BXBX NOVEL Chapter 33 Purple
After eating the food, Laya and Taka began conversing about business. But this didn't sit well with Alex.
'You should move away if you had your full. Don't hog the seats. I need more customers to make money.' Alex screamed in his mind.
'If that's how you are going to play did. Don't mind me playing dirty.'
"Meena, how about I get food for all your people?"
Ten servants plus Laya and Meena. And if you include Taka, thirteen people were occupying the seats. But the servants sat silently, not bothering to order food even when he could see them salivating next to him.
'They were waiting to get a chance to try my food. Ku Ku Ku… I will give them that chance.'
"Okay, include another serving for me."
'As a food stall owner, I am beginning to like this quirky glutton. Ask for more food, please.'
"NO, give me two more servings." Raising her hand, she called out to Alex once again.
'Can she read minds? Ku Ku Ku.' Alex was thrilled to sell more. If everything went as expected, he would have to prepare more chickens for noon.
But things never go as expected.
—----------
Meanwhile, Taka and Laya were having a serious conversation.
"The Iron mountain tribe is slowing down their metal export. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't get you more."
"What about the other regions?"
"For some reason, they are also slowing down metal export."
"We are willing to pay more if that's what you want. We can even trade with gems and precious stones."
"Too slow."
"What?"
"Your tribe was too slow to respond. All the bulk supply has been bought. And there is almost nothing left in the free market. You know what that means, right?"
"Yes, it is a matter of concern. Who is it this time?"
"I don't know. In the beginning, I thought it was a conflict between Iron mountain and the Volcanic dragon tribe. But considering the rate at which the conflict is escalating. I can't say for sure. Everyone is prepping for war, one way or another. Like your tribe, everyone is in short supply of metal ores. We poor merchants are being dragged into a mess that we don't want any part in." Taka said with concern.
For the past one hundred years, the central continent was in peace. Due to the shadow of the great war, everyone tried their best to not escalate regional conflicts into a continental-scale war. The nine great tribes tried their utmost to maintain a peaceful relationship with each other.
But from Taka's words, Laya understood that those facades were slowly being torn apart. And war was imminent. The hidden war they fought for generations was beginning to be unearthed.
"Can you import metals from the western continent? If it's your tribe, you might be able to, right?" Laya asked.
Metal might not seem like an important factor in the daily life of people of the north. But, without it, A lot of problems will arise. The most important of them would be the need to import essential tools and materials from other regions. Making the north completely dependent on other regions. More importantly, dependent on other tribes.
Recycling and using them would have been a good solution, but how long can they do it?
Metals, like everything, can be destroyed. It was not feasible to just depend on recycled metals to survive.
Making the situation worse was the fact that metal mines in the north will be completely frozen for the next couple of months.
It was a predicament for Laya and the governing tribe of the north, the ice phoenix tribe. So, she was even ready to pay a hefty price and import from the western continent across the ocean.
"I don't think they are willing. Westerners always consider themselves superior to us. Back when they came here last time with a marriage proposal. I heard that they were humiliated and chased away. Would they be willing to help your tribe if they know you are the one asking for help? Even with your elder sister apologising in person, it would not be enough."
"It was a duel based on strength. When the prince from the west asked for my sister's hand in marriage. He should have been ready to show his strength. Not to lose miserably against a couple of our warriors. He was a weakling beyond any measure." Laya said, distressed by remembering how the westerners acted when they came. It was clear that she didn't like them.
"Ha ha… They are prideful people. But I can ask them. If they are willing, I can try to export the metals if you are willing to pay enough." With a chuckle, Taka said. He was a merchant to the bones. If they paid him enough, he was willing to take the risk and ask the western kingdom.
"Thank you, sir Taka. Without you, it would have been hard on us."
"Don't say that yet. I cannot promise you anything."
After their hour-long conversation, They were ready to end their conversation.
Meena, who was full was almost dozing off and Alex, who sold half his inventory was thrilled.
But without them knowing, a hidden plot was at play.
Someone wearing a black robe was walking along the streets. And in his hand, he had a shiny purple stone.
It looked like an ore that was dug out just then with dirt and mud covering it. However, an immense power was pulsing inside it. The dirty outer layer couldn't cover up the peculiarity of the stone.
Meena who dozed off was startled awake suddenly. Then she turned towards the man holding the purple stone. For a split second, she made eye contact with the man.
This shook the man hiding in the crowd. He suddenly took out a knife and slashed open a wound on his abdomen. The glowing purple stone was then thrust into the wound, inside his body.
Like a ballooning pufferfish, the man grew to an immense size.
"BOOOM." With a blinding flash of purple light and a thunderous sound, the man exploded into smithereens.
His blood sprayed around in the surroundings, dying everything red.
Taka was the first to react to this sound. He turned in a split second and raised his hand. A ripple of energy came from his hand and prevented any blood from coming towards the food stall.
Meena, Laya and their servants stood up overwhelmed by the sudden situation. The servants who realised what just happened felt like their hearts beating like crazy.
'It was an assassination attempt.' They screamed in their head.
But it was not over yet.
The blood sprayed around began moving like it had a life of its own. It twisted, turned and coagulated into a circular mess. And a purple glow came from it, creating a large magic circle beneath their legs.
It was not an assassination attempt.
It was an assassination was in progress.
The purple magic circle suddenly emitted a screeching noise as if the space itself was being torn. From the ground, A ray of purple light was emitted into the sky, creating a rift in space right above Alex's food stall.
And something giant was trying to force itself through the spatial rift.
'What the f is that? Alex pondered deeply.'