Alistair smiled at Caleb as he introduced Riseth and her sister to Caleb, who gave both of them a cordial greeting. After exchanging some pleasantries, Alistair spoke up.
"Colorful assortment of guests, from your uniform and Enya's crusader armor, I thought Sol preferred a more standardized attire," Alistair commented with a glance around the room.
"Colorful is the right word; Earth needs every ounce of strength it can get to shield itself from what is to come, Sol does prefer some homogeneity but he does not enforce it outside of his orders, and even there are exceptions and some leeway," Caleb said looking at the larger crowd outside the garden.
Alistair found Caleb to be a very difficult-to-read individual. He suspected some defensive magic was at work preventing him from garnering as much insight as he usually would. He could not even tell how Caleb felt about the colorful assortment of people.
"I am surprised they don't need blood to sustain themselves. I would have expected that to be part of being a vampire," Alistair mused as he watched one of the vampires eat a sausage from one of the grills they had claimed.
"It's funny you would mention it; they do need blood, and volunteers are hard to come by. But their gift does not stop them from consuming and enjoying regular foods. Much like your lovely partner, they need something else to sate and empower themselves. Allying with Sol, who will be the most powerful faction on Earth, is a safe bet to ensure they have secure access to blood within and outside the trial without having to rely on more drastic measures," Caleb explained.
"Are you allowed to tell me this?" Alistair asked as Nessyra discreetly prodded him over the link.
Caleb chuckled. "It's not much of a secret; why would anyone join us if we had nothing to offer them?"
Alistair looked at Riseth, who had been observing the conversation quietly next to him.
"I presume Sol won't let me bring my partner?" Alistair asked before taking a sip of the slightly sweet and fruity drink.
Caleb tilted his head before his eyes seemed to look at an invisible screen before he answered.
"He would prefer to speak to you alone for their first meeting, but when it comes to future meetings, he would love to meet her," Caleb said apologetically.
"Is there anything I should watch out for?" Alistair asked curiously. He wasn't sure if Caleb would actually help him out, but he was curious to know how he would respond.
"I can't give you any guidance. Sol has informed me he is ready to receive you now if you follow me," Caleb announced before walking towards a set of stairs.
Alistair kissed Riseth, and Nessyra gave him an encouraging nod. He glanced at his scattered family members before following Caleb. Once Alistair was up the stairs, he found himself on the balcony he had seen the first time he had visited; the whole temple was packed, and Alistair had a great view from above, seeing the colorful crowd below. Eventually, they reached a long, empty corridor leading to a beautiful wooden and gold-inlaid double door; a slender young woman walked past them. She sported a casual dress consisting of a pair of blue jeans, boots, a buffalo plaid shirt, and a white top. Her complexion was ashen, accentuated by long, slightly wavy white hair cascading around her. With a diamond-shaped face adorned with occasional freckles and red piercing irises that met Alistair's gray ones, his armor slightly immediately warped as he felt a draw to her. But the sensation was extremely muted due to the Nurturing Wards restrictions, and Alistair resisted with little effort. She gave him a wink, her red lips parting in a toothy smile, showing her vampiric fangs, which were at her canines where he would have expected them to be.
He turned to see her walk away using [Identify] [Marilyn Dixon - 55]. She returned the identity before walking around the corner, disappearing from sight.
"Impressive resilience; even with the protection in place, most could not resist or shake it off that fast. I am sure she will be annoyed to learn that you are already taken," Caleb commented after observing the exchange.
"Will this cause problems?" Alistair asked, slightly concerned, still looking down the corridor.
"I think your clan is well-equipped to deal with any social issues. Nessyra Ryser is probably the scariest and most influential business person at this particular gathering," Caleb said calmly, waiting for Alistair to move on.
"This particular gathering?" Alistair questioned as he continued walking towards the finely crafted double doors.
"We hold such gatherings every few days; we can't have everyone show up simultaneously. Even this structure has its limits," Caleb pushed open the double doors, revealing a spacious, modern suite. White marble floors gleamed beneath their feet while towering pillars added an air of grandeur. Exotic rugs and carpets adorned the floor and walls, lending an opulent touch to the space. Despite being from Earth, the potted plants exuded an exotic allure. The room itself resembled the lavish private quarters of a wealthy Arabian magnate. At the heart of the room sat a plush, inviting couch with many pillows encircling a low mahogany table. Alistair stepped inside, and Caleb closed the doors behind him; Sol was nowhere to be seen. The air felt slightly smoky from incense, which reminded Alistair of his trip to Korea; there was a large assortment of foreign snacks and drinks on the table.
From a circular set of stairs leading to an upper floor, he could hear heavy steps and felt incredible power suddenly radiating from them. When he looked upon Sol, he was stunned. His attire exuded regality and refinement. Sol was clad in golden full-plate armor; the chest plate mimicked the appearance of chiseled muscles. His shoulders had a layer of white cloth with golden patterns; above them were rounded golden shoulder plates that encircled his head with small decorative wings. Without looking too flashy, at the front of his right shoulder plate was a small circular plate containing his sigil. His legs were covered by gold and silver metal plates, and above it was a fault made of the same white and gold cloth interwoven with golden chainmail. Sol wore a golden mask and white hood, though he quickly removed the mask and put down his hood as he approached Alistair, revealing a tanned and immaculate symmetrical face with long gold hair and a beard. He wore an easy and wide smile. His right eye was gleaming gold, and his left was silvery white.
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Alistair could tell that Sol restrained his power beyond what the [Nurturing Ward] would shield him from. Sol was clearly aware of Alistair's keen instincts and preparations and seemed determined not to trigger any of them.
"Alistair, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person," Sol greeted warmly, his voice calm and pleasant. He stretched his arms welcomingly before gesturing towards the couch.
Alistair did as requested and sat down, observing Sol nervously as he approached and sat down on the opposite side of him with a smile.
"Don't be so nervous. I've been observing you for a while now, and there's no need to walk on eggshells around me," Sol said with an easy smirk, leaning back onto the couch and crossing his legs. As he did, his armor transformed into a comfortable-looking white robe adorned with the usual golden patterns.
Alistair was a little taken aback but quickly composed himself, mirroring Sol's posture and leaning back into the couch. The way Sol had spoken those last words suggested that he must have been observing Alistair during his first dungeon delve.
"You have been observing me? I think we met during my arena match with King, but it sounds like you have been observing me for longer," Alistair said calmly, observing Sol's reaction.
"Oh yes, almost since the very beginning, you have been my biggest source of contribution points for a while there. You killed the most difficult fieldboss shortly after entering the trial, and you have had my attention since then. Though by now there are a lot of others, many of which have overtaken or caught up to your contributions, it is still impressive stuff," Sol said before teleporting a Japanese candy from the table into his hand, unwrapping it, and putting it in his mouth, the candy wrapper disappearing into nothingness.
"You have been watching everything?" Alistair asked uncomfortably; the revelation of being watched the entire time did not sit right with him.
"Oh, don't worry. I have some decency and respect your privacy; your success has greatly helped me. I even got closer to Zaltom, Neshan's natural god. I am curious: do you even know how humans are viewed in the multiverse?" Sol inquired, changing the topic.
Alistair considered it for a moment before answering. "I presume we are viewed as a somewhat aggressive species; most other planets with humans seemed to have a rather low development." He felt relieved that Sol seemed much more casual and less alien than expected. However, some parts of Alistair were worried it might be a facade to rope him in. There were a lot of manipulator gods within Earth's many pantheons. His casual and approachable demeanor could be the mask Sol chose to win him over.
Sol nodded sagely before correcting him. "Actually, it's much worse. Picture orcs, but with an added layer of cunning and deceit. Persuading anyone to align or ally with us has proven exceedingly difficult. Frankly, they're not entirely wrong to be wary, either. Compared to them, we appear to be barbarians. Even civilizations somewhat advanced like ours, which have managed to evade self-destruction, a rarity among humans, are still perceived as volatile and untrustworthy. Our Immediate neighbors are still hesitant to cooperate with me in any real capacity despite our dire position; the Milky Way is one of the closest galaxies to one of the three bridges established to our universe.
"Wait, three bridges?" Alistair exclaimed with a shocked expression.
"Yes, the Multiverse does not expand in a line; it's easier to think of it as a spherical expansion; our universe joins the sphere at three points, one close to the Milky Way." Sol elaborated casually.
Alistair considered what had been said, but something bothered him. "Humans can't be that bad from what trickled through from the multiverse; many heroes and good individuals in the stories were human," Alistair argued, a little worried at the last revelation.
Sol gave him a sad smile. "Those are indeed exceptional individuals, occasionally falsely portrayed as humans in stories to suit our sensibilities. However, consider how many humans typically oppose those heroes and their terrible actions and what motivates them. While there are standout individuals, as a collective, we're regarded as terrible allies. We frequently betray our own kind, which very few other races do. Even demons have a better reputation than us, as they can be expected to uphold contracts and agreements. I know that you are aware of how chaotic Earth will be upon everyone's return from the trial, and I agree with your assessment." Sol said, a frown painted across his near-inhuman features. Alistair noticed a flicker of darkness in Sol's eyes for the briefest of moments.
Alistair was learning a lot, and this meeting was already proving a valuable opportunity, even if he did not like how reactionary he was in this conversation. However, facing a god, it was difficult to argue as Sol seemed to have an answer for everything. There were also some burning questions he wanted answered, but he needed to be careful not to make it too obvious.
"This is not how I expected this conversation to go, and you are... much more relaxed? Then I expected," Alistair said hesitantly.
Sol broke out in a loud, melodic laughter that made Alistair want to join him but restrained himself to a smile as Sol calmed himself into a rumbling chuckle.
"I have observed you long enough that I know such an approach would be futile. Also, your faith affinity is so abysmal that you will never become a proper champion of mine, so why bother? I find this approach more comfortable as well. I wasn't trying to unnerve you when I told you not to walk on eggshells. It was me permitting you to be blunt," Sol said jovially as he summoned two golden cups with silvery liquids before them, taking one for himself.
"It's ambrosia; don't drink it too fast and try to enjoy it," Sol gestured toward the cup before taking a sip himself.
Alistair still felt a little distrustful about the whole exchange but decided he would try to treat Sol like a person for now. Alistair took his cup and took a small sip. The taste was indescribable yet amazing and pleasant; his senses were helplessly overwhelmed trying to nail down the taste. Alistair looked at it with a shocked expression, struggling not immediately to drink the rest of the liquid.
"It goes great with that Lom Lom meat your clan sells; I was hoping you could sell me some occasionally," Sol said with a laugh at Alistair's efforts to resist drinking his beverage.
Alistair put down the ambrosia, trying to focus on the conversation, he had many questions and he had the strong sense Sol could answer any and all of them if he wanted to.