Requiem.

The discussion ends up taking most of the day. There are even a couple of breaks for refreshments. We were fortunate to have a meeting with someone with the knowledge and authority to properly divine what we needed and be able to follow through with the larger ask. The only real snag we run into is the need to have three sponsors to vouch for the new clan we’re forming.

We’re able to think of two locals that seem likely candidates for being our sponsors, but despite there not being all that much influence that they get over the proceedings. Qualifying as a sponsor isn’t something any random person can do either, it’s also not something you should just rubberstamp for strangers. There’s a certain reputation that binds the parties together, at least initially.

Once the clan or house has been established for a long enough time, the pillars of support from the sponsors becomes an internal issue. Somehow, while listening to Darling and the guild rep debating signatures, we have an idea take root. The rep did not want to send out the documents without us having already selected three to seek approval from. Both not wanting to have a twin signed document that we could either use to intimidate a third with. Or try and hitch some unknown onto the prominent figures we’ve already chosen to try.

We ask a question that stills the brewing argument, even if Darling has to relay it to the rep after, “{Would the Guardian of a [Domain] suffice as a first signatory?}”

“(Are you trying to say that you can get a vouch from Lord Wraithmane?)”

Biting back at the rep’s scathing tone, Darling parrots our rebuttal, “{We’re trying to get this certificate filled out properly. You won’t let us have it sent out to Yojimbo and Sergei first while we look for a third. So, the question now is, would it be okay for a Guardian to sign it here and now, and then send that out to the other two.}”

She adds, “^Considering you’ve used arguments about intimidation and informed consent for these contracts, we just want to know if a Guardian’s mark would violate some sort of policy or practice.^”

The rep takes a moment to really consider our proposal before they reply, “(If you can really get Lord Wraithmane-)”

“^-A Domain Guardian.”^

They sigh, “(If you can really get -A [Domain] Guardian- to show up and place their mark on these documents, then sure. We can send them out to the others for theirs.)”

We can hear the smile in Darling’s tone, “^Excellent. Then, per your invitation, I’ll be calling on Axis for their mark.^”

We wait a beat for the confusion to cross the guild rep’s face, “(Axis? That’s not Lord Wraithmane’s given name.)”

We call on [Elysian Fields] and [One with Nature] to blend these places together. Getting a proposition approved by an upstanding citizen in legalese is apparently enough for the nature of the city to allow overlap. Instead of the more saturation and brute force we worked back in the sand garden, which had both natural vibes in common with our domain and an array designed to assist with biome establishment. Here, we just have formality and diplomacy between nations working with us.

As it turns out, when not actually fighting against the city’s weight, it is surprisingly easy to imbricate the differing powers. In fact, it almost feels too simple to do so, but even with the city not fighting against the field, there is still a massive convergence of arcana and an immense amount of information being channeled through us. With DM still spending a large portion of their mental budget towards maturing their own stalk, there isn’t quite as much to blunt the torrent of will that seems to finally settle as it picks the unnamed one.

[One with Nature mesh polyp ripened with Host, Ambassador sub-node Acquired!]

[Elysian Fields mesh polyp ripened with Sapience (Multithreading), Avatar sub-node Acquired!]

The newness of this form of communication, the experiences of inhabiting not mere perspective or memory but actual flesh and blood is overwhelming for both of us. We open our mouth and our first note is so loud it hurts even our ears. We take a moment to gather ourselves, and converse amongst our Lord’s memories and other selves. We feel that time is running short though and must be quick.

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“{Apologies, I have not spoken with such small noises before. I, am Axis, Guardian of |Tranquil Glades|.}” We reach out with the mesh of interlocked domains and press our mark upon the pages that Darling points out to us. “{Is that all you require of me, little man?}” We feel the echo of mirth from our Lord at our words, but when the person quickly gathers themselves enough to glance down at the paperwork and nods their approval we retreat.

As we separate, we thank our Lord for the unique experience, and ask if more mundane visits in the future could be possible. Our curiosity isn’t fully sated by just the glades. Even if contentment at what is can be achieved, the desire is always there to experience more light, richer soil, and to quench the thirst with rain and rivers or blood.

We sing to them through the fading connection instead of aloud, “{We will endeavor to provide a proper seat for your viewing. Though from even that small experience, we can tell that a throne strong enough to support your full power is beyond us for the moment. Thank you, Axis, for your help with this documentation.}”

The farewell we get back is more muted as the moment passes and the city reasserts itself as the dominant presence.

Fortunately, we aren’t the only one shaken and disheveled by Axis’s appearance, and Darling is able to seize some of the initiative back to further our position. Ever thankful for her independence, we find ourselves stalled internally. Actually [Hosting] the entirety of Axis through a singular voice put an immense strain on our physicality and our soul. Whatever strange diversity that being a Tiamat Hydra gives to our abilities did not enjoy the strange burden of supporting a separate soul as significant as the Arboranshee.

Evolving into a specialist has ensured that each tool we incorporate can function far beyond its ordinary caliber, but we lose out on some general flexibility for sure. If, or perhaps when, [Elysian Fields] gets their own head, facilitating our guardian as a passenger in that way should be easier than channeling through [One with Nature]. But even with the strength that Axis has grown into, they shouldn’t have been able to overwhelm us.

Perhaps it was just the conflux of events… Still, that display of weakness is not an acceptable consequence, not if we’ll need to rely on adjacent tactics in order to function at our peak when violence finally greets us in the city. {Soul strain from twin non-compatible abilities being channeled through inefficient vessel was significant. Data point collection out of combat is a vital boon. Neither mesh polyp utilizing synchronization of [Choir] resulted in more damage than anticipated. New Fogmaw evolution trajectory simulations to include additional bridge effects.

{Choir of individuals ^must^ remain [Choir].}

Losing ourselves, our Unity, to not being able to properly maintain our connection to our full self. We could see it happening all too easily with how this Gasmode system infuses us with power. If we lost our mind, and the different pieces of us tear themselves apart from us, until only we remained. What would be left? What would Acolyte echo and amplify if we were all that remained.

Hmm. We want this negotiation to be over. This feels like something we should discuss with our- friends? Subordinates? {Feedback loop detected. Quarantining rogue thought pattern. Analysis to run in background.}

The Master. A window can become a door.

The beautiful eye roils and bubbles from within. In a moment of many long minutes, I see it transform into a perfect replica of my own, my golden ticket, my skeleton key. Shapeshifters are always more vulnerable than they think if you know the proper methods. As I bask in that final moment of triumph when I see that perfect reflection, it darts its gaze to lock with mine.

But my gaze isn’t truly there, it can’t really see me… Oh, but I recognize that glint of spite, even within my own eye I would know that spark of defiance. It’s too late though, I’ve already won. I’ve spent hours concentrating upon this ritual and weeks’ worth of reagents to infest my enchantment within the creature. There’s nothing it can do at this point-

The lashes on the eye thicken into barbs and stab themselves into the surrounding flesh and then knit themselves into the juice of the eye itself as well, sealing it. The rolls of skin under the eye form into the smirk of a mouth for but a fleeting moment before drifting back into the chaos of that trunk.

…

I blink. I breathe. I carefully set the fragile wand back on its stand. I gently close the music box. I latch the door to the armoire, cloaking its mirror surface in the velvet cushion.

I casually walk out of my ritual room, being sure that it remains clean and locked tight with my absence.

I head out from the tower, cross the hallways and courtyards towards the discipline plinth, and I sing a little ditty at the guard in place there, “Ensure the life preservation ward is set to maximum and that they receive a fine meal when I am finished. There sentence shall be commuted shortly.”

My relaxation from the mists of blood that I dance through, the shrieks of pain serving as a delightful duet to the cracks of the whip in my hand, and the palpable waves of fear from our audience…

When I am done, I release a full-bodied sigh of pleasure and contentment. Today is still a great day.