Cultist of Cerebon - Chapter 41

There were times that Kassan genuinely despised the short-sighted fools he was forced to work for.

While few in number, the Circle of Ghisara was very well connected and had a long history of collaboration with the Great Houses. Few still remembered, but there had even once been a time when the Goddess of Oracles and Mysteries held unparalleled influence among the naga.

Unfortunately, the Circle of Ghisara hadn’t held such power since the days when Kassan’s people still lived in the wetlands of Arzuma and migrated to this torturous desert. If that wasn’t the case, then Kassan would have never lowered himself to acting at the behest of incompetents who had never faced a day of genuine adversity in their lives.

Perhaps the time has come for us to change our allegiance to a different Great House, Kassan mused to himself as he slithered away from House Khrysar’s manor. 

Matriarch Sylthana had never been an easy woman to serve, but she was generally wise enough to heed the advice of the person capable of seeing the future. So, their relationship had historically been quite amiable. However, recent… less than effective performance on Kassan’s part had resulted in Sylthana addressing him without the respect he deserved.

Why was it his fault that the woman had obsessively focused herself on Lady Marilith and then decided to blame Kassan because he was unable to divine House Vhelan’s plans? 

They were a Great House! Did Sylthana believe that her peers had spontaneously forgotten that the Circle of Ghisara existed and hadn’t developed defenses against his Sight? Kassan had enough troubles of his own without idiots holding him to ridiculous expectations.

The Matriarch was utterly convinced that Lady Marilith and General Nasrith were engaged in some manner of conspiracy, and she was growing more paranoid by the day. Specifically, she believed that Nasrith intended to place his own subordinates as administrators of the recently conquered territories and give them representation on the Oversight Commision. This would grant him a reliable voting block and solidify his rule, which was one of the reasons why Sylthana fought so hard to lay claim over Tal’Hadin. 

Kassan’s instincts told him that she was likely correct, even if the exact details of the General’s plans may be something different. This was especially the case since Sylthana herself was involved in a conspiracy to transform Nasrith into a puppet ruler, and formally ‘delegate’ all the administrative rule to the Great Houses while he was away at war. 

It only made sense to assume that one’s political enemies were just as scheming as you were. 

However, finding evidence of this was proving surprisingly difficult. It didn’t help that Kassan had somehow lost contact with the liaison from his favored Assassin’s Guild, and thus didn’t have full access to his more mundane means of gathering information. 

The Echoes of Jelt were quite adept in clandestine activities that didn’t involve slitting throats, so it was poor timing that communication with them had abruptly ceased.

Or maybe it’s not poor timing at all…

A soft hiss left Kassan’s lips as the suspicion began to take root. Suddenly feeling strangely discomforted, Kassan made his way to his residence on the southern edge of the Sunstone Heights as quickly as propriety would allow. His home was large enough that the vast majority of Tal’Qamar’s residents would consider it a veritable palace, but to Kassan, it was an embarrassment when compared to the grandeur of the Great Houses and the more wealthy naga families.

And even this was something he’d only gained through a marriage of convenience. Pathetic.

Kassan ruthlessly pushed down the familiar embers of bitter inadequacy as he entered his residence, the wards lowering and the door opening automatically at his approach.

“Master Kassan! Welcome home. Is there anyth—”

“Send the [Majordomo] to my study immediately with a platter of Bogshadows and a bowl of Dreamleaf. Now.”

The lizardkin [Servant] whose name he hardly remembered was wise enough to cut off his greeting and leave to follow his orders without comment, likely sensing that Kassan was in a poor mood. Kassan was appreciative of many of the luxuries he’d acquired from the Vhysara family, but their well-trained [Servants] were among the most useful of them all.

It felt good to finally have subordinates who carried out his orders without talking back, especially now that the rest of the family had been imprisoned for treason. 

It almost made him want to give that human boy a gift for getting them all arrested. But decorum demanded that Kassan pretend he cared about the Vhysara family’s downfall, even if he would have arranged it himself, if not for the suspicion that would have fallen on him.

Kassan moved swiftly through the familiar corridors of the Vhysara family’s ancestral manor, its halls unusually empty given that he’d dismissed all but the most essential staff after becoming the de facto master of the house. The eerie silence that now pervaded the once-vibrant manor suited him just fine, allowing him the solitude he needed to think and plan.

It didn’t take long before he arrived at his private study, a room so heavily shrouded with defensive wards that even House Kavasa would be impressed by the magic woven into its walls. Kassan entered, feeling the familiar pulse of the wards recognizing him as their master before he took a moment to look around and appreciate the fruits of his labor.

The room was filled to the brim with arcane wonders, the majority of them designed to enhance precognition and other forms of divination. Shelves lined the walls, filled with tomes and scrolls that radiated Ether, each of them containing lost mysteries that the Circle of Ghisara had meticulously gathered over the centuries. The sheer value of Kassan’s collection would be enough to bring down a calamity on his head if anyone were to discover its true extent.

Fortunately, the majority of his treasures had been taken from vanquished rivals as he’d risen through the ranks of the Circle to become its leader. And no matter how many of his peers might wish to see him fail, none of them would dare to go against their Goddess and reveal the Circle’s secrets to outsiders.

Kassan took in a deep breath and let out a groan of satisfaction as the magical aura of his treasures washed against his skin and scales. There were few things which soothed him more than being surrounded by the evidence of his efforts. While he lacked the absurd wealth of the Great Houses, this room was proof that Kassan was far from the impoverished scion of a disgraced lineage that he had once been.

Now, he was a force to be reckoned with and the Circle of Ghisara—one of the oldest organizations in Tal’Qamar’s history—was his to command. And there would come a day when even the Great Houses would come to fear and revere him in equal measure.

It was his destiny.

Feeling much more calm and reassured than was previously, Kassan made his way over to the divan placed against the far wall of his study and languidly stretched his long tail along its length. The enchantments on the divan rendered it almost sinfully comfortable, tempting Kassan to spend the entire day lounging in his study.

Alas, the subtle thrumming of his [Premonition of Conflict] had been steadily growing stronger over the past week and felt like it would culminate within the next hour or so. Kassan could sense that whatever was about to happen only had a small chance of becoming violent, but nonetheless threatened to upend many of his plans.

Therefore, he sincerely doubted that he would be allowed to rest any time soon.

Kassan didn’t have long to think over the matter before his [Majordomo], an elderly lizardkin by the name of Veska, quietly stepped into his study. Behind her floated a platter of pitch-black toads, jumping restlessly beneath a magical barrier, alongside a bowl of finely ground leaves.

“One platter of Bogshadows as requested, sir,” Veska said, her voice composed as ever as she directed the enchanted platter to land on a low table beside the divan. “Along with a serving of Dreamleaf.”

Kassan nodded in satisfaction as Veska set down the bowl of vision-enhancing drugs and the Eldamiri smoking pipe that he used for such occasions. But he preferred not to make use of Ghisara’s gifts on an empty stomach, so Kassan reached through the one-direction barrier around the platter and caught one of the leaping amphibians from mid-air. 

Kassan paused to enjoy watching the creature wriggle in his grasp before unhinging his jaw and swallowing the Bogshadow whole. 

Most of his peers would find such an act utterly disgusting and uncivilized, but Kassan relished indulging the primal instincts that came with being a naga. His people had lost much of what once made them superior during the Great Migration, and he didn’t want to join them by allowing his hunter instincts to wither away. 

“Do you require anything else before I share the day’s news, sir? I have compiled a list of visions from the Circle’s [Augurs] ready for you to review at your convenience,” Veska said professionally as a stack of documents suddenly appeared in her hands via [Summon Essentials]. “In addition, my [Well-Informed Management] indicates that you will be receiving a few important guests within the next 20 minutes. I’ve already directed your [Servants] to prepare the parlor to receive them.”

Oh Veska. What would I do without you?

Aside from her sheer competence, his [Majordomo] was one of the only people in the world who Kassan truly trusted. She’d been by his side ever since his family had fallen from grace, serving him with loyalty and fidelity regardless of the circumstances. 

While they had somehow never been able to gather definitive evidence, the Circle of Ghisara had noticed many signs over the years that even some of the most trusted kesh’sisk betrayed their masters and traded information among one another. The Great Houses hardly paid them any attention because naga often looked down upon Tal’Qamar’s lizardkin population as insignificant, seeing them as little more than a conquered people best used as convenient labor.

Veska, on the other hand, had never given Kassan a single reason to doubt her loyalty.

And he had checked. A lot. Afterall, Kassan’s [Majordomo] should be above reproach.

“Your service is as impeccable as always,” Kassan said with genuine appreciation as he accepted the documents from Veska and began to skim through them indifferently. The [Augurs] rarely saw anything that he himself didn’t first perceive, and they were wise enough to bring it to him immediately if it was sufficiently important rather than write a report. 

Sure enough, most of the documents either detailed minor shifts in power scarcely worth the attention or matters about which he was already well aware. 

Let’s see. House Vhelan is feuding heavily with House Zarqet over trading routes into Eldamir? Interesting, but not particularly relevant at this point.

House Seradis managed to reassert control over the Merchant’s Guild? Well that certainly took them longer than expected. Losing Merchant Lord Raqasor hurt them far more than expected. Something to keep an eye on.

The Desharin and the ogres are starting to spend some of their ancestral savings on… building materials and miscellaneous supplies? That’s… extremely concerning. Just what is that Hierophant’s Council up to?

“Hmm. There doesn’t seem to be anything which demands my immediate attention,” said Kassan once he finished reading through the reports, placing them down and filling his pipe with a few pinches of Dreamleaf. “Though I will have to instruct the Circle to turn its attention to my ‘peers’ once this meeting is over. Has there been any news regarding my wife?”

“Arrived in Old Arbasel as expected, sir.” Veska said dispassionately. “She is… displeased, but resigned to her fate.”

Good. That’s one less problem that I need to concern myself with…

Kassan had considered getting rid of his wife after the Vhysara family was arrested as the woman was no longer necessary to his plans, but she’d wisely agreed to receive a generous allowance and live in a manor far away from Tal’Qamar. He’d still need to use his divination to look in on her activities every once in a while, as any self-respecting naga would feel absolutely livid after having their family wealth ripped from their grasp. 

But for now, handling the matter in a more permanent fashion would cause more problems than it would solve.

“Very well. If there’s nothing else, then I suppose I’ll investigate these ‘important guests’ who’ve decided to grace us with their presence,” Kassan said, inhaling deeply from his pipe, the Dreamleaf filling his lungs with a calming, ethereal sensation. 

Activating [Diviner’s Gaze] became much easier as the drug’s effect took hold and it only took a few moments for him to sort through the visions, revealing the identities of the people with whom he’d soon be meeting. Once he did, it immediately became clear to him that this same part was responsible for setting off his [Premonition of Conflict].

Hmm. How interesting. Now what business do you have with me, little human? Kassan wondered curiously as he sifted through images of Apostle Zareth knocking on the door of his manor in the near future. 

The human was accompanied by the soldier assigned to watch over him by High Command and the lunatic shivarath who had torn apart half of the [Assassins] Kassan had sent to attack the human several months ago. The Echoes of Jelt had been quite upset with him due to the unexpected number of casualties they’d sustained during that little debacle, and it’d cost him an extra sack of gold to soothe their tempers. 

Shifting rapidly through the potential outcomes of this meeting, Kassan quickly reconfirmed that it was unlikely to end in violence despite the presence of the formidable combatants at Zareth’s side. 

Then, is the human bringing them in an attempt to intimidate me? How adorably naive. Kassan thought disdainfully. 

Feeling reassured, Kassan turned his focus to discerning the actual reasons for the visit. Unfortunately, the precognition offered to him by Ghisara suffered from the same restrictions that all divinations did. Chiefly that the quality of the visions could be diminished through a variety of factors, such as the vagueness of question, the familiarity of the Seer with the matter at hand, and any protections that might be in place to obscure the future.

Although Kassan had focused on acquiring specific knowledge and had kept a reasonably close watch on Zareth and his activities, it was that last factor which was causing complications.

Something extremely important happened very recently. Likely within the past hour, Kassan realized with growing concern as he studied the increasingly vague images of the future. Worse yet, it must be Divine in nature and is purposely being kept from my sight…

Given that his power came from the Goddess of Oracles herself, there were very few things that could obscure the future from Kassan. But anything involving the invocation of Divine power couldn’t be scryed until it actually happened, and a determined deity could hide their actions from Ghisara for a decent amount of time—though not permanently.

Kassan would almost certainly be able to foresee what Zareth was planning in due time, but not before the human and his companions arrived on his doorstep.

Well planned…

Kassan could tell that their discussion would be acrimonious and that the human intended to confront him with something significant, but little else. His mind racing, Kassan quickly decided that this must somehow be related to the God of Flesh’s scheme to create a pantheon similar to the Conclave. Ghisara had informed him that she’d been approached with such an offer and had responded with ambivalence, but she also cautioned Kassan that the God of Flesh would not be easily deterred.

It hadn’t escaped Kassan’s notice that the rest of the Hierophant’s Council had begun meeting in secret without him, so it was clear that something significant was brewing behind closed doors. House Khrysar’s spies and Kassan’s own scrying had also confirmed that General Nasrith was colluding with the Cult of Cerebon to help push his own agenda—most likely by securing another seat on the Oversight Commission. 

However, the exact details eluded him.

All of this flashed through Kassan’s mind in a matter of seconds, his experience with political scheming allowing him to immediately reach the most likely conclusion without missing a beat.

“Veska. Be ready to meet our guests upon their arrival and escort them to the parler,” Kassan ordered calmly after a moment of deliberation. “Tell the [Servants] to prepare a meal for a lizardkin, a human, and a shivarath. Inform our guests that I will join them in a few minutes.”

Even if he didn’t know what the human wanted, Kassan was confident in his ability to control the situation. Veska was very acquainted with his tactics and would do her best to put Zareth off balance, making it seem as if the human and his companions were expected well in advance. The reputation of the Circle rested heavily on the illusion that they already knew everything before it happened, a facade that Kassan knew how to exploit.

“Yes sir. It will be done,” Veska replied with a slight bow before swiftly exiting the study to carry out his orders.

Kassan spent the next few minutes planning his approach to the upcoming conversation with Zareth, a multitude of futures flashing through his mind as the human arrived at his manor and was dutifully led by Veska to the parlor. An enchanted mirror on the far side of his study allowed Kassan to track everything that happened within his manor, and he used it to scrutinize Zareth and his companions. 

The human’s body language seemed extremely self-assured, almost smugly so. Zareth was clearly very confident in whatever leverage he believed he held over Kassan.

A fact which infuriated him. 

There were few things that Kassan despised more than being looked down upon. A part of him wished dearly that he could activate one of the many deadly traps carefully placed throughout his home.

His mood only grew worse after [Diviner’s Gaze] revealed that the shivarath and the human would survive such an attempt anyway. 

I’ll need to find a proper way to kill someone with such powerful regeneration. I have a strong feeling that I’ll one day need it…

Kassan allowed his irritation to simmer for a few minutes as his guests waited in the parlor. Once enough time had passed for Zareth and his companions to be put off balance, Kassan composed himself before slithering out his study.

When he entered the parler, it was to the scene of Zareth sitting comfortably on one of the ornate couches, his hands folded neatly in his lap. The soldier assigned to watch over him stood at attention behind him, a silent sentinel with a gaze that snapped to Kassan the very moment he entered the room. The foreign shivarath stood at his side with predatory grace, her too many eyes examining Kassan before dismissively shifting away as if finding nothing of immediate interest.

Such disrespect made Kassan want to loudly hiss at the shivarath before burying his fangs in her neck, but he instead put on his slyest smile and turned his attention to the only one in the group who actually mattered.

“Greetings, Apostle Zareth. Welcome to my home. I’m so grateful that you’ve spared some of your time to visit,” Kassan said affably, acting as if this was a planned meeting between two old friends rather than a confrontation between two people who’d smile if they saw the other dead. “I do hope that you’ve found the accommodations to your liking. I instructed my [Servants] to ensure that you and your companions were well taken care of.”

A quick glance revealed that his [Cooks] had prepared a mixed platter of roasted Tal’Hadin sourced insects for the lizardkin, some manner of large exotic looking fish for the shivarath, and an expensive serving of braised Eldamiri lamb topped with local desert herbs for the human. 

Kassan sincerely doubted that any of his guests would appreciate the exquisite meal in front of them given that their trio was composed of an overly ambitious gutter trash, a lizardkin soldier who wouldn’t know fine cuisine if it bit off his tail, and a foreign savage. But it was pleasing for Kassan to see that his [Cooks] could be relied upon if they needed to provide delicacies for any guests who actually mattered.

Though Kassan had to admit that the gutter trash in question managed to muster an adequate facade of cordiality as he smiled politely before replying. “Your hospitality is appreciated, Priest Kassan. It’s nearly as impressive as the meals I experienced when visiting Lady Marilith. You and your family must be quite proud to have such capable attendants.”

Kassan’s smile sharpened at the human’s words and the no doubt intentional insult they contained. To both directly compare his manor to one of the Great Houses and mention the family that Zareth himself had helped imprison was bold.

A proper naga would have found a way to insult Kassan with far more subtly, but Zareth’s response was passably clever for someone of his stock.

Perhaps this conversation would be more amusing than anticipated.

“Quite,” Kassan said simply as he settled himself into a couch opposite Zareth, his long tail stretching out in the human’s direction. The subtle stiffening of the lizardkin made it clear that he recognized how easy it would be for Kassan’s tail to wrap itself around the human’s neck before anyone could react if he chose to do so.

The reaction filled Kassan with satisfaction, but he kept his expression neutral, almost bored, as he continued. “I’ve heard news that you and the rest of our peers have been growing quite close lately, to the point that Priestess Farida has been visiting you alone in your spire. It’s certainly wonderful for Tal’Qamar’s faiths to be so… cooperative. I’ve no doubt that this development will be well received by all.”

That was so obviously a lie that Kassan only barely held back a smirk. Hardly anyone among Tal’Qamar’s upper-class would be pleased with a newly formed pantheon in the city given what had happened with the Conclave. Even if the Hierophant’s Council lacked the means to truly threaten the Great Houses’ authority, they would be looked upon with immense suspicion.

This was one of the reasons why Kassan didn’t want the Circle of Ghisara to join their motley little group, among others.

“Thank you for your kind words. Though I do wonder why you seem uninterested in joining us if you’re so approving of our endeavors,” Zareth replied smoothly, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Perhaps you could explain why the Circle of Ghisara prefers to remain uninvolved.”

Hmph. The human has no patience for pleasantries. How disappointing.

“Straight to the point, I see,” Kassan said, his tone cool and measured. “While I do admire your… optimism, both I and my Goddess believe that our interests are better served elsewhere. The Circle of Ghisara has many valuable connections that it would lose if it chose to align itself with you and the rest of your group. I’m sure you understand.”

He wasn’t actually certain that the human truly understood anything about Tal’Qamar’s delicate web of alliances and enmities, but Kassan wasn’t so impolite as to say so out loud.

“Ah, I understand now. If your choices are driven solely by self-interest, then your reasoning does make sense," Zareth replied, nodding in understanding even as his gaze turned sharp. “Though I do wonder if your Goddess has the same priorities as you do. After all, my god approached her about matters far more important than Tal’Qamar’s politics. Does that not concern you at all? Or… perhaps Ghisara did not feel the need to share that with you?”

Kassan’s smile had already disappeared by the time Zareth finished speaking. It was clear to him that the human was fishing for information, attempting to determine what Kassan did and didn’t know regarding his god’s desire to form a new pantheon. 

But the very fact that Zareth was probing him like this implied that he knew secrets that he shouldn't.

Ghisara told me that the other gods wouldn’t dare to risk the ire of the major pantheons by sharing such information with their followers. He must be bluffing.

“I’m not quite certain what you’re talking about,” Kassan said evenly, forcing himself to remain calm as he locked eyes with the human. “Could you elaborate a little, so that I can understand?”

Much to Kassan’s dismay, any hopes that Zareth was simply bluffing disappeared when the human smirked and said two damning words.

“System War.”

Kassan felt himself become completely still, his naga instincts compelling his body to cease all movements as shock surged through him.

The System War and all of the events surrounding it was a topic that none but the highest-ranking servants of the gods should be aware of. And even then, there were even a few deities born after the System War’s conclusion who weren’t privy to all its details. This secrecy was strictly enforced by the world’s ruling pantheons and the [Inquisitors] of Harpocrate, the Silent Judge. 

Kassan forced down a shudder at the thought of the images Ghisara had shown him of what happened to those discovered to possess knowledge that the gods didn’t want spread among mortals. He’d seen and done too much to be easily frightened by most things, but those visions still sometimes caused him to wake up in a cold sweat. 

Kassan momentarily wondered if the Silent Judge’s servants were already making their way to Tal’Qamar, but he quickly dismissed the thought. The God of Flesh would have never shared such knowledge without having a way to shield Zareth from divine wrath. 

Kassan’s gaze flitted between the lizardkin and the foreign savage, wondering at what the two of them knew. He sincerely doubted that the human’s companions were as protected by the God of Flesh as Zareth. “You should be careful about what you say, human. I’m not sure your little cult can handle the consequences if certain people were to learn that you’re speaking of things best left buried.”

“Ah, it looks like I’ve struck a nerve,” said Zareth, unbearably smug. “Somehow, I have a feeling that the Circle of Ghisara wouldn’t want those ‘certain people’ anywhere near Tal’Qamar either. Am I wrong?”

No. He wasn’t. Every single member of the Circle would almost certainly be hunted down like animals if the wrong people looked too closely into them.

“I can tell from your expression that I was correct,” Zareth said after a pause, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he leaned forward in his seat. “I think the Cult of Cerebon and the Circle of Ghisara would both benefit from mutual cooperation. Especially considering how… difficult things could become for the both of us if we were at odds, given that we pursue similar goals.”

Similar goals? Kassan wasn’t quite certain how true that was.

If the Cult of Cerebon was aware of the true nature of the System and the control which the gods have over it—then it was indeed possible and maybe even likely, that their deities had reached similar conclusions. It was safe to assume that if Zareth was speaking of the System War, then the God of Flesh wished to seize some of the ruling pantheon’s claim of the System for their own ends.

That was the natural conclusion that any self-respecting person with the slightest hint of ambition would reach after learning that the System was an artificial construct capable of being manipulated. However, the truth of the matter was that Ghisara had aspirations for the System that Kassan suspected most deities would find deeply concerning. 

As for Kassan’s own goals? Well, that was better left unsaid. 

So no, he didn’t believe that the Cult of Cerebon and the Circle of Ghisara had the same end in mind… but the path was likely similar. The God of Flesh, and by extension his emerging pantheon, would undoubtedly seek to seize control of Valandor’s leyline nexus. Given that such locations was where the Divine Realms most easily reached through the Etherveil to touch the material world, the worlds leyline nexus’ were the best points from which to exert influence over the System itself.

As such, the God of Flesh likely saw this war against the Conclave as a fortuitous opportunity that he couldn’t afford to let go to waste.  

But Kassan didn’t believe in fortune. He believed in meticulously considered strategies, and the Cult of Cerebon was quickly becoming an uncontrollable variable in the Circle’s carefully orchestrated plans.

And that he wouldn’t abide. 

“If that is all that you came here to say, then I believe it’s time for you to leave,” Kassan said, his voice icy as he dropped all pretense of cordiality. “The Circle of Ghisara has no intention of siding with a weak, desperate faction like the Hierophant’s Council and abandoning centuries old ties with some of the most influential parties in Tal’Qamar. That you would even believe we would consider otherwise is simple proof that someone like you has no place in these sorts of matters. I suggest that you leave such things to your betters.”

Kassan would normally not be so direct with his true feelings, but the human had been staring at him with utter disdain and animosity from the very second he entered the room. He didn’t see any reason to continue pretending at diplomacy with this uncouth street rat.

But far from getting angry as Kassan had expected from the human when faced with such a dismissal, Zareth’s smile only grew wider as something dark and ominous flickered in his eyes.

“Oh? Are you certain that I can’t change your mind, Priest Kassan? I believe that it would be in your best interests to… reconsider.”

If Zareth's tone hadn't made it obvious, the expectant looks on the soldier and the savage would have given away that the human was about to reveal whatever advantage had given him enough confidence to confront Kassan so boldly. A multitude of possible futures flickered through Kassan’s mind as he frantically used [Divener’s Gaze] in an attempt to foresee what was going to happen.

Yet again, Kassan's visions proved maddeningly vague, leaving him no choice but to abandon his efforts and face the situation without any forewarning.

“I don’t know what you think you’r—”

Kassan only managed to speak a few words before he felt the sting of a blade at his throat and an unfamiliar presence at his back. This would be enough to cause people to freeze in terror, but Kassan actually began to relax as the human’s ‘big reveal’ finally became clear. 

“Really? An [Assassin]? Is that the bright idea which gave you the courage to enter my home?” Kassan asked mockingly, his impression of the human falling further than he could have imagined. “We naga have been killing each other before your ancestors started fornicating with sentient clumps of sand in the middle of the desert. You will not leave this place alive if you spill a single drop of my blood.”

Kassan was not exaggerating in the slightest. He trusted his defensive artifacts to preserve his life and knew that his manor contained enough traps that none of them had any hope of escaping without his permission.

This wouldn’t be the first [Assassin] to die in his manor’s halls, and he sincerely doubted that it would be the last. Kassan was somewhat concerned that none of his [Servants] or his [Majordomo] had intervened—or returned to the room at any point in their conversation now that he thought about it—but he was still confident that he could handle the situation.

That confidence only began to flag after he saw Zareth’s smile twist into a darkly amused smirk at Kassan’s words.

“I don’t think it’s the blade which you should worry about, Priest Kassan. It’s the person wielding it.”

Feeling a premonition wash over him that was colder than the steel at his throat, Kassan slowly looked over his shoulder and met the eyes of the figure standing behind him. For a moment, he almost couldn’t believe what he was seeing and he tried to find a more reasonable explanation.

“Do you truly expect me to believe that you managed to turn such a powerful [Poison-Master Assassin] against me? That’s impossible,” Kassan said as he turned his gaze back to the smirking human, moving slowly so as to not cut himself on a potentially poisoned blade. “The Echoes of Jelt have never in their entire history betrayed a contract, especially with a force as powerful as House Khrysar. Did you think that you could fool me with this? Though I must admit, I’d underestimated your cult’s potential with shapeshifting. His appearance is passable as Khasim Dhari, even if there is room for improveme—”

Kassan’s words were cut short as the man holding the knife to his throat turned aside and unleashed a stream of green fog from his mouth. The toxic mist engulfed a priceless painting on the wall, dissolving it into nothing more than a smoking ruin within seconds.

…Shit.

He’d hired Khasim Dhari often enough to be extremely familiar with his favored Skills. [Toxic Essence] was by far his most signature ability, allowing Khasim to turn everything from his blood, to his spit, to his very breath into an incomparably lethal weapon. Kassan had read reports of the Plaguebringer soldiers that the Cult of Cerebon had gifted to Tal’Qamar’s military, and they couldn’t even come close to competing with the sheer potency of the [Poison-Master Assassin].

“Why are you doing this?” Kassan asked, his question directed to the cutthroat who had been so content to accept his gold a few months ago. “You must know that the Echoes of Jelt won’t rest until you’re dead for this betrayal.”

No Assassin’s Guild would ever accept its members ruining their reputations like this, especially one as high-level as Khasim Dhari. He was also simply too valuable to let go.

“The Serene One has chosen me for this purpose,” said Khasim, his voice filled with bone-chilling fervor completely unlike the flat montone Kassan recalled from previous interactions. “I am to be the goddess’ favored instrument, and you are the medium through which I shall earn my redemption.”

Kassan couldn’t quite remember the last time he’d felt so utterly caught off guard. The Khasim Dhari who he knew was someone who’d rather spend his time testing his most lethal poisons on whoever he could get his hands on than concerning himself with anything as ‘irrelevant’ as divine favor or morality. 

Even Kassan’s ‘guests’ appeared to be taken aback by the sheer intensity radiating from the insane killer, with the human and the lizardkin soldier even seeming to be extremely uncomfortable. The foreign savage’s expression was much more difficult to understand, though her next words began to make things a bit more clear.

“Hmph. While he is an infidel who worships an unworthy god, his resolve is admirable,” the shivarath said, nodding in approval after a moment of consideration. Her expression then grew thoughtful, and even a bit excited. “One wonders how difficult it would be to replicate such a feat through the Weaver’s domain. I do believe I recall reading about a specialized Class Evolution dedicated to manipulating the brain while studying to become a Senior Fleshwarper. It seems that it would be worth investing resources in pursuing that avenue.”

“That’s… something that we can discuss later, Vidhatri,” said the human, sounding as if he would much rather not discuss the matter at all. “For now, I think it’s best that we leave this sort of thing to the professionals.”

Let it never be said that Kassan lacked the ability to quickly understand a situation when given enough clues to do so. The shivarath’s reference to manipulating brains and Khasim’s mention of the ‘Serene One’ left little room for misinterpretation. 

“Ah. I see. You’ve enslaved his mind with the help of the Order of the Serene Path,” Kassan said with faint awe at the sheer ruthlessness of such a tactic. Though he probably shouldn’t be so surprised given that the Cult of Cerebon had publicly killed more than a dozen people using a rather gruesome ritual. 

Still, there was something especially heinous about what had been done to Khasim Dhari. To have one’s very mind twisted and perverted into something completely unrecognizable to what it once had been was a fate worse than death. Kassan had done many things in his life that would leave most people recoiling in horror, but even he couldn’t recall ever having done anything quite so depraved. 

Kassan had heard a bit about what the Order of the Serene Path had been doing to ‘rehabilitate’ the criminal dredges of Tal’Qamar, but he hadn’t really paid much attention to it. [Mind Mages] were not an unknown factor, and Kassan had been confident in his ability to protect his own mind from any intrusion.

But if these [Monks] from Great Mu could overpower the mind of someone as high-leveled as Khasim Dhari… then that confidence had been shattered in an instant.

And that thought terrified Kassan more than anything had in a very long time. 

I’d dismissed them as weak, but the Order of the Serene Path might just be the most dangerous of Tal’Qamar’s new faiths. Even more than the Cult of Cerebon, Kassan thought with dread even as he focused his attention back onto Zareth. But that’s not something I can afford to worry about right now…

He’d quite clearly underestimated the human and his collaborators to a dangerous degree.

“Your methods are… thorough, I’ll give you that,” Kassan admitted reluctantly, his regard for the human actually improving at the successfully executed scheme. “To not only lure in and capture an associate of mine as powerful as Khasim was no small feat. And to arrange for him to be compromised by those foreign [Monks] while their goddess obscured my foresight was quite clever. The only thing I don't fully understand is why you chose to go through so much effort. Khasim is quite capable, but you would have been better served simply hiring a competitor rather than what you’ve done.”

And also why the rest of the Hierophant’s Council had chosen to go along with this scheme. They must have seen a truly significant reward if they were willing to make an enemy of the Circle.

As expected, Zareth seemed somewhat eager to reveal his intentions. The desire to explain a well executed plan to one’s enemies was a sentiment that Kassan could fully understand.

“Oh? Do you really not understand?” Zareth asked, the gutter trash actually daring to sound genuinely surprised at Kassan’s ignorance. “You must really be flustered. I thought that you would have already figured out by now that I’m far more interested in what Mr. Dhari—or perhaps Acolyte Dhari would be more appropriate—knows, rather than what he can do. As should you.”

It only took a moment for Kassan to understand what Zareth was implying. While Khasim Dhari was quite valuable for his Skills, the [Poison-Master Assassin] had been a favored asset of House Khrysar and the Circle for nearly a decade. The Echoes of Jelt had sent Khasim to Tal’Qamar frequently due to his heritage, meaning that the sheer number of crimes that Khasim had knowledge of was far more catastrophic to him and the Circle than Kassan could articulate.

Even if there had been efforts made to clean up certain loose ends over the years, a high enough leveled [Investigator] would easily be able to piece together the threads of all those dark deeds, especially with Khasim’s firsthand accounts. This normally wouldn’t be an issue as any one of the Great Houses had enough influence to bury even the most blatant of crimes… but the Cult of Cerebon had allies in both High Command and House Vhelan. 

If Khasim were to confess everything that he had done under their orders to High Command, then General Nasrith would have everything he needed to arrest Kassan on charges of treason.

Living the rest of his life in a cell would be a merciful outcome if that were to happen.

“I can tell that you’re starting to understand,” Zareth said smugly, eyes alight with satisfaction as he gestured calmly to the killer behind Kassan. A moment later, he felt the knife leave his throat at the humans command. “I imagine that the upcoming meeting of the Oversight Commission is going to be extremely eventful. Don’t you think so?”

“I see. So I’m being blackmailed by gutter trash,” Kassan said as calmly as he could, even as his mind raced frantically to find a way out of this situation. “Do you really believe that the Circle and House Khrysar will simply accept this and bow to your demands? Your ego must have inflated beyond reason after surviving a few half-hearted attempts at your life if you think this will be allowed to stand. You and your friends will be turned into corpses by the end of the week, and your little cult will be—”

Kassan hissed in pain as a spiked, fleshy tendril shot from Zareth’s back, interrupting his attempt at intimidating the human and impaling his tail. An intense burning sensation began to spread as his scales started to blacken and rot from where Kassan had been pierced.

“If there’s anyone whose ego has been inflated, it’s you, Priest Kassan,” said Zareth, his voice and expression as chilling as the tundras of Fjøll. “Even if what you say were true, do you really believe that you’ll live long enough to see it happen? Even if you survived me, do you really believe that House Khrysar and your rivals in the Circle are going to stand by your side? Or do you think it's more likely that they’ll simply blame you for the entire situation, and then toss you aside like the gutter trash you seem to believe yourself above?”

Before he could respond, Zareth pulled his barbed tendril from Kassan’s tail with vicious force, the pain momentarily blinding him as he struggled to maintain his composure. The human then leaned down and touched his tail with a degree of gentleness that could only be considered mocking before using his powers to heal the wound he’d just caused.

It didn’t escape Kassan’s notice for a single moment that Zareth could cause and heal as many injuries as he wanted without leaving a shred of evidence behind.

The only thing keeping Kassan from using every single trick at his disposal to slaughter the human right then and there was the explicit knowledge that his attempt would be woefully unsuccessful. His prescient Skills warned him that the lizardkin soldier and the shivarath were ready to back up the human at a moment’s notice. Behind him, the assassin was still waiting exultant with his dagger in easy reach.

“What exactly do you want from me?” Kassan asked, not bothering to hide the virulent hatred growing inside him as he realized that the human was right. Sylthana would discard him the very second that his usefulness reached its end, and everything he had worked for would crumble in an instant.

“It’s simple. As a proud member of the Hierophant’s Council, you’re going to help us during the upcoming meeting of the Oversight Commission,” Zareth said, a pleased smile crossing his face as he saw Kassan’s opposition wavering. “Your former benefactors don’t realize it, but a new dawn is coming to Tal’Qamar. Aren’t you grateful that you’ll be on the winning side?”

Over the next few minutes, Kassan listened to Zareth smugly share some of the details regarding what General Nasrith, House Vhelan, and the Hierophant’s Council intended to do in just a few days. Kassan found himself reluctantly impressed and saw no other option but to start negotiating over the terms of his cooperation with the human—which were not all that generous. 

All the while, his respect and loathing for Zareth grew in equal measure. He would play the human’s game for now—at least until he managed to develop countermeasures against the blackmail being used against him.

And once that happened…

Well, this human would soon learn that patience was something Kassan had in abundance.

=======

Author's Note: Wanted to resolve the Skills question from previous chapter, but couldn't help but think that this scene would be better from Kassan's perspective and didn't have room to do so.

One of my beta-readers brought it to my attention that it's been a while since we've done a bit of fleshcrafting, so intend to fix that soon. Feel free to leave suggestions about fleshcrafting stuff, including anything related to fleshy infrastructure for the new city or minions and stuff like that.