NOVPUBWith some anxiety, Nobuntu put whatever was happening below her vision out of her mind and focused on the man in front of her. She realised that, if the conversation was still being recorded right now, she needed to keep up the ruse. There was no battle to obscure their conversation now.
"Your 'just punishment' will cost a lot of lives," Nobuntu answered sombrely, saying exactly what was on her mind. Their current conversation may be largely to fool the recording device, but that didn't mean Erik's ambitions didn't worry her.
"Really?" Erik smiled calmly. "I'd argue I'm saving a lot of lives, instead. Those packlands to the west don't seem like a pleasant regime, for one. Most importantly, though, the hunters will be back, and if Africa is not prepared by then, you will all be swallowed up."
Nobuntu snorted and narrowed her eyes. "I meant a lot of 'your' people's lives. Do you really believe you can remain standing when the entire continent moves to nip your rise in the bud?"
"Hahaha," Erik laughed loudly, much to her consternation. He leaned back in his chair, put a hand on his forehead, and laughed wildly, his voice echoing in the hall and causing many to look at him curiously. With every moment that passed, Nobuntu got more annoyed, until Erik finally stopped and smirked at her.
"Do you really believe that?" he asked, amused but genuinely curious. "Not that we can't stand up to the entire continent, because we probably can't, but that they'd actually all move to attack me?"
Nobuntu, surprised, parted her lips to respond, but Erik wasn't done. He leaned in closer and looked deep into her golden eyes. "These cowards didn't unite and step in when the hunters invaded, what makes you think they'll do so when the one who defeated the hunters starts making waves?"
He cocked his head slightly and grinned intensely. "The fact is that they won't. I refuse to believe they're all idiots, which means most of them realised the threat those hunters posed; they just hoped the Enkarians would beat them back before they'd have to get involved. The same will be true now. They'll wait, hoping my first targets will take care of me."
Bringing his hand in front of her eyes, he clenched it resolutely, still grinning. "But, by the time they realise any single faction won't stop me, it will be too late."
Nobuntu blinked and recoiled a little. She wasn't sure if Erik was insane or not, but the problem was that he was making some sense. She knew for a fact that the other two rulers in Azania were far too cautious for their own good… not to mention she was planning to deliver Azania straight into Erik's hands, anyway.
Before she could respond, however, she suddenly felt a painful pinch on her arm and yelped, "Ah!" A frown appeared, but she still couldn't look down until Erik allowed her.
"You can look down and move your arm now," he told her through their bond, his smile mysterious. At the same time, he leaned back in his chair again and sipped the alcoholic drink that stood untouched by Kudzai's food.
He also glanced in the distance, where a short, beautiful woman commanded every conversation she was in. After taking a quick break to inspect the armband and carve a sigil into Nobuntu's skin, Elora went right back to dodging questions about exactly who she was.
Her prominent presence in the ceremony remained a constant mystery to these people, as did the fact that Erik had mentioned having five wives and had not declared any of the ones he'd just married as his empress. Unfortunately for them, Elora thoroughly enjoyed leaving her victims guessing.
Meanwhile, Nobuntu quickly lifted her arm and looked at the spot that had hurt earlier with concern. As she did so, she spotted the last remnants of a quickly fading symbol, etched into her skin.
"What the—" she began through their bond, but Erik interrupted her.
"Search for it with your mind," he told her with some amusement. "You'll find it, and should be able to activate it. Do so."
Nobuntu grumbled at his commanding tone, as well as her own compulsion to obey, but it made no difference. She did as he said, and soon the symbol was back. It glowed a soft green and actually imparted that glow onto the armband.
Nobuntu frowned with confusion, but widened her eyes when Erik spoke aloud: "Good. We can speak openly now."
"You—" the ebony woman uttered, a little startled, before facing him sombrely. "What did you do? If you just mute it, they'll definitely notice." She wasn't stupid, so it was easy for her to realise the armband likely didn't work correctly anymore, regardless of what he did.
"Relax," Erik answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It's actually an illusion sigil. When you activate it, it will use your voice and the voice of whoever you're talking to to create a completely meaningless conversation. They might find it suspicious, but as long as you don't let them inspect your arm, you'll be fine."
Nobuntu quickly relaxed, but still looked at the glowing armband suspiciously. "A sigil, huh…?" she muttered softly. "Looks like one of those things that disgusting toad Sipho uses."
"Ah, so you do know of them!" Erik smiled calmly. "Figures you would, considering the armband used them as well. Although I doubt this 'Sipho' is very proficient in them, or I'm sure he'd be ruling Azania on his own already. With proper application, these things can be used to devastating effect."
"They're that powerful?" Nobuntu frowned, carefully caressing the glowing symbol on her ebony skin.
As they talked, an increasing number of nearby people became interested in what their new emperor was discussing with this foreign ruler, but Erik's power kept them firmly at bay and trapped the sound of their voices in a bubble around them. All anyone could hear was the music playing in the background.
"Without a doubt," Erik nodded with certainty, before a small smile appeared on his lips. "And after Azania is mine, sigils will become a common occurrence."
Nobuntu smirked wryly at his reminder. Then, Erik leaned in a little closer. "Now… let's talk about a few things, huh? First of all, how'd you end up with that armband in the first place, and how'd you find out about your son's… issue?"
