Chương 428: 428

Domal'Takela stood on the horizon, under a mostly-invisible pyramid, like an ornate mass of trapezoidal white stones in a field, laying against each other. Each of the stones were 500 to 600 meters tall and just as thick. The spaces between those stones were small, or cavernous, and all were heavily, deeply protected.

It was the maze-like historical center of Aluatha, where the emperors governed from behind defensive wards and twisting passages, kings bent the knee and never set foot in the main palace, and the dragons oversaw all and ate from great tables supplied by the entire empire. Most of the dragons were gone and the maze had been conquered long ago, while the giant kitchens and the nesting grounds had been turned into destinations for visitors.

Domal'Takela was a tourist trap as much as it was the seat of governance for Aluatha. Addavein had explained all of that, continuing with, "The Witches' Welcome was created to prevent the convoys heading this way from coming under attack by other people, and other dragons. Sabotage, theft, and actual battles with Okuana in extreme cases, were always a big problem, but the Welcome helped to prevent the worst offenses. The dragons needed to get their food, you know."

Mark looked out the window at one of the many giant 'tables'. It was the size of a small mountain, with forests all around it and smaller plateaus ringing the table, like 'chairs'. As the tram passed that place, Mark said, "I can imagine so." The tram and its several cars docked at the main station and everything was fancy. More Winter Ball decorations, and not at all subdued. Signs held over the main walkways, welcoming people to the Winter Ball.

Outlines of events were listed on giant posters stuck on equally giant walls, but not nearly as large as the dragon-sized stuff, of course; this stuff was for humans to view. Today was the 25th of February, 2050, Friday. Luna was in a waxing crescent, and would reach its First Quarter on Monday, which is when the main events would begin. For now, everything was a formative event, and the Witches Welcome was happening tonight, at the main human stage of Domal'Takela, located at the Dusk Amphitheater.

Mark tracked the locations of the 'Color Houses', from Red to Purple, finding Green House located in the middle of the secondary ring of houses, beyond the Named Houses. All of those main guest mansions were out in the parts of Domal'Takela that used to be dragon walking grounds. As Mark and his got onto a secondary tram, much smaller than the first, and the tram took Mark and his people to their house, he mostly saw flat, open lands. It was easy to imagine dragons walking around the place.

Everything was so huge, and all of the human parts were hidden (or at least heavily protected) behind massive stone walls. The tram they rode in to get to Domal'Takela had ridden right beside giant stoneworks, but this secondary tram went onto those grassy fields and Mark felt like a mouse stepping away from a wall. Vulnerable. Mark asked Addavein, "Did you ever stand here while dragon-sized?" Addavein grinned.

"I really wanted to. I have all these memories of being small around all these giant stones, and then I was big and everything shifted. I wanted to see the old haunts in this new light so I came back… But no. I never dared step into this place, or rather, onto this place. The glass pyramid overhead is rather invisible from this angle, and that thing can easily repel a sustained dragon assault for at least 5 minutes. More than long enough for the main weapons to activate and clear out the problem."

Mark pressed against the window and looked up as Addavein spoke, and he was right; the pyramid overhead was invisible. Addavein continued, "A dragon hasn't stepped onto these grounds in almost 75 years."" And now, here you are," Mark said, standing straight.

"Or at least your astral body." Addvein was gentle about it, barely using his real astral size at all most days, but his astral body was still kilometers across. It rolled across the land in a way that Mark's astral body could not. Not even Eliot's astral body could do such a thing, unless he was actually attuned to an area… But Isoko's could. She was also out there, barely touching the world. Addavein grinned.

"The astral body counts as 'touching', so I suppose I am. I'm also keyed into the place in a way that even the Imperial family cannot undo without my consent. Domal is a very, very deep working. Don't go exploring it, Mark. Someone might trick you into doing that, but stick to the upstairs, to the central spaces. The place is set up for tourists these days, but it used to be a place of final stands against both kaiju and normal monsters. If you see a golden wall of flame, do not touch it. It will incinerate you."

Sally asked, "Surely they won't have the incinerating defenses active at the Ball… right?"" They'll have them set at lower functionality, but Domal and the leviathan souls we put into the place can —and often do! — act independently. I am not sure how they would react to an Inheritor from another nation, so don't try it." Addavein added, "They absolutely love Aurora, Kandon, and Elaria Valen, just so you know… And that's a bit of an open secret, actually; them being descendants of Inheritor Jamasani.

Still a secret." Mark snorted.

"I can hold a few secrets closer than others, but that ship has sailed." This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Sally told Mark, "Just don't go inside the main castle. None of the events are in there, and there's no need for it anyway.""

None of the events are inside of the main castle for a reason," Addavein added, "And that reason is the same one that should keep you out, Mark; Domal'Takela is still very capable of killing anyone that goes inside, and even though the Winter Ball is a massive diplomatic event, diplomacy also means killing your enemies sometimes." Some people disagreed with that sentiment, like Eliot and Andria, but none of them voiced that opinion. Sally, however, nodded solidly. Mark just nodded a little.

Soon, the tram rolled to a stop at the Green House station, and the team and otherwise spilled out onto a field of cultivated flowers before a giant mansion.

The Green House was 4 stories tall with defensible windows, turret towers, and all of it beautified with flowered shrubbery (cut low to the ground), manicured trees with wrought iron tables and seats underneath them (the canopies cut into oval shapes, allowing for great sightlines both above and below the trees, and shade upon the tables and chairs), fountains everywhere (none of which were deep enough for anyone to hide in), and 2 butlers for the entire place that bowed in unison by the great doors.

The butlers opened the doors for Mark's group as they took a knee for Mark, naming themselves as Arvin and Uther. Arvin and Uther both intoned, "May Domal'Takela strike me down if I am lying; we are here to serve you and yours in whatever ways you desire. If you need something, we will procure it. Please consider us as your own people for the duration of your stay in the Green House." Something twisted in the air around them, like a great presence was watching. Mark was unsure, so he turned and asked, "Addavein?"

Addavein told Mark, "You can keep them or dismiss them; they won't mind either way. Their oath is a real oath, while the Welcome already keeps them honest in a whole lot more ways than you'd expect. If you dismiss them we can use the automated systems to restock the house while we're here. Your choice!" Sally said, "There should be gardens out back where we can grow our own food, and Tartu is here anyway?"

Tartu actually got a bit mad, saying, "I have held my tongue for long enough: Yes, there were issues with Doomo, but they are in the past. I cannot believe that you are questioning the Winter Ball. I will not stand for this disrespect Mark, and I will be using the garden extensively, but not for food." Tartu walked in, and Andria was close behind him, her vector a bit embarrassed for Mark.

Derek was already inside, and the ship with all of their stuff was parked to the side, and then Derek waved from inside the house, and Addavein chuckled a little, while Sally was disgusted—" Oh my gods," Mark said, feeling heat on his face, "Yes, fine! We accept your hospitality, and the hospitality of Aluatha." Something clicked into place on the butlers, and something in the dream rushed into Addavein, too, settling into his astral body fully. Very few people understood what was happening, though.

Addavein did hmm once, but it was a curious sort of hmm; not a dangerous one. Mark looked at him, asking, "The Welcome got you?"" It appears so!" Arvin and Uther stood in unison and gestured into the mansion, speaking in unison, "Aluatha welcomes you." Mark walked inside, and he felt, for a moment, that he truly did like luxury, at least sometimes. The couches sitting beside the massive front windows looked all plush and inviting, and the table sitting in front of them would make for a really good talking space.

Someone had already set out a basket of cookies. The stairwells that arced from the main floor to the upper floors were wide and marble. Chandeliers hung like crystal geodes turned inside out and full of light. The air smelled of soft flowers and cleanliness, and Derek's presence was already in the entire place, scoping it out, and he felt secure, so Mark felt secure, too. Mark told him as much as the girls went from cautious to excited, to giggling and laughing as they picked up cookies and cakes in the kitchen.

Even Sally was getting into it. Derek talked about everything that he had found, and then he joked that if Mark didn't want the main room then he would absolutely take it from him. Mark smiled and told Derek to take the main room." Good! Cause I'm already there!" Mark laughed. Soon Mark was situated in a nice room on the second floor, across from Isoko.

He had a slice of cheesecake and a coffee, prepared by Butler Uther, and he relaxed for a short half hour, going over the events coming up, and talking to Tulo Khava a bit about the Understanding Party for Water People happening tomorrow. Soon, it was time to head out to the Witches' Welcome.