Agazuul had been staring at Qilynrae Qintoris ever since she stepped in the room, his infatuation was clear to anyone but himself. She looked as though her looks were a gift from a goddess. Carl couldn’t help to think upon the sight of her. She had an aquiline face, with a mole under the right eye and upturned eyes that were entirely white. She wore a black dress with a silver spider web pattern and an emerald necklace. Qilynrae had medium layered hair ashen white, her skin a raisin purple, nearly black. It was easy to see why Agazuul could not avert his gaze but still, it was beginning to border on rude. That is to say if she minded, which at first seemed to be the case, but her countenance changed as she took a longer, second look at Agazuul. Servants came into the room carrying several domed platters dispersing them among the table. Quite a number of chairs, was Lixiss expecting company before we came? Carl thought as he tried to gaze at anything else than the awkward attempts of Agazuul trying to start a conversation. Luckily for him Qilynrae broke the unfinished first word, which seemed to constantly change on his lips from ‘Hi! to ‘So…’.

“There’s legends about you, the ignigena who stood by the blade of the spider duchess. A powerful man skilled with blade and blood magic.” Her voice dripped with enthusiasm, careful to highlight certain terms like ignigena and blood magic, making her interest in those aspects quite clear.

“Blood magic is something that was taught to me. While anyone could learn it, it is a highly dangerous art.” Agazuul looked at Qilynrae for a moment to gauge her interest and continued.

“The Sanguinators Academy has known many students, those who travel there will learn of those who failed. Those too hungry for power, those who rushed their training, those who forgot their limits. None are wasted in the academy, their hubris can be an important lesson to the next person to walk through the doors. Their stories are told, and they are not forgotten.” She hung on his every word. An act or real? It seemed strange to Carl that Agazuul should find this much success, they had traveled long and far together through the deeprealm and it didn’t seem like he ever had any chance with Lixiss. His lack of charm mostly, but also the way he talked differently as soon as he spoke to someone of another sex.

The doors were opened by the servants who had stayed in the room when they had deposited the platters, one could be forgiven for forgetting their presence as in their inaction they seemed merely decoration. In came a dark elf in a three piece suit, deep purple with a white shirt for contrast. As they unbuttoned their overcoat, the waistcoat pockets revealed blade handles. A doctor at this meeting?

“Oh you nugatory dullard, she’s their torturer” Kahmin explained. A sudden screech made them look up from their contemplation of the contents of the platter to the origin of the noise; a chair moved brusquely by Carl’s fear.

“Do sit back down, I’m sure she’ll be here shortly.” They said gently, their eyes still staring at their reflection in the metal dome. Carl sat back, trying not to let his fear show. “Don’t worry, I have no intention of using my blades.” A smile on a plain but cute face. Their hands mimicked the performance of an autopsy, as if a body lay on the table between them.

“The screams of the scared are of little interest to me.” They declared with an icy cold to their voice, their face contorted in a vicious pleasure.

“You frighten our guest Zo’Nuh, he is to be treated as befits his part in the fight, years ago.” Qilynrae said, her voice too even to betray what that meant.

“We’re here about just that!” Agazuul declared, struck by a moment of bravado.

“A moment more patience, if you please.” Qilynrae said, giving a most cordial smile. The door opened once more letting in a whole group of people, our people. Gadraek, Gileon; Agazuul’s companions from the Sanguinators Academy, but also the Rastaytan rookie soldiers; Matteus, Patrik, Paula, Eira, Mirva and Alma. While Gadraek and Gileon were led to their chairs by the servants it became clear one more figure lurked behind the rookie soldiers. A dark elven man with upturned eyes of pastel purple, his skin periwinkle and his hair a slicked back stark white with shaved sides and clean cheeks. So clean shaven that one would wonder if the shave was smooth or if he was incapable of having beard growth. He wore a black doublet with golden web-patterned lining. He sat down at the top right corner of the table, taking Alma and Eira to sit to the right of him, taking up the rest of the right short side of the table. As he sat down and the light of crystals played upon his skin, his strong jawline stood out but also a scar. The scar ran from eyebrow to jaw, a faint line on the upper eyelid on the left side of his face. Seems to be completely healed, a recent scar.

“Your friends are safe and sound, Agazuul as you can see. It’ll probably only be a moment longer until Lixiss arrives. I say we start our first course now that most are here. I am Gwyryn Hylarr, master of warfare.” He explained. Why is everyone so intent on ignoring my existence, unless to scare or insult me?

“You know exactly why. I was there, and am still here because of it.” Kahmin answered, an answer that Carl did not want or ask for. Zo’Nuh lifted her personal dome to reveal the food underneath. A steaming bowl of blue with red swirl.

“Ah, tokay-cap mushroom soup is delightful” Qilynrae said, sounding truly quite pleased. Everyone else followed suit and lifted their domes as well. Agazuul smiled back at Qilynrae after getting a good whiff of the soup, but Gileon, who had taken up the spot left of him, blocked him off from view. Carl lifted his dome last, and underneath was something entirely different, a shortcrust pastry.

“What’s that you got there, looks stale ey?” Gadraek exclaimed, already busy helping himself to his soup making loud noises to show his appreciation. The servants came around with drinks, and once again he seemed the only odd duck. While the rest received a tall glass of crystal where a deep brown liquid swirled, this mug set in front of him contained a thick liquid, a light brown that turned the stomach.

“Spectacular Rustgill, a mushroom based drink, made with wavy-cap which gives about the same effect as your sunrealm wine, for flavor candy cap was added giving a very sweet taste to the drink.” Qylinrae bent forwards lifting her glass to Agazuul and Carl, before disappearing once more behind Gileon. While Matteus, Patrik, Mirva and Paula who were directly opposite Carl seemed somewhat apprehensive in their drinking, Alma and Eira took their first tentative sips before their first big swallow. Gwyryn smiled at them.

“Good right?” He asked, which was a rhetorical question, and yet there came an answer.

“Another of this, no…wait do me three.” gadraek seemed to have downed the drink already. Gileon’s stray hairs that grew around his jawline seemed far more noticeable now that they were coated in a red-blue mix. His eyes were on the next platter whatever it might’ve been. Carl took a few bites of the pastry but ultimately laid it aside. The drink did not do much better, a bitter tang to it.

“Are you not enjoying your drink? Qilynrae asked, having exited from her hidey-hole who was named Gideon. The question was asked with such convincing genuinity and disappointment that Carl almost wanted to apologize.

“They laugh at you, at your weakness. Do you see now, what your weakness begets?” Kahmin asked. Carl looked elsewhere, took in the map of Myth’Ath’Areana and its spectacular detail a sculpted model of the entire city, having string with various sculpts suspended from the ceiling for the roof of the city. Carl stood on edge, his senses had made him alert of an approach. His focus on the map had refrained him from honing in on the noise. Gileon had taken to being the third wheel in a conversation that brought Agazuul and Qilynrae to almost crawl over the table to the other. Matteus and Zo’Nuh seemed to be discussing the blades they had brought. Their interest seemed to lie in educating while Matteus made sarcastic remarks. Zo’Nuh did not smile, but their leaning showed they were enjoying this back and forth. The small right of the table seemed to have gotten lively as well, liberal in their uses of Deeprealm, Sunrealm, surface, human, dark elf; discussing each other's cultures and trying to learn the differences. Paula kept glancing over to Eira making sure he was alright. Mirva seemed to be scanning the map of Myth’Ath’Areana, making mental notes even craning her neck to get better viewing angles, some parts obfuscated at certain angles by the dangling sculpts of stalactites. Patrik had retreated into himself; his stare seemed to look no further than the crystal glass he kept putting down only to pick right back up for another small sip.

When the doors were even opened none may tell, but in that silence something crawled its way inside. One long spindly leg after the other wrapped its way around the doorframe holding it open in lieu of a threat, the movement slow and methodical. As soon as all eight legs had firm grasp of the doorframe the entirety of the body rushed in, a torso upside down hung suspended from the spider body, wavy long white hair whipped around with the frantic movements of the spider body and yet there was a gracefulness in the movements of the torso, a level of control which spoke of phenomenal abdominal muscles. The black spider the size of a horse pushed off from the wall and landed close to the table. In the light of the crystals there was more than a dark black, there were hints of browns and grays. Lixiss Qintoris’ eyes were unlike that of her kin, hers were a blood red.

“You’ve decided to grace us with your presence, oh Blade of The Spider Duchess.” The nonchalant sarcastic way in which Gwyryn Hylarr delivered these words, set everyone who was not a dark elf on edge. The spider body of Lixiss seemed ready to spring forward for a deadly assault, but the torso was as steady as rock. In that moment of silence all humans seemed to hold their breath.

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“The city of spiders never sits still, as you are well aware.” Her eyes betrayed amusement.

“I trust my expertise, helped in settling matters.” Zo’Nuh said confidently.

“It did, and you shall receive a full report later.” Something seemed to brew within Agazuul, the more Lixiss spoke, he seemed almost ready to burst as Lixiss once more opened her mouth to call for the next course. Lixiss kicked the chair away against the wall behind her as she took the spot between Zo’Nuh and Qilynrae, glaring at the servants which immediately took to cleaning up the mess their heads hung low as an apology for their stupidity. The platters were delivered with a nervous rapidity, the servants movements clumsy. Agazuul held in a fury that would burn fields black. What’s got him so angry, ever since Lixiss walked in the door. He had been waiting for her, we came here for her and yet he seemed to hold on to anger. Carl thought, oblivious to what Agazuul had figured out.

“Marinated and honeyed spider legs, oh what a delight.” Qilynrae declared as she lifted the dome from her platter, full with obvious delight. The humans at the table seemed less excited by the prospect of finishing this dish, gadraek had already started and after a few good chews belched his approval.

“How very crass, but yes. I see your stares, but do not be afraid of trying something new.” The last sentence meant for the two seated to the right of him, Gwyryn Hylarr tried to persuade the humans to try. Agazuul was too infatuated to hesitate lest it would offend Qilynrae. Alma and Eira seemed to be put quite at ease by Gwyryn’s words, which did come with a warm kindness.

“It’s a bit chewy, but flavorful.” Alma said, holding her hand in front of her mouth to not cause offense. Eira grunted in lieu of confirmation. Gileon was quite a bit louder in his approval.

“This is fantastic! The chewiness only adds to the experience, each bite and chew deposits an explosion of flavor into your mouth, the sweetness of the honey and the rich complexity of the various spices. I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting many of these yet.” Considering his mouth was full of food as he said this, it was hard to understand anything he said. Qilynrae did smile at him then, clearly understanding his intentions and forgiving his lack of courtesy talking with a full mouth. Once again the contents of Carl’s platter were entirely different. A strange minced meat lay upon his tray, a full head of a lizard as a reminder of where the meat had come from.

“What’s this? Lixiss, why am I getting different things than the others? None of it has been very good so far, I’ll let you know.” A sudden outburst, one that Carl regretted immediately but where one could expect him to have shown that in his body language, this time he held completely still.

“You absolute dolt!” Kahmin exclaimed the words coming through laughter.

“One gets what one deserves.” Lixiss had put it plainly but the anger, frustration and venom with which she had said this stopped all but Gideon from touching the table for a moment, sitting back and making themselves blend in with their chairs. Nobody spoke, until a servant stepped forward and gazed at Lixiss until she had nodded her approval.

“This is minced tokay gecko, a small lizard fed on tokay mushrooms. It’s best served raw, because cooking destroys the flavor left behind by the mushrooms it eats.” A servant explained, gesturing over the meal served before Carl before blending back in with the dark shadows and pillars holding up the room. Reluctantly Carl took a few bites, gadraek putting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a stern gaze, which was ruined by the drunken wobble the dwarf had with every slight movement.

“I do hope you’ll enjoy our next dish everyone, that includes you Carl.” The last sentence was said so harshly one would’ve expected a splatter of acid to be spat towards Carl with the utterance of the words.

“I’d love to see you top this, " Gileon gestured to his empty plate, leaving only the hard carapace of the spider legs. This seemed to not only calm but please Lixiss as she took on a contented smile and relaxed back, not quite sitting but leaning back. Her legs squatted somewhat in a manner that seemed comfortable. While Matteus and Zo’Nuh seemed to have gone from knives to discussing the food. His constant sarcasm seemed to have made way for a genuine but shy interest. Mirva seemed to soak up every conversation while participating in none. Paula had scooted her chair closer to Gwyryn Hylarr or perhaps more accurately to say closer to Eira and had taken to joining the conversations. Gwyryn Hylarr seemed quite the pleasant conversational partner, and took to moderating the conversation somewhat. He made sure that everyone could say their piece without talking over anyone else or taking up too much of the conversation without getting to their point. He didn’t seem immune to his own reproaches as he stopped himself from going into a long tangent or recitement once or twice, before laughing it off and handing over his hold on the conversation back to anyone else willing to jump in. Gadraek had a darkwood platter for his empty glasses and one with full glasses, chugging one after the other.

“Aromatised artichoke, with fresh garlic, bay leaf crumbs and a hint of lemon. As a side that you can dip your artichoke leaves into we have flavored cottage cheese, with pieces of deepmelon and blackapple.” A servant declared as the domes were lifted off the fresh platters.

“And for Carl, dillo nuts with melon sauce.” Carl didn’t see any reason to complain about this dish and as everyone dug in it seemed quite the sweet treat, except for Carl. He found the dillo nuts to be an annoying nuisance in the otherwise extremely sweet sauce, they seemed unbreakable and when he did try, he got a chipped tooth instead. Gileon sang songs of praises of the food, Gadraek licked his platter clean, Alma and Eira seemed to enjoy the meal slowly savoring each artichoke leaf. Gwyryn Hylarr seemed to have called for two bowls of fruit and as people were enjoying their food, he seemed to make his way around the table allowing people to eat a chunk of deepmelon and blackapple on their own. Paula made some faces, Mirva remained stoic but gave her best I’m not nervous smile, Patrik seemed like a rock refusing the bowls with a simple hand gesture but Matteus had understood the assignment.

“Oh, that’s sour!” He almost yelled it, having taken one bite from a large chunk of gray fruit, its juices running down his fingers, before grabbing for his glass to wash it down. He reached for the other bowl and plucked out a decent chunk of fruit from it, a deep dark green. He put it wholly within his mouth and bit dramatically into it, the juices squirting partially out onto his plate, before closing his mouth to chew.

“Oh that is too sweet.” He said, his eyes watery his smile designating delight. Gwyryn Hylarr allowed Gileon to set a few pieces of fruit on his plate, Agazuul took two small bits and Carl was skipped over. Gadraek had taken the bowls from Gwyryn’s hands and popped one chunk after the other in his mouth.

“We need to talk.” A simple sentence directed at Lixiss, but the way Agazuul had said it made it sound like an accusation.

“Patience, Agazuul. Just one more dish.” Qilynrae promised.

“What did you do to those dark elves of the Magmea guild?!” Agazuul shouted his accusation.

“What ever could you be talking about?” Lixiss said, the image of innocence.

“You damn well know!”

“I don’t, elaborate and lower your voice while we are at dinner.”

“Don’t you dare try to make me the madman! You transformed those people into monsters!” The accusation hung there for a moment. Those were dark elves? Carl thought, as his face went pale, the shock of that possible reality sent him reeling. Gwyryn Hylarr and Qilynrae seemed genuinely shocked by the news.

“Those guild members didn’t try to fight their way out, did they? I thought the horror on some of their faces was your viciousness in battle, but it went beyond that. Fear of that magnitude is beyond temporary shell shock.” Gwyryn spoke the words as he thought out his theory, his tone was grim and defeated.

“Tell me they are wrong mother…” Qilynrae pleaded.

“She did what she needed to, a necessary action to placate the masses.” Zo’Nuh said coldly.

“You might think I'm a monster, but we were on the cusp of a civil war. I had done too much to unite the guilds to let Myth’Ath’Areana fall back into the old ways, to let those traditionalists take over. My ways are the only path to a brighter future for our people. Why should we fight other dark elves when we can be united in purpose?” Lixiss’ words hung in the air. They remained unanswered and unopposed for quite a while. Gwyryn Hylarr sighed, he set his elbows on the table, his hands together in front of his mouth and balanced his lower lip on two outstretched thumbs, thinking for a moment before sitting back upright to answer.

“You’re saying that you transmuted dark elves to monsters to send a message?”

“I did more than that, all those transformed by godblood magic are under my command and all those who bear my seal.”

“You’ve turned traitor to soldier.” Gwyryn let out a dark bark of laughter.

“It’s ingenious and efficient.” Zo’Nuh added in.

“It’s monstrous and wrong!” Agazuul shouted.

“You call yourself a leader and yet these are the actions you inflict upon your people, have you no shame?” Lixiss in the matter of second had sprung along the table on eight legs and had grabbed Agazuul by his tunic, she lifted him up to her face.

“You will never know what it is like to be a leader Agazuul not truly, you think I do not know why you’re here? You think I know not that Gileon and Gadraek were taken from their academy away from their rightful leader. Gileon is a boy with unfinished training and you want to pit him against a god.” Agazuul was taken aback by that, as Lixiss set him back down he sat in his chair stunned.

“I will discuss this in full in our council meeting later this week, I promise you Gwyryn and Qilynrae but for now let’s focus on this meeting.” Lixiss said, her voice sounding as calm as ever. The servants took this as a good time as any to serve up the final dish.

“Void-Null; cave salamander eggs beaten with sugarbeat powdered sugar and candy cap infused water, cooked until thickened and as a garnish roughly chopped dillo nuts.” Once again a different meal for Carl.

“Blackapple Pie.” That was all the information Carl got for his dish. While everyone dug into the meal, the enthusiasm that had taken the table several times over during this dinner had completely been destroyed. Carl started to feel the effects of the food that had been given him throughout this dinner and rushed off before returning to a servant and asking for the nearest lavatory.