Celeste spoke in a measured tone that carried neither judgment nor warmth, simply fact stated with precision.
"You will have to be careful," she began, her fingers tracing the edge of her cup. "The rulers of each faction cannot kill each other directly."
Lucid waited for elaboration.
"The participants, leaders in other terms, possess divine barriers that prevent them from assaulting or eliminating one another in any capacity," Celeste continued. "That restriction does not extend to sponsored participants. You are free to engage in sabotage, betrayal, or mutual destruction to whatever extent you choose."
Lucid held his breath, understanding the implications before she completed her explanation with a faint nod.
"That is, assuming you are willing to risk your merit," she finished.
Alice's presence stirred within his consciousness, her attention sharpening at the mention of merit.
"You begin as a sponsored individual with initial merit," Celeste elaborated, gesturing toward the glowing energy that marked his wrist. "Should you engage in battle with other sponsored participants from opposing factions, merit merges between you and your opponent."
"So if I win or kill them, their merit flows to me," Lucid stated flatly, understanding the mechanism immediately. "If I lose, my merit flows to them."
"Precisely, though there are other means by just killing." Celeste confirmed. "Nothing is lost. Nothing is created. It simply transfers."
'Which means every sponsored participant is a potential target,' Lucid thought, his mind already running calculations. 'And every faction has agents hunting for us.'
Alice responded with amusement coloring her mental voice. "You are only just now realizing that? How delightfully slow for someone so clever."
'Shut up,' Lucid replied internally, but without heat.
He had already suspected as much. The rules regarding faction rulers prevented direct assassination among the elite, but nothing prevented them from using sponsored agents to weaken opposing factions. Each ruler would have maintained networks of discrete operatives paid exclusively to hunt and eliminate rival sponsored participants.
"Who organized this system?" Lucid asked Celeste directly.
"The Transcendence is held by the New Order, an alliance comprising every faction of the Scattered Realms," Celeste explained. "However, the entities who occupy the Transcendence itself, ensuring merit circulates properly and each participant can enter on equal terms, are the peacemakers and rule enforcers. They are the Churches of the Luminari Covenant."
Lucid processed the information. The Luminari Covenant was one of the most significant religious organizations across the Scattered Realms. Their followers believed in a single deity, Mother Fate Alisia, and adhered strictly to ancient scrolls and doctrines. Priestess Ophilia served as head of one of their largest sanctuaries in Ater, wielding considerable influence across multiple kingdoms.
'Of course they would oversee the Transcendence,' Lucid thought with bitter amusement. 'Nothing says impartial rule enforcement quite like a religious organization with its own agenda.'
Alice laughed at his cynicism. "Do you truly believe any institution remains uncorrupted? How naive. Corruption is not a flaw in systems. It is the natural state they gravitate toward."
'That is depressingly accurate,' Lucid admitted.
He leaned forward, fixing Celeste with a direct stare. "If the Luminari Covenant are the rule enforcers, then they are also the primary avenue for system corruption. Doesn't that undermine the entire Transcendence?"
Celeste's expression tightened slightly, confirming his suspicion before she spoke.
"Every faction has attempted to sabotage the Transcendence in various ways," she acknowledged. "There are rumors that our own queen nearly corrupted the Hourglass of Virtue that resides within the New Order's central authority."
"Of course," Lucid said flatly. "The Luminari Covenant has been fragmented among different factions for generations. Now that the Transcendence is opening after a century of dormancy, they see an opportunity to consolidate power and spread their religious influence. If I were them, I would absolutely sabotage and manipulate the system until my faction gained dominance."
Celeste inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. "Your assessment is accurate. Whether they use those advantages to achieve their goals is no longer your concern. The Scattered Realms must contend with that corruption themselves."
"Unless," Lucid added with sharp emphasis, "their sabotage prevents me from accomplishing my objectives. Then they become another obstacle requiring removal."
Alice's mental presence felt almost approving. "Now you demonstrate some backbone. I was beginning to worry you had gone soft."
Celeste continued without pause, her tone remaining formal and measured. "That is why acolytes and priests visit the corners of the Scattered Realms. They conduct pilgrimages and offer blessings to those injured by the Transcendence, by conflict between sponsored participants, or by other external forces. Simultaneously, they extend blessings to sponsored individuals who abide by their religious doctrines."
'So they are using the Transcendence as a recruitment and indoctrination tool,' Lucid realized. 'Brilliant strategy actually. Offer support to victims while simultaneously rewarding those who align with their theology.'
"The priests serve as both humanitarian agents and operatives," Celeste explained, as if reading his thoughts. "They gather intelligence regarding other sponsored participants, their capabilities, their locations. This information flows back to the faction leadership, allowing them to coordinate against participants from rival factions. One of them are bound to show up here. What sill you do?"
Lucid processed the full scope of what she was describing. The Transcendence was not a merit-based advancement system for individuals. It was a proxy battlefield where factions could eliminate you.
Lucid replied. "I will spend the remaining time in Port Vexis gathering information about kts participants and candidates without directly confronting them."
He glanced toward where Arthur stood, casually setting down another drinking vessel. There were many of them arranged across the table, evidence of extended conversation and steady consumption. Arthur seemed entirely unbothered by the darkness of the discussion, his attention focused on the task of maintaining hospitality.
"How do we protect ourselves from this network of acolytes and operatives?" Lucid asked, returning his focus to Celeste.
"You cannot," she replied without softening the statement. "The best you can manage is awareness and preparation. Some sponsored participants have attempted to create counter-networks, but the Luminari Covenant's resources are substantial."
Alice spoke with calculated coldness. "Which means we operate under the assumption that we are constantly being hunted. We move rapidly between locations. We avoid establishing patterns. We trust no one except those directly bound to us through contractual obligation or genuine survival necessity."
'Basically, we exist in a state of permanent paranoia,' Lucid translated internally.
"Essentially accurate," Alice agreed.
Celeste rose from her seat and moved toward a map that displayed the territories of each faction. She pointed to specific locations marked with symbols that apparently indicated areas where Luminari Covenant presence was strongest.
"These sanctuaries serve as gathering points for their operatives," she explained. "If you must travel through these regions, exercise extreme caution. The priests maintain sophisticated networks of informants and combat specialists."
"And if I encounter them directly?" Lucid asked.
"Avoid confrontation if possible," Celeste advised. "However, should direct conflict prove unavoidable, understand that Luminari-trained operatives are competent but not exceptional. Your capabilities exceed theirs by substantial margin."
'Unless they have already identified me and sent multiple teams to coordinate an ambush,' Lucid thought grimly.
Alice responded with what might have been laughter or might have been menace. "Then we kill them and claim their merit. Nothing is lost. Nothing is created. Simply transferred..."
Celeste continued without acknowledging the byplay. "The Transcendence operates on quarterly assessments. Your merit will be formally evaluated at designated intervals. Participants who demonstrate substantial growth advance to higher classification tiers, receiving increased resources and access to restricted information. Those who stagnate or lose merit steadily are demoted or removed entirely."
"How many participants are currently active?" Lucid asked.
"Approximately around a couple hundred across the Scattered Realms," Celeste replied. "Some operate independently. Others form temporary alliances when their interests align. A few have established permanent partnerships that span multiple years."
Lucid stood and moved toward the window where dawn light was beginning to filter through. The city of Port Vexis sprawled beneath him, its streets already beginning to show activity despite the early hour. Merchants were opening stalls. Workers were moving toward their daily labor. The fundamental structures of commerce and society continued their operation regardless of the machinations occurring at higher levels.
"What about the common people?" he asked, gesturing toward the city below. "Do they know the Transcendence exists?"
"Most are aware," Celeste replied. "The general population perceives the Transcendence as abstract religious concept or mythological legend. The actual mechanics remain hidden among ruling circles and the Luminari Covenant."
"Which means our conflicts will inevitably spill onto them," Lucid observed. "They will die in the crossfire of battles they do not understand, serving interests they do not comprehend."
Alice spoke with her characteristic coldness. "Yes. Welcome to the reality of power structures. The masses always suffer the consequences of elite maneuvering. This is not unique to the Scattered Realms. This is the fundamental nature of all hierarchical systems."
Lucid turned back to Celeste. "Then my actual objective is not simply to coordinate the Monoliths. My objective is to prevent the Transcendence from destabilizing society further while simultaneously gathering sufficient merit to gain access to the information and resources needed to address systemic corruption."
"That is an accurate assessment," Celeste confirmed. "Though I would add one additional component. You must accomplish these objectives while avoiding elimination by other sponsored participants and their supporting networks."
"So I need to build a coalition," Lucid stated, understanding crystallizing. "I need to identify other sponsored participants whose interests align with mine and who are capable of operating at the level required for this scale of operation."
Alice's mental presence shifted, becoming almost contemplative. "Which means identifying potential allies among individuals actively being hunted by their own factions. Trustworthy companions are extraordinarily rare in such environments."
"Then I will have to create that trust through demonstration," Lucid replied. "I show them that my objectives serve their interests, and I prove reliable through concrete action rather than empty promises."
Celeste inclined her head. "Such an approach would be effective, though dangerous. Many potential allies will attempt to betray you for merit or faction advantage."
"Then I deal with betrayals as they occur," Lucid said simply. "I have survived worse than treachery."
Arthur approached with fresh drinks and set them on the table without comment. His presence seemed to serve as grounding reminder that ordinary people existed beyond the political machinations being discussed. Lucid envied that simplicity momentarily before returning his attention to the complexity before him.
"I will need complete information regarding other known sponsored participants," Lucid told Celeste. "Their identities, their capabilities, their faction affiliations, their stated objectives. I will need maps of Luminari Covenant sanctuary locations and estimates of their operative strength. I will need copies of the doctrines and scrolls they use to maintain control over their followers."
Lucid glanced at her and past her, he saw Arthur casuelly putting down another mug amongst many... many...
many... ones...