CHAPTER 728: TRAITORS

While Vlad had asked for all the Legends to leave, he did not question Marshal Maximo’s decision to allow Spartacus and General Tiberius to remain behind.

Once only the Depravitas and the trio were inside the fortified chamber, Vlad’s psychic power flooded the room like a silent tide. This power acted as a formidable seal, preventing any form of energy or surveillance from penetrating. The added protection of the A.I. Chip’s electromagic force field ensured that not even the most advanced technological and magical spying methods could succeed.

Marshal Maximo, General Tiberius, and Spartacus were once again taken aback by the sheer breadth and precision of Vlad’s abilities. Despite having witnessed his power many times, they could not help but stand in awe of the young man and the capabilities that came with being a Depravita.

However, the time for wonder was short. Their eyes soon sharpened as they focused on the matter at hand—something ominous had been stirring in the shadows and nearly cost them the war.

Vlad’s expression was resolute and serious as he began. "I have reason to believe that the force meddling in this war—those who aided the Vorometallicae with detailed knowledge about our Legends, who deployed spies to betray us during our most precarious moments, and who provided the Automatons that reinforced enemy defenses—are none other than the Zanis Association."

The air grew tense. Marshal Maximo, Spartacus, and General Tiberius’ eyes widened in disbelief at the accusation, their faces a mixture of shock and caution. But just as quickly as the surprise set in, skepticism followed.

Vlad had proven himself to be a man of unwavering integrity, courage, and honor. Each of the three commanders had come to trust him deeply, to the point where they would place their lives in his hands without hesitation. However, accusing the Zanis Association—a long-standing pillar of the Graecian Empire—of high treason was no trivial matter.

"How certain are you of this information?" Marshal Maximo asked immediately, his voice stern. "Are you sure you are not allowing personal feelings to cloud your judgment? The Zanis Association may be greedy, yes, but they have served the Graecian Empire for generations. Branding them as traitors cannot be done lightly."

He wasn’t dismissing the theory, but he was emphasizing the weight of the claim and the importance of evidence. A false accusation at such a level could destabilize what remained of their fragile alliances.

Vlad nodded respectfully. "I won’t deny that I hold no affection for the Zanis Association. However, my conclusion does not stem from personal grievances. It is rooted in objective analysis and data. First and foremost, we began to lose ground in the Legendary battle precisely because our enemies had intricate knowledge of our Legends’ cultivation techniques and abilities."

"I can confirm that," General Tiberius interjected, nodding in agreement. "They had a distinct edge. It was obvious they understood not just our strengths, but also our weaknesses. However, that alone does not mean there is a traitor among us—or that the traitor belongs to the Zanis Association."

Vlad remained calm. "True. If that were all I had, I would never dare level such a grave accusation. But the matter extends further. Consider the spy—Patrick—the Legendary who deserted just after General Tiberius escaped enemy capture."

At the mention of Patrick, fury flickered in the eyes of the trio. Their faces twisted with a mix of rage and betrayal. For men who held honor and loyalty above all else, Patrick’s desertion was a wound that had never healed.

"That man is a disgrace," spat General Tiberius. "Now that the war is over, we are actively hunting him. His cowardice deserves punishment beyond imagination. But as far as we know, there’s no official record linking him to the Zanis Association."

Marshal Maximo nodded. "During the war, I could not allow myself to dwell on his treachery. But now, he will pay. Still, investigations have painted him as little more than a coward. Nothing more sinister has been uncovered—until now."

"That changes," Vlad said, his voice sharp as a blade, "when you examine the matter from the shadows."

With a flick of his hand, he transmitted a classified data file to the communication devices of the trio. As they examined the contents, their eyes slowly widened with disbelief and grim recognition.

The files included records of Patrick’s dealings in the underworld, where he had been functioning as a hired mercenary. Most damning of all, one of his highest-paying patrons had been none other than the Zanis Association.

They had used Patrick to eliminate inconvenient individuals discreetly, keeping their own hands clean while advancing their hidden agenda.

"This is deeply troubling," Marshal Maximo said after a long pause. "However, even this may be considered circumstantial. There’s no concrete proof yet tying the Zanis Association directly to the betrayal of the Graecian Empire."

He was not dismissing Vlad’s claim, but he remained grounded in the principle of objectivity. Even as the scales of belief began to tip in Vlad’s favor, he needed to see the full extent of the evidence.

Vlad nodded once more, expecting such a response. "Then allow me to present the next piece."

He waved his hand again, and two large Automatons emerged from storage. They were battered but intact—High Legend-level machines that had fought fiercely to block Vlad’s path to the Voidheart Fortress’s core.

"These are two of the three Automatons that engaged me," Vlad explained. "They were not forged by the Vorometallicae."

The trio regarded the Automatons with intense scrutiny. They had been surprised by the appearance of such machines during the battle, but until now, had attributed their origin to some unknown Vorometallicae advancement.

"They attempted to self-destruct after failing their mission," Vlad continued, "but I managed to disable that function and recover them. Upon close inspection, I discovered something far more revealing."

He walked toward the Automatons and opened a small hatch in their chest plates, revealing a series of intricately forged energy conduits.

"Their energy pathways are crafted from Dark Crystal. That material can only be refined using Dark Sand."

A wave of shock swept across Maximo, Spartacus, and Tiberius as they processed Vlad’s final words. The mention of Dark Sand struck like lightning—an unmistakable revelation with enormous implications.

Dark Sand was no ordinary resource; it was a rare and highly coveted treasure that could only be found in the Daxter World, the ancestral homeworld of the Zanis Family.

Naturally, there could be plausible explanations for the presence of Dark Crystal—refined from Dark Sand—in the Automaton’s internal structure.

The Zanis Association was one of the Empire’s leading technocratic guilds, and it wasn’t unthinkable that their constructs might have found their way, through smuggling or theft, into the hands of the Vorometallicae.

The black markets of the outer systems were vast and chaotic, after all.

However, when taken together with the evidence of Patrick’s betrayal, the situation grew considerably darker. One coincidence might be explained away. Two, however, suggested a pattern—and a dangerous one at that.

"Who else knows about this?" Marshal Maximo demanded, his voice like a blade. His tone left no room for misinterpretation; this was not a request—it was a command.

Vlad responded without hesitation. "I used Scion Valeria, Scipius, and Cato to uncover Patrick’s dealings in the underworld. But I suspect the three are doing everything in their power to forget about it. They likely fear the consequences of what it would mean for their families. As for the Automatons, only those present in this room know about their true origin and the Dark Crystal."

"Good," Maximo replied, giving a firm nod. He turned his gaze slowly, purposefully, to each person in the room. The silent command was clear: no one speaks of this. This knowledge was more than dangerous—it was potentially catastrophic.

Spartacus and Tiberius exchanged solemn nods, acknowledging the gravity of the moment. The implications were staggering. If the Zanis Association—one of the most powerful and deeply entrenched institutions in the Graecian Empire—had indeed betrayed the nation, it could lead to far more than scandal. It could ignite a civil war.

For several long seconds, silence reigned. Each man seemed lost in his own thoughts, weighing possibilities, dangers, and the uncertain future that lay before them. Finally, Spartacus broke the stillness.

"If the Zanis Association truly betrayed the Empire," he said, his voice low and contemplative, "what could their motive be?"

That question hung in the air like a heavy fog. No one answered.

The Zanis Family and their associated guilds were part of the highest echelons of the Empire. They possessed wealth, influence, and the kind of political insulation most could only dream of. To conspire against the very empire that empowered them seemed illogical—suicidal, even.

And yet, something was wrong.

The stronger the Empire grew, the stronger the Zanis Association became. They were not outsiders. They were the architects of Graecia’s military advancements, its arcane technologies, its elite constructs. Their betrayal, if true, was not just political treason—it was a spiritual fracture within the very core of the Empire.