Amdirlain’s PoV - Culerzic

“Roher, after my next session creating constructs with Laergul, would you have time to create some crystal rods?”

It was a few minutes before he responded. “While I’ll be able to spare time, I have a family commitment, so I’ll only be able to give you about seven hours for a session. If that is insufficient, I can organise someone else?”

“Even a few hours will be enough, but I don’t want to chew into family time.”

“I’ll see you at the end of your next session,” declared Roher.

The message globe winked out and added a strange sense of finality to his reply.

Amdirlain was reviewing the new composition when the Gate opened, and Laergul gave her a distracted wave. “How certain are you of this composition?”

“It’s not an exact copy, as I had to make some modifications, but it should provide the result we want,” clarified Amdirlain. Taking a psi-crystal from Inventory, she placed it in a small divot before the Gate. “Let’s start with the easiest one, and we’ll work our way up.”

Despite being easier materials-wise to create than the True Song constructs, the complexity of the songs pushed the pair. Amdirlain's composition was based on the Tier 3 Maze Guardian but with the controls allowing others to link into the units, though they possessed the same fixed Class capacity. When the session ended, Amdirlain brushed aside the notification; bringing her lowest three classes closer to a balance had brought no satisfaction.

[Notice:

Upper transformation capacity threshold exceeded by over thirty levels - species transformation types recalculated.

The following transformation thresholds are now available:

Royal: (Requires twelve hundred levels) (previous maximum)

Imperial Princess: (Requires fifteen hundred levels)

Empress: (Requires two thousand one hundred levels)

Grand Empress: (Requires two thousand seven hundred levels)

Note: You made it so I can continually extend the upper limit of nearly everything. Why are you trying to reach it? Thanks!

Your current True Song rank has unlocked a new Tier 5 Prestige Class: Failed Songbird. Congratulations!]

“Well, Gideon is being snarkier than normal,” muttered Amdirlain.

“What message did you get this time?” asked Laergul.

“Judging from what he doesn’t say, it seems I’ve progressed my Fallen transformation further than others in the past,” Amdirlain replied. “He’s had to add three new thresholds. The first one jumps another three hundred levels, but the next two are six hundred level increases each.”

“I still find it odd how it communicates with you,” commented Laergul. “Though, being the aspect of Knowledge, I can understand how it can share knowledge in whatever fashion makes the most sense for an individual.”

“Thanks for your help, Laergul. These will come in handy for some of my plans. They’re not as tough as the crystal constructs, but they’re faster to create, and I’ll need thousands for Spell fodder.”

“You’re welcome, Amdirlain,” said Laergul, and he looked around to find no one waiting. “Should I leave the Gate open, or do you not expect another singer?”

“Roher will probably be here shortly,” admitted Amdirlain.

When Laergul disappeared, Sarah huffed. “Your disapproving expression would do a dominatrix proud.”

“I got a new Tier 5 Prestige Class from my current True Song and maybe Singing, since they both went up one point from that,” admitted Amdirlain.

“A new Tier 5? I think they take a poke at you whenever they want to let you know something without telling you outright,” replied Sarah.

“They’re not allowed to make suggestions; their role is to know and inform about the current state,” started Amdirlain, and she shrugged before she continued. “As well as make all the new classes, skills, and sometimes powers that changing circumstances require. The combined knowledge enables them to extrapolate and determine potential issues.”

While Amdirlain was speaking, Roher appeared close to the Gate. “Gideon digging at you again?”

“Yes, a Class with a ‘Failed’ prefix as part of Tier 5 unlock because of my True Song level.”

“No wonder you look annoyed. Should we focus solely on pushing your Power for a while?”

“Did you have something in mind?”

“Making use of the burning sky of Culerzic—there is so much energy there. In the same way, we could use the Mana clouds at the top of the cliffs; why not funnel that energy somewhere?”

The suggestion had Amdirlain smiling brightly. “Transform it?”

Deliberately looking to one side, Roher stepped over to a rock ledge and sat down, prompting Amdirlain to compose herself.

“Sorry.”

“You caught me off-guard, though Isa says it’s becoming much easier when she’s on the same Plane as you,” said Roher. Brushing dirt off his hands, he looked up at Amdirlain again.

“I use Dominion to project calm or disinterest to counter the Femme Fatale Skill,” admitted Amdirlain. “It's still a cheat, and when I take that approach it hinders my training. Hard to practise interrogation when the person is disinterested in my questions or keeping a secret.”

“She has me trying not to catnap,” stated Sarah in an offended tone.

Her words only earned a tolerant smile from Roher. “What did you have in mind for these rods?”

“A change to the normal composition. They’ll be on the Material Plane initially, monitoring for infernal curses and Fallen, then messaging Livia with an image of the location if they detect anything. I thought to have a condition overlaying the normal songs determining the Plane first,” explained Amdirlain, and she rolled a memory crystal through the Gate to Roher.

“Should I send them to Livia once they’re completed?” asked Roher. “I wouldn’t mind speaking to her again; Livia and her spiritual companions have an intriguing perspective.”

“Yes, please. Though try to remember they’re Shen,” corrected Amdirlain. “They’re small Shen but still Shen; referring to them as spirits is a bit like calling a Celestial a ghost. Likely safest to refer to them as celestials; they won’t find that offensive.”

“Ahh, thank you. I’ll try to keep that in mind,” coughed Roher, and he stood. “Did you want to create more of the spires tomorrow? A sufficiently large one would be a useful anchor for a powerful True Song.”

“You call them spires; I think of them like spikes,” Amdirlain said.

“Just because you intend to plant them inside a mountain is no reflection on the object itself,” argued Roher.

“I’ve still got a few more here I need to put in place, but tomorrow I’ll get help working on a central pylon,” advised Amdirlain.

Roher nodded. “Shall we get started? I want to see how far we can stretch today; it might help improve Resonance and Symphonic.”

No sooner had Amdirlain beckoned him to begin than Roher started hundreds of songs at once. Resonance picked out the location references and Amdirlain scrambled in surprise to match, but caught them all in time, setting the floor awash in light.

Roher started them off and pushed rapidly towards her limit, adding multiple crystals to the workload each time. Nearly forearm-length rods solidified so fast that Sarah rushed to keep up with the flow; rapidly filling a large stone crate sitting a few metres from the Gate’s edge.

They’d nearly reached the limit of Roher's time when Sarah chuffed in surprise and called out. “Gail’s made some noise and has some Andúnë court officials coming to visit. Do you remember the High Singer Lady Glingaerneth? Gail wants to know your perspective on her.”

With no vocal capacity left to reply, Amdirlain projected a mental link instead. “I do. But I’d also like to hear what she’s been up to get the court interested already. Please send her an image to open a Gate; this racket will stretch her Resonance.”

“Should I warn her?” asked Sarah.

“If she opens a Gate without protections in place, she needs a scolding instead of advice,” suggested Amdirlain.

“True, if it's not on, it's not on.” snickered Sarah.

The Gate opened against the wall behind Amdirlain, a few feet from Sarah’s snout, because of its focus on her.

“You didn’t send an image?”

Sarah’s amusement hiccuped in her mind. “Nah, this was more fun.”

Amdirlain caught a sound barrier rapidly set in place within Gail’s chamber but focused on finishing the current crystals. Their compressed songs started to draw to a close, and a flurry of crystals filled the first crate, and more flew into the second. Amdirlain blurred, momentarily distracting Sarah by snatching up rods before she could send them to another container. Amdirlain’s movements blocked the first crate Sarah had been floating across to Roher.

“I’ve told you to be careful opening gates, munchkin,” rumbled Sarah when the last song faded.

“The circle is high quality, and I was opening it to you. You could have warned me about the decibel level, auntie,” Gail grumbled, gesturing to a pristine Mithril circle enclosing her Gate only to elicit an amused snort from Sarah. “Have you moulted since the last time we spoke in person?”

“Amdirlain’s been shooing me off to hunt more frequently,” huffed Sarah.

Roher waved in Gail’s direction, the song to close the Gate already ready. “Take care, Gailneth. I need to leave, unfortunately.”

With Gail’s wave of acknowledgement, he released the song, and the Gate’s closure cut off some of the chamber’s illumination.

Spotting Gail’s lifted brows at his sudden departure, Amdirlain gave a teaching explanation. “Sarah was making too much noise snoring lately. Roher was procrastinating here over a meeting he didn’t want to attend.”

Sarah waved a tail reprovingly. “Don’t tease, Amdirlain. He has other commitments for his wife, and he left on time.”

“You have been snoring—breathing loud counts,” Amdirlain projected mentally.

“You’ll keep. I’ll make you scrub more scales.”

“Your abrasive gel is too smelly. Did you include too much Demon arse?” Amdirlain teased mentally, keeping her expression deliberately composed.

Amdirlain formed a large pouch with Protean and, dropping the collected crystals inside, tossed it through the Gate. Its solid thump against the circle barrier had Gail direct an appalled expression her way.

“I don’t understand how you can make things out of your flesh that way, auntie. It’s gross, and I’ve still got crystals you gave me left.”

Already mentally chiding herself, Amdirlain only gave a nonchalant shrug. “It becomes the material it mimics. Not being Mortal means Protean provides me with distinct advantages. As for the crystals, now you have more. Quest stage reward: you’ve got a team formed.”

The barest twitch around Gail’s eyes was enough to let Amdirlain know she’d successfully confused her. While Gail could be incredibly expressive, Erwarth and the others had helped Gail train to avoid giving away negative responses unless she wanted to show them.

“Mother thinks it's weird as well,” Gail countered. “I think you like freaking people out.”

Amdirlain restrained herself to a safe smile. “I’m sure my habit of self-flaying isn’t why you messaged Sarah asking if we had time to talk about your guests.”

Her choice of terms elicited the response she’d expected and more when Gail leant forward and pretended to throw up towards the circle. The gleeful twinkle in Gail’s eyes, as much as her antics, got a dry laugh from both Amdirlain and Sarah.

The possibility that whatever had drawn the Andúnë court’s attention would bring trouble niggled at Amdirlain and, considering Gail’s smile, motioned to her. “Tell us how things have gone and what you need. We’ve news of our own that’s local to you.”

“Well, I stopped by Eyrarháls and got information on the peninsula; the little village I’m basing out of is the last before the first swampland. It's called Apollo’s Reach," said Gail, pulling a disgusted expression at the name. "Dirt roads, houses ranging from two-story stone buildings through to little more than wood slabs leant against uprights. I overdressed for my arrival; a plain silk dress that was fine in Eyrarháls attracted too much attention here.”

Nodding in understanding, Amdirlain restrained her urge to ask questions as Gail’s tale progressed. Fixing the village’s rotting wall and recruiting the initial team members had proceeded fairly calmly, even with some typical Gail-style twists, especially with the reversal of a local half-Elf’s age.

Regenerating someone’s finger to gain a Scout and summoning Runa to help her mother’s local temple so she could recruit the Priest made complete sense. The fact she’d done both only to show her goodwill and not to gain a solid commitment came from a broad streak of wanting to make things around her better.

That the same streak added to another chain reaction caused by a young boy swearing an Oath to join her team was unsurprising. An Oath to the Anar Queen had unlocked classes that, when he grabbed four of them in an impactful Class vision, had nearly destroyed his Soul.

That Gail’s new bodyguard had survived was more surprising to Amdirlain than the length to which Gail had gone to save his existence. True Song Architecture gave her the details of the knife edge Gail had walked, balancing energy from three planes to shore up an unprepared, unclassed Soul. Four evolved classes at once—all meant for Anar and the blazing energy in their souls—should have drained his flesh and Soul into an ashen husk.

The energy that leaked into the Guildhall and created pocket annexes of the planes’ aspects was a curious side effect and made the extent of the signal flare Gail had sent up clear. With the cat out of the bag, the rest of her choices had done little but perhaps sped up the process.

Gail’s dredging of the village’s cove and setting a Radiant light to serve as a lighthouse beacon was amusing, especially how she had refused to answer the Wizard’s questions. That Gail had gone on to create a Temple of Lerina, with murals of planar scenes, followed by refurbishing Hestia’s Temple, took the cake. That the refurbishment included a library purely to bring happiness to Hestia’s priestess was Gail through and through.

In different circumstances, Amdirlain would have felt compassionate to the local Guild Master for having run afoul of Gail’s bubbling enthusiasm. Yet his choices and demands had put him in Gail’s crosshairs, especially once, at Runa’s prompting, Yngvarr, Aggie, Alfarr, and Pitnari had arrived as guild investigators. The neglect and deaths he’d allowed in the local guild left Amdirlain surprised he’d gotten out alive. However, that was perhaps her own urge to squeeze the life out of him for barging in on Gail bathing and ranting at her rather than leaving.

Gail had joked around in her account and was clearly still more upset about the demands than being found nude. An attitude Amdirlain wasn’t sure she could attribute more to Ebusuku’s attitude, or to Gail’s lack of attachment to her form. Hard to be upset about bits of skin being seen when some forms Gail took on didn’t need clothes at all.

That she’d quit the guild and moved the dimensional energies to a location in her control showed more of her father’s mindset about enforcing a personal sense of order. Far better for the strange annexes to be under Gail’s direct control than leaving them with a guild struggling to find its balance, especially with corruption having been shown locally.

Still, the events, and Gail’s choice of architecture in her new building, had escalated the court’s discovery of True Song being used.

“I think the scale of things means my bet about two days should hold water still,” murmured Sarah mentally.

Amdirlin gave her a mental push. “No, two days is two days.”

“Yngvarr asked permission for the Lady Glingaerneth, High Singer of the Andúnë Court and Tower of Singers, to attend. The King’s courtiers talked him into assigning an escort of a hundred royal guards. I told him I’d receive her and a small entourage. I’ll be so miffed if they don’t scale back from that number of guards,” Gail said as she wrapped up.

“Glingaerneth was in a difficult political situation, and the Tower of Singers had been losing influence with the court before she met with me. That seems to have changed, given the King is sending her with a royal escort and appointing an entourage of courtiers. I’d suggest learning more about her situation from Yngvarr,” advised Amdirlain calmly, and she mentally nudged Sarah to pay up.

“I’ll come help with your visitors,” stated Sarah, and she changed into her Human form—a willowy brunette Human with a lean but well-toned build. Her skin was pale like many of the Norse, but her features possessed a fox-like sharpness accented by her stern gaze.

“Did you miss me mentioning there is a Gold Dragon here, auntie Sarah?” blurted Gail, her smile slipping slightly.

Sarah stopped her consideration of what to wear and gave the slightest shrug.

“Send him a message and ask him to come meet me. Let him know my request is for negotiating guest rights without hunting permission. I’ll stick to your property except in emergencies,” ordered Sarah. “I won’t be solving everything for you, Gail.”

Gail’s smile reappeared at that statement. “What exactly are the terms of your aid?”

“I’ll act as your household’s chamberlain while the delegation is present. While I’m your chamberlain, I won’t help you negotiate with anyone—you sink or swim on your own in that regard. What I will do is hire some household staff for you, as you can be sure this won’t be the last visit. Also, I won’t involve myself in your work to recover the Oírë Coivië Nandë. If any evil priests show up, you leave them to me. Last, I might ask you to do me a favour when this visit ends,” recounted Sarah flatly.

The bright smile sobered, and Gail regarded Sarah more seriously. “Do you think Gaius is still alive?”

“Still got big ears,” huffed Sarah. “If Gaius is, he’s old and grey, and likely cursing my name.”

“Only if he hasn’t figured out why you injured him,” retorted Gail. “And if he couldn’t figure out you freed him from Hell’s contract, he’s beyond help and stupid.”

“I told her a few times she should have checked on him,” poked Amdirlain.

“Bite me,” grumbled Sarah, and she ignored Amdirlain’s snort of forced laughter, her focus still on Gail. “Well?”

“I can agree with those conditions with one of my own,” countered Gail.

“What’s that?” asked Sarah, not bothering to don any clothing.

“If he’s still alive and things work out between you, then I’m allowed to offer him the opportunity to change into a Scarlet Lonsdaleite to match your species.”

“You’re assuming he’d want to be a Dragon,” dismissed Sarah, and she fixed Gail with a flat look.

“If he wants to be with you, wouldn’t it be fair to offer? I accidentally reversed Androkles’ age, and I could do that intentionally with Gaius, but it wouldn’t be fair.”

Sarah’s fingers trailed along her bare arms, tracing patterns that were likely memories of her former scars. “Agreed. Now let me get dressed.”

Metacreativity shaped the diaphanous red silk dress that only just reached her knees and barely hid the lines of her body, teasing at the edge of transparency. To clinch it at the waist, she added a belt made of interlinking golden adamantine circles, each set with a procession of red diamond chips that sounded like her scales. Singularly or independently, the links provided her with a formidable weapon given the enchantments within.

Accessing her Inventory, Sarah pulled a set of serpentine bracers—made of mithril and black adamantine—that started at her wrist and wound the length of her forearms. The enchantments in the bracers and belt stood out against the melodies of the Gate and Abyss alike.

Amdirlain, having bounced options around while they conversed, spoke up. “I’ll make you something that will construct a residence.”

One of Isa’s latest quarterstaffs appeared in Amdirlain’s hand, she started on a complex melody that enfolded the staff and a spire within the storage room. She pushed more power into the complex composition than in previous tests, adding facilities such that it took an hour to settle into place. The staff was only its beacon and the key to establishing a doorway to the Demi-Plane the spire would create with nested protective wards.

By the time Amdirlain had finished the linked songs within, it would require only a last push. Carefully singing the final stage, she repeated it twice and saw Gail’s eyes light up with understanding as the staff continued to glow like a blue star.

[Crafting Summary (Category: Legendary Item):

Complex Demi-Plane Seed: 2,500,000

Total Experience gained:

Ascetic: +833,333

Ostimë: +833,333

Ontãlin: +833,333

True Song [S](121->122)]

“This will make you a residence able to fit a few hundred knights and guests properly, with secure wards. The main feast hall will serve three meals daily, and the place will handle the basic cleaning itself,” Amdirlain announced, aware she was woefully understating what she’d provided Gail.

“Main feast hall?” chirped Gail.

“It includes a small dining room big enough for your team plus some guests,” clarified Amdirlain. “This will save you further straining yourself constructing suitable facilities.”

Amdirlain handed it over to Sarah instead of tossing it through the Gate, and Sarah stored it away, keeping a calm expression

“Why did your conditions involve evil priests, aunt Sarah?” asked Gail, her voice tinged with sudden concern.

Sarah looked at Amdirlain. “She asked.”

“Torm has been sending Livia presents for the last few years,” explained Amdirlain, and she clamped down on the pain that tried to leak out. “Livia only told us yesterday after she learnt of your arrival on Vehtë. Mortal agents delivered them. If they, or Torm, learn of an Anar’s creation occurring on Vehtë, he might arrange for someone to summon him.”

Gail licked her lips, her voice rasping slightly. “What sorts of presents does a Fallen send?”

“Flayed bodies, each with their hearts removed after death. The souls are still bound to their bodies, experiencing the torture leading up to their demise,” stated Sarah.

The description earned a disgusted look from Gail. “Did Livia bring them back to life?”

Amdirlain shook her head. “Every one of them was a sadist, murderer, or worse.”

“It seems he is now favouring extreme forms of vengeance instead of justice. Did the magic give Livia any sign of who he’s aligned with since his corruption?” Gail asked.

“It didn’t have to,” replied Sarah. “I know of the curse; it's one favoured by a certain faction of Hell.”

Gail’s Wood Elf skin tone gained an ashen sheen. “But the Abyss corrupted him. You’ve been trying to track him down in the Abyss. Why is he dealing with Hell?”

“The transformation site should have corrupted him into a Demon, but it turned him into a Fallen. Honestly, we’ve no way of telling his mindset now, and we're also no closer to discovering what name he adopted,” answered Amdirlain, and she fought back against revealing her pain to Gail. “Go on, Sarah; talking about this won’t help anyone.”

At the break in Amdirlain’s composure, Sarah stepped through the Gate and collected the pouch. With Sarah through, Gail closed the Gate before Amdirlain needed to prompt her.

When the crystal spire disappeared a while later, Amdirlain forced herself to move.

“Laergul, I provided some crystal rods to Roher earlier, along with a new composition. Could you please have those handled first? Gail’s presence on Vehtë has become known to the Andúnë court, and others of concern will hear about it.”

Laergul's steely-toned response was lightning quick.

“He left them with me. I’ll have choirs working at once to get them all prepared. Given the circumstances, we’ll look to have the first thousand through to Livia within the hour.”