The old man tells the young man that the status of all the tribes will not change. He says that they must form an alliance so that they can compete with the aristocratic families. The young man is skeptical, but the old man assures him that it is possible for the tribe to self-sufficient. He explains that the previous patriarch had told him that the great aristocratic families used to fight over the crystal mines, but that after the mines were established, the families either threatened or bribed the tribes to win back the mines. As long as the tribes pay mineral taxes, they can live in the city under the protection of the rich families. This is a good thing, he says, because sometimes mineral runs out, and if the tribe wanted to control the new mines, it was inevitable that another battle would be inevitable. The old patriarch explains that there is not much knowledge in the tribe, and that the only thing lacking is a treasure, which is the ability to cast treasures and practice martial arts.