Chapter 196: A Small Glimpse of the Gold Lands

Unlike Night City which was still under construction this city was completely built like Terrania with tall golden towers at the center and smaller buildings surrounding them. Funmi asked "How is there so much gold?"

Chenzira answered "One of my people can control gold". Mira instantly guessed the person's race was the Human Elementalist (Gold) race. The people on the streets seemed busy with different works. Chenzira was approached by a man with a long goatie who said to him "You didn't bring enemies with you this time. Your race must have really changed you. Or could I be wrong? Could-".

Chenzira coughed interrupting the man and said "This is my assistant, Mudads. Mudads these are Bella, Funmi and Mira". The women said "Hi Mudads" as their IPs showed his race as [Pharaoh: Semi-god (Amenhotep (III))]. Mudads said "Hi, where did you lovely women come from?" as his face and body morphed and acquired features that made it the most respectable, adorable and kindest form from each of the women's perspectives.

Bella was the exception since her eyes were closed but the voice of Mudads had also changed to a buttery, rich and deep voice that made her want to relax, stop worrying and accept everything he said as truth. Bella was more accustomed to controlling her emotions and since she had psychic manipulation she was the first to be free herself from Mudads' psychic influence.

Funmi and Mira were not having it as easy as they visibly struggled to make sense of the sudden change and return their senses back to reality. Mudads, seeing their struggle, said "Apologizes, I can't control this effect. You can just close your eyes and retract your sphere of consciousness from me. It should be easy to suppress the sound effect"

Mira closed her eyes and Funmi said "DON'T WORRY, KEEP GOING, I'LL TAKE THIS AS TRAINING". Funmi knew that psychic influence was one of the things her race and she herself was weak to so she always trained her resistance with Bella in her free time. Easily enduring Mudads' involuntary psychic influence was something she felt she had to achieve. Mira opened her eyes after hearing Funmi's reason as she felt she also needed the training.

Bella sighed at this as she thought 'Truly a subtle manipulator. Any normal person should realize that training in a foreign land filled with what might become enemies is a stupid idea; you would be tired by the time the enemy decides to attack you… Even if they resisted on some level the guy still affected them on another level'. Bella covered Funmi and Mira with her psychic energy, protecting them from the psychic manipulation of Mudads.

They both looked at her questioningly and she said "You're doing a bad job of resisting him". Mira was shocked while Funmi had a look of understanding. She knew that a person who had fallen for a psychic influence would not sense their fall or even forget it if the influence was strong enough.

Mudads said "Very perceptive of you. The influence of seeing me is both subtle and forceful so people tend to focus on the forced influence that can be resisted". Mira was shocked at this statement and said "How was I-" but she instantly understood the foolishness of her actions when she reviewed her previous decision.

Bella said "Funmi, you still need more training, Mira at least closed her eyes but you fully took him as your trainer, influencing Mira also with your affected psyche". Funmi sighed like thunder and Mudads proceeded to show them the different parts of the city.

Gold Lands had magic and advanced technology that was a result of said magic. The Magic they had mostly involved creating phenomena with light and heat as well as some other auxiliary spells with other elements apart from light and heat.

Bella saw that their society was not suppressive or discriminatory like the Glass Empire. She didn't reach this assumption by just looking around at the people's faces (Her eyes were always closed) but by assessing the surface thoughts and emotions in the minds of the people around her or those she spoke to when they entered her sphere of awareness.

Bella said seemingly to the air "I would like to call in the favor I'm owed". Mudads sighed but a look of understanding was on his face as Chenzira came from walking from the street on the side that they were about to enter. Chenzira said "Ok what do you want".

Mira sent a psychic message to Bella saying 'Was he watching us'. Bella connected Funmi's mind to the network and said 'No he was just walking close by and I sensed him'.

Bella said "There is a settlement in Nigeria called the Glass Empire. The people ruling the settlement are discriminatory towards people depending on their race grade. We would like for you to not trade with this settlement and contain their expansion into Chad. In return two settlements in Nigeria, the APT and Terrania will trade technology, knowledge and resources with you".

Chenzira said "That's more of a proposal than a favor. But anyways, point me in the direction of the settlement and tell me our distance from it". Bella did so and Chenzira looked in the direction, sent a psychic message to Mudads and put his hand on his head and his psychic energy covered Mudads' head..

Mudads closed his eyes for a minute while Chenzira's hands were on his head and opened them after he removed his hands. The both of them sent a few psychic messages between each other before Chenzira said "I agree".

It was obvious to anyone who knew what Horus was that he had just scouted the Glass Empire from where they were. Funmi asked "ARE YOU GUYS INTERESTED IN FIGHTING THEM? IF YOU DO THE APT WILL MOST LIKELY JOIN YOU". Chenzira smiled and said "As much as I want it Mudads here and most other administrative members of Gold Lands will probably be against it. The economic isolation is the best we can give".

Funmi nodded and said "THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING". A vortex opened and the Voidium Fenrir, Lisa came out of it. Bella said "I will now inform the APT and Terrania of your settlement and trades may begin".

Bella jumped up and landed on the head of the Fenrir and sent a psychic message gesturing for Mira and Funmi to follow her. The both walked toward the outskirts of the city but after they took ten steps they had reached their destination and were outside Gold Lands.

The experience was quite unreal to Mira even though she had a space ring. Bella looked at the two of them and said "You guys don't have to be the heroes. Soon enough the Glass Empire will be forced to change, it's a matter of fact. Do you think they will let themselves waste while the world advances forward?"

Mira said "You're right". Bella showed shock as she thought that Mira would stop but Mira said "That's why I said I'll see it first. Just like what we did here, a tour". Bella sighed and Mira said "If I attack them it will be because I'm very certain that they will not change because of the treatments of the other settlements".

Mira turned to Funmi and said "Are you ok with that?" Funmi nodded and Mira turned to Bella and said "This is the best we can offer". Bella said "I'll take it".