I slip into front, startling at the words and the implication. 

Obviously, this is quite the opportunity but well... 

A cruise doesn't seem to be the most natural route for an empowerment or a journey into a magical realm, and it's unclear if they have anything to offer beyond vacation amenities from this alone, but that hardly precludes this from being worth investigating, considering.

She did bother with the courtesy of leaving an address to contact, so...

I'm unsure if it's wise to consult further? If nothing else, this seems like the sort of set up where the thing of importance in their mind would be our choice alone, and it seems unlikely that there's much to discuss, without the truth effect they are using. If we go, perhaps we might be able to ask to make use of it ourselves.

...There's no harm in asking? 

I'd feel more comfortable if we did the hypothetical discussion, I think, anyways.

- shoot off a general summary question, ask if this is time sensitive, then get on with it? 

I breathe deeply. 

Okay.

The webpage loads instantly once I type in the domain - a simple screen showing the finely tailored representative, her dress something reminiscent of a classical flight attendent's uniform. The microphone and camera prompts pop up, glaring insistently at us as I try not to flinch.

I take a deep breath, formulate the questions, and hand over front again with a sigh. 

I snicker faintly as I load the context - it's a bit blazé, but that could fit, here.

I toggle the microphone permissions and say my bit. 

"Hello. Just wanted to check in about the invite you sent over - could you tell me how soon you need a response to get the go ahead?"

"We at Thallasa Cruises are happy to give you as much time as you need to make sure your affairs are in order. I'll be here to answer any questions you have once and if you decide to embark on this journey as our primary guest of honor."
Her voice is smooth and silky, but somewhat statically enthusiastic and smiling. 

The conversation goes well - it's... honestly if anything a bit eerily smooth. 

The kisses to the cheek are nice, the hugs are always really satisfying, and the affirmation that I should remember that they adults who can take care of themselves and that I should remember to take care of myself are if anything too real but it's all so fast that it feels hard to believe. 

Just like always

I shake my head. 

Iron...?

I queue up the page again, and stare into her eyes. 

They're bright and warm, but perhaps a bit unnervingly unblinking, all things considered.

No matter. 

"I'd appreciate if you could detail the options for the stays, now that I've gotten a preliminary go ahead from my family."

"Of course!" 

She details each of the options in the first season, as well as explaining the tradeoff available for the collection of souvenirs as part of your complete, all expenses paid journey through the multiverse.

Yeah uh...

Wat wow.

Is a keeper, keep it cool, gals. 

I roll my eyes a little at Ruby, thankful for the distraction from the option for what is presumptively actually quite a lot of cosmic power. 

"That sounds quite interesting, but a little overly artistically phrased and relying on some terms of yours I'm not familiar with? For one, you could do to clarify a bit what a 'Luminiferous Fracture' is, and I'd appreciate if you could give more clarity about what that power does a bit more prosaically." 

Oh there's a chat-log feature? That'll be useful. 

I pull it up as she does her customer-service cute smile and starts up her explanation. 

Glad I don't have to always run the ears...

"A luminferous fracture is a rare phenomenon within the star ocean. They are singularities that issues out primordial truth into reality, altering the ontological make up of the regional around the fracture, causing the creation of 'angels' - entities embodying the messages of emanated truth into the comprehended concepts and material world. The messages they send vary widely, and are often to insubstantial to be recognized as anything discrete, but the insights into the Light it grants is reliable for those of your affinity, granting the ability to uplift things with the power of the ideal object they represent, become untouchable to all the obstacles in the world to the level of bending fate as you desire, and creating energies derived from the light for any application that metaphysical light or manipulation of the electromagnetic spectrum is of use. At the beginning, you'll likely be limited to simple workings of illusions, a personal defensive effect and the ability to subtly enhance the performance of objects that you use consistently, though that will quickly grow with time and any additional augmentations you pick up along your journey!"

She also details some of the scope of what a master could accomplish with sufficient Knowledge.

She offers a handful of benchmarks, but notes that as a guest of honor, she expects your remarkable affinity to allow you to progress quite differently then otherwise expected, even aside considerations about how the ontomediation makes timelines a bit more fuzzy.

"Cool cool." 

I hum for a mmoent. 

"What's the deal w/ ontomediation? 's the mythos shit a passive aug aside the epic feats empowerment stuff and do you have some examples of what kinda stuff you get from it? What does the reality venom actually do?"

"Ontomediation is the process through different metaphysical and temporal systems are allowed to interact with each other - as a transmultiversal vessel, the Galaxia naturally accomodates a wide variety of metaphysics and experiences of time to ensure that our passengers have the most satisfying, impactful and experientially correct engagement with the activities and opportunities they partake in. Through this we can accomodate your understanding of time, ensuring a relatively synchronized experience for you and those in this world as well." 

"A mythos augments all actions, turning the ordinary into a thing of legend. The effect is especially pronounced when one accomplishes impressive feats and take part in turning points in their lives, but the ability will continuously enhance the beneficiary of the effect based off of their conception of the story of their life!" 

She goes on to show a wide variety of examples - showing how it tends to develop synergetic powers and interactions with the basis of accomplishments, alongside heightening the proficiency of the skills emphasized in the journey of the augmentee's life. The results vary widely, but it always results in a very substantial enhancement of what the user values most alongside incidental improvements across a wide swath of activities in an entirely safe and agency preserving way, alongside detailing the way that reality venom's effects tend to increase the conceptual superiority of the workings and existence of the user, often manifesting as resistance to exotic effects, enhanced charisma and luck. 

Alright that's... quite the thing, and rather does preclude most if not all plans about running around trying to get as many of these as you can. 

That being said, it seems far from impossible that we could simply come back and get some of these, if they don't object - it seems like many of these are reliant on specific potential interactions and are otherwise reasonably available, so we'll keep that in mind. 

"Summer then?"

"You can travel to the Three Circles - where they study the three arts of transmutation of material and immaterial things, the invoking of Theurgy to commune and interact with spirits, and Astrology, to understand and manipulate space and time. They can offer a vial of Perfecting Elixir to optimize the body and mind to an ideal form and the creation of a homuculus spirit to stand by your side alongside the personal tutelage of the First Master. There's also the option of the Shining City, who can grant an easily-graspable ideal guide for the creation of an grand, infinite and utopian empire in the model of the Summer Empire of which the Shining City is the capital, a blessing of approval from the Summer Emperor protecting you from all ills coming from natural forces and good hearted entities and an blessing of truly unlimited potential through their ministry of possibility."

"The Great Gate is the remaining option, offering an inviolable ward against divination, the opportunity to climb the parapets of the High Tower to let you comprehend the geography and climatology of the whole of the Star Sea, and the negotiating services of a least Avatar of the Demon of Law, who will work to ensure all agreements you sign upon their contract will be mutually satisfactory and enforced with their power." 

I raise an eyebrow, and let the skepticism flow out in my voice. 

" - The Demon of Law?"

"Apologies if the translation is unsatisfactory. The entity previously referred to as "The Demon of Law" is not an inherently malevolent being, and the exact type of being that that entity is a matter of some debate, though most sources agree that the power he wields is an effectively divine source, given the nature of the incarnations they possess. They are more than capable of a wide variety of feats traditionally ascribed to demons, however, and are occasionally described metaphorically using the same sort of language that is ascribed to infernal beings to their power and skill at negotiations." 

"Okay. Sure, he may or may not be a demon, but whatever, it's fine, he's cool, apparently?"

"Thallasa Cruises makes every effort to ensure the safety and comfort of our passengers, and we of course wouldn't invite a guest of honor to a place where they would feel uncomfortable or be treated poorly. The Demon of Law has been a partner of ours from our perspective over ten thousand years, and we believe that you would have no issue with making your own business relationship with them, if you had the information we do. You'll have the opportunity to read up further on this or virtually any other topic you desire on your trip, if you desire, due to the vast library in the Galaxia's computer."

That's not an affirmation about the actual quality of the demon's character, is it.