Without exerting herself, Alliel found she could control four to five darts with utter precision. She wandered through an empty hall, filled with ceremonial weaponry and armour openly on display, and entered a small middleroom containing a reception desk, behind which sat a dojo official.

"A psychic," said the man, tall and old, muscle-bound and powerful, behind the desk. "Are you of the True Sons, come for whatever imagined justice your cult so desires? Or are you a potential recruit, come to work in my fighting center? I am Second Gambit," he said, and his eyes twinkled as he said his own name. "A Conclave spy, perhaps?"

Alliel gives the man an inspection trying to determine his nature and type.

"I am none of the above.  My name is Alliel, a goddess of ill-repute and as many will wish my death I wish to learn something of combat.  I have little to offer in trade as my enemies crowd me close but no faction in this city seeks my death - yet.  That honour is retained by the conclave.  They take my name and title in dislike.  I wish to learn of the arts of combat both honourable and not so honourable.  I will meet any reasonable price I can afford in service or acquisition."

"I see," said Second Gambit. "You have come to learn and yet you claim to have little to give. This cannot be true. As we are all learners, we must all become teachers. Do you have a specific skill or set of skills which you could pass on to the student?"

Alliel looks at the man with a strange expression.

"I can teach many things, combat against strange shapes for one, searching for truths within the unreal for another.  I am a mistress of my form.  If your students wish to face strange beings in combat I can teach them such."

Sura returns and hastily heads to the club. Once there he finds an empty room to weave his power and locks the door.

Alliel

"Ah, yes, this would be useful," said Second Gambit. "But we have been approached by tricksters before. What makes your changes any different, any better, than say Beezor's the Beast-Blooded?"

Sura

Several hours pass, and Sura feels exhaustion coming over him as the first quarter of the work sits in front of him. No larger than a first, it vibrates with silent power, a light brown in colour unlike the more energetic appearances of its cousins. Sura knew that if unplanted, it would begin to wither and die.. it needed a world to exist in, to fertilize. He needed to open a portal to the location he wanted to create, bind it to an area somewhere safe..

Alliel cocks her head one side and considers Second Gambit carefully.  Her fingers stroke her thighs gently in thought and she seems to be thinking deeply.

"Well having no knowledge of Beezor's changes I really can't say.  For that the proof is in the doing.  I can meld my own abilities in ways no others can do without access to my own powers but that isn't saying much another god with my powers could do the same.  Therefore the question is do you have another god with my powers?  Of course in addition I could provide temporary warriors for a cost in souls if that would be interesting for you.  They are competent fighters but hardly inspired and very temporary."

He gave a moments thought.

Alliel

"Temporary soldiers, you say? Now that.. is interesting," he said. "Ah, what the hell. If you want to join our dojo, provided you share your knowledge I will allow you to enter our training sessions, workouts and tournaments without charge. In return, you swear loyalty to the dojo and to your brothers and sisters in battle."

Sura

Sura needed now to pronounce the syllables that would give the world shape.

He needed to speak a name; to give a name; to give the place life.

Alliel looks at the being carefully.  She flicks a finger at the man.

"I swear to be loyal to the Dojo and to those who fight alongside me in battle as long as I am a member of this Dojo.  I seek understanding both of my abilities and how to use them to good effect in combat from you and in return I will provide all knowledge I can.  May I ask what affiliations if any the Dojo has?"

Alliel

"Of course, of course," said Second Gambit. "We show distaste towards the True Sons of Metatron, and the Shrine of Isuban gets no better treatment from us. The Cult fares a little better - we have a single Cultist student - but it is the formal opinion of the dojo that zealotry poisons the mind as well as the soul. Some Conclave members form our ranks, but not many. We are tied informally to the Hydrathapoles Club."

Sura

(repeat)

Sura needed now to pronounce the syllables that would give the world shape.

He needed to speak a name; to give a name; to give the place life.

Alliel raises an eyebrow at the electicism of the Dojo.

"How intriguing.  My understanding of the conclave is that few come here at all.  I myself have no affiliation and at present no plans to join any specific grouping.  I seek knowledge and here I would have knowledge of my own limits.  Can I presume that there are rules for the conflicts here?  If so may I know what they are?  I would hate to accidentally break them and my abilities can be dangerous."

He spoke the first name that came to his head. "Azred'Hamul"

Alliel

"Of course," said Second Gambit. "Always obey the commands of myself or your teachers. No use of toxins unless you have a rapid antidote and both opponents are agreed on its use. No matches to the death. Accidental killings will result in the expulsion of the undisciplined fighter who survived. No matches for money or materials. When you begin a class, you finish the class. For each class you take you teach a class. Those are the rules."

Sura

It was done. Sura felt the seed be removed from him, the construction of sand, artificial potential, taking its place in the world. He felt the gates open, the world be born with a single act of will..

He felt it. He felt the power vibrate within him, threaten to overwhelm him. As was proper, he instinctively waited for the precise moment of utmost vigor, and then imagined the place where the Door to the world would be created. Where would Azred'Hamul be held?

Alliel tilts her head to one side and considers the rules.

"No toxins?  What about non-lethal chemicals such as soporifics or paralytics?  I might be more effective training with such if it is allowed.  Knowing that a scratch is fatal is very different to understanding that it is.  I think if you do not object that I would like to observe a training session to start with.  Also can I engage in trade with other Dojo members separate to the matches?"

He thought again.

Alliel

"If the rules of engagements are specified and agreed on - if you and your sparring partner agree on non-poisonous chemicals - then yes, it is permitted," said Second Gambit, amused at the questions. "And you may trade with other members, yes, but you are not to mislead, trick or otherwise treat them unfairly. They are your brothers and sisters in battle."

He smiled.

"Gadhook the Earthman is teaching the strange-tactics of the ancient Thuggee cult very shortly, if you'd care to watch - or even join in, that is acceptable," he said.

Sura

Sura felt that it was done, but he was not yet satisfied. The potential for birth was there, but the details.. he needed to form these things in his mind. He needed another seed, and he needed to inscribe it with the fictional history of a fictional world, with landmarks and seas and geography..

Alliel nods her head and smiles.

"What would the agreed weapons be for the class.  I have little on me currently but I am never unarmed."

She looks down as her fingers grow claws and she flexes them to ensure movement and speed.

"A lot of what I know of fighting depends on swift changes in form combined with the ability to change my own surroundings slightly.  I would be interested in learning of less demanding forms but I would wish to clear my debt as soon as possible."

He begun creation on the next seed.

Alliel

"The Thuggee Art of Strangling requires only one weapon: the hair of Kali, a silver cord," said Second Gambit. "If you do not own your own cord, Gadhook will offer you one. He is kind to his students."

He looked at Alliel and smiled.

"I'm afraid he also bans shapeshifting from his class," said Second Gambit.

Sura

At the slower, almost agonizing pace that Sura was working on, he felt the glacial surge of power rise from within him and spill from his mouth into the universe..

1. Endless desert stretches across its surface..

He could go faster, of course, but he was relatively unskilled at the art of Geotonomancy and he knew it would wear him out sooner rather than later.

Sura took his time. He did not want this to mess up.

Alliel smiles and lets her fingers revert back to fingers.

"A stealth and care method then?  Interesting.  I would certainly be interested in learning such.  Does he cover how to deal with shapechangers like myself?"

Alliel

"I cannot say," said Second Gambit. "Though he is an incredibly proficient warrior. It would be a safe bet to say that Gadhook has faced his share of shape-changers."

Sura

Power spewed forth from Sura's mouth..

1. Endless desert stretches across its surface..
2. Completely void of water..

Alliel gives a meditative shrug of the shoulders and then nods authoritively.

"Sounds good.  I would be interested in learning this technique.  When we have some time I would be interested in places to obtain effective weapons."

Sura continued. Nothing else for him to focus on.