“Do you?” Rikke asked.

A part of Zelsys wanted to say yes; to change her victory condition to Rikke leaving her clan and joining the Newman Sect… But that was just begging for treachery down the line, and she assumed the Boreans had rules in place to prevent such poaching to begin with. Nevertheless, she decided to make it clear to the woman that it was an option, and that she wouldn't hold it against her if she chose the original conditions instead.

“Change? No. Clarify? Sure," she lied. "Inside, away from prying eyes and ears. If you care about honor so much as to take offense on another’s behalf, you should take no issue with that."

Asgeir gritted his teeth in annoyance as they entered the Hulson longhouse, with Rikke emerging a few minutes later on her own; he wasn’t surprised, but irritated nonetheless.

Without wasting any time after sealing her agreement with Rikke, Zel and all of her companions made their way to the Bjorn Clan’s longhouse. It was a fair distance away, a huge structure near one of the Steam Towers. It wasn’t a single home but rather a sprawling compound, a self-contained walled commune embodying the heights of Borean architecture within a very literal bubble, warded by a visible barrier just like the Newman Sect compound. Behind the longhouse there rose a towering stone outcrop, a spiraling stairway and a heavy-duty lift both leading to its top, where stood a gigantic obelisk pointing skyward. The whole thing must’ve been at least a hundred-fifty meters tall, superseding even the Steam Tower.

Bear imagery abounded all over the place. Two guards were posted outside, their statures, clothing, and body paint all broadcasting their membership of the Bjorn Clan. A gigantic stone gate stood in their way, runes shimmering over its surface; into its surface was carved the image of two reared-up bears facing eachother.

Zelsys was recognized immediately, one guard calling out for the gates to be opened, that “Elder Bjorn’s guests have arrived”. A third, female member of the Bjorn clan awaited them inside the gate, leading them into the longhouse through a side entrance, passing by one of the compound’s training grounds; men, women, children, even two upright bears were training there, causing a commotion equal to a real battle.

They were led down into the basement and further down still, through a long tunnel filled with heavy barrier-reinforced doors, each washing over them with the intense buzzing sensation of a barrier meant to not just stop a would-be trespasser, but to retaliate in such a circumstance. Eventually they reached a small inbetween-chamber, where the guard spoke: “This is as far as I can take you. Your designated facilities are in the private section; down the hall, to the left at the very end, then through the barrier-sealed door with a “NO ENTRY” sign. Elder Bjorn has seen fit to grant Elder Zelsys of the Newman Clan and her associates temporary unlimited access to pools eight and nine, as well as sauna eight and seclusion bath three. Elder Bjorn is otherwise predisposed at the moment; return in eight days if you wish to speak with him.” Her demeanor came across as detached, absolute professionalism drowning whatever she actually thought.

She continued: “The pool baths are low-intensity, fit for use even by those of weaker constitutions. The sauna can vary based on temperature and amount of water used. The seclusion bath is a self-contained cross between the two, designed for the likes of Elder Bjorn or yourself, Elder Zelsys - a means of extracting maximum benefit from the Primary Spring. I would advise against those of less advanced cultivation trying to make use of the chamber, lest they risk the onset of uncontrolled breakthroughs and the associated tribulations. A final piece of advice: The flow of time beyond this door is compressed; less time will pass outside than inside, though the factor is not entirely consistent. Use the wall clocks to keep accurate track of time.”

The architecture beyond this chamber was… Strange, yet familiar; as she’d learned a while ago, most bathhouse designs on the continent were derived from Ankhezian counterparts. Even rendered in Borean building techniques and styled purely to Borean sensibilities, certain unmistakably Ankhezian design elements remained. Most of all, though, the smell in the air and the sheer concentration of powerful people grabbed her attention. The four of them were alone in a hallway, but she could feel the others, so powerful were their personal auras. As for the air, it was fresh, not at all damp or stale as it might be underground. It was salty and filled with minerals from everpresent lingering steam, but also incredibly rich in Pneuma, such that even normal breathing induced a mild form of the benefits imparted by Fog-breathing.

“...The air. It’s like we’re back in the dungeon,” she said as they entered deeper into the underground bathhouse.

Jorfr agreed: “It is said that the water contains so much dissolved Pneuma that a Fog-breather could stay underwater for hours without needing to come up for air. I will be honest, I am curious whether even half of the tales of Primary Springs’ potency are true.”

They passed through the NO ENTRY door, its immense bulk swinging open and shut without a hair’s resistance or a cricket’s noise.

“No reason to wait, then.”

Jorfr had been right.

Zel had been laying at the bottom of the pool for the better part of two hours, and she had not felt even an inkling of a need to come up for breath. Zef had attempted the same thing, but only lasted half an hour before signing that she didn’t want to risk getting water in her lungs.

Water…

This fluid could barely be described as just water; no more than Fivefold Philter could be described as just an elixir.

It wasn’t blue, or green, or translucent.

It was orange.

“Fucking orange.”

Her words came out as bubbles and sounded through on the surface when they reached it and popped. Zef turned over just long enough to give Zel an amused look.

The healing properties set in the fastest, but such effects were no marvel in any sense besides their magnitude. It was the rare minerals and vast spiritual power contained in these waters that truly drove home just how extraordinary this place was. Zel barely felt any strain from her right hand’s ongoing metamorphosis, in fact she was certain that her connection with the earthen spirits would be as strong as it could be once she left these baths. Each second, she felt herself drawing the water’s power, absorbing it through her skin. Vast concentrations of metals, minerals, and their associated essentia made it a veritable feast.