Interstellar Age



Erich was formulating a response to what Kali had said. He had come all this way, so now he had to make a proper proposal. However, before he could say anything, the Asuran beauty was quick to speak up again, and in doing so shocked not only Erich but also Mirage and Sinaria, who were standing by his side. 

"I'm sorry, where are my manners.... I invited you all this way, and yet I have not even bothered to serve you something to eat. Are you perhaps hungry? If not, I have plenty of palm wine which I can serve you...." 

Erich looked over at Mirage to make sure that he was not the only one who was surprised by this gesture. For a being like Kali, who was essentially on the same level as Lunaria, she was not required to serve her guests food and wine. In fact, by simply being allowed in their presence was considered gracious enough from behalf of the guest. 

Before Erich could make a move, he heard Tia's voice in his head to call out to him. 

"Master would be wise to accept the Devi's offer, to refuse would be a sign of disrespect." 

With this in mind, Erich nodded his head before responding to Kali, with a forced smile on his handsome face. 

"Sure... I would be honored to have a taste of your people's cuisine..." 

Kali simply clapped three times, and her servants brought out freshly cooked food. It was some kind of meat that appeared to have been made with curry. Along with some kind of cheese that had been deep fried. There was also a gilded chalice filled with Asuran palm wine. 

Erich waited for permission before digging in, which once he was given the proper go ahead, he did so. As for Kali, he hard a plate of her own brought forward as she began to speak with Erich and the others, with an interest in why they were visiting her sector of space. 

"So tell me, what would bring an Archon of the Alfheim Dominion into Asuran Space? As far as I am aware, your kind tends to steer clear of our territory."

Erich washed down some of the curry with his wine, before responding to the blue-skinned beauty's comments. He did not bother hiding his intentions, and thus, he outright spoke of them. 

"As it stands, I am currently engaged in a war with the same sages who you have previously stated approached you with the intent of harming me. For this task, I am putting together a team that will allow me to easily traverse across the galaxy and find traces of their current hiding place."

Kali nodded her head as one of her four hands held a wineglass, which she sipped some, before eating from the food with the other three hands. She seemed to have come to a misunderstanding about Erich's intent with visiting her territory and was quick to speak of this. 

"And you came to bargain for information? Well, I might know a thing or two about those old fools, but if you think they are hiding within Asura space, then you are sadly mistaken. There is nothing that happens in our territory that we Devas don't know about."

Seeing as how the Devi was confused, Erich smirked and shook his head before clarifying what he meant. 

"I'm sorry you have misunderstood. No, I did not come here for information, but instead to broker an agreement with an Asuran so that I may personally require their services and connections with the galaxy's criminal element.

I understand that having an Asuran in my party would allow me to gain a certain degree of respect with those who engage in less legitimate business, and thus, I find the idea of hiring such an individual to be quite compelling." 

Kali stared at Erich for several moments in silence, almost as if she were eying the man to see if he was genuinely serious about this mission. Acquiring the loyalty of an Asuran was difficult. The price to pay would be enormous, and she did not think that Erich would be able to pay it, even as an Archon with a damn near limitless operations account. 

To acquire the loyalty of an Asuran, no matter what rank they held in the cabal, usually required an act of service to the cabal, rather than an exchange of currency or an item. Perhaps saving the life of a high-ranking member would suffice, but the Asuran Cabal had not lost a high-ranking member in over ten millennia. She was quick to educate Erich on this matter. 

"Acquiring the loyalty of even the lowest rank, Asuran, would be a difficult task. Our loyalty can not be bought and paid for with common trinkets or currency. It requires an act of service or perhaps a life debt. And even then, the Cabal would have to permit this individual to enter into a binding contract with you. 

What you ask is difficult to obtain, more than you could possibly realize as an outsider. To become an Archon of the Alfheim Dominion, I am sure you must have proven yourself to be quite resourceful. So, perhaps given enough time, you might actually be able to accomplish this. But it would take longer than your species has to live....

I understand that your species are closely related to a rather obscure interstellar species known as humans? I once visited their homeworld long ago, when they were still trying to figure out how to fashion houses from mud. 

Needless to say, I know from experience how brief your lifespans are. It is almost sad... Judging by your appearance, I would say you are fairly young, which makes your accomplishments all the more impressive. But, you will not be able to secure a loyalty of my kindred within your brief lifespan. 

If I were you, I would give up on your goals, and find someone else to accompany you and your team. Unless, of course, you would like to make a wager with me?" 

The way Kali had so thoroughly dashed Erich's hopes was quite convincing, that is until she made this last comment. Mirage instantly stepped forward and whispered something in Erich's ears with a look of worry on her face. 

"The Asura are notorious gamblers, and they will accept anything as payment. Be very careful about what terms you agree to!" 

Even with Mirage's warning, Erich knew not to underestimate this woman. And thus he was quick to inquire about just what kind of wager Kali was offering. 

"That would depend on the wager. What did you have in mind?" 

Kali smiled rather sinisterly as one of her four hands reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial that was nearly empty. There were perhaps two or three drops left of the essence of fate which she had consumed to see her own demise. She dangled the vial in front of Erich, and posed one simple question, half expecting him to answer correctly. 

"Do you know what this is?" 

Erich simply shook his head, he had no idea what the substance was, and was quick to confirm this. 

"Not a clue...."

This caused Kali to frown and sigh as she explained what the substance was.

  "The sage who visited me tried to buy my services with this. He said that it was called the essence of fate, and would allow me to see what he saw. I consumed most of it, and indeed had a premonition about my fate, where I realized that the sages were trying to set me up, to eliminate you, and provoke a war that would weaken the Alfheim Dominion. 

Curiously enough, he did not seem to know what fate had in store for me himself. And I wondered why this was the case. Until after some extensive meditation, I found out that perhaps the sages' abilities are limited in some way, and perhaps the sages themselves do not drink this substance. 

And thus, I became curious, what would happen if the so called dark sage were to drink the essence of fate? Now, if you can drink this vial, and tell me what you see. Then I will make sure one a member of the cabal follows you in your travels and helps you in any way they can."

Although Erich knew this wager sounded like an easy win, he honestly did not know why the Sages did not drink the vial themselves, especially if it allowed them to see beyond their own limitations. Immediately he became cautious, believing perhaps it could have fatal consequences for a sage. And thus, Erich tried to back out by asking what he would have to bet in return for this prize. 

"And what would I have to wager to match your prize?" 

The moment Erich heard this, he immediately regretted it. Kali licked her lips seductively before speaking of the price Erich would have to pay. 

"Assuming you survive, and the substance does not give you a vision worthy of my entertainment, then you will have to become my pleasure slave from this day until your last. I promise I will be very gentle... Sometimes." 

Erich could only imagine what sick things this woman would have in store for him if he were to take this wager and lose. Thus, he decided the risk was not worth the effort.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I-

Before he could even finish, Mirage stepped forward and accepted the offer on his behalf. Shocking the man in the process.

"You're on! Erich will consume this essence of fate, and will tell you what he sees. Assuming it is satisfactory enough for you, then you will give us one of your subordinates!" 

Kali smiled and nodded her head before agreeing with these terms with a rather playful smirk on her pretty face. 

"Deal. If you win, I will ensure that a member of the Cabal joins your team for as long as you deem necessary. If I win, and Erich survives, he becomes my boy toy. Now, drink up!" 

Erich looked at the two women, and realized that he had made an incredible mistake trusting Mirage. Because he could tell by the look in her eyes that she wanted him to fail, or at the very least, found the whole wager to be amusing. Something which he himself did not appreciate.