The tension in the room was suffocating. It wasn't the loud, explosive kind marked by raised voices or sudden movements, but a heavy, pressing weight that settled right behind the breastbone and refused to budge.
Dan sat in the silence, his mind turning over every possible outcome of the looming conversation. At the round table, he and his sister, Marr, took their seats opposite Quinn. Behind them sat five of the scavenger faction's most trusted members—silent, watchful, and ready.
Quinn sat at the head of the opposing side. To his right, Vorden Blade remained as steady and confident as ever, while Erin Heley sat to his left, her sharp gaze cutting through the room. The remaining seats were filled by Ray Dem, Sarah,Amy and Michael.
For a long moment, nobody breathed.
Dan was the one to finally break the silence. "I've heard enough from Marr to understand what went down on the Red Portal Planet," he began, his voice low but carrying a heavy gravity. "She spoke highly of you—of your strength, and your team. Having seen it myself, I won't argue. You're powerful. There's no denying that."
He narrowed his eyes, leaning forward slightly. "We've considered your proposal about taking over the leadership of this faction. But before we go any further, there are things I need to confirm. This faction isn't just a name on a ledger, Quinn. It has history. There is blood behind it. If your intentions don't align with ours, then I don't care how strong you are." He gestured subtly to the five guards standing at his back. "We will fight you. Even if it costs us everything we have."
"Whoa, whoa... easy there," Ray cut in, leaning back with a dry, easygoing smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Why is everyone in this room always one sentence away from declaring war?"
The joke did its job, taking a fraction of the pressure out of the air, but the underlying tension remained.
Quinn let out a slow, quiet breath. He understood where Dan was coming from; if their positions were reversed, he would have said the exact same thing. You didn't just hand over the keys to something built on blood and sweat.
Leaning forward, Quinn rested his forearms on the table, his voice steady. "Then let me make my intentions clear, Dan. Yes, I want to build a faction of my own someday, and yes, this place could be the stepping stone to get us there. But before you judge me for that, you need to know who we actually are."
He looked across the table, meeting the eyes of the scavengers. "We were first-year students at Military Base two. Things went sideways. We got tangled up with the True Dream faction and, just like the rumors say, they stripped everyone's abilities. All of them. Mine was the only one they failed to take." He nodded toward Vorden. "Vorden came with us by choice, risking everything to help. The rest of us were just trapped on that Red Portal Planet, trying to find a way to survive."
A bitter, dark shadow crossed Quinn's face. "We thought we found a way out when we ran into Grazer. We were wrong. He locked us up, and the second he saw what I was capable of, he didn't try to negotiate. He threw me to a legendary-tier beast. Alone. As bait. For them to escape."
The room went silent.
"I survived," Quinn said, his voice flat, stripped of any boastfulness. "I crawled my way out, came back, and killed him. Then I freed the others. That is how we ended up here. So please, don't mistake us for naive teens. We might look young, but we aren't pushovers."
His posture relaxed slightly, his tone shifting from defensive to cooperative. "But I want to work with you. I'm entirely new to factions and leadership. You aren't. I think you should remain the leader of this faction. You built this place, and you actually understand how to run it."
A murmur of genuine surprise rippled through the scavenger guards.
"All we're asking for is fair treatment," Quinn continued. "According to the military, we're either dead or fugitives. We need simple things: help us clear our names if you can, or help us stay off the grid. We need traveler IDs and a place to lay low. We aren't here to tear down what you've built."
His gaze locked onto Dan's, his eyes burning with a quiet, fierce intensity. "But we do need a place to grow. We need to get stronger. Strong enough to eventually stand against the military, against the True Dream faction, and take back what they stole from us. We want seats at this table. Equal say, equal weight. That's all. For now."
He paused, a rare moment of vulnerability breaking through his stoic guard. "The truth is, I'm not ready to lead yet. But I want to learn."
Dan didn't answer right away. He studied Quinn, his expression shifting from guarded skepticism to quiet realization, before finally settling into a faint, genuine smile.
"I see," Dan murmured, a long breath escaping him as the stiffness left his shoulders. "I'm sorry. We didn't know the whole story." He looked around the table, checking the faces of his people, before looking back at Quinn with a firm nod. "We accept your terms."
---
Announcement!
I am writing a new book!
"Born under no star..."
The first chapter is already out there in Royal Road to read for free...
It follows the genre of a system story, progression fantasy and With dark fantasy world..