I Can Create Clones

The morning shadows stretched long across the Drake family compound as three days of investigation into Marcus's disappearance had begun to reveal the true scope of his influence. In the progressive faction's headquarters, what had once been a hub of confident political maneuvering now carried the atmosphere of a ship taking on water, its crew desperately trying to maintain course while their foundation slowly disintegrated beneath them.

Aurelius Drake stood before the great tactical map that had once displayed his faction's growing influence across the family's territories. Red markers indicated loyal allies, blue showed neutral parties they were courting, and green marked resources under their control. But in the three days since Marcus's disappearance, the map had begun to tell a different story entirely.

"Seven neutral families have withdrawn from preliminary alliance discussions," reported Elder Cassius, his Middle Supreme cultivation barely concealing the strain in his voice. "The Riverside-Drakes sent formal notice this morning that they're 'reconsidering their political alignments in light of recent uncertainties.'"

Treasurer Valen, whose nervous energy had grown more pronounced each day, spread financial reports across the conference table with hands that trembled slightly. "The immediate crisis is liquidity. Marcus controlled the primary funding channels, and without his authorization codes..."

"We're locked out of our own war chest," Aurelius finished grimly. The revelation that their most crucial political resource was inaccessible created implications that went far beyond simple inconvenience. "How much do we have in alternative accounts?"

"Perhaps thirty percent of what we had available last week," Valen admitted. "Enough for basic operations, but not for the kind of political maneuvering that succession campaigns require."

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken fears. Political campaigns in cultivation families required enormous resources—bribes for neutral elders, funding for allied branch families, payments to academy connections, and the constant stream of gifts and favors that maintained loyalty networks. Without Marcus's carefully accumulated wealth, Aurelius's faction faced the prospect of political starvation.

"The branch family situation is worse," continued Cassius, moving to stand beside the tactical map. "The Goldweave family has formally requested postponement of their daughter's marriage negotiations. The Millhouse clan sent their regrets about the joint cultivation project. Even the Thornfield family—who have been supporters for three generations—are asking for 'time to reassess current circumstances.'"

Each withdrawal represented years of careful relationship building that Marcus had orchestrated. His personal connections, his reputation for delivering on promises, and his Middle Supreme cultivation that provided security guarantees—all of it had vanished with his disappearance, leaving their political network exposed and vulnerable.

As word of the progressive faction's troubles spread through the family's informal communication networks, the effects began cascading through multiple levels of Drake family politics. What had been whispered concerns became open speculation, and what had been cautious neutrality transformed into active repositioning.

In the compound's eastern wing, Commander Darius received his third delegation of the morning from families seeking to establish contact with Maximus's traditionalist faction. The military officer's practical mindset allowed him to recognize opportunity when political vacuums created it.

"They're not just withdrawing from Aurelius," he reported to Maximus during their daily strategy meeting. "They're actively seeking alternative alliances. The Riverside-Drakes want formal discussions about territorial agreements. The Goldweave family is proposing trade partnerships that completely bypass progressive faction intermediaries."

Maximus studied the intelligence reports with the measured patience that had made him the traditionalist choice for family leadership. His Peak Ascendant cultivation might not match Supreme Elder levels, but his political acumen had been honed through decades of careful observation and strategic thinking.

"Marcus's elimination—assuming that's what has occurred—creates opportunities we haven't seen in years," he observed. "But we approach this carefully. Whoever eliminated a Middle Supreme Elder possesses capabilities we need to understand before making assumptions about our own security."

The political earthquake triggered by Marcus's disappearance rippled outward through the entire network of branch families, creating a complex dance of realignment as each family calculated their best path forward in the changing landscape.

The Riverside-Drake compound buzzed with emergency family meetings as their patriarch, Elder Chen, evaluated their options with clinical precision. His family had been cautiously neutral, balancing between progressive and traditionalist factions while maintaining their own territorial interests.

"The progressive faction offered us the northern mining rights in exchange for marriage alliance support," he told his assembled family council. "But without Marcus's backing, can Aurelius deliver on such promises? More concerning—if someone eliminated Marcus, what does that suggest about the safety of his allies?"

His eldest son Marcus—the same young man who had visited the Starfall estate days earlier—provided intelligence gathered from his recent diplomatic missions. "The mysterious Lysander continues to demonstrate capabilities that don't match his apparent cultivation level. His alliance with the Starfall family appears stable and is creating political benefits that exceed what Peak Ascendant cultivation should provide."

"Recommendation?" Elder Chen asked.

"Cautious approach to all factions while positioning ourselves to benefit from emerging opportunities," Marcus replied. "The political landscape is shifting too rapidly for committed allegiances. We focus on relationships that provide immediate security and long-term advantage."

Ironically, as the established political factions struggled with Marcus's absence, the family that had supposedly gained their mysterious benefactor through simple luck found their position strengthening with each passing day.

In the modest Starfall estate that had become the center of so much attention, Anthony and Aurora processed a morning that brought news they could hardly have imagined weeks earlier. The same families who had ignored their calls for assistance were now sending formal diplomatic overtures.

"Marriage proposal from the Goldweave family," Anthony read from the morning correspondence. "They're offering their heir—the same woman who was previously engaged to negotiate with Aurelius's faction."

"Trade agreements from three different branch families," Aurora added, reviewing her own stack of letters. "Mining partnerships, territorial agreements, even proposals for joint cultivation projects. It's as if our political value has multiplied overnight."

Young Ethan continued his breakfast with the appearance of innocent interest in adult politics, but his enhanced senses detected the spiritual communication he was receiving from Lysander: Political realignment proceeding as predicted. Multiple families abandoning progressive faction alliances in favor of alternative approaches. Several approaching our family for preliminary discussions.

Excellent, Ethan's discrete response conveyed. Accept appropriate meetings while maintaining cautious optimism. We want to appear grateful but not desperate.

"Master Lysander mentioned that political changes often create unexpected opportunities," Ethan observed, his twelve-year-old voice carrying just the right note of curiosity. "Perhaps these families are seeking stability during uncertain times?"

It was a perfectly crafted comment that demonstrated mature thinking while maintaining his facade of innocent observation. Anthony nodded approvingly, pleased that his son was beginning to understand political dynamics despite his supposed lack of cultivation talent.

As the day progressed, the formal leadership of the Drake family began to recognize the scope of the political disruption Marcus's disappearance had triggered. In the ancient Supreme Council chambers, the surviving five Elders convened an emergency session to address the rapidly evolving situation.

Elder Voss, his High Supreme cultivation making him the council's senior member, opened the session with grim acknowledgment of their circumstances. "Marcus's absence has created a political vacuum that threatens family stability. The progressive faction is collapsing, branch families are realigning their loyalties, and we're facing questions about our security that challenge fundamental assumptions about our protection capabilities."

"The investigation continues to yield no concrete results," reported Elder Thane. "Either Marcus has been eliminated by forces beyond our current understanding, or he's being held by someone with capabilities that exceed Middle Supreme level detection methods."

Elder Lyanna leaned forward, her political instincts focused on immediate crisis management. "The branch family realignments could actually benefit overall family stability if properly managed. Rather than two major factions competing for succession, we might see a return to more traditional decision-making processes."

"Provided," Elder Darius added carefully, "that whatever eliminated Marcus doesn't represent an ongoing threat to family leadership. If we're facing external enemies with Supreme-level capabilities..."

"Then we adapt our security protocols accordingly," Elder Cassius finished, though his voice carried less confidence than his words suggested.

As afternoon settled over the Drake family compound, patterns began emerging from the political chaos that suggested deeper currents than simple opportunistic realignment. The families abandoning Aurelius's faction weren't just seeking alternative alliances—they were actively avoiding any association with the progressive movement's remaining infrastructure.

Intelligence reports filtering back to various faction headquarters painted a picture of branch families conducting their own investigations into Marcus's disappearance, seeking to understand whether his elimination represented a targeted strike against progressive politics or a broader threat to family stability.

Most concerning of all, several families were quietly reaching out to external allies—other major families on the continent—seeking information about whether the Drake family's internal troubles might indicate larger vulnerabilities that enemies could exploit.

The political earthquake that had begun with one Supreme Elder's elimination was revealing fault lines in the Drake family's power structure that went far deeper than anyone had previously recognized. And somewhere in the modest Starfall estate that had become the eye of this storm, a twelve-year-old boy continued his studies while the consequences of his strategic planning reshaped the very foundations of his family's political order.

The game had entered its next phase, and the players were only beginning to understand how completely the rules had changed.