Augustas Fridgia held himself in the air with no more focus than it takes a commoner to stand in place on the ground. He willed it, so his domain made it into reality. It was as simple as that. So the smoke flooding into the sky couldn't so much as enter the space twenty feet around his body.

And that irritated him. Not that he wasn't hacking and coughing as he struggled to breathe, but that Arch was burning at all. He knew his legionaries weren't the ones who started the fires.

The straightforward explanation was that malcontents within the city were taking the opportunity to stir up trouble, make some coins, and settle long-held grudges. The more likely explanation was that Roberto Arch was taking the opportunity and milking it for all it was worth. It was startling how similar street gangs and high nobility were when you really got right down to their actions.

With that in mind, Augustas would be willing to bet a substantial sum that the other noble was behind most of the not-so-random acts of violence. Some might really be coincidences, but the northerner was convinced from his recent interactions with the other noble that most of the assaults were directed at those whom Roberto considered annoyances or threats. And when all was said and done, he would not only rid his city of them but also be able to point at Augustas and demand compensation for such "influential" citizens dying.

At least that was what the northern noble expected of the snake. A snake Roberto might be, but he was clever enough to realize that his best option was to hide in his burrow and wait for the 14th Legion to march through the city unhindered.

Well, unhindered for the most part. The city's civic guard and a few cohorts of a patrol legion were no match for the veteran legionaries of the north. That didn't mean they couldn't put up a fight and cause casualties if they wanted to. However, it was all but guaranteed they would lose said battle so long as Augustas was present.

What was infuriating was that everyone knew it, so the defenders had no intention of actually engaging in battle. They stood silently on the walls and far down the side streets connected to the main thoroughfare, watching his legion march by. The only time they showed a modicum of aggression was when the Prime Cohort approached the closed gates dispersed throughout the city.

However, as soon as Fridgia stepped forward to blast a hole in the defenses, the defenders would scatter. It didn't take more than a moment of thought to figure out that Roberto wanted this, and he was preparing to scream to the heavens and before the Senate that Augustas had assaulted his city.

Other than those moments, no one within his legion so much as had to lift a gladius. To ensure that remained the case, the high lord floated above the city, watching his legion wind through its streets. He knew that this action, and the course he set himself on because of it, would come back to haunt him. It could easily be the greatest regret of his life. But that was a risk he was willing to take.

Not only because it might save his son and what was left of his subjects, but because of the greater Republic. The southerners did not, could not, comprehend the dangers that were being allowed to flood into Olimpia. At least not until they faced them head-on, and by then, it would already be far too late.

What the 14th legion was moving to face was a threat that should, in his opinion, trigger the Republic to raise a dozen legions on top of the existing twenty scattered around the provinces. The fact that the general consensus was to wait for the Fridgia house to fall before swooping in to reclaim his family's land was beyond infuriating.

If that was how they decided to play it, then he would be the villain they wanted to paint him as. Anyone who blocks his path will be forced to step aside as he cracks their cities apart. And when they come to him with legions at their backs to express their grievances and claim what they view as their due… well, they will finally become useful to the Republic.

Hovering in the air, the high noble watched the city burn, finding the self-inflicted destruction far too similar to the Republic as a whole and the mindset of its petty rulers. All he could do was hope that this wasn't just a taste of what was to come.

**********

Senator Victorus Ponpti kept an eye on his guests until they vanished into a side room that connected to passages leading to the senatorial amphitheater. It was far from uncommon for people to be brought before the Senate, though bringing the Kin would be a historic occasion, for good or ill. Once they were inside the building, there were procedures to be followed, as they were official guests of the Republic, so the Kin would be protected.

The issue was that they had to arrive at the amphitheater for the status to take effect. Meaning the carriage ride across the noble district was… to put it delicately, an ordeal. There were nobles gathered all along the route, most of them curious, though a portion were hostile enough that they might take drastic action. Leading Victorus to collect all but a handful of his family's retainers, and bring them with him as protection to prevent anyone from getting any ideas that would ruin his days of hard work.

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If the crowds were cheering as he passed, you could almost mistake what was happening as a triumph. The hushed murmurs that fell into ominous silence were anything but those festive occasions. And yet, despite how his gut churned, the entire trip was uneventful. That only made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he waited for the other shoe to drop.

Slipping on his benevolent politician's mask, Victorus stretched his arms wide and exclaimed, "Ahh, Senator Fridgia, it is such a pleasure to see you."

"The feeling is mutual," The stately woman responded neutrally, her face a blank mask. "It has been ages since we last met. Your journey to the north has caused you to miss quite a few sessions… and has resulted in an interesting outcome." The woman, much like the origin of the name she bore, had cold eyes as they looked past Ponpti to the door through which the Kin had disappeared.

Brushing past her typically rough demeanor, Victorus grabbed the woman on both shoulders and leaned in to kiss both her cheeks. She was stiff at first, but by the end, she had thawed ever so slightly and smacked him on the chest as he leaned back. "What is wrong with you? Do you think that we are at a ball or something?"

"What?" Victorus asked, feigning shock, "If we are not at a ball, how can you explain your stunning appearance? Besides, we are family, and yet our interactions have been few and far between. Shouldn't we make the most of the times that we do meet? I would hazard a guess that most of those occasions in recent years have taken place within these very halls, and that is a pity. In these times, I believe that such ties shouldn't be treated as something to be discarded on the roadside for convenience."

"Family?" The woman mouthed, her face twisting as she struggled to hold back the swell of emotions. "Oh, do not worry on that account. If I have learned anything in recent days, it is to value my family. And my cousin-in-law is quite distraught over the death of her children."

"As any mother should rightfully be…" Victorus immediately agreed, before trying to change her opinion, "but you must understand that if a government is going to run properly, there must be a separation between personal emotion and professional actions."

"Perhaps. But it is so delicious when the two can be one and the same, don't you think?" Without waiting for Victorus's reply, the woman turned and strode away deeper into the auditorium. She was the cousin of Augustas Fridgia, Lord of Basetown, and she was currently housing the high lord's younger children and wife. It seemed she was still far from the impassive harpy that she presented to the rest of the aristocracy, just like when they interacted as children.

With nothing else to be done about his cousin for now, he turned to the person she was chatting with before he arrived, a person he needed to speak with. The fact that he had an easy way to enter a conversation with the man wasn't a coincidence, and was probably one of the primary reasons for Vanessa's coldness, though he meant what he said to her. Shoving off the thought, Senator Ponpti said, "Ahh, Senator Gekapont, I apologize if my personal matters have made you in any way uncomfortable."

"No need, no need." The older man replied, waving off the apology as he looked at the receding woman's back with a frown. "You are simply playing the game. You are taking a daring gamble, but the rewards far outweigh the risks. Her inability to set aside personal feelings is not your concern. Though it does make one wonder if women are suited for positions of power."

Senator Ponpti felt his eye twitch in annoyance as he continued to look at the old man and found it hard to stop his expression from becoming a glare. The younger senator didn't know if the older one was serious, was simply irritated, or was fucking with him. What he did know was that the entire conversation was a trap, and you had no way of coming out of it unscathed if you participated.

Either women really were overly emotional, especially during those periodic days every few months, and they would lash out irrationally at those they perceived as infringing on their rights, or women weren't. In which case, the few women who qualified to become senators would slowly and meticulously plan the destruction of anyone who tried to undermine their power.

Really, if men wanted all the political power within the Republic, those of the past generations should have held firm and never allowed the ball to start rolling. At this point, it was far too late. However, it's not as if the senators presiding over the Schism had much of a choice in letting women into the Senate. They needed the noble women to re-enlist in the legions for their psy reserves, but the highborn women of the time required something in return, as they saw their social positions crumbling. It was either capitulate to the demands or watch most of the north burn.

Feeling the attention of those around him, Senator Ponpti put on an empty smile and tried to move past the comment. "I would not go so far. She seems willing to compromise if required, but she just has a preference for what the outcome would be. As do we all in situations that involve us personally."

"Hmmm, we will see. Now, if you would be so kind, I must retrieve something from my office. Would you accompany me?"

Pretending to be put upon as he humored the older man, Senator Ponpti sighed, "Of course, Senator."

Shuffling along, the two moved through the complex until they reached Senator Gekapont's personal office. Once they were inside and seated, Gekapont's oblivious demeanor vanished, and a slight smile spread over the old man's face. "How was Senator Hipocant? He isn't the greatest actor, but we all must do our best."

"He was fine, given the situation. I doubt anyone noticed, and anyone who did won't have any proof. I would say that debt was more than repaid. What I am more concerned about is the opinion of the other senators, and if you have heard anything about what my opposition might be planning."

"I am always pleased to be of service," Senator Gekapont said with a sad shake of his head. "However, this time I must disappoint you. I have heard rumors of people stirring up discontent, but they have been surprisingly tight-lipped about their plans. Make of that what you will." At the declaration, a shiver of fear for the unknown shot down Victorus's spine.

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