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Chapter 29 ~Crystals~

  Barcello POV

  Barcello's cluttered workspace was a whirlwind of frantic energy. Papers overflowed, pens scratched furiously, and sketches of crystalline structures on the once plain wall, each annotated with cryptic strength values. "I'm stretched thin," he muttered, his voice tight with urgency. "I need hands, minds... resources I simply don't have. They have to come."

  He confided in Chausse, hoping for discreet assistance, only to learn his theories were now in the hands of Tosic, a man with supposed brilliant knowledge on crystals. Barcello could only pray Tosic grasped the significance of his work.

  "We're here! And bringing reinforcements!" Chausse's booming voice shattered the tense quiet of the room as he burst through the door, Tosic trailing behind, along with Jahir and Bella.

  Barcello, hunched over his scattered papers, barely looked up. "And you brought more people." He said, his sigh heavy with weary resignation.

  "The more the merrier!" Chausse grinned, oblivious to Barcello's exhaustion. "Good luck! I've got to lend a hand with the rebuilding." He vanished as quickly as he appeared, leaving Barcello to contend with the sudden influx of bodies.

  "So you suspect that the crystals are causing beast-men to go berserk?" Tosic picked up a piece of paper and studied the contents in it.

  'I guess I have no choice.' Barcello took a deep breath and nodded as he gestured to the crystals drawn on the wall.

  "Well not exactly, beast-men go berserk on their own when extremely stressed or agitated. The collars were designed to stop that process especially with individuals with low mana because their mana can spark up at any time." Barcello gathered some papers and handed them to Jahir. Jahir skimmed through the paper with a slight head tilt.

  "The collar is supposed to be a limit to tame the mana in beast-men and control the use of their abilities but it causes them to be weak and sick for some reason. And I have a theory that the crystals used to control their mana in beast-men are actually disturbing it." Barcello finished explaining and looked at them with slight expectations.

  'I hope they don't see me as crazy.' Barcello thought and rubbed his ring with his thumb.

  "And how does this concern us, it only concerns those at Flow." Bella asked as she sat down on the round table in the middle of the room and set her crutches beside her.

  "The thing is, my wife was affected by this. I'm working on finding a cure... maybe I could heal her. I believe Lucian is intentionally affecting the beast-men. I don't know why or what his goals are but I don't think he will simply stop at Encer." Barcello replied and clenched his fists.

  "Where is your wife, now?" Jahir asked.

  ".... she is currently imprisoned...for going berserk." Barcello hung his head low as the words felt like a lump in his throat. The room was suddenly quiet for a few moments until Tosic spoke up.

  "Well, I see you're not entirely misguided," Tosic remarked, a hint of smugness in his voice. "You're correct about the crystals and mana. Think of it like a power grid. They provide energy, but overload them, and you get a blackout." He tossed the crumpled paper onto the table, the gesture dismissive.

  "He's right," Bella interjected, her voice sharp. "These crystals are uncharted territory. If the Flow Society is weaponizing them, we will level the playing field. We need to develop our own countermeasures, collars that actually work...that prevent these berserk states. They have held the upper hand for far too long."

  "Then we would need to start mining for crystal, our only obstacle is the monsters. We can push them out with Barrie crystals but we have a small quantity. Almost everything was obliterated in that blast." Tosic added.

  "We will take it one step at a time. Everyone has been working hard to rebuild what was lost. We will continue to investigate the crystals, test out the ones that affect beast-men and sort things out from there." Jahir commented.

  "The crystal testing must remain undisclosed, only the Apex Conquerors and you are allowed to have this information." We cannot risk exposure, not while there are the risks of spies." Bella's gaze was unwavering, a clear message of caution.

  'It feels good to be taken seriously for once from people other than my wife.' Barcello thought as he looked at them with a small smile.

  "I understand, I will do my best to keep this as disclosed as possible." Barcello replied while Tosic and Jahir agreed with a nod.

  "Before we proceed with the crystals, we must address the foundation of our power. The Apex Conquerors are a surviving force, and Acacia is our critical asset. Rebuilding the Ruins and achieving parity with the Flow Society demands a multi-pronged approach: asserting authority, fortifying our territories, and advancing our technology. While we hold the people's favor, we must anticipate and neutralize those who cling to the past, the loyalists of the fallen groups." Jahir's voice was measured, his expression grave.

  "They will be a problem but I will have Maximus and Kel to handle any threats." Bella was in deep thought as she replied.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "Moreover, we command a resource they cannot replicate: monster control. While demanding, this grants us an advantage in our search for the crystals." Tosic's smirk conveyed a sense of confident superiority.

  "Then we will find a creature to tame, it will be our guard while he gathers the crystals but it won't be easy." Jahir glanced at Tosic.

  "I've never liked easy things." Tosic replied with a small smile.

  "Then we have work cut out for us. Bella and Barcello should handle the testing of the crystals." Jahir looked at them as he spoke.

  "I have no problem with that." Barcello's thumb caressed the smooth curve of his ring. 'I could find a cure...I would be able to save my wife once I have enough proof.'

  "Neither do I." Bella nodded.

  "Where is our trump card anyways? Her presence could further reinforce our standing." Tosic asked.

  "She is a bit busy, she is going to be gone for a while but I don't know how long it will take." Bella answered.

  "Such a shame but we will have to cover for her until she is back." Tosic shrugged.

  "Since we have come to an agreement. I will leave you two to your research." Jahir turned around and left the room.

  "I also need to leave, my kids are waiting for me." Tosic said as he left, after Jahir.

  "Alright, show me everything you have gathered." Bella turned her head to face Barcello and he quickly scrambled through his papers as he handed them to her.

  Suddenly the door opened, revealing Edwin with an eye patch over his right eye. "You people are too ambitious. Why can't we just relax instead of all these complicated messes?"

  'He looks a bit familiar.' Barcello thought as he studied the lean man with a bored expression on his face. 'Where I've I seen him before?'

  "Because we have to survive and use every advantage we have. If we relax, we will be attacked again until we are completely wiped out and under their rule." Bella didn't bother to look at him as she flipped through some papers.

  "I miss when I only had to worry about my hair and how it looked." Edwin stepped further inside and closed the door behind him. His gaze takes in the cluttered space.

  "I didn't take you for the crazy kind with how soft you look." Edwins commented.

  "Crazy?" Barcello muttered to himself as he looked around. 'I am just researching....'

  "Yeah, look at this mess. Who does this in their free time?"

  "At least he's contributing, unlike someone who prefers complaining. You could try being useful, you know? Go out there, be the public face of the Apex Conquerors. After all, you're the one who named us." Bella finally looked away from the papers and stared at Edwin.

  "Oh, gods, no," Edwin shuddered and shook his head vehemently. "Anything that involves people looking to me for guidance? That's a hard no."

  "I thought you would like to showcase your face." Bella asked with an eyebrow raised.

  "My face is for me alone, for me to witness, take care of and admire. I don't need a bunch of nobodies to tell me what I already know." Edwin shrugged and walked towards the wall.

  "Whatever just don't disturb us. Now explain this to me." Bella turned her attention to Barcello who quickly stepped to her side and started to explain.

  'I thought they were intimidating but they are.... normal.' Barcello mused, his theories flowing into a seamless exchange with Bella, their discussion stretching into a seemingly endless loop of ideas. Edwin, perched on the edge of the conversation, offered occasional, listless contributions before his mind wandered, lost in the labyrinth of his own thoughts.

  'Cassia, I will bring you back.' Her image, a beacon in the darkness, flared in Barcello's mind, fueling his resolve. 'Just endure, my love.'

  Acacia POV

  The sheer variety of fighting techniques held Acacia's interest for hours, a fascinating study. However, Elric's persistent observation of Barachiel was impossible to ignore. His gaze shifted to her and she offered a simple wave with a smile.

  He looked away quickly after she waved and Acacia just chuckled. 'He is quite shy.'

  'I am so hungry. Doing this mana stuff and illusion is exhausting.' She sighed.

  "Good job everyone! We shall end this training for today. I will see you all in two days." Barachiel said out loud. "And new recruits, I must see improvements in your commands before our next meeting."

  "Yes, sir!" The recruits' voices echoed through the training hall. Elric, with a sudden, uncharacteristic surge of force, grasped Acacia's arm, pulling her to her feet.

  "Elric!" Acacia's voice sharpened. "There's no need for such... roughness." He immediately released her, his grip loosening as if burned.

  "I'm sorry." He murmured, his eyes downcast.

  "You need to learn to control yourself," Acacia retorted, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I can see why you aren't chosen as captain." Acacia turned around and walked away to the exit while Elric clenched his fists and quickly rushed after her.

  "I didn't mean to, I was just stressed. Don't be mad." Elric defended as he kept his distance while following her towards the exit. He was about to leave when Barachiel's voice stopped him.

  "Elric, can you come here?" Barachiel's command echoed through the room, his eyes never leaving Elric. Acacia halted, her back to them.

  "Captain..." Elric began, his gaze shifting to Acacia. "Erla, just a moment?"

  "It is fine...." Acacia said, her voice was soft. "Go. Your captain is waiting." She swept out of the room, leaving Elric caught between two demands.

  As Acacia reached the courtyard, she saw a three people carrying a metal box towards a building in urgency. 'What is that?'

  Acacia watched them move the box but shrugged as she left towards the dormitories. She was about to enter the elevator when Elric suddenly appeared in front of her , panting.

  "I'm sorry.... I'm sorry."

  "For what?" Acacia tilted her head as she looked up at him

  "For... grabbing you...too harshly." He admitted with his eyes downcast.

  "Good, never do that again. Or else I will never speak to you again." Acacia smiled and patted his head.

  "I promise." He was a bit stunned by the head pat as he replied.

  "Now let's go. I'm hungry." Acacia jabbed a button on the elevator panel, then seized Elric's arm, pulling him inside. He stood rigid, his body tense at her touch, as the doors slid shut.

  "Will you stop being so stiff? I'm not going to hurt you." Acacia questioned.

  "It's not... I'm uncomfortable with you being so close."

  "I'm just holding your arm," Acacia said, her tone light. "You hugged me without complaint that day."

  "That was an exception." Elric defended himself.

  "How are we supposed to be friends if you are not even comfortable with me? I'm starting to think you lied to me." Acacia sulked as she spoke.

  "I didn't!" Elric quickly replied.

  The elevator door slipped open and they both stepped out, heading towards the door as he pressed his thumb against the scanner and opened the door with her still clinging to his arm.

  "I just don't know how to handle feelings like these." Elric admitted.

  "I can teach you." Acacia suggested with a smile on her lips.

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