Nate’s Regalia shifted around him as he took a seat in the command room of the Golden Tide. The walls were decorated with various military standards along with paintings of various individuals all wearing the red and gold uniform. Nate didn’t ask his guide, Marshal Hondo, but he was fairly certain that the display was meant to honour fallen heroes. A room meant to inspire pride in those who had come before and to encourage others to rise to the occasion.

Grand Marshal Grommir and Marshal Hondo moved off to the side of the room, remaining standing as they whispered. Nate caught a few words and knew they were discussing the disposition and number of their own forces. Things that ultimately didn’t concern him, so he refrained from listening in. That left one final person in the room and it was that individual that made his way over, casually taking a seat next to Nate.

“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.”

Grand Strategist Crastor offered his hand to Nate, which he took without issue, giving what he hoped amounted to a firm shake.

“Not properly, but Grommir mentioned you. Grand Strategist Crastor, right?”

“You can just call me Crastor,” offered the orc. “And you’re Nathaniel Weber, The Artist of Last Rites.”

Nate blinked.

“Come again?”

“Oh, you didn’t know. That is what they’re calling you. The various news organisations from a number of the factions you defeated in the World Reaping. I believe they even stole the title from you. One of the cannons you made, right?”

Nate nodded, trying to sink into his chair. He blamed Kiri for this. If she’d just let him call the Cannon a Shaped Destruction Beam, none of this would’ve happened.

“They’ve used a few others. Painted Reaper, Faux Artist…that one is from the news suppliers that claim that you were cheating by making use of the volcano and the Peak-grade within it. But the Artist of Last Rites is the most used one.”

Nate’s eyes narrowed at Crastor. It was like the Grand Strategist was trying to settle him, answering questions or thoughts before Nate voiced them.

“Your suspicion is correct. Well, mostly correct. I am reading you. Your body language, heart rate, eye movement, and a few other more esoteric things.”

“Such as?” asked Nate curiously.

“Smell. Sounds less esoteric when you say it like that but it’s far more complicated than that. No need to get into the particulars but you could say I am something of an information sponge, absorbing everything I can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste.”

Nate drummed his fingers in thought, “Makes sense. Your title, I mean. Which begs the question, what is it you want? You don’t seem the type to ingratiate yourself for no reason.”

Hondo and Grommir had stopped talking and were now very blatantly listening in to Nate’s conversation.

“You are correct, young Nate. You prefer Nate, right? This is less an attempt to ingratiate myself and more a fact finding mission. I wanted to see how you would react to such a title. If I may be so bold, you didn’t like it very much. I know plenty of individuals that would be ecstatic with such a title. Given the Patriarch of your Sect and his nature, I wondered how much of his destructive tendencies would be found in one of his star pupils. Yet the idea of being seen as a bringer of death is abhorrent to you. How am I doing?” asked Crastor.

Nate relaxed ever so slightly, then let all of the stress he had been building up wash away from him as he realised one simple fact. He didn’t care what Crastor knew about him. His time for keeping secrets, hiding his strength, or any other such foolish notions was now in the past.

“You are correct on all counts.”

“Excellent!” Crastor clapped his hands.

“Where do we go from here?” asked Nate.

“Well, the Eternal River Sect will be along shortly. I’ll push them to give you whatever you want as we go over deployment details for the frontlines. Then I will take your advice and determine the best use of your skills and time. You may object, of course. After all, I may have peered into your nature, but if I am being honest, I am not entirely certain of your capabilities…”

“You can just ask, you know. Instead of being careful to… I don’t know… not offend me or whatever it is you’re doing. I already agreed to help if the Eternal River gives me what I want. I won’t suddenly change my mind or back out.”

Nate knew what he’d just said. Knew what could be interpreted from his words. That didn’t stop him and in the distance he felt a pocket of Destruction, shaking as though it were laughing. Crastor didn’t miss it either.

“Interesting phrasing. Change your mind…it’s not something you would hear when a Lesser Divine is dealing with a Greater or True Divine. Reciprocity should bind all the parties tightly. But, you’re not bound, are you? Not anymore.”

Crastor leaned forward, fingers tensing out of what Nate assumed was a sense of curiosity. Behind the orc, Grommir looked on, a sense of hope in the half-ogre’s eyes. As for Marshal Hondo, there was only confusion.

“Not anymore,” agreed Nate.

“That doesn’t leave this room,” Grommir stated as he ordered Hondo to silence.

“How interesting…and the others of the Risen Sun Sect?” inquired Crastor.

“Luci is unbound, but if you use her poorly…Ankh’aris will take issue.”

“He would let us utilise her?” asked Crastor, sounding surprised. “She is young and he seemed somewhat protective of her.”

“I imagine he’d send her out if you didn’t. She is here to learn how to fight against other opponents. Lord Ankh’aris doesn’t have any sort of fondness for safety, though he’ll probably be near her. And if you use her, you’ll have to pay her, of course.”

Crastor nodded. “And Kiri Beaufoy?”

“Unbound shortly.”

Crastor leaned back and clapped his hands, “Perfect. With the three of you we should be able to make some serious headway in thinning Belori’s forces. You would be comfortable if we pitted you against Greater Divines, right?”

Nate tilted his head in confusion. Crastor had been so insightful up until now. Then Nate realised that the Sands of Erosion that were hiding the nature of his Vessel were also disguising the power it held. Gathering a blob of paint from his Regalia, Nate shaped it into the Divine Sigil for Space, then started filling it with mana.

All of his abilities began to combine together. His Embodiment doubled his effective Magical and Mental Stats as he worked with the Concept. Runic Reality further empowered the Sigil as Nate took control of the simple yet powerful rune. Then he flexed it and the entire room flexed with it, as though space was stretching and becoming malleable.

Grommir reached for Crastor, clearly thinking this was an attack but his hand never got closer to the orc as Nate casually stretched space further and further, using nothing more than mana and his abilities. When he saw that Grommir was starting to gather Divine Energy, Nate let the rune go. The paint returned to his robe like a drop of water, creating a ripple across the robes surface.

Grommir looked wild-eyed while Hondo was speechless. Only Crastor remained calm.

“True Divine, then. Well, thank you, but I am going to need to rework my entire plan. Can I expect the same from Luci and Kiri?”

“Probably,” replied Nate with a shrug.

If anything, he suspected Kiri might be even more inclined to deal with True Divines. After all, she was more specialised in single combat than Nate was.

“If that’s your plan, I would like to know who I am being sent to deal with ahead of time and details about their Skills and Path,” added Nate.

“I promise you’ll be included in all discussions and we’ll provide as many details as we can…” Crastor paused and Nate could sense why. The Eternal River Sect delegation had arrived. Less than a minute later, three individuals strode into the room. Leading the way was a blue-haired elven woman wearing a flowing, green robe. Behind the elf strode an old human male, bald and with blue tattoos flowing all over his body from what Nate could tell and, given the man was only wearing knee length shorts, Nate had a pretty good view. Finally, the rear was brought up by a blue goblin with a green gem embedded in her forehead.

“Lady Ocean, Lady Delta, Lord River, welcome,” greeted Crastor.

Nate only had eyes for Lord River, or, as he’d heard Arkikanvil call the man, Old Man River.

“Cut the shit, Crastor. Why are we here? Grommir said something about changing our approach for the frontlines to withhold Belori’s encroachment. Has there been a change? Is he sending in his Beast Kings again?” asked Lady Ocean, before glancing at Nate as an afterthought. “And, no offense, but why is a foreign Lesser Divine here?”

Crastor shook his head slightly.

“I invited you to help us broker a deal. A deal I believe could put an end to our problems.”

Crastor seemed happy to let his words hang in the air, filling the minds of the Eternal River leadership. Finally, Lady Delta took the bait.

“And this is your solution?” asked the goblin, indicating Nate. “I can appreciate that he and the other one from the World Reaping are exceptional. Yes, we have seen the recordings. However, being able to thin out their Lesser Divine tiers does nothing about the Beast Kings or, more importantly, the hordes of Mythics that Belori uses to occupy our worlds. I may not be a Strategist, but even I can see that.”

“Oh, Nate, Kiri, and their fellow Disciple, Luci, will not simply be dealing with the hordes of Mythics. Though, I suspect they would be willing to handle some of that for us. No, they will be luring out the Beast Kings.”

“You’re going to use them to try and trap some of Belori’s strongest forces?” asked Old Man River. “It could work. I am not sure why they would, but you seem confident Crastor, and I trust you to know what you’re doing. But, you didn’t need us for this. Why are we here?”

“I can answer that,” interjected Nate with a smile. “The answer is, our help does not come for free.”

“And the price?” sneered Lady Ocean.

Nate did some quick mental math as he determined how much to ask for. Normally he’d leave these kinds of negotiations to Kiri but she was still bound by Reciprocity. He had no such limitation.

“Nine items of my choosing from your vaults, plus the Molten Heart of the Void Star. Payment up front.”

Old Man River’s shining blue eyes narrowed on Nate, “How do you know about that?”

“That’s not part of the deal,” replied Nate. In a move that would make Kiri proud he added, “But I can tell you for an additional cost.”

Voices were raised as all three of the Eternal River Sect leadership started shouting at him.

Crastor finally calmed them down as he raised his voice, “The Golden Tide will share the cost. As will the Evergreen Grove. The Golden Tide will provide four, the Evergreen Grove three, and the Eternal River will need to provide two…plus the Molten Heart of the Void Star.”

“Ten Peak-grades for his assistance. That’s robbery. We might as well sell ourselves to Belori’khan’andur, Crastor!” raged Lady Delta, her blue skin turning a shade of purple as the gem in her forehead swirled chaotically with green light.

“How many worlds have we lost to Belori?” asked Grommir.

It was Marshal Hondo who answered.

“Twenty-seven and counting, sir.”

“Split three ways, that’s nine worlds each. How much could you do with nine worlds, Lady Ocean?”

Grommir’s words were followed by silence as the three Eternal River leaders looked thoughtful.

Finally, it was Old Man River who shattered the quiet consideration.

“You’re confident in this, Crastor? In whatever plan you have concocted with the Rising Sun Sect?”

“Risen Sun,” corrected Nate.

Crastor shot Nate an annoyed look to which Nate just smiled.

“Confident? Yes. Nothing is certain, but I think we could put an end to this once and for all. Honestly, if he’d asked for twice as much, I still would have paid it,” admitted the Grand Strategist.

“Why would you say that?!” asked an aghast Lady Delta.

Nate just rolled his eyes. Crastor had read him like a book. Again. Nate had asked for what he needed, but also what he thought was fair. Enough to try and find items for everyone else and a few for some people back on Galle.

“Nate isn’t going to use that against me. Not yet, anyway. I think you’ll find our new ally values honesty and integrity more than we’re used to.”

“We’ll need to discuss it,” said Lady Ocean. “And see the plan. I don’t share your confidence, Crastor, and I still cannot see how a few Lesser Divines can turn the tide. Even if you manage to lure in one of the Beast Kings, do we even have the forces to put them down?”

Crastor smiled, the green skin pulling back to reveal sharp incisors. “Apologies, but since we’re all marching in the same direction now, I should make myself clearer. We’re not going to put down the Beast Kings. The Risen Sun Sect is.”

Three sets of eyes flicked to Nate and he sighed as Crastor put him on the spot. But he also recognised why the orc had done it. The Eternal River needed to be convinced. So, for the second time, Nate split off a piece of his paint. This time, he chose his more frightening aspect. The blob of paint turned black, spiralling out into a three dimensional rune wrapped around a single Sigil. With that Sigil, Nate invoked Destruction, and the Concept answered. The looming threat of annihilation grew with each second as, at first, the Eternal River elders seemed amused, then concerned. This transitioned into worry before he saw the signs of fear in their eyes. Then he released it and light and sound returned to the room.

“Satisfied?” asked Crastor happily.

“The fuck was that?!” yelled Lady Delta. “That wasn’t the power of a Lesser Divine. That wasn’t even a Greater Divine! The fuck is going on?!”

Nate tried to be disarming, looking at them calmly. “We all have our secrets, Lady Delta. Are you satisfied that I am capable of what Grand Strategist Crastor says I am?”

Lady Delta looked unsure, but certainty had filled Lady Ocean’s posture.

“I am. I think we should agree.”

“What about Belori himself?” asked Lord River.

“We have something for that too,” added Crastor, certainty in his voice.

That same certainty had Nate’s stomach doing flips. Crastor thought Ankh’aris would take to the field, but Nate knew that wouldn’t be the case. That just meant Nate would need to be further advanced into the Nascent stage by the time Belori’khan’andur took to the field himself.

The three leaders of the Eternal River Sect spent a few minutes whispering, before they turned back to face the rest of the room.

“We agree to your terms,” stated Lady Ocean.

Nate stood up, his robe decorated in blue and gold today flowing with his form. “Then, let’s go have a look in your vaults.”

He ignored the look of displeasure on their faces, after all, he was about to get Kiri what she needed to remove her Class Core. Plus, maybe something for Hrung’Jak and Fili if he was feeling nice, which, if he was being honest with himself, he usually was.