Alistair let out a deep sigh, his eyes fixed on the blood soaking into the carpet. The enchantments woven into it flickered to life, tirelessly cleansing the mess as quickly as it spilled.

  Viv, immensely pleased with herself, shifted seamlessly back to her usual size. Once settled, she began licking her bloodied paws, her bright eyes locked on him expectantly.

  "I know she’s precious to you," Riseth began, her tone measured, aware of the delicate nature of the subject. "And for now, having two familiars won’t hurt your progression. But if you’re not going to teach her or bring her along on our hunts, I really think it would be better to keep her as a pet and release her from the summoning pact."

  Her words hung in the air, cautious yet firm, as Alistair wrestled with his thoughts.

  He knew she was right, of course. Deep down, some small part of him wanted to hold onto a few pieces of life as they had been before the Initiation. Chief among those was his relationship with his cat—a stubborn attempt to cling to some shred of normalcy. But as he stared at the bleeding remains of a creature easily five times her size, strewn across their home, it was getting harder to ignore the reality.

  Sighing, Alistair retrieved the Pill of Enlightenment from his storage, holding it delicately between his fingers for Viv to see.

  "Viv, this is a pill that will make you smarter and stronger," he explained, his voice low. "But it will also change you."

  She padded closer, her eyes locked on the pill. Before he could say anything more, she leapt into his lap, scrambling up his arm with single-minded determination. Her tiny claws pricked at his sleeve as she stretched toward the pill, her intent unmistakable.

  A quiet laugh escaped Alistair. "You really just think this is a treat, don’t you?" he muttered, nearly convinced that was exactly what was going through her mind.

  A tinge of sadness welled up as he gently stroked her back with one hand while she eagerly devoured what she clearly believed was a simple snack from the other.

  She finished it in a single gulp and froze, the magic coursing through her in an instant. Alistair’s hand stilled as he watched, his palm resting lightly on her back. He could feel her body shifting beneath his touch, the subtle changes guided by her own surprisingly advanced polymorphing abilities rather than the pill alone.

  Viv lifted her gaze to him, her form stabilizing as she opened her mouth to speak.

  "I didn’t ask you to stop," she said, her voice soft yet carrying an unmistakable note of command.

  Alistair and Riseth stared at her, stunned into silence. For a moment, neither could find the words to respond.

  He was flabbergasted, utterly unprepared for her to speak so quickly. While Viv had been proficient at adjusting her size and proportions with polymorphing for hunting, the idea that she could form vocal cords in her animal form just by increasing her intelligence was quite unusual.

  Alistair’s hand moved on instinct, idly petting her as he tried to process what had just happened. Viv shifted restlessly under his touch for a moment, her movements quick and deliberate. Then, as though satisfied, she began purring softly and circling in his lap before finally settling down and making herself comfortable.

  Fluffy lifted her head, staring at the cat with a similar sense of wonder before shifting into her small humanoid form.

  "Can you show me how you did that?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

  Viv stretched luxuriously, letting out a long yawn and unfurling her claws as though the question barely registered. "Show you what?" she replied lazily, her tone indifferent.

  "How you talk in that form," Fluffy said, leaning forward with an eager expression, her interest evident.

  Viv closed her eyes. "Maybe later. This snack is tiring me out," she replied lazily, nudging her head against Alistair’s hand in her usual way when she wanted to be scratched behind the ears.

  Some relief washed over him as he obliged, his fingers moving gently along the spots he knew she liked. Her content purring filled the room as she slowly drifted into sleep, her small body relaxing completely.

  Fluffy looked ready to protest but stopped herself, reconsidering. She knew firsthand how exhausting the Pill of Enlightenment could be. It wasn’t just a physical strain but a mental one, as the mind adapted to new complexities. With a small shrug, she turned toward the door.

  Alistair continued to idly pet Viv, glancing after Fluffy as she headed out. "Where are you going?" he asked, his tone distracted as Riseth casually stored the remnants of the dead Lirsaross with a wave of her hand.

  Fluffy glanced back at them, a sly smirk curling on her lips. "Telling everyone," she replied mischievously before darting out the door.

  Alistair exchanged a glance with Riseth, who gave a slight shrug. "Probably your mother and sister. Maybe King too, since he’s your other summon," she said casually.

  "That works," Alistair replied, his tone thoughtful as he continued to stroke Viv’s fur. "We should figure out what Viv’s core concept is. I doubt it’s void—seems like that’s more of a racial trait for black cats."

  Riseth nodded in agreement, her expression contemplative as her gaze drifted to the sleeping cat. "It’ll be interesting to see. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll suit her."

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  Alistair let out a small hum of agreement, his fingers tracing absently behind Viv’s ears as the cat purred softly in her sleep. "It’s pretty random," he mused.

  A comfortable silence settled between them, broken only by the soft rhythm of Viv’s breathing and the faint rustle of Riseth shifting in her seat. She lifted a finger, tilting her head slightly, likely receiving a call through the Akashic Link, her focus slipping elsewhere. Alistair, content for the moment, let his eyes drift shut. The warmth of Viv’s body and the relaxing atmosphere of the room made it easy to doze off, thoughts of her core concepts and things he had to do fading into the background.

  Rolmeros reviewed his data one last time as he prepared for his talks with Nessyra Ryser. Much had occurred during and after the retaliatory strikes, but the upcoming auction on the Tok’eall homeworld Citar, provided an ideal opportunity to address multiple matters in person. It was far more effective than relying on the Network, where he could hardly refine his diplomacy skills with a rising star like Nessyra Ryser.

  He retrieved a physical copy from his desk, a recent report detailing the internal struggles within one of the syndicates. The document described how the Kraken Headeon had killed his former follower and right-hand man, Donevan—a J?tun and, more notably, the estranged father of Alistair Ryser—in a power struggle.

  While he doubted the family would seek revenge, his research into their archives, particularly the Earth subsection, suggested it was best not to bring up the matter. The records indicated that relations between Donevan and his family had been strained at best. He was torn, knowing that if he decided to include a reference in one of the information packets, Nessyra would catch it without fail. She was far too thorough to let anything slip past her radar.

  Rolmeros hoped they would eventually allow him to settle on their world, because not only felt the calls over the Network impersonal, but they also led to a stagnation of his skill gains, having his advancement impaired while assigned one of the more important and powerful smaller factions wasn't an option. He knew that being seen as unreliable wouldn’t help his chances. After some deliberation, he decided to include the matter in the next information package, pairing it with his research and an honest assessment. Transparency, he hoped, would help maintain or improve his standing with the Rysers, particularly Nessyra.

  Ensuring his uniform was neat and presentable, Rolmeros adjusted the Coalition emblem on his chest before taking a seat. With a steady inhale, he activated his breathing technique, allowing its rhythm to calm his mind and sharpen his focus.

  It didn’t take long for Nessyra to answer the call. The strikingly attractive demoness was dressed in a silky black Neshan business outfit, which nicely accentuated her long black horns. According to his research, Neshan culture didn’t frown upon leveraging a woman’s appearance to both distract and influence business partners. A fact he had to keep reminding himself of as he returned her smile, steeling his mind.

  "Good fortune, Lady Nessyra. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me," he began, his tone measured and polite, carefully setting the stage for their discussion.

  "Good fortune to you as well, Liaison Rolmeros," Nessyra replied, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I suspect much has transpired, and I’d love to hear what the Coalition has to share."

  Rolmeros returned her smile, "Indeed, I'll cut to the chase as I know your time is valuable. The retaliatory strikes have for the most part, been a great success,"

  "For the most part?" Nessyra’s brow arched slightly.

  Rolmeros allowed himself a faint smile. "Much like your own assignment, several managed to escape. That said, we did succeed in eliminating a number of dangerous figures and organizations tied to the Blackmarket Syndicates." His expression turned more somber. "Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we failed to kill the Plague Dragon Xariarch."

  "That is unfortunate to hear," Nessyra said, her tone steady but thoughtful.

  "It is," Rolmeros agreed with a nod. "Still, the strikes have given us some breathing room and thoroughly tipped the scales in our favor."

  He paused briefly, his expression growing more serious. "I doubt that will change—unless our mission fails, and the bridges collapse."

  "Let's hope it won't come to that," Nessyra said.

  "When can I expect a new report on Syndicate activities?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity.

  "I’m still gathering reports," Rolmeros replied. "I’ve also been conducting some personal research to include in the information package. I should have it ready in the coming days."

  Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her eyebrows furrowed as she seemed to measure him up. He felt a bead of sweat forming on his back, his retracted wings tingling with discomfort. Despite this, he held her gaze and returned it with a calm, measured smile of his own.

  When she chose not to press the matter, he took the opportunity to move the conversation forward without hesitation.

  "As a result of the many raids during the retaliatory strikes and the treasures recovered, the Coalition plans to hold a grand auction, which will be hosted on the Tok’eall home planet, Citar," he explained.

  Rolmeros didn’t miss the greedy little glint in Nessyra’s eyes as her brilliant smile lit up her face, making his heart race a little.

  "On Citar, not Sabis?" she asked, her tone carrying a note of intrigue. "They’re willing to host this auction on their homeworld?"

  "I expected them to host it on Sabis as well," Rolmeros admitted. "But the Tok’eall decided that a grand event—the first of its kind in this universe—should be held on their homeworld. It’s both a show of strength and a move for prestige."

  Nessyra nodded, and Rolmeros didn’t miss the flicker of anticipation that crossed her face.

  "Of course, the Ryser clan is invited to participate and submit any treasures they wish to auction, whether acquired during the raids or otherwise," he continued smoothly. "Governor Anarzeem has also informed me that he intends to take the opportunity to speak with you in person, as per your request." He paused briefly before adding, "While the bidding on treasures will be public and recorded, the providers of the treasures—whether individuals or factions—will remain anonymous. This creates an excellent opportunity to sell materials that might otherwise attract unwanted attention."

  Rolmeros could tell Nessyra was already furiously planning. For a moment, it almost seemed as though a projection of herself stepped away, disappearing beyond his limited view of the room. He decided not to question it.

  "Those are excellent news," Nessyra said, her bright expression unwavering. "When does the auction begin? And is there anything else I should know?"

  "The auction is scheduled for two months from now," Rolmeros replied, his tone steady. "There’s one more point worth noting. The Synth Alliance and its representatives have been invited as well. With all relevant factions gathering in one place, it presents a great opportunity to open negotiations with this particular outsider group."

  Nessyra let out a sigh, already anticipating that she would be asked to act as an intermediary given her faction’s dealings and standing with the Synth Alliance. While they weren’t the only faction in good standing with the Synth Alliance to have joined the Coalition, they were undoubtedly one of the most influential and powerful.

  "Of course," she said, her tone steady, though a faint hint of resignation could be heard. "We are happy to act as an intermediary for these negotiations."

  "Excellent," Rolmeros said with a nod. "Please submit a complete list of all treasures and items you wish to sell at the auction directly to me at least three weeks before it begins."