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And even a few smiles from the other neutral factions like the CBZ, the Adventurers Association, and the Academy. Just as Akhenamen was about to continue, he immediately turned toward the door alongside the other Authorities. New guests were arriving.
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And from the enormous frown and absolute disgust seen on some faces, they were not liked. The reason? The individuals who had just arrived, for some of them, were representatives of the "enemy" factions of Project Rebirth.
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The doors were opened by Ascylla, who had been acting as a guard until now, her eyes looking at the new guests the same way she looked at the others: pure neutrality. Six individuals stepped forward, all Authorities.
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Each of them belonged to the Ancestral Bloodlines. Following them were three more guests of varying races and gender, only one Authorities amongst them, though. Akhenamen was surprised at their entering Cygislax so casually.
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He had asked the System to send invitations to all those currently present, yet for those nine new individuals to have passed the Hyperfauna Machines and Cygislax defenses unharmed meant that they had an invitation.
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{The System’s doing, my Hierarch?}
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“Very likely. No matter. It was an oversight on my part not have invited the six Ancestral Bloodlines. The three others are unknown to me, though.”
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Akhenamen finished his mental conversation with Ascylla. Everyone is watching him, waiting for his reaction. They were still guests in his house after all. However, Akhenamen simply stood up, walked toward the new arrivals.
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“Welcome to Cygislax. I have to admit that inviting the Ancestral Bloodlines completely slipped my mind. I did not believe you would have actually wished or cared to come. Still, I have to present my excuses for this great oversight on my part.”
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“As for you three… You will have to excuse me, but I truly have no idea which faction you represent. May I ask you to present yourselves?”
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Akhenamen’s casual tone surprised many. Spawning quite a few smiles from the previous and newly arrived guests, alongside a few shocked glances. But now that the host had shown his hospitality, it would have been impolite not to answer.
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“I am the representative of The Abyssal Synod. Please call me Amaliah.”
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The first to talk was a tall succubus looking woman, Akhenamen had to admit, her face might just been the most beautiful one he had ever seen in his life, her leathery bat wings, and tough looking ram like horns on each side of her head, gave her a very exotic look.
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Her skin was bright red with legs like a goat and obviously a sharp, impish tail, her eyes as black as the Abyss itself with two glowing orange pupils. However, something that Akhenamen had almost forgotten, his title as the Unseen Truth, triggered a reaction even from his usually impossible-to-read eye.
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It focused on one point, looking inside Amaliah. An act which no one seemed to have noticed or cared about, all but Amaliah’s face, which went from her confident smile to absolute shock for a single second. None saw it except her. But for a few instant, Akhenamen was watching the real “her” eyes. Not the illusion she cast on herself.
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Her sense of danger immediately flared, but seeing everyone’s gazes focusing on her, she just smiled politely and went to sit, barely listening to Akhenamen’s greeting and completely ignoring the Brightheart Covenant’s envoys deathglares. Silently thinking to herself a single word: “Fuck.”
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The second unknown guest approached, and he looked like a dwarf. A dwarf made of pure stone with glowing lines of a strange arcanic energy glowing on his skin, creating beautiful tattoos. His hair and beard were made from carved gemstones. Literally.
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He wore a very thick and heavy armor. He also had something that quickly attracted Akhenamen’s eyes… a glaive. His accent immediately tickled Akhenamen’s non-existent ears: the dwarfiest accent he could think of alongside a soft rumble, like stone grinding stone. He was surprisingly only a Beyonder.
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Both glaive wielders stared at each other for a few seconds, time frozen, before the stone dwarf let out a loud laugh while slamming his hand into Akhenamen’s.
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“I already know you're trustworthy if you understand a glaive’s superiority! AHAHAH! I’m Kolgor! Envoy of the Stonelords! Glad to meet other sentient constructs!”
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“Glad to meet you, Kolgor. I am Akhenamen. I have never heard of the Stonelords. But you are welcome here. Please do follow Amaliah. I shall make seats for everyone.”
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New seats had indeed been created for all. The six Ancestral Bloodlines all “walked” forward. Each of them was exactly as Akhenamen had imagined their kind to be: Thunder Rocs were beautiful two winged birds whose feather seemed to command and summon lightning, the Lamias looked like the inhabitants of the Cloud Kingdom without the wings, the Phoenixes looked like birds of fire and ashes, the Dragons looked like dragons and the Jade Ants were huge human sized ants whose carapace seemed to be made from carved jade.
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The deep sea mermaids were the only odds one as they had sent small floating orbs that their envoy would speak through. Apparently, even in her smallest form, she would not fit inside this room. This actually made Akhenamen more interested in their appearance.
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All of them released the aura of an Authority. Akhenamen was able to spot a few rivalries, enmity and friendships. Filandronna, the Mermaid’s Kingdom envoy, was staring at the small floating orb controlled by the Deep Sea Mermaid’s envoy like she was about to destroy it at any moment.
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Thormunda smiled at the Thunder Roc’s envoy, both starting small talk while they still could. The dragon envoy was talking with Aquillius of the CBZ. They seemed neither friend nor enemy but acknowledged each other. Kolgor was staring at the Northern Alliance with clearly unloving eyes. Not hate, but not that far from it either.
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As for Amaliah, she had seemingly recovered and was already smirking at Lucius and the two elves, clearly provoking them. But Akhenamen’s attention was brought back to the last guest, a witch. He didn’t say this because he actually knew beforehand she was one, but because anyone with half a working brain would be able to know she was a witch.
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Huge black hat on her head? Check. Long black hair, which made him think of a hime-cut? Check. Black corset and dress? Double check. A body that seemed straight out of a horny teen's wettest dream? Check. A goth-girl look? Check. She even had a broomstick.
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Akhenamen could not help himself from letting out a small laugh. This made most of his guests stare at him curiously. The witch, keeping her smirk, opened her mouth to talk.
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“Does my outfit make you laugh? I did not believe you tin-cans could feel emotions.”
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“Ah, do excuse me. It was impolite of me. I just did not expect the famed Witches of the Wyrd to have such an… expected outfit.”
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Akhenamen's words made the witch’s eyes twinkle with unknown emotions, her eyes unreadable as she simply smiled.
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“Do not worry. I am one of the few who enjoy the cliché look, we could say. Simply call me Villia.”
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“Very well, Miss Villia.”
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Akhenamen stepped aside, letting her sit down; however, his mind quickly realised something. He had been careful not to use the word “cliche” to describe her outfit, as it was a word that did not exist on Zenthia.
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Photography didn’t exist, so “cliche” didn’t exist. So… how did she know this world? Immediately, he contacted Syllena.
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“Syllena. Contact the System to tell it I want to use my gift from Sinion by asking a question directly to it instead of using the item in my inventory. Ask the System if Villia is a reincarnated individual and if she comes from Earth. If not, where does she come from?”
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[What?! … I’ll ask right away, Dad! Request sent… ]
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[Request accepted!]
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[Sending question…]
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[...]
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[Answer received: No, Villia Dullefroide is not a reincarnated individual. She is from Earth, one of the few human developers who is believed to be “working” on Project Rebirth.]
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[She is currently inhabiting an Avatar she has been using for a few years to test the game before its Beta Test. She has leveled up this Avatar using her own skill and free time without abusing her status as a developper so the System is allowing her early access.]
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Akhenamen believed himself to be a pretty calm and collected individual. But if there was any moment where he wished to be alone to scream out loud “HOLY FUCK”, it would have been right now. But… he kept himself level-headed and simply turned around, Ascylla closing the door behind him as he walked back toward his chair.
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Everything just became ten times more troublesome than expected.