The room got tainted in complete silence, all attendants were holding their breath, waiting to hear what Bianca had to report from the suddenly ending phone call. Denton was the first to break the silence asking cautiously, fear resonating within his syllables:
"And he said? Come on, sister, don't torture me like that. If he said n-"
"Two hours."
Denton nearly suffocated from his own words and began coughing in utter surprise. Thilarie took over while giving Lanstein a silent order to get the albino something to drink. She sounded equally shocked:
"T-two hours? I never got that fast an audience with the Triumvirate like ... ever. His shininess - you must have pressed the exact right buttons. Congratulations!"
Bianca wasn't as convinced as her mechanical friend. She felt unable to brush down her fur still being way too intimidated by her leader's virtual presence:
"If that was him from afar ... I hope I can even open my maw in their presence. And I don't want to disappoint him, who put trust in my words ..."
And energic nudge from deep within; Galen was trying his everything to soothe his partner's worries activating his powers and granting Bianca a healing massage t cope with the developing headache. Bianca couldn't help herself but smile wide:
"Thanks, Galen for your care ... your right. I have nothing to fear; we have what it requires to make that meeting a meeting for the ages. Our future starts today, don't you agree with me, bro?"
Denton was overjoyed to see his sister managing to look positively at their future. He attempted to hug his sister, but suddenly his eyes changed, and a purple glow replaced his crimson-red irises. Khôra emerged, kicking Denton back in his subconsciousness, eager to change the hug into something more. They grabbed Binca and gave her a bear hug, kissing her cheeks repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes! We did it, Bianca! Let me kiss you, my champ! And don't worry. Galen and I will support you with all we got. We will grant the Triumvirate a convincing show and get their support! Tonight we will sleep in a real bed, you hear me? We all four. Finally having a real bed to sleep in!"
Bianca didn't resist Khôra's snuggle attack; she knew her way too well and enjoyed every second she decided to take over her brother's wheel. Snuggling back, she agreed from the bottom of her heart:
"In a real bed...that would be a life-long dream coming true. But are we deserving of such a gift? Looking back at the past years ... heck yes, we are!"
A symphonic metallic chuckling was accompanying these moments of happiness. Like proud parents were these two freezers observing the happiness outbursts of their friends. Thilarie might have known the two no for less than Eleven hours, but due to Lansten's many campfire stories about the defiant siblings surviving the slums and never giving up on their dreams ... was she rooting for their success already for a long time. After a minute of snuggling was Khôra satisfied for the time being and let go of their host's sister. Putting on a warm smile, they vanished back into the albino's mind. The purple retreated, and the characteristic carmine red of Denton's eyes returned. Denton gave his sister his before intended hug and then took over the planning of their next step:
"It is finally happening; the game is on. Thank you so much Thilarie, Lanstein! Everything was only possible thanks to your warm support. We are in your debt eternally. I-I-"
Thilarie walked over to Denton's side wrapping a water tendril around his broad shoulders, and giving him a quick massage. Her voice was soft, smooth as ice and full of care and passion:
"Shush, Denton. You can thank us - me properly when you succeeded in convincing the Triumvirate. And we will be there granting you emotional support ... Just have to find someone, who can take over today's shift. But that is no issue. All that is important now is that my friends will change their life for the better."
Enjoying the massage a silent purring rumbled in Denton's throat, his eyes grew soft, and he looked up to the happy half-moon eyes of Thilarie. An exchange of friendly glances, which took way longer than usual. Which lasted, until both eventually fell into a joyous chuckle for no reason at all. Bianca looked over to Lanstein, half in question if that growing friendship might be dangerous regarding what she told her in the trailer, half to express her happiness sharing it with the freezer. A thumbs-up soothed her concerns, and her mind was at ease. Denton cleared his throat, intending on continuing his planning:
"The operation is in process. We make it simple. Go in, meet the incarnations of Nemthi's heroic ancestors, show them our project, and go out. A straight plan without side tracks. And when that is done, ... Thil? Lanstein? Could we maybe take a small city tour through Leaston? Neither of us ever set foot in here before."
"Of course, it would be my honour. We - I would love to spend some more time with you. But first your presentation. Take the next hour to prepare yourself, take a nap or grab a bite to eat. We will leave in the seventh hour. But-", Thilarie lowered her head to apologize, "I have to leave for now. Organize today's supply trucks and find replacements for Lan and me. I will return to my office in 40 minutes."
Thilarie, however, didn't want to separate herself from Denton; it was his doubtful honour to split them apart, wiggling out of the massaging embrace. A brief blush accompanied by her melting crown, and she left the trio behind hasting away.
The 40 minutes got used effectively to recharge batteries. Denton immediately sat down, legs crossed, his eyes closed. He explained to the others that he wanted to go through everything with Khôra one last time to not screw up in the moment of truth. After all, he unlocked the needed ability less than two days ago and had not much time to practice the orb-weaving to set up his 'bombs' effectively.
Bianca was simply tired and asked Lanstein if she would want to accompany her on the couch. An offer Lanstein gladly took. She laid herself on the couch until she found a comfortable spot. Then Lanstein took the liquid body covering her feet and moved it upwards into her lap, blowing it up and generating a soft water pillow for Bianca to rest her head on. Bianca took the offered soft cushion with a smile and dug herself into the solid yet malleable water pillow, purring soundly. When she finally found the best possible space closed the kobold her eyes. She felt the left hand of the automaton touching her forehead and slowly caressing her like a pet. But Bianca didn't mind and instead purred even louder, stretching her limbs. As fast as she fell asleep in her waterbed, as quickly passed the time. As Lanstein had no need for sleep but enjoyed idling around, she didn't stop stroking Bianca's forehead as well as her hair until Thilarie returned.
When the Speartip entered her office after precisely 39 minutes was she opposed by resting angels. She remained silent in the door observing the three with half-moon eyes until the last minute passed as well. With 40.0001 minutes passed, Thilarie woke the bunch up as if she was an alarm clock:
"Rise and shine, friends. The palace of unity is waiting for us!"
The setting and characters are quite interesting. Background needs a bit of a touch up - like that most of the population are reptilian or dragonic. Is the whole nation the city? Are magical products and effects the main production or the backbone of commerce? Interesting that a skilled cleric would be living in a poor burrow instead of healing for income. Illness and injury is rare? No one has any money? There is so much magic that basic healing is a "throw away" skill?
Ok, these are all valid questions. Let me see. Nemthi is mainly populated by lizardkin with the occasional avian or elf here and there. But that is a rarity and mostly cause of international marriages to cement relations. The nation is vast, but Leaston is the capital city and due to Bianca's and Denton's stand they see Nemthi = Leaston, a misconception I will break down as the story progresses and they get aware that Nemthi is so much more than just its capital. Nemthi is exceptionally skilled with magic and runecraft being the farthest advanced nation in that regard, it is currently their main production as nothing much else get produced for the nation but only as a matter to pump in the war with its neighbour Scorzosa. A hot war now going on for 70+ years already. I should get a bit more into it, but Bianca stood low for a reason not praising her rare healing skills without any thoughts put into it. She would have gotten sent on the front immediately without having any further worth attached to her. Their cancer research has a secondary effect that unlocking the secrets and guarding the important steps to their own personal training other clerics in it would render them to be too important to send on the battlefield. She was healing others regularly, hence her visible halo, but not for the big money, but because she couldn't see them in pain. Her being a cleric is an open secret in the slums, and Lanstein had never namedropped her to protect her identity. Money is scarce. If you have the money you are either in the direct staff of the Triumvirate or a nobleman/woman or working for them. There is much magic around, hence nearly 955 of Nemthi's population are sorcerers, but life magic is quite rare. That is because you don't get born with magic but have to undergo symbiosis with a corresponding arcane animal ... and those representing life exist only in the singular digits in Nemthi rendering clerics quite rare and capable one exceedingly rare. (I would appreciate if you answer me so I can see that you read it ^^')
Excellent. In editing the earlier chapters the war details could be mixed in better. Why she lays low as a healer. Able body young adults would be meat for the war grinder. Another reason to lay low and avoid "recruiters" or press-gangs. So the chronic injured (pension or charity) or those too valuable (wealthy/powerful/ influential) would be the main population. Many would gamble on symbiosis for an improved life...so correspondingly there would be a fair number of Taken who lost on the symbiosis gamble. Too unreliable to be used as weapons in the war and also a drain to track and destroy.....so formal bonding centers or "clubs" to control and track it. Bronze controlled? Only a small number of back-alley/ blackmarket options or do-it-yourself.
Yes, but not quite. Getting taken is a risk most citizens of Nemthi wouldn't have to gamble against. The chance is honestly quite low unless one of two things are happening. 1. You are a purist. Many generations of no mage blood in your family; you are a foreign body for the Veil in need of getting taken down. 2. You mistreat those you could undergo symbiosis with. If you aren't a mage yet, but no purist either, you still should treat the wildlife with respect, or they might rise up against you. The main risk is however being too weak for holding your own in combat. If you don't practice your gift and reinforce your abilities through meditation and overstretching your mind, your spiritual partner will never bloom up granting you only inferior powers. And yes, criminality is therefore quite high despite Thilarie stating that it is low in Leaston. To better their chances to live a good life, quite a few, who have been deemed unnecessary on the frontlines tried to connect with the underworld, an international organisation residing on a foreign place at unknown locations only accessible through gatekeepers guarding portals towards the deadbeat caverns. ... And the underground has some influence already in Nemthi, but expanding on that would result in spoilers for the Novel.