Residents during the conflict had all been separated into two categories: protected, and essential. Transients would still need to buy materials, sell loot, and repair weapons and armor -- even if they were at war with one another. Any vendor with those particular functions remained in the cities under a blanket umbrella of immunity. Even the ice crashing down on the streets that was demolishing buildings and Transients left and right wasn’t immune to thisinvisible force field. If the building had a vendor in it, the building would survive. If the building didn’t have a vendor in it, it would be destroyed and slowly be rebuilt at the accepted repair rate.

Some buildings weren’t even getting repaired at all, slotted by the system to be left demolished so that Transients who had opted to abstain from being in the war would have quests to help rebuild, or if their job description was appropriate, reconstruct.

The Residents who did not fall under this umbrella were categorized as protected. The Residents had been evacuated, disrupting any number of quests that were longterm in the city as they were herded into neutral areas. There were several neutral areas. The Human King and the Winter Silf set up temporary refugee camps outside their territories and near the shoreline of Elysium. The Half Queen and her Dragon Consort had declared their entire territory neutral, and welcome all Residents while they waited for the Transient madness to end.

When you walked through the city now, wherever you were, if there was a person on the street they were a necessary vendor or they were a Transient.

So it was more than a little strange that there was a Resident with a green name slowly making their way through the pressed crowds of Transients in the streets. More than a few Transients, those who were neutral and those who were not, attempted to speak to this Resident, trying to see if they were part of a new quest. When the Resident merely smiled at them, they shrugged and went about their business.

From the outskirts of Blutonsi. From the inner parts all the way to the great gateway that lead to the Coliseum. Through the Coliseum hallways to the main arena where the AA Finals would have been held.

The Resident worked their way down the stairs to the sands where many battles had been fought over the years and paused momentarily.

Transients of all types had set up temporary shelter in the main arena of the shelter, all spread out around the glowing portal in the middle. There reasons for being their varied. Some of them were waiting to see if Empress Amelia would come through. Some, waiting to see if any enemies swept through. Others spent their days trying to unlock profound skills and using the portal as a gauge on their progress.

The Resident squared his shoulders and brushed off a bit of icy residue from his shoulder. He wore a torn half-cape situated to his left side. His features were hawkish and sharp, slightly sunken eyes golden over a roman thin nose. If you went by the clothes, he might be a Resident that was part of a minor nobility plotline.

He started to walk toward the portal, his head tilted at a curious angle.

Despite some of the Transients watching his approach curiously, no one really asked anything of him as he made his way through the winding camp. At least until he could finally see the portal for himself a dozen feet away with the interference of people and tents.

“Hey, where you going pal?”

The man paused slightly and turned, eyes quickly and curiously doing a once over of a man sitting sitting with his back to a tent facing the portal.

“There ain’t nothing in there you want to see green name.” He man said calmly after noting he had the Resident’s attention.

“Leave it alone, Flighty.” A woman near the portal turned around and her eyes lit up at seeing the Resident. “He’s just pathing wrong. Or he’s got a quest.”

“He’s not fancy looking enough to be handing out a quest here.” Flighty argued back, then after a moment he returned his eyes to the Resident. “You got a quest?”

“I wish I understand half the things you Transients talk about,” the man said in a harsh whisper. “I feel like it’s just a gentle push, and then I’d know.”

“See? He doesn’t have anything.” Flighty lost interest and rolled his eyes at the woman.

“It doesn’t hurt to be polite!” The woman griped.

The Resident walked closer to the portal, a peculiar look of doubt on his face. Close enough now that the gold light coming from the portal was starting to bathe his clothes and face.

“What is this?” He asked.

“It’s the portal for the que--.” The woman stopped and sighed loudly. “It’s the portal where some evil fellows came through and abducted the Empress of Elysium.”

The Resident looked over after a moment. “What Empress?”

“Amelia,” The woman said after a moment. “You know, Empress Amelia? You all bow when she walks by?”

“Ah,” The Resident didn’t give any indication that this answered the question but accepted it. “What are you all doing here?”

“Well, we’re all trying to work on our profound skills. You have to have a profound skill to break through the portal. I’m taking a break, but I’ll be back at it.” The woman paused hesitantly when there was no response, and then asked, “do you know any profound skills?”

“The path to profunditity is forever lost to me.” He said offhandedly. “Did you say the name was Amelia? This is the Empress of Elysium?”

“For a long time now. Since she’s been gone a lot of the Resident memory has been screwy,” the woman replied.

“I see. Thank you, Sunne.”

“Sure thing.” Sunne hesitated and then looked over his head. “Are you lost or something? Where areyou supposed to be?”

The man turned and Sunne started to take a step back as his eyes blazed golden. “What an excellent question. Are we where we’re supposed to be? I think about it all the time.”

Sunne stared blankly and then looked over his head again. “What’s your name?”

The Resident looked over his own head and saw that there was a simple title that said ‘Resident’. It seemed to be bothering Sunne, so he pointed at it and the name changed. He pointed up at it and then looked at her, “there.”

“Vienne,” Sunne frowned, wincing slightly as her eyes looked him over again. “Like the goddess?”

Vienne smiled, and then without really replying stepped through the portal. He ignored the cries of caution that came after him, and then the cries of astonishment as he stepped unharmed onto the other side.

Vienne looked around at the unfamiliar forest and then off to right. “If you attack me, then we will be enemies.”

Ursula stepped from the shadow of a tree, coalescing into view with a careful and slow step. “Turn around, and go back. Or we’re enemies.”

“I’m going that way, at the request of my faithful. If you impede me, we will be enemies,” Vienne warned once more.

Ursula reached into a side pouch, some sort of spatial storage, and began removing small sharpened knives.

Vienne tilted his head and looked at Ursula for a long moment before his eyes turned hard. He held out an empty hand to his right and a longsword that looked as if it had been crafted from molten steel and had never cooled appeared from nothingness. “So be it.”

Vienne took several steps through the corridor of stars, marveling at the view as it passed. His hands were clasped behind his back, running atop nothing, seemingly unconcerned with the incredible speed at which he traveled.

As Vienne neared the end of the corridor of stars he slowed slightly, waving a hand over himself and fading slightly. Now he would be invisible to any who weren’t powerful enough. Even if they were powerful enough, they would have to be staring directly at him.

Vienne’s first impression wasn’t very good. This place was not a good place. There were all sorts of mixed feelings of fear and oppression. He clicked his tongue and slowly floated down to the ground. His gaze sharpened as he realized even the ground wasn’t necessarily the ground. Cages as far as the eye could see. Cages that did not feel entirely inorganic.

Amelia…

With the thought to anchor his purpose, he found he was close enough to his target that he could sense her. He shimmered slightly and disappeared, willing himself to teleport to that direction.

When he reverted back to real space, he was still invisible. Still invisible, with a brow that was slowly furrowing.

“...Basically, Vienne was the worst band mate, friend, roommate, pirate, and ally you could possibly have. Vienne, when it came down to it, could never take on the role of her stepmother.” This Amelia was on her butt, staring blankly at the wall saying the most absurd things he’d ever heard.

Vienne canceled the greater invisibility function and stood behind her, his expression looking more grave with every pervsity that left her mouth. What, exactly, did Gabriel think was going to happen here?

Who was this woman where she thought she could casually bad mouth him, even from worlds and corridors away?

Vienne briefly wondered if he should try the item he had gotten from the portal defender. It promised silence, and that was something that Vienne suddenly desired.