If anyone were to ask if Everheart was a petty man, it would prove they had somehow failed to learn anything about him, a near impossibility with how reviled his name was throughout the upper realms. Yet that same personality that caused him to end up in such a position put the Scarlet Alliance in a difficult place. Accepting his invitation to visit his upcoming festival had a high probability of danger for those involved. Because of that they had to consider the question of whether or not the danger would be greater than some sort of potential retaliation for slighting him.
Ultimately they decided that they had enough interested parties to make a proper showing. The date was set eighty years after the end of the war. Vari herself would of course be attending. She was one of the few people that Everheart actually displayed good intentions for, given their indirect familial relationship. Then there was Chikere, who was both interested in reconnecting with her former master Rahayu and not dissuaded by potentially lethal consequences.
Catarina’s interactions with Everheart had their ups and downs. His formation expertise had been quite valuable to her, and she had interacted quite amiably with some of his projections. On the other hand, he was not known solely for nurturing, but also for jealousy and for destroying potential rivals. Catarina didn’t think she could currently compare to him, which was exactly the problem- if she was an actual match for his ability, she wouldn’t have to worry. But she didn’t want to risk the potential dangers herself, though the fact that she was extremely busy with developing formations for the Scarlet Alliance’s defense was also an issue. She would not be attending the ‘festival’.
Because Catarina was not going, Timothy had no reason to attend either. Alva determined that the potential benefits outweighed the risks for her, as she was still solidifying her path towards Augmentation as she advanced towards what she felt was the final step. With risks came opportunity. Tauno was the sort who flourished in an environment of danger, so he was also going to attend the event. Finally, Chidi and Aconite would be attending after weighing the risks.
A number of other cultivators from the Alliance’s territory would be going independently, as well as many hopeful individuals from the Scarlet Midfields in general. This was an opportunity many ambitious individuals couldn’t miss.
There were also signs of cultivators from the Exalted Quadrant and Trigold Cluster making their way towards the Everheart System. Due to the Everheart System’s position, the direct or otherwise convenient routes from anywhere in the Trigold Cluster would not bring them through the Scarlet Alliance’s territory.
The same was not true for the Exalted Quadrant, however, and there were many groups from the Exalted Quadrant whose direct route took them through Scarlet Alliance territory. Once there, they found that their calculations were somewhat incorrect as they had already begun implementing spatial rerouting formations on the borders. For many of them it was still faster, but others lost time as they wandered off course due to the distortions.
Those who asked the locals were directed upon the most expedient path towards the Everheart System. And those who caused trouble soon found that while their smaller groups might be able to throw their weight around elsewhere in the Scarlet Midfields, within Alliance territory they were quickly shut down. There were a number of incidents ranging from small skirmishes to wiping out several groups passing through.
Most of the larger sects, however, routed around the Scarlet Alliance’s territory in an at least a token admission of their sovereignty. Perhaps they simply did not want to be delayed in reaching their definition, but whatever their reasoning the overall effect was avoidance.
-----
Rather than arriving in the Scarlet Alliance’s best ship, the group going with Vari’s invitation chose a reasonably fast and functional ship that didn’t possess any technological or formation-based features they wanted to keep secret. There was no telling if Everheart would seize every ship that entered his system… or if he would have another way to delve into their secrets. The only thing they were certain of was that he would try to gain maximum advantage in every situation.
They were met at the border of the system by Everheart… a projection, of course. Or the real one pretending to be a projection. Or quite possibly a projection pretending to be the true Everheart disguised as a projection. Either way, he took on the form of a young man with a sharp beard. “Invitations, please,” he said, holding out his hand- while stopping all of the ships flowing into the area.
Vari just pulled out her invitation, and it was snatched from her hand through the various barriers surrounding the ship. That was quite worrisome, because that indicated either the invitation that they had on them being compromised somehow, or that he had the ability to do something like that anywhere within the system in general. And of course, he wouldn’t let on which it was. Vari was betting on both, or a secret third or fourth thing.
“Those who presented invitations, please follow the glowing line towards your designated landing bay,” the projection said to the entire fleet at once. “Deviation from the path will be met with immediate destruction. Those who did not remember their invitations, the opportunity is now available to purchase tickets for a low price.”
Considering that literally millions of invitations had been thrown around, everyone who wished to have one had the opportunity to bring one. They just likely hadn’t thought they would be necessary… providing Everheart another chance for one of his favorite things: grift.
Their specific ship, however, probably had the most ‘legitimate’ invitation. They followed the indicated glowing line, the world bending and twisting around them as they entered the system and soon found themselves outside a structure. There was little guidance on priority for landing, but they flexed their three Augmentation cultivators and a nice spot opened up for them.
“Please bring all equipment you require with you from your ships,” another projection directed as they arrived. “You will not retain access to your vessels during the party.”
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
“That’s suspicious as hell,” Tauno said.
“I’d be more surprised if he didn’t do anything suspect,” Chikere commented.
“He’s serious about it,” Chidi said. “There are one-way formations leading away from this place.”
Vari got off the ship and spoke to the projection. “What if someone takes our ship while we are inside?”
“That won’t be possible,” the projection said. “However, if they decide to damage your vessels I would suggest bringing them to the nearest arena and dueling them to the death. If there is a survivor they are entitled to everything their opponent had minus a small surcharge.”
“Should we stay here and watch over it until everyone is inside?” Vari asked.
“The ship isn’t that important anyway,” Tauno shrugged. “And if it can’t be stolen, there really isn’t any point in worrying. Sure, people might damage it, but to what end? We’d kill them and take their ship. Or they kill us, and now have a damaged ship instead of an intact one.”
Chidi’s whole body tingled everywhere they walked. There were formations upon formations, layered a hundredfold or more. It would take an extravagant amount of resources to set up in just a small area. He shivered as he walked. Perhaps he shouldn’t have come. His formation mastery was not at the level he could gain from this.
The group ultimately left the hangar behind, following the conveniently placed signs for the dining hall. And then… they came to a stop as they found a barrier blocking their way. Beyond it, they could just make out a vast room with at least a thousand seat placements around numerous long tables- and that was only what they could spot from their limited angle.
“It’s closed,” another Everheart projection showed up, this one a strongly muscled version with an axe, no shirt, and hundreds of scars across his bare skin. “Won’t be open until the guests of honor all arrive.”
“And who are the guests of honor?” Vari asked.
“You’ll know them when you see them,” the projection said. “If you see them.”
“... oh.” Vari was kind of assuming that she would be one of them. Or… acknowledged in any way. It was kind of annoying. “What do we do until then?”
“Training area’s open,” the projection commented. “And the arena. Plus the store and dormitories.”
“... the store?” Vari asked. “Dormitories?”
The projection didn’t respond.
Tauno sighed. “We’re going to be waiting a while aren’t we?”
Nobody knew quite how much of an underestimation that was.
-----
A week passed, and they might have found it tolerable given the quality of the facilities available… if everything didn’t have a charge for it. Even for Vari, which irked her. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, and indeed most of what she was spending had been given to her by Everheart either directly or indirectly, but it was still annoying.
For those who didn’t have money, there were various challenges available. Some of their group realized that the challenges were actually better training, so they focused on those. Not that they really needed the resources, but they also didn’t want to spend what they had. Especially since there was no indication of them going anywhere soon. They could easily be held up for another week.
“No fighting in the halls!” the voice rang out with a surge of upper energy, and two figures were suddenly frozen in place. “All combat must take place in designated arenas. Got it?” The muscular Everheart grabbed the two individuals and lifted them up by the front of their clothes. “This is your one warning.”
It wasn’t clear what quarrel the two cultivators had with each other, but it was a time honored past time of cultivators to get on each other’s nerves. With people drawn from all over the Upper Realms, obviously there would be some groups that already didn’t get along- though surprisingly they only seemed to have a thousand or so individuals in their section. Which implied there were many other similar facilities.
-----
At the end of the first month, several people had been disintegrated for failing to heed the no-fighting rule. Another few dozen had killed each other in the arena, but only the most confident fought there.
The deaths were rather modest for such a gathering, but the surprising thing happened during the fifth and sixth weeks. Specifically, two more groups entering their compound. Specifically, each had Domination cultivators- both of which were familiar to the Scarlet Alliance members.
Zaur Beridze was the first to arrive. He did not look happy, but perhaps his face was simply stuck that way. There were no signs of his injuries from eighty years prior, though whether or not he was actually fully recovered or concealing some lingering effects was a mystery the Scarlet Alliance couldn’t afford to test.
Following behind him was a timid woman, even with her cultivation in Augmentation, and several more of similar cultivation. Then he had around a dozen late Integration cultivators with him. He marched straight for the dining room… and was rejected just as anyone else.
He slammed a fist against the barrier, and the surge of energy from the surrounding formations nearly caused any sensitive to such things to pass out just from the energy passing by.
“Don’t throw a temper tantrum, Beridze boy. Not all of the guests of honor have arrived. And I think even you, here in my home, would prefer that everyone is present to dogpile me all at once.”
Zaur’s eye twitched. “Fine. I’ll play by your rules for the moment… Everheart. But that is because I want all of these guests of honor present when I rip out your heart.”
Everyone steered clear of Zaur and his people as they passed through the hallway. He either ignored or actually didn’t notice the Scarlet Alliance members. That annoyed Tauno, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He just thought about growing stronger so he didn’t have to capitulate to anyone. Chikere might have just fought him, but he didn’t have a sword and that was one of her usual reasons for starting a fight. Though she no longer kept them for herself, often destroying them.
The second to arrive was Ratna, and everyone who had witnessed their previous battle over Lonkeon expected that everything around them was moments from coming down. “Zaur,” Ratna said, stopping in front of the old man in the hallway.
“Ratna.”
“I propose a truce, until we have Everheart’s head on a pike.”
“And his heart torn out,” Zaur replied.
“We should probably turn his liver to ash, just in case,” Ratna added.
“How lovely,” Everheart’s projection said, appearing next to them. “Do you think that would be enough?”
“We’ll find out,” Ratna said. “If you’re brave enough to show up in person.”
“Oh, the true Everheart will be there.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Ratna gestured towards the banquet hall.
“The final guest of honor.”
“Who?” Zaur asked.
“That's a secret,” Everheart grinned.