The Guild in Nexus
"You are a fool!" Amalfric told his chained prisoner, deep in his dungeon.
"You say this, with sixteen bodyguards, and myself tied hand and foot, and yet, you are the one who sounds afraid!" Glass Harmonium Resonating the ten thousand paces of distance replied, angry at herself for having been caught, her colleagues would laugh at her for being caught by a mere pair of mortal sorcerors, even if they'd probably never seen one that could summon such a powerful demon, let alone two.
"You are a fool, and you are more the fool for the attention you bring! Others will come, perhaps even a Wyld Hunt. My election to the guild's higher echelons needs no such distraction. Tell me, who brought your attention to me? You're not so interested in crime you'd pick my name out of even a hundred.
"I don't... I don't remember. It's all fuzzy, except for your description."
"Oh, you great idiot! Someone made you forget? Or there was nothing to remember?"
"How would I know?"
"Oh. I hope it's not the former, those are usually the worse."
"What do you care? From what I remember, the agents of heaven go about, clad in mystery and armed with whispers..."
"And while that is monumentally bad, that is not the worse... In heaven, when even those agents aren't sure enough, or fast enough, when even those who would protect heaven know fear, there is a special convention, in the bureau of heaven. I know, I've met one of them, preyed on one of them." Amalfric, once known as Piero, Jester of Fate, opened his mouth, with its impossible number of sharp teeth and smiled. "I'm probably the only opponent they've ever faced that lived to talk about it."
"I doubt it, heaven wouldn't need its heavy hitters, for the likes of you."
"Oh, I am sure they'll send those next. Tell me, have you heard of K'Talan?"
"No."
"Pity, it was doing much improvement, in this area... Regardless, they sent this bureau to snuff out K'Talan..."
"Mindless Lunacy?" "Yes, who should I announce?" "No need, I've come to talk to you." "And you are?" "I am The brewer." And just like that, Mindless Lunacy, and the rotund, ale-brewer's champion otherwise known as Jupiter, Maiden of Secrets were together, in the space between ticks of an imaginary clock, in a force bubble of limitless, unimaginable strength, flying on the hair of a Tomescu who had heard something he should not, in an appartment in the Street of Golden Lanterns. He was flying, since Orabilis had put his hand against him, and unnoticed, and unseen by the tomescu, or indeed, away from anyone without much more pressing concerns, they had perfect privacy. "I know your secret." "That's rich, coming from the Maiden of Secrets." "I and The maitre'd are the only ones who know you spared Piero, that one time... I would know why..." "I... I'd been very much in love with him." "And when you discovered who or what he was..." "I just couldn't go through with it then, I've gotten better." "He still escaped, the last time you two met." "Yeah, I should have warned Ryleh... What you think I did that on purpose?" "I think if I need to send anyone to catch him, it will not be you..." "Catch... That's a euphemism if I ever heard one..." "He needs to be taken out, he's even managed to catch the disease that silenced that cult of his, but it hasn't silenced him." "He just went back to the Wyld, and had his magical mirror there tell his story. It will heal him of any wound or disease or derangement..." "How do we keep him in Yu-Shan?" "He won't be back... Not for a while. You're probably better off 'catching' him in Creation." "It's almost as big as Yu-Shan, and we face more interference there..." "That's his hope though, now he knows what he faces, and I dare say, he knows about the Special Convention..." "That is most perturbatory. Do you know Love Conquers All?" "Yeah, she's just in the dojo, right behind... me." Lunacy was looking behind her, at the impossible distances seen from a soap bubble on a fast-flying(the tomescu had yet to start falling) demon thrown to the Malfean horizon. "No, she' s not, not close to us at least, right now. I mentioned her because I think she could use your help." "I'd love to help, what does she need? A roommate? Someone to help lift heavy things and move in? A friend or two to go out in the city and see theatre with? Bramble loves theatre." "No, she needs a friend, a friend who understands what it is to have more than three souls to a body." "Oh, how? No one had ever noticed... Luna exalted me and she couldn't tell!" "Oh, she could tell, she didn't know you'd keep both souls, she thought you'd stabilize at three souls, after soul-searching and much angst, I think. But, as you said, I know Secrets." "What do you want?" "I just told you, I want you to help Love Conquers All, she has 9 souls in her, and could use some advice." "Ironic that nineteen-tails kitsune isn't the one with the extra souls..." "I'm told she got them in The Wyld, just like you, but she didn't fall for her captors, as far as I can tell." "Does she switch often?" "She switched four times in two hours when talking to Breeze and Fire." "Oi!" "Is that significant?" "No idea, except, since I switch when I'm alone, I know her trigger isn't the same as mine. Also, that's a sensitive trigger." "Should I bring her here, so you two can talk?" "Please, if that's possible, I imagine what we'll talk about isn't for the two strong silent types she's been training with. You're the one that invited me there, aren't you?" "No, Fire did, you and Ryleh both being part of the auxiliary made it an official Convention matter, and Fire Without Smoke, as the field leader, wanted to review the assignment, as is his mandate. His reports are what made me think you'd be a good match for Love here." She pointed to the Maiden of Serenity that had fallen, as from a grappling throw, on the floor of the bubble. "Eh, Hi!" "Blessings of the Maidens and Luna on you, Love Conquers All." "You have the adventage of me, Daughter of Luna." "I am Mindless Lunacy. Although, most just say 'that durned cat'." "Blessings of Luna and the Maidens on you then. What's this about?" "I'm here to keep what you two say an absolute secret, none shall know what perspires here, not even Nara-O." "You know how everyone in the convention has a soul-checker?" "Yeah, I keep wondering when I'll be assigned one. I could probably use more than one, at this point." "Well, I may not have as many, but I do have a similar problem." "Oh." "When I'm alone for any protracted time, I can 'switch', I have four souls, a Han, a Po, a No Moon exalted of Luna that is practically a Raksha reality shaper at this point, unrepentently delighted in herself, and the other's a casteless Luna, a serious, no-nonsense investigator." "Oh. And you know..." "It'd be better if you told me the details." "Ok. The one you're speaking to the ohers call Nayla, she's usually the one repairing the damage to my relationships the others are doing, but not always. Then there's Urger who is all about control, giving orders and seeing everyone in a sort of sexual, or what have you done for me lately light. Skulker, is all about control, but receiving it, when left to her own devices she's always reading books and drinking hot beverages and inventing things, she's smarter than all the others, although, I don't know how. Veildandy, who calls herself Urger and Skulker's middle sister, says they couldn't try anything on each other even before they got in my head, because d'oh, they were sisters. She is like Skulker in that she wants a happy home life, and comfort and children and would rather not be noticed by any monsters or evildoers thank you. Then there's Pyara, she's talking in different languages than the others, she used to live in Sperimin at one point, from what I could tell, and is always pondering and analysing and researching. Then there's Lyana, who is all about exulting in her animal nature, denying herself nothing, but is surprisingly romantic, she even had a thing with another Lunar, Ma-Ha Suchi." Lunacy grit her teeth, but said nothing. "Then there's Lux, all of the others identify as female, but not Lux, whose against the very concept of gender most of the time, but is the biggest lover of art and beauty in the bunch." "That's a lot." "You reacted, when I named Ma-Ha-Suchi." "Err, I lived with him for a time. I'm not surprised it didn't work out with Lyana though." "Why?" "Well, Lux probably liked him too." "From what they tell me, this happened before she got 'mixed' in with me, she was someone else, then, and Lux wasn't around yet." "Who was she?" "Keeps-the-apples-of-youth." "Ugh." "You know her?" "I caught her with Ma-Ha Suchi... That's when I decided to leave. That was so long ago though." "Sorry, I spent a long time in the Wyld, and I shouldn't bother you with my stories." "No, let's... let's not compound the mistake I did before with another one. Besides, he's not with either of us now, is he?" "Err, no. Do yours have names?" "Hmm, no, but the investigator, the one you're not talking to, right now, is much like my prior incarnation Oracle of Violence, I guess we could call me Oracle, and the other Lunacy." "All right. What brought this on?" "We have to talk about this, I received a letter, from one Amalfric, it's written like a hostage letter."
"Mindless Lunacy?" "Yes, who should I announce?" "No need, I've come to talk to you." "And you are?" "I am The brewer." And just like that, Mindless Lunacy, and the rotund, ale-brewer's champion otherwise known as Jupiter, Maiden of Secrets were together, in the space between ticks of an imaginary clock, in a force bubble of limitless, unimaginable strength, flying on the hair of a Tomescu who had heard something he should not, in an appartment in the Street of Golden Lanterns. He was flying, since Orabilis had put his hand against him, and unnoticed, and unseen by the tomescu, or indeed, away from anyone without much more pressing concerns, they had perfect privacy. "I know your secret." "That's rich, coming from the Maiden of Secrets." "I and The maitre'd are the only ones who know you spared Piero, that one time... I would know why..." "I... I'd been very much in love with him." "And when you discovered who or what he was..." "I just couldn't go through with it then, I've gotten better." "He still escaped, the last time you two met." "Yeah, I should have warned Ryleh... What you think I did that on purpose?" "I think if I need to send anyone to catch him, it will not be you..." "Catch... That's a euphemism if I ever heard one..." "He needs to be taken out, he's even managed to catch the disease that silenced that cult of his, but it hasn't silenced him." "He just went back to the Wyld, and had his magical mirror there tell his story. It will heal him of any wound or disease or derangement..." "How do we keep him in Yu-Shan?" "He won't be back... Not for a while. You're probably better off 'catching' him in Creation." "It's almost as big as Yu-Shan, and we face more interference there..." "That's his hope though, now he knows what he faces, and I dare say, he knows about the Special Convention..." "That is most perturbatory. Do you know Love Conquers All?" "Yeah, she's just in the dojo, right behind... me." Lunacy was looking behind her, at the impossible distances seen from a soap bubble on a fast-flying(the tomescu had yet to start falling) demon thrown to the Malfean horizon. "No, she' s not, not close to us at least, right now. I mentioned her because I think she could use your help." "I'd love to help, what does she need? A roommate? Someone to help lift heavy things and move in? A friend or two to go out in the city and see theatre with? Bramble loves theatre." "No, she needs a friend, a friend who understands what it is to have more than three souls to a body." "Oh, how? No one had ever noticed... Luna exalted me and she couldn't tell!" "Oh, she could tell, she didn't know you'd keep both souls, she thought you'd stabilize at three souls, after soul-searching and much angst, I think. But, as you said, I know Secrets." "What do you want?" "I just told you, I want you to help Love Conquers All, she has 9 souls in her, and could use some advice." "Ironic that nineteen-tails kitsune isn't the one with the extra souls..." "I'm told she got them in The Wyld, just like you, but she didn't fall for her captors, as far as I can tell." "Does she switch often?" "She switched four times in two hours when talking to Breeze and Fire." "Oi!" "Is that significant?" "No idea, except, since I switch when I'm alone, I know her trigger isn't the same as mine. Also, that's a sensitive trigger." "Should I bring her here, so you two can talk?" "Please, if that's possible, I imagine what we'll talk about isn't for the two strong silent types she's been training with. You're the one that invited me there, aren't you?" "No, Fire did, you and Ryleh both being part of the auxiliary made it an official Convention matter, and Fire Without Smoke, as the field leader, wanted to review the assignment, as is his mandate. His reports are what made me think you'd be a good match for Love here." She pointed to the Maiden of Serenity that had fallen, as from a grappling throw, on the floor of the bubble. "Eh, Hi!" "Blessings of the Maidens and Luna on you, Love Conquers All." "You have the adventage of me, Daughter of Luna." "I am Mindless Lunacy. Although, most just say 'that durned cat'." "Blessings of Luna and the Maidens on you then. What's this about?" "I'm here to keep what you two say an absolute secret, none shall know what perspires here, not even Nara-O." "You know how everyone in the convention has a soul-checker?" "Yeah, I keep wondering when I'll be assigned one. I could probably use more than one, at this point." "Well, I may not have as many, but I do have a similar problem." "Oh." "When I'm alone for any protracted time, I can 'switch', I have four souls, a Han, a Po, a No Moon exalted of Luna that is practically a Raksha reality shaper at this point, unrepentently delighted in herself, and the other's a casteless Luna, a serious, no-nonsense investigator." "Oh. And you know..." "It'd be better if you told me the details." "Ok. The one you're speaking to the ohers call Nayla, she's usually the one repairing the damage to my relationships the others are doing, but not always. Then there's Urger who is all about control, giving orders and seeing everyone in a sort of sexual, or what have you done for me lately light. Skulker, is all about control, but receiving it, when left to her own devices she's always reading books and drinking hot beverages and inventing things, she's smarter than all the others, although, I don't know how. Veildandy, who calls herself Urger and Skulker's middle sister, says they couldn't try anything on each other even before they got in my head, because d'oh, they were sisters. She is like Skulker in that she wants a happy home life, and comfort and children and would rather not be noticed by any monsters or evildoers thank you. Then there's Pyara, she's talking in different languages than the others, she used to live in Sperimin at one point, from what I could tell, and is always pondering and analysing and researching. Then there's Lyana, who is all about exulting in her animal nature, denying herself nothing, but is surprisingly romantic, she even had a thing with another Lunar, Ma-Ha Suchi." Lunacy grit her teeth, but said nothing. "Then there's Lux, all of the others identify as female, but not Lux, whose against the very concept of gender most of the time, but is the biggest lover of art and beauty in the bunch." "That's a lot." "You reacted, when I named Ma-Ha-Suchi." "Err, I lived with him for a time. I'm not surprised it didn't work out with Lyana though." "Why?" "Well, Lux probably liked him too." "From what they tell me, this happened before she got 'mixed' in with me, she was someone else, then, and Lux wasn't around yet." "Who was she?" "Keeps-the-apples-of-youth." "Ugh." "You know her?" "I caught her with Ma-Ha Suchi... That's when I decided to leave. That was so long ago though." "Sorry, I spent a long time in the Wyld, and I shouldn't bother you with my stories." "No, let's... let's not compound the mistake I did before with another one. Besides, he's not with either of us now, is he?" "Err, no. Do yours have names?" "Hmm, no, but the investigator, the one you're not talking to, right now, is much like my prior incarnation Oracle of Violence, I guess we could call me Oracle, and the other Lunacy." "All right. What brought this on?" "We have to talk about this, I received a letter, from one Amalfric, it's written like a hostage letter."
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