The sun rose on a grim tableau.
Five pikes had been driven into the ground just outside the perimeter of the Sanctuary barrier. atop them sat the helmeted heads of the Chimera squad. It was a barbaric display, medieval and brutal, but in the new world, subtlety was a language no one spoke anymore.
Inside the command tent, Colonel Vance stared at the drone feed. His face was grey. He had thrown his best kinetic weapons at the fortress. They dissolved. He had sent his best covert assets. They were butchered.
And all the while, the reports from the city were getting worse. The "infection" wasn't just a virus. Monsters—actual monsters, like something out of Dungeons and Dragons—were appearing in the subway tunnels. His men were breaking. They were fighting a war on two fronts, and they were losing both.
"Sir," his comms officer said, voice trembling. "We're getting a transmission. From the Fortress. Wideband frequency."
"Put it on."
Sebastian's voice filled the tent. It wasn't shouting. It was calm, professional, and terrifyingly reasonable.
"Colonel Vance. By now, you realize you cannot breach these walls. You also realize that your city is falling. My sensors indicate a Tier 2 breach in the downtown sector. [Ghouls] and [Skeleton Warriors]. Your bullets will work on them, but you don't have enough ammo, and your men are turning into them every hour."
Vance gripped the table. "What do you want, terrorist?"
"I am not a terrorist. I am a landlord," Sebastian replied. "I have a solution. I have a cure for the early stages of the infection. And I have a safe zone. I am willing to trade."
Vance paused. "A cure?"
"Meet me at the gate. Alone. Unarmed. Or watch your city burn. You have ten minutes."
The transmission cut.
Vance looked at his officers. He looked at the map of the city, covered in red danger zones. He stood up and unbuckled his sidearm.
"Sir?"
"If he wanted me dead, he could have dropped a lightning bolt on this tent an hour ago," Vance said. "I'm going."
Ten minutes later, a lone humvee drove up to the barrier. Vance stepped out, hands raised.
The massive obsidian gates groaned open. Sebastian walked out. He wasn't wearing his rags or his battle armor. He was wearing a simple black tunic and pants, clean and sharp. Beside him stood Valerie, holding a crate.
"Colonel," Sebastian nodded.
"You killed five of my best men," Vance said, his eyes hard.
"They invaded my home. They died," Sebastian replied without remorse. "Let's talk about the living."
Valerie stepped forward. She pulled a vial of green liquid from the crate. It glowed with a soft, internal light.
[Item: Minor Purification Potion]
[Effect: Cures Mana Corruption (Stage 1 and 2).]
"One of your men in the truck," Sebastian pointed to the humvee. "The driver. He's been bitten. He's hiding it. Bring him out."
Vance turned. He dragged the driver out. The man was sweating, his veins pulsing black. He was minutes away from turning.
"Drink," Sebastian ordered.
Vance hesitated, then nodded. The driver downed the potion.
The effect was immediate. The man convulsed, vomiting up a quart of black sludge onto the asphalt. He gasped, collapsing to his knees. But when he looked up, his eyes were clear. The black veins faded.
"I... I feel okay," the driver whispered.
Vance stared at the driver, then at Sebastian. This was impossible. Medical science was baffled, yet this... warlord... had the answer in a bottle.
"What do you want?" Vance asked, his voice changing. It wasn't the voice of a commander giving orders anymore. It was the voice of a man negotiating for survival.
"Recognition," Sebastian said. "You will withdraw your forces to a five-mile radius. You will recognize Sanctuary as an independent entity. You will not interfere with our operations."
"And in return?"
"We will provide you with five hundred potions a week," Sebastian said. "And we will allow civilians to enter Sanctuary for protection, alleviating your logistical burden. We handle the refugees; you hold the perimeter against the big threats."
It wasn't just a deal; it was a lifeline.
"And," Sebastian added, "I need raw materials. Steel. Gunpowder. High-grade electronics. We will pay for them."
"Pay with what?" Vance scoffed. "Money is worthless."
Sebastian reached into his pocket. He pulled out a gold coin. It wasn't a standard coin; it was a minted coin from the game, heavy and humming with minor mana.
"With gold that acts as a mana conductor," Sebastian said. "Or with refined monster parts that your scientists can use to upgrade your weapons. Your choice."
Vance looked at the city burning behind him. He looked at the fortress standing untouched amidst the chaos. He realized the world had changed. The old flag didn't matter anymore. Survival mattered.
He extended his hand.
"Deal."
Sebastian shook it. His grip was like iron.
"Welcome to the new world, Colonel."
As they shook hands, a system notification flashed in Sebastian's vision, unseen by the others.
[System: Political Influence Established.]
[Sanctuary Recognized as a Neutral Faction.]
[Synchronization Rate: 22%]
Sebastian smiled. The walls were up. The army was building. The government was neutralized.
Now, he could finally focus on the real threat. The Void Gate opening in the Pacific.