“I think he’s being set up,” Verdan said after considering everything they’d been listening to.

Part of him wanted to blame the Lieutenant, to insist that he was behind all of it, but it just didn’t feel right.

“I agree. The mind behind all this has been shrewd and calculating, and anyone that cunning wouldn’t risk it all on a flimsy defence like this. To be specific, his reliance on using the Sergeant to back him up makes the way the Sergeant immediately pointed the finger his way all the more interesting.”

“Sergeant Troy…” Verdan muttered with a frown, reviewing where he’d heard the name and his past encounters with the man. “He was the Sergeant on duty when we brought the prisoners in, and he was the one who recommended Malk to Lieutenant Silver, who turned out to be a spy from the Weeping Death.”

“I know some of that from a brief summary. Do you mind going into more detail?”

Verdan nodded and outlined the general strokes of what had happened without going into details about just what Malk had been volunteered for or what he’d stolen. All Falk needed to know was that it was valuable to the Sects.

“Thank you,” Falk said, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as his eyes glinted with fresh enthusiasm. “That was a desperate move on their part, and it gives me the threat to pull on to undo it all. I think I’ll be having a closer talk with my fellow Sergeant.”

“Indeed,” Verdan said, a dark expression crossing his face as he considered taking direct action for a moment. The temptation lingered for only a moment before fading. Verdan knew well enough that Sergeant Falk was better suited to getting the truth here. “Call on me if you need any support.”

“Thank you, Wizard Blacke,” Falk said, nodding respectfully to Verdan before leaving them.

-**-

The Hammered Smith tavern was central to the section of the city that catered to its many blacksmiths and metalworkers, all of whom were busy working with what resources the city had available.

Verdan eyed all the activity as they made their way past it all, wondering just how many of the crossbow bolt points he could see being made here would eventually make their way through his makeshift enchanting machine.

Turning his attention to the task at hand, Verdan reached out with his Aether senses before following them to a marketplace just behind the tavern that seemed to have been converted to a training area.

Verdan could see almost two dozen men and women, all running through weapon drills under the watchful gaze of three armoured figures.

Two of the armoured warriors were walking around the space, giving advice and corrections as they went, while the third watched silently from one side, though they seemed to be more focused on the two other figures than those being trained.

Verdan’s entrance to the training area did little for those actually training, but he could feel each of the three warriors give him their full attention.

“Wizard Blacke, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Disciple Macannan rumbled as he removed his helmet and walked over to greet Verdan.

“Much as I didn’t expect you to be assisting us,” Verdan said with a gesture to the training that Macannan and his two companions had been supervising. “I thought you were forced to be neutral in this?”

“I am unable to participate in the fight, but there are no rules against my training of prospective Sect members,” Macannan said, a touch of a smile quirking the corner of one mouth.

“Well, far be it from me to stand in the way of your recruitment drive,” Verdan said, returning the Sorcerer’s smile with one of his own. If Macannan was willing to work through a loophole to help them, then Verdan felt a lot better about his plan. “Speaking of such things, do we have somewhere to talk in private?”

“Of course, but please don’t let all this confuse matters. I will not stray from the goals of my Sect. Our mission comes first.”

“I understand,” Verdan said, meeting Macannan’s gaze with a level of confidence that seemed to intrigue the other man.

“Very well, please follow me,” Macannan turned and made his way into a house that faced out into the converted marketplace. The interior was old and lived in, but serviceable enough. “This home has been abandoned for some time. We’ve been using it for the time being. Please, take a seat.”

Macannan brought them into a mixed kitchen and living space, taking a seat in an old chair that creaked alarmingly at his weight before leaning forward and giving Verdan an expectant look.

“I’ll get straight to the point,” Verdan said as he took a seat of his own. “I want the Steel Custodians to participate in the upcoming fight with the Weeping Death and Defiant Flame, who have now joined them. Beyond that, I want your Sect to help ensure the safety of this city while keeping it independent.”

“I see,” Macannan said after a moment, his brow furrowing thoughtfully as he regarded Verdan and Tom. “The Defiant Flame joining forces with the Weeping Death bodes ill for you. I wish I could help, truly, but there is nothing I can do.”

“You said that your mission comes first, correct?” Verdan waited for Macannan to nod before gesturing back the way they’d come. “As much of a ploy as that is, my guess is that you need as many Sorcerers as you can get if you are to reclaim any land north of the mountains. What would you say if I could make that happen?”

“As much as I appreciate your personal power and your drive, you can not wave a hand and produce a dozen Sorcerers. If you could, you wouldn’t need us,” Macannan said sceptically, his frown only growing as Verdan didn’t refute his words.

“No, but I can provide you with these,” Verdan retrieved the Essence tester and placed it on a small coffee table that sat between them. “The city guard has used this to identify Sorcerers with great success. One of them even has metal as her element. What was she again, Tom?”

“A metal Augmentor, Boss.” Tom chimed in without hesitation.

“Exactly, and that’s off such a small group. Imagine what you could do with five of these and a few hundred people to test?”

“Impossible,” Macannan scoffed, waving away Verdan’s words. “There is no such device that can test for Elemental Essence.”

“Tom, if you don’t mind,” Verdan glanced over to his companion before gesturing to the tester.

“Sure thing, Boss,” Tom said, reaching out to grab the tester and demonstrate how it worked.

Macannan looked on with a shocked expression as Tom used the tester, a clump of earth falling to the ground as the tester glowed in response to the power flowing through it.

Verdan passed Macannan the tester and explained how it worked, with the Sorcerer experimenting for a few moments before managing to activate the tester. Verdan could see that he wasn’t completely convinced, perhaps expecting a trick of some sort, so Verdan left the room while Macannan brought in his two companions, who turned out to be Sorcerers under his command.

Tom remained in the room to provide instruction on how to operate the tester, and in short order, Verdan was back inside, and Macannan was looking at the tester with hunger.

“I feel as though there are some further considerations here,” Macannan said eventually, looking up at Verdan questioningly. “You wouldn’t have risked this if there was a chance I could just take it and leave.”

“It requires my energy to function. Unless there is a type of Sorcerer I’ve yet to encounter, you need me to use them in the long term. That being said, they only use up the stored energy when activated, and each charge will last for around twenty to thirty successful tests.”

“Understood,” Macannan sat back in his seat, rubbing his jaw in thought as he eyed the tester. “The problem we face is that if you die, any deal we make is useless to my Sect.”

“I can provide a few upfront for you, which would allow you to gain almost a hundred Sorcerers to your cause without needing mass testing to find them. I should expect their training to be quite fast as well.”

“One hundred total, but there is no certainty that they would have the metal element.”

“I could create a different version that only tests for that element,” Verdan said with a shrug. “If you want to pass up on more Sorcerers to aid your mission, that’s on you.”

“Five of these, each with an additional option to test for the metal element. Provide them to me before the assault begins, and I will have my juniors take them to the Sect. I will remain here to fight alongside you, and I will contact my Sect for reinforcements in the meantime.”

“And the independence of the city?”

“Consider the upfront five to be payment for us joining this battle. Charging them and working with us to develop a testing process will be payment for our support of your city. I am not an elder within the sect, but this is within my capability to negotiate given what you are offering.”

“Very well, we have a deal,” Verdan got to his feet and held his hand out to the big Sorcerer.

“Indeed,” Macannan took his hand firmly. “Do your best not to die. Items like these could change everything.”