Envoys of the Dying sun

The arrival of a delegation from House Solarius sent ripples of tension through K'tharr, already strained by recent events. Surface dwellers were rare in the abyss, and representatives of a Great House arriving unannounced, seeking the newly revealed Pillar-Singer, felt deeply suspicious to the isolationist Krakenborn.Thalassa arranged the audience in the Outer Choir Chamber, the same place where I had first faced her and later the Leviathan's awakened consciousness. The setting itself was a statement – a place of immense power and sacred significance, emphasizing the Choir's authority and the gravity with which they viewed this meeting. The chamber was heavily guarded by elite Choir Guards, their pressure tridents humming ominously. The regular Choir members maintained their positions around the central shaft, their warding chant a constant, heavy presence pushing back against the abyss.I stood beside Thalassa's obsidian throne, clad in the simple dark robes provided by the Choir, feeling exposed despite the guards and the High Priestess's powerful presence. Elara stood slightly behind us, her expression carefully neutral, though I sensed her heightened alertness, her analytical mind already dissecting the potential motives of the arriving envoys.We didn't have to wait long. A contingent of Krakenborn guards escorted the Solarius delegation into the chamber. They were few in number, only three individuals, but their presence was immediately striking, almost jarring, in the deep-sea gloom.They wore shimmering, form-fitting environmental suits that seemed to ripple with captured starlight, likely providing protection against the immense pressure while projecting an aura of wealth and technological superiority. Their helmets were transparent, revealing pale, aristocratic features common among Luminora Prime's nobility. Despite the alien environment, they carried themselves with an air of innate confidence bordering on arrogance.The central figure, clearly the leader, was a man with sharp features, piercing blue eyes, and hair the colour of spun gold, tied back severely. His suit bore the crest of House Solarius – a stylized sunburst. He radiated an energy signature that felt like focused sunlight, intense and controlled – Stellomancy, the magic of his house.Beside him stood a woman, equally aristocratic, her expression cool and appraising. Her resonance signature was different, colder, sharper, hinting at Eclipse Summoning, the shadow magic practiced by House Nocturne, often allied with Solarius. Her presence suggested this wasn't just a Solarius mission, but perhaps involved broader Luminoran interests.The third figure was older, clad in the robes of a Solarius scholar or advisor, carrying a datapad and observing everything with keen, intelligent eyes.The lead envoy stepped forward, stopping before Thalassa. He offered a shallow bow, a gesture that seemed more perfunctory than respectful."High Priestess Thalassa of the Abyssal Choir," his voice was crisp, clear, amplified by his suit but lacking the resonant depth of Krakenborn speech. "I am Lord Cassian Solarius, envoy of the Starweaver Throne. We come seeking the one you call the Pillar-Singer." His gaze flickered towards me, sharp and assessing.Thalassa remained seated, her veiled face unreadable. "Lord Cassian," her mental voice was cold, formal, devoid of warmth. *"Your arrival is unexpected. Luminora Prime rarely concerns itself with the affairs of the abyss. State your purpose clearly."Cassian's lips thinned slightly at the cool reception, but he maintained his composure. "Our purpose is survival, High Priestess. As you must surely know, the Luminora Prime Pillar weakens. Our continent faces… difficulties. Starlight dims, reality frays at the edges, the whispers from the Maw grow louder."He gestured towards me. "We detected a powerful resonance signal originating from this sector – a stabilization frequency, harmonized with the Pillar network. Our astromancers traced it here, to K'tharr. We learned of the anomaly, the outsider who resonates with the Pillars, the one who seemingly performed this feat. The Pillar-Singer."His gaze fixed on me again. "We believe this Pillar-Singer may hold the key to restoring Luminora Prime, perhaps even stabilizing the entire network. We request – no, we implore – that he return with us to Luminora. Our finest scholars, our most powerful Stellomancers, will work with him, provide him with resources beyond anything this abyss can offer. Together, we can face the coming darkness."His words were carefully chosen, appealing to a greater good, offering resources and collaboration. But beneath the surface, I sensed a current of desperation, possessiveness, and an underlying assumption of superiority. They weren't asking; they were demanding, cloaked in polite language.Thalassa's mental presence remained cold. *"The Pillar-Singer serves the balance here, Lord Cassian. His resonance is vital to maintaining the Rites of Somnolence, to soothing the Great Dreamer whose stability is intertwined with this Pillar. We cannot simply allow him to leave."The woman beside Cassian, the presumed Nocturne affiliate, spoke for the first time, her voice like chipped ice. "With respect, High Priestess, the stability of one Pillar is meaningless if the network itself collapses. Luminora Prime is ancient, powerful, central to the northern constellations. Its fall would have catastrophic consequences for all Pillars, including this one. Surely the health of the whole outweighs the needs of the part?"It was a calculated argument, playing on the interconnectedness I myself had considered. Elara shifted slightly, her interest piqued."The Pillar-Singer is not a tool to be deployed at the whim of the surface houses," Thalassa countered, her voice hardening. *"His presence here was decreed by the Great Dreamer itself. His task is here."Cassian stepped forward again, his arrogance beginning to show through the diplomatic veneer. "Decreed? By a sleeping god whose dreams threaten to drown you all? We offer knowledge, power, the chance to save not just one continent, but potentially all of Astrum Regalia. You hoard him here in the darkness, clinging to outdated rites, while the stars themselves fade! House Solarius will not allow ignorance and superstition to doom us all. The Pillar-Singer will come with us."The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop. The Choir Guards shifted, their grip tightening on their tridents. Thalassa's power pulsed, a silent warning.This was the crux of it. Solarius wasn't asking; they intended to take me, believing their need, their perceived importance, superseded K'tharr's stability and the Leviathan's decree. Their desperation had made them reckless.Before Thalassa could respond, I projected my own thoughts, addressing Cassian directly. *"Lord Cassian, I am not a tool, nor a prisoner. I am here because the Pillar called, and the Leviathan commanded. My work stabilizing this Pillar is not finished. Leaving now could jeopardize the balance here, with consequences you cannot foresee."Cassian turned his full attention to me, his blue eyes narrowing. "You are the Pillar-Singer? An anomaly, barely more than a child, playing with forces you don't understand. You stabilized one Pillar – commendable, perhaps lucky. But Luminora requires true expertise, true power. We can teach you, guide you, unlock your full potential. Staying here, serving a slumbering beast in the dark, is a waste.""The Great Dreamer is the heart of this realm's stability," Thalassa interjected forcefully. *"And the Pillar-Singer's potential is not yours to command.""Everything is ours to command if it ensures the survival of Luminora Prime!"* Cassian shot back, his control finally snapping. Starlight energy flared around him. *"If you will not release him willingly, we will take him!"The standoff had escalated to an open threat. House Solarius, in their desperation, was willing to provoke conflict with the rulers of Abyssal Mariana, deep within their own territory, to secure the Pillar-Singer they believed could save them.