Rose crossed her arms, watching him with a calculating gaze.
"Do you really think the Collectors will give you information about the Watchers? And even if they do, it's likely the Watchers have eyes on the market and will be notified about it."
Shaw kept his face impassive, but his mind raced. Rose was right—if the Collectors were as connected as they seemed, it was possible the Watchers were already infiltrated among them.
"Then we need a different plan," he murmured, his fingers tracing the outline of the glass orb.
Rose tilted her head, curious.
"And what would that be?"
Shaw looked at the orb, where the tiny portal spun, showing brief glimpses of the Mnemosyne Market.
"If the Watchers are there, we can't ask about them directly. But we can make the information come to us."
Rose arched an eyebrow.
"How?"
Shaw closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the flow of energy within him. When he opened them again, his hand was already enveloped in a denser, more aggressive energy—like a serpent of black smoke. Aether.
"First, we organize the information, and if necessary, we gather more about those human-like beings. Then, we'll use Aether to set a trap, turning them against the Watchers and forcing them to seek information about them."
Shaw clenched his fist, making the Aether twist like a living serpent between his fingers. Rose watched with growing interest as he laid out the plan:
"The beings from the interdimensional lab have advanced technology, but they have one vulnerability—their dependence on the unstable core." His voice was cold and calculating. "We'll use that against them."
Rose tilted her head, her red eyes gleaming with understanding. "You want them to become your involuntary intelligence gatherers."
Shaw nodded, manipulating the Origin to create a perfect replica of the core previously used by the fanatics. "They're already desperate for a stable energy core. When they sense this signal..."
With a precise gesture, he infused the fake artifact with rhythmic pulses of Aether, programming it to emit a specific energy signature.
Rose let out a low whistle. "That's... diabolically clever. You're using Aether as both bait and poison at the same time."
-------------------
In the Dimensional Threshold
Shaw emerged in a bubble of unstable reality—the perfect place for his trap. With precise movements, he positioned the fake artifact at the center of a series of engraved runes.
"The first contact will be crucial," he murmured, activating the sequence. "We need only one of them to come first."
Rose watched as he finalized the preparations:
An Origin pulse modulated to mimic a "lost energy source"
Calculated traces of dimensional energy leading straight to the Watchers
A distorted echo of Lira's contract
"It's ready," Shaw announced, activating the trap with a final gesture.
The fake artifact pulsed violently before exploding in a cascade of energy. The shockwave reverberated through the layers of reality—an irresistible call to any being seeking dimensional energy.
-------------------
In the Interdimensional Lab
Alarms blared as the sensors picked up the energy surge. The black-eyed woman rushed to the monitors, her face illuminated by rapidly streaming data.
"We found it!" she shouted. "But... there's something strange about this signal."
The white-haired man approached, examining the energy patterns. "This is... impossible. These signatures don't match any known energy sources we've documented."
They exchanged loaded glances. If they had discovered a new energy source...
"Prepare a team," the woman ordered. "And keep this quiet."
Elsewhere, at the same time
A Collector detected the signal of a lost energy source and turned his greedy gaze toward the location as he headed there.
-------------------
Back at the Trap
Shaw felt the dimensional disturbance before he saw it. "They're coming," Rose warned, vanishing into the air.
The first to emerge was a young scientist, his protective suit glowing faintly in the dark. He carried a scanning device that beeped frantically.
"The signal is coming from here... but..." His words died when he saw the runes on the ground. "What kind of technology is this?"
Shortly after the young man appeared, a Collector also emerged and replied, "This is technology typically used by the Watchers."
The young scientist startled at the answer and asked, "Who are you?"
"Beings like me are usually called Collectors. Think of us as merchants... Here are the coordinates of our market, in case you ever want to visit and make a purchase or sale."
After some hesitation and realizing the Collector meant no harm, the scientist continued gathering data.
Shaw watched from the shadows as the scientist eagerly collected data—exactly as planned. The man found:
Fragments of Watcher communications
Records of illegal energy stockpiles
Traces of Aether energy similar to the being who robbed the lab
Even references to "forbidden experiments"
"They betrayed us," the Collector murmured, horrified.
The young scientist also examined the Aether traces and said, "It seems those so-called Watchers were the ones who robbed our lab. I need to alert the others."
As he disappeared through the portal, Shaw smiled. The first piece was in place.
-------------------
In the Dream World
Rose materialized beside Shaw, radiating satisfaction. "You threw them straight into the Watchers' arms!"
Shaw examined the images his artifact had captured—the scientists now gathered around their leaders, showing the "evidence" they had found.
"They'll start a covert investigation into the Watchers to confirm these facts," he explained. "And when the Watchers realize they're being spied on..."
"...they'll react in exactly the way we want them to," Rose finished, understanding. "But what if they figure out it was a trap?"
Shaw lifted a fragment of pure Aether, letting it dissolve into the air. "By the time they realize, it'll be too late for them. Now we know the Watchers have secrets—secret alliances with some Collectors, and secrets can always be exploited."
The game was in motion. And this time, Shaw was merely an observer, waiting to reap the benefits.