Grand Ambassador's Spire, Representative Council Offices
Nexulai, Akreaus

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Grand Ambassador Sokolniki stood to the side of his desk with an open window directly behind him, revealing the valley between the mountainous peaks around which the city resided. The Blind Seer gazed out a window on the far side of the room, as her guardian, Novaus, stood guard off to the side, His weapons were confiscated before he was allowed to enter, but he remained a protective presence around the Blind Seer. The Seer herself was dressed in silken robes, and her silver wings sparkled magnificently in the light of the rising sun and the many hues of the portals visible from the window.

"Are you certain that your people will accept this?" inquired the falcon-like Averian. "I don't want to give them the impression that Nexulai is... intruding upon your traditions."

The Blind Seer turned away from the window, her bandaged face pointed directly toward the Grand Ambassador. "It will be fine with my people, so long as I'm fine with your selected champion."

Sokolniki chuckled a little to himself. "Really, he's more of an explorer than a 'Champion'", he replied earnestly. "The main purpose of our explorers is to learn about other worlds and their populations. Fighting, while necessary for survival at times, is merely a secondary skill for them."

Her eyebrows turned gentle; she was accepting of his response. "Regardless, it will be necessary that I judge this individual myself before he is permitted to our world."

The Ambassador's cheeks widened in a rough grin around his beaks. "Yes, of course. I am certain that he will pass. He is someone we've had high hopes for ever since he began his training." Reaching up, his avian talons grasped and pulled down on a rope hanging from the ceiling, the chiming of a bell was heard outside.

---

Strolling through the halls of the Grand Ambassador's Spire was a freshly certified explorer named Aiden Toft. He was escorted by a young woman wearing a simple, yet elegant navy blue dress. His choice of apparel was a bit more ornate, but no less formal; he wore a black morning coat, with both sides connected by a single large button over his abdomen. A pristine cobalt handkerchief was folded in the coat's left front pocket. Underneath the coat was a dark grey double breasted vest with white sleeves, with a black tie neatly tucked underneath the vest. His trousers matched the color of his coat. His footwear did stand out a bit in comparison to the rest of his clothing, though; they were thick black leather boots, clacking against the smooth marble floor as Aiden and his temporary companion steadily made their way towards their destination.

Aiden had never felt more nervous in his entire life. He'd just completed the highly demanding, almost hellish training required to become an official Nexulaian state explorer. He'd entered many rifts in that time, navigating through the labyrinthine Abyss to reach whatever remote dimension his objectives were located in. In fact, his life was threatened on more than a few occasions while on these treks, either by the alien wildlife, inclement weather, or the ever present possibility of getting hopelessly lost on a faraway world, alone and forgotten, but none of that compared to what he was about to do: meet the Grand Ambassador of Nexulai himself.

Aiden smoothly kept his left hand in his trouser's pocket as he walked, and tried to maintain a tall, confident posture, but his expression betrayed the image he was trying to convey. His youthful blue eyes flitted around in their sockets, never staying locked on a single point for too long, and he gritted his teeth behind his tightened lips. It was almost like he was desperately trying to find something to help take his mind off of the impending meeting, at least for a short time. Who could blame him? Aiden was about to meet the most powerful man in Nexulai, and possibly all of Akreaus, as well, and he hadn't even taken on a single official assignment yet! He may have grown up in an upper-class family, but nothing could have prepared him for such a momentous occasion. Thoughts raced through Aiden's head as he struggled to make sense of the situation. What was he going to say? How was he going to respond to the Ambassador's inquiries? He knew that this was for a mission, but what kind of mission required a meeting with the Grand Ambassador, of all people?

His chaotic thoughts immediately cleared up as soon as his escort opened the door to the Ambassador's office. Aiden briefly froze in place, his eyes widened and his mouth cracking open slightly. One could compare such an expression to that of game staring a predator in the face as they lined up a shot. Seeing the ambassador did a number to his state of mind already, but then he laid his eyes on the two strange individuals alongside him. The man looked very much like an assassin of some sort, what with his dark clothing, light armor and mask. This set him on edge, but before he could do anything rash, he noticed the woman and completely seized up. She had radiant, downy wings that reflected the many colored lights shining in through the window behind her. This physical oddity did not damage her appearance in any way. Rather, Aiden found her to be mind-numbingly gorgeous, to the point where her beauty just seemed downright unnatural to him. Aiden felt like he was completely out of his element here. It took Sokolniki's voice to snap him out of his daze and regain a portion of his composure.

"I would like to introduce you to Aiden, the man who was selected to carry out this mission," Sokolniki stated. He then turned, then addressed the young explorer, "Now, why don't you be a gentleman and introduce yourself?"

"O-oh! Yes, er, of course, Grand Ambassador..." Aiden replied quickly, his voice quivering ever so slightly. He readjusted his posture, clearing his throat and stepping forward before bowing deeply before Sokolniki and his two guests. "Aiden Toft, certified explorer of Nexulai, at your service. I-it is a great honor to be in the presence of such auspicious individuals such as yourselves, Ms. and Mr...." He trailed off, giving them the opportunity to introduce themselves, but when he turned to the Blind Seer again, he paused. Something about her appearance, her wings in particular, seemed familiar. Aiden narrowed his eyes slightly in concentration as he struggled to figure out where he'd seen them before.

A few moments later, it hit him; "Are you...a Caelistine, by any chance?" His eyes then widened in recognition. "You are, aren't you? And you're..." For the first time since he received word of the meeting at the Grand Ambassador's Spire, his mouth curled up into a grin. "You're ascended, as well! Brilliant! Or was it awakened? Ah, no matter! I tried to learn all I could about your kind and realm during my studies, but the books only covered so much! I have so many questions!"
Then his smile suddenly disappeared as he realized what he was doing. "Ah...s-sorry." He took a step back, rubbing the back of his neck and chuckling lightly in embarrassment. "Was I too forward? I do apologize..." Well, if there was one thing the Blind Seer could gather from this initial meeting, it was that Aiden was very enthusiastic.

Novaus crossed his arms and shook his head in dismay as the Blind Seer giggled softly. She then started walking around the explorer, her head moving as though she was looking directly at the explorer, even though her eyes were completely covered up. "I suppose it is to be expected. You are certainly excited." As she circled Aiden, her head shifted as though she was actually inspecting him. "Curious... I mean, you are. You are possessed of an unquenchable thirst for knowledge."
As she finished circling the young man, she then leveled with his eyes, her wings fluttering slightly, and she said in almost song like voice, "But to answer your question... I am indeed a Caelestine angel. I am known to my people as the Blind Seer. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aiden."

For the briefest moment, Aiden realized that he had his little outburst in front of the Grand Ambassador. He would've started kicking himself mentally for it in his mind, but the Blind Seer's positive reaction gave him pause. He turned his head to follow her as she circled him, examining his form. That was when he noticed the white cloth draped over her eyes. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at that. It seemed to him as though she was rendered blind in the past. Why else would she cover her eyes? Her introduction a few seconds later confirmed that, and yet, the angel seemed to recognize his presence perfectly. She even looked him over like she could see him perfectly. If she really was blind, then why did she act like she could really see him?

That question would have to come later, though. Aiden nodded to the Blind Seer politely after she introduced herself. "Indeed, and your claim is not inaccurate. I have dedicated much of my life to the study of the rifts and the worlds beyond them. It has been my dream to see them first-hand."
He then faced the shady-looking fellow, who had remained silent this whole time. The explorer gave him a once-over, intrigued. "And may I ask who your companion might be? He certainly looks like he's prepared for anything."

The angel smiled gently. "He is my friend and my protector; Novaus."
The man uncrossed his arms and spoke in a rough and damaged voice, "Officially, I am but a sword for hire, but the young woman standing before you is someone I've protected ever since she lost her parents."
"Yes, I believe it was in Kanas, correct?" The Grand Ambassador inquired from near his desk.
"Indeed," replied the mercenary, "I lost one eye and much of my voice in the attack... she lost all but her life."

Glancing over at her companion, the Seer spoke to reassure him of her safety, "This one is no danger to me, Noveaus, you can relax. You are probably making him nervous."
"I'll trust your judgement," he replied.

Aiden frowned slightly through this new line of conversation, his stark blue eyes softening. Things got dark very quickly. Both of them were grievously wounded in the past, and the Seer lost just about everything she cared about. When Sokolniki mentioned Kanas, it didn't take long for him to recognize the name. "Kanas..." He muttered, his frown deepening, "Oh dear. You're both survivors of the sacking of Kanas? I heard it was..." A massacre, but he couldn't bring himself to describe it as such. No doubt, it would only cause more painful memories to resurface.
"I, I'm sorry."

"You need not worry," she said, her smile pained. "All that is needed for hope to survive is life itself." For a moment, she stood in silence, but then her smile turned genuine.
"Besides, though I was robbed of traditional vision, it was replaced with the capacity to see souls and spirits... and that is the reason why I am here in Nexulai, and more importantly, standing here before you."
Novaus uncrossed his arms, "I take it you've come to a decision then milady?" Sokolniki then looked towards the angel with a sense of anticipation.
"Indeed I have," she replied. She quickly turned aside to face the Averian, unfolding one of her wings to almost wrap around Aiden's back. "Young Aiden is worthy of observing the Pilgrimage as per your request."
Sokolniki clapped his taloned hands together in an expression of joy. "Marvelous! I shall prepare the necessary documents for his passage as soon as possible then."

Souls and spirits? That answered Aiden's previous questions, but many new ones rose in its place. So, if what she said was true, the Blind Seer could see his life force, as if it were a shining beacon in the dark? Could she see into his very nature, possibly understanding him better than he understood himself? Perhaps it was both? These possibilities fascinated the explorer. He would have to investigate the subject further in the future. Before he could get a chance to respond, however, Novaus asked the Seer if she had come to a decision. When the angel turned to face him, Aiden felt a strangely soft and warm sensation over his shoulders. He turned to see one of the Seer's wings wrapping around him. Needless to say, he was taken by surprise.

"Ah-, um..." He didn't even get a chance to recover before the Caelistine informed Sokolniki and Novaus that Aiden was worthy of observing the Pilgrimage. The explorer just stopped. The Pilgrimage...he'd learned about the cultural phenomenon during his extensive studies on Ceciderunt Dea. According to the natives, some Caelistine embarked on a long, arduous journey to find a being called the Featherkeeper, otherwise known as the Right Hand of the Goddess. Apparently, if a Caelestine successfully reached the Featherkeeper, he or she would proceed grow angelic wings and ascend to a higher state of existence. This information was acquired via interviews with members of the general populace and the Caelistine government, of course; Nexulai had never actually witnessed such a grand event... and Aiden was chosen as the first. He would be the first Akreausean to document an actual Pilgrimage and bear witness to a Caelestine's ascension.

"You...you want me to...that's what this was about?!" Aiden couldn't help but raise his voice slightly in surprise. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he took a step away from the Blind Seer, and bowed deeply before her.
"Blind Seer. I am truly honored to receive such an offer, and I humbly accept. I will document the Pilgrimage to the best of my ability."
A few seconds of silence passed before he looked back up at her somewhat sheepishly. "But...who would I be traveling with? You have already ascended."

"A close friend of mine is about to begin her pilgrimage," she replied.
Sokolniki strode to the back of his desk, speaking in his rich voice, "Yes, you came here with a special request a month ago at Featherkeeper's behest." He opened the drawer to search for something. "A spear was to be crafted from one of the trees your people hold sacred... remarkable piece of lumber, that was."

At last, the mercenary stepped away from the window, and he proceeded to provide further explanation on the subject. "I wouldn't call the trees sacred to the Caelestine themselves, but the Featherkeeper holds them in very high regard for some reason. From the day the Caelestine ancestors first gazed upon their Great Lady of Light, the Featherkeeper has not once permitted the felling of one of her trees. To hear that she has felled one by her own hands so that strangers from another world could craft with them caused quite a stir among the Assembly."

Aiden listened intently to the conversation between the Grand Ambassador and the mercenary. A spear crafted in Nexulai, formed from the finest lumber Ceciderunt Dea had to offer? This was news to him. He wasn't even aware that the Featherkeeper's trees were so valuable. He figured that he would surely get the chance to investigate this further once he accomplished his objective. Perhaps he could ask the Featherkeeper herself, provided that she was willing to divulge such information.

Sokolniki chuckled to himself, grasping and pulling out what it was he had been looking for: a slip of paper that was formatted in a manner one would expect to see in a receipt for commissioned work. "Strangers from another land, I think not. She was very specific that it was to be done by a certain individual... ah yes, Conrose. Quite the peculiar individual, that one. So young, yet he matches the skill of craftsmen three times his age... though his temper and lack of patience are always getting him into trouble. In the past year alone he's gotten into seven severe brawls, committed two acts of vigilantism, and received three accounts of assaulting an officer of the law."

When the conversation's topic shifted to this spear's creator and Aiden heard his name, his mood darkened slightly. He'd ran into Conrose a few times before, though never for too long. He mostly just visited him to inquire about the occasional artifact he managed to find during his field tests, and on one occasion, he found the man while he was locked in a violent confrontation with a burly Raptorial. These encounters tended to end on a sour note, mostly due to Conrose's bitterness and seemingly endless well of sarcasm.

"You can add trespassing on government property to my list of offenses, if you'd like," came a bold voice from the door, prompting the Grand Ambassador to look towards the door. Standing there was a man with dark hair and silver eyes. His pants and shirt were both black, and over his shirt he wore a white leather vest. Over his shoulder, he carried a long thin sack that was easily over 6 feet in length. Novaus immediately placed himself between the newcomer and the Blind Seer.
Behind Conrose stood the secretary, sheepishly looking towards the ground. "Sorry sir... but you know how he is."

Upon hearing a familiar voice, Aiden he swiveled on his feet to find the source. It was none other than Conrose E. Lanturz himself. "Oh dear." The explorer winced; he'd waited upwards to an hour for his meeting with the Ambassador to start, but the artiface just waltzed in here like nobody's business. Novaus was already on edge, and there was no telling how Sokolniki would react to this. All Aiden could do was stand there and watch the situation unfold, hoping that this wouldn't end too badly.

Sokolniki took a deep breath and let out a deep sigh. Gesturing towards the new arrival, he introduced in dismay, "Speak of the devil... might I introduce you two to Conrose, then?"
"We've had a run in to each other a few months ago," she responded. "It is, however, a pleasure to be formally introduced at last."
Swinging the spear off of his shoulder, he held it out to her. "You will get this spear on one condition."
The mercenary's brow furled in anger. "You've been granted a great honor just to work with such fine lumber, and you were paid well in advance. What makes you think-"

The jingling of metal could be heard as Conrose tossed a second bag from his waist to the mercenary, who caught it without missing a beat. The way he had to step back as he did so suggested there was a great deal of weight in it. "The money is of no concern to me; I require a much more valuable payment for this particular case."
The angel smiled, "I see... but first, let me inspect it."
Nodding, the artificer pulled the object from the satchel. It was a long spear with a reddish brown wooden shaft, with the grain seemingly filled in with alternating gold and silver. The Spear head as a bronze finely polished to a mirror sheen with silver runes inscribed into it, and a diamond cut and polished to a size 2 inches wide, 4 inches long extending from the end of the wooden shaft towards the spear tip. Runes glowed within the diamond as though they had been suspended inside the entire time.

"...Whoa," Aiden breathed as Conrose pulled the newly crafted spear out of the satchel. He knew that the man was good, but the weapon looked absolutely majestic. It had to have been more valuable than anything on the Nexulaian market. He quickly discovered that the Seer shared his sentiment as he heard her struggling to find the right words to say through her shock. What she was able to see of the weapon nearly left her speechless.

"This... this is... it had been my intent to have Novaus inspect the weapon for me, but... this had no spiritual energy left in it when we originally delivered the lumber!"
Novaus stepped closer and grasped the weapon, but when he attempted to pull it from Conrose, the Artificer held on tightly, his expression unchanging. "The payment I require is that I be permitted to visit the Featherkeeper myself."
Insulted, Novaus grabbed the spear with his other hand and glared into the young man's eyes. "You insolent..."

Aiden tensed up as Novaus moved to take the spear from him, and as the two started to argue, he began to fear that another violent altercation would occur, in the Grand Ambassador's very own office, of all places. Such an incident would be all over the news within the hour. Fortunately, the fight never came to pass, but Conrose's terms for handing over the spear may have surprised Aiden more than he would've been if a fight had actually started.

"Stand down Novaus," came a calming voice from behind him. Letting out a sigh, the mercenary regained his composure. "This one is filled with much anger, but there is, for whatever reason, a spark of hope set deep inside." She then stood to the side of her bodyguard and addressed the artificer directly, "You may see the Featherkeeper, if my friend makes it there safely, as well."
Conrose bared his teeth momentarily, displeased with the condition, before relenting and releasing the spear. "Very well, then."
The Grand Ambassador let out a sigh of relief. "Well... that may be the first time I've ever seen him agree to something he didn't like."
Conrose let out a short, bitter chuckle. "Ordinarily, the person with which I'm arguing isn't holding all the cards... or if they do, they don't quite know it yet. This little girl does. I'll catch you all later." He turned on his heels and hastily left the room, barely giving the secretary time to step out of the way.

Aiden remained silent until the craftsman left after a few enigmatic words were shared between him and the Seer. The explorer was left standing there, wondering what just happened. "...Hold on. He wants to see the Featherkeeper... that doesn't mean he's coming with me, is he?" Aiden asked, suddenly looking very worried, his gaze shifting between the Seer, her bodyguard and Sokolniki, "Ah, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean..."

"You need not worry, though your concerns are justified," came an assuring tone from the angel. "He's angry, and inherently violent, but he cares enough to have put his heart and soul into making something that he knew would be for someone else. It's clear that this whole affair has genuinely caught his interest."
"Are you sure?" Her bodyguard inquired.
From behind his desk, the Grand Ambassador gave his own thoughts, wiping sweat from the feathers of his forehead, "Eh... to be completely honest, I'm not in favor of this, either."
"Noted, but you must understand, this development was anticipated," replied the Blind Seer, "by the Featherkeeper herself."

Aiden couldn't disagree with the Seer's description of Conrose. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, despite such displays often backfiring on him magnificently, and he genuinely seemed to care about his craft. However, he still couldn't figure out why he, of all people, wanted to see the Featherkeeper. He was no explorer, nor was he a Caelist. In fact, Aiden just couldn't figure out what he really was. Conrose never honored his questions with proper responses. The Seer then confirmed that she was aware of the whole situation before was even made apparent to him. He probably wouldn't get anything out of Conrose, so he did what he thought was the next best thing.

"Um, excuse me, er...Ms. Seer?" He seemed to wince slightly. Not the best way to alleviate the awkward mood. "You say that the Featherkeeper is expecting him, but... do you know why would he ever need to visit her? What would he gain from it? I can't imagine why he would take such an interest in her."
The Seer leaned torwards Aiden, tilting her head and smiling slightly. "Perhaps you shall find out when at least the two of them meet in your presence."
Aiden blinked twice, confused, before he realized that the Seer was teasing him. He smirked, amused and cheering up slightly. "Heh... alright. I suppose that's fair. Wouldn't be as much fun if I found the truth before I even had the chance to start looking."

"Good. Now, I must be going. I'll see you when all the appropriate preparations are taken care of," she continued. "Take care, Aiden Toft." She turned away and stepped out the door.
"I will. Farewell, Blind Seer!" He bowed once more to the angel before she left, before seeing something from Novaus he didn't expect to see; he was laughing. It was a harsh laugh, no doubt due to his damaged vocal cords, but still, it was a surprisingly open display of emotion.
"Yeah, she knows which buttons to push," he muttered. There Aiden was, starting to think he was one of those dark, mysterious men who knew or cared nothing for positive emotion. Perhaps he was such a man in the past, but the Seer was starting to rub off on him. Aiden was hard pressed to think of a better influence.

Shortly afterwards, Novaus vanished through the door. The secretary followed suit, shutting the door behind her, leaving the explorer alone with the Grand Ambassador, who slunk down into his seat as he let out a sigh. "I must confess, Aiden... I'm not used to this room being filled by a more dominating presence than my own."
It suddenly hit the explorer; he was alone with Grand Ambassador Sokolniki in his office. Gulping silently, he turned back to face the leader of his nation. He spent a few moments forming a coherent response to the Averian's statement. He certainly couldn't disagree with him; the Blind Seer had one of the gentlest souls he'd ever known, and yet, she had this subtle aura about her that seemed to command respect. "I'd be hard pressed to disagree with you, sir. I remember seeing her name mentioned on a few occasions during my studies. She's considered a great oracle of sorts by her people," He explained.Remembering that he was in front of one of the top political figures in Akreaus, he rushed to correct himself.
"O-of course, your presence is not to be underestimated, sir," He spoke quickly, "You're a fine leader in your own right, and I'm honored to have had the opportunity to meet you in the flesh!"

Sokolniki laughed from his desk. "Well, war hasn't broken out between our species yet, so I must be doing something right. But when people like the Blind Seer show up... or Conrose; dear lord, he's a handful." He straightened up in his seat, and raised his eyebrows to the explorer. "Speaking of which, are you comforta-... nah, I guess it's better to ask; do you think you'll be able to tolerate that man's presence over the course of your journey?"

Sokolniki's relaxed attitude helped to calm Aiden's nerves. The young explorer knew that the Grand Ambassador was a fair and just leader, but nobody truly understood another person's nature until they met them directly, face to face. Aiden let out a small sigh. He could stand to be a little more casual. "That's... a very good question, Ambassador," He replied somewhat hesitantly, being unsure himself. Sokolniki was right, Conrose was a handful to deal with. However, as grating as he could be, there was one potentially good thing he could see in him, it was his determination. His demand to go see the Featherkeeper, coupled with the Seer's observations of him, helped cement that as a fact.
"To be honest, I'm... not entirely sure myself. I have spoken with him in the past, but those meetings were always brief. Never really got to know him. I know about his belligerent nature, but at the same time...he seems driven. He knows what he wants, and he'll stop at nothing to achieve it. The Seer saw that in him, so... I believe I should give him the benefit of the doubt, at least. I'm certain that we will end up at odds at some point during this journey, but I don't think he'll do anything that will endanger his chances of reaching the Featherkeeper, so..." He nodded once. "Yes. I think I can tolerate him."

Sokolniki's cheeks widened, "Glad to hear it." Grabbing a file he had under his desk, he rose up from his seat and walked over to Aiden, handing him the file before leading him to the door. "That file contains the usual information for follow-up expeditions; maps, profiles regarding regional leaders as well as edible or useful flora and fauna."
He then stopped for a moment, "Also, as an extra assignment relating to this, I'd like you to observe Conrose as well. He's one of Nexulai's more... mysterious inhabitants, and I'm certain he is hiding many valuable secrets." His hands then went to the bottom of his beak, rubbing the underside as though he were possessed of an intriguing thought, "Not many people know this, but when he first came here, he did not speak one word of the so called 'Standard' language that is spread across the vast majority of the societies we have encountered."

Aiden took the file from Sokolniki's hands, nodding in affirmation and holding it at his side. He'd definitely set some time aside later to study its contents. The explorer then tilted his head curiously when the Ambassador's switched the subject back to Conrose. He found it odd how the Averian put so much emphasis on keeping an eye on him. The reason why became clear when he mentioned that Conrose didn't speak a word of Standard when he first arrived.
"...I'm sorry?" Aiden was baffled by this revelation. Sure, when the rifts were discovered, people found it odd how all these different civilizations spoke the same language, but now that this was widely accepted, Conrose showing up with no prior knowledge of the language stood out even more.
"Er, Ambassador?" Aiden asked again after processing this new information, "If that's the case, then... where did he come from? What is he?"

He looked up slightly with an almost nostalgic expression. "He entered Nexulai through one of the portals about 12 years ago, roughed up a few of our guards and vanished for a week. We had people trying to track him down the entire time." Though it was a violent period in his life, it was clear that the Ambassador missed some of the action he once witnessed as a city guard captain. "After we captured him, we had to keep him locked up for a year, just so we could teach him a language we could understand without him escaping and wreaking more havoc."

He then looked at Aiden. "And let me tell you something, he has much more restraint than you give him credit for. That night, when he first arrived here, somehow... he was wielding six blades, all at once. We've not run into a single race that can reproduce such a feat ever since we discovered the rifts. I hate to disappoint you, Aiden, but we have no idea what he is, either."
Putting his hands on the young humans shoulders, he spoke with a tone of certainty, "But in light of what we saw from that man just now, I think we can finally find some answers through this Featherkeeper."

Aiden listened closely to Sokolniki's story, fascinated by the events following Conrose's first appearance. He wondered if the Ambassador ever told this story to anyone else. There was one thing about the tale that really stumped him, probably as much as it stumped Sokolniki; the fact that Conrose wielded six blades at once. Somehow. It sounded absolutely ludicrous, and the explorer had no doubt in his mind that the Ambassador felt the same way, but it was the truth, nonetheless. Unfortunately, the truth did nothing to help him understand Conrose any better. Sokolniki was right; their best bet at finding any solid info on him was through the Featherkeeper.

When the Averian grasped his shoulders, the human took that as a sign that there was no reason to continue the meeting. He'd learned everything he needed to know about the mission, gained the materials he needed to prepare for it, and became acquainted with the people that would undoubtedly be important to his quest in some form or another. "I understand, sir. I don't know how the Featherkeeper will react to my presence, but... I will try to gather information about Conrose through her. Barring that, I can observe her interactions with him, at the very least."
Sokolniki chuckled. "With Conrose around, I hardly think you'll be a concern to her."
Aiden had to chuckle a bit at that, as well. "Too true. When do I leave, sir?"

"I should have your visas ready shortly," he answered, "but go ahead and take the rest of the day to gather supplies and tie up any loose ends. I'm certain your parents will be eager to hear about your first official assignment... and I'm sure that they'll be incredibly proud of you once they hear the details." He looked at a clock set into the wall opposite of the Secretary's desk. "Report to the Ceciderunt Quarter at the end of Libere Avenue tomorrow morning at eight. I shall have the last of your papers prepared before then."

"Of course, sir. My parents...heh, I can't wait to see the look on their faces once I inform them." He took a few steps back before bowing one last time before Sokolniki.
"Thank you so much for granting me this opportunity, Grand Ambassador. You will not regret your decision, I swear it. Farewell!"

With that, Aiden Toft took his leave, an ecstatic grin affixed to his face. This was the chance of a lifetime, and he couldn't have been happier. However, at the same time, he still felt a hint of trepidation. Going on the Pilgrimage and witnessing a Caelestine's ascension would be huge, but he would also have to find the truth about Conrose. Who was he, really, and what strange, uncharted world did he originate from? There was one other thing that bothered him, too; who was the Caelestine he would be travelling with? He mentally cursed himself as he realized that he completely forgot to ask for the pilgrim's identity. There was no need to panic, though. Her identity was probably listed in the file somewhere, and if it wasn't, well...he could always go to Conrose. He wanted to avoid that if possible, but life didn't always give him a choice. Even so, the uncertainty only served to strengthen Aiden's resolve. No matter what happened on the journey, he would overcome any challenge he and his companions would encounter and see this through to the end. The allurement of discovery was far too great for him to falter.