(Ru Clan Territory, The Sky-Fortress of Vassa, Mauriss' POV)
Mauriss arrived without escort, and that, more than anything else, was what unsettled Ru Vassa.
The announcent of his presence had co scarcely an hour prior to his physical arrival, carried through formal channels yet devoid of explanation, as though he had rely decided that today was the day he would pay her a visit.
And so he stood at the gates of her floating citadel, storms gathering along the horizon as the Deceiver tilted his head slightly, studying the architecture of her ancient residence as though it were sothing that fascinated him greatly.
"Lord Mauriss,"
Ru Vassa greeted smoothly as he entered the throne chamber alone, her tone controlled and impeccably courteous.
"To what do I owe the honor of a personal visit on such short notice?"
Her words were warm, however, her posture was not, as between them lay more than just polished marble flooring.
*Shine*
*Sparkle*
Invisible wards shimred faintly in layered arcs across the space separating them, subtle distortions in the air marking containnt fields, spatial anchors, and displacent buffers carefully woven into the architecture itself, as it seed like Ru Vassa was taking no chances when it ca to personal safety.
'Movent dampeners? How interesting....
Mauriss thought, as he noticed all of it instantly.
A lattice of delayed approach barriers that would prevent him from
crossing the chamber in a single step.
It wasn't enough to defeat him, however, it was enough for Ru Vassa to open a Dinsional Portal and escape.
'Smart girl.....
Mauriss thought as he smiled, as he walked forward casually, each step unhurried, as the wards adjusted in response to his movent, glowing faintly before settling again.
"Your precaution wounds ," Mauriss replied lightly, his voice pleasant and almost amused.
"Must our relationship always begin with suspicion?"
Ru Vassa's lips curved politely.
"When one entertains the Deceiver personally, prudence is not suspicion."
She replied, as her eyes flicked briefly to the spatial distortion between them.
"It is survival."
Mauriss chuckled softly at that, appreciating the honesty.
He did not attempt to breach the wards, nor did he test the barriers.
He simply stopped at the exact distance where the innermost layer began, folding his hands loosely behind his back as lightning flickered faintly beyond the high arched windows of the fortress.
*KABOOM*
"You can relax, Vassa, I have not co to declare war on you today," he said calmly.
"Nor have I co to claim your territory."
A pause.
"What I have co for..... is to discuss an opportunity."
Ru Vassa did not relax.
But she did listen.
The Deceiver's visits were never random.
And if he had chosen to co personally rather than send a proxy, then the matter at hand was either extraordinarily delicate....
Or extraordinarily dangerous.
She inclined her head slightly.
"Very well, go on, I am listening"
Mauriss's smile deepened just enough to suggest that the ga had
begun.
"Tell , Ru Vassa," he said conversationally, as though discussing weather rather than the future of gods.
"How satisfied are you... with the current balance of power?"
The wards between them humd softly.
And for the first ti since he entered, Ru Vassa felt the weight of possibility settle heavier than the threat of imdiate violence.
Mauriss had not co to kill her.
He had co to move the board.
And that was far more unsettling.
"Allying with the Great Clans has brought you nothing but diocrity
for the past 2250 years.
And to be honest, it pains to see a woman as talented as you, rely
on those pigs like n you call allies.
I an.....
What the hell are those guys even doing, letting the Dragon
Moltherak push them around like that?
In just three months they have already lost five planets to him, and
two to the Cult.
And within the next century I only foresee more decline for the Great Clans....."
Mauriss began, as he used his glib tongue to try and influence Vassa's
mind.
"It was the Universal Governnt before that.
And the Cult Of Ascension before that.
But the question is, when have the Great Clans ever dominated
universal politics?
I an, yes, you guys do control vast amounts of territories.
However, when has it ever translated to true dominance?"
The Deceiver baited, as he tried to imply that the alliance of the Great Clans had been a mistake from the start.
"As long as Moltherak exists, The Great Clan alliance is never going to
be the true overlords of the universe, and without an Origin tal Blade in your arsenal, you are never going to be able to kill that old
bastard.
However, what if, I, Mauriss were to say, I'm ready to lend you my services and my Origin tal Blade to kill Moltherak.....
Tell Vassa, how would you feel about that?"
Mauriss asked, as Ru Vassa could not help but feel her eyes widen at
the proposition.
"What's the catch?"
She asked imdiately, as she understood that if sothing sounded
too good to be true, it probably was, which was why she wanted to understand the caveat behind this proposition before weighing its
benefits.
"The catch is that I don't see the point behind having so many Great Clans in the universe.
I say, You, , Mu Shen and Yu Kiro.
The four of us can divide the universe amongst ourselves.
While Kaelith, Moltherak, Lu Han and Du Trask, can all rot in hell.
Hahahahaha!"
Mauriss suggested, as Ru Vassa imdiately saw through his glib
tongue and realized that Mauriss was trying to employ the old divide
and rule strategy, where he broke old alliances and pitted old allies against one another to sow maximum chaos.
However, while she did see through his strategy to potentially pit
allies against one another, what she failed to sense was his deeper technique at play, whereby he was carefully dismantling the wards between himself and Vassa, while her attention was fully drawn to his words rather than actions.
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