Only One

"Anyway, this old man has already properly vented." Magnus patted Sylas' shoulder. "This isn't what I came here to talk to you about. Instead, I want to speak to you about the Bronze Stele. You are sharp, I'm sure you've already realized…"

"That there's only one?" Sylas finished. 

Magnus' smile widened, his teary eyes flashing with pride. He loved his family dearly, and this grandson of his never failed to impress him. 

"Indeed. There is only one. There will only be one City Lord, and the choice will only come from those three. Even if I hadn't made that mistake all those years ago, it would be your father, and not you, that would have an opportunity to compete for this chance."

Sylas nodded. He wasn't surprised. 

The president of the United Coalition of Terranova had a minimum cut-off age of 35 years old. According to the science, Sylas' brain had only recently stopped growing, and he didn't have nearly enough life experience yet. Plus, while he was a tenured professor at such a tender age, what was that compared to three billionaires? 

If the Browns only had one City Stele, and they were going to put their hopes in someone, even if it wasn't someone of the immediate family, it definitely wouldn't be someone as young as Sylas. 

Magnus chuckled. He knew that his grandson had a great deal of self-pride; it was reflected in the way he was so strict with himself and in his discipline. But he was also logical to a fault. He wouldn't be mad about something like this even though Magnus knew Sylas only had one thought in his mind right now… 

'I'm definitely the best choice.'

"I can tell you what the plans of the family are in advance and you can make the choice for yourself. If you go off on your own, though, I'm sure you can understand the consequences. This is a matter of life and death, so the punishment for dissension will be proportional."

Sylas nodded. Even if Sylas proved himself to be a talent, the family would want him to consolidate under them and help. If he placed his efforts elsewhere, it would be as good as going against them. 

"The City Stele is the most valuable commodity in the Ascension Realm. The most common of them are actually just titled "Common City Stele". Over 99% of cities will be like this."

"Is that the reason for the buffers?" Sylas asked. 

"Yes. The Bronze City Stele is an upgrade, so it receives more territory per level, more residents, etcetera.

"However, the trial to gain one is excessive and heavy. For the Grimblade Lineage to gain one of the Bronze grade, it required a sacrifice they weren't willing to make until it was already clear that we would fail our sixth attempt."

Sylas' brows rose slightly at these words, and his grandfather nodded in response. 

"We lost thousands of warriors and the Lineage was almost completely wiped out, but it was only worth it because the Extinction Event was coming, anyway. It was either we took the risk, or we would be buried."

From these words, and for this level of sacrifice, it was obvious that the Browns, or the Grimblades, rather, could never give this City Stele to a relative outsider like Sylas. 

They had given up too much. 

"Soon, the Summoned Ascension will begin, and this will be a period the family uses to evaluate which of the three will be most suited to becoming City Lord. This period is also important because the location of your city is as important as anything else."

"The world changes?" Sylas asked. 

Magnus laughed. Once again, his grandson had hit the nail on the head. 

"Yes. The Ascension Realm is randomized every time. The terrain, the ecosystems, even the dangers are always completely different. Even if they weren't, it would be very difficult for a comprehensive map to exist in the first place."

"Then what do you want me to do?" Sylas asked. 

Magnus smiled bitterly. "No, Sylas. This isn't something I'm strapping you with, I can just feel that this would be a choice you'd want to make and I'm giving you my blessing to do so… IF and only if you want to. 

"Your father is a good man. I don't know how much credit I can take for that, but he isn't ambitious. He would be content to follow the plans of the family. Your mother is a good woman, and she will always support him well. The little munchkin is too young and won't even be among the summoned unless Cedric and Isolde consent, and you know they won't."

"It's not that father isn't ambitious," Sylas said lightly, "it's rather that he has no reason to be, he is easily content, and that's a good trait to have."

Magnus agreed, but in this world, there really was no difference. If Cedric needed a trigger to become ambitious, by that point, it would already be too late. 

"Either way, what I'm trying to say, Sylas, is that I am too old, and your parents don't have the necessary character. Although age will become far less of a factor very soon, by that point, much of the outcome will be decided and it will no longer be my turn to decide things. 

"You need to take this upcoming buffer period to figure out what you want to do…"

Sylas listened intently, and he and his grandfather spoke deep into the night.