After a few minutes of foreboding cracking, the seizing of the mountain began to subside.

What...did the Church and Dragon deal with the tortus? he wondered as he stood up, smoothing out his robe and adjusting his mouth veil. He dismissed his servants and turned the corner into the foyer, intending to leave.

He opened the door, only to find the Church's beaming face and the Dragon's cool regard staring back at him. Startled, he jumped back and bowed his head.

"I am graced by your twin resplendence," Juserin said hastily, eyes peering up at the two youthful figures.

"Hello, Juserin," Lisa said. "In case you were wondering, the Dragon and I have just dealt with that horrible nuisance underneath the city. I believe you called it a tortus?" She looked back to Bath for confirmation. "Well, anyways, it's dead and gone, and we've granted this city a dragonleaf-spineroot foundation instead. Much more stable, I assure you."

Juserin's mouth veil pressed inward slightly as his mouths opened incredulously. "Yes, of course," he murmured. "But, I don't understand why the tortus needed to be removed," he said carefully. "While it is useless in its current state, in theory, we could harvest the creature for its eggs once it reaches the end of its lifespan. Then, we could use these to grow one or two more torti in the future." He spoke as though walking on thin ice.

"Any worlds under the domain of COTD need not fear Doom attacks," Bath said, voice devoid of emotion. "With that being the case, torti are no longer needed."

Juserin looked as though he desperately wanted to refute these words. "Have you ever encountered a Doom?" he asked, eyes bulging.

Bath smiled, the gesture not reaching his glinting eyes. "Have you?"

Juserin didn't know what to think anymore. He was half convinced that the two gods were crazy to think they could stave off World Devourer attacks, and yet...they spoke with a confidence that belied knowledge. They knew something that he didn't; this, in itself, wasn't surprising. However, that they concealed information regarding their ability to defeat, or at least defend against, World Devourers was another matter entirely.

Just who are they? Juserin wondered. When he went back through his recordings, he'd also taken the time to review the duo's initial visit. Seeing this through the lens of the present was, he found, highly useful: it solidified the doubt he held towards the supposed "godliness" of the two.

All the same, they had incredible power...such that Juserin had no choice but to submit. I don't necessarily revile them for invading, he thought, especially if they can bring us rim worlds closer to Ildr. The real sticking point was their lack of knowledge and experience. They're from Earth, of all places.

"What I would appreciate," Juserin said after breathing deeply, "is a bit of straightforward honesty." He looked to Lisa: after her candid and breezy attitude a few hours earlier, he was hoping she might gift him with something truthful, or at least believable.

Lisa and Bath looked at each other, Lisa shooting Bath a pleading look. He snorted, crossing his arms, before smiling softly.

"We wanted to tell you the truth, Juserin," Lisa said, eyebrows furrowed. "We'll tell you eventually. I promise, seriously. Just wait a little longer, maybe a year or so; we want to show you what COTD could be before letting you in on the mechanics behind its operation."

Juserin nodded slowly. "So, there is more behind all...this," he said, gesturing out with his robed arms.

Lisa smiled sadly. "Just know that what we told you--everything about self-determination and helping people across the universe--that's all true; the ideology, true."

"Very well," he replied stoically. "A year is nothing."

Lisa nodded, looking at Bath, who also inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Excellent."

Bath rolled his eyes to the side, his mouth curving up into a lopsided, savage smile. "Juserin," he said coolly, a devilish glint in his eyes. "Though we intend to work with you and bestow unto you power, do remember your place."

Juserin flinched. This Dragon, he thought, is the most intimidating being I've seen outside of Akila. As this thought crossed his mind, he cocked his head slightly. "Radiances, I have information to pass onto you."

Bath smirked. "Do tell."

Lisa glanced at Bath. He even scares me sometimes with this facade, she noted, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"One year from now," Juserin began, "COTD should send representatives to the Centennial Congress of the Intermediary Strand. I was prepared to depart, using my voyager." In six months rather than a year, though they don't know that. Juserin smiled inwardly. Ideally, they'll give me the information I need in a year from now; then, they'll take me with. Juserin recognized his true asset: political knowledge. They'll need me.

"A Congress?" Bath murmured. "Interesting."

Bath, Lisa thought awkwardly, stop looking at him like he's prey. While Lisa wasn't touching Juserin's shell, she could still see that it was exhibiting the colors of fear, anxiety, and defensiveness.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Where is the Congress?" Lisa asked, cutting Bath off. "You mentioned it's in the Intermediary Strand?" Good, Lisa thought, he's calming down. I need to talk to Bath about toning down the intimidation-factor from time to time.

"Yes," Juserin replied. "My goodness, how rude of me; we've been in my doorway for too long. Come in," he gestured.

Lisa had to stop herself from bursting out into laughter. We really have just been conversing by his front door. It wasn't a privacy concern since she didn't detect any other sapient shells nearby, but it was odd.

"The place is inconsequential," Bath said, making a shooing motion. "By now, even with your current boons, you should recognize that standing is just as comfortable as sitting."

"Take us to your living room," Lisa said, "we can speak about this inside."

Juserin led the way indoors, anxiety clearly pulsing through his shell. When they reached the parlor, he paused. "Radiance Church, would you like the appetizer you asked for earlier?"

"Ee....yes," she said slowly, trying to recall what the verdora was talking about. It's been a long day, she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

"Excellent." His robe swished gently as he proceeded forward, gesturing for them to sit down. After he did so, he excused himself to converse with his servants.

"Can you imagine this happening on Earth?" Lisa murmured humorously. "Just imagine: the president of the U.S. invites us over just after his country's been conquered. Y'know, to discuss politics."

Bath chuckled wryly. "The equivalent of asking Zeus for dinner."

"Exactly." She wagged her eyebrows. "It'd never happen: Humanity has too much respect for 'beings with otherworldly power.'"

"It's cute, when you put it that way," Bath whispered, leaning into Lisa's side. "Juserin's lucky we're 'benevolent gods.'"

Juserin chose that moment to come back into the room. He coughed nervously, gesturing for his two servants to push hovering trays of food into the parlor.

Appetizers!? Lisa balked. That's, like, a three-course meal.

"Thank you, Juserin," Lisa exclaimed. She elbowed Bath.

"This is exquisite," he said. "Now, sit and tell us about this conference."

The contrast between his polite comment and his icy demand was, to Lisa, hilarious, though she controlled her expression. She noted that, faced with political talk, Juserin's shell began to take on green and blue, colors of stability and familiarity. In his element, Lisa observed. Good.

Is he getting...comfortable around us? Bath wondered, eyeing Juserin contemplatively. He smiled, showing teeth, as he waited for Juserin to speak.

"The Congress meets every hundred years. There, all civilized worlds from the fringes to the edge of the Core convene." Juserin's eyes narrowed as he lowered his voice: "It's a bloodbath, you know."

Bath didn't say anything, instead looking at Juserin with the patience and arrogance of a stalking panther.

Juserin ignored Bath's expression, continuing smoothly. "All civilized worlds with the means to do so are expected to send a delegation to the Congress. I'm sure you're wondering why this is necessary." Juserin sniffed. "Currently, Akila Galaxy holds the rest of the Intermediary Strand in an iron grip. To put it simply, Akila offers 'protection' to all from the Core Worlds in exchange for tributes."

Lisa frowned. "Protection from the Core Worlds?" she asked.

"Yes, protection from the Core Worlds. Sometimes, they grow...bored." Juserin didn't know how else to explain it. "They've been feuding for the past several billions of years. Occasionally, their conflicts reach the outside, much like a solar flare torching an unsuspecting planet."

Lisa supposed that made sense. She couldn't imagine peace for billions of years. Humans hadn't stop warring ever...well, hopefully COTD had put a stop to war, but she wasn't going to bet any money on it. "I thought the universe was a fairly peaceful place, without wars," she commented. The encyclopedia, at least, suggested this. As soon as the thought crossed her lips, Lisa scoffed internally, rethinking her previous supposition. What am I saying? Lepochim's a secret super-soldier; damn straight there's war.

Juserin exhaled sharply. "Nobody dies in the Core," he explained. "You must understand that such a thing is considered unsightly. Faction fall, rise, live, and die. This is natural. Death by fight...unheard of."

"Is the fighting nonlethal?" Lisa probed. "Like duels with blunted weapons?"

"Something like that," Juserin said. "The information isn't available, Radiance. What we beyond the Core do know is that wars on the interior rend no blood."

Lisa gave him a questioning look, while Bath's eyes darkened. So, it's like this, he thought. "Whatever technologies they use to play their war games inside the Core, when unleashed on the worlds beyond, wreaks havoc," Bath guessed, relying on intuition. "And so, the Intermediary Congress meets to support a lone power to suppress this activity."

Juserin twitched his ear holes, their position rising slightly on the sides of his head. "No."

"Then what is the truth?" Bath asked with a predatory, icy smile. Lisa jabbed him menacingly with her elbow.

"I said that Akila offers protection from the Core Worlds. This is true, on the surface. In reality, Akila Galaxy offers protection from Akila Galaxy. Conflict from the Core Worlds only reaches the planets of the Intermediary Strand once in many millions of years."

"So it's a political ploy," Lisa said. "Akila Galaxy...they accept tributes as slaves, don't they?"

Juserin sneered. "Yes, slaves. So you do know about Akila."

Lisa glanced at Bath. "Yeah. They're the world that conquers other worlds just to steal their resources and sapients, right?"

Juserin's blue skin darkened slightly. "Yes, that's them," he said, voice bitter. "The Congress will convene in their capital, Akilia."

"So we need to set out in a year?" Lisa asked, confirming what Juserin had said before.

A year for them should be sufficient, Juserin thought. Though, in truth, they really should leave in six months to be safe..."Yes, one year."

"Do you have a map of the gates we'll need to take?" Bath asked.

"Of course; I'll give you my own." As Juserin accessed his chip reader and began to go over his map of the gates leading from Illudis to Akila Galaxy, Lisa and Bath listened attentively while sampling the verdoran delicacies in front of them.

"It's twenty-nine gates in total?" Lisa said, balking at the number. "That's...a lot."

"It'll take far more than a year to conquer," Bath noted. Seeing the look on Juserin's face, he added, "Though the conquering can wait until later."

"Most definitely." We'll see how this plays out, Juserin muttered internally. If they can forge sapients into weapons capable of defeating Akila galaxy, they'll have won my genuine support.

"Thank you, Waymaster," Lisa said, grabbing Bath's arm. She stood up, taking Bath with her. "We will take our leave."

Bath, several verdoran pastries in hand, gave her a questioning look.

"Of course, Radiances," he said, bowing deeply. He walked them to the front door, then watched them depart, their forms vanishing in an instant as they took flight. After they were gone, he let out a breath of relief, tension dissipating from his body. "At last, alone." He didn't even want to think about how many times he would need to rewatch this exchange.