--
Cedric didn't know when he got transported to this place nor how it was done. If it weren't for the fact that he felt no ill intent directed at him, he would've panicked by now.
As for these two people who invited him for tea, he felt no threat from any of them. However, he could tell that they're unfathomable.
He was hesitant to join them at their table, mostly because he doesn't know who they were and what exactly they want from him. But if he wanted to know why they brought him here, since it would only make sense if they're the ones who's behind this, he's going to have to join them.
And so, as politely as he could, by human standards at least, he joined them at their table.
"Loosen up, Child. We're not here to hurt you; we just want to talk," one of them said while calmly drinking his tea.
'Well, that's easy for you to say; a little heads-up via e-mail or a notice would've been nice at least, not an abrupt aduction.' Cedric inwardly complained without showing any of it on his face.
But that didn't really matter too much because he heard the other person say:
"See? I told you this was going to happen. I thought you were at least going to notify him before bringing him here, but no, you're still as rude as ever."
Cedric blinked. His gaze shifted between them before finally realizing something that made him groan inwardly:
'Great, they can hear my thoughts. Awesome.'
His inner voice was filled with sarcasm that he couldn't control. Well, it's not like his thought being audible to everybody was an everyday occurrence for him, so he wasn't expecting this at all.
This was his defense mechanism for things like this, kicked in.
All of a sudden, the two people in front of him frowned when thousands of voices erupted from Cedric's psyche. All of it sounded like him, but they're all saying something different, following a different and random line of thought. For mind readers, this makes it difficult for them to tell what he's actually thinking.
This was done by employing the numerous thought chambers that have He usually keeps them working passively in the background, but at the first sign of the invasion of his thoughts, something that he isn't fond of being heard by anybody else aside from him, they erupt into activity to defend his mind from unwanted visitors.
Snap!
The first person that talked to him, the one that was labeled as 'rude' by the other person at this table, snapped his fingers. It was followed by a faint, almost untraceable, pulse of energy that shifted something in this domain.
Cedric smiled wryly at this. He knows that too. In fact, the old feline who's in change of the virtual hub at the communal world that he's in also thought the same. But well, it's working so far and was a legitimate method of earning merit points, so why should he stop?
"Well, since you haven't made a decision yet, then allow us to add a lucrative option for you," Hunyo stated.
Cedric's eyes gleamed slightly after hearing this. At this point, he realized the reason behind this 'abduction'.
"You've probably guessed it at this point, so yes, we are inviting you to join an organization," Hunyo added. "It's called the Scarlet Homeland Security Department (SHSD)."
Cedric blinked after hearing the name. He then asked, "Security? So like...guards or something?"
"Yes, but we operate at a grander scale," Hunyo replied, "like the entirety of the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm."
"Cool," he hummed.
"The Scarlet Homeland Security Division has a very rich and long history. It has been around since the establishment of 'The Six', but unlike it, the SHSD isn't strictly for 'The Six' only. We have many members from other clans and races as well," Hunyo explained.
"You've already met with the prime subject behind the establishment of this security department," Silas mentioned. "You recently exchanged it for your position as a member of the alliance and the position of a governor."
"Outsiders!" Cedric exclaimed.
"Yes." Both Silas and Hunyo replied solemnly.
"Child, the threat of the Outsiders was far greater than you think." Hunyo shook his head. "If they weren't as much of a threat, then the existence of the security department becomes redundant."
"Actually, the reason why 'The Six' has been established in the first place was because of the threat of the Outsiders." Silas smiled wryly. "Even with the combined might of our forces, we simply cannot completely eradicate them."
"The existence of the Outsiders predates even the alliance itself. Hell, they might even be older than the Primeval Scarlet Dust Realm itself," Hunyo revealed. "One thing's for certain though; they absolutely hate living beings like us. They represent the antithesis to our existence and would absolutely not stop until all life was extinguished, returning everything in the natural Void."
"As people who benefitted from the existence of Scarlet Dust Realm, it is our natural duty to protect it from harm. But don't get us wrong, we are not asking you to sacrifice your life for our sake. We're not that shameless nor desperate."
"What we offer is a place for you to completely unleash your talents." Silas interjected. "The security department offers many things that other places simply don't have access to, and joining doesn't necessarily mean that you'd be sent to certain death missions. There are many branches that pose less risk to your safety while still allowing you access to the resources we spoke about."
"Of course, if you want to go after the missions that deal directly with the prime threat to our safety, then that's completely your decision. I promise you that you won't be forced, coerced, or anything related to the act once you joined."