Chapter 711: The Harbinger of Cake (1/2)

Chapter 711 The Harbinger of Cake

Dagon watched as the group split up, Kyrian and Claire joining Trian, the rest of the council joining with the Elders and Ilea. Tables with snacks and drinks had appeared at some point, the ground flattened and shifted to create some sort of yard in front of the Sentinel site. Wooden ornaments grew out of the ground to decorate the vicinity, tipped with bowls of stone. White burning ash appeared above and settled in the stone cauldrons.

He clasped Elise’s hand as they watched the ground shift, elements created before their very eyes. Of course he was familiar with both storage devices and wood magic but the spectacle felt so very nonchalant. A demonstration of power, even after everything they had seen and perceived.

“Did you hear it talk?” Elise whispered to him, her eyes towards the black grass.

“Yes,” Dagon said. The knowledge this being must possess. All the beings here possess. He couldn’t fathom it all. “How old are you?” he asked through the telepathic link. He had dozens of questions. All wrestling with each other to be the first asked. He held his breath, unsure how much the being would truly answer but he had to try, had to know.

“Older than most,” it replied. “Is it not considered rude to ask such questions?”

“Apologies, Sir, Lady Meadow. How should I address you?” he asked, fumbling in his mind as Elise looked at him with curiosity.

He felt as if a giggle flowed through the very core of reality, the hair on his neck standing up.

“Just Meadow is perfectly acceptable, librarian,” it spoke. “If you intend to ask for a trade of information and books, I am very much interested.”

He smiled, barely able to contain his excitement as he grasped his ring, hoping it was still there. Dagon had brought a lot to this meeting. Whatever political and trade advantages this would bring to Ravenhall was secondary to him. The fact that they had traveled to the north, had the opportunity to communicate with beings that had never even been to the plains, could learn from them, learn about their history, their struggles, it was overwhelming. He respected the power these creatures commanded but they were allies to Ilea, and he would use that for all it was worth.

“I am,” he said out loud and squeezed Elise’s hand. “May I summon a table?”

The ground shifted as a sizable construct grew out from the stone, a well crafted table with various marked sections appeared and settled. “I assume you have brought paper and a way for me to put information down in a somewhat permanent way. Hallowfort lacks some of these supplies, difficult to obtain and far less useful to the people in these parts of the world.”

Dagon summoned stacks of paper, ink, and a variety of pens. “There is nothing more useful than the preservation of knowledge,” he answered.

“An admirable conviction,” the being replied.

Dagon tried to hide his shaking hands as he watched the provided supplies start floating.

Elise watched in wonder, a smile on her face that quickly distracted him from the absurd reality of their situation.

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“You look. Good,” Kyrian said. He held a plate with some snacks.

“You think so?” the machine replied, green eyes shining as they surveyed the mingling people.

“Very… deadly,” he said and bit into the pastry filled with meat.

Aki moved his long fingers and glanced at the pastry. “I suppose that’s good for a guardian. What does it taste like?”

“Salty,” Kyrian said and looked up at the being. “Dry on the outside but the filling is nice.”

“You don’t seem particularly versed in eating, no offense,” the machine said.

Kyrian looked at the crumbs that had fallen to the ground, some onto the plate. He glanced back at the machine. “I suppose. I didn’t consider manners much while living on the isles.”

“I can teach you, if you like. Whenever we have time between lessons,” Aki suggested.

He smiled at the machine. Not machine. He’s a colleague. Fellow teacher. Just about three times as strong than before. It had given him some confidence to know he was at least more powerful than most people in Ravenhall. From a purely magical perspective. Here however he felt a little lost. With just the Meadow, Ilea, and the various high level beings it wasn’t an issue but now it felt more like some kind of nobility event. “I’m uncomfortable,” he murmured.

“I noticed. The hooded Shadow keeps looking at you. Perhaps she is interested in a romantic way?” Aki suggested.

“You think so?” Kyrian asked, eating the rest of his pastry.

The Pursuer waved at the Shadow, the woman immediately taking a few steps back before she joined Sulivhaan’s side, the group currently talking to Iana. “I believe I scared her.”

“Maybe,” Kyrian said as he watched Ilea look at a wine bottle in her hand, a tendril of ash forming before her, piercing the cork and flicking it away. Produced in Eregar’s Haven.

She poured herself a glass and vanished. “Doing alright you two?”

Kyrian glanced at the woman now standing between them. “This is not my kind of event.”

“Yeah, I can feel your discomfort,” Ilea mused. “Let me get the smiths. We found some pretty interesting metal in the pit, might be worthwhile for you to have a look at,” she said and vanished again.

Goliath and Bralin joined them a minute later, a workbench appearing on the prepared platform as they continued their discussion. Kyrian joined their side without a word, more interested in their consideration of metals than the talk of gate security and applications he heard from Iana.

Aki apparently felt the same.

“Bralin can we borrow your music box?” Ilea asked, catching the thing when he threw it her way. “Thanks!” she said with a smile and vanished.

Does she even walk at this point?

He looked at Trian, the man joined by Verena as they walked towards the cube like structure, set at an angle into the stone below.

Kyrian looked up to see a new being floating above the workbench, white eyes looking down on the plans and metals before it glanced his way.

“Hello,” he said, assuming it was the Fae he had met before.

Hello. Human.

The voice sounded different, more feminine. She managed to find another one, he thought when music started placing, the volume adjusted until it faded into the background. Yet another technological marvel.

He focused back at the large workbench, ready to say very few words for the remainder of this meeting. And yet he still wanted to be there, a tense but excited atmosphere in the air, the significance of the meeting more than obvious to everyone present.

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Claire tasted the wine, her eyes on the gate placed slightly above the stone ground. The drink wasn’t the best thing she’s ever had but she liked the taste. Red and heavy, much like blood. Not that she ever drank glasses full of blood. “They should arrive soon,” she sent to the Meadow, the being more than accommodating with all the questions and concerns she’s had. At least she had proof now that the creature was more than just a powerful four mark. She didn’t know yet if that was a good thing or not.

“Indeed. About three minutes, should no complications occur,” the being answered straight into her mind.