Cracked Pillars of Fate

Chapter 22: Factions and Difficult Alliances

Archen Huge’s strike created a shockwave that tore through the red muscle fibers of the Colonial Architect. The gravitational mass concentrated at the tip of his fist exploded, forcing the organic colony to retract its tentacles in a deafening roar of static. Although the creature wasn't completely destroyed, Archen’s attack sent a clear message to anyone watching in the Arena of Fate: the Three Pillars were not just a system rumor.

Two days had passed since the incident. The electric orange sky above the inverted city was still pulsing, but the atmosphere on the ground was much calmer—at least regarding the threat of monsters. Inside a large tent constructed from the remains of cargo parachutes and steel plates, a different kind of tension was peaking. A tension that couldn't be resolved by Archen’s fists or Dylan Smith’s code.

El Joe sat at the end of a long, rickety wooden table. In front of him, two leaders of major factions exchanged sharp glares. To the left was Captain Xylon, a sturdy man in polished military armor, leader of the System Knights faction. To the right was Serena, a woman in a gray cloak whose eyes were always wary, leader of the refugee group from the lower sector.

"I didn't come here to listen to fairy tales about prophecies, Joe," Xylon began, his voice heavy and demanding. "My people need Energy Cores. If you possess power that great, you should hand your technology over to us so we can secure this sector efficiently."

Serena snorted cynically. "Efficient by your standards means seizing what belongs to smaller factions, Xylon? Joe, my people won't agree to join if this is just a cover to strengthen Xylon’s military. We need security guarantees and a fair distribution of resources."

Joe took a deep breath, observing both leaders. He could feel the unease in the air. His talent, Restlessness Appeal, made him sensitive to the fear hidden behind Xylon’s arrogance and Serena’s sharpness.

"Xylon, Serena," Joe began, his voice calm yet carrying an authority that silenced them both. "Two days ago, Archen showed what happens if we let the system consume us one by one. That Colonial Architect was only a small part of the purge. If we keep fighting over scraps like starving dogs, the system won't even have to bother erasing us. We’ll do it ourselves."

"So what do you want?" Serena asked, narrowing her eyes. "To make us your subordinates?"

"Not subordinates. A coalition," Joe answered firmly. "Dylan is mapping the system’s weak points in this area. Archen is our defensive wall. But we can't be everywhere at once. We need Xylon’s organized troops and Serena’s secret logistics routes. If we unite, we are no longer survivors. We are the resistance."

Xylon tapped the table with his iron-gauntleted finger. "I want full access to the data that nerd has. Technology that can modify classes is something far too dangerous to be held by one small group."

Joe glanced at Dylan, who stood in the corner of the tent, holding his crystal device protectively. Dylan looked like he wanted to protest, but Joe signaled him to stay calm.

"That data is the key to our safety, Xylon," Joe said, looking back at the captain. "You will get it, but only within the operational framework of the coalition. I will not allow this weapon to be used to oppress other humans. The choice is simple: join and we have a chance to live, or stay alone and wait until those red tentacles pull you into the sky."

Silence enveloped the tent. Archen stood near the entrance, arms folded across his broad chest. His presence alone was enough of a reminder of what could happen if this diplomacy failed.

Serena sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly. "My group agrees. But if I see Xylon’s people touching our medical supplies without permission, this alliance is over."

Xylon seemed to hesitate for a moment, his pride visibly battling with the logic of survival. Finally, he nodded stiffly. "Fine. The Xylon faction will provide combat support. But I hold command of the troops in the field."

"We will share command," Joe corrected quickly. "The primary strategy remains with Dylan. Archen will lead the front lines. You and Serena will manage your respective sectors under our coordination."

Negotiations continued late into the night. Joe had to use all his skills as a flea market trader to balance unreasonable demands and deep-seated suspicions. He learned that leading humans was far more difficult than fighting monsters; monsters just want to kill you, while humans want to own you.

I never asked for this much responsibility, Joe thought as he looked at the tactical map that was beginning to fill with signs of unity. He remembered the citizens at the Safe Point he had left behind. The moral weight pressed down on his shoulders again, but he knew this was the only way home.

After Serena and Xylon left the tent to give instructions to their people, Dylan approached Joe. His face looked anxious.

"Joe, Xylon can't be fully trusted," Dylan whispered. "I just detected him trying to send an encrypted signal to his outer units. He might be planning something to seize the main Core when the battle begins."

"I know, Dylan," Joe replied, massaging his temples. "But right now, we need their swords. Keep an eye on his data movements. Archen, how do you think?"

Archen snorted, stepping into the center of the tent. "Those people smell of fear and greed. But if they dare try anything, I’ll make sure they are the first ones to hit the ground from that inverted building."

Suddenly, a low humming sound emerged from Dylan’s bag. The vibration was different from the usual system devices. Dylan immediately emptied his bag and pulled out an ancient, silver box-shaped artifact they had found in the market ruins yesterday.

"This thing... it’s activating on its own!" Dylan cried out in panic.

The silver box began to emit a soft, pale blue light. The needles on its surface spun wildly, and suddenly, the sound of music began to play. It wasn't static or the system's electronic noise, but a very familiar melody.

It was the sound of a piano playing an old classical song from Earth, a symphony that should have been extinct since the system integration began. The sound was clear, echoing inside the tent and drifting out into the silent city streets.

Joe, Archen, and Dylan were stunned. In a world now filled with the sounds of explosions and digital screams, that melody felt like a ghost from a peaceful past.

"Why... why is there an Earth song inside a system artifact?" Archen asked, his voice softening with a strange sense of wonder.

Dylan checked the lines of code appearing around the box. "This isn't just a song, Joe. This is an encrypted message using human emotional frequencies. Someone... or something, is trying to communicate with us using our own memories."

The song reached its climax, then suddenly turned into a heavy, layered whisper. The voice seemed to come from thousands of years ago, yet sounded very close to their ears.

"A cracked pillar will not be able to hold up a falling sky," the voice murmured amidst the piano melody. "Find the missing heartbeat before the Architect closes its eyes."

Instantly, the box exploded in a blinding glow of light, and new coordinates appeared on Dylan’s hologram screen. The coordinates pointed toward the center of the inverted city, where a giant heart-shaped structure was beginning to become visible through the orange clouds.

"It looks like our time for diplomacy is up," Joe said, reaching for his energy sword.

Outside the tent, warriors from Xylon’s and Serena’s factions began to shout in surprise. The song had apparently been heard throughout the sector, triggering an unexpected reaction from the remains of the Organic Colony, which began to writhe again with ferocity.

Joe looked at his two companions. "Ready the troops. Whatever is at those coordinates, it just called us."