Business bay

Chapter 10: The Draconic Instinct

The morning air in Business Bay was still and thick with an undercurrent of tension that Tommy couldn't quite place. The usual sounds of hammering from Luke's construction and the distant clanging of swords in the sparring grounds filled the air, but something felt off. Something was brewing.

Tommy stood by the central square, leaning against a wooden post, his eyes following Axel, who had been pacing along the outskirts of the Bay all morning. His normally cool and collected demeanor was gone, replaced by a restless energy that hadn't gone unnoticed.

Axel's red eyes were sharp, constantly flicking toward the treeline surrounding Business Bay. His draconic senses were on high alert, and Tommy could see it—the subtle tension in Axel's posture, the way his hands hovered near the hilt of his sword, ready for action.

"Oi, Axel!" Tommy called, pushing off the post and walking over. "What's up with you?"

Axel paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the forest. "I don't like it, Icarus."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Don't like what?"

Axel's wings shifted slightly beneath his jacket, a sign of his growing agitation. "Something's out there. I can feel it."

Tommy glanced toward the trees, his brow furrowing. "You sure? I haven't seen anything."

Axel's jaw tightened, his voice low. "My senses are going haywire. Someone's watching us."

Tommy didn't doubt Axel's instincts. His draconic heritage made him hyper-aware of threats, and if Axel said something—or someone—was out there, then it was worth paying attention to.

"Alright," Tommy said, nodding. "Keep an eye out. Let me know if you see anything."

Axel's eyes flickered with intensity, but he gave a curt nod. "I'll be back by late afternoon."

Before Tommy could respond, Axel turned and strode off, his movements swift and calculated as he headed toward the perimeter of Business Bay.

Hours passed, and the tension in the air only seemed to grow heavier. By midday, Tommy found himself glancing toward the treeline more often than not, wondering what Axel had picked up on. He trusted Axel—if anyone could handle whatever was lurking out there, it was him.

By late afternoon, just as promised, Axel returned.

But he wasn't alone.

Tommy's eyes widened as Axel came into view, dragging a beaten man behind him. The stranger was barely conscious, his clothes torn and muddied, blood trickling from a wound on his forehead. It didn't take long for Tommy to recognize the symbol on the man's cloak—Aeropostale.

Tommy's stomach twisted. Aeropostale had been an inactive enemy for a while, their faction mostly forgotten. But here, in Axel's grip, was a man who clearly belonged to them.

Axel threw the man down in the center of Business Bay, his red eyes burning with quiet fury. "Caught this one lurking in the woods. He's been watching us."

The rest of the group gathered around, their curiosity quickly turning to concern. Deo, standing beside Tommy, pushed his sunglasses down slightly to get a better look at the man on the ground. "Aeropostale?" he muttered, his voice low. "What the hell are they doing here?"

Tommy knelt down beside the man, his eyes narrowing as he searched the beaten figure's face. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The man groaned, barely able to lift his head. "You... don't understand," he rasped. "I wasn't... spying."

Axel growled, his wings shifting behind him. "Looked like spying to me."

The man coughed, his body shaking. "I was... looking for help."

Tommy's eyes flicked up to Axel, who remained stone-faced, his gaze never leaving the man. "Help for what?"

"Aeropostale," the man wheezed, his voice barely audible. "It's... falling apart. No one's left. We were overrun."

Tommy's mind raced. Aeropostale had been quiet for a while, but this? Overrun?

Deo crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Who overran you?"

The man shuddered, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "Antarctic Empire... they came for us. We tried to fight, but... we couldn't hold them off."

Tommy's blood ran cold. The Antarctic Empire—Technoblade, Philza, and their forces. If they were making moves, that meant trouble. Serious trouble.

But something didn't add up.

Tommy glanced at Deo, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Wait... how's that possible? Technoblade and Philza are on Dream SMP."

Axel frowned, clearly just as unsettled. "They couldn't have come here. They're not even on this server."

The man coughed again, his voice weak but desperate. "It wasn't them... not exactly. But it was the Antarctic Empire. Their banners... their forces."

Tommy felt a chill run down his spine. Someone was using the Antarctic Empire's name, pretending to act in their place. But why? And who would dare to try to take up the mantle of Technoblade and Philza? The real Antarctic Empire had moved on to Dream SMP—so who was pulling the strings here?

Purpled, who had been standing silently nearby, stepped forward, his expression grim. "You said you were looking for help. Why come here?"

The man's eyes fluttered, barely able to stay open. "No one else... strong enough."

Tommy stood, his heart pounding in his chest. Whoever was behind this, they were dangerous enough to destroy a faction like Aeropostale. And now this man, a desperate survivor, had come to Business Bay for help.

Axel's eyes blazed with intensity as he looked to Tommy. "What do we do, Icarus?"

Tommy's mind raced. The Bay wasn't ready for a full-on conflict—not when they didn't even know who was pulling the strings behind this so-called Antarctic Empire. But if they were already taking down other factions, it was only a matter of time before Business Bay was in their sights.

"We need information," Tommy said, his voice steady. "Take him to Wisp. Get him patched up. We'll find out everything he knows."

Axel nodded, grabbing the man by the arm and dragging him toward Wisp's quarters, where the healer could tend to his injuries.

Tommy stood in the center of the Bay, his mind spinning with possibilities. The peace they'd had for so long—it was about to end. Someone was using the name of the Antarctic Empire, and Business Bay was next in line.

He turned to Deo, who was already watching him carefully. "We need to prepare."

Deo nodded, his sunglasses reflecting the fading light. "I'll get the others."

Tommy took a deep breath, his mind churning with plans. The time for peace was over. Business Bay was about to be tested like never before.

And Tommy knew one thing for sure—they weren't going down without a fight.