Amara, Jon, and Ubuntu found themselves back at the safe house Amara had arranged in the quieter district of Valarys. The small, well-fortified building was far from the prying eyes of the Merchant's Guild or the Sovereign's forces. After the chaos of the last fight, the three of them needed a moment to regroup, breathe, and figure out their next move.
Amara paced back and forth, her mind clearly focused on the information they had just uncovered. "The Sovereign's plans are accelerating. Marlov wasn't bluffing. They're funneling resources—magic, ore, weapons—right under our noses."
Jon, still wide-eyed from the encounter, was sitting in a chair, his legs shaking. "That was... intense. I didn't think I'd survive."
"Relax, Jon," Ubuntu said, lounging in the corner, arms crossed behind his head. "You made it through your first big fight. Be proud. Could've gone worse."
Amara stopped pacing, her face tense. "The Sovereign is not just consolidating power here in Ishmara. He's trying to destabilize the entire region. If he gets control of the magical ore and the mining towns, he'll have enough resources to fuel his armies for decades. And if the rumors about his plan to breach other worlds are true…"
Jon blinked. "Wait, breach other worlds? You mean like... different dimensions?"
Amara nodded gravely. "The Sovereign seeks a power that goes beyond this world. He's obsessed with finding a way to transcend the barriers between realms. If he succeeds, it won't just be Ishmara at risk—it could be every world."
Jon's eyes went wide again, clearly trying to wrap his head around the idea. "So, he could... what, invade other dimensions? Even your world, Ubuntu?"
"Seems that way," Ubuntu muttered, tapping his foot against the floor. "You've gotta hand it to him—he's thinking big. But that just means it's our job to think bigger."
Jon turned to Amara, still a bit shaken. "So, what's our next move?"
"We need to know more about the Sovereign's plans," Amara said. "We've been reacting to his moves, but if we're going to have any chance of stopping him, we need to understand what he's doing, why he's doing it, and how far along he is."
Jon frowned, looking concerned. "That sounds like a lot of... information-gathering. Any chance we can just punch our way through the next part?"
Amara gave him a small, exasperated smile. "Unfortunately, no. Not yet, anyway."
Ubuntu pushed himself off the wall, stretching his arms out. "That reminds me, I've got a stop to make. Need to pick up a little something before we dive deeper into this mess."
Amara raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
"My custom gear," Ubuntu said with a sly grin. "If we're taking on the Sovereign and his goons, I'll need more than just these sabres. I've got some arbalètes portatives waiting for me at the blacksmith's."
Amara sighed, clearly unamused. "Fine, but make it quick. We don't have much time."
The forge was hot and loud when Ubuntu stepped through the doors of Thrak's Ironworks. The familiar clang of metal on metal echoed through the workshop as Thrak, the hulking blacksmith, hammered away at a glowing piece of iron. Sparks flew as he worked, and the air was thick with the smell of burning coals and molten metal.
Thrak looked up from his work as Ubuntu approached, wiping sweat from his brow. "Ah, the man who likes his weapons fast and portable," Thrak grunted. "Your custom arbalètes are ready."
He reached under his workbench and pulled out two sleek, beautifully crafted hand crossbows. They were smaller than the typical crossbow, with finely polished metal and dark leather grips. The mechanism gleamed, clearly designed for fast reloading and portability—just what Ubuntu had asked for.
"They're designed for speed and accuracy," Thrak said proudly. "You can fire off a shot in quick succession without having to fumble with the reloading. Lightweight, powerful—just like you wanted."
Ubuntu picked one up, testing the weight in his hand. The balance was perfect. He could easily see himself using these in combat, especially when he needed a ranged option. He gave Thrak a nod of approval. "Not bad, big guy. Not bad at all."
Thrak grunted in acknowledgment. "Don't say I never did anything for you."
With his new weapons in hand, Ubuntu left the forge and made his way back through the city. The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the streets. As he walked, his mind wandered to the next phase of their mission. Gathering information on the Sovereign's movements was going to be tricky, but they couldn't afford to waste time.
Back at the safe house, Amara had spread a map of Valarys on the table, marking various points of interest and potential leads on Guild activities. Jon was leaning over the table, frowning as he tried to make sense of the plan Amara was explaining.
"The Guild has several key warehouses scattered throughout the city," Amara said, pointing to various locations on the map. "We need to find out where they're storing the resources they've been funneling to the Sovereign. If we can cut off their supply lines, we can slow him down."
Jon scratched his head. "And how exactly do we do that? Sneak in? Bribe someone for information?"
Ubuntu leaned against the wall, now armed with his new crossbows, and smirked. "A plan? Ah, c'est marrant, moi j'étais plutôt parti sur un 'on fonce dans le tas, et on voit ce qui se passe'. But sure, go ahead with your boring strategies first."
Amara shot him a look. "If we're going to pull this off without getting killed, we need a proper plan, Ubuntu."
Ubuntu shrugged, clearly unbothered. "Plans, no plans—either way, we'll manage."
Jon was about to speak when a knock at the door startled them. Amara moved quickly, opening it just a crack to peek outside. A figure in a long cloak stepped through, his face obscured by the hood.
"Who's this?" Ubuntu asked, eyes narrowing as he watched the stranger enter.
The man removed his hood, revealing a weathered face marked with scars and a serious expression. "I bring information from the Guild," he said in a low voice. "Marlov isn't done yet. He's planning something big, and it's tied to the Sovereign's use of the fissures."
Jon blinked. "The fissures?"
The man nodded. "The Sovereign's armies have been using the fissures—unstable rifts in space and time—to extract power. Magic, resources, even soldiers from other dimensions. It's how he's been building his forces so quickly."
"Fissures," Ubuntu repeated, leaning forward with interest. "And these rifts, they're connected to his whole 'breaching other worlds' plan, aren't they?"
"Exactly," the man replied. "The Sovereign is trying to find a way to stabilize the fissures, to open permanent gateways between dimensions. If he succeeds, he'll have access to untold power—enough to conquer not just this world, but many others."
Jon, trying to follow the conversation, scratched his head. "So... he's basically using magic wormholes to cheat his way to an army?"
"More or less," the man confirmed. "And if we don't stop him soon, he'll be unstoppable."
Amara leaned against the table, deep in thought. "How do we stop him? Where are these fissures?"
"They're scattered across the land," the man said. "The closest one is near the mines on the eastern border of Valarys. If you can cut off his access to that fissure, it'll weaken his position."
Jon, who had been mostly quiet until now, looked from the man to Amara. "Sounds... complicated. Lots of steps."
Amara nodded. "It is. But if we're going to have any chance of stopping the Sovereign, we need to act now."
Before Jon could ask any more questions, Ubuntu spoke up, his voice casual but sharp. "Thanks for the expo, really. But if I wanted a summary of the story, I'd have just skipped the chapters until we got to the action. Can we move forward now?"
The man's eyes flicked to Ubuntu, clearly unamused, but he said nothing. Amara sighed, rolling her eyes slightly before nodding to the man. "Thank you for the information. We'll handle it from here."
The man bowed slightly and left, leaving the three of them alone again.
"Well," Ubuntu said, glancing at Amara, "sounds like we've got our next stop."
Amara folded her arms, her expression serious. "The mines. It's dangerous territory, and if the fissure is there, we can expect heavy resistance."
Jon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Dangerous... right."
Ubuntu glanced at him, smirking. "You scared, Jon? I mean, it's not like we're halfway through the book yet. Can't kill me now—it'd ruin the climax."
Jon managed a weak smile. "Right, of course. No dying until the end."
Amara gave them both a look. "Focus. We need to be smart about this. The Sovereign's forces won't go down easily, and if he's using the fissures to summon more soldiers, we're in for a fight."
"Good," Ubuntu said, standing up and adjusting his new crossbows. "I'm in the mood for one."
With that, the three of them gathered their gear and prepared to set out toward the mines. The Sovereign's plans were becoming clearer, but the path ahead was dangerous. If they were going to stop him, they'd need more than just skill—they'd need luck, and a lot of it.