Spirit’s Anchor, The Dreaming City
The Guardian returns to Riven.
Riven: Back from scheming with Mara, are you? Fear not, O Guardian mine. I hold no contempt for those who prepare... contingencies. In fact, that is what I respect most about Mara. She is wise not to trust me, as I have never trusted her. For ages, Awoken and Ahamkara were both allies and adversaries, each seeking to extract a victory from the other. That is the nature of all bargains: to relinquish as little as possible while securing all you desire.
Our bargain is no different. It is not built on trust, but on the knowledge that upholding it will benefit us both... And that breaking it will result in more suffering than you can imagine.
We must wait for another egg to drift across the Ley Lines and re-enter our reality. Continue securing my lair until then. Those who trespass within it have nothing to bargain with, and are thus of no use to me. You would do well to keep that in mind.