AR Chapter 512 (Patreon)

Walking up to where the conclave was going to occur, I had no idea what to expect. I had only been given an invitation to come here and effectively present the terms of surrender for the Misti Hawar. Other than that, I hadn’t known what to expect. Seeing the way that my escorts traveled across the mountains, it was obvious that while they were more than capable of getting around without any problem, they were not wanderers or nomads. As such, I anticipated a city of some sort.

I wasn’t expecting it to be so ordinary.

The buildings were made of what seemed to be segments of the tall arctic grasses that grew in meadows around here. The grass was cut out with its roots still intact, from what I could see, and somehow shaped into buildings. Every dwelling was small, far too tiny for any of my allies to fit inside of, but I didn’t care to get in there anyways.

Considering the aggression shown by the Misti Hawar in sweeping into my city without warning and slaughtering as many as they could, I’d expected fortifications, walls, patrolling soldiers, and more when I saw this first city. When we approached the location of the conclave, though, I saw none of that. Yes, there were probably a dozen of the furry monsters wandering around, but they didn’t seem to be particularly on guard, even though they stiffened as they saw us.

“Did they not realize that we were coming? Did they not get the message that the ones who had destroyed their army were coming?”

“They’re prideful, Trai,” Brutus answered. “Despite the losses they already sustained, that proof they’ve received of our inevitable victory, they remain convinced of their superiority. Look at the way they’re looking at us. They think we’re novelties, not enemies. There’s some fear when they realize our size and strength, but they still think of us as animals.”

Foire’s daughter didn’t try to hold back a rumbling growl of displeasure at that, but even as her tail flexed back and forth and she glared, she continued on her path. She started to turn towards the nearest Misti Hawar, but I snapped my teeth together and forced the attention of all of my people towards me. Any thoughts of disobedience immediately bled away at my reminder, and I didn’t need to say anything as I continued to lead the path forward.

Ahead of me walked Maksulah, and at her side continued Inuksuza. Now among his people, much of that arrogant bearing had returned, and he snapped out a few commands to some of the nearest creatures. Looking at them, I’d guess that they were his clan members, considering they wore a similar style of robe.

It seemed as if his words were an invitation for others to begin talking, and there was an explosion of conversation in the Misti Hawar’s tongue. I felt my jaw clench in frustration at that, and started to step forward. Before I could do so, though, Maksulah raised her voice and spoke in the human tongue.

“Clan Head Pliet,” she called out, her voice cutting through the noise and snapping everybody’s attention to her specifically. She stepped forward with her hands pressed together, the pads on her fingers pressing as she bowed to what I thought was a female Misti Hawar.

“Welcome home. Your journey appears to have been successful, and I congratulate you,” they answered. The voice was feminine, and the Clan Head inclined her head ever so slightly.

“Yes, I have successfully returned to our range. Only due to the favor of you and the other Elders has this resolution been potentially brought about.”

Both of the females continued to engage back-and-forth in what seemed to be a dizzying series of ever-more formal platitudes. Instead of simply watching them, I turned my attention to the Misti Hawar that surrounded us. The way that Maksulah had described it, there were three factions: the claw, which Inuksuza was the head of, the fang, which Maksulah belonged to, and finally the shadow, which appeared to be taking a neutral stance for now. Observing the creatures that stood all around, I could get a vague sense of which of those present were the fang and had a good guess of who were the claw. The shadow, however, seemed to be largely absent. Or, while they stood politically neutral, still hated the thought of bowing the knee.

I couldn’t blame them for that, and I refocused on the people in front of me as the constant flattering back and forth drew to a close.

“To the esteemed Clan Head Pliet,” Maksulah said, stepping to the side, “I present Zaaktif Ashlani, the undisputed leader of the Saharliard Empire. To you, Zaaktif Ashlani, I present Clan Head Pliet, the premier leader of the fang faction. She is also the head of the clan in which I was born.”

I nodded, deciding to show some measure of respect, even though I couldn’t help but feel it was unwarranted. I stared between the two females and Maksulah continued.

“I cannot say that I know exactly what the anticipated schedule is from here on, but surely you will be given some measure of accommodations as well as attention before long.”

Instead of dealing with the uncertain, hesitant presentation that the former prisoner had given me, I simply looked at the Clan Head.

“I’m glad we can now meet together on a field that isn’t peppered with blood,” I said.

“I agree with the sentiment regarding the opportunity to speak with each other,” she nodded. “However, I cannot say that the path that has led us to where we now stand is without blood and suffering.”

“If you want to address the nearly 100 eggs that your previous Nyust’Taa shattered, we can do so. I thought to give you the benefit of being able to consider that as forgotten,” I said. With all of my Skills working to amplify my voice and presence, I had to mentally congratulate the female that stood before me for not cowering. Even so, her face did twist at the reminder that we hadn’t started the war, we were merely finishing it.

“Yes, the attempt to find common ground is almost always a bloody path,” Pliet answered, without addressing what I said specifically. “For now, please, come with me. We have much to discuss, and that  even before you come before the conclave.”