before with the river. It has made me anxious. Tell me in full detail of what exactly you changed."
"It's a slight alteration. I fused their souls with some compassionate people, the kind who could be considered the opposite of them. This should have drastically changed their behavior."
"What kind of behavior changes?"
"The kind that makes them blend in better. It gives them values the people of Earth hold as a priority. A place like that doesn't need strength like we do. So things like emotions become more valued among them."
"Would this not affect how they are as a person?"
"I could argue that it makes them a person, compared to the weapons you lot like to make."
Timeon expressed his displeasure with a face but never spoke it, "Then the memories you locked away."
"Mostly stuff that might make them much stronger on that planet then they needed to be. Can't have them becoming super humans. I also removed anyway for them to alter my actions."
"Anything else I should know?"
"Hmmm. . . I guess you no longer have to worry. It's been about a year or so over there right?"
"Correct."
"Then their other halves should be dying."
"Other halves. . . the souls you fused?"
"They were dying, the fusion was enough to alter them so they know how to act. However it was still a dying soul and would eventually fade back into the process."
"Would this have any consequence?"
"To others maybe, for us it's convenient. If anything it should speed up the process. Like the removing of chains."
"And you're positive of this?"
"Absolutely. . . maybe? The death of their other souls might come to them as a shock. Then their soul will undergo a slight change to adapt to the death of its counterpart. . . which might-"
They shook their head, "Nah we will be fine. Worse case scenario the killing machines return. But then that nameless God could fix it before it gets out of hand."
"Your words fail to fill me with confidence."
"If you lot gave me more time I would be more certain. This is what happens when you're forced to rush."