<24 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+> [Theo and Julia] The hours sped by, and before they knew it, the sun was rising into the sky. Theo checked his timer.

Time to Primordial Flight: 12H - 13M - 07S

"Just under fifteen minutes." He muttered to himself. Then he called out. "Alright, everyone! Take a break. We should have people arriving in a few moments. Rest up, and once everyone arrives, we'll see what else we can work on if anything. And remember, in roughly six hours, we will hear from Harbek and Yordo and decide who gets the last spot!"

Theo, Julia, Sylvi, Kreldar, Ordus, and Harbek walked up the stairs that were now complete in the middle of the ramp. At the top, he looked around, taking in what they had achieved. The clearing where the Thronehold sat had been expanded. The Thronehold itself was oddly shaped but filled most of the Ward runes that had been laid down. The Area protected by the Ward runes was roughly three hundred and fifty feet long and two hundred and fifty feet wide.

The Thronehold sat at a roughly forty-five-degree angle from the north, as did the Overlook. The northwestern end was encased in the large stone blocks. An area that was nearly one hundred feet wide and ran the full two hundred and fifty feet of the Thronehold. The entrance to the enclosed area was located next to the Homestead Core.

Julia had spent some time walking the perimeter, layering ten layers of Ward runes around the tops of the blocks in an effort to protect the Arthintry they were expecting. With that much space, they figured it would not be an issue.

Theo could see the extension of the clearing where Varess had placed the Mana Convergence Array around the Berry Bushes that he had transplanted there. It glowed as it had started to pull in more and more mana. Theo was about to head off to check on his berry bushes when Julia grabbed his arm.

"Theo, I set Yordo and the other dwarves as some of the people I can keep track of with Hearthwarden's Vigil. One of them just became far more hostile." Julia said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked.

"It's not..." Julia paused for a moment, a look crossing her face. "It's not exact, but I can get a vague idea of what the intentions of people are in the Homestead."

Theo was about to ask another question when a portal opened, a familiar blue door opened, and through it stepped Agara. He cleared his throat. "Greetings, Lord Sorrenson, Lady Brahmin. I have been bid to announce the attendees that you will be hosting. Please stand here. And I was instructed to tell you that all retainers and servants were instructed to remain back except for one. You shall see."

Sylvi waited to the side while Theo, Julia, and Ordus stepped up to be near the door. When they were positioned with Theo on the right, Julia on the left, and Ordus standing to Theo's right but a step and a half behind, Agara nodded. "Very well. Starting with the Karzun family."

A tall man who gave the impression of being about Theo's age stepped through the door. Agara spoke. "Announcing Lord Yalurian Karzun-Vex, level fifteen."

The nearly seven-foot-tall dragon-in-human-form stepped up and bowed to Theo and Julia, "Thank you for having me. Please accept this gift."

He handed Theo a small box, which Ordus took and set aside, and then continued walking, making space for the next person. Agara spoke again, "Announcing Lady Ishvari Karzun-Taleth, level fifteen."

The woman who stepped through the door in a deep-cut, floor-length dress that showed off exactly what she had, looked around, seemed as if she was going to sneer, then caught herself. She handed Theo a gift and, without a word, went to stand next to Yalurian Karzun-Vex. That was how it proceeded: Agara would announce a name, they would come through, hand Theo a gift, and move off.

"Announcing Syrren Karzun, level fifteen." A Large box was presented by a rather slender female dragon.

"Announcing Molthur Karzun, level fifteen." A crystal orb was given to Theo by a dragon man who was nearly as wide as he was tall and bulged with muscle.

"Announcing Sirell Karzun'Zeth, level ten." Two boxes were given by a very young-looking lady who smiled eagerly at Theo and Julia and went to stand next to Sylvi, who smiled surprisingly.

"Announcing Baleir Karzun, level thirteen." "Please accept the gift of this pet," Baleir said, his long dark hair obscuring his face, but did nothing to hide a body that Theo was sure many women would drool over, as he handed a two-foot by two-foot cage to Ordus and started walking away. "They like meat."

"Announcing Zurnek Karzun, level fifteen." Another beautiful woman, this one wearing rugged boots and a form-fitting leather jerkin, stepped through the door, took a deep breath, tossed a sheathed dagger to Julia, and then smiled at Theo and Julia. "Thanks for having me!"

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"Announcing Drelya Karzun, level fifteen." A strange person clad in cloth from head to toe came next, said nothing, bowed deeply, and gave them each a leather pouch before moving to stand next to the other.

"Announcing Kezvek Karzun-Thorne, level fourteen." A young man who looked as if he were twelve bowed to Theo and Julia before handing Ordus his gift and rushing off to stand with the young woman who had gone to Sylvi.

"Announcing Ralira Karzun, level eleven." A rather plain-looking woman with dragon horns came through, nodded to Theo and Julia, and then began to wander around, looking from Ward rune to Ward rune and simply enjoying the scenery.

Clan Stonewrend was next, and Agara hardly slowed down.

"Announcing Thrumli Stonewrend, level eight." The Dwarf came through with a smile, and Ordus translated for him. "Thank ye' both fer havin' me. Me great-great-gran' father wanted ye to have this. An' this is my gift to ye'."

He handed a rolled-up message to Theo and Julia and a metal box to Ordus. Theo read the message quickly.

Theo and Julia, I appreciate your candor and apologize for not getting back to you sooner. The Dwarves are not a monolith, and despite being called a divine being, I am not their god. They make their own choices. Feel free to toss one off the side of that beautiful Overlook of yours. Best of luck. Gurnin.

Theo smiled and handed the note to Julia, who also read it. They had the answer they had wanted. Agara had noted their reading and paused; he now continued.

"Announcing Bordak Ironhaft, level fifteen." A Dwarf with vividly blue and purple hair stepped through, wielding a large keg that he set down, smiled, and went to stand next to the other dwarves. Theo noted with interest that while they were not a monolith, the Dwarves certainly held to their own for the most part. The only exception was Kreldar, who had come to stand next to Ordus and was helping move gifts to the back.

"Announcing Dagna Runemeld, level fifteen." The Dwarvish woman had no beard and was the first female Dwarf that Theo and Julia had seen. She was what they expected. The only difference was that the woman looked even meaner than the male dwarves. She nodded and tossed a small box to Ordus before stepping to the side to stand on her own.

"Announcing Krunnok Orevein, level five." The Dwarf who came through was a child; he looked roughly the same size as a full-grown dwarf but had no beard, and the wonder at everything clearly marked him as young. An elderly woman came through and bowed to Theo and Julia, handing a gift to Ordus before ushering the young Dwarf over by Sylvi, who smiled at the young man and waved to him.

"Announcing Velra Magmaroot, level twelve." The young woman came through in a flowing gown and looked quite haughty as she handed a gift to Ordus and then stood next to the other dwarves.

"Announcing Dwarf Grimshard, level fifteen." In full blackout leather that showed nothing of their gender, face, or anything else. A dwarf stepped through. Handed them a black envelope of metal and then moved to stand with the other dwarves, who seemed to shy away.

Theo raised an eyebrow at Agara, who smiled, "The Dwarf Grimshard name is given to all dwarves that take the Oath of RÛTHÛRN."

Theo nodded as if he understood, and Agara continued. "Announcing Grendel Rockbind, level fifteen." A beautiful woman who was clearly not a dwarf stepped through. She had very similar features to a dwarf but was scaled to nearly the size of a dragon in human form. She towered over Theo. The woman nodded, looked awkward, and moved to stand by herself.

Once again, without missing a beat, Agara continued, now announcing the names of the Joolnar Family.

"Announcing the daughters of the Joolnar Family. Saphira, Azeema, Nayari, Jalily Joolnar, Thalessa, Kareema, Zelaya, Rashena, Mahtiya, and Sulien Joolnar, all level fifteen." Agara said, not missing a beat as the ten women, who all looked strikingly like a younger version of Eg'Valla, stepped through.

The first, Saphira, stepped up. "Greetings, Lord Sorrenson, Lady Brahmin, we have decided to combine our efforts and present you with one gift. We hope that you will accept it."

They handed a fishbowl with small crystals in it to Ordus and then moved as a group to the side.

Agara nodded and then continued announcing their late additions.

"Announcing Sszek'Thal, level fifteen." The small lizard man that came through looked as if he had been sent through a blender and allowed to heal with every possible scar from the experience. He nodded to Theo and handed a pouch to Ordus.

"Announcing Krrikcha, level fifteen." The Lizard woman who came through was nearly Julia's height and had a brilliant golden color to her pristine scales. She bowed to Theo and Julia, handing a pouch to Ordus and speaking a message that Ordus translated. "May your home ever be blessed with the sounds of joy and stories of victory."

"Announcing Elaren Vance, level fifteen." The human-looking man who came through had that same uncanny valley feeling that the man in the Mirror Deep Retreat had. He nodded. "The One bids you thanks and asks this one to present you a gift."

He handed a pair of excellent gloves to Ordus and moved off.

"Announcing Myra Vellin, level fifteen." The woman who stepped through had the look of a human woman who didn't quite seem to fit into her own skin. "Thank you. The One thanks you as well. Accept Gift."

She handed the box to Ordus before moving to stand with Elaren Vance.

Agara nodded, speaking loud enough that all could hear. "I shall return six hours after Primordial Flight has concluded. I once again remind everyone of the oath they made not to harm Lord Sorrenson, Lady Brahmin, or anyone in their Homestead."

Agara nodded, and Theo and Julia returned the nod before the feathered man stepped back through his door and closed it before it vanished. Theo stepped up. "Hello, I am Theo Sorrenson; please just call me Theo. This is Julia Brahmin."

"Please just call me Julia," Julia said with a smile.

Ordus and Kreldar were working on translating for those who needed it. Theo continued after glancing at his timer, an eyebrow-raising at how long they had been greeting people. "I assume that the situation was explained to you all, but I will reiterate it. In less than ten hours, Primordial Flight shall take place. We agreed to host you, and if we were in a better position, we would have loved to provide a feast for you, but as it stands, we are unable to do that."

Julia continued to explain what almost everyone was nodding along with as He opened his Dimensional Storage, grabbed the Chest of Anti-Spoilage, and placed it down. He and Julia had already each put all the System meals and a hundred meals each of the Dwarvish food into their pouches. Theo stepped up. "All the food in this chest is available. Please eat as much as you like, keeping in mind that you must all share the food that is present. If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We will be returning to work. Thank you."

Theo and Julia left a group of what was essentially princes and princesses standing on the Overlook as they walked down the stairs to continue working.

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