Aqrabuamelu were part scorpion, right? Guess we shouldn't have been surprised poison would somehow be involved, but it didn't seem like it'd be much of an issue for us.
As we flew deeper inland, I did a playful loop-de-loop midair in excitement.
"I can't wait to see the crater and the planet's canyon," I squealed. "I wonder if we'll feel any residual energy."
Perhaps you will, but you still have a few more Crest Heads to introduce yourself to, Viraa said in a motherly tone.
"I know, I know, I'm just excited. That stuff's just way more exciting. But I get it: work first, pleasantries later."
"If you were to relinquish those responsibilities, you'd have all the time you want to do whatever you wished," Avarice offered in a fraudulent voice of sympathy and concern.
"Let's just keep going," I sighed, ignoring him. "Za'Fia, can you tell me what the brochure says about this place?"
"Yeah," she responded, already reading. "The Aqrabuamelu Crest runs this district. They're smaller than some others, with only 490 pneumarians and 170 klevonians, but they're organized and don't share much outside their crest. Some envy their loyalty to one another, saying it's what to expect from such a strong-knit family. But others, primarily officials like other crests, relate them to more of a criminal organization. Either way, they have a high crest worth of 800 billion spendil."
"I hope it's the former. I can't deal with any more places like Morium," I retorted.
"Well, the central city seems to have a better reputation than they do," Za'Fia continued. "The city of Venle is located at the bottom of a grand valley, but it's more like a small town or village than a city since only 53,000 people live there. The poisonous atmosphere weakens most who venture into the district, but there's supposed to be an even thicker cloud of the gas hanging over Venle. Only those immune or strong enough to resist the poison can go to the city. If you ask me, it's almost like the place is designed to keep as many people away as possible."
"Yet they somehow bring in such an absurd amount of money?" Avarice pointed out skeptically.
"Officially, they earn their money from extraplanetary explorers who pay top dollar to come to experience the grand valleys and explorable caverns. Apparently, they're priceless." Za'Fia shrugged.
"That couldn't possibly earn them that much money," Avarice remarked.
Unofficially, this crest is supposedly linked to several interplanetary illegal contacts. Many of the other Crest Heads believe that smuggling of rare, dangerous materials, animals, and even people takes place here as well, but, of course, no one has witnessed it, Viraa said.
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"Can't we ask the locals? I'm sure someone's seen or heard something unusual," I suggested, wanting to make sure so that it could be stopped as soon as possible.
No one here would ever speak ill of or go against their patron crest. Civilians here only trust the Aqrabuamelu Crest. No one else. They all consist of fugitives on the run and hiding, or small-time criminals looking for a foothold. But they are protected by officially becoming citizens of the district, therefore citizens of Cindar. Since Cindar is an Apex World, many aren't likely to come here looking for trouble. And since they have chosen to make this district their resident home, the Aqrabuamelu Crest is responsible for handling any crimes they commit here.
"So everyone here is in the Crest Head's pockets," Za'Fia summed up. "The crest protects them from the Neutral Corp or whatever enemies they've made, and they contribute to whatever goes on here, all while putting on a pleasant front for visitors. Likely even giving their Blood Oath to keep the secrets. I understand why the brochure says the district has a perfidious governing."
"Likely done to keep as many people away since they don't want too many people coming to live here. Makes it harder to operate," Avarice added.
"If any of this is true, this place is worse than Morium. At least there, they're upfront about what they do. You know to keep your guard up there," I said as we approached the grand valley.
I spotted a giant scorpion tail sticking out from under a rock, while the rest of the scorpion rested in the shade beneath it. Beyond that, above the canyon, I saw a mountain floating high in the sky, slowly orbiting an enormous cloud of violet purple gas, the source of the poisonous air.
"The hell?" Za'Fia said as we all watched the strange phenomenon.
"I sense metals in that mountain. Crystals, rubies perhaps, but also a metal that's not cindium, but still durable and valuable. How did this occur?" Avarice asked curiously.
This happened long ago while I was still Ryfi Theos. There was a feud between Steed and Pierce, this district's Crest Head. Steed, uncharacteristically driven, invaded the district. He believed a missing pegasus had been seen here. Of course, no one found anything in the end, but Steed and Pierce still engaged in battle. Steed used Sky Fold to raise that metal mountain, intending to drop it on Pierce's city if he didn't get his pegasus back. In return, Pierce stung Steed with a potent organic bio-toxin he controls, leaving Steed with a discolored arm. Now the two do not interact with one another, but if Pierce dies, the toxin will spread, putting Steed in eternal misery, and if Steed dies, Sky Fold will disappear, and the mountain will drop onto the city.
"Wow, picking fights like that doesn't sound anything like the Steed we met. He must really care for his pegasi," Za'Fia remarked with admiration.
He cares for everyone in his district. He knows that with the position of Crest Head, he can protect and ensure change for his people and domain. However, he hates the bureaucracy part of the job, Viraa laughed. His and Lisa's views are similar in that regard.
Za'Fia laughed lightly in agreement when we noticed power being thrown around nearby. Two distinguishable klevonians were fending off half a dozen unmarked klevonians who Viraa claimed were likely tricked into believing they'd earn an ascension mark if they succeeded. They were dressed in similar indistinct clothing, likely to prevent anyone from knowing which crest they were trying to gain favor with.
One of the distinguishable klevonians was an elderly woman with ashen hair who wore a dark, hooded robe. Her name was Beara, or The Winter Witch. She was a 2.5-star threat with a base EQN of 42,743,250and possessed two cintracies. One was a temp cintracy called Secrete that gave her the ability to generate and exude fluids from her pores, making her skin slippery. The other was the eutierric Kryo cintracy, making her a frost scorpion. Given her icy spirit energy, it was clear the old lady was a sage klevonian.