Arcane Anew

One Week Later

It took a week for Orion to recover fully from the outburst. Against thugs, it didn't matter too much, though. His complexion, health, and everything were improving. He was starting to look like a normal person again.

Breathing deeply, his gaze lifted to the exposed roof with ventilation fans slowly rotating. Behind him, large flora filled the air with a sweet floral scent and clean air. The meeting location the Chembarons used in Arcane.

"Half of our trade is halted," Chross gruffly reported, scratching his cheek as dry skin flakes fell. Looking at him, he wore a fancy blue jacket, hat, and pants while sitting in a purple and bronze wheelchair.

Discolored and sagging with age, his pale skin was marked with spots, skin tags, and wrinkles, contorting with frustration. "The mines are running low on children, and the informants for my company are running dry thanks to the Kiramman."

"Not much of a 'Hush Company' if your informants can't keep their mouths shut," Margot smiled maliciously as she teased him from across the table. "Or better yet, not get caught."

"Mmm." His white eyebrows twitched with irritation, and his voice raised slightly. "I've heard your sluts aren't doing too well either. Vyx running out of desperate whores?"

"Tsk, old shitbag." She clicked her tongue. "They do what they can. But yes, with Topside doing well, they are finding better employment in other brothels under Vander's gang."

"Maybe you should retire. You're clearly losing your feminine touch."

"I could say the same to you. Those children you snatch would do a better job than you."

"Heh, guess I'm the lucky one!" Smeech, the rat Chembaron, smirked, his clawed hand clicking several times. "Haven't had much of a drop in losses! Well, outside of Vander's raids. They're hurting."

"That won't last for long once their new Hextech devices begin circulation," Chross replied, and Smeech froze up with his eyes widening with realization. "Fuck. I didn't think about that."

Chross, Chembaron running the Hush Company, controlling informants, spies, and slave labor in the mines.

Smeech, Chembaron running Scrap Hackers, dealing mostly with cybernetic modifications of both cosmetic and performative purposes.

Margot, Chembaron of Vyx, dealing with pleasure, impulses, persuasion, and catering services.

And of course, silent and unspoken, Renni and Finn, running Sludgerunners and manufacturing most Chemtech devices for Undercity residents.

None of these Chembarons would work under Vander, who demanded they reform- less cruelty, higher wages, altered and safer production methods or work environments, and price adjustments.

None of that resonated well with these Chembarons of old, the ones who had built the Undercity and kept it as it was.

And here Orion stood, his expression unreadable, dressed in a brown jacket, brown pants, and a fancy red shirt on Silco's left side while Sevika, with her augmented shimmer arm, was on his right.

"Perhaps it is time we strike back," Finn said nonchalantly, leaning back in his fancy golden jacket, his cybernetic augments gleaming as he flicked his lighter casually. "We've been soft."

His lighter snapped shut, and his young, ambitious gaze locked onto Silco. "Vander is a problem. If we eliminate his gang, Topside will be easy to deal with. But we cannot keep fighting on two fronts as we are."

Smirking, Silco eyed him up for a moment. "If we had the forces and wanted to turn the entire Undercity into a warzone, the Enforcers would swoop in and round everyone up with ease. Greyson and the Kirammans would have a field day."

"The Undercity will rally behind us once we crush Vander's forces!" Finn responded confidently, leaning forward. "Their dissent and cooperation with Topside is a betrayal of what we stand for."

"Damn straight," Smeech cackled with a frantic laugh, snapping his claw hand. "Those bastards working with Topside should be hung like the traitors they are!"

"My informants confirm his gang is in regular communication with Topside nowadays," Chross nodded, sighing. "They've betrayed the Undercity."

"Indeed," Silco nodded, taking a puff from his cigar. "But it isn't as simple as killing them anymore. Those who have come to see the good life offered by Topside won't side with us if we off Vander now. They'll resist and ask the Enforcers to assist. That is what Vander has built."

"An alliance with Topside," Renni spat onto the table. "Unforgivable."

Disgust and anger rippled through the Chembarons.

"Your average, everyday person cares only if their life is affected directly," Silco mused. "Some still hold true to an independent Zaun, but even that will fade as conditions continue to improve."

Margot rapped her fingernails along the table. "Doing nothing will only ensure our demise."

"Improve?" Renni scoffed. "Things will return to how they were once Topside tastes more of what the Hexgates and Hextech provide. Market control will shift, and Chemtech will soon be considered third-rate. We'll be left with scraps again."

Nodding, Silco met her angry gaze. "Yes. We have Shimmer. But even that won't last. Unless we get our hands on their Hextech production methods, or..."

Reaching down, he pulled out a yellow gemstone and placed it on the table. Orion's eyes widened with surprise.

"We offer a product of our own, on par with Hextech."

The Chembarons' eyes widened with wonder and greed, their gazes fixated on the Syntixi Gemstone. Silco continued in a low, amused voice.

"Syntixi Gemstones. On par with Hextech, and it doesn't use magic. Something the Topsiders screamed they were against until profits blinded their moral high ground. Again."

"How did you acquire it?" Chross asked with suspicion, his body tense as sweat dripped from his forehead. "If this came from Topside, there will be chaos shortly. We need to prepare."

Renni and Finn glanced at each other, Finn visibly dejected, deflating in the moment.

"No worries there," Silco smirked again, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "This matter was taken care of years ago, secured thanks to-"

Taking it between his fingers, he swiveled in his chair to face a pokerfaced Orion, a smile playing at his lips.

"Orion."