64 Even Greater Heights

As Azemo lowered himself into bed, wanting to deal with everything in the morning the metal leaf and the sabe started interacting with each other.

The gold saber shrunk rapidly leaving the big diamond on the pommel behind. While the saber was shrinking the metal leaf also began to change shape. It began to shrink a little and the form of the leaf began to get more curved.

After both the leaf and the saber went through their changes they tried to meld with each other. Azemo saw no reason to stop them and soon the two objects had melded together into half of a silver and gold ring.

Azemo put his mana into the half of a ring and he began to feel the ring connecting with him. The ring was bound to him but Azemo did not hear the voice from before and he had no idea what the ring was capable of.

"Honorable Soul Essence why did you never ask if I wanted to keep or save the leaf? At first I thought you would ask after it melded with the saber but still you are silent."

"You asked a good question, for once. The reason I asked about everything else is because I actually have to create those things in the real world. The ring you have is not something I imagined and it was created by Kclzan. Since it is something I have no power over it will do as it pleases and is probably a piece of Kaclzan's soul so it will go with you to the real world."

Azemo stopped himself from yawning; he did not want to insult the Soul Essence, even if it had taken forever to answer his question. After all he was able to listen to the ramblings of Indigo, so in comparison the Soul Essence's explanation was nothing.

After asking the Soul Essence if it knew what the ring could do, Azemo collapsed into the bed. Obviously the Soul Essence had no idea because it had nothing to do with the creation of the physical representation of Kclzan's soul.

In the morning the maid screamed as she entered Azemo's room. A massive shadowy tiger was taking up half of her masters bed. When she entered the monsters eyes snapped open and a soft growl could be heard throughout the room.

The maid rushed off to fetch Lixen but when they returned there was no sign of the tiger monster.

The scream had woken Azemo and he had quickly shoved Ima into the room bag before pretending to be asleep.

"Let him sleep today. Yesterday there was an attempt on his life. Just send a note to the lower city so the hat maker does not wait around all day. As for the monster your imagination probably made it, because you were worried about him."

The maid exited the room and Lixen closed the door before going over and sitting on Azemo's bed.

"Okay, somehow your insane plan actually worked and there is no suspicion on you or our house. Still you should talk to me before you do stuff so that you don't do anything quite that stupid in the future."

Azemo kept on pretending to sleep because he was a little upset about hearing someone call his brilliant plan, stupid.

"I know you are awake."

"What happened to letting me sleep."

"You are fine and I need to brief you on the message Lleh sent."

Azemo sat up and put on his day clothes before pulling Ima, Bella and some food out of the room bag. Azemo wanted to be comfortable while he heard the news so he snuggled with the massive tigers while he munched on some food.

"First off since the Painter of Crnst obviously appeared in Srenti the governor knows you are alive. Furthermore exposing the Painter put our agents in a tight situation."

Azemo could only imagine the awkward conversation that had happened after the governor learned he was still alive.

"Luckily they got out okay, but that just goes to add on to the reason why you need to talk to me before you decimate an entire building."

Azemo buried his face in Ima's fur so that Lixen could not see the sheepish smile that creeped across his face.

Lixen just shook his head before continuing.

"Since the governor knows you are alive he is heading over to try and catch you here, so Lleh is going to reassign you. Tomorrow you will head back to the base in Srenti and you will learn your new mission there."

"What about Fedorable?"

"That is what you are thinking about? Nevermind, of course it is, Fedorable will remain in business because it creates a lot of income for Lleh."

Azemo laughed but quickly quieted down with a look from Lixen.

"How is the city responding to the toppling of the Hat Vendors Association?"

"It is actually doing okay. I don't think many people actually know about the incident. However, the more powerful folk are all up and leaving because of the danger. That is part of the reason for your recall because Silverstein and his family are moving."

Lixen paused maybe hoping for some sort of remorse, but Azemo was silent for a change.

"That reminds me Visnelda scheduled a meeting with you today."

"Did she say what it was about?"

"No, but Lleh thinks you should go to the meeting. Worse case, one more person dies."

"Geez that is kind of brutal Lixen."

Lixen was flabbergasted that a man who had indiscriminately murdered an entire building full of people and framed an innocent victim would call him brutal.

"Your meeting is after lunch so be prepared. If there is a problem just flee the city and we will send your ride to pick you up early."

Azemo nodded before saying. "Who is going to manage Fedorable, I have some notes for them."

"That would be me. We are going to say that you fled the city after the attempt on your life and left everything to me, since I saved your life."

Azemo scribbled an essay on some papers before giving them to Lixen. Azemo had no doubt in Lixen's competence but he needed to make sure his first store did not shut down.

Lixen glanced through the notes before he left.

"Get ready for your meeting and make sure you learn the lesson of last night."

"I am a master tactician."

Lixen just sighed as he shut the door.

Azemo did not have to do much to prepare for the meeting. Visnelda was going to meet him in his house because he was supposed to be gravely wounded. Therefore Azemo just had to put Ima and Bella back in the room bag before crawling back into his warm bed.

Azemo's mind was racing. He had no idea what Visnelda wanted from him, but before he could formulate any ideas it was already time for their meeting.

Lixen opened the door, but this Lixen was not his usual disappointed self, he was extremely polite and soft spoken. Azemo almost laughed at him, but because Lixen was in his butler act it meant they had a visitor.

Visnelda walked through the open door and Azemo was surprised to see a hint of worry on her face.

"How are today Warrencraft? I heard what happened and I am extremely saddened about the state of security in this city."

Visnelda would never admit it but she had grown a little bit fond of the oddball Warrencraft, over the past few weeks.

"It is nothing too bad. Luckily Lixen was there to save me before the assassin could finish me off."

"You are too kind, master." Azemo wanted to make fun of Lixen when he could not retaliate but Lixen quickly excused himself and left.

"Alright Warrencraft, I have a proposal for you."

"I am all ears."

Visnelda paused for a second before taking a deep breath.

"I would like to take you to the upper city."

"Upper city?" It was the first time Azemo had heard anything about this upper city.

"It is the city that houses the most powerful people in the world and I can guarantee your safety up there."

"Sounds like a great offer but why would you choose me?"

"I have been impressed with your control of customers at Fedorable and believe you can help us with the current rebellion of the lower folk."

Behind her words Azemo sensed another implied reason. If he took her up on the offer she would win their war that started when she forced him to take her money. If she took Azemo to a safe place that he would normally never be able to go to, there was no way he could ever repay her.

Azemo grimaced while Visnelda smiled. 'How could such a powerful woman care so much about their petty conflict?'

The Soul Essence was extremely shocked by the conversation that was happening. 'He really got an invitation to the most difficult place to go to in Kclzan, just because he did not want to accept payment for a hat.' The Soul Essence had expected Azemo to struggle to get into the upper city but somehow he had lucked his way in.

"Somehow everything always works out for him." The Soul Essence muttered to herself as she was forced to raise Azemo's grade.

"Alright I accept your proposal. Thank you so much." Again Azemo made a decision without the input of Lleh.

Visnelda smiled and said. "We leave in two hours."