Ruin & Reliance Read online

  “Sechnall, contact the Premier Governors and tell them we have taken control of Haza’Kedro’Maral Island. I am beginning the process of auditing the bank’s records to discover the exact scope of the financial fraud. The previous administrator, Governor Lux, is not innocent in this regard,” Governor Aranka said.

  Sechnall drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean from his vial and was energized. He reached out into the spirit world to communicate, through an intermediary spirit, with the Premier Governors and transmit Governor Aranka’s preliminary report.

  The Chronicler Caemgen watched all of the activities in plain view and recorded them into his book, including the review of the balance sheets.

  CHAPTER 3: Eons of Wealth and Corruption

  Located near the center of the Ursegan Ocean, Tilvonix Island spanned seventeen (17) miles from east to west and twenty-nine (29) miles from north to south. Its jagged edges extended fifty-eight (58) feet above the ocean waters. The island’s surface was dotted with three hundred eighty-two (382) elaborate granite and marble buildings, some as tall as twelve hundred seventy (1270) feet, and most as wide as five hundred twenty (520) feet in diameter. The buildings were arranged in an elliptical spiral pattern, and the structures themselves were oblong spirals rather than circular, winding ever inward. There was a four (4) mile wide clearing around the island’s coast where no structures stood, and there were not even piers where ships could dock. No plant life or wildlife was to be found anywhere on the island, and the ground was a barren rocky wasteland. A network of narrow streams flowed among the buildings, with several riverboats moored along the edges.

  A building at the island’s center spanned eleven hundred sixty-seven (1167) feet at its widest and stood nine hundred eighty-nine (989) feet in height. A large, circular room within – having a diameter of six hundred fifty (650) feet – was populated with over four hundred fifty (450) pillars of granite. Each pillar was six (6) feet in diameter and extended from marble floor to marble ceiling, seventy-eight (78) feet in height. The marble floor was inlaid with elaborate spiral patterns of diamond, emerald, citrine, garnet, aquamarine and jade.

  A brilliant map of the world was depicted on a central, circular table which was thirty (30) feet in diameter and extended three (3) feet above the floor. Bits of smoky quartz stacked up to form its mountains and light blue sapphires spread out to form its oceans. Emeralds painted areas of lush forests and citrines colored its deserts. Three (3) figures stood around the table and no chairs were to be found.

  One (1) of the figures – who was in the shape of a man, yet covered in a thin armor of jade and diamond – spoke: “The constructor is capable of revitalizing the industry. It should be utilized more, not less. Fantine’s expertise is unrivaled in modern times. Not since the third age has there been as fine an architect as she; not even Duke Hagan’s legacy rivals her creativity.”

  Another figure – a man who appeared not more than sixty (60) years of age – spoke: “The constructor is flawed. Worse, Fantine is flawed. You trust her too much, Premier Governor Jinhai. Your judgement has always been too lenient. Four thousand two hundred fifty-seven (4257) millennia of experience have not changed your overly trusting disposition. The woman, for all her architectural brilliance, could bankrupt the construction industry and others. She does not understand economics, and she is quite capable of errors in design.”

  “Premier Governor Macarius, your own judgment has been far too miserly, over the same number of millennia. Your reluctance to finance the opportunities in the second and third ages no doubt contributed in at least some way to the decadence and calamities of the fourth age. We must never forget that. It is better to be more generous and to accept the risks, than to enforce the stricter fiscal policies,” the first figure, who was in a thin armor of jade and diamond – Premier Governor Jinhai – said.

  The third figure – a woman who appeared fifty-five (55) years of age at most – spoke: “I agree that opportunities must be financed, and some risk-taking enables growth. However, I have much the same skepticism as Premier Governor Macarius. Fantine’s constructor is not without its risks – design flaws likely exist, and could lead to catastrophic loss of life and bankruptcy on a large scale, as it is being used on a large scale, constructing entire cities. Furthermore, Fantine has no love for any other person – only for herself. Instead, she focuses entirely on her career. This may seem to be a professional strength; however, it is a dangerous weakness that compromises all facets of her life, including her professionalism.”

  “She has demonstrated no malevolence, Premier Governor Petronella. We are not considering the intimate details of her life, or the lack thereof. Fantine provided assistance during the tempest, building defenses against the attacks by Victoria. Her research protects the innocent,” Premier Governor Jinhai said.

  The third figure – Premier Governor Petronella – spoke: “You still fail to understand the twisted depths of human nature, Premier Governor Jinhai. Fantine takes absolute pride in her work – which should motivate her to the highest quality of architecture – yet that does not guarantee correctness. Can she see her own flaws? Can she admit her own imperfections? Has her confidence grown more quickly than her skill? If she engages in a design that entails great risk, everyone may lose. A collapsing city could kill hundreds of thousands of residents and bankrupt tens of thousands of investors. I would rather see her operate on a smaller scale, and I will be voting to reduce her funding.”

  The second figure – Premier Governor Macarius – spoke: “Greater efficiencies may lead to great inefficiencies. Even if there is no structural failure, the scale of the constructor could easily put many construction workers out of employment. Their services would no longer be in great demand, and they would skew the labor market, depressing prices. I will also be voting to reduce funding for use of the constructor.”

  “Both of you have forgotten the magnitude of the economic failures in the fourth age that followed the constraining fiscal policies in the second and third. You have forgotten the depression those policies caused. You have forgotten the envy between the rich and the poor brought on by the depression. You have forgotten the ensuing conflicts, the large scale wars and the abominations that were committed as a result of the fractured economy. We still live with the consequences of the damage done in those days. You were fortunate enough to survive the fourth age, whereas other Premier Governors were not. The Ursegan waters allow both of you to live through the eons by the slowing of time, but that is no defense against crixalethicis, nor is it a shield against a blade wielded by another who also has the power of time and can match your pace of movement. Likewise, it is no barrier against a malevolent spirit,” Premier Governor Jinhai said.

  “I don’t need to be reminded of the fourth age, Premier Governor Jinhai. Nor do I need an explanation of what caused it. The fiscal policies were not truly to blame. Alternative monetary systems were developed to compensate for the difficulties, and the economy rebounded according to a seasonal pattern,” Premier Governor Macarius said.

  “Seasonal economic patterns of growth and recession that occur over a year, two (2) years or even ten (10) years may be acceptable by those who live their lives within a single century. When a season lasts ninety (90) years or nine hundred ninety (990) years, that is not acceptable. Even those who drink the Ursegan waters are not guaranteed to live that long if their innate potential is low or the water purity is lacking. Few drinkers of the Kazofen waters can mold the gems properly, on a consistent basis, to shield themselves against the flow of time for that duration. The suitable gems are rare, and difficult to obtain under the best economic conditions,” Premier Governor Jinhai said.

  “Yet you have no difficulty in obtaining those gems, or in molding them expertly, Premier Governor Jinhai. Perhaps you should share your personal wealth, and your technique, with the multitudes. All that I need is this,” Premier Governor Macarius said, holding his vial between his fingers. He then drank anew of the wate
rs of the Ursegan Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to slow the passage of time. He exerted this power within himself, thus extending his long life.

  “I would gladly share my technical knowledge. However, benefitting from it would require mining exceptionally high quality gems in great quantities from all the mountains and lands, necessitating that a great many workers choose a Kazofen waterbinding. When the general population learned how few of those gems could be utilized to change the time flow, and how few persons had the innate potential and intelligence for properly executing the procedure, there would be no small number of thefts of those gems and abductions of those skilled persons,” Premier Governor Jinhai said. He formed a small aperture in the jade and diamond armor around his mouth, through which he drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial. He was energized such that he could continue to manipulate gems to bend the flow of time and thereby slow it. He then reformed the armor, protecting himself from normal aging. He took a small diamond from a pocket in his coat and molded its low-level structure in a particular way, and then applied it to an area of the armor he considered to be thin. After this, he did the same with a piece of jade, combining it with the diamond until he was satisfied that the armor adequately staved off the normal flow of time and preserve his youth through the ages.

  “I agree that the scarcity would lead to envy and war. This is not a viable option, and not worth discussing. Our attention must return to the prior matter. When the other Premier Governors arrive, we will hold a vote on the financing of construction projects,” Premier Governor Petronella said. She drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from her vial to be energized so that she could continue to slow time within herself and thereby extend her long life.

  ~~~

  Depository Building Number Three Hundred Six, like the other structures around the island, was built mostly of granite with a small percentage of marble. It was positioned two thirds (2/3) of the distance from the island’s center to its coast. Shaped like every other structure, though smaller in scale, it spanned seven hundred twenty-three (723) feet at its widest and stood one hundred sixty-two (162) feet in height. A small, circular room within – having a diameter of five hundred seven (507) feet – contained only a single structure: a ruby spire nine (9) feet in diameter and thirty-nine (39) feet in height. The spire extended from the black onyx floor and reached half the height of the room. The ceilings, seventy-eight (78) feet above, were made of a black onyx, as were the walls.

  There was a swirling darkness within the ruby spire. Three (3) figures – two (2) women and (1) figure that appeared male and was covered in a thin diamond armor – stood around the spire.

  The first woman drank anew of the waters of the Gradaken Ocean from her vial to become energized. She then planted several seeds in a small cup of soil she held and touched them, causing them to grow quickly into flowering plants. She removed the flowers, drained the resin from their petals, and placed the substance on her tongue. She swallowed this and felt renewed. Her facial features were healthy, like that of a thirty-five (35) year old woman, despite her four million two hundred fifty-seven thousand (4257000) years of life. She knew secrets of long life she would never share. She then spoke: “Some seeds take root and yield beneficial plants. Others waste the soil. Governor Lux is such a waste. We should have terminated his employment – and his life – years ago.”

  “He provided some useful services while he held office on Haza’Kedro’Maral Island. The central bank operated effectively enough for a while. However, he has ultimately failed to maintain an adequate level of performance. Furthermore, he has too much confidential knowledge, so I agree with Premier Governor Kynthia that Lux must be permanently removed. Governor Aranka has compelling evidence of Lux’s improper handling of our assets, and her skills are adequate for restructuring the finances and resuming profitable operations,” the second woman said. She appeared older – perhaps fifty-five (55) years of age – although she was the same four million two hundred fifty-seven thousand (4257000) years old. She drank anew of the water of the Ursegan Ocean from her vial to be energized enough to slow time and extend her long life.

  “Governor Aranka is much more than adequate, Premier Governor Enrichetta. I selected her from among several strong candidates. She was the only survivor of the test, due to her natural wits, enhanced by the Medathero waters,” the man in the diamond armor said.

  “Premier Governor Dustin, do not tell me that you place high confidence in a woman not half a century in age. She may be mathematically clever, but she has little experience,” the second woman – Premier Governor Enrichetta – said.

  The man in the diamond armor – Premier Governor Dustin – replied: “Aranka has the mathematical acumen to execute our directives precisely correctly. She is tactical, we are strategic. I am not comparing her to us. I am comparing her to Governor Lux, who was not tactical. He was a manipulator who did not possess financial skills in great measure. He deferred to his subordinates, who did not have the power to veto his decisions when they were suboptimal.”

  The first woman – Premier Governor Kynthia – then spoke: “Yes, Lux was incompetent at best and destructive at worst. He offered little resistance to Duchess Uliana. That we did not replace him sooner is unsettling. A great many of our assets are controlled from the central bank offices on that island. The full extent of the theft committed by the sun worshippers has not yet been determined. I am concerned, and quite justifiably.”

  “Whatever theft that was committed – either by Governor Lux or by Duchess Uliana – can be easily compensated. We need only to disseminate variable currency,” Premier Governor Dustin said. He altered the structure of the diamond armor to create an aperture around his mouth. Through this opening, he drank anew of the highly purified waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial and was energized. Then, he reformed the diamond armor, to shield himself from the flow of time. After this, he held up an emerald and presented it to the others. In his hands, the gem appeared to expand into two (2) emeralds, then into four (4) emeralds, blossoming like a flower. “These continue to serve our needs as we deliver them into the precious gem supplies in each of our central bank branches. Their expansion is nearly limitless, as is their contraction, according to our needs, and my design. Tightening or loosening the supply is a straightforward matter, easily counteracting any failures by the subordinate governors. Their failures are practically insignificant,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “The precious gems market is not the only path of influence we need to consider, Premier Governor Dustin,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Farming, fishing, construction, shipping, lending, insurance, water purification and other services, are all subject to fluctuations and need adjustments to rates. The trade guilds and labor unions are not insignificant,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “We have other paths of influence, of course. And the assets most important to us will be protected with our greatest efforts,” Premier Governor Dustin said. He then placed his hands on the ruby spire and the swirling darkness within came to a standstill.

  “Athamus, send your minion spirits to inform Governor Aranka to adjust rates as she sees fit. She is to finance construction projects, large or small, as the opportunity arises and momentary demand exists. Her mandate is to profit whenever, wherever and however. Excess structures can be eliminated whenever necessary – accidents can be arranged. Furthermore, see to it that Governor Lux meets his end before too long. During all of this, however, Aranka is to take inventory of the lightkeeper crystals. If any are missing, we must be informed immediately,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “I will send my minions to inform Governor Aranka of your instructions, my master. Also, I can deal with Governor Lux personally – immediately – if you wish,” the voice of Athamus said, vibrating through the ruby spire.

  “He can do that? I thought he had to send someone else, no?” Premier Governor Kynthia asked.
/>   “I am not releasing you from this ruby spire, if that is what you are suggesting, pathetic demon,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “Then, it will take longer to deal with this threat. You are displeased with Governor Lux, are you not, master?” the voice of Athamus asked, vibrating through the ruby spire.

  “Send the message to Governor Aranka as I have instructed you. She can handle the matter herself. That is all, Athamus. No more of these digressions from you,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “We need to meet with the other Premier Governors. A vote is to be held soon, and they expect us. Not that their votes matters, but we should preserve the appearance and formality,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “They have some influence, and they are still useful enough. The assets of the central bank are still jointly held by them,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “Until we decide to change that, they do. When it benefits us most, we will. We alone hold the keys to this Depository Building, as well as several others. Our private assets are out of their sight, and out of their reach,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “We have exclusive access to one hundred five (105) depository buildings. The other two hundred seventy-six (276) depository buildings are jointly held. Ours is still not a majority stake,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “We also have access to the Banking Capitol. While it holds no physical assets, it has records of all shared assets and a portion of our private assets. We can change those records as needed,” Premier Governor Dustin said.