Lazarus scoffed softly, a sound that held more amusement than derision. He adjusted the intricate lace at his cuff.
"Insufficient? My scrying suggest a more... tenacious resistance than your words imply, Dexter. Fleeting, stubborn pockets of vitality. Patches of green where there should only be decay. Explain this anomaly."
Dexter hesitated, his shadowed form seeming to become even less defined against the rich backdrop. "Our intelligence painted a picture of inevitable collapse. However... there have been unconfirmed accounts about unusual movements of resources. Talk of a shimmering substance being dispersed in afflicted areas."
A flicker of genuine annoyance crossed Lazarus's finely sculpted features. "Unconfirmed accounts? I base my strategies on tangible realities, Dexter. Realities that now indicate my... investment in Elysia's decline is not yielding the predictable returns."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "This 'shimmering substance'... enlighten me."
