Aspects of May (Now completed!)

Story Part One:
The Man from Nowhere (Jesit)

In any span of time, there is a beginning, and an end. Some beginnings are vaguer than others, but I think that this beginning was about as blatant as any one could be. This story began with a letter. This letter was delivered to me as I sat in my office in the Arcanum Hall, the political theater of Motus, and living quarters for Zachaeus Akharu and myself, Jesit Nazeth. The letter was not unusual at first glace. The parchment was weathered enough to know that it came from outside of the country, and it's seal was white wax, with the letters "NV". I was not expecting a letter from House Vane, let alone an invitation. My talon cut across the seal, and opened the letter. "To Jesit," it read, "I have an upcoming business proposition that I think you would find interesting. I would like to discuss it with you privately at my next masquerade event, which will be during the next full moon. I am aware that you do not usually attend such events, and have prepared plenty of spaces to be set aside for private matters. I do hope you'll be able to make it. Signed, Nidus Vane."



Its vagueness, if nothing else, had captured my interest. Besides, it would be rude not to attend when invited. The next morning, I had a carriage prepared to make the journey to Lord Vane's manor. He struck me as a strange person, especially since no one knew where he was from. Avus and I knew that he was like us, a planeswalker, as they called it. At the time, I was the only one who hadn't gone on a journey through the Multiverse. The others had seen the high spires of Ravnica, or the majesty of Amonkhet's deserts. I had heard about them from Avus, and about his plane. It seemed insane to me that such worlds might exist. And even though I was told of Avus' world, and that these conversations that had happened between the three of us, I knew next to nothing about Nidus' world. It was strange to know so little about someone so important. I was looking forward to the chance to learn more about the lord's experience planeswalking.







It was the night of the party that I had finally arrived.



The carriage stopped at the gatehouse, as a horned, purple-skinned guard stepped up to the front of the carriage. His armor was bright and reflective, for sure, but it seemed to be more for show than for practical use. "Name?" he called. His accent was thick, but I couldn't place it. Perhaps it was northern. "Magus Nazeth," answered the driver. The keeper looked down at the list he was carrying before nodding and checking off a name, "Go ahead." We pulled ahead, past an ornate stone fountain, a proper amount of hedging, and four statues of the same warrior who looked like he might have been Nidus' father. Upon reaching the entrance to the manor, the carriage came to rest, and the driver opened the door. I departed the carriage, walked up to the open doors, and gave a sigh before entering.





Inside was a party well under way. The lobby of the building was full of humans, naga, and azra, all wearing ornate, colorful masks. I recognized a few of them from previous events, though I was glad that they were engrossed in their own conversations (and cups) to notice me. The room was large, lit by an exquisite golden chandelier, and consisted of a wide, polished stone floor with open doorways to other rooms, with a grand staircase in the back of the room, with various wooden landings for more guests to stand and talk. On the left wall was an open section that connected to the bar. A tired looking human woman was tending it, and to a few men who seemed to drunk to know better than to go somewhere else. With a pass of my arm, they began to fall asleep. Disgusting. I ascended the stairs, hoping that the party's host would not be far.







The upstairs was not nearly as loud or busy as the lobby. A hallway at the top of the stairs held a number of doors, and a group of well-dressed guests. Their conversation hushed as I passed, going towards the door at the end of the hall. Though a standard wooden door, it had a faint blue glow that reeked of enchantments. I knocked, knowing that this room was the one that Nidus liked to conduct business in.



The door was opened by a minotaur, whose horns, while large, did not take up much space away from her head. Even with this, she was barely shorter than the door. Dressed in a suit, it seemed that she was part of Nidus' staff. She moved aside, revealing the room. It would've been mistaken for an office, if not for the lack of a desk. Large windows in the back had a view of the gardens below, and four smooth chairs with leather seats surrounded a coffee table. Two seats were empty, while in another sat a woman who seemed familiar, but between the mask and the dim lightning, I wasn't quite sure. Seated in the last chair was Nidus himself, a red-skinned azra wearing a loose green shirt under a black and gold embroidered vest, with matching black pants and shoes. "Ah, Jesit, glad you could join us. Please, come in," he called. The minotaur at the door stepped away, and I sat in an empty chair.





"I... thought this would be a more private event," I said softly. "Not the sort of thing that would be open to the public."





"Yes, well, ironic as it is, the more people here, the easier to hide this meeting. Ah, speaking of which, I assume you and Alicia have met?" He motioned to the woman. Her mask was white, adorned with blue and black feathers, and her dress was loose and modest.





"Lady Nisthan! Forgive me for not recognizing you. Though I did not realize you were the type to attend Lord Vane's parties."





"It's not a problem, Magus. And normally I don't, though I do make exceptions for the exceptionally powerful mages." Lady Nisthan glanced at Nidus, smirking.



"Oh please, all I've shown anyone here is parlor tricks. Either way, to the matter at hand. Magus Nazeth, I've heard rumors that you wish to be the head of House Akharu, replacing your master. Is this true?"







"Erm- I suppose. Though is it not true that anyone that does not rule their House would want to?" I asked, taken aback by the suggestion. I had been noticing more and more flaws in the High Lord lately, and it was starting to get on my nerves that he would make such errors, though it was hardly appropriate to discuss things like that in good company.



"Well I suppose that's true. I have been designing a plan, which our Lady Nisthan seems to approve of, that would see you as ruler of Motus. It would definitely require some effort on your part, and your strategic mind and resources afterwards. Does this sound as interesting as I hope it does?" He asked slyly. If these were things not to be discussed in good company, then I thought that perhaps Nidus was... the correct kind of poor company.



"...you have my attention."



We ended up talking late into the next several nights, plotting, scheming, whatever you'd like to call it. It was only when I returned to the Arcanum Hall three weeks later that I realized I had never asked Nidus about his home plane, but by that time I had bigger things to take care of. Things that would shape the history of May for centuries to come. And I could not wait to get started.