Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent!-Chapter 589: The Grand Cartographer

After his curiosity died down, Alex switched his attention back to the two new arrivals standing in front of them.

The taller of the two spoke.

"Reluun," she said, voice melodic but cool sounding, "you returned earlier than anticipated. And… with guests?"

Reluun grinned. "Yes, hello, greetings, official stuff. This is Alex! He's from the other side of the new fracture. Very polite, speaks full sentences, and didn't try to kill me. You'd be amazed how rare that is."

The other Solari stepped forward, inspecting Alex with an analytical gaze. "A human? We've never encountered this species before."

"I get that a lot." Alex spoke. "Usuallly followed by someone trying to kill me."

He lied about the first part, though the second part was true.

"But how do you guys know our species' name if you've never encountered us before?" Alex asked, trying to catch the Solari woman out on her lie.

As an experienced liar himself, Alex could pick up on her lie almost immediately.

"Records exist. Just because we've never encountered your race before, doesn't mean a race we're in contact with haven't."

Well… Alex at least thought he caught her on her lie.

That was rather awkward…

The two Solari shared a glance, then turned back to Reluun.

"The Grant Cartographer will want to speak with both of you. This is a first contact event – protocol must be followed."

Reluun paled slightly. "Oh, her? Is she still doing the mind probing thing?"

Alex's face equally paled upon hearing that.

He didn't want to imagine the sort of 'probing' he might have to experience…

"She says its faster than conversation."

'Oh, it's just a form of communication. Phew…'

Reluun turned to Alex, patting him gently on the shoulder. "Well. If you start seeing visions of space jellyfish riding emotion waves through your memories, that's just her being thorough. Try not to think of anything too embarrassing."

Alex narrowed his eyes. "You're not joking, are you?"

"Not even slightly."

This was going to be a problem. Alex had many secrets that he would much rather not be exposed, some of them being ones he was willing to kill if they were to be exposed.

If worst came to worst, then he would have to cause a major incident between races. The security of his secrets was much more important to Alex than establishing a peaceful relationship with the Solari race.

His fingers twitched slightly.

He could already feel Brontes equally stiffen beside him, sensing the shift in his master's mood. For all Reluun's cheer and the strange beauty of his realm, Alex had dealt with enough unknowns, enough threats, enough betrayal to know when the situation was about to take a turn.

He ran through the list quickly in his mind.

Reluun. The two gatekeepers in front of him. The Grand Cartographer.

If it came to it, he'd have to kill them.

He didn't want to. But if they dove into his mind – truly into it – they'd see things that could not be known. Things not just dangerous to him, but equally dangerous to them as well.

Alex couldn't allow any of his deepest secrets to surface.

Not even a whisper.

So as the three of them stepped onto the floating platform, joining the two Solari, lifting them higher to the highest spire of the Solari tower, Alex quietly readied himself.

He let out a weary breath.

If this Grand Cartographer so much as touched a memory he didn't want her to, he'd order Brontes to eliminate her.

He didn't know her strength, and so he could only put his trust and confidence in Brontes, who was much stronger than him, to finish the job for him.

When the platform stopped, a hush fell.

They stepped into a vast circular chamber, open to the kaleidoscopic sky above.

And at the centre stood her.

The Grand Cartographer.

She was taller than even Reluun, dressed in some robes so densely embroidered with living sigils that they seemed to breathe. Her hair floated around her like strands caught in zero gravity, and her eyes, solid pools of shifting light – locked instantly onto Alex.

She frowned.

Not in confusion or offense.

But in recognition.

Alex tensed. Brontes growled softly, almost imperceptibly.

But then, something strange happened.

The Grand Cartographer's frown deepened. She tilted her head slightly, as if listening to something only she could hear. Her glowing eyes narrowed.

And then, suddenly, she spoke.

"You're… a higher life form."

She spoke directly to Alex.

She hadn't even acknowledged Brontes, as if he was too incredibly weak that he wasn't worth her attention.

Not when there was a higher life form standing ahead of him.

But that was just because Brontes kept his incredibly powerful aura hidden.

Her words weren't a question. They were a quiet form of acceptance.

The tension in Alex's shoulders didn't lessen, but he gave a slow nod.

"Yes. I am."

At that, her face transformed.

The frown melted into something brighter, something akin to astonishment – or even joy.

"Oh, finally!" she exhaled, taking a step forward. "You have no idea how frustrating it is to constantly mind-probe lesser sapients! It's so tedious! Thoughts scattered everywhere, emotions leaking into memories, memories tangled up in emotional traumas – truly inefficient!"

Alex blinked. "...So your mind probing doesn't work on higher life forms?"

"Of course not!" she replied, almost offended. "What kind of invasive brute do you take me for? No, no, no – those who've evolved their being like us are naturally resistant. It would be like trying to read a symphony by licking the music sheet. I could try, but it would be rude, and rather pointless."

Alex's hand slowly lowered from where it had been to clasp onto Virtue's Edge at a moment's notice. Brontes relaxed as well, easing out of his combat ready stance.

He believed what she said.

For one, he did feel a small tug on his mind upon locking eyes with her, but it was so small that he had completely disregarded it.

"So you're a higher life form too, I suppose?" He asked, noting that she referred to 'us' when talking about them.

"That's right, you have no idea how tiring it is to constantly hear and see everyone's thoughts, memories, emotions, you name it. My mind probing ability doesn't have an on off switch. It's simply always active, and it has been since I awakened. You have no idea how refreshing it is to talk to someone who's mind I can't read!"

She sounded genuinely relieved to be speaking to Alex, able to vent her frustrations.