Heulyn's Adventures - Arc I: Corner of the Sky [Eteru/Iammelon] [FIN]

It was not the first time someone wax the meaning of life to Heulyn. But not in the form of butter so she gives Mildir some points in that. She admits it was rather cute. Her gaze drift away. Not really taking his words for she already heard them. Not that she will listen no, but rather she’s aware of the path she chose. A sinner who strives for the ever distant horizon. For if a tree were to reach heaven it roots must reach hell. Brushing a strand of hair off her face she look down to her basket. Finding it empty except for wrappings. Prompting her to give an apologetic look to the stag. “I’m sorry, but you ate it all.” All two dozen of them. Perhaps she should be lighter on the servings. The thought of Mildir causing a butter shortage in Linear City does not seem a far-fetched reality with how much he eats. Lifting her hand to give loving strokes along Mildir neck she look over to the High Lord who seem to be now giving his respects to other side.

She was in between a rock and a hard place. The former being that she has nowhere to go. Fully aware of how free she is but not knowing how to use that freedom. She can’t go back to Angelarium as much she wants to help Kissa, that world holds no meaning to her. Only Eæireth did and that world has been gone for a long time. There’s still disappointment and pity with Albrecht. It hurt to hear him admit his failure and pleaded with her to not follow his path. To be stronger than him. Angelarium carries too many emotions that she needs time sorting them out. As for the latter, finding a place in the galaxy. Or to be more precise, find a place in the Anubite Empire. She couldn’t think of any other place to go. For she already met and bonded with people here. Been rescued by them. Putting her back together when she fell into the void. Looking over to Sethus once more she wondered. Perhaps if it was time to be productive again. To repay the kindness of her saviors.

It did not matter if she could not look at herself in the mirror.

It did not matter if she’s an outcast.

It did not matter if the ghosts of her past haunt her.

It did not matter if she suffered.

It did not matter if she walks through hell.

For she has survived all of that. And will forevermore.

She once bore the weight of the world tribulations.

Perhaps it was time to resume her place in the universe.

She looked to the obelisk. Still feeling uneasy by the exchange. A desire to go over and talk to the High Lord was present. But she found herself the lack of will to move her limbs. The source being the lack of knowing what to say and paranoia that the spirit may be listening. Looking back to Sethus thrice more she held a thoughtful look. Taking a breath she stood up off of the stag. Straightening her clothing out to which is glad that it bore no grass stains yet. “I’m going to have a chat with Sethus.” Giving Mildir a pet on the head she saunter to a respectable distance of the High-Lord. Hands clasped behind her back she bore a bashful expression on her face.

“Excuse me High-Lord. May I...join you?” Marvelous job Heulyn. All the years of composure training wasted. “Mildir wished to go to the park to have a picnic so we’ve been here a bit. We saw you arrive and...I felt like talking to you. If that’s permissible.”

Mildir let out a little whine at the news, truly a travesty! He waggled his ears in great sadness, not really making any intelligible words but instead repeating the phrase "waaaaa" a number of times, to simulate crying. Although he did stop that soon enough, nodding to her choice to go see Sethus. He decided to simply wander off into the park, see if he could find other people to extract tribute from, now that they were entering his park. He spotted a young Anubite Woman feeding the birds, and went to see his prey. Almas in the meanwhile was just content to stay near the picnic bag, eating her meat and guarding the area from intruders who may want to steal her meal.

Sethus looked to Heulyn and seemed surprised that she was in fact here, but that faded and he simply nodded, "Of course, Heulyn, I'm happy to have a nice conversation. Come, sit down, get comfortable." He gestured to a patch of grass near him, and then pausing. He chuckled a bit as he considered her explanation for being here, "Ah, so my theory was correct, it was Mildir. Not hard to predict that old creature, I do suppose, he's very set in his ways. The spirit in the obelisk, whose name is Menthrais Rwim in case he never mentioned it, said an outsider had visited, and I did suspect it was you. I am happy to see that you seem to be up and moving again. Is therapy going well?"

She heeded Sethus gesture a bit skittishly. Apparent that she’s not yet used to being in Sethus presence. Especially in such a close proximity. Lowering herself down next to Sehus with not much to say. Drawing up her knees to loop her arms around them. Everything was going smoothly up till Sethus asks about her therapy which will be quickly be evident that it was the wrong thing to say. Averting her gaze away as she set her head partially facing away from the High Lord. “I don’t wish to burden you with my life.” Cold yet still polite response from the Amziel. Silence hung for a few seconds before she look forward to the towering obelisk before her.

“I did briefly chat with Menthrais when Mildir dragged me here. I would have never took him to be a Rwim if you didn't tell me.” She noted albeit more detached now due to Sethus bold inquiry. Thankfully for the High-Lord she does not seem the type to give a cold shoulder for long. Turning her head on her knees a bit to gaze back at Sethus. “I’ve been wondering...about the thing which Tarset spoke of regarding the Yupa family. I know it’s not my place to judge... and I’m not being accusatory. But, is it possible for this ancestral council to be in some ways compromised? Again, I know it’s not for me to worry about. I’m an outsider after all.” Why would anyone listen to someone like me anyways. Her speech became a tad grim with her last sentence. Shifting her gaze away once more. This was not a bout of depression from what he could tell but rather that she had always felt this way. How long he would not know. What makes it somber that in a way it’s valid. For she’s a true outsider.

Someone like the High-Lord would possibly never understand that form of loneliness.

Sethus was confused for a moment at why Heulyn seemed to give him the cold shoulder for what he had intended as a simple bit of small talk. His head tipped to the side for a bit as he thought, before that suddenly dawned on him and he looked down. He mentally cursed his undeveloped social skills as he realized that the question was rather insensitive by nature, clenching one hand into a fist for a moment before sighing again, speaking softly, "Oh, my apologies. That was not a good question. I am sorry, I am simply not very good when it comes to making small-talk. Believe it or not, that is not something I was made to be proficient in as High Lord. It is a personal regret, so please do forgive me for such, I did not mean to push on such matters."

As that was a topic that was rather awkward and rather out of the High Lord's area of expertise, he did decide to act upon the rest of what Heulyn said, as he had more to say on those matters. He simply nodded, "Menthrais was a rather unique High Lord. The Naturalistic High Lord, as he is called. He made these parks, you know, at the request of an Ialao ambassador. And it is the Yuya family you speak of, yes? Well, if Tarset told you, then there is little point acting as if it is not a real situation. Yes, Nerotep Yuya claims my throne, though right now only in words and not yet in action. And I have not been able to arrest him for this claim, as I have not received permission from the Ancestor's Council for it, for whatever reason." He paused for a moment, wondering if he should elaborate. He looked up at the sky, and then nodded to himself as he decided he wanted to say something, "Compromised, I am not sure. Hiding something? Always possible. They don't need to tell me their reasoning. Have you ever wondered Heulyn why this Empire does not have an Emperor? Why I am merely a High Lord? Most would put it down to simple tradition, which is correct. But nobody really seems to ask where that tradition of naming came from. But I know the answer. Its because I am not any absolute ruler of this Empire. The ancestors share power that they can utilize whenever they wish. There is no Emperor, no single individual who truly owns this Empire alone. Yet I hold most of the responsibility, or really, liability. I shoulder half the power, yes, but I shoulder all of the blame for every imperial failure. I know the wisdom of the Ancestor Council, there are minds and souls within the Ancestral Deliberation Halls that I could never match if I lived ten-thousand years. But for that same reason, it is hard to know what they are thinking, hard to know if they are truly on the right course of action. So, I do not believe in any sort of compromising, but I do feel there are things happening that are out of my reach, and yet will impact me the hardest in the end."

Going silent for a moment, it was clear Sethus did not wish to linger on this topic. It was distressing for him, and so he quickly looked to Heulyn and spoke again, more clearly now, "Heulyn, I do not wish to impose. Do not treat what I say as orders, just for now. I am simply Sethus right now, and as that simple Anubite I must ask... Do you feel as if you belong? Or, more rather, do you feel as if you want to belong? It may not show, but I am a person who really spends more time with the dead than I do the living, and that has had its impact on me. I have never been alone, yet sometimes I do feel as if I am. For what am I but the catalyst of communication between the two states of living? I will not delude myself, I know this is where I belong, I have accepted that. But it is also why I want to try and understand the belonging of others. To people who have more freedom to move and become what they want, and yet still choose to find a place to root themselves in."

She shift her head enough to look at Sethus once more.Gaze partially forlorn and distant that soon melts into a sympathetic one. “I don’t hold it against you. Never could for that matter.” She started in a plain tone. Turning her head back to the obelisk in front of her in thought. Eyes half lidded as she continues to speak to the high lord. “Being able to hate would make things easier. To have a grudge against someone who had done wrong. It’s an easy thing to do, to be able to hate. Hatred is self-punishment.” She pauses in introspection. Thinking about the past weeks and the numerous therapy sessions. “Hate is a bottomless cup that you can pour and pour without end. But for me, I don’t have that cup in me. I do have fear oh certainly, and pain is just an old friend at this point. But hate, I simply lack it.” A distant memory bubble to the surface. A moment conjured by her delirious mind at the time.

“Many years ago. Months before I was sent to my father. I laid there on the bed in a tired state. So tired. Shadows seem to creep along the walls. Time held no meaning. But then something happened as I began to lull to another dreamless sleep. A figure stepped out of the shadows and loom over my head. I looked and knew it was an hallucination. For I knew who the figure was. Ahriman, a former Servant. A character from a sad legend.” She could remember the one or two memories that came to her in those dream cycles. The dreams were disjointed at first given the nature of multiple bonds with other servants. It took the help of her Dream Warden to be able to filter what comes through that connection.

“ In his time he was worshipped as the god of darkness. In reality, he was no more than an ordinary villager. The tale begins on one day, when he was randomly chosen as the "source of all evil in the world" by his village and was tortured and sacrificed in the ensuing rituals. The villagers, who were suffering from various disasters, eventually came to need a scapegoat for blaming their troubles onto. This scapegoat would be designated to be a daemon and be chosen to be the reason for all the calamities afflicting the village. Simultaneously, he would be chosen to be the source of all the world's evil and by his existence, the villagers would have to be good by nature. A helpless sacrifice, an ordinary person without any special talent, transformed into exactly what they wanted, that was determined to be and came to represent All the World's Evil.” In that light perhaps that stands as another reason for her perseverance against her darkness. As she had thought before when she first arrived to this world, or rather her substitute, she knew what she would become. The very thing those people believe her to be. A weapon of calamity. More unpleasant memories rose in response to that thought. Of the day she almost made a horrid fate.

“So in a way, it was fitting for the devil to greet me on my deathbed. A hallucination it may be. Anyways. He stood next to me and said, ‘What’s going on? How did you become such a mess? How weird. After saving the world, shouldn’t you be foolishly living your life until you grow old? Instead, how did you end up looking so pathetic.’ In my lethargic state I managed to make a dry chuckle before giving a response. ‘A lot of things happened I guess. To put it simply.’ He then curtly responds to me. ‘In the end, it’s the mistakes of Amzielean isn’t it? Stop being a naive little girl, embrace your grudges. You’re already being treated like this, even if it’s you, those people already can’t be saved. All the suffering you’ve experienced, return it back to them in its entirety.’ I laid there for a while I think. It was hard to tell. But I know I smiled in the end. ‘I could, but, for you to be angry on my behalf, I am already satisfied.’ That earned a laugh from him. ‘Hah... really, you never change, kind until the end. A big fool that can’t be saved.” The Queen of Fools she is often mocked as from Goljumesh (Not that is any surprise, he mocks everyone) and she took it with acceptance. In a way it was an advantage. To be naive, is to be able to believe in oneself when no one else will.

She paused to let out a deep breath. “I know that my scorn would be valid. That no one would ever blame me for it. That I was free to hate my Father. Angelarium. Omnipo. For everything they’ve done. Yet in the end. It’s like I’m defective. For I can’t come to truly hate another.” Such emotional abnormality was not out of the ordinary for her. Remembering the moments from other people who noted how strange it was for her to be able to empathize with people all across the pathological spectrum. She had mostly shrug it off as being a small quirk of hers. Now however with the developing events surrounding her Soul Relic she is not so sure anymore. Never once had she stopped in her life to think ‘What am I?’. Her first thought was of the orphanage that her father dump her in. The second being one of the Masters at the organization. And the third was simply that she is ‘Heulyn’. What that entails is what she can’t quite put her finger on.  

Hearing Sethus speak she twists her head enough to look at him again. Listening to him go on about Menthrais and the Council. The former she had gotten the impression of but still felt something was amiss. As he went on about the Ancestral Council she look at him not in sympathy but in empathy. It did not fail to dawn on her how similar their lives were despite their differences. “It’s not an easy thing, that much can be said. To carry the weight of the world. Live up to the expectations of many. Feel so tiny when surrounded by greats.” Listening to the change in topic she let out a small, dry laugh. “In a way I’ve spent most of my life dead than alive. My childhood was nonexistent, after that was essentially a long transient dream, following that I was taken away.” Even if she was not taken away. Her time at the organization would have still mostly come to an end. The thought of life after was a difficult one for her to grasp. From a morbid perspective her confinement was somewhat of a blessing. For they took away her freedom to choose. Her other self had done well in mimicking her feelings in handling the alien feeling that was being able to choose. In the end however that was nothing more than a silly dream, even if those times did not occur.

“Because of that long dream, I can’t settle into normality... I’ve been told by the healers that it was a lot like how soldiers felt. That what we all experience, combat or none, is a very, very long period of extended absence from comfort. There is no change and no break. You work with them, you eat with them, and you live with them. If you can’t stand them, oh well. If your boss is a jerk or psycho, there isn’t even the escape of going home at the end of the day or having a weekend. Unfortunately for me, the ‘boss’ is me and that’s a whole other layer all on its own. Not only do you have to deal with paperwork but also keep your servants in line. Which for me. Involves hundreds of conflicting creeds, ideologies, beliefs, that at the end of the day somehow make them work together.” To this day she was still proud of her dysfunctional family that they all made together.

“Of course, the similarities don’t end here. For don’t forget the aspect of war for returning soldiers. Don't think about how it sucks for a few short periods of intense violence; imagine it sucking for months and months of a slow drone and a psychological beating. Seeing… things that normal society will never witness.” Leaning back to set her hands behind her to hold her up she straightens out her legs a bit. Peering up to the monument she continues to speak. “But to be positive. I want to make it clear that I don’t regret the journey. I had met figures from history and myth. Some were strange and some were downright awe-inspiring. Not just those, but the actual battles and events I witnessed were nothing short of incredible. I was convinced that I had already surpassed an ordinary person's lifespan at that point. So with that perspective. Where do I go next? Become someone plain like a waitress or a farmer? A woman of my talents?” She spoke in a light, joking manner. At this point she was growing comfortable around Sethus due to both her quirk and Sethus xenoizing.

Setting her focus onto the Anubite next to her, she continues to talk. “I don’t think I can ever feel like I truly belong. Even in my happiest days I felt more as a spectator. It feels… like walking through an art museum. I can feel the emotions in the paintings and sculptures. I can empathize with them. But I don’t feel a part of it. I don’t feel sad about it. In a way, I know my place as well. But don’t know how to integrate it in proper society.” Giving a small sigh she continues to look at the Anubite. “In a way. There are two forms of freedom. The false, where a man is free to do what he likes and the true, where he is free to do what he ought. The latter I’m unable to do. I bound myself to this fate. To turn back now… would be wrong. So I am at a loss of where I stand in the universe.” Her tone was still soft and distant. Now peering upwards into the sky above. “Sethus. Thanks. For reaching out to me like this. It’s a nice feeling. To be able to talk to someone who has been through similar things as different they may be.”

Sethus sat quietly and listened to Heulyn tell her tale, avoiding falling into his usual stances. He was quite an adept listener, as in truth being able to listen was one of the biggest parts of his role in life. Listening to ancestors talk on and on about their life stories, about things they knew and wished to teach. He was to be the good student for each and every one of them. But he was not speaking with some ancient ancestor, some long dead hero, or old inventor. Heulyn was living, and telling a story for the sake of memory and to converse, rather than explain some obscure and long-winded moral message as he was used to. It was certainly a change of pace for the High Lord, but not one he mined. So, listen he would, as somebody trying to be a friend rather than a student.

At story's end, Sethus nodded his head in agreement, "Yes, scorn there would be entirely justified. But scorn is ultimately a choice. There is justice in the eyes of others, but there is also justice in our own eyes, our own feelings. We must decide for ourselves whether we wish to do something or feel a certain way, even if everyone around you would not judge you for it. For this is what determines who you are. We do not simply act in accordance to what is acceptable, to what is just the normal thing to do. To have such forgiveness helps define who you are, Heulyn. That is what you are. No shame in such, and thus no need to question it."

After a pause and further listening to her, he sighed and nodded, understanding all too well, "Heh, it does seem you have a good deal of understanding then. Yes, I carry the weight of an Empire, but I also carry the weight of responsibility for so many people. Both the living and the dead, and I have to balance between the feelings of each and every last one of them. I must be the one who reconciles between the worldview of an Anubite Noble from the Empire as it was ten-thousand years ago with the worldview of an Anubite who just recently returned from a college on Avalantus! And so, so many more. I cannot quite say however that I am a soldier. A soldier knows that he has an enemy to fight, a commander to obey, and a home to defend. No, I take the role of the strategist. I am the man at the table who gives the orders, and yet knows so little. I do not see the battle, I only hear about it from a thousand sources, all with their own take on each and every movement. And then, I must make sense of it all so I can figure out the next move, and try to stop the amount of dead in my Empire from raising in each and every moment. My body feels no pain, but the mind and soul is stretched to the limit, and yet I endure. The pain however hits its peak when I attend to my role as lead mystic right after any such conflict, when I speak to the souls of soldiers who followed their orders and yet died. The ones whom my strategy failed to save..."

Sethus however did cheer up as Heulyn switched to more positive topics, giving a slight chuckle at her joke. It was certainly amusing to picture her in the outfit of a farmgirl after what he had seen in her mind. Certainly would be quite anticlimactic to have her end up as such after her long and troubled history. "Perhaps you are right. For my part, I know countless stories, and have had the chance to meet all the legendary figures of my empire and even of other peoples! Quite lucky. Still, you're an interesting person, Heulyn. I know my place as well. I am the High Lord, society watches me closely. I am perhaps a bit too integrated! All the same, I thank you as well. For allowing me to reach out, and reaching back. Heh." The High Lord had a small smile now, feeling rather positive now.

Hearing Sethus words were comforting to hear. That to forgive or to scorn is neither an obligation. Laws, Justice, and even Mercy is not some supernatural force. They’re abstract ideas that exist in the mind that people collectively believe to exist. From this sprouts hundreds of viewpoints arguing the nature of these concepts. Pushing forward their ideal of justice. At the end of the day as Sethus put it nicely. Everyone has their own individual belief in justice, mercy, and forgiveness. It’s that emotion what sculpts them to be what they are in life. Heulyn can recall many moments of seeing exactly this. As is the nature of working with so many spirits from a plethora of different backgrounds. Looking through so many facets of life had been an enlightening experience. A genuine smile came to Heulyn. Grateful to have met someone like Sethus.

She looked down from the sky in contemplation when continuing to listen to Sethus. “It’s a hard thing. To not only fail but to make a retreat and in the process leave others to their death. Unable to save everyone. And it’ll never become or feel easier. To do so would lead to becoming dexenoized. As a result you begin to act like a machine. Unfeeling and uncaring of the loss. Seeing the names on a screen as nothing more than numbers. We lose such an important perspective in relation to the big picture. My partner...the other Master. Tried to hold what sense of his Amzielean that he had left. But we’re all mortal, flawed and emotional. The amounting pressure and death had broken his spirit. Lost the will to live. So in what remained of his mind he… attempted to kill himself. Losing his memory in the process and was transported back to his home city by his family request.” In hindsight it was a morbid stroke of luck for him. For it was only a few months after that the Association showed up on CSO doorsteps. Letting out a sigh, she then look to Sethus and give a small smile. “It’s a hard life. In exchange for the luxury of living a normal life we ensure that those around us do enjoy it.”

Hearing Sethus gratitude she gave a nod in understanding. It was not a big deal for her specifically. Not the sort to wall off her heart and soul to the outside world forever. It was the antithesis of who she is. “The honor is mine.” Was all she said in return. Looking back to the obskelik before her she thought to keep the conversation away from the darker ones. What is life if you’re going to paint it black after all. “While on the subject of ancient figures. Who are Uldamis and Renesab?” Heulyn looks back to Sethus as she said the question.

Sethus simply nodded, he understood the facts of sacrifice. It was hard, but it was something he had to do, "Well, you are indeed quite correct. The hardships on our lives are many, but I know as High Lord it is worthwhile. For each hardship I endure, a thousand of my subjects can go their entire lives without facing many worries of their own. And so, I take on many such hardships, and help as many people as possible. Whether they realize it in their lifetimes or otherwise, I know that my life is important. So I will not be taking it anytime soon, as that will harm far more than just myself."

The High Lord smiled back to Heulyn, though then he considered her question. It was by no means difficult for him, so he got to explaining quickly, "Ah, I assume you are referring to Uldamis Rwim and Renesab Yuya? An interesting pair to ask about, as they aren't very related, but I can tell you about both! Starting with my own family, Uldamis Rwim was my grandfather. He was the Highlord preceding my father as well. In terms of significant actions he took while acting as High Lord, he is the one responsible for the close bond the Anubite Empire shares with Tyfrondor and Excave, as he and Tyfrondor became friends. It was under Uldamis that Lady Montezuria began her interest in the ancients and archaeology, and so she was a student of his in the mystical arts. Aztecha has ever since been closely intertwined with our Empire and provides a very important service all across Iammelon, and often even further beyond. I believe he was also the person to extract the location of a long lost tomb of High Lord Asamal Rwim, from Mildir actually. Got the Stag to simply casually tell us the location of a priceless historical find! Who knew we could find it by just offering a little stick of butter?" He gave a small chuckle.

"The next name is somebody more interesting. While my Grandfather was not an individual of high historical note, Renesab Yuya certainly was. He was the founder of the Great Yuya Family, as he was the one of his family to first be ascended to a position of nobility. It is a long story, so I shall give a summary. Renesab grew up as the child of a palace guard for the Rwim Fortress-Palace, the same one I live in today, and was trained from childhood to take up the same position his father held. He was raised closely with Menthrais in fact, and the two were childhood friends. This was standard, as it is easier to get guards to put their lives on the line for a friend than merely just their lord. But he was a particularly good friend for Menthrais. And so, when Menthrais became High Lord, Renesab was raised to the captain of the Palace Guard, taking complete command of the unit and becoming the chief of security for the High Lord. A position of extreme importance, but it would be shown that Renesab was up to the job. There was an assassination attempt by a noble Zantine family upon the High Lord's life, as they wished to use the chaos of a dead High Lord to seize territory for the Zantine Empire and thus raise their own prestige in eyes of their Emperor. The attempt was almost successful, as they got past all the defenses of the Anubite Empire and Planet... Except for the Fortress-Palace itself. Renesab had noted there was a breach in the data files of the palace, the files concerning security shifts and defensive layouts, and he quickly realized what that meant. So, the very night before the assassination was to take place, he completely overhauled the security layout of the palace without anybody but his own guards knowing, assuring that if there was a traitor it would be too late for them to report these changes to the assassins in time to make a difference. The changes worked, and the assassins were caught off-guard. They were apprehended, questioned, and then finally executed. The questioning was done personally by Renesab, and he found the traitor who leaked the files in the first place. For his deeds, Menthrais raised his trusted friend into the ranks of nobility, granting him a Lordship. From then onwards, the Yuya were a noble house, and they dedicated themselves to their warrior ways. They would protect the Empire, and soon enough developed into the trusted forces who would defend our many sacred tombs and holy sites."

“Hehe, figure I start somewhere. Your empire history goes back a long way. It would be a difficult prospect to consider what would be a good starting place.” She had been reading that report on those restless nights along with the copy of the convention. The latter was very much a slog for her as any law book would. So she stuck to learning about the Anubite people over the ethernet. She’s more of a lass who enjoy a more lively tale like the ones she was listening too. The part on Mildir made her smile in agreement. Another genre that she likes is political drama. And the relationship between Menthrais and Renesab was a peculiar one, fitting right in her realm of interest. ‘I dare say! It would be quite a change for them to no longer rule.’ Memthrais words play again in her mind. She knew it was a weak lead, practically worthless as evidence of something underneath. But with the silence of the council. The Pretender. And the whole story of assassins passing by every defenses only to be stopped at a change in the security system that was changed overnight. Not only that, but the obvious nepotism that Menthrais showed in bringing up his childhood friend through the ranks. There were so many things she wanted to say but she did not want to sound accustionary. At the same time she is not that sort of person to stand by while something insidious may be occuring.

At this point she was more aware of the obsleks presence. Slight paranoid that the ghost may be listening. They are after all astral beings. Not something that can be seen with the mundane eye. When she first joined CSO it was essentially mandatory to be able to sense magic and spirits which is how she came to learn the third eye technique. To see the many overlapping realities. It was how her well her other self was able to find the spymaster. Tapping into her senses she open up to the astral world but not reaching out. Instead she let herself be bask in the ethereal radiation of the universe. From feeling warmth from the great pillar of blue energy that was Sethus. Beyond it she could see the prismatic stars of light. So clustered and numberless that it felt like she was staring into a cosmic arm of stars. Beautiful the lives of the city it may be it was not the point of her focus. Rather it’s the obelisk near her. Alert to sense any active presence of the spirit.

She kept her gaze focus on Sethus as she reply in an earnest tone of respect and awe. For as sketchy it may be, it was still a fascinating tale. “That’s amazing. For one person, in a manner of ten hours, not planned ahead of time. managed to rewire the entire fortress-palace from the ground up without anyone knowing. Not even the night guards. No wonder he was bestowed with royalty. That’s a legendary feat.” She hoped that Sethus could see the abnormality in that. Or perhaps he did and brush it off. Whether the case may be, she wanted to make sure that they were on the same page.

In the Astral Plane, things were rather cluttered. For it was not just the usual clutter, but the fact that there were certain individuals here in this park who were rather blinding in this sense. One was the Anubite High Lord next to her, who was a great beacon of spiritual power, alongside the number of ghosts that seemed to be stored within his staff, although they were all slumbering and dormant, and so not listening. The second blinding presence was Mildir's, as he was still in the park. He had made great cover for Heulyn to hide with before for good reason, as his presence was not in the least bit concealed. Regardless, once one got past those two shining lights, the obelisk could be looked into. It was interesting to look at from this perspective, since it seemed to be less a beacon in its own right and more of a sort of spiritual radio tower. Energy flowed in as a stream, and then in controlled fashion was directed elsewhere, presumably to other beacons like it. The energy that flew through it was hard to decipher, and would take more research to properly understand. Thankfully for Heulyn however, Menthrais was not present, his spirit off somewhere else. She could be reassured that he was not listening, at least for now.

Sethus meanwhile chuckled and nodded, "Ah, indeed. I suppose our history is rather dense. There is quite a bit to look through, and not everyone has the same fortune as me in that I got to study my Empire's history for... Well, I suppose my whole life. Still am, really." He then paused, getting the hint quite clearly. And he didn't simply shrug it off, "Well, it is a legendary tale. Which means we cannot say for sure that it is factual. I cannot tell you if it is fully truthful as such, but I do know there is more to the story than is often told. I cannot say I personally know these extra complexities however. There are ways to find out however, such as going directly to the source! If you are so curious, we can go to speak with Renesab directly, get his side. Of course, we'd have to go and visit his resting place. Normally, I can summon most Anubite Spirits simply by invoking their spirit and calling their name. However Renesab and Menthrais are somewhat annoyingly unique in that matter. They do not respond when their names are called. Instead, Menthrais only responds when called through these obelisks, and Renesab only responds to calls to his name within his own tomb! I could force them, but that degree of disrespect to an ancestor's wishes is not something I intend to do. Ready to take a walk, Heulyn? We can bring Mildir with us. And Almas as well."

She made a mental note of investigating more into the strange obelisk. Going over her tidbits of gathered information the obelisk seem to play a critical factor into this. For now however she’s not in the right mindset yet to get deep into the dark end. She was after all still recovering from her ordeal. Rash and passionate she may be she knows how to prioritize the most important things first. Such as her health. “Oh?” Genuine surprise was evident from Heulyn. “If that’s okay with you, I don’t mind.” A yellowish blush rose in her cheeks. Bashful at the idea of walking with the High Lord. Not due to his presence but rather attracting looks from other Anubites. Wondering who is the outsider that is walking so close to their High Lord. To distract her she looked over to her companions. “I should get them. Both of them, especially Almas, doesn’t like to be left alone.” She spoke as she got up. Giving her dress a pat or two to get the dirt off before sauntering over to herd her animals back over to Sethus so they can go on a walk.

Sethus understood the potential embarrassment one might feel from being around him, and getting the looks that followed, so he did know why Heulyn was bashful. But he felt it would be good to walk regardless, "Yes, it is quite okay. I'm more worried about whether you are comfortable or not really. Regardless, yes, I know enough about Almas to know that she isn't one for being solitary. Quite amusing for a feline." The two animals were not hard to round up. Mildir was fine with going on another walk, as he was getting bored with the park as is, and Almas was fine with moving as well. She got in a nice nap, and now it was time to get moving. Preferably get fed as well but that was a secondary objective to the great cat.

With the animal companions in tow, Sethus and Heulyn could begin their trip to Renesab's tomb, which was of course within Yuya territory. That required a fairly length walk down the Linear City streets, in which Heulyn's idea of Anubites giving her weird looks for being near their High Lord were validated. The populace was certainly surprised to see an outsider whom they did not recognize with the High Lord. They recognized Mildir, no trouble there, and the large cat was simply an animal. But an Amziel from that world they were set on civilizing, that was something else. Regardless, nobody challenged them, for none were quite so bold as to openly challenge the High Lord's choice of travel companions. Most assumed it was stately business, some sort of visitation or personal interest the High Lord had taken. In either case, it was not worth getting in the High Lord's way to investigate, as the consequences for disturbing him were much too high and not worth the attempt.

Thus, with the walk not being directly disturbed, Sethus looked over to Heulyn as he walked to start speaking again, casually now, "So, Heulyn. How fairs that Spirit of yours? Goljamush, I believe his name was. I did not see him last I visited. In addition, I'd like to ask if there are any other spirits you are interested in calling. I do want you to move in comfortably, so if you wish to call in another of your servants to make life more familiar, that can be easily arranged. If not, then no harm done. In truth, I am simply a bit curious as to meeting more figures from your culture's history if at all possible. It is simply the Anubite scholar in me that greatly wishes to learn more, so do forgive me for pushing that."

Try as she might. Anxiety still well up inside of her. Vibrantly aware of the stares she was receiving along the way. Being an outsider was not a foreign feeling. Knew what it felt like to be that strange other in the room. An alien both figuratively and literally. Her hands were clasped behind her as she kept pace with Sethus. Her gaze fixated on the road before them. Trying to not notice pedestrians going by her. The presence of Mildir and Almas did give her some degree of comfort. So she is glad to have brought them along with them. Attention aside it was nice to be outside. Much like the trip to the park it was a good experience for her to walk about. To get active again. As much her bed was relaxing when not overtaken by her furry friends. She was not the sort to do bed rest for an extended amount of time. It was a luxury she did not possess back in her CSO days where she had to be back in the field as soon she was able to. Regardless of what trauma she went through.

The sound of Sethus voice snapped her back to full awareness of what’s going on around her. Turning her head a bit to look at Sethus beside her as they walk down the road through the city. “Oh, Goljamush is doing well. He’s been out and about in the city lately. Most likely enjoying what it may offer.” Or so she assumes. For Goljamush had been spending quite a bit of the last weeks away somewhere without telling her what. On some days she would catch Tarset being disgruntled about something. Mumbling about a troublesome and brutish spirit. Which did sound like the King of Heroes. But she has full faith in Galjamush. Knowing full well that’s he’s not the sort to cause senseless hassle. Whether other people can see that or not is another thing entirely. There was one thing she has been noticing lately. Some moments, commonly when they are all feasting together. She could feel a strange tension between Goljamush and Tarset. With the latter glaring at him in frustration while the former seem to be holding in great amount of mirth. Seemly taking great enjoyment in teasing with the young lady-lord.

Her amber eyes lit up a bit at the idea of summoning more of her servants. To both reunite with them and start consolidating a power base. Now more than ever she is aware of her shortcomings. To get better to overcome those failings. And she can’t do it alone. “I-I would like to call some of them. That would be nice.” She gave a nod in agreement. At first and still is to a lesser extent, worried about the mana usage required to maintain multiple summonings. Back in CSO she underwent training to increase the quality of her magic circuits. Studying books gifted to her by her servants that went over the lives of prestigious Amzielean Magi. A pair of sisters from the Aozaki Family was the main centerpiece of her studies.

The eldest, Touko Aozaki was one of the most powerful magi in the world during her lifetime. Touko has twenty Magic Circuits, and while not an extremely large number (The average amount for a typical magnus at the time), it was a surprise to the Aozaki family due to the number of Magic Circuits in their line having been dwindling. In terms of quality, her Magic Circuits are among the best in the world, In her time period she was the second youngest to earn the highest rank of Grand in the Mage's Association, having done so at the age of 20, and the Mage's Association also dubbed her with the highest primary colored title of Red. She wished to get the color Blue, but that title was instead given to her sister Aoko. Who Heulyn researched on the most.

Aoko Aozaki is the youngest of the pair and is considered to be a formally inferior magus to Touko, who possesses some of the greatest magic circuits in the world. She was born with an extremely average number of circuits and magical energy capacity. Although she has no talent in the usage of most magecraft, her genius in destruction is unmatched. Despite her shortcomings compared to her sister, she has managed to make use of her abilities to the fullest through her own natural talents. While the Aozaki family has circuits of the highest quality that may help make up for their low numbers, Aoko is especially talented in that area. Aoko's specialty is her remarkably skilled utilization of mystic energy, which is about a hundred times more efficient than the average magus, allowing her to perform wonders with very little energy. While smaller than those of her sister, her circuits have extraordinary rotational speed, structural durability, quality of output, and fuel efficiency. Her efficiency is comparable to ‘a car that can run one thousand kilometers on a single liter of gasoline.’

Of course, such a level of quality is far beyond her reach at the present moment. Learning something and putting it into practice are two separate things. For Heulyn she simply does not have the experience. While it may be true that she studied much in the five years with CSO. There were so many other things occurring that she simply did not get much training in the long run. Which brings her to her next train of thought. Who to call upon? Her former self mentioned numerous old teachers she could contact again. All would be beneficial if she were to get serious with her training. Monet da Vici would be great to meet again. On the flip side she can’t brush off the feeling that something is amiss. Her skin practically itches in anticipation of something happening. ‘You're not haunted by the war, Dear Heulyn. You miss it.’ The sudden memory of that moment made her train of thoughts come to a halt.

Does she truly miss it? It makes sense. She had previously said that her ‘normality’ has no place in mundane society. While grim she does accept it. Leading her to think if she should call upon servants than can help her investigate the many mysteries of the Anubite Empire. Especially when their potential for may be the House with the largest arsenal. So perhaps she could summon a mix of both groups? “Hehehe, anyways you’re forgiven Sethus. I’m sure it would be a fun experience for you to meet some of them. I was...” She stuttered for a moment, much to her embarrassment. Still getting used to talking to Sethus in such a casual manner. “..also wondering. If you could accept me as a pupil.” The memory of her other self agreeing to the offer of being trained by Sethus still remained within her. She had thought over a few times and agreed with it as well. Being taught by a professional mystic is something she does need to both benefit herself and to understand what their potential enemies may be using.

Sethus could tell Goljamush was up to plenty, as there was not much one could do upon this world that the High Lord did not hear about one way or another, and of course one such way was Tarset. Still, he had not decided to do anything about that King, deciding to let him operate for now and act if he had to later on. Probably when Tarset had enough of dealing with it. For while she was one to get annoyed, Sethus knew Tarset was also not the sort to resort to drastic action quickly. She could thus be trusted as an alarm, in a way. When the Lady-Lord felt Goljamush had finally gone too far, then Sethus knew there would be truth in it.

The High Lord was however pleased to hear that Heulyn was indeed interested in calling upon more servants, as he felt that would be healthy for her in the long run. It would keep her active, and expose her to more people she was comfortable around, which would help her in the long run, "Excellent. I was indeed hoping you would want to call upon more spirits. I am personally interested in your style of spirit channeling, and so I would like to see it in action to contrast it with the Anubite method. Not to mention, I believe I can help in that affair. Not to mention previously stated curiosity of meeting more people from your history."

He did smile however at her embarrassed request, giving a small chuckle before nodding, "Ah, so you are willing to go through the apprenticeship then? The answer is yes, Heulyn. I accept you as a pupil. Apologies if I am perhaps not the finest or most available teacher, but I do know quite a lot as might be expected, and it is important for me to learn the art of teaching as well! This will be a good experience for the both of us. You are now officially the High Lord's Apprentice, Heulyn, I look forward to seeing where this goes. I suppose a good way to do this is simply for me to set aside a few hours of the day to come and teach you, and occasionally bring you along for some of my many duties based on the more mystical side of being the High Lord. Excellent learning opportunities, as I have been told many, many times by ancestral teachers. Heh... I am just realizing something. I have been High Lord for years, and yet this is my first time truly considering teaching! I have been taught many things, and I have used those teachings to give many an order and make decisions, but never have I really passed that knowledge on in any such truly instructional manner. You will have to tell me how good of a job I am doing while we do so, Heulyn. I'll need the feedback, and be fully honest with it! Consider that an order from both High Lord and Teacher, after all it is not disrespectful to critique the High Lord when he has told you to do it."

Her smile widen at tad. Enjoying the brightening future before her. To interact with her friends once more. The offered help is appreciated. For it takes a bit to set up a more official summoning ritual. Rather than the blunt force approach that her other self did in calling upon Goljamush. “It would be great to work with you.” She a small nod in agreement. Becoming somewhat more relaxed the more she is absorbed into the conversation. It truly did feel good to talk with someone who is knowledgeable in the same areas as her. “To go over the summoning systems a bit. Masters summon their Servants at the start of each ritual. Different system possess different means of facilitating the summoning. There are three known ones in history. The Taikyoku System, the CSO FATE System, and the Mooncell System. The latter of which does not exist in our universe.” Heulyn was unaware that the Mooncell did exist but that would be something for her to discover at a later date.

“Under systems based upon the Taikyoku ritual, there are several factors that determine which Heroic Spirit the Master will summon. It is general that the seven participating Masters are all magi due to requiring basic magecraft to properly perform the summoning, but the quality of the Masters does not matter so long as the most basic summoning requirements are met to fill out the Grail's requirement of seven Servants being manifested. Upon selecting the Masters, the Grail distributes the massive amount of magical energy it has gathered among them to facilitate the process. The Grail as I mentioned, is essentially a big, condensed clump of energy so it’s neither ‘Holy’ or a ‘Grail’. We won’t need it for our summoning system.” The name was the source of some sources from the more religious servants who found it amusing that the Magus would come up with such a name.

“Performing a summoning ritual facilitates the process in which the copy of the Heroic Spirit is brought into the chosen class container. Most Masters will prepare a catalyst with which to summon their desired Heroic Spirit, but it is not absolutely necessary. Without a specific artifact, the Grail will, rather than base it on their power, choose a Servant based upon similarities to the summoner's own nature. When choosing based on power with a catalyst, bad compatibility may make forming a bond impossible, bringing about hardships without being able to have faith in each other. When allowing for a good affinity, it may bring forth a weaker Servant, and it is possible that a single mistake could rouse bad feelings between them due to the resemblance in their personalities being so close.” The Anubites referring to the system as primitive was correct. As more often than not, Magnus will try to find the most valuable catalyst regardless if they are compatible. Leading to the Master typically being killed the moment they summon their servant.

“While the summoning ritual are generally specific, their main goal in the Taikyoku system is to act as a precaution to create a bond with a perfect, reliable Servant. They really only require a summoning circle, even if unskilled, and a catalyst can bypass the need of chanting a spell. Catalysts are symbols and holy relics used to attract the desired Heroic Spirit. Requiring something with a connection to the hero, it can be anything from a sword, armor, a talisman, or even their bones. If the catalyst is one that is particularly weak, or if it is one with a connection to many different Heroic Spirits, the Heroic Spirit among the candidates that has good affinity with the Master will be chosen. Some are those that have only been connected to a single Heroic Spirit, allowing them to be brought forth regardless of affinity with the Master. Catalysts are extremely valuable, and it can take much effort depending on the Servant the Master wishes to summon. We don't need catalysts because of my pre-established bond with many of them. The Mage's Association, having been collecting the esoterica of thaumaturgy for generations since ancient times, has a grand number of catalysts ‘numbering among the stars.’ I doubt they have any of them anymore after the DOR.” It was a shame. Despite their faults she admired their vault of relics. The same admiration that made her want to get employed into Aztecha in the first place. You don’t go through many historic events without developing some appreciation for history after all.

“As for the FATE system. It allows for members of CAO who are considered ‘provisional Masters’ to summon Heroic Spirits as Servants. A system somewhat patterned after the Heroic Spirit summoning ritual utilized in the Taikyoku Period, which enacts summoning per agreement of purpose between Master and Servant as explained before. Since the first singularity incident it went through quite a few upgrades and became overall better. There’s more aspects to the system but for now let's leave it for another day.” Mostly due to science and technology being much more involved. As fast Solus was built over a manner of months. She has the feeling that machinery at work is not something anyone can cook up right away. From what she remembers, at the very beginning it took a group of Amziels thirteen years to build the system. And they were working with blueprints given by one of the Auinozoaun Remnants.

Heulyn pause for a few seconds to think of anything else to explain to Sethus. There was a lot to cover as evident by both her and her former self lengthy explanations. “Oh!” She should explain more on where these Heroic Spirits come from. “As...uh the other me explained awhile back. Heroic Spirits come from the Throne of Heroes within the outer dimension of the Auinozoaun Universe. It had and only will record events that happened within Auinozoaun itself. Now it needs to be addressed that from a scientific perspective. Auinozoaun still ‘exist’ as a whole. It had been labeled dead since it can’t support any life. After all the black holes have evaporated (The last of which the Renments used to cross over to ours), Auinozoaun now consists of an expanding sea of very long wavelength photons and neutrinos. This is a system of maximum disorder, no coherent structures or objects. No sources of energy, and no sinks as well. The rest of time is simply a continual lower of energy until the state of quantum vacuum is reached. So that nothing is still something long after the last black hole goes away.”

“The reason I brought this up to add context to the next aspect of spirit summoning. Those summoned as Servants are given the minimum information required to allow them to fit into any era. No matter how ancient the Heroic Spirit, they should understand a number of concepts that were not known in their time. The knowledge is not all-encompassing, so concepts may still have to be explained to them. They are not granted knowledge on other Heroes through the Grail, but rather from knowledge gained within the Throne of Heroes. As you may guess, since the Throne only records events in Auinozoaun. It does not have records of our universe. So to bring spirits up to speed faster. We can add on to the summoning circle a bit. Magically store a copy of some of my basic knowledge of the galaxy so far into it so when they are summoned, they would have a good understanding and saves a lot of time.” The FATE system also had this system. For they found it to be an efficient way to get Servants ready as fast as possible for future singularities. The sort of time management that she needs. Especially if she’s going to get involved with Anubite politics.

She felt more happy when Sethus went on about teaching her. It was clear to her that it will be a rewarding experience for the both of them from how well their bond is already forming. “I’ll keep that in mind!” For the first time in weeks she now have some sense of clarity in her life. More aware of her place in life. No longer is the future bleak as it once was. There were still clouds to be sure. But those were to be expected. Her smile was more fuller now as she walks side by side with Sethus. Looking forward to the coming days. Especially when she is taken with Sethus to deal with mystical manners. She was very much a proactive person in that regard. “And I wish for the same in return.” It’s also a good thing to have an equal work relationship after all. Like Sethus she too was not perfect and do need to be criticized from time to time.

Sethus listened closely to the large dump of information, for while it was a lot, he did need to know it for a few reasons. First was simple gathering of information, Anubites were always in the business of recording whatever information they could and Sethus was no different in that regard. Given the information that one of three was not actually active however, that meant the Mooncell really only had that one reason. But the other two had other reasons; learning to potentially utilize it himself and learning how to counter it in case it became a threat. Based on what he knew about the others who knew these techniques, they were unsavory folk who were unlikely to be very accommodating. So it was good to be ready to deal with them if it ever became relevant.

The Taikyoku System was certainly primitive to Sethus. While of course the affinity made a good deal of sense, it was quite primitive in how they did it, remaining heavily unrefined. That, to him, explained why it was so imprecise beyond some degree of affinity. Anubites were not so inclined towards random chance. Really this Taikyoku System felt to Sethus like the version of a summoning system one would use for an odd television series, although he felt it would probably get overly complex rather quickly once the initial appeal of the seven random spirits ran out. Still, it seemed like something he could do himself without much issue, so he kept it in mind. As for this FATE system, that seemed a good deal more standardized, but still imperfect and unrefined. Still, he felt he understood, and so nodded.

With the explanation out of the way, Sethus smiled, "And here you are, already teaching the teacher. Getting quite ahead with yourself! All the same, soon it will be time for your first lesson. We are now in Yuya territory. Keep your wits about you." The section of the city they were in wasn't much different to the rest of the Linear City, except for the fact it felt a good deal more militarized. Each house was like all the others, but they had little additions, like watch towers or more secured doors and windows. The presence of military patrols was also more notable, as if the area was already preparing itself for war. The defenses were, as usual, clustered around the many museums and libraries that were passed by, but considering the increased defenses it made sense that these museums were the type that might need extra guards. One sign stating "Imperial Dark Magic Archive" was quite enough explanation on its own for the increased protection. The soldiers were more respectful sorts by the looks of things at least, giving Heulyn few if any weird looks, and always saluting the High Lord as he passed. They did keep a close eye on Mildir however, and a few seemed to be almost terrified. If one looked at the stag, he seemed almost smug, indicating there was some history here with the ancient creature.

Regardless, Sethus finally stopped, "And here we are. The memorial tomb of the first great Yuya." The structure the High Lord had stopped in front of was an armored tomb complex, looking half-fortress half-necropolis. However its ramparts were unmanned, at least in the view of the living eye. In reality, there were a number of glowing, almost spectral spheres in built into the walls. They were the same sort of gem that Sethus had in his staff, indicating they were the mystical spirit stones that Anubites used to store spirits. The High Lord stepped forward, tapping the tip of his staff to the gate of the tomb, and it slowly retracted and gave way, revealing a dark inside. It was a mostly featureless thing. The only notable features were the lights, which were green orbs hanging from the walls, and a single, large sarcophagus.

Heulyn simply gave a grin in response. Her experience with her old teachers certainly left it influence on her. That along with her chatty nature can add up to lengthy periods of her talking to someone. All the therapy sessions also had their effect on her as well. With that aside she perk up a bit when told that they were entering Yuya territory. She knew they were militarized but did not expect for even the houses to be so fortified as well. Her attention was then drawn to their destination. Beginning to wonder about the theme of her first lesson as they came to the gate. Despite her unease she was ready to meet this ancient spirit. Giving a nod to Sethus that she was ready to head inside.

With Heulyn giving the confirmation, Sethus walked inside. While the room was silent and completely still, the sense of being watched could not be escaped, for while the eyes could not see the soul knew there was very much something here. The High Lord did not waste too much time with ceremony however, marching straight forward towards the sarcophagus. Stopping in front of it, he lifted his staff up, and gently touched it to the shell of the container before him. He then spoke loudly, "Renesab Yuya! The High Lord calls, and you must answer!" With the message sent, he stepped back to what was a respectful distance, and then observed.

A great mass of spectral green energy began to gather in front of the sarcophagus, forming into the shape of an Anubite. As it settled, the Anubite's features became more visible. They were wearing a fancy suit of ceremonial armor, though unlike most ceremonial armor this suit seemed quite functional as well. Two curved blades hung from the hips of the spirit, and it wore a pristine helmet with glowing eyes. It raised its hands and removed the helmet however, lodging it under his arms. Notably, the features of the Anubite underneath were actually very similar to Menthrais, and one would only avoid confusion from the fact that his fur was less trimmed and groomed, being more natural and and unkempt. The spirit saluted Sethus, clanging one hand against his armored chest, taking a stern and serious look as he looked upon Sethus, "Renesab Yuya hears and comes, High Lord!" Then, his demeanor relaxed and he chuckled, tossing the spectral helmet off to the side, with it turning to mist as it clanged against the floor. Renesab put his hands on his hips and smiled, "Sethus! So you're the High Lord now, I haven't seen you since you were a little puppy trying to learn your first words of power! Finally come to visit, eh? Sit, sit, we have much to catch up on!" The spirit waved a hand, and three large chairs appeared, though notably one of the chairs was larger and more ornate than others, and this one appeared behind Sethus, with the spirit taking one of the more humble seats.

Sethus sighed and sat down, the spirit's informal attitude not being quite expected by him. Still, he nodded his head, "Yes, I did come to catch up and talk. By the way, this is Heulyn, an Amziel who I have recently agreed to take on as an apprentice." He gestured for Heulyn to introduce herself further.

“It’s both an honor and privilege to meet you Renesab Yuya.” It was rather paradoxical. For her to be more at ease when meeting figures of renown than everyday civilians. Perhaps the splendor of novelty charm her enough to not be so awkward. Beside Sethus and Menthrais she had a harder time in interacting with other people. She needed to be forced to call Kissa, took a few sessions with her therapists to pry her open enough to talk, and while still interacting with Kissa she is not as sociable like her other self was. In a way it reflected the difficulty of her getting used to a mundane life. As strange as that may sound. She took a seat well next to Sethus. “It has been very recent that I came under the tutelage of the High Lord. Before that, my arrival here has only been awhile ago.” It was a good enough introduction she figured. Not wanting to overplay it. The limelight is to be centered on Sethus and Renesab. Not on someone like her.

Renesab looked to Heulyn and smiled, "Ah, haven't seen your kind before, I must say. You look like a Human, at least, but never heard of Amziel. I'll look forward to learning more about that. For now, if Sethus sees you as having enough potential to take you on as an apprentice, then I'm sure you've got something in ya. Anyways, Mr. High Lord... What did you want to speak with me about?"

Sethus nodded simply, "I was curious about something, as was my apprentice. I was recounting the story of your own accession into the nobility under High Lord Menthrais, your friend. Specifically, the tale of how you saved him from an almost successful assassination attempt with such skill that it is rather legendary. I wanted to hear your own take of that tale, as well as address a few concerns. I know Heulyn has a few questions." He turned to the young Amziel, "Do say them, Heulyn. This way Renesab can address them."

Even though she’s not bothered it’s somewhat of a hourmous note to be regarded as human looking. She had seen them before, some of Aztecha workers were human for instance. So she can see the similarities. Besides the boney red nubs that barely poke out of her red hair there’s not much physical traits that can differentiate human and amziel. There’s her pale gold mouth but it’s a bit close to the pink color of humans. Overall she suppose it’s a good thing. Humanity is often regarded as a ‘bland and boring’ race, at least from what she sees on the Ethernet. For her and as a Magnus in general. Coming off as bland and boring can be a good thing in some situations. Including the fact that Amzielean is fairly new to the galactic stage. Doubtful that they even pop up in the news all that much as it wasn’t like they were a stellar nation. But rather a group of primitives on an unexploited planet. The nature of their strengths and flaws is practically unknown to the rest of the galaxy she wager.

Species aside she shift her attention back to the conversation between the Anubites. “Oh. I wouldn’t call them questions. Moreso clarifications.” She was told that it was wise to be aware of how she phrases things. Such as claiming something to be questionable can come off as being accusatory. “But I’ll hold off for those later. I wish to hear your side of the story as well.” The other important trick she was told was that to not tell the other person what she’s looking for. For if they were to lie they would just add in details on the spot. While the whole story could very well be fabricated it’s ideal to keep the cards hidden for as long as possible. Regardless of her outward confidence. Heulyn is by no means the master of intrigue and she knows it. Which served as a further reason for her to summon servants that can aid her from the shadows.

Sethus gave a small nodded of affirmation to Heulyn, as he felt that was a good response, and now he was more confident this would good smoothly. Renesab meanwhile shrugged, "Fine by me then. Sit tight, younglings. I'll tell my story, even if I am not the best at these sort of narratives. Now then, let's start. So at the time I was the captain of the palace guard for High Lord Menthrais, and I was performing some routine checks. At this point I still felt unproven, and I wanted to make sure I messed up absolutely nothing, and thus I decided to look into the palace security files. I mostly was looking for anything that was not as efficient as it could be, or if anybody was slacking. That's when I noticed some irregular accesses to the files in the register. The one that gave me notice was that my second-in-command's access code had been used twice to check the guard rotations within ten minutes. With a little more checking, it was from two different locations within the palace as well. I believe that was sheer luck that I noticed this at all. Still, I decided to be cautious, and so I kept watch on my second-in-command, having somebody trail them for the day in order to watch their movements while I kept an eye on the register for file access. Sure enough, his code was used again to check the layout of automated defenses in the palace, such as the security cameras and sentry guns, but accessed from a location inside the palace, but not actually where he was."

"I realized rather quickly what this meant. My second-in-command's access code only allows him to look into the files, but not modify anything. However, with the valid code, you can check some important things as mentioned prior, things somebody trying to break into the palace without leaving a trace would need. Somebody looking at the guard shifts doesn't cause alarm to normal people, especially if the code to look at them is apparently coming from somebody who would need to know them. And really, if you have the skills, the location of guards and defenses is all you need to get by. The fact they had the code at all hinted to me in addition that somebody in the palace had leaked it to such a person, and I suspected one of the other Great Lords was finally overstepping their boundaries. Now, an important thing about the guard shifts is that they are never static, they shift every two days, and this was the first of those two days. This meant if something was going to happen; it was going to happen the very next day."

"Given that, it was also relatively easy to disrupt any plans based entirely on the information of where each defensive emplacement was going to be that day. All I had to do was modify the shifts and layout of some cameras and sentry guns within the inner reaches of the palace. The outer layers had to remain as they were, so the assassin was not tipped off about the fact that things had changed, they needed to stay confident. In order to ensure there was no leak, I disabled my second-in-command's access code that night, and then modified the shifts of the inner palace guards, changing their patrol routes and how many were present. Modifying the cameras and guns was more complicated, these things take time to move. So I didn't move them at all. I simply went and installed a few hidden cameras in a few select locations I felt an assassin may wish to utilize. Simple commercial hidden cameras."

"The next day, my efforts bore fruit. The Assassin, a Human in some rather advanced gear, infiltrated the palace, getting through the outer layers without any incident. But their confidence got the better of them, and when they were within the inner palace and noticed things were different, they almost got spotted and panicked. They attempted to hide out of view of any camera, but ended up right in the sight of one of my new cameras which I had been viewing that day. The instant I knew where they were, I had the guards move to subtly corner them, while I went and snuck up on their location to apprehend them. Few can handle a surprise onslaught of a batch of warrior spirits and an Anubite mystic, and for all their skill and tech they were not among that special few. I took them alive, and handled the questioning myself. Any part of that tale need clarification?"

The nature of intrigue is something she had admitted to have no noticeable expertise in. Discerning truth from the lies is an art that is woefully out of her reach. Regardless she possess an intuition that guides her along. The same force that enable her to be a quick learner on her feet. So when she lived among her Servants, she came to empathize with their quirks and their methodology. So when it came to assassins and spies, saboteurs and revolutionaries she was able to reach a level of understanding. With this understanding in mind she listens to the story through a specific lens. “There are a few things I’m curious about.” She admitted to press on the details she notice. “You caught my attention regarding the suspicion of other Great Lords finally overstepping. Were there political issues going on back then?” One would assume, even herself at the beginning, that this was irrelevant information. But as she came to learn, any form of information holds some value to it. “Beside that, I’m surprised you disabled the access codes. A very risky thing considering all traitor would need to do is check it again on that night to make sure everything is still clear. If they were to see it was disabled, that is enough to compromise their mission.” She holds off on asking about the assassin. Not wanting to bury the spirit with questions.

Renesab nodded at Heulyn's concerns, seeming to have expected them to at least an extent, "Ah, so you picked up on that? Yes, there was a little bit of an issue back then. The Lord of the Suerankh noble family had a few issues to do with the legitimacy of High Lord Menthrais, questioning whether or not he was really a Rwim or if he was in fact a bastard child. That was handled with a DNA test which settled the issue, but this test did not occur until sometime after the assassination attempt. The Suerankh are not the sort to dirty their hands, and so certainly wouldn't have done anything militarily, or even really something so crass as an assassination attempt. But it was my job to be concerned with the possibility regardless. As for the access codes, you are right that it would be suspicious. This is why I disabled the code in the middle of the night, at a time that was unlikely to be checked. I simply needed to arrange things that it would be too late for the assassin in question to change plans, or be contacted. Assassins on mission often do not have communications once they are in the true thick of an operation, in case such communications compromise their position. I was banking on this, given that the assassin was already so confident in their abilities to perform the act with that bare minimum of information they had. But that is also why I stayed in the palace all night that night, in order to check for such another attempt at accessing the information. Only time I left the security center that night was to install those cameras."

Heulyn gave a nod in understanding. Nothing too amiss that she might catch. At this point may just ask for information and keep them for later to have one of her servants go over them. “Thanks for clearing it up. How does the rest of the tale go?” It was best to not press too much on one topic. Especially one that does not seem to have any loose threads. There were issues she had with the Assassin that she does not want to bring up just yet. Would the loss of a High Lord really cause that much instability? Since she does not know much about Anubite politics she can’t say but given the position is not an absolute one she doubt it would be that much. Another aspect was the assassin itself. If they could not deal with a group of warriors and a mystic what chance did they have against a High-Lord? Of course there could be variables at play here. Perhaps the Zantine Family underestimated their rival magic. Or think that the High-Lord is not a very strong mystic. Either way she keeps attentive to Renesab story. Secrets have a way of making themselves felt, even before you know there's a secret.