Chapter 45 - EVO

Chapter 45 - EVO

***Tirnanog, Mount Aerie***

***Magnus***

My comrades werent happy about my decision to go along with the Patels' friendly invitation. There was no question, walking right into their den posed a risk.

But if I backed out now, wouldnt that just prove to Etan that I wasnt ready to be handed responsibilities and power? Hadnt he given me this task to show I could stand next to his daughter?

Also, there was no other way to learn how to deal with elders of the Patels calibre than to meet them on their terms. If we managed to get the clan to move against the Thich, meeting elders from other stratas and ensuring their support would be a daily occurrence.

Not to forget, I wanted to have the Patels' measure before I decided to do anything I couldn't take back. Burning bridges before I even knew these people sounded stupid.

Maybe they turned out to be reasonable gangster bosses. I had no problem with such personages. Back on Earth, I had to deal with all kinds of less than trustworthy folk.

In my experience, as long as one had to offer the right incentives, gangsters were just as reliable as the most popular of politicians.

The goons, who turned out to be the Patels elite guard, led us down a winding set of tunnels, taking us away from the thirds more frequented areas.

At last, we arrived at an inconspicuous metal door, guarded by two people in gold-plated armour. They opened the doors and stepped aside, their eyes focused on a point in the far distance.

Fancy, I commented while stepping into a rustic, but perfectly maintained elevator which wouldnt have withstood several of Earths stringent regulations on how to build such things.

For one, the silver metal cage had large open sections which allowed an unhindered view of perfectly smoothed and polished marble walls. Nothing was preventing the occupants from jamming a limb between the elevator and the wall. And from my waist up, there was no protection at all, allowing an unobstructed view of the marble.

Someone tried to allow for a panoramic view and forgot the glass!

I was by no means a security fanatic, but this construct went against my more than bendable sensitivities for such things.

There was one redeeming feature, however.

The elevator was more than spacious enough to comfortably fit twenty people, allowing me to take a central, and hopefully secure, spot on the elevator's platform.

Once I paid more attention to the details, I noticed that every square centimetre was engraved with decorations, turning the elevator into a work of art.

Is this vanity some kind of statement? I questioned the leading goon once I and my guards, plus ten of our watchers had entered the spacious gilded cage. Now that I was inside it, the entire thing reminded me of one of those pompous, golden birdcages.

Just with silver in this case.

Just wait until you see the pit, the goon commented. It pays to work for the boss.

Winston placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered into my ear, Dont allow yourself to be misled. What use do we have in this world for shiny things?

I nodded, taking the advice as the warning it was meant to be.

And well-placed advice it was because the bosss pit was indeed a glamorous thing.

The elevator emerged into what looked to be a natural geode of mountain crystal, large enough to house an entire concert hall. Skilled hands had polished it and placed golden candelabras which shed their light in just the right way to make the entire cavern sparkle like a disco.

From approximately fifty metres above, I got a nice view of the scene, making it obvious why someone had chosen to make the elevator as unsafe as it was.

A group of dancers in frivolous outfits were delivering a show together with a band playing unfamiliar music that sounded like a strange mix between tribal and classic. It was nonetheless pleasing to the ear and allowed for polite conversation.

Revellers populated the dance floor or sat at tables cut from obsidian, eating and drinking.

It was like one of those dancing bars I had visited as a student. Just much more opulent.

Everything was made from the finest of materials, painting a stark contrast to what I had seen throughout the rest of the third.

Of course, I noticed the theme here. There was no wood or organic materials of any kind. Everything represented the riches that the third had dug out of the mountain. I briefly wondered whether the huge geode was possibly natural, or had it been crafted?

I didn't have time to make up my mind before my attention was drawn away from the walls and ceiling.

The elevator reached the ground and our guides bade us exit.

A blonde woman with soft, flowing feathers instead of hair greeted us. Her headdress didnt look as functional as the set of wings which emerged from her back. If someone had decided to attach a halo to her head, I would have believed her to be some weird angel.

She was dressed in a scandalous outfit. A silken shirt that left little to the imagination and a revealing split skirt that had me grateful for the skintight trousers she wore.

The woman smiled and performed a perfect curtsy, using her wings to billow out her skirt around her. Travis and Bruce Patel greet you to their humble abode.

I smiled, thankful that Astra had pointed out all the elders when we attended the council meeting. Given her misleading greeting, I would have believed her a simple servant. Even if I hadn't already known, I might have gotten a hint from the revellers who were giving her more distance than was necessary to be respectful.

And I am thankful for the invitation, Travis, I replied.

Travis stood and folded her wings back together, arranging them like a mantle.

I wondered whether they were functional, like Thalias, or whether they were a part of her mutation. Since they were much smaller than those of Astras friend, whose leathery membranes could fold and package a lot of surface within a small area, I almost didnt believe Travis could truly use hers to fly.

The woman gestured for us to follow and the sea of revellers parted in front of her without command.

I turned to look at Winston, who shrugged. His expression said everything. I had gotten us in here, so I had to get us out.

We were led through the dance floor, but the partygoers barely paid us any attention.

It made me assume that people being received here was a normal occurrence.

Our destination was a large, round table at the other side of the hall, where a group of three men and two women were playing cards. At a guess, I would have said that all of them were paired couples, but I could be wrong.

No, two of them weren't paired for sure. Their mutations were too distinct and my experience was for paired couples to look very similar in their phenotype.

Travis joined the guy who was sitting alone and took the empty chair next to him.

Unlike his blonde partner, Bruce Patel was dark feathered, one could say. Additionally, the wings around his shoulders had two menacing-looking talons.

When I double-checked Travis, I realized her talons were hidden beneath a bloom of feathers.

Bruce looked up from his game and greeted me with a devilish grin. Greetings! Tulkas, I believe was the name?

I nodded, seeing no need in correcting him. At least publicly, I had always used the moniker, even if Astra and I hadnt been as diligent in private. I admit I was a little surprised when I received this unexpected invitation.

Travis wagged a finger at me while she linked arms with her partner. Cant have been too unexpected with you nosing around our strata for days. How long did you expect it would take us to notice an outsider?

Longer, to be honest, I answered blatantly. Especially since I havent asked questions of importance. Just tried to get to know the people.

The fifth player's deck was a random pile of cards that focused on value enchantments and powerful creatures.

I held back, reacting to threats rather than acting.

This game mode was as much about the game's strategy as it was about interpersonal relationships. A player could draft an extremely powerful deck, but if he revealed his true power too early, the others could easily gang up on the threat and take it out of the game.

The state of the game advanced steadily while I made small talk with Bruce and Travis.

Gerald added his two cents of wisdom from time to time and I even found myself defending his army once. The woman with the artefact deck tried to cast a board wipe which would have returned all creatures to their owner's hands, but I had a counterspell ready.

Gerald and I, we had formed something of an unspoken contract with each other while I chatted with Bruce.

Gerald didn't attack me and in turn, I kept his army from suffering complete annihilation. His steady stream of creatures also kept the woman with the revival deck in check as her troops had to be held back to block Gerald's army, should he decide to attack.

Meanwhile, I kept building up my resources, piling up lands and artefacts to cast the largest spells possible.

And exchanging advisers is common among the strata's leadership? I asked, continuing our conversation from earlier.

Of course, Bruce replied with what sounded like complete honesty.

The question is then... what would you want for Gerald's services? I turned my attention towards the man who had apparently read my thoughts when it came to our silent contract.

Oh, nothing really. Travis waved me off. I am sure Etan will thank us for our support in his quest to educate you. There are always ways in which stratas can help each other out. I am sure you bringing home such a valuable advisor will be an eye-opening experience.

Hm. I guess then I have to thank you for your generosity, I nodded along. I wouldn't have thought to find a few players of the game on this world. It's a very nostalgic feeling to sit at a table like this with others.

Please, it's nothing to humble yourself about, Bruce waved me off. But for the sake of political education, I do have one last piece of advice to give to you.

And that is? I asked.

You see, I like this game because beneath the complex rules, it's very simple. Bruce tapped all of his creatures sideways. I attack you with everything I have.

Which leaves you wide open for the others to attack while not killing me, I pointed out. At best, it takes both of us out of the game.

Ah, you see, Travis clicked her tongue. That's the political part of the game.

I see. Somehow, I managed to keep my mask of friendly politeness in place.

Over the next few turns, each player at the table unleashed all the nastiness they could on me.

My creatures were destroyed and my graveyard exiled. I was forced to discard most of the cards I managed to build up. By the time it was Gerald's turn, I had nothing left.

When Gerald's eyes met mine, he shrugged. No hard feelings, mate?

I sighed. Do what you must.

No hard feelings indeed, but this is what awaits you among the strata. He also tapped all of his creatures, attacking me for lethal damage.

There was nothing to be done about me departing the game first. Then I guess I will use my last breath to leave the table a gift. I still had that neat little enchantment that allowed me to cast sorceries as instants. And so I used a spell called Prosperity to allow everyone to draw twenty-four cards.

It wasn't enough to kill everyone at the table since not being able to draw a card from your deck was an automatic loss according to the game's rules, but everyone who had drawn a lot of cards throughout the game suddenly found themselves with their entire remaining deck in their hands.

Among those were Gerald, Bruce who I intentionally left with exactly zero cards in his deck, and the artefact lady. The remaining two hadn't relied on card draw too much and would have to duke out the rest of the game between themselves.

And with that, I will take my leave. I stacked my cards back onto a pile. Maybe we can repeat this another time without the backstabbing part.

Bruce looked a little miffed since he would lose the game right after me as soon as it was his turn, but Travis took it in stride. Oh, please do come back. Bruce likes to flaunt his power, which is indeed taking the fun out of it at times. So, I like the scorched earth approach you took.

Well, I appreciate the lesson in diplomacy nonetheless, I bowed and excused myself.

Winston and my guards surrounded me on our way back to the elevator. This time, the Patel guards didnt see the need to escort us.

It was only once the elevator was already on the way upwards, that I turned my attention towards Gerald.

Somehow, I wish you hadn't followed me, I mused as I looked directly at him.

He didn't get it. Why? Wasn't Bruce clear about my usefulness?

I pursed my lips. Clear enough. Say, you have no other mutations than mindflayer? Nothing that allows you to fly?

No- His bemused answer broke off once he fully processed my question. Wha- rgh!

My arm blurred, hitting Gerald's Adam's apple with the edge of my hand and an unhealthy sounding crack! Grabbing his collar, I pulled him towards me while I went to one knee.

His weight fell onto my shoulders and for a moment, I had him in an awkward fireman's carry.

Then I heaved with all my might, letting out a grunt of effort as I lifted him up, and sent a surge of energy through my entire body as I straightened.

Gerald's body was flung out through the elevator's panorama, sailing far and wide right before the elevator passed into the marble shaft which blocked me from viewing the results.

From far below, I heard muffled screams.

In my mind, I imagined the weighty man landing right on Bruce's gaming table, bursting open like a ripe tomato. At least I had aimed for the table, but it was on the other side of the hall. I wasn't quite so confident in my ability to toss someone that far, no matter the height advantage.

Speaking of, what would a fall do to a man in this world's higher gravity? I intentionally waited for the elevator to reach the highest possible point before I threw him out. Forty or fifty metres were more than enough to kill back on Earth.

Hopefully, he would land at least close enough to the Patels to get the message across.

Wha- Wha- Wha-

I turned and raised an eyebrow at the stuttering Winston and the guards who looked at me like I had lost my marbles.

Winston finally managed to arrange four words together. What did you do!?

I acted in self-defence against someone who used a mindflayer ability on me, I explained.

The Patels will be mad! Winston looked at the floor in their general direction.

I grinned. Guess we have to run fast as soon as the door opens.

Or we run now! Winston jumped at the ceiling, grabbing hold of the cage's silver bars.

Within a moment, he had them bent apart and was scrambling through the opening, followed by one of my guards and then another.

Or we run now, I admitted, deciding they probably had the better survival instincts in situations like these.