Aseo’s Saga: Connection & Exposure [Plot]

[Hikari’s Manor Outpost]

Neph found himself established at Hikari’s Manor, the medium sized patch of land off the side of a cliff of which would be home to him, and his rabbit for the time being. Morning came over them and he had just risen from his new bed. “ Ah, Dexx’ter. We have more work to do before we finally relax and enjoy this. Cmere you. “ Neph said, rubbing at the ears of his pet, putting a smile on his face. Standing from his bed stepping in front of the dresser, Neph would look over himself in the mirror that hovered above looking through the smudged whittled down glass as his vision blurred at the light reflecting off it. “ Now it’s time to go through these papers. I must send Hikari out after I get done. ” Speaking to himself, and the reflection of himself. He never spoke to himself truly, but others wouldn’t understand that so he laughed a short chuckle after the fact. Pulling at the draws, Neph collected his belongings and clothes for the day. Putting on his pants, and shoes first then reaching for his suit jacket, and button up next. His rabbit just layed curled up in the bed, eyeing his master as he got dressed. A few minutes later, Neph was buckling his staff into his hip and tossing a colorful bag of sorts over his shoulder. A new piece of equipment he rarely taken out, but today he needed something to contain his documents.

“ Now, let’s go over these in the study with Hikari. Dexx’ter follow closely my friend. ” Sounding similar in Aseo to get the rabbit to come with him. Leaving from his new bedroom, the pair traveled into the courtyard of the manor and down the wooden tiles into a bath house. Before getting to the study he must take proper care of his face now that he’s able too. It had been months almost a year since he’s used a bathhouse all to himself. “ Dexx hop in the water, clean your fur and face. I’ll look over a quick piece of these documents while you splash around briefly. ” Pointing his rabbit towards the nicely steamed water. Reaching into his witch doctor bag, Neph would glance over the first of the four names he had gotten while brushing his teeth. Holding up three papers with one hand, and scrubbing away at his teeth with his other hand bopping his head between sentences to spit out the paste, and build up. “ Shao Jun has quite the list here. A half-ling securing positions in Balbadd, Reim, and Kou is quite the asset to one if they have her in their corner. But I shall leash her and make her feel my welcome for supporting the Asehi’s in their expansion. ” Neph said almost exactly like Aseo, slipping out his venomous demeanor to punish those who wronged him. Putting Shao Jun documents back in his back, he continued his morning leaving the bathroom, whistling for Dexx’ter to get out the waters. The steamy rabbit shaking and following behind its master.

“ Hikari! Hikari!! ” He shouted out as he walked towards the study. The other man would be posted up somewhere in the manor. Considering their meeting with Julius both men would need to lay low. Some of the personal guard, and workers looked at the boy shouting, even some pointed to where their boss was. Neph simply shouted in that direction, while coming towards their study room doors. “ Hikari Gato, to the study room. We got a lot of work to do. You Guardsmen over their take, Dexx’ter to eat breakfast and return here afterwards. And everyone have a pleasant morning because we’re just getting started, you spineless people. ” Rubbing his rabbits head before sending him off, and closing the study behind himself.

The study room was short of cluttered, but it had a large rectangular table and about five bookcases parallel to each other on the sides of the room. It was dimly lit by lanterns hung around the room, and had just two windows in the far back that barely let light escape into the darkness of the room. Neph liked how Hikari worked just off examining the room. Walking over to one of the seats, he reached into his bag and pulled the documents from his bag, and spread them into their proper piles as he waited shortly for Hikari to make his entrance. As for the dim lights, Neph waved his hand and increasingly added small spheres  of light around the room using the rukh. “ Ahh, a little bit better. ” He said as the blinding light didn’t interfere with his vision in the closed space. The door would soon open as Hikari finally came in and sat across from Neph.

Hikari: “ Neph-chan what makes you call on me? I need to tend to my men and women who might’ve gotten caught in the plague. ”

Neph: “ As long as you help me with tracking down these names, and inviting them here within these next few days. Your men and women will surely die to Julius’s plague. I have a solution for the both of us. ”

Hikari: “ What do you mean? Names? Track down who? Neph-chan each time i encounter you, it’s simply something shrouded in murder and mystery. Maybe on the thin line of both. ”

Neph: Well look over those
documents I’ve layed out, as well I am going to look over the rest. But if you help me with this, I’ll do my best to cure this plague and figure out how to return Kou to normal… or at least normal. ”

The dialogue continues between the two. Neph tried to make the best of Hikari’s worries, but he needed Hikari to send the messengers to the four. Even if curing a plague started by a mutual friend had to be halted, even he knew he could only subside the plague with his seraphim’s holy magic for some people, others might make a full recovery given time if he was to constantly heal. But today’s and the week’s focus was enhancing his political gain, and his own team. They sat in the study for a few hours, even the guardsmen who took Dexx’ter finally returned with the story of how he lost the rabbit for about thirty minutes giving the two quite a laugh, and breathing room off finally getting through the documents. Hikari had gone over Shi Guo’s, and Su Huan’s files and was compiling letters to send off to the two. As for Neph, he had finished going over Shao Jun’s and Zhan Yijan’s files. Writing them letters to request their presence at the cliff side manor.

“ Guardsmen, make sure these letters get to their locations. Return with the four of them, and if you don’t the plague won’t be the only thing you need to worry about. ” Neph said handing over his two letters, and a sweat filled Hikari handed over his two, feeling the pressure from Neph’s threat. They had been in the study for quite a while, fresh air was now on the list and he watched the guardsmen leave by horseback from the hills back towards Kou. A new bottle of wine would appear before the boy, and Hikari with the glasses. “ Let’s drink some wine to steady ourselves and ease the nerves til we hear back from my men. ” Hikari suggested, but Neph simply pushed the drink away. “ Job’s not done yet. Once it is we can, my friend. ” Neph said, stepping over to an opening in the courtyard motioning Dexx’ter to follow. “ I need to stretch, I’ll be back. Hikari-san” Releasing his wings, and jumping into the evening skies feeling the warm chilly winds ruffle his feathers before flying off east with Dexx’ter to enjoy a nice stretch.

wc: 1302

A few days had gone by and the first of the four messengers returned with news he wasn’t expecting. Neph was sort of let down by Ms.Huan's response, because now she must meet with death’s carnate. Having to sit and wait for the others to arrive wouldn’t lighten his mood one bit, and this itself made Hikari nervous since he’s looking over the boy in his manor. Even though he can’t be too upset at the woman’s own decision, he knew now how he should speak to the others once they arrived. Thus waiting, leaving him to wait a few more days now.  With time passing by like water down a stream, Hikari and his guards had finished setting up the war-room for the decisions, and even catered to bring them dishes for their short but mountainous journey. Neph would wait for the guards to show them to their seats inside the new room, and unveil their meals. Looking over the two men, and women trying to gauge how to start, Shi Guo would already have spoken, clearing the clattering noise made by the others in the background, before it was just the Five of them(Hikari’s In The Room).

Neph:  “ Firstly I would like to welcome you three here to my cliffside manor. Sadly, Ms.Huan won’t join us and I’ll see her later. Second, you three have supported the former, my former, The Asehi’s and I can say they won’t be of this world any more after this day, or in the near future. Thirdly, what do y’all understand about the plague? How do you think it got to Zou? and If someone knew how to make a cure how much do you think it’ll sell? ”

Neph smiling at them scanning over their eyes to see if his introduction to them would stir up anything, but before he would let them speak he would continue.

Neph “ I’ve read all the files my family has over you three. Y’all are some of the best influential people they have on file. Zhao Yujin, current war general tied to a greed ridden men, and woman trying to grab at title, and rank, but do you even know what they would do to you if exposed like the rats they are? You’ll be killed, or much less sent to your doom in the prison camps for traitors. Then, Shi Guo the charming dealer of all sorts of wares supplying the home with weapons, priceless items, and knowledge only those who have the gold to know. Would be a shame for poor little Yoshiro to know you’ve stamped your mark in his terrority under his Angel Clan, Asehi. And lastly Miss Jun, The one I like the most. The Political Lioness with the lingering scent. I believe my empress would be ecstatic to see another lioness with such achievements throughout the world, and myself would love to have you on my team. But for you to consider being tied with the Asehi’s i’m disappointed in you. I’m disappointed in all of you actually. Here’s the deal to why I’ve brought you all here today. ”

Hikari would be in a sweat, and ready to crumble. Neph would stand up, and speak once more, patting his nervous friend on the shoulder. Clearing his voice, and glowing a golden hue the seraphim boy would like his voice to dazzle like light and spread through the room like warmth.

Neph: “ In my hunt to rid Zou of Asehi. In the midst of a mysterious plague. and In the turmoil of my own fates. I, Neph Acxa formerly Aseo Asehi, shall let you live if you swear to follow me, and back me as I rise to glory not here, but in the new empire of Meridia. I shall explain the reasoning next, but I would like to hear your immediate responses. ”

wc: 645
twc: 1,947

Neph was sure they would react this way, but Shao, and Shi were more humorous of his words and focused on what he had to say on the plague, while on the other hand Zhan seemed hostile towards him. “ You ask me for proof, and isn’t standing here before you enough proof of that? Would just anyone know to look for a current general supposedly under the thumb of Yoshiro to work with the Asehi’s? I guess I should change my face back to my former if my words truly are on deaf ears.” He’d say, flopping his right hand in front of his face and placing his chin on the back of it sitting comfortably in his step as the general took his approach towards him. He would relax the muscles in his face, and reconstruct them into Aseo’s late appearance just to relax the large man. They would hear the cracking, and squishing of bones, and blood as they moved in place and settle back in the more sleek, and sharp features Aseo’s had.

“ Quite a tiresome and simple manipulation of bone structure, but what's worse is this plague which is tiresome, but curable.  You all know nothing of it, but I know its origins. I plan to weaponize the plague into a bio-weapon, but i’ve yet to get my subject for testing. And I’m not sure if my blood will cleanse it’s properties as I don’t have my own resources which is why I asked for you Shi.” He’d say as stared down from his spot at the general, really letting him get a look at the face, giving him Aseo’s signature smug look of disgust that he gives people. “ General Zhan, step back or you’ll become a subject of testing alongside the poor boy I plan to test strands of the plague on while also curing so they don’t die. Would you like something like that, I’m sure that large body of yours will enjoy long, painful,excruciating nights without sunlight. ” Neph not liking the return attitude given, and he wasn’t afraid of a tall giant.

wc: 350
twc: 2,297

Zhan words would fall deaf to Neph’s ears as he knew this was bound to be one of the three responses. All Neph would do before getting close would be to stand from his seat waiting for the moment, Zhan got in distance of him like the angry, stoic giant he was, and that moment presented itself as soon as his sentence was over. Watching as the large giant came forward with hasted speeds, slicing both the katanas off his hilt towards the boy,his borg instantly sprouted to life at the sudden threat blocking the incoming strikes for it’s first instance of b-tier damage done from the General. Barely budging Neph, he would then himself, reach around his waist nimbly moving his witch doctor bag in front of himself, and pouring his magoi into it, calmly speak. “Hope those are top-notched katanas, General Zhan” He’d say, the swelling on the cheeks of the bag began, then shortly if Zhan was still in close range, the bag would spit out a 2m wide A-tier wave of acid at the general. Neph holding onto the bag with a strong grip, making sure not to miss the large figure or his items. Just in case the general backed away, the seraphim’s wings would shoot from his back in the room, almost taking up all the backspace behind the boy. “ General, Stand down, I don’t wish to kill my possibly only general. But if you persist, I shall put you down.” He would say pointing his top two wings toward the general, gathering a build up of blinding light magic beforehand upon them gearing another attack incase.

Wc: 290
Twc: 2587
Magoi: 390/400 -10

Neph would lower his wings dimming the light gathered on them, and return the bag to his side. Looking off at the giant man lying motionless on the floor he would start chuckling alongside the claps from Shao. “ Great. Hahaha Real grand general! Real fucking grand!!! Hahahaha “  Aseo would say through Neph, the man throwing his arms about in the air, before tossing them to his side and composing himself. “ Why you two may be in my command. We still need a Kou’ian General, be it retired, or not so Shi Gao, and Miss Jun accompany me to Miss Huan residence. ”  Aseo finishes his words, returning Neph's voice. If the two were ready to follow behind him, he would step over Zhan’s lifeless body shaking his head seeing in how underprepared he was facing a magician thus proving to himself his choices in generals were not adequate for his standard. Or maybe his own hand was just too harsh when defending, Neph shrugged when he got to the door about it. “ Clean up the large man on the floor, and place the body in a cell. Thank you for your time guard “ He said kindly in a chilling voice to a man guarding the room, then walking off from the meeting room to travel to Su Huan home .

wc: 218
twc:2,805

The short lived journey was met by Su Huan’s  guard. From the seraphims eyes he thought they were well suited, and trained. Short greetings between him and the guards led them to whom they came to see. Inside taking in the surroundings it looked decently furnished, and with nothing much to stand out about it. The guards that escorted them switched out little by little as they got closer to her office. Neph sort of just tryna focus on keeping his pace as his eyes wandered until they came into her office.

Neph looked down at the blonde bobbed woman, and wondered what made her choose that hairstyle but it didn’t show on his face, and he tried to keep a straight one. “ Miss Huan, I'm sure you're a woman of many trusted individuals even so my adoptive parents consider you a trusted one. They trusted you with their finances, decision making, and maybe even they would try to suck up to you for more by offering me once I was prepped and ready. ” Opening his arms to the side using his upper body to express himself. Going on a continuation, Neph spoke more sternly. “ I want to make you my own exclusive executive! Shao Jun, and Shi Gao right here would be your brother, and sister executive helping me carry out my plans, and getting y’all more exposure and in the lands. I believe with you at the front of my political scene with strategic thoughts behind mine we can bring Zou’s other noble families to the right or end their line at the wrong. But it’s a vast world so many things outside of Zou will happen as well so I just wish to know if you, Miss Huan, would be willingly to join me, or be a hindrance like Zhan Yijan? I'm showing you your face since you're my ex-family associate which is why I offer this to you. But if we can’t workout, don’t fault me for ending those once associated with my family’s name. ” Neph patting his stomach as if he was relieved to say that. After a short catch of his breath, he’d smile softly towards the short woman returning her gaze.

wc: 368
twc: 3,173

Neph heard over Su Huan, and felt he had offended a great benefactor to himself, but he also knew he could not take back his words. “ Miss Huan; I shall take back my distasteful comments so forth that we can build a strong foundation between ourselves as we share like minded thoughts in the future. I would gladly forget the greaves of these adoptive parents who no longer have my best interest. ” He would say back not wavering in his tone. Neph would look over at Su Gao, and Shao Jun. “ I hope we can all get along and prosper in the ends. So Miss Huan is there anything else you would like to know up front ? Or Are we concluding tonight’s meeting. ” Neph cutting straight as he would enjoy more of her time, but also the manor even the tiniest bit more. He hoped she’d understand him in wanting to depart promptly.

wc: 159