Aetherios System: Whirlwind

Book 4: Chapter 2: Merit

Chapter 2: Merit

Their “guest quarters” wasn’t a house so much as a lavish mini-palace carved into the high inner ring of the city. It contained various buildings in a collective complex surrounded by low walls providing a bit of privacy from the rest of the city. There were plenty of rooms, each with balconies overlooking the city caldera. As well, there were food and silks provided, and attendants bowing at almost every door.

The first thing Alex noticed as he stepped through the gate into the entry courtyard was that the air was quite warm, and scented faintly of burning oils and spiced wine. It smelled like he was walking into an old Greek bathhouse, as if he really knew what that smelled like. But it was what he imagined one would, if he were there.

Lady Xhiu walked at the front of the group and led them through the compound with her usual effortless grace. Various attendants followed the group at a careful distance. Each of them were silent as shadows.

Alex saw the display as one of opulent luxury wrapped tight enough around them that one could almost forget the invisible bars that they were surrounded by.

“This residence,” Xhiu said, gesturing with a slim hand toward the sprawling complex of chambers, “is yours to use as you see fit. Treat it as home for as long as you remain here.”

Alex didn’t miss those last words. As long as you remain. It had the ring of a condition. Very close to that of a warning, but not quite.

She gathered them all back in the courtyard after providing a brief tour of the many halls and rooms. Its paving stones were traced with channels of glowing glyph-runes that shone faintly. The team clustered together in the courtyard at the end of the tour. Holly leaned lightly against the railing near a small open cliffdrop. Tom-Tom crouched by a lava vent with a curious squint on his face. Alex hoped that the little guy wasn’t going try to lick it.

Lady Xhiu stood before them, framed by the volcano’s rising smoke behind her. Her tone was soft and calm, but each word held the authority of someone who had lived in the annals of power her whole life. It was tone he knew well, because he heard it his entire life, too. A person who had power, and expected others to recognize it.

“You must understand the importance of where you stand,” she began. “The Urhara Empire is not a kingdom of people alone, it is a crucible of many mages. At its heart stands two thrones: Emperor Regulus and Empress Yue. Together, they have ruled for more than three centuries. Their cultivation is… beyond you. They are Dusk Sage Tier.”

The words dropped into Alex’s mind like truck-kun barreling toward him on the street. Sage Tier, he had never seen such power in action, or ever been in the presence of it. Except for, perhaps, Sylvaris, though he couldn’t be sure of that. Even Magus Tier was far beyond him, yet beyond the Magus Tier was the Sages, Demi-gods walking in flesh.

“Yet, the Empire is not ruled by the thrones alone,” Xhiu continued. “It is a web of varying influences. Noble Houses, each tied to Martial Sects of warriors, to merchant dynasties, to Mage Bloodlines that have endured centuries of conflict. These powers circle the throne like hawks, waiting to swoop at weakness which shows itself, and the Thrones are hemmed in by them, their actions contained.”

It wasn’t too far off from what they experienced in Terraxum. Politics and power was a game that was played everywhere. All the rules were always the same no matter where.

Lady Xhiu’s words softened then, though her eyes did not, “My family is… a branch of the Throne. Cousins to the ruling blood. A place of honor, yes. But honor is fragile here, and cousins are useful only so long as they do not overreach and threaten one's own rise. My footing is secure enough, but not so secure that I may shield you without caution.”

Alex watched her carefully. Unease had started to prickle at the back of his neck. She spoke plainly, but she was also reminding them that they were stepping into her world, and affected her survival. She was an ally, maybe. But only so much as it suited her.

Still, they had no one else.

When Lady Xhiu’s gaze finally swept over them, lingering on him for a heartbeat longer than the rest, Alex tightened his grip on the railing. The weight of thrones... He wasn’t sure if it was pressing down on him already or if she was warning him how heavy it would feel when it finally did.

Lady Xhiu let the silence hang for a moment, then folded her hands before her. “Now… there is one more matter I must make clear. The Tokens.”

Everyone perked up at this. Alex had known they would come up eventually, but hearing her say the word aloud felt unexpected.

“You are not the only ones who hold them,” Xhiu said. “Far from it, actually. Thousands of Adepts across Dawnlight received Tokens when the Heavenly System decreed the future opening. Many will be young nobles or martial scions. Sect elites with much more experience than yourself, literally and otherwise. Even the chosen of rival empires and allied continents may show themselves. The System casts its reach wide.”

Devon shifted uncomfortably at her tone. “So… there are thousands of people with the right to enter?”

Her eyes narrowed faintly, and her lips curved slightly. “The System grants the Tokens. But the gate, the entrance to the inheritance itself, remains under Urhara Imperial control. And control, my young ward, is what matters most.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Meaning?” Alex asked, though he already dreaded the answer.

“Meaning that even with a Token in hand, entry is a privilege, not a right. There are some upsides to the System's ways. The Tokens cannot be stolen or transferred. If you die, it goes with you, and it only works for the person who earned it. But the gate will only be accessible to those the Empire allows. Your possession of the Token elevates you, but it does not shield you. You stand within our walls, and so you stand under our law.”

I knew it. We’re boxed in. If the System gave the Tokens freely, anyone could claim their chance. But the Empire controls the door. They’ll never let us walk through without taking their share. So, they want a slice of the pie.

Lady Xhiu’s gaze lingered on him a moment, Alex didn’t look away. He understood now, why she was here, why she hovered so close. That reason wasn’t charity. Lady Xhiu also wanted her plate at the feast table as well. She wanted them to succeed in the Inheritance because she wanted a piece of the glory. A piece of the power. Just like the Royl Emperor and Empress, the Houses, and the martial sects. Every single one of them saw the dungeon as a stepping stone. And the worldstriders were merely tools sharp enough to carve the staircase for them to make their ascension.

Alex clenched his jaw, heat creeping into his chest. He hated it, but he couldn’t deny it. They weren’t there because of moral ideals or friendship, or love conquering all. They were there because they needed strength and power. Real, undeniable strength. The Tokens were the fastest way forward, so that meant gaining favors and playing along to this Empire’s game.

When Lady Xhiu finally broke eye contact and continued on, Alex felt Holly shift closer to his side.

Lady Xhiu pivoted smoothly, her voice gaining a harsh, cutting cadence. “Now, how does the Empire decide who enters? Favor is never given freely. It must be carefully considered and measured out in some way. Thus… a merit system.”

Garret raised an eyebrow. “Merit? Like school grades? ’Cause I barely passed math.”

A few chuckles flickered through the courtyard, but Lady Xhiu ignored them. Her eyes, dark and commanding, narrowed even further. “Every Token-holder within the Empire has been registered. You as well. I took the liberty of ensuring your names are already recorded in the Capital’s registry. From this moment, you are known to the throne.”

Alex felt a prickling down his spine. The were cataloged, just like cargo.

“From here,” she continued, “tasks and missions will be issued. Some are as simple as hunting rogue beasts. Others will require finesse and mental effort, such as escorting nobles, retrieving resources, crafting commissions, or arcane research. The list goes on. Every success earns you merit points. Every failure… diminishes your standing.”

Devon spoke up. “So… we’re competing against every other Token-holder in the Empire?”

“Yes. Competing and clawing up the ranks, to prove yourselves more valuable than the rest. If you wish the gate to open for you… you must earn it.”

Alex grimaced. They were being presented with even more tests. Another system where they had to move to someone else’s tune just to survive. But what choice did they have? The Tokens alone weren’t enough to give them power alone.

Lady Xhiu’s gaze swept them all one final time, “If you want to gain the riches the dungeon has to offer…then earn merit. Show your worth to the Empire. Prove you belong in the Inheritance Dungeon.”

Alex stared back at her, his pulse leveling out with grim resolve. The path was set before them. Merit or missions, points in another game with rules stacked against them. And once again, he would play.

Lady Xhiu’s robes whispered as she turned away. Without another glance back, she crossed the courtyard and disappeared through the lacquered doors, leaving them alone with the their new abode.

Garret blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck once she was gone. “Well. That was cheerful.” His grin was forced, but he pushed on anyway. “Honestly? It’s not that different from what we dealt with in Terraxum. Better actually, since we aren't actually prisoners and can do what we want for the most part. We play along, do some missions and kill some beasts. We get trust, and then we get access. Then, when the time comes, we do what we always do and fuck shit up.”

Allie gave a little shrug. “As much as it kills me to agree with Garret, he’s not wrong. We’ve danced on this sort of dance floor before. If it gets us into that dungeon…”

Across the courtyard, Devon’s face was contorted tightly. “You don’t see it? We’re being strong-armed, again. Dangled over a pit and told to scramble if we want a rope. Did you see what this city is built on top of? This time, the pit is literal lava.”

Kate scoffed and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I don’t do well as anyone’s pawn. But I do well with politics, we can do this. And besides, it’s not at all like Terraxum, we aren't slung up for execution, for one. And we don’t have those Oath’s around our souls ready to squeeze us to death should we disobey.” Zach stood beside her, his presence radiating cold agreement.

Ghrukk’s tusks ground in his jaw, “I am no child to be herded. No thrall to be told when and how to bleed. If the Empire thinks they can leash me, they are mistaken.”

The courtyard buzzed with discord, Garret and Allie’s wary optimism on one side, Devon and Ghrukk’s bristling defiance on the other. The rest shifted uneasily between, eyes flicking toward Alex.

He felt every stare. He didn’t want the role of leader, he never had. But it was his, whether he claimed it or not. He drew in a slow breath, his body aching faintly still from the [Dual Descending Demon Fist].

“You’re right,” Alex said finally. “All of you. We are being strong-armed and manipulated. Controlled like pieces on a board. But what else is new? Terraxum did it. The System itself does it. It’s nothing we haven’t faced already. We can get through this.”

Devon bristled. “So what, just roll over and take it?”

“No,” Alex shot back. “We use it to our advantage. We need strength, especially us Worldstriders. That Trial Quest is still hanging over us. It doesn’t matter what the Empire wants or what Lady Xhiu whispers in our ears. If we don’t get stronger, we die. Full stop. That simply looks to be how this world works.”

The courtyard quieted. Alex pressed on. “This merit game? It sucks, yeah. But it’s also a ladder. I say we climb it, take what resources we can, and when the time comes… we cut the leash ourselves and take this dungeon for everything its got. That’s the play.”

He let his gaze sweep the group, lingering on Tom-Tom, Ghrukk, Selka, Myrae, Doran, the others not bound by the System as they were. “And you, you’re not tied like we are. You can walk away, if you want. But there is the chance to climb here. To take cultivation resources, training, and maybe one day strike back at the bastards who put us in this mess? That’s worth thinking about.”

Garret huffed and gave a crooked grin. “You know, Alex, you give a damn good speech for a guy who hates speeches.”

“Uh thanks?” Alex said. “But in the meantime, we need to do what gamers do best boy and girls… make it on to the leaderboards!”

“How, exactly?” Allie asked while rolling her eyes hard enough to start up a diesel truck.

“By doing the next thing gamers do best, autistic grinding,” Alex smiled.