Sachihiro

I walk into the unassuming residence of the elven looking fae man assessing everything around myself with dimensional awareness. Vevina is a scary/sensual/queer woman, very able and powerful I'm learning from all the metaphysical tug of war during sex, but she can also be overbearing and patronizing to the extent that I was already thinking of ending our teacher student relationship. Though I'm hoping that doesn't affect our personal relationship.

I walk behind the young man leading me through the residence without a word before I come out at the back of the house were a display of swordsmanship is taking place. Two humans seem to be facing off and sparing with naked steel as my soon to be teacher watches on with arms crossed.

They move almost like fae do with speed and precision that preserves energy only using the minimum amounts of movements necessary. The fae are very skilled with the sword with their inhuman agility and resilient bodies. Their senses are also all dialed up to vampire levels of sensitivity then there is the natural psionic level intelligence and uncanny perception. The two opponents have clearly been trained by the same person and that person is clearly fae I can tell at a glance by how they move, their style and the equality with which they are matched.

They both feel like they are Awakened but the fact that I can't exactly pin down how powerful they are means they are either a tier or more ahead of me or they have a concealing skill. I stand next to my would be teacher and watch the match unfold with as much concentration as I can muster.

The night is dark and there is no moon out tonight but I'm guessing that's part of the training since the combatants don't seem to be bothered by a lack of sight in the least. My 4 dimensional awareness is also a meld of battle sense so I follow the fight relatively easily enough even at the speeds at which they move.

I remember a time watching Asriel and a fae warrior duke it out and they seemed to disappear all together at times even when I kept all my attention on them. How things have changed since those days, how my opinion of true power has morphed to heights that scare me to truly think about.

The match ends with the male stabbing one of his two short swords through the female's torso before ripping it out with a gush of blood and guts. The female is left on one knee holding her side and panting even as one of the other servants that was spectating rushes forward with a vial and a bandage in hand.

"Htbdjdjejdn bdjejdbdj, ehhdjdbdjd." Sergei speaks in the fae tongue to his students before turning to face me.

Our eyes meet and as much as the man evaluates me I evaluate him. He stands a head taller than I do at probably exactly 2m, he has the broad human shoulders that can withstand heavy armour with ease and comfort but also the narrow elven waist that can twist in any direction without warning.

His eyes are very dark and he looks to have mileage on his face though he maintains the ethereal beauty all fae and Awakened seem to possess to some degree. The age and hardship visible on his visage seems to add an air of maturity and wisdom that is rare in the Awakened that look perpetually young without the feeling of age to back them up.

He is muscular, his forearms are bare and rippling as he keeps moving his hands in what seems like a nervous twitch. I feel something like a warm breeze wash over me and that's the only indication I have of being examined in any way. And that I only felt because he also used a soul sense skill and I'm learning that anyone with a soul weapon is generally more sensitive to soul abilities than the average person.

"I've been asked to recruit you into the Conclave of Shadows." He says in Common without preamble.

I'm surprised and so my eye-brow goes up in silent question as I work that statement out in my head. Firstly it implies he is a member of the Conclave in question, secondly he reports to someone or receives instruction from someone even if they come in the form of requests. Thirdly, they want me in Shadow and with my training and background I expected Spiritus or Proelium.

"How can I confirm this to be true?" I ask still maintaining eye contact.

I feel a presence walk towards me seemingly from out of nowhere as she slowly becomes visible to my senses as she gets closer. Her appearances surprises me further but I'm glad I found out outside of combat that my awareness isn't all powerful. It was stupid of me to even become complacent and forget that there is always someone stronger, more talented, that has worked harder than me just around the corner.

"Hopefully my presence and this letter will reassure you of Sergei's allegiance to the Conclave." The woman says as she walks up to me and hands me the letter.

"You are Hara, the head diplomat of the Conclave to the tribes." I say recognising her and acknowledging her as a member of Conclave Sovereign, the conclave that deals with all diplomacy and foreign affairs

Those in charge of slowly introducing the conclave to the world piecemeal and seeping Conclave influence in other kingdoms very carefully. I open the letter, slightly confused but also excited.

I had thought myself excluded from the deeper workings of the Conclave when no one recruited me into any particular organisation. The Proelium guys know me and the Spiritus guys know me as well so it was clear that I was unsuitable for whatever it is their true cause is outside of amassing power and trying to create a utopia. At least that was my thought when no one approached me even when I made my intentions clear of leaving.

"Why shadow?" I ask completely confused, I know they have a headquarters at the Den and a few people work there. But besides that they are a mystery rumoured to be filled with assassins and spies.

"Wait, you want me to be a spy?" I ask incredulous.

Hara smiles at me pleasantly and I notice the two combatants also coming over after seeing to the others injury. "What I am about to tell you is not information to be diceminated outside of the Conclave." She says as we are joined by the two young attractive looking people.

"I will give you information you will swear to keep to yourself regardless of whether or not you join the Conclave. You will be given 100 hours to make your discission after this meeting and you may refuse missions you deem inappropriate or against your code but you may not work against the conclave or undermine our efforts, is all that understood?" I nod at the woman before me.

"Good. This is Anastasia and Pherastasia, they are twins from Tiba that were birthed by a high priestess of the Brothel, do you know what that implies?"

"No." I answer but I already know from their vibrational frequencies that they are strong, and they don't have some of the weaknesses that humans are supposed to have.

The difference in vibrational frequencies between solid objects is miniscule but makes the world of difference in their density, hardness or other physical properties. The differences between these two are smaller still, as if they were the same person almost.

"You will eventually, but back to important things. What do you know of the seals placed on the seven world's?"

There are five main parts to the physical realms created by the gods and the Universe. The planes, the Upper planets, the Stable planets, and the Rock planets amongst other parts of the physical universe itself that we call outer space.

The planes are the things that are beyond planetary habitation that are inhibited by the most powerful or pure physical things in the physical universe. They are broad and wide and seemingly endless and cannot be easily reached from the planets or even other planes.

The planes are all unique and home to beings such as elementals inhabiting the elements planes; celestials, sentinals, angels and other beings inhabiting the celestial planes; and other planes like Eden or purgatory that are creations of the Universe and the lower gods, meaning the seven and their most powerful children.

After the planes are the upper planets, planets that are powers unto themselves that can hold and sustain beings of power comparable to those that reside in the planes. The upper planets can defend themselves against world-eaters and other creatures that roam the universe and so have no need to appoint Custodians or share their power, though they sometimes choose to. Planets like Omega where the elite of Gaia go after reaching the 4th tier of Awakening to power.

Then the Stable planets that are mostly santient and sapient and are growing, to the extent that they may one day become Upper planets themselves. These planets are not all sentient of course, but they are categorized by being alive and able to renew themselves and all their resources like a child growing in a womb.

The Rock planets are just that, rocks that can sustain most sapient life if said life sustains the rock planet. They cannot grow and renew themselves but are dependent on outside stimuli for what they are or become.

The spirits that came to the physical realm conspired to become gods and in doing so loosened the seals that separate most of the worlds apart. The breaking of the seals would mean the almost free unencumbered travel for all beings that are able to travel from world to world with ease.

It is prophicied to be a time of slaughter and death for any and all physical beings before a new balance is reached, for even the separated planes would make war on each other if they could.

The main objective of the Conclave is in preparation for that, to someday be able to compete for and achieve the title of World Custodian and use that power to further develop their utopia planet Enclave. A planet in which all Conclave members that reach a certain level of power that could be useful in the defence of Gaia and her daughter planets may reside and train.

Secondary goals include creation of a world with a system where there is complete freedom from the burdens of the world. A utopiaof sorts, not meant as a permanently occupied home but to be designed as the experimental home of all Enclave members. One accessible even to beings with power comparable to inhabitants of the planes.

Deep staff this.