Chapter 270: Discussions and Deals (1/2)

The center of the Nebula Drifter was an enormous room paneled on all sides by glass. It showed the sheer vibrance of space in a way I'd never seen in person. Obolis really enjoyed nebulas and galaxies since they seemed to be an everyday aesthetic for the guy, and he used them to the fullest extent for the natural sense of awe they gave.

These panels of glass were supported by triangular, gray struts composed of the same material as Obolis's armor. They were subtle, only taking up small sections at the very top and bottoms of the entire view. These enforcements radiated a firm sense of security and power as if they could never break. The floor beneath them contrasted this firmness, every section holding many secrets.

This spawned from the innumerable panels spread about on the ground. Some were propped up, shops set to open and close at a moment's notice. Many of these fold-up shops took up the center of the space viewing room. Dozens of these luxury stores were fully prepaid, their merchandise free as clerks handed over expensive gifts. The Empire spared no expense, these centers stocked up on delicious snacks, drinks, and entrees to satisfy the hundreds of hungry aliens here.

So many options assaulted the senses, battling for my attention all at once. It gave the entire space an overwhelming feel of effortless extravagance. It was like the luxuries were just an afterthought for the real meat and potatoes of the evening: conversation.

Around us, hundreds of albony spoke with aliens of all kinds. They all looked unusual, but that meant no one really stuck out amidst the sea of strangeness. The open room hosted several avian species as well, the large, open area of the room host to insectoids, birds, and mammalian species that could fly. Hod spread his wings at the sight of it, floating into the soaring zone to mingle. He perched himself on a landing rack designed with the comfort of sentient species in mind.

As he flew away, many of the aliens noticed our group, but their gaze didn't linger. I let out a deep breath as I watched eyes cease gazing at us. I preferred not being gawked at like some weirdo. Althea shared my sentiment, her grasp on my hand softening.

With our unease settled, we skulked through the place, a profound sense of discomfort coming over me. It was partly from being in space, somewhere so vulnerable. A single meteorite could shatter this glass room and kill everyone here. Everyone but me, and I'd be one of the people expected to save others.

As I planned out a rescue path for my guildmates, Obolis spotted us, the ancient albony towering over the others here. The grizzled Emperor shifted through the crowds like a ghost, stepping right up to us. He wore the same gray armor as always, though he groomed his fur like the other albony present. He turned to Althea,

”You've prepared for this evening well. You look beautiful.”

She looked away, flushing once more. Obolis peered at me, ”Excuse me for saying so. I simply had to.”

I raised a hand, ”Don't worry. I understand...but thanks for the apology. Florence got a little too friendly earlier, and I had to let him know.”

Obolis gave my shoulder a squeeze, ”There's something I will need to let you know as well. You're a selling point for my cause. This means that you're a resource to me as I am a resource for you. That being the case, I'd rather utilize my resource wisely. The same could be said for you as well, couldn't it?”

My eyes narrowed, ”What are you talking about?”

”Please, excuse me for this, but understand that it must be done.”

Obolis lifted his other hand, holding a glass in it. He took his claw and tapped it, a ringing sound overcoming the room. As nearby people quit talking, a wave of quiet passed over the party. My heart sank at the sight as Obolis gestured to me,

”This is the Harbinger in the flesh. I understand many of you may not recognize him as he often wears his armor. Please, speak with him and learn who he really is. You shall not regret it, and may your relations with his guild prosper.”

He gave me a pat on my shoulder,

”Good luck. You shall need it.”

My heart sank as the crowd looked at me. They rushed towards me and began talking and talking and talking. An endless stream of voices cascaded onto our group as we became the centerpiece of the party. We were like a new set of toys thrown out into a playpen full of bored children. I fought against this tide, speaking to a few people before being interrupted about fifty times.

Obolis would pay for this one. 'Using resources wisely,' my ass.

I raised a hand and pushed everyone away with a telekinetic panel. I turned to everyone while shouting,

”Speak to me one group at a time. I'm not going to sit here and listen to each of you yell over each other to get a word in. We're civilized, so act like it.”

I used a bit of Event Horizon to really drive the point home in those nearby. A few people even fell down, not exactly high level but high in social status instead. After getting the situation under control, people talked to me. Over and over, they introduced themselves, their guild, their purpose, what they wanted from me, along with various offers they included in all those details.

I experienced intense mental fatigue, quickly becoming fed up with the entire prolonged exchange. Yes, I could remember the names crossing in and out of my ears. No, I didn't want to. It bored me within a few minutes, the sheer strain of it swamping me. To ease the stress, I used my status to create an evergrowing list of names with a few categories underneath each of them.

Thank you, Schema, for the dynamic list-making.

This let me organize the data some, but I simply couldn't keep up with the demand. After a while, I asked for everyone to let me be with Althea for a bit. We walked up to the edge of the glasswork, peering out into the vast void. Inspecting close, I found the panels partitioned out by hexagonal, gray strings that reinforced the glass substrate. The pillars weren't the only thing holding this together, so it might have been more durable than I first estimated.

Althea leaned into my view, her hands gripped behind her.

”Whatcha doing?”

I noticed her figure, and my heart raced,

”I'm inspecting this glass. It has something supporting it.”

”So it's kind of like what they do in Mt. Verner to keep the mountain from collapsing?”

I nodded, entranced by her, ”Yeah...Exactly.”

She noticed me looking, so she did a swirl, her dress's ruffles spreading out. She gave me a glance of pure confidence,

”I see I've got you on edge.”

I got control of myself,

”Always. What do you think about the evening so far?”

”Blegh, it's been so exhausting. There were way too many names for me to remember them all.”

”Same. I tried getting that situation earlier under control. I just didn't want you to feel too uncomfortable. How'd I do?”

”Hmm, let me think. It was a tough situation the Emperor put us in. He really wanted you to meet people.”

”Yeah. The thing is, they're meeting me, and I'm not meeting them. I can't remember all these names and faces. If I wasn't recording them in my status, this would be a waste of time.”

”Sheesh, that's a good idea. You did more than I did. My eyes kind of glazed over after the fifth person was introduced.”

I leaned back, ”What? Fifth? Mine did after the third.” I gave her a begrudging nod, ”Impressive.”

She giggled for a moment before I wrapped my arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around me too, and we did a little slow dance while staring at each other. A piece of light music played in the background. The smells of high-quality perfume and well-made food sauntered about, tantalizing the senses. She was amazing, and for a few moments, I was in heaven.

She grinned at me, noticing my bliss. She poked my nose, ”I'll be back. I'm going to go find Caprika and see if I can't catch up. I've got so much I want to tell her.”

I gave a fake frown, ”Don't be gone for too long. I don't want to be stuck here by myself.”

She rolled her eyes, ”Come on now, you're the Harbinger. One more conversation isn't going to kill you.”

Maybe, but maybe not. I turned and stared outside, trying to look profound and deep in thought. I figured people might think I was too busy to interrupt, but my strategy failed as someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around, a bit peeved until I saw who it was.

I raised an eyebrow, ”Wrath? What are you doing here?”

The slime queen, shaped in a feminine outline spoke in her grave, matriarchal voice,

”I am here to find someone who shall help our species against Plazia-Ruhl.”

I frowned, ”Oh...Yeah. Sorry I haven't found the time to help you yet.”

”You spoke of helping me, not of a certain time. We've warred against that monster for centuries now, and we shall continue to do so. I wonder when you would be able to assist us, however. Perhaps a date may be estimated?”

I tapped my chin, ”Hmm, let me think.”

The first goal I needed to complete was this war with the Adairs. That would take a few months, at least. After that, I wanted to establish our presence on Earth. Helping out the Vagni wouldn't take that long afterward, meaning it would take maybe three to four years before I'd be able to help out Wrath.

I bit my tongue, giving myself a mental slap. I was powerful, but taking on all these tasks could be more than I could handle. I needed to sit down and write out a priority list or something before I ended up getting in over my head with deals. Freeing up some space on my calendar wouldn't do me any harm, either.

Popping out of the crowd, Obolis peered at Wrath,

”It's good to see you again. I hope your colonies fare well in these troubled times.”

She shifted, ”I would say the same, but given the rebellions, you've seen better days. I know this.”

Obolis grinned, ”I have a measure of control over the situation. This entire evening is, in fact, a soiree to showcase Schema's dominance over the rebellion. The glassing shall act as a reminder to you all. That being said, I'd rather my own planets not be glassed.”

Wrath seethed, ”There we can agree, Finder of Secrets.”

Obolis turned to me, ”It's good to see you, Harbinger. Do each of you know one another?”

I nodded, ”We do. We met a while back while I was pretending to be the Gray Giant.”

Wrath body wiggled in place, ”Indeed. This is a wolf who wears a sheep's skin, as the eldritch would say. We need him in our plight against Plazia. They fear him. I've heard them whisper of him in their legends. I wish to use his legend to build my own.”

Obolis frowned, ”Ah, so the both of you are at an impasse then?”

Claws rippled under Wrath's skin, ”How would you know of our struggles?”

”I know a little of Daniel's schedule, and strained would be a gentle word given his position...What if I acted as a negotiator of sorts to ease the situation over? Perhaps an agreement could be made?”

Wrath perked up, spines growing and submerging through her skin,

”I appreciate your kindness, Carnage of Olstatia.”

Obolis gave her a slight bow, ”Please, call me Obolis or the Finder of Secrets. I'd rather not dabble into my darker history, whether by name or by action.”

I eyed the Emperor with suspicion. He came at far too convenient a time, and the guy seemed like he was waiting for this kind of situation to occur. Obolis gestured a hand to Wrath,

”So your kind is faced with a behemothic eldritch, one that can swallow worlds?”

”We fight as one, but it is mighty. It waits on calm winds, one day ready to pounce at our open necks.”

Obolis gestured a hand, ”And this mighty warrior is preoccupied with his wars and alliances. Perhaps I may untangle the responsibilities for both of you by offering a deal.”

Obolis turned to me, ”I can reward you with a few items in exchange for helping Wrath promptly.”

Obolis grinned at Wrath, ”And in exchange for offering the Harbinger my resources, your kind may come to cleanse my worlds of the blighted ones. It would be a far greater use of your resources than fighting that hivemind.”

I crossed my arms, ”Why would you want them to clear out worlds instead of us?”

Wrath shivered, ”Our kind feasts on stone and metal. It would be no difficult feat to shift our diet to the Hybrids instead of the eldritch swarms of our homeworld.”

I tilted my head, ”Is that what it's like there?”

Wrath twitched as memories flooded in,

”It is a hollowed world compared to what you're used to. We live differently, our bodies made of different parts and pieces. Our colonies war with one another, and we survive through evolution, our faith in nature absolute.”

Wrath lifted her arms, claws piercing her skin. They formed hands,

”And now our kind is faced with a being that has evolved past us. We wish to use an even greater being to fight this entity. There are few we believe actually exceed Plazia-Ruhl. You are the only one of those few that may be willing to help us.”

I furrowed my brow, ”Why not just use some technology or magic? I'm sure that could help bridge the gap.”

”To do so is to sacrifice our way of life. If we must do so to survive, then are we truly living?”

I looked back and forth, ”Uh, yeah? You would definitely still be alive.”

Wrath pointed at me, ”You are no different from us. You wished to survive by your own means, and you lived through perseverance. A single-minded pursuit is what sustained you.”

I narrowed my eyes, ”Now how would you know that?”

”We have spoken with the eldritch. They tell tall tales of you, Harbinger. They speak in whispered tones, carrying stories of a being filled with infinite hunger and unending growth. A true monster who is starved enough to devour its own skin and flesh and blood to lessen its endless famine. They say you are never satisfied. Perhaps it is true. Perhaps not.”

Wrath shivered, ”What they see, I cannot. I believe in their fear, however. That I can put faith in.”

I shook my hands, ”That's got to be a misunderstanding. I'm not eating myself.”

”To them, it is more real than meat and bone. I sense the truth in their words. They say you bend the laws of nature to your will, and you wield the very fabric of dimensions in your hands. It is written across you, stories of your dominance, and immortality.”

Obolis raised a hand, ”Is she referring to your cipher inscriptions? I understood you were channeling mana, but I didn't think of it as devouring yourself. That seems quite illogical, even for the eldritch.”

Obolis's eyes widened,

”Unless...you're using blood magic.”

I frowned, not saying anything. Obolis grabbed his chin, ”Ah, so that is how one can explain it...That is why you're able to manage so many strengths. Hmm, interesting. This changes the situation entirely. No wonder you wish for an elemental furnace to such an extent.”

Obolis grinned at me, ”You would be able to not only build yourself using the cipher, but you would also be able to rejuvenate from any harm in an instant by turning mana to flesh.”

Wrath leaned forward, ”This monster wishes to devour this universe as well?” She turned to me, ”You are no different than the eldritch then.”

I spread out my hands,

”Eat the universe? Really? Holy shit, guys. The scale is different. I'm not over here eating people or planets. At most, I'd be converting rocks or dirt into mana and using that for my cipher augments. I don't understand why that's considered so strange to the eldritch. To me, it just makes sense from a pragmatic perspective. That's all.”

Obolis frowned, ”Perhaps it's merely a difference in perspective then? You are an anomaly, of that I'm certain. Using the cipher as you do would normally result in a stark shift in your personality. It would be as if you were rewriting who you are. Instead, it affects only your physical body, and your mind remains unchanged. I've deduced as much since meeting you.”

Obolis raised a finger, his mind revving up,

”Your personality is constant, only shifting as you naturally grow. In that way, your mind and body must be separate entities entirely now. Otherwise, the cipher would warp you into a caricature of yourself. I've seen it happen in others. I wouldn't wish the same onto you.”

I remembered Yawm and what happened to him. The big plant man acted like a megalomaniac, some kind of obsession controlling him. Yawm was also covered in cipher runes that helped him use otherworldly powers. The runic configurations might have manifested in his personality and resulting god complex. That explained why he was so...off.

Those same side effects didn't apply to me. Otherwise, I'd be acting more differently than I do if what Obolis said was true. My face saturated with confusion as I thought about it further,

”What would that even mean, though? My mind isn't in my body?”

Obolis shrugged, ”I've no idea, honestly. Your lack of precedent comes from being unique. This means there's no history of this before; you walk into uncharted waters alone. In many ways, we can only pray you do not drown in those waters.”

I frowned, ”Man, you really know how to cheer someone up, you know that?”

Obolis waved off my concerns, ”Perhaps these implications will manifest at a different time. For now, I'd rather discuss more earthly concerns, such as the deal between you two.”

Wrath pointed at Obolis, ”Why does it interest you so?”

Obolis stood up straight, ”It is simply beneficial for me to be involved. I cannot offer you anything you value, Wrath, but I can offer Daniel quite a bit. He can offer you something you need, but you have nothing you may grant him.”

The surface of Wrath's body quivered as she seethed, ”I own many things I can reward the Harbinger with.”