Meld reached her hand out and her fingers locked around the mini brain as she took it from Li.

"This feels…rather strange?" said Meld. "I've not held any seed quite like this."

"Nor would you want to," remarked Sindra.

"I'll explain what this is. It's called the Synarch. You keep it with you, and you can establish a clear line of communication with me just like using a message crystal. You just need to, hm, what was it again?" Li took a second to remember the obscure lore about using message crystals. "Yes, channel some mana into it."

"Ah," said Meld. Her eyes stared forward as the brain wriggled in her palm. "Alas, I do not have mana."

"Right," said Li, remembering that the heroes here did not abide by the same rules as other beings. "Then Cicero, you take it. I also have more of a…contingency plan against you if you mess up as well, so I suppose you are the better choice to begin with."

"Two seeds upon my body now," said Cicero dryly as he took the seed from Meld's hand. "Never did I think I would become a living garden, but here we are."

"That seed is absolutely priceless and one of a kind," said Li. "If you lose it, you may very well become fertilizer for a new garden."

"Understood," said Cicero with a nod.

"Good. Now, I have the seed's husk." Li held up the leathery outer coating of the seed he had ripped off. "Whoever holds this is on the other end of the communication line. And do not worry about the seed's functions becoming compromised. Its rarity comes not from its messaging function, but the fact that it can guard against any and all interference, even effects such as True Silence."

"True Silence?" Cicero raised a brow.

"A higher form of silencing effect," said Alexei with a degree of familiarity. Unsurprising, considering he was higher leveled. "It renders the accursed completely mute from all their senses, unable to reach out even through remote messaging to others."

"And an ability commonly attributed to Higher Vampires," noted Ven'thur with a smile.

"Now that is new knowledge," said Alexei, his stone-cold expression giving zero hint or give at Ven'thur's antics. "You seem to be a scholar of sorts. I am too. Perhaps we may chat about our knowledge some time."

"It would be my pleasure," said Ven'thur with a slight bow.

"Alright, now that tea time has been scheduled, I'll continue," said Li. "Cicero, channel your mana into that and give me any updates you deem important. Do not use the seed too liberally. It does give off magical energy when activated which may be traceable. In other words, I am not expecting a bedtime call every single day."

"Understood," said Cicero.

"Good," said Li. "We can test out the seed later. For now, I want to get through other orders of business from our special guests. Starting with you, Alexei."

The count nodded. "As one of the premiere nobles of this city, I have been privy to the army's war plans. I have had a few aides replicate my notes summarizing the details and distributed them to Sindra, the most capable master of coin. However, I warn you that once the armies leave Riviera, I will no longer be privy to these plans.

A few points to note that may draw your attention. Leonid and Launcelot have decided to stay at Riviera with half the first blood legion. The remainder will march with you, it is said."

"I am sure that news made waves among the nobles and generals here," said Li.

"Most certainly," said Alexei with a slight sigh. "The utter chaos in the revelation that the Famer's Guild of all had managed to obtain the might of an entire blood legion, one of the finest fighting forces in the entire duchy. And to further it all, the guildmaster obtained the force through besting Leonid the Heart-Ripper through single combat. There was much a clamor to force your enlistment."

"A good thing I am going on my own terms," said Li.

"You speak as if you would have allowed these noblemen to strongarm you into enlistment," said Alexei amusedly, though it was difficult to tell there was any levity in his permanently serious voice. "And further – I cannot grant you the assistance of Black Securities westward.

I suspect I am drawing significant suspicion in my relations with you, and I must maintain some measure of distance between us. This temporary leave you undertake will be quite beneficial in that regard."

"I understand," said Li. "But, tell me, I suppose you can still operate in the shadows?"

"Certainly."

"Then I have a request for you. After this meeting." Li turned his attention to Gronn. "And now you. What is your purpose being here?"

Gronn gave out a grunt of acknowledgement, which Li began to realize was quite a habitual thing for the brawny dragon. "I tell you now what I am to do. I will return north. Take all my lesser brethren. I will send them here."

Sindra immediately sat up. "Excuse me? How many dragons will that be?"

"Ten," said Gronn.

Li felt some confusion. "Only ten?"

"I cannot save all. Ten I have managed." Gronn growled, more to himself than to anyone else. "Highers suspect me. Tell me now to bring heads. Proof. I cannot wield magic like the highers. They will see through any trick."

He pointed to Tia. "Intended to bring her as the last to save. Then flee with my brethren. But I know now there is safety here. If you-," He directed his claw to Li now. "Are willing to raise us. The lesser. Like her. Then there is hope. Will you take them?"

"Any you direct here, I will take," said Li.

Tia clapped her hands. "More dragons! More me! Will I see them?"

"Yes," said Li as he put a hand on her head. "You will. Let's hope they're all nice."

"All of them are friendly," said Gronn. "Young. Like her. Some older. Some younger. But no large difference."

"And you?" asked Li.

"After sending the lessers here, I will meet the highers. Attempt to tell them I have failed. That I could not find her," said Gronn. "I may die. I may not."

Li looked at Gronn again. The dragon's humanoid form had features he recognized. Black scales that were thick and crudely shaped like roughly hewn tiles. A large jaw with fangs that jutted out like those of an orc's. But most noticeably, the grey flesh beneath the scales was not leathery like reptilian skin, but rather smooth.

"You are a Salamander base dragonkin, are you not?" asked Li.

Gronn paused to wonder where Li was going with this. "Yes."

"You can regenerate?"

"Yes."

"Then give me your arm. If you end up perishing to the higher dragons, I will consider resurrecting you." Li's voice gained an immediate edge. "In return, do only this. When you meet the higher dragons and tell them you have failed, they will ask you about the details of your hunt, no? Where you went. Where Tia is."

Gronn grunted affirmatively.

Li nodded. "Lead them to me. I would like to meet them. Personally."