“W8R! Get the Deceiver here something that humans drink.”

Beep. Boop. Bop.

Kallad watched as the little golem wheeled itself off to another room on the side of the larger chamber.

The Tinkerer started walking towards a smaller room with a table and chairs inside it.

“Let’s talk then.”

Kallad followed him. The Tinkerer sipped his oil as they walked.

Kallad graciously took the tin cup from W8R and drank the stale water as he sat at the table.

“The summit.”

The Tinkerer raised a hand.

“I don’t care about the summit, just tell me what to vote for and I’ll consider it a favour repaid.”

“You... repaid? I believe the favours are currently in your favour.”

“Then consider it another favour. I truly couldn’t give a pocket monkey’s greasy oil fart about that glorified popularity contest. W8R pass me that sprocket.”

Kallad contemplated his next move. W8R grabbed the stray sprocket and handed it to the Tinkerer.

He munched on the sprocket, crushing it into metal dust. Joyfully, he swallowed it.

Kallad came to a decision.

“Very well. Since the order of votes never changes, I’ll be voting before you. I want you to vote against me.”

“Vote AGAINST you?! Oh... oh I see... ohhohoho. The Deceiver aims to deceive the Arbiter! AHAHAHA! You’re just full of tricks, aren’t you! Oh, hoo hoo! I cannot wait to see what you cook up. HAHAHAHA!” His manic side was showing.

“Well, if that’s all, then I’ll be going now. Thanks for your cooperation. You were talking to a brown haired lady with a beauty spot below her eye, she came to you for advice on creating gadgets and you turned her away because you don’t deal with morons. If anyone asks.”

“Going so soon? At least check out this cool new spoon I made!” He whipped out his invention, “It’s a spoon and a fork at the same time! I call it a sporn! Or wait... foon sounds better. Wait no, SPORK!”

Kallad had already left.

The Tinkerer laughed to himself as he returned to his workshop. “That guy’s always a hoot. Always covering his tracks too. BAHAHAHA!”

He kept laughing and giggling as he began work on his next project.

Kallad left the building after shattering the arcane circle that revealed the entrance to the Tinkerer’s secret workshop. He was disguised as a brown haired lady. He specifically made it a point to morph into a lady with a beauty spot below her eye, that he might throw off any potential tails with a false lead.

Low and behold, Kallad was right about one thing.

He was definitely being tailed.

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Nirvana

A cool breeze met Amon’s skin as he observed his region.

Amon Whin, the Arbiter, leaned against his balcony’s low marble wall.

He gently picked up the wine glass from the glass table beside and took a sip.

“Mmmm. Soft... and sweet.”

Soft skin met his own as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his torso.

“Just like you, my dear.”

Amon chuckled, “Aren’t you getting a little too comfortable, bed-warmer?”

Another pair of arms wrapped around his left arm.

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“We’re yours. And yours alone.”

Amon might have wanted to play with the two women, but the air shifted.

“You two should return to my chambers. I’ll be with you shortly.”

“Don’t be too long.” One of them said.

Amon waited. He listened as he heard the soft taps of their bare feet against the marble floors fade away.

The bedroom door shut.

“What is it?” Without turning around, Amon addressed the shadows.

Agents of the night appeared, dressed in pitch black robes.

Amon felt five of them kneeling.

The one in the middle spoke up, “Pardon for the intrusion Lord Voice. But there appears to be a... rat, poking around in your garden.”

Amon snickered at first. Then he broke out into a full, deep laugh. “A rat? You interrupted my evening for a rat?”

The agent in the middle began floating. He slowly floated over towards Amon with nary a whisper.

Amon continued looking over his region, Nirvana. The twin suns were setting in the distance, and provided a beautiful view of everything in sight. Amon was silent for a moment. He then spoke softly, “Tell me. What is it that you see?”

The agent had no choice but to look, “I see... Nirvana. And a sunset.”

“That’s all? I’m disappointed. Your perception is lacking. I’d have hoped for more from the Spectre’s personal agents.” There was nothing but venom in his voice.

After some moments of quiet, and Amon sipping his wine, the agent dared to speak up again, “What am I supposed to see?”

Amon frowned a touch, “I don’t remember asking you to speak.”

The agent’s eyes widened as he realised his mistake. His master told him about this, but he’d let his tongue slip.

“I’m sorry! Please forgive mew-a-wa waWAHHAWH!” A grotesque ripping sound came from the man’s mouth. Then came a disgusting gargling sound from the man’s throat.

His tongue had ripped itself out of his mouth.

It flopped to the ground with a bloody splatter.

The agent flew up and backwards. His body pierced onto a marble carving of spiked wings that decorated the top of the balcony. Blood dripped down from his lifeless corpse, causing small splashes and a puddle.

Amon threw his wine glass off the balcony, letting it fall through the clouds. He turned to the four remaining agents, “You two,” He pointed to the two on the left, “clean up this mess.”

They spoke at the same time, “Yes sir.” Immediately, they got to cleaning the mess their leader had made for them.

He turned to the other two. More than before, he spoke softly, “If there’s a rat in your garden, then what do you do?”

They looked at each other, then back at Amon, “Exterminate it?” They spoke at the same time.

Amon’s smile reeked of satisfaction, “Mmm. That’s right. You exterminate it. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The two agents instantly teleported away to do Amon’s bidding.

After the first two cleaned up the mess, they awaited their new orders.

Amon smiled warmly at them, “Leave.”

They left instantly.

The air grew heavy. Hairs on Amon’s arms raised.

“You were waiting?” He returned to the now-clean balcony and kneeled.

A deep voice boomed from the sky, echoing throughout Nirvana.

“My Voice. The cracks in my realm are growing more unstable by the day. How long must I wait for stability?” Those last words were not spoken kindly.

“Not much longer, Lord Creator. Once I absorb the Warden’s title, I’ll be able to maintain this realm for an eternity. I promise to keep your Zenith alive.”

The sky’s satisfied laugh caused the whole of Nirvana to shake and tremor.

“I’m glad. I may have been outcast for splitting the world, but your generous actions never cease to remind me that I made the right choice.”

“Your words are a boon to my heart, Lord Creator. I will return to you with success.”

“I hope, for your sake, that you do.”

The weight in the air disappeared.

The ladies in Amon’s chamber called out, “Did you feel that tremor Amon?! That was crazy!”

“Yes! Yes it was!” He shouted back.

That vote has to go my way. I will do everything in my power to make certain that it does!

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Kallad could feel the tail, but he couldn’t identify them amongst the crowd of people in the Dwarven quarter. I can’t just morph here either, since they’ve clearly got eyes on me. How many are there?

Mana sense?

Kallad’s mana sense was one of the best in the business. However, with this many people around him, he found it to be impossible to use effectively. Pointless. I’ll try to bait them into showing themselves.

He swept a cloak that was hanging on a stall as he walked by, and covered himself with it. Now Kallad was the hooded figure being tailed.

Instead of circling the Dwarven quarter, Kallad decided to go to the ports. Anywhere that trade was happening cross-border was a good place to lose a tail.

Aurum’s ports were portal-houses made to make trades, supply regions with goods, or bring in supplies from other regions. They were also used as a party-hub. Kallad smiled as he maintained his walking pace.

If he could portal somewhere, then mimic something else, then Kallad would easily lose the tail. But that wasn’t his goal. He wanted to know who was tailing him, and who they were working for.

The other function of the ports that Kallad needed to use were the security gates. In order to enter, one had to provide proof of identification. That would give him an opportunity to find out who was tailing him.

Kallad ducked and weaved through the crowds as he passed through the market district.

The tail was experienced. They clearly kept their distance, and didn’t go out of their way to spook the target into running. Kallad continued to maintain his pace, to avoid alerting them to his discovery of their presence.

By this point, Kallad could tell that there were two people following him. He did this by looking in mirrors and glass windows as he walked. Kallad managed to narrow down the people walking the exact same path as him to the two people wearing pitch black outfits. Those are unique to the Spectre’s private agents. But it’s still too early for me to assume. I need to confirm that it’s his agents. If they’re working with the Arbiter... then that’s one less Aspect that need to try and convince.

After a little bit of walking, ducking, and weaving, Kallad made it to Aurum’s ports.

He recalled the image of one of the workers that worked at the security gates when he last came here. A grin formed on his face. This is where the fun begins.