Reception

Erdania sat next to Ryun on the couch in their home just outside of Consequence, with Selia in front of them on her feet, her long, silver and violet dress billowing with her movements.

“You’re going to burn a hole through the floor if you don’t stop pacing Selia,” Erdania said, her fingers pulling at the fabric around her waist. She was not used to wearing clothes much, at least not ones that covered so much of her.

Selia kept her pacing, her arms crossed beneath her chest and claws tapping against her elbow as her tail swished from side to side.

“I can’t!” Selia responded, turning on her quickly enough that she nearly sent the drinks on the table behind her flying with her tail. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long.”

“We could’ve remained in the bath,” Ryun grumbled, and Selia rounded on him and gave him a glare that shut him up. He, like the two of them, wore elaborate clothes suited for their station. A robe that complemented Selia and Erdania as his partners. It was strange seeing him wear real clothes, she had grown used to seeing him in garments created by Scorn. Not that there was any real way to tell the difference, but somehow Erdania could always tell.

Selia’s excitement and nervousness was flowing freely through their bond, so both Erdania and Ryun knew how exactly she felt. The issue was that she was just slightly too excited. Her announcement that Tarsh Yuron, the greatest fertility and reproduction expert in the Infinite Realm, had arrived was a slight overstatement. He and his people had arrived at the edge of the Twilight Melody Sect territories, it had taken hours for them to reach Consequence. And then the… political dance started. Tarsh Yuron was an important person, the fact that he had even come to them in the first place was a big deal. But just as he was important, so were they. Anrosh had insisted that he had to be received properly, and that Ryun, Selia, and Erdania had to represent the Sects properly in turn.

Erdania agreed with her, they had a responsibility, and she had to insist to Ryun and Selia not to rush over to the palace in Consequence to meet with them the moment they arrived, which both of them wanted only for different reasons.

Anrosh had taken on the role of host and received the man in Consequence.

Ryun didn’t particularly care for propriety, and Selia was far too excited and eager. Erdania didn’t have to do much to convince them, they understood their roles and responsibilities. They had hired the man for a service, they were in a position above him and had to make sure that the hierarchy was understood. Especially because of who they were. The three of them were some of the most powerful people in the world, certainly in the Sects.

Ryun and Selia were just excited, she knew. Even Ryun who didn’t always show his feelings was feeling eager. Erdania had the time to come to terms with her feelings, and even though she wouldn’t say that she was without fear, she knew that she had people around her that loved her and that she loved. She could handle anything.

“Is he on his way?” Selia looked at Ryun.

Ryun tilted his head, his sense was probably already spread enough that he could monitor everything.

“They are leaving the palace with a carriage now,” he answered.

Erdania suppressed her wince, that meant at least another hour of waiting, Consequence had grown significantly.

They settled in and waited, in silence, with Selia keeping up her nervous pacing. Just over an hour later, a servant entered their room and informed them that their guests had arrived at the gates of their mansion, not that they didn’t know that already.

The three of them moved to a reception room, a lavishly decorated one that served to demonstrate their wealth and station. Black and violet, the Sect colors, dominated the room. The furniture was some of the best that could be purchased in the Settled Territories, painting pieces covered the walls, and busts of important people in the Sect were arranged around the room, including the three of them.

They sat on a couch that was wide enough to hold all three of them, Selia in the middle with Ryun and Erdania flanking her. As the Sect Head, Ryun should’ve been in the middle, but they were not meeting as the representatives of the sect. This was a private affair, and Selia was the most important part of it.

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The door opened and their servant stepped in, ushering in a small party of three.

“Eternal Masters,” the demasi man bowed. “Grand Master Tarsh Yuron has arrived.”

Titles and forms of address were complicated things in the Infinite Realm. Different factions had different ideas and customs. In the Sects, addressing someone by their Realm was suitable in most situations. It seemed that their guest preferred the term Grand Master, as was suitable for someone who had reached the peak of Class.

The three people following their servant entered the room and Erdania, Ryun, and Selia, stood up to greet them. They didn’t need to show that respect, but seeing as they were about to ask the man to help them it seemed prudent. Some propriety was fine, but Selia didn’t want to seem too arrogant and risk the man’s displeasure.

Tarsh Yuron was a kreacean, he was dressed in extravagant golden robes that flowed and dragged against the ground. His four hands were adorned with rings on each finger, and thick chains hung from his neck. At a glance, one would think him a person wealthy beyond measure, as the quality of his clothes was clear for all to see. And that was part of it for sure, but Erdania could see deeper.

All of his clothes and accessories were heavily enchanted with powerful protections. Enough that even she was impressed by the display of power.

Compared to him, his two companions were a lot more understated. On his left stood a woman with deep dark skin and horns on top of her head, a demasi-human hybrid. She was clearly a warrior of some kind, and by the way she stood and the way her eyes moved across the room she was Yuron’s security. She wore simple, but high quality trousers and a shirt, and no visible weapons—but her spatial rings were still on her fingers, and Erdania knew that her gear was inside, ready to be summoned around her in an instant.

It was a sign of respect that Anrosh had allowed them to carry any weapons in their rings while meeting with them. Usually, when meeting with high tiered members of factions outside of the Sects, they were not allowed any weapons or even spatial storages in the presences of leaders of Sects. They did not follow the Sect ways, they didn’t understand honor and obligation, to allow them weapons was foolishness.

But Tarsh Yuron was more than just a guest, he was their hope for the future.

The last person, on Yuron’s right, was a tall karura with wings on his back. He looked around the room with a nervous and wide eyes. His gaze lingering on paintings on the wall. They were made by some of the greatest artists in the Sects, capable of triggering inspiration and catching the minds of those not following a Cultivation Path.

“Welcome, Grand Master Yuron,” Selia said with a barely contained smile on her face. “I’m Selia of House Woll, my partners, Erdania and Ryun.” She gestured at them.

Erdania cleared her throat and spoke. “We’re glad that you’ve accepted our offer, and arrived safely to our home.”

The krecean inclined his head in a sect manner, bowing over his fists. “I don’t often make house visits anymore, but your offer intrigued me. Thank you for the reception, your people were more than kind, Eternal Master.”

“Selia, please,” she smiled at them. “You will help bring us much joy, no need to stand on ceremony.”

Once he raised his head, he blinked his agreement. “Then Yuron will suffice for myself.” He then gestured at the person on his right. “My assistant, Rylee Hesk,” then gestured to the left. “And the head of my security, Alannha Ri Kho.”

Erdania and the others inclined their heads in greeting.

“Please,” Ryun said and gestured at the couch across from them. “Be seated.”

Yuron and his assistant moved to the couch, while his security took a spot behind it. Once they took their seats Selia spoke first. “Thank you again for accepting to travel to us. We are grateful.”

There was no sign of her previous nervousness. She looked fully in control of herself, a proper image of a graceful Sect Leader.

Tarsh Yuron folded his four hands in his lap then responded. “Your offer intrigued me. My people help many interspecies couples conceive, but it is not often that we get contacted by people at the peak of their focuses such as you. Especially not ones with Cultivation as their main focus. May I ask what exactly you are looking for? Your request was fairly vague on the details.”

Selia reached and took both Erdania’s and Ryun’s hands in hers, then answered his question. “We want children. Beyond that we have no concrete requests. We didn’t plan on anything knowing that we will need your knowledge and expertise in order to know what is possible.”

The man visibly relaxed at that. “Thank you. Many come to me with requests with no care about what is possible. I will endeavor to help in any way that I can. But, first, in order to know what and how I can help, I must know everything about you, the scope of your strength and the nature of your existence. Your screens. I have a standard oath that I give to my clients, here,” he waved a hand and the oath window appeared in front of them.

“Adjust it like this,” Ryun spoke through their bond, and Erdania agreed. They had more secrets than most. Their unique titles wouldn’t be seen no matter what, but they still had secrets to keep that could hint at the things they were bound to keep to themselves.

“Would you be willing to accept these changes?” Selia asked once she altered the oath.

Tarsh Yuron blinked his beady eyes, then looked at the window in surprise.

Before he could respond, Selia continued. “We have secrets that need to remain as such. You will understand once you see it.”

“I don’t usually allow for such alterations,” the man glanced at his assistant who hesitated but then nodded. “But,” Yuron continued, his mandibles flickering. “A chance to help people such as you is not something that I can pass on.”

Both he and his assistant made the oaths, a contract to the Framework, and then Yuron looked at the three of them.

“Well then, shall we begin?”