《Reverse Reincarnation》


 01: So much for inductive reasoning

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    The nothingness receded. Darkness encroached, filling it, and I knew something was up.


    The darkness was fine. Not pure blackness, but a heaviness tinted in red, the darkness behind closed eyelids in a dimly lit room. Yet I felt like the world smelled wrong.


    That wasn¡¯t quite it. And I felt normal, even good. But, somehow, I knew that what I sensed was wrong, or at least unfamiliar.


    I shifted my head, and realized I was lying on something soft, with my head elevated, probably a bed with a pillow. My body signaled that it was fresh and ready, but my mind had trouble catching up. I felt like I had to catch every scattered thought and manually shift it into place.


    Carefully, I opened my eyes, blinking against the light. Something about the view seemed weird, and not just because my eyes hadn¡¯t adjusted yet and I only saw bright outlines. Did the shape of my nose change? No, that can¡¯t be it, right?


    When I mentally took a step back to try and analyze my surroundings, I became aware of a feeling that had to be the cause of the strangeness from before. The closest analogue I could come up with at the moment was that my body had been filled with warm liquid. I sat up a little more and looked at myself. That helped me focus on it, although I was still as much sensing as seeing anything.


    Woven into my body was a network of lines, like someone had color-highlighted my blood vessels or lymphatic system. Except they didn¡¯t branch as much, especially not into capillaries, and they went into my organs and bones anyway. In my abdomen, they concentrated in one glowing spot. It looked a little like the moon, bright but containing shadows.


    Something very weird is going on here.


    And yet, I wasn¡¯t alarmed. If anything, my body told me it was fine and could I please get up already, and my subconscious assured me the lines were right where they were supposed to be.


    Since I lacked anything better to do and my eyes had finally focused, I sat up and took a proper look around. I was in a room I didn¡¯t recognize, even if it did feel strangely familiar. Large, light coming in from a window, furniture scattered around, watercolors on the walls. Apparently, I was lying in a bed so expansive I could easily stretch out horizontally, with silk-looking bedsheets, although for some reason I was on top of the covers.


    In the silence, my breathing seemed loud, and finally it picked up a bit of speed. I started to push myself up, then my gaze caught on my hand where it rested on the bed.


    It was clearly a woman¡¯s hand, like mine, with thin, delicate-looking fingers, like mine, and fair skin, like mine. But it wasn¡¯t mine. The shapes were off, and unless I¡¯d been sick for a while, the color was too pale.


    I shook my head in disbelief, and a few strands of blond hair danced over my eyes. I reached up and grabbed them. My hair should be a light brown, maybe sandy, not this blond.


    Okay, I need to figure this out. I took a good look a the rest of my body, although most of it was hidden by my clothing. A blue, intricately embroidered robe that reminded me a bit of a martial arts gi, except longer, with loose pants of the same fabric underneath. The top wrapped around the side. Now that I paid attention to it, the material felt smooth on my skin and kept my body at the perfect temperature.


    I flexed my arms. The clothing was tailored to show this body¡¯s figure, which was definitely leaner than my own, and although I could stand to lose a kilo or two, I wasn¡¯t fat. My muscles still brimmed with energy, and I felt like I could run a marathon while throwing a few boulders. Probably looked like a star athlete under that robe.


    I took another look around the room. My new sense said it was full of ¡­ something. Although the furniture looked expensive, I couldn¡¯t see a computer, television or anything like that. Instead of a light-bulb, soft illumination came from a glowing rock on a table. Not even a crystal or anything, just a gray stone. There were a few other appliances around the room that felt familiar, even if I couldn¡¯t name them.


    Either I was dreaming, or really hallucinating, or I¡¯d been reincarnated in a new word. Or transmigrated, whatever.


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    I took a deep breath, because I felt like I should, and scooted over to the side of the bed. I was barefoot (with my feet looking much better than my own), but there were slippers placed at the side of the bed.


    Okay, so. A dream is unlikely, this doesn¡¯t have the vagueness and I should know if I was sleeping, I never wonder if I¡¯m dreaming. Hallucination is out, too, I¡¯ve never heard of one that encompasses all the senses and even adds a new one! That leaves fantasy-land.


    I sighed and rubbed not-my temple. Well, I don¡¯t want to be that girl who insists ¡®lalala, this is all a dream!¡¯. But the prior probability of that happening has to be astronomical. So much for inductive reasoning.


    The conclusion was clear: I needed more evidence.


    In the the back of my mind, I knew I should panic, but I was distantly glad that I didn¡¯t. I needed to concentrate on the situation, figure out what was going on. Focus.


    That¡¯s when sound started to come in from behind the massive door.


    Some shuffling and footsteps that slowly got louder. I froze and glanced around, but before I could even consider whether I should hide, the door opened. I was still sitting on the edge of the bed.


    The first person to come in wore an old-fashioned dress. She looked middle-aged, with a few gray strands and wrinkles, though beautiful for her age. But the first thing I noticed was that I could feel a presence emanating from her. It wasn¡¯t all that strong, but I could have pinpointed her location blindly, and I knew it was the same kind of energy that this new body contained.


    The woman stopped short when she saw me. Quickly, she clasped her hands and bowed deeply, before she continued into the room, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    I cleared my throat, unsure how to respond. Before I could decide, my attention was drawn to the other figures entering behind her. Two younger ones, a man and woman, wore clothes the same style as hers, although the man¡¯s looked more like a suit. Then there were two people in colorful robes, both men. They all emitted the same sort of presence, but the blue-robed man¡¯s was almost blinding.


    I blinked and by the time I looked again, he stood barely two meters in front of me. His robes were simple and loose, and he had a silver brooch pinned at his collar. He was handsome, maybe in his thirties and all sleek muscles and strong jaw, but the look in his eyes could only be caution.


    ¡°Welcome back, Your Highness. Do you remember where you are?¡±


    Wait, ¡®Your Highness?¡¯ Wait, what? I hesitated for a moment. But they obviously knew something, and trying to bluff would be useless. ¡°No.¡±


    His eyebrows drew together. ¡°Do you remember who you are?¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°Yes, but I shouldn¡¯t be here ¡­¡± I trailed off. Did I really know who I was, waking up in a strange body?


    Then I sat bolt upright. What language are we even speaking? I didn¡¯t know. At least, I could clearly understand and even speak it, but I didn¡¯t know its name. It wasn¡¯t any I¡¯d heard before. Or so I could have sworn one minute ago.


    I was thinking in English, which wasn¡¯t unusual as far as that went. And yet, I could sort of switch to this new language, even in my thoughts. It felt a bit different than thinking in my native language or one I was fluent in, and yet easy.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Please calm down.¡± The man held out his hands, clearly trying to look and sound reassuring. He must have misinterpreted my expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m calm.¡±


    I was still far calmer than I would have expected. And, if I tried to analyze my own reaction, his presence actually felt comforting. Did the previous owner of my body know him well?


    If I got transmigrated, was I using a new brain with its own memories? But then why did I still feel like myself in my thoughts? I knew the mind was embodied in the brain. But where was the line? Since my current mind was clearly some combination. Just, what the hell, universe?


    Actually, if this is like a story, maybe there¡¯s a game system. I concentrated on thinking a mental prompt. System? Status? Status! ¡­ No? Shame. I could have used a character sheet.


    A gentle throat-clearing brought my attention back to my conversation partner. I tried to give him my best apologetic smile, realizing I¡¯d gotten lost in my head. If it¡¯s mine - no, focus.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe and home. I know this must be confusing, but things will be explained. Please just come with us, there¡¯s someone you need to meet.¡±


    I gave him a nod and finally stood from the bed, the man stepping back to give me space. Carefully, I maneuvered not-my feet into the slippers, then glanced around again. Apparently, while I¡¯d been focused, the simpler-dressed people (servants, maybe?) had left. There were a few more people in colored robes visible waiting in the hallway, or at least that¡¯s what I assumed from what I could see from here. No, wait ¡ª I knew there was a hallway.


    Shaking my head, I got moving. Even though my body wasn¡¯t really mine, I moved in it fluently and naturally, with more grace than I¡¯d ever had.


    When I stepped into the hallway, the people, three other men and a woman, formed up around me. They didn¡¯t wear uniforms, but the brooch pinned to their chests, like the other man¡¯s, and the way they stood and moved made me think of soldiers. Without exception, they were attractive enough to distract me from my thoughts for a moment. Hints of athletic bodies under the robes, perfect skin and symmetrical features. Their presence was also stronger than the others, though not as much as the one I¡¯d talked to. Being surrounded by them still put me on my guard. Who knew what situation I¡¯d somehow found my way into?


    Still, there was nothing I could do about it except try to learn more, so I started following the first man.

 02: I must be royalty

    Considering my clothes and the room I¡¯d woken up in, this body¡¯s owner had to be rich. With the way I¡¯d been addressed, probably nobility or royalty. I tried to keep my eyes open for any further clues, but the new sensations were a bit overwhelming.


    The hallway we walked down looked perfectly ordinary, with little to indicate whether it belonged in a castle or palace. Although the illumination still came from stones affixed to the ceiling that I sensed contained this new energy. Mana, maybe? Qi or ki or whatever? So far, this really put me in mind of Eastern-style fantasy, what with the core of energy in my guts.


    Anyway, the hallway was paneled in wood, but without any other decorations. The ceiling was a uniform white that would have been at home in any modern building. We didn¡¯t meet any other people, although there were other doors, spaced pretty far apart.


    After maybe fifty meters, we made a turn down a spiraling staircase, that had stone steps but still managed to look delicate, with handrails of a crystalline substance that shimmered in many colors. I ran my hand over one part, and it was cool to the touch. But I didn¡¯t linger. By now, I could hear muffled sounds that had to come from other parts of the building, but nothing identifiable, just general bustle. After going down two floors, the blue-robed man led me into another hallway, this one a little broader and with elaborate designs carved into the wood paneling. I¡¯d visited a few castles, but this didn¡¯t look like anything I¡¯d seen before.


    Finally, he stopped before a door. Nothing differentiated it from the rest, but I could sense the presences gathered behind it. Without knocking, the man opened the door and entered.


    When I followed him in, I paused at the sight. The room looked like a smallish sitting room from a movie set in the Victorian era. There was a table with chairs to the side, and in the middle something between an armchair and a sofa facing a few other cushioned chairs. Half a dozen people lined the walls in obvious bodyguard positions. They all wore dark-colored robes with the same brooch, and all of them felt about as strong as my guide. That one was now on his knees near the entrance.


    But my attention was immediately drawn to the woman in the main seat. I couldn¡¯t tell her strength. It felt like a cloud covered the sun, letting only hints of its brilliance through. But my mouth went dry before I consciously registered her presence. She has to be more powerful than me and maybe even the guards.


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    Her skin was a touch darker than that of not-my hand. Her dark hair fell to her shoulders, her gray eyes piercing into mine. She was beautiful. While she looked like thirty at most, something about her bearing and her eyes belied that impression. In a magic world, for all I knew, she could be centuries old. She, too, felt familiar.


    Then she smiled, and just like that, my anxiety eased. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you,¡± she said. ¡°Come, sit down. Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Hesitantly, I came closer and sat on the plush chair facing the woman. I noticed she wore a black-and-white gown that looked like it had taken a master tailor years to make by hand, and was embroidered with gold and silver in intricate patterns, but her hands hid in its wide sleeves.


    ¡°I have a lot of questions,¡± I finally said.


    ¡°I would imagine so. However, it would be best if I asked a few questions first to determine where to begin explaining.¡±


    I was getting impatient, but controlled myself. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told you didn¡¯t remember the room you woke up in,¡± she started, and I wondered if the first woman had gone to tell her. ¡°Do you remember anything about this place, or anyone you met?¡±


    I¡¯d already decided honesty was the best policy. ¡°Not really. You feel familiar, but I couldn¡¯t say why.¡±


    Her face tightened just a bit at that answer, but it smoothed out quickly. ¡°I see. What is your name?¡±


    I paused just a bit. ¡°Tori.¡± That was a nickname, but I was hesitant to reveal my identity in case this was somehow an elaborate set-up and these people turned out to have bad intentions.


    She nodded again, but the way she raised an eyebrow slightly made me think she¡¯d caught that. ¡°¡¯Tori¡¯, I¡¯m sorry to tell you that the life you knew is over.¡±


    She paused at that. I took a deep breath. This was probably the logical conclusion given everything, but somehow the thought didn¡¯t feel real. The idea that I would never finish university or see if the world managed to deal with climate change just seemed absurd.


    ¡°You just completed what we call a ¡®soul journey¡¯,¡± the woman explained. ¡°You originally come from this world. Your soul detached from your body and was taken to another world, or another universe. The details of the how and why are very speculative, I¡¯m afraid. In this other world, you were reincarnated, reborn without your memories. Now that you ¡­ departed that life, your soul has returned to its home. For us, only nine days passed, and your body was in a coma during that time.¡±


    I blinked at that. I¡¯d sort of expected reincarnation, but this was backwards! I was supposed to originally come from here? That didn¡¯t really make sense. I¡¯d read a few stories about transmigration, and in them a newly dead soul was taken to inhabit the body of a person who died in the cultivation world, taking their place. Maybe they just thought I was the same person? Hell, do souls even exist? This is all completely crazy.

 03: Who are we?

    If the woman was right, then whether I was this body¡¯s original soul or not didn¡¯t much matter ¡ª in either case, that meant I was dead. I waited for panic to hit me at the idea, but nothing came. I didn¡¯t feel dead.


    I couldn¡¯t remember dying. Frowning, I tried to determine the last thing I remembered, but it was vague. It was Tuesday, I think? I had cereal for breakfast. Then ¡­ I don¡¯t know, I studied probably? This felt like trying to recall a completely mundane day a while ago.


    But of course I wouldn¡¯t remember dying. It took a while to form long-term memories, changing synapse strengths and whatever. That¡¯s why people sometimes lost a bit after head trauma. I¡¯d heard about that in class, but I couldn¡¯t remember the exact timeframe. Was it twenty minutes, a few hours?


    This didn¡¯t answer how the hell my memories were supposed to be transferred across universes. Let alone my soul, whatever that was supposed to be.


    I shook my head, trying to focus on my situation. ¡°Actually, how do you know about this?¡±


    The woman smiled as if pleased at the question, but somehow I could still make out the sadness beneath her manner. My body¡¯s previous occupant must have known her well.


    ¡°You¡¯re hardly the first. Soul journeys are a mark of our clan. Most members of the family experience one, although the details can vary greatly. It¡¯s not uncommon to lose some knowledge of our world on our return. Myself, I only have vague memories of my time before my soul journey, and that¡¯s expected. A few are lucky enough to retain ¡ª or perhaps regain ¡ª very clear memories. While others, sadly, are left with very little.¡±


    I digested that for a moment. So I was in a whole family of transmigrators? That could be good or bad.


    ¡°But I remember my life on Earth clearly,¡± I pointed out, using the English word for Earth.


    Her face lightened up a little. ¡°Oh, Earth? Great,¡± she said in English. ¡°I hoped for that.¡±


    I stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re from Earth, too? You transmigrated from Earth? Wait, what year was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. To answer your earlier question, we all recall our reincarnated lives clearly. That¡¯s just how it works, for some reason. And I died in the spring of 2019.¡±


    While I had a bit of an accent, she spoke English perfectly, so far as I could tell. If I had to guess, she was from the US, but I¡¯ve never been good with placing dialects. But she didn¡¯t seem as if she¡¯d died a year ago. ¡°2019? But I¡¯m from 2020. How long have you been, uh, back?¡±


    ¡°About thirty years,¡± she said with an interested gleam in her eyes. ¡°This sort of phenomenon is common, although a thirty-to-one ratio isn¡¯t. And yes, I know you somehow fit your life on Earth into nine days, and I came back before you were born. No one is really sure about how time works between universes. But looking at the records, there are often times when transmigrators from the same period go to the same world, usually in a short timespan. There are many different worlds out there, so this is quite lucky in a way.¡±


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    ¡°Is there any way to go back?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. This world does have occasional contact with other worlds, through things like temporary portals or displaced strangers. But they¡¯re rare, and so far as we know, there¡¯s no way to deliberately travel to a specific world. Believe me, I¡¯ve looked. Not to mention that your other body is dead. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I clenched my fists. If I¡¯m dead, what about my family? They¡¯ll think I¡¯ve really died! I mean, I did, but I¡¯m sort of fine. But they¡¯ll be grieving. I need to let them know I¡¯m okay.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to get a message to Earth?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She sighed. ¡°I wish there was, but our family¡¯s been studying this for centuries and we¡¯ve never found a way to contact the loved ones of our old lives, except through sheer luck.¡±


    I fell silent. This was a hard pill to swallow. It didn¡¯t help that my reaction was all in my mind. I didn¡¯t feel any grief in a physical sense, no urge to cry or racing heartbeat or even tight throat. It was eerie.


    After a moment, I sighed. Don¡¯t be like that, I chided myself. You¡¯ve been transported into a fantasy world! This is awesome. Hell, if it¡¯s virtual reality or whatever, enjoy it while it lasts.


    I looked around the room. My former guide had taken a post guarding the door, and he and the rest stood still and silent, giving no indication that they cared if they could follow our conversation or not.


    ¡°So, who are you? Who are we?¡±


    The woman smiled and suddenly my air cut off. Pressure pushed me down in my chair, a presence emanating from her so strongly I couldn¡¯t even move a finger. And still, the veil over her power remained, simply lifting a bit.


    ¡°I am Empress Leri Acura,¡± she declared. Suddenly the pressure vanished. ¡°And you are my firstborn and likely heir, Princess Leri Inaris.¡±


    I exhaled shakily, aware just how weak I was compared to this person, but it was her words that caught my focus. So, royalty. She said ¡®likely¡¯, so the succession wasn¡¯t set in stone? Did I have to prove my strength or something, if it wasn¡¯t birth order?


    ¡°Inaris. Leri Inaris,¡± I said, tasting the words. I supposed it was a good enough name.


    The empress made a gesture with one hand, and light flowed out of it, condensing in the air before us. It expanded until it was a large rectangle, then turned black and reflective. She¡¯d created a mirror. Somehow, it hadn¡¯t occurred to me to wonder if magic was even real, but this was definitely magic.


    I studied the person looking back at me from the mirror. The face didn¡¯t look like mine, although there were definite similarities to the woman across from me. The girl had blond hair instead of black, but the same gray eyes, and her features were pretty, perhaps even beautiful, with high cheekbones and a delicate nose. Probably an adult, but only just. I looked further down and saw an athletic figure, with moderately large boobs. She was about as tall as my real body, of average height. If I¡¯d met her on the street on Earth, she might have turned my head. But although I didn¡¯t recognize it, seeing this appearance in the mirror felt right.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have important work to do,¡± my new mother said, again in the local language. ¡°There are records you will want to look at, but first, you need to learn the most important thing about this world. Aston, take her to the training courtyard.¡± The last one was addressed to the man who¡¯d led me here, who bowed and came closer.


    When I turned back to the Empress, she had stood up, and after a last smile at me, she and her guards vanished. Or that¡¯s what it looked like. I could feel their presences moving away from here quickly.


    I rose from my chair, too, curious about what she meant. Hopefully, I would get to learn magic now.

 04: A few reference points

    The man, Aston, still walked a little in front of me to show the way, but kept to my pace. So when I dawdled to look at my surroundings, he and the other guards waited patiently.


    I¡¯d seen a balcony emerging from one room we were about to cross and made a beeline for it. Now, for the first time, I looked out into my new world.


    Well, I tried to. There wasn¡¯t much to see of the world. This balcony let me look down on a part of the building complex, which did indeed look like a castle or palace. There were a number of courtyards and terraces rising in tiers until they met the massive main building. We were in a wing of that one, judging from what I could see here. Beyond the complex was a mountain range. In fact, the mountains rose into the sky so high that I couldn¡¯t see much beyond the first ones. Definitely higher than the Alps, although that was the only great mountain range I¡¯d seen in person. Apart from that, they were just mountains, with forested slopes rising into rocky terrain, glaciers and snow-covered peaks.


    At least I knew a few things. The sky was blue, there were clouds, the temperature was mild but with a chilly breeze, and this was one hell of a castle. It had to be, what, ten kilometers until the outer wall from here? At least. The architecture looked a little weird, with some buildings having sloped roofs and others not. There were a high number of ornamental gardens with strict layouts, and even ponds and little groves of trees. I only thought of it as a castle instead of a settlement because there weren¡¯t many people, and the inner complex was pretty massive, so the outer part wasn¡¯t that big in comparison. And this was probably the back side.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s continue,¡± I said. I still had a lot of things to learn.


    Aston made a weird gesture, cupping his fist in the palm of his other hand and bowing slightly. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. This way.¡±


    This time, I paid a little more attention to my escort as we continued to walk through the castle. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Should I apologize? Were we close? ¡°Your name is Aston?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess. Tener Aston.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re my bodyguard?¡± I guessed, going by the impression I had of him being a soldier.


    His eyes finally flicked to meet mine. ¡°I am. Actually, I am a member of the Imperial Guard. It has been my duty to protect you for many years now, Your Highness. I oversee the other guards assigned to your protection.¡±


    Hmm. I think his respect is genuine, but he won¡¯t let me get away with things. There¡¯s steel in his bearing and expression. Makes sense if he guarded the princess since childhood. Damn, he must have known my predecessor well.


    I nodded at that, unsure how to respond. ¡°And where are we?¡±


    ¡°The Imperial Palace. It¡¯s located beside the City of a Thousand Stars, the Imperial Capital.¡±


    I could hear the capitalization. Liked their fancy names, did they? But at least I had some sort of referent for my location.


    We descended another staircase, this one broader, flatter and without handrails. The floors after that were also broader, with slightly arched ceilings and the occasional decoration in the form of paintings and murals. The noise of the palace got louder, too. I had the feeling we were still not in the ¡°impress visitors¡± part of the palace, but we got closer to officially used areas.


    After a while, we saw other people. They wore what I could only assume was business clothing in this world: robes, dresses and suits, mostly in blue or gray instead of black with longish jackets and embroidery. About half of them looked like they had Eastern Asian ancestry, or would have on Earth, the rest European. But that was only a rough impression and I had to remind myself I didn¡¯t know how ethnicity worked in this world. It should already make me suspicious that there were humans on two worlds.


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    But it was their reactions that really drove the point home that I wasn¡¯t on Earth. Whenever we passed, the people would make way and perform some sort of obeisance in my direction. Most cupped their hands like Aston had and bowed deeply, but some knelt or even kowtowed! On the floor and everything. Despite that, I could sense the way their eyes followed me.


    They probably knew about my coma. Maybe even the transmigration. I needed to ask Aston how common that knowledge was, in the palace or otherwise, but now wasn¡¯t the right time or place. He didn¡¯t slow down or acknowledge the people much. So I occasionally gave a nod, tried for a regal and confident posture, and hoped they couldn¡¯t see me wondering about them. And this was only walking down the hallways!


    At least it felt like my body was familiar with trying to be regal. I could tell I must have looked graceful, and it was easy to keep my face calm and composed. That¡¯s good, I¡¯ll need to rely on my subconscious memory of how to act.


    Finally, we reached a side entrance and stepped out into a courtyard. I took a deep breath of the fresh air, smelling traces of plant life and rain. But I didn¡¯t dawdle to look at the scenery, instead following Aston onto a gravel path. We were high up, and several paths led to different courtyards and buildings.


    I had a lot of questions, about the world and who I was supposed to be, but was still trying to process everything I¡¯d learned, so I kept silent. There was enough to do just trying to take everything in.


    Aston stayed close to the palace, leading me beside the main wall for a bit before we descended. It didn¡¯t take long to reach a stone walls-enclosed courtyard. To the side were wooden stands with weapons, and a few of the guards in colorful robes lingered around the periphery. I could sense the ones accompanying me spreading out behind us as I stepped onto the courtyard. It was paved in stone, but with wide mats scattered around.


    Someone else was waiting for us. He looked Asian, but not like the stereotypical old master. For once, he couldn¡¯t be much older than Aston. His presence was veiled in the same way the Empress¡¯ had been, but not as carefully, and I had the impression it was more perfunctory. His strength still definitely outstripped mine.


    When he saw me, he smiled and bowed fluently. ¡°The crown princess has returned! But I¡¯ve been told you do not remember what you need to know. As such, it will be my honor to once again instruct you in the basics before we can continue where we left off.¡±


    ¡°Thank you ¡­¡± I answered hesitantly.


    ¡°My name is Ling Ta, but you used to call me ¡®Teacher¡¯.¡± Now his smile had turned a bit melancholy.


    I bowed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m ready to learn, Teacher.¡±


    His smile widened. Then he sat down in the lotus position and gestured for me to do the same, so I copied him.


    ¡°Sense the qi around you,¡± he instructed quietly. ¡°Still your thoughts and reach out to it. Cultivation. Your body and inner self know how to do it, they need simply remember.¡±


    So, I was right in my guess. I nodded and closed my eyes, trying to clear my thoughts. I¡¯d never really meditated before, although I¡¯d done a few exercises.


    It took a while for me to settle. When I did, I stopped paying attention to my breathing and instead focused on the qi around me. I could sense it far more clearly now. It was everywhere, layered over the world like bundles of cloth. It had been there before, but I¡¯d only gotten the barest glimpse of it, the rest filtering out of my awareness because I didn¡¯t know how to process it.


    My senses expanded. I could hear the rustling of leaves on trees a kilometer away, smell a hint of spice from a bonfire two courtyards over, feel the subtle differences in pressure the folds in my clothing created. It didn¡¯t overwhelm me, because my mind had widened to take it all in. The sensations of my old life seemed pitiful in comparison.


    ¡°Qi is everything,¡± my teacher¡¯s voice rang out softly. ¡°Everything lives in it, and it lives in everything. Cultivation is the art of interacting with it, of taking part out of the whole and making it yours, shaping it to your will, and understanding that which it entails. It is the process of refining not just qi, but yourself, your own body, mind and soul, of transcending your mortal limits. Of making yourself the best you can be, and then pushing beyond it.¡±


    ¡°And now, let it fill you and take it into yourself.¡±


    I breathed in, following a pattern ingrained into my body, and qi flooded into my lungs. It flowed into my center, and from there out through the vessels in my body. I circulated it, watching as it became denser and yet lighter, taking on the characteristics of my own qi, that in my core. I started spinning my core, the light rotating around a darker center, slowly growing as the qi I pulled in was absorbed. I hadn¡¯t realized I was close to empty, but now that qi ran through me, I came alive. New strength surged into my body, and my mind stilled even more, as if sinking into the qi flowing in my core.

 05: My mind gets in the way

    The passage of time ceased to matter. I didn¡¯t know how long I cultivated. When I slowly sank out of the meditation and opened my eyes, I could see the colors of sunset painting the mountains. My eyesight had improved along with the rest of my senses, even if I wasn¡¯t actively circulating qi. Although my core continued spinning.


    My teacher was watching me with a satisfied expression. When I opened my eyes, he nodded. ¡°Well done, Your Highness. You do this old teacher proud. Now, would you care to venture a guess to our next step?¡±


    ¡°Techniques?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Children don¡¯t walk before they¡¯ve been taught to stand. No, first we will focus on the elements, or affinities, of qi.¡±


    I nodded. All of that seemed familiar from what I¡¯d read. During my cultivation, I had sensed that qi wasn¡¯t uniform, that it contained many different things. Presumably, affinities. ¡°So, which one do I have?¡±


    ¡°Which do you sense in yourself? Look to your dantian and meridians.¡±


    I frowned and inspected my core. It was easy to guess, but hard to be sure. ¡°Light? Or, no, shadow?¡±


    ¡°No. Like many in your family, including your most esteemed mother, you cultivate both light qi and darkness qi.¡±


    Light and darkness, huh? That sounds cool. If I understood things correctly, that would be a pretty versatile build. But it sounded like it needed careful balance.


    ¡°Dual-element cultivators are not uncommon,¡± he explained, ¡°but this way carries both advantages and risks. You need to keep the two affinities separate in your dantian, especially in the case of such opposing elements. For a genius such as yourself, that is fortunately little trouble. However, you can only draw in qi of one element at a time, and are in some sense limited by the qi you chose to gather in your core. For example, if you fill it with darkness qi completely, or almost completely, you will be unable to use a light art. There¡¯s also the inherent splitting of focus to consider.¡±


    I nodded. All of that made sense. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then we will move on.¡±


    He sprang up in one fluent movement, and I hurriedly stood as well. Although I¡¯d been sitting for hours, I felt no soreness and was as limber as before. Straightening, I listened to my teacher explain the basic principles of techniques, pushing out qi through your meridians to achieve a desired effect.


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    ¡°And now, create a small light.¡±


    I took a deep breath and focused. Carefully, I guided some light qi out of my dantian and through a meridian into my arm, then out of my palm. It sputtered, creating a small puff of light, before the flow ceased.


    Grimacing, I tried again. This time, I kept tighter control over my qi, trying to keep it moving smoothly. When it left my body, I squeezed down at it with my will. Finally, a speck of light sprung into existence above my palm. It flickered a little, but I smiled in triumph.


    ¡°The Star¡¯s Spark,¡± Ling Ta declared. ¡°Your first technique, although it can hardly be called one. At higher levels of mastery, it can be used to blind and confuse enemies, even searing them if one comes near. You should have little trouble regaining that mastery.¡±


    That¡¯s about what I would expect from a simple light technique. If nothing else, it would probably be useful as a flashlight or to light a fire if I ever needed one. But I couldn¡¯t help feeling proud of myself. I¡¯d actually performed magic!


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush,¡± he cautioned me. ¡°Let things come back to you. With most of your other techniques, failure can be painful or even set back your cultivation if it is great enough. There is much to learn concerning the theory of qi and the function of techniques, but you can acquire that information on your own. Still, I would suggest the honored princess come back for my instruction every day. We do not have the luxury of bungling this.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I could even refuse that suggestion, but I had no desire to try. Of course I wanted his help in learning cultivation.


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± I said. Then I looked at the weapon racks. ¡°Actually, will your instruction include martial arts?¡±


    The dignified teacher grinned like a schoolboy. ¡°Naturally! Now that you mention it, I would be remiss if I did not find out how well you remember the art of combat.¡±


    I had a bad feeling about that. But before I could protest, he moved. He was faster than any fighter I¡¯d seen on Earth. I barely had time to be surprised before he was in front of me.


    Instinctively, I dodged to the side. His fist whistled by my hair. Damn, that was fast! What do I ¡ª The next instant, I found myself sailing through the air, then crashing into a mat.


    Cursing, I pulled myself up. The impact hadn¡¯t hurt, and my body moved as well as ever, but that didn¡¯t make me any happier.


    ¡°What was that for? I couldn¡¯t have won, you¡¯re too strong!¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± he smirked. ¡°I suppressed my strength just enough that you could have resisted.¡±


    I shrugged, wondering at his standards. I¡¯d moved faster than I ever had in my life, but I didn¡¯t really know what was normal here. ¡°Well, do you have an assessment, or did you just spontaneously decide I would make for a nice floor decoration?¡±


    He didn¡¯t react to the barb. ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious where the problem lies. Your body remembers what to do, but your mind gets in the way. You need to learn to trust yourself and rebuild your tactical experience. That can be fixed with training.¡±


    Honestly, he was probably right. ¡°So much to look forward to,¡± I grumbled.

 06: Morning awkwardness

    For a brief moment, I thought I was still at home, going to start another ordinary day. But when I fully left sleep¡¯s embrace, everything rushed back. I opened my eyes to a familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling, feeling confused.


    Sighing, I sat up and stretched. After the training session yesterday, Aston had brought me back to my room, saying that sleep was recommended the night after a soul journey. I¡¯d expected to have trouble falling asleep, but it had actually happened quickly as the mental fatigue dragged me under.


    Now, I felt fresh, well-rested and ready to take on the world. Today, I promised myself, I will find some answers.


    But first, I should probably see about more mundane concerns. I climbed out of bed and haphazardly smoothed out the covers. Then I looked around. Usually I didn¡¯t sleep unclothed, but I didn¡¯t exactly find any pajamas here. So I¡¯d slept in my underwear, including a surprisingly modern bra.


    I opened the big closet that I¡¯d apparently been too tired to notice and whistled at the large variety of clothes I found. Some were simple, pants and shirts, others robes and gowns more elaborate than what I¡¯d worn. But I didn¡¯t know if colors might have some significance, so I wasn¡¯t sure what to choose.


    It was only then I noticed that the robes I¡¯d worn yesterday lay folded over a chair, where I¡¯d definitely not left them. They looked and smelled freshly-laundered. Had someone been in here to collect and deposit them while I was asleep? Creepy. I need to establish some boundaries.


    At least they probably hadn¡¯t gone through my closet, and I knew what to wear now. So I pulled out some fresh underwear and quickly changed into the robes, my hands deftly tying the knot before I even realized it might be a problem.


    I could sense some presences outside. It was a bit like the prickle you got on your neck when you felt like you were being watched, but far more detailed. I somehow knew their position and intensity. There were a few guards at the door, including Aston, and some weaker signatures bustling about, probably servants. I took a look around the room and noticed the side doors that probably led to others where they could be. Shrugging, I checked.


    To my pleasant surprise, the first door led to a bathroom. It was pretty nice, tiled in some white stone, with a pool sunk into the floor and a few qi appliances in other places. There were bottles of things that smelled like shampoo, lotion and the like, and fluffy towels. Shaking my head at myself, I disrobed again and dove into the pool.


    It was nice, but I wanted to get going, so after a minute I got out, dried off and put my clothes back on. Then I checked the qi-things until I found the hair dryer, which was actually a red gem, and let the streams of hot air dry my hair. I combed it quickly with a carved wooden work of art and got out.


    It was only when I¡¯d already stepped through the door that I realized someone stood in my room. I really need to work on my situational awareness. Wait, isn¡¯t that the same woman I first saw?


    ¡°Princess Inaris.¡± The woman cupped her hands and bowed deeply again. She was standing near the freshly-made bed.


    I nodded in greeting, unsure how to act. A bit of awkward silence ensued.


    Finally, the servant broke it. ¡°Is there anything you require?¡±


    I scratched at my cheek. ¡°Breakfast would be nice. Food and drink, but no wine or anything. Oh, and I prefer not to eat meat.¡± Actually, I wasn¡¯t a vegetarian, I just tried hard to only eat meat from acceptable sources where animals didn¡¯t suffer. But since I didn¡¯t know where the palace got their food, and I didn¡¯t really want to explain myself, it would be better just to avoid it.


    ¡°Right away.¡± The servant bowed again, then scurried out of the room.


    I glanced at the guards behind the wall, then turned to inspect the contents of my bedroom. There was a weapons rack in a corner, with a few shiny blades and what looked like a crossbow, all of them tingling in my new sense, like a prickle from static electricity. There was also an obvious vault with qi that just radiated the feeling of alertness. Apart from that, a desk, a few chairs, tables and a couch, plus the side entrances. One of them was locked, one led to the bathroom and the other to what I would have called a sitting room if it was in the place of the bedroom instead of leading out from it.


    I turned to the vault and tapped its steel door. There was a locking mechanism unlike any I¡¯d seen before. I prodded at it, and before I knew what I was doing, I let some of my qi out into the lock, twisting it in a familiar configuration. The lock clicked open.


    Well, that happened. Curiously, I poked my head through the vault door. The inside was more of a small room than a safe. A number of items lay on the floor or on a shelf, all of them glowing with qi. Weapons, jewelry, a few that I couldn¡¯t categorize. But my attention was drawn to the only mundane object: a piece of paper lying on a stone surface. I picked it up, and almost dropped it when I recognized that it contained English words. In handwriting that somehow felt intimately familiar.


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    My dreams?


    Leaving alone and said to be dead.


    Why do spirits like me?


    There is more to us than it seems.


    Something is off. Perhaps someone, I don¡¯t know. Mother doesn¡¯t like me asking questions about some things. It might be related, it might not.


    I sucked in air through my teeth. This was really something. The first part could be a poem, although not a very good one, if not for the last part. My predecessor had taken these notes, marked down questions she couldn¡¯t answer. And I had no clue what it all meant.


    After a moment, I noticed black edges on the paper. Turning it around, I found more writing.


    Possible explanations:


    1. There¡¯s a spy, infiltrator, or someone who otherwise secretly wishes harm on myself, people close to me, or the clan as a whole.


    2. I¡¯m somehow sensing that I will fail or be hurt significantly. Failing the breakthrough, or a bad life for the soul journey.


    3. Someone is playing with or testing me. Might overlap with other points.


    4. A random expression of the darkness affinity, perhaps even a spiritual or medical problem.


    5. My dreams are picking up impressions, emotions or connections, due to my darkness affinity. It is sometimes associated with dreaming.


    I rubbed my temple and stared at the notes. Well, at least I had a few hints now. So, my predecessor knew English, probably taught by her mother. I wouldn¡¯t have chosen it, but for her, this must be the most secret language she knew. So far, so good. But what exactly did she mean?


    I put the note down carefully and backed out. I just need to keep an eye out and learn more about this world and my situation. Maybe wait and see if I have any weird dreams.


    A sudden noise startled me. I turned around, watching another servant enter the room. I almost hadn¡¯t noticed his presence. Quickly, I closed the vault door, watching as it clicked into place and its qi covered the lock again.


    The servant was a younger man. He bowed gracefully without moving the tray he carried a centimeter, and set it onto the table. Shrugging, I walked over to the table while he left and sat down.


    The food was all new to me, but tasted good, so there was that. A little more savory than I was used to for breakfast, but the fruits were great. I only realized I wasn¡¯t actually hungry after I began to eat, but I didn¡¯t want to waste it and I didn¡¯t feel full either, so I indulged. But a lingering unease prevented me from truly enjoying it, and I ate quickly.


    After I finished, I left the room, looking around. Apparently, they¡¯d noticed I was up, because a few additional guards had showed up. Now there were three men and two women. They all looked young, strong, and attractive. I had to be careful not to let my eyes linger on the tight clothing some of them wore. One of the women, a hot brunette, had a daring neckline that I tried not to notice.


    Seriously, why is everyone here hot? It¡¯s getting annoying. Is it a cultivator thing or is someone testing me?


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going,¡± I said.


    Aston answered, ¡°Where to, Your Highness?¡±


    If I had an appointment or schedule, he would have mentioned it. I really wanted someone to explain things or a few books, but decided that I should get to know the place first. Scope out my surroundings. ¡°Can you give me a quick tour?¡±


    He half-bowed and the rest of them formed up, and so we set off.


    While Aston led me around, he explained the layout of the palace and I asked a few questions. I made an effort to focus on the tour, pushing considerations of my discovery back. Apparently, we started in the Imperial family quarters. Those were for the Empress¡¯ closest kin, with space for favored retainers and a few chambers that could accommodate servants or guards if needed.


    ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s rooms are on the next floor and the roof of the tower,¡± he mentioned, ¡°but let¡¯s not go there.¡±


    The next section, after we descended one staircase and turned to the side, were what I privately called the VIP apartments. They provided housing for other members of the clan, distinguished guests and a few high officials who didn¡¯t have their own homes. The walls were actually more decorated than before, with colorful tapestries, paintings and frescoes. The few people we passed moved aside for me, but their bows were shallower than Aston¡¯s. Their clothing looked at least as expensive as mine. Something in the way they eyed me was appraising, and I realized they definitely knew about the soul journey. I quickened my steps a little.


    ¡°This way leads to the throne room and royal audience chambers,¡± Aston proceeded.


    I shook my head. ¡°Let¡¯s go around.¡± I didn¡¯t know if the Empress was there, but I didn¡¯t want to risk meeting a throng of courtiers.


    We walked on. Most of the rest of the central complex and outlying buildings housed the government, a lot of office space for various ministries and departments, and the infrastructure needed to keep them running. I ran across what had to be a magical printing press. Aside from that, I just tried to keep up and keep myself oriented. By this point, I¡¯d gotten used to the way people reacted to my presence.


    Aston showed me the general layout of the palace and the ways that led to other parts, like quarters, barracks (most of them empty), kitchens, and so on. ¡°Then there are the workshops of the royal alchemists, tailors, blacksmiths, ¡­¡±


    Finally, I put a stop to it. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve gotten the basics. Now ¡­¡± My eyes lit up as I realized the most important location. ¡°There¡¯s a library, right? Let¡¯s go there!¡±


    A hint of a smile cracked through Aston¡¯s calm expression. ¡°Of course, Princess. There are several in the palace. The lower courtyard holds the public library, open to everyone. The various departments keep archives, and many esteemed personages have their own collections. Unless I¡¯m severely mistaken, the honored princess has one in a side room. But if I may be so bold, I would suggest the Imperial Family¡¯s private library.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    I smiled in anticipation as I followed Aston back. ¡°How big is it? How many people are going to be there, actually?¡±


    ¡°It holds thousands of storage items and books. The Imperial Family¡¯s private library is only open to the Empress, her closest family, meaning her children, and a few others lucky enough to be granted access as a reward for their service.¡±

 07: Library!

    ¡°Makes sense. Wait - children?¡± I paused and stared at Aston. Why didn¡¯t I ask before? ¡°My, I mean, I have siblings?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness.¡±


    I resumed walking. ¡°Well? Tell me about them!¡±


    ¡°As you command, Your Highness.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Prince Leri Alaster is twelve years old. He is quite smart and strong for his age and shows remarkable martial talent. Princess Leri Xiaodan is eight years old. She too shows remarkable intelligence for her age, and is noted for her bright personality. Many assume the two will prove to be geniuses.¡±


    I nodded, too preoccupied to reply. So, my predecessor had two younger siblings, quite far apart in age. At least by Earth standards. Isn¡¯t Alaster a name from Earth, like Alistair? I think I¡¯ve heard it somewhere. Maybe there¡¯s the same name in this world. Not sure about Xiaodan. But more important than that was his description. I¡¯d need to meet the two of them eventually, but just the thought made me nervous. I can put it off until I¡¯ve learned more, at least. Damn, I miss my real brother.


    That thought, I quickly pushed away, and concentrated on my surroundings. We were back in the vicinity of the family quarters, and Aston halted beside a pair of double doors, pushing them open silently.


    I hurried inside, excited to see what the library held. I wasn¡¯t disappointed. Inside, I saw a big room filled with tables, seats, and most of all bookshelves. Some held colorful little things that looked like a mineral or crystal shining with qi, but most were stuffed with books. Mostly big, hardcover books. The space was well illuminated with windows and light fixtures, silent, and covered in the scent of paper and books. It didn¡¯t make up for losing the Internet, but it could make a pitiful try.


    My guards distributed themselves around the library and the door, probably trying to cover every possible entrance. I ignored them in favor of examining the books. Some of them didn¡¯t have any writing on their spines, but some did. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered I could read it.


    At random, I pulled one from a shelf and opened it. It turned out to be a history book. I could read it the same way I did text in my native language, but when I slowed down and tried to really look at the words, the clarity left. Looking at the letters by themselves, they were just squiggles.


    I frowned and took a closer look. The alphabet was like nothing I¡¯d seen before. It looked like Egyptian cursive hieroglyphs, Chinese characters and tally marks had a threesome and produced a baby.


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    Well, it looks like I need to put my reading on hold. I wanted to understand the writing first, so that if I ever needed to puzzle something out or otherwise just deal with the letters, I¡¯d be prepared.


    So I searched through the books until I found what I needed, a guide to the language, which was apparently called Common or Common Imperial. It contained grammar rules, but also an alphabet with pronunciation and spelling instructions. So I scrutinized the letters displayed there and tried to memorize everything. At least this appeared to be an alphabetic language, with a few flourishes that changed how certain letters looked depending on their place in a word and accent marks that relied on the type of word.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize something was weird. Experimentally, I closed the book and tried to recall the alphabet. It was right there in my mind, every letter exactly as the table in the book had portrayed them. Well, well. I suppose if something else is to mess with my mind, it could be worse.


    Shutting the book, I looked around for the nearest person to pester. One of the guards stood not far away, an Asian-looking young woman. ¡°Hey,¡± I called.


    She turned around and bowed. ¡°May I be of service, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I said, lamely. ¡°Did the princess ¡ª I mean, did I ¡­ perhaps have special cognitive abilities?¡± Wow, awkward.


    But the guard seemed to know immediately what I was getting at, her face brightening. ¡°Yes, of course, Your Highness. You are a low-level genius.¡±


    ¡°A low-level ¡­ genius.¡± I rubbed my temple. Were they obsessed enough with levels and stages to rank geniuses? This sounded like it was a thing.


    Wait, a real genius? Like on Earth, with intelligence, not cultivation talent? I was probably one. My IQ was around 130, so far as I knew. But here? ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°It is common knowledge, Your Highness. Your esteemed self was declared so at the age of ten. This was after a demonstration that you had successfully developed a genius¡¯ memory.¡± Perhaps sensing my skepticism, she continued. ¡°Some say that this world is alive, with intentions and agency of its own. That is for wiser masters to debate. But it is known that long-term exposure to qi during development ¡ª such as everyone born on this world ¡ª can lead to certain benefits. Anyone with the strength of mind and sharpness of wit to count as a genius will develop a perfect memory. However, this does not raise anyone¡¯s intelligence as such, and it will really only happen to those who possess enough of it.¡±


    I whistled. That sounded hard to believe, but then so did everything else about this world. So I made a mental note that my guards were no uneducated brutes and provisionally accepted her explanation.


    An eidetic memory! I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Look out, world, here I come! This is going to be so much help. Now I¡¯ll have a much easier time catching up on learning everything I need about this world. Let¡¯s see, history, culture, geography, biology, scientific knowledge, and of course cultivation ¡­ and politics.


    Still feeling a bit giddy, I scanned the shelves for the first book to dive into. If I just needed to read something once to retain all its information, that was a huge advantage. Hell, any college student would give their left arm for that. I needed to make some plans, once I knew what was available. And remember to go to the training courtyard tomorrow.


    Maybe I could even run a few simple tests. But for now, I pulled down a children¡¯s book.


    I was going to be busy.

 08: Im responsible, really!

    The fire spit and flashed, a bright blue flame leaping up as it consumed the remnants of my last experiment. I cursed and dodged backwards. After a moment, it settled down again, although tongues of flame flickered hungrily towards my feet.


    I think it singed my hair. Sighing, I made darkness qi flow out of my hand, smothering the fire. Then I looked around, a little guiltily. The surrounding bookshelves and their content were fine, but maybe I should really be a little more careful with anything that might be flammable or explosive.


    Well, it seems chemistry works normally here as well. Not that I¡¯m an expert, but this is conclusive enough even if it¡¯s due to my own stupidity.


    I shook my head and regarded the burned remnants. There wouldn¡¯t be any toxic smoke, and the servants would clear it up. Maybe that wasn¡¯t good for me from a pedagogical standpoint.


    Over the last two days, I¡¯d done a number of little experiments. The results were simple. Obviously, gravity worked just fine in this world, and so did every other physical law that I could test. I assumed that qi just interacted with them, like magic layered atop reality and pressing down when it needed to. There were probably theories about that in the books, but as the saying went, ¡®seeing is believing¡¯. And it comforted me to get at least a little bit done by myself, especially to figure things out.


    I glared back at the book lying open on the table before me. It had prompted the first of the experiments when I¡¯d read some of the facts contained within. I¡¯d looked at other ones, but the size of this planet was actually not quite clear, since they didn¡¯t exactly have satellites and did it like the ancient Greeks. If my rough mental conversion of distances was accurate, and I¡¯d checked it with the records from other transmigrators, even the lower end of the opinions put the world¡¯s radius at about eight thousand kilometers. If I remembered correctly, Earth¡¯s radius was six point something thousand. That meant the planet was, at a rough estimate, about one point six times bigger in terms of surface area alone.


    Gravity felt exactly the same, although I might not have noticed if it was just slightly higher, but still. Which meant that the planet was either weird and had very low density, or magic was very weird.


    I went to the window and stared out at the horizon, but I couldn¡¯t notice anything odd. Maybe that was just because I didn¡¯t have a good mental reference for how it should look. But the whole thing had unsettled me a bit. At least I¡¯d gotten some basic knowledge about recent history and the Empire¡¯s society in my reading.


    Aston cleared his throat gently.


    I turned around and regarded him. He¡¯d come up just as the test finished, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood for conversation. Still, it was probably important. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°His Imperial Highness, Prince Leri Alaster, has sent word. He requests the honor of a conversation at the convenience of the Imperial Princess.¡±


    Oh. Something about the way Aston said that made me think he¡¯d reworded the message to be more polite and formal, but I hoped it hadn¡¯t been rude. Then he would have looked stiffer, probably.


    ¡°I suppose I really should meet him.¡± Had I kept the siblings waiting? It was still a little hard to wrap my head around what was probably the mentality here. If one wants to meet a ¡®senior¡¯, one doesn¡¯t just show up at their door or summon them. But if I wanted to meet someone, they¡¯d probably better show up quickly if called or invite me in if I deigned to visit them.


    Maybe I was wrong, but so far, I had the impression this world was like those in a cultivation novel. Cultivation and spirits. Mostly feudal structure, except for sects, clans and such, and there was actually a strong central authority. So maybe not so feudal after all. And the technological level was actually pretty high from what I¡¯d seen. I mean, they had elevators and air transport, running water and artificial lighting.


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    I set off, but paused when I noticed Aston¡¯s expression. ¡°Something up? You look like there is. Come on, spit it out.¡±


    The guard sighed. ¡°It might be prudent to make yourself presentable first. I doubt the smell of ash is the desired impression to leave.¡±


    I winced and looked at myself. He was completely right. I hadn¡¯t showered or bathed in two days, only taken a quick swim in an enclosed pond I¡¯d come across after a training session with Ling Ta. My clothes still looked pristine, probably due to their enchantment, but my enhanced nose could pick up just a slight hint of sweat and of course fire.


    ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s stop by my room. Thank you.¡±


    My eidetic memory extended to locations, so I could find my way around easily. It didn¡¯t take long to get back to my suite. There, the guards took their stations again, and I rummaged in my wardrobe for a new outfit. I didn¡¯t want to appear too formal just for visiting family, so I went with a simple but nice green robe. Apparently, colors didn¡¯t have significance, although many cultivators matched their elements.


    When I reached the bathroom, just the sight of the pool made me relax a bit. I¡¯d like a shower, but a bath would be nice too, and needed. I started to undress.


    A few signatures had been moving around in the vicinity, but I didn¡¯t pay them any mind. I only really became aware one had stopped close to me when the side door opened. It was disguised as part of the wall, and only the faint outline of qi gave its presence away previously.


    I started and reflexively held my robe in front of me.


    My wide-eyed stare met the gaze of a girl, no, two girls around twenty who crowded into the room. They paused when they saw my reaction and bowed, deeply and a little slowly.


    My mouth went dry at the sight of it. The girls wore only loose clothing, and their decollete barely covered their generous busts, their motion giving me a good view. They had faces that could make supermodels envious, lithe and well-proportioned bodies, and a glint in their eyes that said they knew exactly what they were doing.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡±


    They finally straightened, and the brunette with the cute dimples replied, ¡°We desire to do our job, Your Highness.¡±


    The one with curly black hair gracefully stepped to the side. ¡°We are servants at the palace, radiant princess. Your maids. It will be our pleasure to help you bathe.¡± Her tone was laced with just a hint of teasing.


    I swallowed. They were really hot, and it had been a while, so I couldn¡¯t help my thoughts wandering in a certain direction. But I shut that down. Besides, the thought of having servants bathe me was just weird.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need any help,¡± I said as firmly as I could manage. Then I sighed internally and set down my shield of fabric. I didn¡¯t want to appear weak, or nervous.


    The two maids bowed their heads at my declaration, but they didn¡¯t leave, instead starting to move with purpose about the room. Though their eyes never left me for long, and the sway in their steps had to be intentional.


    As quickly as I could, I pulled off my underwear and dove into the pool. This was supposed to be relaxing, I complained to myself.


    Just when I started to look around after a minute, a bottle of shampoo appeared at the edge. I waited until the maid had retreated a bit before quickly washing my hair with it. Then I dived under again for a bit, just because I could. This didn¡¯t have the size of a real swimming pool, but I could move about more than freely. Reluctantly, I surfaced.


    ¡°Hand me a towel,¡± I said to the room.


    Quickly, the brunette maid held a fluffy blanket out to me. I climbed out in a flash with my qi-enhanced body and wrapped it around me. Then I dried myself, trying not to make it too obvious I wanted to keep myself covered. When I¡¯d finished, the other maid held out my clothes, the robe open so I only needed to slip into it, then the pants. Well, at least they¡¯re clearly professionals.


    The darker one stood close enough I could see her biting her full lip in detail. The room was damp ¡ª and why¡¯s that, it wasn¡¯t last time? ¡ª and the fabric of her clothes clung to her. I paused a bit.


    ¡°If the radiant princess is in need of relaxation,¡± the maid purred, ¡°I would be delighted to be of service.¡±


    For a moment, I actually considered the offer. I knew they were probably paid employees. But are they required to sleep with me, perhaps under threat of punishment? I can¡¯t be sure. And even if this is just prostitution, basically, would I be okay with that?


    Maybe if I wasn¡¯t in the position of the princess who could probably have them whipped with a word. This just felt like they were either told to do it, trying to seduce the princess for personal gain, or just attracted to power.


    ¡°Maybe some other time.¡±


    Quickly, I fled the room.


    Outside, I breathed a covert sigh of relief, then shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t afford to let things like this distract me. I was going to meet my predecessor¡¯s little brother. Probably one of those people close to my predecessor.

 09: My brother is a cheeky bastard

    Aston had to show me the way again, this time to the prince¡¯s room. Apparently, he would be having a lesson right now. I paused at a window and realized that it was only about mid-morning. Well, I had slept in the library and only for a bit. Yeah, I really need to establish some healthy routines.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I wait until his lesson is finished?¡±


    ¡°Almost his whole day is taken up with lessons, or cultivation,¡± Aston explained patiently. ¡°The Prince is a diligent young man. And none of his tutors would object.¡±


    ¡°Okay, understood. I guess the Empress has high standards ¡­¡± Unless the Empress just leaves it to teachers.


    I frowned to myself. Calling her by her title felt weird since she was supposed to be my mother. Should I just call her Acura? No, that feels weird and ¡­ disrespectful. Hmm, okay. I¡¯ll just use the Imperial Common word for ¡®mother¡¯.


    Far too soon, we arrived at the door. I could sense several presences of mixed strength within. Before I could even take a deep breath, Aston knocked loudly, then opened the door without waiting for a response. He preceded me into the room and took position beside the doorway.


    As I entered, I took in the scene. The room looked a lot like mine, with the same kind of furniture and decorations. The desk held a central position, and currently bore several textbooks and sheets of paper. Three soldiers or servants guarded the room, I wasn¡¯t sure exactly, and a distinguished-looking older woman, probably in the fourth stage, sat at the desk with the boy.


    When I entered, everyone rose to their feet or snapped to attention. Alaster half-bowed, and everyone else gave a deeper bow. The boy had light-brown hair and blue eyes that would make him a heartthrob in a few years. Actually, he was one of the lightest-skinned people I¡¯d seen in the palace, besides myself.


    I nodded at the room. After a moment of hesitation, I said, ¡°Hello, Alaster.¡±


    He didn¡¯t try to hide his inspection of me, and frowned a bit. ¡°So, they were right.¡±


    What¡¯s that about? I walked closer and glanced at the spectators. ¡°Maybe we should talk privately.¡±


    Alaster nodded and made a shooing motion at the adults. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m sure Elder Sister is more than enough to watch me.¡±


    They bowed and shuffled out. Aston looked to me, and when I gave him a nod, he withdrew as well.


    ¡°You know about my soul journey, I suppose?¡±


    The boy snorted. ¡°Hard not to. Do you ¡­ do you really not remember anything?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t an expert in children, but I could tell he was trying to hide his feelings. It must be like losing his sister, I belatedly realized.


    ¡°Oh, I remember plenty of things,¡± I said and smiled as brightly as possible. ¡°Lots of fun ideas from Earth, you¡¯ll love them. And I do remember things from here, too. We wouldn¡¯t be able to talk otherwise. I don¡¯t have any explicit memories of you, but I think I still have the feelings.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a little kid, Nari.¡± He glared at me. ¡°You¡¯re not that much older. Actually, you probably don¡¯t know that, but Mother only declared you an adult when you started your soul journey.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± And apparently, I had a nickname.


    Alaster sat down again, so I took a place on an armchair opposite from him.


    He looked at me again and smirked. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the price, I can wait. You really dampened my enthusiasm, you know. I hope I won¡¯t come back with my brain full of holes.¡±


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    I had to chuckle at that. ¡°You¡¯re a cheeky little bastard, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    After a moment, his smirk faded and he gave a real grin. ¡°I try. I had a good role model.¡±


    I returned his smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. I am older, though. I¡¯m twenty-two, you know.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You only turned eighteen a few months ago. If you were twenty-two, your cultivation would be so low you couldn¡¯t show your face in the palace.¡±


    I leaned back and put my head on my hand, getting comfortable. ¡°I don¡¯t buy that. They told me it was high.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t quite reached the late part of the third stage, Nari,¡± Alaster declared. ¡°That¡¯s good, sure, but it¡¯s not outstanding for a genius. Mother was almost at the peak of the third stage when she was your age.¡±


    I shrugged. I already knew Mother was considered one of the top geniuses of the last few centuries, so that objectively wasn¡¯t bad. It did still sting a little, but I tried not to show that. ¡°And where are you at, you little know-it-all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost at the third stage,¡± he stated proudly, then deflated a bit. ¡°It¡¯ll only take a few more months. But Teacher Ling says I have remarkable talent for the combat arts! And I¡¯ll get my genius¡¯ memory soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will,¡± I said, for once trying to sound sincerely reassuring. I still didn¡¯t quite know what to think of the perfect memory for geniuses, but from the sound of it I¡¯d get an interesting demonstration.


    It really seemed like I got on well with little Alaster, which was nice. I¡¯d far rather have a good relationship with my siblings than a rivalry, if nothing else because those could be deadly in cultivation stories. And my siblings would make for valuable allies. So long as they didn¡¯t try to scheme for my position, which was another reason a close bond would be good.


    ¡°Have you seen little An yet?¡± he wanted to know. ¡°She¡¯s been asking about you. It¡¯s probably a good thing she doesn¡¯t really know what a soul journey is yet.¡±


    ¡°No, but I¡¯ll visit her soon,¡± I promised. So, good relationship between the two of them, too.


    Alaster seemed precocious, which didn¡¯t surprise me considering his family and the quality of education he must be getting. I was a little more unsure about meeting an eight-year-old, but that was no excuse. And I felt curious, too.


    ¡°Just do it before you attempt a breakthrough. That could take a while, knowing you, and I don¡¯t think she wants to see you in the healers¡¯ wing.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You really are a cheeky little ¨C ¡° I paused as something occurred to me. ¡°Wait, actually, are we bastards?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so?¡± He scratched his cheek. ¡°But we aren¡¯t just normal nobility. This is the Leri clan and our Mother is Empress. It¡¯s her prerogative to marry as many people as she wants, take as many concubines as she wants, and have as many children as she wants. No one cares with whom, unless it affects our strength.¡±


    I guess that¡¯s that. And the society can¡¯t be sexually repressed if a twelve-year-old lectures me on this topic. Although I think he¡¯s optimistic saying no one cares.


    I hesitated for a bit, but Alaster was probably mature enough that I could talk about this. ¡°Who is your father, or mine? I didn¡¯t read anything about it.¡±


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be anything to read.¡± He shrugged, frowning. ¡°No one¡¯s officially recorded, because Mother hasn¡¯t said.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that normal?¡±


    ¡°Sure. No father is recorded for her, too. Although there are rumors.¡± He twirled a bit of hair around his finger. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Carston is ours. Though not Xiaodan¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Carston?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He was Mother¡¯s closest consort for years. They loved each other, I heard.¡± He shrugged again, but I could see his grimace. ¡°Not anymore, though. They had some falling out when I was little. He¡¯s ¡­ left.¡±


    I wanted to press more, but seeing how Alaster clearly didn¡¯t like the topic, I decided to drop it. I could ask other people later. ¡°Well, thanks for telling me. I assume you have private tutors?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    And he clearly didn¡¯t want to get back to his lessons just yet, and was using me as an excuse not to call them back in. But I didn¡¯t mind.


    For the next hour, we talked. About his lessons, his teachers, servants. About nobles and the palace, and about the culture. I regaled him with stories from Earth, both my own experiences and from novels or movies.


    ¡°You¡¯re just making this up,¡± he accused me at one point. Then he switched to English. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the political situation, no one would just ignore that their world is dying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if only you knew.¡± I shook my head.


    We continued talking for a bit. His English was actually great, a little halting but he spoke without an accent. So Mother must have taught all of them her language. Interesting.


    Finally, I sighed and glanced to the door. ¡°I think your people are getting impatient. Time for me to let you get back to your lessons.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on ¡­,¡± he pouted.


    I stood up and tried to ruffle his hair, but he rose in a flash and dodged. ¡°It was good to meet you, Alaster.¡±


    He looked at me for a moment and nodded. ¡°When we¡¯re in private, you call me Al.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Of course, Al. See you around.¡±


    Then I sent out a pulse of qi to let Aston know they could come back in, and started for the door. Before leaving, I turned and looked back one last time. Yes, this should work out nicely.

 10: The value of strength

    The little princess¡¯ door wasn¡¯t far from Al¡¯s. I probably could have found it on my own, but Aston led me there unerringly.


    He didn¡¯t seem to mind just escorting me around and waiting while I did whatever it was I got up to. The other guards rotated, but he hadn¡¯t yet. Although I was grateful for his patience, I wasn¡¯t used to being guarded. For a moment, I wondered what motivated him. Status and good pay? A sense of patriotism and duty to his country? I didn¡¯t feel I was close enough to him to ask. Maybe my predecessor had been.


    This time, I paused before entering the room and assessed what I was going to find. I could sense more people this time, although none were as strong as me except for a pair of probably guards I put in the fifth stage. But one of those was waiting outside the door, the other one likely on a balcony judging from the distance. There were two presences in the room along with the one who had to be Xiaodan, the others bustled around in their vicinity.


    I hadn¡¯t felt any threat from Alaster, or had any weird feelings. Maybe that meant nothing, but in light of my predecessor¡¯s writing, I noted it. If nothing else, I needed to check Xiaodan, too, see if meeting her might trigger anything. A long shot, but I have little to go on, so trying many different things makes sense.


    Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. They must have sensed me anyway, since I hadn¡¯t tried to veil my presence.


    I barely had time to see another well-appointed room and a number of servants bowing deeply before my attention was drawn to the little girl.


    ¡°Big Sister Nari!¡± she exclaimed and jumped up.


    I stepped further inside, smiling at her enthusiasm. She started in my direction, then paused and instead, with a glance at the stern-faced older woman with her, gave me a bow.


    ¡°Hello, little one,¡± I replied.


    Xiaodan looked big for her age, but I didn¡¯t have much to compare her to. She had black hair and almond eyes, with skin a bit darker than mine. Certainly more Asian-looking than me, or Alaster, for that matter. Not that I cared.


    Although, glancing around, I noticed that three of the four servants visible in the room also looked distinctly as if they were of Asian descent, at least to my Earth-based mind.


    While I stepped closer and caught the girl in a hug, I reflected on that. The people I¡¯d seen in the palace so far all looked as if their ancestors were from East Asia, or white Europeans, or a mixture of both. But that was using Earth categories, and who knew how things stood here.


    I¡¯d given up wondering why there were even humans on multiple worlds. It was probably caused by those occasional portals or whatever that Mother had mentioned.


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    After a moment, I released my new sister and held her at arm¡¯s length while I made a show of looking her over.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re definitely my little sister,¡± I concluded and winked.


    Xiaodan giggled.


    ¡°Xiaodan,¡± the older woman said, ¡°why don¡¯t you let Her Highness sit down?¡± She then turned to me and bowed her head. ¡°If the princess wishes, this one will have some tea prepared.¡±


    And here I was hoping there would be none of that ¡®this one¡¯ stuff. I knew it was supposed to sound humble, even deferential. But to me, it seemed pretentious, talking about yourself in the third person.


    ¡°Tea sounds good,¡± I answered. Right away, I sensed another servant rushing off. Then I sat down on a plush chair and patted the seat next to it.


    Xiaodan settled into her place, smiling brightly. But then she stopped and looked at me with a bit of a tremble. ¡°Elder Sister, you went on your soul journey?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I did.¡±


    ¡°You visited another world? You were sleeping for so long.¡±


    You don¡¯t know the half of it. ¡°Yes, I went to Earth. It was great. Maybe you¡¯ll visit it yourself someday. That would be nice, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m glad to know you missed me.¡± I smiled at her teasingly. ¡°But I¡¯m back now.¡±


    ¡°And ¡­ they say you¡¯re different now?¡±


    I sighed and looked her in the eyes. ¡°Yes, I am different. I don¡¯t want to try and hide this from you. I¡¯m probably not going to be like the older sister you remember. Not quite, at least. But that just means you have new things to discover about me. And you¡¯ll always be my Little An.¡±


    She nodded tremulously. ¡°Alright. I would never dare stipulate what Elder Sister should be like.¡±


    ¡°Hush, none of that now,¡± I chided gently. I laid a hand under her chin and raised it, like they did in novels. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly reasonable that you¡¯d be feeling anxious.¡±


    That earned me another smile, this one a little firmer.


    ¡°There, you see? No need to make a sad face.¡± I focused on the feeling I got from her. Unless I was mistaken, she had already reached the second stage of cultivation. Actually, that had to be recent. ¡°And I can tell you¡¯ve made good progress. Well done, Xiaodan.¡±


    She blushed and her smile gained a few kilowatts. ¡°Thank you! I want to be as strong as you, Big Sister Nari.¡±


    ¡°And you will be, someday.¡± Just hopefully after I¡¯ve already gotten stronger.


    ¡°Teacher Mei said you became a genius at age ten. I don¡¯t know if I can do that,¡± she confessed quietly.


    I glanced at the teacher, who ducked her head. I hadn¡¯t known that, but it made sense. And except for Xiaodan being adorable, I didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary about her or what her relationship with her sister might have been like.


    ¡°I believe in you,¡± I assured Xiaodan. ¡°But even if you don¡¯t, that¡¯s okay, too. Being fast isn¡¯t always good. And we can¡¯t control what we¡¯re born with, only how we use and develop it. Just keep working hard. The foundation is crucial.¡± I patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m already proud of you, and I¡¯m sure Mother is, too.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t thought she could smile any more brightly, but this one could probably count as a technique with the power of light and cuteness.


    ¡°Besides, there are other important things. Not just cultivation or even capability. Strength isn¡¯t everything.¡±


    The girl scrunched up her face a bit. She probably didn¡¯t hear that sentiment expressed often.


    ¡°So you just focused on other things since your last breakthrough, and people don¡¯t understand when they say you take too long? Is that why Teacher Ling Ta calls you lazy?¡±


    I choked a bit. Luckily, at that moment the tea arrived and I could dodge the question.

 11: The power of getting it

    ¡°You¡¯re early this time, Princess Inaris.¡±


    I shrugged at Ling Ta. ¡°I find myself motivated to improve my cultivation. You could say I was goaded into it.¡± I wasn¡¯t so prideful as to pretend that my siblings¡¯ words hadn¡¯t needled me. Especially Al.


    My Teacher smiled at that. ¡°Ah, the enthusiasm of youth.¡±


    By now, I knew him well enough to detect the sarcasm in his words. It wasn¡¯t the tone, which remained completely deadpan, but the slight glint in his eyes.


    So I didn¡¯t answer, and only sat down on a mat in the center of the training courtyard. I glanced around. My guards stood a distance away, as before, and Aston had moved off and was doing warm-up exercises.


    ¡°Could I have some pillars?¡± I didn¡¯t raise my voice, as it would be heard anyway.


    One of the guards bowed. A moment later, earthen pillars shot out of the ground. They took on several forms, from straight cylinders to intricate knotwork and little trees.


    I nodded in satisfaction. I¡¯d come straight here after visiting my siblings, which meant it was just after noon. The sun burned down on us, its light flooding the courtyard. That gave me access to a lot of light qi, but the shadows cast by the pillars let me gather some darkness qi as well.


    Then I closed my eyes and calmed my thoughts. That had gotten more difficult the longer I stayed in this world, thoughts of home trying to invade my private moments, when I didn¡¯t distract myself with study or training. But I forced them away and focused on my plan. True to what I¡¯d told Xiaodan, I¡¯d decided that today, I would work on my foundation, not any techniques. I still hadn¡¯t quite understood what I already knew.


    For a while, I simply cultivated, trying to really get into the meditation. I didn¡¯t even focus on cycling qi through my body, instead sensing the qi all around me. I could ¡®see¡¯ all of it, in a distant, imperfect way. Only the qi of light and darkness stood out sharply.


    But as I sunk deeper into my cultivation, I realized there was no real border, no dividing line I could draw. All types of qi were, in the end, one and the same. I had known that before, but now I was reminded of it again.


    Actually, it reminded me of what little I knew about quantum mechanics. Particles weren¡¯t really here or there, there was only potential. They only took on certain states when you asked them about it, when the universe measured it. It helped to see qi in the same vein. I didn¡¯t know how it ultimately related to matter, but it, too, wasn¡¯t strictly defined. The closer I looked at qi, the more I came to understand it.


    I wasn¡¯t a physicist, but I found myself intuitively grasping what I sensed in a way that wasn¡¯t restricted to ¡®magic¡¯. I could see how qi interacted with the material world around it, and I could tell how you would define its force as a function of distance. I developed an understanding of how light and darkness qi layered atop ¡®pure¡¯, affinity-free qi, that was really only an amalgamation of all its potential types. It was never really pure. The affinities present and their strength always restricted its potential, put a limit on what it could be, the distribution of its density, if I wanted to put it that way.


    After a while, I applied my new understanding and pulled. I gathered qi with the familiar affinity of energy, electromagnetic force, and the notion of brightness and positive things, and breathed it in. I didn¡¯t try to keep it to a single path, or control the speed of absorption, I simply let it in.


    Then I saw the qi with the affinity of absence, of outer space and restrictions and the idea of shrouding gloom, and drew it in. I cleared it a path, and let it appear where it would.


    I guided the qi through my body, pushed and pulled it through its pathways, my meridians, and always back to the core. I set its rotation, the qi spinning around each other, always both of them in concert, because they always needed each other to exist.


    The qi in my core rose and rose, so I pushed down on it. I compacted the qi and stretched my dantian at the same time. Dimly, I sensed a barrier buckling, but it went gently, smoothed out of the way by the rising streams of qi. And always, I breathed new qi in, adding it to the cycle within my body.


    I didn¡¯t stop there. Time had ceased to matter. I simply cultivated, moved my qi, studied it, and added to it. I pushed some of it into my meridians themselves, shoring up their structure, sloshing away microscopic debris. That, I breathed out, before I let new qi flood in.


    Finally, I came back to myself. I didn¡¯t entirely withdraw my attention from the qi, but the sense of it faded into the background, letting me experience my surroundings without drawing my attention to anything specific. After a moment, I opened my eyes. There was no need to blink against the sunlight, instead, I welcomed it.


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    ¡°Well done,¡± I heard my Mother¡¯s voice from behind me.


    I stiffened a bit, surprised at her presence. I hadn¡¯t sensed her approach, and even after I stopped cultivating, it had snuck up on me. But the calm of my meditation still lingered. Smoothly, I stood up and turned around, bowing to her.


    Mother wore the same dress she had the last time. The colors of twilight gave the white fabric an orange tint. Beside her, Ling Ta stood, arms crossed.


    He gave me a nod. ¡°You got into the late part of the third stage. Well into it, I¡¯d say.¡±


    I walked closer to them. ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t feel much stronger.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Mother eyed me thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯d say you are, just not in the obvious way.¡±


    Beside her, my Teacher stiffened. He shot her a sideways glance, but didn¡¯t comment.


    I raised an eyebrow at Mother. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I sensed the way you submerged into the qi. There was something ¡­ odd. A few patterns I haven¡¯t quite seen before.¡± Mother cocked her head. ¡°You progressed quite quickly, but your handling of qi changed. Especially the way you drew it in. This is more than a normal moment of enlightenment.¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully. Somehow, I think I know what she means. I did see qi differently. Still do.


    ¡°Let me try something.¡± I turned around and focused on the closest earthen pillar.


    Closing my eyes, I sensed the qi around me, focusing on the object. Slowly, I started my breathing pattern. Then I mentally reached out to the qi gathered around and through the pillar. It was strange, heavy and cumbersome. Unlike light or darkness qi, it didn¡¯t yield to my grasp.


    But I didn¡¯t let that stop me. I looked deeper, focusing on the qi, on the way it belonged to the same qi everywhere, only taking on its own distinct flavor. I could see how it related to the qi around it, including the light from the sun and the darkness of the shade it cast. But I dug deeper yet again, until I saw the make-up of earth qi, or at least the qi attached to this part of the earth.


    Laboriously, I drew it closer, coaxing and prodding it to me. When it arrived, I took it in. My lungs didn¡¯t want to accept it, my breath stuttering until I smoothed it out. My meridians hindered it, letting it clog them, their shape bearing down. But I exerted my will and drew it forward, into my dantian. Here, I made my light and darkness move aside, making a bit of room for the earth qi.


    Outside, someone made noise, but I ignored it. It took constant concentration to maintain the bit of earth qi in my core. I pushed it out, the meridians struggling under the unfamiliar load even more, but I persevered. Finally, it reached my hand, and I pushed it out completely, shaping it into a formless substance around it.


    When I opened my eyes, my right hand was coated in hardened earth. The Stone Fist technique. Let¡¯s see. It was the only earth technique I knew, a simple one I¡¯d stumbled across in one of the books I¡¯d read. With a light step, I crossed the meters to the nearest pillar. Then I punched it.


    Stone flew in all directions. I shook some remaining clumps from my hand and flexed it, but I didn¡¯t even feel bruised. The pillar had a large crater inside it. I could have done the same just with my enhanced strength, but it had been a bit easier like this.


    ¡°Well, that settles it,¡± Mother said, coming to a stop beside me. She smiled in obvious satisfaction. ¡°You have a special ability.¡±


    Ling Ta trailed after her. ¡°Impressive, truly. You have a blessed daughter, Your Majesty.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°A special ability, huh?¡± I could use an OP cheat!


    Mother snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t look so smug. We haven¡¯t determined how strong it¡¯s going to be yet.¡±


    I sighed, but nodded in agreement. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really about controlling qi. I could use earth qi, but it was a struggle all the way. I don¡¯t see that getting better, either ¡ª my cultivation just isn¡¯t suited to it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my assessment as well,¡± Mother agreed. ¡°The capacity to manipulate qi not of your affinity is extraordinarily rare and needs experience you lack. I think what you have is an improved understanding. An intuition about the truth of qi, or perhaps abstract concepts. It allows you the understanding necessary to use qi of a particular affinity, even one you have no bond to, but it would need an effort of will to overcome the natural antagonism towards foreign qi.¡±


    ¡°An improved intuition?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. Not only were you able to do this, you knew that you could. That¡¯s telling. And it rests on your understanding of what you sensed.¡±


    ¡°So, my superpower is ¡®getting it¡¯.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Honestly, that sounds right. I can¡¯t wait to see how it will help me with my studies. But what are these abilities?¡±


    Mother started walking from the courtyard, and I fell into step beside her. After a moment, she replied in English, ¡°For us, it¡¯s like a bloodline thing, coupled with our soul journeys. But there are other ways to get such a unique ability.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s common?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Far from it. Only a few even among our family have one. When we do, it usually shows up shortly after our soul journey. But don¡¯t let it get to your head. Yours is nice ¡ª honestly, I¡¯m almost jealous ¡ª but you shouldn¡¯t overestimate it. I¡¯ve read of others that are plain unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Imagine if your ability extended further. Instead of understanding things and thus using some foreign qi with strict limitations, someone can simply use it all. They don¡¯t have an affinity because all affinities are theirs, and cultivating any strengthens their control over all. Think about what that could mean in combat.¡±


    I whistled. ¡°Okay, that would be a real cheat. So, my ability is above average, but not at the peak of what¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good assessment.¡±


    She sped up, but I hurried to keep pace with her, staying close. Now that she¡¯d shown up, this was my chance to talk to her. ¡°So, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    Mother glanced at me and smirked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡±


    I pouted. But after she gave no reaction, I dropped it. Just another thing to figure out. I bet it helps her with ruling. So I switched tracks. ¡°Are these abilities related to the genius memory thing?¡±


    She slowed down a bit. ¡°Probably. Neither of those is well understood, despite what some scholars claim. And speaking of memory, I think we¡¯ll need to see about a change in your status. But that can wait for a bit.¡±


    Why I am I not getting a good feeling about this?


    But by this point, we¡¯d reached the entrance to the palace. Everyone who passed us scattered and went to their knees. I stopped talking, simply following Mother as she strode along.

 12: Some serious conversation (and bad jokes)

    ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± Mother asked. She sounded relaxed.


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± I looked around the rooftop terrace. She¡¯d taken us straight up here with a qi-powered elevator tucked away near the palace¡¯s side entrance.


    It offered a great view over the mountains and the areas beyond. I stepped closer to the balustrade and looked down on the city spread out below the palace. Many lights blinked up at me. It spread far, and some buildings towered above their surroundings like skyscrapers, but in the end it couldn¡¯t compare to a city like New York. There were more gardens, though, and great care had obviously been taken with the planning. There was a lot of bright paint, decorative statues and artistic baubles. I¡¯d never seen a more beautiful city, in person or otherwise.


    ¡°So, how far can you see, or sense?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t surprised she knew about my cultivation, but I was curious.


    ¡°A lot,¡± Mother replied, leaning on the balustrade beside me. ¡°Everything in the palace and the city is easy. The surrounding area, too.¡±


    I nodded, impressed but not surprised. From what I¡¯d read, eighth-stage cultivators might as well be gods in this world.


    ¡°Ling Ta said I need to reach the eighth stage in a hundred years.¡± I put my chin on my hand and gazed out at the city. ¡°That¡¯s quite the deadline you¡¯ve set.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I do what I must. You might still remain my heir if you don¡¯t meet it, if you¡¯ve impressed me, and the people, enough.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    She hesitated for a moment, and I turned to look at her. ¡°I won¡¯t have you ¡®eliminated¡¯. In fact, I¡¯ll do my best to shield you. But this world is not kind to those it deems failures.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Even on Earth, disgraced royalty had a low life expectancy. Especially a former heir.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s worse here. I¡¯m sorry. You might be my daughter, but I need to do what¡¯s best for my people, and I can¡¯t have an unfit heir.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I stared back out at the scenery, not really seeing it.


    A century sounded like a long time, but it wasn¡¯t. Very few people ever reached the peak of cultivation. I had to, and if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d probably be killed. A good thing I have this special ability. I¡¯ll need it. And the worst thing is, I can¡¯t really blame her. Of course I need to prove myself if I¡¯m to inherit the responsibility for an Empire. And it¡¯s not like I could resign, I¡¯ll always be her firstborn child.


    ¡°I just wish I could go back,¡± I said.


    ¡°Do you want to tell me about your life?¡± Mother asked quietly. When I turned around, she calmly met my gaze, waiting.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to tell, really.¡± I ran a hand through my hair absently. ¡°I was twenty-two, single, just starting my Master¡¯s in Cognitive Science. My parents are academics, and I have a younger brother.¡± I reminded myself to use the past tense. It still didn¡¯t quite feel real that it was over, but I pushed that thought away and kept talking. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I died. Probably a traffic accident. I could have had the bad luck of being in a shooting or something, but that seems very unlikely. Plus, I was almost always at home, considering the situation.¡±


    Here, I paused, a thought occurring to me. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know about that.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    I shook my head. Are you going to get a shock when I tell you about Covid-19. But maybe later. I didn¡¯t want to be insensitive if she was somehow affected. ¡°It¡¯s not important now. Anyway, what about you?¡±


    She watched me for a moment, then nodded slightly. ¡°I was your average upper-middle class white woman from the US east coast. Divorced, no children, a career that was just starting to really take off. Politically interested. I was concerned about climate change, discrimination and filter bubbles.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± I sighed. ¡°I was never politically active, though. Apart from that, I was a bit of a nerd. I love fantasy and science-fiction. Hopefully, that will come in handy now.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± Mother smiled. ¡°I had a casual interest in fantasy books and the like, and now I¡¯m extremely grateful for that. I just wish I remembered more about science and technology.¡±


    I nodded in agreement, thinking about that. I hadn¡¯t made many plans for the future so far, just trying to learn as much as I could about my new world. But now I realized that while that was still the priority, I had some serious thinking to do. Just ¡­ not about home.


    ¡°I died from my injuries after a traffic accident,¡± Mother continued. ¡°Then I woke up here.¡±


    I thought back to what I¡¯d read. ¡°You were really old for a soul journey, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It started on my one hundredth birthday. Most people thought it would never happen. Of course, by that point I was almost at the eighth stage, so biologically I wasn¡¯t very old. Then I reached it and my mother died shortly after.¡± Mother stared into space for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°I was always going to be Empress, but I think I¡¯m doing a good job. I¡¯ve instituted a few laws to protect the common people. Our equivalent of civil rights.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    We fell into a thoughtful silence. I couldn¡¯t imagine how things would be like if I did remember my life here, if it was really mine. Probably a lot easier. And now, for the first time, I realized how important a position I¡¯d been given, how much impact I potentially had. It was both exciting and disquieting, because I wasn¡¯t sure how I¡¯d live up to my morals here. Since they were going to be rather demanding. But I need to gather information first and plan what my goals are and how I¡¯m going to act. While still progressing my cultivation quickly.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve settled in a little, it¡¯s time for you to contribute,¡± Mother finally said. ¡°At least a bit, besides your training.¡±


    ¡°Contribute how?¡±


    ¡°Several ways. Most importantly, you need to document what you can. I know you¡¯re still reading the records, but you need to start adding to them. Earth is advanced, more than most worlds we know about, and we need your contribution, especially when it comes to scientific understanding.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll do what I can. I¡¯ve been writing some things up already. Shame the perfect memory doesn¡¯t cover life on Earth.¡±


    ¡°That would be too easy,¡± Mother said with a light grin. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you can help anyway. I¡¯ll need it. Hell, I tried to get a computer made for a while, but it didn¡¯t work out. Even though I invited some of the best engineers in the country.¡±


    I scratched my temple, thinking about that. ¡°Build a computer. I think that¡¯s doable. Not that I know how they¡¯re built, but I do know a bit about the concepts. I can at least get people started with some theory, Turing machines and such. Logic gates. I mean, you could build a computer out of switches. But it¡¯s going to need a lot of development, and honestly ¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea to make something like that public.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be very careful. And there¡¯s no hurry. Qi-powered technology works just fine for almost everything.¡±


    That¡¯s an interesting thought. I guess qi-powered magitech just isn¡¯t as detailed. Because you can power it easily and make it accomplish effects without really understanding them, so long as the enchanter is good. And I bet it¡¯s a pain to mass-produce. Not like factory machines could infuse qi into things. But magitech would be available enough that a technological revolution can¡¯t take off.


    I was ripped from my thoughts when Mother snapped her fingers in front of my face. ¡°Earth to Inaris. Well, not Earth. But stop thinking so much.¡±


    I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s considered rude to ignore your mother, you know. Especially when she¡¯s your empress.¡±


    I bowed with a flourish. ¡°Please accept this unworthy one¡¯s most sincere apologies, Your Majesty.¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Now straighten up.¡±


    I did, secretly relieved she took all of this in good humor. Even though I felt like I knew her, I didn¡¯t really, after all.


    ¡°How do people handle this?¡± I blurted out. ¡°In the clan. The whole transmigration. When your loved ones could just come back changed, and you yourself lived two lives.¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer for a long moment. Then she turned around and started manipulating some of the qi around us while she answered. ¡°It differs a lot. Actually, I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t talked to any of them yet. Most seek out each other¡¯s companionship and help. Of course, they remember something of their lives, and thus their loved ones. There¡¯s already a bond, and trust, which probably helps. You¡¯re really unlucky in that regard.¡±


    I watched her in silence for a moment. She spun several threads of light qi at once in an intricate pattern that I could have no hope of matching, interspersed with a few dark threads. Then she started drawing runic characters with threads of light.


    Finally, she sighed and continued. ¡°Many in the clan have their kids basically raised by servants. That way, it doesn¡¯t hurt so much if they¡¯re the unlucky ones who don¡¯t remember much, or if the values of their old lives are too prominent. That wasn¡¯t really an option for me. The children themselves typically aren¡¯t told much for a long time. And before you say anything, Al is an exception.¡±


    I closed my mouth on the question I¡¯d just been about to ask.


    Finally, she finished her work. A screen of light solidified, then split into several ones, hovering at the right level to be easily readable. Pictures started appearing on them, then moving.


    ¡°Wow. You¡¯ve made screens and cameras?¡±


    Mother smiled. ¡°It¡¯s only a technique, I haven¡¯t quite managed to put it into permanent objects. But here, look.¡±


    She focused on what I realized was a viewpoint showing the castle from above. Then she panned it around, zooming out to show me where we stood in relation to the city. After that, she zoomed back in, until the camera¡¯s view passed through a window that glittered with enchantments and into a library tucked away in a tower. There, she sought a heavy leather-bound book. Then the screen flickered for a moment before written pages were displayed on it. Obviously, their content.


    Fascinated, I leaned closer. The pages were obviously hand-written. Actually, there were a variety of languages and alphabets, often accompanied by Common Imperial text.


    ¡°Some of our more sensitive records,¡± Mother explained. Then she snapped her fingers and the screen vanished. The rest of them still hovered around, showing various locations or following people, but I couldn¡¯t get a good look.


    ¡°What would you call a surveillance system using only pinhole cameras without film, Nari?¡±


    ¡°Epic fail.¡±


    Mother laughed at that, longer than I thought it really deserved. ¡°Thanks, I needed that,¡± she finally said. ¡°Some of the ideas brought back by members of our family are, as you can see, a little impractical.¡±


    ¡°I get that. I guess in this world, sufficiently advanced technology is easily distinguishable from magic. One works.¡±


    Mother chuckled again. ¡°I thought you liked technology?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but I love science. It¡¯s true whether or not you believe in it. I just hope magic doesn¡¯t require belief, or I¡¯ll be stuck in an endless feedback loop trying to reason about what I believe in. If that happens, please use a time-machine.¡±


    ¡°How long are you going to crack jokes?¡±


    ¡°A while.¡± I smiled and gestured around. Forcing humor was a good way to deal with sadness. Or pressure, like the threat of probable death for failure. ¡°Any well-known quote or meme from Earth is now an in-joke for us. Maybe that¡¯s what they call memetic mutation. Ours are the quotes.¡±


    Mother groaned. ¡°Just stop.¡± Then she shook her head and smiled. ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re not as bad as Al saying ¡®winter is coming¡¯ out of context. Like on the spring equinox.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Well, I hope you replied with ¡®You know nothing¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if you¡¯re there, from now on I will.¡±

 13: Tests and reactions

    ¡°I knew I¡¯d find you here. You¡¯re predictable, Nari.¡±


    I looked up, frowning in annoyance. Al simply grinned and sauntered further into the room. He let his eyes wander over the bookshelves until they came to rest on the volume laid on the single table that was crammed into the corner of the room.


    This was the first chance I¡¯d had to check out the location and records Mother had mentioned. So far, I wasn¡¯t too impressed. Sure, I could see why they were kept separately with restricted access and qi-based security measures. Some of the ideas and concepts in the records were potentially dangerous. Like the existence of nuclear weapons, penciled in by Mother in neat handwriting. But there wasn¡¯t much that I either didn¡¯t know or couldn¡¯t guess at. Or would agree with, when it came to ideology.


    ¡°Are you supposed to be here?¡± I asked curtly.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not supposed to read anything, but your guards let me in. Are you sure I can¡¯t borrow a few pages?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I searched for my place on my current page and started reading again.


    It had taken me embarrassingly long to realize Mother had shown me her technique on purpose, knowing that I would remember it perfectly. I hadn¡¯t been able to recreate it yet, but I would manage a simpler version with some tinkering. That didn¡¯t mean the records were unimportant, or that I¡¯d let a kid read them.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re grumpy today,¡± Al commented. He leaned over my shoulder, trying to get a peek.


    Sighing, I clapped the book closed and turned around. The enchantments on the books should protect them from being read by anyone unauthorized, but there was no point taking the chance. My gaze flicked around the room. It was pretty small and cramped, but it had a swivel chair that more than made up for the slightly neglected surroundings.


    ¡°Do you have a point, Al?¡±


    He backed off a little and leaned against the nearest bookshelf. ¡°I heard some interesting news. The reason you¡¯re so sociable right now, probably. Although I really don¡¯t get it. Shouldn¡¯t you be happy? You¡¯re a high-level genius!¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°So, tell me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to talk about my recent conversation with Mother, or the way the weight of expectations pressed down on me. He already knew I had to reach the eighth stage quickly. But there was another reason I felt frustrated today.


    I shrugged. ¡°I just came from hours of dealing with a gaggle of scholars Mother sent without telling me. A few were actually from the clan. They didn¡¯t even try to hide that they were testing me. Lots of puzzles like from IQ tests, and endless debates about philosophy and math and logic and even freaking agriculture. But they really only cared about seeing my unique ability.¡± That much was obvious from their reaction.


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    ¡°So, you used qi of another affinity?¡±


    I allowed myself a small grin. ¡°I conjured a little whirlwind that scattered all their papers and instruments around. It took them a while to get it all sorted, and I got them to apologize for wasting the Imperial Princess¡¯ time.¡±


    Al returned my grin. ¡°Shame I couldn¡¯t see that.¡±


    I leaned back and shook my head. ¡°Maybe I am a bad influence.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Besides, there¡¯s going to be a big announcement today. People will be shocked. Bet you¡¯ll like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me about it. I¡¯m not going.¡±


    His eyes widened and he straightened up. ¡°Really? But you can¡¯t just not be there! Does Mother know that?¡±


    I turned away, looking out the window. ¡°I think she understands.¡±


    After a moment, Al sighed. ¡°Fine. But you can¡¯t hide forever, you know.¡±


    ¡°Of course I won¡¯t.¡± Just as long as I reasonably can.


    He left soon after that, and I turned back to my reading. But my heart wasn¡¯t really in it at the moment. So I decided to go back to my room and relax a bit.


    This morning, I¡¯d made a marvelous discovery that I was still kicking myself about not seeing sooner. Namely, showers. There actually was one in my bathroom, a water qi-infused crystal set into the ceiling in a corner. I¡¯d had to create a shield of darkness qi to act as a curtain, but it had really lifted my spirits. Until the scholars got me. At least the maids had left me alone. I¡¯d seen them around, but managed to avoid them. And my cultivation had gone fantastically.


    Somehow, lost in thought, my feet found their way to the family library instead of my room. I ran a hand through my hair and decided I might as well go in. I had some new things to research, after all.


    I glanced at the guards still following me around. With this announcement, I¡¯d become much higher-profile. I¡¯d have liked to demand they leave me alone, but if assassination might be a real threat, that would be stupid. And there was that note, and the possibility of someone intending me harm.


    ¡°Aston, how much danger am I in?¡±


    He cocked his head just slightly. ¡°Danger can never be discounted, but I assure you, Your Highness, your guards are up to the task of protecting you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let me put this another way. How many assassination attempts have there been on me in my life?¡±


    ¡°Six.¡±


    I exhaled and headed into the library. That¡¯s not good news. I guess I¡¯m lucky it¡¯s not higher, but they aren¡¯t likely to stop, are they?


    This made the decision on what to research next clear. With my new ability, I could use pretty much any technique recorded here. At a high cost, sure, but still. And my perfect memory meant I only had to read the instructions once to retain all the information. Hopefully, my ability also meant I wouldn¡¯t need much practice.


    I¡¯ll look at many of them, especially those that can help protect me if I¡¯m in danger, but I won¡¯t need to try them all. Just having some potential options might make the difference.


    So, I made a beeline for technique books, only giving a short glance to the qi-infused information storage, rows of jade slips and crystal. They might be quicker, but I was leery of having information somehow automatically transferred to my mind. From what I¡¯d read, my family agreed, as a general principle. It was harder to keep that information separate. Especially for techniques that you might want to adapt to your specific style, there would be problems.


    So, I opened an interesting-looking book with symbols for air and darkness on the cover. Hopefully, I¡¯d find a technique that let me breath anywhere. Idly, I considered what I¡¯d need next. Physical protection and healing. Communication and stealth I already have or can get with my main affinities. Maybe resistance to the elements.


    My focus sharpened as I noticed the kind of technique I¡¯d been looking for, and I started to immerse myself in the manual.

 14: Way to put pressure on someone

    ¡°Well, this is a little underwhelming.¡± I frowned.


    At first glance, there was nothing wrong with the wall of water standing unsupported in front of me, held upright by magic. I poked it, and except for my finger getting wet, nothing changed. But it had taken me ages to take in the water qi from around the training courtyard and use it to form this wall. And there might not have been a lake nearby, but it had rained earlier, and the air still felt damp, with rivulets of water running down the short walls.


    I cut my connection to the qi, and quickly stepped back to avoid getting splashed as it crashed down.


    ¡°Water is not well suited to defensive arts,¡± Aston replied. He looked as unruffled as always, not a hair out of place even though we¡¯d been up for over twenty-four hours already.


    To be fair, I didn¡¯t feel tired either. That would take some getting used to. Cultivators could use their qi to go without food or sleep for weeks, even longer at his level. Generally, I still tried to keep a healthy routine, eating regularly and sleeping at least a few hours a day.


    I¡¯m not that pressed for time, I told myself again. And familiar activities are comforting. So it¡¯s not a waste.


    And, at least, I hadn¡¯t had any foreboding dreams. I usually remembered my dreams, that hadn¡¯t changed, and they were only as weird as usual.


    I¡¯d been here for more than a week at this point. A week since I¡¯d died on Earth. Any other possibility was getting less and less likely, and I tried not to delude myself. Increasingly, even throwing myself into studying and training couldn¡¯t keep me distracted from dark thoughts. The feeling of unreality that had been wrapped around me like a barrier was breaking down.


    I shook my head to rid myself of these musings and focused back on Aston. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what your affinity is,¡± I told him. He kept his presence veiled, so I had some idea of his strength, but details eluded me.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly suitable for my task, Princess Inaris.¡±


    I snorted. I could just order him to tell me, but that felt petty. Let him be mysterious if he wants, I¡¯ll find out soon enough.


    ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised at your presence,¡± I admitted. ¡°Sixth-stage cultivators aren¡¯t exactly weak or common. Wouldn¡¯t you accomplish more with a different assignment, rather than following me around? I mean, at least here. Mother isn¡¯t going to let an assassin succeed.¡±


    That realization had dampened my uncertainty a lot. I¡¯d researched all of those assassination attempts, and they¡¯d all happened when either I or Mother was away, or she was in secluded cultivation. A light-affinity eighth-stage cultivator just would have seen something like that coming a mile away.


    ¡°With all due respect, I believe you do not realize your importance.¡±


    ¡°Importance? Is that why I need to have crazy progress in cultivation?¡± I folded my arms. ¡°I know I¡¯m the crown princess, but Mother has at least a thousand years in her, and I¡¯m not even at the fourth stage yet. So please, explain.¡±


    Aston regarded me for a moment before he replied. ¡°As you wish. I will be blunt. You are not just an heir to the throne, Your Highness, you¡¯re the heir. You¡¯re a high-level genius, a cultivator with remarkable strength for your age and enormous potential. You¡¯re the only real option. Your siblings are too young and haven¡¯t proven their strength, and their potential doesn¡¯t equal yours.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, way to put pressure on someone, Aston.¡± I sighed. There was enough pressure just from Mother¡¯s deadline. That explains something, at least. I guess I underestimated this situation. ¡°There¡¯s really no one else? What about other scions of the family?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Her Majesty has no other close kin. I believe the closest are second cousins too old to be realistic options.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I remembered what I¡¯d read. ¡°Grandmother had no other children, right?¡±


    He waved his hand. ¡°In fact, she did, but they died long before the war, along with her husband.¡±


    ¡°So she refused to remarry or have other kids.¡± I nodded.


    I¡¯d read about how our dynasty came to power, two hundred years ago. Not long by the standards of this world. The previous one had declined, and when the old Emperor died without a suitable heir, civil war ensued. Before the war, the Leri clan had been a prominent noble family. My grandmother, their head, was a rare late-bloomer in terms of cultivation. She reached the highest stages late, the eighth at the start of the unrest. She was already old, and qi couldn¡¯t reverse or even halt aging, just slow it down.


    ¡°But why didn¡¯t she have other children earlier? Or why change her mind after all?¡±


    ¡°I believe she intended her nephew to succeed her, but he died in the last year of the war. Then his daughter was murdered by poison several decades later.¡±


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    I grimaced. So, eventually, she had a daughter after all. Mother must have been under so much pressure. ¡°And that¡¯s why there aren¡¯t many possible heirs now.¡±


    I paused, frowning. ¡°Didn¡¯t the old Emperor have children?¡±


    ¡°He did.¡± Aston¡¯s face tightened. ¡°Two of them died in childhood. Two of them died to assassins. The intended heir suffered humiliation after losing to a noble scion of a lower stage. He was disgraced, sent into exile and ultimately killed at the start of the war. His successor only reached the sixth stage before her Father¡¯s death. She married into the Wei clan, which dominated at the start of the war, to prop up their pretense to the throne, and was executed afterwards. His other progeny were weak, and joined other clans or were executed.¡±


    I whistled, feeling a cold shiver tracing down my back. No wonder rulers here have several partners, if their children die like flies. ¡°Sounds like Imperial children live dangerously. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. Killing you would destabilize the Empire.¡±


    And that¡¯s why I¡¯m a target, I concluded. For hostile foreign powers, or just nobles who want to weaken the Crown.


    I shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a better way of doing this. I mean, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m unfit, but there¡¯s too many risks in that system. Even if I was a fan of monarchy, that would be concerning.¡±


    Aston frowned a little, obviously put off by my words but trying not to show it. ¡°The system has worked for millennia. In this world, strength and familial bonds are crucial.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t really see that being good for a culture.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you would,¡± he snapped, ¡°if you stopped hiding in your tower and went out into the world.¡±


    I had an angry retort on my lips when Aston paled a bit and dropped to a knee, bowing his head. ¡°Forgive me. That disrespect was deplorable. I have no excuse.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± I gesticulated quickly. ¡°I value honesty. I want you to criticize me. Please, get up.¡±


    I¡¯d sort of gotten used to people bowing and even kneeling, but those were strangers. Seeing that from Aston was extremely awkward.


    Luckily, he stood up again quickly, nodding his head. He still looked shamefaced, not an expression that fit the collected guard captain at all.


    At that moment, a bit of dust was kicked up by the arrival of another powerful presence. I recognized Ling Ta before I turned to meet him.


    ¡°I notice you stopped training, Your Highness. Would you like some advice?¡±


    I smiled at his timely interruption. That had to be intentional. ¡°Actually, I was finished doing techniques. But I did have a question.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is meant by the ¡®peak¡¯ of a particular stage? And do you need to reach it to advance to the next one?¡±


    ¡°It means the highest strength possible for that cultivator within that stage. Improving his cultivation any further without ascending to the next stage is impossible. Except for reaching forward into the next stage with ¡®taking a half-step¡¯ onto it. You do not need to reach it to break through, although most do. And lingering too long is often taken as a sign that someone will advance no further.¡±


    ¡°So, I could break through now.¡±


    Teacher frowned. ¡°Possibly, but I have to advice you that a failed attempt will have grievous consequences.¡±


    I shrugged at that, unimpressed. The last few days, cultivation had felt so easy that progress just happened by itself. I¡¯d done in days what took others months. I knew it was the aftereffects of my soul journey and discovery of my special ability. Most transmigrators got a short boost from the experiences and ¡°enlightenment¡± they brought from their world.


    Maybe it was arrogance, but I felt ready and itching to tackle the breakthrough. Besides, if some of it was the need to submerge myself into deep meditation, to suppress my feelings and clear my head by diving into the qi, no one needed to know. So I sat down in the lotus position and closed my eyes.


    It was hard to get settled at first. The conversation had brought thoughts of my own family, my real family back on Earth. I¡¯d tried to push it down, but now that I was free of distractions, the tension returned. I wonder how they¡¯re doing. Have Mom and Dad held a funeral? I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m buried in the church graveyard anymore. Are they still sorting through my things? Is Felix studying for his exams?


    Taking a deep breath, I tried to quiet those thoughts. They wouldn¡¯t do me any good. Instead, I concentrated on my breath. In, out. In, out.


    Slowly, I expanded my awareness to cover the qi in my surroundings. Distantly, I noted that the others had given me space, but I didn¡¯t let that interrupt my focus. The noon sun shone down brightly, giving me lots of life-giving qi, and the scattered pillars cast shadows to balance it.


    I dove down, deeper, until I could see the qi again the way I had before. Until I could see it layered over everything, a formless mass of potential, different states and different ideas combined into a whole.


    Then I dove down even deeper. I reached until I could see something that might have been a single unit of qi, or maybe just my imagination. Trying to peer any deeper strained my senses, like trying to look at something too far away to make out the details. And from there, I widened my perception, trying not to lose depth.


    Slowly, I started gathering qi into myself. It went quickly, willingly almost, its absorption as natural as breathing without it.


    I circulated my qi, compacting it to make room for more. I infused some into my meridians, some into the structure of my core. At first, I alternated between light and dark, pushing until my core couldn¡¯t take any more.


    Then, I adjusted. I pulled in both light qi and darkness qi, not quite simultaneously, but close enough that I could send them together. I swirled them around and pressed them into my core, into my body.


    Finally, I stopped my circulation, letting all the qi in my meridians flow into my dantian. It strained, and I compacted the qi, squeezing and pressing with all of my willpower. And all the while, I kept breathing, kept taking in new qi.


    I condensed the qi until it made my core crack, then I let it go, exploding through my body again. The violent flow sent stabs of pain through me, but I was too far immersed to care. I just kept cultivating.


    Then I did it again.


    And again and again, until my core was barely held together as one mass, making the process even harder. I couldn¡¯t stop now if I wanted to. So I didn¡¯t. Instead, I pushed all my qi together, drawing in more in great breaths, hammering down on my core.


    Until it expanded, the invisible barrier surrounding it buckling, and it formed anew. I kept cultivating, sending the surge of qi through my meridians, strengthening them, opening new ones and washing out the impurities blocking them, and filling up my core again. And still, I breathed in qi. I cultivated until my expanded core settled.

 15: The worst thing about dying

    When I emerged from my cultivation, the first thing I noticed was the sunlight. It shone just as strong as before, even though I¡¯d dimly noted its passing. The sun stood at the exact same spot it had occupied before.


    Sighing, I shook my arms out and got to my feet. The pain had almost faded, but I still felt strange. My senses were heightened even further, until I could almost smell the scent of the mountains beyond the walls. My hearing could pick up the buzzing of an insect one courtyard over, but when I stopped focusing on it, the sound faded into the background of my awareness. At least there¡¯s no sensory overload. How does this work? But the greatest change came to my sense of qi. It felt far clearer, my range had more than doubled and my sense of the guards¡¯ presence was far more detailed.


    I guess I can cross option two out. No failure here.


    This time, no once came to bother me, so I took a moment to adjust to the changes before I turned around. Slowly, because my thoughts were still hushed from the meditation.


    The courtyard looked the same but subtly different, with some of the guards replaced and a few mats rearranged. Aston stood guard further in, his hands clasped behind his back, his posture stiff enough for a parade.


    I walked over, rolling my shoulders and testing the new lightness of my body. Again, I glanced at the sky. ¡°How long has it been?¡±


    ¡°Only a day. Your Highness was quick.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief, but the feeling was quickly shaken. Looking around, Ling Ta was nowhere to be seen, and neither was anyone but the guards. But Aston still stood the same way, gaze fixed straight ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was insensitive earlier,¡± I began.


    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±


    I shook my head. Well, at least he looked me in the eyes now. ¡°Yes, there is. There probably will be a lot in the future, knowing myself.¡±


    ¡°Beg your pardon?¡±


    I sighed, glancing away. After a while, I forced myself to meet his gaze again. Come on, you know your rules. Self-reflecting and articulation with people close to you. ¡°I¡¯m not a particularly social or empathetic person, Aston. But I like logical thinking, to analyze and debate things. Sometimes, when I¡¯m stressed, I forget that not everyone is okay with treating some things that way.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I smiled wistfully. I needed a good relationship with Aston, but maybe the meditation was still influencing me. ¡°Once, I got halfway into a lecture about why the afterlife is a fabrication to strengthen in-group behavior and ties and rule-adherence before I noticed my little brother was struggling to hold back tears. Apparently, his best friend¡¯s dog had just died.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ see.¡±


    I¡¯d stopped seeing my surroundings in favor gazing into my life, my real life. Now I was the one blinking back tears.


    ¡°Do you know what the worst thing about dying is?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t begin to guess.¡± He took half a step closer, then seemed to think better of it, stilling to listen to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not losing access to the Internet, although honestly that¡¯s a serious contender. It¡¯s not never knowing how my favorite series will end, let alone the lives of people I know. It¡¯s not even never seeing my family again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°I think I could learn to deal with it if I knew they were safe and happy. The problem is that for them, I¡¯m dead.¡±


    Aston did step closer now, laying a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Inaris. I¡¯m sure your family here will come to fill the hole in your heart if you give them time.¡±


    I turned away and rolled my eyes, but I didn¡¯t throw off his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply, and the silence lingered for a second.


    I finally turned my head back again, meeting his gaze. ¡°The thing is that I feel guilty for harming them, making them feel grief. Not to be egotistical, but I¡¯m sure they love me. And it¡¯s not something I can fix.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and finally stepped away from him. Well, talking about it helped. Hopefully. ¡°Let¡¯s just go. I need a hot bath and a warm bed.¡±


    So we started walking. It was only then that I noticed he¡¯d erected a shell of qi around us, probably to keep sound in. I felt a little better as I walked through its dispersing remains, but I didn¡¯t know how to communicate my gratitude.


    The other guards fell in around me. Now that I could focus again, I noticed the usual noise of the fortress around us, people walking on the gravel pathways in the surrounding courtyards. None were close, luckily enough. Maybe they¡¯d marked off the courtyard for my breakthrough.


    Just as I was about to leave, a speck of light dropped from the sky. After a moment, I realized it was a qi construct in the form of a small bird, one that started hovering in front of me. Hesitantly, I reached out my hand. As soon as it reached my fingers, it transformed into a card made of light, black letters standing out sharply. It took me a moment to recognize Mother¡¯s handwriting from the records.


    Congrats, youngling.


    There¡¯s going to be another announcement. This time, you¡¯ll attend.


    I groaned at the bad attempt at humour. Then I groaned at the order.


    ¡°Bad news?¡± Aston asked.


    I flicked my hand to send the construct of light qi over to him and watched him read it. Then I shrugged. ¡°I suppose my closed season is over. At least a bit.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply to that, which was probably the most diplomatic response, considering. I set off, my mood shifted yet again. At least now I have something more tangible to worry about. Progress, yay?


    We started ascending the path to the palace again. The note didn¡¯t specify the time, but I¡¯d venture a guess that it was going to be tonight. Someone would know.


    Aston looked far too pleased about this, even if he tried not to let it show.


    Whatever. I¡¯m still going to have my bath first. Maybe a nap and a nice meal. Then I can worry about this.


    ---


    I¡¯d barely sat down when the noise died and the session of court began.


    Luckily, not the full court. The great hall was, well, great, but I could clearly make out that only half of the positions were filled. That probably made sense, me reaching the fourth stage wasn¡¯t as big news as being a high-level genius, since it simply happened earlier than expected.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The people in the hall were almost all richly dressed and occupied a number of balconies as well as the floor. I knew most were government officials, nobles, sect heads or the like. There were spaces reserved for anyone who wanted to watch, but most of the commoners there I put as rich merchants based on their attire. A few wore plainer clothes. Others might think those were curious people from the city wandering up to take a look, but I¡¯d bet on professional reporters.


    A herald stepped forward on the dais and a gong was struck to signal the start of a proclamation. Mother sat on her throne, a golden monstrosity encrusted with gems, impassively staring ahead. I guess she doesn¡¯t read out her own decrees.


    I didn¡¯t have a good view from where I sat on the dais, to the right of the throne. Mother had the only chair in the room, but I sat on a wide cushion, and it was actually elevated, hovering above the floor, so it didn¡¯t matter much. Aston stood immobile behind me, and my skin tingled from all the qi barriers and unidentifiable things surrounding us.


    While the herald unrolled his elaborate scroll, I turned my attention back to the courtiers. Most veiled their aura, bringing everyone allegedly to the fourth realm. Must be protocol. I could still sense that they were higher level, probably some seventh-stagers among them. Maybe even a few in the eighth stage, if they¡¯re not showing it I probably wouldn¡¯t know.


    The proclamation concerned a new law Mother decreed. I couldn¡¯t follow the details, but it dealt with land ownership, taxes and such. Sounded pretty mundane. By the expressions a few of the nobles sported, they didn¡¯t think it was harmless. To them, at least. But for most, I was pretty sure they only showed polite interest.


    I¡¯d asked a few questions beforehand. Apparently, Mother didn¡¯t do court much. She almost never dispensed justice, there were courts of law for that. Anyone who merited an audience would get one more privately in an audience chamber. Holding court was mostly for holidays and ceremonies, occasional decrees and announcements. I guess she just doesn¡¯t like it. Well, I sympathize.


    Finally, the herald stopped reading and rolled his scroll up again. There was some scattered applause from the throng, but it didn¡¯t last long.


    Then, another herald stepped forward, and started reading from another scroll. This time, it was a list of names and achievements. Citations for exemplary service. One by one, soldiers in shiny, decorated armor stepped forward and knelt to the throne. Then they received colored ribbons that must constitute medals from a gray-beard I vaguely recognized as the highest-ranked general and de facto Minister of War.


    At first, I watched attentively, but after a while they blurred together. I stifled a sigh.


    ¡®Don¡¯t let them see your boredom, Nari.¡¯


    I started, just managing not to look around wildly. The voice had sounded from so close to me it was actually inside my skull. What the hell? Is this telepathy?


    ¡®Concentrate on responding and use your qi.¡¯


    I took a deep breath. Now I¡¯d definitely recognized Mother¡¯s voice, although she sounded weirder than normal. Carefully, I grasped for a trickle of qi and focused on sending a thought in her direction. ¡®Hello world ¡­?¡¯


    ¡®Oh, you¡¯re such a nerd!¡¯ A mental chuckle accompanied the words.


    ¡®This is telepathy? You¡¯re in my mind?¡¯ And all the while, I carefully tried to factor increasingly higher numbers in my thoughts, pushing down my unease.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I can¡¯t read your mind, only what you send back intentionally. Everyone gets some limited telepathy on reaching the seventh stage. Well, for spirits it¡¯s innate, and spirit beasts usually develop it at the same time they gain sentience.¡¯


    I breathed an internal sigh of relief and focused again. Of course I couldn¡¯t be sure she was telling the truth, but what else could I do, keep trying not to think important thoughts forever? I really need to search the library for this. Maybe ask a few people.


    ¡®Why are you telling me this now?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re not the only one getting bored.¡¯


    I managed not to smile. Then I glanced around, but no one seemed to have noticed our exchange. At least they didn¡¯t look at me more than before. Suppressing a sigh, I plucked at my sleeve before making myself stop. I wore a white dress bedecked with pearls and a few gemstones, a little ostentatious but it could be worse. A few servants had styled my hair and applied a bit of make-up, so I actually looked quite good. There¡¯s no reason to feel self-conscious. Besides, half of these people look like they¡¯re trying to literally outshine each other. I¡¯m classy.


    For a while, we continued watching the ceremony together, idly commenting on the visitors. Slowly, that tapered off into a comfortable silence.


    ¡®Actually, I have a question,¡¯ I finally sent, the sight of the nobles reminding me of something. I hesitated a bit, then plunged in. ¡®Who is my father?¡¯


    A moment¡¯s silence, then, ¡®You don¡¯t need a father.¡¯


    I glanced at Mother. She¡¯d turned back to face strictly forward, but I could see the set of her jaw. Her tone had been final, brusque. Obviously, there¡¯d be no further discussion.


    Had I offended her? She¡¯s right, I suppose, I don¡¯t need a father, she¡¯s more than capable of raising kids alone, with servants and everything. But I¡¯d like to know.


    I calmed myself. ¡®Sorry, just asking.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t reply, and we spent a few more minutes watching the award ceremony in silence that had become tense. Finally, it finished, the general stepping back. An expectant hush fell over the room once again.


    The silence deepened even more when Mothers stood from her throne and took a step forward in one graceful movement. I couldn¡¯t see her face clearly because of the bad angle, but I¡¯d guess she smiled, just a bit.


    ¡°The last item on today¡¯s agenda is an Imperial announcement,¡± the herald declared. Then he bowed and backed away.


    Mother let the silence linger for another second before she started talking. ¡°My loyal subjects and dear guests, I am pleased to inform you of another piece of fortune that has come to our family and thus the Empire of the Sky. Again, it concerns my daughter Inaris.¡±


    ¡®This is where you stand up.¡¯


    I did so as lightly as I could, which wasn¡¯t easy since I¡¯d been sitting cross-legged on an elevated surface, and bowed my head to her.


    ¡°My firstborn, the Imperial Princess, heir apparent to the throne, blessed of the Spirits, Lady of Earth and Sky, Princess of Ilamabidu, has again shown her strength and worthiness. As is only natural for a precious high-level genius like her, with the blood of the Imperial dynasty flowing through her veins. She broke through to the fourth stage of cultivation, the blue stage, just a scarce few months after her eighteenth birthday. There is surely no need to expound on how remarkable an achievement that is, so I shall not.¡±


    With that, she sat down again. Then, apparently, the gathered elite realized the announcement was over, and started cheering. They put on a good show, clapping and laughing, and a few even took out glasses of what had to be alcohol seemingly from the air to make toasts.


    The herald stepped forward again, and another gong sound echoed through the hall. ¡°The session is hereby closed. You are welcome to stay and celebrate.¡±


    Well, at least I¡¯d managed to sit down on time. Now, I looked out over the nobles, a little baffled. They didn¡¯t seem surprised, instead mingling and starting to converse. A lot of them still looked at me, and by the intensity of their body language, this was clearly a weighty revelation. Or good gossip.


    I noticed a few of them hesitantly stepping closer. When others started to do the same, they quickened their pace. My heart started sinking. Oh, crap. They¡¯re not coming to congratulate me, are they? Can I make an exit?


    Suddenly, everyone stopped. Mother¡¯s aura had strengthened a bit, and she looked over the gathering with increased presence. ¡°Private congratulations are not needed,¡± she declared. ¡°You may express your admiration here, now.¡±


    I breathed a covert sigh of relief. The nobles stopped talking and turned to face us again. Then, they bowed, like a very quick human wave.


    Or most of them did. A few people remained standing. Some of them just looked at me calmly, a few turned away or even sneered.


    A cold shiver went down my spine, and I tried not to let my reaction show. From what I could discern, Mother¡¯s expression remained serene, but the hand on her armrest whitened.


    Probably just a few malcontents. Or arrogance, maybe. Inaris was a kid, so they haven¡¯t had much of an heir apparent in a while. Maybe some just don¡¯t want to bow to someone younger and weaker than them. I guess it¡¯s a problem either way.


    I exhaled and asked Aston with my eyes if it was okay to go now. He nodded slightly. So I unfolded myself from my seat.


    Well, on the plus side, Mother can¡¯t be much of a tyrant if they¡¯re willing to disrespect her openly. On the so-so side, her power isn¡¯t as absolute as it might seem if they get away with it. And on the minus side ¡­ I¡¯d better look at defenses again.


    Just as I was about to turn away, I paused. Something had been scratching at the corners of my mind for a bit. Frowning, I looked out over the gathered people again. Then, I finally noticed what I¡¯d overlooked.


    Some of them weren¡¯t quite human. They had small animal ears or horns hidden in their hair, a scaly pattern in their hands, or actual crystal eyes. A dozen in total, maybe two. Most of them stood next to humans, but a few probably came alone.


    I could kick myself. Anywhere else, I would¡¯ve actually facepalmed. As it was, I only strode from the room.


    As soon as the doors closed behind us, I whirled on Aston. ¡°Those people! With the horns and stuff! Are those actual non-humans?¡±


    Aston barely raised an eyebrow. ¡°Indeed. It appears they are all quite strong spirit beasts in their human form.¡±


    I grinned, then started walking, already shoving the announcement to the back of my mind. This was huge!


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, I actually need to talk to Mother.¡± I shrugged and decided a quick detour to the library would suffice.


    ¡°Is there something I should be aware of, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Actual non-human intelligences! If the books are right. Why didn¡¯t I realize this before! Aston, this calls for study!¡±

 16: Am I unnerving people?

    I¡¯d been so focused on taking notes that I jumped when someone tapped me on the shoulder. A quick check with my senses for qi showed it was nothing to be alarmed about, so I just brushed them off. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me. Later, we¡¯re almost finished.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce this intrepid young man, Princess?¡± the orange-furred great ape said.


    I blinked and set down my pen. Sighing, I glanced at Al, who¡¯d retreated a few steps. Not that I could really blame him, the great spirit beast was three meters tall and in the equivalent of the sixth stage.


    ¡°Alaster, this is Ho-ri-kr¨®r, the Thousand Lights Ape. Elder, may I introduce Prince Leri Alaster, my little brother, the rascal.¡±


    The two of them bowed to each other, deeply and with solemn faces. Then they exchanged polite greetings that I didn¡¯t pay attention to because I could at least finish my sentence.


    ¡°I hate having incomplete data,¡± I complained to no one in particular. ¡°And we were almost done, too.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for the disturbance, Elder Sister. Uh ¡­ what were you doing?¡±


    ¡°A semi-structured interview,¡± I explained, proudly holding up the two pages of paper I¡¯d used as a reference. ¡°I developed it myself. So far, it¡¯s worked pretty well. Although I might need to make some adjustments, but for now I must keep to the same method, obviously.¡±


    Al glanced around, skepticism written on his face. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been ¡®interviewing¡¯ all these spirit beasts?¡±


    I looked around as well, smiling. We stood in a large courtyard that Mother had graciously provided for my experiments. Some spirit beasts lay around sunning themselves, like a great white cat with blue wings who¡¯d been a little difficult, or a harpy-like woman with ice on her limbs that turned out surprisingly cheerful. Some had transformed into their human forms and wandered off into the palace. Some had just wandered off anyway. I wasn¡¯t worried, though the guards might get a workout.


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t done this with everyone yet,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I have conducted other studies. Well, tests, at least. Not like I can publish a research paper and get peer-reviewed. Or get any meaningful feedback and input, really. But at least there¡¯s some literature on the topic.¡±


    Al looked at the stack of books on the table. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The rest are in my spatial ring.¡± I glanced down at the qi-infused gray ring on my right hand. The runes would have been too small to make out for a normal person. I¡¯d finally taken this ¡®treasure¡¯ from my vault when I realized I needed to prepare for my research.


    ¡°There are a number of things they don¡¯t cover, though,¡± I continued. ¡°They make assumptions, miss things that wouldn¡¯t occur to someone from here. And Cognitive Science isn¡¯t a thing here, sadly. So I just do what I can with simple methods that work without computers.¡±


    Al bent down to pick up a sign. ¡°Why are there colors written on here? And why are they colored wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the Stroop test.¡± I sighed. ¡°That one gave me a lot of grief. Try to say the words'' colors out loud, it¡¯s harder than you¡¯d think. Even if if the letters are in red, if there¡¯s ¡®blue¡¯ written there, your impulse will be to say ¡®blue¡¯. So your executive functions are needed and they¡¯ll probably activate your anterior cingulate cortex, which I can¡¯t measure here ¡­¡± I trailed off and cleared my throat. ¡°Anyway. It¡¯s a test.¡±


    ¡°If this Ho-ri-kr¨®r may ask, Princess Inaris, why did it give you grief? I thought the test was quite interesting and went well.¡±


    I scratched at my cheek. ¡°Well, differences in color perception. Normal animals, at least those who aren¡¯t primates, are actually color-blind. Basically, they can¡¯t see red. That apparently gets adjusted for most spirit beasts, but not all, and when it happens is pretty variable. So it¡¯s been a pain to figure out and my sample might just be too biased anyway.¡±


    Al carefully put the sign down and wiped his hands. ¡°I think I understood most of that. And this is why Mother put out a call for volunteers and spends so many resources? Because you want to conduct strange tests with them?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s for science. Understanding how cognition develops and works, and differences between humans and other sapients, could have so many benefits. Least of all facilitating cross-species understanding.¡±


    Al snorted. ¡°If you say so. I still figured you would have asked for a more useful reward.¡±


    Oh, damn. Is Mother just helping me as a reward for reaching the fourth stage so quickly?


    Al had explained how we got stuff. Overall, we received pretty much the same amount of resources as a scion from a powerful noble family. Anything mundane would just be procured by servants. For more expensive and valuable things, like ¡®medicinal pills¡¯ to help cultivation, there was a sort of budget. Anything really worth it had to be approved by Mother. Basically, it encouraged us to work hard to earn rewards. Actually a good system. I think I¡¯d do the same in her place. You¡¯d want your kids to be provided for and want for nothing, and keep up with others, but at the same time they can¡¯t just have everything handed to them.


    I looked down at my spatial ring again. It was quite high-quality and had been such a reward. I could have gotten some awesome weapon for my recent achievements. Oh, well. This is worth it.


    ¡°This is worth more to me than any trinket,¡± I declared.


    Al nodded. ¡°Well, I can see how the chance to learn from elder spirit beasts is nothing to scoff at.¡±


    I scratched my cheek again, looking back at my notes.


    ¡°Wait. You haven¡¯t asked them about cultivation at all, have you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been preoccupied,¡± I protested weakly. Why didn¡¯t I even think of that? It sounds so self-evident now that he¡¯s mentioned it.


    ¡°We do not share our secrets so easily, young ones,¡± the great ape rumbled. ¡°The agreement was to help scholarly pursuits.¡±


    Al bowed in apology, then he turned back to me. ¡°Anyway, I suggest you take a break.¡±


    I sighed. Honestly, I had been neglecting other concerns too much. ¡°Alright,¡± I said. ¡°It was a pleasure to work with you, Elder. Excuse us.¡±


    Then I stuffed the rest of my things into the spatial ring ¡ª it was really handy ¡­ pun totally intended ¡ª and went with Al.


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    As soon as we left the courtyard, guards trailing behind, my little brother slapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Seriously, Nari, don¡¯t do things like that. Most of the spirit beasts will be gone soon anyway.¡±


    I swatted his hand aside. I¡¯d had a good variety of beasts, both those who gained intelligence as they grew in power and gained enlightenment and a few from races that were naturally intelligent. But none of them was that rare. I¡¯d find new participants.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ve done enough for a first pass,¡± I allowed.


    ¡°People are getting worried, Nari. Ling Ta tried to talk to you a few times, but your guard blocked him. Did you even know that?¡±


    Oh, that¡¯s not good. ¡°I suppose he¡¯s concerned because I¡¯ve been neglecting my cultivation practice?¡±


    Al snorted. ¡°More than neglecting. Have you even starting mastering your domain yet?¡±


    I stopped and held out my hand. With an effort of will, a dark shadow sprinkled with a few stars shot out of it. It rushed forward and spread out until it enveloped a few square meters. It reached out to Al, a dark wave tousling his hair as it parted around him. Then I pulled it back in an instant later.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s not your typical domain. I don¡¯t have the reach or strength of someone with a focused externalized domain, but mine will be really difficult to get rid of. And I can mix darkness and light pretty well. I appreciate the versatility.¡±


    ¡°Like this, everyone will see it coming a mile away, and it takes you too long to establish it.¡± Al shrugged. ¡°But I guess it is a nice one.¡±


    We started walking again. Instead of talking, I was busy mentally reviewing what I¡¯d learned and what I¡¯d need to do now. It was really about time to put some more practice in regarding cultivation and sparring, and I¡¯d neglected my self-made study plan, too. I still needed to learn more about this world. Honestly, I¡¯ve gotten a little side-tracked. I need to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen again. I can''t afford to lose momentum with my cultivation. I guess I need to be more aware of the planning fallacy, too.


    Soon, we reached the main building complex. The paths sported more people, and the hallways after the entrance even more so. All of them made way and bowed to us. But the looks sent my way had changed. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what they expressed. But it probably has something to do with the powerful spirit beasts running around in the castle, duh. They must be wondering what I¡¯m up to.


    ¡°Word of what you¡¯ve been doing has leaked, Elder Sister,¡± Al commented quietly. ¡°People have been ¡­ bewildered.¡±


    ¡°Oh, am I unnerving people? Sorry.¡± I hunched my shoulders a little.


    He gave me an unimpressed look. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to Mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I held up a hand at his look. ¡°Not that I object, but why did she send you instead of someone else? Or just a message?¡±


    ¡°I went on my own. And I know she wants to talk to you.¡±


    Well, maybe he was a good choice to pull me away from my work. A bit underhanded, trying to guilt-trip me for not seeing my brother. Not like I have room to complain, though.


    The rest of the way, we walked in silence. I could tell Al was nervous. He walked quickly but without the usual bounce in his step, and his fingers toyed with his sleeves. Occasionally, he would glance at the people we passed and return their greetings with a nod, but not all of them.


    I wasn¡¯t any better. So far, Mother hadn¡¯t taken me to task yet, but I had a feeling I was in for a reprimand. Maybe she¡¯d take away her help with the spirit beasts or order me to focus on my cultivation. Maybe she¡¯d even command me to start participating in politics, attending meetings or visiting the government departments. While I knew that would be reasonable, I didn¡¯t want to.


    After a few minutes, Alaster stopped in front of a door. He¡¯d led me to the central part of the palace, where tapestries and statues adorned the hallways and even the doors bore gold leaf decorations. Aston and two other guards took up station beside it.


    Before we could knock, Mother¡¯s voice called from behind the door, ¡°Inaris, come in. Alaster, I¡¯ll overlook you skipping out on your lessons this time, but get back to them now.¡±


    Alaster took a step back, grimacing. ¡°Fine. Good luck, Nari.¡± With that, he turned and hurried away.


    I opened the door without knocking and entered. The room beyond appeared to be a meeting room, dominated by a big table with several chairs. A few shelves and desks lined the walls, but no bodyguards this time. At the head of the table sat Mother, and beside her another woman in dark gray robes with a slightly lined face.


    When I entered, I bowed deeply to Mother. She didn¡¯t react, but the other woman greeted me by kowtowing on the plush carpet. The whole time, her serene expression didn¡¯t change. I guessed she was in the fifth or sixth stage, but couldn¡¯t tell for sure due to her skill in veiling her aura.


    ¡°Take a seat, Inaris,¡± Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, now that you¡¯ve shown your face again.¡±


    I pulled out a chair. ¡°Hello, Mother. I¡¯m sorry if I was too reclusive.¡±


    ¡°This is the head of my personal intelligence service, Leri Kariva.¡± Mother gestured to the woman with one hand. ¡°You should make sure to maintain a good relationship.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. I knew the Empire had an official intelligence service mostly attached to the foreign office. The Empress¡¯ personal agents must be more focused on the palace and the nobles.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance again, Luminous Princess,¡± the spymaster ¡ª or spymistress? That sounds stupid ¡ª greeted me in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Likewise, I¡¯m pleased to meet you, Cousin Kariva,¡± I replied. Since I didn¡¯t know what world she would be from, it would be safer to stick to this world¡¯s etiquette. ¡°I¡¯m sure we will work together well.¡± I scrutinized her quickly. On Earth, I¡¯d put her in her forties, but here, she had to be at least two hundred. I¡¯ll need to pay close attention to her. She might be the key to investigating the old note. Or a threat.


    ¡°Thank you, my lady. I will endeavor to be of use.¡±


    We eyed each other for a while longer before Mother broke the tension by clearing her throat.


    ¡°I hope you at least gained something.¡±


    ¡°A lot. Spirit beasts are fascinating. Their cognition is remarkably similar to humans¡¯, but there are differences, and their development really makes me wonder. There¡¯s a lot more to be discovered, and I can¡¯t wait to study them further ¡­¡±


    Mother raised a hand to stop me. ¡°Inaris. We have to talk about your mad scientist tendencies.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Okay. Just don¡¯t expect me to make you superweapons. If I¡¯m a mad scientist, then I¡¯m still a scientist, not a mad engineer. Real science doesn¡¯t need to build things.¡±


    Mother grinned. ¡°Such a shame. There went my hidden agenda.¡±


    We shared a laugh, but quickly sobered up. Kariva¡¯s face was a mask, but I wondered if she was surprised to hear our banter. I¡¯d be surprised if Mother let loose often.


    ¡°Anyway, Inaris,¡± Mother continued, fixing me with a hard stare. ¡°I¡¯m serious about this. You¡¯re a princess, not a researcher.¡±


    I nod in resignation. ¡°I know. Let me guess, you think I¡¯ve been neglecting my cultivation.¡±


    ¡°No. I think you¡¯ve been hiding,¡± Mother corrected, tapping her hand on the table. ¡°There¡¯s only so much you can learn from books. You need to see the world and experience the culture, not shut yourself away in the library.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°You have a point. I know books aren¡¯t everything. But I don¡¯t feel ready to really step into the old Inaris¡¯ shoes, in the eyes of the world. I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m really her or not.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯d better change that quickly. I¡¯m tired of waiting for you to grow a sense of adventure.¡±


    Uh oh. That doesn¡¯t sound good. ¡°I¡¯ll start going out into the city and attending a few gatherings.¡±


    Mother snorted and motioned to her agent, who tossed a folder onto the table.


    I leaned forward. A few sheafs of paper held together with a rough binding. The title was written in blocky script. ¡°The Carmine Cloud Sect? What is this, a parody?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that a more cold-water approach is needed.¡±


    My heart sank. ¡°You¡¯re sending me to a sect? How does that even work? I mean, I¡¯m the Imperial Princess! What if I embarrass myself, and you?¡±


    Mother smirked. ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t attempt to find out. And I¡¯m perfectly aware of your status. You¡¯ll be protected, and the sect will make special allowances. This is a perfect opportunity to introduce you to the world and culture in a somewhat controlled environment, while also teaching you about cultivation.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Why can¡¯t I just go on a tour of the Empire instead?¡±


    ¡°Enough whining. It¡¯s decided.¡± Mother shrugged. ¡°If you want, you can go on a tour later, but you need a challenge.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you heartless tyrant,¡± I muttered under my breath, aware that she could hear me.


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing it, Nari.¡± Mother¡¯s tone hardened. ¡°Now, pay attention. Kariva and I have carefully considered which sect to put you in.¡±


    Kariva cleared her throat and started her report. I opened the folder and browsed the information contained within while I listened. This had really come out of left field, but I forced myself to pay attention to her description of the sect and what they would do.


    I hoped this wouldn¡¯t take long. Still, a part of my was excited to see my first sect.

 17: Kowtows and commoners

    It was time to go, but first I had to pry away the little girl clinging to me. I tried to be gentle, conscious of the stares on us. The outside of one of the palace¡¯s side entrances didn¡¯t burst with people, but guards crowded it, as well as a few people who had come to see me off. Meaning my siblings.


    ¡°Be safe out there, Big Sister,¡± the eight-year-old said, looking up at me with wide eyes that would melt anyone¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Of course I will, don¡¯t worry.¡± I patted her head again. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Xiaodan.¡± I hope.


    She gave me a nod, but she didn¡¯t look convinced. I suppressed a sigh at the situation. At this rate, the poor girl¡¯s going to have abandonment issues.


    With that, I turned to Alaster. Before he could try to evade, I caught him in a hug. ¡°Take care of yourself, Al.¡±


    ¡°You too, sister.¡± When we let go, there was no hint of mischief in his expression for once.


    Finally, I squared my shoulders and set off, not looking back at the palace. A small procession formed around me. There hadn¡¯t been a big announcement, and we were using side paths, but the guards all looked immaculate, walking in formation with their uniforms in order.


    From the palace, we headed for an extension that lay at an angle to it roughly in the direction of the city. An enclosed space with a dock that extended into the river and rows of cranes and warehouses filled one side. Set apart a little, there was a large open yard, lined with more warehouses, stables and even stone-paved courtyards inscribed with runic formations. The guards led me to this side.


    I looked around at the people bustling about. This had to be the palace¡¯s main transport hub, with goods and people coming in from all over the Empire. I stared at the airships, some grounded and others bobbing on anchors, all of them in creative shapes and shining with qi. Then a roar directed my gaze to the closest stable, where huge spirit beasts munched on some sort of hay.


    ¡°Aston, why don¡¯t people just use spatial items?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°Those are expensive, Your Highness, at least those with any capacity. Besides, one would still need to transport them. Spirit beasts can carry a lot of weight and fly themselves.¡±


    That made sense. Plus, there was probably an industry of transporting people, too, and living things didn¡¯t do well with spatial magic, from what I¡¯d heard.


    Our conversation ended when we reached my transport. It was an airship, built out of wood that blazed with qi, and decorated with many carvings, gold inlay, and colorful fabrics. I¡¯d seen pictures of traditional models, back when the Empire of the Sky was still mostly famous for its tamed flying beasts and air travel. This looked retro, I supposed.


    I¡¯d already taken a few steps when I paused and looked back. Of the guards going into the airship and waiting on me, only half sported familiar faces, all of them in the fifth realm. Strangers that were at least as strong accompanied them. Aston hadn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°I apologize, Princess Inaris,¡± he said when I turned back, and bowed. ¡°I will not be accompanying you, as I have been sent on another assignment.¡±


    For a moment, I just stared at him. ¡°But why not?¡±


    ¡°It is not my place to question Her Majesty¡¯s orders, but I assure you she has good reasons. Rest assured, my place will be taken by a cultivator better suited to the task.¡±


    I frowned. The way he said that gave me a suspicion. ¡°That other cultivator is more powerful than you, then? So, is this an issue of rank?¡± I guess it would be awkward if he remained in command while a higher-ranking soldier joined the team, but they couldn¡¯t very well downgrade him.


    Aston smiled a little. ¡°As always, you mind proves sharp, Your Highness. I wish you good luck.¡± With that, he got on one knee, giving me a formal salute. Then he stood and left.


    Sighing, I entered the airship, looking for a good place amid the luxury. I couldn¡¯t muster much excitement for the journey. The lack of all familiar people only heightened my anxiousness.


    I spent most of the trip on the top deck, looking out through a large window at the landscape, and thinking. They¡¯d barely given me enough time to pack, and I felt unbalanced by the sudden change.


    I hadn¡¯t even gotten laid in the time I¡¯d spent at the palace. I snorted at myself. That was one thing I had intended to do.


    But I had more important concerns. Like the fact I¡¯d have to contend against disciples who¡¯d spent all their life learning to fight. Even a single loss to someone who wasn¡¯t stronger than me could damage my reputation, and that of the Imperial family. Mother had really set me a challenge.


    The airship made good time, and soon we were passing from the plains bisected by the river into hills that quickly grew steeper. I would¡¯ve expected the sect to have its seat in the mountains of the Imperial homelands ¡ª it was an old one, like most air and sky focused ones ¡ª but apparently, they¡¯d moved at some point, a few hundred kilometers to the edge of the central plains.


    Finally, the airship lost altitude. I leaned forward and squinted through the window. We headed down next to a big stone enclosure, near a path that led to a settlement further down. Beyond the wall, I could see the tops of forested mountains, though they weren¡¯t big enough to sport glaciers or rocky peaks. But there were a few colorful tents set up near the entrance in a grid, with uniformed people bustling around. I could make out the Imperial phoenix and the Leri dynasty¡¯s colors, silver and blue.


    When I came down to the open ground floor of the airship, I paused. A group of people in uniforms (that still looked like cultivator¡¯s robes) waited for me. They were all powerful. A few other guards converged on my back and sides.


    I stepped forward carefully, evaluating the soldiers. One of them stood in front of the rest, a woman that looked younger than most of them, with black hair and a sharp face. Her aura was banked, but not hidden, and I¡¯d guess she had reached the beginning of the seventh stage.


    When I came to a halt in front of them, she dropped to her knees, then the floor, performing a formal kowtow. The rest copied her.


    ¡°Please rise,¡± I hurried to say.


    They stood gracefully. ¡°Your Highness, Imperial Princess,¡± the woman greeted me. ¡°This San Hashar has been entrusted with ensuring your protection among the Carmine Cloud Sect. With these soldiers, no assassin or other threat will come near you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, San Hashar,¡± I replied. Should I address her with a military rank? But which one? ¡°Let¡¯s discuss things while we walk.¡±


    It felt weird being guarded by people other than Aston and his team, although a few of my old guards remained. I noticed Kei Weriga and Lirta Ven, a man and woman in the late fifth stage. At least I¡¯d learned all of my regular guards¡¯ names. I should probably do the same with the new ones.


    San Hashar explained their arrangements while we walked up to the sect¡¯s compound. Apparently, they¡¯d supplement the sect¡¯s normal security measures with guards patrolling on the outside as well as some watching me on the inside. Those would probably not follow me around, but they were high level enough that they¡¯d be able to detect any threat and arrive in a matter of moments to deal with it. If I understood her correctly, she also implied that they¡¯d keep themselves hidden for the most part, which was just as well.


    Throughout the explanation, my new minder remained stiff and formal. I couldn¡¯t help but think she resented being sent to babysit me, being in the seventh stage and all, and covered it with politeness. She probably has a point. Does Mother have a reason to use an entire elite unit for guarding me, beyond the usual?


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The sect¡¯s gates stood open and led us onto a wide path lined with artfully curated bushes. It soon terminated at a cluster of buildings. There were a number of carriages parked close to the path, and I could see a small crowd of people. Nervously, I smoothed down my robe. I still wore the one I¡¯d conducted my research in, but it was enchanted for self-cleaning and self-repair, so I didn¡¯t feel too shabby. I never thought I¡¯d actually want school uniforms, but in this setting they¡¯d be helpful.


    It didn¡¯t take long until we were noticed. Well, the soldiers didn¡¯t make for an inconspicuous entrance. But before we even came close to the central building, probably an administrative center, my eyes were drawn to a man flying in above. He wore blue and white robes, had a topknot and felt like the sixth stage. I didn¡¯t even feel an impact in the ground when he touched down in front of us.


    ¡°Your Highness, I bid you welcome to the Carmine Cloud Sect.¡± He bowed. ¡°I am Elder Zun. It is my responsibility to see our new arrivals settled in. Of course, the Imperial Princess will not need to be processed like a normal disciple.¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, honored elder. I would not want to impose on the elder and the sect on my first day. I intend to join the group and let you return to your duties.¡±


    The elder looked at me for a moment, before he bowed lightly again. ¡°As you wish, then.¡± With a swirl of air, he was off again.


    I started walking, then paused after a few steps. ¡°San Hashar, I believe it is best I proceed alone now.¡±


    The soldier quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Are you quite sure, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± My tone was firm. ¡°I do not need soldiers babysitting my every step. I am quite capable of handling myself against new disciples if it comes to that. Besides, it¡¯s not as if you could not be at my side in less than a second if need be.¡±


    For a moment, our gazes held, then she bowed her head with a slight smile curling her lips. A moment later, her presence was gone. I exhaled and continued walking. Did I just earn a bit of respect?


    Still, I couldn¡¯t just join the group of new disciples. Some of them had seen the soldiers escorting me, and their gazes would have been enough to clue the rest in that something was off. As I approached, the people in my way, both disciples and assorted servants or whoever had brought them here, made way for me. It took a moment until I realized the looks were probably due to my strength. I hadn¡¯t tried to hide my cultivation, and being at the fourth stage at such an age would make me stand out anyway. From the looks of it, most new disciples were in their late teens, and I could barely pass for twenty given my appearance.


    Trying not to frown, I pulled my aura in a little. Not enough to truly hide it, since I didn¡¯t want to deceive anyone, but a casual observer shouldn¡¯t be able to tell now.


    The elder made his appearance and led the group off a little way from the central building. While we gathered around, I still stood a little apart from the others. Some were already huddled in groups.


    The elder proceeded to welcome everyone to the sect. I paid attention with one ear, but I¡¯d heard better speeches from high school presentations. His was long-winded and flowery, packed full of references to various heroes I didn¡¯t recognize, and he didn¡¯t engage his audience at all. I stifled a yawn towards the end.


    After a while of poetically heaping praises on the sect, the Elder finally passed out some goodies. Apparently, one was a jade slip containing the sect¡¯s foundational art, the other a crystal drop housing a small storage space that included a few pills and mundane goods. I inspected mine closely. About half a cubic meter of space. My own storage ring contained fifty cubic meters, in the form of a five by five by two meter room. I may have underestimated its worth.


    ¡°Now, follow me,¡± he commanded, and we shuffled off again.


    I made my way through the group until I was closer to the front, glancing around. Everyone eyed each other warily. This brought back memories of the first day at a new school, except that strong and bloody competition would be expected. Yeah, this is going to be worse than your typical high school. Most of them were dark-haired, I spotted only one fellow blond in the crowd of thirty or so. Their clothing varied, although most of it was clean and decorated, with people even wearing jewelry. A few kids looked a bit rough around the edges, though, maybe the obligatory commoner scholarship students.


    The path quickly took us to a cluster of houses. Unlike the medieval Chinese dwellings I¡¯d expected, these looked more like modern apartment blocks, if those had highly symmetrical hedge and flower gardens around them.


    ¡°This is the domicile of new Outer Disciples,¡± the elder said. ¡°For the first four months, you will be bound to stay there. You will take care of your own accommodation. Get settled in now. The first lesson starts at dawn.¡± With a dramatic swirl of his robes, the elder turned and flickered away.


    Well, then. I cycled a bit of qi into my legs and dodged around people so I¡¯d be one of the first ones through the door. I assumed we¡¯d fight each other for better rooms. I could challenge someone, but I¡¯d rather just pick my spot in peace, and hope they would back off.


    There were only two floors in this building. Judging from the quality and spacing of the doors, the rooms got better the farther in the other direction you went. I hurried up the stairs at that side to find the pattern continued. At the end of the room, there was a bit of space before five doors with more ornate frames and carved handles dominated the hallway. When I focused on my qi senses, I could make out a hidden stairwell behind the wall off to one side. The stairs contained slight traces of qi that were probably only visible to students you¡¯d consider very perceptive. At least, from what I could sense, only one of the prestigious suites was claimed already.


    Really, I¡¯d prefer to just take a room somewhere in the middle and ignore the whole thing. But my slight taste of anonymity couldn¡¯t last long, and as the princess, I needed to keep ¡®face¡¯. Oh well, not like I object to having a nicer place. So I opened the door in the middle and inspected my new domicile. A small suite with an attached bathroom and a set apart space for cultivation or training. It was furnished with a nice but not particularly special bed, divan, desk, and chairs. If it wasn¡¯t for the mob outside, I¡¯d probably feel more at home here than in my luxurious, servant-infested rooms at the palace.


    I sat on the mat they¡¯d laid on the floor and started a light meditation, trying to calm my nerves. The qi flowing around the place was at least good, since the afternoon sun shone through the large window and the secluded niche threw some deep shadows. Slowly, I settled.


    Until I became aware of the hostile presence approaching. My eyes flew open, and I stood and opened the door just in time. My eyes flickered over the group, assessing their threat. One teenage boy in my face, a few other people lingering behind him. Nothing too worrying.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I inquired, slowly lifting an eyebrow and not bothering to hide my inspection.


    The teenager scowled. His pants and shirt were dark, of a simple cut, and I could see where someone had mended a few holes. His hair couldn¡¯t have seen a comb in days. He was good looking, if you liked teenage boys. By his aura, I¡¯d guess somewhere in the early to middle third stage. Considering he couldn¡¯t be older than nineteen, that was actually impressive.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come for your room,¡± he declared. ¡°Be a good little lady and hand it over, unless you think you can take me.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you seriously trying to challenge me?¡±


    ¡°Nobles,¡± he spat. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to learn some humility, sparkles. Here, people don¡¯t have to bow to your fancy looks.¡±


    I shrugged, trying to hide the way my heart started racing at the prospect of a fight. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Not being an idiot, I¡¯d started drawing in qi as soon as I saw him. Now, I released it, a spear of shadow forming in my hand to strike at the boy. He dodged to the side, creating some distance.


    Immediately, he fell into a fighting stance. The next second, a rock came flying at me. I conjured some shadow armor to absorb the hit, gritting my teeth at the impact. I needed to limit my strength to the third stage, because people would be watching and know of my strength later. I had to show that I could beat him fairly even if I didn¡¯t need to. At least both of us were careful of the surroundings.


    The next attack was quickly followed by the boy himself, fist flying. This time, it was my turn to dodge. I spun away and slashed at his side with a dagger of darkness, but a cloak of fire ignited around him and repelled the attack.


    The next instant, I formed a spike of shadow under him. The boy jumped to clear it. I was already there to meet his landing, a flash igniting in my hand. Just at the moment of impact, he faltered for a moment. I took advantage, throwing him to the ground with a well placed foot and push.


    He threw dust into my face, but I closed my eyes and powered through, letting the shadows in the corridor lengthen into chains to hold him down. He burned them off, but it gave me enough time to pin him down, enveloping his fire with more darkness. Then I summoned a dagger from my ring and leveled it at his face, crushing another rock in my left hand before he could finish it.


    ¡°Do I need to start drawing blood?¡± I asked.


    He turned his face away. ¡°I yield.¡±


    I stood and backed away, giving him space to stand up. He was probably untrained, even the little bit of martial arts I remembered from Earth or learned in Ling Ta¡¯s sessions a match for his experience. I felt a bit of tension flowing out of me at the realization that the old Inaris¡¯ reflexes still gave me an advantage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me again,¡± I warned him. Then I paused before continuing, ¡°and I¡¯d advice you to choose your opponents better. Even if you don¡¯t know who I am, I¡¯m clearly stronger than you.¡±


    He gave me another glare before taking off with his entourage. Shrugging, I went back into my room and resumed my meditative pose.


    So. A spunky commoner. In most stories, I¡¯d probably end up recruiting him, but screw that. He challenged a fourth-stager who didn¡¯t really hide it, probably just for being a noble. He¡¯s an idiot. I hate idiots.


    But I had a feeling the rest of the disciples were going to be more of a challenge.

 18: Sect life, take 1

    It was uncomfortable suddenly being alone. Reminded me too much of my transmigration, the last time I¡¯d entered a new environment by myself. And I¡¯d just started to establish rapport with my new family and associates. This time, I knew I¡¯d see them again, but I wouldn¡¯t meet people that I subconsciously knew already.


    As a consequence, I slept badly, tossing and turning for most of the night.


    In the morning, the new Outer Disciples of the sect gathered outside, plus myself, who wasn¡¯t really one, but whatever. I wore an even more ¡®sparkly¡¯ robe, blue and embroidered with a few pearls and decorated with gold thread. It wasn¡¯t quite the most richly decorated clothing I could see, but that was fine. I¡¯d rather come off as ¡®lofty and refined¡¯ than ¡®gaudy¡¯. I¡¯d also omitted make-up, because screw that. My necklace and rings were all qi-imbued talismans.


    When the sun rose halfway across the horizon, the elder showed up. He led us to a large open courtyard not far away. Along the way, we passed other disciples going about their business, sending curious glances at the newcomers. There were a number of building complexes spread over the area, interspersed with landscaping, gardens, and training areas. A few looked like workshops for various crafts.


    When the elder stopped, I found myself again at the edge of the pack. Everyone gave me enough space I would have stood out in the crowd even without the rich clothing or barely veiled presence of someone in the fourth stage. Most of them were in the second. Various other people lingered farther away, watching. Some of them had to be elders. Is it arrogance to think they¡¯re here for me?


    ¡°Today, your new lives begin, disciples,¡± Elder Zun proclaimed. ¡°From this day on, this sect will be your home, your master, and your life. The Carmine Cloud Sect will raise you to share in its greatness and legendary tradition. You are truly fortunate to have been granted this chance.¡±


    He paused and the disciples began polite cheering. I just crossed my arms and waited. A few others, like the boy from yesterday, didn¡¯t react either.


    ¡°However, your group is especially fortunate to join us this year, disciples,¡± he continued. Uh oh. ¡°At this time, we are graced by the presence of a particularly honored guest.¡±


    A few people looked to me, and I mentally marked them as quick on the uptake.


    ¡°The Carmine Cloud Sect is proud to host Her Highness, Luminous Princess Leri Inaris, blessed of the spirits, Lady of Earth and Sky, heir of our beloved Empress, Her Majesty Leri Acura. Not only is she a high-level genius, a heaven-sent talent few ever receive, but she has ascended to the blue stage. At the age of eighteen, that makes her one of the youngest people in recorded history to attain this stage, as even the youngest was only seventeen.¡± With a flourish, he gestured to me and bowed deeply.


    The other disciples backed away even further now, most of them bowing or performing other signs of obeisance. I hid a sigh and kept my expression serene.


    It didn¡¯t look like I could avoid it, so I stepped forward until I faced the group of disciples. I inclined my head in a half-bow towards the elder. ¡°Thank you for the welcome, Elder Zun. I am glad to be here,¡± I lied. ¡°This great sect will surely teach me many things.¡±


    I paused and let my eyes sweep over the disciples. I needed to establish some ground rules if I didn¡¯t want to end up like a lady in some of the stories I¡¯d read. ¡°I expect you all not to let my presence affect you and the usual proceedings of the sect too much. I am not looking for lackeys, and unasked for gifts or attempts at ingratiation will only earn my disapproval. That is all.¡±


    I stepped back, my face set in a cold mask. None of the disciples met my gaze now, and they¡¯d all backed away a bit further.


    Crap, maybe that came off too strongly. I¡¯m supposed to be a sheltered girl¡­ No one here should know about my soul journey. I¡¯d read that soul journeys constituted a family secret which few others were privy to, except for a number of rumors floating around. I needed to act like an eighteen-year-old. Granted, I wasn¡¯t much older, mentally, but I couldn¡¯t help but think of the new disciples as kids.


    The Elder looked a little disconcerted, but he rallied quickly. ¡°Of course, Princess Inaris, none of our disciples would think of bothering you unduly. Now, let¡¯s continue ¡­¡±


    I kept listening as he explained a few proceedings. This time, the elder actually transmitted information without much elaboration. We were told how to get to important locations and given the most important rules of the sect. Then he talked about the lesson plan. Basic lessons were provided to every disciple, more advanced ones had to be earned. There would be a tournament at the end of the year. Good luck getting me to attend that. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be back at the palace by then. If not, I¡¯ll just vanish for the week.


    ¡°Cultivation is the art of refining oneself to the peak of one¡¯s potential,¡± the Elder concluded. ¡°Whether that¡¯s at the orange or blue stage or reaching the black. Having been welcomed into our sect, you can be assured that your potential is high, but you will also be expected to live up to it. We do not tolerate apathy. Remember that.¡±


    It took me a moment to parse his references. There were many ways to refer to cultivation stages, although my family preferred to just use the numbers. The black stage was the eighth, the real peak of cultivation, that few people ever achieved.


    While I ambled away from the courtyard, I couldn¡¯t help a shiver as I reflected on his words. Everyone expected me to reach the eighth stage, even without taking into account Mother¡¯s deadline. If I didn¡¯t, if I didn¡¯t grow into a proper heir, I¡¯d fail my clan, maybe the Empire. So what if my talent would be noted in the history books? I¡¯d be either a failure, most likely a dead one, or a ruler ¡ª no wonder everyone treated me as a special case.


    I shook my head to rid myself of the angst and focused on the question of what to do now. The first few lessons were basic introductions to cultivation that I didn¡¯t need. But a few others interested me, especially the crafts I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to before. Pill refining and formation arrays. Might as well go check them out.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A few minutes later, I found myself at a combination workshop and library dedicated to formations. It looked nice. Here, I could settle down for a bit, go through the books and watch other disciples in action. It looked like there were impromptu lessons from senior disciples or elders sometimes. So I found a seat, grabbed a primer, and started studying.


    It made sense, and yet didn¡¯t. More than once, I wandered over to the work area for a closer look at how things looked in action. Most of it seemed to be etching runes into objects. The news about my identity must have spread, because no one objected to me looking over their shoulder. Actually, I had a sneaking suspicion they failed more often than usual.


    ¡°This should work, Your Highness!¡± The disciple I was watching wrung his hands. ¡°A simple qi gathering array never fails under excessive input, it just stops gathering.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s that scratch there,¡± I suggested, pointing to one rune. Pretty sure that shouldn¡¯t be here. ¡°Looks like that might even turn the rune from a ¡®do this if¡¯ to a hard break, since it looks like a ¡®false¡¯.¡±


    The disciple, a boy of maybe twenty with soot stains on his robe, dapped at his forehead with his sleeve and bowed to me. ¡°Thank you. What an embarrassing mistake.¡±


    ¡°Happens to everyone.¡± I gave him a smile and returned to my chair, going over what I¡¯d seen.


    This was like programming, just worse. There were thousands of runes. I¡¯d made a good start on learning the most important ones. When I could memorize them just by reading the table, that was easy. Thank you, genius memory. You spoil me too much. This is such a cheat.


    So far, I hadn¡¯t found much of a theoretical framework behind their arts. Certainly nothing approaching treatments on computability or complexity. Although they knew some concepts. I¡¯d found runes that were analogues of elementary logical operators like ¡®and¡¯ or ¡®or¡¯. They even had some simple loops in the more complex formations I¡¯d found in the books. Basic ¡®do this five times¡¯ stuff. So far, I hadn¡¯t found anything I recognized as recursion or even real functions, though.


    I closed my last book and leaned back in my chair, stretching a bit. This is probably a good thing. I have stuff to work with, but I also have a decided advantage with my knowledge from Earth. Knowledge I can use, if I work at it a bit. With my unique ability, I can treat this as a hobby and still make significant use of it. Hey, maybe Mother is going to get that computer after all.


    Well, I still needed to figure out the magical part. Infusing qi into formation arrays, both stationary and inscribed on artifacts, was a skill that had to be learned like any other. Even if it was designed to be powered by ambient qi, the set-up could be tricky. And I¡¯d always been better with theory than working with my hands. From the tidbits I¡¯d gotten, I¡¯d probably be better off not even looking at alchemy. For now.


    So, I scrounged up some wooden plates, paints and brushes for my first attempt. At least the sect had a store of common and beginner¡¯s materials and gear, so I didn¡¯t have to rob anyone. Apparently, they were supposed to be loaned out based on ranking or something, but no one stopped me. I settled down on a table at the far side and tried my hand at formations for the first time.


    An hour later, I held up my second attempt, scrutinizing it. Well, the good news is I¡¯m more dexterous in this body. Not that that¡¯s saying much. But my special ability has trouble with physical stuff, I think.


    Carefully, I fed some light qi into the formation, watching as it burned up. In this case, that was a good thing. The wood burned so hotly the center of the flame turned blue, and it was gone within a few minutes. This kind of thing would be good for alchemy, providing a consistent heat source. Discount Bunsen burner, pretty much. Maybe I¡¯m starting too many fires. I¡¯d try gravity adjustments, but those aren¡¯t beginner formations.


    I set my tools down and cracked my neck. When I looked around, all the disciples in the room hurriedly busied themselves with whatever they were doing before. I snorted. As if I wasn¡¯t aware of their whispers. A part of me wanted someone brave enough to just approach me. But then, that would probably be some arrogant young master. At least I was used to being on my own.


    A glance out the window showed the sun beginning to set, so I rose and tidied up my space. I should check out some of the sparring or combat training options, or at least cultivate a bit.


    When I stepped outside the building, I was surprised by the emptiness of the surroundings. Well, the sect did cover a big area, and most of the people I¡¯d seen before must have been loitering to watch the new meat. My memory meant I wouldn¡¯t have a problem finding my way around, at least. I set off. I didn¡¯t retrace my steps, but decided to try and cut straight through to the dormitories, exploring a little more of the sect in the process. It went pretty well. I ended up in a small village of sorts, little houses crowded together. They had to house the older disciples. It was almost empty, except for a group of girls in front of me.


    I slowed down a bit. I was walking in a side street since I¡¯d arrived at an angle, and it was narrow enough they blocked the way. That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, except they hadn¡¯t seen me yet. And the scene was telling, a group of three girls crowding another one. The probable victim carried a bag with a few books peaking out, and was trying to pick up tools that littered the ground. As I watched, one of the aggressors took a step closer, stepping almost on top of a qi-infused brush.


    For a moment, I hesitated. This had nothing to do with me, they were too focused to notice my presence, and I didn¡¯t want to make enemies I didn¡¯t even know. But I quickly squashed my hesitation and moved on. The girl was almost certainly a victim of bullying, and the ethical choice obvious.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    The girls started. All of them were in the third stage, and wore the gray armbands of outer disciples. They turned to face me.


    ¡°You¡¯re blocking the way,¡± I said mildly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pack up this obvious accident so we can all go about our business? I applaud your generosity in helping your sect sister, but this is a bit of a crowd.¡±


    The three girls, all of them with more enchantments on their persons than their victim, didn¡¯t look happy. I doubted they recognized me. But they couldn¡¯t really contradict a ¡®senior¡¯ of a higher stage, so they helped gather up the spilled tools. It took less than a minute.


    ¡°Great,¡± I said with all the cheer I could muster. ¡°Would you walk with me for a bit, junior disciple? That has the look of an old tome, and I¡¯m quite curious about spatial enchantments.¡±


    The girl I¡¯d just rescued, or hoped I had, scurried past her bullies and joined me as I walked on. She was a little homely, but her clothes didn¡¯t look cheap, despite her relative lack of talismans. Probably a lower noble or wealthy merchant¡¯s daughter. I might have thought she¡¯d cheer up, but she looked terrified, didn¡¯t even glance at me. It seemed I¡¯d been made.


    ¡°Of course, uh ¡­¡±


    ¡°Where did you find those books, junior?¡± I asked.


    ¡°In the library, honored senior,¡± she replied, obviously latching on to the cue I¡¯d handed her. ¡°I was granted access to the third floor of the common hall.¡±


    ¡°I see. And they cover teleportation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, honored senior. Translocation of objects along short distances only.¡± She still didn¡¯t look at me, but her jaw was clenched and the words came out stiffly.


    I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t keep you. Good luck with your pursuits.¡±


    ¡°And to you, honored senior.¡±


    We¡¯d just reached the edge of the housing area, and parted ways here. She gave me a bow before hurrying away at a sharp angle. Shrugging, I decided to continue towards my own room. This was a good reminder not to expect gratitude just because you ¡®saved¡¯ someone from bullies. But I¡¯d met the demands of my excuse for a conscience, so I didn¡¯t really care.


    I needed to cultivate. Maybe it was time to focus on my darkness-affinity arts and increase my sneakiness. I liked having the element of surprise.

 Bonus 1: Stages of cultivation

    In case you¡¯ve forgotten, future self, this is the first time I make a collection of notes like this. Having perfect memory doesn¡¯t mean I have perfect organization. It¡¯s helpful to write things up like this, at least. I hope you keep this up. But you probably think I¡¯m an idiot. I certainly often consider my past selves to be idiots.


    Anyway, about cultivation.


    It¡¯s pretty standard from most of the stories I¡¯ve read. There¡¯s qi in the world, you pull it in, store it in your dantian and move it through your body¡¯s meridians. You can release it through them to form techniques. There are many affinities, and I haven¡¯t figured out how they form, but no one has.


    Most people I¡¯ve talked to number the stages, but there are many different ways to refer to them. Including a standardized color scheme, translated the Imperial Cultivation Stage Indicator System (ICSI, I guess. Acronyms, I haven¡¯t missed you.) Pretty sure there¡¯s a pun, but I haven¡¯t figured out what.


    Stages are sub-divided into early, middle and late parts. Peak is the end of late. I don¡¯t know why they have a different name for it. Half-step means between two stages. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s common. And seriously, what¡¯s up with their naming? You take a step onto a stage? Ugh. At least they¡¯re generally called stages and not ¡°realms¡±. Although I¡¯ve read that term too. Really, it¡¯s a stage of cultivation, why so pretentious? Okay, back on topic now.


    The first stage, <u>green</u>, is the foundation. The qi basically makes you a little stronger and healthier than you¡¯d otherwise be. No real techniques yet. This is when you form your core, at the transition to the second stage.


    Interesting sidenote: It appears to be possible to cultivate further without a core than is commonly done. Apparently, their ancestors did. Makes me wonder how they developed dantians and the usual cultivation methods. Maybe I can study coreless cultivation at some point.


    The second or <u>yellow</u> stage has a newly-formed core. Most people reach this stage sooner or later, even if they don¡¯t focus on cultivation. They¡¯re at the peak of what normal humans could achieve physically, a match for Olympic-level athletes. They also know some magic tricks. Since everyone can use qi, almost all technology relies on it, the user expending a bit of their qi to operate it. That¡¯s obviously easier for the second stage than the first. Plus, they have slightly increased lifespans and general health.


    The third stage (<u>orange</u>) is when I¡¯d consider someone to be an actual mage. Supernatural strength and speed, qi techniques, the works. They¡¯ve stabilized their cores.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    In this world, people don¡¯t really cultivate their bodies separately, it goes along with the rest of the cultivation. Some focus on it more than others. But everyone pushes qi into their bodies to enhance them, especially during breakthroughs. Ergo supernatural capabilities and senses. Even more if they actually cycle qi into the respective extremities or organs.


    Fourth stage, or <u>blue</u>, is when you get your ¡°domain¡±. That can take different forms. Some internalize it and basically strengthen their bodies further, your typical melee types. Some focus more on ranged attacks. The domain gets strengthened in later stages, but the basic characteristics don¡¯t change.


    Fifth stage, <u>purple</u>, is pretty transitionary from what I can tell. There might be more to it, though I haven¡¯t found much. But while everyone knows you get your domain at the fourth stage, specialties of the later stages aren¡¯t common knowledge. Stupid world and their hoarding of ¡®secret knowledge¡¯.  No wonder most of the science I¡¯ve read comes from the clan¡¯s transmigrators. They need a good enlightenment. Well, it¡¯s on my to-do list. Somewhere.


    Sixth stage, <u>cyan</u>. These people are real powerhouses. Their physical abilities jump up a lot, as well as their qi quantity. They¡¯re a country¡¯s elites, and this is when anyone really starts to have political influence.


    The seventh stage is <u>red</u>. Apparently, they get a boost to their mental strength or something. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more to it, but information is hard to find. Against normals or low-level cultivators, these people can vanquish armies on their own. If you can recruit them. Most sect heads, important nobles and the like are here.


    The eighth, the <u>black</u> stage. The best of the best. They¡¯re basically weapons of mass destruction, and rarely seen on the battlefield. They¡¯re just too destructive. If two or more of them fight, the surrounding areas have good chances of turning into a wasteland. I wonder if there¡¯s an equivalent to the concept of ¡®mutually assured destruction¡¯ in this world. They aren¡¯t easy to control, either, since they have a ton of status and usually influence. Their lifespan stretches into the thousands.


    In the Empire, there are less than a hundred registered eighth stagers. That¡¯s not just one in a million, but considerably less. Daunting, really. I guess it¡¯s some consolation that high-level geniuses are almost as rare, and there¡¯s a lot of overlap.


    The <u>white</u> stage(?): I¡¯ve only gotten some hints. Not even sure if it actually exists, or is just a metaphor. If it does, I gather this is ¡°ascended to another plane of existence¡± territory. I really need to learn more! If there¡¯s a way to gain immortality, I need to at least get close enough to evaluate if I want to take it. But I guess I need to be patient. I¡¯ll ask Mother when I have a good opportunity. If anyone can tell me something substantial, it¡¯s her.


    Well, that¡¯s it. Something I keep wondering: how much does this systematization follow the course of cultivation and how much does that conception build it? Are there different paths, different steps to reach the same or similar power levels? For example, do people only build a core in the first transition and get their domain in the fourth stage because that¡¯s how they¡¯re taught? I can look at foreign cultivation methods, and will, but that¡¯s not conclusive, since they might be closely related. Well, I suppose I have more practical concerns to worry about. Next, history.

 19: How to lose

    The disciple emerged from the ball of water, coughing and sputtering. Mud streamed from his chin and clumped in his hair. A moment later, Elder Zun¡¯s qi flared and a sudden gust of heat turned the water into vapor. The losing disciple collected himself and bowed to his opponent. The older girl returned his gesture before she resumed her place in the crowd of disciples ringing the sparring circle. The loser followed a moment later.


    I regarded the mud, impressed at his creativity for trying to trap air in a clay construct to avoid being drowned. The water¡¯s pressure had been too high, though, despite its small volume. Well, making water apply pressure had to be easy.


    While the Elder praised the victor, I ruminated on the way qi of different affinities played into and made techniques. There were both conceptual and physical factors. After all, how else would you even get a ¡®nature¡¯ type, or commonly use light to bolster people¡¯s morale? That was hardly an inherent property of the thing. It was probably due to some ¡®collective subconscious¡¯, but also the actor¡¯s own beliefs. Understanding how your affinity worked correlated with your power, and constituted a big part of why ¡°enlightenment¡± was such a big deal. That was why I¡¯d advanced so quickly ¡ª a lifetime¡¯s worth of knowledge and conceptions about light, darkness and natural laws in general.


    The elder clapping his hands broke my train of thought. ¡°On to the next spar. Inner disciple Han against disciple Leri.¡±


    The ambient volume plummeted. I ignored the stares and stepped forward until I stood just inside the border of stones marking out the sparring circle. At the same time, I started cycling, pushing light qi into a diffuse aura around me, preparing to activate one of my best techniques. Light¡¯s Speed. One Mother had created, while the old Inaris had adapted it into a version I¡¯d further improved. A simple buff to your speed. Natives might be surprised, but what could be faster than light? I¡¯d been tinkering with other things, but I wouldn¡¯t reveal my trump cards, especially since they weren¡¯t even ready.


    My opponent stepped into the ring as well. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, but could be older, and had the strength of someone in the middle of the fourth stage. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll beat him, but at least he¡¯s stronger than me by enough that losing shouldn¡¯t damage my reputation if I put up a good fight.


    Over the last few days, I¡¯d participated a bit and managed to hold my own against two people at my level, although I wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d given it their all. But the serious look on Han¡¯s face and the way he gathered his Earth-affinity qi let me know I wouldn¡¯t get any freebies here. We bowed to each other.


    The elder nodded at us. ¡°Begin!¡±


    I took off. A moment later, a boulder crashed into the ground where I¡¯d been standing. From my opponent¡¯s expression, he hadn¡¯t expected my speed, and he tried to reorient himself.


    I took the chance to dart in and throw a few jabs. The first took him in the shoulder, but he barely moved back, and the rest failed against a covering of brown qi he¡¯d raised. He tried to retaliate, and I backed away, narrowly dodging a qi-enhanced kick.


    All of this went so quickly a normal human wouldn¡¯t have been able to distinguish our movements. I circled around the ring. It was quite large, but not enough to let us really cut loose. While I had the speed advantage, his defenses were strong.


    I dodged around the ring for a bit more, trying to get a feel for his movements. Like in previous spars, I planned to let my body worry about the actual moves and concentrate on the strategy. It meant I fought half on autopilot all the time, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. I only had a yellow belt in a single martial art on Earth.


    After half a second of this dance, the Earth rumbled. I jumped, my enhanced qi carrying me all the way to the center of the ring. Behind me, I could feel chasms opening and pillars shooting out. I dodged a strike and tried to retaliate with one of my own, but he moved and it glanced uselessly off his flank.


    I turned his shadow into chains to buy me some time while I disengaged. I might be able to wear him down, but he had more qi than me. My dantian contained mostly light qi presently, so I couldn¡¯t use many darkness techniques. But I had to do more than dodge around the ring until I exhausted myself, if I wanted to keep up my image.


    Another covering of earth qi grew on my opponent and he destroyed my chains, gathering more qi for another attack.


    I cycled more qi, pushing it out and forming it into loose balls of light. While I dodged another throw, I made darkness snap around myself, letting my presence vanish into its concealment. I couldn¡¯t hide my qi signature completely, but I tamped it down until it was the strength of the decoys, who I¡¯d set to flitting around the ring. They were little more than light qi with the vague shape of a girl, but I copied their movements, hiding among them.


    One of them approached him from behind, gathering speed. My opponent jumped aside just in time and I let it curve back around at the same time another one attacked. I couldn¡¯t keep this up for long, my core was already half empty, but he¡¯d spent a lot, too. For every illusion that attacked, he had to assume it contained a full attack and guard against it.


    So I sent two of them at him and watched as he raised an earthen wall around himself, obscuring him from my sight. I pulled back the attacks a little, spinning them to come from different angles.


    The wall exploded. I tried to evade, but clumps of stone smashed into my constructs, the qi contained in them disrupting their structure.


    At the same time, my opponent reappeared. I sensed his presence a split-second before he charged out of the cloud of dirt. I tried to dodge, but I hadn¡¯t kept up my speed buff. An Earthen wall slammed out of the ground in front of me, and I only just managed to vault it.


    The wall shot up. Just as I was flying over it, it hit me. I tried to correct my trajectory, but the air offered no purchase. The disciple came to a halt at the edge of the ring just as I slammed into the ground, a meter outside.


    I shook my head and levered myself up. The impact hadn¡¯t hurt more than jumping onto a mat, but I had to flick a few strands of hair out of my eyes.


    Silence had overtaken the courtyard. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the tension in the spectators¡¯ postures. But I wasted no time in turning toward the victor and offering a bow. It wasn¡¯t excessively deep, but on the level of the one I¡¯d give the elder.


    ¡°Thank you for your valuable pointers, senior Han. That was a good fight, and a clever finishing move.¡±


    Everyone seemed to release their pent-up breath at once. The disciple bowed back right away. ¡°It was my honor.¡±


    I smiled again, just to demonstrate I wasn¡¯t upset. No one needed to fear a grudge that would ruin their career. Good thing I know how to lose. Hopefully, that makes it clear I expect them to fight seriously. I need to learn.


    The elder recaptured their attention, and I moved off to watch the rest of the fights. No one came within three meters of me, but I¡¯d gotten used to that. The fights made up for it. I usually sparred against older disciples, many of them inner disciples, because of my stage. These people all had fighting experience and it showed. While there was little in the way of more clever tricks, the fluidity and finesse of their techniques matched their brutal efficiency. Some of the fights devolved into beatdowns at the end, and the elder even had to call off someone. The disciple had beaten his rival even after it became clear he¡¯d fallen unconscious, and I¡¯d bet there were some internal injuries in addition to all the broken bones. A healer moved in and carried the loser off.


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    After the fights, most stayed in the area to train on their own, but I didn¡¯t linger. I didn¡¯t want people watching my fumblings, and didn¡¯t have a partner to train with. So I walked away, trying to decide where to go. The library beckoned, or I could do some formations training, or even explore the sect a little more.


    Soon, the other disciples walked off to their own destinations, and I found myself alone on a path winding between a small grove of trees and a pond further up the hill, with a good view of the sect. I paused to watch it.


    After a moment, I spoke. ¡°San Hashar, can you hear me?¡±


    A slight rustle answered, and when I turned around, I found the soldier standing beside the trees. She cupped her hands. ¡°You called for me, Princess?¡±


    Well, that answers that. I shrugged. ¡°How are things going? Any problems?¡±


    ¡°Nothing serious. The elders are not pleased with our security measures, but they don¡¯t object too strongly. We¡¯ve had no perimeter breaches or suspicious activity outside. None of the disciples seem to pose any threat.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to know how they assessed threat. ¡°Good.¡± Then I paused as a thought struck me. ¡°Actually, since you¡¯re here. What did you think about my fight?¡±


    ¡°It was a valiant struggle, Your Highness.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Which I lost. Seriously. Be brutally honest, please.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow and paused for a moment before speaking. ¡°I saw that you expected not to win. That was your first mistake.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. But I was outmatched, wasn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Knowing your limits and estimating your chances realistically is important. But a fighter still needs confidence. Without trust in yourself and determination to prove it right, how will you fight at your full potential?¡±


    I nodded, knowing she had a point. ¡°Fair. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Your lack of experience hampers you. While your tactic may have been clever, it could not have worked. Your opponent was in the middle part of the fourth stage, with senses superior to yours. Your effort at hiding was doomed to fail.¡±


    I rubbed my temple. ¡°So he played along enough to let me think it had worked until he countered. That¡¯s embarrassing. Thank you for your analysis, San Hashar.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Is there anything else you require, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Do you anticipate any trouble going forward? How about if I leave the sect?¡±


    She cocked her head a little. ¡°Nothing specifically, though we are wary. The town has been cleared, so it should be safe enough with a reasonable contingent of guards. I would advise against going into the wilderness, as its beasts can be unpredictable.¡±


    I blinked. Of course. The nearby town, Pekasa. I didn¡¯t even think about that. ¡°Disciples go to the town regularly, right?¡±


    ¡°Occasionally, though only those who have reached the third stage are permitted to leave, and they are not allowed to stay outside the sect longer than a day.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Not a problem. I¡¯ll be going to the town now. Make whatever preparations you need, but I¡¯d prefer to go alone.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± San Hashar bowed, then vanished again.


    I fed a bit of qi into my spatial ring, taking out a few things to check that I had everything I might need before putting them back inside. Then I took off for the sect¡¯s gates at a fast pace, arriving a minute later.


    The guards, two disciples in a small hut beside the main gate, politely questioned me on my destination and reminded me of the time limit, but let me through without a problem. I started walking, taking a look at the sky to gauge the weather. A few clouds, but otherwise nice. The sun would start setting in about an hour, so I could spend a nice evening in town.


    The path reminded me a bit of roman roads. It cut in a straight line through meadows and the forest¡¯s outskirts. The town wasn¡¯t far, and even without pushing myself, I could be there in ten minutes. But first, I looked for a nice spot on the way to refill my qi a bit.


    Soon, I was sitting on a hill beside the road, letting the sun warm my face. Birds sung in the trees, their melodies alien yet able to relax me a bit. I sank into meditation, cycling qi. Behind me, an outcropping of boulders threw deep shadows, and I pulled in some of the darkness gathering there, too.


    Something disturbed me, a prickle against my senses that broke through my meditation. I opened my eyes and tried to pinpoint its source, but I couldn¡¯t find anything. My qi was restless, my mind on alert, but there was nothing to grab on to. I channeled qi into my eyes, ears and even my nose, trying to chase it down. The birdsong and occasional rustle of leaves sharpened, but all the noises belonged here. I smelled the forest, the road and a few animals, nothing suspicious. My sight sharpened and I stood up and swept my gaze over my surroundings. Nothing had changed from before, had it?


    There. I caught it in the corner of my eyes. When I tried to focus, I saw a blur floating over the sky, towards the horizon. I couldn¡¯t make out any details, didn¡¯t even know if it was a physical object or if I was just seeing qi. A few moments later, it grew too distant to make out.


    I remained alert for a bit, but nothing happened. The prickle didn¡¯t come back. Since I hadn¡¯t heard from the guards, it was probably nothing important, maybe just a strong beast flying over us. I considered calling for them, but I didn¡¯t want to appear spooked by nothing. And if it was a serious concern, they probably needed to focus without me distracting them, anyway.


    Still, I picked up the pace a bit as I continued on my way to the Pekasa. I could already see the town, and with a bit of qi strengthening my legs the walls soon loomed over me. They were several meters tall, built of stone that appeared coated in qi, with two gates set into them that I could see. The stone was very smooth and regular, like concrete, although the actual bastion and gates looked like those of a medieval city or castle wall. I could even see the spikes of a portcullis and downward-facing holes to pour liquids through, what were they called again? It all brought back memories of the castles I¡¯d visited on Earth, but I shook those thoughts off.


    The gates stood open, and while a few third-stage cultivators in uniform guarded them, they let me through without hassle. I slowed down and entered the town, trying to take in everything.


    My first impression said this was an utter mess. The houses stood mostly two or three stories tall, and looked like someone tried to cross half-timbered houses with concrete, and put sloped roofs and oriental decorations on top. The streets were cobblestone and wide enough for the crowd, but still a bit cramped. Lots of different colors assaulted my eyes, everything decorated with bright fabrics and shiny crystals or stones. I needed a moment to adjust to the clamor of a settlement after days in relative peace and quiet. At least the smell wasn¡¯t worse than in any modern town.


    I cut through the crowd easily, as everyone moved out of my way. The looks started to bother me, so I ducked into a side alley at the first opportunity, put up a dark screen and changed to some less fancy clothing I¡¯d stored in my ring. The pants, shirt and jacket were still of good quality, but not enough to mark me as a noble. I also clamped down on my aura and dampened my qi to that of someone in the third stage.


    With the new getup, I could breathe easier. People still didn¡¯t shove or crowd me, but few spared me a second glance. So I wandered through the town, trying to take everything in.


    Except for some superficial differences, it was pretty mundane. People went about their business, visited or operated stores, ate in open-air restaurants, or strolled through the small park. I guessed the place had at most twenty thousand inhabitants, a village or small town any way you looked at it. I listened to some conversations that revolved around what to buy or who was seen with whom. Even if they could carry sacks of produce around one-handed, people were still people. Most of those I saw where in the first three stages, only the occasional town guard might be in the late part of the third stage or higher.


    Wait, that one seemed familiar. Wasn¡¯t that Commoner Boy from the sect? But I only caught a glimpse of him as he went down a darkish alley. I¡¯d just go the other way.


    All in all, I spent a pleasant if boring evening in town, wandering through the streets and taking in the sights. I bought a flatbread sandwich from a street vendor and enjoyed it on the go. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything since I arrived at the sect, so it was a nice change.


    Streetlights had completely replaced natural lighting by now, and I should probably head back. I took a look around at where I¡¯d ended up in. Clearly the seedier part of town. Most of the establishments around me let out light, music and the buzz of conversation. The music might be a little boring, mostly flutes and string instruments with simple melodies, but I¡¯d still missed it.


    The next corner over, two women in very thin dresses looked down from a balcony. When they noticed my gaze, they smiled and leaned forward, sticking out their chests. I snorted and turned away. I wasn¡¯t that hard up.


    Although ¡­ I really would like to get laid, and this is the first real opportunity I¡¯ve had. I gazed around again, settling on one bar with more upbeat music and an inviting atmosphere, where I could see qi signatures pulsating. There are my guards, but they wouldn¡¯t spy on private moments, would they? I hesitated, then shook my head. No, I think they¡¯ll respect my privacy. Besides, guards will be around a long time. I¡¯m not going to let their presence dictate my life. So I headed for the bar.

 20: Little light

    When I stepped out onto the street, the sun was just peeking over the rooftops. I stretched a little and glanced back at the bar plus motel before I started walking.


    I¡¯d never picked someone up for casual sex before, but this had been ridiculously easy. Must be my ¡®exotic good looks¡¯. Within minutes of entering the building, a handsome cultivator had offered to buy me a drink, and things progressed from there. Although I¡¯d heard people were generally more restrained in these matters, there were always exceptions, and I must have picked the right establishment.


    Now, the town seemed bright and cheery. I felt a little sore, but in a good way. That had to be my imagination, though, considering my qi-enhanced body. Although apparently the old Inaris was a virgin. Well, glad that¡¯s over with. I shook my head at myself. Not like I have room to judge, it¡¯s still earlier than last time.


    But the memories of home sobered me up, and I quickened my pace. I wanted to be back at the sect. Now that I¡¯d released some lingering frustration, I could get back to work with a clear head.


    The town displayed the same bustle despite the early hour, and I had to limit my speed not to run people over. No one seemed bothered by close calls, though, probably because I showed the presence of a third-stage cultivator. I stopped by another street vendor to exchange a few bronze coins for breakfast, this time bread with fruits and nuts baked in, and walked on. I¡¯d considered going shopping, but there was nothing I really needed from here. Besides, the money I¡¯d been given was a hefty sum but not unlimited, and I might want to buy some powerful artifact someday.


    The gate stood open still, and as soon as I walked through it I sped up again. It was only then I noticed that I hadn¡¯t changed back to my fancier clothing. Oh, well. Maybe I can change behind a tree or sneak into the sect. I walked quickly, but the morning sunshine and slight breeze was nice enough I decided to enjoy it for a bit, so I didn¡¯t run.


    I was ambling along beside the edge of the forest, thinking about my plans for introducing new technology, when I experienced a prickle of unease. I stopped, looking around. This felt similar to the incident yesterday. I channeled qi into my senses again, straining my eyes to see if I could make out any disturbances. But nothing stood out to me. Meanwhile, the prickle was getting stronger, as if something brushed over my qi. I couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    I hadn¡¯t felt anything like this before. What could it be? Maybe someone¡¯s scrying me. Or searching for me, or something. Could this be related to the old Inaris'' questions?


    Slowly, I moved back until I reached the cover of the trees. Was it my imagination, or did the forest¡¯s noise seem muted? I tried to calm my heartbeat and concentrate on my senses. Wait, is that qi? Squinting into the distance, I saw a blur that could be a construct moving quickly, if my eyes weren¡¯t playing tricks on me. After a moment, I lost it.


    Glancing around, I said quietly, ¡°Guards, if you¡¯re there, tell me if you sense anything suspicious.¡±


    No answer came. Maybe I¡¯d been too quiet, or San Hashar was away and her underlings didn¡¯t have her senses. Maybe they were only watching me and I¡¯d broken their line of sight.


    The prickling feeling hadn¡¯t abated, although it felt more like static electricity now. I suppressed the urge to flinch. It grew to a peak, then as suddenly as it had come, the sensation abated. After a few seconds, only my anxiety remained.


    I took a deep breath and cautiously moved a few steps forward, still hugging the tree-line. My muscles loosened up after a few moments, and I felt my tension ease. Time to get back to the sect, maybe do some research into magical surveillance.


    After a moment, I paused, something tugging at my attention. Isn¡¯t it still too quiet? I breathed in deeply, and could feel a hint more moisture than there had been previously. Now that I looked around, a faint mist started to seep in, covering the trees and extending onto the road.


    I frowned, taking a few cautious steps. This didn¡¯t feel threatening, not like the other sensation. But I could feel something in my qi if I concentrated on it. A presence?


    The qi signature moved around until it approached me from the direction I¡¯d been going, just inside the wood¡¯s edge. It coalesced until I could make out the outline of a person. Even after a few moments, it remained a blurry shape, but I could sense a clear presence in the qi. It felt different from everyone I¡¯d ever met, even the spirit beasts, but faintly familiar at the same time. Something in my subconscious recognized its kind.


    ¡°A spirit?¡± I asked.


    A hiss like laughter answered me. ¡®Yes yes, little one, I am that I am.¡¯


    I relaxed a bit and straightened up. I couldn¡¯t get a good read on the spirit¡¯s level of power, but I guessed it would be around the fifth stage, not that things worked the same way as for humans.


    ¡®Little light, little light, going to your burrow, out of your hearth.¡¯ It started circling around me, a bubbling sound accompanying it. More mist surrounded us, infused with qi, dampening my sensation of the outside world.


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    I still didn¡¯t feel threatened. If it wanted to harm me, it could do a lot more than that. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, I suppose?¡±


    Another hiss, but this one didn¡¯t sound amused. ¡®Not so, not a good way. Light of the night sky, your sun¡¯s away.¡¯


    I blinked. My Mother was called ¡®Sun of the Empire¡¯ as one of her titles. Didn¡¯t someone call me ¡®night sky of the Empire¡¯? But that wasn¡¯t serious. Maybe it¡¯s a common nickname for the heir.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alone. Why?¡±


    ¡®Little light, hidden find. Be wary, don¡¯t shine too brightly, or you¡¯ll burn the flames.¡¯


    That was a little clearer. ¡°Is that a warning? You¡¯re warning me of something?¡±


    ¡®Yes yes yes. Unease here, bad potential, be wary. Threat reaches, lingers in the space, in home, threat against you.¡¯


    I nodded and resolved to heed its words. ¡°Thank you for the warning. I¡¯ll try to be careful.¡± I hesitated. ¡°Why did you go out of your way to warn me, though?¡±


    The spirit laughed again, lighter this time, like a chuckle. ¡®You are you, little hidden light. I am that I am.¡¯ It bounced, then swirled a little quicker. ¡®And this is home. People here, part of home, shelter, protection, order, comfort. Don¡¯t like order, but people, home.¡¯


    ¡°I suppose.¡± If I parsed that correctly, this was because the spirit was bound to the local area. This land had been in the Empire for millennia. Its people thought of it as their home, their pillar of stability. Maybe so much this had settled into the land on a deeper level, reflected in its qi or at least the spirits living here. As the heir apparent to the Empire, it stood to reason that I was connected to it on a conceptual level. Well, magic is weird and a little scary. And wasn¡¯t there some actual religious stuff linked to the Empress?


    The figure stopped and cocked its head for a moment, before it restarted its spirals. ¡®Gone now, hidden threat, given a pause, I think.¡¯ It came a little closer until I could feel its mantle of qi brushing over my skin. ¡®Farewell, little light, little part.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want it to go, but it wouldn¡¯t be wise to pester a strong spirit with questions. So I bowed to it. ¡°Goodbye, and thank you for the conversation.¡±


    Then the spirit swirled around, growing more distant. It took off into the forest, the mist receding slowly.


    I watched it go for a moment, before curiosity overcame me and I started following it. I walked at the edge of the forest, just inside the tree-line, trying to trace the spirit¡¯s path. I couldn¡¯t see it anymore, but I could still sense its qi. And by the way it slowed down and danced around, I had the sneaking suspicion that it was playing with me. I resisted the temptation to move deeper into the forest, though, always staying just at the edge of the road.


    Finally, it stopped, and just as I debated slowing down, another presence came at me. I jerked back on reflex, sliding behind a tree and veiling my qi. But the other person decelerated as it came closer, deviating from its path.


    I strained my senses. This one felt familiar. A cultivator in the third stage, probably a young male. The rustle of coarse fabric, an earthy yet faintly burned smell. Frowning, I peeked from my cover, watching as a boy emerged from the trees. The one who¡¯d tried to challenge me for my room. What¡¯s he doing here?


    ¡°Is someone there?¡± he called. ¡°Show yourself at once!¡± He held up his fist, which was now wreathed in flames.


    Well, there was nothing for it. I stepped from behind my tree, careful to come from the direction of the road, but still kept my aura locked tightly enough he shouldn¡¯t be able to get much from it. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He lowered his hand, although its fire didn¡¯t go out, and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I would ask you that. Who are you, and why do you sneak around here?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t even remember who beat you? Put that out, or you¡¯ll need to face the consequences of threatening me.¡± That wasn¡¯t just arrogance, I had a feeling the guards wouldn¡¯t take kindly to him.


    The flames died. I could see his wide eyes flicker from my clothing to my face and back. After a moment, he dropped to one knee and bowed, although it looked awkward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Uh, Princess. I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡± I took a step closer. ¡°You may rise. What was your name, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Lorn Rhis.¡±


    ¡°Well, Lorn, I¡¯m Leri Inaris, but I hope you know that. Again, what were you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was just returning to the sect from an excursion, er, Your Highness.¡±


    I frowned. Was it a coincidence that I stumbled on him just after that strange feeling and the encounter with the spirit? Or had the spirit really led me to him? Maybe it was just playing a joke on me, but there might be more to it.


    ¡°And where did you come from? What did you do?¡±


    He shifted his weight a little, not looking me in the eyes. ¡°Nothing important. Certainly nothing you would concern yourself with.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really.¡± My tone was flat. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I visited the sect¡¯s tenants, alright? The villagers were having trouble with some beasts from higher up the forest, and I scared them away.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t expected that. I glanced in the direction the village lay, although I couldn¡¯t see it from here. I knew it existed, since it was mentioned in the briefing Kariva gave me, but I¡¯d had no reason to care about it. Still, my curiosity was roused now. It might be good to check out how these people lived, and their relationship to the sect.


    ¡°Alright. Why don¡¯t you take me to the village?¡±


    He started. ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°I want you to take me to the village,¡± I repeated slowly. ¡°Is there an issue with that?¡±


    He ducked his head. ¡°No, of course not.¡±


    With obvious reluctance, he turned around and started walking, glancing back to me. I sped up until I walked beside him, but with a comfortable distance. I didn¡¯t know what he was afraid I¡¯d do in the village, but it was clear he didn¡¯t like nobles, and to be fair, he was probably wise to be cautious. So I didn¡¯t let it bother me.


    After a few meters, we reached a path winding through the trees at an angle from the road. It was a simple dirt path, not wide enough for most vehicles, but I felt better not to be walking through the undergrowth.


    As we started following it, I looked up. ¡°Checking in. Are you still with me?¡±


    A moment later, a bit of the sky darkened, and I saw a figure looking down at me. Kei Weriga, one of the Imperial Guard from the palace. After a moment, he flickered and vanished again. I ignored Lorn¡¯s look. But seeing the guard did make me feel better.


    Not that I was concerned about the boy, but someone else could take advantage of me being out alone. I took a deep breath. I guess I¡¯m still a little rattled. Head in the game, now. I straightened my shoulders and continued walking.

 21: Worse than usual

    We didn¡¯t have far to go, since the village was directly next to the sect compound proper. But I saw several spirits on the way.


    Most of them had roughly the form of animals. One looked like a tree made of qi. A few were humanoid, although they looked more like children. All of them had that wispy, qi-formed look, and none of them were as strong as the spirit who¡¯d warned me. In fact, I guessed they were weaker than me.


    The longer we walked, the more of them I noticed. Were they coming to watch me? At least they didn¡¯t seem hostile. Those with recognizable faces smiled when I looked at them, and a few of them waved. At least, I interpreted the tree¡¯s branches moving as a wave.


    One of them, a small childlike wisp, sprang onto the path in front of us. After gazing at me for a moment, the spirit laughed and ran back into the forest. It was only a moment later that I noticed a snake with emerald scales hanging from the tree I¡¯d been about to walk under. I¡¯d put it in the late third stage, but it had hidden its qi well. I shivered at the feeling of nature and the cold stillness of an ambush and gave its tree a wide berth. At least it didn¡¯t do more than hiss at me, probably sensing that I was stronger.


    Lorn didn¡¯t take his eyes from it, but he made no move to attack. He hadn¡¯t said anything since we started walking.


    Soon after, the trees receded. We stepped into a large clearing. One side of it was filled with huts, while behind those, they must have cleared the forest, until tree crowns rose again in the distance. Small fields with a variety of crops filled the space, and I could see people working in them. Not enough to account for the number of houses, though, there had to be at least fifty of those.


    We slowed down even more to normal human walking speed as we came closer, and I took a good look at the village. The houses were small and made from wood, but they seemed well-built at least. A lot of them showed signs of neglect, though, from chipped or discolored boards to broken roof tiles. The street between them was dirt, although someone had put effort into making it less muddy by spreading gravel across it. If my guide wanted to help them, why didn¡¯t he just harden the ground? Well, maybe he did. As we stepped on it, the road was reasonably firm.


    There was an open square in the middle of the village, with some benches and a few small trees set up. A few people sat there. Only the elderly or women with hordes of small children, though. They all wore rough clothing they probably sewed themselves. All in all, the scene felt far away from what I¡¯d seen in the palace, but that was to be expected.


    Lorn hesitated a bit, giving me a sideways glance, before he headed for an elderly couple sitting beneath a withered tree that didn¡¯t sport many leaves. When they saw us, the villagers rose, their joints creaking with age.


    ¡°Honored disciple,¡± the man said, wheezing a little. ¡°We did not expect you back so soon. Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, Elder. I¡¯m simply playing guide, showing around the ¡ª¡±


    ¡°A fellow disciple,¡± I cut in, shooting a look at the boy. ¡°I¡¯m another newcomer to the sect, but I was curious about this village, so I asked Sect Brother Lorn to show me.¡±


    The elder eyed me with ill-concealed suspicion at that.


    ¡°The rising star of our class, who beat me when I challenged her, I was going to say,¡± Lorn grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to admit it, although her humility does the sect sister credit.¡±


    Good. Maybe he has a brain in his head after all. I knew cutting him off would be awkward, but better that than being outed as the Imperial Princess.


    Now, though, the man looked noticeably more relaxed, even smiling a bit at our interaction. ¡°Naturally. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hoping to find here, honored disciple, but you are of course welcome.¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°Thank you, Elder. I will try not to impose.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything in particular we can help you with?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m new to the sect, and I¡¯d like to understand how everything works. You farm this land to feed the sect?¡±


    His face soured a little. ¡°Yes. We farm, build and repair their houses, keep the grounds, and other tasks. All work the sect deems too mundane and peaceful to bother their disciples.¡±


    I nodded, looking around. I had to remind myself again that cultivators could subsist on qi instead of food to a large degree. Most of the food grown here was probably for the younger disciples, who hadn¡¯t reached a high stage yet. But these villagers were only in the second stage at most, and would need at least as much. None of them looked malnourished, but none of them was anything approaching fat, either.


    Right on cue, several men came from the direction of the sect, where its wall loomed over the fields. I turned and watched, my enhanced eyesight easily bridging the distance. They trudged along with slumped shoulders, but at a fast pace. Wood shavings and stone dust were caught in their clothes and hair. Focusing on their qi, I saw that all of them were close to empty. They all had Earth affinity, though none were above the early part of the second stage.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said. ¡°I suppose this land belongs to the sect? And how much do they charge?¡±


    ¡°Enough to eat up most of what little they give us,¡± another woman said. She was younger, although her posture and the lines on her face would suggest otherwise. She bent down to grab the hand of a little boy who¡¯d run around close to us, gathering up little sticks. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°No, stay,¡± I commanded before she could return to her previous place. ¡°Explain. You have my word that I won¡¯t be angry.¡±


    The woman hesitated, clearly unsure about what her moment of venting had caused. ¡°I¡¯d not talk out of turn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± the male elder said. ¡°If the disciple wants a woman¡¯s opinion, we can humor her. My good wife would hardly speak in my place, would you, Lir?¡±


    The elderly woman shook her head. Her expression didn¡¯t change.


    Sexism. Here. I rubbed my temple and suppressed a sigh. I really hadn¡¯t expected that. This reminded me again that just because the law said people were equal, traditions and social norms were harder to change. For whatever reason, I hadn¡¯t considered the Empire would be like this.


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    Well, this part at least. The Empire was vast. I knew there were a lot of different cultures or subcultures or whatever in it. But this area was pretty close to the capital.


    ¡°Being a woman myself, I don¡¯t appreciate that attitude,¡± I said with some sharpness. ¡°Now, let her talk. Please, miss?¡±


    The woman shifted a little, pulling her son closer to her. ¡°Well, my lady. It¡¯s just as I said. The sect¡¯s rent and taxes are, of course, fair and just. But being simple commoners, we can¡¯t do much work of worth. Therefore, we don¡¯t receive much pay, even though we work hard. Often ten or twelve hours a day. Nothing wrong with our industriousness, is there? But ¡­¡±


    I nodded, sighing. ¡°I understand. Even if the sect owns the land, you¡¯re all free citizens, though, aren¡¯t you? Can¡¯t you find work elsewhere?¡±


    The woman scowled. ¡°If only we could. My man had a cousin who tried, few years ago. Came back three months later, minus a good deal of weight and his shoes.¡±


    ¡°The sect doesn¡¯t want its workers leaving,¡± Lorn commented. I noticed he¡¯d balled his hands into fists.


    ¡°The Greater Spirits know we¡¯re grateful for the Empress¡¯ laws,¡± the elder added. ¡°At least now we can¡¯t be forced to stay if we can¡¯t bear to. But,¡± he gestured around, ¡°this is our home. Here are our families. Few have the courage to leave it all behind, knowing how small their chances are.¡±


    Just then, the small boy ripped himself away from his mother and trundled over. He tugged at the hem of my tunic, staring upward. ¡°Pretty light. More light.¡±


    His mother gasped, and I could see the elder freezing. I felt a little awkward about this, but what could I do? So, I crouched down, ruffling the child¡¯s hair. ¡°Thank you. How about this?¡±


    I let some light qi trickle out and conjured a spark in my hand. The child giggled and tried to grab it. After a second of thought, I used a bit more qi to turn it into a real qi construct, letting it fly away. After the boy was occupied chasing the butterfly of light, I turned back to the adults.


    ¡°Your son has to have talent, to see my affinity this easily,¡± I said to the mother. ¡°You must be happy.¡±


    She nodded, smiling shakily. ¡°Thank you, lady.¡±


    Unspoken, we all knew that his talent wouldn¡¯t amount to much, growing up here. He might have a slightly easier time with the work, if he reached the second stage quickly. But I doubted the people here had much time for cultivation, or any means to afford the resources that would help. Even if a few kind disciples like Lorn helped out and gave them a few tips, they¡¯d be hard-pressed to match even the average citizen of a city with some prosperity.


    The work party came closer. A few of the men split up to go into their homes, but most of them continued on to the fields. They waved at us, but didn¡¯t head over. All of them eyed Lorn and me as if we were hungry spirit beasts. I returned their waves, smiling as I scrutinized them and the village.


    ¡°Lorn, let¡¯s take a look at the fields,¡± I said. ¡°I thank you for your indulgence, kind folk.¡±


    Lorn obviously stifled a sigh and fell into place beside me as I walked off, leaving the small gathering behind. I cataloged everything I saw, but my thoughts were occupied with trying to analyze it, so I didn¡¯t speak.


    I didn¡¯t see anything outright ¡®evil¡¯. No armed guards, people being whipped, or women dragged away. This was a more muted form of oppression. In a way, that made it worse. I could see the way their circumstances weighed them down, shaping their minds and bodies. I noticed the signs of exhaustion and overwork in their bodies, the way continuous hard labor strained them. I didn¡¯t recognize the crops, but they used hand tools to work the fields. Although the tools were fed with qi to turn into something like half-automatic devices.


    I sighed and pinched my nose. Lorn looked pleased at my reaction. Whatever. Let him think their plight makes me burn with anger and sadness. In truth, nothing I saw came as a particular shock. But I was annoyed. Irked because I¡¯d seen a problem that I felt obligated to fix. But how do I do that, in a sustainable way that benefits everyone the most? I could easily give them enough money to leave, but the sect would just bring in a new group of workers.


    After a while, I turned back. ¡°You¡¯re not from here, are you, Lorn?¡±


    He blinked. ¡°No. I¡¯m from further down west, close to the Purple Shores. But this isn¡¯t so different from home, in some respects.¡± He trailed off and shrugged. ¡°I was just a street rat, before a merchant family grabbed me from the streets, to turn me into their champion. Then an elder from the sect visiting his family noticed me and offered me a scholarship.¡±


    I nodded, although I didn¡¯t much care about his backstory. ¡°How does the situation here compare to others? I¡¯m assuming this isn¡¯t unique.¡±


    Lorn scratched his cheek and hesitated a bit. ¡°To be honest, it is worse than usual here. But ¡­ not fundamentally different in many places.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± As I¡¯d thought, then. I started walking back to the people we¡¯d talked to before, Lorn trailing behind. His aura had tightened in a way that betrayed his rising tension.


    When I came back to the young woman I¡¯d talked to before, I smiled and greeted her pleasantly. ¡°You do have a beautiful village here, despite everything. The way you keep going despite adversity is admirable. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t find the time to help out occasionally, if you need more beasts repelled or the like.¡±


    The woman brightened up at that. ¡°Thank you so much! That would help a lot. You should talk to the elder about it, though.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°No need to bother him. You can pass that on, can¡¯t you?¡± I dampened my voice a little. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t like the way he talks about women. Don¡¯t let him get to you. You¡¯re all citizens of the Empire.¡±


    The woman smiled conspiratorially. ¡°We have our ways of dealing with old bigots. But thank you for the sentiment.¡± She paused, her eyes flicking about the scene and back to my face. ¡°Ah, do you mind a question?¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Imperial Princess is at the sect.¡± The woman bit her lip. ¡°Do you ¡­ think she will help?¡±


    My thoughts came to a screeching halt. I could feel my face freeze. ¡°I¡¯m sure she will,¡± I said after a moment. ¡°After all, the Empress and her family are very concerned with giving their people justice and the chance for a better life. It might not be tomorrow, but things will get better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll personally make sure she¡¯s aware of the village¡¯s circumstances,¡± Lorn put in, the corners of his mouth twitching.


    I extended my domain to have some invisible qi slap him, but didn¡¯t let anything show on my face. To his credit, he mostly suppressed his wince and didn¡¯t look at me.


    After a moment of thought, I pulled two medicinal pills from my storage ring and handed them to the woman. ¡°Here, take these. To help with the problems and lasting conditions caused by overwork. They¡¯re meant for the third stage, so you need to dilute them. Give everyone about half a cup, no more than a fifth of the total. But only for those who really need them, otherwise the effect will be too weak.¡± I was drawing on knowledge from a book that had mentioned this offhand, but I was pretty confident in it. At least, this wouldn¡¯t make things worse.


    The woman gasped. ¡°Really? That¡¯s very generous of you. May all the Greater Spirits bless you.¡±


    I smiled, trying not to show my awkwardness as I pressed them into her hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Only a stopgap measure, but that¡¯s alright. ¡°I need to get back now.¡±


    It took a moment to extricate myself and Lorn from the village, and when we finally walked back into the forest at a good pace, I breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Go on ahead,¡± I said to Lorn. ¡°Thank you for playing guide, but that¡¯s it. And don¡¯t talk about this to anyone, or I¡¯ll be ¡­ upset.¡±


    He gulped and gave me a bow. ¡°Of course not, Your Highness.¡± With that, he took off, cutting through the forest.


    I watched him go for a moment, but he¡¯d put on speed and was soon out of my sight or hearing. Then I sighed and started walking back at a more leisurely pace, pulling out my robe and waiting for a good spot to put up a darkness screen and change.


    ¡°Do you hear me, spirit?¡± I said, glancing around me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you led me here on purpose. If you did, I understand. These must be your people, the ones who give you offerings. Even though they have so little. For the sect, they¡¯re just conveniences. But to you, they¡¯re worth more. I get it. People are people. I know that everyone has the same value and worth, that everyone has rights that need to be respected. The nobles and the sects, they think they¡¯re better than that, many of them, don¡¯t they? But they¡¯re not, and things will change.¡±


    No answer came.

 22: Family matters

    I¡¯d almost been afraid that something had happened at the sect in my absence. But when I returned, nothing had changed. So I breathed a covert sigh of relief, still a little apprehensive about the spirit¡¯s warning and the feelings that preceded it, and got back to work.


    While I kept up with formations and sparring practice, I now had two more areas added to my research list, spending most of my time in the library to work on it.


    I¡¯d asked the guards about the incident before the spirit, but they claimed not to have noticed anything suspicious. Following my hunch, I questioned them about scrying and locating people, and researched it in the library. However, while some techniques could potentially break the shielding put on me, none of them were easy or possible without some sort of link to me. And if they had succeeded, no one would have noticed, certainly not with some kind of doom sensing. But I couldn¡¯t rule it out, and while the sect¡¯s library was extensive, there would be lots of techniques I couldn¡¯t find here.


    After I¡¯d read through the last of the books I¡¯d marked as possibilities, I threw my pen down in disgust and stalked out. The weather had turned, and now gloomy skies sent down a drizzle that seemed determined to soak into everything. I tilted my face up into the rain, letting the water soothe me. This world¡¯s rain smelled clean and fresh, and I could drink it without worrying about acidity or pollution.


    I should go back to my other research, but I just couldn¡¯t make myself do that at the moment. If this had been frustrating, then poring over tomes of law could make me go crazy. Metaphorically. I mean, there have been people who called me crazy, but that¡¯s just hurtful. I was more sane than any of them.


    Still, even trying to take a break and relax in the rain, I couldn¡¯t make myself settle down. I got like that sometimes. My thoughts were always going, running around, pressing forward, impossible to shut off. It¡¯s gotten better since my ¡ª my death. Maybe because of the constant meditation I do here for cultivation practice. Maybe it actually helps. I wonder if my family has the same problem? Maybe it¡¯s a genius thing. Maybe they even have something that helps. But do I really want to take medication? I don¡¯t even really need it. I like my thoughts, generally.


    Rubbing my temple, I decided some physical activity might help me unwind, so I started jogging. Maybe I¡¯d be lucky enough to find a training courtyard empty in the rain. If not, I¡¯d just ignore the stares and practice my moves anyway. While I looked for one, I started to go over what I¡¯d learned in regards to my other headache.


    I¡¯d hoped I could find some law they were breaking. If the sect was actually doing something illegal, it would make things a lot easier. Unfortunately, while they certainly had predatory business practices, they all kept within the letter of the rules. None of the villagers¡¯ human rights were actually violated, at least so far as this country had them. Basically Mother¡¯s new civil rights. Those all came back to the Empress¡¯ authority, technically, there was nothing like an international charter.


    Well, there were other options, but I¡¯d prefer letting the courts handle it.


    Finally, I did find an empty training spot in an out-of-the way corner. There was a rack of weapons that looked like they¡¯d rust onto their places with a few more rainfalls. But I grabbed a practice spear, anyway. That would be an easy and effective weapon for someone with little training, so I¡¯d concentrated on it so far. While swords were cool, I didn¡¯t like them enough to put in the effort of training for years.


    Blinking against the water streaming down my face, I started a kata Ling Ta had shown me. The rain intensified, pouring down in a steady deluge, but I didn¡¯t mind. This was good training, anyway. And yet, I couldn¡¯t quite concentrate on the moves. In the back of my mind, I kept chewing over the laws and what I might do, even though I¡¯d gone over it all before.


    One time, my attention wandered enough that I almost stabbed myself in the foot. Cursing, I threw the spear down, shaking wet hair out of my eyes. Good days and bad ones, and today¡¯s a bad day. I wish I could just curl up on the couch with a good book.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    I whirled around to see San Hashar standing behind me. The rain slid off an invisible shield above her. As I watched, her qi flickered and the shield extended to cover me.


    I picked up my spear, put it into storage and cycled some light qi. Frowning in concentration, I nudged the qi I gathered around me just a bit, until it emitted no visible light anymore. Instead, warmth bathed me as it converted to infrared, starting to dry the wetness. When I tried moving the qi around, it felt like a breeze, as if I¡¯d turned on a weak hair dryer.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A message from the palace, my lady. Her Majesty the Empress invites you back due to a family matter.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound good. ¡°Which is?¡±


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    The guard hesitated. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s about Prince Alaster. He¡¯s in a coma.¡±


    Definitely not a good day.


    <hr>


    I stared out the window, not really seeing the landscape passing by. We should be almost to the palace. I hoped. I¡¯d spent most of the trip deep in thought, going in circles.


    Al would be okay. There was no reason to think otherwise.


    I¡¯d need to talk to Mother about a lot of things. The village and the social structure of the Empire, for one. My ideas about technologies. Maybe I should make a list. But it wasn¡¯t like I could forget anything.


    I should probably visit Kariva, too. While I didn¡¯t know who my guards reported to, I had a feeling it went through her.


    ¡°Is there anything you might require, Your Highness?¡± San Hashar asked.


    I turned around. The soldier looked concerned. Maybe she was nicer than I¡¯d given her credit for. I could probably use some conversation. ¡°What did you do before you guarded me, San Hashar?¡±


    She took a step closer. ¡°I had many different postings in the last few decades. My most recent one was at the eastern shores. The longest and most interesting put me at the southern border. The culture in the south is quite fascinating, with vibrant holidays and a style of music just made for dancing. The threat of raids from the south cast a shadow over it, however. Although in my time there, I was never faced with a raid.¡±


    I nodded. The southern border. Its mention jarred loose something in my memory. Didn¡¯t Carston leave for the southern border? Aston had said that after I asked him about my probable father, but little more. Everyone else avoided the question. ¡°Did you meet Carston?¡±


    The soldier looked uncomfortable at his mention. ¡°Not there, no. I did meet Lord Carston one time at the Imperial Palace, about two decades ago. But he was long ¡­ gone by the time I was dispatched to the south.¡±


    Gone, huh? ¡°What do you know about what happened?¡±


    San Hashar shifted a bit, but then she squared her shoulders. ¡°I know the raid he was caught in came without warning. No one ever heard from him again, of course, and he¡¯s presumed dead. But his body was never found, and there are rumors among the troops that he isn¡¯t.¡±


    I blinked. That sounds like foul play. Is Mother behind that? No, that¡¯s not like her. She would have made sure he died, anyway. The way it sounds, I doubt he really did. But ¡­ said to be dead.


    ¡°Thank you. Give me a moment, please.¡±


    The soldier bowed and backed away, a look of understanding on her face. She probably thought I wanted to be alone to process the information about my father.


    I spread some darkness qi around myself as a cover against observers, creating a spark of light qi to let me see. Then I pulled out the piece of paper I¡¯d found in my vault at the palace. I hadn¡¯t paid it much mind since before the sect. Although I¡¯d memorized its contents, I wanted to take another look. It didn¡¯t show any traces of qi. Thoughtfully, I turned it over in my hands, reading the first part again.


    My dreams?


    Leaving alone and said to be dead.


    Why do spirits like me?


    There is more to us than it seems.


    Something is off. Perhaps someone, I don¡¯t know. Mother doesn¡¯t like me asking questions about some things. It might be related, it might not.


    The second line could easily refer to Carston. He¡¯d probably left the palace alone, and was now presumed dead. I guess I can understand that part. I have questions about that myself.


    For the next question, I had a tentative answer, too. That didn¡¯t help me find what might be off about my predecessor¡¯s experience. Although, come to think of it, why write that down at all? The old Inaris had an eidetic memory. I mean, I sometimes write things out to help me work through them. But the way this was stored in the vault, it suggests there might be more to it. Almost as if my old self, or whatever, wrote that for my future self to find. Did she know she was going on a soul journey soon?


    I put the note back, planning to ask some questions when I returned.


    I didn¡¯t have to wait long. We¡¯d already started the descent, and now touched down on the roof of a side building. I hadn¡¯t know there was a landing pad here, but when I disembarked, I could see several roped off areas, containing nothing but clear, level stone covering the roof.


    Guards awaited me, but I only spared them a nod before setting off. I barely noticed that San Hashar stayed on the airship with most of her unit. Aston was nowhere to be seen, but I recognized most of the Imperial Guard. They fell into step around me as I hurried into the palace proper.


    Through empty corridors and staircases, it didn¡¯t take me long to arrive at the family quarters. Stopping at Al¡¯s door, I turned the handle and entered. His room was almost empty. I saw him lying in his bed, on top of the covers, eyes closed. His breathing was so faint I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it as a normal human.


    Sighing, I sat down at the chair beside the bed, reaching for his hand. It was warm, and checking showed a slow pulse.


    After a moment, I turned around to the guard standing in the corner, a man in the early part of the sixth stage who I¡¯d seen around before. ¡°How long has it been?¡±


    ¡°Today is the third day, Your Highness.¡±


    My grip tightened. Three days? And Mother only saw fit to tell me now? I exhaled. ¡°I guess she wanted to be sure it was his soul journey.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t reply. I let go of Alaster¡¯s hand and turned around to watch him more closely. ¡°Is there any way to tell when someone is about to start their soul journey?¡±


    ¡°It seems to be mostly random,¡± a new voice said. The shadows in the corner swirled until Leri Kariva stepped out of them. ¡°Your Highness.¡± She bowed to me.


    At least they took this seriously, if Kariva herself was watching him. I inclined my head. ¡°Please tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Some think that a significant change in experiences or attitudes can trigger it. But most are skeptical of that. Furthermore, there is a tendency for someone about to undergo their soul journey to become quiet, distracted, and listless. As if their souls were preparing for departure.¡±


    I scratched my temple. So they could have suspected this was coming, like my predecessor could have.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any way to stop it, is there?¡±


    Kariva shook her head, expression sober. ¡°No. It is simply something our family¡¯s bloodline effects. Whatever ancient ritual or strange art caused it gives us no control over the soul journeys.¡±


    I nodded, and we fell silent.


    For a while, I simply watched the boy. Wondering what world he was living in.

 23: Back early

    I didn¡¯t expect to see Mother lounging on a canvas chair with a guy. Maybe I should have.


    After my double-take, I stepped out onto the rooftop terrace, looking around. The summer sun burned down on us, enough to make me sweat if my robe hadn¡¯t been enchanted. Mother looked relaxed, although the man sat bolt upright at my entry. That was harder than it sounded since she was sitting on his lap. At least they were fully clothed.


    As I came closer, Mother languidly stood up, patting the man on the shoulder. ¡°Welcome back, Inaris. This is Kei Yating. He¡¯s, well, the closest thing I have to a boyfriend.¡±


    We bowed to each other and exchanged polite greetings. I¡¯d heard of Kei Yating. He¡¯d been Mother¡¯s lover for over a decade and was almost certainly Xiaodan¡¯s father. Looking at him now, I could see a bit of a resemblance. He looked young, about the same age as Mother, with dark hair and dark eyes, attractive enough he could¡¯ve been a model on Earth. His sleeveless vest didn¡¯t leave much doubt that he worked out. I couldn¡¯t get a good read on his cultivation stage.


    ¡°Yating, Xiaodan¡¯s about to master a new technique in the lower courtyard,¡± Mother said.


    He smiled and kissed her cheek before turning into a blur and racing down the side of the building. I couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow. At least sixth stage. He¡¯s more than a pretty face.


    ¡°How many lovers do you have, anyway?¡± I settled down on another chair.


    ¡°Depends on who you count, I suppose. Three or four regular ones currently.¡± Mother shrugged. ¡°They know what they¡¯re getting into, and can say no any time they want. But there have to be some perks to being the ruler, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I stretched out a bit, getting comfortable on the chair.


    ¡°By the way, congrats on losing your virginity.¡±


    I choked a bit. ¡°Uh. Thanks, I guess. I didn¡¯t, really. The guards reported it?¡±


    ¡°They report everything of relevance, although I¡¯m only told the important parts. There¡¯s also a tiny change in your aura. Something like this is considered a significant transition in this world.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    The conversation died there and we waited, the silence stretching on, until Mother sighed. ¡°Okay. You want to know why I didn¡¯t call you earlier, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Because there was no need to. Soul journeys always take at least a few days, and I saw no reason to take you out of the sect unnecessarily.¡±


    I pushed the chair in a more upright position and turned to face her fully. ¡°I get that. On the topic of the sect, though. I have a feeling you haven¡¯t chosen it just because of its prestige. You wanted to challenge me to come in conflict with them in some way.¡±


    Mother regarded me for a moment, her fingers tapping on her armrests, until she finally nodded. ¡°Yes. I have a suspicion they¡¯re doing something illegal, and I want you to find out. There¡¯s nothing concrete, except hints from the qi in the area, and their behavior ¡­¡±


    I told her about what I¡¯d seen in the village. All the while, she listened quietly and her expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just the one sect, is it?¡± I asked at the end.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a systemic problem,¡± Mother admitted. ¡°But this sect is more important than most, which is why I want you to investigate.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re planning on doing something. Soon.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she assured me. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing for a while.¡±


    I looked at her in silence for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll leave reform in your hands ¡­ for now.¡±


    Mother cocked her head. ¡°Why do I get the feeling that was too easy?¡±


    I smiled and continued to look her in the eyes. ¡°I mean it. I¡¯m trusting you to handle this. Please don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    Another mother ¡ª or ruler ¡ª in this world would have been incensed. But Mother simply met my gaze calmly. When she spoke, her tone was sober. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t.¡±


    Silence returned, as we were both lost in contemplation.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    How would you go about this? What I could think of was making new laws. Setting a minimum wage and a cap on rents and taxes. Then maybe workplace safety regulations and all the rest. But you¡¯d have to control and enforce them, and I didn¡¯t think this country had experience with that sort of regulation. Maybe it would be smarter to focus on creating new, acceptable jobs, so people had alternatives and could leave bad positions. In any case, Mother would be far more knowledgeable about the state of affairs than me.


    After a while, the conversation resumed, this time centered on lighter topics. Mostly, we discussed ideas I¡¯d had about technological improvements. I wished I could stay longer, this wouldn¡¯t be enough to really get things started, but I could at least get her blessing on a few ideas I had. Plus, I asked her to get together a team I could work with when I returned from the sect so I could tackle that computer. Formations masters, whatever this world had in the way of electricians, mechanical engineers ¡ª variety would be useful. Also, any transmigrators who might know something related to the topic. Computers didn¡¯t seem to be widespread among the different worlds, let alone people who really worked with them, but it didn¡¯t hurt to check.


    Then I talked about a few simpler ideas I had, ones that should be obvious.


    ¡°Telegraph lines?¡± Mother asked, eyebrows raised. So maybe not obvious.


    ¡°We already have electricity, it should be simple. And we¡¯d get almost-instant communication that doesn¡¯t rely on qi. Seems like it would have a lot of strategic value, if nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Now I feel stupid,¡± she sighed. ¡°Of course it would. We just need to take care of protection from beast attacks. I¡¯ll get together a few people working with electrical power. Can you write up some plans?¡±


    ¡°I already did.¡± I smiled and took a stack of papers out of my storage ring. ¡°There¡¯s a few things here. You can look through it. When I get back, I¡¯d like to take charge and push the projects along. Though it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll have much time for it, sadly.¡±


    Mother took the papers and leafed through them, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to seeing what you can do.¡±


    Great, now I¡¯m nervous. I wasn¡¯t much of a scientist, and only knew the basics of physics or chemistry. But with the help of local scholars and transmigrators, that should be enough for some technological progress. I¡¯d already decided to start simple when it came to automation, but I figured I could bring larger-scale plans up after seeing how this worked out.


    <hr>


    I was trying to find the best wording of the Church-Turing thesis when a pulse of qi entered my room. Frowning, I looked up from my desk, pausing my pen above the sheet of sheet of paper I¡¯d been about to complete.


    The qi formed into glowing letters in the air, spelling out ¡®He¡¯s awake¡¯.


    I departed in a flash. The pen clattered onto the desk, but I was already out of the door. Then I hurried down the corridor and flung open the door to Al¡¯s room, stepping inside.


    Al was just sitting up, blinking and looking around. He paused when he faced Mother, who stood before the bed, her hands clasped in front of her, hidden inside her sleeves. I couldn¡¯t see her expression from my angle, only Alaster¡¯s. A lot of emotions chased each other across his face.


    ¡°I - ¡° He swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m back. Mommy. I¡¯m back.¡±


    The next instant, Mother enveloped him in a hug, gripping him tightly.


    He remembers. I came closer, waiting for my turn to hug Al.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of a pang at seeing Mother hugging my brother. She¡¯d never shown me any physical affection. She was probably busy with important things when I awoke from my soul journey. And then she didn¡¯t want to scare me, since I didn¡¯t remember anything. It was bad enough without dealing with emotional family. I stifled a sigh, a little annoyed at myself. I should have seen that the humor in our interactions was covering for hurt. Obviously she¡¯d be emotionally affected by her daughter having this sort of memory loss.


    Finally, she let him go, and I stepped up. ¡°Al.¡± I hugged him, careful not to apply too much force or make him feel constricted.


    When I released him, he continued looking around the room. ¡°I¡¯m back in Aran. I went on a soul journey ¡­ that means I died.¡± He closed his eyes, shaking. Mother started to hug him again, but he pushed her away, taking deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just need a bit of time to adjust.¡±


    He was speaking in English, but had faint traces of an accent now. I guessed it was Asian. From a tonal language, maybe Chinese. But that was just an impression.


    ¡°So, you remember?¡± I asked quietly.


    Alaster nodded, blinking. ¡°Yes. Most of my memories of this life are vague, but ¡­ I remember lots of things. Like how you came back from your soul journey recently.¡±


    He took a few deep breaths, wiping his eyes. We gave him time to collect himself. After a bit, his expression hardened and he stood up.


    Mother commented, ¡°You sound older.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seventeen.¡± He grimaced.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry you died this young.¡±


    ¡°My life on Earth¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. Please don¡¯t ask.¡±


    Both of us nodded somberly. He¡¯s from Earth too! I was dying from curiosity, but I¡¯d respect his wishes and not bring his old life up. He¡¯d have a hard enough time coming to accept his death without painful reminders. Heaven knows I haven¡¯t quite accepted it yet.


    He seemed more affected than me, maybe because he had two sets of memories, and knew his old life was gone right away. If his new old body wasn¡¯t calm, he¡¯d probably freak out completely. Although, he has to go through puberty twice now. Poor boy. That¡¯s almost worse than losing your memories.


    I took his hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to make it clear that I supported him. Although a little part of me was jealous of his luck, it was beaten and kicked into the corner by the larger part that was just glad he would remember his life, and me. Not that I knew him that well, yet, but I didn¡¯t want to go through the whole drama again with me on the other side.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, that is what matters,¡± Mother said. ¡°Take your time to adjust. We¡¯ll all support you. Well, Inaris is going back to the sect soon. But reach out if you need help.¡±


    Alaster nodded. ¡°Of course, Mother.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to talk about serious topics, but that can come later. For now, I¡¯m just glad to have you back.¡±


    ¡°We all are,¡± I added.


    His eyebrows drew together a little and he didn¡¯t reply. I couldn¡¯t blame him. Of course he wasn¡¯t glad his life ended.

 24: I have a PR problem

    I would have liked to stay longer and spend time with Al. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t to be. Unlike his previous behavior, the new Alaster was withdrawn, preferring to spend time cultivating than talking to me. Or anyone. Also, Mother wouldn¡¯t hear of it, sending me back to the sect the day after he awoke. Since that had happened so early, only a day after I returned, I didn¡¯t get to spend much time at home before I faced the airship again.


    This time, it would start from the pad atop the palace, not the transport hub further down. I had the feeling Mother didn¡¯t want to draw attention to my short visit. That would require explaining that something had happened to Al, I supposed.


    At least he¡¯d come to see me off. After I finished hugging Xiaodan, who seemed to cling on longer every time I let her get her hands on me, I looked to him. He stood a bit farther away, hands in his pockets.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m not infectious,¡± I teased him. ¡°You can hug me goodbye. I promise we won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    He snorted, but I saw a faint smile. ¡°I guess I am tired of social distancing.¡± He stepped into my hug.


    I hadn¡¯t used that term at all, which confirmed that he really was from Earth and not too far into the future, if the pandemic was still going on. Once he was ready to talk about it, I¡¯d ask.


    Then it was time to face the music. I entered the airship, barely giving the opulent decor a second glance. It was amazing how quickly living as a princess desensitized one to luxury. Not that I had used the minibar or massage chairs.


    Instead, I flung myself onto a divan on the observation deck. After watching the fortress and city shrink into the distance, I grew bored of looking out the window and rifled through my spatial ring.


    There was a lot of stuff inside. Most of it I¡¯d grabbed in preparation for my time at the sect. A lot of it things that might come in handy or save my hide in certain contingencies. But there were also a few things I¡¯d kept because the old Inaris had valued them, a few less practical items. Chiefly, of course, books. I¡¯d taken along a stack of novels I¡¯d found in her collection.


    This world¡¯s version of science fiction was bound to be fascinating. So I chose a novel set in the future and cracked the book open. So far, I¡¯d resisted the lure of fiction, since I had so much to do. But now I felt I¡¯d earned a break.


    I wasn¡¯t prepared for the experience. Not because the book was bad or even all that strange. Although the style took a little getting used to, I enjoyed the story. But reading a story while having a perfect memory felt weird. I remembered everything, never had to wonder at a name or check back. More importantly, I could already tell that I wouldn¡¯t forget even the most minor of twists.


    Actually, this is a little depressing. I won¡¯t be able to really reread a favorite novel. Usually, even if I knew the big surprises, there were always little things to re-discover. Now I¡¯d basically absorb the entire novel. Well, maybe that just means I can reread it in my mind, without even needing the book.


    These really had to be my predecessor¡¯s favorites, though, worthy of being kept in the collection.


    Just when the villain was about to crash the space station onto a floating island, we arrived. I hastily stowed the book and smoothed out my robes. I¡¯d have to make time to finish the book soon, but for now, I hurried to the hatch, San Hashar gliding into place beside me.


    No one was there to greet me. I looked around, taking note of the deserted road and single guard posted next to the gate to the sect. He stepped aside to let us enter, his face expressionless. I hurried up the path to the sect buildings, my reinforced body moving at a pace beyond the humanly possible. At some point, the guards around me dissipated, and when I came to the busier areas, I was alone.


    Disciples went about their business, same as usual. It didn¡¯t look like anything had changed in the two days I¡¯d been gone. Although something felt a little off. Maybe it was the fact that no one seemed to care about my return.


    I decided to go check on my room. I didn¡¯t meet anyone on the way, and when I stepped into the building, I slowed down and let my senses for qi sweep it. Everything registered as normal. Slowly, I walked through the building, instead of taking the staircase.


    A few times, I did see another disciple. But only for a moment. When they noticed me, they¡¯d immediately turn back and vanish in their rooms. The few who were walking along the corridor just kept their heads down and kept their distance.


    At least it didn¡¯t look like anyone had been in my room. I checked it thoroughly, taking a few more items into my spatial ring. Just in case. I was definitely missing something here.


    That feeling persisted. When I went back to the library, I received far less bows or other respectful greetings than usual. Maybe they were resentful that I could leave for days and come back without any problems. In the library itself, everyone continued to do their best to avoid me. Not that I minded the lack of curious onlookers, but those people who did watch me seemed less curious or starstruck, and instead, their looks struck me as darker.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    But I put it out of my mind, instead concentrating on my studies. I still looked through the arts and techniques here in order to learn more about the world. But now, I also focused more on how I might use them, how they compared to Earth-technology solutions for the same problems. I had to restrain myself, though. I needed to concentrate on getting stronger. The eighth stage wouldn¡¯t reach itself, and time showed no mercy.


    So I returned to my favorite spot for cultivating. It was a hill sheltered by a few boulders, overlooking a waterfall. A few other disciples sat close to the pond at the lower end of the fall, eyes closed. They didn¡¯t acknowledge me, and I gave them a wide berth since I didn¡¯t want to interrupt their cultivation.


    At least my spot was free. I settled down, feeling for the cracks in the boulders and pulling darkness out of them. I sank into my meditation, letting the qi of the world flow through me and taking it in.


    Suddenly, the serenity was broken. I blinked and opened my eyes. Nothing looked wrong. I hadn¡¯t concentrated on it, but I remembered the qi presence that had roused me. Someone had moved by close to me, sending out a burst of qi. Probably training some technique.


    I frowned and stood up. Okay, what is going on? This might not be a big deal, but people would have been more careful of interrupting the Imperial Princess before. The disciple didn¡¯t stick around, and I hadn¡¯t gotten a good enough read to identify them. Maybe it wasn¡¯t deliberate, but something was off.


    I departed and walked through the sect, keeping my senses sharp. I didn¡¯t imagine it, people were definitely avoiding me. They never did anything openly disrespectful, but the atmosphere had changed. The animosity left the hairs on the back of my neck prickling.


    I returned to another secluded spot, between a grove of trees and the river. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    I looked around, but didn¡¯t find anything. So I started to pace, trying to think about any clue I¡¯d noticed.


    After a few minutes, I felt a familiar presence coalesce, and turned to see San Hashar coming to a stop in front of me. Her right hand was clenched around something.


    She bowed. ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Rise, San Hashar. I hope you have information for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my princess.¡± She straightened up. There was a frown line tugging at her eyebrows.


    I noticed a few other shapes coming closer, veiled from sight but their qi standing out to me just enough to be noticed. I recognized them as guards. They formed a perimeter.


    ¡°I have investigated the change in behavior and attitude that seems to have come over the people in this sect,¡± she reported. ¡°We did not find any outright threats to your person. However, the atmosphere has turned decidedly more hostile, and sect elders are reluctant to cooperate with us without being cowed. At first, I thought it was simply resentment over Your Highness¡¯ departure and seeming ability to leave and enter it with impunity. I did find indications of jealousy in that regard.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°What exactly?¡±


    ¡°Mostly comments intended to be private and insinuations,¡± San Hashar said, her lip curling slightly. ¡°The most explicit one was complaining about my lady ¡®gallivanting around¡¯ and ¡®treating the seclusion of the sect as a joke¡¯, or ¡®rubbing in her position by flaunting her ability to leave when we can¡¯t¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I hope those will die down with time. Their jealousy is understandable in principle, I suppose, but I¡¯m a little surprised at the vehemence.¡±


    San Hashar shook her head. ¡°Ordinarily, I would expect them to die down, as well. But the fact that the disciples would utter such disrespect so readily roused my suspicion. I am quite sure that part of this issue is spillover from another source of resentment, one more dangerous. It took a while to ferret out, but I believe I have cracked the mystery.¡±


    That didn¡¯t sound good. ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°There has been resentment and derision starting shortly after our departure, along with seditious rumors, decrying Your Highness¡¯ attitude and goals. The source was hidden, but I finally found this.¡±


    She held up the item she¡¯d been carrying. A small black ball, probably crystal, glowing with qi of different affinities. I recognized the type. This was a recorder of some kind. San Hashar fed it a bit of her qi, and it activated.


    ¡°People are people. I know that everyone has the same value and worth, that everyone has rights that need to be respected. The nobles and the sects, they think they¡¯re better than that, many of them, don¡¯t they? But they¡¯re not, and things will change.¡±


    What the freaking hell? I stared at the recorder, only remembering to close my mouth a moment later. I really hadn¡¯t expected to hear my own voice resounding like this, repeating words I hadn¡¯t given a second thought. The voice sounded more sinister than I remembered.


    ¡°I said this in the forest, intended for a spirit to hear,¡± I said. ¡°No one else was near. Or so I thought. Where did this come from?¡±


    San Hashar glanced away and bowed her head. ¡°Unfortunately, this one was unable to pinpoint the source, Your Highness. My deepest apologies for the failure. It was hidden well. I do not believe many people actually heard this. Most of the effect would have been spread by rumors.¡±


    ¡°Not really an improvement, considering how rumors propagate.¡± I sighed and rubbed my temple. ¡°I imagine the damage is done.¡±


    ¡°Most likely, my lady.¡± San Hashar straightened up and clasped her hands behind her back. ¡°Most would not like the crown princess spouting such ¡­ untraditional sentiments.¡±


    I swallowed, feeling a drop in my stomach. There was no reason to believe this would stay in the sect. I definitely have an enemy, someone is trying to hurt me. And now I have a PR problem.


    ¡°But I believe most nobles will dismiss the rumors as exaggerations or blowing up youthful naivete,¡± the soldier added.


    I hope so. ¡°But in the sect, they¡¯re taken seriously.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I would have thought at least the commoners would support me.¡±


    At least San Hashar seems to be on my side. I guess she comes from a common background. The soldier spoke without any dialect, same as anyone I¡¯d met in the palace, but that could be trained.


    ¡°Most likely, they¡¯re afraid of openly supporting this view and attracting retaliation.¡±


    Well, that just figures. I frowned down at the orb before tossing it back to the soldier. ¡°Take this to Leri Kariva. She¡¯ll want to try and trace where this move came from. There¡¯s nothing else I can do, I fear.¡±


    San Hashar tucked it into her robe and bowed. ¡°Respectfully, you should prepare to face increased hostility towards your person in the sect, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I can deal with it,¡± I grumbled. ¡°If they cross the line, I will beat them for it.¡± I considered. ¡°Or have you fine soldiers beat them up.¡±


    She fell in beside me as I started walking again. ¡°There might also be an increased threat of assassins from outside, my princess.¡±


    I glanced at the horizon, where I could make out the wall surrounding the sect. ¡°That might be the whole point.¡±


    Hopefully, Mother would let me go back soon.

 25: Non-crippling blows only

    Things didn¡¯t improve the next days. I tried to keep my head down and avoid doing anything to further the rumors. Even then, I knew that was an effort doomed to failure. So, I simply tried to concentrate on learning and improving. That was the whole purpose of being in the sect, after all.


    But the other disciples¡¯ behavior preyed on my mind. I felt isolated and lonely. Emotions I knew well and could deal with, but they took the joy out of learning about a magical world. I had to muster the motivation to read about history or culture, and often reached for my old self¡¯s novels. Escapism to combat loneliness was also familiar. At least I managed steady progress with my cultivation, and new things with formation arrays.


    The problem was that the irritants actually hindered my progress. Many disciples weren¡¯t content with just avoiding me, but made my life difficult in minor ways. Snide looks and hushed whispers didn¡¯t bother me much, beyond sapping my willpower. But when I returned to the library, I often found the books I¡¯d been reading were taken out, and the older disciples assigned to the library professed under many apologies that they were unable to help me find volumes matching my requirements.


    It was slightly more apparent in the workshop. The one I¡¯d been going to saw less and less traffic. People no longer let me look over their shoulders as they worked. In fact, they tended to pack up shortly after I entered, to attend to urgent business elsewhere. Funnily enough, that didn¡¯t reduce the demand on books or materials any.


    None of them were openly disrespectful. Maybe my silence and inaction encouraged them. As the days went on, these kinds of things became worse. From a single misplaced book to almost all in a particular topic checked out. From working with elementary formations if I was there to taking materials I might need and leaving.


    But the worst was probably martial arts practice and sparring. While people couldn¡¯t refuse to partner with me under the gaze of the elders, they never put up a serious challenge. Later on, they¡¯d let me beat them while barely fighting back, smirking at the end. Making it clear to everyone what happened.


    The atmosphere was turning against me. I knew that. People saw everyone else doing things like that and joined in. Group mentality would push them beyond reasonable caution, leading them to actions they would usually recognize as stupid.


    I sighed, kicking my feet in the pond. I was alone in the clearing, of course, and tried to destress after another practice session where the only thing I trained was my facial muscles and self-control. The cool water and birds chirping in the trees helped me push it aside, but they couldn¡¯t quite ease the frustration.


    I couldn¡¯t really attack them. Oh sure, I could impose my will and leave them groveling, but the problem was that would only cement the issue. I¡¯d be perceived as the one at fault, as a bully, if I struck back too hard. But what else can I do? Bait them into openly insulting me, then come down hard? The rate things are going, it¡¯s going to happen soon enough. But that¡¯s not the real solution.


    I shook my head. Changing people¡¯s minds and hearts was never easy. Maybe it wasn¡¯t even worth trying here.


    They¡¯d even unnerved me enough that I took to wearing most of my protection. Enchanted items and hidden shields I¡¯d been given at the palace, to ensure the heir wouldn¡¯t die from an unfortunate accident. I¡¯d always kept some surprises on me, but added more as time went on. Better to be cautious.


    Feeling annoyed, I got up and made my way over to the main sect buildings. It was about time I checked up on other things. Although I couldn¡¯t help but keep worrying over what I might do about the way the disciples treated me. The elders would be reluctant to help, since they clearly shared their attitude, just hid it better.


    I was so consumed by my thoughts that I barely paid attention to my surroundings. I noticed that failing when my foot slipped in a puddle, and I had to flail around, almost falling, before I regained my balance.


    Snickering followed. A group of disciples sat under the shade of a tree close by, with qi constructs around them. I glanced back at the puddle. Had it been that way before, or had something happened? If only I¡¯d paid more attention.


    I looked back at the disciples. Some others had stopped at the minor scene, and most of them put their heads together. My eyes narrowed as I recognized one of the girls in the closer group. The girl I¡¯d helped back at the beginning, when she was being bullied. She sneered and leaned over to whisper something to the girl besides her. I couldn¡¯t make it out, but from the glances they shot at me, what they said was easy enough to guess.


    And wasn¡¯t that one of the former bullies standing there? Just a few meters from her former victim. I guess I know what¡¯s what. They both snickered at something another guy said. The group looked pretty diverse, with people from the second to the fourth stage, some inner disciples. Maybe they were a regional faction or something.


    I shrugged and ambled closer to them, looking them over. It took quite a bit for them to notice me and stand up.


    ¡°Something we can help you with?¡± one of them asked.


    I let the silence draw out for a bit before I shrugged. ¡°No. I¡¯m sure you are all studying hard for improving your techniques. It is nice to see disciples helping each other like that.¡±


    When I turned away, they were silent for a bit, before the conversations resumed. I could hear what might be scoffs from a few people. Then a few low exchanges that were mostly banter about helping each other.


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    But I circulated qi to my ears, sharpening my hearing. And one of them was too careless, parts of their comment reaching me, ¡°¡­ so weak, how will ¡­ Empire cope ¡­¡±.


    Okay, that¡¯s it.


    I turned back around, holding up my hand and sending a trickle of qi through the talisman in the form of a gold-threaded silk bracelet cradling my wrist. Then I marched back towards the group of disciples. I could hear the people around me falling silent, watching.


    The disciples clearly knew something was up, and most of them showed signs of unease. They certainly stood up quicker than before, some bowing.


    At the same time, I felt the presence of guards joining me. One of them descended from the sky, one melted out of a shadow in front of the crowd, and one of them simply strode through the throng. They came to attention around me.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked, quietly but with a voice cold enough to cut, the brown-haired boy standing next to the girl from before. He was an inner disciple, at least in his twenties.


    He shifted.


    ¡°Not man enough to repeat it, are you?¡± I snorted. ¡°Just as well.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t - ¡°


    ¡°You called me weak.¡± I cut him off, taking another step forward. ¡°How dare you, you worm?¡±


    The crowd grew even quieter. I noticed it had swollen, other disciples coming over perhaps in response to my pulse of qi.


    ¡°He disrespected his princess.¡± I stated, my voice dropping over the space like a stone. I looked to the guards. ¡°Teach him what that means.¡±


    I could have beaten him myself, since he was in the early part of the fourth stage. But I didn¡¯t want this to be me winning and then kicking him while he was down. No, this was the Imperial Princess administering justice.


    The guards didn¡¯t hesitate. Two of the soldiers grabbed the boy, while Kei Weriga took up a guard position beside me. The disciple struggled, but the fifth-stage soldiers made him look like a toddler in comparison. He tried to use a technique, but one of the guards flared his qi, of the darkness affinity, and suppressed the boy, smothering his attempts.


    They dragged him away from the group, into open space in front of me, and in full view of everyone. Then they started beating on him. A few strikes brought the disciple staggering to his knees.


    I¡¯d been pulling in some air qi, then formed it and sent it to the guards, carrying a message others wouldn¡¯t overhear. I wanted them to be careful, to avoid any crippling or long-lasting harm.


    Of course, the definition of ¡®lasting harm¡¯ was different in a world with qi-based healing and medicinal pills. The guards certainly didn¡¯t go easy on the offender. Their strikes and kicks were precise and smooth, and the way they targeted them told me they knew what they were doing. His head only received glancing blows, while his torso and extremities took the brunt. I could hear bones snapping a few times. I made sure my face didn¡¯t flicker, watching everything with a cool expression.


    At first, the boy tried fighting back, but quickly, that was reduced to trying to cover his vulnerable spots. It didn¡¯t take long for him to fall and finally curl into a ball. The guards stopped soon after that.


    The beating didn¡¯t take long. Of course, with cultivators that could move quicker than any normal human, quite a number of blows fell.


    At last, one of the guards stepped back, while the other crouched and pulled the disciple¡¯s hands away. ¡°Speak,¡± he commanded.


    The boy blinked. Then he raised his head and glanced at me. Slowly, he levered himself to his knees so he could get into position for a kowtow. ¡°Please, forgive this unworthy one, Your Highness.¡±


    I let the moment stretch out just a bit, conscious of the eyes on me. Then I gave a firm nod. ¡°You¡¯re forgiven.¡±


    Without sparing him another glance, I turned around, letting my gaze sweep over the crowd. He¡¯d be right as rain tomorrow. I curled my lip slightly, before I strode away. Disciples scrambled out of my path.


    As I went, I could hear people start talking. The tone had definitely changed.


    I didn¡¯t feel particularly ashamed or remorseful. The boy had brought this on himself, and while my orders might have been ethically dubious, there was enough justification in my mind. In the end, I headed off worse possibilities. I didn¡¯t feel particularly good or smug about it, either, just indifferent.


    Maybe news spread, but no one else came close to me the rest of the way, and I didn¡¯t hear any hushed whispers directed at me. Satisfied that this went well enough, I returned to the library.


    I stayed there for quite a while, enjoying the newfound calm. Immersing myself in books, I only stopped long enough to conjure some water to drink before diving back into another topic. No one bothered me. While I was still aware of disciples watching, they didn¡¯t concern me as much.


    When I left to return to my routine, I noticed the same. The snide looks and whispers vanished, or were at least carefully hidden. Disciples still avoided me, but they didn¡¯t make it quite so obvious, and many of them ducked their heads rather than scrunch up their noses at me when they did. I overheard some of what they said, and privately shook my head at it.


    Having someone beat up for impertinence has shaken them. But I think it¡¯s more of a ¡®shaken awake¡¯ than ¡®shaking in shock¡¯. Maybe I looked at this too much like an Earth me problem, forgot how this world views strength.


    Overall, things calmed down, and my next few days in the sect were productive. I still felt antsy, but my quick progress helped keep my mood up.


    Unfortunately, things changed sooner than I thought. I was cultivating in my favorite spot when San Hashar came to tell me the news.


    ¡°A Heavenly Gold Bear. Sounds suspicious,¡± I commented. ¡°A beast in the equivalent of the seventh stage just so happens to wander here, threatening the settlement?¡±


    The soldier tilted her head. ¡°Things like that do happen occasionally. And whether there is more to it or not, I am needed to fight it. The sect patriarch is old, and the usual reinforcements they¡¯d call might not come quickly enough for the outlying villages.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I stood up and fidgeted with my robe to pull it straighter. ¡°Go and subdue it, I wouldn¡¯t keep you. And yes, take some of your strongest people with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m uncomfortable leaving you exposed,¡± she admitted after a moment. ¡°Especially like this.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°We will need to have the rest of the guards reinforce the perimeter. I don¡¯t trust this, and a real threat is more likely to come from outside. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m well protected, Mother¡¯s people saw to that. And if needed, you can be at my side in minutes even from deeper in the forest, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Quicker, my lady.¡± San Hashar straightened up. ¡°I will keep as close as I am able.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, smiling a little. ¡°I suppose this has given me an opportunity, as well. A distraction is just what I needed.¡±


    She regarded me silently for a moment, before nodding. ¡°Then, with your leave?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°May the Wind speed your steps, the Sun warm you and the Moon guide you, San Hashar,¡± I quoted.


    She went to a knee, bowing her head for a moment. ¡°Your will, Luminous Princess.¡±


    Then she departed. I looked after her for a moment before I turned my thoughts to planning my next steps.

 26: Sneaking about

    I exhaled a breath I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d been holding as we reached the shadow of the last dormitory building. I stopped and checked our surroundings again, making sure that no one was near. The fading rays of sunset made the buildings look sinister, throwing sharp shadows everywhere. Good for me, though.


    I checked my attire once more. Dark gray clothes and an enchanted hood. I carried most of my defensive talismans, even if they made me feel weird. Two rings, two amulets under my shirt, an ankle chain, and of course the calling bracelet. Along with a few knives and pills stowed away, everything I might need on a moment¡¯s notice would be ready, the rest in my spatial ring. Yeah, I¡¯m prepared to go sneaking.


    I turned to the guard who¡¯d escorted me out of my room, a woman in the late fifth stage by the name of Li Yahra. Her darkness qi spread out around us, hiding us from the sight, hearing and qi senses of any passersby. My own qi hovered beneath it, reinforcing her technique a little. I¡¯d originally planned to have light bent around me, but that would interfere with her veil, and this was definitely the better option for getting out unseen.


    ¡°This is it, now,¡± I said. ¡°From here, I need to go on alone.¡±


    The guard bowed her head, but didn¡¯t depart yet. ¡°Your Highness, are you sure we can¡¯t ¡­¡±


    ¡°Positive,¡± I repeated, rolling my eyes. ¡°I said I can¡¯t risk you watching me. Even if you could trick their shields, you¡¯d need to use qi. That would need to be anchored around me and might be traced.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The guard bowed lower. Then she swirled away into the shadows, her veil gradually fading.


    I made sure I continued to be covered. More of my darkness qi surged out to lay around me, and I erected a layer of light qi along with it. With an effort of will, I extended that veil to cover other kinds of radiation and hide my heat signature, too.


    Taking a deep breath, I started walking. Although I was tempted to try and stick to the darkest areas, flitting from shadow to shadow, it would be more efficient to move smoothly and with few deviations. So I walked up to my first real obstacle slowly, approaching it from the side.


    For I moment, I wondered if I was making the right decision. But even if the sect would let me into their highly restricted areas, they¡¯d always keep an eye on me and steer me away from anything important. Insisting would only tip them off that I¡¯m trying to investigate. Well, let¡¯s hope Mother is onto something and I¡¯m not doing this for no reason. I could totally see her getting me to sneak into the sect leadership¡¯s playground as a test.


    The gate looked innocuous enough. It was the only solid structure in a wall otherwise consisting only of inscribed pillars and qi. I approached it silently, glad that they didn¡¯t have the equivalent of motion sensors and seemed to rely on their access restriction for security. At least San Hashar had figured out their security measures early on, and I knew I could get in.


    I stopped in front of the gate and lifted part of my veil. Then, going slowly and with care, I pulled in air qi from the surroundings while still keeping the rest of it going. My world shrunk to qi, my concentration deepening.


    Laboriously, I formed the qi into the correct shape. A few times, I noticed I¡¯d made a mistake and had to reshape a section. As I got closer to completion, the mental strain intensified, until a headache pounding away against my skull threatened to distract me. But I persevered. Finally, I got the qi shaped like I wanted it, in both outer form and aspect, and inserted it into the singular keyhole in the door. Another effort of will later, this one making me see bright spots against the surrounding darkness, it clicked.


    I breathed out my tension, taking a moment to close my eyes and let the headache ease. Without my genius memory, I¡¯d never have been able to do this in time. Without my unique ability, it would have been hopeless. But I¡¯d come here to observe sect elders entering many times since I came back. A few of them, presumably those who had an affinity for air qi, formed the key on their own. Others had a qi-imbued token they used for access. I¡¯d considered trying to steal one, but decided it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. So I¡¯d observed until I was confident I could mimic the qi they used. Without my improved understanding, it would have taken months.


    Carefully, I pushed the door open a bit, then hurried through and closed it again. I stilled, sweeping the area with my senses. No one here, and nothing reacted. I wished I could have taken along a guard, but the door only let one person through at a time, and it might have detected if I tried to substitute my qi signature for someone else¡¯s.


    After waiting for a bit, I continued on. I drew my veil tightly about myself, although I did have to adjust the light qi part. I didn¡¯t know what sort of illumination I¡¯d get, and I needed enough light to come through that I could see, without giving my presence away.


    The path I walked on looked no different from those in the other parts of the sect. It took me uphill at an increasing rate. I passed a few buildings close to the gate, but after giving those a thorough inspection from here, I decided not to bother with them. We¡¯d already done some snooping and determined they were worthless targets, just storage and office space or armories built close to the gate for easy access in emergencies. This sect had a lot of buildings, but I suspected they played a part in some landscaped formation array.


    As I continued on, I couldn¡¯t help anxiously scanning the shadows around me. Maybe I was making a mistake. But whoever might be after me, they certainly wouldn¡¯t expect me to go sneaking about like this. They should have no way to locate me. In a way, I¡¯m probably safer here than in my room, if someone is after me. Maybe I¡¯m just being paranoid. And besides, I couldn¡¯t squander this opportunity.


    The restricted part of the compound wasn¡¯t that big. Maybe a few hundred meters across from the entrance to the wall, although it stretched out wider to the sides. I eyed the house, more like palace, at the top of the hill. This would be the home of the sect patriarch and the most revered elders. There were additional protections on it. Ones I couldn¡¯t be confident in breaking. I didn¡¯t even know if I¡¯d caught all of them. If only I was at a higher stage.


    I meandered through the grounds, circling the buildings several times. Everything was quiet. No matter how much I strained my ears, they only caught the whispering of the wind. No one moved, except for a single guard patrolling the edges of the wall where it met the rest of the sect grounds. Judging from his aura, a core disciple, in the fifth stage.


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    I made sure to stay still and tighten my veil whenever I got close to him, but he never even glanced in my direction. He¡¯d be more concerned about a threat from outside than whoever might already be inside. I didn¡¯t know if there were supposed to be more guards further in, but they could have been pulled because of the situation with the beast.


    As the minutes passed by and I didn¡¯t find anything, I had to focus to keep my frustration under control. Maybe I should try to get into the mansion. But my gut warned me against that. Better to cut my losses and return. I¡¯d already gained a lot of valuable intel, and I could afford to be patient.


    I was about to conclude that I should turn back, when an incongruity caught my eye. Something about the shadows cast by that house was off. It stood in a back corner, smaller and meaner than its fellows, as if they had cast it aside for not following the sect¡¯s flamboyance. Might have been more suspicious if similar, less maintained houses hadn¡¯t been present in the other parts of the area.


    I stepped closer, reaching out with my qi and at the same time scrutinizing the corner in question. I didn¡¯t actually feel anything, but after considering the nearby light sources and how the shadows should fall, I felt sure of my interpretation. It might have been dark enough that a normal human couldn¡¯t have seen it, but I had no problems piercing darkness. The ground was elevated slightly here, something blocking the light rays just a bit.


    I crouched down and carefully stretched my senses out over the ground. Now that I came closer, I could feel just a faint echo of a qi construct. Someone had hidden this, and hidden it well, but not well enough to thwart someone who could see qi as easily as me. At least if I knew where to look.


    Carefully, I spread some of my own darkness qi over it, letting it sink into and mingle with the enchantment until I could see through it. I took my time, examining everything with utmost care, before I breathed a sign of relief. No real security measures, just concealment. That made sense, since hiding a high-level protective enchantment wouldn¡¯t be simple.


    I crouched, checked the area one last time, then lifted the hidden trapdoor. Beneath it, I could see the beginning of a tunnel. Quickly, I swept it to make sure there were no hidden traps, then jumped down and pulled the trapdoor closed behind me.


    My head almost brushed the top of the tunnel, and I couldn¡¯t stretch out both arms without hitting the wall. It smelled like earth. Even though it was completely dark, my qi senses and darkness affinity let me perceive everything around me, and I could see that the tunnel didn¡¯t stretch out long. I continued forward, stepping carefully and looking for anything suspicious.


    After maybe two hundred meters, I reached a gate. It wasn¡¯t physical, just a barrier made of qi with the shape of a door inside.


    I crouched a little and took a closer look. I could sense an alarm formation interwoven with the barrier, but I got the feeling it would only react if someone opened the door. Presumably, there was some way to turn it off, but I didn¡¯t have a clue how.


    Still, this didn¡¯t have to be the end. I adjusted my veil a little and sent parts of my light qi out, probing. As I thought, the barrier prevented people or objects passing through, but it didn¡¯t prevent light. So I formed my best impression of a flashlight and looked beyond it.


    A wide chamber with several doors leading off of it. At the side, there was a section that looked straight out of some mad scientist¡¯s laboratory. Tables and seats with restraints, things that could only be microscopes, shelves with many devices or neatly labeled bottles. I didn¡¯t recognize half of the things there, but the rest were obvious enough to make it clear I¡¯d found a secret research area.


    Frowning, I altered my technique a little, shifting the wavelength. The doors between this room and the next ones were flimsy wood, and didn¡¯t stand up to infrared light. Behind this one, I could see several smaller rooms arranged around a corridor. Most of them contained heat signatures in the shape of a person.


    Well, this is pretty clear, I guess.


    I took a step closer and ever so carefully pushed up against the barrier. Then I closed my eyes and concentrated on my qi senses. The boundary made it hard, like looking through milky glass. But I kept at it, adjusting until I could filter it out enough to get a good idea of the area.


    As I thought, most of the devices glowed with qi. Different affinities, but all of it intricately made formations. Looking beyond that, I focused on the people. They were all in the first or second stage of cultivation, like the workers from the village. And yet, something was off. Their qi pulsated angrily, flowing in unnatural shapes through their bodies. And in some parts, qi was concentrated, glowing far more strongly than the rest. But it didn¡¯t give me the same sensation it should have.


    Chewing my lips, I tried to peer more closely. The qi in odd spots looked remarkably similar across persons. I could distinguish two clear groups. That confirmed my impression - it was foreign qi someone had injected into them.


    So much for the sect. I stepped back and opened my eyes, frowning at the door. Getting your own qi into someone else¡¯s body was illegal, outside of specific medical applications, and especially without their consent. That was an old law, far more rooted in the Empire than most of Mother¡¯s new ones. Mostly because failure could lead to catastrophes that damaged far more than the recipient.


    I didn¡¯t know if the sect had obtained these people¡¯s informed consent, but I had trouble believing it. Probably they pretend they have consent, but coerced them in some way.


    For a moment, I considered barging in. But I was alone in the heart of the sect¡¯s territory. I¡¯d get out and set things in motion to deal with this, get people that could capture the compound and investigate what was going on here. These people will just have to stay a little longer, and it¡¯s not like any of them look about to die.


    Sighing, I turned around, quickly letting the ¡®secret lab¡¯ fade into the distance. When I reached the trapdoor, I waited for a bit, trusting my ears and qi senses to pick up anyone nearby, then climbed up. The area still seemed deserted. I carefully made my way back to the gate, feeling myself relax a little more as I came closer.


    I had to wonder what the sect was trying to accomplish. Probably a way to make their disciples stronger. While they were prestigious, they¡¯d lost a good deal of influence they once had. In their view, losing a few commoners to failed experiments was probably worth the chance of discovering a new technique or something. Not for much longer.


    Almost despite my expectations, everything remained clear. I avoided the patrol and got back to the gate quickly. Opening it only a bit, I slipped out and closed it behind me, straining my senses to pick up anything suspicious. Nothing happened. I continued on.


    I almost missed it when someone did come. A sect elder, probably in the sixth stage. His darkness qi let him blend into the shadows, almost sliding beneath my awareness. I stopped, then backed away, drawing my veil tighter around myself.


    He stopped. I held my breath and stilled, focusing on being one with the night. He frowned. But after a moment, he started walking again.


    Carefully, I backed away farther, going a little out of my way to keep my distance from the elder. If he discovered me, they might find what I¡¯d been doing. Only when he stepped up to the gate did I dare breathe easier.


    I turned and continued heading to my room. The sect sprawled before me, quiet in the night. Unfortunately, I was coming from a bad direction now, where it would be harder to slip into the residential area. There was a group of disciples nearby, playing some sort of ball game in an open courtyard. Two large storehouses flanked the path to the dormitories not far beyond them.


    I released my veil a little. I didn¡¯t feel confident in fooling higher-stage people in close proximity, and I might encounter those on the way. Still, I didn¡¯t want to draw attention by calling a guard to help. So instead, I strove to be unobtrusive, just another disciple out for some training, and set out on a curving path to approach the section.


    No one approached or called out to me, although the sounds of the other disciples stopped one moment. The whole way, I kept thinking about how best to reveal the sect¡¯s illegal doings and to whom.

 Bonus 2: History of the world

    It strikes me that the history of this world is in many ways similar to, and yet in many ways different from Earth¡¯s.


    Unfortunately, there doesn¡¯t appear to be a commonly used name for the world. I¡¯ll go with the Imperial Common term, Aran, which is just the word for ¡°world¡± or ¡°planet¡±.


    The early history (or prehistory?) is the most striking aspect. There isn¡¯t much known. For a long time, at least several millennia, humans lived in tribes of hunter-gatherers. So far, so like Earth. But we don¡¯t know if humans actually evolved here. No hard evidence has been found, like bones of earlier hominids. No real signs of this period, like cave paintings. I suppose that¡¯s simply the nature of the world.


    It¡¯s possible that humans came from different worlds. We already know that there¡¯s connections between them. In my opinion, the presence of recognizable humans in so many different worlds can be better explained by migration rather than convergent evolution. But with magic, who knows?


    Maybe ¡®the barriers between universes¡¯ were thinner then. The world was certainly a different place. Wilder and more chaotic. I¡¯m not sure if cultivation changed qi, or if it settled naturally. Maybe the stories are exaggerated, as well. But with all the spirits and spirits beasts, it¡¯s a testament to humanity¡¯s resilience that they survived. This period is marked by early attempts at cultivation. Pulling qi into their bodies to make them tougher and stronger, but without anything we could call techniques, and certainly not enough to match the monsters. Humans survived in areas of lower qi density, where there weren¡¯t as many beasts, or they weren¡¯t as strong.


    Slowly, they started building settlements. This world¡¯s Neolithic Revolution, about ten thousand years ago, at an estimate. This happened almost everywhere at the same time, give or take a thousand years. It¡¯s also the time when people really started dealing with spirits, and improving their cultivation. The first cores were formed. The world was still more ¡®unsettled¡¯ back then, but I think it calmed down around this period.


    During this early history, there was a relative ton of communication between different groups. One of the most glaring differences to Earth, and it surprised me a lot. The reason is spirits. Humans bargained with spirits, who had a far easier time crossing inhospitable terrain and passing messages even to people a thousand kilometers away. So, ideas spread. Even between continents, though slower.


    In this time, a while after building the first villages, there was a crafting boom. At around the same time, humans developed technology for crafting stuff from monster parts and smelting metal. Better weapons and general tech, along with their improved cultivation, allowed them to push back against the wilderness and secure bigger areas. The first towns were built, and eventually the first cities.


    Of course, since settling down, society also changed. Class systems developed. They were naturally more fluid in the beginning. Those with a lot of talent were revered. Generally, the ¡®warrior class¡¯, who protected the settlements from monsters, had higher status. Maybe they also got to be in charge because they had the military strength. In any case, from the records we have, there stood a grand total of three cities on this continent where the leaders were not warriors ¡ª and those were lead by shamans or priests. People will be people, I guess.


    Right, the records. Writing developed from early signs around the same time they discovered metalwork. It spread quickly, and it¡¯s hard to say whether it¡¯s from a single source or the concept was developed independently in several places. Of course, different regions developed their own systems. Neighboring cities¡¯ would usually be close enough that travelers could decipher them, but modern historians haven¡¯t even come close to getting all of them.


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    It¡¯s important to realize just how scattered they were, though. Humans mostly still stuck to safe locations, and there could easily be wilderness for a thousand kilometers around a city-state. Compared to Earth, qi made growing food easier, but the environment harder to survive, let alone tame. I guess it¡¯s unsurprising events took a slightly different path.


    In time, things reminiscent to modern nations developed. Although they changed a lot. Technology improved mostly based on qi. This made it feasible to expand, and link up cities and regions. Whether that happened through trade connections or conquest varied, of course. I think this is the time period that influences from other worlds really started to matter. Maybe because of better organization, maybe a cultural change. It could just be that other worlds advanced through time as well, and therefore scientific exchange became more possible. In any case, in some parts of the continent, the cultures developed in ways I find strangely familiar.


    ! Let me pause for an important note. If you reread this, future self, pay attention. The only history I¡¯ve read comes from Imperial sources, or at least books approved to be kept in the palace. There¡¯s obviously bias here. Of course, history is often told far from objectively. My country isn¡¯t much for revisionist history, thankfully, but even in my schoolbooks there were parts that could have been handled better, or should have been included at all. And in other countries, well¡­ Here, the rhetoric is hard to miss sometimes, at minimum.


    I mean, any country that has to be called ¡®the greatest country in the world¡¯ regularly probably isn¡¯t.


    Of course, the world might just be like that. Maybe all countries have that kind of propaganda, and this is still one of the better places to live. In fact, that probably is the case. This isn¡¯t Earth, after all.


    That said, I¡¯ll leave most of the Empire¡¯s history for their books, or maybe deal with it later.


    The nation started in what¡¯s called the Central Mountains. In the middle of the Central Continent. Oh, the egocentrism ¡­. It¡¯s often the Sky Continent now. Not much better, but at least it fits with the rest.


    There¡¯s some debate on when the country really started, but whatever. After a while, it was properly unified and in the throes of progress. That¡¯s when it spread out. A new city was built at the foot of the mountains, between the ¡®two great rivers¡¯. The first expansion followed them. Along the Blossom River towards the northern bay, the closest coastline; and along the Green River through the Central Plains (really, folks?), until it reached the low mountain range usually called Dark Forest. The whole thing went pretty quickly. Finishing Thousand Stars City, the new capital, marks the start of the Imperial Calendar. In the same year, the ruler officially changed his title to Emperor, although he¡¯d apparently been called that for a while.


    Afterward, over a period of around two thousand years, it spread until it covered most of the continent. There are a lot of separate events, conquests and some losses, though I¡¯m too lazy to note them all down here. But they did have cool airships. Then there was a period of stagnation where nothing much happened, with only a bit of progress. Well, the printing press, not much else of note. Then the most devastating civil war yet, which is still prominent in their culture: the Red Rain. That ended in the year 3250 with the third dynasty. Well, a period of stabilization, and then it continued spreading.


    The country started with a feudal structure, and that never really changed. Developing from the ¡®martial heroes¡¯ of the early nation, the nobles used to have more power back then. Well, how strong they were in comparison to the throne varied a lot over the millennia, of course. In some eras, the Empire was more of a loose collection of states, while in others, the rulers kept them on a tight leash. The most recent civil war and its aftermath are a case in point.


    Anyway, the next step that happened would be intercontinental travel and everything that usually follows it. Right now, of course, we¡¯re in some weird mix of the middle ages, the age of imperialism, maybe the cold war, and the modern day.


    I find it interesting how there¡¯s a progression to larger structures. From villages to cities to nations to global powers. More clearly than on Earth. I guess that means it¡¯s time for conquering the world, right? (Seriously, though.)


    I think I¡¯ll focus on the later history of the Empire of the Sky at some other time. Right now, I¡¯d rather see if I can find anything about spirit beast civilizations.

 27: A chance of hiding

    After a bit of thought, I decided to ask San Hashar for advice as soon as she returned. But just as I made the decision, my neck prickled, and I paused.


    It was too quiet, but focused on my thoughts, I only noticed that now. The storehouses loomed in front of me, close enough that I would have reached their shadows if it was morning instead of night. Yet I was no longer alone on the path.


    I turned around, stifling a sigh as my eyes confirmed what my qi senses had been telling me. Four disciples, three boys and a girl, came up the path behind me. As I watched, they spread out, forming a half-circle.


    Great. Do they just want to bully someone or is there more to it? Did they see me sneaking?


    ¡°Spare us a moment of your time, sect brother,¡± one of them demanded. ¡°Or is it sister?¡±


    I gave them a polite bow. ¡°Can I help you with something, sect brother?¡±


    They should be able to guess my strength, although the veil might lead them to underestimate it a bit. But all of them were in the fourth stage, probably all inner disciples. The one who¡¯d spoken had a ratty face and slick, styled hair, with a blue robe that matched the bubble of water in his aura. His body language oozed confidence.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t help but notice you,¡± he said. ¡°Clothed like an assassin, even hiding your face? One has to wonder just what we¡¯ve stumbled on here.¡±


    I stiffened. ¡°My training and what talismans I choose to bolster my cultivation are none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Mouthy, isn¡¯t he?¡±, one of the others said, this one wearing a topknot and green robes. He leered at me. ¡°Although I do believe it¡¯s a she. There are some curves hiding under that clothing.¡±


    I felt the sudden urge to take a bath, but ignored it. ¡°Does my gender concern you in some way, sect brothers?¡±


    ¡°Not your gender, no,¡± the first speaker drawled. They continued to approach until he came close enough to emphasize how he stood half a head taller than me. ¡°But I do find your path suspicious. From the west side of the sect grounds, going for the residences. Where could you have been coming from? There¡¯s nothing there, certainly no sect buildings.¡±


    ¡°I was simply training.¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± he continued, not responding to me, ¡°the only thing there is a border with the elders¡¯ grounds. An out-of-the-way approach to them.¡±


    I consciously relaxed my muscles, silencing their desire to tense up. Does he really think he¡¯s onto something, or is this simply a justification to bother me?


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it,¡± I acknowledged evenly, glad that my face was hidden. ¡°A border of qi. Everyone knows about that. But it doesn¡¯t concern me. I was simply training my techniques in a quiet spot. A dark spot, of course, given my affinity. The reasoning should be clear to any inner disciples, no?¡±


    I could have just revealed myself, but I did come sneaking from the wrong direction, and the sect might notice someone had tricked their gate. I couldn¡¯t risk them moving their experiments.


    ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± the girl growled. Her qi flared in my direction like fire. ¡°If anyone displays a lack of reasoning ability here, it¡¯s certainly you. Are you even an inner disciple?¡±


    I backed up just a bit. ¡°I did not mean any insult. My status is not in question, however.¡±


    They probably took that as confirmation that I wasn¡¯t. The four of them advanced on me again, closing the distance. The fourth disciple, quiet so far, even moved further around so he was positioned to cut off my retreat.


    Before I could come to a decision, my chance to try and escape them was past. Not that I would have tried, since I didn¡¯t want to turn my back to the group. I needed to lose them somehow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to check to make sure that you have no suspicious intentions,¡± the leader said, smirking.


    ¡°That would be a right shame,¡± the last boy agreed, crossing his arms to provide a good imitation of a brick wall. His qi felt like air brushing against me.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Maybe a change in environment will help,¡± the first one said, snapping his fingers to call up a ball of water floating beside him.


    I prepared to erect a barrier of darkness qi. My qi reserves weren¡¯t in good shape after my excursion, and I knew I didn¡¯t stand much of a chance against the four of them. Hopefully, he was just messing around.


    Just as I tried to jump to the side, a wall of air boxed me in. The water splashed against my shield, spraying back all over the area and the path.


    ¡°My shoes!¡± the girl cried. ¡°How dare you sully them?¡±


    The green-robed boy wiped water out of his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s teach her a lesson.¡± In the next moment, vines burst out of the ground.


    I backed away a pace, trying to step onto the vines before they could snatch me. I was quicker than them, and my shield kept the worst of it off me. But the bullies didn¡¯t wait around.


    The one behind me lunged forward, striking with swiftness unsuited to his frame. I barely managed to stumble away from his blow. Then one of the vines caught my ankle and whirled me around. A fireball roared at me. I ducked and felt its heat pass above me, my barrier collapsing under the strain.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Things had escalated too much. I raised my hands and tried to peel away the mask. Unfortunately, it had been designed not to come off easily.


    A fist crashed into my stomach. I doubled up and reflexively brought my hands up to go for the first boy¡¯s face.


    He staggered back, but the air had been knocked out of me. That¡¯s going to leave a bruise, I noted as I tried to get my breathing back.


    I straightened up just in time to see the next attack coming at me, a throwing knife the girl had let loose. Unable to get out of the way, I tried to knock it aside with my forearm. It worked, though the move left a stinging trail on my arm. Then some instinct had me dodge, just enough to have the big guy¡¯s blade glance off my side. I could feel wetness flow down as I kicked out, giving myself some space.


    For a moment, they backed away. I knew my injuries had to be superficial, and regretted for a moment my decision to have my protective talismans only for life-threatening injuries. I¡¯d thought the lack of bleeding might be suspicious if I was injured while someone saw me.


    ¡°Stop it, you don¡¯t know ¡ª¡±


    As if my starting to talk was a signal, they attacked again. This time, the four of them came in together, fists and feet flying at me.


    I gritted my teeth and endured what I couldn¡¯t dodge, hissing as the girl¡¯s fist crashed into the cut in my side. In a moment, I gathered qi and released it in a wave. A flash of light blinded them while my domain manifested as black plates to shove them away.


    One was thrown, the green-robed boy, while the others retreated. But my dantian only had a little qi left, most of it light affinity.


    I took the moment to finally get my mask off and shake my hair loose.


    ¡°Blond hair?¡± the green guy asked with a tilt of his head.


    ¡°No,¡± the leader whispered, swallowing audibly. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡±


    ¡°The name is Inaris, Leri Inaris,¡± I said, taking a bit of satisfaction from his expression. ¡°And you four just made a big mistake.¡±


    Air boy made a strangled sound and dropped to his knees. Green boy followed suit.


    ¡°Sun¡¯s light.¡± The girl took a step back, but remained standing. ¡°We just assaulted the Imperial Princess.¡±


    The blue-robed guy looked from her to me and back. ¡°Oh, by the spirits. Stand firm, now.¡±


    The creep frowned, eyes darting back and forth. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We attacked the heir to the throne,¡± the girl said. ¡°We drew her blood. Do you know what that means?¡±


    The other one, air boy, stood up. ¡°It means we¡¯re dead men walking.¡±


    My feeling of satisfaction turned sour and my stomach dropped. ¡°Now, don¡¯t make your mistake even worse.¡±


    ¡°If anyone finds out, we¡¯ll be killed. Slowly, I reckon.¡± A sword appeared in the blue-robed disciple¡¯s hand. ¡°The only chance we have is hiding it. Nothing personal, princess. But it¡¯s your life or ours.¡±


    Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake.


    I poured all but scant remnants of qi into another shield, cursing internally. ¡°I can show you mercy, if you stop this foolishness now!¡±


    The green creep finally stood up, too, pulling a whip from the air. ¡°How could we believe that? Rarko, you¡¯re right, I think we have a chance of hiding this. No one¡¯s noticed yet.¡±


    I felt a surge of qi from air boy. A moment later, a bubble formed around us, cutting off all outside sounds and muddying my qi senses.


    Any doubt I had vanished when they attacked. They were desperate, their moves savage and intense. With weapons bursting with qi, they hacked my barrier to pieces.


    Suddenly, I felt a lot less confident in my gear. It wouldn¡¯t protect me from drowning in a bubble of water with my qi depleted.


    I strengthened my barriers, making an effort to keep my breathing calm. I locked eyes with the leader. His were narrowed, his sword strike being stopped centimeters from my face. I channeled qi through my bracelet. A pulse exploded out of it, racing into the air, stunning my attackers briefly.


    The leader recovered first. I saw him lunge forward, his sword raised, flashing towards me.


    The next moment, it spun through the air. He thudded to the ground.


    I had to blink before the scene in front of me made sense. From one instant to the next, all of the disciples had fallen, red spreading on their robes or pouring out onto the ground. They didn¡¯t even get the chance to scream. One body twitched a little, its eyes staring upwards, unmoving.


    I turned to the side a bit to look at San Hashar where she knelt on the ground. Her qi blazed like a star that had sucked everything in.


    ¡°Call for reinforcements,¡± I said, in a voice distant to my own ears. ¡°Then confine the sect.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at the four disciples. The leader wasn¡¯t clad in blue anymore, his robes torn all over his chest where the red color fountained out, dyeing his attire. His face was still set in determination to bring me down, trying to save his life.

 28: Facing the consequences

    ¡°Your Highness. Please let me tend to your injuries.¡±


    I tore my gaze away from the bodies. Was a mistake looking in the first place, I idly noted, now I can¡¯t forget the sight. But I focused on the situation. San Hashar was still kneeling, her brows furrowed and her gaze turned downwards.


    I patted my side, feeling the dried blood in my clothing. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± With a thought, I took a medicinal pill from my storage ring and swallowed. Since my injuries were light, they should be healed in a few minutes.


    I finally turned around, gesturing for San Hashar to get up. But after a step, I had to look at her again, my face set in a scowl. ¡°Why did you have to kill them?¡±


    ¡°They assaulted the Radiant Princess. They committed treason, and thus forfeit their lives. My duty is Your Highness¡¯ protection. I saw no compelling reason to take the risk of leaving them alive, even if it was small.¡±


    I sighed, shaking my head. In the end, I supposed it didn¡¯t matter. They¡¯d explicitly tried to kill me, they would have been executed anyway.


    We started walking. But I moved slowly, still trying to wrap my head around everything. Even if seeing her kill the bullies didn¡¯t affect me as much as I might have thought, there was a lot to deal with.


    San Hashar hadn¡¯t left my side for a moment, but I¡¯d felt her using her qi and heard her communicate with her soldiers. I could feel them moving in around me. After a look around, I commanded, ¡°Take me to a more secure place.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    A moment later, air qi enveloped me. We lifted into the air, and for a few seconds, I could feel the wind whistling by me, until we slowed and touched down again. Now we stood behind the gates of the main sect entrance. A group of soldiers set up what I realized was a defensive position here, building onto the gate with constructs of qi.


    I went into the earthen hut one of them had raised for me and pulled off my bloodstained clothes. The pill designed to ¡®flush out impurities¡¯ in the wounds had made them bleed again. But I didn¡¯t bathe, simply taking a new set of clothing, this one an ornamental blue robe, from my storage ring, and putting it on. Red stains quickly spread across them, but I could feel the gashes closing slowly.


    I could have looked pristine, but I didn¡¯t need to appear invincible. No, sect disciples had attacked me ¡ª that was the fact I needed to showcase.


    I exited the hut again and ran into the waiting gaze of San Hashar. Frowning, I averted my eyes and started to pace, hoping the reinforcements would come quickly.


    They didn¡¯t really deserve to die.


    The thought wormed its way through my mind, itching under my skin. I knew the people here wouldn¡¯t understand. But even if I¡¯d been a fan of the death penalty, which I wasn¡¯t, they really had fought for their lives in a very real sense.


    But now they are dead. San Hashar only did her job. A job I knew she did. So where did I go wrong? Could I have kept them from trying to cover their actions up? I sighed, pacing harder. Probably not.


    To be fair, I could see two options if they had been taken alive. In the first, someone would have ordered their deaths without consulting me, or convinced me to do it. In the second, if I decided to spare them, there¡¯d still be a good chance that Mother would have overruled me. Of course, they¡¯d still stood a better chance if they¡¯d simply thrown themselves on my mercy, but they didn¡¯t know that.


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the answer. But I should have revealed myself earlier. Before this could have escalated so much. Of course, that¡¯s hindsight. ¡­ And maybe this is better in the grand scheme of things, anyway.


    Even in my own head, the words felt hollow. Because this wasn¡¯t the plan.


    ¡°Wait.¡± I stopped and turned to look at San Hashar. ¡°What happened with the bear?¡±


    ¡°Everything went according to plan, my lady,¡± she reported. ¡°We suffered a few casualties, but no fatalities. We were just about to take it down for good when I saw your signal. The team is on its way back and should arrive momentarily.¡±


    I tried to calculate her speed if she¡¯d made it here from the forest in little more than a second, and shook my head. The seventh stage is no joke.


    ¡°You could have disabled them,¡± I stated, no doubt in my mind about it.


    The soldier bowed her head, but met my eyes without the slightest twitch.


    After a moment, I snorted and looked away. At least they died quickly, I guess. I get the feeling my guards don¡¯t like the sect.


    After a pause, I switched tracks. ¡°I assume you reported this to Mother. What¡¯s she going to do?¡±


    San Hashar straightened to stand at attention again. ¡°There were no new orders, Your Highness.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Although, Lady Kariva let me know, unofficially, that Her Majesty will see justice done in any case.¡±


    ¡°So, she wants to see what I¡¯ll do,¡± I interpreted. And it¡¯s on me to dispense punishment. Well, don¡¯t mind if I do.


    I focused on my breathing and started circulating qi, pulling more in. I had a bit of light affinity qi left, and complemented that with a bit of darkness now.


    We waited in silence for a bit longer, until the team returned. They blurred up the path almost too fast for me to track, then came to a stop in front of me and their commander. A few dark stains marked their clothing, but no one had trouble moving. They stood in orderly rows, saluting us.


    ¡°Great work,¡± I said, then looked to San Hashar.


    She nodded and started giving them orders, having them link up with the rest of the group.


    I swept my senses over the surroundings. There were a little more soldiers here than I¡¯d seen with San Hashar, and some wore different uniforms. Probably local forces from the town of Pecasa or the forest. I could still feel some of the elites moving through the sect grounds.


    I waved my chief guard over and whispered, ¡°Should we wait?¡±


    San Hashar hesitated for a moment. ¡°It might be best if we move now, before the elders of the sect have time to prepare. We can take the outer sect easily, then wait for reinforcements. They¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Make it happen.¡±


    I listened to her orders closely and watched as the majority of the soldiers departed. They spread out, moving forward as a wave sweeping across the sect. San Hashar herself stayed close to me, along with two of the Imperial Guards.


    After I judged it was safe, I started walking up the path. San Hashar sighed audibly, then moved to put herself diagonally in front of me. At least she didn¡¯t try to force me to stay put.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    We walked by the residences, which were empty of life. I slowed down to look at the buildings, then shook my head and kept going. Occasionally, I¡¯d catch a glimpse of a soldier moving quickly across the sect grounds, herding disciples towards the center. I couldn¡¯t see or sense an elder anywhere.


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach the gathering. I could feel them before I saw them, the presence of so many cultivators prickling like static electricity against my skin. The feeling guided me to the large courtyard in the center.


    That¡¯s when I did see an elder, Zun, the one who¡¯d welcomed the new disciples. He stood quietly at the head of the group, hands clasped before him, posture relaxed. But the way his eyes darted to the soldiers betrayed his calm. The rest of them were disciples of various stages. They huddled in groups in the center of the courtyard, whispering to each other and eyeing the soldiers encircling them. I could practically smell the unease. No, wait, some of them are sweating pretty badly, that¡¯s what I can smell.


    When I turned up, the soldiers all went to attention and saluted, their qi spreading out heavier, suppressing the disciples even more. Once I came to a stop facing the crowd, San Hashar stepped forward.


    ¡°On your knees for the Imperial Princess!¡± she bellowed, her voice echoing around the courtyard.


    They complied. Zun apparently didn¡¯t move quickly enough, so the soldier next to him pushed him down. A few of the disciples sprawled forward under the guards¡¯ qi, as well.


    I could see the way their gazes fixed on me, stopping on the blood staining my robe. More than one of them gulped. Being reminded of it, the spots itched.


    I channeled the grossness into an unpleasant expression. After letting the silence build for a few seconds, I spoke. ¡°Today, I was attacked.¡± I paused for effect. ¡°A group of this sect¡¯s inner disciples assaulted me. They even stated that they aimed to kill me. I do not know if they acted alone or if the sect put them up to it.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s true. I can¡¯t be sure the sect isn¡¯t behind this.


    ¡°We never ¡ª¡±


    A guard slapped the elder to silence him.


    I raised a hand. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    The elder stopped rubbing his face and raised his head. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness! The Carmine Cloud Sect would never do something like this. The very thought is abhorrent! It pains this lowly one greatly that such a vile act could have happened within this sect. These vermin acted alone, or perhaps they were coopted by foreign interests. Where are they? This one is sure we can wring the truth from them, before we send them to the wretched death they deserve!¡±


    I managed not to cringe through this speech, staring at the elder coldly. ¡°They¡¯re dead, of course.¡±


    That shut him up for the moment.


    I shook my head, watching the disciples. ¡°The sect is already under heavy suspicion of breaking Imperial law. Given what happened, I am taking control here until further notice. Rest assured that the eventual fate of the sect will be ¡­ just.¡±


    The soldiers seemed content to follow my command. Technically, I could probably have it razed to the ground and everyone put to the sword. Until Mother stopped me. But I wasn¡¯t that upset or stupid. Well, or evil. Instead, a picture of what I wanted had been percolating through the back of my mind. At least it stopped me from dwelling on the disciples who¡¯d tried to kill me.


    I stepped away and told San Hashar to raise a shield. She made a bubble of air qi that would prevent our conversation from being overheard, and blurred our features enough lipreading wouldn¡¯t work. Then I told her what I¡¯d seen in the sect¡¯s restricted area. I should have done that earlier, but I¡¯d been preoccupied.


    She simply nodded, and started passing it on by forming a qi construct, probably to Kariva or one of her agents. I paced up and down, sending glances at the gathered sect members. They stayed on their knees, although hushed conversations resumed.


    After a bit, I forced myself to stillness and tried cultivating. It didn¡¯t go as well as usual. By the time I really immersed myself, the arrival of new presences broke me out of it. Maybe fifteen minutes had passed.


    The reinforcements came from an airship hovering over the square. Another group of soldiers flew down, some on their own, some by standing on pieces of metal I recognized as flying swords. All of them wore the silver-and-blue with phoenix insignia, and were at least in the fifth stage. More elite soldiers.


    My attention was drawn to the leader, an old man whose face was framed by a gray mane and decorated with a scar across his left cheek. His presence weighed on me a little bit more than San Hashar¡¯s. The soldiers went to one knee and saluted, but right away, he started barking orders at them and they scattered.


    A moment later, he turned to me, bowing. ¡°Imperial Princess Inaris. San Hashar. I hear this sect needs some tough attention.¡±


    I smiled and gestured for him to straighten up, but stayed quiet to let San Hashar do the talking.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Ru. We¡¯ve secured the outer sect, but the elders in their compound will be a tougher match. With you aboard, though, it¡¯ll be easy.¡±


    ¡°I hope you two can handle the sect patriarch,¡± I said.


    ¡°Certainly, Your Highness. He might be in the seventh stage, but combined, Ru and I will have no trouble taking him down. Although I doubt it will come to a fight. He¡¯s old but not stupid.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can promise that I won¡¯t kill him. Shall we?¡±


    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t that easy. The two seventh-stagers gathered the troops that would come, then took off for the compound. I trailed behind, left in their dust and settled with half a dozen bodyguards. When I reached the gate to the compound, it stood open, but I had no idea if the elders had opened it, or my soldiers.


    We moved quickly, and soon came to the mansion at the top. One elder lay crumpled on the ground beside the gate. His chest was rising and falling slightly, though. I gave him a wide berth and entered the building. It teemed with marble columns, statues, paintings, silk draperies, and everything else you might expect. After a short hallway, double doors of some dark wood with intricate carvings led into a foyer.


    I paused, the weight of the gathered presences making my steps hitch. But I powered on, scanning the scene. San Hashar and the other commander, Ru, stood facing a group of old people in robes that wouldn¡¯t have looked odd in the palace. The sect leadership, I assumed. The old man in the center stopped, his head barely reaching Ru¡¯s chest, his gnarled hand gripping a cane. But I could feel the strongest presence in the room emanating from him.


    When I entered, the soldiers bowed to me. The sect elders followed suit after a moment. I could hear the old man¡¯s joints creaking.


    ¡°Let me cut to the chase,¡± I said. ¡°If you cooperate, no one else needs to die. You have my word.¡±


    The sect leadership exchanged looks. For a moment, silence lingered. Then the patriarch stomped his cane on the floor and bowed his head.


    ¡°We truly are innocent in the matter of that sacrilegious attack, Your Highness,¡± he said. ¡°But of course, this sect would not dare think of defying the Empire.¡±


    I inclined my head in response. ¡°Thank you, Patriarch.¡± I walked closer, coming to a stop between the commanders. ¡°Where are the rest?¡±


    ¡°In their dwellings, Your Highness,¡± San Hashar answered. ¡°Graciously showing our men and women around.¡±


    Uh huh. I hid a smile and looked back at the elders. ¡°What about the secret laboratory beneath our feet? What does the Carmine Cloud Sect have to say for itself?¡±


    They shifted and whispered among themselves for a moment, until the patriarch shook his head. ¡°We have, in fact, conducted experiments there,¡± he stated. ¡°However, all subjects are volunteers, and we have the documentation to prove it.¡± He stepped forward, grabbed a sheaf of documents from thin air and handed it to San Hashar.


    She flicked through it, snorting once.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Be that as it may. We will have to ask the people themselves once they have been retrieved. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that you injected foreign qi into people of a much lower stage, causing detrimental effects. A clear violation of my esteemed Mother¡¯s laws, for which this sect will face the consequences.¡±


    ¡°None of them died!¡± another elder protested.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    They fell silent, and I took a deep breath. Then I squared my shoulders and raised my chin. ¡°From this day forth, the Carmine Cloud Sect is dissolved. So I decree in the name of my Mother, the glorious Empress Acura. Let all bear witness.¡±


    Their eyes widened and for a moment, silence reigned. Then the elders started speaking. A few gathered qi. Others simply raised their voices.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± the patriarch cried.


    A shining polearm appeared in San Hashar¡¯s hands, forward spike facing the elders. Ru gathered qi into his fists. The rest of the soldiers let their power swell, too.


    ¡°I just did,¡± I replied. Sorry, couldn¡¯t resist.


    The tension built until any first-stager would have been killed just from standing in the room. The hairs on my body stood on end, and I had to lock my knees to keep standing straight.


    Finally, the elder sighed, and the will seemed to seep out of the former sect¡¯s leaders. ¡°What is going to happen?¡± he asked.


    I smiled and relaxed my tense muscles. ¡°The Carmine Cloud sect is no more. The sect¡¯s grounds will be confiscated by the Empire. The victims of the experiments will be compensated after the investigation. As restitution, a portion of the sect¡¯s lands will be given to its tenants. All of the sect¡¯s resources ¡ª excluding personal property, of course ¡ª will be seized as well, and part of them distributed among the sect members to help them in the transition.¡±


    I paused and continued in a less formal tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure many of the disciples will be picked up by other sects. Those from noble families can return home. We¡¯ll make sure everyone finds a place that fits them.¡± Except the elders, I imagine. ¡°Of course, punishments for the illegal experimentation will be decided in court after a trial, for whoever is found guilty.¡±


    And it was a guarantee that some of them would be.


    The elders bowed their heads, but I didn¡¯t miss the sideways glances they shot each other.


    I sighed to myself. This isn¡¯t over yet, even if my part is done. Now all I need to do is face the music back home.

 29: More consequences

    I noticed a number of disciples milling around the sect entrance and stifled a sigh. It had been hours, and they were looking as lost as baby animals kicked out of their nest.


    Well, maybe some are waiting for someone to come pick them up.


    The sun had just started to rise when I made my decree. Since then, I¡¯d had to take care of many details, even if I left the legwork to the soldiers. Now it was on its journey downward to sink behind the horizon in a few hours. While I appreciated the symbolism, the sun shone directly into my eyes, and I had to avert my gaze. The cleared area around the sect entrance was bustling with people, both soldiers and former sect members. Two airships cast shadows onto the crowd, one of them my destination.


    I stopped in front of it and turned around, watching the scene once more. The disciples talked among themselves and avoided looking in my direction.


    Except one. Just as I was about to turn back, he raised his head, meeting my gaze. The bow he gave me now was proper, but the smile on his face said so much more. I couldn¡¯t help my lips curling slightly in response. Then Lorn turned around again, talking with one of the others.


    ¡°He would do well in the military, I think,¡± I said to San Hashar.


    She nodded. ¡°I was planning to offer him an opportunity. If he works hard, he could make the elite teams, maybe the Imperial Guard.¡±


    That reminded me of a question I had, considering the way the soldiers had acted. ¡°By the way. There aren¡¯t many nobles among the elite soldiers, are there?¡±


    San Hashar titled her head a little. ¡°Many are like him, commoners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Especially in the Imperial Guard. They tend to want people who are loyal to the throne, not some noble family.¡±


    Probably because the Empire enabled their advancement. I hummed in response, not sure if I should call that discriminatory or not. In all fairness, most nobles who were strong enough would probably prefer positions that gave them high standing in their clans, instead. In any case, it was a practical approach.


    ¡°Personally, I¡¯m from the poorer parts of the capital,¡± she finally broke the silence.


    That figured. I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°I wish you could accompany me. I understand that you¡¯re needed here, though. This was a temporary assignment, but ¡­¡±


    ¡°I consider myself lucky to have been given it.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re likely to reach the eighth stage. Probably within a century. I doubt Mother just happened to assign you here.¡±


    San Hashar smiled. ¡°It has truly been an honor to be your guard, even if only for a short time, Princess Inaris.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s been my honor to have you with me. I hope we¡¯ll meet again soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we will.¡± With that, she gave me one last bow, then turned and headed away.


    I watched her as she passed through the sect entrance. I wouldn¡¯t have imagined it when we first met, but now, I felt a bitter taste on my tongue, and the bright day lost its luster. I really didn¡¯t like seeing her go.


    Finally, I shook myself loose and turned to enter the airship. I felt tired and wrung out after everything that happened. If only I could just shut myself away for a day.


    In the airship, I stepped to the window, watching as the sect grounds disappeared, until the Dark Forest was only a blur in the distance. Judging by the rate that happened, the airship was moving a bit quicker, this time. I snorted at the realization.


    At least the airship had a bathroom. It was nice, with a big bathtub taking over the middle of the room. I peeled off my robe. In some places, the dried blood made it stick to my skin, and I had to be careful not to tear the fabric. At least I wouldn¡¯t have to clean it. Grateful to be free of it, I scrubbed a bit with a provided bucket, then sank into the bathtub.


    I ended up taking the longest bath I ever had in my life, in this world or on Earth. I rested one of my old self¡¯s novels on the edge, reading. Although the book was good, I¡¯d find my thoughts drifting off occasionally.


    The image of the dead disciples refused to leave me alone, creeping back several times. I could recall it perfectly, see every crease in their clothing, every detail in their expression. It made my skin crawl and prevented me from truly enjoying the bath.


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    Finally, I felt the familiar qi barriers around the palace coming closer, so I got out and got new clothing from my storage ring. Black pants and a blue robe with silver embroidery, chosen for their comfy material. Then I went towards the lower deck, nodding at the guards. The airship jolted as it touched down.


    When I stepped out, the sight of the palace rooftop greeted me. A few guards lined the perimeter, but only two people stood ready to welcome me.


    ¡°Hello, Mother,¡± I greeted them. ¡°Aston, good to see you again. Congratulations on your breakthrough.¡± His aura left no doubt that he¡¯d advanced from one part of the sixth stage to the next.


    The guard bowed, a smile on his lips. But he didn¡¯t speak before Mother.


    She crossed her arm and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Welcome back, Inaris. We need to talk.¡±


    Before I could say anything else, swirling motes of qi engulfed us, sparkling with inner light. I felt dizzy for a moment and instinctively closed my eyes. When I opened them again, we stood in a room inside the palace. It was furnished with sofas and a conference table, and none of the sounds from the outside could be heard.


    ¡°Aston, please wait outside,¡± Mother said.


    He bowed and moved off, glancing back at me before exiting the room.


    Them we were alone. I had to unclench my fists and force my tense muscles to relax.


    ¡°I knew you wanted to get back,¡± Mother said. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to cut your visit short.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t off to a good start. I shrugged. ¡°They deserved it, right?¡±


    Mother didn¡¯t seem amused, judging by the crease between her eyebrows. ¡°You know, the sect patriarch and a few elders came here. They petitioned me to overrule your decision.¡±


    I found it hard to meet her gaze, but forced myself not to cower. ¡°You refused, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t have you losing face like that, so I backed you. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m happy about it.¡±


    The temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. I waited in silence until Mother continued speaking. ¡°I knew you were concerned about the village. But you said you trusted me to handle things.¡±


    ¡°I do trust you! But that was before disciples tried to kill me. The situation changed.¡± I scratched my cheek, hoping I didn¡¯t let my embarrassment show too much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I messed up your plans.¡±


    Mother frowned at me for a moment more, before her expression softened and she sighed. ¡°Okay. I admit you did handle the situation well, given everything. This might even be better than what I had in mind.¡±


    That was good to hear. I smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I hope you at least learned something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I learned lots of things. About the world and myself. By the way, I think I changed my mind. I might look for a retainer after all.¡± I still didn¡¯t like loneliness. Maybe this was a bad idea, but I could try it at least.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure many nobles and young scions of our clan would jump at the chance.¡±


    ¡°Besides that, well ¡­¡± I hesitated. ¡°You were testing me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Mother shrugged. ¡°I wanted to see how you handled yourself. But I didn¡¯t really interfere.¡±


    ¡°Then someone else recorded me saying some ¡®radical¡¯ things and distributed them.¡±


    ¡°Kariva is on it. I wouldn¡¯t worry too much.¡± Mother tapped her hands on her chin. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you seem to have found your spark. What are your plans now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll work on some technological advancement like I¡¯d been planning. Long-term ¡­¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Well, I have to work on improving things here, to not break my stupid morals.¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°I may just send you to another sect, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    We fell silent again. Her expression darkened. ¡°Inaris, what they did ¡­¡± She trailed off. After a moment, she shook her head. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all I needed to know.¡±


    I felt a vague sense of disappointment. So we¡¯re not going to talk about emotional stuff? Alright. I guess seeing people die is common enough here. Whatever. ¡°Can I go, then? I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Her eyes softened. ¡°Of course. Good night.¡±


    When I left the room, Aston fell into step beside me. I knew I should talk to him, but I wasn¡¯t feeling up to it. I really was tired, having to blink against the light more than usual, feeling a heaviness in my limbs. Although my thoughts were going at full speed, threatening to run in circles again.


    When we reached my room, everything looked exactly as I¡¯d left it. That felt vaguely disingenuous. Aston stayed in the doorway, watching me with a calm expression. I got the feeling he understood I was having a hard time.


    I hesitated. The bed looked inviting, but I could tell I wouldn¡¯t be able to find sleep easily. I felt both tired and keyed up, that weird mix that lent itself to sleepless nights and dark thoughts, if you didn¡¯t get a grip on it.


    ¡°Aston, did your mission go well?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, it was quite successful. Thank you for asking.¡±


    I nodded and continued pacing. Then I shook myself and sat down at the desk to go over some notes. But I found it hard to focus. I didn¡¯t think the ideas I wrote down were much good, and they jumped from place to place quickly.


    After a while, I threw my pen down in disgust, kneading my temples. I needed something to help me focus, or at least stop me from thinking too much. I even started thinking of home, on Earth, dwelling on things I¡¯d lost. Grief was the last thing I needed right now.


    Maybe I should get some booze. I started tapping my fingers and feet. But I didn¡¯t even like alcohol. And being in an altered state of consciousness as a cultivator didn¡¯t seem like a bright idea.


    Getting a sudden thought, I turned around. ¡°Aston, get me someone to bang tonight.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, but bowed his head. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    I¡¯m going to regret this tomorrow, but ¡­ screw it. Literally.


    I stood and plopped onto the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t care who so long as they¡¯re not ugly or taken,¡± I specified after a moment. ¡°Consent, obviously. Just for the night.¡±


    The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. ¡°Of course.¡± A moment later, he bowed and left the room.


    I sighed, staring at the ceiling.


    After a moment, I started getting restless, so I tried cultivating. It was hard to focus. My dantian accumulated qi at a sluggish pace.


    When Aston returned with a girl in fancy robes, only half an hour had passed, and I only had a bit more qi, but I didn¡¯t care.

 30: A few questions

    It took a moment for me to realize I¡¯d woken up. The dream lingered, its emotions seeping through my mind. I could hear my heart racing, feel the cold sweat on my skin.


    When I opened my eyes, the bright light provided some relief. But it couldn¡¯t help my confusion. This dream had been too vivid. I could still feel the alien feelings brushing against me, frustration and rage boxing me in.


    Someone failed, things aren¡¯t going their way. But they¡¯re not letting it stop them. They¡¯ll continue, and they¡¯re sure of their eventual success.


    I knew that in a way I couldn¡¯t quite explain. Information I¡¯d picked up in the dream. And I also knew that the hostility I felt was directed against myself. The knowledge sent shivers up my spine. Someone wished me harm. Someone who knew me in a way I didn¡¯t understand.


    I sighed, sitting up and throwing off the covers. I think I know what my old self was concerned about. I remembered the note, the quick strokes of the first sentences¡¯ letters. Quickly jotted down to work out my thoughts, I think. Then some implications. And when she felt the soul journey coming, she decided to leave it for her future self?


    I couldn¡¯t be sure of that, but I felt like I understood what it must have been like. This dream had been creepy as hell.


    Shaking my head, I shelved those thoughts for later pondering and looked around. The girl was gone, but the right side of the bed still carried her scent. The night had been great ¡ª I¡¯d learned a few ¡­ interesting uses for qi ¡ª but I was glad to avoid any awkwardness.


    I was right. I regret that decision already. At least I had the presence of mind to make sure she was here entirely of her own volition and knew it was a one time thing.


    I got out and took a quick shower. After I put on some clothing, I brushed my hair, shooing away a servant. I didn¡¯t need any help for a simple outfit and I liked to leave my hair open.


    Then I called for Aston. He breezed into the room almost before I¡¯d shut my mouth.


    I fidgeted a bit. ¡°Sorry if I made you uncomfortable with that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my job, Princess Inaris,¡± he replied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve had worse errands. If you¡¯re curious, I had Ven guide her to a bathroom and then take her back to her rooms discretely.¡±


    I nodded, grateful for his support, and sat on the bed. ¡°Thanks. So ¡­ who was she?¡± I didn¡¯t know more than a name.


    The corner of his mouth twitched. ¡°Hua Li, twenty-three years old. She¡¯s a daughter of the well-off Hua clan and seen as one of their new talents for reaching the fourth stage a year ago. They tend to be practical and not too enamored of traditional mores, but cautious. I¡¯m sure they will treat this discreetly and not try to capitalize on it too much. Hua Li herself seems to be aspiring for strength in cultivation rather than getting an advantageous marriage, which means she hopefully would not try to seduce you.¡±


    I sighed, putting my chin in my hands. ¡°How did you find someone so quickly, anyway?¡±


    Aston shrugged. ¡°I went to Lady Kariva. She knows a lot about the palace¡¯s inhabitants. She and her agents did a good job at setting criteria and weeding out candidates to pick someone.¡±


    I groaned, hiding my face in my hand. I should have seen that coming. ¡°Are there a lot of people interested in me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± He stepped closer, his expression hard. ¡°Young people of the minor nobility see it as an attractive prospect. For, say, the fourth daughter of some bureaucrat, seducing you into taking them as a concubine or even consort would be quite a step up. They¡¯d probably plan on climbing higher.¡±


    I sighed again. ¡°Of course it is. I take your point.¡±


    Then I stood up and went to my desk. My notes from yesterday needed some organization, but I¡¯d actually had some good ideas. ¡°Well, that was a mess.¡±


    Aston spoke again, his tone tentative. ¡°Your Highness, perhaps you should take a concubine or two.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I didn¡¯t refuse his suggestion, even if I didn¡¯t like it. I couldn¡¯t keep calling up random strangers for a one-night-stand. Some sort of arrangement like that might be a better idea.


    For now, I concentrated on looking through my notes and considering my plans for the day. I¡¯d need to mull over the implications of my dream, too.


    <hr>


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have tried to cover your knight. Check.¡±


    I moved my king, realizing how my opponent had cornered it. ¡°I¡¯ve lost, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You will in three moves, my lady.¡±


    I sighed and tipped over my figure. You wanted someone smart, I reminded myself, pushing down my irritation.


    Then I looked over at the young woman across from me. ¡°I haven¡¯t played much chess, but I can tell you¡¯re quite good, Cousin Tenira.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It really is quite similar to that game from my world I mentioned. And I was a regional champion.¡±


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    I could believe that. Leri Tenira was a low-level genius, definitely a point in her favor for a prospective retainer.


    From what I¡¯d heard, those were what you¡¯d expect, a mix of companion, assistant, and vassal, with a high status. Almost every important noble had some, and they would often be friends. I didn¡¯t want a genius just because I was a snob, the perfect memory would be a big advantage for anyone working like an assistant.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°How old are you, and what about your soul journey?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m biologically twenty-three,¡± she started.


    I nodded. She didn¡¯t look more than a year my senior, but I knew cultivation that went beyond the initial stages started slowing down aging noticeably at the end of puberty, and even more during the twenties. Probably because the brain finished developing.


    ¡°In my other life, I died at twenty-one. My soul journey happened when I was twenty, so I¡¯ve been back for three years.¡± She spoke about it calmly, but I could see a tightening around her eyes.


    I looked back at the chessboard, trying not to stare. Tenira was even prettier than most cultivators. Her black hair seemed to sparkle, and her green eyes stood out. I had to remind myself that she was off-limits.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read your records about your world. Anything you want to add?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°I was the child of a merchant, so I didn¡¯t learn much about the technology, but I do know a bit. I could design a crude steam engine, and I had a childhood fascination with airships. I never learned about alchemy, though.¡±


    From her descriptions, the world of her soul journey reminded me a lot of the steampunk genre. Everything depended on steam engines, and cogs and gears were the silicon chips of their technology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that will come in useful for my projects, Cousin,¡± I replied. ¡°If you¡¯re interested.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t just commandeer her even if I wanted. She was something like my fourth cousin. No ¡ª I quickly recalled the family tree I¡¯d read and traced it ¡ª a third cousin once removed. And quite talented at cultivation, considering she¡¯d reached the fourth stage shortly after her soul journey.


    ¡°I am, Princess Inaris. That seems like an interesting challenge.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t quite figure Tenira out, she was too composed. But I didn¡¯t get any bad vibes. In fact, she seemed like the sort of person I would enjoy debating things with.


    Before I could continue the conversation, though, a familiar presence approached. The door opened, and the person marched inside. It might have been more intimidating if she wasn¡¯t an eight year old girl.


    ¡°Elder Sister Nari!¡±


    I knew I was forgetting something. I schooled my expression into a smile and turned around. ¡°Hello, Little An. This is cousin Tenira.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve met,¡± Tenira said, inclining her head to the girl. ¡°Nice to see you again, Princess Xiaodan.¡±


    I stood and opened my arms. ¡°Come on, give me a hug.¡±


    My sister hesitated before she went forward and accepted my hug. But she didn¡¯t cling for as long as I¡¯d feared. And when she disengaged, she still didn¡¯t look happy.


    Looks like someone¡¯s pouting about my absence. I scratched my cheek. Mother must have kept my siblings away when I¡¯d arrived, for which I was grateful. But I couldn¡¯t ignore them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been away too long, Big Sister!¡± she declared. ¡°You need to make it up to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And how do I do that?¡±


    ¡°I want you to go play with me in the gardens.¡± Her eyes moved to the board. ¡°And teach me that game!¡±


    I sighed and ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have time right now, Xiaodan. I¡¯m talking with Cousin Tenira. Some other time, okay?¡±


    She crossed her arms. ¡°Can¡¯t you talk to her later?¡±


    I had to express a chuckle at her expression. ¡°Are you pouting at me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Her pout intensified.


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± I countered. ¡°You¡¯re doing it on purpose, too.¡±


    ¡°Am not. Please, Big Sister Nari, just come play!¡±


    ¡°There, you¡¯re making those big puppy dog eyes.¡± They were really effective, too. Xiaodan was one cute little girl.


    ¡°Big Sister Nari!¡±


    ¡°The answer is still no.¡± I patted her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good, Little An.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Someone has to resist your charms,¡± I explained. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯ll grow up to be a spoiled little princess that thinks everything has to go her way.¡±


    See, I make perfect sense!


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Isn¡¯t it, Cousin Tenira?¡±


    The young woman stifled a chuckle. ¡°I think your sister has a good point, Princess. We all need to learn to deal with adversity.¡±


    The girl turned back to me. ¡°But other people are resisting me, too. Like my tutors. So there.¡±


    ¡°Are they?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then why are you here and not in your lessons?¡±


    Xiaodan opened her mouth, then closed it again. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out she¡¯d made them let her go with the power of cuteness. If I didn¡¯t miss my guess, even Mother would spoil her when she could.


    ¡°Do you want me to ask them?¡± I said. ¡°Or are you going back to your lessons?¡± I didn¡¯t enjoy playing the strict older sister, but I¡¯d meant what I said. Someone should.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± the girl mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± I gave her a quick hug goodbye, then ushered her to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be checking.¡±


    She looked back once, then walked down the corridor, her shoulders slumped. Unfortunately for her, my self-control could weather a lot worse than a cute kid.


    ¡°Sorry for the interruption, cousin.¡± I sat down again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± Tenira smiled wryly. ¡°It was informative.¡±


    I scrutinized her. She didn¡¯t show any reaction to my gaze.


    ¡°One more question, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± I said. ¡°Why? You¡¯d do quite well without me.¡±


    That was a good thing. A retainer with such a high status would mean that the power imbalance wouldn¡¯t be big. And since she was from the clan, she¡¯d be unlikely to work for an ¡®outsider¡¯.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember it, but we had a relatively good relationship.¡± She crossed her fingers. ¡°We played together as children, on occasion. Later, I even showed you a technique.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    She waved my apology off. ¡°No need, Princess Inaris. But I¡¯d say I have a good idea of your character. Especially with recent developments.¡± She hesitated, and her knuckles started to turn white. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re someone I felt would show support. When it comes to, well, personal issues to do with social conventions.¡±


    ¡°I consider myself an open-minded person.¡± I smiled to make it clear I wasn¡¯t put off. ¡°Unless you hurt others, I don¡¯t care who you are, who you sleep with, how you behave, or whatever the issue might be. We don¡¯t need to talk about it.¡± I had an inkling of what the problem might be, but I wouldn¡¯t want to press. I knew ¡®safe spaces¡¯ were important.


    She exhaled audibly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Of course. So, what do you think? I¡¯d gladly take you on as a retainer.¡±


    She stood up and bowed. ¡°I¡¯ll serve you faithfully, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°So long as you tell me when I¡¯m being stupid.¡± I stood as well and started clearing up the board. ¡°Call me Inaris, if I can call you Tenira. Do we need a ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Why would we, Inaris? I think it¡¯s pointless.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a woman after my own heart.¡± I grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the workshops Mother set up. Sorting out the logistics can wait, I want so see what they¡¯ve come up with so far.¡±


    She returned my smile and started moving almost before I did. This may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


    But I knew she might report to Mother, or Kariva, or whoever. I wouldn¡¯t be quick to trust her, but I hoped it could come with time.

 31: Echoes of Earth

    I frowned and crossed out my last word. I couldn¡¯t assume qi was the same as electricity. There might be no analogue for alternating current at all. And this was probably not the right way forward, anyway.


    As I felt a familiar presence approaching, I raised my head and extended my domain to open the door before he could knock. Alaster hesitated for a second before he walked in. He¡¯d advanced a bit in the time I¡¯d been gone.


    ¡°Hi, Al. Give me a bit to finish this up, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I finished writing down my thought process, then checked the simple additions I¡¯d done for the last time. They should work.


    Then I put down my pen and turned around. My office was so cramped Al couldn¡¯t keep much distance even if he wanted to. He looked around at the mostly-empty bookshelves and put his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry for not meeting you sooner. I wasn¡¯t sure if you wanted me to come.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He took a step closer and peered at the papers in front of me. ¡°What are you working on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out calculation in binary.¡± I flipped the page. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since my introductory computer science lecture, so I had to work it out again. The math is simple enough. But I don¡¯t know how to build something to actually do it. Especially with the option of qi.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Don¡¯t computers basically use transistors?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But we don¡¯t have the level of technology to imitate modern computer chips, and I don¡¯t really know how it started. We could use enchantments, but those are way too big and can¡¯t really be miniaturized enough in the future.¡±


    Al shrugged. ¡°I wish I could help. So, your focus is on trying to build a computer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our star project. But it¡¯s probably the most difficult.¡± I stood up. ¡°I could show you around, if you want?¡±


    ¡°That would be great.¡±


    I put away my notes. Part of the papers went into the desk, the rest into my spatial ring. That might be inefficient, but I didn¡¯t want to store everything in one location, so I¡¯d make backups of everything important.


    When we left the room, I locked the door with both a physical key and a pulse of qi to arm its alarm formation. Then I took a look around. Mother had taken over a small building in the palace grounds to house a group of scholars and artificers, and given them the notes I¡¯d left. Most of my time yesterday and today had been spent trying to catch up to everything and get to know the team.


    The interior was simple considering its location, with white walls bare of decorations and sturdy furniture placed in the offices and workspaces. It didn¡¯t look like my old university, but then again I hadn¡¯t expected to lead a research team any time soon. I¡¯d give that up for a working computer, though.


    I led my brother down the corridor to the central room and showed him around. It functioned as the main office for the group, but only projects that didn¡¯t need much space for practical works could be seen here.


    ¡°This is Lei, another cousin or something.¡± I pointed to a man in a corner who was hunched over some sketches. ¡°From a world I¡¯d put at a similar level of technology as the pre-world war one era. He¡¯s taken over the telegraph project. At some point, we¡¯ll work on radio.¡±


    Although I hadn¡¯t lowered my voice, the transmigrator showed no reaction, apparently too focused on his work to notice. I shrugged and pulled Al along.


    ¡°Here, this is the real game changer for the near future. I hope.¡± With a snap of my fingers, I ignited the light in the next room, then walked inside, Al following behind.


    ¡°There¡¯s no qi here.¡± He frowned.


    I glanced at the machines. One of them was mostly complete, the rest consisted of a framework and some wood on a worktable. Except for a few tools and the light, you really couldn¡¯t feel any accumulation of qi in the room, in contrast to most of the surroundings.


    ¡°Is that cotton?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Something close enough. These are weaving machines. One of the important things at the start of the industrialization, I think. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t have any qi.¡±


    Al walked over and ran a hand over it. ¡°You want to game-change the textile industry?¡±


    ¡°No, I want to make one.¡± I shrugged. ¡°This is just a prototype, we¡¯ll get to other machines in time.  The point is, I want to start factories for this. I mean, clothes are something everyone needs, but most people don¡¯t actually wear qi-imbued outfits. So they can profit from this. Cheaper clothes for the common folk, plus introducing the first factories. It would create jobs and set up the concept.¡±


    Al sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you go from designing a computer to this.¡±


    ¡°I have to make myself deal with other projects, not just the one that interests me,¡± I admitted. ¡°It¡¯s about compromise, right? Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    As I¡¯d sensed, my new retainer had returned to the room. Tenira was currently organizing stuff on her desk neatly. She seemed to do that a lot, but considering my own messy habits, I was in no position to complain. Her blue robes were the fanciest clothing in the room and looked like they came fresh from the tailor, not a single crease out of place.


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    ¡°Hey, Tenira,¡± I said. ¡°I assume you know Alaster?¡±


    She straightened up and exchanged a polite hello with my brother. It felt a little weird seeing someone treat him without deference, but considering he was a kid and she a valued scion of the clan, that made sense. Maybe I should stop avoiding most of the family ¡­


    Then she asked after his soul journey. Al dodged all questions, before he turned back to me and asked me to talk about the various projects we were working on.


    I was happy to explain, although there wasn¡¯t much to mention yet. A few of the scholars were trying to puzzle out what new discoveries the chemistry knowledge from recent soul journeys like mine hid. They looked for ways to improve agriculture and the food supply, with things like better fertilizer or preservation methods. I could see the importance, but I¡¯d rather deal with a dissection than that. The rest of the team were excitedly poring over airplane designs or physics projects.


    I wasn¡¯t quite sure how practicable the airplane fever was, but maybe they¡¯d come up with something good. If nothing else, the army would probably appreciate the bomber designs.


    All of the people here tried to incorporate qi into their projects in some way. I¡¯d already pointed out a number of times where it would be better to use mechanical alternatives. The mindset here really differed from back home. The ability to replicate, mass produce and have things widely available didn¡¯t get as much consideration.


    All through my explanations, Al interjected comments. Most of them jokes or snide remarks. I could tell by his expression that he was impressed, though. Maybe being a snarker was just part of his personality regardless of memories.


    After a while, he wandered off to take a look into the other rooms. I was about to accompany him, but Tenira caught my eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is out of line,¡± she said. ¡°But I get the feeling Alaster hasn¡¯t heard about your night after you returned yet.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°So there are rumors? And why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t mentioned it, and knowing him, he¡¯d at least get in a few jabs.¡± Tenira lowered her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to presume, but perhaps it¡¯s best if he learns it from you. We don¡¯t know what sort of cultural values his soul journey might have given him.¡±


    I cursed as I realized what she meant. I¡¯d never talked about my sexuality with Al, obviously, and considering their age, my old self probably hadn¡¯t, either. Since there hadn¡¯t been any lovers before, the only way to tell would have been observing the way I acted. There was a good chance he didn¡¯t know I liked girls.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, making a mental note of her consideration and thoughtfulness about this.


    Then I looked for my brother, who was currently reading plans for a telegraph station.


    ¡°Thanks for showing me around,¡± he said when I came. ¡°I¡¯m trying to get as much cultivation advancement as I can from my soul journey, so I don¡¯t have much time to help here. But I might be able to help out a bit.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice,¡± I replied. ¡°Do you want to go to the training courtyard for a spar?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±


    He rushed off, and I had to walk quickly to keep up. The whole way through the palace grounds, I barely noticed our surroundings, focused on keeping my breathing even and my thoughts centered.


    I thought I¡¯d moved past the trouble of a coming out. But now the familiar anxiety returned. I¡¯d felt the same when I told my parents. Not because I thought they¡¯d reject me, but because they could. Now, I was more mature, but I also didn¡¯t know what sort of background Al had, and that made it hard to gauge his reaction. If he freaked out, I might have a big problem on my hands for a long time. Well, at least his subconscious would still be that of the boy from here, right?


    When we reached the courtyard, our guards spread out to cover it. I almost missed Aston giving me a thumbs-up gesture. It looked awkward, and I had no idea where he¡¯d learned about it, but I appreciated the sentiment. I smiled back, and actually felt better knowing he supported me.


    We started warming up with some light exercises. After I felt my muscles loosen up, I paused and looked to Al. ¡°Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you.¡±


    He stopped and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I like girls,¡± I blurted out. ¡°I mean, I like boys, too. I¡¯m bisexual. Just, uh, wanted you to know that.¡±


    His eyes widened. He stared at me for a second, then looked away. I couldn¡¯t quite read the expression on his face. After a moment, he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    I bit back a response and started moving again. He followed suit, doing a few air kicks.


    Then he said, ¡°Thanks for telling me. That¡¯s good to know. I¡¯m ¡­¡±


    The silence stretched on.


    I prompted, ¡°You¡¯re what?¡±


    He stopped moving, looking at his feet. ¡°I think I might be gay,¡± he said quietly. Then he looked back up, and I could see the shadows in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t really thought about it in this life. On Earth ¡­ I tried to avoid thinking about it. Thought it was just hormones acting up and I¡¯d fall in love with a girl eventually. My family was pretty conservative, and it¡¯s not as socially acceptable as in other countries. I never talked about it and just avoided romance. I mean, I¡¯m only a teenager. I think I was in denial.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, tentatively putting a hand on his shoulder. This must be so hard for him.


    ¡°Coming back here with different memories ¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°With the different attitude, it made me realize the weirdness. I don¡¯t really know what to think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± I said. ¡°Your body is only twelve, and just entering puberty. You have time to figure it out. But I¡¯ll support you no matter what. It doesn¡¯t matter what your sexuality is, your family loves you regardless. And you can talk to me any time.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help thinking about the implications. People would be disappointed, since they wanted him to provide heirs for the Imperial family. There¡¯d be pressure. But I kept that thought to myself.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said quietly.


    I hugged him. After a moment, he buried his face in my shoulder and took deep breaths. We stayed like that for a while, until he pushed away.


    He smiled. ¡°To think I was jealous of you for being normal.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°No one¡¯s ever accused me of being normal, but I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    In silent agreement, we continued with our warm-up exercises. If they were taking longer today than usual, no one commented.


    ¡°Really, I was jealous for a different reason,¡± he suddenly said, sending a glance at me. ¡°That you¡¯re a high-level genius with such a cool ability. That you¡¯re the eldest and heir. I¡¯ll never be Emperor because of you.¡± He spun around in a fancy move, facing me again. ¡°I know I probably wouldn¡¯t even be happy if I was, that it¡¯s right you¡¯re the heir. I¡¯m dealing with it.¡±


    How did you respond to that? After a moment of thought, I settled on, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He stopped and assumed a fighting stance. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he grinned. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll be the best general the world¡¯s ever seen.¡±


    In that moment, he looked and sounded exactly like he did before his soul journey. I returned his grin. It was nice to see that the little brother I¡¯d gotten to know was still there, just a little weathered by new experiences.


    But what did that mean for my own identity? Was I really the same person I¡¯d been in this world, even if I couldn¡¯t remember it?


    We started sparring. Of course, I went easy on him, and stopped to teach him a new technique after a while. It was nice.

 32: Hints of trouble

    ¡°Why does it have to be flying swords?¡± I complained. ¡°Why can¡¯t we have a flying carpet or flying chair instead?¡±


    The wind carried Mother¡¯s chuckle from ahead. ¡°Flying swords can be used to attack or even block others¡¯ attacks in addition to carrying you around.¡±


    I sighed, looking down at the metal beneath my feet. The flying sword didn¡¯t look much like a sword, since it was shaped with a broader, flatter blade. But it could probably work as a flying shield and the tip was sharp. This culture is too obsessed with fighting, I grumbled to myself.


    I moved it to the side, and almost overbalanced. Standing on a thin, not quite smooth object at high speeds clearly needed practice. Cultivators usually learned to use them when they reached the fourth stage, as having a domain made controlling them easier. I had it cradled in my domain, and used my intuition to steer it, which worked well.


    Once again, I noted that enhanced reflexes weren¡¯t all they were cracked up to be. Maybe that¡¯s why cultivators can move really quickly, but not quite as fast in a fight? Besides needing to process more.


    Flying felt awesome, though. The wind whistling by reminded me of sitting in a car with the window cranked down, except it was all around me. I looked down at the fortress drawing away from us, people crawling around the grounds. The view took my breath away. I could see a lot more details from this high up than I would have been able to on Earth. Good thing heights didn¡¯t bother me.


    ¡°It just takes some practice, you¡¯ll be comfortable with it soon,¡± Tenira called.


    I chanced a glance back. My retainer stood on her own flying sword as if it was the ground, her hands clasped behind her back. Even when she accelerated to pull up alongside me, she leaned forward in a flowing motion, keeping her balance perfectly. I scowled at her and concentrated on speeding up a bit.


    Soon, we started to reach the city¡¯s airspace, its lights moving closer until they were directly under us. I carefully slowed down along with the others, then watched it passing beneath us.


    The City of a Thousand Stars was big. Here at the outskirts, I could see how far it stretched. Even in daytime, many lights flickered upwards. We were high enough up that I could only hear the city¡¯s noise if I concentrated. The many colors made it look a bit like a mosaic. Its architecture still seemed weird to me, but the houses looked fairly modern. The streets were as broad as in any city in Europe, and houses ten stories or higher clustered together in some areas. The people seemed to love gardens. The further we went, the more I could see mansions made of glittering stone, with greenery surrounding them alongside statues or other decorations.


    It was probably a good thing my first experience with the city was from above. Much better than actually standing in it, among all those people whose lives differed so drastically from mine. I did feel my curiosity stirring, and I knew I¡¯d be back, but it made sense to get the lay of the land first. At least the city was built according to a clear grid pattern, and it should be easy to tell where I was if I walked its streets.


    A few people moved over the city in the air. Some of them stood on flying swords, but the majority traveled in small airships or rode flying beasts. Those came in different shapes and sizes. Some I recognized as big versions of an eagle or other bird, and some I didn¡¯t know what to make of. We flew well above them, and they didn¡¯t look up. Compared to the streets, very few people traveled in the air.


    Mother led us in an arc over the city, until we reached the side facing the Central Plains. A few skyscrapers passed us by, and then we reached a section with larger, sprawling buildings, as well as some with balconies sticking out everywhere, obviously housing complexes. The other ones might be warehouses or something.


    Finally, we came to a stop over a building that didn¡¯t yet show any greenery or decorations. On the outside, it looked similar to the rest, although it sported more windows. I could see a number of people going into and out of it.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s the new factory,¡± Mother said.


    I descended a bit, careful to keep my balance, and took a closer look. With a bit of qi, I bent some light further down, giving me a view into the inside. Rows of weaving machines filled the floor, with people hard at work using them. One side was dedicated to materials, another had rows of worktables for people cutting and sewing the fabric into clothing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to go inside?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause that kind of a commotion.¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡±


    After a moment of thought, I turned to my retainer. ¡°Tenira, would you like to go take a look? You¡¯re not as recognizable as Mother and probably better at being low-key than me.¡±


    She bowed her head. ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    My heart climbed into my throat as she started falling, but she halted her momentum close to the ground and touched down without even making noise. She stepped off her flying sword and took it into her storage ring. Then she shimmered for a moment. Afterward, her clothes had changed color and seemed a lot less fancy. She headed into the factory.


    After a bit of waiting, I moved myself closer to Mother. I wanted to ask a few questions.


    ¡°Mother, this might sound weird, but do you know anything about premonitions in dreams? I had a weird one a while ago. It was too vivid, and I think I felt someone else¡¯s emotions. It felt like someone was out to do me harm.¡±


    She frowned and her fingers gripped the hems of her sleeves. ¡°That sounds bad.¡± She seemed to ponder it for a moment. ¡°The darkness affinity is sometimes associated with dreams, although ¡­¡±


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    ¡°What?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about something like this before, but we shouldn¡¯t take it lightly. I¡¯ll make sure the guards are on alert. Was this a threat specifically against you?¡±


    I paused. She hadn¡¯t met my gaze. I got the feeling there was something she didn¡¯t say. But after a moment, I answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t very clear. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a danger just to me.¡±


    Mother hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll tell everyone to be alert. It might be something to do with the south. The nomads have increased their movements, and things are getting tense with the Zarian Dominion. Well, tenser. But not as bad as all that.¡±


    I nodded. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to international politics so far, but I knew the relationship with the Empire¡¯s long-standing opponents getting tense was pretty normal.


    I didn¡¯t really think this was just politics. It felt more personal than that. But I didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t know what I felt, and maybe my mind failed to take into account that I was the crown princess. Still, I could tell neither of us thought we had a satisfactory answer.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t need this right now,¡± Mother muttered, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I¡¯m going to go into secluded cultivation soon. I¡¯m getting close to advancement. I could postpone it, but things are probably going to get worse, so I think it¡¯s better to have it done quickly. Things will be easier once I reach the middle part of the eighth stage.¡±


    I grimaced. Her going into seclusion wasn¡¯t good news, but I understood her reasoning, and of course it would help in the long run.


    We fell into silence until Tenira returned, which didn¡¯t take long. She looked around, then stepped on her flying sword and shot upwards. I could see a few of the other flying cultivators glance up, but they moved on quickly.


    ¡°Any problems?¡± Mother asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Your Majesty,¡± Tenira said. ¡°There has been some trouble with the workers. They keep getting in each other¡¯s way and don¡¯t quite seem to understand the plan.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Sounds like the whole division of work thing is too unknown for them. At least like this. Let¡¯s hope those problems shake out. If only we had experienced supervisors that could help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably unavoidable,¡± Mother said. ¡°We just need to get through the beginning. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We started moving again. This time, she led us in a different direction, not directly back to the palace. I was too busy trying not to fall from my flying sword while I handled the acceleration and turning to question her, though. I really hoped I¡¯d get the hang of this quickly.


    Finally, we settled on a speed and bearing, so I felt comfortable talking. ¡°By the way, Mother, I¡¯m a little surprised you came personally for this.¡±


    Mother looked back at me and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your projects could revolutionize the Empire. Of course I¡¯m invested in them and the progress we make.¡± She paused. ¡°Speaking of, is there anything new to discuss?¡±


    I almost rolled my eyes. Of course she¡¯d have this conversation while I had to deal with my new flying sword. But after a moment, I had a thought. ¡°Tenira, didn¡¯t you bring something up yesterday?¡±


    She came closer. ¡°You mean the public transportation, Inaris? I stand by that opinion. It has a lot of room for improvement.¡±


    ¡°Explain, please,¡± Mother said.


    ¡°Look at the city. There is no system to speak of,¡± I said. ¡°Of course, advanced cultivators can travel quickly. But most people aren¡¯t much stronger than humans on Earth. Mounts or carriages are expensive. Even the rickshaw-like things probably cost too much for an everyday expense.¡±


    Tenira tapped a finger to her chin, disregarding the wind whipping her hair around completely. ¡°People¡¯s mobility is limited. They tend to work closely to their homes. Now, if they could easily travel to other parts of the city? I imagine productivity would rise considerably, and it would make development like we intend easier.¡±


    After a moment, Mother nodded. ¡°I see. That¡¯s certainly true. So you want to design a tram or something?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shrugged at her look. ¡°I have no idea how to do city planning. What I¡¯d propose is to hold a contest. Let people send in plans and then choose a winner and build it. We can offer a few suggestions, like the possibility of underground trains or whatever. Maybe even flying buses? Might be cool.¡±


    After a bit, Mother agreed. We discussed the idea some more and came up with a plan. She¡¯d gather a few people to form a committee that could judge applications. They¡¯d do a pilot project in the capital to start with, and if it worked, it could be replicated in other cities. The costs for the venture would be split between the Imperial treasury and the city. Hopefully, we could make public transportation free.


    I was so involved in the discussion I barely noticed where we were going. It was only when the wind changed that I realized we¡¯d reached the mountains. I groaned as I looked around, trying to steady myself as I decelerated. The mountains looked familiar, they were probably similar everywhere. We flew high enough up that there was only the occasional tree beneath the rock faces. I could see what looked like a glacier further on.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay here until you make some progress,¡± Mother said.


    ¡°Why here?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°I can¡¯t have you making a fool of yourself in the palace, can I?¡±


    I rolled my eyes and sped up again. She had a point. Carefully, I headed deeper into the mountains. It was harder to maneuver here than in the open, but I¡¯d already made some progress.


    For a few hours, I sent my flying sword around the area, trying to deal with wind currents and occasionally descending far enough to move around the terrain. If I wasn¡¯t a cultivator, my legs would be really sore, but I hardly got tired. After a bit, I started to get the hang of turning.


    When my levels of qi were getting low and I felt I¡¯d made enough progress, I returned to where Mother and Tenira waited. I could see them talking to each other.


    On an impulse, I sent my flying sword up, going in an arc to move to their blind spots. They could probably feel my presence, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I hovered in the air above and a little behind them, getting ready.


    Then I plunged down. ¡°Woo, look out!¡± I raised my hands and struck a pose, while I sent my flying sword spinning towards them.


    Except when I almost reached them, a gust of wind sent it wobbling a bit. My stance was too unstable. With the spin of the sword getting out of whack, it cost me my balance. I tried to correct, cartwheeling my arms, but the momentum worked against me and I was sent from the sword.


    For an instant, I closed my eyes and groaned internally. Then I extended my domain and tried to push.


    The ground was coming at me quickly. I managed to slow my momentum. Still, when I landed hands first, I was sent flipping over, impacting with my back against the rough ground.


    I blinked, trying to get my breath back. I knew I¡¯d probably looked ridiculous. After I finally stood up and dusted myself off, I noticed my two companions flying closer, both of them laughing.


    No need to let them know how much my pride stung. ¡°I totally meant to do that,¡± I called up, grinning. ¡°A little entertainment to thank you for waiting.¡±


    Mother shook her head, but she was still smiling.


    At least I didn¡¯t seem injured. My hands throbbed and my back was a bit sore, but I wouldn¡¯t have anything worse than bruises.


    I collected my flying sword from where it had fallen and reluctantly ascended back into the air. ¡°Let¡¯s just go back.¡±


    And so we did. After we left the mountains, Mother dropped back again to fly beside me, matching my movements with ease. She looked serious. ¡°Your cultivation is progressing well. From now on, I want you to attend my weekly morning meetings in the map room, with my advisers and a few key people.¡±


    That both brightened and soured my mood. It felt good to know she liked my progress and thought I was ready for that, but I didn¡¯t relish the thought of attending meetings.


    Well, at least it wasn¡¯t open court or the big social functions.

 Bonus 3: Geopolitics

    The first thing I need to remember ¡ª well, to keep in mind: This planet is different from Earth. Not just in the whole existence of magic aspect, but the planet itself. If I¡¯m right, Aran is considerably larger. That affects geography and climate, although those seem to work similar to Earth. The existence of qi has to play into it somehow. But these environments shape the nations that arise in them.


    Depending on how you count, there are about nine continents. All of them have roughly similar sizes as those on Earth, although they might be bigger on average. I¡¯m not sure.


    Depending on how you count, there are either ten or twelve global powers. All of those cover at least a significant portion of a continent.


    These global powers operate according to different structures, of course. But I can see similarities. Most of them are quite old, and spread across their home continents over time. None of them has anything that resembles a modern democracy, although their governing systems differ. But it tends to be the strongest cultivators that are in charge. Class structures are prominent, often in forms resembling feudalism. All of them based in history.


    The relationship between these powers is, to summarize it in one word, tense. Many of them have spread onto and colonized other continents. Sometimes, that led them into conflict. But outright war between the powers isn¡¯t something anyone appears to want. It hasn¡¯t happened since the colonizations really kicked off, and the current distribution of power emerged. Everyone knows that total war would be devastating, that it would harm themselves as well as their enemies grievously. At least, that¡¯s my impression. Does this multi-front cold war based on a delicate balance of power and threat seem unstable? Of course it does. But it¡¯s held for a while. And to be fair, not everyone is hostile to each other. There¡¯s only a few real enmities.


    These nations like to keep their secrets. In general, there¡¯s little commerce or communication between them. Well, a few countries do trade, but not anywhere as much as I remember from Earth. They also make sure not to show important knowledge or technology to outsiders. That¡¯s why any assessment of another power¡¯s capabilities has to factor in some uncertainty.


    They also have some degree of decentralized government. Just how much autonomy provinces or colonies are allowed varies, though. But vassal states and petty kingdoms subordinate to a power seem common, especially on those continents where many nations coexist, including several of the global players. The Earth Continent comes to mind, where most of the Empire¡¯s territories outside of the Central/Sky Continent are located.


    Since the last major changes to global powers¡¯ borders lie centuries in the past, they have all secured their territories in their own way. I think the Empire is a good example of how that can work. They don¡¯t discriminate based on ethnicity, everyone is a citizen of the Empire. Living standards don¡¯t differ much between the continents or regions. The Empire promotes a shared, overarching culture, but local influences are accepted and show up everywhere.


    Depending on how you assess it, the Empire of the Sky is the second largest nation in terms of landmass covered, the second biggest in terms of population, and probably the second greatest in terms of technological development. Although our knowledge is limited, so those assessments may be in error.


    But the real key in those statistics lies in how none of the countries presumably taking first place are at the top in more than one category. The Lotus Confederation is a mess, closer to a federation of countries than a centralized nation. It has a huge population, but a lot of internal strife. Although its foreign policy is consistent, if you consider their internal structure, it¡¯s no wonder they appear to be behind in terms of economy and technology. And the Peiah-Kartun might cover a large area, but a good chunk of it is inhospitable wasteland. Probably the aftermath of some huge catastrophe based on qi.


    No, in reality, the Empire of the Sky¡¯s claim to be the most powerful can¡¯t be dismissed. Even if I only have access to some sources, given everything I have learned, I¡¯d judge it to be justified.


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    Of course,  it also pays to consider the Empire¡¯s status in terms of geography, if you look at the world map overall.


    ¡­ Despite the name, the Central Continent does not lie at the center of the world. Shocking, right? In fact, it¡¯s somewhat close to the equator but beneath it, in the southern hemisphere of Aran. But it¡¯s a good location that has many strategic advantages. Ships from the Empire can reach four continents quickly, either due to proximity or ocean currents. Plus, it¡¯s a pretty good climate, unlike what some other countries are stuck with.


    Anyway. I¡¯ve taken a closer look at some of the nations that hold importance to the Empire.


    The first one would be the City-State of Adzur. Despite the name, it¡¯s a bit more than a city-state nowadays, though not on the level of a global power. But its technological development is superior to all. Or so they say. I¡¯m inclined to believe it, although from what I¡¯ve seen, I¡¯m confident I can get the Empire to surpass them. It makes me wonder if they have a connection to other worlds. Their relationship to the Empire must be pretty good, since they occasionally sell us devices and even blueprints. Maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re still alive and kicking, despite all the superpowers around. They hold a strategic location, so I imagine they could act as something like a buffer state. Since no one wants the others to gain control of them.


    Then there¡¯s the Kingdom of Terbekteri. A mouthful, but they may be the closest allies the Empire has. Still not that close, and there¡¯s no official alliance treaty, although they have made a number of agreements. On the global stage, the two countries support each other more often than not. There¡¯s even a lot of trade. At least half of the Empire¡¯s exports go to Terbekteri, if I had to guess. If there¡¯s ever a global war, the two are likely to be on the same side, probably as the center of a power block. I¡¯m not the only one who thinks so, and I get the impression their relationship is one of the foundations underlying their status on the global stage.


    But the most important nation to the Empire is, without question, their rival. The Zarian Dominion. It covers the Southern or Storm Continent, the one connected to the Sky Continent. Their animosity goes back to the time both of them rose to dominate their respective continents. When the Empire pushed south, and the Dominion sent expeditions north.


    Yet the two don¡¯t share a border, because between them lies what locals call the Yellow Graves, and the nomads inhabiting that region. They call themselves the Zarieni. If what I¡¯ve read is right, that means ¡®children of sorrow¡¯, while Zarian is ¡®children of the storm¡¯. Or something along those lines; the meaning is complex.


    The Zarieni came to inhabit the region after they fled from the northern plains of the Storm Continent. Why and how that happened, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe they were a rogue faction driven out by the Zarian, or a people that fled from the prospect of being conquered by them. The Imperial books I¡¯ve read don¡¯t offer a clear answer, since it depends on which side you ask, and even their stories are hardly consistent.


    In my opinion, the Empire made what may be the most grievous mistake in its career by pushing south and trying so persistently to get across to the Storm Continent. They made themselves the enemy. Even now, despite the official stories, it¡¯s clear to anyone that the Zarian and the Zarieni have established some degree of cooperation. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s just Imperial propaganda. It makes sense for the Zarian to use them as a buffer state and cat¡¯s paw. In return, they protect them by threatening war on the Empire if it tries a full invasion of the Yellow Graves.


    That brings me to the raids. They¡¯re almost a constant through the south¡¯s history. Years or decades might go by without one, but the peace at the border never lasts long. Of course, most of the raids are minor, although a few tribes have tried to invade the Empire outright.


    The nomads are organized in tribes. They move around a lot, and have perfected the art of hiding in their territory. That makes it hard for the Empire to root them out. The Zarian presence means that no large-scale effort has been undertaken. At least not in a few millennia, I think. Of course, the border has fortifications, but there¡¯s a lot of ground to cover and it¡¯s not like a wall would do much to stop a cultivator. It¡¯s pretty clear why the south is a frequent problem for the Imperial throne. But the southern coasts and the regions further inland are rich in population and resources.


    The Zarian themselves are a global power same as the Empire. They might be a little weaker, but it¡¯s not enough to risk a war. Not nearly. They have a few colonies overseas, but they¡¯re more concentrated on their continent than the Empire.


    I don¡¯t see this conflict being resolved any time soon. The animosity runs too deep, and the two sides are too evenly matched.


    On that cheery note, I¡¯ll stop. I want to take a closer look at the oceans and what they might hide. Or at least the shipping routes.

 33: Without the Empress

    I quickly settled into a routine in the weeks that followed. The projects were progressing well. They already built telegraph lines, and the factories were starting to take off. The speed impressed me, even if I knew that they¡¯d started working before I returned from the sect. But having cultivators probably sped up building times a lot. I continued working on the projects, keeping my excitement for more mad science-y pursuits in check in favor of practical applications to help the Empire¡¯s progress. Besides that, I spent a lot of time cultivating. After all, I still had that deadline to worry about, and my cultivation was still going very smoothly after the soul journey.


    Sometimes, I felt disgustingly adult. Funny since I¡¯d ¡®come back¡¯ to a younger body.


    At least being with my younger siblings was fun. True to my word, I taught Xiaodan to play chess. She was hilariously bad at it, of course, and only showed interest in the game occasionally. Well, she was only eight. If she continued like this, she¡¯d become a great chess player in time.


    Then, of course, there were Mother¡¯s meetings.


    They didn¡¯t go as badly as I feared. The gatherings she had invited me seemed informal, just Mother, a few advisers, Kariva and a few other people in important positions, plus whoever was needed that day. We discussed what was going on in the Empire recently, and any concerns or issues that had been brought up. Mother acted surprisingly hands-off here. After a bit, I realized these meetings were mostly meant to keep each other up to speed. They were hardly the only governing she did.


    I learned a lot about the Empire and the way it functioned. The structure was not very centralized in most aspects, probably a necessity for such a large nation that encompassed so many provinces and people. Local governments, nobles, city mayors and the like took care of many problems. The Imperial government and its bureaucracy controlled all of them. The army handled other sorts of issues. But even dealing with other countries and strife between different factions in the Empire took a lot of effort.


    ¡°Inaris, do you have any comments?¡± Mother asked.


    I started and shook my head, looking to the previous speaker in today¡¯s meeting. I¡¯d paid enough attention that I could have recited the minister¡¯s words, but I hadn¡¯t worried much about them. ¡°No, Mother, I don¡¯t.¡±


    She¡¯d begun asking for my impressions and opinions, but at least she didn¡¯t chew me out if she didn¡¯t like them. I felt like I was in class sometimes, but I knew my job here was to learn.


    Mother nodded, then turned her gaze back to the others.


    I looked around the room. Aside from wall hangings and carvings in the entranceways, it contained no decorations. In the middle stood a conference table and an assortment of chairs. Layers of qi covered the room, woven through the walls, floor and ceiling. They isolated it from the rest of the palace. Together with the strength the attendants exuded, it made me feel like all the qi pressed in on me. At least the cultivators, all stronger than me, did me the courtesy of suppressing their auras.


    The next speaker started talking. This one was reporting on the state of the southern border. I paid attention and did my best to make sense of what he said. A few times, I had to stop myself from interjecting with a question. It felt weird to hear the intelligence people talk of powerful spirits as sources.


    Of course, we had little contact with the nomads or the Dominion. There was no trade, and this world didn¡¯t take the concept of embassies and ambassadors as far as Earth. We still knew something, of course. If nothing else, both sides could send a powerful cultivator to the border, or out at sea, and have them fly really high up, then look over with the equivalent of a telescope. Not as good as satellite imagery, but better than nothing. And of course, there were always spies, or bargaining with spirits.


    I looked at the map decorating the table. In the south of the Central or Sky Continent, it narrowed until it reached a landmass connecting it to the Storm Continent. A bit like the Sinai or Mesoamerica, maybe, but shaped differently. From there, the Zarieni nomads launched occasional raids through the border at the Empire¡¯s southern regions. One reason this area proved a constant headache for Mother and her predecessors.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the recent difficulty in the Pit means we won¡¯t be able to send many reinforcements south,¡± Kariva commented. ¡°Given this new activity, I¡¯ll pay increased attention to the southern border. We should also check all the ports in the southern side of the continent and maybe call a few more ships up. This wouldn¡¯t be the first time the Dominion took advantage to bother our shipping.¡±


    I continued pondering the differences this world presented to Earth, particularly the different inhabitants. Increased attention probably meant sending and asking them. Even Greater Spirits could be bargained with if you made it worth their while. Kariva had mentioned something about an agreement Mother made, but maybe I was misinterpreting. They would certainly be able to tell you a lot. I didn¡¯t quite know how to handle the fact that we dealt with entities worshiped as gods, but I¡¯d also done my best to avoid religion.


    ¡°How¡¯s our relationship with beasts in the sea?¡± I asked.


    Mother smiled at me. ¡°Quite good. We have a number of agreements with powerful ones. I hope to send you to negotiate some in time. Given your research and knowledge of psychology, I expect you¡¯d do well.¡±


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    I nodded. ¡°I should.¡±


    One of the others raised an eyebrow at that, but I didn¡¯t care. I saw no need for false humility.


    ¡°Is there anything else we need to discuss?¡± Mother asked.


    No one spoke. I glanced at each person in the room. The officials sat down the table from Mother, who had me at her right hand, and all wore ornate robes or what might have been suits under all the decoration. Seven of the ten people in the room were men, not counting us.


    Mother let the silence linger for a bit, steepling her fingers. I sat up straighter, realizing where this was going now.


    ¡°It is time for me attempt my breakthrough,¡± Mother said. ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell anyone this, but remember that it is a very delicate endeavor, and a distraction at the wrong moment could ruin everything. Therefore, I will be in seclusion. We¡¯ll head there now.¡±


    She paused as if to invite questions. A few people exchanged looks, but no one spoke up. Mother nodded, and dissolved the meeting.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel like the day had grown darker as I followed her out of the room. Having her gone would take away a bit of my security, both in my physical safety, a concern given my bad premonitions, and the matter of responsibility. But more than that, I realized I didn¡¯t like the prospect of not seeing her for the time she remained in seclusion.


    Mother headed out of the palace. In silence, she hurried through its grounds towards the mountains. I followed her, along with Kariva and a few people from the council. Two advisers and the chancellor. A number of guards surrounded us, ranging ahead and behind. They were out in force today, and I assumed they would keep watch over Mother the whole time.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the location. Apparently, a cave at the foot of the closest mountain. It hid under a rocky outcropping, although my senses told me there was a naturally formed shaft leading down from the surface, allowing light to enter. The whole area positively brimmed with qi. I felt the hairs on my neck stand up just being close to the entrance. The guards took up positions around it.


    ¡°If I¡¯m lucky, this should only take a month, maybe two,¡± Mother told me. ¡°Although it might be more if there are complications.¡±


    I nodded, frowning. ¡°Who¡¯s going to run the Empire in your absence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mostly going to run itself.¡± She smiled reassuringly. ¡°The ministers and other officials will handle anything that comes up within their sphere. A few months isn¡¯t enough for the Empire to get unstable without a ruler. And the nobles know better than to try something. Otherwise, Gen will deal with the administration.¡±


    The man bowed. At least he couldn¡¯t see me side-eying him.


    I would have said some joke about going off into a cave on her own if we were alone. Instead, I simply smiled and wished Mother luck. Everyone hurried to follow my example.


    She lingered for a second, looking at me. Then she turned around and entered the cave. Just like that, Empress Acura of the Empire of the Sky was now on hiatus.


    I sighed and looked for Aston, who was standing a bit to the side of me. He smiled supportively. I was beginning to think his role as bodyguard was a front for a different job.


    I turned away and shook out my sleeves. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope her success comes quickly.¡±


    Gen smiled. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    I had to force my expression to remain polite. Maybe it was my imagination, but I didn¡¯t like the way he smiled at me, like he was indulging a kid. It made me want to challenge him.


    It probably would have been smarter to stay silent, but I spoke anyway, wanting to hear his answer to my question. ¡°What do you intend to do about that that activity in the Pit? It could be some powerful new beast moving in and pushing out others. The towns in the region might be in for a challenge.¡±


    He waved a hand. ¡°I will let the Imperial army handle it. After all, that¡¯s their job, Your Highness.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°And if the generals want to transfer more troops to the region, you¡¯ll support that decision?¡±


    ¡°Any requests for logistical assistance will of course be given the proper attention. I assure you, Your Highness, we have things well in hand, and there is no need for you to worry about anything. We are more than capable of carrying the burden of governing so that you can focus on your cultivation.¡±


    I gritted my teeth. While I couldn¡¯t argue with him about the matter, I didn¡¯t appreciate his tone or the way he smiled at me again.


    I exhaled, pushing out my frustration. I knew better than to let it loose. ¡°Very well, Chancellor Gen. I will leave you to your work. You are dismissed.¡±


    His face tightened a bit, but he bowed and took his leave.


    I stayed and watched the officials go. Although only Gen and the advisers left. I¡¯d lost track of Kariva. When I turned around again and saw her standing at my side, I almost jumped, but managed to control myself just in time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Gen, my lady,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s good at keeping everything together, but not the kind who likes to act quickly.¡± She looked after them and frowned for a moment, before she turned back to me. ¡°I doubt it, but if he becomes troublesome, the matter will be handled.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Do you try to sound like that on purpose?¡±


    Kariva smiled. ¡°Sometimes. I meant it, though.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I gave her a closer look. Even though we¡¯d met in the meetings, I didn¡¯t know much about her. ¡°So you would back me against him if it came to a conflict? Even with underhanded means?¡±


    ¡°Well, of course.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re the crown princess of the Empire, and the heir of the family. Our Young Miss, if you will. In the absence of the Empress, it is only right that I answer to you. So long as it does not go against her orders or our interests, of course.¡±


    I crossed my arms, staring at her with a challenge in my eyes. ¡°And if I wanted to have you whipped for talking to me without the proper respect?¡±


    She answered promptly, her tone and expression unmoved. ¡°I would strive to take the punishment with grace, of course, Your Highness.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem bothered at all. It could be because she knew I was only testing her. But still. Is she a psychopath or just a fanatic?


    At least she seemed to be on my side. I¡¯d just have to be careful. It looked like if I wanted to have someone assassinated or whatever, she¡¯d have no problem actually doing it.


    ¡°Well, tell me if there¡¯s anything I need to know,¡± I ordered. Then I hesitated for a moment. I didn¡¯t trust her enough to tell her how I might have bad premonitions yet. But I could at least say something. ¡°And I need you to be especially careful, until further notice.¡±


    Kariva bowed her head. ¡°Of course, my lady."


    With that, I turned and walked away. The back of my neck itched, but I didn¡¯t look back to see if she was watching me.


    I had work to do. I should keep focused on that.

 34: Dire news

    The bit of qi flickered, spinning around under my invisible grip. I tried to look more closely, but had a hard time noticing any change. When I released it, it dissolved into the surroundings, merging with the qi covering everything.


    I hadn¡¯t figured out where exactly to draw the line between light-affinity qi and the light it produced. That might be a small distinction, but my inability to grasp the finer points of how qi worked frustrated me. I knew qi itself didn¡¯t have any light-emitting properties, per se. When I produced a spark, light would come from the light-affinity qi that made up the technique, but the qi itself wouldn¡¯t be destroyed, simply dissipate. I didn¡¯t know if it lost its affinity ¡ª the change in the environment would be too small to notice, since seeing qi with its affinities ¡®in the wild¡¯ was hard enough and required a lot of concentration. Testing that would need a greater amount of light qi than I would be comfortable playing around with like this.


    And I didn¡¯t even know where to begin in investigating the more conceptual parts of what it could do. But at least I succeeded in producing electromagnetic radiation in other parts of the spectrum.


    Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to my current project. Darkness qi was even worse to get a grip on than light qi, since, by its very nature, it embodied the concept of absence. Absence of light, of course, but I was hoping I could translate that to absence of other things, like void-affinity in some stories. I knew higher-level techniques did something like that.


    For the moment, I used it as an insulator.


    I formed a small sphere of darkness qi, concentrating on turning it into a protection from light-based effects in addition to a black screen. Then I slowly pushed some light qi through a gap I¡¯d left open.


    A pulse of qi swept through the surroundings. It wasn¡¯t very noticeable, but I almost lost my grip on the delicate operation. Frowning, I paused what I was doing and took a quick look around.


    I stood in an open space besides the building housing our workshop. I could feel the people inside going about their business. No one else was near. The afternoon sunlight lengthened the shadows of a few people hurrying over the paths a bit further away, making them dance across the grass. I couldn¡¯t feel anything else with my qi senses.


    Focusing back on what I was doing, I closed up the sphere of darkness while maintaining my connection to the bit of light qi. That was the tricky part, but I managed. Then, I concentrated on the light-affinity qi, bearing down on it with my will. I got it to shift, making it emit light with smaller and smaller wavelengths. It almost seemed to shrink as the energy of the EM-waves increased. I pushed further, sending my senses out to my qi, following along what it created. With more pressure, I could feel it change, going from ultraviolet to X-rays. I pushed even further, focusing it even more, until I could feel it coming close to gamma rays.


    Then I stopped. The protective shell around my experiment felt battered and drained, although it still held. I knew none of the harmful radiation had reached me, although the amount was small enough that it wouldn¡¯t have mattered much.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I was a long way from weaponizing this, or even recreating an X-ray scanner. I still hadn¡¯t figured out a good method to do this with formations. But the potential was there. Sure, high-stage light cultivators could release a lot of energy in explosions, but my way was a lot more controlled.


    Well, Mother had probably done the same sorts of experiments, if no one else. It couldn¡¯t be easy to make a real difference with it. But I didn¡¯t let that thought discourage me. I had to have a better idea of what I was actually working with than almost anyone else in this world, and when it came to qi, that mattered.


    Before I could try to do it again, I felt Aston approaching quickly. I turned back just in time to see him run up the path and come to a stop in front of me. Wasn¡¯t he cultivating somewhere? He didn¡¯t look happy.


    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s going to be an emergency meeting,¡± he said.


    I sighed and flicked the remnants of my darkness sphere away. ¡°Gen and the other officials don¡¯t really need me there.¡±


    Aston frowned and looked like he was considering what to say. Then, I could feel another familiar presence approaching, and turned to see Tenira rushing to us.


    ¡°Inaris, they¡¯re holding an emergency meeting. Apparently, there¡¯s been dire news from the south.¡±


    ¡°That sounds bad. Although I¡¯m sure the generals and the government could actually handle it themselves. Why do I always have to stop when things are going well?¡± I muttered.


    Tenira took a step closer. ¡°Inaris, this is a real emergency. Even if your presence doesn¡¯t turn out to be necessary, you should attend.¡±


    I rolled my eyes for good measure, then pushed my annoyance down. ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯m going.¡±


    I took a quick look at my clothing, which was in order, and disappeared my notepad into my storage ring. Then I headed off. When I noticed Tenira didn¡¯t move, I made a shooing motion at her. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re my retainer, you can accompany me.¡±


    We moved quickly. When we reached the main complex, I noticed that activity had kicked up, with people rushing here and there. This must be serious. I increased my pace further as I hurried up to the main wing. The presence of the guards and accumulation of qi signatures I recognized guided me to the correct place, a big meeting room close to the great hall, bordering on the offices used by the top generals and some belonging to the ministry of war. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, Aston and Tenira following me inside.


    Everyone rose when I entered. I quickly scanned the people gathered, then took my place to the right of the throne-like chair at the head of the table, which remained empty. I recognized all four top generals, Gen and two of his people, a few other functionaries, the head of the main intelligence service, and Kariva. Shields of qi covered the room, obviously designed for privacy.


    Tenira took a position standing at my shoulder, while Aston joined a few other guards around the room. Everyone sat down again when I did. We must have been the last to arrive.


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    Since Gen didn¡¯t do anything, I spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, please.¡±


    One of the generals, named Poteri, as I recalled, cleared his throat and stood up. His uniform and hair were neatly kept, and his expression gave no hint to his emotions.


    He waited until everyone¡¯s attention was fixed on him to talk. ¡°My lords and ladies, I bring dire news. The nomads have breached our borders again. This time, it¡¯s no simple raid, but closer to an invasion.¡±


    Muttering started. I felt my own heartbeat speed up. An invasion? And Mother isn¡¯t here!


    The top general, an old man called Tsakan Wu with an impressive gray beard, rapped his hand on the table. ¡°What news do we have, and how did we get them?¡±


    Poteri looked like he expected the question. ¡°The barbarians breached our border close to the seventeenth border fort, about two hours ago. The fort went dark without sending a message, but the alarm formation was triggered. The closest garrison sent an elite team that discovered the fort in ruins and all soldiers slain. This message was passed on to the regional headquarters and from there to us.¡±


    A few eyebrows went up at that. The Zarieni nomads usually preferred to try and sneak through the border, I knew. I wondered what system the military had set up to pass messages, but shelved that question. Probably qi talismans for communication.


    ¡°Since then,¡± he continued, ¡°the nomads have been sighted on their way to the region around Blue Valley City. Their host numbers in the thousands, all of them in the middle or high stages. That means the complete fighting force of one tribe, at minimum. We assume they have been razing villages on the way, although confirmation was still pending as of five minutes ago. We do have reports of smaller groups splitting off.¡±


    He paused at that.


    ¡°It would be stupid for them to stay together like that,¡± Tsakan commented. ¡°What else do we know about them?¡±


    They discussed the issue for a while longer, while I did my best to understand what this meant. I knew that combat in a world of cultivators worked quite differently. An army of people in the first stage could be annihilated by a single elite in the seventh. That was why armies tended to be small and full of high-stage warriors. Since the Empire outmatched them, raiders would usually move quickly, strike before the army could muster a full response, and retreat. But this army of the Zarieni nomads meant that they could probably take many of the forces the Empire had spread across the south on their own.


    Something else bothered me, though. ¡°What about the timing?¡± I asked. ¡°This incursion comes only two days after Mother went into seclusion. Did they find out?¡±


    ¡°Almost certainly,¡± Kariva answered. ¡°It¡¯s too suspicious. And they must have prepared for this, too. I can only assume that the Zarian caught wind of it, probably from a spy in the palace or among the nobles, and let the Zarieni know.¡± She frowned. ¡°They could have even instigated this.¡±


    Everyone fell silent. I had to fight to keep my expression calm and my dismay from showing. This incursion was enough of a problem on its own.


    Then again, it should be well within the army¡¯s capabilities to handle. At least once they pulled together enough troops and sent them south. Of course, the raiders could do a lot of damage to the southern regions in that time. The local defenders had to try to cover every settlement, and cultivator armies moved quickly.


    ¡°We need to tell the Empress,¡± one of the ministers said. ¡°She needs to be aware of this, and make the decisions.¡±


    Gen shook his head, and Kariva answered flatly, ¡°No. Her Majesty is in a deep meditation to break through to the next part of the eighth stage. Disturbing her could be catastrophic. We cannot.¡±


    Most of the people gathered nodded in understanding.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± someone finally asked.


    ¡°We scramble the army, taking what soldiers we can spare, and bring them south,¡± Tsakan answered. He sounded tired. ¡°We try to coordinate the defense of the south. We call on the nobles, both local and in the rest of the Empire, for help.¡±


    A lot of gazes suddenly moved to me. I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a solid plan.¡±


    It looked like they waited for me to say something more. I shifted in my seat, then immediately stilled myself.


    ¡°And who will be in charge of the campaign?¡± Poteri asked.


    Gen looked like he tried his best to go unnoticed. A few of the attendees glanced at him, but most still looked to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Generals and leadership of the army know their jobs and their people,¡± I said.


    Kariva cleared her throat. ¡°Your Highness, before this goes any further, I would like to convene with you.¡± She sent her gaze through the room. ¡°In private.¡±


    I sighed and glanced at the other people. I could hardly refuse her. ¡°Everyone, give us the room, if you please. Tenira, you can stay.¡±


    The rest of them didn¡¯t look happy, but they stood, bowed to me, and left the room without complaint. A few moments later, we were alone, the qi formation screening our conversation from the outside world.


    I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but I didn¡¯t have to make it easy on her. ¡°So, Kariva, do you have any important news?¡±


    The spymaster took her seat again, smiling evenly. ¡°No, my lady, but perhaps some perspective.¡±


    I nodded and tapped my fingers on the table while I thought. ¡°The nobles don¡¯t like the army, do they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not part of the army and not answerable to the generals themselves¡±, Tenira said. She shrugged when I looked at her. ¡°The nobility does have a lot of resources and strong cultivators, even if they¡¯ve lost power over the populace.¡±


    ¡°So, you need me to rally them. To get them to join the war effort. Since they owe fealty to the throne, and Mother isn¡¯t here, I represent it, or what?¡±


    They nodded.


    ¡°The way I see it, you have three choices, Your Highness,¡± Kariva said after a moment. ¡°May I explain?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You could do nothing. Let the generals handle it, appoint someone to lead the campaign, and defeat the raiders. They¡¯re going to be handled in time, but the defense in the south might be fragmented.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± I said. ¡°The second choice is to appoint someone to fight the war, put the weight of Imperial authority behind them, as best I can. Then I¡¯ll stay here and maybe weigh in on decisions occasionally.¡±


    Kariva nodded. ¡°Or,¡± she paused meaningfully, ¡°you could go to war yourself, my lady. Call on the nobles for their service, rally the army and the nobility in the south, and lead a glorious campaign to rid the Empire of the barbarian scourge.¡±


    ¡°Such good PR,¡± I said dryly.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even need to dictate the war yourself,¡± Kariva continued. ¡°Being there and issuing orders would be the important part. The nobles are more likely to join in this effort if you are. It¡¯s harder to refuse the Imperial Princess than some general. Of course, actually gaining experience in fighting would be quite valuable as well, if you¡¯ll forgive the presumption.¡±


    I stared down at the table, still tapping my fingers. This was a big decision, so I took my time to think it over carefully, even if the answer seemed clear.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to resolve this peacefully, is there?¡± I asked.


    I could hear Kariva almost sigh. ¡°For a moment, I forgot who I was talking to,¡± she muttered. I had to strain my ears to hear it.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Tenira said, looking at me like I¡¯d failed a simple math problem. ¡°The raiders aren¡¯t going to be interested in dialog.¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°They¡¯ll pillage their way across the region if they aren¡¯t stopped. Many civilians will die no matter what.¡±


    I sighed. I¡¯d expected that answer, knew it was true, but I didn¡¯t like the idea of supporting a war, let alone being responsible for one. It didn¡¯t agree with my ideals, even if I didn¡¯t doubt my ability to go through with it. But in this context, I knew I had to, which made it easier.


    The first option Kariva had given me was obviously bad. It might leave my hands clean at first glance. But if I could make things better, or at least less bad, maybe save lives overall, I was obligated to take action. My principles were pretty clear on that, too.


    ¡°Well.¡± I shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can let someone I don¡¯t know lead a war in my name. Who knows what they might get up to? At least I¡¯m fairly confident in my own judgment. And you have made good points.¡±


    It was the best choice.


    Kariva leaned back in her chair. ¡°Then you¡¯ll do it, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I will. I guess it¡¯s time to call the banners.¡±


    They frowned in confusion, but I didn¡¯t care if they got the reference.


    Now, we had to prepare for war.

 35: Setting off

    It turned out that preparing for war meant a lot of time sitting in meetings and debating details most people wouldn¡¯t think of. I knew that actually being in the war would involve many strategy meetings, but I might not have realized just how much there was to do before we could even set off.


    Luckily, I didn¡¯t need to be present or involved in most of that.


    I¡¯d been sitting in a conference room with generals and high-ranking officers, plus Kariva and a few of her people, for hours now. We¡¯d been discussing the most important points.


    I looked back at the sheet of paper in front of me. With the help of Kariva and Tenira, I¡¯d drafted a message halfway between a royal command and a call for volunteers. It had been spread to the nobility, and now we were waiting. Looking at the flowery words, I grimaced.


    Everyone agreed that time was of the essence. We¡¯d send an advance force south as soon as possible, one that would be able to travel quickly. The rest of the troops mobilized for this war would follow.


    Someone tapping their hand on the table brought my attention back to the debate. The officer, a gray-haired general, shook his head as he glared at the woman opposite him. ¡°It would be more trouble than it¡¯s worth. There¡¯d be questions about command. And those of the eighth stage are notoriously ¡­ difficult to work with.¡±


    A few of the people present grimaced. One of them asked, ¡°But can we really afford not to?¡±


    ¡°It probably wouldn¡¯t matter much,¡± General Tsakan said. ¡°The raiders know they can¡¯t match us in a straight fight, so they¡¯ll split up, try to force us to defend everything. Only a few of the eighth-stagers are known for their senses, and none of those could join us.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Poteri added, ¡°if we bring several, the raiders will know they¡¯ve lost, and they could just hole up in towns and force us to devastate the settlements to bring them down.¡±


    I almost grimaced at that. It sounded like we needed to have the invaders think they stood a chance. That agreed with what military ¡®wisdom¡¯ I remembered from Earth, that an enemy was most dangerous when he¡¯s desperate.


    ¡°We¡¯ve agreed, then,¡± Tsakan said. ¡°Someone in the eighth stage from the south might join us. In any case, we¡¯ll proceed as planned. We¡¯ll send the relief force down quickly. Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead that one, of course,¡± I said. ¡°I want to be involved in what¡¯s happening in the south.¡±


    We¡¯d already sent a message with the gist of the plan. But this communication worked with a massive qi drain of a formation. It sent out a qi construct that traveled at great speed. Unfortunately, for locations hundreds of kilometers away, that ¡®great speed¡¯ still made anything like real-time coordination impossible.


    That was why the generals had agreed to leave coordinating the local defense in the hands of the commanders in the region. I agreed, of course. Trying to micro-manage with that kind of control loop, not to mention the information throughput, would be courting disaster.


    No one seemed surprised at my words. Instead, the discussion turned back to which units would be sent and who would be in tactical command. Unfortunately, there weren¡¯t many that could be recalled this quickly, without leaving important positions uncovered.


    ¡°I hate saying this, but we can¡¯t afford to uncover the border,¡± I agreed. ¡°Not when the Zarian are clearly up to something. The rest of the tribes could take advantage, too. For all we know, this army is simply meant to soften us up. If anything, we should transfer more troops to the border.¡±


    ¡°The Zarian will see that as a provocation,¡± Tsakan warned.


    I rubbed my temples. ¡°Fine. Not enough reinforcements to seem suspicious, of course. If they want to be butthurt over our sending more soldiers south, they will in any case.¡±


    At that point, Tenira slipped back into the room, walking to my side.


    ¡°What exactly did you ¡®organize¡¯, Tenira?¡± I asked quietly. She¡¯d left without telling me any details.


    ¡°Your retinue, of course,¡± she said. ¡°Seeing as I¡¯m your only permanent retainer. A few of our relatives and vassals will join us for the campaign. I also picked some servants and coordinated with Aston.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Of course I needed to go to war with an entourage. At least I knew I didn¡¯t have to worry about my safety. They wouldn¡¯t let me get into serious danger.


    ¡°Fine. This time, I¡¯m not letting Aston leave me,¡± I muttered. ¡°No matter how many seventh-stagers they send.¡±


    The discussion was winding down as well. I was glad I didn¡¯t need to put effort into memorizing all the names they mentioned, and could just look them up later. But now, we were almost ready to depart.


    <hr>


    I wished I could skip this part, just fast-forward to the traveling, or maybe arrival. Unfortunately, even magic didn¡¯t work that way. And I needed to be present for this.


    I looked down at the white robe I wore. Even the pearls and diamonds woven into and hanging from it as decoration all had the same color. Everything fit, so I stepped up to the chariot and jumped inside. It was a monster of a carriage, hovering a meter above the ground with lots of spikes and armaments protruding from it. I suspected those were for show. Its general design reminded me of chariots from Earth¡¯s history, with low walls and an open back.


    One of the spirit beasts pulling the carriage turned its head to look at me. It snorted, its breath gently blowing across my face with a hint of qi. It felt like I¡¯d breathed in relaxing incense. The beast itself looked like nothing I¡¯d seen before. Like a giant elephant with fur and a lion¡¯s mane in pure white, plus sharp tusks with an edge.


    ¡®Your human traditions are weird, but this is an easy task,¡¯ a voice said in my mind. I decided it sounded male.


    We started moving, and he turned his head to face forward. I straightened up into a regal posture, tightening my grip on the polearm in my right hand. The gates of the palace¡¯s outer wall opened before us, and a wall of noise swept over me. The soldiers marching in front of and behind me sounded quiet in comparison.


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    ¡®I know that,¡¯ I replied in my mind. ¡®I¡¯m just a bit nervous. After all, there¡¯s a lot of people outside and I am going to war.¡¯


    ¡®Understandable. You humans are awfully fond of crowds.¡¯


    ¡®Be nice, Jaiidu,¡¯ a new voice chided. I couldn¡¯t tell their gender. Had to be the second beast, who flicked their ear in his direction.


    By now, the carriage had reached the road going from the palace towards the fort a few kilometers away, where we would be boarding the airships taking us south. Only a part of the road cut through the city¡¯s outskirts, but the sides of the path were packed with people. They cheered, and sent up flickers of qi that resulted in sparks, puffs of air or blinking lights. A few waved flags, both normal ones and some that glowed like neon lights, but made with enchantments.


    This had been organized quickly, considering it was still the same day we¡¯d received the news. Well, the sun had sunk a while ago, but still. It seemed a traditional send-off to war had priority.


    I felt the weight of the crown resting on my head keenly, even though it was only made of flowers. White ones that glowed with qi. White Sun Flowers, despite the stupid name, were hard to find and valuable ingredients, but I guessed this use was more important. Morale mattered, even if I didn¡¯t understand the traditions.


    ¡®Why are you doing this, by the way?¡¯ I asked the spirit beasts. They had to be strong. Why play draft animals?


    ¡®It is hardly an arduous task, and our honor demands it,¡¯ the first one replied. ¡®Your clan has helped our people for a long time, so we work to repay that debt.¡¯


    ¡®You must have seen a lot. Have you ever fought in a war?¡¯


    The rest of the way, I chatted with the spirit beasts. It helped to take my mind off the way the people looked at me. This had to be the first time they saw me in an official capacity, and I knew I needed to make a good impression. So I stood with my head held high, occasionally waving to them. They cheered me like rabid fans for some superstar. They must really like our clan, and Mother, probably for the civil rights laws she made.


    The spirits beasts¡¯ stories were interesting. Both of them had seen warfare, although it was on another continent against very different enemies. Their tales about ¡®glorious battle¡¯ and the nights before it helped make me feel more prepared to face my own war.


    We made good progress, and before I knew it, the crowds thinned out. Soon, we passed through the gate of another wall, and reached an open field where airships waited for us in neat rows.


    They all looked similar, gleaming in blue paint, although I could distinguish three types of different sizes. The only one that stood out had golden decorations and a slightly different shape, plus it radiated more qi. When I looked around, I saw another group of airships to the side of them, this one made of different types and sizes and scattered in little groups, most of them dyed in vibrant colors and decorated in various ways.


    The chariot pulled up in front of the first row of airships, directly facing the special one. I thanked the spirit beasts and hopped down. Guards surrounded me at once. For this occasion, they had all put on their ceremonial armor, painted in gold, silver and blue, and polished so they shined in the qi lights illuminating the airstrip. Tenira materialized at my side, as well.


    ¡°I suppose I should greet the nobles?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming over now.¡± I was sure her smile showed sympathy.


    A moment later, the crowd arrived. I recognized most of them, either from my one session of court or from pictures in the dossiers Kariva had provided at meetings. They were dressed either in robes decorated with precious metals and gems, or in armor that had too many frills and inlays. The gathered group consisted of maybe two dozen nobles, none of them below the sixth stage or looking younger than forty. I knew they had to be the leaders or senior representatives of their houses, and the other members waited in the airships.


    All of them knelt to me in greeting, then introduced themselves in order of title and seniority. Luckily, everyone knew that time was short, so they didn¡¯t linger too long. They assured me of their support, praised the martial strength of their house, and invited me to talks at a later time. I replied the same way to all of them, saying how pleased I was, that I looked forward to fighting beside them, and so on.


    When they departed, I still felt drained.


    Before I could enter the airship, Aston approached me with a few other guards. He¡¯d clamped his hands onto the shoulder of a boy I only recognized after a moment, since he wore makeup and dark clothes with a hood.


    ¡°Your Highness, we caught Prince Alaster attempting to sneak onto an airship,¡± he explained.


    I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°Seriously, Al? I don¡¯t want to hear anything about you being older than twelve ever again. You know that even if you¡¯d succeeded, I would have just sent you back, right?¡±


    Alaster sulked. ¡°But I am seventeen. I¡¯m old enough to go to war.¡±


    ¡°By Earth standards, you¡¯re not. Even by local standards, that would be highly questionable.¡± I crossed my arms and frowned down at him. ¡°And biologically, you¡¯re twelve, which is too young even here. And not strong enough, either. I¡¯m disappointed in you.¡±


    ¡°But Big Sister!¡± He looked at me with wide eyes. ¡°I want to help you! I can¡¯t let you go off into danger alone. Plus, I¡¯m going to be a general, remember? I need experience. The guards would make sure nothing happens to me.¡±


    That prompted a sudden thought. Please don¡¯t tell me Xiaodon is also trying to sneak in. Although, she is watched more closely.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too dangerous and I wouldn¡¯t want you to see what¡¯s going to happen,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t need that. Besides, I already said no and you tried to sneak in anyway.¡±


    Aston finally took his hand off, probably sensing Al¡¯s defeat. ¡°What should be done with His Highness, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Tell his tutors and guards that he¡¯s confined to the main building for a week,¡± I decided. ¡°And double his etiquette lessons.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t, Elder Sister!¡± he pouted. ¡°Isn¡¯t this humiliation enough?¡±


    ¡°You defied your Elder Sister,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Obviously you still have much to learn. Besides, that was a crappy attempt at sneaking. Or at least long-term planning. You deserve to be punished for that alone.¡±


    After a long moment of silence, he nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now,¡± I said. ¡°Stay safe.¡±


    He sighed, and stepped forward to give me a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    I had to smile. ¡°Me too, Al.¡±


    After that, a few of the guards escorted him off. I looked after them, shaking my head. I really would miss both of them.


    I turned back to enter the airship, but once again, stopped before I crossed the hatch. This time, it was a distortion in the air besides the entrance that gave me pause. I squinted and focused on my qi senses.


    As if sensing it was caught, the figure withdrew some of its veil, letting me get a better impression. It was indistinct, little more than wisps in the outline of a person, only a hint of a physical presence. But I could tell this spirit was strong, it¡¯s ¡ª no, their ¡ª qi shone like a shooting star.


    ¡°Honored spirit.¡± I inclined my head. ¡°Are you here for me?¡±


    ¡®Yes, little light,¡¯ they answered, their voice cracking like sparks struck on stone. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t go south.¡¯


    ¡°Really?¡± What is it with spirits and cryptic warnings?


    ¡®It might not end well for you,¡¯ they said. ¡®You have enemies in the south.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s sort of what war means.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m aware, hidden light.¡¯ Something like a rumbly chuckle echoed from their form. ¡®But still. You don¡¯t understand. Please heed my warning.¡¯


    ¡°Will you explain it to me, then?¡±


    ¡®No.¡¯


    I sighed. This didn¡¯t sit well with me. On the other hand, I really needed to go, and it would take more than a vague warning to just abandon this campaign. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to. Thank you for the warning, though.¡±


    ¡®Very well.¡¯ Their form contorted into a bow before it flowed back upright. ¡®I wish you success on your venture. Do not say you weren¡¯t warned.¡¯


    With that, their form dissipated, their qi signature flowing away.


    I finally entered the airship, but I was too preoccupied to pay it much attention.


    I really needed to figure out what was up with these spirits, but I had no idea where to even start. They didn¡¯t seem to want to tell me who my enemies were, or anything helpful, really. For the moment, I pushed it to the back of my mind, since I needed to focus on this ¡®going to war¡¯ thing.

 36: Generals and nobles

    I¡¯d half-expected another walled-off compound, but when we landed, it was in an open field. I watched the other airships setting down next to mine before I stepped onto the ground. The walls of Blue Valley City rose up only a few hundred meters away. Beside them, a large structure loomed, looking like it grew out of the city wall. The fortress was built of black rock, and only had small windows, but it was studded with emplacements for artillery. A net of qi infused its walls.


    I walked forward, letting the guards around me rush to take up their positions. They walked far enough away not to obstruct my view, at least. Behind them, I sensed my entourage spilling out of the airship and joining us.


    I¡¯d stowed the flower crown in my spatial ring, but I still wore the ceremonial clothing, which felt stiffer than what I was used to.


    A small group waited for us. According to their uniforms, which resembled what I would have expected to see in nineteenth century Europe if you put more flowing lines on them, these people were officers. The rank markings put the leader at what I thought would be a Colonel on Earth. His aura seemed like he was in the sixth stage.


    The officers performed their obeisance towards me, but didn¡¯t wait for me to tell them to rise.


    ¡°Your Highness, these lowly ones are greatly relieved at your arrival,¡± the leader said. ¡°The generals beg forgiveness for not greeting you in person. They ask you and your commanders to join them in the fort¡¯s command center. This one will escort you.¡±


    Well, at least they don¡¯t beat around the bush ¡­ much. ¡°Of course.¡± They would have had more important things to do than organize a greeting party, so I didn¡¯t mind that this one had obviously been rushed out on short notice.


    I started following the group. A gaggle of nobles that had been spilling from their airships moved in behind my group. At least they kept up.


    On the inside, the fort was pretty much what I expected. A lot of soldiers rushed about between conference rooms and offices. The walls were white, bare of decorations, and had clearly been built to last. I could feel the auras of many cultivators in different stages, although they tended towards the higher ones.


    Even if it appeared intimidating, this command building wasn¡¯t big. We reached the central control room, or so I assumed, quickly. Its construction reminded me of a lecture hall, with segments at different heights going down towards a floor. Or maybe an amphitheater, since it was shaped like a circle with a bite taken from it. Stations that consisted of both mundane desks and qi apparatuses covered the tiers.


    When we entered, the room fell silent, and everyone scrambled to put away what they were doing before they dropped to their knees.


    I descended the steps, waving a hand at the gathered soldiers. ¡°You may rise. Continue with your work.¡±


    In the center, besides a large map table, stood a group of officers, some with stars pinned to their uniform lapels. I tried not to smile at the thought of how Mother must have instituted a system from her home. It wouldn¡¯t have been the thing I focused on, certainly. Then again, I didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d been doing before.


    I recognized one of them, and suppressed a smile.


    A man in the center, who had three stars adorning his uniform, stepped forward, forcing my attention back to him. Despite his small stature, he radiated confidence and authority. ¡°Luminous Princess Inaris. I can¡¯t tell you how glad we are to see you, and the fighters you bring.¡±


    Someone snorted, loudly enough that it carried through the room. Turning my head, I saw a group of nobles pushing their way through the room besides the guards. At their front was an old man I recognized as head of the influential Zun clan.


    ¡°Outrageous,¡± he said. ¡°You dare face the Imperial Princess with your back straight, when even the most esteemed nobles of the Empire bow to her station? What a savage they have leading this outpost.¡±


    The general¡¯s cheeks reddened, and I saw him biting down on a retort before he looked to me. The others behind him grew still.


    I really didn¡¯t care for this, but now that someone had pointed his behavior out, I couldn¡¯t overlook it. ¡°Greet me properly now,¡± I said. ¡°So we can focus on our purpose here.¡±


    ¡°Deepest apologies, Your Highness. This General Wei is honored to be graced by your presence.¡±


    He, and the other commanders, performed a kowtow and stayed on the floor until I hurriedly told them to rise. I could see Zun¡¯s face set in a smile.


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    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down with a map and start a proper briefing,¡± I suggested.


    We headed to the conference room attached to this command center. In the shuffle, I caught the youngest general¡¯s eye, tapping my mouth. I¡¯d recently been reminded that telepathy existed, after all, and anyone in the seventh stage should be able to do it.


    Of course, San Hashar was a smart woman, so I heard her voice in my head a moment later. ¡®Your Highness.¡¯


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know you were a general,¡¯ I said, trying not to sound awkward.


    She hid a smile as she took her seat. ¡®I received a promotion recently.¡¯


    ¡®Congratulations.¡¯ I sat down as well. Elite soldiers usually didn¡¯t wear rank insignia, and I¡¯d never asked about hers. The whole time, I¡¯d assumed the soldiers she led to guard me were her whole command, but maybe I¡¯d been wrong. Although, elites always held higher ranks.


    Since a dozen nobles joined us, there were a lot of people at the table. At least the senior generals sat close to me. Tenira had the chair to my right, while aides and retainers stood at the shoulders of most of the others.


    ¡°Please, tell us about the situation, General,¡± I asked.


    General Wei cleared his throat and started talking. He moved colored markers over the map on the table, with trailing lines of qi showing their movements.


    The Zarieni had already penetrated pretty far into Imperial territory, considering how little time they¡¯d had. Of course, I knew that cultivators moved quickly. And according to the general, they carried few supplies, and their force seemed to consist only of fighters.


    ¡°Probably not just one tribe, but warriors from other tribes joining them,¡± he said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t get this number otherwise. I assume their weakest members are staying behind in a hidden camp in the Graves, or perhaps another tribe is sheltering them.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know?¡± one of the nobles asked.


    ¡°The warriors in the raiding force don¡¯t wear distinguishing characteristics,¡± San Hashar said. ¡°And while we have some eyes on the Yellow Graves, they haven¡¯t been able to identify this tribe¡¯s nest yet. Our informants among the other tribes have remained silent.¡±


    ¡°While we should try to find them, this isn¡¯t the most relevant issue right now,¡± Tenira said. ¡°How do you expect the invasion force to proceed?¡±


    The officers offered a lot of disclaimers and caveats. But they did draw a few paths that the nomads might take.


    I looked at the glowing lines on the map and stifled a sigh. It looks like they¡¯re heading for this city, but who knows? There are a lot of possible targets here. And just because they remain mostly in one group doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t split up later.


    The problem was that I didn¡¯t even know why they were here. Sure, they were raiding, but why in such a large number, and why push so far? Did something happen to make them desperate for more loot? Did the Zarian bribe them? Trying to figure out their plans like this was pointless.


    ¡°If we gathered our forces and attacked them now, could we win?¡± I asked.


    The officers exchanged looks. General Wei seemed hesitant. ¡°Perhaps, Your Highness. Our forces would be about evenly matched. But we couldn¡¯t keep them from running or scattering. We¡¯ll have the advantage once the local nobles rally their warriors and the reinforcements arrive.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like that answer, or the apprehension in the way he looked at me. Apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one. I could hear a few of the nobles muttering about dithering.


    ¡°The longer they¡¯re free to roam in our lands, the more damage they¡¯ll do,¡± Tenira warned.


    ¡°We do have eyes on them, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, a few of our elites are following them from a distance, watching them,¡± one of the officers said. ¡°They keep us posted on their course and strength.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Zun snorted. ¡°A few soldiers following them from afar? How come we don¡¯t have real surveillance? Flying beasts, light cultivators, qi tracking formations?¡±


    General Wei ground his teeth, a vein on his forehead standing out. ¡°We haven¡¯t had time to set up everything we¡¯d like!¡± he snapped.


    I frowned. Personally, I agreed with Zun. We needed good intelligence, and how long could it take to set up something? Shouldn¡¯t they have been prepared?


    I was beginning to think the situation wasn¡¯t in the best hands here. Even if Zun clearly had ulterior motives.


    ¡°What about the towns and villages on their path, that they might raid?¡± I asked. ¡°Can we evacuate the settlements?¡±


    Wei glowered at the map, his expression grim. ¡°We could try. But we don¡¯t have enough airships to evacuate them all quickly. And if we had the people leave without them, on foot or maybe with carts, they would be too slow to evade the raiders if they attacked them. The people might even be less safe during such a trek.¡±


    One of the nobles sitting beside Zun, a woman who I recalled was named Miray, shook her head and glared at him. ¡°They¡¯re citizens of the Empire! It¡¯s our, and especially your, duty to protect them. How can you just dismiss this?¡±


    I looked at the map again, sighing internally. Why did the south of the Empire have to be so heavily populated? This region in particular had many settlements scattered throughout the valley and the plains beyond, almost all the way up to the border.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t an all or nothing issue,¡± I interrupted. ¡°We can send all the airships we can spare. That way, we¡¯ll try to evacuate at least the people in the most danger from the raiders.¡±


    No one looked like they liked that compromise, but they didn¡¯t protest. I knew the airships were needed, and I knew that all of the people threatened by this invasion deserved to be saved. But this was the best I could do. Let¡¯s just hope that it doesn¡¯t backfire and I get the worst of both worlds.


    ¡°I¡¯d also like to take some troops closer to the enemy,¡± I decided. ¡°I want to see the situation for myself.¡±


    General Wei paled a bit. ¡°Your Highness, please reconsider that. The regional nobles are assembling, and we need to integrate our troops. Taking only some to meet the enemy is ¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work something out,¡± I said.


    It looked like I might need to assume more direct leadership than I wanted, so I had to get an idea of my opponents and the situation. I would be careful. I had no intention of actually fighting the raiders.


    But I did want to put a bit of pressure on the invaders, and see which way they jumped.

 37: Too close

    I stepped out onto the deck of the airship. The wind blew a few gusts of hair across my eyes, and I shook my head to try and get them off. When that only resulted in my view being obstructed more, I raised my hands to comb my hair back, tucking a few strands behind my ears. I¡¯d exchanged my ceremonial robes for more practical ones, but maybe I should¡¯ve brought a hair tie.


    This airship was constructed differently from those I¡¯d used before. It looked more like a real ship, since it had an open deck with a few structures growing out of it, and weapon emplacements at the sides. A bubble of air qi encompassed it, shielding us from projectiles or, at the moment, birds. It also robbed the wind of most of its force.


    I strode towards the front of the airship and took a proper look around. A few clouds dotted the sky overhead. The countryside passed beneath me. It didn¡¯t look too different from further north, with fields, meadows and forests sprawling around settlements, although the ground was hillier. Roads cut straight through the terrain to connect the towns and villages.


    Beside my airship, I could make out two others, the leading elements of the formation. One of them looked sturdy, built with a simple design and lots of weapon modules. The other was fancier, with colorful ribbons fluttering around and elegant curves ending in baubles and figurines. Occasionally, I¡¯d get a glimpse of a flying beast with its riders.


    I frowned and looked back. ¡°Hey, Tenira?¡±


    My retainer looked over and came to me, trailed by a few others. ¡°Yes?¡±


    I pointed at the left airship. ¡°Aren¡¯t they out of sync? What¡¯s clan Lirta doing, pulling ahead?¡±


    Lei, one of my distant cousins and member of my research team, who¡¯d accompanied me here, snorted. ¡°Probably the young hotheads wanting to get some action.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking,¡± Tenira muttered.


    I stifled a smile. With his short brown hair and gangly frame, Lei looked like a nerd, missing only a pair of glasses. I knew he was good with tech, but he was apparently also a fighter known for his fierceness, with a particular fondness for throwing lightning around. I hadn¡¯t seen him in action yet, though.


    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have taken a mixed team.¡± I sighed. ¡°I just thought we needed to integrate them, get them used to working together.¡±


    ¡°We certainly need that,¡± Tenira said, rolling her eyes.


    We¡¯d set off later than planned because of organizational crap, trying to straighten out the details of this little expeditionary force. At least I¡¯d gotten a good read on what I had to work with. From the nobles, that mostly came in two groups: old warriors in the higher stages, answering my call to preserve their clans¡¯ honor or reputation, and young scions out for glory. At least they were all in the fourth stage at minimum.


    ¡°They¡¯re putting a bit too much qi into their forward formations, aren¡¯t they?¡± one of the others asked, a young woman from a vassal clan of the Leri by the name of Aiki Lis.


    She was right. They were charging their forward-facing weapons in addition to their shields.


    I was getting tired of this. ¡°They need to stop. Tell them, if they go and attack the nomads, I¡¯ll have their overabundance of guts removed,¡± I growled.


    Lei chuckled. ¡°Now that¡¯s the right mindset.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to leave the initiative entirely to the nomads. I went here to see them and assess the situation for myself, and to bring reinforcements to the detachment covering them. Ideally, they could keep them in check, keep them from spreading out too much until we could properly meet them in battle and crush them. That didn¡¯t mean attacking them head on would be anything but stupid.


    I watched the airships in silence for a bit. Clan Lirta¡¯s fell back, taking the qi from their weapons and getting more power to their shields instead.


    After a minute, Aston approached, stopping beside the railing. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re approaching the nomads.¡±


    I looked forward again and strained my eyes. After a moment, I could see a darkish spot in the distance. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± I muttered.


    I cycled some light qi into my eyes, which let me make out the spot more clearly. I could now tell how it was composed of many small elements that were moving around. Then I pulled some light qi into the air in front of me, shaping it with my will. This was a relatively simple technique, which basically created a lens that hovered in the air in front of me, moving along with the rest of the airship. I adjusted it a bit until the nomads came into focus.


    I couldn¡¯t tell their strength, of course, but I¡¯d bet they could at least match my soldiers. They moved quickly enough I had trouble keeping my impromptu telescope trained on them. Some of them rode spirit beasts, while the rest jogged along. I couldn¡¯t make out any details of the figures, but it seemed like they wore dark clothing. They moved around a lot, going from group to group, some of them ranging outwards and coming back. I didn¡¯t see anything I could call an organized formation, but there had to be some sense behind their positioning. It made it hard to get a good count.


    What concerned me most was their fliers. A number of them rode spirit beasts, both above the horde and ranging all around them, into the countryside. They were probably scouting. I couldn¡¯t see much of the fliers, but they seemed relatively small, not as large as some of the flying beasts I¡¯d seen in the palace¡¯s transport hub.


    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re getting quite close,¡± Aston said, a note of warning in his voice.


    ¡°Just a little farther,¡± I responded absently. I wanted to see the Zarieni.


    The distance shrunk quickly, but I still put a little more power into my lens, expanding it a bit more so I could get a good look at the people I would fight.


    I didn¡¯t even know what I expected, but I felt surprised. Their clothing was pretty diverse. I couldn¡¯t see anything I would call a rank marking, although I probably wouldn¡¯t recognize any system they used. All of them had bits and pieces hanging from or stitched onto their clothes, which tended to be wide and flowing. Their colors varied, but they mostly dressed in ochre, brown or greenish tones, with some black. Some of them carried weapons of all sorts, but I couldn¡¯t make out any patterns behind who did or didn¡¯t.


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    Finally, I got good look at their fliers. They rode spirit beasts that all seemed to be some variant of a large bird of prey, although I didn¡¯t recognize them. The riders wore tighter clothing and weren¡¯t as covered up as the rest of the nomads. As I watched, more of them started heading towards the front.


    I started feeling a bit nervous. ¡°Turn around, let¡¯s head back quickly!¡± I called.


    I heard people passing my orders on to the pilot and the other airships, but didn¡¯t take my eyes from the nomads. After a few seconds, we decelerated abruptly, and I grabbed onto the railing.


    Unfortunately, it would take us a bit of time to pick up speed in the opposite direction, even with qi-powered propulsion. But we were still far away from the raiders. Some in higher stages might see us, but I doubted they¡¯d be able to catch us.


    I relaxed my grip on the rail, seeing the airship speed away back in the direction we¡¯d come. I¡¯d need to be more careful in the future, this had been too close.


    At that moment, I felt a prickle in my qi senses. Frowning, I let go of my technique, but kept qi flowing to my eyes. Were there shapes moving through the clouds? Wait, where did those clouds come from? There weren¡¯t that many in the sky before!


    As I watched, more and more clouds coalesced, growing darker every second. We¡¯d been flying low, but now, I could see mist curling a few meters in front of me. The clouds reached down, billowing closer to us, like dark veils coming to capture our airships. They covered the whole area of the sky, a low-hanging thunderstorm just waiting to let loose on anyone caught in its midst. The wind howled, pushing against us.


    I flinched as Aston grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Your Highness, activate your defenses!¡± he cried.


    I nodded. The wind grasped at my clothes and whipped against my face. With one hand, I clamped onto the airship¡¯s rail again. With the other, I touched one of the amulets hanging from my neck, and channeled qi into it and one of my rings. A transparent shield of qi emerged to cover me, prickling against my skin but leaving my hands bare so I could use techniques without worrying about it.


    More and more shapes emerged from the clouds around us, their movements hard to track against the growing fury of the storm. Zarieni sitting on their flying beasts, weapons glinting in their hands, qi swirling around them. My senses told me that some of their qi was interwoven with the air around us, gathering in the clouds.


    Any idiot could tell they controlled the storm. This must be the Zarieni¡¯s outriders. More and more of them gathered. I knew they¡¯d get more from the main force soon.


    The airship cracked and groaned around us. Qi flashed against its shields, illuminating the surroundings in short bursts. As we lost momentum, not just the wind, but the deceleration pulled at me.


    By now, the airship¡¯s contingent of soldiers had spilled out onto the deck, armored in qi. They began fighting back, throwing all sort of attacks at the fliers. The airships themselves fired off a few large bursts from their armaments, but the Zarieni were fast, their mounts evading the attacks to let them streak harmlessly into the storm.


    Rain drops started to splatter onto my face and soak my clothes. I looked around, trying to assess the situation. The other airships fared no better than ours. One of them seemed to have lost part of its bow, and I could see figures spilling from it. We¡¯d lost our formation, were drifting apart. A bolt of lightning struck the airship next to mine, bright against the dark sky. It left a hole in its deck, the outside burning.


    ¡°This is why airships aren¡¯t really used for combat, just transport,¡± Aston muttered.


    I took another look at the soldiers and clan warriors on the ships, realizing that most of them weren¡¯t doing much good. Sure, they threw attacks at the fliers, but they could only form them outside the ariship¡¯s shield, or had to be careful to get them past it. Even so, the shield was almost in tatters, holed and fluctuating from the Zarieni¡¯s attacks. The airship groaned again, tilting to the side.


    We didn¡¯t have enough people with affinities for air or sky, even if it had been more robust. And by now, a few of the other airships showed serious damage, with people fleeing them on flying swords or qi techniques. Those actually seemed to do better in fighting back, evading the nomads¡¯ attacks more easily.


    ¡°We need to abandon the airships,¡± I realized. They were too easy to bring down, and too much of a target at the same time.


    Aston¡¯s hand left my shoulder for a moment, before it returned with a vengeance. He pressed something into my other hand. I felt the cool metal of a flying sword before I looked down to identify it.


    Before I could say anything else, Aston dragged me away from the railing. Other Imperial Guards crowded around us, some of them pushing or towing my entourage with them. I let my guard captain guide me, trying to get off a shot at one rider who came close enough that he dived through the tattered remnants of the airship¡¯s shield. He dove to the side, dodging my lance of light.


    We reached an open space at the stern of the airship. Circles of soldiers stood here, defending it against the nomads and leaving us a bit of space.


    I didn¡¯t wait for Aston to shove me onto the flying sword, climbing onto it quickly. Aston¡¯s qi flickered over to me, and straps curled from the flying sword to latch onto me and secure my footing. Around me, droves of soldiers lifted into the air.


    I ascended, letting them carry me through the whipping wind, over the hull of the airship and into the fury of the storm. I used a bit of darkness qi to keep my sight clear, despite the wind and rain. I hoped the evacuation went well for the other airships, that someone was coordinating it. Because I clearly couldn¡¯t.


    It was chaos. Over the howling of the wind, I could hardly hear my own heartbeat. Dark shapes flickered, some so fast I could barely make them out. Fire, lightning, and all sorts of qi techniques streaked through the clouds, illuminating our surroundings in short bursts. If not for Aston always keeping close to me, I might have lost all sense of direction. The soldiers had spread out, giving everyone enough space to fight and evade. We moved across the sky like a school of fish evading predators, just worse.


    A boulder flying at me focused my attention back on my immediate surroundings. I dodged, spinning my flying sword around and ducking to let it pass over my head. I teetered a bit, but the clamps built into the material pulled at my feet and legs, preventing me from flying off. I had to thank Aston for them when we got out of here.


    But I had no time for distractions. There were more attacks to evade. I had to make sure I stayed with the others, to navigate the chaos of the storm and the raiders¡¯ attacks and find my way around the fight. A few times, I saw an opportunity and struck, sending attacks at the beasts or their riders. One bird got a ball of darkness tearing through its wing. It tumbled down with a loud caw.


    I¡¯d seen groups of guards around my companions, but we moved in different directions and I soon lost sight of them. The battle demanded all of my attention.


    I couldn¡¯t tell how long we fought. Time passed in a blur of riding the winds, dodging attacks and striking back, trying to tell where my people were, and how things were going. The airships soon vanished into the darkness of the storm, as we moved towards the city we¡¯d come from. Aston guided me away from the thick of the battle, until I lost sight of most of the fighting.


    Finally, we passed through the clouds, falling away from the manmade storm and the battle. I glanced back, suppressing a shudder. I think we managed an organized retreat. Somewhat.


    Aston slowed down and pulled up alongside me, extending his domain to stabilize my flying sword. It felt like a cushion of air cradled it, yet one hard and sharp enough to cut.


    I really screwed up, didn¡¯t I?


    My bodyguard cleared his throat. ¡°Your Highness, please focus. We¡¯re not back safely yet.¡±


    I exhaled and turned my attention back to my surroundings, looking at the sky and the landscape below us. He was right.

 38: Getting away

    I hovered in the air, waiting for things to settle a bit more and to see what was going on. A few of my guards had managed to follow Aston and me, and a few more trickled in over the next few minutes.


    We drifted away from the storm, which was dissolving, anyway. But I stopped seeing new people in our vicinity quickly.


    ¡°Perhaps we should get down,¡± Aston suggested. ¡°The nomads have driven us off, but they might be going in pursuit. And if they somehow find out you were among us ¡­ well, it¡¯s better not to be seen.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Alright, sure.¡±


    So we descended, moving in the direction of Blue Valley City at the same time. I got what Aston meant, we¡¯d be less visible closer to the ground. The guards arranged themselves in a loose formation around me, although Aston stayed close.


    I glanced back in the direction we came from, feeling a stone drop into my stomach. I just hope the airships didn¡¯t crash anywhere people live. Although that has to be unlikely. The landscape below us was dominated by grassy hills, some of them sprinkled with woods, and a few brooks cutting through them. I could see a few settlements, but they were far enough apart that the odds of debris hitting one should be low.


    ¡°Can we communicate with the others?¡± I asked Aston.


    He frowned. ¡°Yes, but the qi used could be felt by the nomads, and they might track the qi trail.¡±


    Not a good idea unless there was something important, then. I didn¡¯t know if whoever was in command of the remains of my force, and probably had a communication talisman linked to Aston¡¯s, might still be fighting the nomads.


    We continued flying, getting closer to the ground at the same time. These flying swords could move quickly, but not on the same level as the airships, so it would take a while to get back. Longer if we might have to evade nomad fliers. But perhaps we could come upon an Imperial airship.


    As we traveled, I pondered where I had gone wrong. With some distance, I could see how Zun had obviously tried to discredit General Wei, probably to get me to take charge myself. Maybe he¡¯d wanted to see me fail. If I showed more caution in the future, heeding the advice of experts, would he or others start making trouble for me? I would have expected old nobles to chafe at having to listen to someone in the fourth stage, maybe try to undermine my orders. Perhaps I¡¯d underestimated their strategy.


    The same way I¡¯d underestimated the effective range of the raiders.


    When I looked back, the storm the nomads had conjured was nowhere to be seen. I saw a few figures in the distance, but at this range I couldn¡¯t tell if they were friend or foe. And I couldn¡¯t use my techniques to get a closer look, not while we were flying. Hopefully, Tenira and the others got away safely.


    We traveled in silence for a few more minutes, until I noticed flashes of light from the ground. They were weak and didn¡¯t last long, but my enhanced eyes picked them up. I decelerated, sensing the guards around me follow suit, and angled my flying sword in their direction. I wanted to know what was going on there.


    As we drew closer, I saw they were coming from the direction of a village. It wasn¡¯t particularly big by local standards, but more than a hamlet. A few of the houses had to be on fire, smoke rising from their roofs. Around them, a fight raged. Cultivators threw techniques at each other or engaged in close combat. In the main road of the village, which led outward, a crowd of people had gathered. An airship stood in the field outside the village.


    I descended even more, trying to make sense of the chaotic scene. The airship looked bigger than the ones I¡¯d used, with a round hull providing lots of room for passengers. Imperial soldiers swarmed over it and the village, obviously trying to defend their transport and the villagers huddling on the road. As I watched, some of them dove for the airship. Further away, more of the nomads¡¯ flying beasts swam through the sky over the village. Their riders threw techniques and enhanced arrows or crossbow bolts at the defenders, sometimes spurring their mounts into a dive. A few of the Zarieni warriors seemed to have dismounted, fighting from the village¡¯s rooftops or streets.


    ¡°We need to help them,¡± I said. I looked over to Aston. ¡°Don¡¯t try to change my mind.¡±


    It might be ¡®beneath me¡¯, or just not the best use of my time, to help with the evacuation of a single village. But I suspected the riders had only pressed forward so much because of me and the airships I¡¯d brought. Besides, the fight wouldn¡¯t take long, and it made sense to link up with these soldiers and their airship.


    And maybe I was feeling the sting of losing my airships to the Zarieni vanguard.


    ¡°Of course not, Your Highness,¡± Aston sighed. ¡°Kei, Virtuon, you circle around and attack from the other side. Lirta, you keep close to the princess with me. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Before I could even start to move, the soldiers he hadn¡¯t named dove down at a speed that would make a parachuter envious. The two others flew in a downwards curve that would take them to the other side of the battle. They were in the fifth and sixth stage, so I knew they could give the raiders a fight.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate, but followed my guards down. The wind whistled by so strongly I would have worried about my eyes if I wasn¡¯t a cultivator. I couldn¡¯t do an arc as graceful as them, but going down at an angle was easy with the flying sword, and I joined the battle only a moment after them.


    The raiders didn¡¯t get much warning about our arrival. They¡¯d probably been too busy with the fight to pay attention to the wider skies. But they reacted quickly. Most of the birds scattered before my soldiers could get close to them. The raiders at the ground raised shield of various qi affinities in their direction, but didn¡¯t pause their combat with the soldiers for long.


    I threw a lance of light at a raider who wasn¡¯t quick enough to look up, then searched for a new target as he stumbled into a building. The thunder of explosions came from the other side of the village.


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    I took a moment to release some light qi, buffing myself with Light¡¯s Speed. My best shielding technique was darkness based, but in this fight speed would win out. I noticed a raider staggered from an Imperial¡¯s earth spikes, and threw a ball of darkness qi at him. He tried to dodge, but my projectile caught the edge of his fire cloak and started to smother it. That would make him easy prey for his opponent.


    I descended further, hopping from my flying sword to the roof of a house positioned at the edge of the village, catching the device in my left hand. I¡¯d be more effective fighting on solid ground. Well, as solid as a roof that looked like it had been battered by a few boulders could be.


    My first victim showed himself again, blurring past the street two houses over. I sensed his presence just in time, dodging an ice spike. I jumped to the next building, sending a bit of darkness qi into the air and letting it drift over while I spun around and fired off another ball of darkness. He dodged that one, coming onto the roof so quickly I almost fell down the side in my haste to get away.


    While I corrected my course, pushing up the street onto another roof, I turned and fired off another beam of concentrated light qi. It flew over his head, before it met the reflective surface I¡¯d left behind, coming back towards him.


    His eyes widened and he twisted his torso, but he couldn¡¯t stop the attack from hitting his side. Ice cracked as his shielding technique failed.


    But a moment later, he continued on towards me with most of his momentum. I cursed, barely dodging his attack in time. He¡¯s got to be in the late part of the fourth stage at least!


    I frantically dodged and weaved around his next attacks. Without my buff, I couldn¡¯t have matched his speed, but I knew his attacks hit harder than mine.


    The next second, a boulder the size of a basketball shot towards him, quickly enough I only caught a glimpse of it. The attack battered through his defense as if it didn¡¯t exist, caving in his torso like he was made of paper.


    Before I got a good look at it, Aston caught me, pulling me to yet another rooftop. I pushed his arm away. He could have intervened earlier, couldn¡¯t he?


    If I stopped to think about it, I¡¯d kept remarkably calm throughout all the fighting. I didn¡¯t feel like I was in danger of breaking down. But having Aston close relaxed some of my tension.


    I took in the scene at a glance. The village lay half in ruins, and the other half looked like a sequence of natural catastrophes had befallen it. But the fight seemed to be going well. More of the villagers were on the deck of the airship or on their way to it, shielded by soldiers. Kei and Virtuon had made their way over, their side of the village empty of threats. They¡¯d linked up with a group of higher-stage soldiers. The raiders were retreating. As I watched, more of them jumped onto their birds, and most of those in the sky pulled away to higher altitudes.


    They weren¡¯t really leaving, though. I knew that much.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get everyone into the airship fast,¡± I said. ¡°Come on.¡±


    I looked at my clothing, in a bit of disarray from the fight. I¡¯d chosen my outfit to be practical, and I might still look like a noble, but probably not a princess. My guards didn¡¯t wear their uniforms, either. Taking those into a potential combat situation would be worse than putting glowing target markers on me.


    I descended to the floor, approaching the startled villagers and trying my best to calm them down. They wore simple but durable clothing, and most clutched a few treasured possessions or weapons. The headman seemed to have a storage ring for their important items. I could see the stress on their faces, but at least there were no hysterics.


    They responded well to a firm voice that sounded like it knew what it was doing. With a bit of help from Aston and the rest, we managed to get them into the airship quickly. They vanished into its belly, while the soldiers gathered on deck and in the air.


    I let Aston talk tactics with the commander of the task force, simply listening in. They worked things out quickly. After a minute, I felt a buildup of air qi. I grasped onto the railing as the vessel moved straight upwards into the sky. I was glad to leave the smell of smoke behind, at least.


    A moment later, Aston joined me. He spoke quietly. ¡°Your Highness, protecting the airship is going to be difficult, if not dangerous. It might be quicker to return to the city on our own.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I can hardly abandon the people we evacuated now. If nothing else, what would that do for my reputation?¡±


    We waited in silence as the airship accelerated. It flew pretty far down, but the wind still whipped my hair around. I kept an eye out for the raiders, who had kept their distance so far but were gathering now. It looked like they¡¯d finished regrouping.


    All too soon, they came back and started harassing us. Aston and a few others put up shields around the airship, which took most of their attacks. But the occasional gust of wind made it sway. And some attacks managed to get through, inflicting minor damage on the hull or hitting one of the soldiers.


    The Imperials didn¡¯t sit idly by, of course. They tried to fight back, throwing techniques and projectiles at the raiders. But their birds were agile, and evaded most of the attacks. I joined in, trying my best to aim for any vulnerabilities. Light-based attacks moved quickly, and I was good at targeting. But even when an attack hit, it usually didn¡¯t inflict much damage. Maybe a few scorched feathers, or throwing them off for a bit. I wished I wasn¡¯t just in the fourth stage.


    The journey back didn¡¯t hold any surprises, or sudden spikes of danger. But the minutes dragged by as if time wanted to torture us, nerves grating and worn thin by the constant attacks. Mental fatigue started dogging me after a bit. My qi reserves dwindled, and I took a break to recharge them, although the situation didn¡¯t let me cultivate well.


    At least we didn¡¯t face that many raiders. If there were more, they probably would have sunk the airship.


    But the others were worn thin, too. I noticed that many of the soldiers conserved their qi carefully, some of them almost running empty. The shields surrounding the airship weren¡¯t affected much, since it was the high-stage officers who maintained them, but our soldiers reacted to threats more slowly. And the shields did let through a bit more of the raiders¡¯ attacks.


    Then, just as I was beginning to worry if we could reach the city, they stopped. I opened my eyes, glancing around in confusion. The raiders, who¡¯d spread themselves out all around the airship, now gathered at the rear. They let the distance increase.


    When I looked past the bow of the airship, I saw why. A number of black spots dotted the sky, growing larger quickly. Soon, I could make out the shapes of the new arrivals, and the individual people shortly after.


    They were riding a variety of flying beasts, although none of them of the same type as the nomads¡¯. Most were larger and seated several people. Soldiers, I realized. And at the front, atop what looked like a winged jaguar, flew San Hashar.


    I turned around and watched as they streaked over the airship, going after the raiders. Those were in full retreat by now. I sensed a few flashes and qi pulses as the Imperials hunted them down. Elites, by the strength they displayed.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to return, settling into formation around the airship. San Hashar pulled her mount up alongside where I stood on the deck. She saluted me.


    I smiled, feeling a weight slip off my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s very good to see you, General.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Anytime, my princess. After I heard what happened, I knew I needed to make sure you got back safely. The rest of my soldiers are heading to the other evacuations and to join up with the remnants of your force.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help smiling wryly. ¡°I suppose you protected me again. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always good to have some backup,¡± Aston added. He sounded a lot cheerier. ¡°Let¡¯s get Her Highness back to the city.¡±

 39: Making plans

    The journey back was uneventful, which I didn¡¯t mind one bit. It took a while, but that was okay.


    A few times, San Hashar updated us about what was going on with the soldiers left behind and her reinforcements. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard that Tenira and the others were being sent back with one of the airships for the evacuation. Although Lei insisted on staying to fight with their soldiers.


    They¡¯d implement at least part of my original plan as well as they could. Acting as a counterweight to the nomads¡¯ fliers and outriders, they would try to discourage them from splitting off groups or, worse, scattering.


    ¡°Their movement has slowed down,¡± San Hashar reported eventually. ¡°They¡¯re diverting a bit, heading for towns. It looks like they¡¯ll take a meandering path to the city, raiding as they go.¡±


    Hopefully, our evacuations would help. But the nomads still did me a favor by changing their course like this. I tried not to think about the soldiers who might have died for it.


    Some time during the journey, I started to feel the aftereffects of the excitement. I didn¡¯t start shaking, but I did notice the adrenaline wearing off. It left me feeling a curious mix of drained and accomplished. Like I wanted to do a victory dance but only had the energy to take a nap. Sure, I may have made a few mistakes, but I survived. There¡¯s something to be said for that. I didn¡¯t do too badly in the fighting.


    I frowned and shook my head at my thoughts. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d killed any of the raiders. I¡¯d certainly injured some. But I¡¯d do it again without hesitation. I didn¡¯t really care. I didn¡¯t feel like I had after San Hashar killed the disciples attacking me. In part because I¡¯d been too busy to really notice the gore. And in part because this was war, and they¡¯d been attacking us or civilians, so I didn¡¯t think I had to feel guilty.


    A shout from one of the elites roused me from my self-reflection. The city was in sight.


    I stepped forward, grasping the rails, and looked out over the scenery. A broad valley that a river cut through, its color a deep blue. The city sat in the middle, where a smaller river joined it. As we came closer, I could make out more details. I¡¯d been too preoccupied the last time, but now I took stock of what I saw.


    Blue Valley City sprawled across a space almost as large as the capital. In contrast to it, I saw almost no skyscrapers, and few towers. Most buildings had two or three stories at most. They were built from a drab brown material, but the city sported colorful decorations, if not as many as the capital. Its streets were narrower in some parts, the grid pattern present but less consistent. You could be forgiven for forgetting that Blue Valley City was about a thousand years younger than the capital, instead of the reverse. Although it had plenty of modern aspects, like the many qi appliances people used. I saw shining signs in several languages, but mostly Common, and small airships above the city.


    The wind carried the city¡¯s noise to me. Many smells mixed together into a unique pattern accompanied it. But we flew high enough that I had to strain my senses if I wanted any details. Not that I needed to.


    A few more riders on flying beasts joined us in the skies, taking positions to flank the airship alongside San Hashar¡¯s people. They guided us toward the same fort we¡¯d set off from, although we touched down at a different field this time. It was closer to the city gates, which would make things easier for the evacuees.


    This time, no greeting party waited for us. When I stepped back onto solid ground, Aston flanked me, and the guards fanned out around us. San Hashar and a few of her officers followed us. Her aura felt coiled around herself more tightly than during the journey. I wanted to hurry to the command building, but forced myself to keep my pace measured, and my head high. A number of people buzzed around the vicinity of the field, most of them soldiers or cultivators in similar stages.


    The inside of the building was just as busy. This time, I headed directly to the conference room where I sensed a gathering of qi signatures, most of them familiar. Despite the closed doors, raised voices rang out through the corridor.


    Aston pushed open the door and stepped through ahead of me. When I followed him into the room, I paused to take in the situation.


    It was a large conference room partitioned into several sections by tables with books, maps or devices strewn across them. In the center, several people surrounded a conference table. I could have made a cluster analysis about their positioning. One cluster contained several subgroups of officers with various distinctions in their uniforms. Another one contained groups of nobles, who kept more distance between themselves than the officers. A number of them I hadn¡¯t seen before. More importantly, they were arguing loudly, although I couldn¡¯t say what about. A few of them looked in the direction of the door we came through, their mouths snapping shut.


    San Hashar, who¡¯d come up beside me, stomped on the ground and produced a low rumble that echoed through the room. ¡°The Luminous Princess has returned!¡± she bellowed.


    That¡¯s one way to get their attention, I guess.


    Their argument apparently forgotten, everyone hurried to bow to me.


    I strode through the room until I arrived at the central table, gesturing at them to rise.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Zun said, the old noble¡¯s smile looking like it didn¡¯t quite fit a face more accustomed to scowling. ¡°Let this one be the first to welcome you back and express his profound relief that you have returned to us unscathed. After such a shocking incident, many of us were given to worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied, my tone curt. ¡°Do you have anything else to say about this ¡®shocking incident¡¯?¡± I hoped he wasn¡¯t making allusions to how I¡¯d been defeated.


    ¡°No, Your Highness,¡± he replied, his smile shrinking a bit. ¡°I¡¯m sure our noble soldiers will work hard to ensure that such a thing never happens again.¡±


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    General Wei grunted. ¡°As will our noble compatriots, I¡¯m sure. At least, this endeavor did have some benefit.¡±


    ¡°We have gained intelligence, although meeting the nomads with our full force would be preferable,¡± I said. ¡°I am going to rely on your experience, generals, as I could on the strength of our elite troops.¡±


    That was the closest I could come to an apology. I met Wei¡¯s eyes, and he gave me a small nod. I¡¯d prefer to actually apologize and promise to consider his words more in the future, but that could be seen as showing weakness. We both knew that, and I was glad he understood.


    I still didn¡¯t trust him, or anyone here I didn¡¯t know. My dream and the spirit¡¯s warning made me wary. But I knew I couldn¡¯t show everyone here distrust, or I wouldn¡¯t be able to win this war.


    ¡°Do you think our current strategy is still viable?¡± I asked.


    Most of the officers nodded. General Wei tilted his head a little. ¡°Yes, Your Highness, within reason.¡±


    ¡°Then we will proceed as planned,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll continue our efforts to box in the nomads. If we can curtail their spread, we may succeed in meeting them in pitched battle, where we can crush them with our numerical advantage and discipline. Although I¡¯m open to reconsidering this approach if there¡¯s new information.¡±


    The officers and nobles exchanged looks. I could see that some didn¡¯t like the way I proclaimed what we would do. But I¡¯d taken charge deliberately, even knowing that I had less experience than some of them. I¡¯d gladly scrap this plan if another one would do better.


    I took a moment to press my finger against the device hanging from my neck, checking that it was still active. Its qi signature was small and overshadowed by my defensive measures, and hopefully anyone who did notice it wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out what it did. Not that it mattered if they knew I was recording what we said here.


    ¡°That¡¯s a solid foundation for our planning, Your Highness,¡± General Wei said. ¡°For now, perhaps we should take stock of our forces? Especially our local support.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention turned to the group of well-dressed cultivators I hadn¡¯t seen before. I knew they had to be nobles from the south, coming from this region or any other potentially threatened by raiders. Unlike the nobles I¡¯d taken from the center of the continent, they would hopefully field the entirety of their warriors. Or at least a big part of it, since they¡¯d want to secure their homes with the rest.


    They introduced themselves, and I recalled the detailed map of the Empire to take stock of where they came from. As I¡¯d assumed, they were scattered all over the south. Not every clan was here, though. Their introductions made way to talking about numbers and strengths and how best to use them.


    From the discussion that followed, I learned that some clans, probably most, had stayed to secure their regions, manning local defenses along with Imperial soldiers. It probably made sense to split their efforts like that rather than take a few people from every clan. Trying to organize everyone would be enough of a nightmare already.


    The distribution of military force here is a weird mix of a modern-ish military and feudal structures, I mused. I guess it makes sense given the makeup of the Empire, and that fighters should be high-stage people, but it¡¯s a bit of a mess.


    At some point, the door opened again, and Tenira slipped into the room, escorted by a few Imperial guard. Her hair was in a bit of disarray, which suited her, but otherwise she didn¡¯t appear harmed at all. A knot around my heart loosened, one that I¡¯d almost forgotten was there. It felt like I could breathe freely again after wearing a mask for hours. Just more intense. Wow, I really missed her.


    I smiled at Tenira as she stopped next to me. I¡¯d have given her a hug, but considering the circumstances, this had to do.


    The rest of the people gathered noticed her arrival as well, and bowed politely. The discussion continued. Tenira offered occasional input, but stayed silent most of the time. Probably trying to learn as much as she could, like I was.


    After we¡¯d discussed the makeup of our forces, in enough detail that I struggled to pay attention towards the end, the discussion moved on to an actual game plan. Here, I mostly let Wei and the others talk. I¡¯d said what I wanted, now they could make something workable out of it. And they did seem to be in agreement. They pointed out a few things I hadn¡¯t considered, such as the terrain on the route they might take and which roads connected which towns. But I was feeling pretty good about the plan. Sure, we couldn¡¯t predict if the raiders would continue on as they were, but taking our army into the field wasn¡¯t a bad decision either way.


    My satisfaction lasted until Zun spoke up again. ¡°Your Highness, perhaps you should appoint a commander to take the army into the field while we direct it from this control point.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°I intend to lead them into the field myself. I thought that was obvious.¡±


    Another noble, a woman from the south, spoke up. ¡°Your Highness, you will be able to lead the campaign just as well from here. And going into war ¡ª into battle ¡ª yourself is a risk. No matter how good your guards are, there will always be chaos during battle, and the raiders may try to strike at you even from the shadows. Your life is too precious to risk like that, if you will forgive me for pointing this out.¡±


    She sounded earnest, so I tried not to let it bother me. ¡°I realize that, lady Kuni¡¯ta. But I am willing to take this risk, the same as any of our soldiers or warriors.¡±


    Zun shook his head. ¡°But how would we ever be able to face our ancestors if something were to happen? Her Majesty, the Empress, would strike us down in righteous anger if we failed to protect you from injury.¡±


    I snorted. I couldn¡¯t help it. With a flick of my hand, I pulled a knife from my storage ring. Its hilt glittered under the light. I flicked back my sleeve as well. Before they could say anything, I¡¯d pressed the knife to my forearm, parting the skin.


    ¡°There, I am injured,¡± I said. ¡°None of you is responsible or will be punished, obviously.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a deep wound, and I could already feel my body working to heal it. Then one of my guards stepped forward. Qi flowed from his hands and the cut sealed shut as if it had never existed. The gathered people looked at me with wide eyes, complete silence filling the room.


    I disappeared the knife again. It had been over almost before I noticed the pain. I wouldn¡¯t have considered something like this on Earth, but it was a different story if a cut would only hurt for minutes, if not seconds.


    I held out my arm as a servant came with a wet towel to clean the blood off, not taking my eyes from the gathered cultivators. ¡°Let¡¯s move on, shall we? Your concern for my safety gladdens me, and you can be assured that I will take measures to ensure my protection.¡±


    Wei raised an eyebrow. ¡°An increase in guards, Your Highness? A few of our elites would be honored to take that duty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that I will travel with a new central command section. A headquarters unit, if you will, that can also act as a strategic reserve.¡± I looked over to San Hashar. ¡°General San has already proven more than competent for such a role, and I will happily commend myself to her care.¡±


    I could see by the way she scrunched her eyes a bit that she wanted to smile or laugh. But San Hashar remained stoic. She genuflected and said in a somber voice, ¡°This one thanks the Imperial Princess for her confidence, and will strive to prove worthy of the honor.¡±


    Zun and the other nobles quickly expressed their approval. I saw General Wei give a small shrug to one of his colleagues, before he started to talk about our schedule.


    With San Hashar close by, I felt less worried about hidden enemies or attacks from the shadows. Hopefully, it would discourage people from striking at her, as well.


    Of course, I still didn¡¯t know who my enemies were, or what they might be planning.

 Bonus 4: The imperial army

    The most important thing about the Imperial army is that it¡¯s not just a fighting force, but has a lot of social and political relevance.


    No, wait, let¡¯s take a step back. First of all, ¡®the army¡¯ is more like the Imperial military. There¡¯s what I might call an airforce integrated with it. The navy is a bit more separate from the army proper, but they still have the same command structure and eventual commanders.


    The whole military isn¡¯t that big, especially if you consider the huge population of the Empire. That¡¯s because it consists almost exclusively of cultivators in the middle and high stages. After all, I imagine a fight between, say, a second-stager and a fourth-stager would only deserve the term ¡®slaughter¡¯. That doesn¡¯t change much if you make it ten people in the second stage, or even a hundred.


    From what I gather, most common soldiers are in the third or fourth stage, at least, and most officers in the fifth or sixth.


    Common soldiers are mostly useful as ¡®warm bodies¡¯. Well, perhaps I¡¯m exaggerating. But the weaker soldiers, especially, are usually deployed guarding towns and cities in the inner regions of the Empire. They carry out the ruler¡¯s job of protecting the people from danger. Dealing with spirits or monsters at least as much as with brigands or whatever.


    I mean, sizable stretches of the Empire aren¡¯t really settled. There are many regions basically left to the wilderness, where dangerous spirit beasts or other perils lurk. They¡¯re useful for getting resources, but need to be guarded.


    The other main purpose of the army is to secure the borders. I think this often just means making a show of force. The Empire doesn¡¯t really fight with its neighbors, on most borders. But fortifying them still makes sense. This isn¡¯t a peaceful world. (Unfortunately.) Still, I have the impression the army is mostly important internally, the way things stand now.


    I figure about a third of the army¡¯s officers are nobles. As a ballpark estimate, at least. The relative percentage is higher in the upper echelons, but not that much higher. And that¡¯s taking into account some distant scions of minor clans, who don¡¯t have many options besides sects.


    To become an officer, you have to pass a proficiency test my grandmother introduced. Besides having a certain strength in cultivation, of course. It¡¯s quite common for nobles slated for the military to study for these exams, and they almost always pass. But commoners have good chances, too, if they¡¯ve gotten a good education, or if they serve as common soldiers first, work their way through the ranks and acquire the knowledge they need.


    Unsurprisingly, if I consider the culture, most soldiers are men. But there are a sizable number of women, as well. Perhaps up to forty percent? It depends on the specifics.


    It still sounds pretty elitist, doesn¡¯t it? If you have to be at least in the third stage, at a fairly young age, that rules out most people. But the army does employ recruiters looking for talent. Those tend to be picky, but open to taking anyone no matter their background. The army helps them progress, but keeps these recruits in a sort of trial status until they meet the requirements to become a proper soldier.


    And the army does have a lot to offer when it comes to cultivation. They have quite the library of both general knowledge and technique books. According to some figures I read, over four times as many volumes now as before the civil war. The Leri dynasty has built it up a lot. In part, they used ¡®donations¡¯ from clans on the losing side. Nowadays, I doubt there¡¯s a clan or sect with more techniques to show their members.


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    Another question I had: If the army helps them rise like this, why do the soldiers stay? Sure, they¡¯re paid quite well, but with high stages come a lot of opportunities working for nobles, being self-employed, or elsewhere. Well, the answer is pretty simple. Some do leave after a while, especially those with skills suited for it, like medics. But many stay. The army makes them sign up for long terms of service. Some continue out of devotion, or because they¡¯ve found a home, with their comrades. And they can keep doing their job for a long time. After all, this isn¡¯t Earth. Cultivators stay physically fit for quite a while, and it¡¯s not uncommon to find people serving in the army for upwards of fifty years or a hundred years.


    Something I found interesting is that apparently, some veterans start working for the government. With their cultivation strength, they have the social status for it. The army sponsors a program to help them get the appropriate schooling. The cynic in me says it¡¯s because ¡®the throne¡¯ wants people beholden (or at least loyal) to it in the local governments. To be fair, I guess that¡¯s a valid political strategy. At least these people are competent, and not some noble given a position because he¡¯s someone¡¯s second cousin.


    Another important thing I need to consider is, of course, the army¡¯s support structure and logistics. Every soldier is issued a spatial item. They¡¯re not very good, but stow what the soldiers might otherwise have to carry in a pack. For large-scale logistics, the army relies on better items, plus airships and the like.


    The army isn¡¯t just fighters, there¡¯s quite a lot of people in support roles. Crafters, alchemists, cooks, and so on. Some of them are at lower stages of cultivation. Especially if their job relies on their brain rather than cultivation strength, like siege engineers. They¡¯re also responsible for outfitting the soldiers. Getting resources, especially armor and weapons, is almost as important as training up the fighters themselves. No wonder the army has a lot of crafters working for them to produce and maintain gear, usually made using enchanted metal or material from spirit beasts. Well, the details are boring, and I haven¡¯t done much more than glance at equipment lists. I¡¯m lucky there are people to handle this sort of thing.


    That brings us to the matter of transport and vehicles. Who would have guessed, but airships and flying beasts are expensive. Really expensive. They need specialized care, and breeding good flying mounts takes a lot of effort. I still feel like there should be more airships for the army, but maybe there are good reasons and I don¡¯t get it. Flying swords are cheaper, but they rely on the user¡¯s qi in a way the other possibilities I¡¯ve mentioned don¡¯t, so they¡¯re not good for long-distance, well, anything.


    Looking at everything, it makes sense why the army is such a big deal for the Empire, especially for its rulers. It might be the most important consideration to Mother¡¯s power in her Empire. Well, the commoners also like her because of her civil rights laws. But the army, with the way it consists mostly of commoners given the chance to rise, gives her support and followers on another level. Not to mention that that¡¯s pretty good publicity.


    This is perhaps most apparent if you look at the elites. On the surface, they look not as great as one might think. After all, they¡¯re at least in the sixth stage, as a rule. That¡¯s pretty high in terms of status. Sure, they have high ranks and are well paid, but there are other factors that explain why people would choose such a dangerous job and to serve in the army. Glory and prestige, certainly. But they also tend to be most devoted to the Empire, and the Empress. Actually, it occurs to me that perhaps their background, far from noble for most of them, might be one reason. To have a high stage outside of a clan or sect might not be a comfortable position in this society. And I guess they¡¯ve been groomed by the army, to rise so high.


    I think I¡¯m beginning to understand more about San Hashar, even if a lot of this is speculation.


    I just need to find a way to help those who don¡¯t have as much talent, who make up most of the Empire¡¯s population, matter. I can¡¯t hope for a real equalizer, but perhaps less qi-focused tech is the key. I guess we¡¯ll see. For now, I really need to get back to more concrete warfare.

 40: Close to battle

    If I¡¯d been asked how I would travel with the army, considering speed was of the essence, I would not have thought of a litter. But apparently, whoever organized these things had. I disliked them more with every passing hour.


    I sighed and shifted my weight a little as the conveyance swayed beneath me. Looking out through the curtain, I could see the landscape passing by quickly, although it hadn¡¯t changed much from the last time I¡¯d looked. We were surrounded by guards, and beyond them the bulk of the army. Most of the soldiers jogged, although there were a few wagons.


    ¡°I guess having spatial items really matters,¡± I said to Tenira. ¡°I don¡¯t want to imagine what our logistics would have been like without them.¡±


    She looked up from the book she was reading and glanced out the window as well. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    I pushed another curtain aside. This litter was really more of a moving tent, with space for several people to lounge in comfort. I looked at the six spirits beasts strapped to poles that carried us around. They were massive, bigger than any horse I¡¯d seen, and built more broadly, although otherwise they looked like draft horses with technicolor manes. They moved at a steady pace that would have exhausted any horse on Earth, but managed to keep up with the cultivators around us without a problem.


    I sighed and sat back. I would¡¯ve loved to have the whole army fly. Airships were vulnerable, as I¡¯d experienced. We probably could have scrounged up enough mounts or flying swords for everyone. But that would¡¯ve been a nightmare to organize with appropriate formations. It was bad enough in two dimensions.


    ¡°Not every soldier is good with a flying sword, Inaris,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Not to mention the support staff like alchemists or engineers. Many of them aren¡¯t even in the fourth stage ¡ª that¡¯s why they¡¯re on the wagons or being carried.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Were my thoughts that obvious?¡±


    Tenira smiled. ¡°It helps that you¡¯ve talked about it at least two times so far.¡± She snapped her book shut and shook her head. ¡°Besides, we wouldn¡¯t have been much faster in the air.¡±


    Aiki Lis, who was sitting on a bench half-separated from the main compartment, looked over and smiled. ¡°You can¡¯t always be mysterious, my lady.¡±


    I raised my hands in mock surrender, then looked back out of the makeshift window.


    Behind us, another litter carried other members of my retinue for this campaign, mostly older people from the Leri clan and its followers. I knew some of them were here to keep an eye on me and the other young ones, not just to show the strength of the clan. They hadn¡¯t concerned themselves much with the war, not even attending most of the meetings. I felt a bit like I was doing an evaluation with unenthusiastic graders tagging along. At least they¡¯d be handy in a fight.


    We were getting close to the enemy now, and the litter felt more constricting with every passing meter. So I pushed the curtain back and stood up. The guards didn¡¯t leave enough space that I could jump down and walk alongside the litter easily. I poked my torso out and looked around.


    Aston pushed through the crowd, until he was close enough to push me back if he dared. ¡°Your Highness, please sit down.¡±


    I focused my qi senses on his presence, remembering our journey back to the city and the fight with the raiders. ¡°Aston, you have an affinity for air qi, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Air and earth.¡±


    ¡°Then you can take me along easily, right?¡±


    He stifled a sigh, then bowed his head.


    I didn¡¯t waste time, instead stepping out of the carriage. Instead of falling, my feet met a pillow made of air. As soon as I stood securely, Aston moved me away and upwards, until I floated above the marching guards beside the litter, with him standing close beside me.


    For a while, I just enjoyed the fresh air, looking out over the army marching towards the nomads. Then I pulled out a telescope designed to function with light qi, and activated it. I sent a bit of darkness up to act as a mirror, adjusting both until I found the nomads¡¯ force. They really were getting close.


    Although I couldn¡¯t tell much more than that. They were using a formation to counter anyone trying to scry them from afar, blurring the picture so much I could barely make out the size of their host. And this was using direct light reflected from them, it would probably be worse if I relied on a more aspect-based light qi technique.


    I still felt stupid for not realizing they had to have something like this earlier. It explained at least part of why the military leadership had so little intelligence. I knew there were formations set up at the borders, but none to cover the area the nomads had moved through, and setting up one to combat their defenses took time. They still could have done it earlier, but I¡¯d cut them some slack.


    More importantly, we had similar formations covering the army. I¡¯d participated in setting them up myself, since there were too few light qi cultivators with enough skill. And our plan relied on concealing our army¡¯s strength.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± I said to Aston. ¡°How is the other forces¡¯ status?¡±


    ¡°They report that everything is going to plan so far,¡± Aston answered. ¡°They¡¯re building fortifications and stepping up their defensive measures.¡±


    I nodded. Most of the nobles¡¯ forces had joined the soldiers left behind last time. Many of them were local nobles¡¯ hosts coming up to the sides of the invaders¡¯ path, anyway. Now, they helped us box the nomads in.


    ¡°We really will meet them soon, my lady,¡± Aston added, a faint frown on his face as he looked forward.


    ¡°Then we need to put more power into the formation,¡± I said. ¡°Give the signal to start the preparations for the battle.¡±


    I watched as Aston sent out a few qi constructs. Maybe I should have called a meeting with the various commanders, but I wasn¡¯t feeling like it. Although, I probably shouldn¡¯t ignore them.


    While the army slowed down, I got Tenira out of the litter and had Aston bring both of us a little farther ahead. Here, we met San Hashar and a few other officers on their flying beasts or flying swords. After a minute, General Wei and a few other commanders flew up as well. They probably didn¡¯t want to be left out of the loop.


    I greeted them with a nod. ¡°Generals. Is everything ready?¡±


    Wei looked sober, his gaze never straying from the direction of the raiders for too long. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. We are getting close. If they don¡¯t change course within the next ten minutes, it will be almost impossible for them to avoid clashing with the bulk of our forces.¡±


    Silence fell as we waited for what was to come. Beneath us, the army shifted, soldiers moving into formation to prepare for a battle. Runners flew through them and up to the officers. Whispered conversations and the glints of qi constructs filled the air around me.


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    After maybe three minutes, one of those conversations cut through the bustle, the officer¡¯s voice rising. When he turned to face me and the rest, his face was set in a frown.


    ¡°News from the east?¡± General Wei asked.


    ¡°Yes, General. Commander Huin says they¡¯re starting to lose sight of the enemy. They seem to have turned, heading west.¡±


    I gritted my teeth, cursing internally. ¡°Well, do we have reports from the western side?¡±


    A few other officers were sending and receiving qi constructs, and conferred with the man quickly. He turned back, looking even grimmer. ¡°Your Highness, we received word from every group except for clan Lirta. According to our reports, the nomads seem to have turned roughly west-south-west.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come upon our forces if they haven¡¯t already,¡± General Wei said. ¡°Probably why Lirta didn¡¯t respond.¡±


    ¡°They should have sent word as soon as they sighted them,¡± another general added. ¡°Perhaps they thought they could hold the nomads back by themselves? Their young master is untried, but they insisted on putting him in charge.¡±


    I rubbed my temple. Probably someone being an idiot, right. And this was going so well, too. Although the nomads might punch through in any case.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s not stand around waiting,¡± I said. Then I looked to my former guard. ¡°San Hashar, scramble your people and reinforce our perimeter. The goal is to keep the nomads tied down, but don¡¯t risk yourself or your soldiers if you¡¯re outmatched.¡±


    San Hashar saluted and flew away without wasting any time.


    They were our fastest. Hopefully, they¡¯d be enough for a bit. I watched her fly off for a moment, then turned back. Wei was already barking orders, turning the army around.


    I didn¡¯t know if we would be able to cut the nomads off, but they were certainly giving it a good try. The army shifted in record time. Then the soldiers started running faster. I watched while Aston sped our platform up to keep pace.


    Still, there was only so much speed a group of thousands of people could muster. On their own, all of those soldiers could have probably covered more ground. But although the wagons fell behind, there were a few hiccups that slowed the army down. The terrain didn¡¯t help, either. We had to cross a sharp gorge, rocky walls and steep, slippery hills rising before us. The plan had been to funnel the nomads though it, and help our efforts to box them in. Maybe that was a mistake.


    I took out my telescope again, trying to get a glimpse of the enemy army. But I couldn¡¯t. The terrain didn¡¯t help. I could almost make out the fortifications the nobles¡¯ forces had thrown up, though. My guts tightened as I considered that the nomads might have moved too quickly.


    And we still had no word from clan Lirta¡¯s task force. Maybe they¡¯d been overrun completely, their communication device destroyed.


    Finally, I couldn¡¯t take it any longer. I looked to the officers around me. ¡°I¡¯ll take a detachment of high-stage cultivators ahead, as an advance force. Aston will carry me along, and my guards should be able to keep up.¡±


    They didn¡¯t even look surprised anymore. In fact, I suspected Wei was glad I¡¯d be out of his hair while he wrangled the army. He barked a few orders, and I quickly had a few officers in the sixth or seventh stage with me, scrambling their units.


    The Imperial Guard surrounded me like a swarm of insects, until I could barely make out anything of the world beyond them. I grabbed onto Aston¡¯s arm as he accelerated us rapidly. We shot higher into the sky, and sped ahead of the main body of the army. I could sense the soldiers in formation around us. They¡¯d put my group into the center. A few guards escorted Tenira behind me. Soon, we had crossed the ridge, and I could feel a few scattered qi presences.


    The guards around me slowed down, and Aston moved me forward until we came out at the front of the group, which opened to show me what lay before us. I sucked in a deep breath.


    In the skies beyond, I could see a few figures darting through the air. A squad of soldiers I recognized as San Hashar¡¯s flew just above the ground, spreading out over the location. I could see it had once been a fortified camp, probably thrown up quickly as soon as their commanders figured out where the nomads would move. A few ditches gaped open like scars in the earth. The earthen rampart had so many holes and indentations it looked more like a chain of hills. A few sheets of cloth flapped around, some of them burning. Wooden planks and the remains of low stone walls dotted the area, making the footing even more treacherous. All of them were still filled with qi. A few half-collapsed towers leaned over it all, probably built of materials taken from some spirit beasts.


    ¡°Aston, take me down,¡± I said.


    We¡¯re too late. There¡¯s no mistaking that. The nomads are long past, and San Hashar¡¯s people can¡¯t fight all of them on their own. I guess they¡¯ll return soon. Most of them.


    On the ground, I pulled the hem of my robe over my nose to keep the smoke out. It pervaded everything, coming from smoldering cloth and wood. Worse, it carried the odor of burnt flesh.


    I stepped through the ruins of the fortification, looking around with both my eyes and my qi senses. The guards joined me, shifting rubble and pulling out the occasional body. Some of them coughed or had still bleeding wounds. Some of them didn¡¯t move.


    After a few meters, I reached the remnant of one of the towers. I scrutinized it quickly, then bent down and pulled out the first plank, which I quickly tossed aside. Then I removed a few more pieces of wood, small boulders and the bones of some spirit beasts. Beside me, Aston and a few other guards helped in silence.


    Finally, I found what I¡¯d been looking for. Careful not to jostle him too much, I grabbed the man beneath his shoulders and heaved him out. Aston cleared a spot with a quick gust of wind, and I set him down, looking him over carefully. A redhead in the fifth stage who looked like he was in his twenties, wearing heavily embroidered robes now decorated with rips and dust. His left leg stuck out at an odd angle, and there was a lot of blood on his face, but his chest rose and fell with deep, steady breaths.


    I stepped back to let one of the guards who worked as a healer take care of the noble. Water affinity qi flowed out of his hands into the man¡¯s wounds. It didn¡¯t take long for him to open his eyes, drawing deep gasps of air.


    The guard stepped back as the man rose to his feet, swaying just a bit, and steadied himself. He looked around with wide eyes.


    ¡°Lirta Veno?¡± I asked, crossing my arms.


    He gulped and dropped to his knees. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°The nomads overran your task force,¡± I stated the obvious. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call for help earlier?¡±


    He dropped his eyes to the ground, shame or grief twisting his face. ¡°They were so fast, Your Highness ¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I thought I could take them, beat them back so the plan would still work. I thought I¡¯d prove that I could do it alone, leading my warriors, not having to call for help like a wimp. My clan gave me this responsibility, I wouldn¡¯t fail them.¡±


    ¡°But you did,¡± Aston said, his voice harsh.


    Lirta closed his eyes. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    By now, most of the remaining soldiers had gathered around, standing around us in orderly ranks. Further off, I could feel the combined qi signatures making up the army approach. They¡¯d be here in a minute.


    I almost felt bad for Lirta. He¡¯d just lost most of his warriors, and many of them had to be acquaintances or friends. But he¡¯d been an idiot. I couldn¡¯t just let him get away with that even if I wanted to.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just fail, you disobeyed an order,¡± I said, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. ¡°All of the task groups were explicitly commanded to report in once they spotted the enemy, and if the nomads changed their course. If you¡¯d raised the alarm quickly, then reinforcements may have been here in time to hold them long enough for the army to arrive. We may have still forced them into battle.¡±


    Lirta pressed his forehead to the ground. ¡°This one can never express the depths of his shame and regret.¡±


    ¡°The humiliation of this loss is not enough punishment for not following orders. A public whipping in the camp tonight,¡± I commanded. He¡¯s in the fifth stage, that¡¯s not going to bother him for more than a week even if they use special tools. ¡°Hopefully, you¡¯ll learn from your mistakes.¡±


    Then I turned away and left him in the dirt as I walked out of the ruined encampment. I took out my flying sword and ascended into the air, flying upward far enough I could watch the army¡¯s arrival.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long for San Hashar to return. A few minutes after I¡¯d rejoined the commanders at an impromptu strategy meeting, she flew into camp with most of her soldiers. Many of them sported some sign of battle. They couldn¡¯t have much qi left.


    San Hashar herself looked grim as she reported on her advance. It was pretty much as I¡¯d feared. The nomads had overrun Lirta¡¯s force, the fight not slowing them down for long. San Hashar had caught up barely in time to engage their rear guard. They¡¯d retreated as soon as it became clear that there was little they could do.


    ¡°The nomads are scattering,¡± she concluded. ¡°I stayed long enough to see most of it and left a few of my soldiers behind to watch.¡±


    Damnit. I took a deep breath, clenching and unclenching my fists.


    For a moment, I considered having the army chase them straight away. But that would be idiotic even by the standards of my decisions in this campaign. The nomads had obviously planned for this, were moving in prearranged groups. Even if we knew the details, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to split the army well enough to chase them effectively. I risked defeat in detail, or whatever the term was.


    But we were going to have to split the army, probably. I really wasn¡¯t looking forward to fighting some inverse guerrilla war.

 41: Weird dreams

    I rolled my shoulders and tried not to grimace as I stepped onto solid ground once more. At least I didn¡¯t have any inclination to get sea-sick, or I¡¯d dislike the litter even more.


    But I focused and tried to assess my surroundings. This town didn¡¯t hold many people, and what felt like half of them had gathered around to watch the army move in. The spectators kept their distance. When they saw me looking in their direction, they bowed, not meeting my eyes. I swept my gaze over them and to the reason we were here, the military base. It looked fairly large. Built of old stone, enclosed by a few fences, it should have enough barracks space and conference rooms for everyone.


    I swept inside, Aston and the guards following. In other circumstances, it might have interested me more, but I felt too exhausted to be curious.


    ¡°Take me to wherever I¡¯m staying,¡± I said to Aston. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    We had sent some of our elites and specialized soldiers after the nomads. They were supposed to harass the raiders as best they could, establish surveillance and generally keep us from getting any unwelcome surprises. But most of our forces were still concentrated, and would be used to reinforce garrisons and outposts in the area, and launch strikes at the raiding groups.


    It would take a while for all of the army to arrive and be put up. Besides, I didn¡¯t see the need for any more planning meetings until we had more intel from the teams we¡¯d sent to follow the nomads, or at least knew more about what we had to work with. I¡¯d ordered more airships brought here. Some would be requisitioned from vehicles that had been confiscated, which tended to happen to professional smugglers, apparently. Others the army would buy. But it could take a while.


    The suite Aston showed me had to be the best in the base, but I didn¡¯t care. I simply shooed my guards out and finally shrugged out of my robe. A shower in the attached bathroom made me feel like I washed layers of grime and blood off, even though I hadn¡¯t been injured or particularly dirty. Then I curled up in the bed, the silky sheets relaxing some of my tension.


    I hadn¡¯t slept for days, and had barely eaten or drunk anything. After the battle, and what I¡¯d seen in the destroyed fortifications, I just wanted a break. I¡¯d been a little afraid that I wouldn¡¯t be able to calm down, but my tiredness overpowered any other concerns, and my thoughts had felt slow since before we arrived here. Even if it was mental exhaustion instead of physical, I welcomed it. My eyes fell closed, and I sank into the warmth of the bed with barely a thought. It didn¡¯t take long for me to slip from my half-awake state into sleep.


    I knew as soon as I fell asleep. The world around me turned surreal and vague, and yet I remained perfectly aware of myself. But something felt off, something about the dream I entered.


    Between the vague shadows of dreaming, I could see the burnt landscape, scorched of anything that might support life, a big crater thrusting its edges to the sky as if in accusation. Time hadn¡¯t blurred the picture, and my memory of it remained clear, even dreaming. Will I ever get used to having an eidetic memory? I wondered idly. Perhaps if I had grown up with it like everyone else, it would be different. I don¡¯t particularly wish to remember this scene, in any case.


    I shied away from the impressions and thoughts filtering through my mind. They weren¡¯t mine. The whole dream carried a subtle distance with it, even though I was right inside, living it. This is new. Am I seeing someone else¡¯s dream?


    Sighing mentally, I zoomed in on the plain, my dream-self stepping over the burnt ground. The spot where I should have been was hazy, since I could not remember seeing myself. My subconscious filled in the figure lying on the ground, gasping for air. I turned away from him, towards the approaching cultivators. With a bit of focus, I made them freeze, taking a moment to contemplate the scene. I was glad I had learned to control my dreams. ¡®Lucid dreaming¡¯, Acura had called it. Suited to reflection perhaps better than even meditation.


    Yes, I was definitely sharing someone else¡¯s dream, I realized, while most of my mind was busy experiencing it. And that someone was in control of his dream. I knew it was a man. Behind the dream, I got a sense of him, an echo of his identity. It was too vague to make out any details, but I¡¯d recognize his mind if I was ever telepathically connected to him, perhaps even if I met him.


    The Zarian warriors looked as menacing as ever, although I could only feel an echo of the qi presences they had had. Two of them were in the seventh stage, the rest in the sixth. Frozen like statues, their faces displayed grim lines attesting to their determination. The one whose arm I¡¯d gotten moved like nothing bothered him. They wore no distinguishing marks, only simple cultivator¡¯s robes you might see in most nations. I stepped aside, prodding the dream to continue replaying my memory. Consequently, I watched as the Zarian picked up the hunched figure and carried him off, outside of the crater, where they would take me into the air. Unconsciousness had taken me then, until I awoke far into their land.


    I never did find out what happened to the men of the unit I had taken command of. Short as our time together had been, I felt a pang of regret at that.


    Perhaps I could ask. I frowned as the thought occurred to me. Waving a hand, the scene dissolved, until only void danced before my eyes. I did not wish to relive my journey, so I changed the setting to my current home.


    In the back of my head, a feeling of unease started to spread as I realized what I was learning. But I concentrated on the dream. I could think about it later ¡ª for now, I didn¡¯t want to miss any details.


    Back then, it never would have occurred to me that they might simply give me information freely. But now, as I paced among the pillars at the entrance of my domicile, I reflected on how much had changed. The Zarian no longer treated me like a prisoner, if I was being honest.


    A flash of Fiarko¡¯s face crossed my consciousness, disrupting the scenery I¡¯d built. I watched it for a moment, the smile revealing his gleaming teeth, the sympathy in his eyes, part of it faked, part of it likely real. Then I pushed it away, refocusing on my dream.


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    I had climbed higher in my cultivation since then. To their credit, they had allowed me to pursue it. But now that I had broken through to the middle of the seventh stage, I knew my threat increased. They can hardly keep me guarded forever, tying up their elites. I looked out over the city, the capital of the Dominion in all its nightly glory just one valley away. In truth, they allowed me far more freedoms than was probably wise, even for a valued hostage. Naturally, there were guards around the estate, and I would never enter the city unaccompanied. But they did let me visit, let me see many important personages, met any reasonable request.


    It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t give anything for that modicum of trust, a part of me whispered. I am hardly acting like a prisoner that hates his captors.


    I stopped pacing and stared out at the dream scenery I had recreated. I knew why I had returned to the day of my capture. I was simply trying not to think about it, or the reflections of my past it had stirred up.


    In recent years, I¡¯d often asked myself if I even wanted to return to the Empire of the Sky. Would I even be welcome? Acura and I had parted on tense but nominally good terms. And if the burning in my chest whenever I thought of her was any indication, I felt confident she still held some small, lingering affection for me. I would likely be accepted back warmly ¡­ If I keep my mouth shut, otherwise she might not be so welcoming.


    I didn¡¯t like to think of Acura, or the life we had once led together. Nothing good could be found in such thoughts.


    I had never reached a clear decision, certainly not enough to attempt action. But now, with the tensions between the Dominion and the Empire rising, that might pose a problem. Especially with the news I had received today.


    Inaris was fighting the nomads, leading the Imperial campaign against their invasion.


    Without my conscious decision, the dream changed again. It morphed to show a lounge opening onto a rooftop. I moved forward in the clear night, the stars twinkling down on me, turning away from the lights of the city shining from the other direction. A figure waited for me at the balustrade, blurry in the darkness.


    With an effort of will, I took hold of the dream and changed it again, this time to a balcony above a courtyard. There I¡¯d stood, watching children fight, while occasionally the cries of a toddler would resound from the playroom. One started, but I cut it off, flinching back from the sound enough that the dream wavered for an instant. I stared down at the remembered scene of a girl kindling a spark of light to make her opponent flinch.


    For all I know, my boy might already have gone through his soul journey. I turned away at the thought, looking towards the door behind me, but I did not dare go through it. I couldn¡¯t stand seeing little Alaster as he had been. But I could not stop considering it. It¡¯s almost been long enough, hasn¡¯t it? And Inaris certainly has. The way she jumped to the next stage all of a sudden and was acclaimed a high level genius is telling.


    I clenched my fists, even though I possessed no real body in the dream, watching the scene again for lack of anything better to focus on.


    I regretted telling them about Inaris. I had almost from the minute I¡¯d done it, and all the years since.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if I regretted the conversation all those years ago on the rooftop, though. Most often I did. The bitterness was persistent, the spite and desire to soothe it, but that was not the person I aimed to be. I had loved Acura and promised myself to take care of her, and if we had different ideas about how love might be expressed, that did not take away from my desire to support her, any more than it did from my hurt.


    I dispersed the dream around me, going back to a pleasant scene of walking along a beach in the Zarian Dominion¡¯s eastern coast last year. I was getting sick of revisiting the past, and my own regrets.


    Pull yourself together, Dalcarston, I told myself. Ruminating on this will do you no good. Get some rest.


    I concentrated on the beach, relaxed my tight hold on the dream and let it regain some of its wispy quality. My dream-self walked through the sand, the warmth and relaxation lulling me into a deeper state of unconsciousness. Time started to blur.


    It took me a moment to realize I was waking up. The dream had ended softly, ejecting me back into my own sleeping mind, which now roused. For a moment, I simply lay there, snuggling into the covers. But I didn¡¯t feel sleepy, and my thoughts were clear.


    I sat up, staring at the wall while I thought about what I¡¯d just experienced. I could definitely see what my old self had meant about weird dreams, now. But it raised more questions than it answered.


    Sighing, I got out of bed and started getting dressed. So, that was Carston. Mother¡¯s ex and probably my father. But I felt less convinced of that now. His feelings towards me were obviously complicated, and I couldn¡¯t make much sense of them.


    I didn¡¯t feel particularly surprised that he was alive, after all. I just wished I knew what he had said about me.


    Shaking my head, I opened the door and stepped out, nodding to the guards outside. I needed to let Mother know that the Zarian Dominion had captured him, as soon as she came back from seclusion. It probably had a lot of political implications, too.


    I came to a small foyer and looked around, listening to the bustle of people farther away. Maybe I should visit Tenira, see if she was up for a game of chess.


    But my feet carried me the other way instead. I followed my qi senses until I came to a door hiding the right presence. Not giving myself time to hesitate, I knocked. I needed to take more action in regards to this invasion, especially if the Zarian were behind it. That meant I needed to play a few more cards, or at least try to get some new ones.


    The door opened quickly. I stepped inside, gesturing Aston to follow, and watched as the woman I came to visit backed away and dropped to her knees. She looked unassuming, with graying hair and an understated robe.


    ¡°Your Highness. How may this one be of assistance?¡±


    ¡°Rise.¡± I looked her and the room over. There were a few papers on the desk, and the bed was neatly made, looking untouched. Aiki Ilia was one of Kariva¡¯s agents. Probably not the only one in this army, if I had to guess, but I assumed she was in charge.


    ¡°I want you to get a team to the Yellow Graves,¡± I said. ¡°Find out where the rest of this tribe is hiding, which other ones are supporting it, and what they are planning to do about us. I¡¯d like to get a clearer picture of the events behind this invasion, but what we need is the location of their civilian remnant.¡±


    The agent didn¡¯t look surprised. She simply bowed her head. ¡°As you command, Your Highness. Who may I draft for this mission?¡±


    ¡°Whoever¡¯s necessary, so long as they aren¡¯t of critical importance elsewhere,¡± I said after a bit of thought. ¡°But I¡¯d prefer if you kept the whole thing low-key.¡±


    I wanted to ask about the contacts her group probably had within the nomads, but decided I didn¡¯t need to know. She could ask Kariva for help if she needed it. If I was asking too much, I trusted her to tell me. But for all I knew, they were already working on something like that. I wouldn¡¯t put it past Kariva, or the other intelligence people.


    The agent bowed. ¡°It will be done, my princess.¡±


    I nodded to her, then turned and left. Hopefully, something would come of this. But in the meantime, I¡¯d need to deal with the nomads¡¯ scattered groups as best I could.


    After the sun went up. For now, I headed to Tenira¡¯s room.

 42: Hanging out

    ¡°Therefore, I expect us to see significant results within the next two weeks,¡± General Wei concluded his presentation. Then he turned to me. ¡°Does this plan meet with your approval, Your Highness?¡±


    I looked at the map they¡¯d spread around the conference table again, even though I would have memorized it by now even without an eidetic memory. It still didn¡¯t look good, but it could be worse, I supposed.


    After the airship fiasco and the lost battle, I forced myself to face the fact that I had been playing with fire. It was time to take a step back and let the professionals do their thing. For the most part, at least. That¡¯s why I¡¯d been quite silent for this meeting, and probably why Wei felt the need to ask.


    ¡°If I may summarize the main points,¡± I said. ¡°You propose to spread most of our forces, and the reinforcements arriving soon, between various outposts, bases, and garrisons. At the same time, we¡¯ll evacuate all the less defensible settlements the raiders might reach. And we will send off certain ¡®hunting teams¡¯ to attack groups of nomads whenever they show themselves. Those they should be able to beat, at least. That¡¯s where most of our soldiers in the higher stages will go. Do I have the right of it?¡±


    ¡°A succinct summary, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Are there any objections? I encourage you all to speak your mind.¡±


    The officers and nobles sitting in the meeting room looked at each other, but no one spoke, or displayed any signs of disapproval.


    I nodded, trying to show some gravitas. ¡°Very well, General. Implement this plan.¡±


    A few of the officers smiled, and the conversation resumed, hashing out a few final details. I excused myself shortly after. It wasn¡¯t like I knew enough about the south to give input on garrison strengths or routes, and they didn¡¯t need me looking over their shoulders.


    As I left, a guard closing the door behind me with a soft thud, I couldn¡¯t help my thoughts returning to my dream again. They¡¯d often strayed there the last few hours. I barely saw the wide corridor and its crisp white walls as I walked, the sound of mine and the guards¡¯ feet thumping on the floor the only break in the silence.


    Why did I even have the dream? Probably my darkness affinity doing some weird stuff. Maybe there¡¯s something that happened to open me to those dreams, who knows? It might work through a connection I have to someone ¡ª like a blood connection. Then he was having an important dream, thinking about me, and I happened to be asleep at the same time.


    I frowned. That was the best theory I could come up with right now, even if it left a lot of open questions. Like Carston himself. Was he from another world? He said something about not growing up to have an eidetic memory, but maybe I was overinterpreting things.


    I shook those thoughts off as I stepped out of the building, tilting my face up to meet the sun¡¯s rays. It promised to be a nice day, although there was a hint of rain in the air.


    ¡°Did you leave the meeting early?¡± Tenira asked.


    I turned to see her leaving the building¡¯s entrance behind me, a smile playing on her face. She looked perfectly composed in a dress shimmering with silver threads, grace and beauty rolling off her. But I noticed a slight shadow beneath her eyes.


    ¡°I saw the important part,¡± I replied, tearing my eyes away from her.


    Lei came out of the building behind her, grinning. ¡°We¡¯ll show those raiders where the sword hangs!¡± Then he paused. ¡°Do you want to spar a bit, or maybe review some plans?¡±


    Neither of those sounded good at the moment. I wasn¡¯t in the mood for a fight, even if it was sparring, and I didn¡¯t know if I could concentrate on technological plans.


    ¡°We could visit the town,¡± Tenira suggested. ¡°I hear they¡¯re building a telegraph line here. On the hill beside the base and the town, I think.¡±


    That sounded like a good idea. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±


    We started walking, a group of guards accompanying us like always. On the way, Lei talked excitedly about the newest breakthroughs on the project. I marveled at his enthusiasm and the fact it wasn¡¯t affected by the battle and the whole war.


    When we left the base, I half tuned him out, looking around at the town. It was encircled by walls that reached at least twice the height of Pekasa, the town I¡¯d visited near the sect, even though its population couldn¡¯t be much higher. They put a large chunk of the town in shadow. Now I realized why it was called Rampart. No wonder it housed one of the main army bases in the South.


    There was a dent, where a second fence encircled an area that bordered on both the base and the town walls. A hill rose behind it, buildings scattered over its surface, with a tall post somewhere close to the top. If I focused, I could even see the wire stretching from it in the direction of Blue Valley City.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to reach it, the gate standing open to let us enter. I hurried up the hill and paused at a good vantage point, looking over the city. Reddish and brown roofs, a maze of streets, and the sounds of people going about their lives. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem too different from what I remember of Earth,¡± I mentioned.


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    Lei cocked his head. ¡°Well, there certainly was no qi on my world. And a town this size would have had a lot more smog.¡±


    I grinned at that. The air was definitely clearer here than in most places I¡¯d been on Earth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it could use a good clock tower,¡± Tenira said. She turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go, shall we?¡±


    I followed her. For a moment, we walked in silence, before Lei started talking again. He gestured at the complex rising before us, pointing out all the places where we could see qi, and the lines of electric cable.


    It couldn¡¯t hold my attention the way it usually might. Hanging out with Tenira and Lei felt good, even more than seeing the proof of our technological innovation. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I walked, the sounds of their footsteps echoing mine, Lei¡¯s excitement bouncing around us.


    When we reached the building, he hurried ahead, looking at the devices in the room and examining the telegraph line itself. I hung back a bit, and Tenira joined me.


    ¡°By the way,¡± I asked, ¡°do you remember Carston?¡±


    ¡°Your father?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°I think I met him as a child a few times, but I can¡¯t quite recall.¡±


    We walked over to examine some of the equipment. ¡°Why did he leave?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m sorry. Some sort of falling out with your mother, I imagine.¡±


    I gave her a sideways glance and asked, ¡°Is he, though? My father, I mean. What do you think?¡±


    Tenira stayed quiet for a bit, looking intently at some qi device. After a moment, she shook her head a little. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. My mother is a bit of a gossip, you know. She said that Kariva mentioned that she knew every cultivator your mother might have slept with during that time in, and no one but Carston had blond hair or fair skin.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I blinked, then turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s head outside.¡±


    I looked at the wire running through the air, and thought about what she¡¯d said. I figured Kariva would know what she was talking about. But Mother may have kept someone a secret. And besides, I didn¡¯t want to count on gossip. At this point, I was starting to get sick of the question, and resolved to just shelve it.


    ¡°Do you miss your old life, Tenira?¡±


    My friend grimaced, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. ¡°Sometimes. On the whole, I¡¯m glad I¡¯m here, though. I never saw much of a future for myself there, but now it¡¯s different. Besides, having qi is wonderful.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°And you, Inaris?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I miss it. Less so as time goes on, though. I feel like I don¡¯t miss it enough, sometimes.¡±


    Tenira snorted. ¡°You just need to overcomplicate things, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t feel like you have to pine over your old attachments. Besides, you¡¯re too much of a cold-blooded bitch for that.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You know, you¡¯re the only one who would dare call me something like that. Besides Mother, but I don¡¯t see her that often. Whatever would I do without you, Tenira?¡±


    Humor sparkled in her eyes, and her smile lit up the day so much I had to avert my eyes so I wouldn¡¯t stare. ¡°Probably be a little more arrogant than you already are, and get assassinated for it?¡±


    I laughed. Before I could continue the banter, though, Lei returned. He¡¯d somehow managed to get his robes in disarray and get a smudge on his cheek. ¡°Ladies, what are you doing dawdling here? There¡¯s more to see.¡±


    Tenira shook her head. ¡°We should get back. The reinforcements from the central provinces are supposed to come, remember? Inaris needs to be there for it.¡±


    I sighed, but she was right. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take us long to leave the compound. I only noticed I¡¯d felt some pressure when the accumulations of qi got weaker with distance. The guards, who¡¯d kept their distance to give us some privacy, closed in again. I noticed what I thought might be a smile on Aston¡¯s face, but it quickly smoothed back to a neutral expression.


    This time, we didn¡¯t talk much on the way back. All too soon, we passed through the gate post into the base again, then made our way to the wing of the building we¡¯d been put up in. There, the others split off to go to their respective rooms and freshen up.


    I hurried to mine and looked through the clothing I¡¯d brought. A few of the servants rushed in. I recognized both of them from the palace, but didn¡¯t try to start a conversation. They styled my hair and put on a bit of makeup. After a few minutes, I was ready, and left my room again to head to the open square at the back of the base.


    I arrived just on time. A few shadows already darkened the ground by the time I took my place next to Tenira, close to General Wei and Lord Zun. When I looked up, I could make out a number of airships closing in quickly. They touched down a minute later.


    Their doors opened, and soldiers marched out, taking up a formation. They all saluted. I returned their gesture, then focused my attention on the officers stepping up to greet us. I recognized one of them from the meeting in the palace, although I hadn¡¯t caught her name. They both knelt to me.


    ¡°Please rise,¡± I said, then raised my voice so everyone could hear me. ¡°We are glad of your timely arrival. Your help in repelling the nomad scourge plaguing the south will be invaluable. I¡¯m sure you will prove your worth in the battles to come, and I look forward to having you fighting by my side.¡±


    No one looked upset, and a few of the soldiers I could see actually relaxed a bit, so I must have done well.


    A few other officers exchanged a few words, then we turned to head into the building. But I paused, throwing a glance back as something tickled my awareness. Aiki Ilia, the agent, had approached a one-star general from the reinforcements. I watched a packet change hands. Probably an exchange of correspondence.


    I felt a little better at the thought that Kariva was handling things back home.


    Then we reached the meeting room, and I turned my thoughts back to my surroundings. I should learn the names and details of the new commanders, and we needed to bring them up to speed.


    But in a pause during the meeting, I pulled Tenira aside. A meaningful look at Aston had him raise a barrier of air qi that would prevent us from being overheard.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d like you, or the people from my retinue, to reach out to the various commanders. High officers and nobles. Not officially, just a few off-the-record conversations, if you can. I¡¯d like to hear their opinions on what¡¯s going on, see if they have concerns or suggestions they wouldn¡¯t raise publicly.¡±


    Tenira raised her eyebrows, then nodded. ¡°They might be wary of talking to me and Lei,¡± she said slowly. ¡°But we can try, and I¡¯ll tell the others. We¡¯ll do our best.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± I smiled at her, then turned to rejoin the meeting.


    It should be over soon, at least. If nothing else, I¡¯d go into the field to escape these constant meetings.

 43: Might be a trap

    I wouldn¡¯t have thought I¡¯d like being on a flying sword, but it was preferable to the litter. I¡¯d definitely gained a new appreciation for the view from up here, the wind playing around my face and the feeling of freedom high up in the air.


    It may have had something to do with the people gathered below us. I¡¯d rather not face this sort of farewell on the ground, any more than I had to.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better, Inaris,¡± Tenira commented. She pulled up beside me, her own flying sword tilted at an angle and yet moving in a perfectly straight line, probably so she could speak to me easier.


    ¡°Not as good as you,¡± I sighed. ¡°But I¡¯ll take what I can get.¡±


    We fell silent, and I continued watching the soldiers below me. The task force assembled, part of it on spirit beasts, the rest on foot. They walked in orderly lines, but I assumed they¡¯d pick up speed once they were farther away from the town. Lei hadn¡¯t shown his face, probably engrossed in some project, and none of the others had shown interest in coming along.


    ¡°To be honest, I thought the commanders would put up a bit more of a fight about me going along,¡± I admitted. ¡°I mean, I know why I want to see the current front and how the fight is going, and I know this task force is big enough to protect me, but it still feels a bit like running off.¡±


    It was supposed to be only a short trip through secure territory, but still.


    Tenira smiled wryly. ¡°I suppose you scared them with your demonstration before the battle.¡±


    It took me a moment to realize what she was talking about. ¡°You mean cutting myself?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t realize the significance of it. Drawing royal blood is, as you would say, a big deal. People have been hanged for less. I know you did it yourself, but a few of them are probably nervous that the Empress is going to blame them for how you had to go far enough to actually spill your blood.¡±


    I winced. ¡°It¡¯s really that bad?¡±


    ¡°I once had to stop the Guard from punishing someone who tripped me on accident so I scraped my knee. And I¡¯m not the crown princess.¡±


    I looked at Tenira. I¡¯d never really considered how it must have been like for her, growing up.


    ¡°One of those ideological things, I guess,¡± I muttered.  Now that I think of it, even Teacher Ling Ta never went that hard on me in training. I got a few bruises, but nothing like that. He must have known Mother wouldn¡¯t punish him, but I guess he wanted to be sure.


    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s up with General Wei and Lord Zun?¡± I asked to change the subject. ¡°Do they have a grudge or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Many of the nobles don¡¯t like the Wei. Probably because they wanted those lands, even if they pretend it¡¯s because they¡¯re traitors.¡± She frowned. ¡°Well, I suppose the General has been loyal.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said. Then I realized what she meant. The Wei were one of the leading clans in the civil war, the one who took in the wannabe new empress. I¡¯d known that, just hadn¡¯t made the connection. ¡°How are they even still around?¡±


    Tenira shrugged. ¡°The current clan was just a side branch with a different name. They did a lot to prove their loyalty. After the current patriarch distinguished himself fighting the last major raid, the old Empress let them take up the name and gave them back some of the Wei¡¯s former holdings.¡±


    I sighed. I didn¡¯t like politics, and this just told me how many nuances I was missing. At least I knew now.


    By now, the task force had moved far enough away from the town that they were starting to speed up. I increased my flying sword¡¯s speed as well, leaning forward against the acceleration. At least I didn¡¯t seem to be in any danger of falling off.


    ¡°Plus, Wei is a talented cultivator,¡± Tenira continued, frowning thoughtfully, as if she was thinking all of this through herself just now. ¡°His family claims that they¡¯re descended from a powerful spirit. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true, people say his great-grandmother took a fancy to spirit beasts. In any case, I think he has some bloodline or constitution that helps him fight.¡±


    I scratched my temple, considering that. Not many people had these, but it was hardly uncommon either. The more powerful spirit beasts could take humanoid forms that could interbreed with humans, which was the most common cause of special ¡®constitutions¡¯. Usually, they increased someone¡¯s affinity for one type of qi or even certain arts, but might come with a downside.


    We fell silent again, and this time it lasted. I watched the countryside passing by slowly, the town vanishing into the distance. To the right of our path, the Green Forest stretched. Despite the name, it was a pretty dark place. As I watched, the trees bent as if under a wave, which could only be a wave of qi. When it came to qi-rich pieces of wilderness in the Empire, the forest didn¡¯t rank very highly, but it was dangerous enough that there were no permanent settlements within. A few kilometers of wild meadows separated it from the rest of the countryside, before fields started again. The village closest to it, the only one I could see clearly from here, had a high palisade encircling it. But now, it lay still and silent, its inhabitants evacuated to the town of Rampart.


    After half an hour of flying above the soldiers and thinking, I took stock of my qi reserves. I wasn¡¯t close to drained yet. Recently, I¡¯d taken a bit of time for cultivating and had progressed further, increasing my core¡¯s capacity. I could fly for hours without worrying about running dry. But that would not be prudent, so I¡¯d probably have to get down soon.


    The further we got from the town, the closer Aston and the other guards drew to me. They did it gradually, so I only noticed it as we neared the forest. By now, they were starting to obstruct my view. But I didn¡¯t protest. It wasn¡¯t like I could see much, anyway. The thick foliage of the trees¡¯ crowns hid what might be going on underneath, and I could sense the forest¡¯s qi blanketing the area. Our route was planned to take us parallel to it with a few kilometers¡¯ distance, and I could see why.


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    It should only take a few hours to reach our first goal, an outpost. I¡¯d probably have to stay there while the task force went after a group of nomads in the vicinity.


    I¡¯d just feel better if I could check on things in person. Besides, the local commanders might do well to have me looking over their shoulder for a bit. And while we¡¯d gotten reports, I had read enough to know how different things could look on the ground. Especially if the culture was used to glorifying war. Plus, it couldn¡¯t hurt to be seen doing more than just sitting on my posterior behind walls.


    A prickle in my qi senses made me look up. The guards were drawing closer to me, and the soldiers on the ground slowed down. As I watched, two soldiers on flying swords returned to the main group from the direction opposite of the forest. They must be scouts.


    This doesn¡¯t bode well. I descended, Tenira beside me and Aston and a few other guards sticking close. Once I stepped onto the ground beside the group of officers responsible for this detachment, I didn¡¯t have to wait long for the scouts to return. They quickly took a knee and bowed their heads to me.


    ¡°Rise, and report,¡± I said.


    They did as ordered, while the officers asked questions. The scouts told us how on their approach, they¡¯d seen a nomad flying beast dive into the forest southeast of here. Their group had come closer and spread out a bit. Two of them had caught glimpses of figures in the nomads¡¯ typical clothing among the trees. They also reported a slight edge in their qi senses, probably the nomads¡¯ attempt at hiding coupled with the aura of the forest. It might not be part of the Green Forest, but traces of that phenomenon lingered, and had concentrated to form something of an echo.


    As I listened, I felt my forehead furrowing more and more, and I had to stop myself from gritting my teeth. This didn¡¯t bode well at all. I knew it had to be a small group, but the nomads weren¡¯t supposed to come here. It was pretty stupid of them. Too far from the rest of their forces, or at least too close to our main base. Although, maybe they¡¯d just started a push and the situation had changed.


    ¡°What could they be doing here?¡± I asked.


    The commander of the task force, a woman in the sixth stage, sighed. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m unsure, Your Highness. It¡¯s quite a risk for them to take. I suppose if they follow the forest¡¯s line, they could advance further east. There is a town there, the only reasonable target.¡±


    I scratched at my temple. ¡°Green Town, right? Has it been evacuated already?¡±


    Aston shook his head. ¡°No, my lady. It was considered too close to our strongholds to be in much danger, and it¡¯s too big to evacuate easily. Its garrison was reinforced, but it might not hold up to one of the nomads¡¯ bigger raiding parties.¡±


    I didn¡¯t ask how he knew that. He must have checked the route we would take and gathered info on everything along our path to assess possible dangers.


    ¡°The question is, what do we do about it?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°They could already be really close to the town, if what our scouts saw is only their rearguard. And it probably is, I doubt they¡¯d go this far with only a few people. But we need to defend the town.¡±


    I clenched my hands, then made myself unclench them again. I really didn¡¯t like this, but she was right. ¡°We¡¯re the closest and the only ones who might be there in time if that¡¯s the case,¡± I said, trying not to let my annoyance show.


    ¡°Your Highness, we can¡¯t risk endangering you,¡± the commander said.


    ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t go, but you should,¡± I replied, rubbing my temple again. ¡°Loath as I am to split the party, needs must.¡±


    ¡°Then the bulk of the task force will move to the town quickly, while we¡¯ll retain enough soldiers to assure your safety?¡± Aston asked.


    Did he just suggest that to prevent me from sending all the soldiers off? I wondered, amused at the thought.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°Commander, will you handle the allocation? I¡¯m not as familiar with your units or troops.¡±


    She bowed and started conferring with her subordinates. I listened in, but got lost once they started throwing around names and designations. All the while, the soldiers beneath us remained standing, keeping still and silent. I had to admire their discipline. The scouts kept back, in reach to be called back for details but not part of the discussion.


    After a minute, I pulled Aston aside, asking him in a low voice, ¡°Is this a good idea? I mean, do you think I will be safer away from the fighting, instead of being with all these soldiers?¡±


    He stayed silent for a moment, frowning. Finally, he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Your Highness. I dislike the idea of letting you get close to such a fight, even if there should be many of our soldiers with us. This might be a trap, and I¡¯d rather we didn¡¯t risk you being caught in it, and instead try to avoid engaging the enemy as much as we can.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I know, and I won¡¯t argue. You¡¯re my guard captain, Aston. I trust you to make decisions about my safety.¡±


    His frown eased at that, and I caught sight of a smile before he bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡±


    After that, it didn¡¯t take long for the officers to settle on a distribution of forces. Soon, the main part of the task force set off. I watched as they marched away, vanishing into the countryside quickly. Hopefully, they¡¯d be in time to foil whatever designs the Zarieni had against the town.


    A number of soldiers stayed to augment my group of Imperial Guard, mostly people in the higher stages. They formed up around us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on,¡± Aston suggested, ¡°carefully.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± I agreed.


    So we continued on our way. I let Aston set the pace. He seemed to have taken command of this group, not that I minded. A few scouts flew, but most of us moved on foot. I noticed that the scouts were hard to spot even though I¡¯d watched them leave, probably using techniques for camouflage.


    For the first fifteen minutes, nothing happened, and I started to relax again, letting my thoughts wander. But then another few qi signatures coming in captured my attention. The soldiers stopped, and I stepped closer to Aston before I realized what I was doing.


    Another two scouts descended and knelt. This time, they didn¡¯t wait to be asked before they began their report. ¡°Nomads in the Green Forest, Your Highness! Two of their birds were spotted just above the trees. Two of our unit moved closer, and they reported catching sight of three nomad raiders hiding among the trees.¡±


    I started to curse, then cut myself off. After taking a deep breath, I asked, ¡°How many do you expect to be there?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know, my lady,¡± Aston answered. ¡°But we should expect the worst. We need to get more distance between us and the forest.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, nodding. We¡¯d tried to avoid the nomads¡¯ trap, but maybe we were just walking into another one.


    ¡°There¡¯s a road connecting the forest with another town further south,¡± Aston suggested. ¡°We would have come upon it in another minute. We could take that one south, then another road to our destination. It will be a small detour.¡±


    After a moment of thought, I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We started moving again, this time more quickly.


    ¡°Virtuon, Lirta,¡± Aston called two of the guards. ¡°You¡¯re our rearguard. Kei, pick three of the soldiers and scout the road ahead.¡±


    I listened to him organize our march, trying to let his calm presence steady me. But I couldn¡¯t help glancing back. Was it my imagination, or were shapes rising from the forest?

 44: Targeted

    At first, we moved slowly, carefully. The soldiers had drawn tighter around me and Tenira, and they now all carried weapons. I couldn¡¯t make sense of who wielded what weapon, but they would know what they were doing.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t help glancing back. I saw dark shapes just above the forest¡¯s canopy. They could just be ordinary birds, but they seemed pretty large. I wish I could take out my telescope or use a technique, but I needed to keep my attention on our march, and the soldiers would probably block my line of sight.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to reach the crossing, where a road split off towards the south, away from the Green Forest. It was narrower than the one we¡¯d been using before, and the soldiers¡¯ formation shifted again. But the sides of the road had slopes, shrubs and the occasional tree, which wouldn¡¯t help if we needed to run. Besides, I could feel traces of qi in the material beneath our feet.


    After a few minutes, a figure appeared on the road, quickly growing closer. I tensed until I recognized Kei Weriga, the guard Aston had sent to scout ahead.


    He bowed and fell into place in the formation. ¡°Captain, the road ahead is clear.¡±


    Good. I turned around again, looking back towards the forest. There were definitely dark shapes there, more than before. The outline of some matched the nomads¡¯ birds with riders.


    ¡°Aston,¡± I said, ¡°are these raiders coming in our direction?¡±


    He spared a glance behind me, then gave me a smile that showed obvious strain. ¡°It appears so, Your Highness.¡±


    Silence fell after that, although we increased our speed from a walk to a jog.


    At the next bend of the road, I felt Tenira shifting beside me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we flying? Wouldn¡¯t we be faster?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d be more conspicuous,¡± I said, glancing at Aston, who was sending a qi construct right now. ¡°Aston probably thinks we might go unnoticed by them.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel that was likely, but it was worth trying. I tried not to think of the many soldiers we¡¯d sent ahead to save a town from another group of raiders. The fact that there were this many Zarieni here, even in the forest, didn¡¯t bode well. There can¡¯t be many targets here worth the risk for them.


    Another qi presence drew near, this one a lot faster. I barely turned my head in time to watch them come up behind us. Virtuon Les, one of the two Aston had sent as rearguard, in the sixth stage. The formation parted around him until he reached his captain.


    ¡°There¡¯s a group of nomad fliers that nested in the jungle,¡± he reported, breathing hard. ¡°At least several dozen. Some of their birds carried double. They¡¯re coming in our direction.¡±


    I looked back as Aston asked a few questions, focused on what I could see. The few shadowy figures had multiplied, and they obviously moved closer.


    Aston picked up speed again, turning our pace into a full out run. I cycled qi into my legs to keep up. Hopefully, the fact they were moving in our direction was coincidence, but that felt like wishful thinking. Still, by the time we moved into the air ourselves, they would be almost upon us. Since there were a number of cultivators with earth affinity among my guards, we might have better cards on the ground. I wanted to ask Aston, but saved my breath. He didn¡¯t need me interrupting him.


    I glanced back occasionally, trying to gauge the speed of our pursuers. Their forms drew closer, until I could make out their shapes clearly, and they still moved in our direction. They were flying in a V like formation, like a swarm of birds, but they were too big and their riders too visible to pass for a normal one.


    I pumped my legs harder to keep up with our increased speed. I also drew on the qi in my dantian more heavily, but it still had a lot remaining. When I tried to gauge the qi levels of the soldiers, it seemed to be the same for most of them, and no one was running low.


    A flicker of qi to the side of the road distracted me. I squinted, trying to get a better look. The qi coalesced into the upper torso of a person, its face drawn crudely with no distinguishing features, long hair whipping in the wind around it. The spirit shook their head as it watched us.


    I exhaled, feeling cold suddenly. The warning of the spirit before my departure played in my mind. The one here dissolved, its qi moving away.


    I focused on my spatial ring, searching it for an item I had put in back at the palace, but never used before. A ring tumbled into my hand. I glanced at it, checking it over quickly. It looked simple, woven together from strands of wood, with a few bits of crystal inserted in odd places. In my qi senses, it barely showed at all, like it was supposed to. I put it on my left pointer finger. After a bit of hesitation, I fed it some of my qi. It took more than I should spare, but that couldn¡¯t be helped. The ring¡¯s presence didn¡¯t grow more pronounced, but it sharpened, and strings started to connect it to my meridians, so thin I could barely make them out.


    We continued running. When I looked back again, the nomads had drawn closer, but they were still far enough away that I couldn¡¯t be sure they were following us.


    Suddenly, Aston stumbled in front of me. It looked like he wanted to stop, but his momentum made him slide further. I had no time to wonder about it, though. My qi sense screamed.


    In an instant, I realized what was going on. A huge formation lay beneath our feet, drawn across the road and over the space at its edges. Qi pulsed beneath us, and hung above the ground like a solidified mass, encasing our feet and lower legs. Everyone stopped, rooted in place by the formation. The trap.


    My heartbeat raced and time seemed to slow down as my body screamed at me. The sense of danger sharpened my mind, making things stand out with unnatural clarity.


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    A flare of qi streaked across the sky towards us. The air around it wavered and distorted. I could barely move my eyes fast enough to track its progress. It seemed like I moved my head in slow motion. In what had to be a fraction of a second, it barreled toward me, growing from the size of a marble to the size of a basketball and more. It set my qi senses screaming until my qi thrummed in my meridians. A shield of qi wavered into existence before it, but the attack tore through it in the next instant.


    I had to react, but my feet couldn¡¯t move, and I didn¡¯t have time. I tried to twist sideways and raise my hands to shield me on instinct. Before I could, the attack reached me.


    For a moment, my world was nothing but light and heat and overwhelming pressure.


    When I came to, I lay on a slight slope, my head ringing. I blinked and raised it. I was on the side of the road, the attack clearly throwing me away from the trap. When I took a breath, my chest hurt. I picked myself up, moving into a sitting position and glancing around.


    More nomads descended from the air. One of them had an overwhelming presence, enough to make breathing difficult even in normal conditions. Clearly well into the seventh stage. A few others accompanied him, all probably in the sixth stage.


    I stayed down and assessed my injuries. It felt like I was bruised all over, and I might have broken a few ribs. It should have been far worse. Forcing my hand open, I glanced at the ring. A few of its crystals had broken loose, and its strands where unraveling, its qi spent.


    It had been one of the most valuable things I owned, a one-use defensive measure strong enough to take a technique using most of the qi from someone in the seventh stage. I hadn¡¯t told anyone about it, not even my guards or retinue. That¡¯s why whoever set this trap didn¡¯t know, right?


    Then I shook my head and forced myself to stop thinking about that and focus on what was happening. I still felt a bit dazed, but I needed to push through it.


    Aston and a few other people rose into the air to meet the incoming Zarieni. Qi flickered in front of them, forming shields and grasping at the attackers. More of the soldiers were moving toward me, making a defensive formation. Someone pushed Tenira to me. A few soldiers were still struggling to break free of the trap.


    It probably hadn¡¯t been intended to hold us for more than a few moments, but that was all they¡¯d needed. I could see how the soldiers¡¯ formation had been broken. But the strike meant to assassinate me had failed.


    I barely managed to stand up before the real fight began. A group of soldiers clashed with the Zarieni seventh-stager with a roar of thunder and a bright flash. A few others took on his companions, trying to keep them away. The soldiers on the ground started shaping the earth, assembling bigger weapons, or throwing techniques upward.


    I focused on my spatial ring, taking out my best weapon for this occasion. A repeating crossbow made of qi-infused material and enchanted several times. I planted it on the ground, lining up the first bolt. It was cumbersome and took a while to use, but for this fight I had firm footing and targets to shoot down.


    I saw the other group of nomads rapidly approaching, some of them already diving down to join the fight. The pain I felt was distant, my adrenaline pushing it away, letting me focus on the fight. I took a shallow breath and pulled some light qi, gathering it at the tip of the bolt. Then I aimed the weapon, squinting through the sights until I found one of the nomads, and released.


    In a flash, the projectile impacted on his barrier. I didn¡¯t see how much damage it might have done, but this had been a practice shot, anyway. I let the crossbow redraw itself and inserted a second bolt.


    This time, I concentrated and pulled darkness qi out. I made a technique, forming it around the head of the bolt. I hadn¡¯t perfected this one yet, but it should work. Then I switched targets to one of the higher-stage nomads and fired. The shot crashed against her barrier, but the ball of darkness latched onto it. I could feel it flickering before it stabilized. One of my soldiers used the opportunity to launch a devastating attack at the nomad, blowing her back.


    Seems like the Void¡¯s Nibble is a success. Frowning in concentration, I prepared a second shot. This time, I tied the technique into the bolt, cutting it off. It wobbled a bit, then stabilized. This really was a good weapon. Carefully, I aimed for the nomad in the seventh stage. He was still airborne, fighting several Imperial soldiers.


    I took a deep breath, then concentrated on the qi around me, sinking into it. I focused on the air, setting my gaze on the area around that fight. With an effort of will, a small vacuum formed, pushing against the enemy cultivator and tying him in place for a moment. I¡¯d already released the bolt, and watched as my technique crashed into his shield. It held, but I knew it must have taken a hit. His opponents capitalized on it, launching a barrage of attacks.


    The fight raged around me, soldiers and guards facing off against nomads. But the occasional flash, thunder or wave of air couldn¡¯t shake me. Since it had worked so well, I repeated the combo a few more times. The soldiers knew what to expect now and worked well with me, keeping their opponent tied down for me to hit. If I focused, I could see how his barrier recovered after my technique, but not quickly enough to keep up with the attacks. We were wearing him down.


    Suddenly, after I¡¯d launched another one, the soldiers scattered. I barely got a glimpse of a fiery spear bigger than most trees before it crashed into the nomad.


    I blinked and turned. Behind us, a group of three cultivators had appeared. Their auras gave me no doubt they were in the seventh stage. Probably officers or elites. Well, I guess this fight was pretty noticeable. Their trap definitely was.


    The nomads tried to retreat, but they didn¡¯t get a chance. The leader¡¯s hair was burning, and he wobbled in the air. Aston darted in and decapitated his opponent before he could recover. Then he chased down more of the nomads. The three seventh-stagers made short work of the strongest members of the nomads¡¯ strike force. It didn¡¯t take long for the fight to end.


    The front of my crossbow thumped into the ground before I dismissed it into my spatial ring. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I tried to assess the situation. Tenira stood beside me, obviously unharmed. That took a weight from my shoulders. But a lot of people littered the ground, both nomads and Imperials, although the former were in the majority.


    ¡°You alright, Tenira?¡± I asked.


    She nodded. When she stepped closer, the concern in her eyes was clear. ¡°Inaris, you¡¯re hurt!¡±


    That seemed to stir the guards around me to action. One of them asked, ¡°Your Highness, how are you?¡±


    By this point, the effects of the fight were wearing off, and the pain came back with a vengeance. I winced, then glared at the soldiers surrounding me. ¡°I lived, no thanks to you people. Useless rabble, what do I even keep you around for?¡±


    They backed away and bowed their heads. I shook my head and tried to breathe deeply. Someone just tried to kill me. It¡¯s natural to be stressed, but lashing out won¡¯t help.


    Another soldier took a hesitant step forward. I recognized Ki¡¯aun, a healer. ¡°Your Highness, please let me tend to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said shortly. ¡°I want you to use your qi and best items for those injured badly. I¡¯ll live, they might not.¡±


    He moved away quickly, another healer who¡¯d started to approach me following. Tenira stepped closer, taking my shoulder to offer support. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°A soldier¡¯s life matters more than a bit of pain,¡± I said.


    She smiled, and I could see the soldiers around me straightening up a bit. Well, I had said that for PR effect. But it was true. Soldiers being alive to fight for me were more valuable to me than not being in pain for a bit.


    Feeling tired all of a sudden, I took a pillow from my spatial ring and placed it on the ground, sitting down carefully. Sorting everything out here would take a while.

 45: Working out stress

    I started awake, sitting up before I realized I was in no danger. Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair. I needed to calm down. Then I took a deep breath and felt at my ribs. Everything was healed.


    I looked around, taking note of the soldiers marching around me. I¡¯d been lying on a mattress of air Aston carried two meters above the ground. He flew along beside it. Tenira was on her flying sword not far away.


    It had taken hours to sort everything out at the site of the attack. One of the healers had given me some elixir that made me feel sleepy, and I must have drifted off at some point. At least I¡¯d had no weird dreams this time. I didn¡¯t feel rested, but the lack of pain was nice.


    I took out my flying sword and carefully hopped on. Aston nodded to me, then dissolved his technique. His qi had to be running low, while I still had enough juice to get to our destination.


    Which couldn¡¯t be far, looking at the countryside around us. We¡¯d left the forest far behind us, and were now moving through plains overgrown with vibrant, tall grasses, outside the road anyway. In the distance, a band of water glittered in the sunshine. Judging by the river¡¯s size, that had to be the Great Southern River, which meant the military camp should be close.


    ¡°Aston, what¡¯s happening?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll arrive at the camp shortly,¡± he answered. ¡°The nomads seem to have sent a sizable part of their strength for this maneuver, which means many of our forces were able to push them back until they retreated. Currently, they seem to be consolidating their soldiers again, at a rallying point close to the last two tributaries of the Great Southern River, just north of the Bay Forest. In response, General Wei ordered more of our forces further south. Many are to gather at Provisional Camp Three.¡±


    That¡¯s where we¡¯re heading. I frowned. ¡°So, the majority of the army is going to be assembled there? I suppose that makes sense. The general knows what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness.¡±


    I was more concerned by this attack, in any case. It wasn¡¯t the first time someone had tried to kill me, but this attempted assassination still left me shaken. The implications alone were scary enough. This obviously targeted me, specifically. How did the nomads know that ¡ª not only that I was with the army in the first place, but where and when I would be moving?


    I turned back to my guard. ¡°This can¡¯t stand. I expect my guards to show more competence in the future.¡±


    Aston bowed his head. ¡°I understand, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, Aston.¡± If nothing else, he¡¯d had more than enough opportunities to kill me. ¡°But if I hadn¡¯t used a priceless artifact from my personal collection, I would be dead now.¡±


    He bowed deeper, but didn¡¯t offer any more reassurances or protests.


    I sighed and watched the landscape pass by for a moment, although my gaze was drawn to Tenira after a bit. It felt good to see her whole and healthy, flying on her sword with her usual grace.


    ¡°You¡¯re staring, Inaris,¡± she said eventually, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I blushed a bit and shook my head. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just feeling a bit shaken from the attack, a bit tense.¡±


    She smiled wryly. ¡°Maybe you should take a concubine, you know. I hear that sort of activity is the best way to work out stress and nerves ¡­¡±


    I groaned, not quite sure if she was joking. Her suggestion didn¡¯t help my emotional unrest.


    Luckily, before I could ponder it further, I had a more important thought. I turned back to Aston. ¡°Actually, did we catch all the nomads? I know there was at least one person in the seventh stage with the attackers, but that technique had to come from someone in the seventh stage, too.¡±


    Aston inclined his head. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I assume that they couldn¡¯t take any more of their elites for this, as it might have drawn the suspicion of our forces. We did find the raider responsible for that attack. She took her own life before we could attempt to interrogate her.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to see?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He got a bag and opened it, taking out an object.


    I almost fell from my flying sword, having to jerk to the side to keep my balance. I¡¯d torn my eyes away after a glimpse, but I must have twitched more than I thought. ¡°Damn it, Aston! Warn me before you show me a severed head next time!¡±


    Tenira chuckled, but Aston didn¡¯t let any reaction show. ¡°I apologize, Your Highness. It¡¯s the usual procedure for dealing with high-stage cultivators.¡±


    ¡°Just ¡­ never mind. I assume the blue tint of the lips is from poison?¡±


    Aston explained in more detail what had happened, which was pretty much what I was expecting. They¡¯d found the nomad almost drained of qi, then, once she saw she was cornered, she¡¯d swallowed some pill and collapsed. Well, they surely would have tried to interrogate and then killed her.


    ¡°Did we make other captives?¡±


    ¡°A few.¡± But Aston¡¯s expression showed that he didn¡¯t think highly of our chances of getting anything useful.


    So far, the intelligence people hadn¡¯t had much luck with captives. We didn¡¯t get many in the first place. Some of the Zarieni preferred to go out fighting or even take their own life. And those that had been captured didn¡¯t know much. The nomads might seem barbaric, but they had a good concept of information security.


    After that, we traveled in silence. It didn¡¯t take long to reach the river, and follow it upstream for a few hundred meters. The walls of the town rose before us, but in front of them, another level of fortifications caught my eye. A low stone wall behind a ditch encircled a number of tents. As we came closer, I could make out more details. The tents had been placed in orderly rows forming an ellipse. There were a few huts, as well. I watched another group come from the road to the north and enter the camp. It made sense why it left space for more tents, and people were still working at the fortifications. There were a few vacant spots and several open gates. I couldn¡¯t help snorting in amusement as I noticed the scattered tents put up outside the camp proper.


    When we reached the camp, lots of soldiers gathered to watch us. Aston talked to a few of the guards, who went to work dispersing the onlookers. Most of them wore standard Imperial army uniforms, but some were obviously nobles or their retainers. At least the paths were wide, and we crossed the camp quickly.


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    Close to the center, a big tent had been put up. Aston opened the flap. ¡°Your temporary accommodations, Your Highness, Lady Tenira. The rest of the retinue should arrive in approximately an hour.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°What about the local commanders?¡±


    ¡°They respectfully suggest waiting with any strategy meeting until the rest of the troops that are coming, and their leaders, have arrived.¡±


    I stifled a sigh of relief at that. We weren¡¯t in a hurry, and I was glad to wait. So I entered the tent after Tenira. It was big, with a few compartments separated by cloth and several items of furniture. I wouldn¡¯t ask for anything better, although I got the impression this was only meant to be provisional.


    Tenira looked poked her head through one of the dividers. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a washroom with a shower and bathtub! I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m pretty clean still.¡±


    The smile she sent me could have lit up the tent. ¡°Thank you!¡± Then she hurried inside and the fabric swished as it settled into place.


    I snorted and started pacing. I wanted to sleep, but I was still feeling too hyped up for it. Tension coiled through my body, and I needed to burn it out. This tent felt too small suddenly.


    Especially as I heard the sound of fabric hitting the floor and the swishing of water. I sighed, shaking my head and trying not to think about it. I needed to get myself under control.


    Quickly, I got out of my robe and pulled another one on. Then I stepped out of the tent, where I found Aston keeping watch beside the entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m going on a walk through the camp,¡± I announced. ¡°Feel free to have me watched or followed by as many people as you like, but I want to remain incognito. Is that alright?¡±


    Aston made a few gestures at the other guards and nodded. ¡°Yes, my lady. Please give us a moment.¡±


    Maybe this wasn¡¯t a good idea, but this camp and my presence were so new that no spy should have been able to make any plans for an assassination, and besides, I was surrounded by loyal soldiers and my guards. Caution was good, but I didn¡¯t want to succumb to paranoia.


    I waited for a bit to give them time to prepare. Once I no longer saw any obvious guard, I left, pulling a bit of darkness qi around me. Once I reached the shadow of the nearest tent, I used more qi, hiding my presence as I darted to a spot two tents over. Once there, I removed my veil and walked forward, blending into the small crowd on the main path of the camp. That should be enough. I kept a bit of shadow on my face to make it difficult to identify, and avoided eye contact with anyone. The camp was busy enough that I shouldn¡¯t arouse any suspicion.


    The fresh air helped to clear my head a little, as did the new sights and sounds of the military camp. I walked through the paths, taking in the soldiers putting up tents, cleaning their weapons or armor, or just chatting with their comrades. They looked like they came from every corner of the continent, and I could hear a few different languages, although most people talked in Common. The scent of smoke lingered in the air, reminding me unpleasantly of the failed battle.


    I was still on edge from the fight and the knowledge people wanted to kill me, how close they¡¯d come. I felt restless. And horny.


    I sighed at myself. I had the feeling that ever since my transmigration, my self-control in that regard was strained more often. Maybe a difference in hormones. This body only just left puberty. And for all I know, a cultivator¡¯s supposedly improved health has an effect, too.


    Shaking my head, I continued walking, focusing on my surroundings.


    A few times, I saw people I recognized as my guards, although they were dressed as common soldiers. They didn¡¯t draw any attention to themselves and kept enough distance to me, so I tried to ignore them. I also avoided the center of the camp, and only lingered at the edges of the space the noble clans had claimed. That was easy to distinguish by their colorful tents, which they¡¯d put up with a little less organization.


    After a few minutes, I came to the outer areas of the camp. There was still space left, and a gap where they would probably put another gate. I stopped in an alley between a wooden hut and a few tents and leaned against the wall. From there, I watched the people passing by.


    The only one to come close was a young woman in ochre clothing that clung to her figure. She paused when she saw me. I didn¡¯t avert my eyes quickly enough, and she smiled and stepped closer.


    She felt like she was in the third or fourth stage, and looked no older than twenty. Probably no more than two or three years older than me mentally. The smile on her face brought out her warm brown eyes, and her dark hair shimmered a little in the fading sunlight.


    ¡°Watching people from the shadows?¡± she said. ¡°Do you see anything interesting?¡±


    I returned her smile. I wouldn¡¯t object to talking with a pretty girl. ¡°Definitely. If you come closer, I would even see it more clearly.¡±


    She stepped up and leaned against the wall close to me. ¡°Like this?¡±


    I turned to face her more fully. ¡°Much better. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Tia Yarani.¡±


    ¡°A lovely name, and it sounds even better with that hint of an accent you have. Are you from the west?¡±


    She smiled and leaned towards me a bit more. ¡°Thank you, I am. And you? What lovely name do you have to fit that pretty face, and where did you grow up to be so strong while so young?¡±


    I ducked my head, glad that she didn¡¯t seem to mind some awkward flirting. ¡°The center of the continent, although I¡¯ve traveled farther than you could imagine.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, a clear challenge in her eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try me? I¡¯ve traveled quite a bit for the army.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re not a camp follower.¡±


    Before I could say anything more, she reached out and slapped me.


    It stung a bit, but I didn¡¯t flinch. I rubbed my cheek, cursing my loose mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I deserved that.¡±


    It was probably more of an insult here. If only I¡¯d grown up here, I¡¯d probably know the signs that would express things like that, clues to one¡¯s status. At least the guards didn¡¯t react. They probably think we¡¯re just flirting.


    She snorted. ¡°Being a little awkward is cute, but try not to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Definitely still flirting. I took a step closer and straightened to my full height, which was a little taller than her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t disappoint such a beautiful lady and valiant soldier, now could I?¡±


    She licked her lips a bit, but didn¡¯t move away. ¡°I hope not.¡±


    I put a hand against the wall beside her and leaned closer, until I was crowding her a bit. ¡°Now, I do have an idea how I could make up for it. Should I try?¡±


    Her eyes widened a little as she stared into mine. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    I brought my face closer, still staring into her eyes. I took care to give her the option to move away, but she didn¡¯t. So I completed the motion and pressed my lips against hers. She responded, and I put my other hand to her cheek, deepening the kiss.


    We stayed like that for a bit until I stopped it, but I didn¡¯t step away.


    She smiled. ¡°Much better.¡±


    I moved my head a little until I could whisper into her ear. ¡°Now, since you asked. My name is Leri Inaris. Don¡¯t react, I¡¯d rather not make a scene.¡±


    She stiffened, but didn¡¯t move. When I stepped away, I could see how her eyes had widened in shock, but she even kept the smile on her face.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked.


    She ducked her head. ¡°I apologize for slapping you.¡±


    I smiled, more amused than I should be. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    She straightened up. For a moment, we stayed like that, looking at each other. I felt an impulse that was probably a really bad idea. I¡¯d only been playing around. But I liked the way she¡¯d stood up for herself, I felt like this wasn¡¯t a person who would let herself be pushed around.


    I stepped a little closer again. ¡°Actually, Tia Yarani,¡± I said in a quiet voice. ¡°I have a proposal for you.¡±


    She cocked her head. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My people tell me I should take a concubine or two. I wonder if you might be interested in coming to the palace with me.¡±


    Her eyes widened even further. ¡°What?¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Just to be clear, there won¡¯t be any consequences if you refuse. I promise I won¡¯t force or push you into anything, and you can leave at any time.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Just think about it, take your time.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to know what to say. ¡°I, uh -¡±


    ¡°Like I said, take your time to consider it.¡± I smiled at her for the last time, then left.


    Once I was walking through another street, I sighed and shook my head at myself. What did I just do?


    It had been impulsive, but I couldn¡¯t quite regret it. I hadn¡¯t felt any butterflies and didn¡¯t think I would fall in love, not that I wanted to, but I did find her attractive. This way, I didn¡¯t have to worry about political loyalties. But I promised myself that I would get to know her first and build trust before we did anything more.


    And I wouldn¡¯t be in a room with her without guards until they did a thorough background check.

 46: A closer look

    I pressed my sleeve against my face, trying to hold in a sneeze. A group of thousands of people could raise quite a bit of dust, especially on a gravel road. But I wanted to walk along with the army for a while.


    It wasn¡¯t the whole army, of course, but a sizable chunk of it. Many soldiers were still scattered through the region, reinforcing garrisons and trying to prepare defenses against the nomads. I felt like the war had entered the next phase. We¡¯d been marching for a few days already, and had covered a large distance.


    Unfortunately, the nomads didn¡¯t make it easy for us. They were more concentrated than previously, but still not a real army, and moved a bit quicker than my troops. Although we¡¯d managed to herd them somewhat, this wouldn¡¯t be over quickly.


    ¡°Thinking about your new ¡®recruit¡¯?¡± Lei asked. ¡°From what I heard, I don¡¯t think Tenira meant for you to go out and look for someone that instant, you know.¡±


    I snorted at the boy walking along beside me like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Tenira had fallen back a bit and was talking to Aston, so she must have missed this.


    I didn¡¯t really want to talk about Tia Yarani or why I¡¯d decided to pick her up. She was someone I knew wanted me without regard for my station or title. Maybe this was just my ego, but whatever. I was expected to gather lovers, why not start with her?


    ¡°And what did you do that night, Lei?¡± I asked.


    He blushed and looked away. ¡°Well ¡­¡±


    I tsked. ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t think I want to know.¡±


    He rolled his eyes at me, but didn¡¯t answer.


    I returned my attention to our surroundings. In the distance, I could see the mountains of the so-called Tip of the World rising into the sky. I imagined I could even see the ocean, but that was probably not it, since we weren¡¯t that close yet.


    ¡°Where are we going, exactly?¡± Lei asked.


    ¡°That depends on the nomads,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ve been herding them southwest-ward. That way, they can either head for the border, for the bay, or for the mountains. We¡¯d have the advantage at the bay, since we have naval support and they don¡¯t.¡±


    I paused as I considered that. The Yellow Graves were bordered by the ocean. On the other hand, both the Zarian Dominion and the Empire built up their naval power in the region, and wouldn¡¯t let the nomads develop any kind of navy.


    Before I could continue my explanation, a shift went through the soldiers as they changed course again, leaving the road to cut through the fields. I frowned and looked for Aston.


    ¡°Another course change, Your Highness,¡± he explained. ¡°They¡¯re heading further west, and seem to have increased their speed even more. We¡¯re trying to get more soldiers to the Itirakin, but it¡¯s going to be close.¡±


    I¡¯d given the order for this march and our current strategy, with the agreement of the commanders and nobles, but left the details up to the officers to handle. That included course adjustments like this.


    I frowned and looked at the map he showed me, a few new lines drawn in. ¡°That puts them a lot closer to the mountains, and they¡¯re cutting it pretty close to our forces at the regional base.¡±


    ¡°I assume they want to follow the bed of the Itirakin into the mountains,¡± Aston said, tracing another line.


    I sighed. There was a point on the map almost directly along the routes the nomads would take. ¡°Let¡¯s hope the evacuation is going well,¡± I muttered.


    Judging from Aston¡¯s expression, he didn¡¯t feel optimistic.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad if they reach the mountains, right?¡± Lei asked. I¡¯d almost missed him coming up behind me. He scrunched up his face. ¡°Trying to dislodge them from there will be a pain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but at least the mountains are mostly empty,¡± I said. ¡°What inhabitants there are will be able to flee from the Zarieni. Since they¡¯re used to handling flight, and the nomads are still a distance away and mostly on the ground.¡±


    It would be a pain, but at least we¡¯d keep the collateral damage down and the civilians mostly safe.


    Tenira walked up from Aston¡¯s other side. ¡°As soon as they¡¯re stuck somewhere, they¡¯re losing,¡± she said confidently. ¡°Time is on our side, right?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    The conversation died there. I took out my flying sword and ascended into the air again, trying to get a better view of everything. It didn¡¯t help much. The rest of my retinue, the older cultivators, were mostly airborne, too. Ever since the nomads¡¯ attack, they¡¯d stuck closer to me.


    Maybe the smarter ones knew better than to come along to war, and these are the suckers who got roped into it by the others. I shook my head. The thought amused me, but I probably shouldn¡¯t let anyone hear it.


    After that, not much happened. I stopped flying. We moved forward steadily, but didn¡¯t get any closer to catching up to the nomads. Occasionally, there would be a small course adjustment. I could see how certain officers exchanged more and more concerned glances. It didn¡¯t seem like the evacuation was going well.


    Eventually, General Wei approached me to explain, with a solemn face, that they wanted to withdraw the troops that got too close to the nomads. They needed to make sure the people they¡¯d evacuated reached sanctuary safely, and the nomads were starting to chase them with a vengeance.


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    I understood that, of course. Wei and the others knew what they were doing, and if they said the risk was too great, I couldn¡¯t disagree. From his expression, I knew that the local forces didn¡¯t manage to evacuate everyone. But if our forces were decimated by the nomads, it would be even worse.


    ¡°Of course, General, I trust you to handle this,¡± I answered.


    He bowed and withdrew to confer with his subordinates, many of whom were maintaining contact with local detachments through their communication devices.


    By now, we were starting to enter the foothills of the mountains, and I saw the Itirakin river coming closer. Ahead, the broad riverbed it followed would narrow, marking one of the main passes for getting deeper into the mountains. The nomads would have been following it for the last few kilometers.


    I squinted, trying to make out more details. The sun was setting, and the fading light of dusk didn¡¯t make it easier. But there was smoke rising from up ahead, wasn¡¯t there? We entered a wooded area now, which made it hard to be sure.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised when our march slowed down again, and Aston told me the officers wanted me to come to the front.


    Trying to keep calm, I made my way through the troops, who parted to let me pass easily. Once I reached a group of officers gathered at the front, I nodded to them, but my focus was drawn to the scene in front of us. The forest opened onto hilly terrain, where a settlement had been built in a small depression.


    I¡¯d expected bad news, but I still ground my teeth at the sight. It had once been a village. Now, the palisade was dented, splintered, and charred. Behind it, I could see a few smoldering ruins that had been houses not too long ago. A few remaining sources of orange glow left no doubt they had been thoroughly razed. But worse than that were the bodies. A few buried among their houses, more scattered over the main street like some giant had tossed out his toys. A few people in the tattered remains of armor were more visible, from the top of poles outside the village¡¯s ruins.


    I took a deep breath, and regretted it immediately as the hint of smoke on the air only made the scene more vivid.


    ¡°Let the army stop here,¡± I said after a moment. ¡°I want to take a closer look.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for a group of us to separate from the main host. Tenira stayed behind, while Lei accompanied me along with a few of the elders, and of course Aston and other guards. Soldiers already spread out in the air and on the ground to cover the surroundings. Wei and a few other high-ranking officers came along, as well.


    It didn¡¯t get any better as we neared the razed village. I pulled a scarf around my mouth and nose, trying to combat the smell of smoke and burning hair and other things. A few people in the group used techniques to light our way, and gave us a clearer image of the devastation. I tried not to look at the faces of the fighters outside the village as I took note of their heavy injuries, then entered through the destroyed gate.


    The inside of the village didn¡¯t leave any doubt that the nomad raiders had thoroughly followed the ¡®rape, pillage, and burn¡¯ tactic. Especially the bodies of the villagers. I had to be careful to pick my way across the debris scattered over the street, but barely noticed it as my attention was grabbed by the grisly scene.


    When we left the village on the other side, it felt like I¡¯d been breathing in someone¡¯s impression of hell for a while, and I removed the scarf and sucked in deep breaths of the clear evening air. No one had spoken, but I could hear a few others doing the same. There were also a few people retching, but I didn¡¯t check out who.


    I clenched and unclenched my fists, then shook my head at myself. Maybe I should be more affected, but it¡¯s probably a good thing I¡¯m not. Still ¡­ these were my people. This was a massacre, a war crime. I need to make sure something like this doesn¡¯t happen again.


    ¡°Looks like this field goes on for a bit,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll make camp there.¡± I pointed out a spot maybe a hundred meters from the destroyed village.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Wei asked.


    I turned to them. ¡°I want the soldiers to move through the village. After everyone¡¯s passed it, have the bodies gathered and funerals held according to the local customs.¡±


    The General bowed his head. ¡°As you command.¡±


    Oldtis-on-the-Itirakin had been a reasonably sized, bustling village. I had a rough idea of how many people had been killed here, so most of its population must have been evacuated or managed to flee from the raiders. Maybe these people hadn¡¯t wanted to leave their homes. Maybe they¡¯d barricaded themselves in, waiting for rescue. It doesn¡¯t really matter now. We still failed to protect them.


    I stayed mostly lost in my head while they threw up the camp. I didn¡¯t feel like retreating into my tent, so I paced atop a small hill, looking out over the forest and the mountains. The almost full moon shone down at us, and gazing up at it and the stars quieted me a bit.


    After a minute, the rustling of cloth betrayed Tenira¡¯s presence as she came up behind me. ¡°Inaris?¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I turned to face her and smiled. ¡°No need to be timid. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She stepped closer. ¡°If you¡¯re sure. I¡¯d understand if you felt bad.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I know that might sound wrong, but ¡­ I didn¡¯t know these people. They¡¯re dead, and that¡¯s bad. But it¡¯s not tragic for me.¡±


    Tenira nodded.


    I cleared my throat. I hadn¡¯t really considered that my order to have the army move through this would include my friends. It was a gamble, anyway ¡ª I hoped that it would increase their motivation, but too much and they might be too fervent and out for revenge.


    ¡°Did you walk through the village?¡±


    ¡°I flew over it.¡± Tenira glanced away.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably best.¡±


    She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°You¡¯re really alright? Even I feel a bit guilty, like I should have been able to prevent it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel guilty, not really.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I feel angry. At the nomads. For doing this. For putting me in this situation. And, well. These people were my citizens, I was supposed to rule them someday. Or their descendants, at least.¡±


    Tenira leaned against the single tree decorating this hill. She looked at me in silence for a moment, before she asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    I grunted. ¡°What do I want to do? I want to conquer these people¡¯s tribe, their civilians. Find out who the leaders¡¯ families are, by any means necessary, and toss the raiders a few heads. Use the rest as hostages and bait to force them into a real fight and crush them. String their corpses up along the border.¡±


    Tenira blinked. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But what will I do?¡± I continued. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure yet.¡±


    Tenira didn¡¯t seem put off. ¡°I think your self-control¡¯s impressive, but remind me not to make you angry.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Thanks.¡± My anger is usually a cold thing.


    For a moment, we just stood there in silence, while I tried to shore up that self-control more and deal with my emotions. Not easy at the best of times, but I appreciated Tenira¡¯s company.


    ¡°By the way, a group just arrived from the palace,¡± she said. ¡°Apparently, Kiyanu ¡ª he¡¯s in the eighth stage and loyal to the Empress, if you didn¡¯t know ¡ª took up residence there. We got a few more guards, and I think Kariva sent a few of her agents.¡±


    I smiled. That sounded good. ¡°We can use them. As soon as Aiki Ilia gets back to me, especially.¡±


    Tenira raised an eyebrow. ¡°She just came, as well, with a few bedraggled-looking strangers. It looks like she joined the new arrivals on the way.¡±


    My smile got wider. ¡°Tenira, you angel. I appreciate you.¡±


    She blushed. ¡°You¡¯re easy to please, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I laughed. That was a line just waiting to be built on, but I didn¡¯t want to ruin this. Instead, I started walking.


    I still had work to do, after all. War waits for no man, or woman, or other being.

 47: A taste of fear

    I felt like a historical marshal watching their army march along to battle. Although I should probably sit on a horse for that picture, not stand on a flying sword.


    I turned and watched the mountains rising up behind the soldiers. This mountain range really wasn¡¯t big, but its sickle shape stretched across most of the horizon from here. The Central Mountains had peaks just as high, but not directly at the edge and everywhere. I doubted that this was made naturally, but who knew?


    Around me, a lot of people bustled around, both on the ground and in the air. Besides the guards, most of the members of my retinue weren¡¯t far. They could use some of the fluent discipline the soldiers showed. A bit annoyed, I moved further away, letting them sort themselves out while I ascended further, closer to the main body of the army.


    Tenira didn¡¯t let me get away, following at once. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust the rest, Inaris?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think they know that you just plan to lure the nomads out. A few of the officers were pretty surprised at the official plan, as well.¡±


    I rolled my eyes a bit and turned around. ¡°Well, it is a bit of a test. If the nomads don¡¯t take the bait, I plan to continue and actually sack their base.¡± That would be a point of evidence on whether we had a traitor in our ranks, as well. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to kill civilians.¡±


    Despite what I¡¯d said I wanted to do, was the implication here, but I didn¡¯t spell it out.


    Tenira waved that away. ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s just hope that the raiders don¡¯t, and take the hint.¡± She frowned. ¡°We are moving pretty directly to where Aiki Ilia said, but it¡¯s not like they could tell our exact destination just from the direction we¡¯re going now.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re clearly moving to the border, so ¡­¡±


    Of course, we left a few task forces behind, so the nomads couldn¡¯t simply abscond from the mountains and go raid deeper inland. At least not easily. But I didn¡¯t worry too much. Even if they knew what we were doing, they¡¯d still feel a need to defend their homes and families. That was why we were doing this, after all.


    I just spared a second to be thankful that the capital and palace were far away from the Zarieni, not that they could realistically take it.


    The army was picking up speed now, despite the lack of a road to follow. At least the grassy plain should be easy enough to handle. Although not for everyone. I watched one of my elder clan members stumbling and falling onto his face.


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°Leave it to Uncle Liarni. He¡¯s been more interested in the local bars than the war.¡±


    I snorted. Liarni looked to be at least sixty, and was in the fifth stage. His cultivation probably wouldn¡¯t advance much further.


    For a while, we flew above the army, beneath a few riders on flying beasts. The guards took the hint and gave us a bit of privacy. Lei walked on the ground, talking to an elite with animated gestures. Wei and a few other officers traveled in a wagon, probably strategizing.


    ¡°I just pray they¡¯re all coming out of the battle unharmed,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Most of them, at least.¡±


    I cocked my head. ¡°Do you actually pray? To whom?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± Tenira shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve given offerings to the Moon a few times. Like most of the family, I suppose. Maybe because it¡¯s the most convenient option.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I¡¯d heard there was a shrine to the Greater Spirit of the Moon on the palace grounds, but I¡¯d never visited. Maybe I should go take a look at some point.


    ¡°I was never very religious even on my old world,¡± Tenira said. ¡°And now, well, it¡¯s not exactly the afterlife we were promised, is it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, same here,¡± I admitted. It didn¡¯t help that even the Greater Spirits were closer to just really powerful spirits than the kind of deity I¡¯d associate with a modern religion. That magic existed didn¡¯t mean there was some spiritual higher being, intrinsic morality, or an afterlife.


    Although, I was reincarnated. I should probably take that into account.


    We fell into a thoughtful silence. After a while, I noticed that guards and others had drifted up towards us, so we were no longer alone. The mountains seemed to move across the horizon and away, as we marched in a diagonal course from them. Soon, I could no longer make out the camp the army had built, even though they¡¯d added a number of fortifications over the days we¡¯d spent there.


    And yet I didn¡¯t see any sign of the nomads.


    Finally, I shook my head and started to descend further. It didn¡¯t look like they were coming. Maybe there was more we could do.


    I squinted against the midmorning sun and looked for Aiki Ilia. Since I didn¡¯t find her, she was probably with the commanders. So I maneuvered to the main wagon and jumped onto its edge, grabbing my flying sword from the air. Although I hadn¡¯t said anything, Tenira followed.


    I nodded to the guard, then unlatched the door and pulled it open. Either the wagon was deceptively small, or it was actually bigger on the inside. Although it looked cramped, it had room for half a dozen people and a small table strewn with maps or documents. They all looked up at my entrance and bowed.


    ¡°Have I missed anything?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, Your Highness,¡± Zun answered. ¡°We were simply going over the plans.¡±


    I¡¯d participated in making those plans, so I knew they didn¡¯t need much revision. We¡¯d prepared for the ¡®contingency¡¯ of the nomad raiders going after us in force, and drawn up plans for a battle.


    I nodded and looked for Aiki Ilia. ¡°How are things going at the nomads¡¯ camp?¡±


    ¡°My men report that they follow their usual routines, my lady,¡± she answered. ¡°They seem unaware of the team.¡±


    I considered for a moment. ¡°Is there some way they would know we were coming?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°If my men showed themselves, it would certainly indicate that. It would have to be very bad luck for them to be discovered. Of course, we have to assume they¡¯re in contact with the raiders, who know where we are heading.¡±


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    I thought for a moment. Kariva still hadn¡¯t reported any success in finding out who had leaked the information about Mother going into seclusion. Of course, with every functionary to go through, and their guards, servants and whoever they might have told, that could take a while. But that leak was probably associated with how the nomads had known where to attack me.


    ¡°This wagon is too bumpy.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Carry on, lords and ladies, but I¡¯ll borrow Aiki for a moment. I want to know details about this camp.¡±


    Before anyone could object, I stepped back out of the wagon, jumping to the ground. Aiki Ilia followed me quietly.


    I looked at the guards and soldiers marching beside us with a bit of distance to the wagon. ¡°You must have some way to ensure privacy?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± She took out a drop-shaped talisman and fed some qi into it. I could feel a barrier pop up around us.


    Good. I asked, ¡°Again, is there some way we can put more pressure on them?¡±


    ¡°The simplest would be to have my men show themselves, as I said, my lady. I could order them to act more aggressively and try to corral the nomads.¡±


    ¡°Do that,¡± I ordered. ¡°Let¡¯s give them a taste of fear. And tell me if there¡¯s anything else, you should be able to get a hold of Aston.¡±


    She bowed.


    I turned away, feeling the barrier dissipate. Rather than stick around, I took out my flying sword and ascended once again.


    Tenira must have left after seeing me go into the wagon. I should have said something to her, I realized. After a bit of searching, I found her accompanying Lei towards the front, the two of them deep in conversation with a few of the army¡¯s crafting specialists.


    I drifted towards the end of the army, coming back to where San Hashar and her people were. Many of them traveled through the air on their flying beasts, screening the army or scouting. My plan for them hadn¡¯t really worked out like I¡¯d thought. Live and learn, I guess. And try to stay with my minders more.


    I traveled alongside them, watching them going about their business. Soon, I could start to pick out patterns, and the way they changed them up. After I was bored with that, I turned to the marching soldiers.


    A shout rising from the army broke me from my contemplation. I glanced around, then looked back to the mountains. I saw a few dark dots that hadn¡¯t been there before. They were growing bigger.


    Wei and the other commanders must have left the wagon at some point. I could see him striding through the ranks, barking orders. The soldiers responded. Like a well-practiced move, the army stopped, then reshuffled itself. The wagons and a few other groups were moved to the back, while the soldiers rearranged themselves at the front. More of them rose into the air, and everyone spread out further.


    I rose a bit to get a better view, then cycled some qi into my eyes. It looked like the main group of raiders had spilled from the mountains on foot, going in our direction. They were moving quite quickly, but the flying group outpaced them. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but that had to be their elites. The group was too small otherwise.


    I got back to Wei. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we start moving towards them? We want to engage them, as quickly as possible, and it would be good to find the best ground for it.¡± One of the things I knew about war even on Earth was that the army getting to choose the terrain and their position held an advantage.


    Wei turned his head, then bowed. ¡°Quite true, Your Highness.¡± He started hollering orders again, and the army moved forward.


    The next few minutes were tense, as we watched the nomads coming closer and went to meet them. After I could make out individual weapons glinting with the naked eye, Wei called a halt. We were positioned atop a wide, if rather low hill. The terrain around us was all plains, which should be good for a field battle. I joined Wei and the other commanders on the highest part, looking over the battlefield, with Tenira beside me and the rest of my retinue close by.


    Suddenly, San Hashar was at my side. ¡°Your Highness, we may have to evacuate you.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    Another general swore in a foreign language and gestured upwards. ¡°That person is not in the seventh stage.¡±


    I followed where he was pointing and sent more qi into my eyes. A group of nomads preceded their force, all of them decked out with obviously high-tier equipment and weapons. But one of them outstripped the rest, at the heart of their group. Even from here, I could see the haze around them, the way the air seemed to waver in their presence. Damn it! An eighth-stager!


    I shook my head. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Call for reinforcements!¡± There has to be some Imperial eighth-stager in a position to help, right?


    Several people started talking and forming qi constructs. I guessed one of them would be headed to the capital, others to major cities in the region, and most importantly, one to the closest of the newly built telegraph stations. I assumed other people in the eighth stage could feel the nomad¡¯s presence at some distance, but I wasn¡¯t clear on the specifics.


    ¡°They must have veiled themselves quite well, and kept it up for all this time,¡± General Wei muttered. ¡°At least it¡¯s clearly a newly ascended one.¡±


    ¡°We should at least try to stall them,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe try to negotiate?¡±


    The commanders argued for a bit, until they decided on General Jie, who was apparently the strongest cultivator present, to approach the nomads with a few elites. The general formally saluted me and rose in the air, but not without sending a few sour looks at his colleagues.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the nomads to come close enough. As expected, their main force lagged behind, but would be here in ten minutes at most. The flying ones already took up what I presumed to be battle formations, with the elite group as the speartip. I could feel the eighth-stager¡¯s aura pressing down on me. Now that I got a better look, he seemed like a middle-aged man with long hair. They moved forward to meet our envoy.


    I couldn¡¯t hear what was said, although the expressions on the faces of the nomads didn¡¯t give me much hope. It didn¡¯t take long for the meeting to end, with the nomad powerhouse sending a bolt of energy to explode between them in a pretty clear gesture.


    Our envoys retreated, the general setting down close to the command group quickly. ¡°I tried to threaten their tribe,¡± he reported. ¡°Saying that we would have them all dealt with before they could intervene if they didn¡¯t withdraw. They responded that they¡¯d make sure to crush us quickly, then.¡±


    I cursed, then shook my head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s ¡­¡±


    I trailed off and stared as another feeling of power came over us, accompanied by a bright flash from the north.


    I couldn¡¯t quite process what happened, except for an impression of something moving through the air. The next second, a man stood on the hill, the commanders stepping back in a hurry. He had salt-and-pepper hair with a short beard and tan skin that bore several scars. His robes swished in a breeze around him, uniform but gleaming blue. But he stood no taller than me, his lean figure a deceptive contrast to the aura he radiated.


    ¡°Lord Kiyanu.¡± San Hashar and most of the other officers bowed quickly.


    I swallowed. And here I thought I had a handle on cultivators¡¯ strength. He came here from the palace in what, two minutes? The eighth stage really was a jump in power.


    The man nodded at them, then stepped forward and turned a searching gaze on me. I tried not to flinch under his regard.


    ¡°Princess Inaris.¡± He bowed. It was short and seemed perfunctory, but some of the pressure on me eased.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile in relief as I bowed shallowly in response. ¡°Lord Kiyanu, your timing is perfect.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He grunted. ¡°I can¡¯t let some raiders lay waste to the Empire, and threaten Her Majesty¡¯s heir. I owe your Mother too much for that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°The palace?¡±


    ¡°The guards are on alert, and I called reinforcements and my personal disciples.¡±


    That was good to hear. I glanced at the enemies. They seemed to have paused at Kiyanu¡¯s power, but we needed to make this quick. ¡°Can you take him away from the scene, to keep the devastation of a fight down?¡±


    Kiyanu grinned. ¡°That¡¯s barely a challenge. Just watch. Or better yet, deal with the rest.¡±


    Before I could respond, he was off again.


    I barely turned in time to watch what happened. Kiyanu crashed into the nomad fighter. That one flew back a few meters, then sent out a wave of what might have been oversized hail. Kiyanu snapped his fingers, creating a gust of wind that gathered all of it up, blocking the attack. Then he shot forward again, this time in an arc that brought him beneath the now out of position nomad. The only thing I saw after that was a streak as he brought him upwards with a speed I could hardly track.


    Okay, then.


    I returned my gaze to the remaining nomads, the elites and the ground soldiers, who¡¯d continued getting closer. We still had a battle to fight.

 48: Field battle

    It would have been epic, if I hadn¡¯t been in the middle of it. Right now, I could only swallow nervously as I looked out over the battlefield. Instead of epic music, there was the creaking and snapping of equipment, raised voices, and the thud of boots on the ground. My qi senses strained to keep track of everything as cultivators unveiled their auras.


    I closed my eyes for a moment, curling my senses towards myself and locking my knees. After a few deep breaths, it got easier to deal with. The stronger ones would be farther away from me, except for the guards, who kept their power on a leash.


    ¡°Are you absolutely sure about this, Your Highness?¡± Aston asked.


    I continued walking forward. ¡°Yes. I need to participate, at least.¡±


    People hadn¡¯t been happy when I¡¯d said that during the planning, but I didn¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t sit on the sidelines while the battle happened.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t suicidal. As I stepped toward the back of the Imperial lines, I looked over the Imperial Guard and other soldiers forming up around me, a few of them from San Hashar¡¯s group. I would be well protected.


    Tenira stayed beside me, her presence a comforting anchor to my senses. She looked out over the field, frowning.


    The army spread out around us. Instead of the crowded lines I might have expected from Earth, they left more space between each warrior, allowing them to fight to their fullest. At least the nobles¡¯ forces seemed well integrated. They formed the flanks of the army and many of the groups in the air, taking their place in the battle formation with no issues.


    ¡°A lot of people are going to die,¡± I said.


    Tenira glanced at me. ¡°I know you ordered them to ¡®take prisoners, but not at the cost of our soldiers¡¯ lives or safety¡¯. That means there aren¡¯t going to be many, if any, prisoners. It¡¯s hard to deal with cultivators, short of killing them. Why do you think our laws apply harsher penalties, and usually no prison-time, for stronger ones? It¡¯ll be a hundred times worse in a battle.¡±


    I nodded. I knew Imperial laws were that way, and could understand the reasoning. It would take a lot of resources to keep a high-stage cultivator imprisoned. But that didn¡¯t mean I had to like it. Hopefully, we could at least take the lower-level raiders prisoner, especially the wounded ones.


    The elites were the first ones to begin the battle. Colored lights lit up the sky as they clashed. Some of them fought on the ground, but most danced through the sky, trying to both hurt the enemy and keep the clash over their fighters, so the spillover wouldn¡¯t affect their own people.


    Probably one more reason we¡¯d spread out like this. And I knew the elites would probably decide the course of the battle. But if we could take out the main army, that would free our mid-level fighters to help them and secure our victory.


    A thunderous crack cut through the sky, making even the elites hesitate for an instant. Darkness spread out from a point far upwards, fading as it touched on the qi of the fighters.


    Okay, the eighth-stagers will decide this, I corrected myself. But Kiyanu seemed stronger than the other one, probably in the middle of the eighth stage. He¡¯s got this.


    I needed to worry over the battle, not the clash of titans I couldn¡¯t influence. So I rose in the air a little on my flying sword, taking stock. Our army had drawn up defensive positions and forced the nomads to come to them. While they¡¯d hesitated a bit, it seemed they were now taking the initiative. They charged, and the front ranks were already clashing.


    I took a deep breath and pulled my weapon from my spatial ring. I could have worn armor, but my current robes were almost as good. While I could wear heavy armor for hours, that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to, or that it wouldn¡¯t sap my strength. And even though I¡¯d lost my most potent defensive talisman, I wore most of the rest. The unfamiliar weight of three rings and two necklaces attested to that. I¡¯ll be fine. Focus on the enemy.


    I raised my spear, the enchanted head with black and silver lines etched into it gleaming. The black deepened as I fed qi into it. A moment later, I finished, channeling the attack technique through the weapon and letting it fly to crash into the enemy ranks. It hit the shield of a nomad, and the darkness expanded as Void¡¯s Nibble ate into it. The next moment, an attack from an Imperial combatant downed the man. A bit of the dark mass splattered off, latching onto the weapon of a passing raider.


    I channeled the next attack, putting more power into it. This time, I aimed for an elite in the air who was occupied fighting an Imperial. But the raider dodged at the last second, and my technique disappeared into the sky. I cursed and readied my next attack.


    While I fought, I tried to keep an eye on the battle around me. It wasn¡¯t easy, with the chaos of so many fights and the qi thrown around. There was no way they¡¯d let me fight in melee combat, but even here I barely had a sense of the larger picture.


    No runner or message came to tell my any important news. I hoped that was a good sign.


    The soldiers in front of my group advanced slowly, so I stepped forward as well. At first, it was only a meter every few attacks, but soon, we started marching forward at a steady pace. The nomads were getting pushed back.


    I glanced around, trying to ignore the chaos in my qi senses and to see the rest of the battlefield. It looked like our center advanced more than the rest. The sides had spread out so far there were people fighting practically at the horizon. But we still had an edge in numbers there, so it should be okay.


    I focused on the fight again, wincing as a huge fireball sailed in my direction. One of my guards intercepted it with a wall of water. Steam shot into the sky, obscuring my sight for a moment. A scream cut through the din of battle, and once it lightened, I saw the corpse of a nomad fighter who¡¯d been caught in the technique.


    It wasn¡¯t the first death scream I¡¯d heard today, but I tried not to think about that. I gathered enough qi for a new attack, launching a lance of light at another nomad. She caught it on her shield, then my line of sight was interrupted as someone crashed a huge boulder into the battlefield.


    I changed tactics, cycling more light qi and focusing on a new technique. I spread my qi out over the people in front of me, coating the soldiers in a thin layer of light. I could sense Light¡¯s Speed buffing them, even if the effect didn¡¯t amount to much since they were mostly stronger cultivators than me.


    I picked up my pace, advancing further. The number of the nomads facing us seemed to lighten, and I intended to press the advantage. The guards and soldiers around me echoed my movement. A quick glance assured me that the rest of the lines, or what had been lines, didn¡¯t lag far behind. Further off, the fight seemed to have devolved into duels and group battles rather than a field battle, with Imperials and nomads mixing on the plain.


    Suddenly, a roar of thunder shook the sky again. Darkness descended for a moment, so deep even I couldn¡¯t see through it. I covered my ears and cowered. A pressure wave of qi washed down on us, forcing me to sprawl down and blanking my senses.


    When I raised my head, I saw chaos. The phenomenon, probably an aftereffect of an eighth stager¡¯s attack, had sent people flying and halted the battle temporarily. I picked myself up and staggered forward. The guards around me had managed to keep their formation pretty well. Aston rose from his knees and kept close to me.


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    A number of soldiers hadn¡¯t been so lucky. I tried to assess the damage during this short lull, looking at the dead and wounded scattered not too far from here. I¡¯d almost decided to retreat, when a familiar qi signature caught my attention. Hesitating for a moment, I walked forward and knelt down next to the soldier.


    He wore a standard uniform and had advanced to the late part of the third stage, but I recognized his face from the sect. Lorn Rhis. His eyes were open. When he saw me, he tried to speak, but was interrupted by a cough.


    I glanced at the guards around me, some of them only staggering to me now. Then I focused on my qi senses, breathing deeply to center myself. Tracing the life around me, I pulled nature-affinity qi to me. It scraped against my core and channels, but I pushed it out and into Lorn, forming a technique I¡¯d practiced a few times at the palace.


    He had internal injuries, that I could sense now. I pushed healing energy into him, giving his body the power to combat them and weaving the qi into the damaged tissue to heal it. I couldn¡¯t keep it up for more than a few moments, the qi dissipated after that, but he looked a lot better.


    I stood up and checked him over, but didn¡¯t find any major problems now.


    He raised himself up, eyes wide. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    At that moment, another wave of qi crashed down from the sky. This time, it wasn¡¯t as overwhelming, but the earth trembled. I staggered, almost falling down. A few of the guards around me did the same.


    I sensed Lorn moving, but a surge of qi distracted me. Before I could react to the attack, he tackled me.


    I thudded to the ground. I only had a moment to wonder before I watched a fireball burning with qi get caught on an earthen shield Aston raised.


    I shook my head and got up, looking at Lorn. My guards would have caught that attack, hopefully, or at the very least my defensive enchantments. But I couldn¡¯t fault his reaction.


    ¡°Looks like being a soldier suits you, Lorn,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get a commendation when this is over. Now, you should probably get back to your unit, and I¡¯ll retreat a little.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He smiled, the expression almost hidden by the dirt on his face, and bowed deeply.


    I headed back in the direction we came from, only sparing a glance to see Lorn hurrying to a group of soldiers that must have been scattered by the blast. The guards drew tighter around me, and Aston barely gave me any personal space on his side.


    Once we¡¯d reached the back of what I could generously call the Imperial formation, I stopped and tried to get a better view of the battlefield. The two blasts had impacted the middle of it more than the sides, and scattered the lines even further. But all in all, it didn¡¯t seem like much had changed.


    I focused and started fighting again. From time to time, I¡¯d take a shot, but I mostly concentrated on buffing the soldiers. That would probably help more for the large picture, and I needed to conserve my qi a little.


    I lost track of time, as the roar of the battle and the many types of qi pressing in on me strained my senses, narrowing my focus to the fight. Occasionally, I¡¯d glance around, but it was hard to see how the rest of the battle progressed. Only the steadily shrinking number of nomad fighters to defeat and the advancing Imperial fighters let me know we were winning.


    Finally, my concentration was shattered by the arrival of a messenger. He touched down behind a ring of guards and bowed deeply. ¡°Your Highness, General Wei reports the battle is coming to a close. The nomads have broken, and the commanders are now focusing on trying to hunt down as many of them as possible.¡±


    I exhaled, feeling as if hours of stress started to leave me. ¡°Great. Tell him I¡¯ll see him soon.¡±


    Then I turned back to look over the battlefield. My guards had relaxed a bit at the news, and didn¡¯t crowd me as closely. Now that I¡¯d heard it, I noticed how much emptier the field had become, most of the people still on it only because they were unable to leave.


    I started walking, curious about the knots of still standing soldiers. From some of them, I could clearly feel qi in use, indicating the fighting wasn¡¯t finished.


    After half a minute, Aston cleared his throat. ¡°My lady, they¡¯re calling for you. Over there.¡±


    I followed where he was pointing and sped up. As I came closer and the haze of the battle started to lift, I could make out a large number of soldiers forming a ring around a group of people. They parted to let us through. After a moment, I recognized San Hashar and a few elites standing over a few nomads. They seemed unharmed, but I could barely detect a flicker of qi from them.


    San Hashar bowed as she saw me. Two of her elites grabbed one of the nomads and pulled him away from the others.


    ¡°That seems to be the leader of the foot soldiers, Your Highness,¡± San Hashar said.


    I nodded. ¡°Have you tried to interrogate him?¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°He was not being cooperative. If you¡¯d let me use some forceful interrogation ¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°No torture, or anything like that.¡± I still had my standards, and I wouldn¡¯t allow that. Well, if it was absolutely necessary, maybe, but not like this.


    ¡°Well, then ¡­¡± San Hashar glanced at the spectators, then nodded at her soldiers. They unhanded him.


    The spectators started muttering. I didn¡¯t like their expressions. This looked like it was going to be a tradition, or some symbolic thing. Clearly, they wanted me to kill him.


    Well. Realistically, he¡¯s going to die either way, I realized. Even if I wanted to, what else could I do? Try to keep him captive for centuries? Let him go back to the Yellow Graves only to return with the next raid?


    I grabbed my spear more tightly and looked at the man. He¡¯d probably reached the seventh stage, although it was difficult to tell with how drained of qi he was. His clothes were more elaborate than those of the other nomads, with pearls and crystals stitched into them, but they showed several bloody spots. He had long, gray-streaked hair and a weather-beaten face set in a determined scowl.


    ¡°Are you going to kill me now?¡± he asked. His Common was accented, but pretty good.


    I took a step closer and considered for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a fight if you answer one question. Why did you invade us? It¡¯s obvious this was more than a usual raid. Whoever started this probably expected you to fail.¡±


    He considered this for a moment. The Zarieni nomads were a warrior culture. I knew that he would want to die on his feet, with a weapon in hand.


    ¡°The Zarian,¡± he answered after a moment, grimacing. ¡°They sent a delegation a few days before. Our Lord and the shaman met with them.¡±


    Pretty much what I¡¯d expected. And I knew the Zarieni nomads didn¡¯t hold much love for the Zarian Dominion, so I wasn¡¯t surprised he ratted them out. ¡°The shaman?¡± I asked.


    His eyes moved upward for an instant, then back down quickly. He didn¡¯t say anything, but that was enough. That must be the eighth-stager.


    San Hashar and the soldiers stepped back farther, giving us room. I didn¡¯t expect the guards to stand by and let him kill me if it came to that, and from the looks he gave them, the nomad didn¡¯t, either. But he didn¡¯t hesitate for long. Before I could settle into a fighting stance, he charged me.


    Light qi still covered me, increasing my speed. I stepped aside, twirling my spear and stabbing forward. He ducked aside just in time. I knew that even drained of qi, his body had been enhanced with it through many breakthroughs, making him stronger than me and just as quick.


    But I hadn¡¯t given his weapon back, which meant I had the advantage. I used the spear to keep the distance open, probing his reactions with light attacks.


    He jumped forward again. I sidestepped and gave a real thrust, piercing his shoulder and throwing him to the ground.


    Standing over him, my spear still pinning him to the ground, I shook my head. ¡°I suppose that was our fight. Now, I have another question. The last one, I promise. If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll let my guards try to pry the answer out of you.¡± A bluff, but he wouldn¡¯t know that. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll let you die on your feet.¡±


    He licked his lips, then glanced at the soldiers, probably weighing my publicly given promise.


    ¡°When you tried to kill me, how did you know where I was?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He winced as I put more pressure on the spear. ¡°But the shaman sent some of his people on a raid without telling us what he was doing.¡±


    I sighed. That didn¡¯t sound like I would have much luck with questioning anyone else. But I carefully pulled the spear out of the nomad and took a step back.


    He rose, swaying on his feet. The wound still bled freely, and he looked paler than before. But he didn¡¯t let that stop him. He raised his hands and moved forward again, determination in his eyes.


    I didn¡¯t draw it out this time. I thrust my spear into his throat, then yanked hard. I let his body fall, but turned away without looking, dismissing my weapon into storage.


    The surrounding soldiers cheered, but I couldn¡¯t muster the energy to respond. Instead, I started trudging away, only giving San Hashar a short nod. Aston and the rest of the guards followed me in silence.


    We¡¯d only made it a few meters before I noticed a presence approaching so quickly I didn¡¯t see more than a blur. I blinked, then realized Kiyanu stood a few meters away.


    ¡°I take it your fight went well?¡± I said.


    He nodded. ¡°I took that from his corpse before I threw it into the ocean.¡± He held up a device in the shape of a bird shining with qi. ¡°A communication talisman with a trail leading south, to the Zarian Dominion. I overheard what your opponent said, but this is probably where the trail ends.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It looks like it. Still, I¡¯m very grateful for your intervention, Lord Kiyanu.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± He glanced over the battlefield. ¡°You have this well in hand, so I¡¯ll return to the palace. My lady.¡±


    He bowed, and before I could respond, he seemed to vanish again. I only got an impression of his presence moving north.


    I sighed and shook my head, then resumed walking towards the commanders. We¡¯d just won the war, but the work wasn¡¯t over.

 49: Civilians

    I felt like the scent of smoke was permanently stuck in the back of my mouth, etched into my pharynx like a scar of battle and war. A reminder of everything that had happened over the course of this affair, and the destruction and death I¡¯d witnessed.


    I shook my head, dispelling the melodramatic thoughts. I¡¯d ordered the dead nomad fighters burned, as that went according to their beliefs. Or so I¡¯d read, but I hadn¡¯t had the time to learn as much about their culture before our departure from the palace as I wished. They believed the smoke of the fire sent them to join their ancestors.


    I wished I could just get out and breath some of the fresh air, but this model of airship was different than the ones I¡¯d used before, and didn¡¯t have an open deck. So I had to stay here, where the scent of the pyres seemed to be trapped in the hold. But it could be worse.


    I refocused on the landscape. While I hadn¡¯t understood the name ¡®Yellow Graves¡¯, seeing it like this helped me get how it fit. The main part of the peninsula, or whatever you wanted to call it, was a desert. Not the usual kind, though. It wasn¡¯t that hot here, since it was actually pretty far south of the equator. But the area didn¡¯t get much rain, and the rocky crags and mesas hid the life they harbored well. The stone had a reddish tint that often devolved to orange.


    And then there was the jungle, which bordered the desert sometimes pretty abruptly. The trees didn¡¯t look too different from Earth¡¯s at first glance, except that the forests held many trees belonging to several species with yellow leaves. It looked a bit like it was always autumn, except the shades were a little off. Although the color was a soft, natural yellow, that might hide the danger of this place.


    The whole region was desolate, prone to giving its inhabitants hard lives. No wonder the Zarieni nomads¡¯ culture still focused on being displaced, even such a long time after they¡¯d reluctantly settled here, or that it had such a heavy martial tint.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± Tenira said, coming up to me. ¡°We just got word that the last of the ships have set sail.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good.¡±


    ¡°I think I understand why you need them.¡± She frowned. ¡°But it¡¯s going to be a logistical nightmare.¡±


    She was probably right there. But I¡¯d deal with it after we¡¯d secured the nomads¡¯ camp, not that it would take long. The current force riding in this and the other airship, and the soldiers riding on spirit beasts or qi techniques outside, might be considerably smaller than the army. But they included most of the elites and no soldier below the middle of the fourth stage.


    A few raiders had escaped the battle, and would need to be hunted down. Some might manage to cross the border, but I didn¡¯t worry too much about it. The locals could take care of it. So the main army was already headed back to Blue Valley City, from where many would return north. But this needed to be done, too.


    Going myself was a risk, I knew that, but I didn¡¯t want to leave it to anyone else. Besides, we¡¯d made sure the other tribes stayed away, we had a lot of elites with us, and were still far from the Zarian border. And I¡¯d kept it as secret as I could.


    ¡°The Zarian Dominion isn¡¯t going to be happy about this,¡± Tenira said.


    ¡°They can kiss my - ¡± I cut myself off, since the expression didn¡¯t actually exist in this language. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t care. They can¡¯t honestly object to us fighting against people they¡¯re officially hostile to, especially in these circumstances. And they¡¯ve done more than enough to raise tensions all on their own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± Tenira¡¯s expression darkened.


    Luckily, the nomad tribe, or its sad remnants now that we¡¯d annihilated their raiders, was actually close to the Imperial border. They¡¯d moved far to the west and taken shelter in a particularly dense area of the jungle, or rather where it met the few mountains decorating the Yellow Graves¡¯ western coast. We¡¯d reach their location soon.


    I frowned as I noticed a prickle in my senses. It had actually been there before, as I now realized, but too weak to notice. Now, I focused on it. Something in my qi senses. A sort of ¡­ pull, maybe? No, not on me. This is like watching someone do a technique in the distance, but different.


    After a bit of thought, I realized what the feeling meant. I rolled my eyes. Of course. We were nearing the ocean, this was the closest I¡¯d ever been since coming to this world. I was feeling the tide. Maybe just the pull of the masses of water, or maybe there was actually some qi driving the whole thing? I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    ¡°There¡¯s going to be high tide soon,¡± I said. If I leaned forward at the window and squinted, I could see a bit of the ocean.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Tenira shrugged. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t really matter to our ships.¡±


    I watched in silence for the next few minutes, as we got closer to the few mountains separating the jungle beneath us from the ocean. The airships were flying pretty low. I was just grateful that the other nomad tribes seemed to have decided not to get in our way.


    Soon, the airship started to slow down. I fidgeted a bit, looking after the soldiers descending to the ground as well as I could. Aston wouldn¡¯t let me down until they¡¯d ensured it would be safe.


    Long minutes later, we got a call from the ground, and some of the guards opened the hatch. After they left, I stepped up to it, taking a deep breath as I felt the draft. But I took my flying sword, held it over the opening with my domain, stepped up, then let myself fall through the hole.


    Wind whistled around me, but I controlled my speed and braked, pulling up beside the guards. Tenira joined me quickly, then Lei and the a few others from the entourage before the rest of the guards.


    I looked down at the nomad camp, nestled beneath a protrusion of rock on one side and the edge of the jungle on the other. There was a rocky clearing around it, but not much space besides that. A shield of qi covered it, or used to, as I could only feel its tattered remnants now. The camp itself consisted of many huts made from wood and stone, some of them erected with trees at their center. They looked flimsy, but I could sense the hint of qi in their structures. They might have been put up quickly and without much care, but would protect their inhabitants from the elements. All of them were pretty big, probably housing several families.


    At the moment, the camp was illuminated by walls of fire around its edges, which also showed a lot of other magic feats, like lightning strikes or walls of earth. They soldiers were making a statement. I could see them standing or flying around the camp, with teams going through it.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the commanding officer, one of San Hashar¡¯s subordinates, to step out of a hut and wave at us. So our group started flying towards them. Meanwhile, I focused on my senses and tried to get an idea of how many presences I found.


    At least several thousand villagers. It felt like the camp offered space for more, but it was still relatively full.


    I touched down in the biggest clear opening and looked around. It smelled of wood and dust, and I could hear the low sound of voices talking in a foreign language. A few of the nomads were peeking out or even standing outside of their dwellings, glaring at the Imperial soldiers, but most seemed to wait inside. Even those I saw barely hid their fear. Their clothes were similar to the fighters I¡¯d seen, but with less decorations, and they showed more wear and tear.


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    I turned to the officers, who waited at a respectful distance. ¡°How many left before we came?¡±


    ¡°About one quarter to one third of the inhabitants between the time we first saw them, before the battle, and now, Your Highness,¡± the leader of the people Aiki Ilia had sent said.


    I nodded. They probably fled to the other tribes. I knew the Imperials hadn¡¯t been enough to keep everyone contained, but we couldn¡¯t change that now. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed as we discussed. Have your people search their homes, confiscate any weapons or the like, but keep track of who owns what.¡±


    The soldiers hadn¡¯t liked the prospect of maybe not getting loot. I didn¡¯t care. I knew that the fighters¡¯ bodies had been thoroughly ransacked after the battle, that the prospect of loot was half the reason for some of the nobility¡¯s fighters to come. But it still felt weird.


    Well, maybe they¡¯d get their plunder. I hadn¡¯t made any firm decisions about what I was going to do here.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the commander bowed.


    ¡°And question the nomads, of course,¡± I added, even though we¡¯d discussed this already. ¡°Not everyone, but anyone who might know something.¡±


    We had a few people who spoke the language, luckily. And I hoped some of the nomads could understand Common. But I didn¡¯t want to waste time interrogating everyone in detail. The logistics alone would be a headache. Still, I wanted any leaders and associates of the raiders¡¯ leaders questioned.


    Groups of soldiers started moving out. Many of them split off inside the huts, but some stayed together. I could only sense them and not hear everything, but that had to be the people doing the questioning. At least we had a few of Aiki Ilia¡¯s agents along.


    As I expected, it took a while. At some point, I sat down on a cushion of air Aston conjured up for me. The guards continued standing without showing any signs of boredom, but I didn¡¯t have their professionalism. After a bit, I took out a novel. I hadn¡¯t had much time for reading or any sort of leisure during the war, but now that it was pretty much over, I could slow down a bit. I already miss the easy palace life.


    I was interrupted twice by someone coming to report. The nomads didn¡¯t offer much resistance, except for a few hotheaded youths. The soldiers managed to take stock of everyone and everything without many problems.


    But as I¡¯d feared, the interrogations didn¡¯t lead anywhere. While it was easy enough to find the people who¡¯d organized the civilians, or the family of the shaman and military leaders, none of them knew much. I¡¯d told the soldiers to handle them ¡®gently¡¯, but I didn¡¯t expect force, or a longer interrogation, to change that. After all, we had a few strong cultivators who were quite good at telling when someone was lying.


    From what we could gather, their leader, who¡¯d died in the battle, and the shaman had met with Dominion representatives a few times, the last one being the day Mother went into seclusion. No one knew much more, since the meeting had been held at some unknown point in the jungle. They had reached out to other tribes and gathered a force for a major raid, without giving much of a reason beside the prospect of plunder and glory.


    ¡°And everyone accepted that?¡± I asked, eyebrows raised.


    The commander shifted his weight, and the soldier in front of me, who was apparently half-Zarieni, lowered his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s expected, Your Highness. It¡¯s not the place of weaker members to question their leaders. From what I heard, the Rising Storm tribe¡¯s was especially authoritarian.¡±


    I assumed one of his parents had been one of those captured on a raid, and integrated into the Empire well. The soldier definitely seemed uncomfortable with their culture. Not that I could blame him.


    I sighed, then nodded. ¡°You did good work. Now ¡­¡±


    I trailed off as I looked at the huts, waving him away. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do now. We hadn¡¯t learned much. I knew I needed to make an example, show that you couldn¡¯t just invade the Empire without consequences. This was a punitive expedition. But from what I¡¯d learned here, they might already consider the tribe lost, without its fighters. These people probably couldn¡¯t continue it on their own, anyway.


    I frowned and turned to Tenira. ¡°These camps the Empire has, you think they¡¯d be worse than living like this without combatants?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Probably better. I mean, they¡¯re mostly used for criminals, but also prisoners of war. Besides having their movement restricted, it¡¯s actually not bad. They get shelter, food, and everything, and even get paid for their work. Not much, but still. Plus, didn¡¯t you think about resettling them somewhere?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°If they¡¯re doing well. We¡¯d need to find a good place first.¡±


    I fell silent and thought about it. There were probably areas where they could build a few villages, close to others so they¡¯d be able to keep their culture but still integrate into the Empire. The children would go to Imperial schools in any case. It didn¡¯t sound so bad, but still ¡­ the idea of deporting people didn¡¯t sit well with me. They were innocent civilians, and it probably didn¡¯t matter much in the political picture, after all.


    But I couldn¡¯t just let them keep on living here. This camp itself was situated in a strategic position, and might just be a launching site for another raid. Besides, while there may not have been a declaration of war, they were unquestionably our enemies. And as for their culture, maybe one where it was okay to burn down villages and murder innocents didn¡¯t deserve much care.


    Finally, I turned to the commander. ¡°Have all of the nomads moved and gathered on the clearing there. Then we¡¯ll burn down the camp.¡±


    He bowed, and turned to give his people orders.


    I took one last look at the camp, before I followed Aston out, and walked to the open space. From there, I watched as soldiers began herding the Zarieni out onto the rocky field. They carried their possessions in bags and even a few carts. It didn¡¯t take long, even though there were thousands of people crammed there in the end, guarded by a perimeter of Imperial soldiers.


    Soon, I could see a few fire techniques setting the huts aflame. The wind brought the familiar scent of smoke.


    I stepped up, the soldier from before standing beside me to translate, my guards keeping a watchful eye out. I couldn¡¯t help swallowing as I saw more than ten thousand anxious gazes, but steeled myself and straightened up.


    ¡°We defeated the raiders who invaded and attacked our home without provocation,¡± I said, leaving a pause for the translation. Someone was using qi to amplify the volume. ¡°Most of them are dead now. For attacking us without provocation and costing many of our citizens¡¯ lives, this tribe will be eradicated. Since I am merciful, I will offer you a choice. You can flee and take your chances with the jungle and the hospitality of other tribes. We will let you go in small groups, and my soldiers will hunt down anyone lingering in the area.¡± I paused for effect, shaking my head.


    ¡°Or you can surrender yourselves to the Empire¡¯s custody. You will be taken to a new camp, where we will provide you with food, shelter, and everything you need to live. You will have the chance to earn land in the Empire, where you can settle and make lives for yourselves, so long as you obey Imperial laws. On my honor as an Imperial Princess, I swear that our objective is not to oppress you, but to remove a threat to our home and integrate you into our society. Decide now.¡±


    I stepped back and let out a sigh of relief. Then I joined Tenira and the others. I watched as the nomads sorted themselves into two groups, those who would flee and those who wouldn¡¯t.


    This is a good compromise, I told myself. Their choice. Besides ¡­ if fleeing and appealing to the other tribes is a lost cause, we¡¯ll help them. If not, I¡¯m not really harming them much, am I?


    It took a while. A few fights started between the nomads, but others broke them up before the soldiers had to step in. In the end, not many people chose to take their chances with the Yellow Graves. I¡¯d suspected as much. Their expressions and the reaction of the other tribes, or lack of one, had been telling.


    We¡¯d still need to deal with those other tribes, but I wasn¡¯t sure how yet, and it wasn¡¯t an immediate problem.


    I called the commanders over and started making plans for transport. The ships I¡¯d called should arrive pretty soon. Until then, we¡¯d need to march the nomads to the coast. But that was only a few kilometers, many of them were in the second or third stage, and we had enough soldiers to help those who might need it. It shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem. I wasn¡¯t even needed for this, really. I got what I came from, even if I didn¡¯t get much information.


    Aston cleared his throat, his communication device in his hand. I quickly excused myself and stepped away with him.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± he said, a smile on his face. ¡°The Empress has returned from seclusion. Her breakthrough was successful.¡±


    I exhaled, feeling some of my accumulated tension leave me. That was good news. But a new bit of tension started to replace it. What will Mother say, about everything?


    For a moment, I considered sending a message, but I should tell her about Carston in person, and discuss a possible traitor.


    And she could make the political decisions.


    I glanced back at the commanders. I needed to talk to her more than I needed to supervise here. I¡¯d take the airship to Blue Valley City. From there, I¡¯d return with the troops that had been sent south. They were already preparing the airships. It wouldn¡¯t take long.


    The war was over. I¡¯d be returning home.

 50: Triumphant return

    As we came closer, I could hear the sea of noise beneath me more closely. I couldn¡¯t make out any individual words, or any other details, but it washed over me with the force of thousands of people. Even if it wasn¡¯t loud yet, I knew I¡¯d be much closer to everything soon.


    I took a deep breath, and turned to the mirror I¡¯d just conjured up. Usually, I avoided looking at my reflection. It wasn¡¯t really dysphoria or anything ¡ª my body and appearance felt right and familiar. But there was always an edge to it, a dissociation between what I on some level expected. It had faded as I¡¯d gotten used to this life, but never entirely left. I still thought for a fraction of a second that my hair was the wrong color, expected to see brown instead of blond.


    Maybe it just goes to show that I haven¡¯t really worked out my identity yet.


    But I pushed that thought aside and focused. The blond hair looked especially pale and ethereal right now, with the white stones woven into it. The white robe matched my gray eyes pretty well, it too decked out with white pearls, white gemstones, and silver thread. The hint of makeup emphasized the sharp contours of my face and my piercing eyes, but in a good way.


    I dissolved the mirror and turned around. The airship carrying us to our triumphant return was pretty big, and I could see most members of my entourage in the main hold, along with a number of guards. I¡¯d been in the servants¡¯ hands for the past two hours, so a few people had moved.


    One of them was Tia Yarani. I¡¯d practically felt her gaze on me while I¡¯d appraised myself. As I met her eyes now, she smiled a little, then glanced away. The tenseness of her posture betrayed her, though.


    I remembered how we¡¯d met, shortly before our departure. I¡¯d just come back and might not have given her enough attention. Later, I heard she¡¯d simply approached the guards around my temporary residence, and they let her through since they were aware of what had happened in the military camp.


    Well, I¡¯d welcomed her and expressed my pleasure to see her accept my offer before Tenira had swooped in. Judging by the quality of the clothes she wore now and her manners, my friend had ¡®taken her in hand¡¯ pretty well. I wished I knew how their conversation had gone, but it probably didn¡¯t matter.


    A thud and slight shake of the airship indicated we¡¯d touched down. I sighed and straightened up, walking over to the hatch. Some of my guards went out first, all of them turned out in shiny parade armor.


    When I stepped out, I braced myself for the difference in the light and noise levels, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. Glancing around, I could see we stood just before the outer city gates, with a cordon of soldiers and a dark screen of qi keeping onlookers out. A few people were bringing over the chariot right now.


    I walked up to it and hopped on. It looked a lot like the one they¡¯d used for our send-off, except there were no spirit beasts pulling it this time. Qi-powered, it seemed. There was probably a reason for the difference, but I didn¡¯t care enough to ask at the moment.


    Over the next two minutes, the people around me arranged themselves into formation for the procession. My entourage followed just after me, with Tenira at a place of honor at the front. Most of them rode spirit beasts. My contingent of guards surrounded us, the majority of them grouped up ahead and behind. Further away, other airships had landed, and soldiers were marching forward to take their place behind us. A few elites led the way, but I was almost at the head of the whole thing.


    Behind my group, a large chariot was pulled up and General Wei and a few other commanders boarded it. They were the last ones to get into position, as the next moment the black screen started to dissolve.


    I took a deep breath and gripped the edge of the chariot as it started rolling. The cold wind on my cheeks cut off quickly as we moved underneath the gate. It was dark for a few meters, before I emerged into the city proper. A round of cheers started, and I blinked against the sudden light of qi flares or fireworks.


    There¡¯d been a celebration in Blue Valley City, but this was miles above that. The capital had several million inhabitants, not counting the surrounding area, and it felt like every one of them had come out to watch the parade. Huge crowds lined the wide parade street. They looked out of windows or from balconies, or gathered in side streets. The air was filled with cultivators or small vehicles. They even formed walls above the rooftops of the city.


    The last time, there¡¯d been curiosity, and they¡¯d cheered their soldiers on. But this, here and now, was a celebration. We¡¯d defeated the largest raid in most people¡¯s memory, defended the Empire. I felt the difference, could see it in the expressions of the people and the volume of their cheers. There¡¯ll be a huge party in the city tonight. Or more than one.


    I released my grip on the chariot¡¯s walls and started to wave to the people. Their cheers redoubled, making me glad for the space between us and the protective talisman Aston had given me. Without it, the noise and flashing lights might have hurt my enhanced eyes and ears.


    Yeah, I won¡¯t be able to sneak out into the city without a disguise now. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if lots of portraits and pictures of me started turning up.


    I knew I should stay cynical, that this could easily go to one¡¯s head. But for a moment, I basked in the crowd¡¯s adoration. This was my triumph. I let their cheers wash over me, the feelings of respect, pride, and approval. That mindset didn¡¯t last long, though, and I found myself considering how public opinion was shaped and how much this development would help me. Probably not that much, unless I was in acute need of the public¡¯s support.


    My smile was genuine, though. I had won a major victory, and the accomplishment felt good.


    The street was pretty long, crossing most of the city¡¯s older section. The parade would end at what locals apparently called the flower palace. Not the real Imperial Palace, but another one in the city itself. Rather than a compound housing much of the Imperial government, this was more of a townhouse for the monarch. I hadn¡¯t been there yet.


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    Of course, the parade didn¡¯t move quickly, so it took a while. By the time we neared the place in front of the palace, my nerves had all faded, replaced by a bit of annoyance. The people cheering for us on the sidelines passed by in a seemingly never-ending blur, a mass of humans and qi. I hid a sigh as I finally caught side of the spires rising over the rooftops before me.


    There was a big parade ground in front of the palace. That one looked a bit like a neo-classical building from the nineteenth century, with columns and arches and facades done in a stone that resembled marble, a little too intricate and polished, but without many statues. There was a garden wrapping around it, with great fields of flowers. Their smell helped cover that of so many humans crowded together.


    The soldiers started to assemble on the parade ground. My chariot pulled ahead, into an aisle they formed, and up almost to the steps leading up to the palace. A stage had been set up there, reaching all the way to its doors. And on the stage, a number of people waited. My eyes were drawn to the throne, and the woman in it.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel better once I saw Mother. She looked well. Her outfit resembled mine, although it was done in blue and silver. Her presence was a little stronger than before, although that might just be how she¡¯d adjusted her veil. But the smile on her face hadn¡¯t changed.


    I hadn¡¯t seen her for ¡­ has it only been a little over a month? I frowned, mentally looking at the calendar. I must have lost track of the days. I¡¯d figure it out later.


    Once everyone had moved in and taken their position, I disembarked from the carriage. I knew the protocol. Behind me, Wei and a few others stepped down as well, but they kept a respectful distance.


    The crowd quieted as I stepped up onto the stage. Alaster stood a few meters beside the throne, and he welcomed me with a grin. I had to make an effort not to return it. Instead, I focused on Mother. As soon as I was close enough to the throne, I knelt and bowed my head.


    She stood up and stepped forward, until I could only see the hem of her robe. ¡°Rejoice, people of the Empire, for your defenders are victorious,¡± she declared. ¡°Barbarian hordes sought to assault us and plunder our land, but now they lie dead, their foul deeds stopped and punished by the Empire¡¯s heroes.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t known exactly what she was going to say, there were a few traditional options. But this didn¡¯t surprise me. I managed not to tense as Mother took another step closer, laying a hand on my head.


    ¡°Leri Inaris, my favored daughter. You have proven yourself the Imperial Princess in more than name, a true heir. Your valiant defense of our people will never be forgotten. Let all our enemies tremble in fear, and all our allies rejoice, for a new phoenix is rising.¡±


    Everyone cheered, the officials and clan members on the stage as well as the people watching. I waited until I felt a new weight on my head, as Mother laid a crown of flowers on it. Then she stepped away.


    I rose and bowed to her, then turned and bowed to the spectators. I wouldn¡¯t be talking during this little ceremony, as tradition dictated. Something about not boasting and showing humility even in victory. Not that I minded.


    Mother stepped forward until she stood before me, but she left our personal space untouched, and started speaking.


    I found it hard to focus on her speech. A part of me wondered whether the only time she would show me physical affection would be for ceremonial purposes. The larger and more mature part was trying to take in everything, and deal with so many qi presences, so many people staring at me, and stay calm. Mother¡¯s speech was flowery and exaggerated what had happened, but not as badly as I might have thought. Luckily, it didn¡¯t take long.


    After that, Wei and a few other commanders came onto the stage and were honored as well, though not as deeply. They all received flower crowns, which I put on their heads while they knelt.


    With that, the ceremony was pretty much over. The soldiers started to disperse and mingle into the open party beginning in the city. Someone had put up huge tables with food and drink, probably in more than one location. However, my retinue and I followed Mother and the others into the palace. There¡¯d be a party. I was glad to leave the stage.


    On the inside, the palace appeared in the same style, with fluted columns, paintings hanging on the walls and gilded stuff. Before we could go into the huge ballroom, Mother opened a side door into a smaller room and waved me to follow.


    In the end, only she, Al, me, Tenira, and a few others ended up there. The room looked like a sitting room, with padded chairs and divans, and more paintings. I barely had the time to take stock of everything before my brother charged me. I returned his hug, breathing in his scent, and felt myself relax a little.


    Mother simply smiled at me, a hint of pride in her expression. ¡°You did well, Inaris.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud at her praise. ¡°Thank you. Congratulations on your breakthrough.¡±


    While she turned to greet Tenira, Al demanded me attention, welcoming me back with a little more words.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, too, Al,¡± I finally said. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up after the party, okay?¡±


    I really was glad to see him, but I could sense Mother already moving towards the door. So I hurried to catch up to her.


    ¡°I have news,¡± I said. ¡°Things we should probably talk about in private.¡±


    She paused and turned back. After a moment, she nodded, probably seeing the seriousness in my expression. ¡°Of course.¡±


    With a bit of prompting and a stern word from Mother to Al, the others filed out and left us alone. I had to stop myself from playing with my sleeves. I could have waited with the news, but Mother was probably busy after her absence and who knew when I¡¯d get to see her in private again. It could impact our relationship with the Zarian Dominion after this war, so she should know about it as soon as possible. Besides, I¡¯d been waiting to see her face when she heard about Carston.


    ¡°So, Inaris,¡± Mother said. ¡°What is it? I am glad to see you again, and I know we need to discuss this campaign, but we should show our faces at the party soon.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I have other news. About the Zarian and Carston.¡±


    She frowned as soon as she heard the name, but didn¡¯t interrupt. So I recounted my dream. I tried to be detailed, since I didn¡¯t know which elements might be important and something she really should know.


    While I was talking, her expression hardened. It didn¡¯t show any emotion, but her eyes burned. After I was finished, she turned around, staring at the wall, so I couldn¡¯t see her face. For a moment, we stood there in silence. Straining my ears, I could hear her take a few deep breaths.


    Finally, she turned around again. ¡°Thank you for telling me. I¡¯ll need to act on that information.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What does it mean? What do you think it is he told them?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure about anything. But knowing Carston is alive ¡­¡± Her expression wavered for a bit. ¡°Well, I sort of expected it, but it¡¯s still a bit of a shock.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll need to see what we can do. I can¡¯t leave him there.¡±


    I opened my mouth, then closed it. I didn¡¯t know if she wanted to do it because of personal feelings, or because she wanted to know what he¡¯d said and make sure he didn¡¯t spill any other secrets. Or even kill him. It probably wouldn¡¯t be smart to ask.


    Mother turned around again. ¡°I hope you enjoy the party.¡± With that, she left the room.


    I sighed, staring at the door. I wanted to ask more questions, but she¡¯d cut that off. Well, maybe the next time I got her alone. I needed to talk about the spy that I suspected had revealed my location, too.


    Well, she¡¯d probably come to the same conclusion already.

 51: Its a party

    Of course, I didn¡¯t enjoy the party. Anyone who expected me to probably didn¡¯t know me very well, although I assumed Mother knew that.


    It occupied more than just the great hall of the city palace, but sprawled over most of the first floor, and probably to upper levels as well. I assumed a lot of politicking happened and deals were made in the side rooms while it lasted. And it was probably going to take hours.


    I¡¯d made my way through a few corridors and side rooms so far, and was now approaching the big one. Its pair of double doors stood wide open, connecting the party to the rest of the house. I took deep breath, tensing and then relaxing my muscles, before I stepped into the room. It was crowded. Along one wall, buffet tables were set up, laden with an array of food that I could smell from several rooms over. But not many people seemed to take advantage of it.


    I put on a smile and started working my way through the room. Times like these, I appreciated my eidetic memory, which allowed me to place almost every guest. All of them wore ornate clothes that made the decorations of the room look cheap in comparison, which was saying something. The noise of the crowd seemed to bore into my head with each passing minute, but I managed.


    I noticed Wei over at the opposite side of the room, and tried to make my way over to him.


    But someone stepped into the way, introducing themselves with a bow and congratulating me on the victory. I gave a polite response, then disengaged. But during the interruption, Wei had disappeared. Great, where did he go?


    The second I stood still to look for him cost me, as even more people pushed towards me. Everyone seemed to want my attention. Of course, I was the guest of honor.


    So I grinned and bore it, greeting everyone politely and making small talk. They seemed to catch on that I didn¡¯t like talking about the war, as questions about that topic came up less and less. But I tried my best to make connections or at least not alienate anyone. I wasn¡¯t desperate to network, but it would be stupid to mess up this opportunity. It helped that everyone was respectful to a fault.


    Well, almost everyone. A few times, I detected less respectful undercurrents to their words.


    ¡°Your Highness, how remarkable that someone with your low level of cultivation threw themselves into fighting like that. Even going out to meet the nomads yourself. Truly, the bravery!¡± The smile of the older woman with the elaborate hairdo and rings glittering on her fingers edged dangerously close to smirking.


    It should be safe to ignore those kinds of insinuations instead of taking offense. They wouldn¡¯t attack me too badly at my own victory party, no matter what rumors they had heard. Although I couldn¡¯t help wondering if any of these people I talked to might be a traitor.


    I forced a smile. This was annoying. ¡°Oh, not as such. Any of my soldiers and the noble warriors accompanying me showed just as much bravery. An inspiration, aren¡¯t they? Fighting for the Empire even though they could have chosen to hide and cower behind others.¡±


    The smile on the lady¡¯s face froze. I didn¡¯t wait for her to answer, but turned to the next noble wanting my attention. I had more talking to do.


    Although I did try to take notes of the relationships between the gathered people. I lacked much of the context, but I tried to pay attention to who talked to whom for longer than usual, or who avoided someone else. One thing I noticed was the elder of clan Lirta, who stuck to the edges. I didn¡¯t plan on letting them off free for their screw-ups, though I¡¯d confer with Mother on that sometime. But the nobles seemed to snub them already.


    I didn¡¯t catch sight of Mother anywhere. Or Kiyanu, he¡¯d probably left after she returned. Al was nowhere to be seen as well, although I didn¡¯t know if he actually attended.


    Finally, I reached the buffet table and found a bit of empty space. I relaxed a little and grabbed a plate.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing better than I thought, Inaris,¡± Tenira said.


    I glanced over my shoulder, where she¡¯d just come up. Looking at her, I didn¡¯t see any sign that her relaxed attitude and good cheer was fake. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a compliment or not.¡±


    She reached over to grab what looked like a muffin from a platter, coming closer to me in the process. ¡°You¡¯re putting up a good front,¡± she said, more quietly. ¡°But there are a few tells. A hint of tension in your posture, a pause before speaking that¡¯s a little too long. I¡¯m sure some noticed, but it¡¯s not enough to really remark on. Doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know you actually just want to leave.¡±


    I exhaled. I should have anticipated that; I knew Tenira was perceptive, and looked out for me. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough that no one would be upset if you slipped away a little,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe to a less occupied room.¡±


    I put down the plate I¡¯d been filling and smiled at her. ¡°Thanks for the reassurance.¡±


    Deciding she was right, I started leaving the room. Of course, I had to speak to a few more people on the way, but soon managed to escape into a back corridor that seemed pretty empty.


    I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders. Why do I find it more taxing to be at a party than marching to battle? Shaking my head, I walked down the corridor. But after a few steps, I paused, as I recognized the person stepping out of a side room.


    We came to a stop and stared at each other for a brief moment. Tia Yarani wore clothes that wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place on another party guest, embroidered cultivator¡¯s robes with a cut that emphasized her figure, but the hesitation in her bearing showed how lost she probably felt.


    She bowed. ¡°My lady.¡±


    I took another step closer and smiled. ¡°Tia Yarani! It¡¯s good to see you. How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡±


    I hesitated, feeling awkward about the whole situation. ¡°I hope no one is making trouble for you?¡±


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    She gave me a fleeting smile. ¡°Not at all. I think people are curious, but no one has been hostile.¡±


    Hm. They¡¯re probably waiting to figure out what our relationship is exactly, and trying to butter her up.


    ¡°Great. And have you started to settle in?¡±


    ¡°Ah, not really. I¡¯m unsure where I¡¯m supposed to go, to be honest.¡± She gave me a nervous smile.


    I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°I think you¡¯re getting accommodations in quarters close to mine. Someone is going to arrange that, and you should be able to offer input. But I have to admit I¡¯m not sure who would be responsible for that. Maybe ask Tenira?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    She still seemed hesitant. Maybe they didn¡¯t get along well? I considered asking, but decided not to. I wasn¡¯t going to let her be bullied, but I wouldn¡¯t meddle too much.


    ¡°Is there anything else, my lady?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You can call me Inaris when we¡¯re in private,¡± I said.


    She nodded.


    A part of me wanted to just tell her to come to my rooms tonight. I knew she would. But I had resolved to take things slowly. I wanted to get to know her first, show her I was serious about not pressing, establish some trust. So I only smiled and said, ¡°Enjoy the party.¡± Then I started walking again.


    She stepped aside to let me pass, then after a moment I could sense her presence moving in the opposite direction. I glanced back and couldn¡¯t help staring for a moment before I tore my gaze away. Those robes really showed off her curves.


    Feeling a little better, I continued on. The next room over opened onto a large balcony. Most of the wall was sliding glass doors that had been opened all the way, letting the evening air in. I stopped and glanced around. A few guards had trailed behind me, standing at a respectful distance. One of them went out onto the balcony. The room looked pretty empty, its wide space not filled by a few small tables and chairs.


    I walked to the other side of the room, until I had a good view of the city. They could probably see me if I stepped out onto the balcony, so I stopped here and gazed out. I could still hear the party behind me, and noise of other celebrations in the city drifted to me, too. Sounded like everyone had a good time.


    The knowledge that one of them, at least, had to be a spy soured my mood. I hadn¡¯t gotten any clues from watching the other guests at the party. But whoever it was wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to out themselves in any obvious manner.


    I sighed and told the guards to fetch me a drink. It was a party, after all, and I felt like this view called for sipping from a glass. But my attention wasn¡¯t really on it.


    It might not be any of the people in here, I considered. Maybe just an officer or noble from the south who stayed there, but has good connections to the capital. It could even be someone from my retinue. Maybe some intra-family intrigue? Tenira would be the obvious candidate, but she could have done a lot better than that.


    I took a sip from my newly arrived glass, only noting the bite in it dimly as I pondered those options.


    I was so deep in thought that the sound of someone opening the door with energy just as I was taking another sip made me sputter in surprise. I put down the glass and quickly took a piece of cloth a guard handed me to wipe my face.


    ¡°There you are, Inaris!¡± Lei said cheerfully.


    I turned around, shaking my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense you coming.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my bad.¡± His aura became more visible. ¡°I was experimenting with darkness techniques and must have kept my presence suppressed. Sorry.¡±


    I sighed and laid the handkerchief on the table. I really should pay more attention to my surroundings, especially now. He hadn¡¯t been that stealthy, my guards probably assumed I¡¯d sensed him. ¡°No worries. Were you looking for me?¡±


    He came closer and shook his head, smiling again. ¡°Not really, I just hadn¡¯t seen you in the other rooms. Are you hiding from the party, all alone here by yourself?¡±


    I grimaced, then shrugged. What did it matter? ¡°Sort of. I just wanted a moment to myself.¡±


    ¡°I know the feeling. Well, I was going to head out, back to the palace. If that¡¯s alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I had a thought. ¡°If you¡¯re going to check on our lab, let me know how things stand?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He didn¡¯t bat an eye, which confirmed he¡¯d planned to check on the lab. I was starting to understand what he was like.


    ¡°The telegraphs are a big success, and the others have already looked at plans for the radio,¡± Lei said, sounding more excited. ¡°Plus they want to start a large-scale project for their agricultural plan.¡±


    ¡°I know, it sounds great. Get back safely.¡±


    I watched him leave and picked up my glass again. I was looking forward to working on research and development again. Especially with the impact we¡¯d have on the Empire. Although I should probably focus a little more on the social side.


    I stepped closer to a window, gazing out over the city. How much might I change these people¡¯s lives, with my knowledge from Earth? How much would I effect by using my status?


    A silhouette on the balcony moved, which brought my thoughts back to the present. Namely, the traitor who was, apparently, working against me. Was this the reason? Did they fear the potential change I might bring?


    But something else tickled at the corner of my mind, finally surfacing as I focused on my surroundings. Maybe I¡¯d been too comfortable, drawn the subject pool of possible traitors I¡¯d considered too narrow. After all, who was closer to me than the guards? One of the servants could be a spy, too. Do I really know they¡¯re trustworthy? And the guards, as well. Sure, they¡¯re vetted, but it¡¯s not like that¡¯s foolproof.


    The guards were talking in the background, in low voices, but by the time I focused my attention on it, they¡¯d fallen silent.


    I couldn¡¯t help but picture the praetorian guard, responsible for the downfall of more than one Roman emperor. I clenched my fists, feeling dizzy at that thought and its implications.


    It took a second for me to realize the dizziness I felt was more substantial than imagining something bad. My hands had started to tremble a little, and the dizziness was intensifying, until the room seemed to sway around me just a little.


    I lowered my gaze to the glass, which was almost empty. My hands clenched, but I forced myself not to throw it away, and instead put it on a nearby table before backing away.


    I turned around, paused for a moment to adjust, and started walking.


    I¡¯m an idiot. I breathed out. The world around me seemed to fade farther away, like a layer of wool around my head isolated me from it. But I forced myself to keep moving, not to show anything.


    Should I call Aston? I can probably trust him. But ¡­ I walked into the corridor, and realized that most of the guards around me had left, with only a few remaining. My pulse quickened even more, and I tried to take deep breaths. I need to call Mother. But we don¡¯t have phones, and I don¡¯t have the time to figure out where she is ¡­ Calling for help might just tip them off, whoever it is.


    The corridor was still deserted. But I¡¯d looked at the plans for this place, so I knew my way around. I hurried up a little, trying not to let the dizziness slow me down.


    What happened here? I wrecked my brain, but didn¡¯t remember anything noteworthy. That was one of the limits to the eidetic memory that I¡¯d discovered. Something theoretically in range of my senses that I didn¡¯t pay attention to wouldn¡¯t be caught. Probably needs to enter working memory or something.


    I shook my head, trying to focus on the situation. There still wasn¡¯t anyone in sight, although I could sense a few guards. I was tempted to turn around and get a good look, maybe confront them, but didn¡¯t want to let on that something was off. And where¡¯s Mother, anyway?


    I took a moment to focus on my qi senses, even though it made the dizziness worse. But I couldn¡¯t sense her anywhere here. Probably left the party. She hasn¡¯t reacted. Maybe it¡¯s like with the memory thing? I didn¡¯t know how her senses really worked. If she was distracted, and this wasn¡¯t too much of a disturbance, she might not notice.


    I took a deep breath and tried not to let anything show. I couldn¡¯t risk trying to attract attention, could I? My guards were closer, one of them could probably kill me before anything else happened. If they were the traitor. If they felt threatened, exposed ¡­


    After what felt like an hour, I finally reached the door I was looking for ¡ª the bathroom. Ripping the door open, I stepped inside. The tremor in my hands was still there, and I slammed the door as I tried to close it. But I was alone now.


    I could only hope I was in time to get most of the poison out.

 52: A traitor revealed

    I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them again, the room had stopped spinning around me, at least. But I still felt sick, and like I was floating around isolated from the world around me.


    Focus, I chided myself. I looked at one of the rings on my hand. It was a talisman supposed to protect me from poison, but it must not be strong enough. They wouldn¡¯t use something weak to target me, and whatever it was had be pretty fast-acting.


    I reached for my storage item, then paused. I had a number of medicines and pills in there, but nothing that would help without more knowledge. And no emetic.


    I rushed over to the basin serving as a sink, glancing at the mirror hanging over it in passing. My face looked pale and there were a few drops of sweat on my forehead. I put my hand in front of my mouth and inserted two fingers, trying to reach for my throat and tonsils. That¡¯s how you¡¯re supposed to induce vomiting, right?


    But before I¡¯d even completed the motion, the door crashed open.


    I whirled around, looking at the guard who¡¯d just entered and now closed the door behind him. Kei Weriga, one of Aston¡¯s most trusted subordinates. I didn¡¯t like the look in his eyes.


    In a moment, he¡¯d crossed half of the room, looming before me. ¡°Trying to spew it out, princess? That won¡¯t work.¡±


    I tried to back away, but not before he managed to grab my arm, pulling it toward him. Quickly, I gathered some darkness qi into my foot and kicked him, pulling my arm out of his grasp at the same time.


    He let me go. But as I backed up a step, I saw I hadn¡¯t hurt him. In fact, Kei was just finishing a technique that sent qi out to cover the walls and door. A sound barrier? Or something to block Mother¡¯s senses?


    ¡°I¡¯m an idiot.¡± The realization burned like an ember in my gut. How didn¡¯t I see this? ¡°In the forest, you recorded what I said, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He smirked, apparently knowing what I was talking about right away. ¡°I did.¡±


    I cursed again. I¡¯d even seen him watching me outside the sect, shortly before I spoke those words intended for a spirit. And during the war, of course he knew where I¡¯d be. And he was the one who reported that the road ahead was clear!


    I tried to center myself, pushing down the bile and bitterness. The shock seemed to have helped against the poison¡¯s symptoms, but I didn¡¯t know how long that would last. And he was in the fifth stage. This wasn¡¯t looking good.


    ¡°Why? Why would you betray us like that?¡± I asked.


    He didn¡¯t know all of my defenses, but many, and could probably avoid or subvert enough. He didn¡¯t even need to fight me, potentially triggering them; maybe he just wanted to wait and let the poison do its job.


    ¡°Your death is a regrettable but necessary sacrifice,¡± he said, his expression unmoved. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not just a traitor, you¡¯re a delusional, maybe fanatic dupe,¡± I muttered. ¡°Do you feel proud of yourself, poisoning your own charge?¡±


    His expression darkened. ¡°It didn¡¯t have to be this way. But I knew you were starting to be onto us, so I needed to act.¡±


    That means you might not have thought this through, right?


    Maybe I had a chance. I started backing away a bit more, angling myself so that I could inch closer to the door. ¡°Do you want to just wait for the poison to take me?¡±


    Kei Weriga shrugged, not replying.


    I snorted. If I survived this, I was going to have a hard time not giving him a torturous death. ¡°You know this is high treason?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯ll die slowly and in a lot of pain. I think being eaten by insects is supposed to be gruesome. Maybe Mother will do some waterboarding first.¡±


    He took a step closer and to the side, cutting off my path to the door. His boot thudding on the ground echoed loudly in my ears, joined the buzzing that was starting to take hold around my skull. But I didn¡¯t hesitate. I stepped in, my fist swinging.


    Of course, he caught it with ease, his palm clenching around my hand. But I managed to access my storage ring at the same time, taking out a weapon. The dagger¡¯s long, curved blade caught the light as it streaked toward him.


    He sidestepped. I pivoted, going for a kick in the diaphragm. He dodged and hit my leg himself. But I used his hold on my fist to anchor me, falling forward towards him.


    He let me go, but not in time to avoid me completely. I felt the resistance of my dagger cutting into his neck before I tumbled to the ground.


    He stepped back, and I sprang upward as quickly as I could. The room spun around me. I had to take a deep breath before I could evaluate the situation. Blood flowed from the side of his neck, but far too little. The cut was shallow.


    ¡°Do you seriously think you can defeat me?¡± he asked, cocking his head.


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    ¡°Do you seriously expect me to lie down and die?¡± I retorted. But I was breathing hard. The poison¡¯s effects were starting to make themselves noticed more strongly.


    I stepped back and lowered the blade, glaring at the traitor. ¡°How are you going to live with yourself, betraying not only the person you swore to serve, but the Empire? Your sacred duty, and your nation?¡±


    This finally showed a reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about sacred duty,¡± he growled. Then he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not harming the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Do you somehow believe you¡¯re doing this for the Empire¡¯s greater good? Not for your personal benefit?¡±


    He took a step closer, glowering at me. ¡°Of course I¡¯m acting in my people¡¯s interest. But it also helps the world¡¯s greater good. It¡¯ll be better for the Empire in the long run, too, whatever the Empress may think she¡¯s doing.¡±


    I almost pressed him on that. It was getting hard to focus. But he¡¯d just stepped closer again, and looked to be caught up in our conversation.


    I shot forward again, my fist at the ready. As expected, he dodged, raising his arms in a counter. But I shifted the dagger in my hands, feinting a stab. I let him catch my hand. Then I used his grip on my arm to pull myself closer, pushing my right hand to the wound on his neck.


    He twisted aside, so I didn¡¯t quite touch. But I was turning all of my focus to my qi. It felt slippery, harder to control, but I bore down with my will and created my technique. The Void¡¯s Nibble formed around my hand just as Kei Weriga tried to dodge. It spiked into the qi of his body and the wound on his neck.


    For an instant, the shock of the attack stunned him. It was just enough for me to twist my other hand free and grab onto him, pulling closer.


    He tried to struggle, but I pushed my hand and the technique to his neck, and his wasn¡¯t a focused defense.


    Every cultivator had infused qi into their body, strengthening them and shielding them against attempts by enemies to manipulate it. My technique was meant to devour the qi of my enemies. And his skin, the first major barrier, was already broken.


    He flailed, but I tightened my grip, hanging on with everything I got. I could sense my qi wreaking havoc in this part of his body. Such a sensitive region. Did I break into his spinal cord? I gritted my teeth and pushed more and more of my qi into the technique, although I¡¯d already given it a lot. The qi in my core started to deplete, but I didn¡¯t care. This was my only chance.


    His movements changed after the first few moments, becoming more coordinated. But it was too late. He¡¯d grabbed onto my arm, but I felt how the strength left his arms, as he tried to pull me away unsuccessfully. His body twitched again, then his hands started to let go. His head lolled to the side.


    Finally, he went limp, and I let him go. I almost fell down, my vision swimming again. I backed up until I reached the wall to steady me, trying to breath. My arm throbbed where he¡¯d grabbed onto it, and it felt like someone was banging against my skull.


    I slid down, then managed to focus on my enemy¡¯s figure. Blood was soaking out of the wound. I must have at least nicked the carotid. He lay crumpled, unmoving.


    I looked away, focusing on the sink and still taking deep breathes. I won. He was a stage above me, but he let his guard down. And my technique may be better than I thought.


    When I tried to stand up, the room moved around me and my legs gave in. I slid down to the floor again, blackness threatening to take my vision. Suddenly, I noticed the nausea rising up, and the ringing in my ears that stopped me from hearing anything even if there was something to hear.


    I retched, not fighting it but trying to expel what I could. Only a bit of bile came out. Then I rolled away, heaving.


    Focus. Focus! I needed to leave, but I didn¡¯t like my chances of walking out. Then sending a message? But the rest of the qi in my core was behaving like a stormy sea. I tried to grab some light qi, form a technique, but it slipped away. I lost it, and a flash lit up my view, searing my gaze. It went dark for a moment.


    Pearls and gemstones lay strewn over the floor. My hairdo must have come undone at some point. They seemed to reflect the light brighter than usual, and I closed my eyes again to block out the dizzying swirls.


    It was getting harder to form a coherent thought. Instinctively, I curled up a little, leaning into the coldness of the floor against my face. I kept breathing, and drifted off into the haze that surrounded me.


    It must have been a few minutes before I was brought back to reality. A presence entered the room, both crushing and familiar. Mother¡¯s voice cut into my mind. ¡°Inaris!¡±


    I blinked and lifted my head from the floor, looking up at Mother. She crouched beside me and lay a hand on my forehead. I felt a trickle of qi, then she withdrew it. She cursed, and I saw her gaze slide to Kei Weriga¡¯s body.


    ¡°Poison,¡± I croaked.


    For a moment, her presence grew overwhelming, so strong it pressed me into the ground and stole my ability to breathe. But it faded an instant later, her veil drawing over her aura more firmly. I felt a wave of qi washing out of her. A slight ripple showed that the barrier the traitor had laid over the room was broken.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she said in English, and put her hand under my head to help me keep it raised. ¡°Just hold on.¡±


    It was easier to focus now that I had something to anchor me. But my throat felt parched, I still had a blaze in my stomach, and embers in the rest of my body, burning me up. There was a ringing in my ears.


    The door was ripped open again, and a few people rushed inside. They came to a stop in the distance. Probably guards? My vision was still hazy.


    Then someone else pushed his way through and knelt at my other side, without even greeting the Empress. ¡°What do we know?¡±


    I recognized the wrinkled face and his voice. The palace¡¯s chief physician.


    ¡°She was poisoned,¡± Mother answered, her tone clipped. ¡°Probably around ten minutes ago or more.¡±


    ¡°Most of a glass of.¡± I coughed. ¡°Red liquid. Tasted like alcohol. But not really.¡±


    I croaked and mumbled, but they must have understood me. The doctor put a bag down and took out a few things. Mother sent out another two pulses of qi, although I couldn¡¯t make out the details. But she stayed where she was.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mother asked.


    ¡°I have a bad suspicion,¡± the physician answered, his voice sounding strained. ¡°But in either case, this should help.¡±


    He shook something in his hand, but I couldn¡¯t quite make out what. Then he brought it to my face, and I realized he held a vial with a green liquid. With Mother¡¯s support, I managed to drink it. It tasted like lemons and brussels sprouts mixed together, and I had to cough afterward. But I swallowed everything.


    ¡°For now, the princess needs to rest while we help her body fight through this,¡± the doctor said. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a few pills to get that started, then we should take her to a reasonably qi-rich location.¡±


    He pulled out a few more pills and glasses of water, tossing them together. I didn¡¯t complain, but tried to drink it all. Mother¡¯s presence felt vaguely comforting, and helped me keep quiet. A few trails of liquid ran down my chin, but I got most of it.


    Someone pushed a pillow under my head, and I sank down onto it. I didn¡¯t like looking at the room from this perspective. But now, the burning in my bode eased into a gentler warmth. I felt like my mind was pulled into it.


    My eyes fell closed, and I drifted off.

 53: Poison and revelations

    It took a moment for me to realize what was going on. My mind felt clearer now, more connected, although I was still exhausted. I felt like I¡¯d been ill for a while and only just cleared it, although I doubted it had been more than a few hours.


    Like usual, I remembered my dreams, although they were vague. Probably because they¡¯d been fever-dreams, blurry and disjointed, interspersed with periods of semi-wakefulness. I knew I¡¯d been moved, but I hadn¡¯t been able to pay much attention to my surroundings.


    I sat up, noting the weakness in my arms as I pushed. It was dark around me, the night sky sprinkled with stars. The almost full moon shone down on me, giving me more light to see. I recognized this as the terrace at the top of one of the palace¡¯s towers. It was quiet.


    Mother moved closer. ¡°Inaris, how do you feel?¡±


    I paused before answering and took stock of my situation. The doctor from before, and a group of others, waited nearby. Guards surrounded us, although it seemed they were all senior members of the Imperial Guard, assigned to Mother. Kariva stood further away, almost blending into the night. Apart from that, we were alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. ¡°Still weak. Am I healed?¡±


    Her expression darkened, and she turned to the doctor. ¡°Doctor Chang?¡±


    He came forward, bowed, and cleared his throat. ¡°You are out of danger for now, Your Highness. However, the effects of the poison have not abated completely. We are still searching for a cure, but the Sky Shattering Energy Drain poison is legendary for its lethality and insidiousness. Although you have not succumbed to the initial effects, there are others to worry about, with less immediate but no less real dangers.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°So, I¡¯ve gotten over the acute phase, but there are chronic effects?¡±


    ¡°In essence, yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Mother took a step away, her face hardening. ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re awake now. I¡¯ll deal with a few things.¡±


    I scrambled up, swaying a little as I got down from the hospital bed and on my feet. But it passed quickly. I still didn¡¯t feel healthy, but far better than before. The only thing that worried me was my qi. It was still agitated. And I had more trouble piercing the darkness of the night than I should.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, just as Mother had turned away. ¡°Take me with you, whatever you¡¯re going to do. I need to be involved with the consequences of this.¡±


    She paused and looked at me for a moment, then nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be quick. In the meantime, continue looking, physicians.¡±


    Then the world around me seemed to warp. I felt myself traveling quickly, the only anchor her hand on my arm. After a few moments, she let go, and I opened the eyes I¡¯d involuntarily closed. We were now standing in a large, open room at the top of another tower. There was a group of guards here, too.


    But my attention was focused on the man pacing in the middle of the room. Kei Yating looked less put-together than the last time I¡¯d seen him, with his hair in disarray and dried blood on his cheek. He whirled around when we entered.


    But before he could say anything, black lines shot out from Mother¡¯s hand. They wrapped around his arms and legs and lifted him a few centimeters into the air. I shivered as I felt the weight of her aura press down on me.


    ¡°What were you doing?¡± she asked, her voice cracking like ice.


    He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±


    Mother clenched a fist, and the ropes wrapped tighter around her lover. If I concentrated, I could sense the way her qi smothered his aura. ¡°My daughter was poisoned!¡± she yelled. ¡°By your relative. You vouched for him to join the guard!¡±


    Kei closed his eyes and bowed his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I swear it. I have no idea what happened. My nephew was always dutiful, a good man. Loyal to the Empire, or so I thought.¡±


    My Mother was still breathing hard, staring at him. I stood by her side, arms crossed and silent, while I thought about the situation. This didn¡¯t look good for Kei Yating. I could see his family doing this for power games. Perhaps trying to eliminate me in favor Xiaodan becoming heir. But that didn¡¯t quite ring true.


    Mother flicker her hand, and the ropes dissolved. Her aura retreated a little, presumably allowing Kei Yating some breathing room.


    He fell to his knees, then bowed down further. ¡°Acura ¡­ Your Majesty ¡­ I am deeply ashamed. It grieves me that someone from my family could do something like this.¡±


    Mother sighed. I realized she probably had the means to see if he was telling the truth. There had to be light affinity techniques for that.


    ¡°I believe you didn¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I can forget this happened.¡± She turned to me. ¡°Inaris, do you want him punished?¡±


    I blinked, then shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡±


    Kei Yating raised his head. ¡°My Empress, you know I would never harm you or your family, and I will do my best to atone for my oversight. Even if you can¡¯t see my sincere emotions ¡­ you know I¡¯m speaking honestly, as you know me.¡±


    What¡¯s he implying? I wondered.


    Mother shook her head. ¡°I know. I expect your full cooperation with our investigation, your help in finding out everything we need to know about the traitor and who he was involved with.¡±


    She took a step back, and Kei Yating slowly stood up. He kept his head bowed. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll do whatever I can.¡±


    Mother sighed and glanced towards me. ¡°Nari, are you okay?¡± she asked in English, concern in her tone.


    I grimaced. I¡¯d been feeling off. Not just in the sense that I was a little sick, but a deeper-seated problem. But I couldn¡¯t really put my finger on it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but let¡¯s see what the doctors say,¡± I answered. ¡°What happened with my guards?¡±


    Mother raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m taking you back. Come on.¡±


    She started walking and I followed. We left the room. Outside, in the corridor, Mother spoke again. ¡°The traitor sent some of your guards away on a fabricated emergency, a supposed threat against you from a few nobles at the party. Of those who remained, one is missing, one was found killed in a closet, and the other was knocked out. We¡¯re not sure if any of them were involved with him or just in the way. Hopefully, Kariva will have some answers soon.¡±


    I winced at the thought that people had died so he could get to me. ¡°What about Aston?¡±


    ¡°He was with other guards guarding the perimeter and mingling. At the moment, Kariva¡¯s people are working with him.¡±


    I continued following her in silence. There were guards around us again, but I didn¡¯t recognize any of them.


    Soon, we wound up in a meeting room close to the family suites. Servants had set up some refreshments, and I got myself a glass of juice. All of Mother¡¯s guards waited outside. Mother sat down and started sending messages and listening to responses.


    After a few minutes, Alaster entered the room. He looked unusually somber, his eyes a little red. Maybe he¡¯d been crying. I hugged him tightly, trying to reassure him.


    No one said much. Even if I hadn¡¯t spoken to the doctor, I¡¯d know from the sober atmosphere that I wasn¡¯t out of danger. Besides, I could feel it. A feeling of weakness, like a bad cold, but coupled with a distance from my own qi.


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    Mother continued working, but she never left. Occasionally she¡¯d look over to me and muster a smile. I wouldn¡¯t have expected her to put the situation before all of her other duties like this, but I appreciated her support more than I could say.


    I took a look at some of the reports that found its way into the room, and asked a few questions. It appeared the search for Kei Weriga¡¯s support structure wasn¡¯t going well. The other guards were still in interrogation, and it would probably take a while to clear all of them. The same went for the rest of the Kei family. Kei Yating was helping with that, apparently.


    After Mother had stopped sending her latest message, I cleared my throat hesitantly. I was sitting slouched over, my head on my hand, but no one seemed to care. ¡°What about Xiaodan?¡±


    Mother looked a little awkward. ¡°I told her you were sick and needed rest. Do you want to see her?¡±


    I thought for a moment, then shook my head. I had missed her, but I wasn¡¯t really feeling up to dealing with an energetic eight-year-old. And I wanted to focus on dealing with this situation. It was probably best if she didn¡¯t have to deal with any of this.


    After maybe half an hour, Kariva slipped into the room. She gave me a concerned look, then started talking to Mother in low voices. I tried to listen in, but quickly got lost once they started using unfamiliar names and terms.


    I considered sending for a book on toxicology, surely the servants and guards could get me something. But this was probably something rare, and the doctors were already on it. And I wasn¡¯t feeling much energy or even motivation to do anything.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Kariva turned to me after a few minutes. ¡°Could you recount what exactly happened in that bathroom? What did he say?¡±


    I sighed and told them what happened, narrating the conversation between us. I noticed Mother clenching her fist again, but her expression could have been carved from stone for all the reaction she showed.


    Kariva gave me a nod, then started sending out a few messages of her own. There were a lot of unfamiliar names again, and I found my attention wandering.


    After a pause, something Kariva said picked my interest again. ¡°Acura, it may be time to reconsider our approach to ensuring loyalty and obedience.¡±


    I frowned. I knew there were extensive checks and vetting before someone could join the guard, including what may as well be chemical interrogation. Their training probably included some indoctrination.


    Mother shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s always been our family¡¯s policy that people who are loyal, who are invested in their service and can take the initiative, work better than forced obedience. My mother¡¯s especially. And I agree with her. It¡¯s not like other methods couldn¡¯t be subverted.¡±


    She probably has a point. Not to mention ethical issues.


    After that, their conversation turned to details again. The only important thing I got was that we still had no clue where the poison had come from.


    I thought back to our conversation. Clearly, Kei Weriga couldn¡¯t have done it all on his own. I still didn¡¯t know why he had done this. Was this because of my behavior during the war, that he thought I was a danger to the Empire or something? But it didn¡¯t sound like that was his reason, and he acted against me before that. I¡¯m definitely missing something. And it didn¡¯t sound like Kariva or Mother had a theory.


    I frowned and shifted in my chair, stretching. There were other things we should talk about, but this attack had overshadowed everything. Though, Kiyanu would have definitely told Mother what we found out about the Zarian Dominion¡¯s connection to the war.


    I focused and tried to pull up some qi to form a technique. It was harder than I expected, like trying to grasp something slippery with thick gloves on. But I finally managed to get some light qi and beat it into shape for what I wanted. A window opened in front of me, showing an aerial view of the palace. I zoomed in and panned around a little, noting the positioning of the guards. They¡¯d increased in number. Then I shifted it and, with a mental effort, changed the view to show the city. There were lights on in the palace, and it seemed like the party was still going on. I tried to search for some of the commanders from the south, but it was hard to move my viewpoint.


    I started to get a headache, and it intensified as if someone was banging against my head. I felt sweat trickle down my forehead from the strain of trying to keep the technique active. It¡¯s advanced, sure, but it shouldn¡¯t be this hard.


    Finally, I let go and slumped back in my chair. The headache receded a bit, but it didn¡¯t disappear. I felt a lot more tired suddenly. Closing my eyes, I decided to rest for a while. My thoughts started to drift.


    Some time later, I started fully awake. I sat up and blinked against the light. I must have been dozing for more than a few minutes.


    The door had opened, and a few people were filing into the room. I recognized the chief physician, Chang, and a few other healers. Judging by their expressions, we weren¡¯t about to hear good news. I felt my throat tighten.


    They all knelt to Mother, who bid them stand up quickly. Al sat up straight, and Kariva stepped closer. I just tried to keep calm.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m afraid we have bad news,¡± the doctor said, looking at the ground. ¡°The Sky Shattering Energy Drain poison is a legendarily rare concoction, made with rare ingredients only found in the Fire Continent. We have found few records. Usually, the victim dies within the first hour of ingesting the poison. If the acute stage passes, the poison continues to drain the subject¡¯s energy and qi.¡± He hesitated, glancing at me before looking back down. ¡°This one is afraid, under normal circumstances, we will not be able to cure Her Highness. From what we have gathered, we may, possibly, be able to combat it enough to keep Her Highness alive, but her cultivation would be shattered.¡±


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. They think I¡¯m going to die?


    ¡°What else is there?¡± Kariva said. ¡°Continue.¡±


    The doctor cleared his throat and finally looked up. ¡°The only weakness this poison has is that its effect may be flushed out of the system due to a change in the subject¡¯s qi. A few people have survived it, mainly through breaking through to a new stage quickly after the poisoning.¡±


    I looked up at that. That sounded a lot better. ¡°I¡¯m pretty close to breaking through, I think. I could probably do it with a few weeks of focused cultivation, at most.¡±


    Mother sighed. ¡°That¡¯s only from the early to the middle part of the fourth stage. Would that help, doctor?¡±


    The doctor bowed. ¡°This one is deeply sorry, Your Majesty, Your Highness. But it is uncertain.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°It has been less than a year since Her Highness¡¯ last breakthrough. Forcing another one so quickly may have detrimental consequences, especially at this age.¡± His eyes wandered to me. ¡°Furthermore, Your Highness will likely find it far harder to cultivate than it should otherwise be. And even a few weeks¡¯ time would likely be enough for the poison to finish its work.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair. This is really happening, is it?


    Even if they managed to save my life, losing my cultivation wouldn¡¯t be much better. I might manage to survive exiled to some stormy island. But, without that, I had a lifespan of hundreds if not thousands of years. I¡¯d just been getting used to that idea. A normal human¡¯s life expectancy was but a fraction of that. In effect, I¡¯d still lose most of my life, the one I was going to have on this strange old world.


    There has to be some way, right? There has to be something I can do. Maybe some pills to help my cultivation. Even if it¡¯s a risk.


    Everyone was silent for a bit, digesting the doctor¡¯s words. He and his colleagues looked like they¡¯d rather be anywhere else. Al had pushed his chair closer to mine, grabbed my hand and was clinging to it. Mother sat still, a stony expression on her face.


    Finally, Kariva spoke up. Unlike what I¡¯d expected, her tone was almost challenging. ¡°Your Majesty, I know you wanted to wait, but the situation has most certainly changed now.¡±


    I blinked. What was that about? Maybe I¡¯d finally get some answers to some of my questions.


    Mother leaned back in her seat. ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Kariva turned to the doctors, ¡°What sort of progress is necessary for this? Would awakening a dormant constitution or hidden bloodline help?¡±


    The doctor looked up. He hesitated for a moment, before nodding. ¡°Perhaps, my lady. It depends on the constitution, of course, but a strong one might be enough to defeat the poison.¡±


    ¡°I see. I believe that¡¯s all?¡±


    Mother nodded. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    They glanced at me one last time, thinly-veiled curiosity in their eyes, before they bowed themselves out.


    I shifted my chair so I could face Mother head on and leaned forward. ¡°So, is there something I should know?¡±


    Mother sighed. ¡°I wanted to wait until you¡¯re more familiar with this world,¡± she muttered. ¡°To make sure you had the context to understand this correctly, and not ¡­ misinterpret what you want to hear.¡±


    She fell silent for a moment, staring at her hands. Kariva stepped back a little. Al glanced between Mother and me and chewed his lip, but he kept silent.


    Finally, she spoke up. ¡°Inaris, Carston isn¡¯t your father.¡±


    I knew it. I knew there was something going on there. I nodded, taking a deep breath. ¡°So, who is it?¡±


    Mother was silent again for a bit. She seemed to look through the wall into the distance, a conflicted expression on her face. Finally, she shook her head and looked me in the eyes.


    ¡°Rijoko, the Greater Spirit of the Moon.¡±


    The Greater Spirit of the Moon? I stared at her, wide-eyed. ¡°Really?¡±


    In my research, I¡¯d come across mention of people who traced their ancestry to spirits. But I¡¯d never given it much thought beyond passing curiosity. This was a magical world, after all. I¡¯d considered the idea that she may have had an affair with a humanoid spirit beast, but dismissed it since I didn¡¯t show any signs of that. I hadn¡¯t considered a Greater Spirit.


    ¡°What, really?¡± Al echoed. He looked from me to Mother. ¡°Wow.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± I said. ¡°The entity people pray and give offerings to at shrines?¡±


    Mother grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t go thinking you¡¯re a demigoddess, Inaris. You¡¯re human. And effects of your bloodline have mostly been suppressed.¡±


    I glanced at Kariva, whose expression hadn¡¯t changed. She must have known. Then I shook my head. ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    Mother looked away. ¡°A bargain.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Now, give me a minute. I need to arrange for a trip.¡±


    I sat back in my chair, trying to process all of that.


    I¡¯d started to assume my biological father on this world, if he wasn¡¯t Carston, must be dead. A part of me wasn¡¯t particularly happy about this revelation. I knew spirits, especially Greater Spirits, didn¡¯t follow human conventions, and didn¡¯t have much of a concept of family. It still stung knowing he must not care about me at all.

 54: Potential

    The view of the mountains was beautiful enough to make me forget about the poison and Mother¡¯s revelation for a moment. It had taken some more time until we could leave, and I didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d waited in that room before that, but at some point dawn had come. Now, the sun was just leaving the horizon behind, sending its rays out over the Central Mountains.


    I stood on a hilly outcropping a little further down from the real peaks, but with a great view over a valley in the mountains. A few clouds decorated the horizon, adding to the scenic beauty. The morning wind pulled at my clothes, a simple but durable set of robes. The fresh air made me feel a little better.


    But I shook my head and turned away from contemplating the scenery, instead focusing on my immediate surroundings. A small group of us had traveled here by airship. Mostly guards, who surrounded us in a wide perimeter now, all of them probably Mother¡¯s personal guard. Then there were Mother herself, Kariva and Alaster. I¡¯d thought about calling Tenira to accompany me, but something made me hesitate.


    Maybe I didn¡¯t want to burden her with it, but it might just be that I didn¡¯t want her to see me like this.


    ¡°So, what are we doing here?¡± I asked, pushing useless thoughts aside.


    ¡°This part of the mountains is home to many spirits,¡± Mother answered. ¡°Especially the area further up here. It¡¯s where their influence is felt strongly. There¡¯s a sort of ¡­ special place up ahead. A particular phenomenon of qi. You should be able to enter it and, hopefully, awaken a connection to the Moon.¡±


    I frowned at that. ¡°Why go here, and not, say, to a shrine of the Moon?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s where I went to do that bargain. Yeah, I could have gone to the shrine, but this is, well, more suitable. More private. Come on, I¡¯ll take you there.¡± She glanced at the others. ¡°The rest of you, stay here.¡±


    Al rushed me again for another hug. I returned it and ruffled his hair. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve got this. I¡¯ll come back healthy soon, okay?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better, Nari.¡±


    I nodded at Kariva, then turned to follow Mother, who had already started walking.


    After a minute of walking up a hilly slope leading to a rocky area, I decided I might as well pry a little. Walking was taking a toll on me, more than it should, but Mother kept the pace slow enough that I didn¡¯t have trouble talking. ¡°So, how did this bargain work? What¡¯d you give him?¡±


    ¡°The heart of a sea dragon,¡± Mother answered matter-of-factly. ¡°A powerful object containing a lot of qi, out of the Imperial treasury. It could have been used to craft a powerful artifact, but overall that¡¯s not such a big deal.¡± She frowned a little. ¡°Although it probably wasn¡¯t much more than a snack for him. We should assume he had his own reasons to agree to it.¡±


    ¡°And how did it work? Did he take on a human form, like an avatar, or just some magic stuff?¡±


    Mother cleared her throat, not looking at me. ¡°Well, you want me to get into the specifics?¡±


    ¡°On second thought,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to hear any details.¡± Those might be gross, I could live with being curious.


    The next few minutes, we walked in silence. We¡¯d started to get into more mountainous terrain, with rocky walls rising around us. It was also getting darker as we entered a bank of fog. Despite the poison, I could still sense the qi in it. The whole area was odd, with the qi having a different feeling than I was used to. I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but the sensation increased as we went further.


    Finally, we came out of a small valley into an open area nestled between rock walls and cliffs. Mother stopped. ¡°It¡¯s probably best if you go on alone from here.¡±


    I glanced down, but couldn¡¯t see the others. Mother remained standing here, and I could see the tension in her posture.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you went to the Moon,¡± I said quietly.


    Mother chuckled a little. ¡°That part¡¯s the hardest to tell, to be honest. And I¡¯m not quite sure how to put it.¡±


    I frowned. I could see she was clearly bothered by all of this. ¡°Was it about Carston?¡±


    ¡°No, not really.¡± Mother shook her head, looking down at the valley. ¡°There was always a lot of pressure to produce an heir. I could have ignored it, but I felt like I needed to do it. For the sake of stability. And I did want children. But it was a big risk, in a way.¡± She glanced at me. ¡°You probably understand that. My child would most likely inherit the throne. While I was confident in my own judgment, that I was doing good things with introducing civil rights and such, could I say the same about any prospective heir? Or ensure that my child would be strong enough to prevail?¡±


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything. I could relate, but didn¡¯t like the implications.


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s the answer,¡± Mother said, not looking at me. ¡°The best one I found, at least. I bargained with the Moon so the child would not only be strong enough to claim the throne. I bargained for an heir. For someone who could be the best ruler the Empire might have.¡±


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    I swallowed. That¡¯s a hell of a thing to say. I took a step forward, shaking my head. ¡°How could you be sure of that? Personality isn¡¯t determined exclusively by someone¡¯s genes.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course I can¡¯t be sure.¡± Mother laughed curtly. ¡°Of course a lot of things could happen, and I had no guarantee you would survive. I only ensured you had the potential for it.¡±


    I took another few steps forward, getting a bit of distance, and looked out over the valley. ¡°I guess I get it. Looking at it objectively, I¡¯m impressed. Their heir is one of the most important factors for how much good or bad a ruler does, long-term. Actually using magic to help with that, going to spirits like that? Admirable, in a way.¡± But that doesn¡¯t mean I like it.


    I still didn¡¯t look at her. I heard how she took a step, though. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still a shitty thing to do on a personal level.¡±


    She stayed still and didn¡¯t say anything to that.


    ¡°Well,¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°See you on the other side.¡±


    Not looking back, I walked forward, into the mist. It didn¡¯t take long for it to swallow any sense of Acura¡¯s presence. The place I went to didn¡¯t have any clear boundaries, but I gradually entered something that clearly felt different. Or maybe just a different way of perceiving things?


    I was still reeling from the revelation she¡¯d just shared. But I tried not to think about it, to push those considerations and emotions aside. I was here to awaken my bloodline, my connection to the Moon, however that might work. That was all.


    I could feel my surroundings slowly changing around me. It wasn¡¯t like stepping into another dimension, more like the place warped around me. I still had trouble perceiving qi, but my senses actually seemed to sharpen. At least in a way. They also shrunk, making it hard to perceive my surroundings more than a few meters around me, even though I could feel the qi around me in a way I¡¯d never encountered before. The whole thing reminded me a lot of the spirits I¡¯d encountered. The sensation of the qi, its smell or taste, if it had one, seemed familiar and yet much more potent.


    The ground around me flattened out until I stood on a plain, not the rocky terrain I¡¯d been walking on before. It stretched away from me, smooth as glass. The air was still, not a hint of a gust, yet it didn¡¯t smell stale.


    Slowly, I became aware that I was not alone. I couldn¡¯t tell whether it was because I saw them or sensed them with my qi senses, but I noticed that other figures existed in this strange place. They were spirits, of course. Their forms indistinct, sometimes changing, the feel of their qi unmistakable. Some of them seemed like animals, some had humanoid shapes. I could sense different levels of strength among them, although no one beyond the spirit I¡¯d encountered in that forest. As I continued walking, I noticed more of them showed up, coming closer towards me.


    At some point, I stopped. ¡°Greetings. I have come here in search of my connection to one of the Greater Spirits.¡±


    My words were swallowed by the mist of qi in the air, sounding small and weak in this place. Although a few of the spirits showed activity in response to them, moving around and acting curious, without coming any closer.


    After a minute of waiting, I noticed movement in one direction. They seemed to be retreating? No, giving way to someone else. Another spirit advanced towards me, this one noticeably stronger than the rest. They had a humanoid form, even showing details like long hair blowing in the nonexistent wind, although their body shape was androgynous and their face blurry. They felt familiar, as if I might have met them or a related spirit before.


    ¡®There you are, hidden light.¡¯ The spirit cocked its head. ¡®I do not think you will find what you really wish for here.¡¯


    It waved an arm, and the lesser spirits scattered, vanishing into the depths of this place quickly.


    ¡®Who ever gets what they really wish for?¡¯ I asked, crossing my arms. ¡®In any case, I find myself curious about this place, and your folk. Will you tell me more?¡¯


    They turned away without answering and started walking. I hesitated for a moment, surprised, then hurried to join them. My body protested the movement, weakness dogging my limbs, but I didn¡¯t care. I needed to follow this spirit, if they were the only one inclined to talk. They must have come to me for a reason, after all.


    After a few minutes of walking in silence, the spirit let out a whistling sigh. ¡®My time is not unlimited, Little Light. And neither is yours.¡¯


    I tried to suppress my annoyance. ¡®Will you tell me about this place and what I¡¯m supposed to do, then?¡¯


    ¡®This place is of no consequence. Simply a gathering spot away from humans. You could find the same in many places. As to what you¡¯re supposed to do, you should know that.¡¯


    I sighed. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m supposed to awaken my bloodline from the Greater Spirit of the Moon.¡¯


    ¡®For your sake, I certainly hope you can do better at it than you are now.¡¯


    I huffed. ¡®I¡¯m sure I can do whatever is necessary, if only I had some guidance.¡¯


    The spirit turned their head to look at me and raised a suddenly more defined eyebrow. ¡®And yet, you have not once so much as used his name.¡¯


    That shut me up for a moment.


    ¡®I was under the impression humans were supposed to care about family connections,¡¯ the spirit said, its tone now clearly prodding. ¡®Are you not moved by the prospect of meeting your real father? Perhaps you are feeling hurt.¡¯


    I huffed again, something about their words and tone of voice rubbing me the wrong way. ¡®I have a real father, my dad. And he must be grieving my death right now.¡¯


    The spirit chuckled, a rumbling sound like that didn¡¯t quite fit its ethereal appearance. It reminded me where I may have met them before, when a spirit came to warn me against going south to the war.


    ¡®What¡¯s the point of this conversation, anyway?¡¯ I asked, annoyed.


    ¡®Perhaps there is none. You cannot hope to connect to your dormant potential if you do not accept yourself.¡¯


    I stopped walking, which caused the spirit to stop as well. ¡®You don¡¯t know me. How would you know if I accept myself? Because that sounds more like fortune cookie advice than anything helpful.¡¯


    The spirit cocked their head again. `You cannot even bear to ponder the basis of your creation. If the prospect of being made for ruling is so terrifying, how would you ever awaken your bloodline?¡¯


    I ground my teeth and glared at them, wondering how they knew about that. Maybe they¡¯d listened to our conversation outside. I wanted to refute it and rant at them, but I stopped myself, took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. I needed to be in control of myself and able to face some personal enlightening, from the sounds of this.


    ¡®It is time to give you something more challenging, and let you test yourself with more than words.¡¯


    The spirit smiled and waved at me. Before I could answer, the qi around us started rippling, coming from their hand. It distorted around us, bringing back the nausea I¡¯d forgotten about since coming here.


    When the wave passed, the spirit was gone and I stood alone. My surroundings had changed as well. Rather than the formless mist of qi, they now consisted of colors and forms.


    I sighed, straightened my shoulders, and focused. If they wanted to give me a test of character, I¡¯d play along.

 55: Just a lie

    It felt like the world around me had shifted again. I could still sense the mist of qi hanging in the air, but its presence was muted now, almost overwritten by something else. Like a frame holding up a different thing, another layer of reality.


    That didn¡¯t mean it was clear. Just looking at it worsened my headache. Colors flashed, and pieces of images swirled through the air. Like three-dimensional paintings ripped apart and mixing together.


    A few times, I saw something I thought I recognized, but it was gone too fast to be really sure. Was that a computer? Surely not. Wait, Latin letters?


    I frowned and focused, trying to ignore the strain and pierce the illusion. At first, it didn¡¯t help. My surroundings only became more chaotic. But then, they seemed to recede, the colors blending together, muted, until a complete scene emerged from them.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I stumbled backwards a step, staring at the scene in front of me. It felt like someone punched me in the gut.


    Before me, I saw a house. But not just any house. I recognized it at once. The satellite dish and garage clearly belonged on Earth, not Aran. The roof of red clay bricks was all straight edges, no slopes. The white paint on the walls was a little dirty, could have used some renovations. The small garden in front had grown wild, since no one had the time or passion to care for it. I¡¯d always liked it better that way.


    I blinked and looked to the sides. The neighboring houses were visible here as well, but a little blurred, like someone had taken a picture with them out of focus.


    This was my home. My childhood home, at least. How did they get this? Can only be from my memories. There¡¯s no way this is real. I shook my head. Even if they had some way to get to Earth, how would they know to get footage of this exact house?


    The realization that someone must be poking around in my head made me shiver. I ground my teeth and tried to focus. When I tried to analyze my own mind, I didn¡¯t find anything out of place. At least, not anything I wouldn¡¯t expect from the situation, what with the poison and being in some strange spirit place.


    I couldn¡¯t help it. I walked up to the house, tracing my hand across the wood of the door for a few moments. The material felt wispy, like it wasn¡¯t really there. When I pushed it, the door opened easily.


    Once inside, I could hear voices. My heart drumming in my ears, I walked closer, opening another door. And there they were, on the big sofa in the living room. My parents, smiling and laughing at something.


    I swallowed hard, staring at them, drinking in their features. They looked normal, like nothing had changed, like I¡¯d only just woken up from a bad dream and never gone on a soul journey at all. Turning my head a bit, I could see my little brother, sitting at the table in the living room, focused on his laptop.


    Felix had rarely taken his laptop to the living room, but I didn¡¯t care. I drank in the sight of him as well. He straightened up, glancing back and saying something to our parents. None of them looked in my direction, although they should be able to see me from there.


    I couldn¡¯t make out any details of their conversation. Whenever I tried to focus on it, their voices just blurred. It was like my mind couldn¡¯t handle it, or like they weren¡¯t saying anything real. But even so, their voices sounded like them.


    Steeling myself, I walked further into the room. But again, none of them looked up. I paused in front of the sofa, and waved my hand in front of my mom¡¯s face.


    She frowned, and for a second, I thought there was something. Then she only grabbed a pen and made a note on one of the sheets of paper she was reading. I couldn¡¯t make out the contents, but she was probably editing a paper or grading something.


    I took a step back and looked more closely. Mom looked the same as always, with a few gray streaks in her longish blond hair, wearing clothes that showed she¡¯d come straight from work, reading glasses perched on her nose.


    Something blocked my throat, and I blinked against the wetness threatening to accumulate in my eyes. With an effort, I ripped my gaze away from her and focused on my dad. He was lounging on the sofa, reading something on his phone. Unlike mom, his short hair was messy, he was wearing jeans and a shirt, and had his jacket thrown over the back of the nearest chair. He smiled at something, obviously stifling a chuckle so he wouldn¡¯t bother my mom.


    I retreated and sat down in the armchair, which ended up being able to support my weight. But I just watched my family. In that moment, I didn¡¯t care why I was here. They were all that mattered.


    On some level, I knew I was being stupid. But I just wanted to capture this moment and have it last forever. Being back with my family, seeing them smile, it filled a hole I¡¯d refused to acknowledge I still felt.


    For a while, I sat there, just basking in the presence of my family. I watched them and let my emotions run their course, for perhaps the first time in a long while.


    After what felt like hours, but I had no way to know how long it actually was, I started getting restless again. I still didn¡¯t want to leave them, but curiosity pricked me. So I stood up and walked. At the door, I hesitated, looking back again. Nothing in the scene had changed, except that my family had fallen silent, everyone absorbed in what they were doing. I smiled, then continued on, toward the rest of the house.


    It looked just like I remembered. I took the stairs to the upper story, then glanced around. The door to the right beckoned me. With a slight tremble in my fingers, I pushed it open and stepped into the room.


    My room looked like I remembered, as well. Although something about it felt a little off. I frowned and looked around. There was my bed, my desk with my computer, the two bookcases, the wardrobe. A few old posters hung on the wall beside a few photos. My bed was unmade, and pens and little gadgets scattered across the desk, like I usually left it. I saw everything with new eyes.


    Of course, I¡¯d been away before, at university, and only come back after weeks or months. This felt like that. Except ¡­ not quite. I remembered the room, but it didn¡¯t feel like I could just move in, lounge on the bed or turn on the screen and start living here again.


    This is still me, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m still the same, just with a few new experiences added on.


    I crossed my arms, looking around. It had been less than a year, but a lot of things had changed for me. I¡¯ve killed people, even one who was my prisoner, ordered people deported. I don¡¯t regret it, but I know my family wouldn¡¯t approve. I frowned, then shook my head. But I¡¯m not exactly wracked by guilt, and I think the old me from before the soul journey would have done the same given the circumstances.


    No, this wasn¡¯t why it felt strange to be back here.


    I sighed and looked out the window. There was the yard behind the houses. I remembered how I used to play with other kids there. I walked closer, peering through the window.


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    The yard wasn¡¯t empty. As I watched, I saw hints of qi swirling in the air, until the figures of a group of kids appeared in the yard. I sucked in a breath. I remembered this scene, even though it was a little indistinct, like it was seen through milky glass. There I was, cycling back home, confronted by the others. There was the girl in the class above mine who¡¯d bullied me for a bit. I couldn¡¯t recall her name. Something with an M? Maybe.


    As I watched, I saw the kids get closer, yelling at each other, until there were a few pushes. The younger me got down before they could tip her over. Frowning, I watched as thing got more heated. When the older girl grabbed the bike¡¯s handlebars, I sighed. I knew where this was going. She¡¯d take the bike, until her brother returned it a few hours later.


    I turned away, not seeing the point in continuing to watch. But I remembered how this went. I wanted to teach her a lesson. But I guess she only learned to get a better lock for her bike after the old one ended up in the river. I smiled at the memory. I¡¯d waited after school until everyone left, and gotten home late enough to be grounded for the first time.


    I tapped my fingers on the desk, but the wood felt just as wispy as everything else here, reminding me that this life was gone. I wonder how my childhood as Inaris went. Probably wasn¡¯t an easy child.


    I shook my head to banish that stray thought and focused back on my surroundings. Why had they played that old memory? Cautiously, I focused on my qi senses. They were still muddied, the poison making them feel detached and blurry. The structure around me and the surrounding qi was dense, not letting me sense anything much further away. But the house didn¡¯t really show up on my senses¡¯ radar, it was more like a continual mass with a few patterns imprinted on it.


    Why don¡¯t you show me something else? I focused my mind on an image. The room around me responded, morphing until a few things had shifted places, the decorations changing to those of my early childhood. Everything looked blurrier, maybe because I remembered it less clearly.


    So, this is taken from my memories, and I can control it. I wonder how that works? Qi interacting with my brain in some way?


    ¡®How about you watch something else?¡¯


    I whirled around, but I couldn¡¯t tell where the spirit¡¯s voice had come from. I couldn¡¯t sense them anywhere. But before me, the view in the window shifted, until it showed a new scene. A village surrounded by a forest and a walled compound.


    Despite myself, I stepped closer to the window, curious to know what this meant. I recognized the village; it was the one Lorn had taken me to when I was with the Carmine Cloud Sect. But the houses looked a little better now, as if the inhabitants had managed to repair or renovate them.


    They weren¡¯t the only thing looking better. On the fields, I could see people working, this time with larger devices like small tractors. And the people themselves looked better, too. Healthier, their clothing less threadbare. There were a lot more smiles than before. The village seemed to be bustling with people, more than I thought it had before.


    I turned away, snorting. ¡°This is pretty blatant. You¡¯re not exactly being subtle, are you?¡±


    There was no answer. I waited for a minute, but when I didn¡¯t notice any signs of the spirit¡¯s presence, I shook my head and turned to watch the room again.


    ¡°This is all just a lie,¡± I muttered. I wanted to stay here. But this was probably a test of how much I would cling to my old life, versus recognizing that it has changed, and maybe that I have a duty elsewhere now. Or that I could do good in the Empire? Whatever. I don¡¯t think they really understand me, but who knows what their reasoning is.


    I clenched my fist, bearing down on the qi surrounding me. It started to distort. Dizziness gripped me again, and I closed my eyes.


    When I opened them again, I was back on the same smooth, featureless plain. I felt a pang of regret for destroying the facsimiles of my family, but squashed it ruthlessly. The spirit might be a jerk, but they had a point. I should just be glad I got to see them again in some way.


    I started walking aimlessly, watching as more spirits began to gather again. They kept their distance, though I knew they watched me.


    But I hadn¡¯t gone more than a few meters when I noticed many of the spirits stop in their tracks. Somehow, I got the feeling they were surprised.


    A voice I hadn¡¯t heard before slipped into my mind. ¡®Done with your memories? How quickly you go from clinging to them to abandoning them.¡¯


    I stopped and whirled around. There, a spirit strolled towards me. They were more distinct than any other I¡¯d seen on this plain. In fact, I might have mistaken them for a human without the qi clearly making up their body, which otherwise looked like a man in his mid-thirties. The figure was wearing loose, flowing robes, and had long hair bound in a ponytail. The face looked nondescript, except for the eyes, which glared at me in an alarming red tone.


    A few of the spirits started fluttering around in clear agitation, although none got too close. ¡®He¡¯s not supposed to be here!¡¯ one of them cried.


    I tensed. The poison¡¯s effects had felt muted since I entered this place, but I still felt them, weighing down my limbs and making my qi harder to access. But even in top form, I knew I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against that spirit. Power rolled off him in waves, stirring the qi around him. He had to be at least as strong as the spirit I¡¯d spoken to before, probably more so. I didn¡¯t think he was a Greater Spirit, but definitely trouble.


    ¡®Can I help you with something?¡¯ I asked.


    The spirit advanced, until he stood uncomfortably close, looking down at me. He crossed him arms, his glare not lessened in the slightest. ¡®Oh, you could. By realizing that you belong on your own world, not here, for example.¡¯


    I almost took a step back, but caught myself. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can go back ¡­ or can I?¡¯


    The spirit snorted, shaking his head. ¡®And someone like you is supposed to be the next great ruler of the Empire? Rijoko really bungled this one.¡¯


    I gritted my teeth. ¡®Did you come here just to harass me?¡¯


    The spirit smiled, this one looking more genuine. ¡®Mostly. I thought it was about time we saw each other personally. You¡¯ve earned at least that much, rather annoyingly.¡¯


    My heart started beating faster. This didn¡¯t sound good. ¡®I wasn¡¯t aware I was enemies with a spirit. You¡¯ve been working against me?¡¯


    He grinned, flashing teeth. ¡®It hardly takes a genius to figure that out, doesn¡¯t it? Of course, someone had to give Weriga that poison.¡¯


    This time, I did take a step back. A pit opened in my guts, and I clenched my hands into fists. This spirit had helped Kei Weriga try to kill me? Maybe even instigated it? ¡®Why? What have I done to make you want me dead?¡¯


    The spirit shook his head. ¡®You haven¡¯t done anything. Well, not much, at least. I do wish you¡¯d just let the barbarians kill you.¡¯ He shrugged, the most human-like gesture I¡¯d even seen from a spirit. ¡®It¡¯s nothing personal, really, little girl. You can blame your parents for this.¡¯


    I tried to take a weapon from my storage ring, but it didn¡¯t work. Maybe the qi here was interfering with its enchantment. So I just crossed my arms. He hasn¡¯t tried to kill me yet. Clearly, he doesn¡¯t want to do it here.


    ¡®You¡¯re just trying to unnerve me, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Get me off balance.¡¯


    The spirit chuckled. ¡®You think you¡¯re clever, aren¡¯t you? Little girl, you¡¯re just a piece in a game you don¡¯t even know. You¡¯re not going to awaken the Moon¡¯s bloodline. Even if you did, your fate wouldn¡¯t change. In fact, you might just help me, and my lord¡¯s case.¡¯


    I frowned. Is he working for one of the other Greater Spirits?


    We stared each other down for a minute. The spirit didn¡¯t blink, although the menace in his eyes sent tingles of fear down my spine.


    Finally, I shook my head. ¡®I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not going to just lay down and die. Even more importantly, I¡¯m going to do what I can. Try to put me down all you like, that just shows you don¡¯t like what I may be able to do, after all.¡¯


    The spirit laughed again. ¡®Blind arrogance will not serve you well.¡¯


    I tried to gather some of my qi. It felt sluggish, but I managed to get some darkness qi into shape for my technique. It almost burned its way out of my meridians, until it coalesced in my hands.


    I struck at the spirit. He took a step back before I¡¯d even really started the motion. The grin was still on his face, although the expression around his eyes had hardened.


    ¡®Just leave me alone.¡¯


    ¡®Enjoy what little life you have left, little girl.¡¯


    His laughter rang out again, mocking and cold, while his body dissipated. I could feel a wave of qi traveling away from me, although it was only a vague sensation, and I couldn¡¯t have pinpointed his path.


    I slumped and took a deep breath. Then I stayed still for a bit, but it seemed like he was really gone.


    The worst thing was, I did feel a bit shaken. Knowing that I had an enemy like that, if not someone even more powerful, gave me goosebumps. And the revelation about the poison added to that. He must have pulled Kei Weriga¡¯s strings. I wish I could just go home, I couldn¡¯t help thinking. Even if I survive here, what else might they be up to?


    But at least now I knew more than before.

 Bonus 5: Spirits and religion

    Yes, I¡¯ve tried to avoid the topic. But I suppose my pseudo-scientific (or researcher?) pride wouldn¡¯t allow me to do that for long. Especially given recent developments. It¡¯s probably about time that I take stock of what I know about spirits in general, and how they play into the head-scratching thing that is religion here.


    Because, seriously, you have a religion where supernatural forces and entities are actually and unequivocally present. And might just protest if something you claim in their name doesn¡¯t suit them. Well, if they care to.


    Let¡¯s start at the beginning. What are spirits? That¡¯s actually a hard question, and if you try to go beyond the surface, there¡¯s not much agreement between scholars. Asking spirits themselves doesn¡¯t seem to help.


    Clearly, they¡¯re living beings. A ¡®race¡¯ of sentients - although that¡¯s where the disagreement starts, since not every spirit seems to be intelligent. Some appear more reactive or animalistic. In general, spirits span a huge range of variety, in their levels of power as well as the way they present themselves to the world. Although there are of course commonalities. They¡¯re closely associated with qi, although exactly how that works, like their nature, is far from certain.


    For us, at least. Maybe the stronger and more intelligent spirits have a better idea and just don¡¯t like to share? That would fit. As a rule of thumb, the more power a spirit has, the more intelligent they are, up to a certain point. I¡¯ve also read that the powerful ones are better able to understand and predict human society, but they just don¡¯t care, usually. Not that I can really blame them.


    Physically, spirits fall somewhere between insubstantial and incorporeal. They¡¯re most likely made of qi in some way. Perhaps some altered qi. Their forms are quite changeable. Many spirits have been documented with different appearances. The forms they do take range from plants over animals and spirit beasts to humanoid forms. Although they tend to not be complete or detailed recreations, even aside from the lack of solidity. Spirits don¡¯t have color, at least not the same we do. Humanoid forms would be abstract or minimalistic. As I¡¯ve experienced myself. I guess it might be their version of artistic expression, or they just want to emphasize their otherness. Maybe.


    Spirits tend to avoid humans. Like spirit beasts, they prefer to reside in untamed nature. Or in the so-called qi phenomena or anomalies. Or possibly in some parallel dimension, or dimensions, of their own ¡ª I¡¯m not quite sure what to make of what I¡¯ve read, to be honest. Point is, they usually avoid direct contact with humans. But usually isn¡¯t always, and if they feel threatened or attacked, or otherwise hostile, they¡¯re perfectly capable of asserting themselves. Quite fiercely.


    That said, over the centuries and millennia, people have learned to live together. Humans and spirits tolerate and cooperate with each other. Seeking to make a bargain with a spirit isn¡¯t an everyday thing, but it wouldn¡¯t get you any strange looks. Apparently, spirits like qi, in the form of qi-rich materials or artifacts, or they¡¯d take favors and services. This is true for almost any level of the power scale. Though I guess you might have more trouble with an animalistic spirit.


    That relates to the topic of religion. Because people routinely give offerings to spirits. In fact, it reminds me a little of what I know of religion in ancient Rome and other old cultures, with house gods or spirits. I know I shouldn¡¯t fall into the trap of thinking of it in the way my culture understands worship. It¡¯s more like propitiation. I guess. For the less powerful ones, definitely.


    There are of course local differences in the way it works, but the prevailing religion doesn¡¯t change much between continents and countries. It¡¯s polytheistic, perhaps with a side of animism, if I had to classify it. But always adjusted to your surroundings and local spirits. Communities, regions, and even the Empire maintain shrines and give offerings to the stronger spirits. But individuals do the same. And then, of course, there¡¯s the ¡®real¡¯ religious side of it. At least, I tend to think of it that way. That centers around the most powerful spirits, especially the Greater Spirits.


    Who these are is actually pretty clear, if you look at Aran as a whole. Sure, there are regions or countries where other spirits are worshiped and sometimes called ¡®Greater Spirit¡¯, but the main ones are acknowledged almost anywhere. There are twelve of them, who are usually meant if you refer to ¡®Greater Spirits¡¯. From what I¡¯ve read, spirits know these distinctions as well, and call them Greater Spirits. I¡¯m not sure if these are just the most powerful spirits or if there¡¯s a qualitative difference.


    These Greater Spirits may as well be deities in this world. They¡¯re the most powerful entities here. At least according to common knowledge. And we know how cultivators worship strength ¡­


    So, there are lots of shrines in their names. People pray to them, give offerings, swear in their names, all that stuff.


    Apropos names: they do have names, although they¡¯re usually known by their epithets, like ¡®The Sun¡¯ or ¡®The Moon¡¯, etcetera. This is rare, since most spirits either don¡¯t have names or don¡¯t give them to humans. It¡¯s a little unclear whether they use names among themselves, but they certainly don¡¯t seem to regard them the same way other people do.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Plus, spirits don¡¯t have genders, not really. But some of the more well-known ones are still seen as male or female. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s just interpretation, but it seems like there¡¯s more to it. There are enough records of these spirits appearing with gendered appearances. And since they can choose their forms, I should probably take that as a form of gender expression, or whatever.


    Anyway, while details like that are pretty constant throughout society, there is little consistent religious dogma. No real scripture. Rituals and traditions differ between places. Of course, there are common legends, some of them quite well-known worldwide, especially when it comes to the Greater Spirits. For example, the enmity between certain factions of Greater Spirits, like between Rijoko and Jideia, is a prominent feature, although the details of the tale differ depending on who you ask.


    It¡¯s a little startling for me to realize that, unlike mythology on Earth, there may be one actual canon that covers what exactly happened. Because these may be descriptions of actual events. The Greater Spirits aren¡¯t hostile because humans see a duality or struggle between their elements, or one cult displaced another (I assume), but they just are. I guess it¡¯s a good thing that they mostly keep out of human affairs. I wouldn¡¯t want to see a real ¡®holy war¡¯. People don¡¯t try to use religion to sanctify warfare, here. At least in general. With real, present gods, well, I shudder to imagine what might happen if the Greater Spirits started using this world as a battleground.


    On that note, of course this polytheistic mishmash isn¡¯t the only religion in this world. Some are more like philosophical schools. There are even a few basically monotheistic religions here, although they¡¯re pretty diverse.


    One of them is Acalicusm. They¡¯re the largest, so far as I know. Although they may be closer to a dualistic than monotheistic religion. Actually, they remind me a little of what I know of Zoroastrianism. Which admittedly isn¡¯t much. But they have elements such as the universal fight of good against evil, or a doctrine of humans being judged according to their deeds, and versions of the afterlife, which is rare in the ¡®traditional¡¯ religion.


    To be fair, there are different conceptions of the afterlife there, varying locally. In the middle of the Sky Continent, belief in reincarnation is prominent. Others don¡¯t have very specific teachings or avoid this topic.


    Acalicusm still incorporates the spirits, including the Greater Spirits, giving them roles in their scripture. But they¡¯re less prominent than in other beliefs. Still, while this religion is viewed with skepticism by many, there¡¯s little actual conflict between the faiths. Acalicusm developed in the Earth Continent a few millennia ago, but in recent centuries it spread to other continents more strongly. Currently, it¡¯s on the rise in the Empire. In some regions of the Earth Continent¡¯s Imperial territories, it has the most adherents, and they¡¯re a sizeable minority in the north of Sky Continent, although their rise has slowed in recent years. The Imperial government has kept out of things. I¡¯d say freedom of religion isn¡¯t much of a right here because it¡¯s a matter of course, something anchored in tradition since the Empire first started spreading. I guess if a faith that¡¯s firmly against the current regime ever starts to rise, we¡¯ll see how that changes.


    Speaking of, I¡¯m still having a bit of trouble grasping the nuances of the Empire¡¯s relationship with religion. Because, of course, there¡¯s connections. With other countries, too, but it¡¯s enough of a headache considering just the Empire.


    Rulers using religion to justify their authority and attempts at expansion is pretty common throughout history. In medieval Europe, kings claimed they were ruling ¡®by God¡¯s grace¡¯, or something. In antiquity, the national god promised the king dominion over the world and was thought responsible for military victories. But none of those really fit the situation in the Empire. If anything, it¡¯s more similar to the Chinese concept of the ¡®mandate of the heavens¡¯.


    Not exactly, of course. But the Emperor or Empress does draw some legitimacy from the spirit world, and the way they deal with it.


    Exactly what this means seems to vary depending on who you ask. There are a few opinions and takes on it. It probably isn¡¯t helped by the fact that Mother avoids the whole issue, and it seems like her own mother wasn¡¯t very religious, either.


    Key to this is the idea that the ruler¡¯s strength signifies their right or suitability to rule. It¡¯s a little unclear on whether Mother is granted this strength or has this guaranteed by the Greater Spirits, or whether it¡¯s all her own thing that she has to assert against hostile forces, perhaps in dealing with the Greater Spirits as well. That depends on who you ask, I suppose. It also rests on the traditional conception of a ruler¡¯s duty. It¡¯s Mother¡¯s job to protect her people from the dangers of the land. Spirit beasts, spirits, human enemies, or other hostile forces.


    The Empire builds roads and trade networks, maintains garrisons in the settlements, but also sometimes makes and enforces agreements with sapient spirit beasts or even spirits. But it¡¯s on another level for the Empress. For some (traditionalists ¡ª remember I¡¯m rolling my eyes hard right now) ¡ª she¡¯s almost at the level of the Greater Spirits, herself. She¡¯s certainly supposed to deal with them for the benefit of the Empire. It¡¯s an important if not always obvious part of her job to bargain with the Greater Spirits if necessary. Not quite an intermediary between gods and men (or rather humans, of course), since powerful cultivators wouldn¡¯t like to be seen as agents of someone else, least of all the ruler. But in common perception, there¡¯s something divine about it; the role, or perhaps even the person.


    What does this mean for me? Obviously, I¡¯ll have to deal with all of it if and when I¡¯m going to be Empress. But even now, as the Imperial Princess, this is throwing some long shadows. It¡¯s at least part of why I¡¯m ¡°blessed by the spirits¡± and a few other titles, and why my position and person are treated as sacred to some degree. Honestly, the whole thing is a little vague to pin down.


    This is the sort of thing more determined by traditions rather than written laws or scripture, and what people really find plausible and proper varies.


    But I need to keep it in mind. Future me, if you think back to writing this, have a care, okay? And good luck, I guess.

 56: Who I am

    I stayed standing where I¡¯d met that spirit for a few minutes, trying to see if I could still sense him and waiting for something else to happen. Finally, I determined everything was quiet, and started walking again.


    I¡¯d been turned around by the more friendly spirit¡¯s intervention, so I didn¡¯t know if I was walking in the right direction. Not that I had a clear goal to be walking towards, anyway. Only a feeling of which bearing I might have come from, so I headed in the opposite direction. The other spirits had retreated from the powerful one, only a few of them lingering in the distance as far as I could see. Now, they started to return, as more of them appeared out of the mist, still watching me.


    I shook my head. I should have asked my enemy for his name, at least. He probably had one, although he might not have shared it with me.


    A prickle in my qi senses alerted me, and I turned around just in time to see the other spirit quickly approaching, the one who¡¯d sent me to those memories. They looked the same, although their power shone more strongly now, as if to ward against trespassers.


    ¡®Who are you, anyway?¡¯ I asked. ¡®A servant of the Moon?¡¯


    The spirit came to a stop in front of me, cocking their head to the side. ¡®Yes. I am what mortals sometimes refer to as an astral spirit. Some humans have called me Mior, in the past. You may use that name, if you wish.¡¯


    ¡®Then, Mior,¡¯ I said, crossing my arms. ¡®Will you tell me what the hell was up with that? Another one of your games? Letting someone who wants me dead just walk right up without so much as a warning?¡¯


    The spirit bowed their head. ¡®That was not my intention. Our enemy slipped through, and I became aware of his presence too late.¡¯


    I snorted. ¡®Then you stayed away out of fear, because he¡¯s stronger than you?¡¯


    ¡®I do not fear,¡¯ the spirit said, no emotion in their tone. ¡®There was no point in a losing confrontation. He would not have dared to harm you here for fear of incurring the Moon¡¯s wrath. Now, let us continue.¡¯


    Mior started walking, at a pace just quick enough that I¡¯d have to make an effort to keep up. I sighed but started after them. I still had to awaken my bloodline or whatever and defeat the poison, and they were my best lead. At least I was fairly confident they wanted to help me.


    After a few minutes of silence, I started talking again. ¡®So, are you working on my father¡¯s orders? Or just doing what you think he¡¯d like?¡¯


    The spirit turned their head to me again, with what I imagined was an amused glint in their eyes this time. ¡®So you acknowledge him as your father now? Did it help you to see the ghosts of your old family?¡¯


    I shrugged, but stayed quiet. I didn¡¯t quite know what I thought about it. Although it might have helped me find some closure. I hope.


    ¡®An interesting choice. I thought you¡¯d revisit some pivotal moment of your life. Instead, domestic tranquility, not even any one real memory. One has to wonder just what sort of great leader you¡¯re supposed to be.¡¯


    I gritted my teeth. So it had been me who¡¯d subconsciously determined that scene? But I didn¡¯t like their implication, especially since I had the feeling they were only trying to provoke me. ¡®Are you saying I don¡¯t have what it takes to be a great ruler?¡¯


    The spirit chuckled, raising an eyebrow. ¡®The question is, do you think you will be a great ruler?¡¯


    I grunted. ¡®No, the question is, what did my parents think they were doing, making a child purpose-built to be an Empress? How do you even determine how to do that? ¡­ Okay, I guess Mother probably gave criteria like ¡®the most benefit and least harm for the greatest number of people¡¯.¡¯  I trailed off a little, shaking my head. ¡®Still, that¡¯s just ¡­¡¯


    The spirit¡¯s eyebrow shadows scrunched up. ¡®Is that what worries you?¡¯


    ¡®Of course it is!¡¯ I shouted, which felt strange since I was talking in my mind. I took a deep breath and shook my head. ¡®The lives of billions of people are affected by decisions like this! It¡¯s like ¡­ it¡¯s a huge moral question, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    The spirit nodded. ¡®It is.¡¯


    I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I¡¯d been trying to avoid thinking about it too closely, but now that they¡¯d brought it up, I couldn¡¯t help but dwell on it.


    This revelation didn¡¯t just affect my self-image, it shook my worldview. After all, I¡¯d been a staunch supporter of democracy. Even after my transmigration, I¡¯d kept my fundamental philosophical views. Okay, maybe there¡¯s a difference between abstract humanistic ideals and political philosophy, and practical concerns in this new life. But still. Now, if there¡¯s a way to magically determine who¡¯s most suited for leadership, should that be preferable to democracy?


    After a moment, I shook my head. ¡®I guess it all rests on the practical details. Presumably, there¡¯s a limit to what they could do, since I was still Mother¡¯s daughter. I got her DNA, and any from my father¡¯s side had to work with that. Right?¡¯


    The spirit nodded. ¡®I¡¯m not familiar with any details, but that should be correct.¡¯ Their tone had changed, and I got the feeling they didn¡¯t quite know what to make of this line of conversation.


    ¡®Then the question really boils down to whether the Moon knows what makes a good ruler and can ensure they actually are,¡¯ I mused.


    Well, the Moon was literally a higher being, and more to the point, he had to be a few thousand years old at least. If you needed someone to decide this kind of thing, he was probably a good choice. Still, what does that mean for my question?


    I sighed. I just don¡¯t know.


    One question that inevitably came up in this line of thought was about my soul journey. After all, someone¡¯s experiences determined what they¡¯d act like as much as any innate traits. But I shook my head and shelved that thought. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get any answers here, and I should probably focus on the situation. I wouldn¡¯t be much of anything if I died from this poison.


    We continued walking in silence. I began to feel a bit tired, and my legs were starting to burn. That shouldn¡¯t happen already, but with my qi blockaded or under attack by the poison, I clearly couldn¡¯t rely on it to help me. I was still feeling sick, and I knew I couldn¡¯t do strenuous physical activity. Like fighting.


    ¡®We won¡¯t be walking for much longer,¡¯ Mior said.


    Suddenly, I felt a bit of apprehension. ¡®Have I passed your tests?¡¯


    They slowed down and turned to face me. ¡®Have you learned nothing from what you¡¯ve seen here?¡¯


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I crossed my arms. ¡®You know, I can¡¯t tell if you genuinely dislike me or are just trying to prod and challenge me.¡¯


    The spirit frowned, mirroring my gesture. ¡®What reason would I have to do that?¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®You think I¡¯d be a bad ruler? Or want me to accept it?¡¯


    ¡®How do you imagine you would be a good ruler?¡¯ The spirit¡¯s tone was challenging. ¡®Look at you, Hidden Light. Sociopathic tendencies, a brilliant mind you can¡¯t seem to make the most of, reckless impulses, almost as if you were careless with this life now that you know about reincarnation. Would you trust an Empire to yourself?¡¯


    They turned back and continued walking, while I processed this in silence for a moment, trying to figure out their goals.


    ¡®You got me,¡¯ I admitted with a wry smile. ¡®Sociopathic tendencies? Not much I can say. A brilliant mind? Why, thank you. Impulsiveness? I¡¯d argue that¡¯s not an inherently bad thing for a ruler, much like sociopathic tendencies, if you control them well. I just need to grow it into decisiveness. After all, we¡¯re talking about potential. Of course I¡¯m not suited to ruling now.¡¯


    I paused for a moment, and considered what they¡¯d said more deeply, trying to search my own feelings. ¡®Maybe I did treat this as a game in some way, but I was reincarnated into a world straight out of stories.¡¯ And maybe a small part of me did hope that dying might bring me back to my old life, but I wasn¡¯t honestly sure if that was the case.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you being arrogant now?¡¯ the spirit questioned.


    I considered for a moment, then shook my head. ¡®No, I don¡¯t think so. But yeah, I guess I¡¯ve come to accept this more. I suppose I should thank you.¡¯


    The spirit smiled, and their tone was much more relaxed as they answered. ¡®You are welcome. Now, we are almost there.¡¯


    I suspected I knew what they¡¯d tried. Attacking me and getting me defensive about it, trying to verbalize positive feelings about my purpose. After all, our opinions were malleable, and, especially for things we were unsure of, could be influenced by what we actually said. If we asked ourselves what we believed, even subconsciously, prior behavior like that served as indicators.


    Finally, there was some break to the endless monotony of our surroundings. The qi mist seemed to lighten, and what might have been air currents developed, moving it around. At the same time, the ground sloped upwards. I huffed and pumped my legs harder, fighting against a slight dizziness again. To our sides, the ground rose even more sharply, breaking its smoothness with bulges and cracks. The silence surrounding us retreated as our feet striking the ground thudded alongside faint whisperings of wind.


    We emerged on a mountaintop. I paused, taking a deep breath as I looked at the scenery. It wasn¡¯t the highest peak around. In fact, higher ones rose around us in many directions, although I could also look down on other mountains. The ground under my feet was gently sloped, but mostly even rock, stretching for maybe thirty meters. On the other side, there was a small area elevated even higher.


    If I squinted, I could make out what might be the place I started from, down the mountain, though I wasn¡¯t sure. But we were definitely higher up than we should be, considering my path. I hadn¡¯t walked uphill for nearly long enough. Probably something with the spirits¡¯ qi place.


    ¡°What now?¡± I asked. My voice didn¡¯t disappear into the surroundings as much as before, although there was still a lot of qi in the air. I knew we were still within the influence of that place, at least. Maybe all of this was still part of it.


    ¡®Now, Little Light, you need to make a choice.¡¯ The spirit gestured to the rocky area ahead of us.


    I squinted, wondering what was up. Then I noticed the qi accumulating there. After a few moments, it started to glow in my mundane vision, as well. A circle formed there, hanging over the ground, maybe two meters in diameter. Big enough for a person to walk through. It was made of swirling shadows and vines of light, but its inside filled with smoky qi. I couldn¡¯t tell what lay beyond that, if anything.


    ¡°Looks like a portal. I don¡¯t suppose I can choose where to go?¡±


    The spirit gave me a stern look, impressive considering its face was so insubstantial. They released a whistling sigh. ¡®You can choose to go through it and emerge in the place of your old life, your Earth.¡¯


    My thoughts came to a crashing halt. I stared at Mior for a moment, before shaking my head to try and clear it. Could I really go back?


    ¡®How do I know you¡¯re telling the truth?¡¯


    ¡®Do you really need to be sure? Wouldn¡¯t it be a chance worth taking? What do you have to lose?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t point out that it was obviously a test. Even just the possibility of going back should lure me in. All the practical details, like if I could get my old body back, didn¡¯t really matter, either.


    For a moment, I allowed myself to consider it. I thought about my family, my friends, everything I¡¯d missed about Earth. But my thoughts also turned to the people I cared about in this life. Al, Tenira. Plus everything else about this world, and what we¡¯d just discussed about myself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I said, feeling a cold shiver trace down my spine. ¡°Even if I wanted to. That would be abandoning everything. There¡¯s so much I could do here, so much good I could bring to these people. I have a moral duty to at least try.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d have problems letting other people suffer if it didn¡¯t affect me or people I cared about, inherently. But I had morals, largely self-imposed or not. I¡¯d never felt their weight as keenly.


    The spirit nodded. ¡®You are sure?¡¯


    ¡°Yes.¡± I gathered some darkness qi, coaxing it out through my meridians and wrestling it into shape, before I threw it onto the portal. It started to flicker and bend, and the spirit gestured, pulling its qi apart. With a flashing light, the portal disappeared, melting back into the surroundings.


    I sighed. It felt good to at least have come to a decision. I needed to accept who I am? I¡¯m Leri Inaris, Imperial Princess. And this world better watch out.


    Before I could say anything else, I felt another accumulation of qi. This one had a slightly different flavor, one that made the back of my neck prickle. I watched as qi started swirling behind where the portal had been, a few meters away from me. A presence emerged from it. The pressure of a vast power, too big to grasp and too alien to truly understand, bore down on me. But it didn¡¯t force me to my knees or steal my breathing. Even as I felt a tingle in my qi senses sweeping over me.


    The world seemed to darken, lit only by sparkles of light from the qi. Then the dark mass pulled apart a little, revealing a figure coalescing in its middle. I sucked in a breath. It was a man wearing a featureless white robe, with qi burning out from him.


    He had blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, giving him a faint resemblance to Carston. I knew that was intentional, that this was the form my father must have taken nineteen years ago. But that was a distant thought, as I stood staring at him, transfixed.


    Our eyes met for a moment that stretched into an eternity. Something in them pulled at me with the intensity of the tide. I seemed to glimpse a vastness contained in them, shadows stretching over a haze of light. At the same time, I grew aware of my qi crying out, as something started to touch it.


    The Greater Spirit of the Moon, my father, inclined his head, giving me a nod. Then the shadows around us seemed to lighten, as his form faded into the surrounding qi.


    But I couldn¡¯t spare my surroundings any attention, as more qi started pressing into me. My own almost seemed to vibrate as it connected with something beyond. I gasped as I felt power flowing into me.


    It took an effort of will to close my eyes and focus on my breathing, then on the qi coming in. I cycled it, guiding it through my meridians, trying not to let the powerful tide rage out of control.


    It felt like I had to ride a horse grown wild, trying to hang on and guide it to stay on the road. I wasn¡¯t the one driving this process, I could only keep up and make use of it. So I did my best. I pushed the qi into my meridians, sensing it go further and spread out through my body. I swirled it around in my core, spinning light and darkness in parallel, and cramming more qi into it. At some point, the qi rose too far to be contained, so I pushed down on it, compacted it, and let my dantian expand. I sensed a small barrier shattered by the qi flowing through me.


    The flow in my channels picked up debris and pushed it out, but alongside it, I felt something else swept away by my qi. Something vile and slimy, clinging to my channels, now forced out. I coughed and hacked to expel any trace of the contamination. With it gone, more of the new qi spread through my body, sinking into every part of me, until I couldn¡¯t distinguish it anymore. At the same time, the fire in my dantian quieted, as it settled into a stability once again, light and darkness qi spinning around each other in one smooth motion.


    Finally, I opened my eyes again, blinking in disorientation. The mountaintop had changed, seeming paler and more ephemeral than before.


    Mior laid a hand on my arm. ¡®Come.¡¯


    Still trying to adjust to the breakthrough, I let them pull me to my feet. I closed my eyes against another surge of dizziness, stumbling a few steps forward as they pulled me.


    Then, the mist of qi around us receded, showing that we stood at the foot of the peak, in a small rocky plain below the spirits¡¯ place. The sun shone down on us brilliantly, and the air tasted fresh and clear.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin. I was still riding the wave of qi, and I felt amazing.

 57: Setting expectations

    It took a moment for me to settle and try to process what had happened. I now stood on the lower outskirts of the qi-soaked place I¡¯d gone through, feeling the wind howling through the mountains and tousling my hair. My senses were sharper than they¡¯d ever been.


    I took a few steps forward, feeling the strength in my limbs. I¡¯d definitely broken through to the middle part of the fourth stage. But there was more to it. I still felt a connection to something beyond myself. Less like a solid line of qi, more like an echo. I knew I¡¯d awakened my bloodline, a connection to the Moon.


    I turned around and looked at Mior, then past them to other spirits. I could sense their presence much more clearly now, and had a better grasp of their power. It was as if someone had augmented my qi senses with a special module for spirits.


    ¡®Our work here is done,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®I wish you luck on your continued journey.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ I said, then hesitated. ¡®The portal you showed me, that was false, wasn¡¯t it? Just a test?¡¯


    They met my gaze, silent for a moment. ¡®It was a lie.¡¯


    Then the spirit turned away and vanished into the gloom of the qi place. I looked after them for a bit, until their presence seemed to blur, before I turned around. Squaring my shoulders, I started the way down. It wouldn¡¯t take long. I was close to where Mother had accompanied me to, although she wasn¡¯t here now.


    Experimentally, I poked at the qi around me, and took a closer look at my own channels and core. It felt like something about them had shifted, although I had trouble pinning down any change. For a moment, I paused, closed my eyes, and pulled in some qi, circling it through my body. The sun sent enough light down to be a good source, and the rocky walls cast enough shadow, as well.


    I had no trouble controlling qi, the effects of the poison clearly dispelled completely. In fact, it felt like there was a small improvement. I frowned, considering my experiences. I suspected the bloodline had increased my affinity for light and darkness qi.


    Well, I would have loved another cheat ability, but a cultivation improvement is nothing to scoff at. And unless I miss my guess, there¡¯s even more to this bloodline that I haven¡¯t realized or discovered yet.


    There was a spring in my step as I continued on my way down the mountain. I felt lighter, not just because of my improved health and condition. Although being able to breathe freely once more showed I¡¯d barely realized how much the poison had affected me. And I felt like a weight had been lifted from my soul.


    Plus, my father is badass, and he doesn¡¯t seem that bad, really. Although, would it have killed him to say ¡®hello¡¯, instead of going for drama? I shook my head at the thought, reminding myself that spirits were spirits and I shouldn¡¯t make assumptions.


    My high spirits were dampened a bit when I saw the first human figure. From their aura, probably a guard. It didn¡¯t take me long to spot others. They must have spread themselves over the area to secure it. My path didn¡¯t take me directly by any of them, and I didn¡¯t deviate from it. I caught the eyes of a few of them, who bowed but didn¡¯t change their positions.


    It wasn¡¯t long until the valley I followed led onto the hilltop where I¡¯d left Al and the others. While it had been morning then, judging from the sun¡¯s position, almost half a day had passed. It was already casting long shadows and would soon touch the horizon. Someone had brought or created a table and armchair for Al, who was sitting there and working on something, probably homework, with a distracted air. Kariva stood a few meters apart, hands clasped behind her back and still as a statue. She probably knew where I was right away. Mother was pacing slowly a few meters beside them, looking out into the lower parts of the mountains and the plains beyond.


    All of them looked up as I approached. A wide smile spread over Al¡¯s face and he jumped up. Even Mother¡¯s expression seemed to relax a little.


    ¡°Surprise,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m still alive.¡±


    This time, I was prepared for Al, and caught him in a hug before he could do it to me. ¡°Thanks for supporting me,¡± I said quietly and ruffled his hair.


    He stepped back, smoothing his hair out and sending me a playful glare. ¡°Stop that, Nari. But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. Have you awakened your bloodline?¡±


    I nodded, glancing at Mother. ¡°Yes, it seems so. I¡¯m sure the poison is gone, too.¡±


    She, too, smiled at me and stepped closer, although she stopped before she came too close. ¡°That¡¯s great news, Nari.¡±


    I nodded at her, then continued walking, passing her as I headed to the airship still sitting in the shadows of a rocky slope. I heard her stifle a sigh, but didn¡¯t turn to look at her. I may have accepted my life and everything, but I still felt some resentment towards her. Couldn¡¯t she have at least told me that earlier, instead of waiting so long?


    Although, I guess I wouldn¡¯t want to grow up with that kind of expectation hanging over me. Being her heir was probably bad enough.


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    I stopped beside the airship and waited for the guards to jump to and get it ready for departure. We¡¯d already wasted enough time here.


    ¡°Impatient to get back?¡± Al asked, stepping beside me.


    ¡°There¡¯s lots to do,¡± I said, shrugging. ¡°And besides, I want to see Little An. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s missed me.¡±


    The guards only needed a few moments before they let me and Al into the airship. I looked back, noting that Mother¡¯s qi signature was already traveling away. Kariva strolled into the airship with us, and the door closed behind her.


    <hr>


    ¡°Can¡¯t you stay a little longer, Big Sister Nari?¡± Xiaodan asked, giving me her patented puppy dog eyes.


    I shook my head, smiling. I didn¡¯t point out that I¡¯d already spent the rest of yesterday evening and a few hours today morning with her, talking, playing chess, and haunting the palace courtyards. ¡°I really need to get back to work and get you back to your training,¡± I said. ¡°But how about I walk down to the training courtyard with you?¡±


    Xiaodan made a face, but agreed. So we set off. As we stepped from her room into the corridor, I couldn¡¯t help but glance at the guards. Many of them were new faces that I had only seen in passing, if at all. My main guards still hadn¡¯t been released from interrogation. I felt a little uneasy about that, but I knew I shouldn¡¯t interfere with what Kariva and her agents thought best. I had faith that they wouldn¡¯t go overboard. If not in Kariva¡¯s temperance, then in Mother¡¯s orders.


    We made our way down to the building¡¯s side entrance quickly. Xiaodan stayed close, but at least she didn¡¯t cling. On the way, we continued chatting, mostly about her studies and what went on in the palace. It was a little humbling to realize an eight-year-old was better informed than me, although I¡¯d take what she said with a grain of salt.


    We met a few other people on the way, most of them of high status. They made way for us and bowed. I noticed a difference in the way they looked at me, compared to before the war. Although it was subtle and might just be my imagination. Or just Xiaodan¡¯s presence. Everyone seemed to love her.


    As we stepped out of the palace, I smelled the hint of rain in the air and glanced upwards at the gathering clouds. It might rain soon. But Xiaodan¡¯s training would continue anyway, and it wasn¡¯t like rain bothered me. It didn¡¯t take us long to reach the training courtyard. A few other kids Xiaodan¡¯s age were already there, as well as a few trainers. The latter were a little more discreet in staring at me than the former, as they all bowed.


    ¡°Welcome, my princesses,¡± Ling Ta said, materializing beside us. ¡°Princess Inaris, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°Teacher. I know I haven¡¯t come here as often as I could have.¡± Then I gently pushed Xiaodan towards the others. ¡°Come on, Little An, go join the rest. Good luck.¡±


    In front of her friends, Xiaodan didn¡¯t make a fuss, but went over to join them and started talking animatedly. The trainers got the kids to start running laps.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you, Teacher,¡± I said. If I was already here, I might as well make use of it. And for the sort of information I wanted to know, asking him was probably a good idea.


    We started walking away from the class, only the guards accompanying us in a wide perimeter. Ling Ta didn¡¯t acknowledge them at all, and they gave me enough space for the illusion of privacy.


    ¡°What can I help you with?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know more about the children of spirits.¡±


    He nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Spirit-children are a relatively rare group, but far from unheard of. In general, it¡¯s similar to people descended from spirit-beasts, in that in practice, it means having a special constitution or bloodline talent.¡±


    ¡°Just how rare, and how does it work?¡± I asked. We were now taking a corner into a path between several courtyards, lined with trees and flower bushes. I couldn¡¯t sense anyone else within a few hundred meters, other than the training group.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there are robust statistical numbers,¡± he replied thoughtfully. ¡°Although there have been historical mentions going back to before the Empire¡¯s founding. Almost all cases happen on the mother¡¯s initiative, as part of a bargain. Because it¡¯s usually a human mother, for obvious reasons.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I heard spirits don¡¯t really have a gender, but many of, say, the Greater Spirits are still referred to as ¡®he¡¯ or ¡®she¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Best as I can tell, it¡¯s because humans have a tendency to classify things in familiar categories. The spirits then accept it and to some extent accommodate those beliefs. Unsurprisingly, any well-known spirit who has legends about them fathering children is seen as male. And similarly, though less often, spirits birthing children as female.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± That¡¯s a little messed up if you think about it. Another instance of qi conforming to people¡¯s beliefs and concepts? I shook my head. ¡°Why do people do this?¡±


    Ling Ta shrugged. ¡°The same reason some people may seek out a powerful cultivator to have children with, I assume. With powerful spirits, it¡¯s almost assured the child will have a strong cultivation. And while there won¡¯t be support from the father, there¡¯s also less chance of him interfering or trying to take the child for himself.¡±


    Well, if that doesn¡¯t describe why Mother did this. I grimaced. ¡°Makes sense, I suppose. How powerful are these spirits, or their children? Would you still be able to defeat one like a normal cultivator?¡±


    Ling Ta raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, the spirits are usually about as strong as people in the higher stages. The records even have spirit-children of Greater Spirits, although those are rare. If there¡¯s someone you¡¯re concerned about, there¡¯s no reason to panic. Spirit-children might have some innate advantages, but no more than other people with high talent, really.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I knew my aura had changed, although I wasn¡¯t sure how much. I didn¡¯t know if Ling Ta hadn¡¯t noticed or connected the dots, or if he was just being polite and pretended not to. I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s probably going to be common knowledge eventually. Or at least common rumor.


    ¡°Are you going to come to me for training at all?¡± he asked, a wry smile on his lips.


    I scratched my cheek, embarrassed. ¡°I will, of course. I¡¯m just busy right now. With the end of the war, and I need to get caught up with the team¡¯s projects.¡±


    ¡°No need to justify yourself, my lady,¡± he said. ¡°Good luck with your work.¡± He bowed.


    But I barely noticed him leaving, my attention captured by a new presence moving through the courtyard. I started walking away, then slowed down as I got a better look at her. Tia Yarani didn¡¯t seem to notice my presence, absorbed in watching the scenery as she walked towards one of the parks.


    I hesitated, then started moving in the other direction, towards the labs. I really had a lot to do here. But if I stopped for every distraction, I¡¯d never get to the lab. And I needed to at least talk to Tenira and Lei.

 58: Details

    ¡°Coming in,¡± Lei yelled.


    I ducked my head out of reflex, then looked up. A black spot fell from the sky, quickly coming close enough that I could make out all the details of the small flier. It was an unmanned model, only about a meter long and controlled by qi formations. The noon sun shone off its black finish.


    Then the flier released its payload, which impacted the grass with a bang, the explosion digging into the ground. I blinked against the dust it raised, but it had clearly fallen a few meters outside of the circle we¡¯d drawn. That was mostly destroyed now.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± I said, looking over to Lei. ¡°But we definitely need to work on the precision.¡±


    He was walking towards me, looking at the testing ground. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. This could be the difference between hitting an enemy qi shield or not.¡±


    I sighed and glanced away. I¡¯d never been a supporter of arms buildups, or pouring money into military research and development when there were other areas in dire need of it. But we¡¯d be fools not to take steps with how things stood with the Zarian Dominion. Hopefully, if we could overhaul our military technology drastically enough, we could deter them. And it wasn¡¯t like this had no civilian applications.


    ¡°Now we just need the manned planes to work as well,¡± Tenira said, pulling a hairclip out and shaking out her hair.


    I combed my own hair out with my fingers and nodded. ¡°Yeah, this whole thing isn¡¯t worth as much without long-range capability. But as long as our other projects are working out, I¡¯m content.¡±


    Lei grinned. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get the radio ready for production. Now we just need to get a few more tests done. Long-range and stress tests.¡±


    ¡°Maybe Inaris could call her father,¡± Tenira joked.


    Lei chuckled while I shook my head, but I couldn¡¯t help the smile on my face. I¡¯d told both of them what I¡¯d learned, of course, and except for the occasional teasing they didn¡¯t seem to care. That was nice.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lei said, suddenly serious. ¡°Is that Aston?¡±


    I followed his gaze and saw a familiar figure walking towards us. My heartrate accelerated and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. With Tenira and Lei behind me, I went to meet him.


    Aston bowed. ¡°Your Highness, this one is reporting for duty.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you back and cleared,¡± Tenira said, smiling.


    Lei nodded in agreement, smiling as well. ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    Then Tenira tugged at Lei¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take a closer look at the model.¡±


    I started walking in the other direction, with him following. Guards surrounded us in a wide perimeter, most of them still new faces. But I took a closer look at Aston. He looked pale and drawn, like he¡¯d lost a few kilos. That wouldn¡¯t normally happen to high-level cultivators in a few days.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Aston,¡± I finally said. I didn¡¯t mention my observations. He might not appreciate it, and I didn¡¯t want to put him in an awkward position.


    Aston bowed down again. ¡°My princess, I humbly apologize for my failure to discover the traitor and prevent him from getting to you. I swear I will not fail you again.¡± He held the position, looking at the ground.


    I sighed. ¡°Rise, Aston. You¡¯re too formal sometimes. I¡¯m sure if you were responsible, Kariva wouldn¡¯t let you get back on duty. Besides, the backing he had isn¡¯t the sort I could expect you to take on.¡±


    Aston straightened up and nodded, his face set in a serious expression.


    At that point, we were interrupted by another guard, who approached me and bowed. ¡°Your Highness, Her Majesty requires your presence. You are to meet her on the terrace.¡±


    I stifled a sigh, but nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Would someone inform the others?¡±


    I moved quickly, though of course the guards kept up without any problem. We¡¯d set up the testing field a few hundred meters away from the palace proper, but I reached it in a few seconds. As always, I headed for the side entrance. Few people were around, though I could feel all of their positions easily. I hurried up the stairs and nodded in response to the bows I got. At this point, I¡¯d become so used to them I barely noticed it anymore.


    More guards were stationed at the entrance to Mother¡¯s private area, but they stepped aside for us. At the door out onto the rooftop terrace, I stopped and looked back at my guards. ¡°Give us privacy, please.¡±


    Then I went outside. It was a nice day, with a lot of light and qi coming from the sun, despite a cold breeze. Mother was sitting at a large table with several documents on it. She looked up as I entered. I bowed. ¡°Mother.¡±


    She pulled out a chair for me with her qi. ¡°Inaris, please sit down. Kariva, you really should make yourself noticeable.¡±


    My attention turned to the other side of the table, where the veil of qi lifted and Kariva¡¯s figure became visible. She inclined her head, a slight smile on her lips. I kept a blank expression as I sat down.


    Mother tapped a few documents on the desk. ¡°We¡¯re just sorting out the aftermath of the war, and could use your input.¡±


    I nodded, picking up a few papers and glancing through them. ¡°How are we handling the Zarian involvement?¡±


    Mother grimaced. ¡°Our options are limited. I would prefer not to escalate the situation any further. We¡¯d rather not have a war. And unfortunately, we have no hard proof. So, we¡¯re concentrating our efforts on the Zarieni for the moment. If we can fan the tension between the tribes and the Dominion, that would be good.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps even a steppingstone for some further retaliation,¡± Kariva added. ¡°We¡¯re also trying to expand our network in the Zarian Dominion and looking for opportunities to take discreet action there. They¡¯re a little short on disaffected groups with any strength, though.¡±


    This sounded like the cold war was heating up. Not that I disagreed with their efforts, especially since we needed information. ¡°Sounds good. And the south?¡±


    ¡°The affected areas are recovering as well as can be expected,¡± Mother said with a serious expression. ¡°It will take a few years, of course. But the economic hubs of the southern continent are going strong. We¡¯ve increased the forces at the border, and are working on larger plans to expand our defenses. You¡¯ll be asked for input for that, as well. We¡¯ll have a meeting with the military soon.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Mother paused, and smiled slightly. ¡°In other news, Blue Valley City is planning to build a monumental statue of you to commemorate the victory. From what I¡¯ve heard, they had the impression you don¡¯t like them and want to turn that around.¡±


    ¡°What. Really?¡±


    ¡°Apparently,¡± Kariva said, ¡°the major wanted to build you a palace but couldn¡¯t get the budget.¡±


    I groaned. I guess in different worlds, the more things change, the more they stay the same. ¡°Well, you can tell them I¡¯ll only approve if they build a memorial to the victims of the war.¡±


    Mother smiled, but instead of replying, she looked through a few other papers.


    For the next ten minutes, we went more into detail on the aftermath of the war. I learned a few numbers and made a few suggestions, although it felt more like a briefing. Or like Mother just wanted to make a point to include me.


    ¡°We¡¯re also looking to improve our relationship with other countries,¡± Mother said. ¡°We¡¯ve got an interesting offer from the Kingdom of Terbekteri. An extensive trade agreement sprinkled with a non-aggression pact and a few other goodies. And they propose to seal the deal with a royal marriage. Apparently, the King wants a bride from our clan¡¯s scions for the favorite nephew, and you¡¯d get the tenth son.¡±


    I sputtered in surprise. ¡°No. You¡¯re not seriously suggesting this?¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°I thought I¡¯d mention it in case you like the idea of marrying a dashing prince. He is supposed to be kind and handsome.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can arrange this alliance another way.¡±


    Kariva nodded. ¡°Hopefully. We¡¯d want to push for at least a promise of military aid of some kind, for times of war. We should find someone halfway talented among the Leri clan who¡¯d like to marry a foreign prince and go to the kingdom with that kind of position.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, but didn¡¯t comment on it. I knew marriage alliances were common on Earth back in the day, maybe even today for some people. Actually, if news of my bloodline gets out, I might get more offers like this.


    I looked for another paper and sighed. ¡°I should have realized something sooner. The number of shrines to the Moon doubled in the last few decades. I never asked why you¡¯d build so many of them.¡±


    Mother shrugged. ¡°To be fair, my mother started promoting his worship. It fits with our affinities.¡±


    I knew that was to be expected, but it still felt odd. Like politics out of antiquity mixed with more modern considerations.


    Kariva stood up. ¡°With your leave, I¡¯ll return to my work.¡±


    Mother nodded in response, and Kariva left quickly, leaving the two of us alone. I shifted in my seat, a little thrown off by this.


    After a moment of silence, Mother straightened up and looked me squarely in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back safely and with your bloodline awakened, Nari. I should have said this before, but ¡­ I¡¯m sorry that you had to go through this, that I wasn¡¯t quick enough to stop you from being poisoned or react at once.¡±


    I sighed. I was still feeling a little resentful over what she¡¯d told me, and the fact that she hadn¡¯t done it sooner. Even though I knew I shouldn¡¯t hold a grudge. ¡°Thanks. Were you working in the palace?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Sort of. I was distracted by a spirit. It was only when I tried to check on you that I realized something was up.¡±


    I sat up straighter. ¡°By a spirit?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They approached me for a conversation.¡±


    I rubbed my temple. ¡°From what I¡¯ve learned in that place, that¡¯s probably not an accident. It seems there¡¯s at least one powerful spirit who has it in for me.¡± I paused and narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°You brought me into quite the situation. Do you even know about that?¡±


    Mother grimaced. ¡°Somewhat. I¡¯m sorry for this. It¡¯s the reason I tried to keep your parentage quiet, for fear you might be drawn into the spirits¡¯ affairs. But I didn¡¯t think it would be such an issue regarding humans.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s your bargain,¡± I pointed out, frowning in thought. ¡°And Carston. He told the Zarian something about me, right? Almost certainly who my father is and that I was made to be a great ruler of the Empire or something. They probably feel threatened. And if some spirit meddled the way they did with Kei Weriga ¡­¡±


    Mother nodded, her face grim. ¡°That was my thought as well.¡± She started twirling a line of light on her fingers, obviously in thought. ¡°Did you meet someone who looked like an old warrior, male with long hair and a narrow nose?¡± A bit more qi from her formed an image of the spirit who¡¯d confronted me.


    ¡°Yeah. You know who that is?¡±


    ¡°They call him ¡®The Pioneer¡¯. He¡¯s powerful, almost at the level of a Greater Spirit. I probably couldn¡¯t beat him. He¡¯s a spirit, I assume, who¡¯s been known for a few millennia if I read the records right. An ally, servant, vassal, or something like that to the Greater Spirit Jideia.¡±


    I frowned again. This really doesn¡¯t sound good. Like there¡¯s an organization to this, people with a plan and a grudge, or some other reason to go after me.


    I stood up and started pacing, trying to work out what I should do about this. But I just didn¡¯t have enough information. It was probably best to concentrate on worldly matters and trust my father to handle his own business, along with taking some defensive measures.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Mother said after a minute of silence. ¡°Have you figured out the details of your new bloodline yet?¡±


    I stopped and turned to her. ¡°Not entirely. I¡¯ve got increased affinity to light and darkness qi, and my cultivation is going faster. I can feel spirits better ¡­ even the ones hanging around the palace occasionally.¡± I shrugged and turned to face to the southwest, where I could just make out a minor spirit scurrying through a courtyard. ¡°At least they¡¯re discreet.¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°We have some defenses, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    I nodded absently. ¡°Besides that, well ¡­ do you have a bracelet? A tight one?¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, then took something from her storage and tossed it to me. A simple golden band with an elaborate clasp, a bit of qi woven into it.


    I nodded and slipped it on, closing the clasp tightly. It fit snugly to my wrist, directly behind my hand. ¡°Watch,¡± I said.


    Then I shook my hand. I focused on my sensation of it, and the qi woven throughout it like the rest of my body. It took a few moments, before the bracelet slid over my hand and I caught it in my left one.


    I shook out my hand and looked closely. It didn¡¯t seem any different, as if it hadn¡¯t turned narrow enough to get the thing off for a second.


    Mother whistled. ¡°Impressive, if that¡¯s what I think it is.¡±


    I returned to her and took my seat again. ¡°Some kind of lesser shapeshifting ability, I assume. It¡¯s going to need a lot of practice.¡± I shrugged and couldn¡¯t help a bit of pride in my tone despite that caveat. ¡°I guess it makes sense, if I¡¯m half-spirit, that I may inherit some of their changeable nature.¡±


    Mother leaned back, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s a nice surprise.¡±


    I nodded and fell silent for a moment. It wasn¡¯t easy to use this ability, but it had improved with practice even in the short timeframe I¡¯d experimented with it. I knew it was limited, the way the qi interlaced through my body made me feel that. But there was still a lot of potential. I may be limited to humanoid form, but I had a feeling I¡¯d be able to make extra organs or limbs.


    For a few minutes, we sat there, enjoying the sun. Or appearing to. I still felt tense.


    ¡°Actually, Mother,¡± I said as something occurred to me. ¡°Can you tell me about the white stage?¡±


    Mother blinked, then smiled slowly. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the stage after the eighth, or black, stage. Not much is known, and many people think it¡¯s a myth. But it¡¯s real, just different from the previous stages. Reaching it is a true ascension. Becoming an Immortal. People who¡¯ve reached it generally leave the mortal world behind. They become different kinds of beings, something close to spirits. If they¡¯re rulers, they give up their positions. I assume it¡¯s an agreement. Otherwise, it would be far too easy for someone to conquer all their rivals, right?¡±


    I shook my head at myself. I should have asked about this earlier. Well, at least she was in a helpful mood right now.


    ¡°Is that why you want me to reach the eighth stage so quickly?¡± I asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t want to ascend.¡±


    Mother grinned. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve seen through me. Yes, that¡¯s part of the reason. The white stage is different. Technically, you don¡¯t even need to be at the peak of the black stage to reach it, if you believe the records. But it¡¯s very rare, and no one really knows how exactly to do it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I just got a new long-term goal,¡± I said, tapping my fingers on the armrest.


    She cocked her head a little. ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯d want that.¡±


    I shrugged and stood up from the chair, stretching my arms. I haven¡¯t been sure before, but ¡­ no, I don¡¯t want to lose myself in some way.


    ¡°I¡¯ve died once. I have no desire to do it again.¡±

 59: The next level

    I took a quick look around the corridor before knocking on the door in front of me. The only people were in the few pictures hung on the wood-paneled walls, except for a few guards. Those had been following me around constantly, of course, but they kept their distance. It was quiet, with only faint sounds from the rest of the apartments in the building. We were only one floor down from my own quarters.


    ¡°Come in!¡±


    I opened the door and stepped inside, taking a quick look around. The apartment was furnished very nicely. The sitting room we entered held several comfortable chairs, a divan, and small tables, all of it done in expensive wood. It looked the same as for my last visits. But this time, Tia Yarani stood close to one of the tables, obviously just coming out of her bedroom.


    She inclined her head and smiled broadly. ¡°Inaris. It¡¯s so nice to see you.¡±


    I took a step inside. ¡°Thanks. This time, the guards should give us a bit more privacy.¡± I shot a meaningful look at Aston.


    He bowed and withdrew into an adjacent chamber. The rest of the guards took position outside. I knew they would still be checking on us, but at least it didn¡¯t feel like we were chaperoned as much.


    Tia Yarani leaned against an armchair, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°The guards finally finished their background check on you,¡± I explained, smiling genuinely at the news. It was more Kariva than the guard in the end, but whatever. ¡°There were no issues and no suspicions.¡±


    She returned my smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that, of course.¡±


    I stepped closer, taking her in. It seemed like she was dressing more risqu¨¦ lately. This tight dress certainly didn¡¯t leave her curves to the imagination. Not that I minded, of course. It was good she seemed to be settling in.


    ¡°Did you have anything planned for this evening?¡± she asked.


    I leaned against one of the tables, trailing my finger across it idly. We¡¯d talked quite a bit over the last few weeks, played a few games, and gone into the palace gardens. The palace rumor mongers would probably be shocked if they knew we still hadn¡¯t done anything more. Well, I¡¯d stolen a kiss two days ago. The memory made me smile again.


    I was trying not to give the impression I was pressuring her, but she certainly didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°First of all, I had a gift for you,¡± I said. With a flick of my hand, I took it from my spatial ring and held it up.


    I owned a lot of jewelry, although I never wore anything that wasn¡¯t enchanted, and not even much of that. The necklace I held wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d use myself. It was made from gold and silver, with intricate details and a few small stones set in. The gemstone in the center was a warm amber color that matched her eyes quite well.


    Maybe I didn¡¯t need to act like I was courting her, but I figured showing some attention like that couldn¡¯t hurt. Besides, I wanted to see what she¡¯d look like with it.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put it on me?¡±


    Well, I should have seen that one coming. I stepped up to Tia Yarani, who was lifting her hair off her neck. A little hesitantly, I put the necklace around it and fumbled with the clasp. She wore perfume, judging by the fresh scent I inhaled more of now. I wouldn¡¯t have associated that with the soldier I first met, but it suited her. I brushed my hand against her neck as I closed the necklace, and she shivered slightly.


    I took a step back, breathing out. Since I¡¯d come back from awakening my bloodline, I hadn¡¯t had much of a problem with my self-control. But now I had to remind myself I should step lightly.


    ¡°You look great,¡± I said. ¡°It brings out your pretty eyes.¡±


    Tia Yarani glanced at the mirror hanging in one corner of the room, but turned back to me quickly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I looked out the window for a moment. The sun was vanishing behind the horizon, with night setting in. ¡°Anything you¡¯d like to do?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, but maybe I could show you around the palace a bit more.¡±


    She hesitated, then visibly took a deep breath. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you about something, if you¡¯ll allow me.¡±


    I froze. ¡°Of course, always.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to know what you expect of me. What I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±


    I scratched at my cheek. ¡°There¡¯s lots of things you could do, if you want to occupy yourself. Art, maybe. Or crafting. The palace has a lot of facilities and people who could help you. Or you could even involve yourself with politics or administration. We¡¯d need to sort something out. But you¡¯re free to pursue whatever you like, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She smiled, but there was still a bit of tension in it. ¡°That¡¯s good to know, but not quite what I meant.¡±


    I had to stop myself from playing with my sleeves nervously. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My lady ¡­ what are your intentions with me?¡± She looked up at me through her eyelashes.


    I laughed a little. Wow, this is awkward. ¡°Well, you are my concubine or consort or whatever they call it ¡­ right?¡±


    She raised her head, straightening up, and a bit of fire returned to her gaze. ¡°But you¡¯ve never wanted me.¡±


    I blinked, then met her gaze squarely. Okay, stop being an idiot teenager, I told myself.


    ¡°I definitely want you,¡± I assured her, my voice firm, letting a bit of the heat I felt seep in. ¡°I¡¯ve had the urge to take you to my bedroom every time I¡¯ve seen you. To see what you look like in the heat of the moment, to make you cry my name.¡± I took a step closer. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been looking forward to that a lot. But like I told you, I don¡¯t want you to be pressured. Instead, I¡¯m taking my time, getting to know you, and hopefully building a bit of trust.¡±


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    Tia Yarani shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. ¡°It might have been better if you¡¯d told me that.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve told you now.¡±


    She took a step forward as well, until we stood close together. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d consider skipping ahead a little?¡± she murmured, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s been feeling frustrated, Inaris.¡±


    I blinked. That¡¯s pretty clear, right? Maybe I have been an idiot, but I¡¯d say that¡¯s trust built.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, grinning at her. ¡°Since you¡¯re asking nicely.¡± I put a hand to her head and pulled her in for a kiss.


    After that, it didn¡¯t take long until we ended up in her bedroom, and I took it from there.


    <hr>


    I leaned back into my beach chair and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on my face. It was a pale imitation of the real thing, just like everything else in my dream. But what else could I do?


    Ever since I awakened my bloodline, I¡¯d been unable to dream normally, or even what had been normal for me before. Instead, it was always alert, lucid dreaming, with total control over my dream and perfect recall of everything later. I was pretty sure I could also influence other people¡¯s dreams. It was easy enough to find them. But none of the people I¡¯d be tempted to peek on were asleep right now. So I¡¯d made myself a nice beach scene and tried to relax.


    Well, except for the woman sleeping beside me. I¡¯d taken a peek at her mind, enough to know she had pleasant dreams, but not any details.


    I glanced up at the palm waving its fronds in the gentle wind, echoing the sound of the surf. It didn¡¯t feel quite real.


    I knew the Moon was associated with dreaming, I thought with a mental pout. Should have been a clue. But this is a little annoying. At least less useful than you might think.


    I was just considering getting up when I felt my body stirred awake in the real world. Someone was knocking on the door of the apartment, and flaring their qi. My dream shattered, and I blinked, sitting up.


    It only took me a moment to recognize Tenira¡¯s presence. I flinched, before I reminded myself that I had nothing to be ashamed of. So what if I slept in the bed of my new mistress?


    Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy as I quickly got up and located my clothes. They were scattered over the chair at my side of the bed, but at least their enchantments meant they would look good. I quickly got dressed. As I belted the robe, I glanced out the window. It was early morning, the sky just brightening with pre-dawn light.


    I¡¯d thought I¡¯d be out of here hours ago. I must have been more tired than I thought.


    ¡°Going already?¡±


    I turned to see Yarani still in bed, one hand propping up her chin. I shrugged and gave her an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    She smiled and shook her head lightly. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re a busy woman.¡±


    I really was. Between cultivation and research work, it was already a good thing I didn¡¯t need much sleep. I¡¯d also kept my promise to Ling Ta and trained with him a few times. Then there were Mother and the political meetings she called me to. Maybe I needed this little break.


    I smiled at her, then turned around and quickly crossed the bedroom and her sitting room. A guard was waiting by the door and pulled it open for me. I smoothed out my robe and went into the corridor.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me coming to get you,¡± Tenira said, straightening up from where she was leaning against the wall. There was a small crease between her eyebrows. ¡°I figured you might forget.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I hastened to assure her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Seems like we still have plenty of time before the meeting.¡±


    We started walking at a casual pace, while I took out a comb from my storage ring and tried to get my tangled hair in order. I probably had enough time to call a servant and get a better style and some makeup done, but I didn¡¯t want to bother.


    ¡°Do you know what Mother wants?¡± I asked to break the silence.


    ¡°Probably just to discuss how our projects are going,¡± Tenira answered. ¡°Why else would she invite me, Lei, and the chief engineers, but not many other people?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°One of these days, I¡¯ll discover how people find out these things.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she grinned. ¡°That¡¯s what you have me to help you with.¡±


    I turned serious again quickly. I hadn¡¯t been alone with Mother since I¡¯d shown her my shapeshifting, and we¡¯d kept our conversations to business, but my emotions were still a little unsettled thinking about her.


    ¡°Is everything alright between you two?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry, but you seem a little tense every time you¡¯re to meet her.¡±


    I sighed and scratched my cheek. ¡°I guess. You know what happened, I¡¯m still a little bit upset.¡±


    Tenira raised an eyebrow. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you understood what she did?¡±


    ¡°I do. This is more about our relationship.¡± I frowned and shook my head. ¡°I never said anything, but I always appreciated that she took me seriously. Didn¡¯t treat me like a little kid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, right? I mean, I wish my mother treated me more like an adult sometimes!¡± Tenira chuckled.


    I smiled. ¡°Yeah, I guess. It¡¯s just ¡­¡± My smile faded. ¡°I get the feeling that for her, I¡¯ll always be her heir first, her child second.¡± I grimaced and made a dismissive gesture. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just processing that.¡±


    Tenira tentatively laid a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure your Mother loves you, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I exhaled. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s up with your mother? You think she doesn¡¯t take you seriously?¡±


    Tenira clicked her tongue. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing that bad. Just how parents can be.¡±


    I nodded. By now, we were nearing the meeting room, and more people moved through the corridors. We walked the last few meters in silence.


    More guards flanked the door and let us in. It was a room I¡¯d been in before, dominated by a rectangular table and heavy chairs. A few people were here already, the rest coming. This time, I didn¡¯t take the seat beside Mother, but the one at the other end of the table. Al sat to her right, Tenira and Lei beside me. After a few minutes, someone closed the door, cutting off the faint sound of the palace¡¯s hubbub.


    ¡°I have another important meeting shortly, so let¡¯s keep this brief,¡± Mother started. ¡°It¡¯s about the projects Inaris¡¯ team has been working on so diligently. From what you¡¯ve told me, many of these are ready for testing?¡±


    I nodded, along with a few others. ¡°Some of them are ready for deployment. But there¡¯s a lot of ideas we haven¡¯t really started on.¡±


    Mother nodded, tapping her fingers on the table. ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to renovate our defenses in the south, and maybe tackle a few other issues new technology could help with. I¡¯d like you there, Inaris. And I think your mind might be better used in the field in a few places.¡±


    I frowned, scratching my cheek. She¡¯d mentioned something like this before, so I wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Well, I guess I wouldn¡¯t object to tackling challenges outside the confines of the lab. Keep in touch with practical concerns and maybe get some inspiration.¡± I looked at the other people. ¡°What about the rest?¡±


    ¡°A part of your team could come with you, perhaps along with some specialists,¡± Mother said.


    I shrugged, thinking about this. It had come a bit suddenly, but I¡¯d been wanting to take a more hands-on approach with our projects. ¡°It would be good to get some more people on this, perhaps recruit local experts. Tenira, Lei, what do you think?¡± I smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t we talk about taking a tour of the Empire? We could get two birds with one stone.¡±


    Lei smiled. ¡°Of course. Sounds fun.¡±


    Tenira nodded, as well.


    ¡°Great,¡± Mother said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll start preparing for it. Kariva will help in planning your journey.¡±


    I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes, knowing her help would probably have other things in mind than my objectives.


    From there, the conversation went into details. It would take a while to prepare and arrange everything. Not that I minded. I knew this was a political thing as well, and I¡¯d like to get a bit more time to prepare than on my last journey.


    I glanced at Mother, who was currently questioning one of the engineers, and thought back to what I¡¯d talked about with Tenira. Perhaps it was a good thing to take some time, get away from her for a bit.

 60: Initiative

    ¡°You should probably get down and into the airship,¡± Mother said.


    I glanced out over the balustrade of the balcony we were on and shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re still loading things. That¡¯s probably going to take a while.¡±


    ¡°Everything else ready?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know if Yarani wants to come. Apart from that, we¡¯re all ready. Took us long enough.¡±


    We¡¯d decided on this two weeks ago. But packing up parts of the lab needed time, especially since I delayed long enough to witness an important test a few of the researchers did for the new electrical plant. Mother had also kept me busy. Despite what I¡¯d thought, we¡¯d talked a lot in the last two weeks, mostly politics.


    ¡°A shame you¡¯re not actually going on vacation,¡± Mother said, smirking. She tapped the papers lying on the table beneath us. ¡°At least we¡¯re finished here.¡±


    I nodded and sighed, forming a barely visible cloud in front of my face. It had been getting cold, but due to my cultivation, I barely noticed. Despite a few clouds, it was a nice enough day we¡¯d taken the meeting outside. The balcony was facing east, so the morning sun gave us some of its warmth.


    ¡°Many local communities already have some democratic elements,¡± Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re breaking completely new ground here.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s pretty much just a field trial,¡± I said. This plan would introduce democracy on a local level, in handpicked regions of the Empire. ¡°You¡¯ll get a few complaints, though.¡±


    Mother took one of the papers, glancing through it again. I propped up my hand on my chin and looked back to the logistics hub, where they were still loading up airships.


    ¡°Before we go, something else I wanted to talk about,¡± I said, turning my attention back to her and waiting until she looked up from the plan. ¡°While I¡¯m there, I¡¯d like to start a university in Blue Valley City.¡±


    She put the paper down and straightened up. ¡°A university?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You could start one here in the capital, as well. To be honest, I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s taken you so long.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Mother tapped a finger on the table. ¡°You¡¯re aware things work very differently here than on Earth. The clans and sects aren¡¯t going to like this.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll deal with it, and hopefully, adapt. Once it¡¯s grown enough.¡± I gestured down to the building housing my lab. ¡°This can¡¯t be all the technological innovation we¡¯re hoping for. My team is good, but we need more than a single team. I¡¯m planning on recruiting people in the south, as well. Maybe some ¡®experts¡¯ who¡¯re disaffected with their sects would like to teach at the new university. I¡¯d like to focus it on the natural sciences, of course.¡±


    Mother nodded slowly. ¡°I suppose we have more than enough knowledge to get something started.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve already had copies of suitable texts made.¡±


    Mother was silent for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do the same here in the capital. I assume you¡¯ll want more than that, though.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I grinned. ¡°I¡¯d like to see new research institutes and universities all over the Empire. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll produce enough results to speak for themselves shortly. Even if many clans or sects forbid their members from joining, we should still find enough educated and talented people. In time, I think some of the old elite will see the advantages and join in. Although a general reform of the education system might not go amiss.¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°I guess you have a good point. I just hope you¡¯re not overestimating the practicability of this.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair and ran a hand through my hair. ¡°We¡¯ve already introduced a few new technologies with a big impact. But we need innovation across the field, not just that.¡± I shrugged. ¡°On Earth, besides maybe a few individuals, the industrial revolution and new technologies were driven by public institutions and companies. On Aran, things are different and I suspect clans or sects might play a role instead of corporations, or alongside them.¡±


    Mother leaned forward, obviously caught up in the conversation now. ¡°But on Earth, it happened pretty much across the world, at least later on. We don¡¯t have that kind of communication between nations here.¡±


    I shrugged and mirrored her gesture. ¡°We have a country spanning a full continent and big parts of others, and actual magic. If we can¡¯t manage an industrialization, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°Okay. Maybe I¡¯ve been too timid. Go ahead and do what you think best, just try not to create any revolts.¡±


    I stood up and tossed her a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    After a second, she stood as well, her expression turning serious again. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You have your communication talismans?¡±


    We started walking, and I glanced at my storage ring, which was pretty full right now. ¡°Yes. And I¡¯ll send telegrams if possible.¡± At least no one else should speak English, outside our family.


    We walked the rest of the way in silence, at a quick pace. Since Mother¡¯s and my guards surrounded us, I felt a little crowded, but didn¡¯t say anything. It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach the courtyard we would depart from. A few airships waited for us, including one I¡¯d used before, for the war.


    ¡°Al isn¡¯t here?¡± I asked. ¡°I know you said he can only join us later, but I thought he¡¯d want to see us off.¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of a minor breakthrough, best not to bother him.¡± She came to a stop a fair distance from the airship. ¡°Well, goodbye then, Nari. Have fun.¡±


    I forced myself to smile cheerfully at her and return her goodbye, before I hurried away to join Tenira and a few others who were obviously waiting for me. Yarani just disappeared inside the airship. On the way, Xiaodan ambushed me for a hug.


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    I detached myself from her, promising we¡¯d be visiting each other, then hurried into the airship. Something was tickling at my senses. I frowned and focused on the strange sensation, then shook my head and turned to survey the interior of our transportation. We were taking along a contingent of soldiers and guards, but this airship was filled mainly with people from my team and other specialists, as well as equipment. Everything seemed to be in order, with people settling in for the long journey.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a bit,¡± I said.


    Tenira nodded with a smile, and the others turned away, already continuing their conversation.


    I went through the door, two guards in tow, looked around to check the small room, then opened another door that led into a little cabin. Its small window stood open, letting in cold air and the sound of people moving around outside. The guards waited outside the door.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not trying to come along as a blind passenger, spirit,¡± I said.


    Beside the window, the presence in my qi senses popped into visibility, a vaguely child-like outline of swirling qi. The spirit tilted their head up. ¡®Daughter of the Moon, I am to give you a message from the one known as Mior. We thought you would like privacy.¡¯


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s your message?¡±


    ¡®Mior has taken note of you and will speak to you. Go to sleep.¡¯


    I showed him an amused smile. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s as nice as I could ask for. Thanks.¡±


    The spirit nodded, then their figure compacted and flowed out of the window. I felt their presence moving away, darting around the people outside.


    Shrugging to myself, I left the room, then navigated through the airship to find the room they¡¯d assigned to me. I met a few other people, but only gave them absent nods. A few guards followed me, even inside the airship. After how many people tried to kill me, I wouldn¡¯t complain.


    Finally, I got to my cabin, which was small considering we were on an airship, but had a bed taking up half of its space. I lay down, pulled the covers over me, and closed my eyes. After a moment, I sat up again, forming a technique that would block sound from the rest of the airship and laying it across the room. Then I got back into bed and tried to sleep.


    I fell asleep surprisingly quickly. Maybe because I¡¯d worked a lot but not slept much the last few weeks. Pretty much only with Yarani a few times, for a couple of hours.


    This time, I drifted in my dream without creating any detailed scenery. Instead, I focused on my memories of meeting Mior, and tried to recall what the spirit¡¯s presence felt like. It didn¡¯t take long until I became aware of a foreign mind, some distance away but clearly pulling my attention to it.


    I hesitated for a moment, then brushed my dreaming mind across the spirit¡¯s, feeling a connection click into place. I emerged into a misty landscape that resembled the one we¡¯d met at before, but I could tell it was a shared dream. I felt Mior¡¯s influence guiding the scene. Experimentally, I tried to lighten it, and the mist brightened.


    Mior waited for me there, looking the same as last time. I spared a moment to make sure my own self was reflected correctly in this dream. It looked like my physical body did, even wearing the same clothes, but obviously awake. I walked forward a few steps to meet the spirit.


    ¡®Little Light,¡¯ Mior greeted me with a nod.


    ¡®Hello, Mior,¡¯ I returned with a smile. ¡®I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you.¡¯


    The spirit sighed. ¡®So I¡¯ve noticed. How did you know it would work?¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®I guessed.¡¯ After all, they were clearly associated with the Moon in some way, and I figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to try. So I¡¯d been attempting to contact Mior in my dreams, and now it seemed my efforts had borne fruit.


    The spirit popped a chair into existence and sat down, leaning back on it. ¡®I see.¡¯


    I also created a chair for myself and sat down. I felt a little weird to share a dream with another person, but I tried to focus on the conversation. ¡®So, I have a few questions. After all, you guys left me with Rijoko¡¯s bloodline without much of an explanation.¡¯


    Mior shrugged. ¡®Such things manifest based on the individual. There isn¡¯t much I could help you with, and it would likely be better for you to figure them out yourself.¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®Okay, but that¡¯s not all. I want to know what Rijoko¡¯s plans are. And about his enemies. Why are the Pioneer or Jideia after me? They tried to kill me. I can¡¯t just let that go.¡¯


    Mior sighed and regarded me in silence for a moment. ¡®I presume it¡¯s because of the bargain your mother bade with Rijoko, as well as the fact you¡¯re his daughter. Unless I miss my guess, he¡¯s been inciting some people in the Zarian Dominion against you as well as arranging that poisoning. I¡¯m not sure if Jideia gave him the order or if it¡¯s his own initiative.¡¯


    I nodded. At least Mior was talking, but this wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t figure out myself. ¡®But what¡¯s their deal?¡¯


    Mior stayed quiet for a moment. ¡®Rijoko and Jideia¡¯s rivalry is old, and complicated. You should realize that all of this is but a very small part of it. The Greater Spirits are playing a very complex game against each other, with power as the goal and the playing pieces. It might be related to their worship in the mortal world.¡¯


    I frowned. ¡®How does that work?¡¯


    Mior shrugged. ¡®We spirits don¡¯t need humans¡¯ devotion or offerings, unlike what some people think. But it is still good to have. For Greater Spirits like Rijoko, even losing all of it would not diminish his power by much. Of course, every little bit might be important against the Storm and his ilk. Still, I doubt this is the reason for all of this.¡¯


    I ran a hand through my hair. This was interesting to hear, but a little frustrating. ¡®You¡¯d think they¡¯d do better if the goal was simply to get more worship,¡¯ I agreed. ¡®But then where do I come in?¡¯


    Mior dismissed their char and stood up, cocking their head as they looked down at me. ¡®Presumably, your connection to your father. I assume you are aware of that?¡¯


    A shiver ran down my spine. I stood and crossed my arms. ¡®Yes.¡¯ I could feel it in my qi if I concentrated, especially while cultivating. Something had changed about me since I¡¯d awakened my bloodline. I could sense Rijoko, distantly. No more than a feeling of his existence, but maybe you could strengthen it somehow.


    ¡®Your existence is shaped by his qi,¡¯ Mior said, their eyebrows drawn down. ¡®It costs him a tiny bit of his power, especially when you use the power your bloodline gives you. I think our enemies might be trying to use that connection against us. Perhaps they want to force him to intervene in the mortal world. Bait or trap him into making a move they want. Have him use too much power that will allow Jideia an opening.¡¯


    I shook my head, feeling another shiver run down my spine. ¡®Get him to expend power to protect me? I think I¡¯m starting to get a better idea of this whole thing.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know if my father would do something like that, especially if it was obviously his enemies¡¯ plan. But I knew what this meant. I needed to protect myself.


    Mior shrugged. ¡®Or perhaps it¡¯s about you fighting them here yourself.¡¯


    I sighed and started pacing while I thought about that. ¡®Well, for better or worse, my future is tied to him. I¡¯d rather do something against these jerks than wait for them to get me killed.¡¯


    Mior chuckled. ¡®Well, good luck with that.¡¯


    I stopped and glared at him. ¡®Come on. It¡¯s in your interests, too, right? Give me some help.¡¯


    The spirit sighed. ¡®There¡¯s not much I can do. But alright. I¡¯d advise you to focus on preparing your country for a coming storm. Pun not intended. Grow your strength. And ¡­¡¯ They hesitated, frowning a little. ¡®Perhaps you could poke into the origins of your people, your ancestors. There might be something there.¡¯


    ¡®My ancestors? Like the origins of my clan?¡¯


    Mior started to walk away. ¡®If that¡¯s all, Little Light, I have places to be.¡¯


    I rolled my eyes, but didn¡¯t fight it when the dream started to dissolve. There¡¯d be no point in trying to draw this out.


    Instead, I willed myself awake. Mior was right, I¡¯d grow my strength, and the Empire¡¯s. And take a trip to the coast when I went traveling.

 61: Perspective

    I leaned back a little in the chair, grateful they¡¯d at least put a cushion on it. And that I didn¡¯t have to look up to people, since they were all kneeling or bowing if they approached, or further down the room.


    I was holding court. Maybe not officially, but it certainly felt like it. While we¡¯d arrived yesterday, I¡¯d take today to deal with the political stuff and get to know the local nobles and such. Hopefully, that would let me get to work in relative peace later.


    ¡°At least we¡¯re not in the throne room,¡± Lei muttered, shifting his weight where he stood not far from me. His voice was quiet enough that few people would hear him.


    I glanced at him, then back at the room. It was a quite spacious sitting room, decorated with beautiful tapestries and pictures and filled with not quite as aesthetically pleasing people. At least to my eyes. They probably wore the height of fashion here, even if I didn¡¯t know how a bastard child of platform boots and sandals was supposed to work out.


    I hadn¡¯t known that Blue Valley City¡¯s imperial palace had a throne room, but on second thought, that was obvious. This palace housed some of the city government, but it was also kept ready in case the Empress showed up. Or her family, I supposed. Since the city was one of the most important in the south, that probably made sense. It was an old building, but well maintained, and the imperial suite they¡¯d given me made my actual quarters in the Imperial Palace look shabby. I¡¯d heard grandmother appreciated humility, but shit, my perspective is screwed up.


    I put on a smile and turned toward the mayor hovering nearby, beckoning him to come. Inwardly, I mused that if any trait of mine caused me to question whether Mother¡¯s bargain worked, it was my lack of extroversion. Though, maybe they just didn¡¯t have much to work with if they wanted to have other traits. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s an introvert, too, just hiding it well.


    I shook my head a little, dismissing those thoughts, and focused on the man who was now bowing towards me. The Lord Mayor of Blue Valley City was a hereditary position, sort of. The Empress could dismiss the current one and appoint a new one, and that had happened a few times over the years. Still, the office was usually held by an old aristocratic family. As these things usually went.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see General Wei, Mayor,¡± I mentioned. ¡°Would you happen to know his whereabouts? I was under the impression he¡¯d stayed in the south.¡±


    He bowed his head. ¡°Your Highness, the esteemed general is currently on a tour of the border, near the tenth border fort. He will most likely complete his tour before returning to the city, though we have of course made him aware of your coming.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll be glad to hear what he has to report.¡±


    I shifted my weight as he backed away, and looked back at the people filling the room. Most of them were engaged in conversation over drinks. They still looked in my direction a lot. Later, I should get up and make the rounds. I recognized some of them from the meetings during the war, and others from pictures, but some faces I couldn¡¯t place.


    I turned and took the glass of juice a servant was offering. Slightly delayed, but that was to be expected. After my poisoning, they¡¯d instituted the rule that everything I was to eat or drink had to be tested by a taster, who would usually be a randomly chosen guard or servant. Ideally someone with similar cultivation to myself. I found that annoying, but hard to argue against. At least the juice was great, fruity and only a little sweet. I felt it ease the tension in my qi channels a little. Probably some expensive qi-infused fruit.


    Then my gaze caught on a noble strolling closer from the throng. Unlike the others, he didn¡¯t show much hesitation, clearly headed for me. Of course, I recognized Zun Chao from the war. I hid a sigh, but gestured at him. I might not particularly like the man, but he had contributed a lot during the war, so I shouldn¡¯t snub him.


    My guards, placed throughout the room but close to my seat, straightened up. Zun gave a wide berth to the one closest to him as he approached, but kept his gaze on me.


    Once he was close enough, he bowed. ¡°Your Highness. It is a pleasure to see you again.¡±


    I forced a smile. ¡°Lord Zun, please raise your head. I am pleased to see you again, as well. I hope things are going well for your clan after the war?¡±


    ¡°Never better,¡± he answered with an air of satisfaction.


    ¡°I admit I had expected you to return to your clan¡¯s holdings further north,¡± I said. ¡°Surely the disruptions the war caused have been felt there as well, if not as strongly.¡±


    He shrugged a little. ¡°They have, of course, but it is nothing my people could not deal with. I had intended to return sooner, but found this city offered a lot of opportunities.¡±


    I hoped he wasn¡¯t profiteering from the war too directly, but kept that thought to myself. ¡°It is certainly an economic hub, and seems to deal well with some more recent changes in the Empire that promise to increase our prosperity,¡± I agreed.


    Zun smiled as if amused at my words. ¡°I imagine so. The recent expansion of the southern border fortifications is causing some movement here, certainly. As well as the increased recruitment of the army.¡±


    ¡°That is happening across the Empire,¡± I said casually.


    ¡°Well, I certainly hope it is going well,¡± Zun said, but this time he didn¡¯t sound too sincere. Clearly still not a fan of the army or its leadership.


    I made a noncommittal hum in response, not letting it faze me. From what I¡¯d heard, the recruiting was going as well as could be expected.


    ¡°If the rumors are anything to go by, Your Highness is more interested in those changes for the Empire,¡± he continued, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Especially when it comes to technology.¡±


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    I cocked my head a little, considering for a moment. But there was no point in not answering his probe. It was hardly a secret. ¡°Yes, I am quite a fan of technology, and developing more and better ones,¡± I said, keeping my tone casual and pleasant. ¡°It has the potential to improve the lives of many people in the Empire, not to mention put us firmly ahead of other countries.¡± He was probably the type to care about that.


    Zun smoothed his expression. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Actually, there is someone I believe you might like to meet. Suaki is an acknowledged expert on formation arrays and their application to mechanical instruments, as well as general mundane engineering.¡± He turned and waved to someone in the crowd.


    I stifled a sigh. I didn¡¯t really want to have him push some political connection at me. But I did recognize the name from a few texts in the palace, so he probably was an acknowledged expert at least.


    Suaki turned out to be a middle-aged man with short dark hair and a few wrinkles, wearing a relatively plain set of robes. But I could sense the qi of several small devices on him. He wore a pair of glasses that looked a little crude to my eyes but gave him a more academic air. I tamped down on my surprise. I could see runes inscribed on them, so they probably weren¡¯t a vision aid, something cultivators were unlikely to need due to the qi ¡®enhancing¡¯ our bodies. He came closer, glancing at the guards and the people close to me, and knelt.


    I let him wait a moment before I spoke. ¡°Rise. Lord Zun has praised your skills with formations and engineering.¡±


    Suaki stood but kept his head bowed. After waiting for a bit, probably to be sure I was expecting a response, he answered, ¡°Luminous Princess, this one is gratified at the praise but would not dare to flatter himself in such a way.¡±


    I tapped my fingers on the armrest. At least he didn¡¯t seem arrogant. ¡°What is your opinion of electrical technology?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the future, or at least part of it,¡± he replied promptly. ¡°I am only starting to truly understand the material, but it carries a few advantages compared to traditional work, in addition to several deficits.¡± He raised his head a little. ¡°The telegraphs Your Highness has had built will have a large impact, especially for our army, but new electrical generators are a far more important matter.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I guess I really shouldn¡¯t judge him for being an associate of Zun¡¯s. That was a good answer.


    I stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s take a stroll, Expert Suaki.¡±


    He hesitated, his eyes darting to the other attendees. ¡°Your Highness, I have several engagements, and I¡¯m sure my lowly self could not offer someone like you anything of worth.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t take long,¡± I said. It might, but I couldn¡¯t just let him get away like that. Lucky I¡¯m the princess and don¡¯t need to take no for an answer. At least for something like this.


    Suaki obviously schooled his expression, but bowed and fell into step after me as I started walking, a few guards accompanying me. Tenira joined us, as well. I noticed many of the gathered people look up, their eyes following us with interest, but pretended not to notice.


    After a short corridor, we reached an inner courtyard with a garden. I asked Suaki a few questions as we strolled along, trying to gauge his expertise and opinions. It was easy to see he was far more knowledgeable than me about formations, although I knew enough to gauge his level. He also seemed interested in other forms of mechanisms or engineering, and not averse to new technologies.


    ¡°I think the most pressing problem about revamping the southern defenses with them lies in ensuring the communication lines can operate smoothly,¡± he said on the latest topic. ¡°Telegraphs and whatever else Your Highness might have planned need a steady supply of electrical power. I imagine that some of them will be built near running water, and you may be able to connect a generator to a windmill. Those haven¡¯t been built much for farming in the last centuries, but we¡¯ve hardly forgotten how to do it.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re quite right. With a few improvements, wind-powered generators are easily feasible. I would of course like a few more options.¡± But we simply didn¡¯t have the ability to build photovoltaic cells yet.


    ¡°If it comes down to it, we could use those steam engines or something similar,¡± Tenira commented softly, probably following the same chain of thought.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not rely on that,¡± I murmured. ¡°Let¡¯s avoid burning coal or other material. Even beside the pollution issue, those resources have to come from somewhere.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Going around cutting down the Empire¡¯s forests would be a very bad idea. Those are often important for gathering resources. The spirit beasts and spirits there might not appreciate it, either.¡±


    Tenira snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Expert Suaki.¡± I turned back to our guest. ¡°I¡¯ve been quite impressed at your sharp mind and extensive knowledge.¡±


    He bowed. ¡°You honor me, Your Highness.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I wonder if you might be interested in a project I wanted to start here in the city. I need capable people to help with our research and development. I will also be opening an institution dedicated to gathering and spreading knowledge, educating people. Not just those bound to serve a group¡¯s interest, but anyone with the prerequisites, who are free to go and use that knowledge later. For the benefit of the Empire.¡±


    He raised his eyebrows, surprise clear on his face. ¡°That sounds quite unusual. Begging Your Highness¡¯ pardon.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Maybe so, but I have reason to think it will work quite well in gathering knowledge, fostering innovation and producing both new insights and technological advancement.¡±


    He still looked hesitant. ¡°Well, of course I feel honored, and I admit it does sound like an intriguing challenge.¡±


    ¡°We would also appreciate it if you could recommend others who might be interested,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with experts and scholars here in the region, or even farther away.¡± Lei and Tenira were already looking for prospects, but personal knowledge might be valuable.


    Suaki bowed his head. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. With your permission, may I take some time to consider possible fellows, and perhaps wrap up my affairs?¡±


    I nodded and gestured a dismissal. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t keep you from your engagements. My people will contact you, and you¡¯re welcome to contact my team, as well.¡±


    He bowed deeply once again, then backed away, turning once he had reached the end of this section of the gardens. I watched him go for a moment.


    Tenira shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how well this thing will turn out, Inaris. But at least he seems reasonable, and we should be able to find others.¡±


    I glanced at her, wondering what she expected of this venture. She hadn¡¯t said much. She just stood there, perfectly groomed, hands folded in front of her, her face and deep eyes hard to read. Then, realizing I¡¯d stared a little too long, I wrenched my gaze away. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath, reminding myself I was being stupid.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much to lose. But for now, I should concentrate on the southern defenses.¡±


    Tenira tilted her head, but I noticed she didn¡¯t quite look at me. ¡°Should we get back inside?¡±


    I nodded, and we set off. This garden wasn¡¯t particularly big, although it sported many different kinds of flowers and plants, some of them with discreetly placed placards explaining their origins. Once we got back, I¡¯d make more of an effort to talk with the nobles and make some contacts.


    ¡°Oh, well,¡± I muttered, shaking my head at myself. ¡°I¡¯ve had worse birthdays.¡±


    Tenira turned, raising an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday? I thought that wasn¡¯t for a little while yet?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe. A best I can figure out, I¡¯m turning mentally twenty-three today.¡±


    Tenira smiled softly. ¡°Ah, from your other life, of course. Happy birthday, then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. When¡¯s yours?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I lost track of the days. At least I have my usual one here.¡±


    I nodded, falling silent at that. They¡¯d probably make a big deal of mine, but it was just as well I didn¡¯t really mark this one. We reached the doors into the building, and my guards fell in more closely around us. I straightened my robes and entered.

 62: Symbolic values

    The generator didn¡¯t look like I was expecting, I mused as I stared up at it. I¡¯d pictured a windmill, like one of those old ones people had used for grain mills, just a bit bigger and better.


    It didn¡¯t look like that, or even a modern wind generator. Instead of three or four planks made from metal or even carved wood, they were a black, earthy material, as if someone had compacted a part of the ground. Which was pretty accurate. An earth cultivator must have formed them from earth, fusing it together into a thin but strong material settled into a fixed shape. And judging from the way it spun, it wasn¡¯t too heavy.


    Shaking my head, I glanced over at Lei. ¡°So? Is it working?¡±


    He looked up. ¡°Yes. The output is within our parameters. Should be more than enough to power the telegraph station, radio, and whatever extensions we might design.¡±


    I nodded, pleased at our progress, and turned back to the rest of the outpost. I had to crane my neck a little to look up and see the top of the wall. It was broad, if as yet unfinished, as it still lacked the additional fortifications and fixtures to turn this into a real bulwark. The inside needed even more work, especially concerning formations. But a garrison of soldiers had already taken up residence here. They¡¯d been picked to have skills complimenting the task, so they would help with the construction.


    I turned and took a few steps until I reached the group of officers who had accompanied us here. ¡°It seems like the construction is going well. Anything I need to see here?¡±


    The commander shook his head. ¡°Nothing comes to mind, Your Highness. We¡¯re very glad to hear you approve. Everything is proceeding according to schedule.¡±


    He¡¯s already said that, I thought, feeling a bit of annoyance. But I squashed that. I guess can¡¯t blame him for being nervous.


    I folded out the plan I¡¯d been carrying and looked it over, trying to see how everything matched up. It was pretty simple, really. This outpost wasn¡¯t meant to be complicated.


    Thoughtful, I leafed through the papers I had to get to a larger plan, and traced our position. There would be many sites like this, although the construction of most others had not or only just begun. It would definitely take months to finish this. At least.


    If I turned my head and focused, I could just make out where the next tower would be built. The wall also being raised in front of this one, barely my height at the moment, would grow to connect many more. Of course, the wall itself would be not much more than symbolic in terms of defensive value. But that was why we¡¯d build this string of posts along the border. They¡¯d function as garrisons and scouting outposts, and all of them would be connected to each other and the hinterland with several fast long-range communication methods.


    We¡¯d have an early warning system, of sorts. And more than that. It would be bigger and more formidable than anything I¡¯d heard or read about in this world. But I wasn¡¯t sure it would be enough. We were still discussing a second layer consisting of larger fortresses. That would give the defenses some more depth.


    Well, there¡¯d been some things happening with diplomatic approaches to the Zarian Dominion. Maybe those in charge, probably meaning Mother, would decide they didn¡¯t need that expense after all. I definitely hoped things would settle down again, as they always seemed to if you looked at history.


    But these defenses were definitely getting built. With the old defensive outposts included, it should at least give the Zarieni nomads something to think about.


    The feel of a breeze and a prickle in my qi senses made me turn to watch a few figures descend from the sky. I smiled and put my papers away, stepping forward.


    General Wei bowed. ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°General,¡± I greeted him with a smile. ¡°Is everything going well?¡±


    ¡°The construction is proceeding largely within our plans, and we have not seen much of the nomads,¡± he said. ¡°Only a few scouts watching from afar.¡±


    ¡°Well, we always had to assume they would know what we were doing.¡±


    It might seem strange, I reflected, for both of us to be here. But the general had taken a clearly justified interest in the construction of the defenses. I assumed he might also want to keep an eye on me, especially where I interacted with the army.


    Other people trailing behind us, we walked back to the center of the provisional camp.


    ¡°Formations are going to be the issue,¡± Wei said. ¡°Building walls and towers is fairly simple work, especially with the help of earth affinity experts and so many of our elites. But naked buildings aren¡¯t worth much more than sandcastles for stopping an invasion.¡±


    I nodded. I knew he was exaggerating a little, since terrain and fortifications could influence a cultivator battle, too. But of course we needed a lot of enchantments, a lot of qi in features and devices for this project.


    ¡°They are complicated ones, as well,¡± I said. ¡°I know it will take time.¡± I hadn¡¯t kept up my studies on formations as well as I would have liked, but I knew enough to understand what we were doing here. Quite a number of new developments included, too.


    Wei sighed. ¡°Well, I would like to continue with my tour and then get back to base. If you have no further need of me, Your Highness.¡±


    I thought for a moment, then shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a bit longer. I think my team hasn¡¯t finished testing everything. We¡¯ll head back to Blue Valley City from there. You¡¯re still attending the meeting the day after tomorrow, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He bowed. ¡°As you say, my princess. By your leave.¡±


    He departed, gathering most of the officers in the process. I made my way over to the generator. The windmill was still turning easily. People were examining the inside and taking notes. I suspected Lei hadn¡¯t even realized I was gone.


    I stopped and took a closer look at the actual generator. Building these was fairly simple. You only needed coils of copper, a mechanism hosting the electromagnetic generator, and maybe a transformer to handle the voltages. Magnets were easy enough to make with the help of cultivators. Still, I made a mental note to check our copper deposits and mining, or earth cultivators¡¯ work. I had a feeling we¡¯d need a lot of the stuff in the time to come. Rarer metals, as well.


    ¡°We should get back,¡± Tenira said, stepping away from the group to me. ¡°I think we¡¯re more useful designing new technology than getting in people¡¯s way here.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agreed at once. ¡°I guess the best thing to improve these really is finishing the tech stuff.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention your planes,¡± she said, smirking a little. ¡°This line feels a little empty without these air bases you wanted. At this rate, they¡¯ll be finished building before we¡¯re ready to really operate them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I agreed with a sigh. It would take time until we had developed the technology enough and built enough planes to really make a difference here. I shook my head. ¡°Get everyone moving, would you?¡±


    She nodded and turned back to rouse the others. I headed back to the airships we¡¯d flown in with.


    <hr>


    In the end, I decided not to fly straight back, but to make a detour. The others could go on ahead, but I wanted to visit the temple in Aliarnoch. It was almost on the way, anyway.


    Standing on my flying sword, I looked after the airship for a moment, watching it pull away. I was glad I didn¡¯t have to drag the whole team and my retinue along for this. After all, while I could have visited a shrine to The Moon in the capital or Blue Valley City, there was a reason I¡¯d rather do it in this unremarkable town. Though its temple was moderately famous.


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    ¡°Do you always travel with that many guards?¡± Yarani asked, shifting her stance on her own flying sword and glancing at the group of guards surrounding us.


    I shrugged. She¡¯d insisted on coming along, which I appreciated in principle, at least. ¡°Usually, yes. I wish it wasn¡¯t necessary, but not having enough guards nearby tends to attract attempts on my life.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t have that.¡± She smiled, her eyes twinkling. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We got moving, flying down towards the town spreading out below us. It was large enough, but few houses had more than one or two stories. The fields around it grew an assortment of plants that made the landscape colorful, adding to a picture of peaceful prosperity. Winter had already arrived here, so some of the fields lay empty, only covered with a bit of white, but others still had plants growing. The cold wind tugged at my clothing, making me glad for my improved constitution.


    The temple was easy to find, since it looked as big as the next two largest structures put together. There was a small garden in front of it, framing an entrance flanked by pillars and carved stone that reminded me a bit of Greek temples, but with a sloped roof. From above, I could see the temple actually consisted of several structures, not just one large edifice.


    We landed in front of it, sending a few passersby scurrying away. Probably due to our auras and the guards. I smoothed out the blue robe I wore and straightened my shoulders, before I marched up the steps into the temple. Two guardians posted at the sides knelt as they saw me coming, and pushed open the door with their qi. I wondered how they¡¯d recognized me for a moment. It could be my appearance was widely known by now.


    Or Aston had called ahead. Actually, as I threw a sideways glance at him taking up a position beside me, I realized that was probably the case. But it would still be less fuss than the city.


    On the inside, the temple was lit by chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, as well as light coming from stained-glass windows. They showed the moon in different phases, as well as a few other symbolic pictures. I smelled hints of incense and smoke in the air, and my steps echoed slightly.


    There was something else, though. I walked forward slowly, taking in the information my senses provided. There was something in the qi in this place, like a scent of ¡®spirit¡¯ or something a little harder to pinpoint. Not bad, though. If anything, it felt comforting. I felt my shoulders relax a little as I headed through the temple.


    Behind an open anteroom stretched what I guessed was the main temple. It was loosely divided into a few sections. On the far end loomed a pair of heavy stone doors decorated with a mixture of carvings and gemstones pulsing with qi, arranged as part of a formation. Besides them stood a stone altar with a fireplace and a device I couldn¡¯t make much sense of. Smaller altars were placed in alcoves around the back part of the room. Tapestries and paintings hung on the walls of the temple.


    I slowed down as I neared the front and took a closer look at some of them. The largest, dividing the altar and door, showed a scene I recognized as a myth or legend. The Moon stood there, depicted as a man in a white robe with long hair and beard and painted masterfully to give the impression of motion. On his belt hung a book, and in one hand he carried a reed. The other one pointed a spear at his opponent. That one was depicted in a half-kneeling, half-lying position, with red spots sprinkling his armor. The heavy, ancient-style armor and the crackling bolt of lightning that looked like it was slipping from his fingers marked him as Jideia, the Storm. Beneath the scene, the crumpled body of a large serpentine monster told me which tale this referred to.


    I glanced around, seeing that the paintings closest to this one depicted scenes from the same story, probably in a local variant. The first one had the dragon destroying a temple, with deep oranges, reds and blacks conveying the destruction and rage. Besides him, Rijoko arrived, his spear shining with light to contrast that theme. Then the next one showed the two Greater Spirits before a woman clothed in white and gold with a scepter of light in her hand. Probably the Sun. This must depict how the two went to her to mediate the dispute. The exaggerated scowl on the face of the Storm showed how he spit on her verdict, refusing to apologize or atone for the damage the dragon had done.


    If I remembered it right, that was his servant, or even child in some versions. Clearly, Jideia felt that Rijoko should have protected his sacred site better, and raged at the death of the beast. The story varied on when that had happened, or even who killed it, and I didn¡¯t get a clear timeline from the scenes shown here. The version of the myth I¡¯d read had Rijoko sending humans to do it while they met.


    The next one to the right of the center showed a great storm covering the land. The artist had done a good job of conveying the gloom and thunder. But to the right of the picture, Rijoko opened a small hole in the cloud cover, shining a light down. Beneath him, a mortal hero, name lost to the ages, looked up to receive it. To the side of the picture, people were already piling up the offerings that would make Jideia stop venting his rage on them.


    Then, the last picture showed the man climbing a great mountain, probably to the sanctum of the Storm. In the myth, this was where the Storm tempted him from his course by offering him the chance to shed his mortal body and live as the spirits did. Probably ascension to the white stage. The picture showed the Greater Spirit sending the message down in the shape of a small lightning bolt, with the man reaching out to grab it. Besides them, Rijoko sent bolts of light to disperse the great storm covering the land.


    I shook my head, tearing my gaze from the pictures. I could feel that more people had filled the temple, keeping a respectful distance, most of them pretty strong in terms of cultivation.


    I stepped forward, then hesitated as a low rumble started. A few of the stones set into the double doors pulsed with light, before the doors pulled open with surprising grace. I could practically smell the surprise from the people behind me. Glancing back, I saw one man whose face I recognized from my time in Blue Valley City, probably a local noble or wealthy merchant.


    Shaking my head, I strode through the door, with Yarani and my guards in tow. My mind was still half stuck on the story. It was just one tale of several depicting how the enmity between Rijoko and Jideia might have taken root. I guess it illustrates the concepts pretty well. The Storm as a warrior, angry and hostile in this myth. The Moon cunning and a guide to mortals. He¡¯s associated with wisdom and guidance, isn¡¯t he?


    Through the door, I arrived in another altar room. This one was open to the sky, only ringed by pillars but without a roof. Maybe I should have come at night. Duh. The faint sensation in the qi was a bit stronger, and I could see hazy forms of a few minor spirits. They bowed to me and backed further away. My guards spread out behind me.


    Before I could take more than a few steps into the room, a group of priests moved toward me, led by an older woman with gray-streaked hair tied in a bun who felt like the sixth stage. They all wore moon-gray robes with small moon amulets. The others kept back but what had to be the head priest rushed forward, until she knelt in front of me, one hand clutching the amulet.


    ¡°Your Highness. You honor this lowly one and this temple with your presence. May this one be of assistance?¡±


    I smiled politely. ¡°You may rise. I was coming to make an offering.¡±


    She stood up. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She and another priest turned to the altar in the center of the small courtyard and lit the fire in the brazier set into its lower part. They sprinkled flakes of something over the altar, releasing a faintly herbal, incense-like scent.


    I stepped forward, a little hesitantly, then straightened up. So far, I hadn¡¯t really learned anything important, but it was still interesting. So I took a few offerings from my storage ring. I¡¯d asked the servants for help with that. I put a few crescent-shaped cakes onto the altar, baked from grain that had been exposed to a concentration of qi. That was a traditional offering, apparently. Then I put down a gemstone sparkling with qi as well.


    I wasn¡¯t really sure what I expected. But as I was taking a step back, the fire roared and grew higher, and mist of qi condensed over the altar. I shivered as I felt my own qi thrum in response. The faint connection it carried opened just a little, letting me feel an echo of a sensation. The Moon¡¯s attention glided over me. It felt like someone had given me a shot of caffeine. New strength coursed through my veins, washing away a bit of the tiredness from long hours of looking at plans and tech, and sharpening my attention. The phenomenon blew out quickly, but that feeling stayed.


    The priests behind me had prostrated themselves on the ground. I blinked, stepping away and stumbling a little as my legs seemed to have too much energy. I stopped when I reached Yarani, who¡¯d come to meet me. She touched my arm in a gesture of support that grounded me.


    The head priest raised her head. ¡°You really are his daughter, Luminous Princess. We are honored to witness this.¡±


    I heard a gasp of surprise from behind the still open doors, and tensed a bit. ¡°Do get up,¡± I said. ¡°No need to make a fuss.¡±


    They shifted to a kneeling position. The head priest looked up, her eyes glinting with what I suspected wasn¡¯t just awe. ¡°Do you have any further need of us, Your Highness? If you will just wait a moment, we will bring you fitting tribute from the temple.¡±


    I shifted, tensing even more at this. This sort of reaction was embarrassing. It didn¡¯t help that my mind still felt a bit too stimulated, a bit jittery.


    Before I decided how to politely decline, Yarani¡¯s fingers on my arm tightened, and she took a half-step forward. ¡°My lady said she didn¡¯t want a fuss,¡± she said, steel in her voice. ¡°We are going now.¡±


    I nodded and followed her out of the room. In the main temple, no one approached us, but I saw the looks from the farther reaches of the room.


    I shook my head to clear it and glanced at Yarani, who¡¯d let go of me but was still sticking close. ¡°You don¡¯t seem particularly awed.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Oh, do you want me to worship you?¡± she asked and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. ¡°Make me earn your favor or something? I¡¯m sure we could play a bit.¡±


    I chuckled, some of the tension draining away. ¡°Maybe some time, if you want.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise,¡± she continued. ¡°I knew there was something about you, and there were rumors.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Princess, spirit-child, at some point it doesn¡¯t change much.¡±


    I nodded and fell silent as we stepped out of the temple. Yeah, picking her up had been a good idea.

 63: New endeavors

    Quicker than I thought, the weeks slipped by. I was constantly busy with establishing our research team, planning and checking the construction of the new defensive line, and setting up the university. Although Al arrived a week after me, I didn¡¯t have much time for him.


    He did make himself useful, though. Perhaps I¡¯d been too caught up in thinking of him as my twelve-year-old brother, forgetting that he¡¯d come from Earth, too. He spent most of his time in the lab, helping us make progress. I even toyed with the idea of revitalizing my computer project, which I¡¯d pretty much abandoned as other demands increased. But it¡¯s not like that¡¯s time-critical, while the other ones might give major improvements in relatively short time, I told myself.


    Despite what I¡¯d feared, the university thing went smoothly, at least at first. I got a property in the center of the city for it and had it renovated. The city government was happy to help, or so they claimed. Probably didn¡¯t want me ordering something worse for them. It was harder to find good people to get it started. Even weeks after the building was finished, Suaki was the only one I could consider a permanent fixture. At least he¡¯d brought in a couple other experts, some of whom might work out in the long-term. We hadn¡¯t opened for a real semester yet, but there were a few students. Until this got off the ground, there probably wouldn¡¯t be fixed semesters and courses.


    One day, I walked down the corridor to talk with Suaki, when I met a girl I recognized immediately. It was the one I¡¯d helped at the Carmine Cloud Sect, who¡¯d then gone on to participate in sort-of bullying me. I almost missed a step, then carried on, deciding to ignore her. From the periphery of my vision, I noticed her bowing, but I swept onward to Suaki¡¯s office. I wasn¡¯t in the best of moods that day.


    I should have expected something like this, though. Our recruits mainly came from the same people who would go to sects, especially those who for some reason didn¡¯t want to become a disciple or had left their sect. Students needed to have a good educational background, after all. At least we got some from the poorer parts of the city who¡¯d done well in public schooling, even if I had to send a few people out to look for prospects for a few days.


    When my nineteenth birthday rolled around, I suffered through a great party in the palace for a few hours, trying to ignore the stares and rumors, before I escaped to my rooms to continue studying the last set of plans Lei had drawn up for a jet. Building and testing that would take a few more months, at least, especially since I wanted as much of its mechanisms to work without qi as possible. The controls would probably have to be formation-based, along with enchantments to improve lift.


    By the time the first phase of our new border fortifications was built, months had slipped past without much notice from me. I took a few hours off that day to take stock of where we were at and how things were going. The border would take some more work, but I might stay here even once it was done. Although we got good reports of the factories in the capital taking off, and more being built in other cities, I liked what I had to work with here.


    Although I might increase the frequency of my visits home. Maybe I could even persuade Mother to let me take Xiaodan south for a bit. I was starting to miss my little sister.


    I¡¯d stayed in occasional contact with Mother, mostly to let each other know what was going on. The university she¡¯d started in the capital seemed to progress pretty much like the one here. Otherwise, I got the feeling Mother was too busy with politics to pay much attention to the details. From what she said, there¡¯d been a few diplomatic meetings with the Zarian. Things didn¡¯t progress much, but at least we were talking. I¡¯d count that as a blessing.


    Perhaps I¡¯ve been too cynical. A war isn¡¯t something anyone would really want, considering the risk and devastation associated with it. Perhaps they¡¯ll keep taking potshots at me in the shadows, but back off if it¡¯s clear that fails. I snorted. It feels wrong to think things like that in a magic world, but there are no jinxes here. Right?


    I shook my head and returned my attention to the documents I¡¯d gotten. Their presence alone would have clued me in that something was different. And as I read through them quickly, I realized why. Information like this was easier to carry physically than through qi communication.


    I leaned back in my office, blinking against the light of the winter sun coming through the window opposite me. In a few minutes, it would have moved on enough not to bother me, but I liked looking out over the city and the valley east of it. That river would flow into the sea a good number of kilometers further down. I tipped my chair back a little while I considered this. I hadn¡¯t really been to the sea, but I remembered Mother mention she wanted me to contact the spirit beasts there, though I¡¯d lost track of that. It seemed like the time had come now.


    ¡°Tenira?¡± I called. ¡°We need to prepare for a trip.¡±


    After a moment, the door opened and my friend stepped inside. ¡°Where?¡±


    I tossed her the message, watching her read while I thought about it.


    Idly, my fingers played with the miniature windmill standing on the desk. I only noticed what I was doing and stopped after a few moments. The model was spinning rapidly, drawing its power from the rudimentary capacitor beside it, little more than two metal plates stacked atop each other. But it worked. I stopped it with my finger, frowning. It wasn¡¯t that hard to build something to convert qi to electricity, like using formations to move a turbine and generate electrical power.


    But what I really wanted, long-term, was the reverse. Generating electricity was doable, while no one really knew how qi formed, if it did. Probably it was like energy and couldn¡¯t be created or destroyed. Storing qi wasn¡¯t easy even with formations. And making formations required someone to put qi in, it wasn¡¯t like batteries that you could just mass-produce in a factory.


    I shook my head. I¡¯d thought about this before, but now wasn¡¯t the time for these musings.


    Just then, Tenira folded the message and handed it back. ¡°They¡¯re building a new port in the bay, not far from where we fought the nomads,¡± she commented. ¡°We could go for a visit.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯d rather go to the east coast. Maybe a little further north.¡±


    Tenira raised an eyebrow. ¡°Any particular reason for this?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯ve gotten curious about our ancestors and would like to take a look.¡±


    The west might be easier or more promising on the face of it, but I wanted to combine this trip with visiting a few settlements. The ¡®Sea People¡¯ had lived there, their descendants now part of the Empire like many others. But my ancestors, the start of the Leri family, had come from them. I remembered what Mior had said, though I hadn¡¯t had the time to do much about it. But now was the perfect opportunity.


    While I was holding talks with krakens or sea serpents. Now that could be interesting.


    Tenira left to arrange things, while I turned back to consider Mother¡¯s message again and plan how I might proceed. I also looked through the books I¡¯d taken along from the palace libraries and stored in a side room. I hadn¡¯t had enough time to read through them all, but now I looked for descriptions of the spirit beasts in the sea. There wasn¡¯t much I hadn¡¯t read before.


    In the end, it was a smaller group that gathered in the airship to travel to the coast. Lei and most of the others stayed. Al, however, decided to come along. He was probably just as curious as me. And there were the guards, of course.


    Although we used a fast airship, the flight took several hours. We were also flying east, which meant time zone trouble, or would have if this world had those. Time was still measured locally, usually according to the standards of a province or region. I made a mental note of that as another thing to look into. In any case, it was afternoon by the time we arrived.


    I stepped out of the airship, taking a deep breath of the sea air, salty and fresh. The wind was blowing, cold enough to have normal people scurrying to get out of the streets quickly. The houses around me looked simple but well-made, worn away by time and weather but still standing strong. The streets were wide, and I could sense the sewer system stretching beneath our feet, run by some complicated formations.


    I started walking down the main street, away from the plaza we¡¯d landed in. After a few meters, the ground sloped down a little, giving me a good view of the place. The sea stretched ahead of me, wide and glittering. To one side, docks held fishing boats, while some more of them bobbed on the water. Another dock housed larger vessels. All of them were built out of wood but carried a lot of qi.


    I looked past them out to sea and quickened my pace. I knew at once that the tide was rising right now. I could feel it pressing against me, like a current to my qi senses. If I concentrated, I could feel an echo of a familiar presence in it, a hint of what I¡¯d seen from the spirits. Something in me responded to it, just slightly. I barely even noticed where I was going as I bathed in that sensation. I couldn¡¯t wait to get into the sea and see if there was a difference.


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to arrive at a rocky shore just outside the town, looking out over the sea. I glanced behind me, at the guards, Tenira, and Al, who waited quietly. Then I let my presence stretch out, my qi sweep outward over our surroundings. I could sense a few spirits taking note, pausing in what they were doing for a moment.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long. A splash alerted me to something coming in from the sea. A strong qi presence accompanied it. A moment later, the upper part of a dolphin popped out of the water. It regarded me for a moment before the spirit beast sank back down a bit as if bowing.


    ¡®Imperial Princess?¡¯ a smooth feminine voice asked in my head.


    I nodded and took a step closer, ignoring the spray against my lower robe. ¡®Greetings. I need to talk with the dwellers of the deep. I assume you¡¯ve been informed?¡¯


    ¡®We have. I will go out to make contact with a leviathan of the deep.¡¯


    ¡®Great. How long will that take?¡¯


    The spirit beast bobbed to the side and back. ¡®I do not know. Hours or more.¡¯ Then the dolphin vanished under the water. I felt the beast¡¯s qi moving away from us, towards the deep sea.


    Well, that was short and sweet. I turned around and looked at my guards. ¡°Lirta, stay here, please. Contact me if anyone comes here again.¡±


    The guard I¡¯d chosen bowed and took my place standing on the rocks, while I turned away and walked towards the town, Tenira and Al following me.


    ¡°This was a little boring,¡± Al complained. ¡°And now?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°While we wait, I¡¯ll take a look around the town. The sea people is where our clan came from, you know. The people living in this area are their descendants.¡±


    Unfortunately, it turned out that the town didn¡¯t hold any historical secrets. We walked through its streets for a bit, but I only saw more of the same kind of houses. The people mostly spoke Common. I did catch occasional examples of another language, although I didn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°Tenira, can you speak the language?¡± I asked, stopping beside a fountain in a park.


    She shook her head. ¡°I know a bit of our clan¡¯s old tongue, but only a little. And the language has shifted in the centuries since our family was driven from here, picking up words and patterns from Imperial Common, and even another local language.¡± She looked around, clicking her tongue. ¡°These people are barely Sea People anymore. At least not the way they used to be, before the Empire¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°Not that our family is any better,¡± Al added. ¡°They didn¡¯t keep much besides a few names, right? Like yours.¡±


    I blinked. Wait, why didn¡¯t I ever notice that? ¡°Do you know what my name means?¡±


    Tenira raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her face as she looked at me. ¡°As I understand it... ¡®moonrise¡¯.¡±


    I groaned and resolved to look up the meaning of names like Tenira and Acura later. ¡°Now I feel stupid for not noticing anything sooner.¡±


    They laughed at me and I started chuckling, too. But I felt the smile leave my face soon. I looked around at the town. A quaint, prosperous, fishing town, of little strategic value except for building warships and hosting a fleet outpost for times of trouble. But nothing really distinguished it from any other place in the Empire. I could visit other settlements in this area, but I knew I probably wouldn¡¯t find much there.


    ¡°I thought this was the oldest settlement of the Sea People and one-time capital?¡± I asked. When I didn¡¯t get anything more than shrugs, I sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to the mayor.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find him. The town hall stood right beside the central town square, an old building made of stone painted in bright colors. My guards went in ahead of us. As Aston walked us through the building, no one got in our way, so they must have cleared it for us.


    The mayor, a middle-aged man with a weatherbeaten face, knelt beside the desk in what had to be his office. When I told him to rise and asked about the town, he looked hesitant. ¡°Not much history in this town, Your Highness. This was all built after the Empire came.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the old town? Where did the old Sea People live?¡±


    He cleared his throat. ¡°That¡¯s Old Riacis. It lies under the sea, now. Down in these rocks.¡± He looked down. ¡°They say there¡¯s caves crossing the rock under here, maybe a little further out towards the sea. The old city was built right into the waves, but it sunk, the coastline changed, and there we are.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Was nothing recovered?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, expeditions were sent down, have been for centuries. But it¡¯s hard. The sea isn¡¯t kind to our possessions, and there are many beasts in the water. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there are areas not explored yet. Not many people are interested, either. Our ancestors didn¡¯t leave their treasures there, and few people care about our history.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s all, then.¡±


    I turned around and left the town hall, the rest of my group trailing behind. I hadn¡¯t intended to go on a diving trip to see this town. But I needed to concentrate on my upcoming encounter with the sea spirit beasts, anyway.

 64: Deep sea psychology

    I was just starting to get bored with the town when Lirta contacted me. Apparently, the dolphin spirit beast had returned, along with a few companions. I was a little surprised, since we¡¯d barely waited more than an hour.


    We made our way back to the point on the shore we¡¯d come from. Al was trudging along beside me, fiddling with some small device. He was clearly bored and didn¡¯t pay much attention to where we were going. Tenira strolled along with a slight smile on her face, obviously enjoying the trip. Maybe I should make sure she got more breaks.


    I was getting a little nervous. Sighing, I glanced at Aston, a steady presence guarding my back like always. That helped me calm down.


    The same dolphin female (I assumed) I¡¯d met before was waiting for me, along with a few others who stayed just under the water. She rose up a bit further once I came to a stop. ¡®Princess. I have news.¡¯


    ¡®You were quick,¡¯ I said. ¡®I hope you set a meeting?¡¯


    She bobbed up and down like she was mimicking a nod. ¡®Yes. Flame-In-Dark-Waters will receive you. At once, in the waters beyond this coast.¡¯


    I took a deep breath. ¡®All right. Then we should go right away.¡¯ I turned to my guards. ¡°I hope you¡¯re all prepared, Aston?¡±


    The spirit beast made a splashing sound and shook her head when I looked at her. ¡®He was clear, Imperial Princess. You are to come alone. He will only speak with you, and anyone else shall be treated as an intruder.¡¯


    Aston frowned and took a half-step closer. ¡°You Highness, that¡¯s unacceptable.¡±


    I sighed and shook my head. ¡°No. If Flame-In-Dark-Waters wants it like that, I¡¯ll have to oblige him.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± I could see a hint of what might be fear in Al¡¯s eyes. ¡°How often have people nearly killed you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Tenira added. ¡°Please don¡¯t be stupid, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°Under different circumstances, I would agree with you,¡± I said. ¡°But not this time. They¡¯ve guaranteed my safety, right?¡±


    ¡®You can be assured of that.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡°Nothing is going to harm me there. These people value honor highly. They won¡¯t break faith.¡±


    Tenira frowned, still looking concerned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m willing to bet my life on it,¡± I answered, grinning a little. I stepped away, noting that the group of spirit beasts was departing. ¡°This is important.¡±


    I took off my robe, leaving my top and pants, and handed it to Aston. Then I took off my shoes and socks as well. That would have to do. I hesitated for a moment, before I removed my necklace and one ring, since their enchantments wouldn¡¯t work well underwater. I still wore my storage ring plus a bracelet and an ankle bracelet each with protective formations.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I smiled, making sure I appeared calm and relaxed in front of the others. ¡°I should be back soon. You don¡¯t need to wait for me here.¡±


    Then I took a few steps forward and jumped off the rocks into the water.


    The cold of the sea in winter sent a jolt through me, but it was a minor annoyance. I knew I could handle more. I dove under a wave then propelled myself forward, away from the cliff into deeper water. I could still see underwater reasonably well, a lot better than in my old body.


    Maybe a hundred meters out, I saw the group of dolphins. They were watching me. From my other side, I sensed and saw another few spirit beasts approaching. They all swam parallel to me, like they were escorting me on my way out. I nodded at them, then continued swimming, alternating between looking around in the air and beneath the waterline.


    After a while, I saw the coastline falling back behind me, the curve of the bay fully visible. This was where the open sea really began. The waves rose higher here. I could see a ship in the distance, but apart from that and a few spirit beasts, the only life around here were schools of fish. I paused, treading water while I took a last look around.


    I started gathering some qi. I drew on the darkness affinity qi in my core, keeping it ready. Then I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and reached for the air around me, the open sky stretching over the waves. I pulled in some of the air qi, dragging it through my channels, before I gathered it up along with darkness and formed it into a technique inside me, guiding the qi through my lungs and respiratory tract.


    At once, breathing became harder, like I had to draw air through a veil of darkness. Like a dark mass had settled into my mouth and nose, and I had to resist the temptation to cough it out. But I¡¯d expected that and knew I would adjust. I knew a water affinity technique for breathing underwater, but this one was more general, and who knew what environment I might encounter. So I dove under the water again and took a breath. I could feel the qi working, but my breathing functioned the same as before.


    I dove deeper, then paused and concentrated on the qi in my body. I still had a lot to learn when it came to my shapeshifting ability, but I¡¯d made some progress. I focused on it, coaxing the qi to make the changes I wanted. Then I looked at my hands, checking to see the webbing that had appeared between my fingers. I focused again, making my feet a little wider and flatter. Not a large change, but it should help.


    When I swam down again, I could feel the difference. I looked around, seeing that the dolphins were still following me but keeping their distance. Smiling, I leaned on my cultivator strength more and accelerated. I swam diagonally out into the sea and down at the same time. A few schools of fish passed my way, and a few beasts with stronger qi a little farther out, but they all kept their distance from me.


    It was getting dark here, the sunlight not reaching very far into the ocean. I was lucky I cultivated darkness affinity qi and could see in the dark, I wouldn¡¯t want to risk a light here. As I swam into deeper and deeper waters, feeling the pressure around me increase, I knew this wasn¡¯t a trip for normal humans. My body should stand up to anything short of the really deep ocean. Especially if I used qi to reinforce it, but I held off on that for now.


    After a while, I paused to get my bearings. The water stretched out around me in every direction. The group of dolphins were still accompanying me, now swimming ahead with a slight deviation to the direction I¡¯d been heading in. I concentrated on my qi senses, trying to stretch them into the distance. There, almost at the edge of my range, I caught a hint of a powerful aura, one that blazed proudly into the sea but felt alien.


    I started swimming in its direction, breathing deeply to calm my nerves. The technique was still annoying, but I was getting used to it. Hopefully, we could get this over with soon. After a few minutes, the spirit beasts slowed down and then stopped, but I continued on my way.


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    It took a moment for me to realize what the dark shadow I was moving towards actually was. An underwater mountain rose into the sea, small but home to diverse life. The colorful coral fields and fish swimming among them made me pause for a moment to appreciate their beauty. But then I continued on, towards an area where I could feel more qi presences. There were a few buildings of coral built into the mountain, though as I approached, I could tell they were half in ruins, chunks of them missing. A few spirit beasts of different types, most of them looking like sharks, lurked among the spread out houses. But none came close to the open place in the middle, where a titan lay waiting on a rocky shelf.


    I slowed down as I approached, taking in my conversation partner to be. He was huge, at least as tall as a tower, but that paled in comparison to the strength of his aura. Green scales shimmered under the fading lights of a few luminous coral strands or fish. He turned towards me, raising his form a little, and I held in a gasp as I saw it more clearly. He looked like a cross between a kraken and a sea serpent. His body was long and sinuous, with several sets of fins along short appendages. The head looked undeniably reptilian, his eyes dark and slitted vertically. But on his back lay a shifting mass of what I realized were tentacles, with suction cups dotting the dark limbs. They were currently gathered and laid flat along his back.


    I hadn¡¯t seen pictures or read descriptions of a spirit beast quite like that before, but I knew it had to be a sea dragon. Their forms tended to be variable, so that was no surprise.


    The sight sent a shiver down my spine. If I was being honest, even only with myself, it was hard to think of this beast as a person. But I forced myself to look past that. I need to be careful not to fall into the trap of considering them monsters, as much as trying to apply too human reasoning.


    ¡®Princess Inaris.¡¯ His mental voice was deep and rumbling, with a bit of a hiss. It carried a faint undercurrent of emotions and intent, in this case cautious welcome tinged with a bit of curiosity.


    I inclined my head. ¡®It is a pleasure to meet you. I assume you are Flame-In-Dark-Waters?¡¯


    ¡®Indeed I am. And you are the Empire¡¯s princess and daughter of the Moon.¡¯ He sent a bit of laughter. There was a breeze of respect and wariness accompanying Rijoko¡¯s epithet, though.


    I nodded. ¡®I hope we will have a lasting and fruitful relationship.¡¯


    The sea dragon shook his head a little, sending a wave against me. I weathered it calmly, swimming forward a bit so I was at the same position as before. ¡¯Quite bold words to start this conversation I granted you,¡¯ he said, sounding guarded and sending less of his emotions this time, just the words.


    ¡®Just setting out my hopes,¡¯ I answered, smiling. ¡®I¡¯m sure you are aware of Mother¡¯s attempts to make contact, and why I am here. We would like to improve our relationship with the powers of the sea.¡¯


    ¡®I am aware of your nation¡¯s problems with the ones calling themselves Zarian Dominion. Or the ships they¡¯ve sent north.¡¯ A hint of wariness accompanied his words now. ¡®What if I was to prefer talking to them?¡¯


    I considered for a moment. I knew that these people of the depths were the only type of spirit beasts to communicate exclusively via telepathy. It was a good thing I had a talent for that. The messages he sent me felt different from other telepathic communication I¡¯d experienced, since he wasn¡¯t really talking in any one language. But the ease with which he got his intent across, feeling like separate words and sentences, told me not to underestimate him.


    ¡®That¡¯s of course your prerogative, but I doubt it.¡¯ I shrugged. ¡®How quickly you agreed to meet me is an indication, at least. Thank you, by the way.¡¯


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters sent another bit of laughter. ¡®Bold and honest, as appropriate. I think I like you, little princess.¡¯


    I smiled, not letting his way of address faze him. Compared to him, I really was tiny. And probably a baby. I knew his kind had a hierarchy, and he had to be at or near the top of the part here in the eastern ocean. He was probably centuries old at least. I hadn¡¯t encountered his name before, but that didn¡¯t mean much. Especially since some sources said they changed their names every hundred years or so.


    ¡®Thank you, Flame-In-Dark-Waters. I don¡¯t know you enough to say if I like you, but it¡¯s a good start.¡¯


    He moved closer, this time obviously careful to control his movements. ¡®It is going to take more than that for me to consider your request. I assume you want us to help you against your enemies at sea?¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®Sort of? We don¡¯t expect an official alliance or for you to wreck all their ships. But we would like you to make it clear to them that attacking us through the sea isn¡¯t tolerated. Maybe hinder their shipping a bit if it ever comes to war.¡¯


    He cocked his head. ¡®I see. And you expect me to agree to that because we¡¯re friendly?¡¯


    I chuckled. ¡®No, although I doubt it hurts. You wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet with me if it didn¡¯t matter, would you?¡¯


    I got the feeling of a shrug. ¡®You¡¯re an important person in the Empire, and will be its next ruler. We know how things work on the surface.¡¯ He blinked his right eye lazily. ¡®So what is it you offer us?¡¯


    I took a deep breath. Maybe it was my special ability, but I felt like I had a good sense for this, the way they thought and what he expected. What I¡¯d read and the way this conversation went told me I was doing the right thing, even if it might seem stupid to some diplomats.


    ¡®I¡¯m not giving you anything in return for friendship,¡¯ I said. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t accept a trade deal, would you? I suspect I couldn¡¯t bribe you even if I wanted to.¡¯


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters withdrew his head a little, regarding me more intensely. He scratched with a claw against the rock underneath. Then, he nodded. ¡®Quite right, daughter of the Moon. I¡¯m glad we understand each other. Tell me, why would we search out this improved relationship?¡¯


    I shrugged, kicking my legs a little to correct drift. I had to be careful here. ¡®Perhaps you respect us, or at least me. But there¡¯s also the future to consider. This ocean, and a large part of others, have shores under the influence of the Empire or Dominion. Ships crossing it, people fishing them. This isn¡¯t going to diminish.¡¯ I hesitated for a moment. ¡®I respect your people and their wisdom. You can see that you will be involved in this one way or the other, eventually. It¡¯s better to pick the winning side and make sure you don¡¯t get smacked with the side effects.¡¯


    ¡®You presume a lot, little princess.¡¯ His speech was neutral again.


    I swam forward slowly. ¡®Just telling it like I see it. You¡¯ll make your decision, and I know that. Like I said ¡­ I respect your people and your sense. Even if the Zarian don¡¯t.¡¯


    He scratched at the ground again, this time a little more aggressively. I didn¡¯t think it was on purpose. ¡®You think they don¡¯t?¡¯


    ¡®Just a guess.¡¯ I crossed my arms. ¡®How easily you¡¯re talking to me tells me you¡¯re not happy with the Zarian Dominion and how they must have tried to approach you.¡¯


    He chuckled again. ¡®A good guess, in this case.¡¯


    ¡®I know you value strength.¡¯ Like everything in this world. ¡®But I don¡¯t think they understand what it means. You¡¯re not mindless spirit beasts to be tamed. You¡¯re not cowed by displays of power. You¡¯re not bought by shiny trinkets or pretty words.¡¯ I smiled wryly. ¡®And I¡¯m not flattering you, just making a point. Your way wouldn¡¯t work for us. But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t respect each other.¡¯


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters breathed out, a stream of hot water that sent fishes and lesser beasts scurrying. I felt the heat wash over me, but didn¡¯t move. After a moment, it cut off, and he sank down onto the new area he¡¯d just cleared of growth. A few tentacles uncurled from his back to wave around, probing the ground. One of them came close to hover beside me, but didn¡¯t touch. I just crossed my arms and did nothing.


    ¡®You¡¯re good, princess,¡¯ he acknowledged finally, amusement and an undercurrent of pleasure accompanying the words. ¡®I expect your people to stay out of our territory. But you¡¯ve got yourself an accomplishment. I will make sure this agreement is kept in both these waters and those to the west.¡¯


    So he is pretty powerful. I grinned, feeling some of the tension leave me. ¡®That¡¯s great, Flame-In-Dark-Waters. I think this will be good for both our people.¡¯


    ¡®Let us hope.¡¯ He blinked again. ¡®Now leave me, little princess. I need to bring news to my fellows. It was nice talking with you.¡¯


    ¡®Likewise. I hope we will meet again.¡¯ I inclined my head, then started swimming for the surface.


    After a moment, I hesitated and looked back. The sea dragon was uncurling himself, sending his tentacles fluttering. Most of the other spirit beasts had cleared out of the area. I shook my head, kicking my legs and swimming hard back the way I had come.


    This had been a fascinating trip, but I wanted to get back to air and solid ground now.


    After a while, more light started filtering down, and I came upon the group of dolphins again. Still keeping their distance, they escorted me back. I was pretty sure they swam with more energy and enthusiasm, though, and their qi presences felt steadier. I only felt better once I breached the surface and dispelled my technique.

 65: Unexpected visitors

    As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t much to do on the coast or in a coastal town at night. I still wanted to explore the ruins of the old city through those caves, but we¡¯d decided it was best to wait until the next day. While I was fine with darkness, it would still be easier to miss things. So, since it had been dusk by the time I got back, we¡¯d stay the night here.


    I shifted in bed, scrunching my eyes shut and trying to calm my mind. I¡¯d done a bit of research and written up my thoughts, and now I wanted to catch up on sleep, since there wasn¡¯t much else to do while waiting. But the idea didn¡¯t work out well. There was nothing wrong with the bed, which had a smooth and soft mattress with a cuddly blanket, or my environment, which was dark and quiet right now. I didn¡¯t usually have a problem sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings, either.


    Maybe it was the events of today. I still felt a bit of disquiet thinking back to my trip under the sea. It wasn¡¯t that bad, I just didn¡¯t like the environment much, and the presence of powerful and terrifying beasts in the vast depths didn¡¯t help. Hey, maybe it¡¯s just that I couldn¡¯t see the sun or stars. Or the moon. Who knows? At least things turned out well with the sea dragon.


    I focused on my breathing and started using a meditative technique. Usually, I could do this as part of cultivation, or to focus my attention. But I kept it light, only quieting my stray thoughts a bit, while I let my mind sink into the warm darkness. It took a while, but I managed to fall into slumber. Starting to sleep always felt a little weird, since my mind didn¡¯t really boot down anymore.


    After falling asleep, I visualized an environment. That made it easier for me to focus and deal with dreams. It was only a vague scene of swirling mists, but it helped. Then I relaxed a bit and considered what I wanted to do now. I could try and see if Mother, Al, or someone else I knew was asleep. But that was pretty much a shot in the dark. I still hadn¡¯t managed to find Carston with over a dozen attempts.


    I stretched out my mind a little, experimentally. There weren¡¯t many sleeping minds around me. Though I still wasn¡¯t sure how this weird sense mapped to physical space. But before I could try and narrow down on anyone or anything, a sensation on the fringe of my awareness demanded my attention. Is that ¡­ someone? Wait ¡­


    I flinched mentally as I noticed the new mind battering against my dreaming one. It felt different than anything else I¡¯d felt before, although what it most closely resembled was my encounter with Mior. This one didn¡¯t welcome me for a cordial chat, though. It was more like someone kicking my door down and trying to drag me out. Their mind was familiar, it just took me a second to recognize it.


    I pulled up mental walls as well as I could, before I carefully poked my awareness out towards the intruder. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was dreaming, but his mind latched onto mine, and soon he entered a second layer of my dream that I¡¯d just secluded.


    ¡®Something you don¡¯t want me to see, little princess?¡¯ The dream form of my visitor smirked and strolled towards me in the mist. ¡®Good luck with that ¡­¡¯


    I crossed my arms and focused my will on keeping this scene contained. I couldn¡¯t let him peek into the rest of my mind. ¡®Pioneer. What do you want?¡¯


    He stopped, still looking completely relaxed. ¡®So you think you know who I am. Alright. You¡¯re not wrong.¡¯ He looked around. ¡®You do have quite the interesting mind, I have to say. A breath of fresh air compared to all the usual ants.¡¯


    I gritted my teeth and forced myself to calm down. He was obviously trying to annoy me. ¡®Again, why are you here?¡¯


    ¡®Why, I came to visit you, obviously.¡¯ He rolled his eyes. ¡®How curious to find you so close to the ocean. Have you already talked to the dwellers of the depth? I suppose you have.¡¯


    I tried to focus on his face, keeping the misty dream environment around us, anything but the events he was talking about. I felt his mind bearing down on me, the weight of experience and strength eclipsing my own. He didn¡¯t just batter against my walls, he knocked and swept his presence against them, searching for weaknesses. I felt my visualization waver, until I forced another burst of focus. I tried to press outward, touching on his own mind.


    I felt a few strange sensations, like skimming the surface of someone else¡¯s thoughts. He was curious about what he was finding here, a bit conflicted and apprehensive regarding my mind.


    Then I felt my own defenses waver, and couldn¡¯t do much but watch as he swept into the upper reaches of my consciousness. It felt like someone had taken a burning hot hammer to my head. I scrambled my will, trying to throw him out of here. I never should have answered him.


    ¡®That wouldn¡¯t have helped you much.¡¯ He retreated a bit, until my mind was no longer actively under attack. I refocused on our dream projections, to see him standing there, hands clasped behind his back and head cocked slightly to the side. ¡®You couldn¡¯t keep me out, not with such a damaged, sundered, if lovely, mind.¡¯


    I glared at him. ¡®You¡¯re being creepy.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, were you expecting kindness from someone trying to kill you?¡¯ He laughed, but I could see the tension on his face. His reaction was forced. ¡®If you have holes in a structure, you shoulds expect someone to slip in ¡­¡¯


    I advanced on him, drawing on my qi. It was an instinctual reaction, but I could feel that my body responded, that I actually gathered qi. I threw it at his projection, at the same time as I bore down with my mind against his. Pain exploded in my head again, but I suffered through it, shoving him out of my mind and this dream. Wake up.


    I felt his mind draw away, giving another jab at me. As I woke up, I knew I hadn¡¯t beaten him, just bought some time.


    I blinked and sat up, running a hand through my hair. It was dark, and the walls of my tent seemed to close in on me, even though it was large on the inside. I couldn¡¯t feel the Pioneer anywhere, though an echo of his aura lingered. Probably just the mental connection. But something else was off. The hair on my arms stood up, and I quickly slipped out of bed. My guards were being quiet in my senses. Too quiet. And there were spots of unease that shouldn¡¯t be here.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I grabbed my spear from where I had left it leaning against the wall in a fit of paranoia. My storage ring was on my finger. I threw on my robe for the additional protection, then went to the tent flap. Everything was quiet. Taking a deep, but silent, breath, I threw it open and went out into the night.


    The camp lay still before me. I¡¯d chosen to stay here rather than in the town because I didn¡¯t want a fuss and it might even be more secure. Rocky cliffs rose to my left, the entrance to caves that might lead to the buried city hidden among them. The sky and the pull of the tide from the ocean, currently in flux, told me it was the time of night closer to dawn, before it started brightening. My bare feet on the cold ground stepped softly, not breaking the silence.


    Carefully, I stretched out my qi senses. Most of my guards and Tenira were lying asleep in their own tents. I felt a hint of an icky feeling from them, like a thin layer of something rotten covering them, faint enough it might just be my imagination. The same for the guards in three directions. Close by them were other presences. Spirits. No type I¡¯d seen before, ranging in power from just below to somewhat above mine.


    The strongest one came from the edge of the camp. I¡¯d had them put up my tent on the side facing the ocean, so a few steps took me out of the light of the lantern burning in its center, and away from the tents. I could still see, of course. The slowly approaching figure stopped and some of the veil covering it slipped away. There was someone with them. Not a spirit, but a human. And a familiar presence, prickling with fear and anger ¡­


    ¡®If you make any kind of noise, I will slit his throat.¡¯ The spirit¡¯s voice was like liquid darkness, a hiss that made my neck prickle. They withdrew their qi a little more, so I could get a good look at their hostage. Al was pale, with a split lip, but a spark in his eyes. He stood stiffly against the figure holding him with a knife to his throat.


    It felt like someone dyed the edges of my vision in red. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, struggling for a moment to control the bout of fury that gripped me. How dare they threaten him! He¡¯s mine! My little brother! I will show them a slow torturous death ¡­ I took a deep breath, focusing. What could I do here?


    ¡®If you harm him, nothing will stop me from killing you,¡¯ I pointed out to the spirit, keeping my mental voice tightly constrained.


    The spirit cocked its head. ¡®Even if you succeed, he would still be dead. Now come along. We are willing to settle for killing him, but the real target is you.¡¯


    ¡®I need assurances that you won¡¯t kill him.¡¯


    The spirit started walking backwards slowly, dragging Alaster along. ¡®You are our target. But if you rouse your guards, his death will be on your hands.¡¯


    I took a few steps, cursing myself for being an idiot in my head. But I tried to keep calm and focus. I took a look around. The alarm formations around the camp were still intact. For all the good the wards did now. Al might have wandered off. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter much now.


    As I walked, I kept my spear at the ready and the other spirits in my senses. Before I stepped over the last line of wards, I hesitated for a moment, then continued on. The spirits were starting to drift towards the leader now. All of them looked faintly humanoid, but with small grotesque features. An extra hand here, fire in empty eye sockets there. Like they¡¯d been designed to be creepy. Their leader was wispy, his substance curling in on itself and bubbling beneath his form. But clearly strong. The spirits¡¯ qi signatures felt a bit faint, though. I suspected that none of them was really here in any corporeal sense. They were clearly what some called malicious spirits, not that I cared about phrasing now.


    I could sense Al shivering. His eyes sought mine out. He tried to speak, but the knife pressing tighter against his skin shut him up.


    We were far enough from the camp by now that I felt I could talk. I cleared my throat, looking at the spirit, before focusing on Al and trying to convey confidence. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay, Al,¡± I said in English, just low enough that he could hear me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, okay? I love you. Stay strong.¡±


    And I did love him, I realized with sudden clarity. Why did it take this for me to acknowledge it? I¡¯d never said the words, not after my soul journey at least. I probably couldn¡¯t say it about Xiaodan or Mother. But somewhere along the way, I¡¯d accepted him as my little brother. Seeing him in danger sent shivers down my spine and made my heart burn with anger. I showed it to him in my eyes.


    We had already put a bit of distance between us and the camp, and were walking closer to the ocean now. The cliffs were to our west, curving towards the north, and the town lay roughly south of here. If they wanted to get me to the south, over the border, they needed to curve around it, which was probably what they were doing. The spirit already started to drift south.


    Our moment came when we started crossing into rocks at the border of the beach. The water would lash at them at high tide, and wetness lingered. Al stumbled, the probably mostly incorporeal spirit didn¡¯t. For a moment, the knife stopped being at his throat.


    I moved as soon as I saw the start of their movement shift. With everything my qi enhanced legs could muster, I sprinted forward. A technique would be too slow, but I was close enough.


    Al might be a boy, but he had been trained well. He took the opportunity he saw and twisted, ducking his head and ramming his other hand into the spirit¡¯s face. Or tried to, at least. His hand passed through the spirit¡¯s form like it was just a phantom, and even the dagger suddenly in his hand a moment later fared no better.


    With time seemingly slowed by my supernatural reflexes, I could understand everything that happened. The spirit reacted quickly. The knife flashed, cutting across the side of Al¡¯s neck and shoulders. My heart seemed to stutter for an instant, but I realized it was just a glancing strike, the flow of blood too thin to indicate serious damage.


    Then I was there. I grabbed Al and heaved him aside, pushing myself between him and his attacker. The tip of my spear sailed harmlessly to the side. The spirit¡¯s knife drew a line of fire over my upper arm and down my lower back. I stumbled, trying to shield him with one side while I rammed the butt of my spear against the spirit.


    My enemy retreated a step, its form bubbling like boiling oil. More of the spirits advanced, starting to encircle us. There was a shadow creeping in from my side, just barely visible.


    I took a deep breath. I could probably take any of them on my own, but not all of them.


    ¡®Now what do you think you have -¡¯ the spirit began.


    I jumped forward, slashing my spear at it. The spirit ducked to the side, but I¡¯d anticipated that and instead swept my weapon around to send it at the closest other spirit. The qi I¡¯d imbued into the spear flared, and the spirit let out a screech just at the edge of my hearing range, before its form bubbled apart around the wound.


    I ducked under another knife thrust and grabbed onto the leading spirit¡¯s arm. It felt like I touched particularly wispy wool, but I had it. When I yanked on it, the spirit moved with me, letting out a hiss of pain.


    Then another spirit came at me with a sword, and I had to dodge to the side. That allowed the spirit to pull itself free. I was too far from Al now, and jumped back, dodging another strike, to get back to him.


    ¡®Come get us, if you dare,¡¯ I taunted them.


    The spirits closed in around us, but they failed to see the shadowy forms uncoiling behind them. One dark tentacle swept them aside, clearing a path to the sea. The other lunged for me.


    I grabbed onto Al, pulling him closer as I let the tentacle wrap around my waist and pull me to the ocean. My feet skidded over the rock, and I launched myself forward into the air, letting the sea dragon¡¯s limb drag me further. A moment later, the spirits vanished from my sight and dark waters closed around us.

 66: Underwater

    I twisted in the grasp of the tentacle, steadying my hold on my little brother. A part of my mind was calmed by his presence, the rest still split between raging at our enemies who dared to hurt him and worry over whether he was okay.


    I put my hand against Al¡¯s mouth and nose, and concentrated on the qi around us. I could do without breathing for a bit, but he, not as much. I easily had enough darkness qi in my core, though it was a bit of a struggle to get air qi here, underwater. But I managed, and formed the breathing technique for Al. He coughed a little, then sucked in a deep breath. I waited for a bit to make sure everything worked properly, before using the same technique on myself. Breathing like this still sucked, but a bit of discomfort was better than holding my breath.


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters lurked closer to the surface than before, and released us quickly. I glanced at him, taking in the bristling tentacles growing out of his serpentine form, before I turned back to Al. Now that I could get a good look at him, I could see how he was trembling a bit, his face still paler than usual. Probably not just the cold. At least we didn¡¯t appear to be far enough down that the pressure was a problem.


    A current in the water pulled my attention back to our savior, and I bowed to the sea dragon. ¡®Thank you for the help, Flame-In-Dark-Waters. I appreciate it. May I ask how things stand up there?¡¯


    ¡®Hmph.¡¯ He sounded a bit disgruntled, although there wasn¡¯t much emotion in his next words. ¡®I could hardly let them kill my new associate, could I? And don¡¯t worry. Your guards should be able to handle the remaining spirits easily. I did you the courtesy of waking them up.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you again.¡¯ I wondered if it was a good idea to ask why he¡¯d obviously avoided fighting them, just taken us out of the situation. But knowing that the others would be okay helped make me feel better. At least, I really hoped they would.


    ¡®It¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡¯ Al said, his mental voice hesitant and a little awkward. He looked at the sea dragon with wide eyes.


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters lowered his head, getting a bit closer and taking a closer look at us. ¡®You have courage, young one. That¡¯s good. Now, princess, you should tend to your injuries, then we¡¯ll talk.¡¯


    I nodded. My cut still hurt, the sea water stinging like crazy, but I turned to Al first. The cut on his neck had stopped bleeding. He flinched a bit when I touched it to get a better look, but didn¡¯t react otherwise. I closed my eyes and gathered nature affinity qi from around us. It was pretty scattered, but I managed to wrestle enough into place to form a simple healing technique. I channeled it through my hand on his wound and supervised as the qi suffused his tissue and it knitted back together.


    Sighing, I let myself drift away and focused more deeply, gathering more qi and guiding it to my arm and back. This healing involved more effort, but luckily my body was tough and the damage largely superficial. A good thing it hadn¡¯t reached my spine or anything vital.


    Finally, I opened my eyes and took Al¡¯s hand, turning back to the sea dragon. I could tell our host wasn¡¯t particularly happy about this situation.


    ¡®If I had known of your enemies, perhaps I would have reconsidered my agreement,¡¯ he said, annoyance in his voice, along with a bit of bitterness. ¡®I have no desire to come between whatever is happening between your father and the Storm. And I don¡¯t appreciate having to deal with Jideia¡¯s minions on your behalf.¡¯


    I clenched my hands involuntarily. ¡®I understand. I won¡¯t ask you to help us like this again. And I hope the Empire will be able to show you the benefits of being our ally.¡¯


    A rumbling tone came from him, one that had the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Al gulped.


    ¡®Go and leave me alone now, young ones. And leave me in peace for a while. It would be best if you simply left the coast. I don¡¯t want you to enter my waters again.¡¯


    I grimaced. That sounded like he was seriously miffed. I couldn¡¯t help thinking of what Mior had told me about my ancestors and the old city lying somewhere here. ¡®I was hoping to explore the coast a little, especially Old Riacis. It¡¯s the home of our ancestors, and there may be important answers here.¡¯


    The sea dragon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®I would rather not repeat myself, young human.¡¯ Then his head cocked to the side and a disgruntled acceptance accompanied his next words. ¡®I suppose you can do it now, since it¡¯s on the way out. If you don¡¯t want to risk an encounter with those spirits, it¡¯s best if you take the path through the caves and come out a little farther from the water.¡¯


    I glanced at Al. I wasn¡¯t crazy about the idea of taking my little brother to that sort of dangerous expedition.


    ¡®We can do that,¡¯ Al said, a look of excitement on his face. ¡®Thank you! And sorry for bothering you.¡¯


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters snorted one last time, before he turned around and swam away. I grabbed onto Al to make sure we weren¡¯t separated as I felt a current of water brushing against us.


    Then he was gone, and we were alone now. For a moment, all was quiet. Then I sighed and looked around, trying to focus on our situation. There were several spirit beasts not too far from here, and they were coming closer. Probably best if we left.


    I tugged on Al¡¯s robe. He seemed to have lost his shoes somewhere, I noted. He looked to me and nodded, then started swimming. I kept close to him, ready to grab onto him and speed up if necessary. The sea dragon had dragged us surprisingly far from the shore, but we should make it without a problem.


    I felt glad to see Al safe with me, but I couldn¡¯t help but worry about the others. Mostly Tenira. The thought of what she might be going through right now, without me, made me shiver. I grabbed my storage ring. We finally had radios, but those wouldn¡¯t work underwater. Still, I also had qi communication talismans that might.


    But what if she¡¯s fighting the spirits right now? I felt a cold hand crawl up my spine at the thought and turned my attention from the storage ring. Or what if she¡¯s hiding from them? Me contacting them could be what betrays her!


    I couldn¡¯t help but picture Tenira being hurt or even killed. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I groaned and gritted my teeth. My guts were twisted in anxiety. I didn¡¯t take out the talisman. But we had to get back soon. I sped up, expending a bit of qi to move Al along with me. He made a blubbery sound that could have been a curse. Talking underwater wouldn¡¯t work.


    It didn¡¯t take long until I saw a darker shadow in front of us. We were nearing the coast. Taking a deep breath, I let go of Al. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.


    That won¡¯t do. Frowning, I concentrated on pulling some qi in. There might not be much actual air, but there were gases in the water. In the end, I managed to form a bubble of air where we could put our heads close together and talk.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Are you okay, Al?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He looked past me. ¡°The old city is probably there, among rocks or something.¡±


    I looked back. ¡°It would be easier to climb up the cliffs there. I could carry you upward.¡±


    He pouted. It didn¡¯t erase some of the tension in his face, but I could tell he was throwing himself into this adventure on purpose. ¡°Aw, come on, Nari! Didn¡¯t you want to explore those ruins?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m worried about the others. We need to get back to them. What if something happened to Tenira?¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s a big girl who can take care of herself. This is our only chance. You heard the guy, he won¡¯t let us back here.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It might be dangerous. How could I take you along on something like that?¡±


    He frowned and gave me a light punch. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, Nari! Besides, Flame-In-Dark-Waters suggested it, he wouldn¡¯t have done that if this wasn¡¯t feasible.¡± He bit his lip. ¡°Plus we need to avoid those spirits. And what if we find something in there that will help? Didn¡¯t you say that spirit told you so? If you¡¯re worried about us, you need to think about our long-term safety ¡­¡±


    I rubbed my temple. He wasn¡¯t wrong. If there was a chance I¡¯d find something to help against those spirits, I needed to take it. Or perhaps something to protect my mind. The way the Pioneer had invaded it made a shiver run down my spine whenever I thought of it. Well, that¡¯s probably unlikely, but I can¡¯t pass up the opportunity. And he¡¯s right about the route.


    ¡°Okay. But stay close to me at all times. In fact, stay behind me and let me do all the talking or fighting. Promise me.¡±


    Al sighed. ¡°Fine. I promise.¡±


    I started swimming slowly, still uneasy about the whole situation. I only had a vague understanding of the way spirits did things, but I was pretty sure those shouldn¡¯t have attacked us. That they¡¯d managed to bypass our wards in some way made me suspect someone had helped them. Perhaps the Pioneer. The way he¡¯d intruded on my mind was the really worrying thing here. I needed to talk to Mior as soon as I could.


    My focus was brought back to our surroundings as I noticed a presence approaching us. It was blurry, so hidden it almost slipped my attention completely. I tensed and tried not to let on that I¡¯d sensed it, but gathered qi. Slowly, it inched closer. Then it charged, shooting toward Al.


    I managed to intercept it, a qi-enhanced punch sending the beast flapping away while I pushed Al to the side. At first glance, it looked like a shark. At second glance too, it just had red eyes burning with qi and a little too many spikes on its body.


    I gathered some more qi into my hands, making my Void¡¯s Nibble technique. It was pretty dark down here, but the aura around my hand swallowed even that like a black hole. The shark seemed to hesitate for a moment, then tried circling around. I pushed Al behind me and turned with it. He¡¯d pulled a knife, which was a bit unfortunate. Frowning, I moved forward to give both of us a bit more space.


    The spirit beast took that opportunity and charged. I ducked under it and punched the underside of its jaw, forcing it upward. The flesh sizzled as my technique burned through the qi-infused body.


    It tried to back away, but I crooked my fingers, holding onto it and letting it pull me while I kicked my feet for extra momentum. Qi started to gather in the monster¡¯s fins, which it bent at an unnatural angle with spikes facing me. I acted before it could unleash whatever it was building there. Spikes shot out of my fingers, curving just enough to have the right direction. I felt a resistance and flexed my muscles, putting more qi into it and more power behind the movement. They punched into the beast¡¯s brain. It started thrashing wildly.


    I let the spikes, made of a horn-like material, vanish and backed away. The beast¡¯s thrashing ceased quickly, but I checked to make sure it was actually dead.


    Then I shook out my hand and returned to Al. It was a shame I¡¯d lost my spear, but it probably wasn¡¯t the right weapon for underwater, anyway. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯d rather not wait for the blood to attract something worse.


    I didn¡¯t want to take the time to talk to Al, but he must have understood my gesture. He gave a last glance at the dead beast before turning and swimming away with me.


    It was clear we were getting close, but not easy to find our destination in the water. I channeled some light qi to my eyes to make sure I got it right. That helped me see the structures rising from the rocks ahead of us more clearly.


    I could only imagine what this would have looked like in its heyday. As we approached, I could see that the city had been built into the water as well as into a cliff. The holes of cave openings littered the rocks, many of them obviously enlarged and smoothed out by human hands. Or qi. There would have been rocks, perhaps small islands in the sea where it met the coast, also carrying homes and structures. Perhaps they¡¯d used the water between as canals, or built a lot of bridges. I could still see a few remnants of those, scatterings of wood or worked stone sticking out of the rocks, all of them worn away by time.


    I didn¡¯t know what had happened, but this city had sunk a lot. Perhaps there¡¯d been an earthquake. Many of the homes that still remained, at least as ruins rather than just scattered debris, looked like they¡¯d been battered by something, whole sides caved in. But I didn¡¯t see the sort of damage I¡¯d associate with warfare. No burns or holes that were too tightly made in a specific direction, or blast damage.


    We swam closer carefully. I knew Old Riacis was supposed to be abandoned, but I could see a few qi signatures. Probably spirit beasts who had moved in after it was abandoned. We needed to be careful here. I assumed Flame-In-Dark-Waters had scared away the stronger beasts from the area, but there could still be dangerous ones here. Especially since I had Al along.


    There was no way this city had been supported solely from the land. The cliffside might have changed with time, but I could tell it would have been hard to traverse for most people. There couldn¡¯t have been much transport of goods through here. No, this city had probably been supplied from the sea and thrived as a trade hub. I couldn¡¯t tell where the docks had been, the wooden structures must have been ruined. But it was clear that this city was built towards the rocks. That was the secure side. It was laid out in a mostly fan-shaped way, with roads leading towards the caves, and perhaps even inside them.


    Al shifted to head further down, and I followed him with a sigh. It might have been safer to approach the cliffs from above the city level. But I did want a closer look, and we¡¯d be pretty exposed up here.


    We carefully swam above one of the main roads, roughly at the level of the remaining roofs of some houses. I had to grab Al¡¯s robe and tug to make it clear he was moving too far ahead. He gave me an apologetic smile.


    I pushed him behind me and glared a warning to stay there. He was in the late part of the second stage, close to the peak. It meant he was thankfully more robust than a normal human, especially at his age. But I knew we couldn¡¯t linger too long. I could sense him using his qi throughout his body, and he didn¡¯t have that much. The sea would get cold pretty fast without that. I could help him out, perhaps with a fire affinity technique, but my own reserves weren¡¯t unlimited and I might need them for fighting.


    Twice more, we encountered hostile spirit beasts. They also looked like sharks with a few scary extras. The first one, I managed to scare off by flaring my aura. The second one was about my strength, and didn¡¯t want to let us pass unchallenged. A well-thrown knife with a Void¡¯s Nibble on it dissuaded him. I was really growing to love that technique.


    The next time I encountered qi presences, I¡¯d tensed and drawn another knife before I realized that these were different. A good thing, too, since there was a group of three. But I recognized their auras. I took Al¡¯s hand to calm him, just before three dolphin spirit beasts swam out of the darkness of a side alley with mostly intact buildings, letting the veil on their presences slip a little.


    ¡®Greetings, Imperial Princess,¡¯ one of them said. I recognized them as a companion of the one I¡¯d talked to before. ¡®We didn¡¯t expect to see you here. It¡¯s dangerous to explore this place with just a little one at your side.¡¯


    I tucked the knife into my robe and nodded. ¡®It¡¯s nice to meet you again. I realize that, but circumstances led us here unexpectedly.¡¯


    The spirit beasts let out a few high-pitched whistles, communicating with each other. Then the speaker turned back to us. ¡®We are aware of that. Be careful. Hostile spirits traversed this place. Looking for you, perhaps.¡¯


    I clenched my fist. That didn¡¯t sound good. ¡®Thank you for the warning.¡¯


    ¡®Of course. There is a path towards the surface in these caves. None of us ever took it, for obvious reasons, but there should be several entrances. Keep to the center of the rocks and you should find one. Good luck.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®Thank you.¡¯


    They looked at me for a moment longer, before turning and swimming off. I bit my lip, wondering if I should ask for a guide. But they had already done a lot for us, and the caves didn¡¯t seem like their preferred environment.


    I sighed and started swimming again, checking that Al followed close behind me. I hoped that those spirits were gone, but we should still be careful.

 Bonus 6: History of the Leri

    How do you keep together an empire spanning thousands of kilometers, multiple landmasses, and dozens if not hundreds of peoples?


    The local answer seems to be, for the most part: with a common language and culture, and force if that isn¡¯t enough. The metaphor of an iron fist in a velvet glove comes to mind. Although there¡¯s more to it than that.


    I¡¯ve been thinking about questions like these lately, because the answers aren¡¯t always what I would expect. This society is, in some ways, more advanced than I might have realized. Not as medievally murderous as I would think of cultivation worlds. Technologically, but also socially, in some ways, it¡¯s developed beyond that.


    Some answers might lie with the geopolitical landscape, the lack of real wars in the last centuries. But this could have developed a lot differently.


    To see how current rulers approach this, it should be worthwhile to take a look at history. As I sit here, planning to go digging into the past after my ancestors, I find myself contemplating this past and my family. It¡¯s a good case study of how the Empire¡¯s history played out, too.


    The Leri originally come from a people of coastal, ocean-faring folk. Their precise origins are pretty much lost to history. On the Eastern coast of the Sky Continent, few old cities have endured or been found, but there are signs of settlement stretching back many millennia.


    The Sea People rose around the time the Empire of the Sky was well on its way to conquering most of the continent. No relation to the Sea People of Earth history, I assume. Shame. Their territory covered a stretch of land across the middle to southern part of the continent¡¯s Eastern coast, several hundred kilometers long at its prime but never more than a few dozen kilometers from the coast. They were a loosely allied confederation of different tribes and settlements at first. That only changed once they encountered the Empire.


    While the Empire may have had the technological advantage, including airships, the Sea People hadn¡¯t been stuck in the bronze age either. Their ships were fast and had weapons whose formation complexity and power rivaled those of the Empire¡¯s airships. At that time, the Empire still didn¡¯t have much of a navy. The coastal cities were fell fortified, and the Empire had no way to cut them off. There was never an official war, although from what I¡¯ve read the Empire certainly tested their defenses.


    Turns out the ocean makes a good hideaway and transport lane, and ships can deal with storms better than airships.


    After repelling the Empire, the two nations settled into a wary peace. While tenuous at first, it grew more stable with time, as the Empire was focusing on internal matters. Trade started up. But the real change was the Sea People¡¯s political establishment. It became more unified, with its people starting to view themselves as one people and forming closer bonds, including a sort of council of their leaders. Every Sea People ship had to be ready to join their war fleet if needed.


    At that time, the Empire often painted them as pirates and raiders, a menace of the sea and so on. There¡¯s probably some truth to that. This was the time the time intercontinental travel started, though it wouldn¡¯t be anything near widespread for a long while. But the Empire and other nations traded and moved goods a lot, including at sea. Piracy was probably a given. At this point, the Sea People were one of a few, and probably the largest, nation on the continent the Empire hadn¡¯t conquered or subordinated yet. Clear is that the Sea People did a lot of trading, however.


    Thing only changed with the rise of who people have called, talking to me, ¡°the Pir - I mean, Sea Queen.¡± (No offense taken, folks.) Inera, the mother of the Leri clan, and who we suspect was the first person to go on a soul journey. It¡¯s hard to be sure, though, since we have no records confirming that. Something must have changed, but if they knew, no one wrote down what happened. At least not that we know of.


    In any case, she united the fractious tribes and great captains under her rule. We don¡¯t know exactly where she¡¯s from, though records indicate she was a talented, up-and-coming captain, probably inheriting a small ship. In two years, she rose to command a band of trade and probably raiding vessels large enough to threaten established city leaders and merchant clans, and force them to join her. She crowned herself the first queen of the Sea People, out on the sea in the midst of a storm. The woman certainly didn¡¯t lack for courage or boldness. A few captains tried to form rebellions, but all of them were crushed.


    For a few decades, things continued like that. The Empire was in a time of stagnation, corruption and disinterest in the outside world, while Inera ruled her people with a firm and just hand. The problems started when she died unexpectedly. I assume she hadn¡¯t reached the eighth stage, though it isn¡¯t quite clear in the records we have. Anyway, after that, her fleet fell apart and started infighting. Her rule was supposed to be carried on by her family, but they didn¡¯t manage to assert their authority effectively. It probably didn¡¯t help that none of her children had the strength to keep the others in line.


    That¡¯s when they first started calling themselves the Leri, actually. It was originally a byname for Inera, meaning something like ¡®Subjugator¡¯, but they adapted it as a family name. As a last name, since the Sea People didn¡¯t put the family name first.


    This newly-christened clan was born in blood, though. The family was ousted from the Sea People¡¯s throne by a mutiny or coup, depending on how you look at it. A number of them died, and even more of their supporters. So they fled into the Empire. The Sea People themselves never really recovered. They didn¡¯t quite split apart, but were less unified than before, and would have no hope of defeating the Empire once it came to that.


    There, the Leri were welcomed and quickly made low-ranking nobles. Perhaps the Imperial government had plans of arranging a counter-coup. If so, it never came to pass. Not long after these events, the famous civil war broke out. By all accounts, the Leri survived that one by virtue of being unimportant and nonthreatening, and managing not to get involved. They were quick to consolidate their power, though, mostly a few small holdings spread over the continent.


    In the following centuries, by and large, the Leri clan lived quietly. They seemed to have been good managers, rarely having to contend with crises or empty coffers. They were also known for being reclusive, and, according to a few rumors, not quite right in the head. I guess that¡¯s not wrong. The Leri clan slowly increased in power and influence, almost despite themselves. Many of them had soul journeys, and they must have brought back knowledge and know-how, though they didn¡¯t make much of a spectacle out of it.


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    Except for that one guy. Leri Akilei (yes, Lei¡¯s namesake). He introduced a pretty good version of germ theory. That brought him, and the clan, a lot of fame and attention. And wealth. He also introduced a version of atomic theory that was pretty much so wrong it would do more harm than good. Though it never really caught on, which might be just as well. He died young, and remains almost the only time the Leri came out of obscurity to shake things up. Perhaps the effects of how their last great endeavor ended.


    Speaking of, the Empire finally conquered the Sea People after it stabilized following the civil war. It was the last remaining piece of the Sky Continent to come under Imperial rule. I don¡¯t know if the Leri helped or hindered it, but the conquest certainly went smoothly. With that, the age of exploration, cross-continental trade, and imperialism began here.


    The Leri took part in that expansion, though to their credit weren¡¯t very imperialist. In fact, they were more focused on exploration and opened a few new trading routes. They had a reputation for being good at diplomacy and such. Perhaps that makes sense if you consider how much experience they would have with dealing with different cultures and associated issues. It¡¯s a wonder the family held together so well. They did have strong leaders, I guess.


    It¡¯s a little weird to read about events spanning centuries and realize that the same person lived through them. It actually hasn¡¯t been that many generations since Inera. In fact, my grandmother would have been her great-granddaughter. Of course, she was old, but still.


    In any case, the following centuries brought the clan increased prosperity and power. Gradually, but steadily, its influence rose. It gained new territories and sources of revenue, arranged marriages with other nobles, made new alliances and a few enmities. The usual story for a rising noble clan, if perhaps a soft and light version compared to others.


    On the surface, at least.


    Despite what some might think now, the clan was never matriarchal. Of course, it was never patriarchal either, someone¡¯s gender just never mattered much. That was probably noteworthy compared to other clans, which did tend to be traditionally patriarchal, and sometimes still are. Less so than commoners, actually. Perhaps because cultivation lessens the strength differences between men and women and longer lifespans means women need to spend less time being pregnant or caring for young children compared to other pursuits.


    Of course, from what I¡¯ve read, many of the cultures where people came from after their soul journeys were also patriarchal. Perhaps that actually has something to do with the number of strong women rising here, freed from those kinds of shackles and given a chance at real strength and power? Most don¡¯t seem to cling too tightly to cultural values from their soul journey, at least. Probably because the transition is so momentous, and they have some memories, and perhaps subconscious attitudes, from here.


    Over time, the Leri clan also amassed a number of vassals, sometimes entire clans. My great-grandfather Rikilo was especially known for his ability to bring people to his side. Perhaps that¡¯s why the clan let my grandmother succeed him, even though she was pretty young at the time. He was the one who really established the Leri in the Empire, and one of two eighth-stagers the clan had before the latest civil war. That might sound like a few but is actually pretty impressive for a clan of their size and power. My grandmother, by all accounts, continued his policy. She could be pretty ruthless towards their enemies, but offered servants and vassals a lot of benefits for loyal and exemplary service. And trust. Seems like it payed off.


    At the time the latest civil war started, the Leri clan was one of the most influential in the Empire. I won¡¯t go into detail here, since I¡¯ll probably take an in-depth look at it some time. But it¡¯s pretty clear grandmother was hesitant in the beginning. If the Wei clan hadn¡¯t been one of our old enemies (though it wasn¡¯t a particularly heartfelt enmity), she may never have involved the clan. But after allies were calling for her, and when it looked like the Wei were winning, she did. The power of the Leri clan was enough to turn the momentum of the war. She crushed smaller contenders and picked up their leftovers. Even before that really started to bear fruit, the clan¡¯s allies decided to unite behind her and push a claim to the throne.


    Well, the clan¡¯s claim to the throne is pretty much, ¡®We¡¯re the strongest, and aren¡¯t we doing a good job?¡¯. Which is fair. Especially according to their culture and religion. I have no idea if my grandmother planned for this or ever intended to seize the throne, or if she just went with it once that became a possibility. It doesn¡¯t really matter now.


    After the war, the bloodshed didn¡¯t stop. Although to be fair to grandmother, others might have done, and historically did, a lot worse. It¡¯s pretty common to redistribute territory after a civil war like this. A few clans were purged, most only partially, and everyone had to swear allegiance. The standard stuff.


    The rest is pretty clear and I won¡¯t go into detail on family history here. I can just look up the family tree. (Seriously, how could I not have noticed before that Lei isn¡¯t actually Lei¡¯s full name? A good thing I looked at it now.)


    From the beginning of my grandmother¡¯s rule, she¡¯s been pretty consistent about getting the common people on her side. Makes sense after a war like this, but perhaps also because of her experiences on her soul journey, where she was an ordinary person. She actually strengthened sects a bit, perhaps as a counterweight against noble clans, and kept more and more territory to imperial administration rather than any secondary power. She also restructured the provinces and regions. It¡¯s still a mess, but at least not as much of a mess as it was before. And she reformed the justice code, pretty much laying the foundation for Mother¡¯s civil rights laws later on. Needless to say, our clan has been popular ever since.


    She also started Kariva¡¯s semi-official agent team, and gave them wide authority. I don¡¯t know how many people they have killed, especially after the war, but I do know that Kariva has spilled quite a bit of blood to keep the throne looking clean. Little sociopath that she is. Or at least, fanatic.


    By the way, yikes. Dying at ten from a wasting disease in a futuristic mega-city¡¯s slums is not your ideal soul journey. It shows that this isn¡¯t just a blessing. Especially if you consider the memory thing. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of the other people in the clan who work with Kariva, or used to do similar stuff, have similarly checkered pasts.


    Anyway, most nobles are perfectly aware that the Leri¡¯s ¡®niceness¡¯ only extends so far. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about the whole thing, but I have to appreciate grandmother¡¯s work. And Mother¡¯s, too. They¡¯ve not only firmly established the Empire as a leading technological and cultivation-strength powerhouse country, they¡¯ve also improved its internal cohesion a lot.


    Right now, Mother has a firm grasp on the military, the people love her, and the administration of the provinces runs smoothly and according to the central government¡¯s will. And all of that happened without the nobility able to do much against it, if they even realize what¡¯s been happening. Firmly establishing her power. The only real risk lies in the dynasty itself. The clan is still relatively small, compared to some, and she¡¯s the only one in the eighth stage. She lacks a strong heir, or the horde of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren other clan patriarchs or matriarchs typically have.


    No pressure for me, right?


    Well, perhaps there are a few more possible avenues of attack. The future will depend in large part on how we handle change and reform going forward. But looking at this, realizing what¡¯s shaped Mother¡¯s rule and will shape mine, if that time ever comes, reminds me that the situation is affected by a lot of factors, obvious or not. I just hope I can manage to live up to all this.

 67: Heirs pride

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    Underwater, there was no way to tell the time. Little light filtered down, so it probably wasn¡¯t day yet. While I finally had a mechanical watch, tucked away in my storage ring, I didn¡¯t want to risk it.


    But although I couldn¡¯t be sure, we couldn¡¯t have spent more than half an hour swimming through the ruined city. It wasn¡¯t that big, especially since this was just the part out in the open, but I wanted to be careful. Spirit beasts lurked here, and other dangers.


    Something I should have realized was that unlike electricity, technology running on qi wasn¡¯t affected underwater and didn¡¯t need the same infrastructure. Storage formations would probably be emptied by now, but qi infused into materials or even robust enchantments could still work. That¡¯s why I could still sense qi in this city if I focused on it.


    A few times, we looked into buildings. Even those that were still more or less standing were anything but intact. Most of the furnishings inside were gone. The most we found were a bit of ceramic or stone hearths. Unless they¡¯d been preserved very well, any writings would long be gone. But it certainly felt like the city had been abandoned, people taking all of their valuables with them.


    That only changed once we started nearing the cliffside. From here, I could tell that some of the caves weren¡¯t really accessible from the ground. It was possible there had been ladders or rope lifts here, but maybe they were only intended for cultivators that could fly. Most were at least roughly on the level of the ground, though. Especially those towards the middle, where structures of stone rose from the ground and cliffs, as if they were hewn directly from the stone. Or formed by earth cultivators. A bit of qi lingered here, in the structures themselves or objects within.


    The first trap was easy to miss. I¡¯d already started another swimming movement when I noticed it. I flapped my arms, trying to push backwards. I probably looked ridiculous. But I managed to stop myself from touching the thin net of qi woven across our path, if only by millimeters. I grabbed Al and moved us backwards a meter, to prevent him from accidentally getting caught.


    He hit my shoulder, glaring at me. I shrugged and gestured ahead of us, then shook my head. Then I turned back towards the net, taking a closer look.


    It was clearly very old and in a bit of disrepair. I could sense where a few strands had unraveled further down, where it was tied across the structures. I couldn¡¯t sense anything connected to it. Perhaps it was just an alarm, or whatever it was supposed to trigger had declined. But I¡¯d rather not take any chances. Slowly and carefully, I let a few wisps of darkness affinity qi out of my meridians and guided them to lie across the net. It vibrated just slightly, but my effort seemed to do its job of smothering it. I slowly gave it a bit more power, forming a proper technique from the basic elements, and watched as they ate into the net. After a few minutes, a hole big enough to swim through had been created, and I carefully withdrew all of my qi.


    That seemed to have been the only safety measure, though, or at least the only still functional one. I swam a little higher, channeling qi into my eyes to look for any other dangers. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful. There weren¡¯t even any strong spirit beasts here. Although I couldn¡¯t look into the caves very well.


    Al seemed to grow tired of waiting and started swimming again. I quickly got ahead of him, giving him a shove to express what I thought of that action, but continued the way he was going. We didn¡¯t need to talk to decide on our target. A cave entrance in the middle of the range with the most fortifications, stone guards posts built beside it. The heavy wooden door that had once closed it was still mostly there, although someone must have attacked it, leaving it cracked in the middle with a gaping opening into the cave beyond.


    I checked it carefully before swimming through. On the other side, the tunnel we emerged in was narrow and low enough that I would have had to walk if this wasn¡¯t underwater. I considered using a light, but didn¡¯t want to attract attention. Al¡¯s cultivation of darkness affinity qi would have to be enough to help him see.


    From the entrance, we continued into a cave system that must have been partly natural but expanded by cultivators. A few times, other tunnels joined this one. I stretched my senses as far as I could go to check them, but had us continue on our way. I was pretty sure we were on the right path.


    A few times, we passed what I pegged as guard posts. A few other doors held up our progress, all either demolished by some previous explorer or worn away enough by time and decay that I didn¡¯t have a hard time clearing them. As we continued, I realized this had to be the castle of Old Riacis. The last line of defense, a fortification at the heart of this city. It was a pretty good position, building into the rocks like this. I wouldn¡¯t want to assault this with an army. Especially if you wanted to capture its interior intact. And there were the paths to the surface as backups, perhaps hidden exits. But this meant that this was likely the home of the ruler. Perhaps even the Sea Queen. We were on the right track.


    Finally, after what felt like kilometers of narrow tunnels but probably wasn¡¯t, we emerged into a larger cave. Although hall might be a better term, since it had clearly been worked to seem more like a typical room. There were even windows carved into the walls, probably with enchantments formerly inside them to show light or even illusions of outside scenes.


    We looked around carefully, but besides a few half-rotted chairs, there wasn¡¯t much to see. Two doors led farther into the castle. But I decided to take a break here. Al had been flagging, and our breathing techniques didn¡¯t make things easier. I¡¯d been getting used to it, but the last few minutes it had started to become annoying again. I took out a sealed bottle of water and passed it to Al. He didn¡¯t even hesitate before snatching it and trying to find a way to open it enough for drinking without letting the contents mingle with the sea water. I debated putting up another air bubble, but he seemed to have found a way, using qi to move the lid before drinking.


    After a short break, we continued on. I was getting sick of these underwater caverns, and Al must be, too. I was also still worried about Tenira and the others, but pushed that aside to focus on our situation.


    After this entrance hall, the next parts of the structure seemed more like a typical building. Instead of cavernous tunnels, it looked like the inside of a castle. But unlike the city outside, there were definitely signs of a fight here. I paused at a scratch gouged into the walls, feeling with my finger. Definitely at least ten centimeters, and from the width, maybe a blade. No wonder we didn¡¯t find much of anything intact in the following rooms.


    The structure was large, but almost completely empty. I strained my qi senses to try and get some idea of the layout. It was a good thing I had an eidetic memory. Al too, since he¡¯d finally officially shown it a short while after his soul journey. With that, I managed to get something of a mental map of the structure. But we didn¡¯t check every room, and instead kept heading deeper into it. That was where anything of value would be, and hopefully a way to get to the path into the upper caves and to the land on the surface.


    Finally, we reached another reinforced door. This one wasn¡¯t damaged much, but gaped open, its hinges looking a bit melted. I carefully pushed it farther open and stepped inside the room. We emerged into another hall, this one about the same size but a little grander than the other one. Reliefs were carved into the stone of the walls, a little withered but still decipherable. There was a raised dais at the other side of the hall, and I could even see a small depression where a throne might have stood.


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    The room seemed empty, so we swam forward, glad for the higher ceiling. I had just started looking at one of the scenes depicted on the walls, trying to make sense of the groups of ships in it, when I realized it wasn¡¯t as abandoned as it seemed. I felt a presence approaching so quickly that I barely had enough time to turn around and pull Al back before it thundered into the room.


    It took a moment for me to make sense of what happened, since the spirit beast was densely shrouded in water and darkness qi. It looked like a huge turtle. Or tortoise, I wasn¡¯t clear on the difference. But it had a large shell that looked like pure rock, hard to distinguish from the surrounding caverns. It might have been stealthy had it not been charging towards us with glowing white eyes.


    I pushed Al away and drew my dagger, facing down the spirit beast while my guts clenched nervously. I didn¡¯t have much experience fighting underwater, and this one looked strong, probably the equivalent of the sixth stage at least. This wasn¡¯t looking good. I tried to gather my qi.


    A beam of boiling hot water carved towards me, and I just managed to duck. I could hear it digging into the rocky wall behind me. But I didn¡¯t let it faze me, and instead focused on finishing my technique, drawing light qi from my core around me. This looked like a tank, so Light¡¯s Speed might let me kite it.


    Just then, the spirit beast twisted, faster than anything as large as a draft horse should be able to. Rocky spikes growing out of its carapace missed my face by centimeters.


    I dodged backwards, cursing internally. This one was fast, maybe faster than me even with the buff. I quickly gathered some darkness qi and threw it at the charging beast while I kicked off from the wall to launch me to the other side of the room. The technique splattered against its carapace, not producing more than a light sizzle. I¡¯d need to get the eyes to have any hope of doing damage, but that was easier said than done.


    It chased me around the room for a bit more. I fired off another few techniques. Only one of them managed to catch it in the face. It flinched back and shook its head, but I couldn¡¯t see any serious damage. That had probably only pissed it off.


    Suddenly, I sensed Al coming up behind the spirit beast, slashing at one of its hind limbs with a sword he must have taken from a storage item. But the spirit beast sensed it, too, whirling around before I could do anything. Al dodged its kick, but then it headbutted him away. My heart clenched as I saw him pushed through the water until he thudded against the opposite wall. Without water to cushion some of the momentum, that could have killed him.


    I ducked and tried to get back to him, swimming in an arc. The turtle stopped, though, turning so it could see both of us. For the first time, I was sure that this was an intelligent spirit beast. I slowed and raised my hands, trying to show that I didn¡¯t want violence and was only trying to care for my little brother.


    Its eyes narrowed. ¡®You feel faintly familiar. Why is that, intruder?¡¯ The voice in my head sounded old, deep and a bit scratchy but still sharp.


    I swallowed. ¡®I don¡¯t know, honored old one. My little brother and I are simply trying to explore this place and find a way back up without running into malevolent spirits after us. I apologize for disturbing you.¡¯


    While I spoke, I inched backwards, getting closer to Al. I snuck a glance at him and was relieved to see him turn back around, groaning and holding his side but clearly awake and conscious. He blinked a bit, then bowed toward the spirit beast as well. ¡®Me too. Forgive the intrusion, honored elder. We didn¡¯t know anyone still lived in the ruins of our ancestors.¡¯


    ¡®Your ancestors, hm?¡¯ The spirit beast slowly swam closer, scrutinizing us. ¡®That might be so. You both have the same cultivation talent my lady once did.¡¯


    I breathed a covert sigh of relief and took a pill from my storage ring to give Al. If this spirit beast was old enough to remember when this place was occupied, and favorably disposed towards our ancestors, we might even get their help. Al took the pill and swallowed it quickly, and I sensed the qi working to repair the damage he¡¯d received.


    ¡®Are you the guardian of this place?¡¯ I asked hesitantly.


    The turtle snorted. ¡®Only insofar as I have taken it upon myself to keep trespassers out. I was a little one when this place still had a queen, but I would rather not see its legacy tarnished. This is my home now. This fortress was razed in the struggle after Inera¡¯s death, and then the people abandoned the whole city as it sank beneath the waves.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®If you like, I can make sure people are discouraged from visiting this place.¡¯


    The spirit beast¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®Can you? Very well.¡¯ Their face swung toward the door on the opposite side of the hall. ¡®Take a look at this.¡¯


    I swam closer, channeling some qi to my eyes to make sure I didn¡¯t miss anything. There were runes inscribed in the door, creating a formation array. They weren¡¯t ones I was familiar with, though I could guess this was some sort of ward. There were inscriptions on and to both sides of the door. I only recognized a few words from the texts I¡¯d looked at before going to sleep what felt like days ago.


    The one that stood out the most was Inera. I shook my head at the sight. It was pretty clear to me now that I¡¯d been named after her. It was basically just a different form of the same two words. Before, I¡¯d assumed I was named after my grandmother Iniris. Well, maybe both.


    ¡®This was our ancestor¡¯s seat of power, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ I asked softly.


    The spirit beast swam beside me. ¡®So, you are one of Inera¡¯s brood¡¯s descendants. I thought I recognized those gray eyes.¡¯ They snorted. ¡®Useless cowards, the lot of them. Fighting over their mother¡¯s seat while their vassals sharpened their knifes against them. Which one¡¯s are you?¡¯


    I frowned, and noticed that Al got a little closer to us. ¡®My mother is head of our clan now. Her grandfather was Rikilo, one of the Sea Queen¡¯s grandsons, I think, who led the clan while they were establishing themselves in the Empire.¡¯


    The spirit beast shook their head. ¡®I remember that one as a little child. His father was the worst of the lot. So they made nice with the Empire, did they? Sounds like you¡¯re heirs to not much more than spineless pride.¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re also heirs to the Empire,¡¯ Al shot back, glaring at the big turtle.


    The spirit beast withdrew their head a bit, blinking at him.


    ¡®Our ancestors learned from their mistakes,¡¯ I put in, laying a hand on Al¡¯s shoulder to calm him. ¡®They didn¡¯t return to fighting each other. Our clan grew strong, and our grandmother claimed the throne. Our mother is Empress now, and we¡¯re her two oldest children.¡¯ I raised an eyebrow. ¡®We weren¡¯t defeated by the Empire, we¡¯ve taken the Empire. And now, I¡¯d like to take a look at what our ancestor accomplished.¡¯


    For a moment, the turtle just looked at me. Then they sent bubbles upward in an obvious laugh. I suspected they were originally more of a land animal. ¡®Fine, then, little princess. I suppose this is your legacy. I will help you get through the door. Put some qi in after I do.¡¯


    Frowning, I watched as the spirit beast touched their snout to the formation at the door, letting some of their qi flow into it. I couldn¡¯t quite make sense of the way it flowed through the formation, but the door shifted just slightly. Hesitantly, I laid my hand on the door as well, and pushed some light and darkness qi into the door. This time, I could almost sense the formation hesitating. But after a moment, some of the runes lit up, and the remnants of qi in the material holding the door activated.


    Of course, the mechanism was old, and the door not maintained. It scraped against the ground, and I had to heave against it to help get it open. It stopped after a bit, not opened completely but at least far enough a person could get through. Probably for the best.


    I turned back around to see the spirit beast had retreated further and settled down on the floor in the middle of the room. They settled their shell over their legs, but led the head poke out. ¡®Good luck, young ones.¡¯


    I nodded at the spirit beast, then stepped through the door, Al behind me. As soon as I did, I noticed one clear fact: There was a pocket of air on the top of the short hallway we entered. Looking more closely, I could see a formation flickering on the upper parts of the wall. A similar one, just stronger, was placed further down at the next door. Perhaps the next section would actually be dry?


    I pulled out my knife and carefully walked forward. Time for some more exploration.

 68: Remnants of the past

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    The door at the end of the corridor held even more qi than the one we¡¯d just come through. It opened with only a bit of scratching and groaning, though I could see that most of it functioned mechanically. Once it started opening, water poured through the door into the next room. I sighed and quickly put up a qi barrier to keep it in the corridor. Should have done that earlier. At least the door behind us had closed again, so there would be no new water coming in here.


    Carefully, I took down the barrier for an instant, guided myself and Al through, then put it back up. I shook myself out and looked around. It felt great to be back on dry land. Well, on a wet floor, but still. I took another look at the door, then heaved it back into place so I could take down my qi barrier.


    I looked around the room we found ourselves in. There was a lot of dust, and a few pieces of furniture lay broken on the ground, but all in all it was in much better condition than the rest of this place. This was probably the air the room had been sealed with, but I still kept our breathing techniques going. Better to be safe than sorry, and who knew what gases might have been released here somewhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be able to talk again,¡± Al said. His voice sounded a bit muffled coming through the screen of darkness qi, but I could hear him well enough.


    ¡°It is. How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He looked around the room and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we can find here.¡±


    I did a careful sweep with my qi senses, but didn¡¯t notice any qi presences here. The room we were now in must have been a sitting room or something, and two doors led out from it. I picked the one on the left, which opened into a narrow corridor with two small chambers connected to it. Perhaps storage rooms or something, but they were completely empty now.


    When we came back, I noticed Al shiver a little. We need to hurry up. I sighed and conjured a small ball of light to illuminate our surroundings. There were remnants of paint on the walls and a few chairs that stood out more sharply, but the room didn¡¯t look much different to my eyes. I gathered some more light qi and sent it to hover around Al, changing the wavelength it emitted until it reached the infrared spectrum. He smiled gratefully as his wet clothing started to dry. My own was still soaked, but I didn¡¯t care to waste the qi on it.


    Still keeping close to Al and keeping my technique going, I walked to the second door. This one had a lock, but swung inward when I tried the handle. The room beyond it looked like a living room, with a few armchairs and a low table, all in remarkably good condition. A few ¡®windows¡¯ were carved into the wall, but the formations behind them were empty of qi. There were two other doors, though my qi senses told me they both led to only one more room each, and one of them was clearly locked, with qi still present in the locking mechanism.


    My attention was drawn to an alcove in the wall. A few holes showed where pictures might have hung, and there was a small pedestal growing out of the wall. A small crescent moon icon, the greenish colors indicating rusted bronze, stood in the center, along with a few equally rusty plaques on the wall. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what those meant. The one to the left was a circle with some stuff around it and what looked like a tail, maybe a meteor? The others were harder to identify. A few incense candles lay toppled over on the surface. Probably a house shrine or something.


    Following an impulse, I checked the candle and chose the most intact one, on the left side of the shrine. I set it alight with a pulse of qi. It burned with a small flame, and I felt something stirring in the qi of the room. I took a step back.


    The space beside the shrine flickered for a moment, and then a familiar figure stepped out of the air. They looked around and cracked their knuckles. ¡®It has been a long time since I¡¯ve seen anyone here ¡­¡¯


    ¡°Mior?¡± I blinked and shot a glance at Al, who was stepping closer to me cautiously. ¡°Did someone give offerings to you here?¡±


    The spirit shrugged. ¡®To me, Rijoko, and a few others who were popular here at the time, especially for sailors. But it is good to see you, Inaris. Though I¡¯m not sure taking your little brother on an exploration like this is a wise idea.¡¯


    Al took another step forward and bowed. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, honored spirit.¡±


    ¡®Nevermind that,¡¯ I interjected, ¡®I wasn¡¯t planning on this. We need to talk.¡¯


    Mior clasped their hands behind their back, standing up straighter. ¡®About the attack on you. Yes. I apologize for not anticipating that. I assured your Mother you would not be attacked by spirits.¡¯


    ¡®Wait, when did you talk to Mother?¡¯


    ¡®Some time ago.¡¯ The spirit flicked their hand dismissively. ¡®You should know, there is an unwritten agreement among us. Greater Spirits should not attack each other¡¯s presence in the mortal world. Especially not their children. If someone were to break this, the others could unite against them in retaliation.¡¯


    ¡®Is that why the Pioneer hasn¡¯t tried to kill me directly?¡¯ I asked, feeling something click into place. ¡®Like that time he came to taunt me when I tried to unlock my bloodline.¡¯


    Mior nodded. ¡®In essence. Even the affair with the poisoning was pushing it. Unfortunately, Jideia¡¯s position is strong right now, and the others don¡¯t want to fight him. Perhaps that is why he felt sure of himself enough for this attempt.¡¯


    ¡®But that was pretty direct.¡¯ I frowned, then felt a chill down my spine as I considered more carefully. ¡®Although, I suppose they never attacked or tried to harm me directly. Just kidnapped Al ¡­ Though they did injure me.¡¯


    ¡°Let me guess, I¡¯m not covered by this agreement,¡± Al put in sourly.


    ¡®Indeed. Kidnapping your little brother in order to get to you would bend these rules a lot, but not outright break them. After all, he is just a mortal, unaffiliated with any of us.¡¯


    I sighed. ¡®And I suppose I was technically the first one to attack one of these spirits. So they could probably say this is my fault.¡¯ I shook my head. ¡®You could have at least warned me that they might attack my mind via my dreams.¡¯


    Mior frowned and looked at me more closely. ¡®You are in something of a unique situation, Little Light. Rijoko¡¯s bloodline gives you power over dreams, but it also opens your mind to them in a way that contains a hidden edge. We assumed that the training you had would be enough to protect you, together with your connection to him. I did not realize the extent of the damage your so-called ¡®soul journey¡¯ might have caused.¡¯


    I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling a little nauseous. ¡°I did forget everything I might have been taught about mental defenses here,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Though I must have retained some of the subconscious stuff. Although, mixing episodic memories of another world with subconscious parts of my life here? I can see how that might be a problem ¡­ Is that what the Pioneer meant by saying my mind was damaged?¡±


    Al laid a hand on my arm. ¡°Hey, your mind is perfectly fine. I may have more memories of my life here, but I can tell my basic personality didn¡¯t change much. It has to be the same for you. Besides, people forget things all the time, right?¡±


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    I looked to Mior, who shrugged. ¡®Yes and no. Without a clearer picture of what happened, I¡¯m unlikely to be much help. It seems clear your mind is somewhat vulnerable, although how much this has to do with some more esoteric aspects of the soul journey is debatable. For now, don¡¯t go to sleep until we know more.¡¯


    I grimaced. ¡®Can you help me?¡¯


    Mior sighed. ¡®Perhaps. I could teach both of you some things about defending your mind. But this is not the place. Though perhaps the Sea Queen has left some clues to your soul journeys.¡¯


    I nodded and looked around. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s explore a bit.¡±


    We turned back to exploring the rest of this suite. The spirit tagged along, with their hands vanishing into the folds of their wispy robe and their feet not leaving any impression in the water covering the floor. I could see this being the inner sanctum of this castle. One of the rooms was mostly empty, only a few stone furnishings that I supposed might be desks left. The other one was guarded by a locked door.


    Although the lock still had some qi left, I managed to smother it with a judicious application of darkness affinity qi, long enough for me to pick the lock. It turns out the ability to literally grow picks to order from your fingertips is the most useful thing about shapeshifting. Who knew? Probably a good thing I don¡¯t need to resort to thievery.


    I carefully undid my modifications and pushed open the door, emerging into what had to be an office. Its contents were the most well-preserved among the rooms I¡¯d seen so far. The main desk was fashioned out of some dark, obviously robust wood, with several drawers built into it. The paintings on the walls were a bit faded but still pretty clear. Judging from the style, probably religious motifs. Or local myths.


    ¡°Hey, this is still readable!¡± Al had approached the desk and was rifling through its drawers. He held up a stack of what looked like parchment, yellowed with age. The ink was still clearly legible, showing a flowing handwriting using letters that looked only vaguely familiar to me. Like a related version of Common¡¯s alphabet, but not the same.


    ¡°That might be more useful if we knew how to read it,¡± I commented. ¡°Mior, care to help out?¡±


    ¡®I never did learn to read all the various writings humans developed,¡¯ the spirit said, somehow managing to sound as if they were talking down their nose. ¡®I only went to the effort of learning for a few exceptions, and this certainly isn¡¯t one of them.¡¯


    I shrugged and put the pages into my storage ring. We could find someone who was able to read them later. It wasn¡¯t like there were no historians in this world, and I had more than enough pull to make it happen. For now, I continued looking around. But just as I made to turn away, I stopped, feeling my gaze drawn to something on the desk. There was a little hint of disturbance in my qi senses. I felt around the desk until I found a catch, and carefully pried it open to reveal a compartment beneath the upper plate. There was a large crystal sitting there, apparently filled with qi.


    I pushed my sleeve over my hand before I took it out and looked more closely. The qi matrix in the crystal was intricate, clearly marking it as an information storage device. I hadn¡¯t had much experience with those, but I could see that the formation matrix was a little degraded. It should still be salvageable, though. I wonder what this holds?


    I straightened up and turned to Al and Mior, who were watching curiously. Could it be dangerous? I don¡¯t think so. But it may have valuable information and I can¡¯t ask one of them to do it. ¡°Here goes.¡±


    I touched the storage device and focused on my qi, sending a little bit of it out into the container. Something stirred there for a long moment. It almost seemed like whatever enchantment it held was analyzing my qi, or perhaps just struggling to get going.


    Then the onslaught started. I winced as information appeared in my mind like someone had shoved it inside wrapped in burning coals. The knowledge felt both spiky and blurred. I tried to ignore the pain and discomfort and focus on the content, but it was hard. A few parts were in a language I didn¡¯t understand, while others were conveyed as concepts and images. But those felt distorted, with chunks missing.


    It stopped, and I bent over and heaved. Only a bit of spit came out. I straightened up, wiping my mouth, distantly glad I didn¡¯t vomit. But most of my mind was still occupied trying to make sense of the stored information and rough transfer.


    ¡°Well, damn,¡± I said a moment later, trying to collect myself. ¡°Whatever I may have imagined about Inera, this wasn¡¯t it.¡±


    Al looked at me with wide eyes, an excited smile spreading over his face. ¡°What did you learn? Was that her diary or something?¡±


    I looked at the storage crystal in my hands. Accessing it seemed to have made things worse. The qi felt a bit uneven now, the matrix more obviously corrupted. I wouldn¡¯t want to try reading it again.


    ¡°Could be,¡± I answered. ¡°It could also have been a message she left for her successor.¡± I frowned in thought. Some of the impressions seemed like that, but I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it had some really interesting information. She really was the first Leri to go on a soul journey, though it wasn¡¯t by choice or anything.¡±


    ¡°Really? How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t see it as a good thing. From the impression I get, it was a curse. Like an actual curse.¡± I turned to look at Mior. ¡°I get the impression that there is ¡­ something in a wider universe. Or multiverse, maybe. Higher beings beyond the Greater Spirits?¡±


    Mior sighed and nodded, eyebrows drawn downward. ¡®Yes. We don¡¯t know much about that, but there is something beyond this world, and a power beyond qi. There are a few beings who travel between worlds. They are little more than shadows even to us spirits. None of us understand the workings of connecting worlds, perhaps no one can. Don¡¯t try; it is beyond your understanding, and you will never make sense of it.¡¯ They tilted their head. ¡®So you ancestor was noticed by one of them?¡¯


    I nodded, looking down at the crystal. ¡®Yes. A woman, maybe? That¡¯s an impression, but I¡¯m really not sure.¡¯ I shook my head. ¡®This is definitely hereditary, or carried by qi signature or something. It may have been watered down in time, with people retaining more of their original memories. Or not. But it¡¯s a premeditated, intentional mechanic.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s cool or scary,¡± Al muttered.


    I shook my head. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all we¡¯re going to find here. Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s a back way out from the other room.¡±


    We quickly gathered everything that might be of value before leaving the room. I barely saw our surroundings, still reeling a bit from the information transfer. There was something else tickling at the edge of my mind, but I couldn¡¯t pin it down. When we reached the other room, I took aside a seemingly random piece of scattered furniture and then used the hidden lever. I needed to put a lot of strength into it, and the lever creaked alarmingly, but finally a door built into the back wall swung open, revealing a cave-like tunnel.


    I¡¯d just stepped through it, feeling for the crystal in a pocket of my robe, when I stopped. I felt like someone just hit me over the head with a lightbulb. ¡°Spirits, I¡¯m an idiot.¡±


    Al stopped and looked back, while Mior crossed their arms and raised an eyebrow. ¡®Are we supposed to contradict you here?¡¯


    I shook my head, not bothering with banter. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t see it before. Qi can store information, right? Like that crystal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and?¡± Al shifted his weight to the other foot, tugging on his robe.


    ¡°And I had a perfect memory before my soul journey! Like other people here. Something that only works on Aran. Obviously, that¡¯s because of qi. The way it seeps into everyone. Since everyone cultivates here. Or maybe it would just do that on its own. Anyway, it¡¯s clear that qi acts as some sort of external storage, or extending the memory network in the brains of some people.¡± I tapped my fingers, frowning in thought. ¡°Maybe one needs to have sufficient cognitive capability, or ¡®processing power¡¯, to make that work.¡±


    I blinked and finally started walking again, watching the other two¡¯s surprised expressions. Al looked like he was deep in thought, while Mior seemed less affected by this, more amused at my behavior.


    ¡°That means,¡± I mused, ¡°I may be able to get my memories back. At least, there¡¯s a chance they¡¯re still there, somewhere. Maybe they¡¯re overwritten, or maybe access to them was just ¡­ shifted.¡±


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t help you with that, Little Light,¡¯ Mior finally said. ¡®This is a different level. But your conclusion seems well-reasoned.¡¯


    I nodded absently, still trying to come to grips with my epiphany. It probably influenced quite a few other things I¡¯d been confused by before. ¡°Do you think that has an influence on my apparent vulnerability? I know I forgot stuff, and there may be holes or ¡­ seams or whatever ¡­ in my mind that makes it easier to target. But maybe there¡¯s an effect of this stuff that has to do with soul journeys.¡±


    Mior nodded. ¡®That could very well be.¡¯


    Al sighed. ¡°This is all very interesting, but are you sure we¡¯re going the right way here?¡±


    I looked around, absentmindedly ending our breathing techniques, which we shouldn¡¯t need anymore. We were still in a tunnel-like cave, which had just started curving upwards. We¡¯d already passed one branching in the tunnel and I could see another up ahead. But I had some vague impressions of this path from the stored information I¡¯d gotten. ¡°This should be right.¡±


    We fell silent and continued walking.

 69: Human and spirit

    <div>


    At first, I thought I was imagining things. But as we continued walking, it became clear that there really was light ahead. I had to stop myself from speeding up. I didn¡¯t have a problem with darkness, but finally seeing natural light again felt amazing. The air was starting to smell fresher, too. While I was glad that there was air around us and the caves weren¡¯t flooded here, I wouldn¡¯t mind a bit of a breeze.


    Although, thinking about it, we probably were below the waterline still. This must mean that there are no direct connections to the ocean here. Perhaps someone has pumped out the water at some point or something?


    I looked back at the others, then paused. I¡¯d been too distracted to pay much attention before, but Mior¡¯s presence had been diminishing. Now, I couldn¡¯t see the spirit anywhere, and I couldn¡¯t pinpoint their location with my other senses, either. It seemed Mior had decided to leave. Although I suspected they might still be around. I just hope that means we¡¯re close.


    Al didn¡¯t seem to have noticed. He looked tired, but was walking quickly enough that I had to increase my pace a bit if I didn¡¯t want him to step on my heels. Then the tunnel widened a bit, and he sped up to walk beside me. I sighed but didn¡¯t comment. I¡¯d just need to keep my eyes peeled, but at this point danger was probably just as likely to come from behind us than ahead. After all, we¡¯d passed several intersections. I only had a rough picture of what our surroundings looked like, and the caves probably extended beyond that. At least there didn¡¯t seem to be any strong spirit beasts close to us at the moment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take a shower and get clean clothes,¡± Al said. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they don¡¯t have coffee here.¡±


    I smiled at the thought. ¡°If you¡¯re thirsty, I can get you some water? Or something to eat?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯d rather just get back quickly.¡±


    I could definitely agree with that sentiment. While I¡¯d managed to push it aside, I still felt some worry, which I wouldn¡¯t lose until I saw the others were fine with my own eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange to think that we lived two lives only because one of our ancestors pissed off some higher being,¡± Al mused. ¡°But I guess nothing about the situation is normal.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just look at the time thing,¡± I agreed. ¡°When Mother died on Earth, we weren¡¯t even born here, and yet we already lived our life on Earth. Probably some sort of local time, simultaneity thing. That¡¯s already screwed up enough in one universe if you consider special relativity. Like the Andromeda paradoxon. Maybe this is just a higher level of the same thing, when you consider different universes.¡± I snorted. ¡°Or maybe the simulation hypothesis is true and we¡¯re all just living in some computer. I didn¡¯t agree with it before, but in this world the laws of physics are actually broken, or at least bent with magic. That¡¯s definitely evidence in its favor.¡±


    Al shook his head. ¡°Uh, I liked physics, but I only have a vague idea what you¡¯re talking about right now.¡±


    I scratched my cheek. ¡°Sorry. Either time is screwed up between universes or this isn¡¯t real. Although, even if we live in a simulation we should just continue living our lives, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll let you worry about that,¡± Al decided after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll just be sad that I don¡¯t have access to the Internet anymore.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I really miss the Internet, too. It would save us so much effort with trying to do science stuff and develop technology. And all of the stories I¡¯ll never get to read or watch again.¡±


    ¡°Me too! I was just about to finish the last season of my favorite anime.¡± Al groaned. ¡°And I was watching online tutorials to improve my drawing. Now I barely have time for that and lost a lot of my skill.¡±


    ¡°You like art?¡± I asked. I¡¯d never noticed that before.


    ¡°What, I can¡¯t like physics, tech and also art?¡± Al crossed his arms and gave me the stink-eye.


    ¡°No, of course you can,¡± I quickly assured him. ¡°I just didn¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t you show me what you¡¯ve been drawing? I¡¯d love to see.¡±


    His frown smoothed over. ¡°Thanks. People always teased me for that. Sorry if I overreacted.¡± He sighed. ¡°I can show you a few pieces once we¡¯re back home.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± I smiled at him, then returned my focus to our surroundings.


    The light was definitely getting stronger. I¡¯d been distracted by the conversation, but we¡¯d walked steadily upwards and passed a few other branches. By now, I could sense that we were nearing the surface. There were more qi signatures around. Most of them were still pretty small and a little farther off, and a general background of life that I¡¯d rarely noticed before. Maybe plants and such? The air also started to get colder as we walked on. It was probably morning outside, but still winter, so that was to be expected. I noticed that Al was drawing his robe more tightly around himself. If we had to walk for much longer, I¡¯d need to warm him up again.


    Then something prickled on my senses, and I halted, forcing Al to slow down with me. I frowned and concentrated on my qi senses. There was a familiar sensation, slight but noticeable. And unless I missed my guess, it was getting stronger. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.


    ¡°Come on,¡± I hissed and pulled Al back. We¡¯d passed the last intersection only a few meters ago. I pulled him into the side tunnel. He looked confused and annoyed, but I put a finger over my lips and gave him a look that made it clear I was serious.


    Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on my qi and started using a few techniques. It was fairly easy to bend the light around me so I¡¯d stay hidden. I did the same to Al. It was more effort than to do it together but better in case we separated. Then I tried to pull in my qi presence as much as I could and focused on pulling darkness affinity qi around me to smother my aura. I tried to do the same with Al, but it was difficult. Doing something like this was always harder on someone else than yourself. He didn¡¯t have much qi, comparatively, but also didn¡¯t have much control over it. It should still work.


    Once I finished, I checked to make sure he was covered and the techniques would work for a while. Then I pushed him down the tunnel. Al frowned and shook his head. At least he had the good sense to stay quiet. I pushed again, more insistently, and glared at him. Finally, he took the hint and started walking down the tunnel. I put up a qi barrier to stop air traveling between his position and mine, effectively stopping sound as well.


    This was a risk, but I could still sense him pretty well, and I¡¯d know if another spirit approached him. He also had defensive talismans and a calling bracelet. I just needed all the stealth I could muster for what I wanted to do now.


    I took a step forward, listening closely. My still bare feet made no noise on the hard rock of the cavern. I also couldn¡¯t hear anyone else coming. Though I could sense them. Carefully, I peeked around the corner of the tunnel. The opening onto the surface was close, very close. The presence I felt came steadily closer. Now they¡¯d almost reached it.


    I took off. Pumping my legs hard and channeling a bit of qi to accelerate even harder, I tried my best to be quiet. My technique to hide me from sight would have trouble covering me with this kind of motion. Not to mention my presence would be felt more clearly the closer I came. But the tunnel ahead of me was straight and long enough I could pick up quite a bit of speed. I crossed dozens of meters in moments.


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    Light from ahead stabbed into my eyes, but I relied on my other senses as I came to the opening. I¡¯d timed it right, the spirit was just crossing the threshold. They noticed me a moment too late. I barreled into them, trying to get a good grip.


    They managed to twist aside, breaking free for a moment. My heel ground into the ground as I pivoted, bleeding off some of my momentum and using the rest to go after my enemy. A knife slashed towards me, glancing off a qi shield my protective talisman threw up at the last moment. I got a grip on the spirit¡¯s arm, wrenched it, and managed to disarm them.


    ¡®You,¡¯ the spirit hissed, its form boiling backwards as they took a step back. ¡®Accursed spawn of the Moon, you¡¯ll pay for evading us.¡¯


    I had no desire to trade insults with this piece of filth. Their sight alone made my anger return in force, crying out to destroy them. For once, I didn¡¯t feel the need to struggle with my self-control. I simply jumped forward, batted aside another reaching hand, then grabbed the spirit¡¯s neck.


    Of course, my enemy tried to evade, but I didn¡¯t let them. I tightened my grip, putting some qi into it to make sure I got it. While they flailed around, I kicked their leg out. Not so insubstantial, are you now? I got behind the spirit, keeping one hand choking them while I caught their arms with the other, making sure they couldn¡¯t hurt me.


    ¡®Not so tough now, are you?¡¯ I growled. ¡®Think you can take my brother from me, do you?¡¯ I tightened my grip, wrenching a little. I had no idea if spirits could feel pain, but I might find out.


    It didn¡¯t seem so. The spirit didn¡¯t make a sound, and I didn¡¯t feel any extra tension. Although the way their body worked was pretty wispy, anyway. But they didn¡¯t seem to like the situation any.


    ¡®Let me go, princess! I can help you! It wasn¡¯t my idea to go after your brother, the Storm made us do it! The Pioneer was in charge here!¡¯


    I grunted, then twisted my head to the side as I sensed another change in our surroundings. A moment later, I relaxed a little more as I saw it was only Al, hesitantly coming out of the tunnel. I tugged the spirit a few more steps away and frowned at him. ¡°You should have stayed put.¡±


    ¡°There was some spirit beast coming closer to my position,¡± Al said, his eyes focused on the spirit I had captured. ¡°Wow, Nari. I¡¯m not going to call you lazy or a wimp in fighting anymore. What are you going to do with that jerk? Can we even kill it?¡±


    I frowned, taking a moment to think. ¡°You, spirit. Just tell me something. The Pioneer. Is he a spirit?¡±


    The wispy material under my fingers stiffened for a bit, betraying the answer. Then the spirit spoke, hope in their mental voice. ¡®No, he¡¯s not! He just acts like it. I know all about it. If you let me go, I can show you his weaknesses.¡¯


    ¡°Quiet,¡± I growled. Then I turned back to Al. ¡°Step back, will you? Let¡¯s get away from here.¡±


    I dragged the spirit a few more meters, careful not to let them dislodge my grip, until we reached the shadow of a rock formation, flanked by a big fallen tree. There was a hint of what I¡¯d come to recognize as the ¡®scent¡¯ of spirits in the qi gathering here.


    ¡°Hey, Mior,¡± I called. ¡°Come on, I know you¡¯re still around.¡± At least I hope I¡¯m not just embarrassing myself.


    Al started and looked around. He almost missed it when the shadows of the rock condensed a little before Mior stepped out of them. He was frowning at me. ¡®Don¡¯t be rude, Little Light.¡¯


    I shrugged, as well as I could in this position. ¡®Sorry. Here, take care of this, would you?¡¯


    Mior sighed, then stepped forward and grabbed the spirit. I withdrew my hands, watching as Mior let some of their qi billow outward, covering the captive, who stiffened and stopped moving.


    I took a step back and looked around. It was morning, the sun shining from above the ocean to the east, the air crisp and clear. A little further down, I could sense another spirit, but that one seemed to be moving away from us. Still farther, in the direction of the town, I could see a group of people in colorful cultivators¡¯ robes.


    Something in Mior¡¯s qi shifted slightly. I watched as their grip on the captive spirit¡¯s neck tightened, and qi started to flow from the weaker spirit to them. It looked a bit like Mior was literally sucking the substance out of their captive, and I could feel how they enveloped the qi with their own, pulling it into themselves. After a moment, Al turned away, but I continued watching in fascination. It only took a few seconds before the last few wisps of the spirit¡¯s form dissipated. Mior didn¡¯t feel much stronger, but I was beginning to realize I¡¯d never really felt their full strength anyway.


    After the spirit was finished, Mior dusted off their hands and stepped away, Al and me following. ¡®Was that all you called me for?¡¯


    ¡®Mostly.¡¯


    Mior looked at me with a frown. ¡®Thanks for the snack, but next time, clean up your own mess.¡¯


    I nodded and tried not to grimace. ¡®About the Pioneer, do you know if he¡¯s actually not a spirit?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. I¡¯ve heard he started out as a mortal human who ascended. Perhaps he developed further beyond that. It might be a factor to why he was able to invade your mind like that.¡¯


    I nodded and scratched my cheek. It felt like a few pieces were beginning to fall into place. I still didn¡¯t quite have the full picture, but I was starting to get the beginnings of a real plan.


    ¡®You seem a little too human, as well,¡¯ I finally commented. ¡®And surprisingly helpful to me.¡¯


    Mior cocked their head, then grinned broadly, showing some shadowy teeth. ¡®I was wondering if you would ever notice my aura. Yes, I have some human in me, along with Rijoko¡¯s bloodline. A little like you.¡¯


    I missed my step. ¡®Wait, we¡¯re related?¡¯ I hadn¡¯t really noticed that. Mior¡¯s qi presence did seem more similar to Rijoko¡¯s than other spirits I¡¯d met, but I¡¯d assumed that was just something to do with being a close supporter.


    Mior¡¯s expression was hard to make out, but I thought they might look a bit melancholy. ¡®Yes. My father was much like you, a human spirit-child of Rijoko, though he ascended beyond mortality millennia ago. My mother was a spirit, of course. I was conceived and born in the place where you attempted to awaken your bloodline. Of course, I am far more spirit than human, unlike someone like you.¡¯


    I blinked and shook my head. ¡®Doesn¡¯t this make you me your aunt, technically?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure what to think about that. The thought felt weird. But we were talking about spirits here, lots of things might seem weird.


    Al whistled. ¡®Nari, your family is badass.¡¯


    Mior chuckled, but didn¡¯t say anything more on the subject.


    After a moment, Al shifted and looked in the direction of town. ¡°Can we get going? I¡¯d really like to get back.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have to say that twice. I started walking at a brisk pace, Al beside me. Even Mior trailed along. I was pretty sure now that the group of people we were heading toward was mostly composed of our guards. I wouldn¡¯t object to having the spirit along, though, when other hostile spirits might still stick around. It seemed like they felt the same.


    I hesitated for a moment, focusing on the footpath we were walking. I didn¡¯t want to bring this up now, but it was probably best to know before we reached the others. ¡°Al, what exactly happened? Did you go outside the wards?¡±


    Al looked down and blushed. He cleared his throat. ¡°Well ¡­ yes.¡± He looked up, scowling. ¡°They lured me out. Mimicked other people¡¯s voices and cried for help. I should have known you would speak in English if you wanted only me to know, but I didn¡¯t think of that.¡±


    I laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You couldn¡¯t have known, and things turned out alright.¡±


    Al nodded, still scowling. ¡°I¡¯m glad you killed that bastard.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t feel bad about that. I hadn¡¯t killed the spirit myself, but I would have done that easily, and the only reason I might regret it was that Al had been there. He didn¡¯t seem to mind and I couldn¡¯t exactly blame him, but I probably shouldn¡¯t encourage that reaction. He was still a kid.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± I changed the subject, ¡°Mior, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still here. We can use your help. And I would really appreciate training in defending our minds, like you mentioned.¡±


    Mior shrugged. ¡®I cannot be with you too long. This is not my kind of environment, to put it simply. I can do it better than most, but still. Staying with mortals, in a more physical form, is ¡­ draining.¡¯


    I frowned. That didn¡¯t sound good, although it explained why spirits rarely lived alongside humans, even the way spirit beasts did.


    ¡®I will just have to train you as much as I can once you get back.¡¯


    Al raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t there some way we could, uh, incentivize you to stay longer? Maybe some qi rich materials?¡±


    Mior frowned. ¡®I¡¯m not some lackey for hire you can buy, young man. Be grateful I¡¯m going to teach you something, as well, as a favor for your sister. And you would not like what it might take to tie me to you more permanently. I doubt you are anywhere near strong enough to weather my qi touching yours.¡¯


    ¡®Wait.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help a bit of excitement in my tone. This smacked of esoteric knowledge and insight into the way spirits worked. ¡®You mean you can tie yourself to a mortal? What, like possession?¡¯


    Mior rolled their eyes. At this point, I¡¯d gotten past wondering how they managed such human-like expressions with a wispy face. ¡®Yes. I¡¯ve done so in the past, though many called me crazy for it. Spirits generally do not resort to something like this. It might be a way to stay close to you, though.¡¯ Their expression turned thoughtful. ¡®Not worth it, unless you happen to have a talented cultivator in the higher stages, who stays close to you, that you can trust with your secrets and who is loyal enough to put his mind and more at risk at your command, lying around here.¡¯


    I clicked my tongue. Well ¡­ My eyes met Al¡¯s, who had a similar expression on his face, and we spoke at the same time.


    ¡°Aston.¡±

 70: Connections

    Coming back to the others felt like someone was finally lifting the weight they¡¯d been pressing down on me. I wanted to run forward, but controlled myself. I knew Al was tired, even if the prospect of returning to safety had given him a second wind. Mior fell back a little, but I barely noticed, instead looking at the people in front of us.


    It was clear they¡¯d been aware of our coming, and were gathering for it. There was a small camp outside of town, this one less the type for a night sleeping outside and more of a defensive or control post, with a lot of security formations set up and even a few earthen walls. A large number of guards stood there. More than I¡¯d taken along in the first place, even though I could still sense others farther out, which meant they¡¯d gotten reinforcements. A moment later, I could see the familiar figure of Lei walking into sight. Tenira followed him, and my heart did a small skip in celebration of seeing her unharmed.


    They came forward to greet us, and I couldn¡¯t hold myself back any longer. I stepped forward and caught Tenira in a tight hug. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. It felt great to hold physical proof that she was okay.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± she said after a long moment. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back safely, but you¡¯re crushing me.¡±


    I loosened my hold and stepped back. Way to go, Tori. Ugh. I ducked my head. ¡°I was worried about you,¡± I almost mumbled.


    She chuckled, and I could see Lei and a few others grinning. ¡°No need to be dramatic, even if you¡¯re cute when you worry.¡±


    My heart skipped another beat, and I had to clamp down on my self-control to make sure nothing showed on my face. Damn it, this really isn¡¯t the time for that stuff. You have important things to do.


    I looked back up just in time to see Tenira schooling her expression. Maybe she hadn¡¯t meant to say that? Or was embarrassed by my reaction.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m cute,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°I¡¯m always cute. And smart, beautiful and talented. At the moment, though, I''m mostly tired.¡±


    That kept the grin on their faces for a moment, though Tenira quickly turned serious. ¡°Are you alright, Inaris? Al?¡±


    I looked back to Al. A few guards and servants hovered around him, but obviously didn¡¯t quite dare do anything while he was focused on watching us. ¡°Go on,¡± I said. ¡°Get that shower and go to sleep.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, I want to stay here for what¡¯s happening, first.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Fine, then someone at least get him a blanket and a hot drink.¡±


    The servants scrambled off to do as I commanded, and I looked at the guards. Hopefully, we could keep this short, I was looking forward to a hot shower as well. ¡°Someone fill me in?¡±


    Tenira cleared her throat. ¡°We were awakened from an unnaturally deep sleep only to sense you some distance away, and getting farther away. The more experienced guards assured me that the qi signature with you was one of the beasts you must have talked to before. There were also a number of clearly hostile spirits around, especially in your direction. We packed up quickly, fought them ¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°The details probably don¡¯t matter, but the guards managed to hold them off well enough and get me to the town, where we hunkered down until reinforcements came.¡±


    I nodded, relieved that this seemed to have gone so well.


    ¡°I wanted to look for you,¡± Tenira continued, a frown on her face. She didn¡¯t quite meet my eyes. ¡°But we had no idea where you were, and didn¡¯t know what else lay in wait outside. I was assured that you would be safe with a sea dragon, and there was little we could do against one if they turned hostile. We started to clear the surroundings once Lei and the rest arrived. How did you get back, anyway?¡±


    I paused to check that Al was taken care of, then started telling a quick version of our adventure. I left most of the details out, though I would probably tell Tenira everything once we had privacy. I ended by assuring everyone that they¡¯d made the right decisions. They would know that better than me, but I was the Imperial Princess, and they should probably hear it from me.


    Mior got a few surreptitious looks, even though they¡¯d veiled their presence so only the stronger people would know the spirit was there. Mior didn¡¯t acknowledge them at all, just standing there as if watching a mildly interesting play.


    Once everything was done, I turned to Aston and the senior guards, who¡¯d been waiting nearby for me to acknowledge them. ¡°Are we still in danger here?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Highness,¡± Aston replied promptly. ¡°The remaining hostiles are scattered and would not be able to put up a fight against us. I ¡­¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Cut that out.¡±


    He looked confused. ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°If I know you, you were about to kneel and apologize for failing to protect me, again.¡± I made a cutting motion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. You didn¡¯t live up to your job, but I doubt another guard would have done any better.¡±


    In my periphery, I could see Tenira and Al stifling a smile. The other guards mostly looked relieved, while Aston bowed deeply, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    I sighed. We should get this over with soon, then we could make sure the other spirits got what was coming to them. ¡°Aston, I¡¯d like to talk to you. The rest of you, continue with what you were doing, please.¡±


    Tenira and Lei looked at me questioningly, and I nodded after a moment of thought. They followed as Aston and I stepped away from the others. Al came along as well. He had a blanket tightly clutched around his shoulders and his hands wrapped around a steaming mug, probably tea. I stopped a few dozen meters away from the rest, still a short distance before a scraggly little forest started and to one side of a rocky terrain leading down into cliffs and to the ocean. From here, I had a good view of the town, and I could check that there was nothing up with the camp or our surroundings. Mior stepped forward until the spirit stood beside me, eying my companions, still mostly hidden.


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    ¡°This is Mior, a ¡­ valued ally, from my father¡¯s faction,¡± I introduced, a little unsure how I should refer to them. The spirit shot me an amused glance, but didn¡¯t correct me.


    Aston bowed deeply, though he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the spirit. After a moment of hesitation, Tenira and Lei followed suit. Judging by the faint frowns on their faces, they were trying hard to sense Mior.


    ¡°As you can tell, I appear to be targeted by his enemies, in spite of their usual customs,¡± I continued. ¡°Mior has graciously agreed to help me, and Al, by teaching us to improve our mental defenses. An area where we have certain disadvantages due to the soul journey and its associated issues.¡± I paused for a moment, wondering if I could convince Mior to extend that offer to Tenira and Lei as well, before I focused. ¡°We are also considering an option that might allow them to help defend me more effectively.¡±


    ¡®And spend some interesting time in human society,¡¯ Mior put in. They were slowly coming more fully into view. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I last really walked among humans, on my own or otherwise.¡¯


    I shook my head. ¡°Right. That would work a lot better if Mior has an anchor, tying their qi to them and giving them a physical presence without need to condense their own body. And since Mior is very strong, that should be a strong cultivator, who would open their mind to the spirit, entering a compact of sorts.¡±


    I could see that the others were starting to understand where this was going. A muscle worked in Aston¡¯s jaw, before he stilled his expression. He bowed his head. ¡°If it serves my princess¡¯ interests, this one would be honored to volunteer for such an honor.¡±


    I frowned a little. Aston¡¯s words were stiff, and Tenira looked worried.


    ¡°We won¡¯t demand something like that from anyone,¡± Al said. ¡°Right, Nari?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Aston, I would appreciate it highly if you volunteered, but only if you truly agree to it, if you can open your mind to Mior and work with them. It¡¯s your decision, and if you feel uncomfortable, we won¡¯t continue this.¡±


    Mior took a step closer, meeting Aston¡¯s eyes. ¡®You¡¯re a strong warrior, Tener Aston. I wouldn¡¯t mind binding myself to you for a while. It would be a risk, though. For you more than for me. Although it is also an opportunity few ever receive. I have lived a long time and seen many things, and the advice on your cultivation I could give you alone would make that worth it for many.¡¯


    I smiled wryly. Put like that, I almost wanted to volunteer for this myself. But Mior had told me that would be a bad idea. I understood that, of course. I had enough problems with my mind and magic without adding a connection to another spirit. We also didn¡¯t know how my bloodline and connection to Rijoko might interfere with this.


    Aston glanced at me, then straightened up. It suddenly made me notice his height, as he was at least fifteen centimeters taller than me. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, tone even. ¡°And I agree. I will risk it. If something goes wrong ¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to pass a message to your family?¡± Tenira asked.


    Aston snorted. ¡°No thank you, my lady. I think clan Tener wouldn¡¯t mind my death.¡± He turned back to me. ¡°If something happens, please promise me you will take the proper steps to ensure your safety. Become the Empress you are meant to be.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I felt a little bad that I¡¯d never wondered about his background, and hadn¡¯t even realized Aston was a noble. I¡¯d heard of clan Tener, just hadn¡¯t made the connection.


    My guard captain nodded and took a step forward, gaze fixed on Mior. The spirit smiled and came forward to meet him. Mior laid their hands on Aston¡¯s shoulders and tilted their head upward. For a moment, I almost thought they would kiss, but their lips didn¡¯t meet. Instead, Mior¡¯s face started blurring out, until it was just a wispy mass of qi. The phenomenon spread through their body. A whispering noise started on the edge of my hearing, and the hairs on my arms stood up. Streams of qi shot out from Mior¡¯s dissolving form.


    Aston flinched suddenly. Then he closed his eyes and threw back his head. It looked like a faint mist entered his mouth and nose, while more of it, and a more substantial haze of qi, converged on his body, covering it. Aston opened his eyes again, but they rolled back into his head. His face twitched. I swallowed at the sight. I hope this is going well.


    This continued for a few minutes, while the rest of us stood in silence, watching. The haze of Mior¡¯s qi wrapped around Aston, though some of it seemed to fly upward. I wondered if the spirit had demanifested completely. The veil over Aston¡¯s aura started to draw back, and I had to steel myself not to step back as the weight of it spread over the area. Pressure bore down on me, and I locked my knees against it. Even with that, I could sense something in his aura shifting, though I couldn¡¯t make much sense of it.


    Aston¡¯s aura flared, and it felt like some of Mior¡¯s was laying underneath it, mirroring the sensation. At some point Aston had closed his eyes. When he opened them once more, they glowed for a moment and a cloak of fire rose around him, before the qi collapsed inwards again.


    The pressure vanished, and Aston stumbled forward. I grabbed his shoulder to steady him, trying to calm down my racing heartbeat. Tenira stepped closer as well, a concerned expression on her face.


    Then Aston straightened up, and I stepped back. A pulse of qi formed, and swirled in front of him, forming into Mior¡¯s wispy form. There was still an almost visible band of qi connecting the two of them. Mior gave me a smile and popped his knuckles, before the spirit vanished again, dissipating into the qi surrounding Aston.


    ¡°I take it this went well?¡± I said, calming my expression.


    Aston bowed his head. ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. I think it did. We are connected now, it is certainly an interesting experience ¡­¡± he trailed off, gazing into the distance.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Little Light.¡¯ Mior¡¯s voice was somehow more solid than before.


    ¡°Everything is alright.¡± This time, Aston¡¯s voice carried an undercurrent that sounded like Mior, if their telepathic voice was given physical form.


    I sighed. ¡°Well, alright then. Congratulations.¡±


    Tenira, Lei and Al quickly echoed my words. Al was staring at the guard with wide eyes, his blanket slipped from his shoulders a little. I could see a few of the surrounding guards looking over curiously, though they turned back to their tasks quickly once I glanced at them. Well, I guess this wasn¡¯t particularly subtle.


    Aston, or perhaps Aston and Mior, walked forward. His movements had changed just a little, as if there was a bit of underlying energy to them, a hidden tension that turned his steps into stalking. I cocked my head, watching with interest. This whole thing prickled my curiosity, but I swallowed my questions. They probably wouldn¡¯t answer anything about the details, anyway, spirits rarely did.


    ¡°Excuse us,¡± Aston-Mior said, their normal and telepathic voices blurring together. ¡°It is time to go hunting. We will test ourselves while taking out the spirits still lingering here.¡±


    I nodded, but the form of Aston was already blurring away at high speed, heading out into the cliffs. Presumably to chase down and kill the remaining spirits that had attacked us. Not that I minded.


    I sighed and turned around. ¡°Well, so much for that.¡± Shaking my head, I started walking back into the camp.


    ¡°Not sure how much I understand of what happened here,¡± Lei said, looking thoughtful.


    ¡°I doubt many of us do,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Now what?¡±


    I shrugged, looking for the tent or hut they had hopefully set up for me. ¡°Now, Al and I go take long, hot showers and get something to eat. Otherwise, probably best to start packing up. As soon as Aston gets back, we can leave. No reason to linger.¡±


    I was definitely looking forward to sitting down and taking a minute. And wearing shoes again. I might not hurt my feet, but I was tired of going barefoot.

 71: Speculation and study

    <div>


    For some reason, I resented that I wasn¡¯t able to take a nap during the flight, even though I knew I probably wouldn¡¯t have done that. But now I felt disgruntled about it, knowing that I shouldn¡¯t sleep any time soon. Maybe that¡¯s just human nature?


    I snorted and turned away from the window, where I was just watching our airship descend over Blue Valley City. The flight back to the city from the coast had seemed like it dragged on endlessly, even though it was really pretty quick all things considered. The airship we used was downright spacious, which was a good thing since I¡¯d taken advantage of the trip to ask one of the servants for a massage, making up for that nap. Lia, a woman who¡¯d come with me from the palace, had a gifted touch when it came to that. I should make use of it more often.


    At least we had two airships, since one had carried the reinforcements. Most of the guards were in that one now. The rest formed up around me as I headed to the hatch, with Tenira and Lei coming up behind me. As soon as I felt the airship touch down, I straightened up and stepped forward. The hatch opened to let me into the courtyard of the royal palace in the city.


    I stepped forward, tilting my head backwards to take in the sunshine, and let the noise of the city wash over me. After my time underwater and in the caves, I liked the sense of returning to civilization.


    I glanced back at the others. My gaze settled on Aston, who walked up beside me, taking his usual place as my guard. He still seemed different. While his aura was mostly veiled, I could sense the new currents in it. He looked straight ahead, his face unmoving. I got the suspicion he might be talking to Mior in his mind. I hadn¡¯t seen much of him since he returned from his ¡®hunting trip¡¯ after about an hour, as he¡¯d focused on organizing the guards.


    After I made sure that everyone had disembarked and was organized properly, I turned away. Most of the other people were leaving for their own purposes. I might head straight to the university, since there wasn¡¯t much I should do here. Well, I should send a message to Mother. Probably best to do it from here.


    Tenira was walking off, but I noticed Lei kept close to me. As we headed into the side entrance of the palace, he cleared this throat. ¡°Do you mind if I walk with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I gestured at the guards to give us some space, wondering what he wanted to talk about. I couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit tense.


    He waited until we were walking down the corridors to our suites. He seemed hesitant, glancing around and walking a bit too slowly. Finally, he cleared his throat. ¡°Inaris, I wanted to talk about Tenira. It was pretty clear you were worried about her, that you felt about this strongly. And ¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen the way you look at her.¡± He glanced at me and bit his lip.


    I sighed and opened the door to my room that we¡¯d just reached, letting him go in after me. ¡°Yeah. I guess I should have expected that.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    He frowned at me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t implying that. But I¡¯m here if you want to talk about it.¡±


    I turned around, leaning against my desk, and took another look at Lei. I realized this couldn¡¯t be easy for him. He was friends with both of us, and probably wouldn¡¯t want to be caught in the middle of something, but he cared about both of us.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I said. Although I tasted a bit of bitterness in my throat. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve had a friend I found attractive. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡±


    I¡¯ve been hoping this would go away on its own, I couldn¡¯t help but think. Hasn¡¯t worked well so far, has it? I shook my head, and answered myself, What else can I do?


    Lei looked at me for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve known her for a long time, Inaris,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re each other¡¯s oldest friends. In all that time, I¡¯ve never seen her show any interest in a girl. Physical interest, I mean. Though not in a boy either, I guess. She¡¯s always dodged questions or comments about taking a lover. Or marriage. Her parents might try to set something up, but since Acura isn¡¯t likely to insist on it, she¡¯s probably planning to refuse any offers.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe she has a secret sweetheart. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just saying.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± My hands clenched, but I managed to keep an even expression. ¡°I know. Thanks, Lei.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I should get back to the team. See you in the lab?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I watched him leave, then turned back to my desk and sighed again, cursing my stupid hormones and drama in general.


    I found it hard to focus as I went about my tasks the next few minutes. I unpacked a few things, grabbed another defensive talisman, and wrote a message to Mother. I kept it short, but hit most of the key points. We should probably talk about things more in person. I¡¯d need to arrange a trip back to the capital. Well, I wanted to see how things were going there, anyway. Maybe I could leave the others here? Well. At least this shows Lei is a good friend, that¡¯s something, right?


    I got up and left for the university. Working on a few technology-related problems might clear my mind, and besides, I was curious what they might have managed in the time we were gone.


    Most of the building we¡¯d set up for it, surrounded by an enclosed courtyard and a few smaller outbuildings, was still unused, since there just wasn¡¯t a need for it yet. But there was already some bustle in the university, with a few students walking across the incipient campus, and through the hallways of the building. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I saw them, and overheard some of what they were talking about. All technical discussions. I¡¯d missed this more than I realized. Almost a shame I can¡¯t go to university myself. Well, I had my research team, that was almost as good.


    I stopped in one of the larger rooms, which seemed to have the most activity at the moment. Glancing around, I walked to the desk I¡¯d used last time. A number of people were experimenting with different substances. They used formation plates for heat, and it looked like they¡¯d finally gotten the exhaust hood functioning, with some formations on the side working with air qi to suck in air beneath it, which would then be sent through several means of purification and released from the chimney. That should work unless we had some really nasty stuff.


    I looked at the large poster hanging on the wall, most of it still in my handwriting, and sighed. Reconstructing the periodic table was not an easy task. I hadn¡¯t had much interest in chemistry, and even what I did remember was often too abstract. Even if I knew the name and symbol of an element, that didn¡¯t help us trying to find it in this world and connect to existing knowledge, since I often didn¡¯t know how it looked, how it occurred in nature or how to get it. There were a lot of question marks on the table. Although, at least ¡®this should be somewhere here¡¯ can be helpful.


    Suaki approached my desk and bowed. ¡°Your Highness. Welcome back.¡±


    I nodded at him. ¡°Thank you. Things are going well, it seems?¡±


    He glanced around the room. ¡°Yes. Though we still haven¡¯t found a good way to make your batteries.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve just been thinking about how nice it would be to know what all the elements are and how to get them.¡± I looked at the latest experiment. A simple setup, with two solutions separated by a porous substance, just like I remembered from chemistry class. ¡°I think it should work with Na and K, but that doesn¡¯t help much. And we probably don¡¯t even have some things, like lithium.¡±


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    He shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you get this knowledge, which seems suspiciously like it comes from another world. But we should have some success just trying different things.¡±


    I straightened up and fixed him with a hard stare. This was the first time he¡¯d implied otherworldly knowledge. Maybe I¡¯d said too much. ¡°The existence of other worlds is not a particularly common piece of information or speculation. What do you think you know?¡±


    He raised his hands defensively. ¡°Not much more than their existence. I apologize if I gave any offense, Your Highness.¡±


    I stared at him for another moment, then snorted. ¡°Alright. What I am sharing is knowledge my clan and their allies have been amassing for a long time. I hope you understand its value, and the trust we are placing in you.¡±


    He bowed deeply. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Like everyone here, I will treat this with discretion, and refrain from further speculation.¡±


    I nodded and turned away, looking over the room one more time. Nothing really stood out to me. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak to you further. Let¡¯s go to your office. Although, we could stop by the workshop.¡±


    He nodded and held the door open for me. The workshop I wanted was on a lower story and a few doors down, and we reached it quickly. As I pushed the door open and stepped inside, I could sense the qi accumulated in the formations we worked with here. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to bow, so I waved them back to their work as I strolled further inside.


    To the left was a rather cluttered section taking up one side of the room. In the center of it stood a frame holding a length of tube with runes carved into it. I took a step closer and scrutinized it, but everything was pretty much as I¡¯d last seen it. This was one of my more whimsical ideas. The formations were air-based. Since there didn¡¯t seem to be any way to manipulate gravity directly. Shame. That would have been a real cheat.


    The design was similar to pneumatic tubes I¡¯d seen on Earth, that could be used to convey small loads throughout a structure. With the help of formations, this could be extended into a path or even network covering a larger area, like a city. Although it would probably lose out to simply taking stuff into a storage ring and carrying or flying it around.


    ¡°No one¡¯s experimented with that any further,¡± Suaki said, standing beside me. ¡°We wanted to get back to the slate for the formations.¡±


    I nodded and wandered off, to look at the next shiny new thing. That one was literally shiny, since the block of metal in the middle of the experiment was currently in the process of melting. I stopped a few meters away, feeling the heat on my skin. ¡°This looks to be going pretty well.¡±


    ¡°There are a few materials we haven¡¯t been able to reach the temperature to melt yet,¡± Suaki said. ¡°At some level, adding more formations to the ring around it only generates more interference.¡±


    ¡°Diminishing returns and probably a curve with an optimum point.¡± I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s try to chart this out.¡±


    It was a simple test, really: how high a temperature could we get using only formation arrays. Of course, we¡¯d placed a second ring of formations around those for safety, to contain the fallout in case something went wrong with the first or it got too hot. Simple, but I could see a number of applications.


    ¡°Actually, let¡¯s do the same thing in reverse, with trying to lower the temperature,¡± I decided. ¡°Perhaps in a different room.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if we could reach the level of liquid nitrogen, but it would be a lot more convenient and efficient to use. ¡°That might give us a simple way to store tissue samples or other material that needs deep-freezing for storage. We might even find a way to use that to shatter material ¡­¡±


    Suaki smiled. ¡°That¡¯s very interesting, Your Highness. There should be a space we could section off in workshop 2, and I have a number of students for whom this might be a good project.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I looked around the room again, but nothing caught my interest. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your study, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Suaki raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t question me. Instead, he led the way to his office, which was only a few doors down. This side of the building was dedicated primarily to formations. I¡¯d only been in his office a few times, but I found he¡¯d somehow managed to increase the clutter since then. A few more books were lying around, and a few models took up the table. At least the sunlight streaming through the window showed everything was clean, without any collected dust.


    ¡°Is there anything I can help you with, my lady?¡± he asked, removing some clutter from a chair.


    I took a closer look at the bookshelves in his office, filled with thick tomes and information storage devices. ¡°Actually, I was wondering how much you knew about formations with mental effects. Especially for defensive applications. Failing that, other wards, specifically some efficient against spirit beasts and spirits.¡±


    Suaki raised an eyebrow, then turned to his bookshelf and took down a few tomes. ¡°Let me see ¡­¡±


    The next hour was filled with technical discussion about formations. He didn¡¯t know of anything exactly like I was looking for, but it still proved to be time well spent. If nothing else, I deepened my knowledge about formations in general. After a while, I concentrated on ways of storing information using qi, asking him for a few books on that subject. They were some of the most complex known enchantments, and needed specific materials. Much of the process of making them was still not understood in detail, just born out of tradition.


    I found myself absorbing all of this information like a sponge, and following the connections he laid out easily. My special ability really showed its worth here. I also became more convinced that my theory was right. There was nothing I could point to as definite evidence, but I felt like things just fit, on an almost instinctive level. I frowned at the latest text. Usually, I¡¯d be wary of this, knowing I should rely on hypothesis-driven science and evidence. But I do have a lot of evidence for my ability ¡­


    I shook my head. ¡°That was very helpful, thank you, Expert Suaki. On an unrelated note, I wonder if you have any material pertaining to spirits and theology? Even myths. I find myself curious about this topic.¡±


    ¡°For obvious reasons, it seems,¡± he muttered, then cleared his throat. Probably realizing that he was referring to rumors I hadn¡¯t actually confirmed, as far as he knew. ¡°Of course, just give me a moment, Your Highness.¡±


    He was in the process of picking out books and laying them on the table when the door opened. I whirled around, feeling tense for a moment, before I realized I¡¯d simply overlooked the familiar presence coming.


    Tenira paused in the doorway, a smile on her face. ¡°Sorry if I interrupted you. But there¡¯s great news. Inaris, we finally got the plane working. Just finished its first test flight.¡±


    I jumped up, everything else forgotten. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    We hurried out of the room and through the building, Suaki tagging along behind me and Tenira. It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach the courtyard where the test must have been done, and I skidded to a stop in front of the plane and the team of researchers working on it, absentmindedly waving them up from their bows.


    It was still more of an airship than a real plane from Earth, with air affinity qi in formation arrays as the main source of lift and thrust. But it looked familiar, with wings like a typical plane, flaps on their ends. There was a propeller, one that we would hopefully be able to operate on batteries at some point. The whole thing was built out of a dark material that had to be some metal alloy, although I wasn¡¯t quite sure of the details. A good thing we had earth cultivators working on it, though. This would have taken a lot longer to construct the normal way.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Perfectly,¡± Lei answered, grinning broadly from where he stood at the head of the team. ¡°It handled as expected and we didn¡¯t notice any issues during the flight.¡±


    ¡°Great. Then I¡¯m going to try it out.¡±


    Aston cleared his throat. He had appeared behind me at some point. ¡°Your Highness, your safety ¡­¡±


    Definitely just Aston this time. I made a dismissive gesture as I stepped up to the plane, opening the cockpit. ¡°If anything happens, I have protections and I could survive an explosion easily. Besides, you could catch me.¡±


    He was an air cultivator of the late sixth stage, not to mention Mior¡¯s help. That really wouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    The inside of the cockpit looked crude, though it might be a good thing the controls were simple. I took a moment to familiarize myself with everything again and double-check it, before I got the plane moving. I turned its nose, then accelerated. A quick yank of the lever tilted it upwards, and before I knew it, we¡¯d taken off from the ground.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin broadly as I soared into the air above the city. People in the street stopped and stared. But after a moment, I banked, pulling away so it was headed in the other direction, over the fields. I still kept the plane climbing, though. My enhanced reflexes and control over my body, as well as perfect memory of how things worked, helped me manage the controls.


    I¡¯d been in a smaller airplane once, one that had two seats. This one was even smaller, but I felt the same sense of freedom, nothing much separating me from the sky. I whooped and laughed as I attempted a barrel roll. I wanted to try every crazy thing I wouldn¡¯t manage with a flying sword, though I manged to keep my glee in check somewhat. Turning my head, I watched Aston flying beside me, arms crossed.


    But it didn¡¯t dampen my enthusiasm. This is so cool. I grinned again as I soared through the sky.

 72: Report, reward, retraining

    <div>


    ¡°Inaris, I think we¡¯re about to arrive. That¡¯s the city beneath us,¡± Yarani said. Her words were a little undermined by how she kept drawing circles on my shoulder with her finger.


    I groaned. ¡°Already? I kind of don¡¯t want to get up now.¡±


    Yarani finally stopped and smirked at me. ¡°Maybe you could explain to your Mother that you¡¯d rather stay with me?¡±


    I finally levered myself upright and shook my head. ¡°At least we¡¯ll get a proper bedroom next time.¡±


    As I started getting dressed, I looked around the cabin. It was pretty big considering the size of the airship, but still just an airship cabin. The bed was just barely big enough for two people, and it felt a bit claustrophobic. Not that I would say that out loud, since I knew it was a petty complaint.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad we seem to have worked out whatever it was,¡± Yarani said as she stood up as well.


    I paused for a moment to appreciate the view and shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Sorry if I¡¯ve been neglecting you.¡±


    In truth, I had been avoiding her for the last few days, since we came back from the coast. I knew that was silly. It didn¡¯t matter if I might, possibly, have feelings for someone else. This wasn¡¯t even that kind of relationship, and expectations were different anyway. Yarani probably didn¡¯t expect to stay my only lover, and it¡¯s not like I wanted to commit. I shook my head. Yeah, I was being stupid, but that¡¯s emotions for you. I¡¯m glad we spent time together now, even if it was on the airship.


    The sensation of the floor falling away beneath me brought me from my thoughts. We were descending. I quickly checked my clothing and combed my hair, before I opened the hatch and stepped out, Yarani behind me. The guards waiting outside the next corridor were the picture of professionalism. Not sure if I¡¯ll ever get used to that.


    Tenira and Lei joined us in the main hold, deep in conversation about some topic. Since I hadn¡¯t heard the beginning, I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it sounded like they were discussing the merits of different ways to store electrical energy. Nerds, I¡¯m surrounded by nerds ¡­ not that I am any better.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long for the lurch of touching down, and then the hatch opened. I stepped outside, taking a moment to scan the area. We were once again on a roof of the palace, though a different one this time. Did they rotate through or something? That might make sense for security reasons. This one was a bit sloped, the surface uneven, but we could handle it. I stepped outside, looking around. A few people waited for us, most of them guards, two people I recognized as Kariva¡¯s subordinates, and of course Mother.


    Cloth rustled behind me as people sank to their knees. I only gave her a bow, since this wasn¡¯t really a formal event.


    ¡°Rise, everyone,¡± Mother said stepped forward to greet me. ¡°Guards, please report for debriefing. You as well,¡± she said looking to Lei, Tenira and Yarani.


    They glanced at me, and I smiled at them, trying to convey that we would see each other later. They walked off, along with the agents and some of the guards.


    ¡°Aston,¡± Mother said, stopping my guard captain in his tracks. She frowned at us. ¡°Inaris, why is your guard linked to a spirit? And Rijoko¡¯s closest attendant, at that?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what I was implying in my letter. They didn¡¯t want me to give too many details.¡±


    Qi swirled around Aston, until the wispy form of Mior emerged from him, as if stepping out of Aston¡¯s aura. The spirit smiled at Mother. ¡®Empress Acura, it¡¯s nice to meet you again. This is something Inaris and I worked out. And Aston, of course. He agreed to this.¡¯


    Aston ducked his head, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation, but didn¡¯t contradict us. After a moment, he spoke. ¡°This one apologizes if he overstepped, Your Majesty. I am simply trying to do my best to protect my lady. Honored spirit Mior has been nothing but courteous, and I believe they share my goal.¡±


    Mother rolled her eyes. ¡°Alright. I suppose there¡¯s little I can do about spirits¡¯ affairs involving Inaris. But please give us a moment.¡±


    Mior¡¯s form dissipated again, and Aston bowed before following the others. I couldn¡¯t help but relax a little at Mother¡¯s reaction. I hadn¡¯t anticipated much trouble, but it seemed that she didn¡¯t really mind at all. Maybe she¡¯d even expected something like this, or just appreciated that Rijoko seemed to want me protected? I certainly wouldn¡¯t complain.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk, Inaris,¡± Mother said.


    I nodded and followed her as she turned and crossed the roof. We emerged into the corridors inside one of the palace¡¯s towers, but she kept walking without saying anything for now. I studied her a bit more closely, and was surprised to realize that she didn¡¯t look as impeccable as usual. Her expression was set with small lines, and there were a few other subtle signs of stress. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit unnerved. Was something going on, or just the stress of normal politics? Well, with things heating up between us and the Zarian Dominion, and all the changes we were undertaking, there was certainly enough to keep her busy.


    ¡°Tell me what happened, please,¡± she finally said. ¡°In detail.¡±


    I nodded and gathered my thoughts for a moment before I started to recount what happened. I tried to keep it concise and to the point, but I didn¡¯t leave out anything I judged as important. There would be no point in it. I gave a little more detail on what we¡¯d seen in Inera¡¯s castle, and what happened with Mior. Mother started frowning from the point I mentioned the spirits kidnapping Al, though she didn¡¯t react otherwise. The frown stayed on her face until I finished, but at the end, she merely looked thoughtful.


    I glanced around. We were still walking through the palace, at a leisurely pace, but I could feel qi around us, probably shielding our conversation. Even the guards following us were left out.


    ¡°Can you show me that storage device?¡± Mother asked.


    I took out the crystal and handed it to her, watching as she poked at it. Then she shook her head and made it vanish into a pocket of her robe. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get much more from it, the qi matrix was pretty degraded, but it was probably worth it to try.


    ¡°Do you want more bodyguards? We also have a few agents trained to deal with spirits.¡±


    I considered for a moment before I shook my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. With Mior around, they won¡¯t try something like this again. But they might try to strike at other people they consider vulnerable.¡± I paused as something occurred to me. ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaodan, actually? I thought she¡¯d be waiting to meet us. Is she having a breakthrough?¡±


    Mother smiled wryly. ¡°I believe she¡¯s pouting. She should get over it soon enough.¡±


    I chuckled. I wouldn¡¯t bet against her coming to find me later this evening, trying to drag me off for playing somewhere.


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    Mother turned a corner, and I finally realized where we were going. The royal crafting workshops. I hadn¡¯t been here often, since my team had their own facilities. Mother opened the door to one of them and swept inside. It was a rather large space, with a dozen workbenches and cleared areas, as well as connections to other parts of the structure.


    I paused at one of the tables. ¡°You have a radio here?¡±


    Mother nodded. ¡°They¡¯re trying to optimize it. We¡¯re already producing them in larger quantities and shipping them to other locations.¡± She flipped out its antenna and turned the dial, but we only got static crackling.


    ¡°That sounds like it shouldn¡¯t be much longer until they¡¯re adopted widely,¡± I said, grinning. ¡°That would be huge.¡±


    Not just for propaganda purposes, although I had no illusions that it wasn¡¯t going to be used that way. But this would carry information to many people, easily accessible and without needing to dip into their qi reserves. News, entertainment, perhaps even learning.


    ¡°There are still a few challenges before we¡¯re at that point,¡± Mother pointed out. ¡°Those people actually have to get radio receivers.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should get some crystal radios, those don¡¯t need a power source if I remember correctly,¡± I said, turning around to focus on her. ¡°We might even be able to get them mass-produced. That would help our plans there along, too.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still the issue of convincing people to buy them. They don¡¯t even use qi, will probably be expensive at first, and people might not see the need.¡±


    I had an idea and couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°There¡¯s an easy solution to that. You just need some specialized night programs.¡±


    Mother raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don¡¯t mean ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hey, sex sells. There¡¯s always a demand for things like that. Especially if it¡¯s something new and unprecedented. People will line up to buy a radio.¡±


    Mother groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t refute your arguments, but the conservatives will be screaming bloody murder at me.¡±


    I stepped away from the table, shrugging. ¡°So just have private companies do it. Maybe set up licenses or something, or just plan out how to distribute frequencies and timeslots.¡±


    Mother sighed and turned away. ¡°Well, I was actually going here for another small thing. Let me show you.¡±


    Curiously, I followed her to the back of the room, where she took a box from a shelf and laid it on a nearby empty table. She took aside the cloth covering it to reveal a dark wooden box with some inlays in a lighter metal.


    ¡°Since you lost your spear, I thought this would make for a nice reward,¡± Mother said. She raised the lid and took out a gleaming dark weapon.


    I stepped forward, taking in every detail. It was a pretty long spear. The head was black, made from metal going by the texture, and shaped so there were hooks on the bottom side. The shaft was mostly crafted from a silver-gray material, but there were black veins tracing through it, and tiny black runes engraved all along the shaft. It practically hummed in my qi senses. Carefully, I lifted it out. The spear was heavy, perhaps too heavy to be used by a normal human, but light enough for my enhanced strength.


    ¡°The head is from a special steel alloy with qi infused regularly, smelted in one of the Earth Continent¡¯s volcanoes,¡± Mother commented. ¡°The shaft is mostly crafted from sea dragon bone, with some inlays of obsidian from volcanoes in the highest mountain range of the Fire Continent. The spear was assembled and inscribed in a place soaked with spiritual qi, in the wilderness of the Earth continent.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°The whole thing is probably expensive enough to buy a noble estate in most parts of the Empire. So be careful.¡±


    I gave it a few twirls, trying out how it felt in my hands. My previous spear had also been a reward from Mother, according to Aston, something I picked out after reaching the middle of the third stage. But I could tell this was a league above that.


    I rested the butt on the ground and turned to Mother, smiling broadly. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon fine enough that most like it are given a name.¡±


    I cleared my throat. ¡°I¡¯m not good at naming things.¡± I looked back at the spear. It looked badass. ¡°Now I want to call it something stupid like ¡®Eviscerator¡¯. Or maybe ¡®Caliburn¡¯, even if it¡¯s a spear.¡± I shrugged and turned to Mother. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Because I trust you. To handle it, and yourself, well. I want you to be able to defend yourself, and it works out.¡±


    I nodded and looked back at the weapon, chewing on my lip. ¡°Then I think I¡¯ll call it ¡®Fides¡¯. Maybe ¡®Fides Imperatricis¡¯.¡± I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s a little pretentious, but a weapon like that deserves a pretentious name.¡±


    Mother nodded and tidied up the box, while I put the newly-christened Fides into my storage ring. I¡¯d need to familiarize myself with it on the training ground. She probably didn¡¯t speak Latin, since she didn¡¯t react to the gesture. That¡¯s just as well. She might think I¡¯d put everything behind me. I straightened up. I think the name is appropriate, in more than one sense, now and in the future. A good reminder for me.


    ¡°There is something else we should talk about, but it can wait until tomorrow,¡± Mother said. ¡°Come to the meeting at noon, and we¡¯ll go over some other stuff. For now, though, I¡¯d like to see just how vulnerable your mind is.¡±


    I blinked in surprise. ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Come on. It¡¯s about time you get some training, anyway.¡± Mother took my arm, and I closed my eyes against a sudden bout of nausea as my surroundings unraveled.


    When I opened them again, we stood in darkness, in what looked like a back corner of the palace¡¯s gardens. A few trees¡¯ limbs were reaching at me like they wanted to grab and keep me. But I couldn¡¯t spare much attention to my surroundings, because my mind was under attack.


    Mother¡¯s telepathic offensive felt different than the Pioneer¡¯s, but still more than enough of a challenge. I¡¯d connected to her consciousness before, talking telepathically, but now it was much sharper. Her mind felt like a blade forcing its way through my mental defenses. I closed my eyes and focused on trying to stop it. My body shivered as I failed. I tried to slow her, throwing new mental walls at her, trying to focus on unrelated things and drown her in nonsense.


    When she still advanced steadily, and I felt my mental defenses buckling, I tried the same tactic I had against the Pioneer, rushing forward in a mental attack of my own. But I ran into a wall, cold hard thoughts that sent my mental grasp crashing to a halt.


    ¡®You¡¯re sloppy,¡¯ Mother said, her words driving into my head like drills. ¡®Is that all?¡¯


    I grit my teeth, shoving a surge of frustration out to reinforce my defenses, while I focused on my visualization. I created a labyrinth in my mind, constructed of winding, interwoven thoughts about nothing in particular, trying to slow and redirect her advance. It actually showed some results. I felt Mother¡¯s mind gliding against the illusionary walls, pushing against the whole construct.


    Then she suddenly rushed forward, crashing through my defenses, sending a stabbing pain into my head that scrambled my thoughts for a moment. I could feel Mother in the layers of my mind, like a heavy, glittering presence. My connection to Rijoko intensified just a bit, a trickle of qi stirring, before it subsided and lay dormant again. At least Mother didn¡¯t search through my mind, but withdrew quickly.


    ¡®Your defense is a mess,¡¯ she said. ¡®You clearly retain some of your prior training, but without much coherence or guidance. You have a strong will and determination, which is good to see, but you¡¯re hampering yourself.¡¯


    I blinked as her mind withdrew from mine, and I felt a tremble going through the environment. When I opened my eyes again, we were on the rooftop terrace above her rooms, where we¡¯d spoken several times. I wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d moved us here or if the previous scene had been an illusion. That, more than her words, sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, swallowing my pride with the ease of practice. ¡°What do we do about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave most of your training to Mior. However, there¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t give you some pointers to start.¡±


    I nodded, watching her attentively.


    Mother clasped her hands and straightened up, taking on a lecturer pose. ¡°The most important thing for now is consistency. You need an overarching strategy. Like with many things, practice will make it easier to work on that while paying attention to your surroundings, trying to get tells from your opponent, and preparing your own attacks.¡±


    That sounds like I¡¯m going to get my mind pummeled a lot. I suppressed a grimace and kept listening.


    ¡°A strong visualization is key,¡± she continued. ¡°To be fair, it is neither necessary nor sufficient. You could do without it, and a strong visualization without other things will not help you much. For beginners, it is often recommended to keep to something strongly associated with defense, which will resonate with your intent to keep intruders out. For example, a wall, or your labyrinth, or a fortification line with bunkers for that matter. Another important principle is being able to split your efforts and intent while not wavering on any one part of the defense ¡­¡±


    She lectured me for another ten minutes, before she tested my mind again. I thought that this time, I was doing a slightly better job. At least, it took a few seconds longer before she was in. The headache starting to build didn¡¯t let me feel much joy in that, and I sighed and forced myself to pay attention as she started critiquing my efforts. This felt like it would be an exhausting lesson.

 73: Politics and proposals

    <div>


    By the time noon rolled around the next day, I was seriously considering my life choices. Maybe some other ones wouldn¡¯t have led me to the pounding headache that was attacking my brain, making my thoughts feel sluggish and sending stabs of pain through my mind. Damn mental defense training. Damn Mior.


    I straightened up and wiped the grimace off my face before I opened the door to the meeting room Mother wanted to see me in. It was one I¡¯d been to often enough in the past, and a quick glance showed it hadn¡¯t changed. Although Mother was sitting at the head of the conference table alone, only a few guards beside the door outside.


    When I came in, she looked at me and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Take a seat, Nari. You look stressed.¡±


    I shrugged and sat down, leaning back in my chair. ¡°Just feeling all the training. I think Mior was miffed that you started without them, and decided to try and outdo you.¡±


    Mother looked like she was trying not to smile. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s probably for the best. Their style is different than yours.¡± I frowned as I had a sudden thought. ¡°Maybe visualization just isn¡¯t their thing, or because of the differences between humans and spirits, they approach it differently.¡±


    Mior certainly didn¡¯t give me nearly as many pointers on it as Mother did. They included my connection to Rijoko in the lessons and brought some qi into it, but didn¡¯t give me many tips on actually building those defenses. Though I felt like I had improved considerably in the training the spirit had forced on me all morning.


    Mother made a noncommittal sound and turned to a few sheets of paper that were suddenly lying on the conference table. I realized she was probably aware of those differences and may have done it on purpose. Oh well.


    ¡°I asked Mior to train Tenira and the others as well,¡± I continued to change the subject. ¡°They refused, saying they didn¡¯t want to teach the whole clan. Since most go through soul journeys.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I guess I can see that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for additional training for them,¡± Mother assured me before I could even ask.


    I smiled thankfully, then looked around the room. We were still alone here, although Mother had mentioned a meeting, and it sounded like this would be one of the regular ones. Maybe others were coming later, and she wanted to talk to me first?


    ¡°Did you want to talk to me privately?¡± I asked.


    Mother looked up and sat up straighter, stacking the papers again. The angle was awkward so I had trouble reading what was written on them, but the one on top looked official. The letters were drawn artfully, with the first ones bigger than the rest and a few flourishes. Same for the signature. Maybe it was official correspondence.


    ¡°Over the last few weeks, rumors about you have started to spread,¡± Mother said, tapping her finger on the table. ¡°One rumor especially. That you¡¯re a spirit-child of a Greater Spirit. Most often, Rijoko, the Moon.¡±


    I made a face, but nodded. That was to be expected, I¡¯d even seen it before. ¡°Are you using that for PR?¡±


    Mother hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°A bit, yes. I think Kariva is gently encouraging those rumors, although she hasn¡¯t said much.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess now that the cat is out of the storage ring, we may as well take advantage of it,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can keep it quiet anymore, our enemies already know. Just don¡¯t milk it too badly?¡±


    Mother cleared her throat. ¡°That was my thought as well. However, it may have had a few consequences I haven¡¯t taken taken into account well enough. Namely, the rumors have spread beyond the Empire. People in the other parts of the Earth Continent are already talking about it, and it seems to make the rounds in the Dominion. But the governments of other nations have better sources of information and more to go on. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they heard something from spirits, actually.¡±


    I sat up straighter. I hadn¡¯t considered that. I glanced at the paper on the table again, seeing it in a new light. ¡°Go on, hit me with it.¡±


    ¡°The Kingdom of Terbekteri.¡± Mother frowned a little. ¡°You remember that proposal I told you about months ago?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re back in force?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I feel a bit bad even talking to you about this.¡± Mother tapped her fingers on the table again and frowned at the papers. ¡°But yes, they¡¯ve renewed their proposal. The king seems quite insistent now.¡±


    I frowned as I recalled the details. ¡°Weren¡¯t you working something out so only one of their proposed marriages went through, with one of our distant cousins taking the plunge?¡±


    ¡°That was the idea, and the negotiations were going well.¡± Mother raised an eyebrow pointedly. ¡°Until someone awakened their bloodline and people learned there was a daughter of a Greater Spirit running around. That way, and with your absurdly fast rise, it¡¯s almost certain you¡¯ll inherit, and it would mean a greater bond between them and us. Perhaps they also considered the new technology.¡±


    ¡°So, what, I brought it on myself?¡± I sighed. ¡°Do you really want to arrange such a marriage for me?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my choice.¡± Mother scowled at me. ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t even want to bring it up. But we¡¯re talking about the fate of the Empire here. Terbekteri doesn¡¯t want to settle for anything less now, and we could really use this alliance. We have the Dominion rattling their sabers south of us, and even trying to intimidate what other trade partners we have. The Kingdom has signaled that they¡¯re willing to put more on the table, forming an actual alliance, perhaps even with military aid.¡± Her expression softened a bit. ¡°I¡¯ve had people investigate, and their tenth prince really doesn¡¯t seem half bad. Besides, he¡¯s going to come here and become one of your spouses.¡±


    I crossed my arms behind my head and took a moment to pout. Then I sighed. ¡°Okay, I guess. Let me see if I understand this correctly. He¡¯ll come to this court, and will be my consort. So, it¡¯s not going to be a monogamous pairing?¡±


    Mother nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll be able to have more consorts if you want, or take other lovers. That¡¯s the tacit assumption. He¡¯ll just be your first spouse.¡±


    ¡°Then we won¡¯t need to have much to do with each other, right? Actually, I guess I wouldn¡¯t even need to have sex with him if I don¡¯t want to.¡±


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    ¡°People would prefer if you do, but I¡¯m certainly not going to force you. They want this marriage; for all I care, you can just let him live here and never see him again.¡±


    I shrugged and tilted my chair back. ¡°Then I can hardly refuse, can I? Alright. I¡¯m in, just don¡¯t expect me to send out cards.¡±


    Mother blinked. ¡°Well, that went easier than I expected. Are you sure?¡±


    I made a face at her. ¡°Like you said, this is about the Empire¡¯s future. I may not like the way this works, but it¡¯s an important political thing. I¡¯m responsible enough to care about that. It¡¯s probably the least I can do for all the privilege I get as a princess. Like we established, it¡¯s not much of a sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl. I¡¯m glad you understand. And I¡¯m sure this alliance will be more than worth it.¡± She smirked a little. ¡°I also wasn¡¯t kidding about the prince being handsome.¡±


    I rolled my eyes again, but I couldn¡¯t help but return her smile. It felt good to hear Mother praise me, to feel like she appreciated me. I paused at that thought, considering my reaction more closely. I get the feeling that didn¡¯t happen often, before. Or maybe I¡¯m just overthinking things.


    Mother turned away and flicked her hand, opening the door to the room. Almost on cue, the first people started arriving.


    I sat up straighter and tried to put my game face on, but I was still preoccupied thinking about this less than romantic proposal and what it meant. Mother started the meeting quickly, but luckily didn¡¯t dwell on the topic, instead turning to some logistical issue regarding the coastal regions. We expected intercontinental trade to pick up after this alliance, and she clearly wanted to be prepared for it. Personally, I was a bit glad that it would take time to work out all the details and complete the negotiations. I¡¯d be happy to leave those to Mother.


    The meeting dragged on, while I struggled to pay attention. It was mostly consumed by boring topics, the sort that didn¡¯t seem all that important but that I knew I had to be familiar with. After all, I might need to reorganize political entities, or influence or control the currency, or set standards on working conditions in new fields.


    Though I suspected Mother had been some sort of businesswoman, or worked in finance, before. She appeared to know a lot about this and a few concepts seemed suspiciously similar to what I¡¯d learned in school, not that I¡¯d ever been interested in economics. But I was pretty sure investment banking and fonds shouldn¡¯t be much of a thing here. Though, she wasn¡¯t the first transmigrator and maybe I shouldn¡¯t assume the Empire would be stuck in mercantilism.


    After a few hours, the meeting finally concluded. I was one of the first people to stand up, bowing to Mother and taking off before she could find more things to talk to me about.


    Once outside the meeting room, I paused for a moment, unsure what I wanted to do. There were a lot of options, from refining my techniques to visiting the city. I caught myself wishing Tenira was here, so I could talk to her. Then again, I didn¡¯t really want to talk to her about me getting married. The thought made me grimace, and I set off at a quick pace.


    I wound up at the library, grabbing several books. I¡¯d also taken along the ones Suaki had lent me, and needed to look through them more. I didn¡¯t like how little I knew or understood about the spirits and their little feud involving me. I needed to be more proactive, and for that, information would be helpful.


    I¡¯d only been reading for a few minutes before I was interrupted by Al stumbling through the door. He looked a bit pale and wore a frown. That lightened when he saw me. ¡°Nari, I think that mental defense training might have been a mistake. Mior is no fun. Can you fire them?¡±


    I chuckled and shook my head. ¡°I know how you feel. We¡¯ll just have to get through it. Did you make progress?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting out that easily.¡± Aston followed Al in and took up a guard position. His voice sounded like it had sort of merged with Mior¡¯s, again. ¡°Alaster performed well enough. He might be less work than you, Little Light.¡±


    I pulled a face. ¡°Was it too much to hope Aston¡¯s tact would come out on top?¡± I closed my book and frowned at my guard-cum-spirit relative. When did my life get so weird? ¡°Anything I should be aware of? What¡¯s going on with Rijoko and Jideia?¡±


    ¡°Just the usual,¡± Aston-Mior replied. They were standing in a more relaxed way, but still obviously guarding against trouble. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve heard congratulations are in order?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Besides, it¡¯s going to take a while to sort everything out.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t heard anything,¡± Al spoke up, looking at me curiously. ¡°Did you master a technique or something?¡±


    I rested my head in my hands, resisting the temptation to glare at the suspiciously well informed possession duo. They may have genuinely wanted to offer congratulations. After a moment, I looked back up and told Al what that was about in a few words. It wasn¡¯t like it was a secret, or anything I should find embarrassing, even if I did.


    It took a few moments for him to stop chuckling, which I spent studiously looking for the next book to read. A collection of historical tales and fables with commentary and attempts to contextualize them geographically and archaeologically caught my attention. And ignoring him might have helped Al get off his high horse sooner.


    ¡°I fail to see what¡¯s so funny about it,¡± I grumbled into the book. ¡°Just wait. If you annoy me enough, maybe I¡¯ll arrange to have you marry some ugly old woman at some point.¡±


    I looked up to see Al grinning. ¡°Mother¡¯s not going to let you do that. Empty threats.¡±


    ¡°I can wait until I¡¯m Empress. My revenge will be all the sweeter for having stewed so long.¡± I steepled my fingers and chuckled. ¡°Beg for mercy now, and I may make it an ugly old man instead.¡±


    That made Al blush slightly. He glanced at Aston/Mior, then back to me. ¡°Nari, that¡¯s a little ¡­¡±


    I straightened up. ¡°Sorry if I went too far. ¡°


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, I started it.¡± Al ambled closer, taking a seat in front of the table I was sitting at. ¡°Anything interesting you¡¯re working on?¡±


    I pushed one of the books over to him. ¡°That¡¯s a collection of fairy tales and childrens¡¯ stories. You might find it interesting. There¡¯s lots of pretty pictures, and even vocabulary help and lots of explanations.¡±


    He pushed it back and rolled his eyes. ¡°How could I take those away from you? You¡¯ll need it more than I do.¡±


    I chuckled and turned back to my book. He fell silent as well and grabbed one of the other books. For the next few minutes, we read in companionable silence. I was almost surprised to see Aston still standing there when I looked up once.


    I frowned, glancing at the page of my book again, although I¡¯d just read and memorized it. This might be interesting. I looked back up to him. ¡°Mior, you lived through a lot of the events passed on as myths, right?¡±


    Aston straightened up, and his aura shifted a little. Mior¡¯s telepathic voice answered me. ¡®Some of them, yes. Although it¡¯s not like I was there to see all or even many of them.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡°Still, you must know a lot. How much of the what¡¯s in the myths and legends is true?¡±


    They walked closer a few steps, Aston¡¯s face thoughtful. ¡®It varies. As you probably know, there are often many different versions of such legends. Most of them are based on truth. Sometimes, one of the versions of a tale will be what actually happened. Other times, all of them might be somewhat wrong. Those of religious significance tend to be the most well preserved, although there might be some substantial bias in them as well.¡¯


    I smiled. ¡®Thanks.¡¯ For a moment, I considered pressing further. But I didn¡¯t know how Mior might react to what I was considering, and I didn¡¯t really want to share it with them in any case.


    Just then, the door opened slightly, and I put the book down as I saw my little sister poking her head in. Xiaodan looked hesitant.


    ¡°Little An!¡± I smiled and stood up. ¡°I was just going to ask Al if he wanted to play some football. Soccer, to be clear. Do you want to join us? The more the better it¡¯ll go.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tell her the game really needed more than that.


    Xiaodan stepped into the room, returning my smile. ¡°Soccer? I don¡¯t know that game.¡±


    ¡°Then Mother failed in instilling some proper cultural values and knowledge,¡± I said with a straight face but a bit of teasing in my tone. ¡°It¡¯s probably Earth¡¯s most popular game. Are you coming, Al?¡±


    He rolled his eyes but closed his book. ¡°Do I have a choice, or are you going to drag me along anyway?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I put his book back onto the pile and then walked off.


    Aston showed a hint of a smile before he quickly returned to an expressionless mask. Al grumbled under his breath but followed along. With the smile on Xiaodan¡¯s face, I knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist, anyway.


    We quickly headed to a sheltered courtyard, the books forgotten, while I sent a guard to get us a ball. As we walked, I considered that I might get some of my siblings¡¯ friends to join us, as well. Although spending time with just the two of them might be better.

 74: Places lost and forgotten

    ¡°Come on, Nari!¡± Al called, grinning. ¡°Get a move on, you don¡¯t want us to leave you behind!¡±


    Grudgingly, I sped up. I knew the guards would take good care of Al, although I wouldn¡¯t put it past Mior to let him run into trouble to teach him a lesson. But that didn¡¯t mean I should let him get too far ahead. This wasn¡¯t a safe place, after all. Even if everything seemed quiet and tranquil right now.


    I craned my neck to look up at the peak of the mountain we were starting to ascend. It was lost in the clouds, but still an impressive view, with rocky slopes, a few forests and a glacier or two to decorate it. The Western Mountains weren¡¯t as large as the Central Mountains, as a range or individually, but they still offered a nice view. Of course, they were probably more dangerous, since the whole mountain range was what I would call a qi anomaly. You could see that in the way the top of the mountain, peeking through and underneath the clouds, seemed to warp if you looked at it for more than a second. The qi around here was turbulent, flowing in ever-changing paths around the landscape. No wonder not many people lived here, especially not in the mountains at the back of this valley.


    ¡°Your Highness, the path seems to be shifting,¡± one of my guards said, a concerned expression on her face as she looked at the rocky path under our feet.


    I sighed and nodded, before I put on a burst of speed. It didn¡¯t take long until we reached Al, since the group of guards with him had the sense to slow down.


    I hadn¡¯t wanted to bring him along, of course. It was a stupid risk. But Mior had insisted on bringing him, supposedly so we could continue our mental defense training. Oh well. There¡¯ll be more risk to me than to him, but even if they¡¯re annoying, Mior will be there.


    ¡°The shifting seems to be getting worse in that direction,¡± I pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s another path to the side there. I think it wraps around back in the direction we were going. If nothing else, we should be able to climb that wall. Unless one of you can tell me more?¡±


    I had channeled light qi into my eyes and had a pretty good perception with that, but I was still not even in the fifth stage. Maybe one of the others could see more. However, my hopes were quickly dashed by a chorus of ¡°No, Your Highness¡±.


    So we continued on our way carefully in the direction I¡¯d chosen. It wasn¡¯t really a path, maybe an animal track at most, but reasonably even so we wouldn¡¯t break our ankles even if we weren¡¯t cultivators. I still kept an eye on Al.


    ¡°Did you just want to come along to escape your birthday celebration?¡± I asked.


    He scowled at me, then quickly focused back on where he was placing his feet. ¡°Would you rather spend your thirteenth birthday attending a court party, or going on an adventure with Big Sister to explore some ominous mountain?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not actually exploring the mountain,¡± I corrected. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be much point with the way things change here, and any noteworthy resources or spirit beasts are known already.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t told us much, what am I supposed to say?¡±


    I sighed. It was a good thing I didn¡¯t have to keep my eyes on the path, so I could look back at Al while we were talking, even though it was turning steeper. Still easy enough for a cultivator. ¡°We¡¯re trying to find an ancient fortress that is supposed to be located somewhere at the top of this mountain.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s at least twenty percent clearer,¡± Al snarked, before he focused on the path again.


    At some point, mist started to gather. It reminded me a bit of the mountain where I¡¯d met the Pioneer, although this one wasn¡¯t as laced with spirits¡¯ qi. There was still qi in it, though, and some of it felt like spirits, but that should be normal in a place like this. It covered the path quickly, reducing visibility a lot, even with me using qi. It felt like the path beneath us started to tremble again, too.


    ¡°Halt,¡± I called. ¡°Let¡¯s go up this slope. Aston, or Mior, can you carry Al along?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Aston scooped up Al before the boy could even finish protesting.


    Two of the guards started ascending up the rocky ledge right away, looking like it didn¡¯t take more effort than going up an escalator. Aston followed them quickly, still holding Al. He seemed fine climbing with one hand.


    I glanced around before I went after them. It would have been much easier to fly, but with the way this place worked, I¡¯d rather not risk that. Certainly not with an airship, and flying swords weren¡¯t much faster than going up the normal way, just dangerous.


    I was climbing up the rocky wall quickly, since there were enough cracks and small ledges to make it feasible even in bad weather, when I noticed a concentration of qi. I paused, resting my feet on the nearest ledge, and turned just in time to see a spirit coalescing above me. They seemed to hang off a rocky protrusion, upside down.


    ¡®Visitors. We rarely get visitors,¡¯ they said, hissing their words. ¡®And such a delectable young spirit-child, reeking of the Moon. What are you doing here? Perhaps searching for places lost and forgotten?¡¯


    I inclined my head just slightly. ¡®I apologize for trespassing if this is your territory. However, our motives are our own. We will move on quickly and let you be.¡¯


    The spirit didn¡¯t seem to like that response. They hissed and fluttered closer, one arm stretched towards me with talons growing from their fingers.


    I let go with one arm and pushed away with my legs. Grabbing onto the spirit¡¯s arm, I hung there for a moment, distantly thankful once again that Rijoko¡¯s bloodline seemed to make me always able to touch spirits. Then my momentum carried me onward, and I landed in a crouch on another ledge, my hands raised. The spirit was spinning away, taken by my push, before they quickly righted themselves and settled into floating a few meters from me.


    With a barely audible pop of displaced air, the figure of Aston appeared beside me. I could practically see Mior lurking under his skin, and in his aura. They reached out to swat at the spirit with a casual backhand that was accompanied by a surge of qi. The offending spirit was launched away, faster than I could have moved here.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Come. Let us continue on our way,¡± they said.


    I nodded and started climbing again, though I couldn¡¯t help but glance in the direction the spirit had gone. I couldn¡¯t see them or sense their aura.


    They seemed to have passed Al on to another guard. Which he didn¡¯t particularly like, judging from the scowl on Al¡¯s face. I only saw him for a moment before Lirta started to tow him away, further up the mountainside. I hurried to climb faster so I could get back to the start of the group. It was easier here than before, as the rocky side started to flatten. I could sense the qi woven through the area tremble and shift a few times, but it seemed to have stabilized well enough.


    It took an hour of steadily making our way upward until we reached the clouds. Two times, we had to pause and assess our surroundings and route. I didn¡¯t manage to get back to the original path like I¡¯d planned, but we found other ways up. Except Al, everyone in the group was a strong cultivator, so we could make quick progress. I had the suspicion that Mior might be helping us along, but they didn¡¯t say anything and I didn¡¯t want to ask. It was better to focus on our climb, anyway.


    Although the cloud cover was sparse, it seemed to concentrate around the mountain peak. Although that wasn¡¯t much of a change considering the persistent mist. At least the clouds weren¡¯t laced with much qi, so they didn¡¯t hinder our senses much. We were clearly coming close to our destination. I held up my hand for a third time and channeled more qi into my eyes. That helped me pierce the mist, although I still didn¡¯t see enough. However, my qi senses were more useful. I felt a small disturbance a bit away, nestled on top of a plain just beneath the summit.


    I adjusted our direction. It took a bit of doing to get from the ridge we were currently on to our destination, but I managed to chart out a way. We descended for a bit, moving away at an angle, before curling back around. This led us to the steepest ascent yet, which we took slowly. I checked back several times to make sure Al was okay, but Aston carried him easily, showing no more concern than if he was taking a stroll through the palace gardens.


    Finally, we crested this ridge, closing on our destination. I could see stone walls reaching into the sky. They were pretty high and in remarkably good condition, though made from cut stones rather than a smooth wall created as one, like I¡¯d usually seen. As I came closer, I couldn¡¯t help but think that the whole thing looked like a medieval castle. The walls were made from stone and mortar. Where it was crumbling away at one point, I could see the wall was thick, material filled in between two mortared parts.


    ¡°Can you see or sense anyone there?¡± I asked the group.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Aston said. ¡°Maybe someone will come once we poke it.¡±


    I shrugged. That¡¯s kind of the point. But I didn¡¯t say that, instead just starting to walk over. Al, who¡¯d finally been set down, hurried after me, making me slow down a little. The footing was still treacherous here. But soon, we¡¯d reached the towering gate of the fortress. The wall rose up in front of us, before the tops of a few towers. I carefully inspected the lock of the door. It was in remarkably good condition, but didn¡¯t contain much qi.


    One of the guards cleared their throat, and I stepped aside with a sigh. Two of them went to work on the door. They used a few talismans and techniques I didn¡¯t recognize, probably searching for hidden formations or the like, before they carefully started to lever the door open. It creaked and groaned for a bit, but after a minute, the guards stepped through into the fortress. I hurried after them, taking a good look around.


    The walls were really thick, and I noticed a number of fortifications at the door. There were small platforms set into the walls at certain distances, perhaps to house some anti-air arrangements. The inside contained a number of smaller buildings along with two towers, one of them built onto what might have been a temple or something. The ground was packed earth, looking pretty clean. The whole place had a stillness that set it apart from its surroundings. The qi here felt far more controlled. And it smacked of spirits. The eerie silence gave me goosebumps.


    ¡°Spread out, but stay at least in pairs,¡± I said. ¡°Look for anything suspicious or dangerous. I¡¯ll take the central building. Al, come with me.¡±


    Of course, Aston/Mior joined us as well, together with a few more guards. I tried not to let my annoyance show, since I knew this was a perfectly sensible precaution.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to break into the central building. It had clear glass windows and, as far as I could tell from the vague sensations I got, pipes for carrying water and perhaps heat. There were small alcoves that might have housed lights in the entry hall as well, though of course they didn¡¯t work. There were a few tables and chairs, looking like they¡¯d only been abandoned for a few weeks. I could feel a bit more qi lying over everything here.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said. ¡°Carefully.¡± Something about the scene set me on edge, although I couldn¡¯t pin down what.


    Behind the entrance room, there was a corridor with several small rooms going off it, and what looked like a communal kitchen. Another corridor circumvented that part of the building, and instead led to a larger hall. This time, there were stained glass windows set into the stone, although most of them had been shattered. Alcoves dotted the walls, empty now, and what I assumed was the basis of an altar stood at the head. On the other end, there were several doors leading further in.


    ¡°Something¡¯s odd here,¡± I said, walking forward slowly. I paused as my gaze rested on the highest intact window, almost hidden in the back left corner. There was a crescent moon depicted on a dark background. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Rijoko¡¯s symbol?¡±


    Al shrugged. ¡°Yeah. I thought this was why we¡¯re here? Or did you expect something else?¡±


    I frowned, then continued walking. ¡°In that book, there was speculation that this was the site referenced in one of the myths, the one where Jideia creates a great storm, and Rijoko guides a mortal hero against him, until Jideia picks him up. This is supposed to be Jideia¡¯s sanctum, according to it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then why did you want to come?¡± Al asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be pretty risky?¡±


    I shrugged. Aston, who¡¯d been following along behind us, snorted. His aura was saturated with Mior¡¯s qi again. ¡®This was always risky, young one.¡¯


    I glanced back at them. ¡®Do you know more about this place¡¯s history? Were you there when it happened?¡¯


    They shook their head. ¡®No, this was before my time by a few centuries. Although I¡¯d venture a guess that Rijoko and Jideia quarreled over this.¡¯


    I nodded and continued walking forward, sending my senses out. Something was clearly happening. It felt like the qi of the place became even stiller, which only reinforced its contrast with the outside chaos. I swallowed and steeled my nerves. One of the doors from here seemed to lead outside, the others deeper into the structure.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked. ¡°Something feels weird about it.¡±


    Aston-Mior snorted. ¡®Depending on how you look at it, it¡¯s the only place not strange for many leagues.¡¯ They shrugged. ¡®These mountains feel like old times. Like the state of primordial times has concentrated here. That¡¯s why the qi is like this. Not one of the stranger qi phenomena, really.¡¯


    That made sense in a weird sort of way. I glanced at the doors again. ¡®Mior, would you go explore the middle one? It feels like spirits in there. Probably the inner sanctum if this was a temple. And Al, go back to the others and tell a few of the guards to reinforce a perimeter around us. Guards, protect him.¡¯


    Al opened his mouth, then closed it, probably remembering that he¡¯d promised to follow my instructions. ¡°Yes, Big Sister.¡± He walked off.


    Aston-Mior regarded me for a moment, eyebrow raised. Then they turned away. The way Aston walked seemed a lot more like Mior¡¯s once again, and he made no sound despite the creaky floor. His air qi billowed out to open the door. I watched for a moment, then turned around.


    Quickly, I opened the left door and stepped through. I ended up outside, on a sort of veranda leading out into a glade surrounded by trees and steep rocky slopes behind them. The qi here was stirring just faintly. I stepped out carefully, keeping my senses peeled. It didn¡¯t take me long to be sure someone was coming, just as I intended. I¡¯d poked the bear, now it was time to face it.

 75: Conversation with an enemy

    <div>


    As the seconds stretched on, doubt started encroaching on my determination. Am I really sure this is a good idea? Or at least a well calculated risk? After being burned once, you aren¡¯t supposed to come back and reach into the fire.


    I shook my head, quieting those thoughts. It wasn¡¯t like I could change my mind now. Besides, Mior was here, and I trusted them.


    I stepped forward slowly, and after a moment of hesitation, took my new weapon from my storage ring. Fides¡¯ tip seemed to stir the unnaturally still qi just a little, and its weight felt comforting in my hand.


    A heavy presence approached, and the qi in the glade across from me started to condense, until a familiar figure stepped from its whirls. The Pioneer looked the same as before, with a body a little more defined than a typical spirit, clad in flowing cultivator¡¯s robes. He carried an almost translucent spear in his hands, shorter than mine and with strips of leather wrapped around it, looking like a historical artifact. He held the weapon loosely in his hand as he stepped forward, regarding me with a faint frown.


    ¡®Rijoko¡¯s daughter,¡¯ he said. ¡®Did you come here to provoke me?¡¯


    ¡®Pioneer.¡¯ I bowed politely. ¡®I had hoped to meet you here, but it was not intended as a provocation.¡¯


    So far, it didn¡¯t seem like he was looking for a fight. At least he hadn¡¯t attacked me right away. That was good.


    Suddenly, a small pulse of qi reached me, and I tried not to wince as I felt an echo of Mior¡¯s presence. ¡®What are you playing at here, Little Light?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not planning to do anything stupid. Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ I sent back to my allied spirit, trying to be quiet.


    The Pioneer snorted. ¡®You¡¯re very bold, mortal princess. Perhaps too bold for your own good. How did you know I would pay attention to this place?¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re playing dangerous games, Inaris,¡¯ Mior said.


    ¡®Maybe,¡¯ I answered Mior. ¡®But it¡¯s a calculated risk. He won¡¯t attack me unprovoked, as we¡¯ve already proven. I don¡¯t think he even wants to. And you¡¯re here. You¡¯re my safety net. Now please, let us talk.¡¯


    At the same time, I straightened up, taking a step closer to the hostile not-actually-a-spirit. I felt Mior¡¯s qi withdraw a little, to the point I wasn¡¯t sure if they were listening in or not.


    ¡°I just want to talk,¡± I said, quietly, but I was sure he could hear me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what significance this place holds to you. What speculations I have are probably wrong or incomplete.¡± Although the way he showed up here confirmed some of it.


    The Pioneer smoothed his expression and changed his grip on his spear so it pointed straight upwards. ¡®You are playing a dangerous game,¡¯ he said, making me wonder if he¡¯d heard my conversation with Mior. ¡®On the other hand, your bravery is commendable, if perhaps misplaced.¡¯


    He turned around. I hurried to catch up to him, and followed him further away from the building. We walked in silence for a few moments. Like Mior, he didn¡¯t disturb the world around him in any way, not even the fallen leaves on the ground, and made no sound.


    He was certainly being nicer than when we had met previously. Had something changed? Or maybe it was just that he didn¡¯t have orders to work against me this time, and he wasn¡¯t feeling bound to be too hostile.


    ¡®This place was originally your father¡¯s,¡¯ he said after a bit. ¡®Although it changed hands a few times. Most recently, it belongs to my benefactor, Jideia, although it was abandoned quickly afterward.¡¯


    ¡®And I¡¯m guessing you had something to do with that,¡¯ I said.


    He didn¡¯t respond, but the way his expression tightened just a bit, I knew I was right. There were advantages to having an opponent with a perfectly human form. Besides, that he called Jideia his ¡®benefactor¡¯ caught my attention.


    ¡®You¡¯re him, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ I asked. ¡®The so-called mortal hero from the myth. I didn¡¯t manage to find out his name, but it fits. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re not really a spirit. And I know you don¡¯t hate me, or Rijoko.¡¯


    I noticed his grip on his spear tighten just a bit, and the weapon started tilting towards me. Then he brought it straight upward again. His face was expressionless. A little too expressionless.


    ¡®Perhaps,¡¯ he answered after a long moment of silence. ¡®What does it matter to you?¡¯


    ¡®I like to know who I am dealing with,¡¯ I answered, taking care to keep my tone and expression calm. ¡®And I was curious. Because I¡¯ve noticed you don¡¯t quite fit what I might have expected. And of course it matters to me if you are intrinsically hostile to me or not.¡¯


    He snorted, a sound that sounded far more humanlike than even Mior. ¡®Of course you do,¡¯ he muttered. ¡®I should have expected nothing less. Be glad I don¡¯t hate you, girl. It wouldn¡¯t end well for you if I did. Less so than it will, anyway.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow. I hadn¡¯t expected him to admit that so readily. Although, admittedly, not hating me isn¡¯t a particularly high bar. We don¡¯t even know each other and I never hurt him.


    I fell silent for a moment as I noticed he was changing course. We had been walking through sparse forest and along rocks until now, at a slow, casual pace. Now, he seemed to curve around back towards the building. We hadn¡¯t come too far from it, anyway, and had to still be within the grounds of the fortress. But now the way back led through thicker growth.


    ¡®I know it¡¯s nothing personal,¡¯ I said, ignoring the fact I was pretty sure he had something against me. At the start, at least. ¡®Although I would like to know why Jideia wants me dead.¡¯


    ¡®Because you¡¯re dangerous.¡¯ His face set, and he¡¯d bitten that answer off quickly. But something in his eyes made me think that there was more to it.


    ¡®Because I¡¯m Rijoko¡¯s daughter, and the Imperial Princess? Or because I¡¯m introducing new technology? Or because I might ascend?¡¯


    Like Mior¡¯s father had. It was just one datapoint, but that was actually pretty informative. Even if I assumed that Rijoko had had dozens of children and only one ascended, it was still a far higher rate than the general population, or even strong noble bloodlines.


    The Pioneer made a dismissive gesture. ¡®We don¡¯t care if Rijoko¡¯s daughter is a princess. Surely, you don¡¯t think we were unaware of your existence? Although I do have to admit things didn¡¯t quite turn out like I had hoped. Like I said, you¡¯re dangerous. Too dangerous.¡¯


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I frowned. That had to refer to Mother¡¯s bargain and what Carston had told people in the Dominion. Perhaps my soul journey as well. ¡®So I¡¯m not worth the risk anymore and now you want to eliminate me.¡¯


    The Pioneer shrugged and stayed silent. Clearly, he didn¡¯t want to talk about this any further. He must have already told me too much.


    I decided to change tracks. ¡®This fortress looks abandoned, but it¡¯s too well maintained. You¡¯ve clearly been keeping an eye on it. That¡¯s not the kind of sentimentality I¡¯d expect from most spirits. Is it because this was Rijoko¡¯s originally? Or was this where you ascended?¡¯


    The Pioneer stayed silent for a moment, then shook his head. ¡®Sentimentality, yes. When I was a mortal, I lived in a time of turmoil, of a shifting world and qi barely controlled, the path of cultivation only starting to be paved. I was the only one who had reached the peak of what mortals could aspire to be, what you would call the black stage, on the continent. Like most heroes of myth, I suppose, I was arrogant, clever but ¡­ not farsighted. Like other young geniuses I could name.¡¯


    I nodded without responding to what was probably a barb. I got the feeling that he hadn¡¯t had much, if any, opportunity to talk about this.


    ¡®I know my strength was why Rijoko chose me. I set out with the best intentions to help my people. But things were not as easy as they at first seemed.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®At that time, I did not actually know it was possible to ascend further. There were only rumors I had heard from spirits. Only perhaps a few others had done it. So when I saw the opportunity, I did what any true cultivator would and seized immortality.¡¯


    I frowned. I wasn¡¯t quite sure, but it sounded like he wasn¡¯t really happy with that kind of cultivator¡¯s mindset.


    ¡®So, you claimed this fortress for Jideia and he helped you ascend to the white stage,¡¯ I finished when it seemed like the Pioneer wasn¡¯t going to complete his tale.


    He cocked an eyebrow at me. ¡®You don¡¯t seem particularly bothered, considering I as good as admitted to betraying your father.¡¯


    I shrugged but didn¡¯t answer. I¡¯d expected something like this. Though, really, it almost sounded like he regretted the whole thing, like he felt guilty about his betrayal. I knew I needed to be careful drawing a conclusion like this, but it was valuable intel. And it makes me care about this, on a personal level, less. We¡¯ve all done things we regret.


    We walked in silence for a bit. I finally put my spear away. Probably should have done that earlier. After a moment, the Pioneer followed suit. He was still a lot stronger than me, but I felt that was a good sign. He turned again, too, leading us on a longer path. We could have been back at the main building by now, but instead we took a stroll through the wildest parts of the grounds around the fortress.


    ¡®You seem like too honorable a person to be an assassin,¡¯ I finally said. ¡®Are you sure you need to try to kill me?¡¯


    His face closed off as if someone had snapped shutters closed to block out light. ¡®Don¡¯t push things, girl,¡¯ he said, a warning growl in his voice. ¡®We are still enemies. You are a danger to us and perhaps the world, and I will not go against Jideia¡¯s wishes for some pretty face.¡¯


    Uh. Pretty face? Not quite what I expected. I shook my head, chasing that thought away. I should have realized that if he was originally human, and with my appearance, that might play into how this looked for him, too, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡®You know what I think? You don¡¯t really want to fight Rijoko. Do you? He helped you back then. You¡¯d rather just let the two of them squabble among themselves without getting involved. Maybe get some more distance from Jideia, too. Why don¡¯t you just do that?¡¯


    His eyes narrowed, and I saw some anger in them. His presence started to bleed out of his form more strongly, adding a weight to the air around us that made me instinctively want to cower and back off. ¡®You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, little princess. Mind your words if you don¡¯t want them to be brought to a stop.¡¯


    We were finally coming closer to the building again, on a path that opened into the glade I¡¯d stepped out onto shortly. Mior¡¯s presence was now nearer, as well. I took a deep breath. I knew I was pushing it, taking a risk. But I didn¡¯t want to stop. I¡¯d flustered him, gotten a reaction from him, and I wanted to see what more I could get, gauge his response.


    ¡®Like I said, I think you¡¯re honorable.¡¯


    He hissed. ¡®So, in order to make up for betraying my benefactor back then, I should betray my benefactor now? You think that would be honorable?¡¯ He laughed. It sounded a bit dark even in my mind, but at least his anger actually seemed to have cooled a little.


    I fell silent. There wasn¡¯t much I could say to that. I could hardly press the honor angle any further, and I didn¡¯t know enough about Jideia or his relationship with him to work on that. Although, I had picked up a few nice hints from his reactions and the way he spoke about the Greater Spirits.


    But even if things ended here, I had already gotten good results for my risk here. It was probably time to cut my losses. Though, there was one other reason I¡¯d come to face the Pioneer. I would be taking an even bigger risk, but I hadn¡¯t found any leads to other options.


    ¡®Clearly, you¡¯re honorable enough not to even try to harm me here. Even though I waltzed right into this place, which is personally important to you.¡¯ I smirked at him. ¡®You even let me provoke you without much of a response. Why, you¡¯d almost think you like me more than you would admit. Or do you simply not care about Jideia?¡¯


    By this point, we were back in the glade, with enough room for a fight. But I knew it wouldn¡¯t come to that. I looked up at the Pioneer, a grin on my face, daring him to respond.


    His eyes flashed and narrowed slightly. His head tilted to the side. I realized that he had seen through me, knew I was trying to provoke him into another mental attack.


    A moment later, his mind slammed into my defenses. I gasped and backed away a step, focusing on my visualization and my mental defenses. This was different than last time, perhaps because we weren¡¯t in a dream but the real world. The Pioneer¡¯s mind was strong, with hard spikes driving unerringly into the corners of my mind. Even without using his full strength, which I was pretty sure he didn¡¯t, he almost got me.


    But I had improved since the last time. I controlled my mind strictly, setting up and maintaining the imagined labyrinth around it, ordering my consciousness into several layers.


    But I did allow him some purchase. Just enough to make this attack real, to bleed through my mind and shake its foundations. I let some of his qi to me, go up against my mind and into the outer layers, where I kept nothing of importance. I could sense his hesitance. He didn¡¯t really want to look too closely into my mind, perhaps afraid of waking my connection to Rijoko.


    But at that point, with my consciousness under attack and a bit of foreign qi that tasted like spirit and yet human seeping into my mind, I reached into its depths myself. I grasped at the qi woven into my body, through my skull and even touching my brain, and which the connection with Rijoko brought. And I felt something shift, just the tiniest bit.


    Suddenly, the Pioneer withdrew his mind. He crossed his arms, tension in the lines of his body, and looked at me with an intensity I hadn¡¯t seen before, as if he was trying to make sense of some problem. ¡°You surprise me, Little Light. I wonder if you know what you are doing.¡±


    I blinked in surprise. His voice sounded perfectly natural, but for some reason I hadn¡¯t considered he could speak normally. I quickly suppressed my surprise and nodded my head. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    The corner of his lip tugged upward in a hint of a grin. He paused for a moment, then turned around. ¡°My name is Isuro.¡± And with that, his form dissipated and his presence moved away.


    I stared after him for a moment, wondering what was going through his head. For the first time in this conversation, I felt off-balance.


    Shaking my head, I turned around. I felt exhausted, not physically but mentally. My mind seemed to hold too much energy, and I had trouble focusing on a single thought as I walked back into the building. The light seemed brighter, the sounds both more muted and louder than before. But most importantly, there were feelings gathering at the back of my head that I didn¡¯t quite know what to do with.


    ¡®Inaris, what do you think you were doing?¡¯ Mior asked, stepping out of one of the doors and to me in a moment. Aston had his arms crossed and a bit of a scowl, an expression I hadn¡¯t seen on him before.


    ¡®Taking a risk, and I think it paid off.¡¯ I kept walking, too preoccupied to pay more attention to the unhappy spirit and probably even unhappier guard captain. ¡®Let¡¯s go quickly.¡¯


    I had gotten some information on the Pioneer and my opponents. The rest might not have gone as smoothly, but there was something to it. The feeling I had was hard to put into words, but I knew I¡¯d managed to touch qi woven into my mind, if briefly. Something connected to my memories. It didn¡¯t appear I could recover my old life¡¯s memories this easily, but perhaps this was a first step. And now I knew I had strengthened my mind and its defenses, and could strengthen it further.

 76: Welcome

    <div>


    I¡¯d almost forgotten how sharp and vast my sense of the ocean was, especially of the incoming tide. It was a weirdly specific sensation granted to me by my bloodline, but hard to compare to anything else. Of course, here at the western coast things were subtly different than the eastern ocean I¡¯d dove into, and we were considerably farther north than my first taste of this ocean during the war.


    Though the waterfront was more controlled, as well, with harbors and docks, and the coast had even been straightened out here. Western Port was a decently sized city. Though the Empire really needs some help naming locations. I shook my head to myself as I looked over the settlement. There were a number of larger houses with many windows, filling whole city districts. Probably housing complexes. Many stood near the docks, but some also closer to large buildings I assumed were factories. Those, and the buildings close to them, all looked new, with fresh coats of paint and a few saplings planted outside.


    I knew without having to ask that I¡¯d never been here before. It didn¡¯t feel familiar at all. At least the effects of my last venture were finally wearing off, and my mind felt mostly back to normal.


    ¡°This city is a trading hub,¡± Al said, coming up to me. ¡°A good place to start some new construction and manufacturing, especially with the mountains close by and the forest not too far, either.¡± He frowned as he looked to the side, where the clouds were just breaking up and giving us a view of the mountains in the distance. ¡°Is that why we traveled like this?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°This is probably the main reason Mother let me go,¡± I admitted. ¡°A small detour to the mountains on the way to pick up my fianc¨¦.¡±


    Al shook his head. ¡°So now you¡¯re here to welcome him to the Empire personally. Isn¡¯t it a bit early, though? The negotiations are still ongoing, last I heard. Though I suppose Mother would have let them know she was agreeable.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d prefer to have some time to get to know him before the wedding,¡± I said lightly.


    There was no reason to drag the negotiations out unnecessarily, though some bargaining probably still needed to happen. It did seem like the prince was eager to leave the nest. Well, I guess that¡¯s understandable. If I had nine older brothers, I¡¯d probably feel the same way.


    At that moment, Aston walked up to us, giving a short bow. ¡°Your Highnesses, we have finished securing everything, and the area is cleared.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Lead on, then. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    I would have preferred to keep this low-key, but that wasn¡¯t entirely possible. Officials from the city and a few functionaries from the palace who¡¯d gotten here ahead of me had already organized things to welcome the delegation from the Kingdom of Terbekteri. My guards had arranged a coach for us, which would bring us to a dock set aside for official Imperial business, where they¡¯d prepared things. In the meantime, I pushed back the curtains and looked out the windows as we rolled down the city streets. Guards surrounded the coach, but it wasn¡¯t an official procession, at least.


    People noticed us, of course, but they didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d known about it. More like people gawking when a celebrity car rolled past, not that I¡¯d ever seen that in person. They stared and sometimes cheered, but many just went about their business. The streets were pretty crowded, appropriate for a busy workday afternoon or evening. The sun was touching the horizon, starting to dye the sky orange to the west, but there was still a lot of light. It didn¡¯t hurt that winter had just about left in this region. The street we were on was lined by many shops, which had colorful signs out, some of them glowing. The city¡¯s houses were built higher than Blue Valley City, and it almost felt like a city on Earth. If not for subtle differences, like the qi used in place of electricity or the lack of cars.


    We drove by some new construction, and I leaned forward to catch a better glimpse of it. There was a store nearby selling what looked like mass-produced clothing in predetermined sizes. There were factories behind it, doing some kind of mechanical construction. Perhaps building carriages or other industrial machines. On the next street, I saw a sign pointing the way to a telegraph office.


    Sometimes, I loved this country, if only for how quickly it adapted these changes. But it was also a little weird. Have I been here that long already?


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach the docks. Here, things were even livelier, and I could see many people bringing in and processing the day¡¯s catch, as well as moving a lot of trade goods to and from ships and warehouses built near the waterfront. Our carriage turned to the right to head towards a particular dock, making people hurry out of the way. The waters surrounding that pier were clear of ships, although I could see one just coming in.


    Finally, we came to a stop. I waited for the guards to officially secure the area, sighing to myself, before I finally got to step out of the carriage and take a better look. They¡¯d set up a sort of podium close to the pier, and cleared out a short way to a number of other carriages standing ready. Those were more brightly painted and decorated with expensive fabrics and shiny metal. Like the one I was disembarking from, there were no horses, so they probably ran on qi. I checked the crests of the Kingdom of Terbekteri and the Empire painted on them.


    I stepped up, nodding to the guards and receiving greetings from the small group of delegates waiting there. They would take care of the Kingdom¡¯s envoys, hopefully freeing me to focus on my own issues. Of course, I would need to welcome them all. But this was clearly the prince¡¯s delegation. I¡¯d received a few documents and knew there were some envoys to join the alliance negotiations and help set up the closer contact we would need afterward, but most of the group were his retinue. At least it wasn¡¯t big. For local standards.


    The ship was coming closer rapidly, and a few minutes later it docked at the pier. I glanced at it, noting the big flag they were flying and the artistically carved statue at the prow, but nothing really captured my interest. I shifted my weight, once more wishing Tenira or Lei were here, and glanced at Al, who was standing beside me looking bored. At least it didn¡¯t take long for people to start disembarking from the ship. A few soldiers went first, then a few people in more expensive looking clothes. Then, at last, the man I was looking for. They walked down the short pier in good order. I took the opportunity to finally take a good look at him. I¡¯d seen a portrait but who knew how accurate those were.


    I¡¯d guess the prince was only a few centimeters taller than me. He wore pants and a jacket instead of the billowing robes some of his companions chose. He was well-toned, but not too muscular, with more of a lean build. He had dark-ish skin, kind of hard to place. I would have put him as ¡®mixed race¡¯ on Earth. Probably the same here, really. He wore his straight black hair long, and had expressive dark eyes. His face wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place on a movie poster.


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    I took a step forward, suppressing a smile.


    ¡°You look interested,¡± Al said, raising an eyebrow at me.


    Mother was right, he was indeed handsome. And definitely in my ¡®strike zone¡¯. Hopefully just coincidence.


    I shrugged. ¡°I can be shallow sometimes, too.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Though, I wonder if I could get him to wear his hair shorter.¡±


    Al snorted beside me. Then he shrugged. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you that. He¡¯s handsome enough, and the hairstyle could use a change, maybe.¡±


    If Al was a bit older or more sure of his sexuality, I would have joked about keeping his hands to himself. But I swallowed the comment and focused on the approaching group. This had helped me be a little more relaxed, and I managed what I thought was a warm, welcoming smile. I knew that first impressions could be important, and I wanted to at least try to build a good relationship.


    Once they stopped in front of me, one of the officials beside me stepped up to handle the introductions. He was a bit pompous, proclaiming more titles than I thought was strictly necessary, but it was probably better to be polite here. I tried to give all of them my attention, but my gaze kept coming back to the young man in the middle. I got the impression it was the same for him, though we both avoided too much direct eye contact.


    When the official finished, I took half a step forward and bowed as gracefully as I could. ¡°Honored guests from Terbekteri, please allow me to welcome you to our humble country personally, as well. In the name of my Mother, I bid you welcome in the Empire of the Sky. I am confident that we can look forward to a valuable, auspicious partnership between our countries, and our families. Prince Kajare, I welcome you especially, and I look forward to getting to know you better.¡±


    When Kajare smiled this time, it reached his eyes, and gave him a bit of a softer, brighter look. He bowed to me as well, a little bit deeper than I had. Probably appropriate given I was the heir to a nation while he was a younger child. ¡°Imperial Princess Inaris, I gladly accept your welcome. I am honored and delighted that you are receiving me personally. In the name of my Father and nation, I welcome the coming days of unity between our people.¡±


    Well, this seems to be going well so far. I nodded and smiled again, then gestured. ¡°You had a long journey, so we will not keep you. Please accompany us to the carriages, and we will travel to your temporary accommodations. Prince Kajare, I would be honored if you would share my carriage. With retainers of your choice, of course.¡±


    He glanced at a few of the older people with him, then bowed his head, the smile now gone. ¡°Of course I accept.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a long walk to the carriages, although there was some shuffling about who would walk where at the start. On the way, Al said a few pleasantries as well, and managed to sound serious and princely all the way through. I noticed that Kajare and a few others looked at him with curiosity in their eyes, probably wondering why he was here as well. I wouldn¡¯t enlighten them. After all, it wouldn¡¯t show us in a good light to tell them that both of us wanted to go on a trip rather than stay in the capital and deal with politics or social functions.


    Once we reached the parked carriages, I boarded the most ornate one, which also happened to be the largest, with the Imperial phoenix painted on the sides. Usually, I would take Tenira with me, but neither she nor Lei were here, and Al went to his own carriage. So Aston ended up in the seat beside me. Not sure how I feel about Mior listening in on everything, but alright. Kajare boarded with an older man and young woman, both of whom wore rich clothing but otherwise appeared unremarkable. Partly, that was their subdued demeanor.


    The carriage started rolling, surrounded by other carriages and guards everywhere. There was a moment of awkward silence, before I started the conversation. ¡°I hope your trip was pleasant?¡± The most clich¨¦ opening, but at least it shouldn¡¯t risk anything.


    Kajare nodded. ¡°Indeed. It was rather shorter than usual, I¡¯m told, and we had pleasant weather and avoided running into any dangerous spirit beasts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Another moment of silence ensured, while I tried not to sigh. I wanted to talk about more meaningful things with him, but I got the feeling he was already a bit uneasy. Understandable, of course. Perhaps I had come on too strongly.


    So I started asking about a favorite small talk topic, his homeland. There were a few awkward pauses at the start, but we managed to get a conversation started. The good thing was that we had a lot of conversation material, since we could talk about our different countries and keep to innocuous topics fairly easily. Of course, I still felt like I was playing a real-time puzzle game. It didn¡¯t hurt that there were different expectations for small talk, what with his nation¡¯s culture, Imperial culture, and what I was used to from my time on Earth. At least his Imperial Common was great, with only a subtle hint of an accent.


    The conversation paused again after I shared an anecdote from the lab, and he asked about my retainers and extended family. I really didn¡¯t have much to say to that, since I still didn¡¯t know them well, and he was clearly expecting things to work differently. It¡¯s like an awkward first date conversation, except neither of us chose to go on the date and we¡¯re being watched by our minders.


    I glanced at the other people in the carriage. So far, they¡¯d been very silent, probably because of the status differences and rules of conduct. According to tradition, I wasn¡¯t supposed to be alone with him, either. Which is just stupid. If we weren¡¯t engaged there would be no issue. I could talk to nobles or diplomats alone and no one would really care, nowadays.


    I straightened up a little. ¡°We should be almost there now, Prince Kajare. There is a group of airships waiting to take us to the capital.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Of course, my lady. I am looking forward to seeing the Empire¡¯s famous airships.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°These are just some personal transport vessels, but I¡¯m sure we can arrange to give you a tour of our military aircraft later on. Perhaps including the new planes currently in development, if you are interested.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate that. Thank you.¡±


    His two companions shared a quick look, as well. Probably considering how easily I would reveal secrets like that. Well, I hadn¡¯t set a date and would probably wait until after the marriage, but we were building an alliance.


    ¡°The route we will take back isn¡¯t set yet,¡± I continued. ¡°We could of course head straight to the capital. But there would also be enough time for a more relaxed trip, perhaps visiting some noteworthy sites on the way. However you like.¡±


    He shared a glance with his older companion and raised an eyebrow. ¡°My lady, do I understand correctly that you not have an answer in mind, but wish to leave the decision to me?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Of course. You are our guests. I would be happy to accommodate your wishes.¡±


    He regarded me in silence for a moment, then nodded. ¡°You are being a most gracious host.¡± He hesitated slightly. ¡°In that case, it would be best if I were to join my nation¡¯s delegates and the ongoing negotiations quickly.¡±


    I kept my face expressionless. ¡°Naturally. Then we will endeavor to travel swiftly.¡±


    Although I tried to hide it, I was a bit disappointed by his reaction. I would have preferred to travel through the Empire, both seeing more of it and taking the change to get to know my sudden fianc¨¦ better. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have given him the choice, just suggested that.


    I shook my head internally. It was easy to forget that I was the one in a stronger position here. It was understandable if he was cautious. Hey, at least he clearly isn¡¯t an entitled jerk. Of course, I was confident they wouldn¡¯t send me someone like that, anyway.


    The carriage came to a stop, and I waited for Aston to get out first. There was another awkward moment when Kajare and I tried to wordlessly determine which of us would leave before the other. In the end, I hopped out, although Imperial tradition would have called for the suitor to disembark first, which was probably him.


    I just hoped this wasn¡¯t indicative of how things would be.

 Interlude — Isuro

    There were times Isuro missed the human world. Its simplicity and focus on the physical would perhaps help him rein in his marauding thoughts better. Not that it was truly another world, of course. But here, in the depth of a qi anomaly cultivated and adjusted by spirits, it would be easy to believe such a thing. It was the safest place for him, a stronghold of Jideia that no other Greater Spirit had even poked at in millennia. But he found that safety had long lost most of its desirability for him.


    Isuro let out a mental sigh and condensed his presence into a physical form. While his ascendancy and the path he had walked let him easily exist without one, just a presence spread throughout qi, he had never quite lost his fondness for a body and the stimulation its senses provided. Not that there was much to take in in this place. His eyes were only greeted by a swirling mist of qi, a mere facsimile of the truly fluid, transitory makeup of this redoubt that his qi senses penetrated. His ears did not even pick up a whisper of wind.


    Absently, Isuro found himself moving his fingers in a small circle that opened a hole in the swirling mist, qi condensing to take in light from a place more substantial, and quite a distance away. He had a brief glimpse of a sprawling city and a gleaming stronghold nestled beside a range of towering mountains. It swiveled to focus on the palace, the many courtyards and buildings he knew lay behind its walls, but then only light poured from the scrying window.


    Of course this meager little extension of his will wasn¡¯t able to pierce the palace¡¯s wards. It wouldn¡¯t even register for the wards¡¯ monitors. Isuro shook his head at himself. It might not do any harm, but he should control himself better.


    It has become frustratingly apparent that I am somewhat captivated by Inaris, hasn¡¯t it? The thought stung his pride, but he knew it was true.


    Who knew my appreciation for women would prick me so in my old age? He snorted. He knew he had always had a preference for fair girls. The little princess with her fair skin and blond hair certainly fit. He¡¯d found her attractive ever since he really took note of her, shortly before her soul journey. But he knew that by now, it was more than that.


    He stepped forward and moved himself through the mists. If he was going to brood here, he might as well do it heading back from his self-imposed solitude on the way to the gathering place.


    The problem, he mused, was that Leri Inaris was interesting. No mortal had pricked his interest in centuries, and certainly not like this. Of course, she was the daughter of Rijoko. A certain spark was to be expected. She was someone who would change the world, if given a scrap of a chance. In a few short centuries or even decades, the world of mortals might be barely recognizable as the one it was today.


    Although that is the problem, isn¡¯t it?


    Isuro ran a hand through his hair. The balance between the nations was precarious enough as it currently stood, he agreed with Jideia on that. Making the Empire even stronger, especially by giving it a ruler who could potentiate that increase, had a high risk of disaster. And even if my patron stands to lose as the Empire keeps turning away from him to Rijoko, that does not negate his logic, does it? Even if I do have to wonder about the risks Jideia himself is taking with this balance ¡­


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    And beside all that, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge that Inaris didn¡¯t deserve to be harmed because of her Father¡¯s actions. Or because she carried dangerous potential, if you wanted to be ethical about it. She was a brave young woman who had shown remarkable resilience, a sharp wit, and a certain spunk when dealing with spirits and his own efforts to destroy her. Which had not worked out well.


    Which might be partly due to the fact that he had to acknowledge that his heart was not really in it.


    Isuro stopped his train of thought as he felt a thread of qi weave from his surroundings toward him. He reached out mentally to touch it and processed the message contained within. Giving one last sigh, he snapped some of his qi, and in a second crossed what little distance remained to his destination.


    A mortal might be surprised at the place¡¯s simplicity. Though Isuro knew Jideia could have decorated it much more richly, what would be the point? It was functional, which he preferred. The only thing really marking the place were the fact that the qi inside was more strictly controlled, the large torch in the center, and the grassy lawn suspended in the mists. Furniture could be formed according to momentary needs.


    Jideia stood some distance away from the center, currently alone. He had decided to incarnate as well, though not fully, and was little more than a roiling cloud of qi in humanoid shape. That form turned to meet him as Isuro approached, although he could sense the Storm¡¯s regard from farther away.


    Isuro gave a courtly bow, perhaps an unnecessary affectation but one he did not mind and might as well perform in his body. He kept his thoughts locked down tight, careful to keep any mention of Inaris far in his subconscious and his mind well ordered, its turmoil calmed for now.


    Jideai nodded at him. ¡®Isuro. Thanks for coming.¡¯


    ¡®Naturally.¡¯


    Of course, hiding like this wasn¡¯t necessary. He didn¡¯t think his benefactor would reproach him for his uncertainty and emotional unrest. Jideia might be many things, but he was not petty. Certainly not towards his allies. All the same, Isuro preferred not to show it.


    ¡®I just had a rather enlightening exchange with the Sun,¡¯ the Greater Spirit continued, his mental voice as bland as usual. ¡®We will need to abate our efforts. The others are not pleased with me.¡¯


    Isuro nodded, projecting a sense of understanding and acknowledgment, distantly noting his lack of dismay at the news in his own mind. ¡®I suspected that would be the case. You knew this course of action was a risk, my lord. I can¡¯t say I have no reservations, either, as you know.¡¯


    ¡®You still did well enough, even if our efforts failed.¡¯ Jideia waved a hand negligently. ¡®As expected of Rijoko, of course his child is not so easily suppressed. I will not be dissuaded that simply, of course. I know I can count on you.¡¯


    Isuro clasped his hands behind his back. He felt the urge to ask that he be left out of this, to take on other tasks. It would be sensible. But something stayed him. So he simply nodded. I suppose I do not actually wish to have less to do with Inaris.


    ¡®You are right that for now, I should focus my efforts on other pursuits. I can¡¯t let Rijoko get ahead of me because I¡¯m too focused on this one matter. All the same, our options have hardly run out.¡¯


    Isuro cocked an eyebrow. That sounded faintly ominous, at least for the Storm¡¯s enemies.


    ¡®An easy way to get at a princess is through her nation. We¡¯ll make sure the Empire is not allowed to rise any farther. It¡¯s about time for that, after all. And perhaps we can rid ourselves of the girl¡¯s potential threat more easily than you thought.¡¯


    Isuro nodded again. Whatever happened, he had the feeling that things were in the grip of change, and was not quite sure where it would all end up.


    ¡®For now, on to other matters.¡¯ Jideia¡¯s shape flowed until he took a seat on the ground.


    Isuro joined him and listened attentively to what his patron had to say, but he could not help but feel a little disaffected. Perhaps the Storm sensed it, as he ended the conversation quickly.


    Isuro felt a brief sting of relief as he left the stronghold to go talk to another spirit. He only started to feel some vigor return to his mind now.

 77: Moving on

    <div>


    Anyone who knew me probably wasn¡¯t surprised that unlike Kajare, I didn¡¯t hurry back to join the negotiations. Instead, I went to the lab. The last few hours and days had demanded a lot from me, especially when it came to dealing with people. Trying to be polite and nice to strangers wasn¡¯t exactly my idea of a good time.


    It seemed Mother understood that, since she didn¡¯t call on me to join any meetings or do any political stuff after we got back. From what I heard, things were going well and the agreement was mostly finished, anyway. I could join in the last round of negotiations. Maybe I should, since this impacted my future. But as I dove into the paperwork left in my office, I found I couldn¡¯t regret missing out on that.


    Besides, it¡¯s all about a healthy balance, right? Nothing wrong in doing something I like after a period of work I find strenuous.


    Not that this was particularly relaxing, since I had to deal with some administrative matters first. Paperwork accumulating might be a universal law, just like entropy. But it also gave me the chance to really go through what happened and what the researchers managed lately.


    Which was a lot. With telegraphs and radio finally finding more widespread use, it also seemed to have affected communication between the various research groups the imperial family, mostly Mother and me, sponsored or set up. Especially the universities and my own research groups, the one here and the one in the south. They¡¯d made a lot of progress I hadn¡¯t even thought about, especially in the small details.


    After I put the last sheet of paper down, I leaned back in my chair, looking out the window thoughtfully. The sun was shining outside, painting a line of light down my desk. Some sound filtered in, and if I concentrated on it, I could not only hear the people hard at work around me in the building, but also those walking by outside or even noise from the rest of the palace.


    Perhaps it was time to finally get back to my computer project. It had been going well until I spent less and less time on it in favor of others, finally shelving it for more immediate needs. But it had been in the back of my mind since then, and I was itching to start putting some ideas into practice now, working them out beyond idle distractions.


    For the next few hours, I forgot my frustration with political arrangements and etiquette, diplomatic dances and responsibility in favor of paper and pencil, formation plates and electrical switches. I got up two times to confer with other researchers, waving away congratulations or questions about the other stuff. I even started building a model, then the next, as the day turned to night and the night brightened again.


    I was still immersed in my project when Tenira found me. Her familiar presence caused me to look up, blinking as I realized that there were now a few more people around my workbench than before.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± Tenira said, sounding faintly exasperated. ¡°When was the last time you slept?¡±


    I shrugged and let the contents of the table disappear into my storage ring for now. I might be focused on them, but I would still prefer to talk to her privately. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my office. It¡¯s nice to see you again, by the way. I missed you.¡±


    She harrumphed, but I could see the tension in her face relax a little. I wasn¡¯t quite sure why she seemed to be grumpy at me, but there were several possibilities.


    Once I pulled over a chair for her in my office and sat down, I answered her question. ¡°I took a nap in the airship from the mountains to Western Port, with Mior watching closely.¡± I shrugged. ¡°You know I shouldn¡¯t go to sleep and dream. Mior still hasn¡¯t cleared me, so to speak.¡±


    Tenira sighed. ¡°Alright. But you should at least drink something and take care of your appearance. You don¡¯t look very presentable, Inaris.¡±


    I pulled a face. ¡°I did all of that while I was with the envoys, don¡¯t worry. Anyway, how have you been, Tenira? Is Lei here as well?¡±


    ¡°Good. Yes, he¡¯s talking with some of the others, it seems.¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, once I looked for it I found my friend¡¯s aura two rooms over in another workshop. Aston was outside in the corridor, and other guards spread throughout the building and its perimeter.


    I turned away and quickly cleared one of the tables, then put down my models on it again. The one on the left had lost some of the paper I¡¯d put in as a quick imitation of punch cards. I straightened that out, making sure that the wires and fiddly bits were all properly connected. I wasn¡¯t really a tech person, I preferred the theoretical to practical work, but everything worked okay so far.


    After Tenira had been silent for a few seconds, I glanced back up at her, finding that she still looked at me with a bit of a frown. I hid a sigh and turned to face her fully. ¡°You¡¯re upset with me, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I just wish you¡¯d been a little more, well, open. I would¡¯ve liked to accompany you on that trip to the mountains, and I know Lei would have, as well. But you were gone before we even had the chance to join you.¡±


    I nodded and had to work not to lower my gaze, feeling a stab of guilt. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry, Tenira.¡±


    ¡°And then there¡¯s this betrothal.¡± Her expression tightened just a bit. ¡°This is the kind of thing I would have liked to hear from you, not Aiki Ilia, Inaris.¡±


    I grimaced. I hadn¡¯t told her about that right away. I just wanted a bit of time to decide how to handle things. I looked up at her. ¡°I understand.¡±


    For a moment, we sat in silence. It was probably the most awkward silence I¡¯d ever experienced in a conversation with Tenira. She hadn¡¯t addressed the alliance and betrothal itself yet. I felt like it hung in the air between us like a hidden weight. Though I knew that was just me.


    ¡°Well,¡± she finally said. ¡°With that out of the way, I should go check on the others and get started on setting up the things I brought back.¡±


    ¡°Wait, please,¡± I said, stopping her as she was rising from the chair. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you about these things.¡±


    She regarded me in silence for a moment, before she sat back down. ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    I opened my mouth to apologize again, this time for not conferring with her before I made a decision, but then I paused. I just shook my head. ¡°I would have liked to talk to you about these things before they were decided, Tenira. But you weren¡¯t here. I wouldn¡¯t let Mother wait for something that was actually pretty clear.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad this is such an easy decision for you,¡± she said, tilting her head slightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought so, to be honest. I¡¯ve been a little worried about how you would deal with some cultural aspects.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s probably smart of you.¡± Then I sighed again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do something like this, Tenira. But like I told Mother, it¡¯s important for the Empire and pretty much the least I can do.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± She gave me a smile, finally. So what if it wasn¡¯t particularly bright. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking these things so seriously. I know you¡¯ll deal with it. And I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    I returned her smile, trying to hide my mixed feelings at her words. A hidden part of me didn¡¯t want her to be so accepting and even encouraging. Although I wasn¡¯t even sure how much of that was because she felt she should.


    ¡°Anyway, what do you think about it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A closer alliance with the Kingdom of Terbekteri is a good decision,¡± she answered promptly. ¡°Our capacities for exports are rising steadily and they have always been a reliable trade partner. Their military is strong, and we can use all the help we can get to discourage the Zarian. Using a marriage to cement this alliance is normal and seems promising. It is a fitting match for you.¡±


    I stood up, suddenly feeling a bit restless, and started pacing. ¡°And that¡¯s all there is to it?¡±


    She stood up as well. ¡°That¡¯s what you should focus on.¡±


    I stopped. How did this go from her being upset about this to talking it up to me, anyway? This was so impersonal, too.


    ¡°Enough of this,¡± I decided finally. ¡°It¡¯s is going to happen anyway. Thanks for humoring me. But now, let¡¯s get back to work.¡±


    Tenira raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. ¡°As you wish. Were you working on that computer idea of yours? It looks like you made some progress.¡±


    I stepped to the table and straightened things out once more. I couldn¡¯t help but smile while I did it, a little proud of my progress. So I pushed thoughts of marriages out of my mind and focused on telling her about my project. ¡°This one, on the left, it pretty much where we were at when I stopped this. It¡¯s a simple machine, pretty much a simplistic computer already. You could use it to do some elementary math, although it would only work with whole numbers. And not too large numbers, I suppose.¡±


    Tenira took a step closer, looking at it intently. ¡°I remember. A marvelous little machine on its own.¡±


    I smiled and turned to the model beside it. This one wasn¡¯t quite finished, but most of the work was done. ¡°This will be something else. The general principle is the same. We have this plate with formations to form the actual data storage. I was experimenting with that or electrical switches. Not much of a difference, we only need an ¡®on¡¯ and ¡®off¡¯ setting that¡¯s easily changed and doesn¡¯t degrade. Then here is the actual machine. This part is going to be used for input, and here a sort of screen for output. I¡¯ve been trying to make it so you can put programs on punch cards and have them be executed, like early computers from my world.¡±


    The whole thing was rather similar to the Z3, I figured, or other machines like that. Or it would be once it was really finished.


    Tenira leaned forward, looking fascinated. ¡°Truly impressive. I suppose these buttons let you operate it manually? And here it shows the result of the calculations. It does look similar to your first effort, I have to admit. Where¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°Well, beside a few technical improvements, mainly the actual computing,¡± I explained. ¡°This machine can handle floating-point numbers. Probably not very well, all things considered. We haven¡¯t finished it yet, but the principle should work. This makes it a lot more useful, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± she agreed. ¡°I know many of the others will be clamoring to have one of these to help in the calculations they do on their projects. How easy are they to replicate?¡±


    I took a step back and frowned. ¡°Well, they¡¯ll have to be custom-built. I doubt we¡¯ll manage to automate construction of computers for some time, yet. Especially as I¡¯ve been using formation-based storage, since we just can¡¯t get real transistors yet. But it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult if we¡¯re working from precise plans and have cultivators shape the parts to fit.¡±


    I could just get many people from the team to do that, as well. Combine it with teaching them how to build these.


    ¡°Well, you need to finish it first,¡± Tenira said, stepping away as well and turning to face me. ¡°For now, maybe we should take a look at what the others have been doing? I¡¯m curious.¡±


    I nodded and quickly packed up the models. I¡¯d drop them off with Lei or one of the others helping me with the project. ¡°Yeah, we should probably make sure Lei doesn¡¯t encourage the others to burn the place down.¡±


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°Like that time he almost fried the generator we were trying to install because he wanted to test if it could deal with electricity in the form of lightning?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°More like that time he concentrated a beam of light from a technique so much it almost burned through the fence around the training courtyard. That was impressive. Or was that you?¡±


    Tenira grimaced. ¡°Yeah, that was me. Although ¡­¡± she stopped and looked at me more intently. ¡°Did he tell you that? I¡¯m pretty sure I swore both of you to secrecy after that. He promised he wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. That little traitor ¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± I leaned against the wall and shook my head. ¡°He didn¡¯t actually tell me that.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know? That was months before your soul journey.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, I guess of course it was.¡± I frowned and tried to search my memory. I knew it couldn¡¯t have been something I myself witnessed, since I would recall that perfectly if it was. But I did have a vague feeling about it.


    ¡°Inaris, how do you know about that? And what do you know?¡±


    ¡°I guess it was a shock. I think I was just immersed in mastering a technique or something? Not sure.¡± I pushed off the wall and started pacing again. ¡°It¡¯s pretty vague, like a distant memory. Well, that¡¯s interesting.¡±


    ¡°Inaris!¡± Tenira¡¯s sharp tone pulled my from my thoughts. She stepped closer and literally blocked my pacing. ¡°What¡¯s been going on with you? Have you gotten flashes of your old memories before?¡±


    I nodded, meeting her gaze seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting feelings and impressions. Subtle things. Knowing a word I shouldn¡¯t have, and only realizing that later. I wouldn¡¯t even call them flashes, it¡¯s more like the subconscious stuff I got from the old Inaris became a little clearer, maybe a little more. Mostly personal things. It hasn¡¯t happened often.¡±


    ¡°And why?¡± Tenira regarded me with narrowed eyes.


    I sighed, then started telling her about my meeting with the Pioneer, Isuro, at the old fortress. The way I¡¯d ended things, how I¡¯d tried to reach for my old memories.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work like I might have hoped, but I¡¯ve gotten a few hints since then,¡± I concluded. ¡°Like I said, just scattered, subtle stuff. I can¡¯t remember these things if I try.¡±


    Tenira looked at me with wide eyes. Finally, she shook her head. ¡°Do you realize what that means?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve made a great step forward in understanding the way qi interlaces with mental processes, and its property in being able to store information. And proved in principle that it¡¯s possible to retrieve memories once thought lost.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Exactly. This is remarkable work, even if you were stupid in doing it.¡±


    I would¡¯ve definitely gotten some attention with that on Earth. ¡°I wonder if that might even bear on usual cognitive processes and our understanding of the neuroscience behind memory?¡± I mused thoughtfully, then focused on the present. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to continue on this path, but I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Tenira smiled widely. ¡°Well, if you do, let me know! I wouldn¡¯t mind a clearer recall of what happened before my soul journey. No one would. Although it¡¯s probably smart of you to keep this quiet now.¡±


    I smiled at the thought of what might happen if we could truly turn this curse into a blessing. That won¡¯t be easy, though, if it¡¯s even possible.


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, the door opened. Aston walked in, his aura tightly controlled, and bowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Mior?¡± I asked.


    ¡°How did you know I was involved?¡± they asked, the voice again sounding like a mix of both, though Mior¡¯s influence was subtle.


    Aston wouldn¡¯t just walk in, obviously. I waved that aside. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The negotiations are drawing to a close. They will be signing the treaty this evening. Prince Kajare will stand in for his Father. Your betrothal will also be officially announced.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Wonderful news, right? Do I need to be there?¡±


    Aston-Mior shrugged. Tenira chimed in, ¡°You definitely should.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡±


    My guard grinned again. This time, I could tell Mior¡¯s telepathic voice was directed at her, though I could hear it as well. ¡®You had better ensure the princess prepares for it in time, lest she be too absorbed in her work.¡¯


    I rolled my eyes and pushed past them, opening the door. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that your job, Aston?¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, I left down the hallway. I intended to become absorbed in my work.

 78: Getting to know each other

    <div>


    Looking around Yarani¡¯s room, I couldn¡¯t help asking myself if I should move her. It was pretty close to my rooms, certainly indicating a favored position. Maybe even intended as a home for a less close spouse to a member of the Imperial family. Then again, it probably didn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d only met Kajare briefly since our arrival, but neither he nor anyone else from his side had seemed to notice or care that I already had someone.


    It¡¯s getting easier to think like a princess. Not sure if I like that or not. Shaking my head, I returned my attention to my lover, who had just finished rearranging the decoration on the table.


    ¡°I feel a little bad that I didn¡¯t ask you before agreeing to this marriage,¡± I admitted. ¡°It would have been the obvious thing to do where I¡¯m from, though polyamorous relationships were rare, anyway.¡±


    She smiled slightly. ¡°I still find the thought of this different life you remember a little strange. But you don¡¯t need to feel bad. I¡¯m aware that this is something you¡¯re doing for your Mother and the Empire. I expected something like it sooner or later. I¡¯m aware of my position, and I won¡¯t make trouble for Lord Kajare or you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I hope no one has given you trouble because of your ¡®lesser status¡¯?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°No. I may be technically a commoner but none of those nobles would try to disparage the Imperial Princess¡¯ favorite. They¡¯re not stupid.¡±


    That made sense. If things go well, then maybe in a few years, or decades, I might marry Yarani as well. Not like it will change much for me. If I can marry someone I don¡¯t really know, why not someone I actually like? I nodded to myself. I¡¯ll see how things go. Though I¡¯d better keep that thought to myself.


    ¡°You know, you could do worse,¡± she said, smiling at me. ¡°Kajare seems nice enough. With this, some of the people advocating for you to marry and give the clan heirs are going to back off a bit.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, crossing my hands behind my head. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s something, I guess. By the way ¡­ well, did you ever want to have children?¡±


    She looked down. ¡°Inaris, you know I only like women. That is a pretty clear answer to the matter of children.¡±


    I shifted in my chair and leaned forward a bit. ¡°I know. But in general? Say, with adoption, magic, younger relatives, whatever.¡±


    She looked thoughtful. ¡°I suppose. It might be nice at some point. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty much going to have to. Everyone expects it, and we need to have more heirs.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Especially since Al isn¡¯t likely to have children. I guess I don¡¯t really mind. I want kids eventually, just not any time soon. Just wanted to hear what you thought about the topic.¡±


    With this marriage and its assorted implications, especially the impressions I¡¯d gotten from some people, I¡¯d given the whole matter some thought, and come to a few conclusions. One of which was that while I didn¡¯t know how close Kajare and I might be, I¡¯d prefer to have them with someone I liked and trusted, like Yarani, if it came to that.


    Yarani frowned. ¡°That sounds like something you should talk to your betrothed about instead of me. Or ¡ª you mean your shapeshifting ¡­?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m certainly not there yet, but I see no reason why I wouldn¡¯t be able to manage producing the needed cells.¡±


    Yarani shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s a little odd to think about. Let¡¯s talk about it if and when it becomes relevant.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I hadn¡¯t really wanted to spell it out like this to her, though I did like having some foundation for planning things like this, for the future. But for now, I shelved that line of thought.


    I took out a chessboard and the corresponding pieces, and we quickly turned our minds to the game. Yarani was pretty good, probably better than Xiaodan. At this point, we¡¯d played chess often enough that she¡¯d started to get the hang of it, and I really had to work for a win.


    I¡¯d just managed to take her last tower and was trying to figure out how to checkmate her without letting her turn it into a draw, when I sensed people approaching. I paused and looked to the door. After a few seconds, a guard knocked and, after acknowledgment from Yarani, quickly came inside.


    He bowed quickly. ¡°Your Highness, my lady, Prince Kajare intends to visit Lady Tia. Should we tell him you are occupying her time and turn him away?¡±


    I shifted in my seat so I faced the door and glanced at Yarani. ¡°No need to tell him anything, just let him in.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    A few moments later, my intended stepped through the door. He paused as he saw the two of us, who were politely rising to meet him. One of his eyebrows climbed a little before he controlled his expression and gave a polite bow. ¡°Imperial Princess. I wasn¡¯t aware of your presence. Please excuse my interruption, my ladies. I will not bother you any further.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± I smiled at him and gestured to a chair. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure to talk to you again, my lord,¡± Yarani added, as Kajare sat down on the indicated chair.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve met before?¡± I looked from one to the other. It was a good sign that he wanted to talk to Yarani, as far as I was concerned. It showed he was at least a little proactive about this.


    ¡°Lady Yarani took the initiative to graciously welcome me to the Empire and the palace,¡± Kajare said, with a nod to her. ¡°She gave me what I¡¯m sure will be valuable advice, as well. Since we both came in some sense as outsiders.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    I wished I could have heard that conversation. Maybe I could get Yarani to tell me more of what they¡¯d talked about, later. Hey, maybe one tip was to get a haircut? I think I mentioned I don¡¯t like long hair on men to her once.


    ¡°His Highness is too kind.¡± Yarani smiled brightly.


    I leaned back and took a closer look at them. Yarani¡¯s living room had large windows that let in a lot of light, which caught in a few pearls in her hair. She looked relaxed with a polite and attentive expression. I knew she came from a merchant family, so social niceties weren¡¯t something alien to her, but I still found it impressive how she managed to fit in here at the palace.


    Kajare wore a set of robes today. Their dark blue color complimented his now-short black hair nicely and the silver embroidery looked intricate and graceful. He cut a nice figure. And wore the Leri clan¡¯s colours. As my official betrothed who will be joining the clan. It¡¯s a nice gesture.


    ¡°My lady,¡± Yarani turned to me, still smiling. ¡°There is that soiree I mentioned, with a distinguished group of musicians including the new flutist everyone is excited about. They will start soon, and I would not want to be late. If you would excuse me?¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I was surprised, although I hopefully managed not to show it. Knowing Yarani, this event probably existed, although she hadn¡¯t mentioned it before. But I appreciated how she must have picked up on my wish to talk to Kajare and was leaving the two of us to it. I nodded. ¡°Of course. Enjoy yourself. If they are truly that good, perhaps we could go to the next event together.¡±


    ¡°I will be sure to give you my opinion.¡± She stood and smiled at me before she bowed her way out of the room.


    Kajare shifted in his seat, looking around the room. ¡°I suppose I should go. Thank you for receiving me.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but roll my eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about propriety, there are guards outside the door. It¡¯s not like this will endanger the marriage or something, either. Of course, if you really want to leave, I won¡¯t mind.¡±


    He stilled and looked at me with a piercing gaze. I practically saw him weighing things in his mind. Then he smiled, and the moment passed. ¡°Of course, my lady. I would be glad to provide my company if you want it.¡±


    I nodded and took a moment to check our surroundings. There were two guards outside the door and two further down the hallway, one to the side of us in another corridor. I also sensed three unfamiliar signatures that felt similar, who had to be guards of Kajare. They took up alternating positions with my own. A few servants lurked around, as well, though I doubted they could hear us through the thick walls. I was tempted to put up a barrier to give us more privacy, but I didn¡¯t want to spook my betrothed.


    ¡°I thought it would be nice to talk to each other in a more informal setting,¡± I said. ¡°Before we¡¯re married. I¡¯d like to get to know you, and I¡¯d like you to be at ease around me.¡±


    He nodded, and tension visibly seeped from his posture. ¡°Of course, lady Inaris. That sounds like a good idea.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Good. As you¡¯ll probably soon learn, I don¡¯t like stuffy formality or rigid, hierarchical thinking. While I try my best to be the princess the Empire needs, I spend much of my time working on technological and formation research. Many of the people I work with are older and more experienced, and I like how we can share our ideas freely.¡±


    Kajare looked interested and a little surprised, probably wondering why I was telling him this now. But like I¡¯d said, I wanted him to feel more comfortable around me, and sharing personal information had a way of helping with that. I¡¯d share a secret if I had one that I felt I could risk like this.


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± he answered. ¡°There are often strict expectations for princes, in Terbekteri, as well. I don¡¯t know what I would have done if I didn¡¯t have some confidants I could talk to.¡±


    ¡°Did you bring them with you when you traveled here?¡±


    His expression darkened. ¡°Some of them. Of course, my brothers and cousins stayed.¡±


    I rested my head on my hand. ¡°It must be quite a change, going from your home to here, leaving almost everything you know behind.¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s how things go, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I hummed thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s still quite a sacrifice for you to come here and marry me. I just wanted to note I can appreciate that.¡±


    His expression stayed closed off. ¡°If you¡¯ll forgive me for being blunt, Princess Inaris, where are you going with this line of questioning?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I apologize if I¡¯m being pushy. I¡¯d just like to understand how you see this marriage, so we can deal with each other more easily.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Not what one might expect from your prior behavior. From what I¡¯ve heard, your family was rather resolute in refusing this match and didn¡¯t agree until my side insisted on it.¡±


    I straightened up a little, meeting his gaze firmly. He¡¯s showing some teeth. Cute. ¡°You¡¯re right. As you¡¯ve probably heard from your sources, I didn¡¯t want this at first. But now that it¡¯s happening, things have changed and I¡¯m coming to accept it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing personal, against your kingdom or you.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I simply didn¡¯t like the idea of marrying. Especially right now, so soon. I didn¡¯t expect to have to manage something like this.¡±


    To be fair, I was only nineteen, quite a young age to get married among cultivators. Perhaps also because, for many people, it would be hard to know what their future held, how strong they¡¯d turn out to be.


    His frown eased a little and he nodded. ¡°Of course. I understand that. Thank you for explaining, lady Inaris.¡±


    I stayed quiet for a moment, then shook my head softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer this if you don¡¯t want, my prince. But I would like to know why you agreed to this. Surely it can¡¯t just be my bloodline?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Now that you mention it, I never did get a straight answer regarding your bloodline, although Father seemed quite convinced the rumors were true.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Rijoko is my father.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Of course, I never even talked to him, although spirits have treated me differently since awakening my bloodline, and there are a few perks.¡± I hesitated and hardened my expression as I looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s not all fun and games, though. I have enemies because of this bloodline. Powerful people have tried to kill me already. This may affect you, too.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Not quite what I was expecting to hear, to be honest.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve been told there might be assassins here. You possess a powerful bloodline and will have even more strength, that sort of thing is sadly to be expected.¡±


    Thoughtfully, I glanced out the window. The sun was just setting, and I could see the faint outline of the moon hanging in the sky, a white crescent adding its light to the last rays of the sun. I¡¯d found I almost always knew if the moon was up or how it would look, even without looking at memories of calendars or reasoning it out from the last time. Of course, I spent most of my nights cultivating, sometimes outside, so I¡¯d become familiar with the night sky.


    ¡°To be honest, I was never targeted like that, back home,¡± Kajare said, shrugging. ¡°I suppose I was too unimportant. With nine older brothers, plus two younger ones, and twenty sisters, my loss wouldn¡¯t have mattered much on a political level.¡±


    Mentally, I whistled at the numbers. Well, his father is over three hundred. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about death in childbirth, and have very long life expectancies. This is actually on the low side compared to what it could be.


    ¡°I can hardly imagine that,¡± I said. ¡°I feel like the Leri clan is a very large family, although there are many bigger ones, and my immediate family is rather small. I¡¯ve been sheltered but I¡¯ve never been one of many, and I¡¯m used to being the oldest.¡±


    ¡°Then you might not understand why I felt like the Kingdom didn¡¯t hold much of a future for me,¡± he continued, a faint frown on his face at the topic. ¡°There wasn¡¯t much I could really aspire to. Perhaps being a minor general in the army or the governor of a far-flung province, if I did well. But I would never have been in real danger or mattered all that much, at least to most of my family or the nation in general. It would have been hard to really prove myself or rise above.¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s fair. That¡¯s very fair. I can understand the desire to aspire to something greater, to want to walk new paths.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± He smiled softly.


    ¡°But if you¡¯d focused on cultivating and managed to reach a high stage, wouldn¡¯t your position have improved?¡±


    ¡°Probably, but I already have two older brothers who might well make it to the eighth stage.¡± He shrugged. ¡°And even if I managed to rise high without ever really encountering adversity, which seems unlikely, it wouldn¡¯t have given me the skills and knowledge I needed to really make something of it. So I took the chance to come here, and hoped that you wanted a partner and not a stallion.¡±


    I laughed. I knew that this was pretty much the best match he could have made. He would probably have a higher station and more power as the Prince Consort here than as Tenth Prince in Terbekteri. But I didn¡¯t think he was lying about wanting to challenge himself and grow stronger. Personal growth, really. And he was already in the middle part of the fourth stage at the age of twenty-three, though of course he looked barely twenty.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I answered. ¡°Not that you aren¡¯t handsome, but I would certainly prefer a smart and driven partner. And if there¡¯s one thing I can promise you, it¡¯s that there are interesting times ahead.¡±


    He smiled, his expression lighting up a bit. ¡°I can certainly believe that. Especially with what troubles may be coming with this marriage.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°What specifically are you talking about?¡±


    He hesitated, eyes darting around quickly. ¡°Right, your Mother must not have had time to tell you yet. Father told me to only talk about it with Her Majesty and people specializing in these sorts of things. But I suppose as my future wife and partner I should tell you.¡±


    I sat up straighter. This doesn¡¯t sound good. What is it now? ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°The Dominion is not pleased with this alliance.¡± His expression darkened, and the veil on his aura slipped a little, letting some of his strength shine through. ¡°Father told me that their representative made trouble about it. I don¡¯t know how they found out, but it hardly matters. The Zarian actually stated that they would see this marriage and alliance as a provocation and slight and react accordingly. There were some not so veiled threats regarding the strength of their army.¡±


    I swallowed hard. This does not sound good at all. Crap. Of course the Zarian would feel threatened, but surely they wouldn¡¯t go to war over this?


    I clenched my fingers into my chair¡¯s armrests. If Jideia pushes them and if they¡¯re afraid of our advances, they just might. I don¡¯t know.

 79: Lawful union

    <div>


    The full moon shone down on the courtyard, and it almost felt like the qi flowing through my veins hummed in response, thrumming in the night as my connection to Rijoko sat sharp and clear in the back of my mind. The sun had only just set and its warmth still lingered, but the darkness of the night and the light of the moon and stars filled the hidden courtyard with a lot of qi I could use.


    Unlike last time, I wasn¡¯t even a little bit nervous. I knew I could do this, fairly easily even.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea? This closely before your wedding?¡± Tenira asked.


    I turned to her and shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to break through now. Especially with what Kajare said. I¡¯m under no illusion that it¡¯s going to make much of a difference. But if I might have to fight again soon, I want to be stronger.¡±


    Tenira grimaced and nodded slowly. I knew she was just as troubled by it as I was. Mother had confirmed Kajare¡¯s words when I asked her. According to her, the Zarian hadn¡¯t made the same threats to her, but the talks, which had gone fairly well until a short while ago, were now practically dunked in liquid nitrogen.


    ¡°Still,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Your body is only nineteen, and you¡¯re already so far ahead on your cultivation we essentially have no idea if it¡¯s safe. There is a reason people don¡¯t advance too far in their teens, even if they could just pile resources and pills on. Besides the monumental difficulty, I mean.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I¡¯ve spoken to Doctor Chang, like I told you. He didn¡¯t have any specific concerns against it.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Honestly, the situation is abnormal, anyway. My body is fully developed so that¡¯s not a problem. And my brain¡¯s development is probably a mess in any case, with the effects of the soul journey. I don¡¯t want to wait years to advance further, so I might as well just go through with it. Besides, with Rijoko¡¯s bloodline and my shapeshifting ability, I don¡¯t have the same constraints as full humans.¡±


    Tenira sighed. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure. I¡¯ll wait around for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Tenira. You¡¯re the best.¡±


    She nodded and walked away to join the circle of guards watching over me some meters away. I turned around so I was facing the mountains and let the light of the moon wash over me for a moment, before I settled down into position for cultivation. I closed my eyes and began to draw in qi.


    The beginning progressed smoothly. Since my last breakthrough, when Rijoko awakened my bloodline, I had seen more than enough new experiences and enlightenment that I wasn¡¯t worried about the metaphysical requirements of a breakthrough. I¡¯d also cultivated, gathering a lot of qi in a short amount of time, so my dantian was more than prepared. My special ability coupled with Rijoko¡¯s bloodline made drawing in qi almost effortless for me now, at least darkness and light affinity qi. I let my focus fade into the qi surrounding me and breathed it in, sending it through my channels, into my core, and back, amassing more and more qi.


    My qi strained against its limits in my core, so I pushed it down, compacting it and sending more of it through my body. I sped up the rotation of the two types of qi in my dantian, making sure they were properly balancing each other. I sent another surge through my body, then into my core. Finally, I felt the limits of it buckle. With an effort of will, I guided my qi as my core expanded, an unseen barrier battered down by its tide. My connection to Rijoko opened just a trickle, and I felt the qi spread throughout my body. I sent more of the qi from my core, watching as it swept through my meridians in an unstoppable flood, clearing away impurities and sinking into both the channels and the rest of my body to strengthen it. All the while, I kept drawing in new qi, sending it on its path and compacting it into my core.


    I noticed the darkness qi in my surroundings start to fade and the light increase as I cultivated, making sure the breakthrough was stabilized. Soon, I was satisfied with my progress, and opened my eyes. The full moon had moved across the sky, which was brightening. I¡¯d cultivated through most of the night for my breakthrough. Which was pretty quick all things considered.


    I inhaled, breathing in the scent of the fading night, and focused on integrating the new boost to my senses, which sharpened my hearing and eyesight as well. I was even a little more aware of the folds of my robe on my skin and the ground under me. And smells. I guess I need a quick bath.


    Then I stood up, feeling the slight increase of strength in my body, and turned around just in time to see Tenira coming towards me.


    ¡°You¡¯re finished, good,¡± she said briskly. ¡°Congratulations on your breakthrough, but we need to hurry. You only have until the sun is halfway risen to get ready, remember?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I took one last glance around, then followed Tenira from the courtyard. I couldn¡¯t help but smile, though. I was now firmly in the late part of the fourth stage.


    We hurriedly made our way back to the palace and my suite, a trip that took just a minute due to cultivator speed. There, I took a quick shower and had servants help me with makeup and styling after I dressed in one of my best robes. This one had almost as many gems as the white one for the military parade, though it was in red, the traditional color for a bride to wear. Then, under the impatient gazes of Tenira and my servants, I made my way down and into the central part of the palace. Lei joined us on the way, looking a little more noble than usual in a rich blue-and-silver robe, similar to the one Tenira suddenly wore.


    They led me to a quiet room not too far from the central hall, accessible through a side corridor. It was darkened, only a small lightstone spending some light, and bare except for a mat on the ground. I glanced around, sighing a little, before I settled down onto the mat.


    ¡°You¡¯ll handle all of the other preparations?¡± I asked, looking up at my friends.


    Tenira nodded. ¡°Of course. You can count on us. Don¡¯t worry about the details, just focus on your big day.¡±


    Was there a tiny bite to her words? I wasn¡¯t sure. She left right away, taking Lei with her, and the door closed with a thud, leaving me in silence. I could sense the qi woven into the walls, ground and ceiling to ensure that this space was sheltered from the bustle of the palace outside.


    I closed my eyes and started taking deep, even breaths. It was traditional for the bride to spend the hours between sunrise and her wedding in meditation, preparing for the ceremony. Well, it¡¯s better than spending the day consumed by mundane wedding preparations. I don¡¯t mind sitting all of that out.


    So, I started cultivating. I¡¯d spend these hours of quiet acclimating to my new breakthrough.


    The time passed quicker than I thought, between bouts of deeper cultivation and more activity when I tried out a few of my techniques. I was careful not to damage the room in any way, but I could tell that my strength had increased, as you would expect from the breakthrough. While I couldn¡¯t work on the more experimental techniques that I was still developing, my control and the power behind them had definitely scaled up a bit. It was a productive few hours, and even kept me from letting my nerves grow too much.


    Then, with midday nearing, the door to my room cracked open, and I sensed the presences outside. Sighing, I stood up and gave myself a quick once-over. The red gemstones set into the fabric sparkled even in the dim light. I took out the veil from my storage ring and affixed it to my head, glad there was little more than a bit of sheer fabric covering my face.


    They didn¡¯t speak, which might be another part of tradition. But the expectation was clear. I stepped forward and the group closed around me, with guards on the outside and clan members escorting me. I nodded to the only one who wasn¡¯t either, Kiyanu, the eighth stage air cultivator who¡¯d stepped in to fight during the war.


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    Since my father wasn¡¯t officially known and would hardly come to participate in the ceremony, and I didn¡¯t have a grandfather or uncle, there needed to be someone else. If pressed, I would have probably picked Aston, or perhaps Mior considering we were actually related, though that might be a bit strange with the possession. But I¡¯d hardly object to Mother¡¯s choice of Kiyanu.


    The group paused before the doors leading into the great hall, and I took a moment to gather myself. I could sense the crush of presences inside. Like Kiyanu¡¯s, their auras were all tightly controlled. But I knew there would be more than a few people in the eighth stage in there.


    Then the doors opened and we entered. The noise in the hall died as everyone watched us. I fixed my attention to the front of the room and kept walking with measured steps, trying not to let the stares of so many people bother me. The veil actually helped a little.


    I knew Kajare had entered before me, and he stood on the dais in the front of the room, wearing red, too, and surrounded by a few men who showed some family resemblance. Two of his brothers and a few more cousins, uncles and the like who¡¯d traveled here for the wedding and to start the alliance off. Mother and Al stood a bit to one side along with Tenira, Lei and a few other clan members. Everyone was dressed in ornate clothes and groomed to perfection. Soft music drifted on the air, though I couldn¡¯t pinpoint its source, and the smell of the many flowers that were hung about the hall and lining the aisle filled the room.


    The ceremony and following celebration would be an eclectic mix of cultures, with elements of Imperial traditions, stuff from my clan, which meant Sea People traditions, and perhaps even some from Earth. And Terbekteri, of course. We¡¯d left off a lot of things, especially since the traditional gender roles were reversed here, with Kajare coming to live with me. There would be no exchange of dowries or bride prices, since both sides had agreed to formally treat the alliance as a price and gift to each other.


    Once the procession reached the front of the room, we exchanged bows with everyone. I stepped forward as my companions all stepped back to take their places in the group of family on the dais, except for Kiyanu, who stood half a step behind and to the right of me. An older man that I recognized as Kajare¡¯s uncle filled the same position for him.


    A low rumble preceded the alter rising from the ground in front of us, at the wall. While it looked like it came up through the floor, I knew it was actually fashioned by Earth cultivators right now. It was a masterpiece for that, with small delicate carvings and bright colors of various symbols.


    Kajare and I stepped forward to light candles and incense sticks together, honoring various Greater Spirits, especially Rijoko. We also put a candle each in front of Mother and his uncle to symbolize our respect for them.


    We turned around just in time to see qi swirling on the dais while a presence started to emanate from there. I suppressed a smile as Mior¡¯s ethereal figure took shape. There was no hint of his connection to Aston right now, who stood a short distance away on the side of the dais with senior guards and officers.


    Excited whispers rose in the audience, and many of them bowed or knelt to the great spirit that suddenly appeared. Mior didn¡¯t seem to care about them. The spirit extended their hand toward us, showing a red string. Kajare and me put our hands up and they knotted it around them. I removed my veil with the other hand.


    ¡®You come before me to be wedded,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®Inaris, daughter of the Moon and clan Leri, and Kajare, son of clan Terki. Do you swear to honor this union and each other, to respect and cherish your partner, and take them from now until your death as your spouse before spirits and men?¡¯


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± I spoke with my mind and my voice, putting conviction into the words, while Kajare did the same.


    ¡®Then I pronounce you wife and husband.¡¯


    Mior smiled at us before dissolving into a gust of wind that carried their qi away from here, though I was pretty sure the spirit actually just settled back into Aston.


    Kajare and I both sank to our knees and bowed down to each other as a final ritual. It was a little awkward with the string, but we managed.


    When we stood up, I caught Mother¡¯s gaze, as she tilted her head. I turned back to Kajare and noticed he stood close to me and was leaning forward slightly as well. I closed my eyes and our lips brushed against each other. It was a brief kiss barely worthy of the name, but at its signal cheers broke out from the audience. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. This was something I¡¯d mentioned as a tradition but we hadn¡¯t actually included in the plans, so it was a good thing Kajare took the initiative with it.


    With that, the main ceremony would be finished. I bowed to Mother and then to Kajare¡¯s family before they started to walk forward. We¡¯d now get to what most of the guests were really excited for, the wedding banquet.


    We¡¯d just started to move when the sensation of someone flaring their aura made me stop. The people ahead of me froze, sending a shiver down my spine. I took a step sideways to get a better view and had to control my expression as I saw the cause of the commotion. The Zarian Dominion¡¯s representative, a gray-bearded man in the late part of the seventh stage, was striding forward, a scroll in his hand and every eye on him.


    Maybe he¡¯d hoped to wait for the question whether anyone had reason to object to the marriage, which was common in some traditions but which Mother had decided to skip. Because there was no question he intended to disrupt this event.


    ¡°I object!¡± he bellowed, his voice echoing through the hall loudly enough that I had to suppress a wince. The silence deepened even further.


    Mother took a measured step forward and let her aura be felt, overwhelming that of the Zarian but not giving off enough pressure to harm any of the guests. ¡°Representative,¡± she stated in a cold tone, her voice cutting through the silence. ¡°You are disrupting the ceremony. Cease or you will be removed and your government asked to account for your behavior.¡±


    The man acted like he hadn¡¯t heard her. With a flourish, he unrolled his scroll. ¡°The Zarian Dominion protests this sham of a marriage. It violates the Gray Sun Treaty of 2957 A.F. The Empire of the Sky shall cease leading on the Kingdom of Terbekteri in such a vile manner to breach international law.¡±


    I frowned and searched my memory for this treaty. Luckily, I¡¯d read something about it and even excerpts in one of the books I¡¯d studied. From what I gathered, there was indeed an agreement between the Dominion and the Kingdom regarding royal marriages of the Terbekteri, but it had usually been ignored, especially in the last few centuries. What are they trying to accomplish with such an old and obscure treaty? Probably just looking for a justification to protest.


    The Terbekteri elder stepped forward as well from beside Kajare, flaring his aura. ¡°This sort of behavior is extremely rude and frankly bewildering. If the Dominion had a concern, they should have approached us with it before and let the matter be discussed openly. But the Kingdom does not recognize this marriage as contravening the treaty in any way.¡±


    Mother raised an eyebrow. ¡°Agreed. I am quite sure the treaty actually specifies that for the first bride of the King¡¯s family to be given away in marriage to another nation, negotiations should start with the Dominion. Prince Kajare is not a woman.¡±


    I felt Kajare tense up where he stood beside me during the exchange, and the string still connecting us went taut. ¡°I most certainly am not,¡± he said, looking at the Zarian with narrowed eyes. ¡°Besides, some of my sisters are married already.¡±


    ¡°But not to the heirs of any nations, or into any families of consequence, Your Highness.¡± The representative snapped his scroll shut and frowned up at the gathered royals. ¡°And the treaty clearly does not specify the person in question has to be a woman. The word used might usually be translated as ¡®bride¡¯, but in this case Prince Kajare¡¯s hand is given away in the same way as would be appropriate in context. The treaty clearly applies.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but snort. Mother and the others clearly didn¡¯t feel any more impressed by this pronouncement, judging by their expressions.


    ¡°The Dominion formally demands that this marriage and its corresponding alliance be voided,¡± the representative declared. He didn¡¯t look fazed at all. ¡°Refusal will be seen as a breach of this treaty and a premeditated insult to the honor of the Dominion by the Empire.¡±


    For a moment, no one said anything, and the silence continued to build. I clenched my fists and glanced at the audience, many of them staring at the scene with wide eyes.


    Finally, Mother took another step forward, breaking the tension. ¡°We will not bow to such petty demands built on flimsy pretenses of historical agreements twisted beyond their purpose. And we will not allow our allies to be insulted or their honor besmirched by anyone.¡±


    The Terbekteri elder nodded. ¡°Well said.¡±


    ¡°Leave, Representative,¡± Mother said. ¡°You are no longer welcome here. Go or you will be removed.¡±


    The representative gave a disdainful sniff. ¡°A shame. We hope you will reconsider your intransigence, Your Majesty.¡± He gave a short bow, then turned and strode away. The crowd parted to give him more space.


    I grasped for Kajare¡¯s hand and squeezed it. He turned his gaze from the Zarian¡¯s retreating back and back to me. After a moment, he gave me a smile, which I returned.


    I knew both of our smiles looked strained. How could they not, when we just witnessed what may very well be the start of a war, with ourselves given starring roles in this drama?


    ¡°With distractions out of the way,¡± Mother said, ¡°let us continue. This is a happy day. The wedding banquet awaits.¡±


    We started moving again, but I knew the festive atmosphere was lost. Suddenly, the question of what I would do in the wedding night with Kajare seemed unimportant. More guards appeared in the hall, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice the deep frown on Aston¡¯s face, and the flickers of Mior¡¯s qi in his aura.


    And things were going so well, too.

 80: Family loyalty

    <div>


    When I woke up, I spent a moment just lying there, thinking through the dream I¡¯d just had. Of course, it being my dream, it was more like a controlled hallucination, and I¡¯d had a lot of time to ponder the last few hours. Now I looked through my memories and senses to try and pick up if there was any point of concern.


    Mior had cleared me for sleeping on my own again, but remained nearby, in the form of Aston, with guards around my rooms. That was a standard if perhaps a bit exaggerated practice for the wedding night of a royal marriage, so no one had questioned it. I searched my senses now and found that they¡¯d lightened the guards, and Aston had moved a little further away. Well, I¡¯d put up a barrier to block sound, but their qi senses should work just as well from this distance.


    I sat up, stretched a bit and then got out of bed, looking at Kajare. He was still sleeping but seemed to be stirring now. I smiled a bit as I remembered last evening. He¡¯d made it clear he was interested, but didn¡¯t expect anything, instead offering to sleep on the sofa. I hadn¡¯t been sure until then what I would do. If he¡¯d pushed, I certainly would not have gone through with this, strengthening the alliance be damned, but I was glad that I was right about him.


    Careful not to wake him, I padded to the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed. For the first time in a while, I didn¡¯t sense any servants lurking around. I took a moment to hold my face up into the warm water and just relax. For no particular reason, wetness gathered in my eyes, and I blinked it away. The last few months felt like they¡¯d gone by in a flash, punctuated with moments of danger, and I¡¯d barely had any time to take a breather. Maybe the sleep deprivation didn¡¯t help.


    After a moment to collect myself, I stepped out of the shower, dried off, dried my hair and put on my clothes. Another set of red robes this time, since the celebrations would continue for three days straight, more or less. I hadn¡¯t noticed it much, but yesterday had been a public holiday everywhere in the Empire, celebrating the wedding and especially the alliance. Many places would still be closed today and tomorrow, too.


    I tried to be quiet as I crossed my room, glancing at Kajare. He was still snuggled into the bed with his eyes closed and breathing deeply. I¡¯d let him sleep in.


    When I walked into the corridor, a few guards fell into step around me. Aston wasn¡¯t here anymore, though I could still feel his and Mior¡¯s presence farther away. Since I didn¡¯t have anything better to do, I followed the vague sense of direction I got from them. I¡¯d need to talk to Mior about the Dominion, as well. I needed to know if Jideia was involved in what was happening, and the spirit might have some insight.


    The family wing of the palace was pretty empty, although I could sense a number of presences in their suites. Probably sleeping off their hangovers. It took strong qi-infused drinks to get cultivators wasted, but that sort of alcohol had flowed freely yesterday. A quick glance out of a window showed me that the sun was only just starting to rise.


    Quickly, I reached a hall not too far from the throne room and close to the areas where guests would be staying. The servants had set up buffet tables and a few people were already here, eating, drinking and mingling. For the size of the room, it was still quite empty. Well, it¡¯s early enough that the celebrations won¡¯t really start off again until later.


    I was about to step into the hall when I caught sight of Aston. What made me pause wasn¡¯t his presence, that I could feel Mior¡¯s was quite receded, or that he was talking to richly-dressed visitors. It was his posture, a subdued tension in it that I¡¯d only seen on the battlefield, if at all. A closer look revealed that the people he was talking to showed a definite resemblance to Aston.


    I hesitated for a moment, then drew some darkness qi around myself. I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene here, and my presence might stir everyone up. I didn¡¯t make myself invisible, but did bank my aura and weave a technique that made me less noticeable, more likely to just be passed over by a disinterested observer.


    Carefully, I walked into the hall, trying to keep my steps quiet, too. A few people that glanced around the room should have seen me, but their gazes skipped past my presence just as I¡¯d hoped. If they were vigilant, they¡¯d still see me, but none of them was higher than the fifth stage and they clearly weren¡¯t paying much attention to their surroundings.


    Of course, Aston and one of the people he talked to were stronger. There were a couple in the fifth stage and an older man who might be in the sixth or seventh, though I wasn¡¯t sure since he kept his presence veiled. They all wore colorful cultivator¡¯s robes, and the way they stood looked like they were subtly boxing him in, so he¡¯d have to talk to them. I walked closer, regretting that I had never asked Aston about his family. At least not that I could remember.


    ¡°Come now, Aston,¡± the woman said. If my suspicions were correct, that was his mom. She looked about twenty years older than Aston.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more I could say on that subject, Mother,¡± Aston replied with an air of tired patience.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play daft, boy,¡± one of the men, the younger and weaker one, said. Probably his father. ¡°You may not make it back home often, but we¡¯re still your family. I know you¡¯re a dutiful son.¡±


    ¡°You just care because of the prestige I bring you in the clan,¡± Aston said, some bite entering his voice. ¡°Spirits know your position is hardly lofty. Having your son be a captain in the Imperial Guard is all you can say for yourself. And it¡¯s the only reason the clan cares, anyway. Let¡¯s not pretend otherwise here.¡±


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    All three of them drew in shocked gasps. Judging by their expressions, he didn¡¯t speak this bluntly to them often. I cocked my head while I slowly walked closer. Who knows, that could be Mior¡¯s influence. They¡¯re not one to suffer fools lightly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all calm down,¡± the last man cut in, silencing the other two right away. The man smiled thinly at Aston. ¡°You may be getting a little full of yourself, boy. Clan Tener has been quite gracious towards you and your family. Don¡¯t forget that it was us who gave you the education and resources to succeed in the army.¡±


    Aston nodded stiffly. ¡°I haven¡¯t. Although I always liked fighting, I know you simply wanted someone in the army to give the clan face and build connections. Perhaps find a spot for a talented cousin where he wouldn¡¯t make trouble. I got to where I am from there on my own merits and hard work.¡±


    The man took half a step closer. ¡°Of course. And your loyalty to your lady is quite admirable. But what harm is there in talking about your work to your concerned family? We¡¯re not asking you to do anything that would go against duty or tradition, just a simple conversation.¡±


    I frowned. It sounded like this was about me in some way. Probably time to step in. He must be able to see me, anyway. Even if the others are too distracted to notice what¡¯s right in front of them.


    After letting my technique fade, I took the last few steps closer to them. ¡°There you are, Aston,¡± I said. ¡°I do not believe I have met your companions? Family, is it?¡±


    The three of them twitched, while Aston didn¡¯t betray any signs of surprise. He bowed, while his visitors quickly knelt to me.


    ¡°Imperial Princess,¡± their leader greeted as he dipped his head.


    ¡°I apologize if I was away while Your Highness had need of me,¡± Aston said. ¡°They are indeed from my family. My Mother and Father, as well as my second cousin once removed, Tener Aoli, heir of clan Tener.¡±


    I wore my best imperious expression, looking them up and down. ¡°I see. You may raise your heads. Since this is a matter of family, I will excuse you diverting my guard this time.¡±


    They raised their heads. Aoli smiled. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I apologize if we were a nuisance. As loyal subjects, we would of course never intentionally cause problems. Although, may I say it gladdens me to see how much worth a scion of my clan has to Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I caught the last sentence or two of your conversation as I approached. It sounded like you were asking Aston to betray my confidences, but surely that can¡¯t be right.¡±


    That caused Aston¡¯s parents to pale and finally wiped the smile off Aoli¡¯s face. He ducked his head. ¡°Of course not, my lady. This one would never dare.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied blandly. ¡°Now, I need to have words with Aston. You may leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± The three of them quickly got up and walked away at a fast pace. I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy how even Aoli¡¯s composure had obviously been shaken.


    Of course, if I were to make accusations, I could make his life very difficult. He knew Aston would support me instead of them.


    I glanced around, noting that everyone was studiously avoiding looking at us, then turned back to Aston. ¡°Let¡¯s walk.¡±


    He fell in beside me and we left the room in silence. I noticed his aura change subtly, more signs of Mior¡¯s presence appearing.


    ¡°I actually wanted to talk with Mior,¡± I said as we walked down the corridor, putting up a shield around us to prevent eavesdropping. ¡°But since this came up, I have to admit I¡¯m a little surprised.¡±


    Aston raised an eyebrow. ¡°I apologize if I gave any offense, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. But I¡¯m surprised they dared accost you like that, and it seemed to me like you rarely spoke that directly with them, but I would guess that your relationship was quite cold.¡±


    Aston was quiet for a moment, before he sighed. ¡°It was, and I usually did my best to ignore the clan. Bonding with Mior like I did may have had more repercussions than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Are there any changes we should be concerned about?¡±


    He frowned slightly. ¡°Not truly, Your Highness. It has been a tremendous boon to my cultivation, I may even break through to the next stage soon. It has also been somewhat ¡­ taxing to live with a spirit given access to my mind, but I have not noticed any real instability or mental breaks.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Well, for what it¡¯s worth, if you learn to loosen up and be more open with your emotions, it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing. Not just to facilitate a closer connection with Mior.¡±


    His frown deepened. ¡°I had not considered that this may be that sort of trial. Perhaps the spirit is prodding me in some way. I am not well versed in psychology.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I doubt Mior wants to harm you. Anyway, should I be concerned about your family?¡±


    ¡°No, my lady.¡± Aston¡¯s lip curled in a subtle sneer. ¡°I doubt they would make real trouble. And while I may not have officially broken with Clan Tener, I have had little to do with them for decades, and no attachments that may be problematic. Now, you said you wanted to talk to Mior? Just give me a moment, please.¡±


    For a moment, I considered prodding further, but decided to drop the matter. Aston had already opened up quite a bit right now compared to before the possession. I shook my head and waited to talk to Mior, although I already suspected what they would say. That they couldn¡¯t be sure if Jideia was involved, but it seemed likely.


    ¡®Let me guess, Inaris,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®You want my opinion on the Dominion.¡¯ Aston¡¯s aura was now clearly influenced by their qi. It was a good thing there were no other people around as we walked through quieter corridors in the palace.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know if Jideia is involved, although I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to prod them into taking action like this.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®What are spirits likely to do? Are you going to be involved if it comes to war?¡¯


    Aston tilted his head. ¡®Not likely,¡¯ Mior answered. ¡®At least not directly. Many won¡¯t care. Jideia and Rijoko will simply continue acting like they have before, perhaps using it for their own ends.¡¯


    I sighed. That sounded just great.


    ¡®Look on the bright side,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®All of us have an incentive to try and keep the destruction at least somewhat contained. Even Jideia would influence them to limit the use of eighth stage cultivators.¡¯


    I frowned. Although this should reassure me, for some reason it only made my throat tighten. Perhaps it was the realization that widespread destruction could easily happen, that, if they were unleashed, eighth stagers could do a lot of damage. And who knew how contained they would really be?


    ¡®Can¡¯t we keep them out of the war completely? Like a mutually assured destruction disarmament thing, or something?¡¯


    Mior was silent for a moment. ¡®I daresay your father would prefer that, as well. It would have to come from the Storm or the Dominion, but I suppose we have good chances.¡¯


    I released a breath. Let¡¯s hope so.


    ¡®You do realize,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®You would give up a possible advantage.¡¯


    I grimaced. ¡®I know.¡¯


    Sometimes, there was no clean and easy way.

 Bonus 7: The Zarian Dominion

    I find myself baffled on more than one occasion when trying to understand the Zarian Dominion. Part of that might just be the sources I have access to. After all, they¡¯re almost all from the Empire of the Sky and very much slanted towards an Imperial perspective, which rarely does the nation¡¯s old enemy any favors. But that¡¯s not all of it. Perhaps I don¡¯t have the context or experience to really get their culture. Especially not the nuances behind it.


    Because, like in many things, what¡¯s written in laws and books can be different from what the everyday citizen would experience, and there are many unwritten rules and customs. The Dominion has perhaps more than most, especially when it comes to their political structure.


    The origins of this frustrating (if, admittedly, ¡®great¡¯) nation parallel those of the Empire and many other global powers or smaller countries. People started out living as hunter-gatherers, then began building villages and settlements and, eventually, cities. At that point, there was a large amount of communication between places far away, compared to Earth, but what records we have are lacking in details. In those cities, social class structures developed and were refined, with the strongest warriors on top of the social pyramid. Much like other places.


    Of course, Aran is a big planet, even bigger than Earth. The Storm Continent is farther south of the equator than the Sky Continent, and the climate is colder. Like the Empire, the origins of the Dominion lie close to a mountain range, though in this case more in the foothills and low mountains leading up to the Whitecaps. Those lie to the South-East of the continent, and while the environment would have been more sheltered than in many other places of the Storm Continent, it still means long winters and cold temperatures. About the same as Central or Northern Europe on Earth, I think, depending on where in the region you go.


    The cities springing up there communicated with each other quite a lot compared to other places, usually with the help of spirits. That may be due to the need to exchange information about the weather conditions or watch out for powerful spirit beasts coming down from the mountains, which were a real hotbed of monster activity. Perhaps that¡¯s why they had a strong tendency toward collaboration, organization, and with it, social stratification. It wouldn¡¯t be inaccurate to say that the region developed the makings of a real nation sooner than anywhere else on their continent, although I¡¯m not sure if I can call that a good thing.


    As the time of city-states drew to a close and the first larger countries started to crystallize, the region weathered the changes quite well. A population boom had led to them pushing back the spirit beasts and even gaining footholds in the mountains, where they got valuable ores and crafting materials. At the time, their cities were same of the most prosperous places on both continents.


    Twelve cities¡¯ leaders met in 450 of the Imperial calendar to officially found the Zarien (apparently an old version of their name) League. The predecessor of the Dominion. They could have united like this much sooner, but they certainly didn¡¯t waste any time expanding after the new nation¡¯s birth.


    They were strong, not just in resources or numbers, but also in terms of social cohesion. At least on the surface. The seeds for their present ideology were already laid at that time, and the strong focus on someone¡¯s cultivation strength paid off in a disproportionate number of higher-level cultivators. In the League, the easiest and most meaningful way to increase your social status was to break through to a new stage. Many people focused on trying to improve their cultivation if they possibly could.


    The cities usually had kings, at some point, at least, but they were really ruled by a collective of the strongest warriors. In some cities, the monarchies were openly deposed in favor of a ruling council of these cultivators. Patricians, really. After all, wealth often runs in families. The Zarien League was dominated by these families, those that could afford to give their children the resources (and not to forget the time to cultivate) they needed to improve their cultivation quickly.


    Their society had the food and other resources to spare to afford this focus. To be fair, many stronger cultivators helped improve their farming efforts, another reason for the population growth, and the qi-rich materials from the mountains helped both their economy and their alchemy and other crafting pursuits, which in turn fed their warriors¡¯ strength.


    In a way, I don¡¯t think the Zarian have ever really gotten past that period. As a collective, or a cultural subconscious, or however you want to put it.


    The Zarien expanded quickly, conquering half a dozen new cities in a decade. On the surface, that doesn¡¯t sound like as much as it could have been, but after looking at the maps and statistics, it¡¯s impressive. After all, some of those cities were dozens if not hundreds of kilometers away, and they kept the trend up for not just decades, but centuries.


    At first, how they treated the captured cities varied wildly, perhaps depending on which of the Zarien cities was involved. But over time, this smoothed out to make a series of half-official traditions that regulated how the new conquests were plundered and integrated into their nation.


    In time, the country spread out to cover a large part of the continent. Their rise reminds me a little of Rome¡¯s early days, actually, although it wasn¡¯t just a single city at the center, but a dozen. They brought their culture, language and the technological advances they made along with them, and their army was quite a bit better organized and stronger than their neighbors. They didn¡¯t always treat conquered people well, but they usually paid attention to their economy.


    After more than a millennium, the Zarien League faced its first major internal crisis. Their reach may have gotten too long, their territory too big and diverse. At this point, the great majority of people in their empire didn¡¯t have citizenship. In any case, a rebellion rose among many of the conquered cities and territories. It was especially strong in those closer to the Zarian heartland, where people felt disadvantaged compared to the essentially not so different native Zarien citizens. A bit like the Social War for the Roman Republic, if I want to continue my analogy.


    It almost broke the League. In fact, it did technically break the League, which was reformed in the aftermath to form the Zarian Dominion. Two years later, another rebellion rose, though this was crushed more quickly. It still led to a reform of the citizenship system, essentially granting the right to anyone from a territory that had been conquered longer than a few decades ago. This was when the new structure and government really established themselves, making the Zarian Dominion we know today.


    After that, the Dominion expanded quickly. The following few centuries are a little murky in Imperial history, perhaps because of the events happening in the Empire at the same time, and there are contradicting reports. But somehow, the Zarieni, who seem to have been a group living in the northern plains of the Storm Continent (at the time, they clearly originated from closer to if not in the League), clashed with the Dominion and were eventually forced north to settle the Yellow Graves. Not long after that, when the Dominion pushed farther north, it encountered the Empire for the first time. Things did not go well, and after the dust settled, roughly the arrangement of today emerged; the Yellow Graves populated by the Zarieni nomads dividing the Dominion and Empire in their respective continents.


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    The Dominion turned their expansionism to other targets and acquired colonies, vassals and overseas territories on other continents, though not quite as many as the Empire. Not much really changed in the Dominion proper.


    They have a very stratified society. At first, I thought that every nation would be similar in that aspect, that ¡®rule of the strong¡¯ was just a philosophy and way of life here on Aran. It definitely is, to some extent ¡ª I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve read or heard about a country here where someone¡¯s cultivation strength doesn¡¯t matter. But the Zarian Dominion is very upfront about it. It¡¯s the basis for their whole ideology.


    In the Dominion, your social status, prospects ¡ª your worth, really ¡ª is determined by your cultivation stage. It¡¯s like a caste system with a bit more mobility. People don¡¯t get full citizen¡¯s rights below the third stage. Which might not sound so bad, but it¡¯s still a comparatively small percentage of their population. There¡¯s a whole codex of laws and regulations, or several, that deal with it. How much taxes you pay, whether you¡¯re allowed to own land or marry someone else, or work in a certain trade, it¡¯s all linked to your cultivation strength.


    Small wonder this is also quite militaristic. Soldiers are strong cultivators, that¡¯s just a natural consequence of the way this world works, and they¡¯re highly regarded by the Dominion. While at the same time being bound far more firmly than other citizens. The propaganda machine is particularly strong here, too, of course.


    The Dominion says all of this is the natural order of things. That the strong have the privilege and duty of ruling over the weak. That cultivation is the true test of your character, and how high you rise shows the strength of your mind and will, your measure as a person. Some of their materials claim that other countries have perverted this order, and more propaganda in that vein. The Dominion also sees it as their privilege and duty to conquer foreign lands, and impose their ¡®better way¡¯ of life. Sadly, I can only assume many people swallow their lines. That¡¯s how it usually goes with ideology and propaganda, and the Dominion is quite practiced and effective at it. At least they don¡¯t have any overtly racist or homophobic tones to their ideology. If you disregard a few of what are basically splinter groups.


    You¡¯d think this would be a good meritocratic system. On the surface, cultivation really is something everyone can do, and someone¡¯s talent and dedication have a large influence on their success. And it¡¯s true in some ways. In the first few stages, these are the most important factors, though of course background, education and others play an important role. But the real meritocratic value is limited. After all, at some point it¡¯s almost impossible to break through further without outside help. Whether that¡¯s in the form of resources, techniques, access to locations with denser qi, or, crucially, education. Or just time to devote to cultivation, if you work long hours of hard labor.


    Especially when it comes to the higher stages, I suspect the Dominion actually has less social mobility than the Empire.


    This isn¡¯t helped by their political system. Although to be fair, like I said above, I haven¡¯t grasped it completely. What I do understand is already a confused mess of different codes, ideological doctrine, unwritten rules, and entrenched nepotism.


    The closest thing the Dominion has to an official parliament is an assembly of every eighth-stager in the country. There¡¯s a similar assembly of the seventh-stagers, although that one rarely assembles in full, and instead there are representatives of it, usually belonging to one of the big families, that have some measure of influence in the government.


    This assembly is what passes laws. Any changes to fundamental doctrine, basically their equivalent of the constitution, has to be passed by both chambers. This rarely happens.


    Almost every cultivator in the eighth stage belongs to one of their great families. The ones who weren¡¯t born to one of them and raised to the eighth stage get snapped up by one anyway, via contracts or sometimes adoption or marriage, depending on the circumstances. Over time, there have been anywhere from two to over a dozen great families, though today there are usually five most people apply that title to, and some more families with a bit less influence and power. They¡¯re a little like political parties when it comes to wrangling for influence and hammering out compromises in the assembly, but there¡¯s also a fair amount of cut-throat politics between them.


    Then there¡¯s what passes for their executive power, which is a real mess. There¡¯s one person who technically has a first-among-equals status among the eighth stagers, whose title I would translate to Princeps. In practice, they¡¯re pretty much the president of the Dominion. In all the time it¡¯s been around, that has only been someone not from the great families three times, for a total of twenty years. Considering lifespans and the average time in office, that¡¯s really bad.


    Another important office is what amounts to the Director of internal security, which can be and often is someone not in the eighth stage. Currently, they¡¯re from the same family as the Princeps, which means the Dominion is somewhat stable. This is basically the boss of all their intelligence services, including most of the stuff that goes on in terms of foreign intelligence, too. Military intelligence has their own branch, but it¡¯s interconnected enough to work well.


    While the Dominion is technically not a monarchy, in practice there isn¡¯t that much difference. You usually see dynasties, where several people who rise to Princeps in a row are from the same family, often their predecessor¡¯s child or grandchild. But these dynasties stand and fall on the support of the other great families. Needless to say, there¡¯s usually a lot of economic and other benefits to supporting the current ruler. But the Princeps has less authority than the Emperor or Empress in the Empire. Especially if the security Director and a few other important positions are filled by someone from another political faction, things can get ugly. I haven¡¯t been able to figure out how the Director is chosen, it¡¯s some complicated semi-official process that involves some ritual challenges and a lot of bickering between the houses, it seems like.


    Otherwise, the Dominion has a number of ministries and departments not much different from a modern state, or even the Empire. Their heads are usually from the great families, though most of the rank-and-file bureaucrats come from an unofficial caste, families with a tradition of public service. Some are military veterans.


    The generals of the army are usually politically connected, too. The higher-ranking officers are either from the middle class and risen through the ranks, or from those families, as well. It¡¯s reasonably easy to rise to an officer¡¯s position for a normal soldier, so long as your cultivation is strong enough. The military is perhaps the one institution where there¡¯s the least influence of nepotism and political alliances, but that¡¯s not saying much. Still, the conquests and the need to keep control of their new territories means the military has to stay on the ball. The Dominion¡¯s important players also aren¡¯t stupid and recognize that they need a strong, professional army, I suppose.


    On the topic of conquests, the Dominion follows a somewhat different strategy than the Empire. Not all people in their territories are automatically citizens, even if they¡¯re in a high enough stage. Those who reach the really high stages are usually recruited into the Dominion proper and often the army. Their provinces¡¯ economy is noticeably weaker than that of the Dominion¡¯s heartlands. But they do build roads, facilitate trade, set up schools, and all of that stuff, so the general standard of living isn¡¯t too bad. Still, there¡¯s a reason most countries close enough to them are a little afraid of the Dominion¡¯s imperialist tendencies. I¡¯d say, all in all, that there¡¯s less cohesion in their overseas territories than in the Empire.


    This was only a brief overview, and there¡¯s a lot more for me to learn about the Dominion. If I have the time and energy to dive into that nest of snakes. But as far as I¡¯ve read right now, I¡¯m a little glad I¡¯m living in the Empire, not there. Maybe that¡¯s biased, but they¡¯re just not a nation I feel positively about.

 81: Portents of war

    <div>


    It was the third day of the celebrations before we got word that the Dominion was making its move. Still quite fast, all things considered. As I paced up and down the rooftop terrace, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the map in my memories, trying to reason out distances and speeds. They certainly would have had to move into position ahead of time, perhaps even start moving. Not to mention all the strategic and diplomatic preparations. The only thing missing is an official declaration of war. And opening fire, I suppose.


    ¡°Do sit down,¡± Mother said. ¡°Your fidgeting won¡¯t make things better.¡±


    I sighed and stopped moving. She¡¯d called me here a few minutes ago to give me the news. We were alone, not even guards on the terrace, though they waited below and further out. I knew Mother was tense, as well. Besides her snappy tone, the way she tapped her fingers and frowned would have made it obvious.


    ¡°I thought we were working on turning the Zarieni nomads,¡± I said.


    ¡°We were.¡± Mother shrugged, her frown deepening. ¡°Such a thing isn¡¯t easy. If we had a few years, or even a few more months, we would be in a better position. At least some of the tribes are siding with us.¡±


    ¡°Just not enough to stop the Zarian moving north in force, aided by the other tribes.¡± I crossed my arms and leaned against the balustrade.


    ¡°Obviously. That would always be a tall order; the Zarian are much more deeply hooked into the Yellow Graves than we are.¡±


    I nodded. There was no point belaboring this, we¡¯d just have to deal with the facts. ¡°Have they given us any official notice yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Mother snorted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they planned to declare war the hour before they attacked. Or the hour after.¡±


    I started pacing again, this time more slowly, keeping myself carefully controlled. The feeling of moving helped me deal with the restlessness the news brought.


    ¡°We always knew this was going to happen,¡± Mother said softly. ¡°I just hoped it wouldn¡¯t be so soon. We tried to prepare. Perhaps we didn¡¯t try hard enough.¡±


    I shook my head. Hindsight was always best. ¡°There were some warning signs, sure, but there¡¯s a reason not many people expected a war to break out. The Zarian are taking a huge risk. A lot of people will die on both sides.¡± I frowned. ¡°Of course, from their perspective, it¡¯s best to strike while we still aren¡¯t as strong as we¡¯re otherwise going to be.¡±


    Mother cocked her head. ¡°You don¡¯t think this alliance was the reason?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°One reason, maybe. Probably not the deciding one.¡±


    She fell silent for a moment, and I continued pacing. Mother conjured a thread of light and twirled it absently around her finger.


    ¡°I was half-afraid you were going to blame yourself for this. Considering it¡¯s your marriage they¡¯re using.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be blaming you, then?¡± I stopped and plopped down on one of the recliners. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea. And really, your logic was sound even with this. They would have attacked sooner or later, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Even a year or two would have helped a great deal,¡± Mother pointed out. ¡°Especially in getting the new technology up and ready. Refining and manufacturing planes. Those computers you¡¯ve just so successfully invented, even. Some new light techniques.¡±


    I frowned, wondering if she was alluding to what I was working on, or had projects of her own. But I shook my head. ¡°Is a year or two worth the alliance with the Terbekteri? I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t believe you think so, or you wouldn¡¯t have gone through with this. Are you just playing devil¡¯s advocate?¡±


    Mother chuckled. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Once again, silence fell. I was aware of the fact that she could be spending her time more productively, consulting with her advisers or giving orders to prepare the Empire. Instead, she was here, talking to me. Well, she¡¯d probably talk privately to others, too. Kariva, at least. But I still appreciated it. I just didn¡¯t know how to say that and didn¡¯t want to make things weird.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been starting to get my memories back,¡± I mentioned before I could really think about what I was saying. ¡°Just little flashes. I may be able to figure out how to do more.¡±


    Mother jerked upright, her eyes wide. ¡°Really?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve got a slightly better handle on my past, though I don¡¯t remember much about the two of us.¡±


    Mother smiled widely. ¡°That¡¯s still great news, Nari. I hope that you really can recover your memories. Having you hit with amnesia like that was ¡­ not easy.¡±


    I nodded somberly. I knew things couldn¡¯t have been easy for her. Even though I had gotten some more insight into our prior relationship, not just from flashes of memory but hints I¡¯d picked up, too. I knew it hadn¡¯t been simple, either. She certainly seems to show affection more easily to Al or Xiaodan, and it isn¡¯t just my age.


    Mother cleared her throat and looked out over the palace, while I shook my head at myself. I should focus on the problem at hand.


    ¡°Are you going to have me fight in the war?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly need to participate and prove myself somehow.¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°Not if I can help it. Fighting directly, at least. You were bad enough with the nomad incursion.¡±


    I sighed but raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Can¡¯t argue that, if I¡¯m being honest. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m eager to put myself in danger.¡±


    ¡°Some of the officers seem to think differently,¡± Mother commented, before she shook her head again. ¡°Never mind that. You¡¯ll need to pack things up down there, and you could be of some help coordinating our efforts when it comes to the new factories and the new defensive capabilities.¡±


    I sighed. That sounded like I had some hectic days ahead of me, but I could hardly refuse. ¡°Alright. I guess I¡¯ll leave as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Take your new husband along if you can.¡± Mother cocked her head. ¡°It¡¯s not my business if you sleep with Kajare or not, but I hope you¡¯ve worked things out with him and things are going well?¡±


    I nodded and avoided meeting her eyes. Kajare and I had turned out to be surprisingly compatible in the bedroom, but that wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d tell her. I was coming to like him on a personal level, too, and although I didn¡¯t really trust him yet, I saw no reason not to take him along.


    I hoped we were starting to build a friendship. And going to war was supposed to help with that, right? Yeah, let¡¯s just hope we don¡¯t really have to build it in fire.


    <hr>


    I wouldn¡¯t have thought I could muster up much empathy for Zarieni. The way the tribe had fought against me, devastated the Empire, killed civilians and just been a giant pain in the posterior didn¡¯t make me feel very favorably disposed towards them. Even if I knew that not all of those people would be the same, and cultures could change.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    As it turned out, I was right. I didn¡¯t feel moved when I looked at the streams of what were basically refugees entering the city. But I did recognize that they needed shelter and we should provide it, and I didn¡¯t feel angry or resentful, either. I just didn¡¯t care much, but luckily I wouldn¡¯t have to handle it myself.


    ¡°I feel like somewhere, something went wrong with how things were supposed to be,¡± Lei said.


    I grunted. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much what I was just pondering.¡±


    Tenira shrugged. ¡°I can see how it¡¯s strange that nomads are coming here for help, but it also makes sense if you think about it. After all, their combatants are being a huge help. Even if all they¡¯re doing is slowing down the Zarian, we can use the time to prepare.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Let me take a closer look.¡±


    As I walked closer to the gate, many soldiers walking around moved out of my way and saluted or bowed. I nodded at them, but didn¡¯t stop. The place was crawling with people, most of them soldiers. It had shot up like a giant mushroom, built on short notice but with more solidity than most temporary structures would have on Earth. While there were a few civilians here, most stopping on the way while they were being moved further north, this was definitely a military base. I could see the value of the location, close enough to the border to catch this stream but still far enough to be out of immediate danger, and close to Blue Valley City. The small river burbling beside the wall would let you quickly get both to the city and to the ocean.


    At the gate, I saw a few elites standing on the steps leading up to the wall, watching over the comings and goings. I recognized quite a few of them from the previous campaign.


    Slowing down, I looked around until I spotted the person I wanted in the crowd. She was walking closer. I made my way through, Tenira and Lei following, until I reached the open space in front of the gate.


    ¡°General.¡± I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    San Hashar bowed deeply, but returned my smile. ¡°Your Highness. Lord Akilei, Lady Tenira. It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re all well.¡±


    We stepped away from the crowd somewhat, and San Hashar led the way to a small raised platform attached to the walls, where we would have a good view over the surroundings and be able to talk privately. From up here, I could see how packed not just the road north but the airs was in comparison to the other directions.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we were evacuating that many people,¡± I commented.


    ¡°Not all of them are evacuated, many are leaving on their own, afraid of the coming war,¡± San Hashar said, a frown on her face. ¡°The land close to the border is sparsely populated as it is, with the threat of raids. Otherwise, this would be much worse.¡±


    I sighed. That made sense, and at least the Empire was helping them get to safety. As I watched, another round-bellied airship rose into the sky, carrying passengers to the city and perhaps beyond. It looked quite different from the military aircraft that had been coming in since I¡¯d been here, and before.


    ¡°How are the preparations coming?¡±


    ¡°Rushed,¡± San Hashar said bluntly, shrugging. ¡°We haven¡¯t had much warning, so everyone is scrambling to get into position, draw up plans, and coordinate the reinforcements. I¡¯ve heard there have been quite a few arguments at headquarters, someone even mentioned they had to replace the furniture. I think they¡¯re doing a decent job.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, I agree. Though there aren¡¯t as many reinforcements coming as I¡¯d thought.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°A large part of our strength was already here at the border,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Besides that, the generals don¡¯t want to expose the other continents. This isn¡¯t the only place the Dominion could attack, after all. Some even want us to hit their territories first, fast and hard. Most say we can¡¯t risk it.¡±


    I nodded again, but didn¡¯t comment. I wasn¡¯t about to question the judgment of the experts, and I knew enough to know I didn¡¯t know enough to draft our strategy.


    ¡°The new fortifications are going to help a lot,¡± Tenira put in. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Dominion could try a fast strike deeper into our territory with much hope for success, and they know that.¡±


    ¡°If only we started building it up earlier,¡± Lei said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more that could be done.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think many people cared about the border, at least not really. Did they?¡± I asked.


    San Hashar tilted her head. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a real war between the Empire and another nation in many centuries, my lady. Even the raids were no longer much of a concern for the capital. If you look at the records closely, they were actually tapering off the last few decades, before the Rising Storm tribe¡¯s invasion.¡± She grimaced. ¡°We got complacent, I suppose.¡±


    For a moment, we fell quiet, looking out over the base and the surrounding region in sober silence. I cycled some qi into my eyes, gazing south. I could easily make out the new wall and the towers and outposts dotting it, though anything beyond that was harder. Occasionally I got what might be the tip of a particularly tall tree peeking over it.


    ¡°It will be a bit before the Dominion is in a position to attack, Your Highness,¡± San Hashar commented, following my gaze. ¡°Our allied tribes are doing their best to buy us more time. They¡¯re harassing the Zarian, drawing away the other nomads, and causing a lot of chaos.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Yes, fighting a guerrilla war against natives in the jungle doesn¡¯t sound like fun. But you think they can¡¯t stop them for long?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too few and the enemy too many, my lady. We¡¯ve already seen groups of Dominion elites close to the border, watching us and perhaps making preparations. If it comes down to it, they could just leave the weaker soldiers behind to deal with the nomads for some time while they bring their real strength to bear against us.¡±


    Lei snorted. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope the nomads are earning their keep. After all, we¡¯re taking in their families and likely giving them better lives than they could have had in that jungle.¡±


    I frowned, but closed my mouth without replying. He¡¯s probably right on that count, at least.


    Tenira shot Lei a dirty look. ¡°I¡¯m sure our allies are doing all they can, and at great risk to themselves. Not just for our sake, either.¡±


    San Hashar nodded. ¡°The Zarian Dominion won¡¯t be content to just pass through the Yellow Graves on their way to attacking the Empire. Some of the nomads are wise enough to see that, and side with us for their own benefit. Unfortunately, the leaders of many tribes don¡¯t seem to be as smart.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Who knows what they promised them. Perhaps those just want to trade the Yellow Graves for good land further south, or north if they win, even if they¡¯d have to be under the Dominion¡¯s thumb.¡± I frowned. ¡°On second thought, I doubt all of them think like that.¡±


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°What, you mean not everyone feels the same way about culture? Who would have thought.¡±


    I smiled wryly, then turned around as I noticed a slight disturbance in my qi senses. A few guards had unobtrusively followed us and were keeping watch from the wall and the ground. Aston stood farther away than most, his aura flickering a bit with spirit-aligned qi, perhaps trying something with Mior. An airship had just come in and people were disembarking, joining the crowds of soldiers in the base. Another was just setting down, and it looked like a few people on flying swords were accompanying it.


    I felt a bit disgruntled that there were no planes yet. While we¡¯d started building them, there just weren¡¯t enough to be much of a factor in this war, still, especially since they could really use more testing. I¡¯d sent a few of our prototypes north along with some of the more sensitive material from my research in Blue Valley City. Not that I anticipated the city being in danger any time soon, but better safe than sorry. It hadn¡¯t taken much time to close things up there. I sighed. Probably going to be a while until I can focus on working on my projects again.


    I was about to turn back to the others, but paused as something prickled in my senses. The faint sensation drew me to a spot in the shadow a little further away. I backed up a step, preparing to summon a weapon from my storage ring. A moment later, the shadow deepened and the veil of qi over it lightened so we could feel the person¡¯s presence. Lei sucked in air in a surprised gasp. Then Kariva faded into view.


    I exhaled, stepping forward again and relaxing as some of the tension drained out of me. ¡°Kariva? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Good senses, Your Highness.¡± Kariva gave a short bow. ¡°Her Majesty sent me south to deal with an important matter.¡± She turned to the others, her gaze flicking over them sharply, as if she was cataloging everything. She nodded at San Hashar. ¡°General San, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    ¡°My lady. Your Highness.¡± San Hashar bowed deeply, then flitted down the stairs quickly enough that I had trouble picking out her path.


    I frowned as I looked at Kariva. Mother¡¯s spymaster looked the same as always, wearing fine cultivator¡¯s robes and a slight detachment in her eyes, if you knew what to look for, a certain hard indifference in her face that she didn¡¯t bother to hide.


    ¡°And what important matter is that, pray tell?¡±


    Kariva stepped closer, and I sensed a barrier pop up around us, blurring the surroundings slightly and canceling out their sound. ¡°A diplomatic meeting with the Zarian. We will be discussing how we can limit the use of eighth-stagers if and when it comes to violence.¡±


    She sounded a bit sarcastic on the ¡®if¡¯, I noted. Fair enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± I smiled. ¡°Do we know any details?¡±


    ¡°The Greater Spirits are apparently involved to some extent, and have made their approval clear.¡±


    My smile widened. I knew this would be a controversial decision, but the risk of letting human weapons of mass destruction fight was too high for me. What amounted to religious mandates against that could only help. ¡°Where and when is the meeting?¡±


    Kariva cocked her head a little. ¡°With all due respect, my lady, it¡¯s better if I don¡¯t tell you. I won¡¯t be going to the meeting alone, of course, but I highly doubt the Empress would allow you to participate directly. It would be far too dangerous, and unpredictable given your parentage.¡±


    I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it with a sigh. There was no way I¡¯d change Kariva¡¯s mind. Besides, she probably had a point.


    This time, Mother was around, and she¡¯d certainly not just let me do as I liked.

 82: Agreement

    <div>


    The airship braked hard, making me grab the railing to preserve my balance, then turned around. The sails of qi, translucent extensions of energy, flared for a moment, before they vanished again as the vessel evened out. It stayed floating in the air, a few hundred meters up but beneath the range it should usually fly at, and gave me a good view of the landscape below us. I smiled.


    ¡°Ah, Inaris?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to fly directly back to the capital? Your Mother won¡¯t be happy if you go off half-cocked on some adventure when she called you back to her side.¡±


    I turned towards her and smiled mischievously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tenira. We¡¯re not going anywhere. We¡¯ll just stay right here for a bit, taking a break before we get going back home.¡±


    Lei chuckled. ¡°Oh, I see. Good idea. Do you have any way of actually seeing what¡¯s going on?¡±


    I shrugged and cycled some light qi, letting it gather in front of me. I hid a grin as I noticed Lei¡¯s smile widening while Tenira shook her head and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Um, is anyone going to tell me what¡¯s happening?¡± Kajare asked. He hovered a short distance from the rest of us but closer to me, two meters or so down the railing. His hand still gripped it, and he looked less than amused.


    ¡°You know about that diplomatic meeting they¡¯ve planned, parleying with the Dominion about a limit on the employment of cultivators in the eighth stage during the upcoming hostilities?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course. I assume that¡¯s the reason why your Mother is calling us back this quickly. She doesn¡¯t want you anywhere close to the Dominion¡¯s heavies?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably it,¡± I agreed. ¡°This spot isn¡¯t so close, though, is it? I intend to stay right here and watch the talks while they happen. Should be safe enough for her. The base is only a few kilometers away.¡±


    Kajare¡¯s expression cleared and he started to smile. He relaxed and leaned against the railing. ¡°Oh, I see. Good. Can you share whatever scrying you do with your techniques?¡±


    I nodded and focused on the qi I was gathering again. This would be a little tricky, but I was confident I could manage it. The fact that Mother had shown me her camera techniques that day after my breakthrough didn¡¯t escape me. I¡¯d built on it since then, and now I¡¯d really make use of them.


    I was almost certain the site would have a scry-shield, wards that prevented conventional types of scrying. Even trying to directly get the light from there would be doomed to failure. But I pulled up clumps of darkness qi and sent them out, mixed with a bit of light qi, to form mirrors and lenses in the air. It was a good thing we had clear space between the airship and the location, a hill in the jungle just short of our wall, where they¡¯d already erected an stone pavilion to host the meeting. I leapfrogged my way closer, using the previous constructs I¡¯d placed as anchors for the next stage. Finally, I reached a spot some distance from the meeting point, hidden by a rocky ledge and thick forest growth, but with an unimpeded view of the place. I set up the biggest lenses there, making a sort of spyglass, then positioning a mirror to pass on the information back to me.


    It took a few minutes of fiddling, making sure that everything was tuned correctly, until I had anything like a clear picture. But it worked. I only used light itself until the whole setup reached the airship, where I put up a screen of light qi and the actual technique that projected the image on there, like a screen showing the data fed to it from a camera.


    Tenira whistled. ¡°Impressive. I don¡¯t know if I would have managed to do something like this. And you don¡¯t even use that much qi, so you should be able to keep it up for a while.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I grinned, allowing myself a moment of pride, before I focused back on the scene I was trying to observe.


    It looked like some people from each side where already there, while others were arriving. Perhaps they¡¯d arranged it that way. I wasn¡¯t clear on the details, Kariva hadn¡¯t even told me how they¡¯d communicated. But so far, nothing much was happening. Just people hanging around, giving each other dark looks and maybe chatting with their companions. All of them wore either ornate robes or uniforms, and I was sure their presences would have been impressive, but since my technique only conveyed visuals they didn¡¯t seem all that intimidating.


    ¡°This is nice enough, but without a way to transmit sound there¡¯s only so much we will learn,¡± Lei commented.


    I grinned. ¡°Just watch.¡±


    Fumbling for a moment, I pulled out a device from my robe. It looked a bit like a large cellphone, just blockier and without a real screen. I had to extend the fold-up antenna until it was three times the length of the device. Then I started messing with the buttons until we got first a crackle and hiss and then some actual sound.


    ¡°Wow. How did you get this done?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Kariva is carrying a radio transmitter. We worked things out so I¡¯m listening in on what she sends.¡±


    On the hilltop, the noise level died down as the last people arrived. On our side, Kiyanu strolled in accompanied by another cultivator in the eighth stage I hadn¡¯t met, though I recognized her face. They joined Kariva and a few diplomats, including a representative from Terbekteri in the eighth stage. Beside them, I saw a Zarieni man, his characteristic clothing with bones and other ornaments standing out from the others¡¯ robes. That would be the chief of the strongest of our allied tribes. There were two Zarieni on the Dominion¡¯s side, as well, though the way they flanked the rest a little further back showed they weren¡¯t considered essential. The rest of the Dominion¡¯s representatives were all in uniform, a mix of gray, blue and black with unfamiliar markings.


    I zoomed out a little more until I caught sight of Aston, who stood with a few soldiers farther back. He was probably the weakest person in the delegation, but hopefully they¡¯d just assume he was there as my eyes and ears. I took a deep breath and shook my head. There was a risk that they¡¯d see his connection to Mior, but he needed to be there as an anchor for Mior¡¯s presence in the coming talks. One of the downsides of possession, the spirit had told me, was that they couldn¡¯t go far from their host. There was a similar group of soldiers with the Dominion¡¯s delegation.


    One of the Dominion¡¯s representatives cleared their throat and turned to face the Imperial side. I drew in a breath as I recognized the face from pictures I¡¯d seen in books. The Dominion¡¯s intelligence Director, head of their intelligence services and ¡®internal security¡¯. ¡°If everyone¡¯s here, can we begin?¡± he asked.


    It took me a moment to realize that I could understand him even though he was speaking in a different language. Wait, what?


    I shook my head at myself. When I recalled what he¡¯d said and tried to make sense of it, the actual sounds and words didn¡¯t mean much to me. At least, I didn¡¯t consciously understand what they meant. But I must have learned to speak Zarian before, and the knowledge lingered subconsciously. I hadn¡¯t noticed it with the Zarieni, but thinking back on it, that had been different. Like a strong accent or maybe a closely related but distinct language, with the words and pronunciation different enough that I couldn¡¯t automatically get it. I¡¯d had other things on my mind back then and hadn¡¯t really noticed if there were any feelings of familiarity. Well, even if I did know the Zarian language consciously, I probably couldn¡¯t speak the Zarieni¡¯s language, so ¡­


    I grit my teeth and grimaced, frustrated with myself. In my reading, I¡¯d avoided any primary sources or other texts where I might have read Zarian, since I didn¡¯t think it would help me any, and only gotten translations. In hindsight, that was a really dumb mistake. Why didn¡¯t I even think to ask if the old me spoke any other languages? Ugh.


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    While I¡¯d been distracted with berating myself mentally, the conversation had moved on. Taking a quick moment to sort through my memories, I realized Kariva had answered that they were ready and the talks could start, then everyone agreed, and the Director welcomed them all formally. Appropriate since the Dominion had called this meeting.


    ¡°We called you here to come to an agreement regarding the use of supreme cultivators in future hostilities between our nations.¡±


    ¡°Like those hostilities you are going to start any day now?¡± Kariva raised an eyebrow, speaking in Imperial Common.


    The Director frowned at her. ¡°Whatever happens in the near future,¡± he answered in Common as well, luckily, ¡°isn¡¯t it all the more reason to agree to keep the strongest fighters out of it? After all, it is your lands that would bear the brunt of the devastation. Surely you aren¡¯t callous or conceited enough to miss that?¡±


    Kariva tilted her head a fraction. She didn¡¯t seem fazed, but still looked like they were meeting acquaintances for small talk. ¡°The Empire is always in favor of reducing large-scale devastation. We wouldn¡¯t even want that to happen to our enemies, unless it was necessary. And yes, we recognize that those in the eighth stage of cultivation pose a serious risk, a potential for widespread, uncontrolled devastation that will only hurt everyone in the long run, if they were to be unleashed.¡±


    Looking at the screen, I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, that was easy. Seems like we¡¯re all in agreement, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate,¡± Tenira agreed.


    ¡°Why?¡± Kajare cut in. He crossed his arms and looked from me to the others. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why are you all acting like this is a good thing? I thought we were just humoring the Dominion and trying to find an advantage in the talks, not going along with their plan.¡±


    I turned towards him a little, so I could still keep an eye on the screen. ¡°Because they¡¯re right about the devastation. Even if it wouldn¡¯t hit us first, dozens of eighth stagers fighting could destroy everything around them. Fields, fortifications, cities. What point is there if half of the territory you stand to conquer is a wasteland?¡±


    Kajare shook his head, his frown settling deeper. ¡°All of that is fixable with time. And we have time. It¡¯s more important to win this war than worry about what might happen. And it¡¯s not like there are huge wastelands from other wars.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Exactly. There¡¯s never been a war with more than a handful of eighth stage cultivators fighting. No one really knows how an all-out assault might turn out. Plus, it¡¯s too much of a risk for the Empire to assume we¡¯d win.¡±


    Kajare took a step closer. ¡°Why? We have more black stage cultivators than they do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but how many of them would actually fight if it came down to it? How would they fare against our opponents? We don¡¯t really know.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°How many would fight? Most of them should! It¡¯s their duty to their monarch and nation.¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my temples. He was starting to grate on me. ¡°And what do we do if some of them refuse? Force them? That wouldn¡¯t work and would just risk alienating the ones who are ready to fight. From what I¡¯ve read, the situation isn¡¯t much better in the Kingdom. Here, there¡¯s a delicate balance. Many eighth stagers don¡¯t want to risk their precious lives in a war and would rather just focus all their efforts on trying to reach immortality. We don¡¯t know how many the Dominion could actually field, but given their ideology, it might even be more than us.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lei asked. ¡°They couldn¡¯t just brush off the Dominion¡¯s leaders?¡±


    ¡°They are the Dominion¡¯s leaders,¡± I reminded him. ¡°They have a lot to lose.¡±


    Kajare cut in again, ¡°Whatever the case, we should be able to field more than them. The Zarian are too cowardly to really all join the fighting and risk their lives. But we¡¯re better than them. Yes, there might be some devastation, but this is war. The Empire¡¯s supremacy is at stake, and that of the Kingdom of Terbekteri.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Not even considering the economy, what about all of the extra civilian casualties?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°They won¡¯t die in vain, but for their country.¡±


    For a moment, I just stared at him. This is the guy I married. I know there are cultural differences, but damn, this caught me a bit off guard.


    Before I could respond, a loud noise from the transmitter made me turn back to the meeting we¡¯d almost ignored. I stepped away from Kajare and closer to my friends, turning my back to him, and held up the receiver a little more. On the screen, I could see that the scene had changed.


    The delegates had been talking but not said much of importance, until now. The Dominion¡¯s representatives had moved away a little, and swirling mist was condensing in front of them, quickly taking a human shape. I breathed in sharply as I recognized Isuro.


    I couldn¡¯t tell what he said, probably because he was using telepathy. Crap. But our delegates exchanged looks, and the eighth stager from Terbekteri nodded. A moment later, they all took a step back as well, and once again, swirling mist rushed in.


    A moment later, Mior stood there, facing Isuro. The spirit hadn¡¯t showed any connection to Aston, as far as I could tell, but simply appeared there like the Pioneer.


    I clenched my teeth in frustration as I watched the two of them stare at each other. They must be communicating telepathically, but I couldn¡¯t hear any of it. I could only watch the reactions on the faces of the delegates, and Isuro¡¯s. His eyebrow twitched once, and his lips pressed together. Then his expression smoothed over again, and after a while, he gave a curt nod.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re agreed?¡± Kariva said aloud, finally, perhaps thinking of her transmitter.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Zarian Director answered, his tone almost bored. ¡°No one in the eighth stage of cultivation will be fighting in this war, attacking either people, property or nature.¡±


    Kariva frowned. ¡°No one with power equivalent to the eighth stage of cultivation or above.¡±


    For a moment, the two of them stared at each other. Mior and Isuro both moved their heads. Then the Director nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    I exhaled softly, some of my tension flowing away. I¡¯d pointed this out to Kariva, and I was glad she¡¯d taken it seriously. I had no desire to go up fighting against Isuro if I could help it, and they might have tried that if they could use a loophole.


    The two spirits each took a step forward, holding out their hands. I still couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, but this time I knew there was a lot of qi involved. There was a visible haze in the air, and some of the weaker members of the delegations noticeably paled. One almost sank to his knees before another Zarian braced him.


    Suddenly, I felt the connection to Rijoko in the back of my mind open up. I could sense his presence, locked in on this area, focused on the exchange happening below. I gripped the railing and took a deep breath. What looked like showers of light fell down from both sides, meeting between Mior and Isuro.? ? Then the two of them touched hands, and they disappeared. Kariva¡¯s device crackled. A moment later, Rijoko¡¯s presence started to recede.


    That was the Greater Spirits witnessing this agreement, I guess. Not going to be easy to break.


    Noise came from the receiver, people offering congratulations, assurances or farewells. This had been a really brief, to the point meeting, perhaps because of the spirits. But I couldn¡¯t focus on all of that. I took deep breaths and tried to feel after the connection in my mind that joined me to Rijoko. It had closed again, and my mental fingers slipped off it as I tried to get deeper into it. I could perhaps try to pry it open, but I held back. No point in that.


    I turned away, then hesitated. Something tingled at the edge of my senses. Some instinct told me that there were things afoot not too far from me. Far less noticeable than before, but it was coming from the direction of the meeting, and perhaps getting stronger, although the spirits there had disappeared.


    ¡°Go!¡± I shouted towards the front of the airship, taking a step back from the railing. ¡°Get moving, now!¡±


    The captain of the airship didn¡¯t hesitate or ask questions. With a small lurch, the vessel started speeding up again. I glanced around. Kajare still stood a ways off. He and the rest were frowning in confusion. I wrenched my eyes away from him and continued looking around, into the air where I¡¯d set up my techniques.


    I could sense something touching them, a hint of foreign qi. It jumped from one to the next. Quicker than I thought, the feeling reached me.


    I felt it tap against my mind, the foreign qi winding into that of my techniques and the tenuous link they afforded to me, where I¡¯d left them out in the open. A breeze rose around us, kicking up leafs and bits of gravel, sweeping over the airship. I concentrated on my mental defenses as I sensed Isuro¡¯s probing.


    He gave me a mental shove, crawling over the walls around my mind. I closed my eyes and concentrated on keeping them secure, on keeping him away.


    After a long moment, the wind whispered again, and I felt his mind knock against mine one last time, before he withdrew. I sighed, shaking my head. This was a warning, clearly. He was telling me that he knew what I¡¯d been doing, and perhaps not to push things.


    ¡°Inaris, is everything all right?¡± Kajare asked. He looked concerned.


    I glanced at Tenira and Lei. They were both quiet, though when Tenira noticed my gaze, she gave me a smile.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I answered brusquely.


    Then I turned away, making my way to the front of the airship. I¡¯d ask the captain again how long we¡¯d need for the trip.


    Mother had said we wouldn¡¯t need to unpack at the palace, so I assumed we¡¯d be traveling further, perhaps with a different airship. At the moment, the thought felt strangely reassuring. I crossed my arms and ducked into the cabin. I wouldn¡¯t mind getting away from here.

 83: Open seas

    <div>


    The first sign anything was wrong were the airships leaving the area around the capital. I expected to find some, most of them heading south. While I could see those, there were also several heading in the opposite direction, and a few on various other courses. While the stream of reinforcements to the south seemed to be ongoing, with an airship leaving at least every few hours, there was too much other activity for my peace of mind. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see all of them without my cultivation, but by now I had enough experience to be fairly good at judging distances and flight times, and I could tell the pattern had changed since we¡¯d left.


    The second sign was Mother¡¯s expression when she greeted us on the rooftop of the palace. Our airship had set down quickly and I disembarked with Lei and Tenira at my side, followed by Kajare and the others. Aston brought up the rear. He¡¯d caught up to the airship shortly after the end of the meeting, before we could get too far away. I¡¯d interrogated him about that in detail, but hadn¡¯t learned much new information.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked after I bowed to Mother and stepped forward.


    She nodded tightly. ¡°It looks like the war has now begun, more or less.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I turned my head to look south, although, of course, I couldn¡¯t see anything from here. ¡°Last I heard, things were still rather quiet, all things considered. So the Zarian attacked? Did the fortifications hold, or were they overrun?¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°They did attack, but not here, not us. They started on the Earth Continent.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I sighed.


    After a moment of thought, I glanced at Kajare. Guards lined the perimeter, and the ones from the airship had joined them, while my group lingered a little behind me. He didn¡¯t look any more upset than he¡¯d been before.


    ¡°The Zarian Dominion attacked the Velisha,¡± Mother explained. ¡°It was a quick, brutal strike that overwhelmed their defenses with the Zarian elites. From the last news we have, a significant portion of the kingdom has already fallen to them.¡±


    I swore softly, shaking my head. I knew that was the largest of the Empire¡¯s vassal states on the Earth Continent, a petty kingdom situated in a strategic location near the center of the continent and surrounded by other Imperial territories or dependents on one side.


    ¡°That country doesn¡¯t border the Dominion, does it?¡± I asked, recalling the map.


    Mother shrugged. ¡°They do on a narrow strip of land. Besides that, it seems like their northeast neighbor wasn¡¯t quite as neutral as we thought, and allowed the Zarian Dominion to launch troops from the Dominion¡¯s closest province through there.¡±


    I sighed again. Then I glanced around the rooftop and back to Mother. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take this to a conference room?¡±


    ¡°In a moment,¡± she replied. ¡°If we have time. I want you to get going as soon as possible.¡±


    I started. ¡°You¡¯re sending me to the Earth Continent?¡±


    She smiled, although there wasn¡¯t much humor in it. ¡°All things considered, I think it¡¯s still better than the front in the south. Back there, you¡¯ll be able to do more good, dealing with our vassals. Not to mention the Kingdom of Terbekteri has territories nearby, too.¡± She glanced at Kajare. ¡°With your husband, it makes sense to send you there to coordinate with our allies.¡±


    Kajare took a step forward, bowing his head. ¡°I will do my best to ensure that things work smoothly and promote the Empire¡¯s cause among the Terbekteri leadership, Your Majesty.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Good. Anything else?¡±


    I glanced at Tenira and Lei, who were now stepping forward, as well. Tenira asked, ¡°Who will accompany Inaris, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Her personal retinue, I¡¯ll leave to you to figure out,¡± Mother replied. ¡°Though you won¡¯t have much time and there¡¯s no need for a large following. I assume you and Lei will accompany her?¡±


    They both nodded, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how casually they agreed.


    Mother smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste time. You¡¯ll be taking a different airship, and I want you to be on your way as soon as it¡¯s ready.¡±


    I hesitated, even as the others turned to go. ¡°Mother,¡± I said quietly, in English. ¡°How bad is the domestic situation?¡±


    She remained silent for a moment before she answered. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Many people aren¡¯t happy with the way things have gone, but few are openly blaming me or our clan. We¡¯re focusing the people¡¯s anger on the Zarian, and most of the populace is still firmly behind us. I wouldn¡¯t trust many of the eighth stagers, but that¡¯s hardly a new development. In any case, there should be less trouble for you in our overseas territories.¡±


    I nodded my understanding and turned to go as well. If I could manage it, I¡¯d visit some of Kariva¡¯s people and gather some more information, perhaps pick a few to accompany me in addition to whoever we would have on the Earth Continent.


    I didn¡¯t like being blindsided, but I couldn¡¯t blame Mother.


    <hr>


    Of course it was too much to hope for that our trip would be quiet. The way things were going lately, we were lucky we weren¡¯t running into a fleet of Dominion warships.


    I sighed as I stared out at the dark spots in the sky that were steadily growing larger. This was manageable, at least.


    ¡°Sorry for bothering you, but I think this needs attention,¡± Lei said. ¡°Bad luck to run into something like this.¡±


    I nodded. I¡¯d read through briefing materials, spent the night with Yarani, then started to work on a small project when Lei had called me away from it. We were over the open ocean now, with land nowhere in sight even with enhanced senses, well on our way to the Earth Continent.


    It was a strange feeling to be over the open ocean. Although the airship flew in the sky, I could still feel the weight of the waves clearly in my qi senses. The tide felt different here, but it was still noticeably present, and I could have easily found my way to the nearest landmass even in complete darkness. It also meant there was nothing to obstruct our view, nothing we could use if it came to a fight except for tons of water and open air.


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    Aston joined us on the deck, a faint frown on his face. ¡°Your Highness. I would suggest that we adjust our course slightly and try to avoid these beasts if possible.¡±


    I glanced at the black spots again. By now, I could make out suggestions of beating wings in the forms. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°How many soldiers do we have here again?¡± Lei asked.


    ¡°Not many,¡± I admitted. ¡°But most are Imperial Guard and in a high stage.¡±


    He nodded and turned to watch the approaching spirit beasts again. Their numbers only seemed to increase as they got closer, though I knew that this wasn¡¯t a real swarm. Not yet, at least. It was possible these were just the vanguard of a big one.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take cover, Inaris?¡± Yarani asked as she stepped up to join us.


    She looked relaxed, but there was a faint tension in her posture, and I noticed that her hands hovered in position to draw a weapon from her storage ring. Her eyes flicked around, switching between me, the sky, and scanning the rest of the airship, in what I assumed was a subconscious search for threats. I¡¯d almost forgotten that my lover was a soldier, and now felt acutely reminded of it. It reaffirmed my decision to bring her along.


    ¡°Maybe later,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s not much call for it now, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be safer in the cabin than on the deck. Here, the guards could actually defend me more easily. Have you ever crossed the ocean?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories, but I¡¯ve never been more than a few leagues from the coast.¡±


    I nodded. Sea travel was relatively safe these days. With the agreement I¡¯d brokered with the sea dragons, it should be even safer. But there was always a bit of luck involved, and perhaps the recent fights had stirred something up.


    Aston came back from talking to the captain, and I waved him over. I noticed the way he was watching the sky, on alert but not as if he had to fight every moment now, and figured we still had some time.


    ¡°So, what do you and those more familiar with this think?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We are going to detour and try to avoid the spirit beasts, or at least the worst of it,¡± he told me. ¡°With your permission, it¡¯s best if we leave that to the experts. Finding the best path needs experience and the airship¡¯s equipment. We may have to fight, but it should be manageable. Please stay close to me, Your Highness.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    My finger brushed against the cool metal of the storage ring on my left hand, and a moment later, I held my new weapon in hand, the weight of it a little reassuring. Despite the bright day, Fides¡¯ tip didn¡¯t sparkle, and only the runes set into the spear¡¯s shaft glowed darkly to my sight. I fed some qi into it, watching as the glow intensified, then brought the spear into position.


    I didn¡¯t have long to wait before the fighting started. The flying spirit beasts, birds that looked like overgrown migratory birds with too sharp claws and beaks, closed the distance quickly. Some of them changed course towards us, and I could see bright lights as some of their feathers seemed to light on fire without actually burning them. Quickly, the first fireballs flew towards us, followed by gusts of wind.


    I created a technique, forming darkness qi into shape for a Void¡¯s Nibble, and launched it towards the nearest bird. The blob of darkness shot from my spear¡¯s tip faster than usual, and struck true, burning through its wing, putting out its fire, and sending it spiraling downward. I nodded in satisfaction.


    Over the next few minutes, I really came to appreciate my weapon. Fides sucked in darkness qi like a sponge, held it in place for me and anchored the form of my techniques, then let me launch them swiftly and precisely at my targets. I knew it wouldn¡¯t work so well for light, but most of my real attacks were darkness-based, at least the ones where a weapon would help.


    But the swarm didn¡¯t show any signs of thinning. Many of my shots missed the agile birds, and the others, including the guards, didn¡¯t have much better luck. Even if a bird was hit, it often took several attacks to put it out of the fight, since they were strong, resilient, and seemed to regenerate quickly. One of them kept flying without its tail feathers as they were ripped away, then they swiftly regrew in time for it to dodge my attack.


    After a while, I took a step back from the railing and closer to Aston. ¡°This isn¡¯t working so well.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to turn around even more and try to avoid the worst of the swarm. It¡¯s getting closer, but we should be able to keep to the outside and let most of them pass us by. We¡¯ll lose some time, but I¡¯d rather not take risks with your safety.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I shook my head. ¡°What is up with them, anyway, do you think?¡±


    Aston frowned. ¡°I¡¯d say they were roused by something, and they¡¯re not the only spirit beasts that have been stirred. Looking closely, there¡¯s more activity in the sea as well, and I spotted some other bird types. It¡¯s probably the fighting on the continent. It may have displaced some spirit beasts and lead to ripple effects.¡±


    I sighed. That indicated that things were really heating up on the Earth Continent.


    The airship slowed down and started drifting further away. It seemed to work, at least for now, and we saw less of the birds as the bulk of them shifted in relation to our position and heading, moving further to the side from my perspective.


    I took a breather and tried to pull in some qi while I had the chance. Darkness qi was hard to find, even though it was what I¡¯d primarily used so far. Normal light attacks didn¡¯t have the same punch against their resilient forms, and I was reluctant to try playing around with radiation. I hadn¡¯t even managed a real laser, one that would be focused enough for longer distances.


    After half an hour, I noticed that the number of birds we fought was increasing again. We drew closer to the center of the swarm once more. Maybe they¡¯d changed their heading a little. We were still moving at an angle to them, but more of the birds dove at us. There had to be thousands altogether, a bigger swarm than usual from what had been mentioned in one book I¡¯d read.


    I turned back to Aston. ¡°I have an idea. If we can wing it, pun not intended, I think we should descend. We¡¯ll be harder to see on the water.¡±


    Aston raised an eyebrow and looked like he wanted to say something, then he simply nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    I watched him go again, grabbing onto the railing and chewing my lip. He was an air cultivator close to the seventh stage. And at least a third of the other guards with us cultivated air or water affinity qi. This shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I had to force myself to relax as I waited, tense seconds dragging on.


    I was still caught by surprise as we suddenly started dropping like, well, a multi-ton vessel hanging in the air should. I¡¯d expected them to do maybe a gradual descent with an easier landing. It took me a moment to adjust, relaxing my grip on the railing and looking around to make sure that nobody was adversely affected. Luckily, we were all cultivators here and the others didn¡¯t even stumble.


    Not that I¡¯d complain, this was actually better than I thought.


    We set down on the water with a quiet splash. If not for the sudden stop of our momentum, I wouldn¡¯t have thought we¡¯d impacted the ocean at all. My stomach tried to climb into my throat, but a moment later, I was focused, assessing the situation and calling on my qi.


    ¡°Tenira, Lei, help me, please,¡± I said.


    Then I concentrated on finishing my technique. A moment later, I sensed Tenira and Lei adding their work to my own, patches of qi that intersected with mine so each of us had to cover less ground. It didn¡¯t take long for everything to happen, and I finished the work quickly.


    Glancing around, I had to force my eyes to perceive what was going on. I could still see the ship and people around me, but it took focus to process what the outside, the ocean and sky, looked like. For anyone looking at us from the outside, we should now be invisible.


    I wasn¡¯t that practiced with conventional illusions, but it seemed to work. None of the birds came closer, at least.


    ¡°Your Highness, the ship doesn¡¯t have a drive we can use on water, although it¡¯s not hard to keep it afloat,¡± Aston said as he came back. ¡°We could still move it manually, though we would have to be careful not to stir the ocean too much, I assume?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, the less disturbance we cause, the better. But please do.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to start moving again. A much slower pace than we¡¯d had in the air, but better than nothing.


    I watched the swarm of spirit beasts fly past. After a while, the bulk was past us and seemed to shrink as they moved farther away. I¡¯d still wait until they were really gone until we took to the air again.


    At least we don¡¯t have to worry about attacks from the Dominion¡¯s ships on the ocean, thanks to the sea dragons. We¡¯ve only lost time.

 84: Territory

    <div>


    On first glance, the Earth Continent wasn¡¯t much different from the Sky Continent. I hadn¡¯t expected it to be, of course. I¡¯d traveled to enough different continents on Earth to realize that while landmasses tended to put limits on flora and fauna, cultures couldn¡¯t be so easily defined and architecture often changed gradually. Even going from America to Europe might not seem like much unless you looked more closely, at the details.


    On second glance, holy crap that¡¯s a large mountain range. I could feel my eyes widen as I stared further into the distance. I could only just barely make it out from here, but it seemingly stretched from one end of the horizon to the other, with mountaintops rising as high as those in the Central Mountains. Just a lot more of them.


    I blinked, then returned my attention to the landscape closer to us. With the right technique, I could see a lot. The coast was fairly even, with more sand beaches than rocky cliffs like the east of the Sky Continent. A lot of cities dotted the large gulf we had just come in over. There were two broad rivers leading further inland. Everything matched up with the maps I¡¯d seen, even if I couldn¡¯t see the borders that had been drawn on the maps in real life. Only one of them had what seemed from here like a fence following its course.


    ¡°They¡¯re massing soldiers,¡± Tenira said, turning towards me and pointing out a few spots. From the faint glow, she was channeling light qi to her eyes as well. ¡°There, we have more airships concentrated in one spot, and more activity at the outposts. Not just the Imperial provinces, either, I think the other countries we can see from here are doing the same.¡±


    I nodded. While the Empire controlled most of this region, there were a few other countries touching on the gulf as well. Most of them were our vassals, though one to the north, stretching towards the Lotus Confederation¡¯s territory, was committedly neutral. I wouldn¡¯t blame them for being on the alert.


    ¡°I¡¯ve set up a tentative schedule, but it¡¯s going to change depending on what information we get on the ground,¡± Tenira continued. ¡°We¡¯ve set up a few meetings with communication talismans, since telegraphs weren¡¯t an option.¡±


    ¡°Shame we haven¡¯t finished building up the infrastructure,¡± I said. This airship and some planned convoys later on would deliver loads of radios, so the Imperial forces here would have at least that much. But easy, fast communication between this continent and the capital would have been nice. Of course, laying telegraph or telephone lines underwater is just a bit more difficult if the ocean is swimming with spirit beasts.


    ¡°Anything you need me to do? How can I help?¡± Kajare asked.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, but Tenira filled the pause seamlessly. ¡°Mostly, you just need to look pretty. Er, no offense.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Considering your wedding is the pretext for the Dominion¡¯s attack, it¡¯s perhaps best not to draw too much attention to it, but showing that the Kingdom of Terbekteri is actively supporting us would be good. Be nice, be diplomatic, don¡¯t get drawn into arguments. And don¡¯t offer input on strategy, let alone orders, without clearing it with us first. That goes for all of our stay here.¡±


    Kajare nodded and smiled, though I could tell the expression was a bit forced. ¡°I can do that.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Great. Then let¡¯s get ready for disembarking. They might have arranged a big welcome.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to arrive at the largest of the cities bordering the ocean. From above, it looked like roughly two-thirds the size of the Imperial capital, with a lot of tall buildings and a few factories. There was a large central plaza with a sprawling complex I assumed was a palace or government center inside a garden, though we didn¡¯t touch down there, but at the back of the complex where there were more visible defenses.


    It looked like they hadn¡¯t planned a big welcome, but many people wanted to offer it anyway. A large crowd had gathered, with some of them waving signs or flags. Cheering erupted as soon as the first of us, Tenira, stepped out of the airship onto the ground. I waved at them as I disembarked, checking out the crowd and our surroundings. The people tended to have slightly darker skin tones than on the Sky Continent, at least on average. Otherwise, they looked pretty much the same. The construction of the roads and houses also gave the impression of a typical Imperial city, though not an old one.


    Then I turned my attention to the greeting party, who were already on their knees. They looked like a mixture of political functionaries and officers.


    ¡°Your Highness, my lords and ladies, welcome to Earthhaven City,¡± an older man said. ¡°We have arranged accommodations and refreshments if you would like to relax after your journey.¡±


    ¡°Rise,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you for the welcome. There¡¯s no need for that, we should get straight to business. I assume you have a briefing prepared?¡±


    They rose, although the man looked a bit nervous. ¡°Of course, Your Highness, although our top commanders are not in they city, but at the front.¡±


    I nodded. We wouldn¡¯t stay here long, anyway, but probably head deeper into the continent. The welcoming party wasted no more time on niceties, but started to lead us into the building. It had a lot of statues and too many bright colors for my taste, but at least the conference room we finally arrived in wasn¡¯t too ostentatious. A few more people waited for us inside, and they¡¯d already spread maps and documents out over the table.


    I greeted everyone, but didn¡¯t take much time for it. I was feeling a bit restless, conscious of the time we¡¯d lost on the ocean passing by that swarm of spirit beasts.


    ¡°How is the situation?¡± I asked after settling down at the head of the table.


    They exchanged looks. No one seemed happy, but at least no one looked really grim. A woman I recognized as this province¡¯s administrator cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s largely under control, Your Highness. I can¡¯t speak for the front, but things are quiet here. There¡¯s been some unease, especially in the provinces closer to the Dominion, but no widespread problems. Several vassals have registered their displeasure, but the worst we¡¯ve gotten are verbal complaints that may just be playing internal politics. We haven¡¯t yet imposed any measures on the public, we wouldn¡¯t want to presume with you coming.¡±


    I managed not to pull a face and only nodded. It sounded like they just wanted to cover their own posterior, but I shouldn¡¯t judge that too quickly. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s look at the details.¡±


    Over the next hour, I was inundated with reports. Some printed or handwritten in documents that I read during pauses in the conversation, others directly from people at the conference table. I passed the documents on to Tenira and Kajare and tried to piece everything together to get a good idea of the situation.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± I said as I got past the last page and yet another official¡¯s report. ¡°How many states has the Dominion attacked now?¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Two countries and two Imperial provinces, Your Highness,¡± the administrator replied. ¡°The latter in the last five hours. Those were only probing attacks, raids and the like, which didn¡¯t go deeper into our territory. The Zarian have avoided contact but established footholds in three places. The most pressure by far is on the Velisha, with almost half of their total territory occupied by Zarian troops by now.¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my temple. Only hours. We could have gotten here before these attacks if we hadn¡¯t been delayed by the spirit beasts.


    ¡°We encountered a large flock of spirit beasts on the way here,¡± Tenira mentioned. ¡°Flame variety. They are supposed to come from further inland, to the east, aren¡¯t they? You haven¡¯t mentioned fighting there.¡±


    They exchanged looks again. One of the officers cleared his throat. ¡°Indeed, my lady. These Flame-Tailed Birds come from a region between the Confederation, Dominion and Imperial territories, where there is nothing but two qi anomalies and a few small countries.¡± He pointed the area out on the map.


    I leaned forward. ¡°So, for the flock to be displaced like this outside of its usual migration, can we assume things are happening there?¡±


    The officer nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I would bet money that the Zarian are to blame, either directly or indirectly. They might have stirred up trouble and conflict in the area, but I would assume that the Dominion has moved troops there. They may be preparing an attack on one of the Lotus Confederations¡¯ members, get a new foothold for the conflict with us, or perhaps even open a new front and attack us from another direction.¡±


    ¡°Or they could be hoping to take these troops through the Forest Haunt and launch a surprise attack on the Terbekteri provinces,¡± another officer put in.


    I nodded. ¡°Can we make sure of it one way or the other?¡±


    The administrator pulled a face. ¡°They¡¯ll hide, and our better seers are all with the army ¡­¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take care of it once we reach their headquarters. Or one of them.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay here for a bit?¡± Lei asked.


    ¡°No point,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do here that we can¡¯t do closer to the front, and I want to at least consult with our generals.¡±


    ¡°We should probably move into Velisha after that,¡± Kajare put in.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ll take some troops. Let¡¯s see.¡±


    He smiled a little, and I couldn¡¯t help but return the smile before I even realized I was doing it.


    I still didn¡¯t feel quite comfortable with his attitude towards the agreement with the Dominion and the view he¡¯d expressed while we were watching the meeting. If I was honest with myself, some of that was because he had valid points but had crossed the line I would¡¯ve set at some point. Still, the feeling of working towards a goal together was nice. And besides, he¡¯s probably just sheltered, too caught up in how he¡¯s been taught to think about these things. This might just give him a reality check.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re drafting plans for emergency measures and contingencies if you haven¡¯t already,¡± I said to the gathered bureaucrats. ¡°I¡¯ll give some general guidance. We want the ability to control the economy and shift our output in favor of war-related production. That includes the possibility of setting goals and quotas for businesses to meet if necessary. Also, implement plans to store and secure food and other essentials and prepare to impose rationing if necessary. Assess what resources we may conscript if worst comes to worst, and especially take stock of cultivators in higher stages with valuable skills. Step up recruitment for the army, working together with the local guards.¡±


    While I was talking, several people started looking more and more grim or even pale. Maybe the reality of the situation hadn¡¯t hit them yet.


    ¡°What about the nobility?¡± the province administrator asked.


    ¡°I trust you to tread lightly, but make sure the goals I outlined are still accomplished,¡± I said. ¡°If anyone makes trouble, inform me. We can¡¯t allow anyone to play games at a time like this.¡±


    I noticed Tenira nod beside me as she was looking over a few of the reports. I was actually glad we were in the Earth Continent. The provinces here tended to be more directly controlled by the Imperial government, and noble clans or sects had less influence. The was none I couldn¡¯t suppress if I had to.


    ¡°I expect you to get these plans to me quickly,¡± I concluded. ¡°Questions?¡±


    There were more questions than I had thought, and it was another half hour till we could finally leave the conference. By that point, I was seriously questioning how some of them had made it to their positions. Well, they¡¯re scared, insecure. And they don¡¯t know me. I guess it makes sense some of them want to double-check everything, and others are too caught up in their usual business.


    It didn¡¯t take long to get back onto the airship. As we rose into the sky, I noticed that two other airships had risen from what had to be the garrison and were moving to escort us. At least they were on the ball.


    ¡°So, the outpost we¡¯re moving to isn¡¯t directly at the front, but it should be where most of the senior commanders have gathered, and we¡¯re still moving close to a warzone,¡± Tenira said as we left the city behind. ¡°Hopefully, everyone will proceed with caution.¡±


    We nodded. I glanced over the side of the airship at the continent spread out before us. Most of the fighting would take place on the eastern part, where the main contenders had their territories. We probably wouldn¡¯t get close to the huge mountains looming to our northwest. It would take a bit to get closer to the real theater of war, or what it was right now. It was midday here. I took out my watch from my storage ring and glanced at the time.


    ¡°You have a meeting spot soon?¡± Tenira asked.


    ¡°Twelve hours,¡± I answered and put the watch away. ¡°I could get in contact with someone now, since we worked out a sleeping schedule and everything, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡±


    She nodded in agreement, and I stifled a sigh. I wasn¡¯t completely sure what I would tell Mother when we checked in. Well, by then I¡¯ll hopefully have a better idea what¡¯s up with the Dominion moving too far afield.


    ¡°Since we have some time, let¡¯s check on that area, okay?¡±


    I settled down on the deck of the airship, Tenira and Lei joining me while the others stepped back. I tried to ignore their curious gazes and focus on pulling on light qi. Carefully, I spun that into form for a technique, waiting while the other two added their own contributions. I had vague impressions of performing this kind of scrying in a group with others, and they clearly knew what they were doing. It wasn¡¯t long until I saw the image of a foreign landscape appear.


    We had a view from high up. I checked that against my mental map and started navigating, zooming in closer. Nothing jumped out at me, and this was a lot of ground to cover.


    ¡°This is going to take a while,¡± Tenira muttered.


    I started moving our point of view over the area systematically. On a few occasions, our view was distorted and blurred out, probably by wards. Those were centered over cities or estates, and I simply passed them by. I kept our imagined camera high up, since there was no way we could cover everything in detail, and trying to find individual Dominion soldiers would be stupid.


    ¡°There,¡± Lei finally said. ¡°On that forest to the west, in the foothills. Let¡¯s go to that valley.¡±


    I moved our scrying window, but didn¡¯t find whatever got his attention. This area was pretty wild, with only a few scattered villages. They seemed to be doing fine. I was about to start moving in a grid pattern, farther away, when I noticed a hint of smoke rising from the forest. He must have seen something like that. Carefully, I zoomed in and navigated the window.


    I had to hand it to the Dominion, they weren¡¯t stupid. They didn¡¯t set up wards against scrying, probably because that would draw too much attention. Instead, they hid their soldiers, presumably at least several groups of elites, in the dense forest and the crags of the mountains. I¡¯d almost given up hope before I stumbled upon an outpost they¡¯d built into the side of a mountain, covered by a rocky shelf. It was the same color and texture as the surrounding stone, clearly crafted from it, but adjusted by earth cultivators to offer more shelter and concealment. Perhaps a staging ground for an excursion, judging by the supplies covered by tarps they¡¯d set up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too close,¡± Tenira warned.


    I nodded and moved our technique back. ¡°We have what we need, anyway.¡±


    After a moment, we dissolved it and exchanged looks. I knew the others were thinking the same thing as I was. The Dominion was clearly there, planning something. This couldn¡¯t be the only staging point it had set up. They may have quietly cleared the area, mostly unattended wilderness, to prepare for larger troop movements. Perhaps they¡¯d already moved in and built up their presence there while keeping the local authorities quiet through bribery or subterfuge.


    I still needed to get a better idea of what we had to work with and how our situation looked, but I¡¯d keep that in mind. Perhaps we could use it. If nothing else, we had a new direction to guard against.

 85: War stinks

    <div>


    I couldn¡¯t tell when we crossed the border. While I had the map perfectly stored in my memory, it didn¡¯t show every detail, and the surroundings were too irregular to give me any real clue. I¡¯d looked at a few more detailed maps, but not of this area. There hadn¡¯t been time for everything, and maps weren¡¯t a priority. Not that it mattered.


    Aston leaned over and raised his voice to be heard over the wind. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve now crossed the border into Velisha territory!¡±


    I nodded and glanced at the airships accompanying us. Just when I¡¯d thought I knew everything the Empire¡¯s airships had to offer, they¡¯d surprised me. The four of them, including the one I was on, flew at what any native would consider breakneck speed even for air travel. Not as fast as some planes from Earth, but it still ate the kilometers beneath us. The shielding couldn¡¯t quite keep up, and while it kept the worst of the wind off, enough made it through.


    Of course, for military deployments, you¡¯d assume that any soldier wouldn¡¯t even be inconvenienced by a little wind or cold.


    I watched the soldiers waiting on the decks of the other airships, standing still and silent in a more professional manner than I¡¯d expected. We were taking a good chunk of troops from the defensive line the local generals had set up. Some had tried to argue against it. But I agreed with those who said that we needed to primarily support the Velisha and stop the Dominion¡¯s advance as well as we could.


    I shook my head as I remembered yesterday¡¯s meetings at the outpost and base we¡¯d traveled to after Earthhaven. There¡¯d been even more reports to take in and hours of meetings, but at least now I was confident that I knew my way around the local situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not making the wrong decision, am I?¡± I asked Tenira, who stood beside me, quietly, though I knew she could hear me.


    She shook her head. ¡°You said that we needed to move quickly, and you were right. Still are. The Dominion¡¯s trying to overwhelm us, keep us off balance, by attacking this rapidly. We can¡¯t let them take this much territory from us and settle in.¡±


    I nodded. I think they call it shock and awe tactics, or something. There¡¯s no way they¡¯re able to sustain this kind of pace, they must already be spread somewhat thin. Not with the way they¡¯re pressing the attack at the Yellow Graves, too.


    ¡°I¡¯d still bet Aston has orders from your Mother to keep you out of trouble,¡± she added. ¡°In case you were thinking of coming with the troops on the real attack.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just going to talk to the Velisha, like we said. But there¡¯s no good reason not to take the soldiers with us for the first part of the way. Safety in numbers and all that.¡±


    We were interrupted by an officer walking up to us with a sheet of paper in hand, tucking a communication talisman away. He bowed. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve established contact with the local soldiers and the Velisha, as expected.¡±


    I turned around. ¡°Give me the key points, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. The positioning of both Dominion and Velisha combatants is largely as we expected. The Dominion has a stronger presence in the next town, at target location two, than we thought. There¡¯s also been movements to the north and northwest. The way to target location one is clear. They report they¡¯ve just wrapped up their fighting there, and the local commanders have relocated there.¡±


    I glanced around, noting Aston¡¯s expression, before I straightened. ¡°Alright, commander. It looks like our plan is a go. Proceed as discussed. Move quickly and strike hard.¡±


    The commander bowed again. ¡°As you command, Your Highness. By your leave.¡± He turned and jumped off the airship in a fluid motion. A second later, I caught him seemingly running across the air to enter the next one, where he started scrambling the soldiers.


    A minute later, two of the other airships peeled off, accelerating even more and turning to head to the spot we¡¯d chosen to launch their attack. If all went well, they¡¯d be able to disrupt the Dominion¡¯s efforts, shake their grip on the region and soften them up for follow-up strikes. The contingent was mostly soldiers in higher stages, including a good number of elites, so I had no doubt they¡¯d be able to accomplish their objective. If they took some heat off the Velisha to help us talk to them, that would be a good bonus.


    ¡°Anything around that we need to be careful of?¡± I asked Aston.


    He stared into space for a moment, perhaps conferring with Mior, before he shook his head. ¡°No, Your Highness. Our route is clear. We should reach the Velisha¡¯s current base soon enough.


    I nodded. It felt reassuring to know that Mior was there. While they weren¡¯t supposed to interfere too much, I knew they would step in if my life was in danger. Or empower Aston to do it.


    We traveled the rest of the way in silence. I could tell that the others were a little nervous. Lei never stood at any spot on deck too long before moving, and Tenira looked down at the landscape as if it held the secrets of the universe. Kajare would pace a few steps before he stopped, only to start again after a bit. Only Yarani seemed unfazed, but I could see the faint tension in her posture.


    I glanced down at the landscape. Everything looked quiet here, so far, but there were too few people out and about in the small towns I saw, and the fields were almost deserted. From further north, faint plumes of smoke curled into the sky, though their sources were blocked from my sight.


    Finally, after what seemed like too long a wait, Aston reported that we were nearing the area of the fighting, and would soon get to the current headquarters of the Velisha leadership.


    ¡°At least they¡¯re near the front and contributing to the defense of their country, not cowering somewhere,¡± Kajare muttered.


    I raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t comment.


    The Velisha didn¡¯t have a fixed capital, but the place their king had held court most recently was located closer to the Dominion, and the Zarian had overrun it two days ago. From what I¡¯d heard, the king and his family had taken charge of the fight and mostly retreated with their soldiers. This was the first time they¡¯d actually moved their base back towards the direction of the Zarian. The first time they¡¯d managed to beat them back, more or less. I assumed I¡¯d meet the king there. And considering how few Imperial soldiers fought here compared to Velisha, it might be a bit of a sore point.


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    The airship slowed and lost altitude as we neared the town. It was encircled by a tall wall, but I counted half a dozen spots where that wall had been damaged, with at least two breaches. And not everything was covered by it, anyway, as a number of buildings stood outside the town walls. One side of the fields surrounding it looked burnt, with large furrows dug into the earth. Most of the people I could see moving around carried weapons, presumably soldiers.


    Looking down at the scene as we came closer, I sighed. After a moment of consideration, I turned toward the front of the airship. ¡°Slow down a bit more, and go lower.¡±


    I wondered if they¡¯d heard me, but a moment later, I could feel the airship decelerating, and we dropped down even further.


    By now, we were close enough to get a good look at the scene. I analyzed the fortifications, clearly hastily reinforced. A few cultivators were patching the breaches in the wall. There were a lot of soldiers in the town, perhaps twice the number I¡¯d taken with me, although I suspected the average stage of cultivation was lower. I could tell the town had been hit hard by the fighting. A few houses on the edge were only smoking ruins, many more had clearly been touched by fire. I would hesitate before moving into any of them for fear they might come down on my head with the next storm, but the inhabitants might not have a choice. And then, of course, there were the bodies.


    ¡°Does this match your expectations?¡± I asked Kajare.


    He frowned, taking another look over the airship¡¯s railing before he turned his head to answer me. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°This is the first battlefield you¡¯ve seen, isn¡¯t it? Assuming you can count this as one.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°What are they doing with the bodies?¡±


    I glanced at the soldiers who were laying out corpses in neat rows, clearly separated in three groups. One had everything, including clothing, stripped from them and gathered, clearly the Dominion¡¯s fallen. It was the smallest group. The one where a few townsfolk lingered was probably the largest, with people in various different kinds of clothing.


    ¡°Clean-up, I presume,¡± I answered. ¡°Taking stock of casualties, tallying numbers, and gathering the equipment of the fallen. This is going to take a while, I¡¯d say. Cleaning up after a fight often takes longer than the actual fighting.¡± Especially with cultivators.


    He nodded and continued watching the work. I noticed that his gaze flitted all over the scene, but his knuckles slowly whitened where he clenched his hands.


    ¡°It stinks,¡± he finally commented.


    I took a deep breath, then regretted it as my enhanced sense of smell picked up the scent of death, blood and excretions. ¡°Yeah.¡± I grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s how you could tell that a number of civilians died. Soldiers are stronger cultivators and usually don¡¯t eat much, especially in a war. Their bodies don¡¯t stink as much.¡±


    He pulled a face. Tenira had joined us during the conversation, and I noticed her rolling her eyes from my peripheral vision. She didn¡¯t look down except for brief glances.


    ¡°What point are you trying to make?¡± Kajare asked after a moment.


    I shrugged. ¡°Nothing, really. I¡¯m taking a look at the state of the town and the Velisha¡¯s forces. Get ready to disembark, we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    We were coming up on what I assumed was the center of town, perhaps the manor of the local lord in normal times. They¡¯d set up a security perimeter, and the airship had to wait, hovering in the air for a bit, before we were clear to land.


    When we finally disembarked, every eye was on us. I smiled slightly, trying to project confidence and let them know I wasn¡¯t rattled. Not everyone looked happy to see us. Most people kept away and tried not to make their stares obvious, while a greeting party stepped closer to us and bowed.


    ¡°Imperial Princess,¡± the man in the lead, probably an officer, greeted. ¡°Please let me welcome you and your retinue to the Velisha.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you. My troops should have made contact with you a while ago. I¡¯m glad to see things are well in hand here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. The king is waiting for you. And your companions, of course.¡±


    We fell into loose formation as we followed the group, with my guards on the outside, watching our surroundings carefully. Kajare walked a step beside and to the side of me, with Tenira and Lei and then Yarani following. We¡¯d set down on an open square beside the main complex, so we wouldn¡¯t have far to go. I glanced at the tables set up in the area we walked through. They¡¯d turned this into a command post, and people were communicating with what sounded like locations in the rest of their territory, and perhaps our strike force.


    The Velisha king stood in the center of it all, accompanied by several younger people in rich robes and uniforms. He looked like he was maybe fifty, with a broad, imposing stature and gray-flecked hair framing a lined face. I recognized the people not in uniform as his sons from my briefing material, but the resemblance would have been obvious anyway.


    They stopped talking as we approached and turned around, the king stepping forward to meet us, flanked by some of the others. Several of them openly scowled at me. I noticed some gazes stop on Kajare before they moved on. He tilted his chin up slightly as if in response to their looks.


    For a moment, I wondered if I¡¯d have to make the first move. Then the rest of them dropped to a knee while the king bowed deeply. An appropriate reception. ¡°Imperial Princess Inaris, Prince Kajare, lords and ladies of House Leri,¡± he greeted us. ¡°Welcome to our humble home.¡±


    I bowed my head in response. ¡°Thank you, King Valis. Please rise.¡± I waited as they did, hesitating for a moment, before I continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the death your people suffered, in this town as well as the rest. You have my condolences.¡±


    Some of their expressions only darkened at the reminder. But I kept my focus on the king. His eyes widened a fraction, and his gaze sharped, before he gave a small nod. ¡°Thank you, Imperial Princess.¡±


    ¡°I hope that with the reinforcements the Empire has sent, we¡¯ll be able to turn this around on the Dominion,¡± I said. ¡°How are things here?¡±


    ¡°Adequate,¡± one of the younger men grated out. He scowled at a sharp look from the king. ¡°They would have been better had the Empire been here earlier.¡±


    King Valis cleared his throat. ¡°We understand that this sudden strike was unexpected for everyone,¡± he said. The look he shot the others was clear. Don¡¯t be an idiot, we need them to win this. Or something like that. ¡°Our counter-push is going well, thanks to the Imperial elites,¡± he continued. ¡°We are already pushing them back, and may regain several towns soon.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He glanced around. ¡°Forgive my poor hospitality. Would you like to come inside for refreshments?¡±


    I didn¡¯t really want to, but I didn¡¯t want to risk offending anyone, and it sounded like this was the time for social niceties and pleasantries. It helped that both Tenira and Yarani were looking at me expectantly. So I agreed, and allowed the king to lead the group inside the manor. It would be better to talk about things with more privacy, too.


    And while I still felt a bit of the restless urgency, I knew that there wasn¡¯t much I could do for the fight here. I needed to concentrate on my own challenge, dealing with our vassals.


    On the way, Valis and Kajare started chatting. Apparently, Valis had met his father a few decades ago, and was now asking after his health and various people he¡¯d met. Kajare was friendly, but I could tell this wasn¡¯t just idle small talk.


    I sighed. They¡¯re not going to be happy if I tell them that the Kingdom of Terbekteri isn¡¯t sending reinforcements. At least not here, not now.


    Our alliance was only a few days old, in all. It took time to work things out, to set up coordination between our forces. And since Terbekteri had been left alone so far, they weren¡¯t rushing their mobilization as much as some on our side might have hoped.


    I shook my head and focus on the situation as we entered a large sitting room. One thing at a time. I¡¯d learn what I could here, make a few decisions, and hopefully do my part in the war effort.

 86: The price of protection

    <div>


    ¡°They¡¯re all waiting on you, Inaris,¡± Tenira said.


    I didn¡¯t turn away from the window, a large glass plane spanning a good chunk of the room, and the view it offered me of the landscape. ¡°I know,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m letting them wait. For a bit.¡±


    Cloth rustling and the soft sound of footsteps indicated that Tenira was coming closer. She didn¡¯t answer right away, so I turned around and looked at her. The light from the window highlighted the soft blue of her robe, and let the pearls set into it sparkle. She¡¯d put on a bit of makeup that made her eyes look even deeper than usual. By now, I was used to her beauty and didn¡¯t show any outward reaction, even if my heartbeat accelerated just a little.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot more confident with this sort of thing,¡± she commented. ¡°It¡¯s good to see.¡±


    I smiled wryly. ¡°Thanks. But a part of it is a front.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Out here, I¡¯m the Imperial authority. And these people aren¡¯t our citizens, they¡¯re vassals, and I¡¯m in the position of their liege now. They¡¯re all more experienced and stronger, so I can¡¯t afford to screw up.¡±


    ¡°Plus some of them are angry at the Empire, or just angry in general and directing it at us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that too.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We were still in the same town we¡¯d arrived in two days ago. The Velisha leadership had decided to stay here and establish a new base rather than move closer to the fighting, although they¡¯d managed to reclaim two other towns from the Dominion. Perhaps because of the foreign politicians who¡¯d started arriving. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just because they¡¯d gotten word of my presence, or if the Velisha had discreetly invited them.


    Right now, most of them had gathered in the mansion¡¯s hall. Almost all of them were either the rulers or leaders of a small nation, or closely associated with someone who was. It made this a great opportunity to establish some far-reaching decisions, even if it also raised the difficulty for me.


    They all stood and bowed when I entered, Tenira on my heels. I paused for a moment to take stock of the room. Over a dozen people, about two thirds of them men, all at least in the sixth stage and richly dressed according to various cultural norms or fashions.


    ¡°Thank you, lords and ladies,¡± I said. ¡°Please sit. Let us begin.¡± I smiled as I walked to my own seat. ¡°I look forward to working with you all.¡±


    The few people here from Imperial provinces looked most at ease, I noted. They¡¯d taken the seats close to me, while King Varis faced me at the other end of the large table, flanked by two younger men.


    ¡°The Dominion threatens everyone here,¡± an older woman replied, sharp gaze fixed on me. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s partly because of our association with the Empire, Princess Inaris.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Not that I would imply disloyalty, of course.¡±


    ¡°But as your vassals, we¡¯re promised protection in exchange for bending the knee,¡± a middle-aged man in golden robes cut in. ¡°I do hope the Empire remembers that.¡±


    I sighed internally. They¡¯re not pulling their punches, are they? And right off the bat. I guess I can see it. Try to get me off balance, prevent me from getting my feet under me in the first place. I narrowed my eyes. Or I¡¯m just being paranoid.


    After I¡¯d let the silence build for a few moments, fixing my gaze on them, I smiled slightly, just a curling of my lips that I knew didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°Of course. The Empire honors its agreements. It¡¯s why we helped you in your efforts to become modern nations, improving your economy, standard of living, and martial strength. After your countries ¡ª or the disparate tribes you used to be ¡ª decided to accept the Empire¡¯s sheltering hand.¡±


    A few of them shifted in their seats just a fraction. Quite a few of these countries would have chosen to submit for fear of being conquered. I doubted anyone here was old enough to remember it, but some were probably afraid that this war might lead the Empire to tighten its metaphorical hand around them.


    ¡°Of course the Empire will protect you,¡± I continued. ¡°As it has always done. But we will not let anyone use this time to sow dissension or maneuver for individual advantage. All of you have sworn oaths of fealty to the Empire, just as your countries are duty-bound to serve it faithfully. I do hope you remember that.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, before many of them bowed their heads. Murmurs of ¡°Of course, Your Highness¡± filled the room.


    I saw Kajare relax slightly beside me. Tenira didn¡¯t let anything show, but she¡¯d been tense ever since we sat down. I wished one of them could help me out, but I knew I couldn¡¯t let them speak for me. Beside the occasional comment, maybe.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re on that topic,¡± I continued. I wanted to wait, but I guess they¡¯re less likely to object now, right? ¡°The Empire will require more from all of you while we shoulder the burden of dealing with this conflict. After all, as has been pointed out, the Dominion and this war are an existential threat to all of us. As such, in the name of my Mother, I want to ensure that our efforts are bundled and integrated well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re demanding more from us?¡± one of the men interjected, leaning forward. ¡°What, more tithe? Or withdrawing defenses and exposing our lands to attack?¡±


    I frowned, feeling a stab of annoyance at the interruption. ¡°No. As I said, we will protect everyone, unless there are clear and compelling strategic reasons why we can¡¯t. And we will not demand more money. In fact, taxes are put on hold for now.¡±


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    ¡°Then what?¡± the woman from earlier asked, a touch of weariness in her voice.


    ¡°People,¡± I said. ¡°We will be doing an accounting of every cultivator of notable strength in the dominion of an Imperial vassal. You all know that wars are decided by the strongest cultivators. As such, this is a matter of paramount importance to all of our security.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Every cultivator in your lands in the sixth stage of cultivation or above will report to Imperial authorities, so we may best deploy them in the course of this war, whether that means fighting, establishing infrastructure, or other duties. Exceptions will be made for those occupied in critical roles. So I declare, in the name of my Mother, Empress Acura the First.¡±


    For a moment, everyone was silent. They started to exchange glances. Some sank deeper into their seats, while others seemed to swell with bluster. I hadn¡¯t really considered it before, but they would, of course, also be included in that decree.


    ¡°You¡¯re drafting our strongest warriors?¡± King Varis asked, as if he had trouble believing it. Everyone else turned to him.


    ¡°Those already fighting for their nation or people will of course remain where they are and continue doing that,¡± I said. ¡°It is those who have so far not contributed to the war effort who will be primarily affected.¡±


    ¡°This is scandalous,¡± one of the men hissed. ¡°Our countries will bear the brunt of this war¡¯s cost, while the Empire is the one truly under attack by the Zarian?¡±


    Tenira scoffed. ¡°Similar arrangements will be made in the Empire¡¯s provinces. Of course you¡¯re not asked to bear the burden alone, but you are required to contribute, just as everyone will.¡±


    Many of them looked to the representatives from the closer Imperial territories, who nodded in confirmation. They didn¡¯t look happy about this, but didn¡¯t speak up about it. That seemed to take some of the wind out of the complainers¡¯ sails.


    I heaved a quiet sigh. We¡¯re going to need elites to ensure this draft is working properly. Just another burden. But with how much even a single seventh stager can accomplish, we can¡¯t afford not to make use of them. It¡¯ll more than make up for the trouble in the long term. That¡¯s what Mother had concluded in our dream meeting, too.


    ¡°The Kingdom of Terbekteri is also escalating our recruitment efforts,¡± Kajare added. ¡°It¡¯s obviously necessary.¡±


    They exchanged glances once again. I took note of who seemed to dislike the mention of Terbekteri, mostly those from two groups closer to the northwest and their provinces.


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± the Velisha king said. ¡°We haven¡¯t noticed much activity from the Kingdom¡¯s territories on the continent.¡±


    Kajare shrugged slightly. ¡°This war was something of a surprise. It takes time for Terbekteri to mobilize, and to integrate our forces with the Empire and establish networks of communication and common strategies.¡±


    ¡°But we will need their help,¡± I said. ¡°And I¡¯ve been assured they will give it. In fact, with the situation the way it is here, the Dominion¡¯s movements, I am quite sure of it.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that? The Dominion isn¡¯t moving in their direction at all.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows a little. ¡°Oh, they are. That¡¯s part of what I¡¯ve been intending to discuss with you before we got sidetracked.¡± I spread a map on the table. ¡°We have reason to believe that the Dominion has a significant troop presence in this area, here. Poised to attack in several possible directions. This could also be key if we decide to strike ourselves.¡±


    That information seemed to energize the meeting participants. They leaned closer to get a better look at the map, passed it among themselves, and started talking about it. There seemed to be several conversations going on at once, discussing various aspects. I leaned back, content to let them work things out for now. While I needed to present a front of confidence and superiority, I didn¡¯t really have all the answers. That was the point of this discussion, for me.


    It quickly became apparent that they were of two minds about this information. One group proposed going on the offensive, hitting the Zarian with a surprise attack and routing their hidden army. They claimed that the advantage of surprise would be on our side, and this was our opportunity to dislodge the Dominion¡¯s grip on the middle of the continent. The other group was more cautious. They wanted to shore up our defenses, concentrate on uniting our forces and wait for the next major attack of the Zarian to beat them back. Well, a subgroup advocated for advancing slowly, but they were quickly torn to pieces by everyone else.


    ¡°Let us stop bickering like children in school,¡± king Varis said loudly, silencing the discussions. He fixed his gaze on me. ¡°What do our Imperial patrons say?¡±


    I straightened up. To my surprise, Varis had been vocal in supporting the idea of taking action now. I¡¯d expected him to play defensively, concerned about losing even more to the Dominion and trying to guard what he had. Perhaps he was just hoping that a successful attack would let him regain what the Dominion had conquered.


    ¡°I found your discussions enlightening,¡± I said. ¡°Many of you have raised good points, and this is certainly no easy decision.¡±


    I exchanged quick looks with Tenira and Kajare, who gave me a slight nod. I¡¯d gone over much of the same discussion with Mother. In the end, she¡¯d left the decision to me, since I was here and had a better sense of what we had to work with in terms of the vassals. I looked at them. While they¡¯d been a little combative, no one showed serious signs of trying to go against the Empire. And enough of them supported the offensive that it wouldn¡¯t come across as me forcing them into it with no regard for their well-being. At least, I hope so.


    ¡°We will take advantage of this before it is too late,¡± I decided. ¡°We should strike before the Dominion actually deploys those soldiers, especially if we don¡¯t know where. With the reinforcements from the Empire and some of our new innovations, we should be able to push them back before they¡¯re too entrenched.¡±


    I watched the reactions from the assembled people. Some nodded, some grimaced, some seemed like they¡¯d expected this.


    ¡°That means taking a big risk,¡± the woman said, although she didn¡¯t look displeased. ¡°The Dominion might be prepared for us.¡±


    ¡°But they should not be prepared for a two-pronged assault,¡± Kajare put in. He smiled grimly. ¡°Terbekteri has been very quiet up until now, as some of you pointed out. A dedicated offensive in conjunction with them should give us good chances to pierce their defenses. We will come at them from the direction they¡¯re weaker. Once their hidden card is destroyed, they¡¯ll be that much more vulnerable and off-balance, and we can start regaining some of the lands they¡¯ve occupied.¡±


    ¡°And does Terbekteri agree with that?¡± Varis asked, raising an eyebrow.


    I exchanged another look with Kajare as his smile faded. That was the crux of the problem. We needed their support for this.


    ¡°I¡¯m confident they will,¡± I finally answered. ¡°My husband and I will personally travel to the Kingdom¡¯s holdings to align our strategies.¡± And convince them to go along with this.


    I noted that some of them looked skeptical, and concealed a sigh. If we can¡¯t get their agreement, we don¡¯t need to proceed with this plan. But it would be a loss of face. One I can¡¯t really afford.


    ¡°Well, Princess Inaris,¡± Varis shrugged. ¡°I wish you luck.¡±


    I forced a smile as the others expressed similar sentiments. Not the sort of circumstances I would have chosen to meet Kajare¡¯s family, if some of them are there. But what can you do?

 87: Siblings-in-law

    <div>


    The landscape passing below our airship was interesting enough that I wished we could¡¯ve traveled on the ground. While it was nice to see from an airship, I would¡¯ve liked to be a little closer, take a better look at things, maybe listen to some of the locals. Of course, even as cultivators or with spirit beast mounts that wouldn¡¯t have been as fast as an airship, and we were in something of a hurry. No time to dawdle or play tourist.


    I might have promised myself that we could go traveling on vacation later, but I wasn¡¯t naive enough to think this war would be over soon.


    The landscape had been rising steadily as we drew closer to our destination. There were several low mountain ranges leading up to the big one that took up a chunk of the continent. The Terbekteri territories covered some of them and parts of those mountains. It was a good position, with natural defenses to the northwest, and a little removed from the current hotbed of activity. You¡¯d need to travel through a qi anomaly to get to their provinces quickly from the Dominion¡¯s position. I could make out the shadow of it a little farther away, though our course didn¡¯t intersect with it. Instead, we flew over hilly fields that had made way to forested hills and mountains, with a few rivers winding down into the flatter land. There were a lot of villages and towns, and as we crossed the border into Terbekteri territory, I found a few cities, as well.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet,¡± Tenira commented.


    At first, I thought she was talking to me. But as I looked up, I realized she was looking at Kajare, who stood leaning on the railing with his back, looking into the clouds rather than down on the landscape.


    He shrugged. ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t have much to say.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone, really?¡± Lei grinned. He was working on some project on the deck, close enough to be part of the conversation. I couldn¡¯t make out what it was from here, but it had to be small, probably a few wires. He liked playing with electricity.


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve been spending too much time on airships,¡± I mused, not quite on topic.


    Lei looked up and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better than on battlefields, in your opinion?¡±


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯ve got me there. Kajare, will we be there soon?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been here before,¡± my husband answered, finally turning to look. ¡°But that does look like the city of Aviadoru. There¡¯s a combination fortress and estate on the mountain beside it, where we should find our hosts.¡±


    I nodded. Then I leaned forward to get a better look. We were approaching the city quickly, but it didn¡¯t look much different from any other I¡¯d seen on this world. Terbekteri architecture tended to be a bit more straight-edged, less sloping roofs or the like, but it didn¡¯t really stand out to me.


    We approached it quickly, then our airship banked to the sides, flying over the outskirts of the city to the steep slope of the mountain rising beside it. The fortress was easy to spot with its massive stone walls, covering almost the entire slope with several layers of fortifications. The airship slowed down as it passed over them, and I noticed several pieces of artillery on the walls moving to track it. There was a rock garden in the center beside a sprawling estate, and several open courtyards. The airship flew a circle before setting down in one.


    I had to suppress a frown. We¡¯d basically invited ourselves. There was no polite way for them to say no to this visit. But there clearly didn¡¯t seem to be much enthusiasm for it here, so far.


    We met a greeting party when we stepped out of the airship, and a group of soldiers in polished, ceremonial-looking armor flanked the path, so at least they weren¡¯t unprepared. I didn¡¯t recognize any of the welcoming party, and they didn¡¯t seem very strong, so I wasn¡¯t surprised when they led us into the building quickly.


    The inside was decorated with elaborate mosaics, and had several open fires, from lamps and torches to a fireplace in the hearth at the end of a hall. The chair at the head of the table was just a bit of ostentatiousness shy of a throne. The man in it waited until we were almost across the room until he rose, a petty gesture that made me suppress my annoyance.


    I recognized him from briefing materials, of course, and kept back to let Kajare handle this. He could deal with his older brother better than me.


    ¡°Little brother!¡± the older prince exclaimed, opening his arms as if for a hug, though he didn¡¯t actually move in to embrace Kajare.


    ¡°Hajake.¡± Kajare smiled and bowed his head slightly. ¡°It is good to see you again. This is my wife, Imperial Princess Inaris, and her cousins, Leri Tenira and Leri Akilei.¡±


    I smiled as well. ¡°I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Prince Hajake.¡±


    ¡°Please, no need for formality. Aren¡¯t we among family?¡± He smiled, showing white teeth, but it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. Hajake looked older than Kajare, like he was in his thirties, and he was a little shorter, his face a bit softer. His skin had a lighter tone that made me wonder if they were full or half-siblings. Clearly, he lacked not just his brother¡¯s coloration, but also his charm. His forced lightness just set me on edge.


    But I tried not to show that, and nodded. ¡°Of course, brother-in-law.¡±


    ¡°There are a few more of the family around, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to meet you,¡± he continued, still smiling. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take some time to rest and refresh yourselves first, though? You must be tired. We¡¯ve had rooms prepared. Make yourselves at home.¡± He snapped his fingers and a few servants came out of the woodwork, waiting to lead us there.


    I hesitated. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but we really aren¡¯t that tired. Perhaps we could keep you some company instead?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear.¡± He sighed, and from the way he glanced at Kajare, I knew the slight look of regret on his face was a lie. ¡°Unfortunately, I have urgent matters occupying my attention. State business, you understand.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I narrowed my eyes a little, but I knew I couldn¡¯t complain.


    ¡°I do hope you will enjoy our hospitality, and that your visit will be pleasant.¡± This time, I could definitely detect a mocking undertone, aimed at Kajare.


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    I hid a sigh as we turned to follow the servants to the rooms they¡¯d set up. The interior of the estate was sparsely decorated, but the artwork on the walls looked great, and the building seemed almost empty. We quickly reached the suites they¡¯d prepared for us, well-appointed rooms without much character.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m going to take a bath,¡± Lei said. ¡°The rest of you can worry about the political stuff.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and glanced at the other two. Well, I suppose there¡¯s nothing to do but wait, really. ¡°Kajare, we¡¯re going to have to wait for a while, don¡¯t we?¡±


    He nodded, looking a bit down. ¡°Yes. Hajake has never seemed to like me, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯d hoped there was someone else in charge here.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t change that. I guess I¡¯ll take a bath as well.¡±


    I did, though not before sending away all the servants. I could barely tolerate them in our own palace, I certainly wouldn¡¯t trust any from a foreign country in a position where I was vulnerable. At least they had a nice bath sunk into the floor in the bathroom of the suite they¡¯d given me and Kajare, and I took a while to relax. Once I finished, it still didn¡¯t look like anything had changed, so I occupied my time with reading and making some concept work of new techniques and enchantments.


    Finally, after hours of waiting, I shut my book. ¡°Kajare, I hate to ask, but do you think you could go look for Hajake or somewhere we could make some progress? We can¡¯t afford to get stopped before we even start talking about our plan.¡±


    Kajare pulled a face, but nodded. ¡°Of course, my lady. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t get something done.¡±


    With that, he left, and I turned back to my work. I couldn¡¯t focus on it, so I pulled out one of my old self¡¯s novels, instead. It felt like ages since I¡¯d last had the chance to read. But it couldn¡¯t capture my attention fully, either.


    After almost an hour, I took out a communication talisman and fed some qi into it to call Kajare.


    ¡°Sorry, Inaris,¡± his voice came through the device. ¡°Hajake isn¡¯t being very accommodating. He claims to be busy still. I broached the topic of a combined offensive to take advantage of the current situation, but he shut me down. At least some of the higher-ranking officers seemed receptive.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Not your fault, thanks for trying.¡± I put the communication device away, sighing.


    Idly, I wished that Yarani was here. But I¡¯d left her with the Velisha since I thought it wouldn¡¯t be very politic to bring her along. After a moment of consideration, I decided to leave Tenira and Lei doing what they were doing, as well. Best not to appear too guarded. So I stood up and walked to the door alone.


    ¡°Aston, can you accompany me on a little walk?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe one or two other guards, your choice.¡±


    He nodded and exchanged a few gestures with the other guards waiting outside in the corridor. A moment later, Lirta stepped up beside him, then another guard came from a side corridor. I nodded to them and set off.


    After we left the corridor, I slowed down again, since I didn¡¯t have any idea of where to go. I didn¡¯t know the layout of the place, or where I might find someone I should talk to, if there was anyone.


    I focused on my qi senses, trying to get a feel for the estate. It was pretty big, and while I could sense some presences, none struck me as particularly remarkable, and I couldn¡¯t get much beside a rough idea of their strength.


    Luckily, there were some solutions. I looked at Aston. ¡°I¡¯m hoping we might meet people we can strike up a conversation with and touch on the advantages of our proposed strategy, not to mention the possible threat expressed by the Dominion¡¯s staging points. There should be more persons from the Terbekteri higher-ups here, especially other royals. Do you have any inclination of where we might go?¡±


    Aston tilted his head, a small smile playing around his lips. ¡°My intuition tells me we might have a pleasant walk down to the winter garden, Your Highness. The next corridor left and then straight up ahead.¡±


    I nodded, trying not to smirk at his ¡®intuition¡¯, and started following his directions. Nice of Mior to help.


    We walked through a few more corridors, hung with paintings and lit by soft yellowish glowstones, before we descended a marble staircase that led down into what looked like a vestibule around an open-concept space filled with various plants and gravel walkways.


    There was a woman just coming out of the winter garden, obviously the one I came here to meet. She wore an intricately embroidered dress glittering with pearls. I recognized her from a picture, as well, as one of Kajare¡¯s sisters. I hurried down the staircase to meet her, with Aston and my other guards behind me. She paused when she saw us coming. I knew she was in her thirties, though she looked not much older than me, and she was also in the fourth stage.


    When I came to a stop in front of her, thinking of the appropriate greeting, she looked at me for a moment longer, her eyes surprisingly piercing, and I felt her qi senses sweep over me, before she lowered her gaze. Then she knelt and fell forward until she lay prostrate in front of me. I took half a step back as she did so.


    She murmured something in their language that I didn¡¯t quite get, though it felt like a prepared phrase, and I caught the name ¡®Rijoko¡¯. Then she switched to Imperial Common, ¡°This one is blessed to encounter the Luminous Princess, daughter of the Moon.¡±


    I answered, after a moment, ¡°I greet you, Princess Salira.¡±


    She remained in her position for a second longer, then pushed herself upward until she was kneeling.


    I smiled slightly, stepped forward and laid my hand on her forehead. ¡°I bless you in the name of the Moon, Salira of house Terki. May he shine on your path and guide you to truth.¡± Then I cleared my throat. ¡°Please rise, and let us speak.¡±


    As I took a step back again, she stood up and smoothed out her dress, smiling. I sighed mentally and tried to assess her. So, she must be a devoted follower of Rijoko. Interesting.


    ¡°I am glad I didn¡¯t have to wait until my brother got tired of playing games to meet you, Imperial Princess,¡± she said. ¡°Would you accompany me into the garden?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I agreed and started following her. There didn¡¯t seem to be any guards with her, but then, she was safe in one of her house¡¯s estates. I motioned to my own guards to keep back and give us some privacy, or at least the appearance of it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed your brother Hajake doesn¡¯t seem overly fond of us visiting, if I may be so blunt,¡± I said.


    She rolled her eyes a little. ¡°Hajake never liked Kajare. Perhaps there¡¯s some jealousy, who knows. He was not enthusiastic about your marriage or the alliance, and he¡¯s been hesitant to consider becoming more involved in the war.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, my lady, my own opinion is that there¡¯s no point sitting this out, if it¡¯s even possible for Terbekteri,¡± Salira said. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t do much with him here, even if many of the generals would agree with me. I had to persuade Father to even be allowed to come.¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully, looking at her. I knew the Kingdom of Terbekteri was somewhat patriarchal. To be fair, many places or situations in the Empire were a bit sexist as well, even if two centuries of having a female ruler had ameliorated it. By now, among the nobles, only the conservative clans really treated their daughters differently. Of any of us, the Zarian Dominion was probably the most egalitarian, even if they had some minor issues in that regard as well.


    But I shook my head and pulled myself from these musings. There was no use speculating about Salira¡¯s attitude or experience.


    Instead, I started talking about the state of the war and explained the Dominion¡¯s hidden maneuver, and?how we wanted to take advantage of it with their help.


    Salira frowned, shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s serious. If this is true, it certainly seems like we¡¯re a possible target of attack, and it would be good to strike first and remove that threat. Ah, not that I¡¯m doubting your information, Your Highness.¡± She bowed her head.


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t take offense,¡± I assured her. Then I fell silent for a moment, looking at the exotic plants we were walking past and breathing in their distinctive smells. ¡°Do you think it would convince the generals to openly support you and take action?¡±


    The princess looked thoughtful, but started to smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can make it work.¡±

 88: Maneuvering

    Surreptitiously, I glanced at my watch. Almost an hour. We¡¯d talked for longer than I¡¯d thought. I returned it to my storage ring, frowning a little to myself. How long would it take for Hajake to get a clue?


    I wasn¡¯t the only one who seemed to be getting restless. Looking through the spacious room, quite a few of the officers were more active than before, shifting position to talk to each other, scribbling on paper, or just acting on what had to be nervous habits, like one man who kept straightening his uniform jacket. Of course, that could just be the news we¡¯d given them, rather than the time. At least the two princesses sitting close to me appeared calm.


    I smiled and turned to the older one. ¡°Princess Derianka, I wanted to thank you again for this, and the smooth way you are handling it.¡±


    She nodded, blushing a bit. ¡°Of course, Imperial Princess.¡±


    Truthfully, Derianka hadn¡¯t done that much, compared to Salira. Although she was at least a decade older, she didn¡¯t have the same presence as her younger sister, or the same poise. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was still in the early part of the fourth stage. But I didn¡¯t care about any of that. Having two princesses in my corner was better than one, especially since they and Hajake were the only Terbekteri royals present.


    I turned back to the gathering, most of them high-ranking military commanders of the Kingdom. I noticed a few were spreading out a large map on a recliner. Maybe I should try to move things to a real meeting room. But that would make this even more blatant.


    Finally, the door opened, with enough force that it would have crashed into the walls if it wasn¡¯t heavy hardwood. Prince Hajake walked into the room, smoothing out the scowl on his face a second too late.


    ¡°Sisters, Princess Inaris, officers,¡± he greeted, voice tight. ¡°Would you mind explaining this gathering?¡± He put on a strained smile. ¡°Our schedule is being derailed, and I¡¯m sure many of you have other duties waiting for you.¡±


    I stood up, forcing a smile as well. ¡°It¡¯s so good of you to join us, Hajake. I must apologize, I am afraid things rather got away from me. You see, I was having a pleasant chat with your lovely sisters, when the topic turned to the war. Some of the ladies present were rather concerned by the developments I mentioned, and soon a few officers joined us.¡± I gestured at the room and shrugged.


    ¡°We would have sent word if you weren¡¯t so dreadfully busy, Brother,¡± Kajare added, actually sounding sincere. Although his lips were curling just a bit.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed. ¡°We and our guests agreed that this was potentially critical information, and since it seemed like you would be occupied by urgent state business for a while, I thought we might as well share it so your fine commanders had some time to consider it.¡±


    Hajake¡¯s face started turning a bit red, and he gritted his teeth. ¡°I see,¡± he managed after a moment.


    ¡°I did attempt to let you know if you were available, dear brother,¡± Salira added. She raised the fan in her hand a little, looking like a graceful, demure lady. ¡°I sent one of my servants.¡±


    That only made him grit his teeth harder. I wondered which servant she¡¯d sent, probably a girl she knew he was likely to brush off. If they hadn¡¯t mysteriously gotten lost on the way, though I didn¡¯t think she would go that far.


    Hajake stepped further into the room, sighing softly. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t blame yourself, little sister, you couldn¡¯t be expected to know the real importance of this. Now, I did have a feast prepared, perhaps we could simply get to it?¡±


    Before I could try to politely refuse, one of the officers present spoke up. He was an older man who wore a lot of medals or insignia on his uniform, clearly a veteran, high-ranking commander. ¡°Your Highness, if I may be so bold, perhaps you would consider speaking of this at once? It sounds like time may be short.¡±


    For a moment, Hajake just stood there in silence. But he must have realized that he¡¯d been outmaneuvered, because a moment later he took a seat in the center of the room facing most of the officers, not so subtly pushing me and his sisters out to the fringes. ¡°Of course. What is it?¡±


    ¡°The Dominion appears to be planning a surprise attack, one that may be aimed at some of our territory,¡± the old officer answered.


    I stood up and ambled over to them, unfurling a map. ¡°There¡¯s a Zarian force setting up staging points here,¡± I explained. ¡°As you can see, that¡¯s on the path toward our location, among other possibilities, if they push roughly northwest. Doable with strong soldiers, and the qi anomaly would hide their approach.¡±


    Hajake looked more closely at it and frowned. ¡°It looks like there are several other things they might be targeting.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I agreed, keeping my tone even. ¡°They could be launching an attack at different strategically valuable locations. Ones that losing could hinder our logistics or cohesion in this alliance, prepare for another push, or simply cost us a lot of soldiers.¡±


    He was quiet for a moment. I knew the officers hadn¡¯t missed the subtle emphasis on the alliance. We were all on the same side here, and he couldn¡¯t deny that. Perhaps in a different situation, he could get away with focusing on their defenses, putting their own territory first, even if it hurts the alliance. But when that means allowing a possible threat to that territory, I doubt they would let him get away with it. Worst case, I don¡¯t doubt the commanders could appeal to the king.


    ¡°Well,¡± he finally said. ¡°You¡¯ve already had some time to consider this. Let¡¯s hear some thoughts.¡±


    I suppressed a smile and took a step back as the gathered officers began to discuss strategy with Hajake. A few of them remained skeptical, even though I¡¯d suggested they verify this information for themselves, carefully. But most seemed to prefer taking action. Perhaps some of them didn¡¯t like the thought of sitting safely behind their defensive walls while a war that concerned their country was being waged beyond them.


    I tensed a bit as Kajare stepped up to me, then relaxed. After a moment, I leaned back and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I appreciated the help he was giving me here.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°We should be moving out soon,¡± he murmured into my ear.


    I glanced at him and smirked. ¡°Eager to prove yourself?¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he replied, so quiet I was sure the rest wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°But I don¡¯t like waiting here while the war rages on in our lands.¡±


    My smirk turned into a genuine smile, and I squeezed his hand again. I liked the sentiment, and the way he¡¯d casually referred to Imperial lands as ¡®ours¡¯.


    My attention was brought back to the discussion as Hajake raised his voice. But I could tell from his expression, and that of the others, that he was losing ground. Not that he would commit to officially opposing the offensive, of course. But Salira and the others were already turning the conversation to details and ways of coordination with the Imperial forces.


    I straightened up, then started talking again, outlining some of the plans we¡¯d already drafted for the combined operation.


    I had to agree with Kajare here. I didn¡¯t like waiting, and it was about time to give the Zarian Dominion a taste of their own medicine.


    <hr>


    Yarani looked like a soldier, with silver-gray armor and what might have been a crossbow clutched in her hand. But when she walked towards me and smiled, she looked just like she would have in the palace, a cheer at odds with her attire.


    ¡°Inaris!¡± She sounded enthusiastic. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t gone that long, Yarani, was I?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Maybe it felt longer while I was stuck with the army leadership, waiting for you to get back or this operation to start.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯m just giving you a hard time.¡± I grinned. ¡°I missed you, too.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the two of you could move the touching reunion somewhere else, perhaps after this is over?¡± Tenira asked as she passed us.


    I ducked my head and started to say sorry, but Tenira didn¡¯t wait around, instead hurrying onward without looking back.


    I shrugged, and, after a moment of hesitation, I hugged Yarani and gave her a quick kiss. ¡°Good to see you again. Let¡¯s go see what¡¯s up.¡±


    The camp around us was bustling with soldiers. Luckily, all of them made way for us as we walked through it. I took a good look at everything, trying to see how things were working out. Many of the soldiers were obviously from the Empire, but almost as many wore different clothing with Imperial rank-markings pinned on, probably warriors from our vassals. Then, of course, there was the contingent of Terbekteri I¡¯d brought along.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we could coordinate everything remotely,¡± I remarked. ¡°There¡¯s probably still going to be issues, but at least we¡¯re all on the same page, even if we need to strike soon.¡± I frowned. ¡°How well are the other soldiers integrated with the Imperial army?¡±


    Yarani hummed thoughtfully. ¡°All of these countries¡¯ forces and the army regularly train together. I don¡¯t know when they did it last, but they should be able to work with us, and each other, well enough.¡±


    I nodded. I¡¯d seen that mentioned in my briefings, basically joint military exercises they did on a set schedule, so everyone was familiar with Imperial protocol. We should be okay, then.


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach the open tent where the commanders had set up. The Terbekteri officers were already deep in conversation with their Imperial counterparts. Kajare was talking to one of the agents from Kariva¡¯s outfit, and after searching for a second I spotted Tenira in the corner, bent over a map with someone whose face I recognized from the Velisha.


    I joined the largest concentration of commanders, who fell silent at my approach and started bowing. I waved them back up and looked at the maps they¡¯d spread out, little markers of solid qi spread among them. It looked like they¡¯d started packing up.


    ¡°Are we ready?¡± I asked. ¡°How much time do we have?¡±


    A Imperial general answered. ¡°We were just finishing up, Your Highness. We have more than enough time to execute the plan on schedule.¡±


    I nodded and took out my watch again, glancing at the time.


    We needed to launch our attacks with tight coordination, if we wanted to retain the element of surprise. That¡¯s why the plan called for several surgical strikes timed so the Zarian wouldn¡¯t be able to get much warning that they were under attack. Our trip back had been beset by bad weather and taken longer than we¡¯d thought, but that shouldn¡¯t matter too much. We had a few minutes before launch, still.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if we don¡¯t wait too long,¡± Salira said from where she leaned against a tent pole not far from me. She tilted her head in my direction. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you intend to participate, yourself, my lady?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°My guards will keep me safe, but I need to lead from the front.¡± Especially given the situation. ¡°I assume you¡¯re staying?¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Not everyone has the martial bravery you do, Princess Inaris. I know where my strengths lie, and in battle against cultivators stages higher than me isn¡¯t it.¡±


    I grunted in response, turning back to watch the others while I considered that. Salira had acted with surprisingly confidence and not shown much religious awe or deference to me. Perhaps she isn¡¯t such a fanatical devotee after all. Then why the greeting? To demonstrate that she¡¯d follow me? Well, it¡¯s not like I mind either way.


    Too soon, everyone wrapped up their business. We filed out of the tent as a few soldiers set to work disassembling it. I lingered to watch. With cultivators that had supernatural strength and speed, and the convenience of storage rings, it went a lot quicker than I would have thought possible before. The same happened around us. Soldiers were already forming up in groups and ranks. Some filed onto airships, while others readied flying swords, and a few even had spirit beast mounts. I noticed that most of those were elites. That made sense, since strong spirit beasts could add a lot of firepower, but would need a lot of care, not mention that it probably wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to give them riders they could overpower if something spooked them in the chaos of battle.


    To my surprise, Hajake was one of those mounting a large bird of prey, one that resembled those we¡¯d encountered before but with more muted colors and longer beaks. He moved with grace that spoke of practice, clearly at ease in this position. Maybe he wasn¡¯t all hot air, after all.


    When he met my gaze, his face tightened, but he inclined his head politely, before he turned his attention back to his spirit beast. I returned the gesture. Hopefully, he isn¡¯t feeling humiliated and wants revenge. I snorted to myself. He¡¯s participated well enough so far.


    I was interrupted by another man coming up to me and clearing his throat softly. I turned and raised an eyebrow. From the briefing, that was Jian, a prince from the Velisha. I hadn¡¯t really talked to him before, but he was the one who¡¯d seemed combative, maybe angry, when I met the Velisha leadership.


    ¡°Yes, Prince Jian?¡± I put on what I hoped was a friendly smile.


    ¡°Imperial Princess, I wanted to ask if you would consider joining us?¡± He kept his head bowed but raised his gaze to meet mine. ¡°The group attacking the second target, I mean. My father would feel better about your safety there, although of course we wouldn¡¯t presume to dictate your actions.¡± He cleared his throat a little. ¡°But I hoped you might like to see how we¡¯ll crush the Zarian. And it seems to be an important outpost for them, where key communication lines will likely converge.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow as I thought it over. This was probably a peace offering, so I wasn¡¯t inclined to refuse.


    Target two was a little far off from the rest, but considering the forces we¡¯d arrayed against all of them and the way our assault would proceed, it probably would make it hard for the Zarian to get at me. So he was right about it being safer.


    I smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be glad to join your group. Give me a moment to make the arrangements.¡±


    It was a little last minute, but we could switch out my guard team for one of the groups we¡¯d planned for without messing things up too much. I walked off to look for Aston, noting in passing that Hajake and another group of Terbekteri soldiers were moving towards the same area Jian and his Velisha would be launching from. Maybe we weren¡¯t the only ones to think it would be the safest spot.


    But I wouldn¡¯t cast stones. I wasn¡¯t eager to put myself at risk, here, either.

 89: Coordinated attack

    <div>


    Compared to the mountains towering on the horizon to the northwest, the ones we were flying amongst now seemed downright small. But they were still mountains, and the mix of altitudes as valleys and peaks blended into each other must have done something to the air currents. Wind assaulted us constantly. Because of the terrain, our force couldn¡¯t move at their top speed, but we were still making good progress.


    The spirit beast beneath me pulled into a tight dive to the side, and I tightened my grip on the leather saddle. The guard seated in front of me glanced back quickly, before he again focused on steering the bird through the mountainous terrain. I looked up, noting that the other birds surrounding me were slowly changing position, as if they were rotating through a formation, but still kept up. Their cocoon made it harder to get a sense of our surroundings. But I could tell that qi was pretty dense here, though calmer than in a real anomaly.


    Under different circumstances, I would have been excited about the flight. But right now, even the coolness factor couldn¡¯t distract me from pre-battle jitters. I tried to breathe deeply and center myself, to get the anxiety, adrenaline and anticipation under control.


    Then we took yet another turn, and our target spread out before us. I sucked in a breath as I stared at it. To the right, the mountain climbing up before us ended abruptly in a chasm. It looked like some angry titan had swung a knife and cut straight through the mountain, through rock and stone and ice, until it finally leveled out into a valley far below. It had to be at least a kilometer deep, maybe closer to two, and three or four kilometers long, but narrow. A remnant from an old battle between really strong cultivators, perhaps.


    But I only stared for a moment before I turned my attention to the structure rising from the left mountain. It was built like a traditional fortress, but the walls were camouflaged with ice and even a few stunted plants to make it blend into the landscape. They couldn¡¯t quite hide the large enchanted weapons set up now, or the people crawling over it. The Zarian must know we were coming, now.


    Well, it didn¡¯t matter. We were almost upon them.


    The guard sitting in front of me pulled our mount upward, and the others followed, spreading out somewhat to shield me from possible attacks. Some of them were on flying swords, but most rode other spirit beasts. I crouched down to get a better look at the battlefield.


    Our elites were the first to start fighting. From both the group of Velisha surrounding their two airships, as well as the one from Terbekteri, elites on spirit beast mounts or flying on their own power barreled into the fortress. A large flash ensured, and one of the outer walls collapsed with a deep, thunderous rumble. The elites in the group from the Empire proper were a little slower, but they showed more discipline, adjusting their formation as they blanketed one sector of the castle with a haze of different attacks. Soon, it looked like two of the towers were on fire, even though I¡¯d have thought they were made of stone.


    Of course, the Zarian didn¡¯t just sit by and let this happen. Their own elites rose into the air to meet ours and tried to drive them away from the fortress. Some of them split off to head towards the airships and others fliers still coming in. At the same time, soldiers poured out of buildings and hidden nooks. Despite parts of their castle burning around them, they were calm and organized. Some groups moved off to try and deal with the damage our attacks were doing, while others formed up to meet the oncoming charge.


    They don¡¯t even have wide area shields. I guess those might have been easy to detect, and they preferred stealth. I frowned. Does that mean they don¡¯t have variants that can go up quickly, or do they and just don¡¯t want us to know?


    My own group drew nearer slowly, and the guards started pelting the fortress below us with attacks. I summoned my spear from my storage ring, trying to find a good angle to point it at my targets. But most of my attention was captured by the rest of the battle. The bulk of our forces reached the fortress, and it started in earnest.


    I winced as one of the airships lit on fire before it could settle into position. Hatches opened and lines fell out, soldiers rappelling down or fleeing on flying swords. The airship tumbled in the air for a bit, managing to stay up long enough to get the troops out, before it started tilting downwards, arcing to the ground. It disappeared behind a mountain ridge, but I could hear the crash a few moments later.


    Gritting my teeth, I extended my domain, gripping onto the spirit beast to anchor me, a bit like I would with a flying sword, and grasping Fides in it. I gathered qi, pulling it through the spear and forming a technique, before I released it. One of the Zarian soldiers below me, who was setting up some kind of weapon emplacement, cursed and dodged to the side as the black sphere hit it and started to eat through the materials.


    The airships pulled back as the soldiers started advancing, most on the ground, but some in the air. The walls weren¡¯t much of an obstacle as the cultivators climbed and jumped their way farther into the fortress. But by now, Zarian resistance was getting stiffer. I saw many soldiers on both sides taken out of the fight. The variety of elemental techniques used stirred up dust and fog, decreasing my visibility.


    ¡°We need to go lower,¡± I called. ¡°Join the attack, or at least get me a better vantage point.¡±


    Judging by Aston¡¯s grimace, he didn¡¯t like that, but he didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he led our group on a careful course through the air, dodging the worst of the fighting. He aimed for a reasonably level courtyard at the outer edge of the fortress, up on a ridge so it had a good view, and not heavily defended at the moment.


    I wished the others were here, but dismissed that thought. Lei, Kajare and Yarani had all joined other teams, with a lot of guards, while Tenira stayed behind at the command center for the operation. That was the smart strategic choice, since I could ask them about those other parts of the attack in detail later. Plus, no bunching up high-value targets all in one spot.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    My guards fell on the few Zarian defenders like hungry wolves, just with more magic. I barely had time to get a single attack off, watching as it ate into the shield of a Zarian soldier, before they¡¯d finished securing our new position. Most of the enemy were dead, though a few of the guards went around collecting those who weren¡¯t, giving them a bit of first aid and gathering them in a sheltered spot farther in. Hopping off the bird, I grimaced, but didn¡¯t complain that they could have spared more of them. This was war, and I needed to focus on the battle, anyway.


    It seemed to be going well. Prince Jian led a group of Velisha warriors in clearing out the side of the castle close to us. He was pretty weak on his own, but I saw him throwing himself into fights against soldiers who were clearly stronger. His guards stepped in to save him, but he barely paused. To the other side, more soldiers had gathered and thrown up a large qi barrier. I noticed a group of Imperial soldiers methodically batter it with different attacks, trying to bring it down. After a moment, they were joined by a group of Terbekteri soldiers led by Hajake. More of his people pushed on into the fortress¡¯ highest reaches, but the area around him seemed clear.


    I put my spear away, pulled out my qi communication talisman and called him. ¡°Hajake, how¡¯s your status?¡±


    He looked around until he found me, then nodded and answered into his own device. ¡°We¡¯re fine here, Sister. The fighting should be dying down in this area.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good, everything seems to be going well here, too.¡± I hadn¡¯t taken control of the battle, since I wasn¡¯t the best suited to that, but it was easy enough to see how things stood. ¡°Do you think we should push on further into the upper area of the fortress, press the attack?¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Perhaps. I¡¯ve heard the Zarian are organizing below, some distance from the fortress, and the other areas seem to have some trouble.¡±


    Great. I sighed and started calling the rest of the commanders, trying to get a better idea of the situation as a whole. Most of them agreed we should press the attack. Two of them also supported Hajake¡¯s information, talking about a buildup of Zarian soldiers that might be preparing to relief the fortress, or assault it if they were too late to stop us.


    Our soldiers were careful to keep the wards stopping scrying the fortress running, but it would have been too much to hope that the Zarian wouldn¡¯t respond.


    At that moment, Jian doubled back to join us. He gave a quick bow, then glanced at the side of the deep chasm. ¡°My lady, we need to send someone to deal with that. We could lose our advantage here if we¡¯re pinned between two forces.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, I was just considering that. Since your and Hajake¡¯s forces are occupied, I¡¯ll send one of the Imperial units down. Or two.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I was about to suggest that. I hope you have a strong wind affinity cultivator. And a good commander. It looks like there are a few local spirit beasts and even spirits joining them. The Zarian must have been busy bargaining with them.¡±


    Crap. None of the local Imperial commanders beyond those commanding regular squads were a wind cultivator. I¡¯d need to send someone in the seventh stage, probably, but there was a reason those elites weren¡¯t usually placed in command of lower stage troops.


    I glanced at my guard. ¡°Aston, you take a few of my guards and take charge of squads three and four. Get a few of the elites as well, I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m here to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Which you can do by ensuring no one attacks us from behind,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re the best person to deal with this.¡± Especially since Mior¡¯s presence would be good for dealing with those spirits, but I didn¡¯t say that in front of Jian. I glanced at him. ¡°I¡¯ll stay close to Prince Jian.¡±


    The Velisha raised an eyebrow and hesitated for a moment, before he bowed his head. ¡°Of course. With both of our guard details joining up, you¡¯ll be quite safe.¡±


    Aston sighed. ¡°As you command, my princess.¡± He turned and chose a few of the other Imperial guard, before he rose into the air and flew towards the elites. Their battle seemed to be almost over, with most of the Zarian elites fled or lying on the ground.


    I didn¡¯t like sending him away, but as a captain of the Imperial Guard, he had the status to lead a sizable force, and make strategic decisions, if necessary. Besides, the Zarian were almost defeated here. The only real threat were reinforcements, or perhaps some people barricaded in the uppermost level of the fortress.


    Sighing, I focused on my qi senses for a moment. I couldn¡¯t sense the spirits accompanying the Zarian reinforcements, which meant they were probably some distance away still. Well, Mior would have warned me if they were close. But I made a mental note of that, anyway. I suspected that possessing a mortal host put a limit on some of the spirit¡¯s abilities, and this supported the idea that it might hinder or limit their senses.


    ¡°Perhaps we should check the remainder of these buildings,¡± Jian suggested. ¡°They seem to be empty, except perhaps for a few stragglers. But it¡¯s best to be sure, and we¡¯re the team most free to check them at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± I agreed. I pointed at some of the buildings on a lower plateau. ¡°Let¡¯s start there and work our way closer to Hajake¡¯s people.¡±


    We made our way over carefully, and I took a moment to assess how the rest of the battle was going. It looked like Hajake was sending some of his people to join the elites fighting further up the mountaintop, while he and the rest of them were clearing out the buildings around the area they¡¯d fought. A few Imperial units did the same on the other side, and from the reports I¡¯d gotten, the rest of them were similarly occupied. Except for the group guarding the airships and some of the mounts, of course. They¡¯d retreated to a more easily defensible position on the next peak.


    Soon, we reached the first of the buildings. I hesitated for a moment, taking a look around. This section of the fortress was a bit of a closed-off area, built on a shelf of rock close to the canyon, and in the shadow of another few rocky protrusions farther up. I felt uneasy about something, although I couldn¡¯t quite pin down what. Perhaps I was sensing the qi of something the Zarian had left in one of the structures here. Considering the location, a trap wouldn¡¯t make sense, though, that would just rip a hole in the fortress.


    Still, I hung back and let Jian enter first, then the majority of my guards, before I walked into the building. It was pretty bare, just roughly hewn stone, but my attention was drawn to the recesses set into the walls and floor. Perhaps they¡¯d anchored enchanted compartments or items. Curious, I followed my guards deeper into the structure. From here, I could see there were corridors connecting it with the other buildings in this area.


    Jian had just turned a corner at the end of another corridor when I sensed more than heard a faint vibration from above, as if something heavy was scraping against the ceiling. I looked up and instinctively took a step back, closer to the exit, but there was a hint of a sound from closer above that, too.


    The next moment, everything came falling down.


    I barely had the time to pull up a qi barrier, which caught the first of the rocks from above. I tried to move out of the way, but my flimsy barrier buckled, and I was pelted with a hail of rocks and wood. Then the ground gave out.


    For a moment, I fell, before I landed hard on another stone surface, this one uneven rock. My head thudded onto the ground. I tried to get up, to make sure I¡¯d prepared my defensive talismans correctly, to get out of here. But moving only brought a wave of pain and dizziness, and darkness claimed my vision.

 90: Waking up

    <div>


    I blinked, then waited a moment for everything to come back into focus. My body ached, and it felt like I might have broken a few ribs or an arm, but I could deal with that. I took a moment to just breathe deeply and catalog my status and my surroundings.


    I must have only blacked out for a few seconds. At least, that was the impression I got from my surroundings. Everyone was where I¡¯d last sensed them, and even the dust was still kicked up pretty much in the same way. There was also a more insubstantial aspect, my sense of the qi around me, that showed that it hadn¡¯t moved much.


    Slowly, I levered myself upright, dislodging a rock from my side. It looked like I¡¯d been pretty lucky, since I was farther from the center of this explosion. Or demolition. Around me, more of my guards were stirring, but they all looked at least as injured as me. Some obviously had trouble standing up, and one didn¡¯t move at all, though I could tell her chest still rose and fell. Those who could drew closer around me, and most of them gripped their weapons tightly. We were on what amounted to a half-covered alcove on the side of the mountain fortress, with only a bit of rock between us and the chasm. There was a way out, though it might need a bit of climbing. Rocks, worked stone and timber were spread on the ground. But most importantly, I could hear people coming towards us through the rubble.


    A normal explosion wouldn¡¯t do this much damage, would it?


    After a moment of hesitation, I decided to stay put for now, and took my new radio from my storage ring. I was pretty sure the Zarian didn¡¯t know much about them. Plus, even if they¡¯d somehow gotten their hands on some, they shouldn¡¯t be able to crack the code we used to encrypt our transmissions. Carefully, I folded out the antenna, then turned the dial.


    Suddenly, I felt an overpowering force ripping at my hands, pulling the radio from my grip before I could react. I flinched back on instinct, watching as what looked like a long, flexible spear made of some kind of quartz flew away from me. The radio was ripped free and dashed against one of the large boulders beside what remained of the building. It was shattered so badly I probably couldn¡¯t even recover it with a proper workshop.


    I took a step back, drawing a knife from my storage ring. My heart pounded in my ears, and I made an effort to keep my breath deep and even. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose my cool right now. This is bad. A trap, most likely. I gritted my teeth. Another betrayal?


    I could sense a few presences drawing closer. They were veiled well, so I couldn¡¯t make out more than the vague sense of someone there. The half-fallen wall blocked my view, but I could hear their footsteps. Four people, maybe five? A quick glance around showed that my guards were patching themselves up, but I only had a few that were even close to full strength, without those Aston had taken with him and the more heavily injured.


    ¡°I have to admit, I was hoping they¡¯d be dead,¡± someone said from my left.


    I whirled around in time to see another group stepping down from a half-crumbled wall, the veil of darkness qi around them retreating a little. Two were soldiers in the uniform of Terbekteri, at least in the sixth stage. Between them strolled Hajake, looking like he was going for a walk in his estate¡¯s gardens, not a hair out of place. Another figure followed him, with a cloak and deep hood over their head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is a good idea,¡± they said. I gritted my teeth as I recognized the voice. He might be covering his appearance, but that was definitely Jian.


    ¡°You bastards,¡± I hissed, more to myself than to them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so timid,¡± Hajake answered. ¡°I wanted her to see my face before she died, to recognize who destroyed her.¡±


    I had to agree with Jian there, Hajake was being stupid. But can I use that? I took another look around, at the guards around me, none higher than the early sixth stage. There was no way we could beat whoever they likely brought along.


    ¡°I knew you were a schemer, Hajake,¡± I called to them. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were a gutless traitor. How are you going to deal with the fallout from this betrayal? Is your pride really thin enough that you¡¯ll risk everything just for a perceived slight?¡±


    Hajake, Jian and their escorts jumped down and strode forward. He didn¡¯t seem like my words bothered him.


    ¡°You¡¯re petty, Inaris,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s going on is about more than you and me. You just had to go and insult me, so I needed to remove you from the equation.¡± He smirked. ¡°It turns out the Zarian were much better prepared than we gave them credit for, and have scrambled a counter-offensive that is unfortunately beating us back from this fortress. Such a shame you fell to one of their measures.¡±


    I clenched my fists, feeling hot anger rise inside me, trying to boil over. ¡°You cowardly, traitorous piece of filth,¡± I spit.


    But I resisted the urge to attack him, or to identify Jian. He probably just didn¡¯t want to be seen with Hajake by the remnants of our forces, but if I managed to get out of here, there was no use tipping him off that I recognized him.


    Hajake just laughed. ¡°Now,¡± he said.


    The next moment, hell broke down on us once more. Suddenly, the space around me was filled with qi heavy enough it seemed to press in on me, moving around quicker than I could track. My guards dissolved into a mess of screams, cracks and squelching sounds. Something dropped on me with the weight of a house, and I barely recognized the sensation of my defensive talisman drawing qi to protect me.


    When my vision cleared, I was lying on the ground, the cracked and smoking remnant of an amulet almost burned through my robe, but otherwise no worse off than before. But I could feel what happened in my qi senses. My guards were scattered around me, all of them destroyed by overwhelming force. He must have had a few seventh stagers hidden and waiting, I realized.


    Before I could form any further thoughts, let alone move, my vision was captured by the man stepping on my arm and leaning over me. Hajake kicked the talisman off and smiled, a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°Goodnight, Sister.¡±


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    Then he thrust down with his spear. Pain erupted from my chest, and I screamed until I¡¯d used all of my air. Blackness closed in on me quickly.


    <hr>


    The first thing I noticed was the smell. It invaded my brain through my nostrils, telling me that I was around death and destruction before I¡¯d even really woken up. The second thing was the pain. It seemed to nest in every part of my body, but the biggest hotspot was my chest, with a throbbing, sharp pain that tried to bring me back to the world insistently.


    ¡®Wake up.¡¯


    I blinked, consciousness returning completely. The voice was inside my head. It seemed like it came from inside my head, even. The connection to my father. It had opened again, and I could feel Rijoko¡¯s presence like a gathered storm overhead, his attention on me.


    ¡®Be careful, daughter. You are in danger.¡¯


    I pushed myself upright slightly, ignoring the pain with a new sense of urgency. I was still lying where I¡¯d fallen, with a spear that looked of Zarian make beside me, its head bloody. I couldn¡¯t sense anyone else around me. Turning my head, I noticed the remains of my guards lying scattered and broken around me. A few other soldiers¡¯ corpses were around, too, a little farther out.


    I paused as my gaze fell on Lirta Ven. One of my most trusted guards, sometimes Aston¡¯s second. Now, her dead eyes stared at me, her face twisted in pain, sitting atop a broken neck. The sight rekindled the anger burning in me, and gave me the energy to push myself upward.


    I closed my eyes for a moment and concentrated on what my qi senses were telling me about my body. I wore an ankle bracelet that was enchanted to heal any injuries I sustained, even if I fell unconscious. It had already drained a lot of qi, and might be why I was even capable of sitting up right now. Hajake had stabbed me right in the heart.


    I¡¯d tried to reinforce my body with shapeshifting a little, but it didn¡¯t seem to have worked too well. I¡¯d definitely put in more effort in the future, after I got out of this. Still, at least my body had survived for some minutes without my heart pumping blood through my body, and it wasn¡¯t just the natural increase in toughness from qi absorbed into the body by cultivation. Now, the damage wasn¡¯t anything close to healed, but I didn¡¯t think I would die if things didn¡¯t get worse.


    When I opened my eyes and glanced around, that prospect seemed more likely. There was an airship coming in towards the fortress in the sky. And judging by the construction and colors, clearly a Zarian one.


    I froze. Panic tried to rise in me, but I crushed it ruthlessly. Still, I knew there was no way I¡¯d get away from here in time, especially in my condition. I¡¯m so screwed.


    Or was I? I took a deep breath and started moving on my hands and knees, ignoring the stabs of pain they sent into me. The soldiers were scattered only a few meters away, beneath and among fallen pieces of stone and rock. I looked over all of them quickly, then altered course to a woman of about my stature.


    Once I reached her, I summoned a knife from my storage ring and started cutting off my robe. It was torn and covered in blood, and trying to remove it hurt like hell. I paused to try and adjust my pain sensitivity downward, then continued. Once I had my robe, pants and shoes off, I started stripping the soldier¡¯s uniform jacket and pants.


    From the looks of it, she¡¯d been killed by something crushing part of her head in, but the uniform was in relatively good condition. I got a bit of water from a flask to wash the worst of the blood off myself, then had to psyche myself up before I started putting the clothing on. My body didn¡¯t like the movements necessary for it, especially the pants, but I forced myself to finish. It helped that the urgency and danger of the situation sharpened my mind and helped me focus past the pain. My undershirt was a bloody mess, and I left the jacket open, but it should be enough.


    When I was done, I put the rags of my old clothes into my storage ring, then quickly looked through the soldier¡¯s and put her body in as well. She¡¯d hopefully get a proper burial eventually. Not like I could thank her for borrowing her clothes any other way.


    I shook my head, trying to focus again. I couldn¡¯t afford to dally, and there were still things that needed doing.


    Rijoko¡¯s presence had retreated at some point, though I suspected he might still be watching me. I couldn¡¯t take the time to poke into the connection now, but there¡¯d be no help from that side. I¡¯d lost the radio, and the Zarian would probably track any communication I tried to send from my qi communication talisman, so that was out, as well. I took a few shallow breaths to focus, then started pulling on my qi. It took all of my focus to weave a bit of light and darkness qi into shape, then let it flutter off, barely perceptible even to my senses. It would take the message a while to reach Tenira, if it even would, but that couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Damn, I hope Tenira is okay. I hope that bastard doesn¡¯t go after my friends.


    I shook the thought off, knowing that I couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it. I needed to focus on my immediate situation. Besides, nothing indicated that the traitors would risk trying to go after my friends after they¡¯d succeeded in eliminating me.


    I looked at my storage ring, considering. Even if the Zarian didn¡¯t manage to get into it, having such an expensive piece of equipment would make me stand out too much.


    I frowned. It should be a reasonable assumption that the other parts of our attack succeeded, so I doubted the Zarian could or would even try to hold this base. After a moment of hesitation, I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from my storage ring and scrawled a quick note in English. Just a few words, writing was hard enough like this.


    Then I gripped the talisman on my ankle. I grimaced, hesitated for a moment more, then removed it. Immediately, it felt like I¡¯d dropped another few kilos on me. But it was too distinctive. So I gritted my teeth and put the device into my storage ring, then ripped that one off. I turned around, trying to keep my breath even, and moved my arm. I was still close to the chasm, and with a cultivator¡¯s body, I managed to throw the ring into it, despite my injuries.


    With that done, I laid back down in the spot the soldier had vacated, and closed my eyes. I tried to ignore the pain and focus on what I needed to do.


    It went surprisingly smoothly. Perhaps the situation let my force of will come to the forefront better, or the unconscious urge to take action and defend myself helped in getting it done. Unlike normal techniques, my shapeshifting ability was something innate that didn¡¯t need perfect focus and concentration, just my mind and willpower. In a matter of seconds, I¡¯d dyed my hair black and darkened my skin a bit. I left the eyes, since I didn¡¯t have a mirror and didn¡¯t want to mess things up. But I carefully straightened the skin around them a little to make the area look different, then broadened my nose and changed the shape of my chin. I touched my face to feel the changes, then continued, shifting the cheekbones to widen it a bit. Then I looked down at my clothes and changed my body, adding a bit more fat to my hips and shrinking my chest a little. I left my height the same, since I¡¯d need to walk without difficulty, but I remembered to change the pattern of my fingertips and ears.


    By now, I could clearly feel people approaching. I laid back down and resisted the temptation to look around. Instead, I finally let the pain I¡¯d been ignoring have my attention.


    The sight of Zarian soldiers walking over the fortress made me consider if I was really making the right choice. They didn¡¯t usually kill captives, but that didn¡¯t mean it never happened. Maybe I should just let them capture princess Inaris? They¡¯d guard me far better, but surely, I¡¯m worth more as a hostage than an Imperial martyr.


    Then I reminded myself that Jideia wanted me dead. If the Dominion captured me publicly, it was all too likely that he would get his way.


    Whatever reserves of strength I¡¯d managed to tap into were rapidly fading as I stopped moving. I closed my eyes and let blackness take me just before the Zarian soldiers arrived.

 91: Prisoners of war

    <div>


    When I woke up, it was with a feeling of trying to struggle through morasses clinging to your consciousness. One that spelled trouble, waking from a sleep that was too deep. Especially since I wasn¡¯t supposed to dream anymore, but I also couldn¡¯t remember what I¡¯d been doing while I was out. That made me suspect that the Zarian had sedated me.


    I lay still and didn¡¯t move while I recalled what happened. At least I did wake up and they hadn¡¯t killed me, so my gamble had probably paid off. I was still in pain, but it was a world of difference compared to before. My chest ached and my arms and legs felt like they had lead weights pinning them down, but I was mostly healed.


    Perhaps the lead weights weren¡¯t just a metaphor. When I tried to move, I couldn¡¯t. Something was holding me in place. Experimentally, I strained against the restraints, but they didn¡¯t give at all. Probably qi imbued material. My fingers were pinned down individually so I couldn¡¯t move my hands, but at least I could wiggle my toes and shift my head a fraction. My qi was almost drained, and I didn¡¯t try to use it, for now.


    Everything around me was quiet, except for a deep, steady thrum that reminded me of machinery, and the quiet breathing of three people. I laid silent for a few minutes, listening for any changes, but as far as I could tell, nothing happened.


    Carefully, I tried to open my eyes. They didn¡¯t take as long to adjust to the brightness as they would for a normal person, but I still blinked against the light. I was looking up at a ceiling made of wooden planks, with no distinguishing markers I could see. I lifted my head to try and get a better view, but my mobility was limited, and I only managed to get a glimpse of the edge where the wall met the ceiling.


    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s awake,¡± a man commented in Zarian. Footsteps sounded, coming closer.


    I tried to turn my head as much as I could and got a view of a Zarian soldier leaning forward. He looked like he was in his thirties, but must have been at least in the fifth stage. He was messing with something to the side of my head, and I felt the straps holding it down give, so I could move more easily.


    I lifted and turned my head so I could see him better, and found the soldier looking back at me.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not going to try to fight,¡± he said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do you much good in an airship full of our people, anyway. Aren¡¯t you the one they found in the middle of soldier and elite corpses? Lucky bitch, but I wouldn¡¯t trust my luck that far.¡±


    I smiled a bit. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t try anything stupid.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow, perhaps surprised that I spoke his language. ¡°Then we can move you to join the others.¡± He turned and called to someone else. ¡°Come on, wood-head, help me with this.¡±


    Someone else sighed, and a second soldier walked over from the other side. He didn¡¯t speak, but went to work releasing some buckles and screws holding me to the board I was lying on.


    I cooperated as they released me from my restraints. Some of them, at least. My arms and hands were still chained, fixed in place, and my legs hobbled so I could only take small steps. I breathed out deeply, and took a moment to be thankful that my disguise seemed to work. I¡¯d need to be careful about veiling my qi presence, of course. But I hadn¡¯t exactly met many Zarian before, so the chance that someone would recognize me by it was low enough that I didn¡¯t worry about it.


    With my shapeshifting, I should be able to slip away at some point. Perhaps I could try to impersonate a Zarian soldier. But for now, I¡¯d need to play along and assess what measures they used to deal with captives. If we were really on an airship, that complicated matters, too. At least escape gives me something else to focus on, rather than the betrayal.


    The room I was in held several pallets like the one I¡¯d been on. Most were empty, though a few were occupied by other people. Imperial soldiers, judging by what I could see of their clothing, and I recognized one of the faces.


    ¡°You seem pretty young for a soldier,¡± the talkative Zarian commented as the two of them escorted me through the room. It was slow going because of the restraints. ¡°Fast cultivator. Are you one of those Imperial nobles? No, don¡¯t answer that. Shows potential, though.¡±


    I grunted in reply. Note to self, make myself look older next time. I hope they¡¯re not too interested in recruiting me. I frowned. Judging by what I¡¯d read, the Zarian probably tried to recruit any captive soldiers, at least the ones they didn¡¯t eliminate for being too much of a threat.


    It wasn¡¯t mentioned, but I got the impression that they were somewhat successful, too. Maybe it was because their methods included offers you couldn¡¯t refuse. But in some ways, the Dominion was enticing for strong cultivators. They probably made sure to show them respect, maybe deference from weaker people, explain how their system put them at the top in a more direct manner than the Empire.


    But I shook those thoughts off and concentrated on the situation. We were walking through a small hallway now, illuminated by a few glowstones. After a minute, the soldiers brought me to a stop in front of another door. By now, I was pretty sure we were in an airship that was currently in flight, making a mental map of it from my qi senses, but some areas were hard to get a sense of.


    The door opened into a large hold. There were groups of Zarian soldiers posted at both ends, led by someone who let enough of their aura show to make it clear she was in the seventh stage. In the middle, there was a group of Imperial POWs, most in the fourth or fifth stage. They looked a little worse for wear, but no one had obvious injuries.


    My arrival caused a bit of a stir, but not enough for this to be out of the ordinary, so I assumed I wasn¡¯t the only wounded to be brought to join them later. I ducked my head and waited for the soldiers to release me. To my surprise, the talkative soldier unfastened the restraints on my hands, while the quiet one took off the one hobbling me. I still wouldn¡¯t be able to move my arms or hands much, but it was nice to be able to wriggle my fingers. And, of course, I wasn¡¯t too concerned about the restraints. Slipping out of handcuffs was one of the first tricks I¡¯d learned with my shapeshifting.


    Once I was free, I took a few careful steps to the other prisoners. They were watching me, quite a few of them with thoughtful frowns, probably trying to place me.


    A man in the sixth stage took a step forward to bar my path. I recognized his face, though I didn¡¯t know his name. ¡°Hello, soldier. My name is captain Miyu, I¡¯m the ranking prisoner here.¡±


    I came to attention and saluted, as well as I could given the restraints. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m corporal Aik. I was gravely wounded, then taken by the enemy, fighting at target two.¡±


    ¡°Target two, huh?¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing you in that group.¡± After a moment, he shrugged. ¡°What do you have to report?¡±


    ¡°We almost managed to capture the fortress, sir,¡± I replied, choosing my words carefully. I didn¡¯t want to let on that I knew too much, and didn¡¯t know what other prisoners might have told him, but I did want to give accurate information. ¡°There was a large explosion, I was caught at the fringes. From what I can tell, the Minions managed to beat us back, I passed out before they got to me.¡±


    He frowned and gave me another once-over, and I had to force myself not to hold my breath. Should I not have used the slang, or was he suspicious about the information?


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    ¡°I suppose that makes sense given the presence of you and the others from there,¡± he finally said. ¡°No one else saw the Zarian reinforcements. Do you have any information on -¡± he hesitated, ¡°the status of your primary commander?¡±


    I stiffened a little. ¡°Nothing recent, sir. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He waved that off. ¡°Good work, soldier. You may join the others, rest up.¡±


    I saluted again, then moved off. I eyed the other prisoners, then found a spot some distance away from the rest, leaning against the wall, and tried to ignore their looks.


    My heart was beating more rapidly than the exercise would explain, even with my injuries. I didn¡¯t like having to worry about the other prisoners, my own soldiers. Even if exposing myself was too much of a risk. It was starting to sink in that I was truly here, alone, on an airship into Dominion territory.


    I really screwed up this time.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The memory of when I returned from my underwater exploration rose, and I focused on it. Coming back with Al safely with me, even Mior, seeing my friends unharmed. Hugging Tenira. The memory was reassuring, in a way. Something to strive to replicate.


    When I get back, I¡¯ll talk to Tenira about my feelings, I promised myself. The thought released a bit of my tension. I¡¯d be careful, of course. I did want to preserve our friendship, most of all, and I knew how much damage outing unrequited feelings could do. But I wanted to know if some of the hints I thought I¡¯d picked up were just in my imagination, figure out what it meant. If she liked me.


    I shook my head. I needed to get back, but more than that, to get in contact with someone. I briefly considered trying to go to sleep now, but I didn¡¯t want to let my guard down, and it might seem suspicious.


    The sound of footsteps coming toward me ripped me from my thoughts. I straightened up and opened my eyes, then saluted as I recognized the officer from before. He was accompanied by another man, who looked a little older and felt like he was in the fifth stage. I¡¯d seen that one with the Imperial troops at the fortress, though he hadn¡¯t taken part in the planning meeting.


    ¡°At ease, corporal,¡± the captain said. ¡°This is lieutenant Yi, the senior prisoner from the second strike force.¡±


    I nodded. The group I was claiming to be a part of. No wonder the man was regarding me with a frown. He wouldn¡¯t recognize me unless I¡¯d really screwed up the disguise, which might be a problem now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you there, soldier,¡± he said. ¡°You say you were gravely wounded following an explosion. That would place you at the western side, checking buildings.¡±


    ¡°It was the eastern side, sir, close to the chasm,¡± I replied. Was that an attempt to see if I was a spy and would be tripped up by something like this? ¡°We were indeed checking buildings, together with some Velisha troops.¡±


    The lieutenant nodded slowly, but he still looked wary. ¡°I don¡¯t think any of our regular squads were part of that detail.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward slightly. ¡°You might not recognize me because I wasn¡¯t part of the normal army, sir, but rather an ¡­ adjunct unit. We were ordered to join the operation on short notice, after we came from the north.¡±


    Our captors were almost certainly keeping us under surveillance, which limited how openly we could speak. In this case, it might work to my advantage. The officers seemed to get the implications I wanted, at least.


    ¡°I see, corporal Aik,¡± the captain said, after exchanging a glance with the lieutenant.


    They both straightened up just a little, and I noted that he might be speaking with more respect now. That was to be expected, of course. I¡¯d heard someone say that ¡®a corporal in the Imperial Guard is higher than a lieutenant in the army¡¯. Of course, most guards had at least that rank, so they could take command of regular troops in a pinch. Being in the late part of the fourth stage, I¡¯d seem weak for a member of the Guard, especially in a protection detail for the Imperial Princess, but not weak enough to make it implausible.


    ¡°That would explain why I didn¡¯t recognize you,¡± the other officer agreed.


    I nodded. I wouldn¡¯t expect him to know every face of my guard detail, which was why I¡¯d done this.


    ¡°Did you perhaps see what happened to the package at the eastern side?¡±


    I shrugged a little, trying to appear casual so I didn¡¯t tip off any watcher. ¡°Unharmed, last I saw. I hope it made it out alright.¡± I hesitated again. ¡°I do have information concerning the battle that I wish I could share with Command. Probably as valuable as my meager unit. I suppose the package wasn¡¯t that important, but still.¡±


    Their expressions tightened. The captain snorted. ¡°A unit of auxiliaries from the vassals? Can¡¯t be that important. But keep that information to yourself, just to be safe, unless it can help our situation here.¡±


    ¡°No, sir, I¡¯m afraid not.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°That was all. Carry on. If we come up with a way out of here, we may need you again, since you saw most of the Zarian. For now, rest up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    I tried to appear relaxed as I leaned against the wall again. I hope that was him telling me that they¡¯d help me escape. I sucks not being able to talk freely. I could tell him I was confident in making my way back. Oh well.


    I started to cultivate, doing my best to pull in some qi without getting stopped by the Zarian. The hold we were in was kept in a dim twilight that didn¡¯t offer a lot to me, but I wouldn¡¯t need much. Subtlety was going to be key, here.


    I didn¡¯t have a good way to tell how much time passed, so it could have been half an hour or several hours before anything changed. I noticed it from the qi around me, stirring in response to the Zarian shifting position. Then I noticed that the airship was starting to descend. I opened my eyes and walked forward, trying to see what was going on.


    I had to give our captors credit, they knew what they were doing. One by one, two of them came forward to grab one of us, heedless of any protests, and put on more restraints. When my time came, I was silent and let them shackle me, pieces on my hands and a chain hobbling my legs again. Something in the new restraints felt weightier than before, making my qi harder to access. But the seventh stager watching over us ensured that none of the Imperials really fought back.


    They put us into a line, and I tried to keep between the middle and back of it. ¡°We¡¯re going out, would be the best opportunity ¡­¡± I muttered.


    When I glanced up, my gaze met the captain¡¯s, who had his head turned in my direction. He didn¡¯t give any sign of acknowledgment, only turned around again, but I knew he understood.


    In short order, we prisoners were all lined up and the Zarian escorted us from the hold. There were at least three elites at each end of the line, with regular soldiers keeping pace beside us. But the airship¡¯s corridors were narrow enough that they didn¡¯t have much room to maneuver. I pulled some qi, with excruciating slowness so no one would notice, as we walked through two corridors and up a cramped staircase.


    Then we reached the entrance of the airship. Its doors were relatively wide, set behind a short entrance hall. Sunlight flooded the outside, but I could glimpse tall buildings around us, a short distance from where we set down. More soldiers crowded around the airship, an organized mob.


    ¡°Distraction,¡± I sighed.


    The captain made a small gesture, putting his thumb and index finger together to form a lopsided triangle.


    He timed things just right. The moment the seventh stager and most of the sixth stagers stepped outside, when they needed just a moment to adjust to the brightness levels but were still mostly in the doorway, he struck. The other prisoners followed him without hesitation, throwing themselves onto their guards, using what little qi reserves they had for attacks. Most of them concentrated on the elites.


    I used the opportunity. My restraints fell, and before the handcuffs had even touched the ground, I was moving. The elites were distracted for an instant, one that I used to slip through the crowd. The chaos of the attack allowed me to get into the Zarian soldiers around us, who were only just turning to help.


    I¡¯d changed my features again, a quick, inelegant modification, but no one would look at me too closely. My clothing was covered by the thinnest layer of qi, a minor illusion that turned it into a regular Zarian uniform. I pushed through the crowd carefully, taking care to use their movements to my advantage instead of shoving myself through. At the same time, I was focused on the fresh air around me, drawing it in, gathering some in my core and letting it release through my meridians.


    The sound of the fight behind me reached a crescendo, but I didn¡¯t look back.


    Things went still, and I felt a prickle at the back of my neck. Someone¡¯s searching for something. Me, perhaps. For a moment, I thought this was it, that I¡¯d blown my chance. Then the feeling moved on, no one around me reacted, and no one started in my direction. The disguise was working, and using air affinity qi like this must be changing my aura enough, with how tightly I was trying to veil it, that no one recognized me.


    I broke through the crowd, walking with brisk but steady steps toward the path leading into the city proper. Its buildings loomed before me, so similar and yet different from those I was used to, built mostly of wood or spirit beast materials, walkways in the air connecting the tall buildings. No one gave me a second glance.


    From what I could see of the surrounding terrain, the hint of the mountains in the distance, we were hundreds of kilometers to the east, at minimum. Still a few hundred from the sea, and probably from the closest border to Imperial territory.


    I allowed myself a small, humorless smile. I was stuck in a foreign land alone, but at least I¡¯d escaped captivity.

 92: Fire and water

    <div>


    A soft splash sounded, and I froze, hoping that it had gone unnoticed. None of the people I could see even glanced in my direction, so after waiting for a bit, I continued carefully pulling myself from the water. It was dark here, and I¡¯d chosen a spot where the street lighting didn¡¯t reach to the banks of the river. With the darkness qi around me, it seemed to be enough.


    Once I stepped out of the river, I resisted the temptation to shake the water off, and instead started walking. I was in a spot between the city proper and a collection of buildings in the ring of settlements outside it, where the lighting was low and spaced far apart, and not many people walked the streets. I made my way deeper into the city.


    Even with the resilience my cultivation brought, the river¡¯s water was icy, and I felt the cold. But I barely noticed it. I¡¯d just spent at least half an hour at the bottom of the river, breathing water and staying still under a shield of qi. There hadn¡¯t been much to do but think, and stew in my thoughts. Anger warmed me, gave me the energy to stride down the road as if I belonged here.


    I was angry at Hajake and Jian, at the Zarian. But, at the moment, mostly at myself. I thought I¡¯d learned my lesson. I had to unclench my fists. I thought I was past making stupid, reckless decisions in war. And now here I go, joining the attack, letting myself be manipulated by the likes of Jian.


    Two of the people walking on the street from the opposite direction were wearing Zarian military uniforms. I averted my gaze, like others, but resisted the temptation to increase my pace or tense up. Instead, I concentrated on keeping my breathing even, and trust in my disguise. I didn¡¯t feel better until they were a hundred meters behind me, though.


    Once I get back, I promised myself, I won¡¯t set foot within a few kilometers of any battlefield. I¡¯ll get the most qualified generals to handle our strategy, and I¡¯ll content myself with being present and looking pretty.


    I shook my head and forced myself to focus on my surroundings. A few of the people on the street were giving me looks, and obviously tried to keep their distance. Probably because I was wearing only pants and a dirty shirt, and my hair was wet. I was using a bit of fire qi to dry myself as I walked, something similar to what I could sense others doing in the cool temperature, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I needed to change things so I didn¡¯t stand out.


    I¡¯d changed my look again, careful to keep it distinct from my real appearance and previous disguise. My hair was brown now, shorter than before, and my skin a touch darker. I¡¯d set my eyes a little wider apart, turned them brown, given my face thinner lips and a softer chin, and changed the skin at my fingertips and the set of my ears again. I¡¯d also lengthened my legs just a bit, to change both my height and gait. It was manageable, but I could tell that screwing with it any more was a bad idea, messing up the way I was used to moving.


    Keeping my gaze down, I reached into my pocket and took out a polished river stone. It was the most symmetrical one I¡¯d found. I hardened my fingernails, drew on a bit of qi, then started to etch lines into it. It was slow going, since I didn¡¯t want to use a lot of qi. But that was alright. I might have lost my storage ring, but I still had all of my knowledge. I even took care to keep the formation I was etching into the stone imperfect, to add a few smudges. Not enough to hinder its operation, but anyone who saw it shouldn¡¯t recognize my work. Or infer that the maker had had access to the best resources and books to teach them.


    Luckily, my somewhat bedraggled state didn¡¯t seem that out of place. As I made my way deeper into this part of the city, I encountered more people with torn, dirty or just worn clothes. It helped that the lighting got worse, as the streetlights were either spaced further apart or intermittently missing. The city loomed above us, towers of wood with many additions, bulges and bridges poking from them and obscuring more of it. Some of them looked old, sturdy, but many had a ramshackle feel, as if they¡¯d quickly been nailed together. The air carried more traces of filth, unwashed bodies, maybe even disease.


    This couldn¡¯t have been a nice part of the city before, but I doubted the Zarian occupation had improved matters.


    I stuck to the edges of this quarter, following the sounds of the city until I reached a small market square, or at least a place where several people had set up stalls not far from a collection of stores. I glanced around, noting possibilities, then decided on a small store at the edge, which looked clean and tidy enough. I couldn¡¯t read the letters over the door, but the display showed enchanted items.


    A small bell tolled when I came in, and the storekeeper looked up. His face was a little haggard, his beard scraggly, but he¡¯d kept his clothes in order. He asked something in the local language.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t understand,¡± I responded in Zarian. ¡°I¡¯m looking to sell a talisman.¡±


    He frowned, looking at me with barely hidden skepticism. ¡°Let us see it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a defensive enchantment,¡± I explained as I put the stone on the counter. ¡°Feel free to feed it some qi and test it.¡±


    The storekeeper did as I said, putting some qi into the enchantment before taking a knife from beneath the countertop and stabbing at the area around it. The knife bounced off.


    At least he hadn¡¯t seemed to mind my speech. I¡¯d been a little nervous, but I had to talk to people. At least I didn¡¯t have a typical Imperial accent in Zarian, from what I could tell. Being multilingual, sort of, I didn¡¯t have the problem with some sibilant sounds that Common native speakers tended to have. I¡¯d try my best to control my pronunciation, but it shouldn¡¯t immediately arouse suspicion even if I forgot that.


    The shopkeeper put the knife away and the stone into a compartment. He haggled with me over the price for a minute, before he finally put a few silver looking coins across the table. I pocketed them and turned to leave, unsure if I¡¯d been ripped off. If I had, at least it shouldn¡¯t be too badly, and I had enough money for essentials now.


    What I really wanted was a new storage ring, but there was no way I could get my hands on one without risk. They were tightly controlled at the best of times, and expensive.


    There was a clothing store two doors over, with what looked like simple, budget or maybe secondhand clothes. I ducked inside and rifled through them, before parting with two of my new coins for a pair of shoes and an outer robe made of durable fabric with a simple cut. The shopkeeper didn¡¯t talk much and I was happy to get out. I put my purchases on quickly, then made my way away from the market.


    There wasn¡¯t much else I needed. I could go without food for a while, and any water I needed I could conjure up myself. It would be better not to show myself being a light and darkness cultivator, anyway, and water and fire might be a good cover. Not common, but not too rare, and practical given the situation.


    I saw a few more Zarian patrols and tried my best to stay out of their way. Seeing their uniforms reminded me of the airship journey, and I clenched my fists, tried to rein in another bout of anger. I¡¯d left the other prisoners behind without even looking back, and while I didn¡¯t regret that, I disliked feeling like I¡¯d been forced to do it. I knew there wasn¡¯t much of a chance of recovering them, too.


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    Deeper into the poorer parts of the city, I saw more people openly angry at the patrols. They jeered, turned away or just scowled at the soldiers, who were walking in bigger groups. That meant I¡¯d hopefully chosen well in going here. These parts of the city were extensive, a warren of wooden, clay and hide buildings with little fundamental structure. People had decorated them with graffiti, set up a few flowers here and there and gathered under the open air in some spots, but the area still felt drab, dreary, even a little depressing.


    Before, I¡¯d sometimes seen signs I could read, in Zarian. Not surprising. This city had long been in their sphere of influence, even if the area had been nominally a neutral country. But here, there was only native writing, or sometimes just pictures. Few other people walked the streets alone, and I noticed little signs, accents of color or patterns on the clothing, that might be marking different gangs. The streets still seemed fuller than before, and in some spots people huddled together. Some looked confused, aimless, like they weren¡¯t used to wearing torn clothing, to not having a proper home to go back to.


    None of them would welcome me, not when I only spoke Zarian. It still seemed like a good place to get lost.


    I wasn¡¯t particularly surprised when I turned a corner into an alley only to find a few young guys blocking the way, wielding a butcher knife, a club and a rusty spear. Behind me, two more stepped out of a side door, cutting off my retreat to the broader street.


    ¡°Are you trying to rob me?¡± I asked, cocking my head. I started circulating qi, pulling on some of the heat sources close by.


    ¡°Foreigner like you don¡¯t belong here,¡± one of them answered with a noticeable accent. ¡°We give you notice to go home. Collect toll for the bother.¡±


    I let a flame spark from my fingertips. ¡°I¡¯d think twice if I were you. You really want to take me on?¡±


    A few of them shifted, clearly uncomfortable at the show. The leader only snorted and advanced a step.


    I released some of the veil I had on my qi presence, enough to give them a peek of the fire I was currently forcing through my channels. ¡°I¡¯m in the third stage of cultivation.¡± I shrugged and lobbed a bit of fire at one of them, letting it fizzle out in front of his shoes. ¡°You¡¯re in the second at most. Bad odds, yes?¡±


    More of them stepped back now. The leader, or spokesman, growled and advanced another step.


    I sighed a little, then skipped forward. An elbow knocked his head back, a palm strike made him fold over like I cut his strings. I flicked my fingers again, setting fire to the shoes of two who hadn¡¯t moved to retreat.


    The leader yelled, then cut off abruptly. I grabbed him under an arm and dragged him upright.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± he yelled. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± I let go of him and stepped back, then smiled at the others who¡¯d hung around, most a few meters back and close to cover. ¡°Nothing against a little spar. But I do hope you won¡¯t annoy me by making me fight another time. Now scram.¡±


    The leader and most of the others bowed, without much grace, then turned and ran.


    I shook my head. This world. Really. But I started walking again, keeping my steps even and my back straight to project confidence. I had no doubt this fight had been watched, as I might be now.


    But it had given me a much needed prod. I needed a place to lay low for a while, hide from the Zarian, and think of a plan. The best way wasn¡¯t the path of least resistance, though. Not when I wanted a chance to get some information or help, maybe even establish my ¡®cover identity¡¯ a little.


    I made my way deeper into the city, just letting my feet take me where they would. I didn¡¯t know if my special ability would help me here. Probably not. But since I didn¡¯t have anything better, why not just rely on my intuition?


    I tried to quiet my thoughts, just breathe and rely on my feelings, or instincts. I still took in everything, letting my mind process things behind the scenes. There might have even been a flicker of activity from my connection to Rijoko, if I wasn¡¯t imagining things.


    After a few minutes, I stopped. I had a feeling about the place in front of me. It looked like one of the towers had collapsed partly, leaving half of it behind. A dilapidated half, with some of the wooden boards rotting away, a few places patched over without much skill. But the patchwork was recent. There was a bit of free space around the structure, with what might have been burned out firepits in a few spots. A few too many people lingered here, visible on actual or improvised balconies, a few hanging around the entrance. Their clothes were just as haggard, and their expressions lacked that spark of happiness or satisfaction you often didn¡¯t notice until it was gone. I¡¯d bet most of them were refugees.


    When I approached the door, they made as if to bar my path, then stopped. I nodded at them, but walked on, still letting some of my aura through, still dragging fire qi through my channels. The door creaked when I opened it.


    The inside was divided by a few improvised barriers, but lit well enough. People looked up when I came, many of them standing to their feet. A few dozen in all, more of the same.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I smiled. ¡°Forgive me for speaking in Zarian, but I¡¯m afraid my grasp of the local language is very poor. It looks like you have room for another cultivator here.¡± I paused and let my eyes sweep across the crowd. I didn¡¯t want to come off as a petitioner, couldn¡¯t show weakness, but I didn¡¯t want to bully them, either. A balancing act. ¡°If any of you need something, you can approach me.¡±


    They exchanged glances, but no one seemed in a hurry to speak up. I smiled again, then sat on an overturned crate close to the entrance. I continued drawing in qi, not bothering to hide it. Most of them were in the first stage, but that might be because there were a number of children.


    A young woman stepped forward and leaned against the wall, looking at me. I returned her gaze, taking her in. Darker skinned than most, short hair, but blue eyes. She was pretty, if not quite my type. Perhaps ¡®striking¡¯ would be a better word, pretty in a hard way. Despite her dirty clothing and the lines on her face, she stood tall, as if she simply couldn¡¯t do anything else. To my other senses, she felt significant in a way I hadn¡¯t had much experience with. It wasn¡¯t easy to pin down what it meant.


    We didn¡¯t have to wait long. I could hear and sense people arriving, and stoop up, opening the door before they could bash it in.


    The gang facing me looked much like the other one, if perhaps a bit more intimidating. Mostly men with a few women, all of them younger and in the first or second stage, some with actual weapons.


    ¡°You¡¯re intruding in our territory,¡± the leader grunted, eying me warily. He felt like the late part of the second stage.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your territory, really? That¡¯s a shame. You live here, do you?¡±


    The leader raised his weapon, a wooden club studded with nails. ¡°This area is ours, these people are ours. Leave.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The people might be happier to have me, don¡¯t they?¡±


    One of the other thugs spoke up. ¡°Why? What you do for them?¡±


    ¡°I could give them clean water, for one thing.¡± I glanced at the people, noting the reaction at those words. ¡°And not prey on them while they¡¯re down.¡±


    A few of the thugs advanced, clearly not impressed by my answer, my challenge. I released some of my qi, letting flames dance on my fingertips.


    It wasn¡¯t a long fight. The hardest part for me was holding back, not using my full speed and strength. I dodged the leader¡¯s strike effortlessly, pushing him back into two others, and punched the man behind him. Then I stepped back and lashed out with a tongue of flame at the thugs advancing after them.


    A tingle in my qi senses warned me, and I sidestepped, then caught the dart one of the second stagers had thrown at me. The tip was poisoned, it looked like. I returned it to sender with an express delivery.


    At this point, most of them seemed to scramble some brain cells and collectively decided to leave. I sent a few sparks after them to send them on their way, burned a few of the other attacks they¡¯d sent my way with their meager qi, then stepped closer to the leader.


    The girl preempted me. The leader was just standing up when she grabbed him, making his jacket smolder, headbutted him, then threw him out of the door, saying something in his language. I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it sounded like she had an accent.


    When she turned and saw me looking at her, she narrowed her eyes, then shrugged. ¡°How about that water?¡±


    I nodded, letting go of the fire and reaching for water qi to draw in. It needed most of my focus, but I still noted the way she looked at me. It made me a bit uneasy. Had she seen through my veil?


    Well, if she had, it didn¡¯t seem like she¡¯d tell. She had to know there was a good chance I¡¯d seen through hers, as well. She was also pretending to be a stage lower than she was, but she was in the third while I was in the fourth, and her veil couldn¡¯t hope to hold up to me.


    I turned away and looked for a container to conjure water into. It didn¡¯t matter, in the end, so long as none of them challenged me.

 93: Unfamiliar territory

    <div>


    ¡®Is everything clear?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Yes, Your Highness,¡¯ the guard answered, his visualized form in the dream nodding.


    I would have preferred to talk directly to Tenira or one of the others, but none of them were asleep right now. Lei was supposed to be, I thought, but given the situation with my disappearance, it didn¡¯t surprise me. I had to make do with one of the Imperial Guard.


    ¡®Then I¡¯ll help you wake up now,¡¯ I said. ¡®Focus on remembering the message and passing it to one of my cousins, or my husband, as quickly as possible.¡¯


    I withdrew my mind a little and flexed some of this strange power. It was more instinctive than even shapeshifting, going by feel and desire. I managed to shake the dreaming mind, push him towards the surface, towards waking. The connection fizzled out as the guard woke up.


    I turned my attention outward again, searching. The cluster of possible sleeping minds I was looking for now were much farther away, but distance didn¡¯t matter much in dreams, and I had a close connection to some of them.


    I could tell pretty quickly that Mother wasn¡¯t dreaming. Around her, few people were. A few I¡¯d interacted with before were possibilities, including someone who worked closely with Kariva. But I hesitated and instead chose another mind, one I was more familiar with.


    Maybe he subconsciously recognized and welcomed me, but it was very easy to make contact. I let my presence radiate outward so I wouldn¡¯t surprise him too much, and slowly dove into the dream. It was a chaotic jumble of images and concepts, half-formed thoughts perhaps interrupted by my arrival. I exerted a bit of influence to help it stabilize.


    ¡®Nari!¡¯ Al exclaimed. His representation of himself was clearer now, basically a projection of his real body standing in a half-formed landscape of mist and frozen waves.


    I condensed into a similar dream-body and stepped forward to hug him. Of course, it wasn¡¯t physical contact, but it sent subtle signals of acceptance and affection. ¡®Hi, Al. I need your help.¡¯


    His expression turned serious. ¡®It¡¯s good to know you¡¯re alive, you know. We were worried. Are you alright? What can I do to help?¡¯


    I smiled. ¡®I¡¯m fine. But I may not have much time, I don¡¯t want to be asleep long. Can you go and find Mother, tell her I need to contact her?¡¯


    He nodded. ¡®Of course. Let me try to wake up ¡­¡¯


    I helped him with that, as well, though Al was much more focused. As a low-level genius, he¡¯d remember all of my dream visit, as well. At least, I was pretty sure of that.


    The wait seemed to take ages, even though I knew it wasn¡¯t that long. I hung around, in a weird limbo state between dreams, reaching out with my mind but not really connecting with anything, just sensing what I could here. Finally, Mother¡¯s mind appeared to my senses, more clearly as she sank deeper into sleep.


    I didn¡¯t waste time, but immediately contacted her. She had control over her mind even asleep, but invited me in right away, letting my consciousness slip into her dream. It was a scene of the rooftop terrace where we¡¯d spoken several times. I let my dream-self look around for a moment before I turned to her.


    ¡®Inaris, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay,¡¯ she said. ¡®Did the Zarian capture you?¡¯


    ¡®So you got my message?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, your friends sent a wind cultivator in the seventh stage to deliver it, as soon as Tenira realized the note you¡¯d written was in English. You¡¯re lucky they found it at all. From what I gather, the storage ring fell into a crack and wasn¡¯t easy to see.¡¯ She grimaced, and I could feel an echo of frustration and concern. ¡®I was unsure what to do, to be honest. ¡°Betrayal, Hajake and Jian traitors, I¡¯m disguised, probably taken by Zarian¡± doesn¡¯t give us much to work with. Of course, it¡¯s still good you got the message out.¡¯


    I shrugged, trying not to feel embarrassed. ¡®I didn¡¯t have much time to think. Anyway ¡­¡¯ I told her what happened, trying to give pertinent details while being concise. Talking about it rekindled the anger, but I focused on Mother¡¯s reaction, what I could sense of it.


    After I¡¯d finished, Mother was quiet for a moment. Then she nodded. ¡®I see. That complicates things there.¡¯ The dream around us shuddered, the environment contracting inward in reaction to her. ¡®Do you think Tenira and Kajare can handle this?¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®I think so. I¡¯m planning to lay low for a while, see how I can get back safely. Now that they¡¯re forewarned, I hope we¡¯ll manage. We still have the Zarian to deal with, the war ¡­¡¯


    ¡®Should I send Kariva there?¡¯


    I hesitated. ¡®Only if she isn¡¯t needed here. I¡¯m not sure how much she could do that Tenira or Kajare can¡¯t.¡¯


    Mother nodded. ¡®We¡¯ll see.¡¯


    For the next few minutes, we talked about the state of the war. She caught me up on what had happened on the southern front. The Zarian were advancing, but our defensive line had performed reasonably well. It looked like things were going to stall out. I was a little concerned that things might devolve into a long slaughter, fronts grinding to a standstill, but it was better than having the south of the Empire overrun.


    When the conversation stalled, I hesitated again. We looked at each other, and I felt a bit of awkwardness surface.


    Mother made as if to raise her arm, then dropped it and gave me a small smile. ¡®Come back safely, Inaris.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll do my best.¡¯


    I let the dream dissolve around me, rapidly withdrawing my consciousness back to its anchor in my own body while I started to wake myself up. I didn¡¯t have time to waste, not when I was basically alone in hostile territory.


    When I opened my eyes and sat up, I saw that not much had changed. I could hear the people in the building going about their business, and one of the small, dusty windows let the light of the day in. My qi senses showed that no one was too close, and my wards hadn¡¯t been triggered.


    My bed was just a blanket over a wooden board, but I didn¡¯t feel stiff. I walked to the doorway, brushed back the fabric serving as a curtain, and entered the main area of the building. There were rooms in the upper levels, but I wanted to be close to the center of the action.


    I could tell everyone noticed my arrival, though few made it obvious. Many just averted their gaze, continued with what they were doing, maybe stepped out of my way a little more than they would have before. But their regard still prickled at my skin like an electric charge. I had to force myself to relax as I walked to the basin they¡¯d set up. A number of jugs and assorted containers had been gathered beside it, and it was already mostly empty.


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    I came to a stop before it, then closed my eyes and focused on the qi. The air was still a bit humid from a recent rainfall, and the river not too far away. I drew the water qi in and the moisture out of the air, making it gather in the basin and containers. Water qi was almost harder to handle than fire qi, but I dragged it through my channels without showing the effort it took. After a minute, everything was full and I stopped.


    Once I finished, I stepped away to give the people a chance to get to the water if they wanted, and turned to the entrance. I could sense the girl approaching. She arrived just as I took a seat on the overturned crate, a bit of space around me.


    ¡°We sold your talismans. Here.¡± She held out her hand, coins glinting in it.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say to buy food for it?¡±


    ¡°We did.¡± She nodded to another group who¡¯d just come in from a side room, handling what I realized was food packed into bags. ¡°This is what¡¯s left.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thanks.¡± I took the money, putting it into the pocket of my pants.


    Not much, but it seemed my enchanting sold well enough. I¡¯d already been sure that I could support myself just with my hobby, but it seemed like I could provide for the people here just as easily. That¡¯s good. Reliable support breeds loyalty. I glanced over at the people, noting the way none of them met my gaze. Well, they¡¯d accept me being in charge based on strength, I guess, but it¡¯s always better if they¡¯re less likely to give some gang the time of day instead.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need from us?¡± the girl asked.


    I considered for a moment. ¡°Not right now. Feel free to go take your share of the food.¡±


    If she detected the bit of irony in my words, she didn¡¯t show it, just nodded. She turned away.


    ¡°Actually,¡± I said, on impulse. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    She¡¯d turned back to face me, and her eyes narrowed a fraction. She could only be my age, maybe a year older, but there was a hardness to her expression and bearing that showed she¡¯d learned hard lessons. Maybe just recently, maybe not, but she wasn¡¯t a kid. ¡°Elia,¡± she finally said.


    I smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you, Elia. You can call me Nera.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, boss.¡±


    I rolled my eyes theatrically, and caught a hint of a smirk when she turned around again. Boss. Not sure if I like that more or less than ¡®my lady¡¯.


    After a moment, I shook my head and stood up, stretching. Then I made for the food, as well. I might not need it, but I could use the energy, and it might be better for everyone to see me eating alongside them. There weren¡¯t many at the table yet, though I noticed many people eying it, hesitant but clearly tempted. I took a plate from a stack and loaded up a sandwich made of some kind of flatbread with vegetables inside. It tasted a little smoky, the vegetables a bit overripe, but the food shouldn¡¯t be a problem for the people¡¯s health.


    When I finished and stepped away, they approached. I noticed that while they didn¡¯t come near me, they also gave a little bubble of space to Elia. Hierarchies, pecking orders. I suppose she¡¯s my lieutenant, not that I intended to be a gang leader. Or am I missing something?


    My musings were cut short when the door opened and one of the younger men stepped inside, obviously breathing heavily. Every eye turned his way, and he hesitated for a moment before going in my direction.


    I stepped away, toward Elia, and he followed. He had a broad frame, the brawn not yet faded to the crisis, and was in the middle of the second stage. I¡¯d seen him with her, together with the group of young people who¡¯d gone with her to sell my enchantments.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± I asked.


    He nodded, not quite meeting my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t know, boss. Maybe? The Zarian ¡­ uh ¡­ my Zarian not good.¡±


    ¡°Tell her, then,¡± I said.


    The two of them exchanged a few sentences. I hadn¡¯t been here long enough to pick up more than a few words, and they talked too quickly for me to make any sense of their conversation, anyway.


    Elia turned to me. ¡°He said the Zarian are stepping up patrols. They¡¯re declaring a curfew, doubling guards at the city gates, and it looks like they¡¯ve started to do a sweep of the city, including the poor districts.¡±


    I frowned. That sounded like they may have gotten wind that their escapee was supposedly a member of the Imperial Guard. Of course, there could be unrelated reasons. ¡°Anything in particular they¡¯re looking for?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± She shrugged one shoulder. ¡°He said they¡¯re checking people, from what he heard.¡±


    ¡°I see. Alright.¡± Both of them had dark expressions, probably their attitude towards the Zarian, but they didn¡¯t seem overly worried. I sighed. ¡°If anyone here¡¯s doing anything illegal, make sure they stop. Otherwise, we¡¯ll just let them come. We have nothing to hide, and I doubt they¡¯re evicting all of the people squatting somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we would¡¯ve heard about that,¡± she agreed. ¡°Lots of people in situations like that.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look away from me, though, and I had an inkling of what she was thinking. I didn¡¯t speak the local language, only Zarian, and I¡¯d shacked down in a building like this. Not hard to figure out I might be trying to hide from something.


    Of course, speaking Zarian as well as I did would hopefully assure them it wasn¡¯t the Dominion authorities.


    I retreated to the space I¡¯d claimed for myself and prepared for the visit, which mostly meant tucking away some of the talismans I¡¯d been working on and preparing others. I didn¡¯t have the best materials to work with, and they were quick-and-dirty jobs, but I didn¡¯t need them to last too long.


    It helped take my mind off things. I told myself that it was better to test my disguise like this, against a partrol in a controlled space when I was expecting them, than risk discovery outside. That didn¡¯t stop me from feeling uneasy when I noticed the Zarian approaching. I let the others open the door and listened as they began their search.


    Maybe I should have just tried to go back right away, but that wouldn¡¯t be easy. Even with a good disguise, I¡¯d need to travel through Zarian-controlled lands alone, with a war going on, and find some way to cross a border that would certainly be watched by strong cultivators.


    Unless I don¡¯t need to cross a land border. I sat up straighter, feeling as if I¡¯d been struck on the head with a sudden idea. I could go to the ocean. With my shapeshifting and cultivation, I should be able to hold out against the spirit beasts long enough. I could get the sea dragons¡¯ help in getting back.


    I groaned a little, then cut myself off as I noticed the Zarian soldiers getting closer. Stupid. Why didn¡¯t I think of this before?


    The knock on the doorframe made me jump a little, despite myself. The soldiers didn¡¯t wait for an answer before coming in. It was a pair of men in the late part of the fourth stage, one of them carrying a clipboard.


    I bowed. ¡°How can I help you, honored soldiers?¡±


    The frown on the first one¡¯s face eased. ¡°Routine check, miss. We¡¯ll need to search the room first.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I stepped aside.


    The two soldiers methodically checked the room and every piece of furniture. They spent a bit of time examining my talismans, but only made a few notes before putting them back. Then the leader glanced at me. ¡°You have permission to stay here?¡±


    I hesitated, but the tired look on his face was prompted me to say, ¡°Of course, I do.¡±


    He nodded. Not like he believed me, just like he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Please demonstrate your qi.¡±


    I help up a hand and focused on putting some of the qi I¡¯d just been gathering into it. ¡°My first affinity is to fire.¡± A small flame flickered to life above it. I made it grow for a second before extinguishing it. Then I closed my eyes for a moment and focused on drawing in water qi from the environment, instead, making sure that my aura reflected what I was doing and no more. ¡°My second affinity is water.¡± I created a ball of water above my palm and spun it in the air before letting it dissipate.


    The soldier made another note, then nodded. ¡°Be aware, as a cultivator of the third stage or above, you¡¯re entitled to go to the council hall and ask the civilian support office for assistance or apply for relocation, miss. That will be all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, and thank you for your service and protection.¡± I gave them my best smile. ¡°May I ask what it is you¡¯re looking for? Something we could look for or report, or some kind of danger?¡±


    The soldier sighed and shook his head. ¡°Classified, miss.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I opened the door for them, or at least held the curtain. ¡°But I hope the gate and travel will be opened at some point? I¡¯m waiting for the rest of my family, you see ¡­¡±


    He grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t say, miss. It could be a while. Days, at least. But I¡¯m sure your family will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thank you, sir.¡±


    I watched the soldiers go, then stepped back into my room, taking a deep breath.


    It seemed like my disguise was pretty reliable, and unless they stepped up the search, I was safe for the moment. But I might have to bide my time for a bit.

 94: Ruffians

    <div>


    I stretched and felt my neck pop. It felt good to work out the kinks, even if my qi-strengthened body didn¡¯t really need it. Even after a few hours of remaining more or less in the same position, I knew I was ready to run or fight right away. Just one of the little benefits of cultivation, which most people didn¡¯t think much about.


    I retreated carefully, keeping an eye on the gate and the traffic from and to it, or just passing it. Not many people were allowed through. The Zarian had set a sizable force to guard it, though, and two of them had to be in a high stage.


    I ducked into an alley, then breathed a sigh of relief. No one seemed to have noticed me, and I was pretty sure I wasn¡¯t followed. I extended my domain to unlock the door in front of me, then entered, pulling it shut behind me.


    Then I froze for a moment, before I continued stepping into the room, shaking my head. ¡°Elia, why are you here?¡±


    The girl, who was sitting on a ramshackle table with her feet kicking in the air, shrugged. ¡°Wanted to see what you were up to, and you¡¯d been gone for a bit ¡­¡±


    Something in her expression was off. I frowned, thinking back to what might be the cause of that, before it hit me.


    She was off the table and on her feet in a flash, backing away toward the other door. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    I crossed my arms ¡ª stupid, crap, I need to be more careful ¡ª then extended my domain again. It caught the door, securing it. Then I grabbed her with light-spotted darkness and towed her to a spot against the wall, where I could keep her better.


    I stayed silent for a moment, considering if I should, in fact, kill her. A large part of me was in favor of it. She¡¯d seen me using my domain, which meant she knew I was in the fourth stage and had been hiding my identity. That made her a risk, one that could set the Zarian on me and really ruin my day.


    I eased my grip, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± I took a step closer, anyway. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem surprised. At least, not surprised at the fact I have a domain.¡±


    She sighed, visibly relaxing as she leaned against the wall. ¡°Yes, I knew you were a lot stronger than you pretended to be. Like me, so I¡¯m in no position to judge, I suppose. You must have noticed that, I doubt my veil would fool you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re in the third stage and cultivate fire and light, though you¡¯ve only used the former here.¡± I suspected there was more to her than that, as well, though I didn¡¯t say that.


    ¡°Right. Could we talk about this later? Not the best place for this kind of discussion, boss.¡±


    I cocked my head, then shrugged and let her go. If she hadn¡¯t betrayed me yet, then it wasn¡¯t like sparing her life after finding out that she knew would make her more likely to do it. I just needed to keep an eye on her. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    She dusted herself off and smiled, then got the door for me. But despite her cavalier attitude, I noticed that she was careful sure not to make any sudden movements, or any that could be construed as threatening. We stepped into the street and started walking back.


    The city hadn¡¯t changed much. By now, I knew it had some overly complicated, long name that translated to something like ¡®Two Riverbeds¡¯. It had been a few days. Things might have gotten more tense, with people preferring to walk in groups, keep weapons on hand, and get their business done quickly, but there had been little change from the Zarian. I wondered how long they¡¯d keep the city this locked down. Well, maybe they only needed it as a staging point for military operations, and didn¡¯t care much about long-term effects on the local economy.


    No one gave us more than a second glance as we made our way through the streets. The gate was some distance from our lodgings, but the streets were empty enough that we could move quickly. People even moved out of the way for me on occasion.


    I glanced at Elia. With my current appearance, I looked closer to my mental age, rather than the teenager my body was really stuck as. That still made me young for the third stage. Common enough even for wealthy families or minor sects, but clearly ¡®better¡¯ than most people. Especially in places this influenced by the Zarian Dominion. It meant both that Elia herself was talented and probably not from a poor background, and that she had to suspect I had some backing.


    Of course, I imagine things are different for spirit-children, aren¡¯t they?


    After half an hour, we were walking deeper into the poor quarter of the city around our current home, and were closing in on it. I kept an eye out for the various people that were on the street and watching it. A fair number of them were younger and had some signs of their allegiance to a gang or local syndicate. Farther on the edge, there were women whose clothing and attitude didn¡¯t leave much doubt to their profession, but they seemed to stick to the outskirts of the area. Only toughs and people with the look of refugees hung around the more dilapidated part.


    I took a deep breath, then fought not to grimace as the stink washed over me. We were almost there, although we¡¯d taken a circuitous route. I could see a boy from our group on the rooftop of a dilapidated building. His head nodded at me before he ducked down further, out of my view.


    ¡°You know,¡± Elia commented. ¡°They¡¯re all gushing about how sophisticated and classy you are. You do a good job of hiding it, but I can see you¡¯re not used to these conditions, and you probably couldn¡¯t be a crass and vulgar low-tier if your life depended on it.¡±


    I stifled a sigh. You¡¯d be surprised. I hope. ¡°There¡¯s little hope of convincing them I¡¯m some ¡®gutter trash¡¯ nobody, anyway,¡± I pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not like many of the refugees around here didn¡¯t use to have more, before the Zarian confiscated or the war destroyed what they relied on to maintain their livelihoods.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she agreed. ¡°But some people, especially from the other gangs, don¡¯t like it.¡±


    I snorted. What did I care if they liked it or not? Hopefully, I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with this sort of problem for much longer, anyway.


    Once we reached the building, I got nods and half-bows from a few boys loitering around it. One of them opened the door for us. I nodded at them, glancing around to check that everything was in order and trying to sense if anything was amiss. Besides a few people that must have been from local gangs watching us from a distance, I didn¡¯t notice anything. Those had been keeping an eye on us for a while.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    On the inside, people were a lot more relaxed around me now. They didn¡¯t try to avoid catching my eye, just continued with what they were doing. A few days of seeing I wasn¡¯t about to hit someone for looking at me the wrong way must have done it. I quickly refilled the water basin, which was nearing empty again, grumbling under my breath. But I was glad that they all looked cleaner. Not only did it help my nose, the last thing I wanted was an epidemic breaking out. And while it was annoying, having to create water didn¡¯t bother me.


    I was just about to head back to my room and work on my formations some more, when I noticed a change in my qi senses. One of the young men outside had flared his qi in a signal. Farther out, although beyond the range I was supposed to have, I sensed another boy who¡¯d done the same, a bit earlier. They were raising the alarm, or at least putting us on alert. I sighed, made sure I had my bag, then headed for the door again.


    Elia and the stronger members of the group were already gathering. The others bowed to me when I showed up. I noticed that most of them held knifes, wooden posts, or whatever could serve as weapons.


    ¡°The Red Dragons are coming, boss,¡± the lookout reported. ¡°They brought a strong one.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh and nodded. ¡°Alright. Be ready and stay alert, but don¡¯t provoke them or pick a fight if you can help it.¡±


    We didn¡¯t have much time until the gang showed up. They all wore a splash of red, at least an armband, and carried better weapons than my side. Most of them were in the second stage, and the man in the middle was in the third. He had the look of someone aged by circumstances and lifestyle, probably no older than his thirties but with bad teeth and sunken skin.


    ¡°Hello, friends,¡± Elia called out in the local language. I didn¡¯t catch most of what came next, just enough to tell that she was trying to be friendly.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the third stager replied. He led the pack forward, facing me, with the others fanning out behind him. ¡°You, third tier,¡± he said in Zarian. ¡°We don¡¯t want your kind here. Foreigners and those growing rich off others¡¯ work. If you leave, we¡¯ll leave the rest of them alone.¡±


    ¡°You just want me to go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Elia cut in. Some of the others echoed her.


    ¡°They¡¯ll treat us worse than before,¡± one of the boys mumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s kick their teeth in, boss.¡±


    I looked at my group. They seemed, if anything, grimly determined to stand their ground. Maybe that was my fault. By giving them good treatment and a bit of hope when they were at rock bottom, I might have only made them clutch onto it harder. I didn¡¯t know if I could keep them from turning this into a fight, even if I gave in.


    And there was a Zarian patrol heading this way, quickly coming closer.


    ¡°These people don¡¯t want me to leave.¡± I shrugged at the gang in a ¡®what can you do¡¯ kind of way. ¡°Isn¡¯t there some other way to settle this?¡±


    Their leader growled and stepped forward. Earth flew towards him from the ground, forming gauntlets around his hands and dotting the ground between us with small molehills, dislodging paving stones. ¡°No.¡±


    I took a step forward as well, calling a fireball to my hand. Then, recognizing that I should show off just a bit, I formed a technique that shrouded the people behind me in flickering light. It was a modification of my Light¡¯s Speed buff that made it more obviously belong to fire instead of light. They could set things on fire with it in addition to moving more quickly.


    The other gang members hesitated at that, glancing at each other nervously. Maybe proper techniques were rarer here than I realized. Especially complex, well-executed combat techniques.


    But their hesitation ended the fight before it had the chance to begin. I could tell when the second stagers realized the Zarian patrol was approaching, by the way they flinched and turned in that direction. I grimaced, suppressed a curse, and took a step back again. Why did they have to move so quickly?


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± a loud voice boomed in Zarian, just as the group of six soldiers rounded the corner. They stopped in front of us, letting some of their auras be felt. The weight was enough to send the weaker people present to their knees.


    I bowed towards the speaker. ¡°Nothing of significance, sir. Just some ruffians doing a bit of posturing, but we just about turned them away. I¡¯m sorry to inconvenience you.¡±


    The gang leader gritted his teeth, then bowed as well. ¡°As she says. Nothing of consequence, just some ruffian where she doesn¡¯t belong.¡±


    ¡°You were coming to our accommodations,¡± I countered, still calm. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter, as we are both going back inside now, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Do that,¡± the soldier said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about whatever petty gang dispute you have going on, but we won¡¯t tolerate fighting in the street. And whoever did this to the street better fix it before I decide to start caring.¡±


    My opponent gritted his teeth harder, then used some earth qi to patch up the changes he¡¯d caused in the street.


    ¡°Actually ¡­¡± one of the other soldiers mumbled. ¡°What¡¯s that voice?¡±


    I glanced at him, then had to force myself to continue the motion and turn around without tensing up.


    I hadn¡¯t recognized him before, because he was in the back and had been concealed by another soldier, but now that they¡¯d shifted I could see his face. The talkative soldier, the one who¡¯d escorted me from the room I¡¯d woken up in on the airship. Dammit.


    ¡°Excuse me, sirs, ma¡¯ams,¡± I said, already starting to walk away.


    The other gang was leaving, and the people from my building were taking my cue, even if they glanced at the Zarian soldiers hesitantly. But I couldn¡¯t worry about them now. I needed to leave. It took most of my willpower to keep walking in a brisk but relaxed manner instead of running.


    I hadn¡¯t really altered my voice. Another stupid mistake, with potentially dire consequences. Shit. Sure, there was a small adjustment due to the changes I¡¯d done to the rest of my body, but I couldn¡¯t bank on that being enough of a difference. Any moment now, the soldier might realize where he¡¯d heard my voice before, and I needed to be gone before they started to hunt me down.


    I didn¡¯t go back to my room, but instead continued moving through the building to the back door. I hadn¡¯t left anything here that I needed, or that would be damning if it fell into enemy hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m going out again,¡± I said. ¡°Stay put, okay?¡±


    Then, without waiting for more of a response than a few nods, I walked. I couldn¡¯t say goodbye to them, or warn them. That would just be time lost and maybe a clue for the Zarian.


    I was starting to be sick of this whole thing, though.


    I was waiting for an outcry to go up from the Zarian, maybe for soldiers to try and chase me down. But I got out of the building and the side street without any trouble. I headed to the most populated area close by and joined a crowd without anyone running after me, too. By the time I was on track to leaving the quarter, I could sense Zarian presences, or at least ones of similar strength, moving. But I avoided them, keeping to the crowds, changing my appearance a little bit.


    I ducked into an empty alley for a moment to exchange my robe for a green shirt and matching jacket, and put my hair into a ponytail. Then I moved on, into the more respectable part of the city. I wanted to take a more circuitous route, but it was more important to get to the gate quickly.


    I¡¯d begun to relax, thinking I might have run on a false alarm, when I noticed the familiar presence following me.


    I hesitated for a moment, then stepped into another alley and into the shadows. My pursuer followed me inside, looking around. When I stepped out of concealment, a knife raised, she was already backing away, hands held up.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. I don¡¯t mean you any harm, and no one else followed you.¡±


    ¡°Elia.¡± My tone was flat. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The Zarian are tearing up the building right now. They¡¯re interrogating the rest, but I managed to slip away. I knew you¡¯d head for the gate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know, but why are you following me?¡±


    She licked her lips. ¡°Take me with you.¡±


    I started. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Please, let me come with you.¡± Elia took a step closer, apparently uncaring that it brought her into easy reach of my weapon. ¡°I know you¡¯re strong. I know they¡¯re looking for you, you¡¯re on the run. But I¡¯d rather come with you than stay in this craphole. You¡¯re better than pretty much anyone I could get here. And I can be useful to you.¡± She lowered her gaze. ¡°You know I can.¡±


    I put the weapon away and sighed.


    This is a complication. One I really don¡¯t need. But she¡¯s probably right. I frowned thoughtfully. There was definitely something about her. Whether I was right and she was just another spirit-child, or something else, I had a feeling I shouldn¡¯t ignore it.


    Or, if I was honest with myself, maybe it was just that I didn¡¯t want to. She¡¯d pricked my curiosity, and I wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could ignore that.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I decided. ¡°Don¡¯t complain if you get yourself killed.¡±

 95: Departures

    <div>


    I hesitated for a moment, then circulated a trickle of qi to my eyes to get a better look at the fire. By now, it was clearly visible from here. People were starting to move away, and when I swept my gaze farther out, I could see how the Zarian were organizing their response.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. None of them were even looking in my direction. Not really. But that was the point of using sunlight focused through qi lenses to do it. It meant I could set fire at a distance, and there was no easy way to tell that I had, or where it came from. Just that their court and administration buildings were on fire.


    I waited until the smoke thickened, rising into the sky like a dark halo for the building beneath it, before I resumed moving. I lowered myself into the water, careful not to disturb it too much, then closed my eyes and focused on implementing the changes that I¡¯d envisioned.


    After a minute, I kicked off and swam deeper into the river, until I skimmed just over the ground. I moved slowly, sucking air in through my newly grown gills, and inched my way forward. I knew I didn¡¯t have much time, the fire wouldn¡¯t serve as a distraction forever, but I forced myself to move slowly and smoothly.


    Finally, I reached Elia¡¯s position, who nodded at me and moved to follow behind me. While I wore only my underwear and had changed my skin tone to a blurry gray and brown to match the river bottom, she¡¯d chosen clothes in the same muted colors. At least she¡¯d made her hair match it, as well.


    I took a deep breath as we came upon the grate blocking the way out of the city, at the height where the gate would be. I¡¯d previously analyzed but dismissed it as too big a risk. Now, though, it was the best option. With Elia in tow, sneaking through the gate would be a lot harder.


    I released the shroud of darkness qi I¡¯d kept over us before carefully moving on. It was dark here, the water flowing quickly, a bit of silt and mud swirling in it as well as what might be sewage from the city. But I focused on the gate ahead of me. It was crafted from solid, reinforced metal, made with two layers. I was more concerned by the qi around it. Several enchantments and wards controlled the space. I made sure to keep my aura as low as possible as I slowly inched closer. Like we¡¯d discussed, Elia kept back behind me.


    The wards didn¡¯t go off, even when I finally reached the grate itself. Of course, that would produce too many false alarms. But I could tell the lock itself was warded more strongly, and even a bit of foreign qi would probably set off several alerts.


    I closed my eyes for a moment as I shapeshifted yet again, this time changing only my right arm. I made it thin enough to pass through the grate, then lengthened it. It felt odd, adjusting its shape on the fly, in ways that weren¡¯t very intuitive. But I managed to reach the lock where it sat behind a sheet of solid metal.


    This would be the tricky part. I closed my eyes again and pressed my hand into it, before I made it lose its rigidly defined form. Growths of a horn-like material, like an extreme version of fingernails, sprouted into the lock. I was careful not to scratch or deform it, but to keep the mass pliable, until I filled the mechanism and got a good idea of how it worked. Then I turned my hand, turning the keys in the lock in the same motion. I breathed out and pushed against it, feeling it give. I moved on to the second lock behind it and repeated the process with more confidence.


    A good thing they used a physical lock. Of course, with cultivators, I could guess those were actually harder to bypass than enchantments relying on qi.


    Carefully, I pushed the gate open. It took a bit of strength, as the grate wasn¡¯t really designed to be moved, and probably hadn¡¯t opened in years. Luckily, no one would hear any suspicious creaking underwater. I opened it only wide enough to pass through, then carefully made my way through it and swam a meter ahead. Elia moved up to the gate behind me.


    I glanced at her, then concentrated on the rest of the wards. There were a few that might be problematic. I doubted they were supposed to be easily visible or easy to figure out, but my sense for qi was a lot better than that of a typical cultivator in the fourth stage. I could probably sneak my way past them, but I wasn¡¯t so sure about Elia. Her storage ring might be a problem. It was a lot smaller and cruder than mine, but held what supplies we had. Maybe we should have left it behind, but that wouldn¡¯t help in the long run.


    I circulated some darkness qi, just a trickle, and formed the basis for a technique. Slowly, a thread of darkness took shape in front of me. The wards didn¡¯t react. That was the good thing about the Void¡¯s Nibble, of course. It was designed to annihilate any foreign qi it came into contact with, so if someone or something sent their qi or spread it out to catch a disturbance, it would be consumed before any signal could travel back to it. Like a mini black hole you could only detect by its side effects. And since this effect was new or at least rare, wards weren¡¯t set up to search indirectly for it.


    The defenses were placed around the gate and the area between it and the end of the small tunnel, before the water flowed out of the city wall. I moved my tendrils of darkness carefully, isolating components and cutting the equivalent of wires in the connections between and inside the wards. I worked slowly, double-checking to make sure I didn¡¯t miss anything or let too much qi build up somewhere to cause another malfunction. It was interesting work, and I caught myself wishing I could have more time to analyze this setup.


    Finally, it was as disarmed as I could make it, and I continued moving forward. Elia followed behind me. I held my breath, but she managed to pass the wards without issue. It was only a few meters before we left the gate and the city wall behind us.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Of course, we didn¡¯t surface immediately, but continued moving at the bottom of the river. I felt a lot less nervous now. We¡¯d successfully sneaked our way out of the city. It had even been fun. Let¡¯s just hope the rest of the trip doesn¡¯t make up for that. Though having her along might be a benefit here. She¡¯s bound to know the region better than me.


    After a few kilometers, I stopped and gestured upward. Elia let out a visible sigh, before kicking off for the surface. I smiled and followed her, swimming for the riverbank. The river was moving more slowly here than before, and it should be a good spot to climb out.


    We emerged in a shallow valley, with gradually rising banks that led up to a low forested range on one side and a patchwork of meadows and fields on the other. A little farther ahead, I could see a ford connected to a back road, though it was less of a road and more of a well-trodden path. There was no other sign of civilization I could see from here.


    I accepted my clothes from Elia. She averted her gaze, and I tried not to feel embarrassed about my current state of dress. We had bigger things to worry about than modesty. So I quickly put the clothes on and dried us off a little, then led the way out of the valley. The ground of the meadow we reached was soft and spongy, not ideal for running, but a lot better than it could have been.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a move on,¡± I said. ¡°Actually, wait a second.¡±


    I quickly focused on the qi surrounding us and drew in some air qi to use for a technique. It was a simple one, just a general buff to Elia¡¯s speed. I could have used my light technique, but that was better suited for short-term enhancement, not long travel. I didn¡¯t use anything to affect myself, since the issue here was how well Elia could keep up with me.


    She had a bit of trouble as we started running, but quickly got the hang of it. We accelerated, and the meadow flew past us. In short order, we¡¯d moved past a short dirt track into another one. I looked back, where I could just see the city on the horizon, and watched it get smaller. We were moving in the opposite direction from what they¡¯d expect of me, if I was trying to get back to the Empire directly. Hopefully, that would help. I watched as the city vanished into the horizon.


    A few hours later, Elia began breathing hard, and I slowed down to a walk to give her a break. There was no point in pushing us too hard, and we needed endurance more than speed.


    ¡°By the way, what was that technique you used to deal with their alarms?¡± she asked. ¡°It was amazing. I didn¡¯t think you could just erase wards like that.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s called the Void¡¯s Nibble.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s an ¡­ odd name for a technique.¡±


    ¡°I made it myself,¡± I answered, then frowned. That was probably a bad thing to admit if anyone else heard it. But if Elia was captured and told the Zarian what she knew about me, it didn¡¯t change much.


    ¡°Impressive.¡± She tilted her head to the side. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how old are you really?¡±


    I shrugged. My young age in combination with my stage was definitely an identifying detail. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Yes, I would, if it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    I regarded her for a moment, then shrugged again. ¡°Almost certainly younger than you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She blinked. ¡°Not that I¡¯m doubting you. You¡¯re actually that young. Huh.¡±


    I was silent for a moment as I picked my way past a boulder. We were avoiding roads, for the most part, since we didn¡¯t want to run into other people. Our current trail took us past another meadow and into a rocky area, an extension of the foothills of another forest range. I didn¡¯t know how long my shoes would stand up to our travels, but I¡¯d go barefoot if I had to. It wasn¡¯t like getting a strained ankle or blisters was a concern.


    ¡°Your spirit-child bloodline is the Sun¡¯s, then. Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She jerked, then stilled her movement. ¡°How do you figure that?¡±


    ¡°I can sense something from you that makes me pretty sure you¡¯ve got spirit blood. You looked through my veil easily and can apparently tell the truth of things, or something. With your affinities, that¡¯s pretty telling.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be sure of my guess, but it was the only thing that fit. The Greater Spirit of the Sun was, after all, associated with truth and justice.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she finally admitted. ¡°I suppose she¡¯s my grandmother. My father was a son of the Sun.¡±


    ¡°Was?¡± I asked, before I could think better of it.


    She was silent for a moment, before she nodded. She looked down on the ground, though that might just have been the difficulty of the trail. ¡°I grew up about a hundred leagues from here, in another small nation under the influence of the Zarian, with my mother and siblings. When I was little, my father left, recruited to join the Zarian forces. He visited a few times, but not often. Then, a few years ago, he stopped sending letters. Apparently, he was killed in some border skirmish with the Federation, or so they said.¡±


    I nodded, trying to look sympathetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. That can¡¯t have been easy for you.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°He stopped sending money, and Mother wasn¡¯t used to having to watch her purse, so I suppose it wasn¡¯t. But I got by.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°And your siblings?¡±


    Her expression darkened. ¡°A few of my brothers were being stupid and trying to make trouble when the Zarian came. Cost them our small estate. That¡¯s why we had to leave. Well, all that were left. My oldest brother left to find out what happened to Father, but he hasn¡¯t had much success.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure which of those subjects was less thorny to ask about. But she seemed to like having someone listening to her. ¡°You think there¡¯s more to it?¡±


    She was quiet for a moment. We had crested the ridge and were now walking down a grassy hillside, so the going was easier, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice our surroundings. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she finally said. ¡°Maybe it was just bad luck that killed him.¡±


    ¡°You think he was targeted,¡± I guessed. ¡°Infighting within the Zarian, someone seeing him as a threat?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but I don¡¯t not think so, either.¡±


    I nodded and stopped talking for a minute. This would be a good time for me to open up, establish some more trust, although I was a bit hesitant about that.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never really met my father, so I can¡¯t really relate,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I can see why you don¡¯t like the Zarian. If you don¡¯t mind my prying, though, why aren¡¯t you with the rest of your family now?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I got tired of their sh¡­ behavior. Far as I know, they¡¯re still in some decrepit quarters in the city.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    This was probably enough prying for the moment. I¡¯d ask her more about what she could do later. But for now, I stepped up the pace again.


    Elia sighed, but she didn¡¯t complain. She almost seemed glad about it.


    ¡°I should find a place to get some sleep later,¡± I mentioned. ¡°For now, let¡¯s keep running.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, probably surprised since she knew I¡¯d slept in the city, but didn¡¯t ask. She might have been saving her breath for keeping up with my new pace.


    I didn¡¯t mind the lack of conversation as we continued traveling. I had enough to think about.

 96: Truths and trust

    <div>


    ¡°I suppose it was too much to hope for that we¡¯d be able to complete our journey in peace and without being bothered by the Zarian,¡± I sighed.


    Elia shrugged and gave me a wry smile. ¡°We¡¯ve been making good time ever since we left the city. I think we¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°Not as good time as we might have if we¡¯d just focused on traveling,¡± I grumbled, but without any heat in my words.


    We had made good time. With our cultivation, we could move pretty quickly. Not as fast as a car, of course, though better than a pedestrian or rider on Earth. But we¡¯d been careful. We¡¯d avoided population centers and often roads, made sure we had good disguises, and gathered information on where we were going and what was going on. The war could be felt even here, and the general decline in trust and safety didn¡¯t help. At least people didn¡¯t seem to care too much about strangers passing through.


    Which brought us to our current camp, off the road in a sheltered clearing with a good view over the nearby countryside and town. We were close enough to the ocean I could almost convince myself I could already see it, despite the heavy cloud cover and poor visibility. The air smelled like it might rain again later today, but I hoped it would hold off for a bit longer.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to evade the Zarian so far,¡± Elia said. ¡°Even if they¡¯re hunting us more intensely now, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get to the ocean. Although I have to admit I¡¯m still a little unsure why you have chosen that as the goal.¡±


    ¡°Just trust me.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± She looked a lot more serious suddenly. ¡°My bloodline¡¯s abilities allow me to see to the core of people, in a sense. You¡¯re probably one of the most righteous people I met in the city.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Interesting. I wouldn¡¯t put too much stock in that, though. Your sense isn¡¯t about some supreme morality, but society¡¯s laws, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She seemed a bit surprised by my observation. ¡°I know that. It¡¯s more about norms and rules of the larger group someone belongs to. Still enough to let me know you haven¡¯t exactly committed many crimes.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s all a matter of perspective.¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully. I hadn¡¯t really broken any laws on Earth, minor stuff excluded. Speeding or trying weed once didn¡¯t exactly break societal norms. And on Aran, while I¡¯d done more morally questionable things, the Empire wouldn¡¯t consider those wrong for me to do. Hell, as the Imperial Princess, I could have done a lot worse without breaking their social norms or expectations, let alone whatever actual laws might apply.


    I shook my head, dismissing these thoughts. ¡°Anyway. Are you sure you can¡¯t grow gills?¡±


    She pulled a face. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe, once we reach the ocean and I¡¯m actually underwater, I¡¯ll get the push I need.¡±


    ¡°Well, if not, I know a technique that can help, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    As I¡¯d discovered recently, her shapeshifting ability was a lot weaker than my own. Probably even weaker than before I¡¯d gotten the push that suddenly needing it to survive and hide in enemy territory had given me. That had helped me master it a lot. At least Elia could disguise herself pretty well, and that was all we really needed.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go,¡± I said, and started picking my way down to the path.


    As part of my current disguise, I¡¯d changed my hairstyle and facial structure again. I¡¯d also made myself a bit shorter, which I still had to adjust to. Having to take smaller steps didn¡¯t help with descending the muddy slope, and making my chest smaller had also thrown my balance off a little. So I moved carefully, only glancing at Elia once or twice. She¡¯d changed her hair to a short style and darkened her skin, but her face still resembled the once I¡¯d met her with. She could probably pass for her cousin, but it was different enough that I didn¡¯t complain.


    I was looking forward to wearing what I¡¯d come to accept as my own face again, though. Almost as much as I missed the company of Tenira and Lei, who¡¯d probably be excited about my new proficiency with it and helping me experiment. Or Yarani and Kajare. It had been too long already.


    The town was clearly rural, probably the only major population center in the area, and spread out over the fields in a comfortable sprawl. It made it both easier and harder to approach unnoticed, since we had cover, but could also be spotted by more people more easily. Like we¡¯d done most of the time, we tried to act like everything was alright and we were just minding our business.


    As we approached, I returned the greetings of a few townspeople we met, but managed not to get sucked into a conversation. I led us in an arc around the center of town, keeping to the outskirts. I could tell Elia was tense, but she didn¡¯t question my choice to go into town.


    There were more Zarian soldiers in the town than I had expected. I couldn¡¯t help but feel my heartbeat speed up every time we came too close to one, even though I knew my disguise was good. I¡¯d long fixed my blunder and altered my voice. Of course, we still didn¡¯t have reliable identification, that was the main problem.


    We had to pass through two ID checks. The first one was pretty casual. Just a few bored fourth-stage soldiers who gave a quick glance at our paperwork, comparing the pictures to our faces, then waved us on. The second one was more concerning. I noticed it as we approached the barricade they¡¯d put up. The leader was in the fifth or even sixth stage, and her small group seemed more alert, as if they were looking for someone.


    I held my breath as they checked our ID, forcing my hands not to clench into fists. I¡¯d perfected the illusion over the paper and tried to make it as unnoticeable as possible, but there was still a hint of qi to it.


    The soldier muttered a curse and pulled out some strange-looking device. My heart sank as I watched her handle the device and the paper. She frowned at it, then looked more closely again.


    Finally, after a minute of tense waiting, she gave me the papers back. ¡°These local scraps are such poor quality,¡± she complained, probably to her subordinates. ¡°You girls go on, but if you get the chance, exchange your papers for some Zarian registered ones. Makes it easier on us and lowers your chance of being detained.¡±


    I bowed my head. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be sure to do that.¡±


    My neck prickled as we walked past the barricade, but I forced myself to relax. We were almost there, anyway.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I continued walking through the outskirts of the town. Out here, the houses stood a little closer together, but they were smaller, so the result wasn¡¯t very impressive. I didn¡¯t see many people around, perhaps because they were at work, instead. The fields around the town, like others we¡¯d come across in our journey, were all being tended, now that spring was in full swing.


    I was just starting to worry that I¡¯d come here for nothing when two of the people leaning against a rundown wooden house caught my eye. They straightened up, adjusted their cloaks, then slowly started walking forward. I forced myself to keep my gaze moving instead of letting it linger on them, and kept going.


    Elia tensed slightly beside me, but she didn¡¯t say anything. We walked out of the town in silence, leaving the houses behind as the street narrowed into a dirt track leading between two fields. This one entered a forest pretty quickly. I didn¡¯t have to look back to notice that our pursuers were still behind us, catching up steadily. Their auras were well hidden, but gave the impression they were in the late second or early third stage. I would¡¯ve been fooled if I didn¡¯t know what to look for.


    They caught up to us finally, just a few hundred meters before the path vanished into trees and we¡¯d get out of sight of the people working in the fields. Elia tensed and moved her hand to her side, where I knew she carried a knife, but I grabbed her arm for a moment and subtly shook my head. The two people fell in with us. The woman stepped off the path to get ahead of us, while the man kept behind us. They were both dressed in nondescript clothing of muted colors, with local cloak-coat hybrids that could easily conceal weapons.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice day on the road, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said.


    ¡°As nice as if the spirits themselves were playing with us,¡± the woman said. ¡°Like the Great Ship of myth being battered by their winds and waves.¡±


    ¡°But that ship reached its destination safely, and so shall we,¡± I replied, relaxing my tense muscles. I liked that myth, which originated from the east of the Earth Continent and that I¡¯d read a while ago. Unlike many others, it wasn¡¯t a tragedy, just entertaining.


    After a minute, we entered the forest. It looked untended, and the trees quickly closed around the dirt path, hiding us from view. As soon as I couldn¡¯t catch a glimpse of the fields anymore, I stopped. Elia did the same, reaching for her weapons again. She seemed confused and apprehensive. Fair enough.


    The two travelers took a step closer, making her tense up more, before they dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. Elia froze.


    ¡°Rise,¡± I said to them in Imperial Common, then switched to Zarian out of consideration to my companion. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you. How is the situation?¡±


    They stood, and the man replied in perfect Zarian, ¡°Mostly unchanged, my lady. The Zarian have intensified their search, but they do not seem close enough to catching you to pose a significant danger.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Good. I hope you didn¡¯t have to drop anything important to meet us.¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± the woman said.


    I wasn¡¯t sure I believed her. As agents of the Empire, they¡¯d be accomplished liars. But I let the matter drop. I didn¡¯t know what mission they had been on before they were diverted to babysit me; apparently, I didn¡¯t need to know. Fair enough.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Elia said, backing up a step and frowning at me. ¡°You¡¯re Imperials, aren¡¯t you? Is that why you were hiding from the Zarian? But there has to be more to it.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then decided being direct would be best. ¡°Yes. Does that bother you?¡±


    Her frown deepened. I could guess at what was going through her head. She¡¯d grown up in a place close to and under the influence of the Dominion, so she¡¯d have been exposed to anti-Imperial propaganda. But by now she distrusted and probably disliked the Zarian. So if most of what she knew about the Empire was that they were enemies, it would make her see it in a different light, maybe even favorably.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a problem with it,¡± she finally replied.


    I didn¡¯t have her ability to see if someone was telling the truth, but that was good enough for me. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    I did notice that the two agents shifted their position slightly. They were angling themselves so they could keep an eye on her, and intervene to protect me more easily, if it came to that. I didn¡¯t comment on it, but I appreciated the thought, at least.


    ¡°What¡¯s your names, by the way?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sil, my lady,¡± the female agent answered. ¡°He¡¯s Wei.¡±


    I nodded. Those might not be their real names, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°You¡¯re here to help me get to safety, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    I glanced at Elia, who nodded slightly. The confirmation made me relax a little more.


    Maybe it shouldn¡¯t have such a big impact, since I didn¡¯t know either of them. But it did. I was no longer alone in hostile territory now, a fugitive just trying to be gone, hiding my true identity from everyone. I was in the presence of countrymen (countrypeople?) now. Or my subjects. Even better, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°So, who are you?¡± Elia asked after a minute.


    I shook my head, focused on the path ahead of us. We were passing by another town, one that was decidedly more coastal in its appearance. I could smell the ocean more clearly now, and even caught a glimpse of it behind the houses and trees. ¡°Are we clear to get to the ocean?¡±


    ¡°The Zarian appear to be watching it, my lady,¡± Sil warned. ¡°There¡¯s an observation post a few leagues in that direction. We planned on a distraction to allow us to sneak closer, and we¡¯ve been told we¡¯ll be picked up once we reach the beach.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Good.¡± Then I glanced at Elia. ¡°Sorry about that. Now, as to who I am, are you sure you want to know?¡±


    She pulled a face. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Nera, or whoever you are. I¡¯ve known that¡¯s not your real name from the beginning. You¡¯re a spirit-child of some strength. Possibly even the child of a Greater Spirit. I can believe you¡¯re some important asset to the Empire, I just don¡¯t know why they¡¯d leave you in such a position.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional,¡± I said. ¡°The Zarian didn¡¯t realize who they¡¯d captured, given my shapeshifting ability. But, yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m the daughter of the Moon.¡±


    I was prepared for shocked realization, but Elia just nodded. ¡°Yes, that fits.¡±


    ¡°My lady,¡± the agent spoke up. ¡°May we proceed with our plan? Wei will occupy the attention of the local Zarian contingent while we make our way to our goal.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    The man bowed, then disappeared into the landscape between one moment and the next. If we weren¡¯t surrounded by trees right now, I¡¯d have suspected he was literally gone into the ground.


    Sil had us wait for a few minutes before we¡¯d start moving again. We stood there in silence. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder about how Elia would react, but I didn¡¯t want to just come out and proclaim my title. The agent seemed tensed for some kind of confrontation, as well.


    ¡°What is it?¡± the girl finally asked. ¡°Did I miss something, or am I just supposed to be more impressed by your bloodline? I think I¡¯ve heard that the Moon is prominent in the Empire.¡±


    Sil glanced at me, then shook her head at Elia. ¡°Girl, there¡¯s only one daughter of the Moon. Haven¡¯t you heard the rumors?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you mean ¡ª ?¡± her eyes widened. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    After a moment of just staring, Elia dropped to one knee before me and bowed her head. ¡°Princess. I didn¡¯t know. I beg your forgiveness.¡±


    I sighed. Really? It¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t have killed her pretty much at any point since we met. Although, I suppose as Imperial Princess, I could have her family or friends hunted down and punished if she gave me some cause.


    ¡°Stand up,¡± I said. ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t know, that¡¯s the point.¡± I turned to the agent. ¡°Should we move now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, follow me, please.¡±


    We continued our trip to the ocean, this time at a faster pace. Elia kept to the other side of Sil, and had trouble meeting my gaze. I knew some of that was probably just embarrassment, but I still felt ill at ease. I¡¯d been just another person lately, and now, in the last few minutes, three people had knelt to me.


    I almost wanted something to happen to take my mind off useless thoughts, but everything was quiet. We didn¡¯t see any Zarian, and I couldn¡¯t sense anything strange. It felt anticlimactic after everything. Of course, with professionals on the job, I shouldn¡¯t expect anything less.


    I glanced at Elia again. ¡°Do you still want to come with me? We could drop you off somewhere, but you¡¯re welcome to come to the Empire as my guest, if you like.¡±


    She chewed her lip for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯d love to see the Empire and stay there for a bit. Er, Imperial Princess.¡±


    I nodded, then turned my attention back to the path. Despite a strange sense of wistfulness, I couldn¡¯t wait to return, and see my friends and partners again.

 97: Signals and sacrifice

    <div>


    I crouched down low, giving my technique less surface area to cover. It probably didn¡¯t make much of a difference, but every little bit might count. Besides me, I heard Elia shifting her weight, and suppressed the urge to tell her to quiet down. In truth, sound was less of a problem than visuals.


    One of the Zarian soldiers in the observation post we were observing looked our way, and I instinctively held my breath, but his gaze moved on quickly. He looked bored, just like his colleagues. Good for us.


    We were close now, and I couldn¡¯t help but glance at the ocean. I found it a little ironic that out of every time I¡¯d been to the coast in the last year or so, this was the one that looked like what you¡¯d imagine if you heard the word ¡®beach¡¯. The trees weren¡¯t palms, but they did have large, green leaves that swayed a little in the breeze. The cloud cover had lightened, and the sun sent down a few beams that made the water sparkle.


    Sil tapped my arm, then gestured to the side, holding up one finger. I nodded in response to the prearranged signal and started moving, trying to keep directly behind her. The Zarian soldiers were looking away, and we¡¯d chosen our path so that only one of them should see us for most of the way, anyway.


    Quickly, we lost sight of them behind a rocky cliffside that was just low enough to shield us from view farther in. I didn¡¯t know why they were watching the ocean, or the approaches to it, so intently. Perhaps allying with the sea dragons was showing its downside. I supposed it didn¡¯t matter, in the end.


    Sil sped up, still completely silent, and left us behind for a bit. Her form seemed to vanish from my sight, even though I¡¯d reinforced her veil with some of my own qi. Before I had the time to be nervous, a Zarian soldier rounded the bend ahead of us.


    Both of them were in a higher stage than me, and I barely managed to comprehend the struggle. It was too brief to call it a fight. The Zarian woman tried to lash out with her qi, but it splattered harmlessly against the rock. I quickly threw out a glob of darkness qi to mop it up. She didn¡¯t have the time for more than that little bit before Sil got her. She tried to move back, but didn¡¯t dodge quickly enough. Metal flashed for a fraction of a second, then the soldier crumpled. Sil put a hand over her mouth, presumably to muffle the sound of her death throes.


    I stepped up to them, glancing at the fallen Zarian curiously, then back to Sil. ¡°Should we deal with the body?¡± I whispered.


    The agent shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go. They won¡¯t discover it until it no longer matters.¡±


    On the way back, we still tried to keep quiet, but moved considerably more quickly. It probably helped that we only had to worry about detection from one direction now, and knew our disguises worked well. This would have been harder if the agents didn¡¯t know the Zarian patrol routes here.


    Once we got close to the outpost again, Sil stopped us for a moment, and we observed it. I could see and sense the activity that had overtaken it. All the soldiers were now alert, throwing on or grabbing equipment and checking formations. Wei must have made his move. Perfect timing. I¡¯m glad the agents are on my side.


    All but one of them jumped onto flying swords, and they were off before I¡¯d even finished the thought. The remaining soldier kept a hand on his sheathed sword and glanced around.


    We didn¡¯t creep up to the wooden barrier surrounding the outpost. That would be counterproductive with our stealth techniques. Instead, we walked, softly but in a straight line, right up to the gate. Once there, Sil used some air technique to reduce the noise, and I extended a shield of darkness qi. Then she reached between two posts of the palisade, her fingernails scratching against the wood, and pulled on her enchanted knife. I waited with bated breath until she¡¯d carved a hole into the palisade and slowly lowered it out. Then she jumped through, and I took a deep breath and followed, Elia behind me.


    This time, the soldier had more warning. He managed to get off a spray of rocky projectiles and grab for some qi-based device on a nearby table. Sil swatted most of the projectiles out of the air, and I weaved through the rest, weathering a few impacts to my arms and sides.


    Sil dashed for the device, a current of air blasting it out of his hands just before the soldier managed to send his own qi into it to activate it. I took the opportunity to blast what might as well be a laser at him, which distracted him long enough to fumble whatever he was trying to pull from his belt with his other hand.


    One of the rocks curved back around and threatened to smack into my head, so I ducked that and batted it out of the air with my forearm. By the time I looked up again, Sil had the Zarian in a chokehold on the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill him,¡± I said, hurrying forward.


    Sil nodded. ¡°Of course not, Your Highness.¡± Her tone and expression added an unspoken ¡®yet¡¯.


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    I got to the prisoner, pulling his face out of the mud by his hair, and angling it so we could all see his expression. Sil accommodated the move. ¡°Are you alone here?¡± I asked.


    The Zarian glared back at me defiantly and answered in a string of swearwords. Well, half of them were cuss words, the rest I didn¡¯t know, but the meaning was clear.


    ¡°You should cooperate,¡± I told him, keeping my voice calm. ¡°It¡¯ll go easier if you do. I might even let you go. If not, things could get very unpleasant. I won¡¯t waste much time here.¡±


    Just then, there was a chime from another talisman he was wearing. Judging by what I could see of the qi flows and formations, clearly a communication device of some sort.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked, but he stayed silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s a victory signal, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elia asked.


    ¡°No, whore, it¡¯s a signal to say your life has ended!¡±


    Elia frowned and looked at me. ¡°It is a victory signal.¡± After a moment, she glanced at Sil.


    I followed her gaze. ¡°Does that mean they defeated Wei?¡±


    Sil was silent for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes. He must have been either captured or killed.¡±


    I grimaced, then looked back at our prisoner. ¡°Are you supposed to respond?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Before I could say anything else, Sil laid a hand on his torso, and he started convulsing, letting out a choked scream.


    After she left off, he was breathing hard and shaking his head. ¡°No.¡±


    Elia spoke up again. ¡°Yes, he is. Probably an all-clear signal, right?¡±


    I sighed and held up a hand to stall the agent in case she got any other ideas. ¡°Great. Sil, how can we figure out what¡¯s up with Wei and rescue him if he¡¯s still alive?¡±


    The agent looked surprised. She answered in Common, as well. ¡°With all due respect, Your Highness. My duty is to protect and guide you back to safety. This would be extremely ill-advised, and I respectfully suggest you abandon the notion.¡±


    I frowned. I knew she was right, but still felt like I should say something. ¡°But your partner ¡­¡±


    ¡°Wei knew what he was doing,¡± she said. ¡°The mission comes first. Your safety comes first.¡± Then her tone softened. ¡°He would be proud to die for the Empire.¡±


    I nodded slowly. Maybe further protests might dishonor his sacrifice in her eyes, or something.


    ¡°Your Highness, we should hurry,¡± she continued. ¡°We need to either get this prisoner to cooperate and send the signal, fast, or leave right away.¡±


    I glanced back at him. I knew she meant torture. That didn¡¯t sit right with me, and I didn¡¯t know if we¡¯d manage to break him this quickly. I shook my head. ¡°We need to leave swiftly.¡±


    Sil bowed her head, then her knife flashed again. A moment later, there were was one less person in the encampment. I didn¡¯t look too closely, since I¡¯d learned my lesson about having a perfect memory. And I didn¡¯t comment on it. Leaving him alive would have been too much of a risk, and I didn¡¯t feel the need to rationalize it to myself.


    ¡°They¡¯ll know something¡¯s wrong,¡± Elia said. She seemed to have trouble looking at anyone, and her voice was a little tight. ¡°Are we going to get to the coast and away before they catch us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure of that,¡± a new voice said.


    I spun around, the knife I¡¯d stashed up my sleeve in my hand. There, just a few meters away, a veil of darkness qi was lifting. I only recognized that I¡¯d sensed it now that it was starting to change. It was a strong working of darkness qi, hiding them from sight, sound and our qi senses.


    ¡°No need to worry, Imperial Princess,¡± a man¡¯s voice said, as two figures slowly faded into view. ¡°We¡¯ll escort you until you can meet your own people.¡±


    I blinked in surprise at the man and woman standing there. They were strong, although I couldn¡¯t quite tell how strong. But they weren¡¯t from the Empire. If the faint accent hadn¡¯t tipped me off, their clothing would have. It wasn¡¯t a style I¡¯d seen much of before, more form-fitting and subdued than was common in the Empire or even where I¡¯d traveled. And they both had a small version of another nation¡¯s symbol with those clothes, embroidered in the fabric or embossed on a buckle.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I said. ¡°Alright. I assume you have a ship?¡±


    I tried not to let them see how disconcerted I was. I guess Sil never actually said we would be picked up by Imperials. I glanced at her and saw that she seemed tense, though. Maybe she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the woman answered. She waved her hand, and a ship faded into view on the ocean behind her, in the shallows just before it would be beached on dry land.


    Maybe it made sense that a ship from another nation would be better able to pick us up undetected than an Imperial one. Though, I wouldn¡¯t have expected them to do it. The Empire¡¯s relationship was Adzur was relatively good, but that wasn¡¯t saying much.


    I started walking, knowing that we didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. Sil and Elia followed. The two strangers turned and led us on a direct path to their ship. With cultivators¡¯ speed, the meters vanished quickly. I just sensed the Zarian¡¯s presences at the edge of my range as we reached it.


    The ship looked to be built of wood, and it had a sleek appearance, with clearly low draft, or whatever it was called. It didn¡¯t fly the flag of the City-State of Adzur prominently, so this probably wasn¡¯t an official delegation.


    I knew the tide would be coming in soon. Right now, its pull in my senses was muted, distant, but it was already starting to rise. This wasn¡¯t the best time to set sail, probably, but their ship would handle it. I could sense the strength of the qi in its materials and enchantments. One of them felt a bit like a steam engine, situated at the back of the ship.


    We waded into the ocean and boarded the ship via a wooden ladder that unfurled itself from their deck, probably guided by the domain of one of the two Adzurians. I let Sil board first, then climbed ahead of Elia as she hesitated. Our hosts flew upward without any discernible device to help. I mentally revised my estimate of their strength upward.


    Their ship only had a skeleton crew, at least judging by how few people I saw. The crew, mostly young men and women in the third or fourth stage, ignored us in favor of focusing on their task. I stepped up to the deck and looked back the beach, just in time to feel a jolt as the ship got itself loose and started moving. The Earth Continent spread out before us. It was a nice view, but I didn¡¯t mind leaving it behind for now.


    I didn¡¯t see the Zarian, at least.

 98: New contacts

    <div>


    I watched the coast until I could no longer make out individual trees, then turned away. As I pulled my attention back to the deck of the ship I was on, I noticed that the two Adzurians were watching me.


    The man, leaning on the railing, raised an eyebrow. His clothing looked like something out of a movie or video game. Skintight leather and a half-mask, all black. His arms were bare, and I had to force my eyes not to linger on the sharply defined ridges of his torso visible through the outfit, assuming it wasn¡¯t just modeled to look like that. This was not the kind of thing I¡¯d have expected to see in this world.


    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your help,¡± I told him, deciding not to ask for his name. From what little I¡¯d read of their culture, it was better to wait for it to be offered, if it was. ¡°But I have to admit I¡¯m wondering why you¡¯d go to the trouble.¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°We were in the area, and since I was already in negotiations with your honorable Mother, I decided I might as well take on the job.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the woman, who seemed content to let him speak for them for now. ¡°Negotiations? Do I want to know what this cost us?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°Only a token amount, to be honest.¡± He leaned forward a little and smirked. ¡°For the daughter of the Moon, I am, of course, happy to be of service.¡±


    Now that he¡¯d mentioned it, I remembered that Adzur generally venerated the Moon more than any other Greater Spirit. He¡¯d been their sort-of chief deity for far longer than his recent importance in the Empire.


    I met the man¡¯s eyes calmly and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not flirting with me. No offense, but I prefer men more of an age with me, and I do have my husband waiting for me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re married?¡± Elia asked. She¡¯d finally decided to stop hovering and was stepping up to the railing beside me.


    The woman smirked. ¡°Someone isn¡¯t well versed in political events, it seems. By the way, Imperial Princess, it would be more polite to wear your real face, seeing as you¡¯re a guest here. Your companion, as well.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    I¡¯d been disguised for too long, anyway. As I prepared to change back, I had a moment of panic, a sudden fear that I wouldn¡¯t be able to shift back to my original appearance. But a deep breath calmed me down and allowed me to focus on the change. I had a perfect memory and remembered everything clearly, and my body even seemed to know it, too. Shifting back was more effortless than any of the more involved disguises I¡¯d used since the battle.


    I stretched a little, enjoying the feeling of being back to normal, then glanced at Elia. She didn¡¯t look quite the same as when I¡¯d first met her. Her skin seemed a bit healthier, and her hair wasn¡¯t as dark, but a light brown that I hadn¡¯t seen in the city often. Her face was subtly different, as well, like a sister¡¯s. She also looked to have shrunken a centimeter or two.


    ¡°You are quite pretty, Your Highness,¡± the man said. He sounded more serious now and stood straighter. ¡°But I apologize if I came across as improper. I always dress like this, and I did mean what I said honestly.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thank you.¡± I nodded at him. I still thought he might have been hitting on me, but at least he took rejection well. And considering his strength, it would be stupid to take offense and make an enemy.


    ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m intruding, but what was that about political events?¡± Elia asked.


    I noticed that the two Adzurians were watching me keenly, perhaps trying to see if that was a sensitive subject. So I did my best to act casual and matter-of-fact. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you¡¯ve heard, but it was my marriage to a Terbekteri prince that the Zarian used as an excuse to attack us.¡±


    Elia stared at me for a moment, wide-eyed. She¡¯d probably heard about these events differently and was trying to reconcile the two versions. ¡°Right, I knew that,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize. So, the war is all ¡­¡±


    I was glad she didn¡¯t finish that sentence, and just shrugged. ¡°It was going to happen sooner or later, whether we gave them an excuse or not.¡±


    ¡°From what they¡¯re saying, it might have been to your advantage if it was later,¡± the Adzurian man mentioned.


    I looked at them, careful to keep my face controlled and give nothing away. ¡°Who knows. That¡¯s hypothetical now.¡±


    He nodded after a moment, and silence descended. I looked back at the ocean and the continent, which was already a good distance behind us. This ship moved fast.


    After a while, we started talking again, but, this time, kept to small talk. The two Adzurians still didn¡¯t introduce themselves, although I was starting to pick up a few things about them from what they said. They probably weren¡¯t agents of Adzur¡¯s government, but something closer to mercenaries. Or perhaps privateers, in a sense, if you didn¡¯t restrict it to fighting at sea. That meant the City-State had plausible deniability if the Zarian found out they helped me, while still doing a favor for the Empire.


    The conversation was awkward, considering no one seemed to want to volunteer too much, or private information, and it dried up quickly.


    We traveled for some time in silence. I suspected the two Adzurians were talking telepathically, judging by the little twitches in their facial expressions. If at least one of them was in the seventh stage, that would make sense. They seemed content to stay there on the deck, and I didn¡¯t want to leave, either. Elia was reading through some tattered sheets of paper she¡¯d taken from her storage ring, perhaps an inherited technique manual or something similar.


    I was just considering the best way to ask if she was okay when I felt the brush of another mind against mine. I stiffened for a moment, then closed my eyes and focused on it. The sensation came from below.


    ¡®Imperial Princess. So you return to the sea after all,¡¯ a mental voice said, an undercurrent of emotion and concepts accompanying the words.


    I cocked my head. ¡®Flame-In-Dark-Waters? Or ¡­¡¯ The voice sounded familiar, but not quite right.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    A rumbling chuckle echoed through my mind. ¡®I am his son, Light-on-the-Surface.¡¯ I got faint impressions of the waters of the upper ocean, close to its surface.


    ¡®Pleased to meet you,¡¯ I said, making sure he could sense my smile and my sincerity in my mental voice. I was indeed happy to meet another sea dragon.


    ¡®And I, you.¡¯ There was a hint of amusement in his words. ¡®If you consider this meeting, although I suppose I¡¯ll have to give you that. I¡¯m glad that you¡¯ve kept your word to my father, and your people have stayed out of our territory.¡¯


    I relaxed a little, relieved that he was friendly and that the sea dragons didn¡¯t seem to have any complaints. ¡®Good. Was there a reason you wanted to talk to me, or were you just curious?¡¯


    He sent the feeling of a shrug, or whatever equivalent sea dragons used. ¡®I did want to tell you that your enemies, the Zarian, have been sending ships across the ocean, and closer to your shores. They¡¯ve also crossed one of our nesting places, and we¡¯ve made it clear that these areas are off limits. Their fleet is smaller now, and they seem to have learned their lesson.¡¯


    I grinned. ¡®Mother informed me about that, but thanks for telling me, all the same.¡¯ I shrugged. ¡®And I don¡¯t mind you being curious, you know.¡¯


    For a moment, he was silent, and I began to wonder if I¡¯d been too familiar. Then he laughed, a deep, rumbling wave that rolled through the telepathic connection into my head.


    ¡®Is that so. I think my curiosity has been rather satisfied, little princess.¡¯ He paused. ¡®One thing, though. Do you know of anything that is happening related to the spirits?¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow, feeling a stab of concern at the question. ¡®Not truly, except perhaps that Mior seems to have moved. Why do you ask?¡¯


    When he answered, his tone had lost some lightness. ¡®Just an idle question. We have noticed that the spirits have been quiet lately.¡¯


    I frowned. ¡®Too quiet? Like in the ¡°quiet before the storm¡± sense?¡¯


    He sent another quasi-shrug. ¡®I do not know. Perhaps, likely not.¡¯


    There was a hint of concern, even trepidation, in his tone. I found that entirely reasonable, when talking about trouble that could involve the Greater Spirits.


    ¡®I will leave you here, princess,¡¯ he said after a moment. ¡®Fare well.¡¯


    ¡®You as well, Light-on-the-Surface. Safe travels.¡¯


    His mind withdrew, and I got an echo of his presence moving away before the mental connection snapped completely. I shook my head, looking out over the ocean, but too deep in thought to really take in the beautiful view. This was rather interesting.


    Finally, I turned back around. ¡°Where exactly are we going?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m rather anxious to get back to my people.¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll get back to them very soon, Imperial Princess. In roughly a quarter of an hour, when we will meet up with their ship.¡±


    I started and looked in the direction she was pointing, leaning over the railing to get a good look at it past the ship¡¯s front. It was outside the range of my qi senses, but if I concentrated on my eyesight, I could see a dark spot on the horizon that seemed to be heading for us. The sight made me grin.


    I spent the next fifteen minutes trying not to pace up and down the ship¡¯s deck. If I was lucky, I¡¯d see some of my friends soon. In any case, I would finally be back among Imperials, probably soldiers. Time rarely passed so slowly.


    ¡°We will meet them soon,¡± the Adzurian man said.


    I straightened up, meeting his calm gaze. Perhaps it was the recent conversation with the sea dragon, but I felt something click into place in that moment. ¡°You¡¯re Ming Li, aren¡¯t you? The ¡®Black Knife¡¯?¡±


    To my eyes, he didn¡¯t seem to fit the East Asian name, since, like many people from the Earth Continent, he looked more like someone from the Middle East. Perhaps that was why I hadn¡¯t made the connection right away, though I¡¯d all but given up on making sense of ethnicity in this world.


    The Adzurian raised an eyebrow, then smirked. ¡°Some call me that. I admit I was almost disappointed, thinking you hadn¡¯t heard of me, but at least you did put things together now.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t hear much about you,¡± I countered. ¡°Just a passing mention in a book.¡±


    That was true, although I knew I might have heard of him before my soul journey, too. Ming Li was perhaps the most famous person with darkness affinity qi in the world, if you didn¡¯t count Mother. From what I¡¯d read, he was indeed a mercenary, or, I¡¯d guess, occasionally an assassin. Well, he looked like it. No one seemed to know if he was in the seventh or eighth stage, which was pretty impressive.


    He sighed. ¡°Ah, the vagaries of fame.¡±


    I glanced at the other Adzurian, who hadn¡¯t spoken up. I didn¡¯t know who she was. Probably a friend, lover, apprentice, or other companion. Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter who they are, so long as they get me back safely.


    He didn¡¯t seem inclined to say anything else, and by now the ship we were meeting was getting close, so I turned my attention back to it.


    The Imperial ship was cloaked pretty well, with light and darkness qi distorting its form so one would see little more than a blur in the form of a ship, making it hard to identify. It took me a minute of playing with my light qi to see through it, and that was only because I recognized the patterns. Once I did, I took a closer look at the quickly approaching vessel. It was rather small and clearly built more for speed than cargo, with a large sail as well as a sort of qi-based steam engine and propeller, alongside mechanisms based directly on air and water qi. But I didn¡¯t spare that much attention. I was too focused on the two figures standing at the front of the ship.


    Tenira and Kajare. My heart did a little skip into my throat. They looked well enough, perhaps a little stressed, but both smiled widely as we approached each other.


    I tried not to fidget as I watched the two ships slow down and come to rest relative to each other, before the crews began to connect them with ropes and wooden beams, forming a simple bridge.


    Before we could start to cross, I glanced at the others. The two Adzurians still hung around, presumably to bid me farewell. Elia was keeping close to me. I hadn¡¯t seen Sil since we got on board, and assumed she had things to do here. I didn¡¯t ask after her, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d appreciate it.


    I pasted on a smile and gave the Adzurians my full attention. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, and I appreciate the hospitality.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything about how I was grateful and would remember their assistance. I might not be an experienced princess, but I knew better than to promise my favor like that.


    The Black Knife bowed. ¡°It was our pleasure, Princess Inaris. I¡¯m confident that our paths will cross again.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Hopefully not because you take a hit on me. I smiled and nodded at them, before turning to leave.


    Imperial soldiers had lined up at the other side of the bridge, though they left plenty of room for us to arrive. There were some Terbekteri soldiers visible on deck, too. I tried not to tense at the sight of their uniforms. Instead, I walked over, glancing over my shoulder to make sure that Elia was following.


    Then I was on deck, crossing the last few meters in a flash, and stood before Kajare and Tenira. I didn¡¯t even think, just reached out to pull my best friend into a hug. She reciprocated, and I could hear her inhale deeply. Right now, I didn¡¯t care that people were watching us, I just gave myself a moment to enjoy the reunion.


    Then I let go of Tenira and turned to Kajare. I embraced him as well, and gave him a quick kiss. He looked like he wanted to do more than that, but didn¡¯t move and let me take a step back again. Still, his smile and the bright look in his eyes told me clearly how happy he was to see me again.


    I smiled at the two of them. ¡°You have no idea how glad I am to get back to you, finally. I missed you very much.¡±


    ¡°Me, too,¡± Tenira answered. She shook her head. ¡°Why do you always do things like this?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I wish things like this didn¡¯t keep happening to me,¡± I said. ¡°I guess I have enemies in high places.¡±


    Kajare chuckled. ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing you can deal with them. Welcome back, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could just lock you up in the palace and stay there,¡± Tenira grumbled, but she still smiled.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed. ¡°Right now, that sounds fantastic. I wish it was that simple.¡±

 99: Advances

    <div>


    It took a while for things to settle down and for us to start talking seriously. But after a few minutes, the ship was pulling away on a southern course, while Tenira, Kajare and I met in a small meeting room inside the ship. Glancing out the window, I could see Elia and some of the soldiers on deck. But Kajare was finishing a technique that would dampen the sound of our conversation, so we could discuss sensitive matters.


    ¡°Where are the others?¡± I asked first. ¡°Are they alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re fine,¡± Tenira replied. She didn¡¯t have to ask to know I meant Lei and Yarani. ¡°They¡¯re back in Imperial territory, at our current headquarters, holding down the fort.¡±


    I nodded and finally sat down. The room was a little cramped, with a table and several chairs crammed into it, but I didn¡¯t mind having walls around me again. I noticed there were a few maps scattered on the table.


    ¡°They know what we¡¯re dealing with,¡± Kajare said. ¡°They¡¯ll keep an eye on Hajake and Jian, as well as the war effort.¡±


    Good. I had the feeling it was Yarani who was really keeping an eye on things back there, not so much Lei. He might be a genius, but he didn¡¯t usually didn¡¯t care to devote his thinking to ¡®social stuff¡¯. Still, she would be up to it and they had backup, so I wasn¡¯t too worried.


    ¡°Why are you here, anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°Besides the obvious.¡±


    A smile tugged on Tenira¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯re on a diplomatic trip. Furthering relations with the independent and neutral states along the coast of the continent.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Less officially, they think we¡¯re here to search for or try to buy information on what became of you. The trip is pretty much over, we¡¯re supposed to be heading back now.¡±


    I nodded, thoughtfully. It seemed like my disappearance hadn¡¯t messed things up too badly, which was good. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope Hajake believes that. How do things stand with him and Jian?¡±


    Kajare leaned forward in his seat, and Tenira¡¯s expression hardened as she answered. ¡°We¡¯re being very careful with Jian, making it seem like we have no idea of his involvement with anything. With Hajake, we¡¯re trying the same, but of course it¡¯s a riskier proposition. We¡¯ve tried to hide what we¡¯re doing with regards to you as much as possible, but I¡¯m not sure how much he knows. This trip is hopefully secret.¡±


    I glanced at Kajare. ¡°The Terbekteri soldiers ¡­¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re all loyal to my mother¡¯s faction. They wouldn¡¯t tell him anything.¡±


    I smiled. It was sometimes easy to forget that Kajare was a prince in his own right, and had those connections and resources to draw on. ¡°Good. But he knows that I know he betrayed me, and we have to assume that he¡¯s got plans and will guess what we¡¯re up to.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Tenira interjected. ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting something.¡±


    I frowned, but got what she meant after a moment. ¡°Right. The question is, does he know I¡¯m still alive. How have you handled things officially? Am I considered taken captive or just missing?¡±


    ¡°Officially, more or less, we¡¯re uncertain of your fate and trying to ascertain what happened. There¡¯s no body, and we¡¯re assuming that the Zarian took you, though it¡¯s not clear whether that¡¯s dead or alive. Most people assume you¡¯re still alive, since they haven¡¯t announced your death.¡±


    ¡°But Hajake might still assume he killed me,¡± I concluded. ¡°Maybe. You¡¯re not sure, and you¡¯re trying to hide that you know what happened. Right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Tenira grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s a case of neither knowing know what the other knows, and trying to prepare for every eventuality.¡±


    I rubbed my temple. ¡°This sounds complicated. You both know he betrayed me, but he might not know you know, and you were in contact with me, which he might not know, either, but it could all be some double-bluff.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about it,¡± Kajare agreed.


    ¡°We probably can¡¯t keep my location a secret for long,¡± I said. ¡°It would be stupid to assume that Jideia and his people are unaware I survived. He might be associated with them, and even if not, it would be in their interest to make things harder for me by telling Hajake what they know. Though I don¡¯t think they can track me that easily.¡±


    Tenira frowned. ¡°Do you think they will help him?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If the Storm was personally taking care of the matter, I¡¯d assume the worst. If it¡¯s the Pioneer ¡­¡± I shrugged. Isuro seemed to be dragging his feet when it came to the whole ¡®killing Inaris¡¯ thing, so he might not be looking too hard, or taking the initiative to talk to Hajake. But maybe he would. ¡°I just don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably best for you to stay hidden as long as we can manage it, then,¡± Tenira said. She didn¡¯t sound happy about it.


    I nodded. ¡°At least you won¡¯t really need me to make progress with the situation with Hajake.¡±


    Kajare cocked his head. ¡°You have an idea?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I stumbled onto just the right blade to cut that knot.¡± Then I felt the smile leave my face and shrugged, speaking more quietly. ¡°I¡¯d say it almost seems like divine providence. But it actually might be my father¡¯s guidance.¡±


    My connection to Rijoko had been quiet lately, dormant. But it was still there, and I hadn¡¯t forgotten hearing him. Funny, I couldn¡¯t help but think, if you¡¯d told me about this before, I wouldn¡¯t have liked the idea at all, but the connection doesn¡¯t bother me that much. I shook my head. Well, he is my father, and I have enough reasons to trust that he wants me to survive, and probably succeed. Plus, the side benefits are awesome.


    Tenira glanced outside, where we could just see Elia walking across the deck. ¡°Her? You mentioned she has a spirit bloodline, too?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I grinned. ¡°Elia¡¯s a granddaughter of the Sun. She has the ability to see the truth of people and tell if they¡¯re lying, or something. I figure, have her listen in on a few probing conversations with Hajake, and we¡¯ll have much more to go on.¡±


    Tenira nodded. ¡°That sounds good, indeed. You think she¡¯d do it?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± I waved my hand dismissively, tracking her presence with my qi senses. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t do it just for me, we can easily afford to hire her. Or I could offer to tutor her with her shapeshifting ability.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t get that anywhere else,¡± Tenira agreed, nodding. ¡°Alright. Then it seems we have the basics of a plan.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    We were all silent for a minute, while we thought about what had happened and what was coming. I had to stop myself from fidgeting. It was good to see them again, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯d screwed up, and I found it more difficult than I thought to adjust to being the Imperial Princess again. Perhaps I hadn¡¯t realized how stifling it could be until I wasn¡¯t followed around by guards anymore, had some time to myself, relying on just my own strength and skills to survive.


    ¡°What about Aston?¡± I finally asked. I didn¡¯t expect good news, but I couldn¡¯t put it off any further. ¡°Have you seen him?¡±


    Tenira shook her head. ¡°No, Inaris. I¡¯m sorry. No one¡¯s seen Aston or Mior since the day after you disappeared.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it makes sense.¡± I sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t expect Mior to stick around while I¡¯m not even there, and he, or they, clearly couldn¡¯t go to me.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t found either of them in my dreams, too, and just tried not to think about it.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be back, right?¡± Kajare said.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I sat up straighter. ¡°Mior isn¡¯t going to let Aston come to harm. I expect they¡¯ll break the possession soon and send him back. If they aren¡¯t already working on that. It was kind of nice to have Mior with me, but I always knew it wasn¡¯t going to last.¡±


    Tenira picked up some of the maps lying strewn over the table, straightening them. ¡°Nothing more we can do but wait, right now.¡±


    I nodded, then glanced at them. ¡°Would you mind giving me some time to look through these papers and get up to speed?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± They stood up, Kajare bowing slightly, and left the room without protest.


    I exhaled, and turned my attention to one of the maps, where someone had noted down troop movements and strengths. I felt like I needed a moment to myself to adjust and think. The reports and maps gave me something to occupy myself with, and I did need to catch up on what had happened.


    I ended up spending longer than I¡¯d thought in that room, going over various papers alone. A soldier showed up after a minute with a stack of reports, but otherwise Tenira and the others left me alone. I felt the ocean beneath me, occasionally sensing a qi presence passing by underneath. The environment and the gentle swaying of the ship were surprisingly relaxing.


    Finally, I put the last sheet of paper away, stood up and stretched with a satisfying pop. Shit, I love being back in my own body. I left the papers there, then exited the room, making a mental note to get my storage ring back. Without my watch, I didn¡¯t have a good sense of time, either, but the sun had moved a bit when I stepped out on deck.


    Glancing around, I saw that Elia was talking to some soldiers further back, on a platform half a deck below me. That was where the steam engine-like mechanism was situated. Kajare was nowhere to be seen, but Tenira leaned against the railing, looking out over the ocean. No one else came close to her.


    I took a deep breath to steel my nerves, then approached her. I shouldn¡¯t be this nervous, and earlier, I hadn¡¯t been. But something about seeing her there, the wind in her hair as she was obviously deep in thought, and the prospect of talking to her alone, had tripped me up.


    She smiled as she noticed my approach and turned to me. I came to a stop beside her, laying one hand on the railing and wondering if I looked as awkward as I felt.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice day, isn¡¯t it?¡± I finally said, glancing out over the ocean. ¡°I¡¯ve always liked the sea.¡±


    Tenira nodded. After a moment, she pulled out a small box from her robe and handed it to me. ¡°Your storage ring. Some of its contents were removed in the course of trying to investigate what happened to you, but most of it should be there now.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± I quickly put it back on, smiling at the familiar weight on my finger. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Tenira.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that one before.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing more than that,¡± I disagreed, leaning towards her slightly. ¡°Seriously, I appreciate the way you keep things together for me. For us.¡±


    Her expression softened. ¡°Thank you, Inaris.¡±


    We stood there in silence for a moment. I casually moved half a step closer, keeping my attention focused on her even as I half-pretended to look out over the ocean. She did the same, if a little more subtly. Despite the tension I felt, the silence was comfortable.


    ¡°I really missed you, Tenira,¡± I finally said, in a soft voice. ¡°I was worried that Hajake or the Zarian might hurt you while I was gone. I¡¯d have a hard time forgiving myself if I put you in danger.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Funny you should talk about someone else being in danger. I appreciate the sentiment, though, Nari. Even if you probably have more important things to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but they¡¯re not really more important to me.¡± I shrugged, smiling wryly. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people I love in this world. You¡¯re more to me than just a clanmate or retainer, Tenira, or even just a friend. I care about you deeply.¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer right away. I was tense, feeling anxiety bubbling just beneath the surface. I wasn¡¯t used to baring my heart like that, but I knew it was the right thing for me to do. Perhaps I should have done it sooner. I managed to focus on the moment, just looking at Tenira.


    She didn¡¯t avoid my gaze. For a long moment, we just looked into each other¡¯s eyes. I¡¯d shifted so I was closer to her, but she didn¡¯t pull away. If anything, she inched closer to me, too.


    ¡°I care about you, too, Nari,¡± she finally said. Then her lips quirked and a playful light entered her eyes. ¡°Danger and all.¡±


    I chuckled, feeling a bit of relief as the tension, the intensity of the moment, broke. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. I tend to attract danger.¡±


    She opened her mouth, then closed it again and shook her head. ¡°This smells like a set-up. Do you just want me to call you attractive?¡±


    ¡°Would I do that?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Well, I will call you attractive. Because you¡¯re beautiful. You have the most lovely eyes.¡± I managed to keep a straight face as I said it, looking at her intently.


    It was true, too. Her eyes were the most vibrant green I¡¯d ever seen, and I could gaze into them forever.


    She blushed. It looked adorable. ¡°That¡¯s what you like about me? My eyes?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Well, your other features aren¡¯t half bad, either.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You certainly have a smooth tongue, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I stuck out my tongue instead of replying.


    Luckily, the gesture was familar for Tenira, and she chuckled. ¡°What, are you trying to show me something with that?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and smirked. ¡°You want me to show you? Moving a bit quickly, aren¡¯t you, Tenira? I¡¯d be happy to show you in detail.¡±


    I saw something flash across her face, but it was too quick to be sure what emotion it was. Her smile disappeared beneath a stiff expression, and she took a step back.


    I straightened up, my smile leaving, as well, replaced by concern. ¡°Tenira?¡±


    ¡°I just remembered I have a report to deal with. If you¡¯ll excuse me, Inaris.¡± She didn¡¯t look at me, but bowed her head, then spun around and left before I could answer.


    It was as if someone had put out the light, and suddenly everything looked different, full of sharp angles. Tenira walked away, tension evident in the lines of her back, at a speed just short of a run. She didn¡¯t look back, and I felt like all of the excitement I¡¯d been basking in was turning to ice, piercing me.


    Why did I have to go and ruin this? I clenched my fists and bit my lip. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and I swallowed it, trying to grasp onto some clarity it could bring. I knew I¡¯d screwed up. Probably badly. What was I thinking, saying that? I¡¯d come on too hard, perhaps given the wrong impression, and spooked Tenira. She might never give me the chance to make up for it, I might never get an opportunity like that, a moment like the ones we¡¯d shared, again.


    For a while, I just stood there, staring at the sea and wrestling with my emotions. Finally, I had enough, and pushed off the railing, walking back. I knew it was a bad idea to go after Tenira right now, but I needed to move. At least I¡¯d managed to get ahold of myself, and a tight grip on my emotions.


    As I was approaching the cabin, Kajare stepped out. He smiled when he saw me, just a few steps away. ¡°Inaris. I was hoping to find you.¡±


    ¡°Kajare.¡± I forced a smile. ¡°It is good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t seen you in far too long.¡± He chuckled, a bit of embarrassment in his voice. ¡°I know we didn¡¯t have much time together, but still.¡±


    My smile became more genuine. ¡°I was gone for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± He shifted a little. His robe was open far enough to allow me a tantalizing view of the hard lines of his chest, and I saw the heat in his eyes. ¡°It certainly felt long enough that I¡¯m eager to welcome you back.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, smirking. ¡°Oh, and you¡¯ll try to give me a proper welcome?¡±


    He lowered his gaze, biting his bottom lip. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    Well, I have some frustration to work out. I took his arm, steering him back through the doorway he¡¯d just come out of. ¡°I¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t really in the mood for this, but I recognized that I should give Kajare the attention he wanted. Besides, I could use the distraction. And, if I¡¯m being honest, the contact and intimacy, too.


    It was better than wallowing in feelings of rejection, certainly.

 100: Diverging paths

    <div>


    Tenira avoided me after that. I tried, but never managed to get her alone. She was always busy, either talking to someone or in a planning meeting with the others, never just myself. She didn¡¯t make much of an effort to hide it, and I didn¡¯t force the issue.


    I could have just summoned her to me and ensured we had a private chat, but I didn¡¯t. I was afraid that being too pushy now would just push her farther away. The most I managed to do was apologize softly at the end of a meeting with Kajare and the head of the Imperial Guard detachment. She nodded and departed quickly, her eyes never rising to meet mine.


    I regretted that as I stood on the plank leading to another ship now, about to leave the two of them again for an indefinite time. I glanced back at Tenira, Kajare and Elia, who were here to see me off. Just behind them, I could see the port of a city whose name I wouldn¡¯t be able to pronounce. We¡¯d arranged for a ship to sail from there, but I¡¯d actually transfer here, in the open sea, where there were less prying eyes. Kajare and Elia looked dejected, but Tenira¡¯s face was hard to read, locked behind a cold mask.


    ¡°Take care of yourselves,¡± I said.


    Kajare nodded. Tenira said, ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    I tried not to show any reaction to that. She¡¯d always called me ¡®my lady¡¯ occasionally, and I didn¡¯t mind. But lately, she¡¯d used that address as often as my name, if not more so. Putting another bit of distance between us. Well, at least it wasn¡¯t ¡®Your Highness¡¯ or ¡®Princess Inaris¡¯.


    Walking across that plank to the other ship felt like one of the hardest things I¡¯d done, at least in that moment. I didn¡¯t want to leave them, especially not with the looming threat of Hajake and his little conspiracy. But being with them wouldn¡¯t make them any safer, and I needed to trust them to handle themselves, and to do their job.


    The ship I boarded was definitely a step below theirs in quality. There was nothing obviously broken, but the wood looked weathered, the colors weren¡¯t as bright, and the qi devices seemed simpler and less powerful. It was a small ship, probably almost as quick as the one I¡¯d just left, but with a bit more cargo space. As I came aboard, the captain and first mate greeted me, but the crew went about their business with only the occasional glance at us.


    ¡°Show me to my cabin, please,¡± I said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you get back to work.¡±


    The cabin was small and cramped, and the captain left me alone quickly. I knew he and probably the majority of the crew were Imperial soldiers, currently serving or veterans. All of them were vetted extensively, and Imperial Guard members had been discreetly placed among the crew. Perhaps some agents from Kariva¡¯s organization, too.


    The ship started moving right away, and I could sense it leave my companions behind, as theirs pulled into the harbor. I suppressed a sigh. At least I would have some peace and quiet during the journey. A remote outpost to the south of the continent, where I would be out of sight and hopefully out of danger of the events playing out at the front. I didn¡¯t like it, but I knew I needed to lay low, and at least I could still be involved in the decision-making.


    And here I was looking forward to being in my own form again. I probably should have known better than to think I was done with disguises. I glanced down through my brown bangs at the new clothes covering my new body. It could be worse.


    I closed my eyes and laid down on the bed. It took half an hour of tossing and turning until I finally managed to fall asleep, though. Probably the longest it had since I¡¯d awakened my bloodline. As always, the transition from being awake to asleep was both sharper and softer than before. I knew right away when I¡¯d fallen asleep, since I retained my full awareness, but at first it didn¡¯t feel much different than falling into a daydream.


    I almost reached out to search for other minds, but hesitated. There was a lot of work to do, but none of it was urgent. Instead, I focused on my own dream, and recreated the pleasant beach scenario I¡¯d devised before. I let the sensations, imaginary and muted though they might be, wash over me, and drifted into the deepest dream state I could. Which was still a lot more like a daydream.


    My sense for time while in a dream was never very good, so I didn¡¯t know how long I drifted through sleep. I walked through a collection of sceneries, replayed some memories, tried not to dwell on loneliness or apprehension, and occasionally ventured out to seek out other minds. The shift of who was awake to who was asleep gave me some context on the time, at least.


    I only managed to pull myself together for a short visit with Mother. She was busy, so she wouldn¡¯t sleep much, but I appreciated that she still gave me that time, at least.


    ¡®Has something changed with the war?¡¯ I asked, after I related the latest events, minus my personal challenges.


    Mother shook her head. This time, we were meeting in a formless gray void, so there was nothing to distract me from her dream-form. ¡®Nothing significant. It still drags on. There¡¯s been more rumble of discontent from the nobles, but I¡¯ll deal with it.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®And Terbekteri? Have you talked to their King?¡¯


    She pulled a face. ¡®Yes, briefly. I was careful. He won¡¯t trust me over his own son, alliance or not, so there¡¯s no point in making allegations at this point. But I think I¡¯ve got a good sense of him, and I¡¯ll know how to act when it comes down to it.¡¯


    I shook my head, thankful that she was the one who had to deal with the political fallout of Hajake¡¯s betrayal on the international level, and not me. Though, I think she¡¯s cold-blooded enough she¡¯ll leverage this situation into additional concessions for us.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡®It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve made inroads with that princess,¡¯ Mother remarked. ¡®With her and the Queen, as your mother-in-law, we have a good in.¡¯


    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡®There¡¯s no way Hajake did this just because of a perceived humiliation.¡¯ I¡¯d been thinking about this, and that much I would bet on. ¡®He wants me out of the way for something. If I had to guess, it has to do with internal Terbekteri politics. Perhaps also to weaken Kajare and his, or our, political allies.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s likely,¡¯ Mother agreed. ¡®One more reason why having contacts within their power structure is important. We¡¯ll never have the same insight into their inner workings. Speaking of, I have another meeting of the war council now. Take care of yourself, Inaris.¡¯


    ¡®Have fun.¡¯


    I drifted out of the dream, feeling it dissolve behind me, and returned to my meanderings.


    Time passed, and at some point, the captain came to tell me that we¡¯d reached our destination. Without the need to eat or drink regularly, and when sleeping too much, it was surprisingly difficult to keep track of time. Had it already been days, or was this ship just that fast?


    I followed the captain out onto the deck, and looked at the place the ship was rapidly approaching. An island, big enough it could hold a large town, but with steep cliffs and stone walls that turned it into a fortress instead. In the distance, just on the horizon, I could see the southern coast of the Earth Continent. A hundred kilometers further west, I¡¯d get to the bay where we¡¯d first landed on the continent.


    I sighed and glanced up at the towering structure. The weather was gloomy and overcast, the threat of a storm coming in over the ocean hanging in the air. I pulled my robe tighter around myself, though I didn¡¯t really need to. I had nothing to pack, just my storage ring. As we came closer, I could sense a few strong presences on the walls above the dock. Imperial Guard, here to protect me, I knew.


    I couldn¡¯t help a shiver as I climbed down onto the pier, with the ship¡¯s crew already going about their usual business. An island fortress. Your typical place for a royal exile, self-imposed or otherwise. I guess it makes sense. I don¡¯t feel so good about it, though. Less Tiberius in Capri and more Napoleon in Elba. Not sure what that says about me.


    <hr>


    On the island of Mei, time seemed to pass both fast and slowly at once. I spent more time than I cared to think about wandering the battlements and cliffs, looking north and wondering how Tenira and the others were doing. Hoping I¡¯d be able to meet her in my dreams later on. I never did.


    When I wasn¡¯t pacing, I spent most of my time either reading, since I now had my storage ring and its books back, or asleep. There wasn¡¯t much for me to do here. A contingent of Imperial Guard, who didn¡¯t wear their uniforms but didn¡¯t do much to hide their identity otherwise, made sure of my safety. A few of them were vaguely familiar, but without Aston or any of the people who¡¯d been killed on Hajake¡¯s orders, I didn¡¯t have or form any kind of connection to them.


    A few reports found their way to me, but most of my communication passed through dreams. I supposed that made sense; they were both untraceable by conventional means and had no time delay. Even with scheduling people for me to contact at certain times, the logistics were easier.


    I still didn¡¯t take much part in what was happening, though. I was too far from the action. Mother didn¡¯t need my help, and Kajare and the others were doing a fine job handling things themselves. Since it was more about trying to find out Hajake¡¯s plans and subtly preparing in case a confrontation occurred, there wasn¡¯t much I could do. Well, short of revealing my survival to our vassals to get them more firmly behind us, but that usually wasn¡¯t worth it.


    I was feeling uneasy, and as time passed, the sensation got worse. Like I wasn¡¯t where I was supposed to be. It made it hard to get anything done, and while I finally had some time to work on my research and designs, I found it hard to muster the motivation to work on that. At times, the feeling was so acute that I was starting to suspect there was more to it than just normal anxiety and isolation.


    I missed the others, more than I would have thought. Especially Yarani, who I hadn¡¯t seen in a while. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if we would be separated for months.


    At least I had my dreamsending power. I met her in her dreams a few times. It wasn¡¯t as good as the real thing, of course, but still something. I always needed a bit of time to cool down after these dreams.


    Those went a lot better than most of my other dreams. I only met with Mother once, since she was so busy, with the war and all. She seemed stressed, and we didn¡¯t talk for long. Kariva and the others at the palace I contacted occasionally didn¡¯t tell me much, so I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just normal stress or something more concerning.


    The weeks passed, and I¡¯d almost settled into a routine. A bland, gray routine, with no more light than the seemingly perpetually storm-ridden sea. But it was comforting, in a way.


    I shook my head and stared out at the ocean for what should be the last time, then moved my eyes to the airship hovering above the fortress. It was just starting to set down on the upper courtyard. From my position at the highest vantage point on the island, I had a good view, and I¡¯d be down there in a flash. The airship wasn¡¯t big or luxurious, or even remarkable at all. It would serve well to get me away from here, though.


    It was supposed to bring me back to the mainland. Where my friends had been preparing for things to come to a head, and where I could finally resume a more active role in the war effort.


    The problem was that I didn¡¯t want to. Just the thought filled me with unease. My connection to Rijoko sat in my head like a stone, heavy and hard, but it didn¡¯t respond to my prompting.


    If I didn¡¯t take care, my eyes would wander, out over the open ocean, the way I¡¯d come weeks ago. I felt an almost electric charge, like a magnet was pulling me in that direction.


    I need to be there. The thought was my own, but not quite of my own volition. I knew that. Rijoko¡¯s influence was the clearest I¡¯d ever felt it, except that day at the Zarian fortress, after Hajake left me for dead.


    I didn¡¯t know if my father wanted me back on the Sky Continent for a reason, or if he simply didn¡¯t want me on the Earth Continent for whatever might be about to happen there. In the end, it might not make much of a difference.


    I had to decide what to do now. His influence wasn¡¯t so big that I couldn¡¯t defy it. He was the Moon, and it was guidance, not force. How to act remained my choice.


    I shook my head, ripped my eyes from the ocean, and turned back to the interior of the fortress. A few steps and pushes, and I made my way down the cliff and stairs, walking to the airship. A group of guards was assembling here, another already boarded.


    The captain turned and bowed as I approached. He was an old man that looked like he¡¯d be more comfortable in a military uniform than the bland civilian clothes he was wearing, like almost everyone here. ¡°Your Highness,¡± he greeted me. ¡°Are we to set off for Earthhaven now?¡±


    I slowly walked past him and onto the ramp. ¡°No. I¡¯ve changed the plan.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Set a different course, captain. I¡¯m going back to the Sky Continent.¡±


    I hope this wasn¡¯t the wrong choice, but when the quasi-deity of wisdom and guidance gives you a hint, it would be stupid to ignore it.


    At least I¡¯d see my family again.

 Interlude — Tenira

    <div>


    Leri Tenira looked out over the war camp, glancing at the tents¡¯ worth of martial strength gathered beside the little town, ready to be ground up in the war of the millennium. It should have been an awesome display of power. But she turned away after a moment of checking that everything was as it was supposed to do, then kept walking through the improvised fortification they had raised beside it. She found it hard to care about the camp, or the soldiers in it, or even the guards discreetly following her.


    She¡¯d been preoccupied lately. And it¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t enough to distract me, she mused. Hajake¡¯s betrayal comes to mind.


    But that wasn¡¯t why she¡¯d been unfocused, or why anxiety and frustration were dogging her steps even now. That was all due to Inaris. Her lady, and her friend. Or perhaps it would be fairer to say that her state was her own fault.


    Tenira exhaled deeply and received the salutes of a group of soldiers with an absent nod. She knew blaming Inaris was unfair, at least largely. She had reacted badly to what shouldn¡¯t have been such a big deal, as she would say.


    Tenira knew she¡¯d hurt her friend with her reaction, and with avoiding her afterward. A bit of guilt had joined the shame and frustration boiling away inside her, mixed into an unpleasant stew. But she¡¯d found herself falling back on her old behavior, on anxiety and avoidance. For all that she was usually a confident, outgoing woman who could hold her own in court or in her friendships, there was just something about Inaris that struck deep, at the heart of the issues she had with herself. She knew she should have just talked about things, but that didn¡¯t help much.


    And what would I even say? she thought with a sudden flash of anger. ¡®I think you¡¯re wonderful and beautiful and my heart beats faster every time you smile at me, but still I don¡¯t want to be with you?¡¯ How could I expect her to understand, when I don¡¯t even understand myself?


    She made an effort to smooth her expression as she turned onto the corridor to the meeting room. Last night, she¡¯d finally gathered up her courage and gone to sleep hoping that Inaris would contact her. But there had been no contact.


    If only Inaris didn¡¯t have to leave and hide. It would be easier to do this in person. The Imperial Princess was the daughter of the Moon, and her power over dreams meant that she would be in control of the ¡®meeting¡¯ in a dream. That gave her a frightening amount of power over people¡¯s minds, really, even if she didn¡¯t use it. But that didn¡¯t make things easier for Tenira.


    If only I could just give her what she is looking for, she thought, not for the first time. But ¡­ I can¡¯t. Tenira grimaced as long distant memories roused themselves, and quickly focused on the door to the room that she was about to open. She¡¯d made peace with the idea that she¡¯d never marry and be alone years ago. She just needed to remember that.


    At least she knew her friend wouldn¡¯t force her. That was one thing Tenira was absolutely sure of in this situation, if nothing else. She trusted her. Inaris wasn¡¯t like her previous suitors, and not just because she was a woman or a princess.


    A beautiful princess with a brilliant mind, hidden passion, a great sense of humor, and enough strength of will to change the world.


    Tenira shook her head and forced herself to focus on the situation. Lei was just entering through the other door, and the others were already gathered, sitting in armchairs and on sofas. Yarani, Kajare, and their newest addition, Elia. She let her gaze pause for a moment on the local girl, who had her hands clenched tightly in her lap, looking between the other young people. She couldn¡¯t even begin to fill the space where Inaris should be sitting.


    ¡°We¡¯re all here, good,¡± Tenira said, settling down on another chair. ¡°Kajare, do you want to start?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Inaris¡¯ husband answered. He frowned a little. ¡°There¡¯s not much to be said, though. Things haven¡¯t changed much since the last time we talked.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, right?¡± Yarani said, stretching as she lounged on the sofa. ¡°Nothing new going wrong, and the two of you are doing well at establishing yourselves. Excellent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cheerful today,¡± Lei remarked, raising an eyebrow at her. ¡°And is that a flush I see on your cheeks? My, my.¡±


    The girl shrugged. ¡°Yes, Inaris visited me in my dreams.¡±


    Lei smirked, then smoothed his expression. Both of them looked at Tenira.


    She forced a smile. ¡°Tell her hello from us next time.¡±


    Of course the others knew something had happened between them, and they seemed to be trying to gauge her reaction. Tenira found it easy to maintain her smile. She didn¡¯t mind that Inaris visited her concubine. If anything, knowing that she had someone to support her during a difficult time was a small relief.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to sleep more often,¡± Kajare joked with a smile.


    Tenira shook her head. It didn¡¯t make her situation easier that Inaris was what her old aunt Bet would call a ¡®hussy¡¯, or ¡®disgustingly promiscuous¡¯. Although this world wouldn¡¯t agree with that, since she could be a lot more debauched as an Imperial royal. More like her mother. How did the woman even find time for all her lovers, with being the Empress?


    She forced her attention back to the present and cleared her throat. ¡°If there are no concerns, do you think we should go ahead and poke Hajake again, see what more we can find out?¡±


    There was a moment of thoughtful silence as the others considered this. Lei shrugged, and Yarani nodded slowly. Kajare took a moment longer, then nodded as well. ¡°Yes, I think that¡¯s for the best.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then.¡± Tenira turned her attention to Elia, who¡¯d been quiet so far. ¡°Are you fine with that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± the girl replied, no hint of nervousness in her tone. ¡°I promised to do my best to help you, and so I will.¡±


    Tenira nodded. At least Elia¡¯s Common had improved rapidly. A good thing that she was a low-level genius, as well. ¡°Come along, then. Unless there are any objections?¡±


    Kajare shook his head. ¡°No. Hajake wouldn¡¯t like to talk to me, and you¡¯re the best choice when it comes to status and charisma. No offense, Lei.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°None taken,¡± her friend replied, grinning. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly leave that sort of thing to you.¡±


    Tenira stood, smiled at the others in goodbye, then quickly strode out of the room, Elia on her heels. They didn¡¯t talk as they walked through the walls of the fortified command center, accompanied by a group of Imperial guards. Elia had a book in her hands and was leafing through it. Tenira recognized the Zarian-Common dictionary. She must have finished and memorized the two books on Common grammar already.


    Tenira couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. She herself knew five languages, but she¡¯d never learned one this quickly. Whatever Elia¡¯s background might be, her dedication couldn¡¯t be faulted.


    It didn¡¯t take her long to find Hajake. As expected, the Terbekteri prince was in the part of the building that had been set aside for his people¡¯s use, in a large sitting room with conference tables brought in. He appeared to be deep in discussion with his officers, although Tenira noticed that he didn¡¯t seem particularly invested in their reports.


    She bowed in greeting. ¡°Prince Hajake. I trust this day finds you well?¡±


    Hajake smiled with his customary suavity. ¡°Lady Tenira! Always a pleasure. Yes, I am quite well. I hope the same goes for you?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± she smiled back. ¡°I was wondering if we could talk, if you have a moment to spare. I¡¯d like to discuss the upcoming offensive some more.¡±


    His smile thinned a little, but his tone remained cordial as he answered. ¡°Of course. Would you accompany me for a walk?¡±


    ¡°It would be my honor.¡±


    He offered her his arm. She accepted it and let him lead her from the room, with Elia following behind them. The gesture was a little familiar, but not overly so. She didn¡¯t like how he emphasized treating her as a lady, with the associations that carried in Terbekteri culture, but perhaps she was being overly sensitive. Or perhaps he was actually considering courting her. That would be quite audacious given his plotting. She didn¡¯t really believe so, but the thought made dealing with him even more unpleasant.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind my companion coming along,¡± she said.


    Hajake shook his head slightly. ¡°Of course not. Being alone together would be improper, in any case.¡±


    Tenira nodded, not pointing out the guards from both nations watching over them. ¡°I do hope our improved integration of our forces will show its worth in the coming week. Even if it is only a probing offensive, the front lines have barely moved for weeks, and I think some change might be well-received.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I quite agree. I have high hopes for our new protocols and integration efforts.¡±


    They turned a corner now, which allowed Tenira to get a quick look at Elia, who was nodded her head subtly.


    They continued talking about military matters as they kept walking. Tenira had to admit, despite herself, that Hajake wasn¡¯t a bad commander. He didn¡¯t concern himself with details, preferring to leave that to his officers, but he seemed at least well aware of what was going on and was a competent strategist. Their conversation rarely touched on anything that would be considered controversial. She knew they were both taking the opportunity to sound out the other.


    One they reached an enclosed courtyard, Tenira slowed down. ¡°Perhaps we could sit? It is a nice day.¡±


    Hajake agreed readily, and they settled onto a bench. Elia chose a place not far from them, on Tenira¡¯s side, where they could look at each other discreetly.


    ¡°I appreciate your willingness to humor me, Prince Hajake,¡± she said.


    ¡°Not at all, my lady,¡± he answered with another smile. ¡°It is always a pleasure to talk with you. And may I say, you have done quite well in the unfortunate situation you suddenly found yourself in.¡±


    Tenira suppressed a smile, pleased that the conversation was heading in the right direction. ¡°Yes, Inaris¡¯ disappearance has been quite an unpleasant shock,¡± she agreed. ¡°It must have affected you, too. You are family as well, after all.¡±


    Hajake¡¯s smile looked a little stiffer this time. ¡°Yes, of course. It is quite troubling. I do hope we can recover my sister-in-law quickly.¡±


    She noticed that Elia was shaking her head slightly. Not that she needed her to know that Hajake was lying through his teeth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡± she said. ¡°I do appreciate your offer of help in our search.¡±


    ¡°I wish you would take me up on that,¡± Hajake said. ¡°I appreciate your concerns about alerting the Zarian and sending soldiers into danger, or provoking an unfavorable fight, but all the same.¡±


    Tenira cocked her head slightly. ¡°So you believe she is still alive? I know many think that she must have been killed.¡±


    He grimaced slightly. ¡°It is a rather troubling possibility. I wish I knew, of course.¡±


    Tenira almost stiffened as she saw Elia shake her head just a little. His last sentence was a lie, or close enough. That must mean he already knows, or believes he does.


    ¡°But what is your personal opinion?¡± she asked, deciding to push a little.


    ¡°Well, of course I still hold onto hope. If you ask me, your lady is alive.¡±


    A slight nod. He knows she¡¯s alive. Tenira leaned forward a little. ¡°I pray that is true. If she does live, where do you think she might be?¡±


    Hajake shrugged. ¡°I really couldn¡¯t say.¡±


    Another slight nod. He didn¡¯t know Inaris¡¯ location. That was something, at least. Tenira leaned back again and fought the urge to smile.


    ¡°Well, her father is the Moon,¡± she said with forced lightness. ¡°He¡¯ll guide her home, won¡¯t he?¡±


    Hajake¡¯s hands clenched just a little on the wood of the bench. ¡°Of course. The Moon¡¯s will will prevail.¡±


    The frown on Elia¡¯s face was quite stark, even if she only let it last for a second. Luckily, Hajake didn¡¯t look in her direction. But Tenira took note of it. Hajake disliked the Moon, or was set against him in some way. Perhaps he did have the Storm¡¯s support. But Tenira couldn¡¯t think of a good way to work getting confirmation into the conversation without making him suspicious.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s little more we can do but wait,¡± she said with a little sigh. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to focus on the war. Speaking of, what do you think of the Velisha¡¯s notion to move their headquarters again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their business,¡± he replied. ¡°The Velisha might be the strongest of the Empire¡¯s vassals, but they are quite weak. If not for their strategic location, they would be of no consequence. They won¡¯t move an important base to the combined war effort without our permission, in any case.¡±


    Tenira shifted a little to look at him more directly. She didn¡¯t need confirmation now. ¡°You have a point there,¡± she agreed with a self-deprecating smile.


    ¡°They do have their uses, but I wouldn¡¯t treat any of them as equals, would you?¡±


    ¡°Quite right,¡± she nodded. ¡°Although their royals can be quite useful, here in the region.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he agreed.


    In the periphery of her vision, she noticed Elia nodding, her eyebrows drawn together. Tenira smiled at Hajake. ¡°Of course, you need to pay attention to such things, as a senior Prince of the Terbekteri. I expect you¡¯re slated for great things with your Kingdom. Perhaps even the throne? I¡¯m not quite sure how such things work there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I assure you my ambitions are modest,¡± he responded with a chuckle. ¡°My father will choose the best of my older brothers, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t mean to offend, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°My lady, you could never offend me.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡±


    After a moment, his smile faded and he stood up. ¡°I should get back to work. It was a pleasure to talk to you, lady Tenira. Please feel free to call on me again.¡± He bowed slightly, then turned away.


    Tenira waited until he was gone before she stood as well, suppressing a sigh, and went to Elia. ¡°I suppose that went well.¡±


    Elia nodded. ¡°It was interesting, lady Tenira.¡±


    Tenira took a moment to erect a qi barrier to ensure that their conversation remained private. ¡°Would you give me the key points?¡± She hesitated for a moment. ¡°And when we¡¯re in private, you can call me Tenira.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Tenira.¡± Elia frowned thoughtfully. ¡°I got a good read on him. He¡¯s arrogant, he meant what he said about the Velisha. I assume he¡¯s only using that prince. He knows the Imperial Princess is alive, but not much more. Not where. And he¡¯s very ambitious, really. He probably wants to be King. I think he would do a lot for that.¡±


    Tenira nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s probably his goal, in the end?¡±


    ¡°I think so?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Tenira glanced around. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the others and talk about this in more detail.¡±


    Elia nodded and followed her as she started walking again, heading back to the room where they¡¯d left the others.


    Tenira barely noticed the soldiers they passed on the way. She was too preoccupied with her thoughts, pondering what they had learned. At least it allowed her to push her anxiety over the situation with Inaris to the back of her mind.

 101: Unexpected return

    <div>


    I found it a little scary that you could see the changes the war had brought to the Imperial capital from above. Thousand Lights City looked mostly the same, but not entirely. Factories had sprung up like mushrooms. Some of them belched dark smoke into the sky, even though we¡¯d wanted to avoid using steam power or non-renewable fuel sources. There were more soldiers visible on the streets and on its fortifications, even this far from the front. And I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but the city seemed emotionally taxed by the war, less vibrant, less enthusiastic about life.


    I shook my head, released my grip on the airship¡¯s railing, and turned my gaze to the Imperial Palace that we were quickly approaching. It looked the same. Defenses had been heightened for a while, anyway. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment, trying to center myself before my return.


    Several guards in the air, using flying swords or their qi, escorted us in. We set down in a secluded courtyard close to the main building this time, not on the rooftop. I knew my continued survival was less of a secret by the minute, but they apparently didn¡¯t want to advertise my return. Not that I minded.


    Once I stepped off the airship onto the ground of the Sky Continent again, these thoughts were quickly pushed out of my head. I only had a moment to brace myself before a child-sized battering ram crashed into me.


    I laughed and crouched down so Xiaodan could hug me properly. ¡°Hello, Little An. I missed you.¡±


    ¡°Big Sister Nari!¡± She went back to hugging me without saying anything else.


    It took what felt like minutes until I could pry my little sister off and greet Al, who¡¯d been waiting not-so-patiently behind her. He hugged me, as well, burying his face in my shoulder for a moment. I returned his embrace tightly, then clapped him on the back and let him go.


    ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± I asked teasingly.


    He sniffed. ¡°Of course. This time, you didn¡¯t have me along to protect you.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Oh, I see how it is. You¡¯re taking all the credit for our explorations while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°You had more than enough chance to explore the Zarian, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Al looked older, I couldn¡¯t help but think. It hadn¡¯t been that long, but I supposed he was a real teenager now, and puberty could progress quickly. He¡¯d grown a bit, and his face had lost some residual roundness.


    Past my siblings, Mother waited, her arms folded. She was accompanied by Kariva and a group of guards. She raised an eyebrow slightly, and I started walking over to them, feeling my heart clench a little.


    The first thing she did when I came to a stop in front of her was hug me. I stiffened in surprise, then tentatively hugged her back. It was a short and awkward embrace, and she pulled away quickly. I was still a little startled to realize this was the first time.


    ¡°Come on, Inaris,¡± she said. ¡°Welcome back and all that. Walk with me.¡±


    Yeah, maybe things haven¡¯t changed that much. I glanced back at my siblings before falling into step with her. The guards moved away to give us more space. When my eyes met Kariva, she bowed her head and gave me a small smile that made me feel a bit more welcome.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re back and we can talk in person,¡± Mother said, her voice clipped, ¡°let me ask you, Inaris: What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°I would have at least expected a ¡®nice that you¡¯re alive¡¯ or something,¡± I grumbled. ¡°You mean what am I doing back here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re supposed to be back on the Earth Continent, helping your friends deal with the messy situation there.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I sighed. Mother hadn¡¯t been happy when I told her that I was coming back, but she hadn¡¯t ordered me to go away, at least. I hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good answer for you, to be honest. I just had a feeling that I shouldn¡¯t, that I should get back here. A really intense feeling. With some spiritual icing on top.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, her expression losing some of the anger. ¡°I see. You mean Rijoko was influencing you?¡±


    ¡°Guiding me,¡± I corrected. ¡°Probably.¡±


    She was silent for a moment, before she sighed. ¡°Alright. I can¡¯t blame you for that. Following his guidance is probably the right thing to do. Do you have any idea what prompted it?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    I was about to say more, but stopped as a sensation in my qi senses captured my attention. I frowned and unconsciously turned my head to track it. We were walking through a tree-lined corridor towards a side entrance to the main palace. It was a pretty private place, so far. I could sense Al and Xiaodan, who were going the same way but a little behind us. If my impression was correct, they were using some qi, probably playing.


    Then I saw the man approaching us at a fast pace. ¡°Acura!¡± he called. ¡°There you are. I¡¯ve heard that ¡­¡±


    He trailed off, slowing down as he came closer, and his eyes widened. We all stopped, but I barely noticed it. I was too surprised by his sudden appearance.


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    I hadn¡¯t seen him before, I knew that because I didn¡¯t remember his face. But he was still familiar. A tall, well-built frame. Blond hair, blue eyes like my little brother¡¯s. I¡¯d seen his appearance before, but with the vagueness of dreams, distorted and little details smoothed out. What struck me almost as much was that, the one time I¡¯d seen my father, he¡¯d worn a shape similar to this.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± The words slipped out almost by themselves, my voice sharp.


    I¡¯d finally returned to my real form, although I still wore plain, ordinary clothes. There was no doubt that he recognized me from his reaction. But I moved my gaze to Mother, who was suddenly looking a lot less cool and collected.


    ¡°Mother?¡± I asked.


    She stiffened just a little. ¡°Yes, dear?¡± Her tone was calm, matter-of-fact, conveying clearly that there was no problem here, not at all, thank you. Challenging me to contest that. Although she never called me dear, so maybe she was less confident than she appeared.


    ¡°This is what you hired Ming Li for, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said as it suddenly hit me. ¡°That Adzurian assassin or whatever. He said you were in negotiations with him. You hired him to get Carston from the Zarian.¡±


    Carston looked a bit discomfited that I was talking to her instead of him. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he said. ¡°He even said it was easier than he thought. I¡¯d earned some measure of trust from the Dominion. Of course, I gladly went with him once he reached me.¡±


    I wondered for a moment if it had been a rescue or retrieval mission. Carston probably hadn¡¯t had a choice in the matter. Hopefully. Assuming Mother hasn¡¯t completely lost her sense.


    I titled my head a little, regarding the man through narrowed eyes. ¡°Carston,¡± I acknowledged him in a cool voice, as if I¡¯d just met him.


    ¡°Hello, Inaris.¡± He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s truly a pleasure to see you again. You¡¯ve grown into a magnificent young woman.¡±


    I barely held back a snort. That would have ruined the cold glare I turned on him. For a moment, I considered berating him for using my first name and not showing the proper respect. But that wouldn¡¯t be the right track to take.


    ¡°Spare me your compliments, please,¡± I said tersely, then sighed. ¡°As you have no doubt been told, I lost all of my previous memories during my soul journey. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t remember you at all, at least not personally.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He nodded seriously. ¡°It is a shame. We did have some nice childhood memories, as well.¡±


    This time, I did snort, before I could stop myself. I should probably try to play nice, but I just wasn¡¯t feeling it. Besides, he had to know I wouldn¡¯t trust him.


    I didn¡¯t feel guilty about the invasion of privacy that me seeing his dream had been. Which Mother hopefully hadn¡¯t told him about. I hadn¡¯t been able to control that, but it did give me some insight into him.


    ¡°What exactly did you tell the Zarian about me?¡± I asked.


    He looked down, his face a picture of contrition. ¡°I am sorry, Inaris. I told them almost everything. That your father was the Moon, which they suspected already, and the details of how and why your mother sought him out. Including the fact that she specifically bargained for a child that would be a great ruler of the Empire.¡± He bowed his head. ¡°I truly do regret that, and I beg your forgiveness.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer for a moment, letting the silence build, as he still looked at the ground. Behind us, I could sense Al and Xiaodan coming up to us, although they¡¯d slowed down.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± Mother finally spoke up, a demand.


    I shook my head. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend I¡¯m okay with this. I appreciate the apology, Carston, but I certainly can¡¯t forgive you just like that. People tried to kill me for the secrets you spilled. While you had a nice, comfortable life with the Zarian. And I would have expected better of you than to welcome him back like this, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Inaris!¡±


    I bowed to her. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Then I turned around and walked back to my siblings. There was a side passage just by their current position, and as I turned to it, Al followed. I could hear the silence behind me. Kariva¡¯s aura was withdrawn, and I wondered for a moment what she thought of the whole thing. I couldn¡¯t imagine that she didn¡¯t see Carston as a threat.


    ¡°Xiaodan, go back to what you¡¯re supposed to be doing,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll come visit you later.¡±


    She looked up at me with wide eyes, then bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Elder Sister.¡±


    She walked towards where Mother and the rest were still standing. Al, however, followed me down the side path. It was lined with trees and neatly trimmed hedges, with beds of flowers and exotic plants interspersed at the sides. The nice surroundings and the smell of flowers in the air didn¡¯t calm me, they just made my muted anger seem more stark.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nari.¡± Al hesitated, then admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t know how you would take it. I thought it would be better to talk about it in person.¡± He pulled a face. ¡°I thought Mother would tell you before you two could run into each other.¡±


    I nodded, then took a deep breath and tried to force myself to relax. This wasn¡¯t Al¡¯s fault, and I didn¡¯t want him to think I was angry at him. If anything, this affected him even more than me.


    ¡°How do you feel about this, Al?¡± I asked quietly. I remembered that there were high-stage cultivators around, then snapped up a shield of qi to keep sound in and people from overhearing us.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he said quickly.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know you can talk to me, right? Your father just came home. Not that that¡¯s official, but we all know it. He was captured by the Zarian for years.¡±


    ¡°And he told them stuff about my big sister,¡± Al added.


    ¡°That, too,¡± I agreed, the muscles in my face tightening despite myself before I relaxed them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Nari.¡± He sighed and kicked at a stone that lay on the path. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember him, I was too young when he left. And, I mean, he did just leave back then, after he and Mother broke up.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡± I asked. ¡°She took him back, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Al grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re really officially together-together, but yeah, I think so.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Great. But, anyway, we were talking about how you felt.¡±


    Al shrugged. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know him and he didn¡¯t exactly act like a model father so far.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can talk to him now,¡± I pointed out. The words tasted slightly sour, but I forced them out. ¡°He¡¯s here, you can confront him about this, figure out if you want to get closer to him or not. You have the chance now.¡±


    Al winced. ¡°Sorry, Nari. I didn¡¯t think. Of course, you don¡¯t even get that much with your father.¡±


    I reached out a hand to ruffle his hair, which he endured with only token resistance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I get cool perks instead.¡± I snorted. ¡°Hey, I¡¯d be glad if you didn¡¯t have anything to do with him. I just figured I should say it.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful.¡± I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him.¡±


    Al shook his head. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re weird, Nari. Of course you don¡¯t. I don¡¯t have much reason to trust him, either.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°How are things going for you, anyway?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re okay. I¡¯ve been south, at the front, a few times. Not close to any fighting, of course.¡±


    ¡°Learning things?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A lot.¡± He brightened up.


    We headed into the palace proper, and he talked about his experiences with enthusiasm. I listened and couldn¡¯t help but smile a little, although I made sure he didn¡¯t see it.

 102: Changes

    <div>


    I smoothed down my robe and glanced at the mirror. I felt like I¡¯d stepped back into an old, familiar role. One that I¡¯d barely realized I¡¯d gotten used to, before I dropped it, and that was now here waiting for me, just the way I¡¯d left it. Except that I wasn¡¯t quite the same. The recent experiences had changed me, perhaps only in small ways, but enough to make the lavish, blue and silver cultivator¡¯s robes seem like they didn¡¯t fit quite perfectly.


    Although, of course, they did. I noticed that I was standing just a little straighter, and turned away from the mirror, smiling in amusement at myself. Princess Inaris was back now, completely.


    And not a day too soon. I stifled a sigh as I recognized the presence coming up the corridor to my rooms. Apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one, as the servants in the room shifted their positions. There were only a few around, helping with my clothing or just standing ready to cater to my whims. I¡¯d been considering letting them pamper me for a bit, but now brushed those thoughts aside.


    Mother knocked, then opened the door after a few moments. She gave me a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Inaris. Can I come in?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I turned and walked to an armchair, gesturing at the furniture scattered around the room. ¡°Take a seat if you want.¡±


    Mother glided into the room and sat down on a couch close to my chair. ¡°I see you¡¯ve settled in again.¡±


    I nodded, then glanced at the servants. ¡°Bring us some tea, please, and leave us alone.¡±


    They bowed and scurried off. At least they didn¡¯t look at the Empress before following my order. Mother didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Her posture betrayed some tension, although she tried to appear relaxed. But by now, I knew her well enough to see past it.


    I wondered what she got from me. Probably a lot, she knew me even before my soul journey. I wasn¡¯t sure what the significance was of her coming to visit me, instead of summoning me to her, although it seemed like a courteous gesture.


    ¡°You know, this is probably the most like Earth it¡¯s ever been for us,¡± I said. ¡°The mother coming to talk to her daughter about her new boyfriend. Only there are a lot of other details.¡±


    Mother smiled a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡± Her smile faded. ¡°But about Carston ¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡± I asked. ¡°No, correction, what the hell are you thinking?¡±


    Mother made a fist and opened her fingers again, then continued speaking calmly. ¡°I realize that you don¡¯t like the situation, and from your perspective, your feelings are completely justified. That¡¯s why I wanted to talk to you about it.¡±


    ¡°I thought you broke up,¡± I answered. ¡°Even disregarding all that happened while he was the Zarian¡¯s hostage, it seems like you¡¯re back together in some form? You¡¯re letting him just stroll around here, with free run of the palace, casually address you by your first name ¡ª or me for that matter ¡ª and no one dares say anything. You¡¯re showing him an awful lot of trust.¡±


    Mother sighed. ¡°I suppose so. To address your first point, yes, we did break up. It¡¯s one of the things I¡¯ve regretted in the years since. Especially with some time and distance to consider what went wrong.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I guess I can understand that.¡±


    ¡°I loved him, Inaris.¡± She met my eyes squarely. ¡°Things between us didn¡¯t work out for various reasons. My expectations and goals differed from his, my work put a strain on the relationship, and there were perhaps some commitment or trust issues. I won¡¯t deny that your presence and parentage were a factor, as well. Things slowly came to a head after Al came along.¡±


    I tilted my head. ¡°Because he wanted you to be more of a traditional family than you were?¡± I guessed. ¡°Perhaps he wanted you to officially acknowledge him as Al¡¯s father?¡±


    Mother grimaced. ¡°Astute. Yes, that was probably part of it. I¡¯d told him upfront that I wouldn¡¯t do that, but perhaps he still hung onto hope. But it doesn¡¯t matter much, now.¡±


    ¡°So, what? You feel guilty for how things went last time, so now you want to make up for it by jumping into a new relationship with him, despite everything?¡±


    Mother narrowed her eyes. ¡°You really seem intent on pushing me today.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer, just looked at her.


    Finally, she sighed again and shook her head. ¡°I know your concerns are justified. I¡¯m certainly not giving him my complete trust, rest assured. And perhaps I¡¯m being a little irrational, but ¡­ I can¡¯t help how I feel. Which means that I still care deeply for Carston. Meeting him again, my anger just seemed so hollow by comparison.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it well, but I am doing what I want to do. And I expect you to behave yourself. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mother.¡± I leaned back in my seat, content that I had some insight on her reasoning, if you could call it that, and her emotional state.


    Not that I was happy with it, but I knew pushing her further now would be a bad idea.


    We were quiet for a bit, just stewing in awkward silence. I didn¡¯t break it, since I felt like Mother was more tense than me, or at least more emotional.


    ¡°Any other issues?¡± she finally asked.


    I shifted my weight and leaned forward a little, keeping my back straight, my posture attentive but relaxed. ¡°What about Kei Yating and your other lovers? Are you going to make things exclusive now?¡±


    She frowned a little. ¡°No, probably not.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Then I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more to say. Except - ¡° I hesitated as I was struck by a sudden thought. ¡°You would tell me if you were planning on having another child, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Mother¡¯s eyebrows lifted a bit. ¡°Ah. No, I¡¯m not planning on it, at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I really didn¡¯t like that ¡®at the moment.¡¯


    After another pause, Mother finally stood up. ¡°Well, I do have work to do. Things are quite busy with the war and trying to manage the nobles. Take some time to settle in and familiarize yourself with the situation, then I¡¯ll have work for you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t stand up to see her off. Mother crossed the room and left without another word. For a moment, I just kept sitting there, my chin on my hand as I considered. Then I gave myself a little shake and started moving.


    I¡¯d never been to the rooms that were housed in a little structure just beneath and to the side of the clan¡¯s quarters, before the main administrative offices started. But the place wasn¡¯t hard to find, and I reached it quickly. I gave absent nods to the people I encountered on the way, but didn¡¯t stop to speak to anyone, and they cleared out of my way.


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    I knocked, then waited for a muffled invitation to enter before I stepped into the room. At first glance, it looked just like any other office. But there were a lot of file drawers, many of them with some serious amount of qi sunk into enchantments and locks, and two of our new computers. It was a large room, and several doors led off into adjacent ones, most of them open. I stepped inside slowly, looking around with curiosity.


    The three people who¡¯d been at work here, sitting at various desks, went to their knees upon seeing me. A moment later, Kariva appeared from another room, and bowed deeply. ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    I continued my look around the room before I acknowledged them. ¡°Please rise. Cousin Kariva, may I have a word?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady. If you¡¯ll step into my office?¡±


    I followed her through another room and a barren corridor before we reached her office. It looked like the other room, housing a large desk, several chairs, a lot of cabinets, and no personal decorations as far as I could tell.


    I didn¡¯t ask why she had an office when she didn¡¯t hold any official position. Anyone at court was supposed to be aware of her organization¡¯s existence. I understood that much. The lack of official acknowledgment, even the lack of a proper name, was, in part, intended for intimidation value. It wasn¡¯t quite a secret police, but in a few more decades, it might turn into one.


    ¡°Would you like to take a seat?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Thank you. You may sit as well,¡± I added, since Kariva seemed to be generally bent on formality.


    I took a seat in a comfortable chair and watched as Kariva chose another chair in front of, instead of the one behind, the desk.


    ¡°I was wondering how you felt about this development with Carston,¡± I said after we¡¯d both sat down. ¡°If you¡¯ll forgive me for prying, and of course I¡¯m not asking you to violate? ? any confidences.¡±


    Kariva smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine, Princess Inaris. I knew about Lord Carston¡¯s return ahead of time. Your mother went to me to arrange things, to get in contact with the Black Knife. Of course, she didn¡¯t share her reasoning, and I saw this as more of a political move.¡±


    ¡°Remove a possible source of information for the Zarian.¡± I nodded. ¡°I can agree with that. So you didn¡¯t conceive of it as a rescue operation, primarily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Kariva leaned back in her chair. ¡°As you can no doubt guess, I would have preferred to keep him safely stowed somewhere, and perhaps do a more thorough interrogation. But Her Majesty¡¯s mind is made up.¡±


    I smiled. It was good to hear her speak so openly and casually about that. ¡°Of course.¡±


    We didn¡¯t speak for a while, but unlike with Mother, this silence didn¡¯t seem awkward. I was aware of Kariva looking me over, assessing me, but I didn¡¯t mind. We understood each other, at least in that moment.


    Finally, she spoke up again. ¡°If you find the time, Princess Inaris, perhaps you should assess how things are progressing when it comes to the new technology and industry.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Anything in particular?¡±


    Kariva shrugged. ¡°Things have slowed down when it comes to development, but there¡¯s more than enough to keep the Empire busy. I¡¯m not an economics expert, but the war seems to have changed the situation considerably, and perhaps not for the better.¡±


    ¡°Industrialization of the war-relevant part seems to be progressing well?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, it does. There¡¯s been a large increase in productivity. We have the beginnings of some real mass production here. That includes factories making various mundane parts that would have previously been handled by others, but make up components of objects we need for the war. Soldiers¡¯ equipment like water flasks, medical paraphernalia, even arrow bolts.¡± She paused. ¡°Not much of it will be needed once we win the war, certainly not in these quantities.¡±


    ¡°And meanwhile, other projects are suffering,¡± I concluded.


    ¡°Indeed. Even ones that would have a larger impact on the war, long-term.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure how much we can do about that. There¡¯s no point thinking about twenty years from now if we¡¯ve been conquered by then.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kariva said, smiling thinly. ¡°I know the war isn¡¯t in a state where we can afford to reduce our efforts. I simply wanted to point it out.¡±


    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°And the new communications technology?¡±


    ¡°Working quite well. All cities and many towns on the continent are now linked by telegraph lines, and our field tests for telephone lines are promising. The military has been adopting radios quite well, too, although there have been some hiccups.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair. ¡°Right. But you wanted to talk about industry.¡±


    Kariva hesitated for a moment, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m concerned about the social impact, Princess Inaris. Like I said, I¡¯m no economist, but it¡¯s plain to see that our economy is going to undergo ¡ª is perhaps already undergoing ¡ª a major change. Of course, you know that, and I suppose it¡¯s inevitable for our progress. But it¡¯s still an issue, and the middle of a war might not be the best time for such a sweeping change.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes for a moment. I knew this was coming. You can¡¯t have industrialization without some growing pains. If you look at Earth, the Industrial Revolution is generally not a good time to live in.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite right,¡± I said. ¡°What is happening now, and which parts of it concern you? And what could be a threat to, well, us?¡±


    ¡°Broadly, there¡¯s concern about jobs that are being lost as craftspeople are pushed out of work in favor of factories,¡± Kariva started. ¡°It¡¯s not happening a lot yet, and in time, the increase in productivity and employment opportunities due to the factories will more than offset this. Or the service and entertainment industries, in due time, once we move to a technological age. People generally understand this, with a bit of help.¡±


    I nodded, suddenly reminded that Kariva did come from what I would consider a science fiction world, for all that she¡¯d died as a child.


    ¡°The bigger hurdle is what this will do to the economic system and the balance of power, as new types of resources become valuable, and production and technology more important than raw materials.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°You know that most of the Empire¡¯s population is concentrated in cities and towns, right?¡±


    I nodded. I¡¯d found that surprising, considering the more feudal society. But it made sense in light of the agricultural yield and the Empire¡¯s recent population boom. For the local meaning of ¡®recent¡¯.


    ¡°While the nobility is an important factor almost everywhere, they hold the most power in the more rural places,¡± Kariva explained. ¡°But how much land a clan owns is not a good indicator of power, anymore, and it¡¯s getting to be even less so. Families that base their fortune on land ownership are in decline, and becoming ¡­ anxious.¡±


    I sighed. And the war isn¡¯t helping, I¡¯m guessing.


    Kariva tapped a finger on her armrest. ¡°It bears mentioning that this is not just a domestic Imperial problem. If you look at who supports Hajake, I suspect it¡¯s essentially the same group, over in Terbekteri.¡±


    That caught my attention. I sat up straighter. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°They tend to be more socially conservative as well, and are a strong powerbase for an aspiring heir or ruler,¡± Kariva stated, her eyes narrowed. ¡°Terbekteri has only gotten a taste of what¡¯s happening, but they were less prepared for it than the Empire.¡±


    I resisted the urge to sigh again. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice there are a lot of people who would like to see me dead and the innovation halted. Or our clan deposed, for that matter.¡±


    Kariva leaned forward slightly. ¡°There certainly are. Many people stand to lose from our activity, or stand to gain from a transfer of power. And some of them are certainly beyond idle wishes and hoping to get lucky.¡±


    I felt a cold shiver creep down my spine. The way she said that ¡­ this was certainly a problem. Perhaps not now, but it would be a big one. ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s not much to tell,¡± Kariva grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m investigating some things, but I¡¯d prefer to wait until I have more of it worked out.¡± She sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that Acura is rather distracted recently.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Keep cultivating.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was expecting to hear.¡±


    Kariva leaned back in her chair and tapped her finger against its armrest a few times. ¡°You should keep in mind that this is not the world you, or me, come from. Power very much correlates with someone¡¯s cultivation strength.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    She tilted her head a little. ¡°A far disproportionate percentage of people in the eighth stage are from the nobility.¡±


    I winced as I saw what she was getting at. ¡°Ah. How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Your mother is rather young and weak, for them. It helps that older cultivators like Kiyanu support her. Still, most of them aren¡¯t particularly loyal. That¡¯s always been the case, of course.¡±


    I nodded and sat in silence for a moment, pondering this. I didn¡¯t expect there would be a coup or anything, but a lack of support among what were basically the nation¡¯s people-shaped weapons of mass destruction wasn¡¯t a good place to be in. Something else nagged at my thoughts, as well, though.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to rise quickly.¡± I stood up, but hesitated before I left. ¡°Cousin, when will you reach the eighth stage?¡±


    Kariva smiled. ¡°Perhaps in a hundred years. We¡¯ll see.¡±


    A hundred years. Funny, that. I nodded and left the room, closing the door behind me quietly.


    I knew Kariva was at least in the middle of the seventh stage and had risen quickly. It shouldn¡¯t take her a hundred years. Not under normal circumstances. I should be relieved, but I couldn¡¯t quite muster the emotion.


    I hadn¡¯t thought about Mother¡¯s deadline in a while. At least I was pretty sure I would reach the black stage in a few decades at most.

 103: Attempt

    <div>


    ¡°¡­ forty-eight¡­ forty-nine¡­ fifty!¡±


    I took my hands from my eyes and glanced around, trying not to grin too broadly. I¡¯d called loudly enough that I was sure Xiaodan knew I was finished. Other cultivators could probably hear that from farther away, but I didn¡¯t care. We were in a rather lonely part of the palace grounds, a secluded park on the upper terrace close to the mountains. There weren¡¯t as many hiding places as in the wilderness, but more than enough for a good game of hide-and-seek.


    I started walking slowly, glancing around. According to the rules of the game, I wasn¡¯t supposed to cheat by using qi, so I¡¯d shut down my qi senses as much as I could and was keeping all of my qi in my dantian instead of using it to search for my little sister.


    Not that I needed to. I still had sharp eyes, and Xiaodan wasn¡¯t that good at the game. She got too excited and had problems keeping still.


    I padded across the grass, choosing a curved path and making sure to keep my steps silent, at least to someone in the lower stages. I heard her shifting as I closed in on her position, even before I caught a glimpse of her hiding in a little nook between a stone wall and a copse of trees. My arm snaked out and caught her, hauling her into the air a few centimeters as I dragged her out.


    ¡°Look what I caught here,¡± I grinned.


    Xiaodan pouted. ¡°You cheated! No way you found me this quickly.¡±


    I shook my head, still smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t need to cheat to beat you, young lady. You rustle too much, and I could see a peek of your red cuffs from over there.¡±


    My little sister glanced down at the robe she wore and pouted even harder. She tugged at it to smooth it out. I reached out and gently removed a few leaves that had found their way into her hair, brushing a few strands back.


    ¡°Sorry, Big Sister,¡± she said with visible reluctance.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s alright to be frustrated, as long as you recognize when you¡¯re wrong.¡± I smiled down at her. ¡°Now, do you want to catch me this time?¡±


    She frowned, probably considering the offer and her chances of finding me. But before she could answer, something pricked my senses. I whirled around, registering a deep rumble in the air even as I did. There was a light shockwave, barely more than a sudden gust of wind. But I felt a feeling of dread creep over me that stood in stark contrast to the sunny day and playful mood I¡¯d been immersed in a second ago.


    ¡°Xiaodan,¡± I said, my voice tight. ¡°Take my hand and hold on.¡±


    She looked confused, but didn¡¯t struggle as I scooped her up into my arms. I glanced around, taking a defensive talisman from my storage ring absently and noting the guards drawing closer around us.


    There was a dark blur in the sky to our northeast, coming from the northern plains, perhaps. It didn¡¯t look like more than a smudge in the air, hard to see even for me, but my qi senses were telling me there was a lot more to it. The sensation was steadily intensifying, and I could almost hear the palace¡¯s wards groaning around us. I didn¡¯t wait for the guards to act, just started running, my little sister clutched tightly to me.


    I¡¯d never let loose like this on the palace grounds, but the paths were empty enough that I could really put on speed. It only took a few seconds for me to reach the main palace area. I slowed down slightly, taking in what was happening. Guards were assembling, some of them setting up objects laden with enchantments, probably defensive weapons and such. Courtiers and servants were running around in the beginnings of a panic. But I dismissed all of them from my attention as soon as I caught sight of Mother. She was accompanied by the largest contingent of guards and officers, and all of the really strong cultivators were gathering there, as well.


    I put on another burst of speed, barely waiting for guards to get out of the way before I reached the group. Carefully, I set down Xiaodan, who was looking around with wide eyes.


    Mother nodded at me and spared a look at one of the guards. ¡°Ling, take my youngest to safety and make sure her guard detachment is prepared.¡± She gave Xiaodan a brief smile and switched to English. ¡°It¡¯s alright, little one, just hold tight and wait. I love you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, even as the guard scooped my sister up and went running. She must be heading to the city.


    ¡°We¡¯re under attack, it looks like.¡±


    ¡°Who would have guessed,¡± Kariva growled. ¡°How could you have completely missed this, Acura?¡±


    This was the first time I¡¯d ever heard her use my Mother¡¯s first name in public. If nothing else, that showed me how serious the situation was.


    ¡°You can yell at me for being distracted later,¡± Mother answered, staring north.


    I followed her gaze, like most people here, and cycled more qi to my eyes. The wards were visible as a shimmer in the air, like a heat haze, which I knew was not a good sign. If the confused mess I got from my qi senses was right, they were already falling like leaves in the wind. I could also make out the shapes of people moving around behind them, maybe a few dozen in total. Not much of an army, but I could sense their power from here, even with the interference. At least one eighth-stager, maybe more.


    I was about to ask how the Zarian could have possibly gotten here, then paused as I understood. ¡°This is a coup, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly an attempt at one.¡± Mother reached out and grasped a spear that just appeared from the air. It looked a bit like Fides, if you inverted the color scheme, with a white shaft and black runes. The veil on her aura lifted, making it hard for me to breathe under the pressure.


    ¡°You should get to safety,¡± Kariva said to me.


    I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re not going to let me through, and the inside of the palace is hardly safe anymore. I¡¯ll stick with you.¡±


    Mother started to rise into the air. ¡°Everyone in the late part of the seventh stage, with me. The rest, support us as best you can, and protect my people.¡±


    In that moment, I felt another shockwave, and realized with a shiver that the last ward just broke. The attackers were advancing now.


    Mother and a group of guards and courtiers flew to meet them. As they did, I focused, trying to make out more details. It didn¡¯t take long for me to recognize a few of the people.


    Zun, the noble I¡¯d met in the south. The eighth-stager beside him had to be his older brother. And was that general Wei? Damn it all.


    I started to cross my arms around my body before I realized I was doing it and stopped, taking a deep breath. Kariva was pacing up and down, her aura roiling, clearly frustrated that she couldn¡¯t follow Mother into the fight. None of the guards looked remotely happy, and I could see fear in a few of their eyes, but most of them showed grim determination. For a few endless moments, we just waited.


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    I could feel my connection to my father in my mind. He didn¡¯t intervene, but I knew his attention was on me. My senses felt sharper, and there was the faintest thrill of energy running through me. I hope you¡¯ll give me guidance, I thought at him, not sure if he¡¯d even hear it.


    The two groups met and seemed to exchange a few words in the air. Then one of the attackers made a fist and pointed, and the fight began.


    It was like some giant reached down to shake the world. I just couldn¡¯t keep up, it was happening too fast. There was only a vast amount of qi, light and fire and a stab of pain and the rumble of the earth. I found myself flying backward for a moment before a hand reached out and caught me, grounding me on the earth. A guard in the seventh stage, with her aura flared out so far she pushed some of the ominous density off me.


    When I could focus again, several of the palace buildings were on fire, and some of the walls had fallen down. The air was beginning to fill with the scent of stone, dust and smoke. But I only had eyes for the fight, which was steadily moving closer. I couldn¡¯t make out any individual people, so much as a bundle of qi all intertwined together, fighting each other.


    Then one vaguely human shape struck out in our direction, and a massive lance of qi tore through the air, then through the group. I ducked on instinct, feeling the attack pass by close enough to singe my hair. It left our formation shattered. Like a child had reached out and scattered toy soldiers with a brush of their hand. Some of the cultivators had already lost their lives, and others had most of their qi drained.


    There was a lull in the fight above, and I took the opportunity to edge away, closer to the nearest building and the flimsy shelter it promised. Mother had lost most of the guards she¡¯d brought, I noticed, and was hovering in what had to be a defensive formation. It took me a moment to realize another group was approaching, just a few people this time. I couldn¡¯t be sure at this distance, but one of them felt like Kiyanu. Before they could arrive, the fight resumed.


    Then my attention was captured by a part of the attacking force that split off to descend over the palace. The largest group headed right for our location, the central knot of resistance.


    I found myself surrounded by a few of the strongest guards in an instant. The qi shield they put up made it hard to sense what was happening outside, but I felt another shockwave. The guards continued to edge me away from the center of the conflict, towards the building. I stumbled along, gathering some darkness qi. But I knew I couldn¡¯t really contribute to this fight. This was way above my weight class. I was having trouble just trying to keep up with what was happening.


    The scent of blood had joined the other smells of fighting around us, and every second or so a low boom would shake my hearing. It felt like the world had shrunk around me.


    We¡¯d just reached the building when the protective formation around me fell apart. A huge wave of fire crashed around us, and a few of the guards stopped and advanced on it to hold it off. A moment later, a rain of icy spears jumped out of the dust, piercing through several more. I stumbled backward, shoved by one guard just enough to dodge one of them, and felt the timber of a doorframe poke me in the back.


    ¡®Inaris!¡¯ Mother¡¯s mental voice reached me.


    I winced at the sudden intensity. ¡®Mother?¡¯


    ¡®Inaris, get to safety! Now!¡¯ Her mental voice was strained, more than I¡¯d ever heard in her physical speech. She hesitated for a moment, then continued in a lower, softer tone. ¡®I love you.¡¯


    For an instant, I just stood there, shocked and shaken. Then I rallied myself. ¡®Mother? Are you ¡ª¡®


    But she couldn¡¯t hear me anymore, I realized with a sinking feeling of dread. The fight had captured her full attention again.


    Swallowing hard, but still moving as fast as I ever had, I fumbled behind me for the doorknob. As soon as the door opened, I stumbled backwards through it, using some darkness qi to give me what cover it could. A few of the guards followed me through. I¡¯d lost the rest somewhere along the way.


    I turned around and started running. The palace looked different, bore little resemblance to the safe home I¡¯d left behind this morning. Furniture and decorations lay scattered and broken, the windows were almost all gone. In random places, the walls had crumbled or been blown out enough to allow me a glimpse outside.


    I paused for a moment, trying to get my bearings. From what I could tell, Kiyanu was fighting one of the hostile eighth stagers, drifting farther away towards the mountains. The terrain around them was scoured by tornadoes, icy gales and the concentrated power of storms, enough to strip the vegetation off the slopes. From here, I couldn¡¯t see Mother or the rest. I hope they¡¯re okay. She has to be fine.


    I didn¡¯t believe it even as I was thinking it. If not for the adrenaline rushing through my veins, the need to focus and fight, pushing everything else to the background, I might have been sick. The unease I¡¯d felt before was back and magnified. It took me a minute to realize that I didn¡¯t even know where I was going. Not that I let that stop me. My feet seemed to know their way, and I found myself hurrying through the sprawling palace complex with purpose.


    Several times, the guards pushed and pulled me into alcoves and niches, where I suppressed my aura and pulled a bit of darkness qi around us, waiting until the attacking fighters had moved off and we could continue. Instead of getting better, the palace seemed to be in worse shape as we moved further, and in some places I could see the sky through holes in the ceiling.


    One time, we weren¡¯t quick enough. One of the trees in an interior courtyard moved suddenly, its roots shredding through the earth and grabbing one of the soldiers. I stumbled back yet again, throwing a glob of darkness at it. Then I realized that it was too late, and the life had fled his eyes.


    I turned and ran, stumbling through a narrow corridor, away from yet another fight that had broken out behind me. Only a few footsteps followed me this time.


    I emerged in another new building, one that I only vaguely recognized. But the location at least tickled a memory, and suddenly I knew were I was going, where I had to go. I was almost there.


    I took a step, then paused. The wall in front of me was almost completely crumpled, a large hole punched into it by the boulder that now lay half buried in the wall behind it. The hole offered me a good view out onto the battlefield, and this time, I could see the main fight between the titans. I was closer than I¡¯d realized.


    As I watched, one of the figures was punched out of the air. Light and darkness screamed around them, and with my heart hopping into my throat, I realized it was Mother. She seemed to fall in slow motion, in an arc that brought her close to my current location. The man who¡¯d punched her, the older Zun, was attacked by one of our guards, and turned away, so her flight continued uninterrupted.


    Before I realized what I was doing, I took a step forward. I watched as Mother slammed into the ground not even a hundred meters away from me, on an upper courtyard only separated by us from a low, almost destroyed stone wall and a steep jump. The impact stirred up more dust and qi. But I could sense that she was still alive, if, most likely, badly hurt.


    I took a deep breath. She¡¯d contacted me earlier, and it felt like the remnants of that link were still there. Perhaps she¡¯d only shut it down, not severed it. So I threw all of my focus and mental strength into it, trying to get through to her. ¡®Mother! Mother! Come here!¡¯


    Seconds passed, and I began to fear that I¡¯d been wrong. Then, I could make out a figure slowly standing up among the rubble. She seemed to glance at the fight, then at me. With agonizing slowness, she turned and staggered in my direction.


    I breathed in sharply and felt my nails dig into my fists as I got a better look at Mother. She was limping towards me with all the grace of a drunk toddler, at a pace barely fast enough for someone in the second or third stage, and her posture was hunched. She¡¯d lost her entire right arm to the fight, and it didn¡¯t seem to be healing. There was foreign qi in the wound, infesting her. It was probably nature qi, but I couldn¡¯t be sure, not with the almost physical reek of decay and pus. Some poison technique, perhaps, a part of my mind noted.


    I shook off my shock as she reached me and stepped forward, catching more of her weight than I intended as she almost toppled over.


    ¡°Nari,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mother,¡± I grunted.


    I heaved her remaining arm over my shoulder and grabbed her legs, lifting her into an awkward carry. The two remaining guards finally got to work, one of them filling up the hole in the wall while the other wove qi shields around us.


    I started walking. Mother felt terribly fragile and light, even for my cultivator strength. I would¡¯ve given her one of my healing pills, but I didn¡¯t know enough if it would make things worse with the attack eating away at her. And besides, she had to have much stronger pills herself.


    Get a grip, I told myself. I just need to get her to a safe place, first.


    ¡®I need to fight,¡¯ Mother mumbled into my mind.


    ¡®Not like this,¡¯ I answered, shifting her weight as I turned into another corridor. ¡®Just hang on. There¡¯s one place we¡¯ll be safe here.¡¯


    Despite the risk, I sped up again. They wouldn¡¯t let either of us get away that easily. If Mother died, they won and nothing else mattered, anyway.

 104: Severance

    <div>


    As I continued hurrying through the palace with my badly-injured mother in my arms, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that this had to be a bad dream. It was just surreal, completely out of touch with the expectations I¡¯d had for the day. But the thought didn¡¯t last longer than a moment, because I had a perfect memory and because there were enough details grounding the present moment to make it clear this was reality.


    I breathed in deeply, trying to ignore the odor of dust and battle, blood and excrement and sweat, in the air. My grip on Mother tightened just a little. Not much, of course, I didn¡¯t want to jostle or hurt her any more than she already was.


    It only took a few moments for us to reach the right corridor, where I took a sharp turn to the right. I hadn¡¯t been here before, but I didn¡¯t spare much attention for the walls of smooth stone or the short spiral staircase I hurried down. The guards moved closer to me, and I could faintly hear a whoosh of air, then the sound of more footsteps behind them.


    I put on a burst of speed, racing ahead through another short corridor. This area was connected to the palace buildings but something of a separate structure, added on to it with copious use of earth qi. I could feel the change in my qi senses. They¡¯d been almost unnaturally sharp for a while, my connection to Rijoko clearly present.


    There was a large double door ahead of us, but it swung open before I reached it, in a quick, smooth motion. Apparently my qi presence had been enough to open it, or Rijoko tweaked things a little. With my current speed, I still had to slow down before I could enter. That gave me a moment to listen to the rising noise behind me. There was a blast, a bit of a rumble, and a choked scream. The second of the guards, who¡¯d covered our backs, blurred out of my senses as he died.


    I barged forward. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. There was a hot feeling on my back, and I caught the tail end of a spray of liquid as the other guard threw herself forward to cover me. I didn¡¯t look back. I couldn¡¯t spare the time. I just jumped forward, into the room beyond.


    I made it just in time. A bit of qi flickered from the ceiling, extinguishing a spray of fire that had attempted to follow us through the door. Before I even took in the appearance of the place, I felt myself relax slightly, comforted by the feel of the room. It was a large, stone hall, with an ornate altar at the other end and several smaller structures set up at the sides, along with benches and open doors leading into side rooms. Several people stood up at our entrance.


    I didn¡¯t look at them, but finally turned around as I took a few steps backwards, further into the shrine.


    A small group of people, all clearly powerful cultivators, were watching me. In the middle of the corridor, an old man had suddenly appeared. He stooped a little over a cane with a wicked-looking metal cap, his gnarly hand gripping it tightly. His hair was white and wispy, his beard only a little fuller. But his eyes still sparkled, with more life than when I¡¯d seen him before.


    ¡°Patriarch Li?¡± I stared in surprise.


    The old man frowned. ¡°Not ¡®patriarch¡¯ anymore, thanks to you, Princess.¡±


    I exhaled and smoothed out my expression, feeling a stab of annoyance that the word had slipped out. But it barely registered under all the other emotions I was feeling. Not least of which was bewilderment. I hadn¡¯t expected the former patriarch of the Carmine Cloud Sect, where I¡¯d spent some time shortly after coming back from my soul journey, before I dissolved it for breaking Imperial law and disciples attacking me.


    ¡°You advanced quite quickly,¡± I noted.


    The man¡¯s aura left little doubt that he¡¯d reached the eighth stage. If I hadn¡¯t stood in the Moon¡¯s shrine, it would have oppressed me. Last I knew, he was still in the seventh. I would have guessed the middle part of it, although to be fair, it could have been the late. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had some help.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising what some adversity can do,¡± he replied, smirking a little. ¡°Of course, I had many friends and acquaintances who were ready to help me after that farce of a trial.¡±


    I frowned. I knew he¡¯d gotten off lightly in the trial about the sect¡¯s illegal experimentation, convincing the court that while he knew about it, he was only distantly responsible. He should still have been punished severely.


    Well, no wonder this particular eighth stager was involved. I had given him more than enough reason to hate our dynasty, justified or not.


    ¡°Whatever my personal grievances, Your Highness,¡± he put a slight mocking emphasis on the title, ¡°you may yet get out of this alive. You are not our primary target.¡±


    I glanced down at my Mother, who was still breathing heavily and clearly had trouble keeping her eyes open. ¡°You must be delusional to think I would give her up.¡±


    ¡°Consider your situation, Princess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get to her over my dead body,¡± I repeated, glancing back up to meet his eyes and make sure he saw the certainty in my gaze. ¡°Which isn¡¯t going to happen here.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? You think you could somehow take us on, take me on, and win?¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to kill your monarch during an attempted coup d¡¯¨¦tat. It is another matter entirely to strike down a Greater Spirit¡¯s child in their own temple.¡±


    ¡°Are you quite sure of that?¡±


    ¡°Do it and you will either die, or my father will afflict you with a curse to make you wish you had.¡± I didn¡¯t doubt that was the truth, the walls of the temple almost called it to me.


    He raised his eyebrows, pacing to the side. ¡°So you intend to hide out here forever?¡±


    I shook my head and turned around, stepping further away from the entrance. He must not feel confident in testing my threat, as none of them moved in our direction.


    ¡°Someone close the doors, please,¡± I said to the other people in the room, finally giving them my full attention.


    They stared at me and their Empress in my arms with wide eyes. Many of them had dropped to their knees or even prostrated themselves, which probably made sense if these were worshipers of Rijoko. Now they stirred from their shock. One man, who was probably a priest, judging by the his robe, fiddled with a qi mechanism, and the double doors slammed shut.


    ¡°Help me get her comfortable,¡± I said, shifting Mother and pulling a pillow from my storage ring.


    They sprang into action, and soon we had her bedded down on a pile of blankets and pillows in the aisle, shortly before the main altar. I brushed some strands of hair from her forehead and checked her temperature, even knowing how stupid the gesture was. Far too high.


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    ¡°You were great, Nari,¡± Mother said, her voice quiet and a little raspy.


    I smiled at her, but I knew it looked strained. We were safe for the moment, but we really couldn¡¯t hide out here forever. Mother needed the best medical attention. If that¡¯s even enough. I could at least try to care for her now, but I didn¡¯t know what I could accomplish. And she seemed to be getting worse.


    ¡°Any doctors or healers here?¡± I asked the crowd.


    They shuffled awkwardly, looking at each other. Finally, a young woman stepped forward, keeping her gaze fixed to the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m a physician¡¯s assistant, Your Highness. But ¡­¡± she swallowed audibly. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. Her Majesty is in the eighth stage, she shouldn¡¯t ¡­¡± she trailed off, then shook her head, her voice a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything I can do.¡±


    ¡°Take a look, at least,¡± I encouraged her, trying not to let the way my stomach dropped like a lead ball enter my voice.


    She shuffled forward, and I moved to the side to let her get closer to Mother. In the silence that followed, I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to center myself.


    I was just starting to realize what all this meant. Even if Mother survived and we beat the attackers, that wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. At least everyone seems to be careful not to bring the palace down around us, I noted mentally. There aren¡¯t many eighth stagers involved, really. Many are probably sitting this out, waiting to see who wins. I frowned at the thought. Actually, this can¡¯t be an isolated attack. It¡¯s not like we can hear about what¡¯s happening elsewhere, right now. For all I know, whole parts of the Empire could be in open rebellion.


    After a minute, the woman looked up again and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. It seems to be some sort of poison technique. I don¡¯t have any medicines on me that would help. To be frank, I don¡¯t know if we have anything that could save her.¡±


    How helpful. I smoothed out my frown and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then I looked down at Mother, who at least still had her eyes open. ¡°Can you tell us anything useful?¡±


    She grimaced and shook her head slightly. ¡°No. My qi is too drained to successfully fight it. I can feel myself getting weaker.¡±


    I exhaled slowly, then glanced up. ¡°Mother, please release your aura. Everyone, back off.¡±


    They all scrambled away, and Mother released the tight control she had on her qi presence. I felt it wash over me with a distinct sense of pressure. Even injured, she was still in the eighth stage. But I found it easily bearable, with the qi of the place, my father¡¯s qi, reinforcing me.


    I sat back and took a closer look at her aura. There was something itching at the back of my mind, the seed of an idea. I tried to trace the foreign qi that was infesting her, then turned my attention to her presence in my qi senses, itself, to the deeper layers of my aura. Even given the situation, it was fascinating.


    I could almost see patterns in Mother¡¯s qi signature. Nothing specific, I couldn¡¯t really ¡®read¡¯ it, but with my special ability, I felt like I made some sense of it.


    It was a good thing that I¡¯d met Elia and had the opportunity to take a look at her qi presence. That helped me see how being a spirit-child would manifest itself, compared to my own aura. I also remembered Al¡¯s, both before and after his soul journey, and other members of our clan. Taken together, this gave me some idea of what I was looking at, what I was looking for.


    ¡°Mother, what¡¯s your special ability?¡± I asked. I¡¯d known she had one for a while, but she¡¯d never actually told me.


    She smiled a little, and answered in my mind. ¡®I have an ability to read and influence the emotions of others.¡¯


    I flinched. What?


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ she continued before I could start to freak out. ¡®It doesn¡¯t work on you. In general, it only works on people I don¡¯t care about. The more I¡¯m emotionally invested in or connected to someone, the weaker it is. I couldn¡¯t do anything with anyone I genuinely like, or even hate. Though it¡¯s easier with enemies than friends. I won¡¯t be able to influence these traitors enough to make a difference, even if I can tell they¡¯re feeling angry, resentful, contemptuous, or determined. Besides, they¡¯d have to be in the room.¡¯


    I scooted closer to her. ¡®That¡¯s a really interesting limitation. But you¡¯re right, this doesn¡¯t help us now.¡¯


    Mother groaned. ¡®It might not help anyone, anymore. I can tell it¡¯s not looking good for me, Nari.¡¯


    I took another long look at her qi signature, then smiled at her. ¡°Have some confidence, Mother. Defeatism isn¡¯t going to help you succeed.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡±


    ¡°Ascension.¡±


    She just stared at me for a moment, then let out a raspy chuckle. ¡°You think I can do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you. I¡¯m not the daughter of the guiding spirit for nothing.¡± I grinned at her, trying to project confidence, and laid a hand on her good shoulder. ¡°Honestly, you ascending to the white stage is our best chance, and the situation is definitely giving you the push you need for a breakthrough, right?¡±


    She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again. Now, she looked calm and focused. ¡°Alright. What do I do?¡±


    I paused for a moment to gather my thoughts, recalling what she¡¯d told me about the ninth stage and what I¡¯d gathered from Isuro. ¡°There¡¯s more to it than a typical breakthrough. You could probably cultivate for ages and not get what you really need to ascend. I think that¡¯s because it¡¯s not really about qi, or not just qi.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow.


    I scratched my cheek. ¡°I told you what I learned about our soul journeys, right? Inera¡¯s curse? I think this ascension touches on that stuff, that has to do with the different worlds. Maybe the deeper fabric of the multiverse or whatever. We already had some contact with that with the soul journeys. I think I can even see it in your aura. Just focus on that.¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Start meditating, but keep listening to me. I¡¯ll talk you through things as best as I can, okay? Deep breaths. Release your aura. Let the qi flow through your body on its natural paths. Settle down and let it do what it does.¡±


    I tried to make my voice soft and soothing, but still strong. Mother closed her eyes and started to fall into what I recognized as a meditative state. I kept talking, guiding her into an almost trance-like state, although she was still focused on me. I could feel my father¡¯s presence, almost looking over my shoulder, guiding me with subtle influence. I didn¡¯t fight that or try to figure it out, just focused on Mother.


    And I tried not to let the foreign qi creeping through her bother me. It wasn¡¯t going to kill her in the next few minutes, and it didn¡¯t really impact what we needed to do.


    ¡°Your body is dying, but we need your mind and spirit to move on,¡± I said calmly. ¡°For that, you need to touch the fabric of existence beyond qi, beyond this world. It¡¯s reflected in the qi. You already touched it when you lived through your soul journey, and your special ability is connected to that. You need to leave your body behind. That includes your core and vessels. Push all of your qi out, but keep it under control around you.¡±


    This was the tricky part, and I focused on so hard that everything else seemed to fall away. Slowly, I guided her through the process of prepping for ascension to a different plane of existence.


    ¡°Now, you need to sever yourself.¡±


    Mother opened her eyes, giving me one last look, light and darkness fading from her eyes. ¡®I should have said this earlier, but ¡­ I am sorry, Nari.¡¯


    Then the world went white for an instant.


    I felt my father¡¯s presence more keenly than before, laid over the space of the temple, and layering over me. I¡¯d closed my eyes and withdrawn most of my qi senses on instinct, but I still had a vague idea of what was happening.


    Mother¡¯s body started burning up with qi. Some tore free, swirling through the room. Part of it was drawn into me. But most of her qi kept a vague form. I felt her presence, no longer bound to her physical body, which was being destroyed in seconds. It seemed to spread out, losing some cohesion, and yet there was still order and structure to it. It shot upwards, through the ground and towards the sky. In a moment, it was gone.


    I opened my eyes and sighed wearily, starting to circulate qi through my channels almost on autopilot. My mother was gone.


    I knew that she had survived, but it hadn¡¯t been easy, still wasn¡¯t easy. Somehow, Rijoko let me know that she would need time to gather herself, to rebuild her self as something closer to a spirit. It would be years, probably decades, until she could come back and I would see her again.


    I let my hands fall onto the ground, suddenly feeling tired, even as I kept drawing in qi. I knew what she¡¯d apologized for at the end. It wasn¡¯t leaving me alone, or at least not just that. It was what she¡¯d explained, but never asked forgiveness for. What I¡¯d said I understood, but never forgiven.


    She told me she loved me, but I¡¯ve never actually said ¡®I love you¡¯ back, I realized, coldness spreading through my guts.


    I shook my head and pushed myself upward. Empress Acura the First of House Leri, ruler of the Empire of the Sky, was more or less gone. I still had a lot to deal with.

 105: Guidance

    <div>


    I paced up and down Rijoko¡¯s shrine, my footsteps echoing in the silence. I had trouble keeping my gaze from the spot where Mother had just been.


    There were a lot of emotions waging war inside me, and I took deep breaths, trying to keep them in check. Grief was making steady headway and would probably win my internal war soon, but I didn¡¯t allow it to. I shoved everything aside, to deal with later, and looked around the shrine.


    The other people here had fled to the side chambers and were now peeking out, their faces pale and their eyes wide. I didn¡¯t talk to them. I just didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with them right now.


    I didn¡¯t know if the fight for the palace had concluded or was still ongoing. There weren¡¯t that many people waiting outside, which gave me some hope that we hadn¡¯t lost yet. Although they were all strong. Li, and several people who had to be in the seventh stage. There was no way we¡¯d fight our way out. But they seemed agitated, from what I could tell by their auras. A few were pacing, and they might be arguing.


    Well, they¡¯d probably felt something of Mother¡¯s ascension, at least. Li probably figured out what was happening.


    I grimaced to myself. I just hoped my siblings were okay. Well, it¡¯s a good thing that I don¡¯t see them. They aren¡¯t parading them in front of the shrine to get me to surrender. Hopefully, that means Al and An are safe.


    I really wanted to go out and check, not just on them, but on the state of the fight, on Kariva and the others. But I was still stuck here. They clearly didn¡¯t dare break in for fear of the Moon¡¯s wrath, but I couldn¡¯t just sit here. I had to do something.


    But what could I do?


    I sighed and glanced again at the other people who¡¯d taken shelter in the shrine. No one above the sixth stage. They¡¯d find out easily if we tried to tunnel out or something. I kept pacing, trying to keep my breathing even and calm.


    Then I had an idea. I stopped, frowned thoughtfully, then shook my head at myself. It was a bit crazy, but it might just be what I needed.


    This time, I could be pretty sure it was my own idea, not Rijoko¡¯s. As I hurried about the room to prepare things, focusing intently on what I was going to do, I could swear I caught the echo of a chuckle across our connection.


    ¡°Be careful and keep back,¡± I said to the others. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with what I¡¯m going to do. Best if they don¡¯t notice you at all.¡±


    They bowed and acknowledged my command, so I turned back and headed for the door. I hesitated in front of it, then steeled my nerves.


    ¡°Li!¡± I called through the door. ¡°I want to talk to you, privately. This is the only chance I¡¯m going to give you.¡±


    There was silence and the murmur of voices, too low for me to make out, then he answered. ¡°I agree, Princess. Open the door so we can talk.¡±


    ¡°Send the others away and block sound.¡±


    Then I stepped back and nodded to the priest from before, who swallowed heavily but opened the doors just a little. I raised a qi barrier behind me to block the sound of our conversation, and checked that Li was doing the same. The rest of them had retreated to the end of the corridor.


    Li still had a hand on his cane and was looking calm and composed. He smiled. ¡°Princess Inaris. I hope this means you realize how untenable your position is and are prepared to work with us.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got an offer for you, Li. One that can benefit us both. But first, do you realize what happened with Mother?¡±


    He didn¡¯t let any emotion show on his face. ¡°She is gone, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Not just gone, ascended. I¡¯m sure you could feel it, your qi senses are certainly good enough.¡±


    He regarded me in silence for a moment, before he nodded slowly. ¡°Yes. However, you do realize that the spirits and those like them play by certain rules. You will not be able to count on her fighting for you. In fact, she has left you far more vulnerable than before.¡±


    I waved that off, glad that he didn¡¯t know that Mother was in no condition to fight, anyway. ¡°How old are you, Li?¡± I asked. ¡°I would guess a thousand years, perhaps, or a little less. And you have just entered the early part of the eighth stage. That might give you a few years, but you have to see death looming around the corner. You will die soon, no matter which medicines you try.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Do you have a point, girl?¡±


    ¡°My point is that you have essentially no hope of reaching the white stage. At least, under normal circumstances. But I could do for you what I did for Mother. I could help you ascend.¡±


    His knuckles whitened on his cane. In his eyes, I could see that I had him. The desperation, the flicker of hope.


    ¡°How could I trust you, and what would be the price?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have much of a choice. But Mother just ascended, which should be proof enough. I am, after all, the daughter of the Moon. And the price will not concern you much, given your situation. I want you to ensure that my side wins this fight.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He didn¡¯t sound very bothered by that.


    ¡°Betray your allies. Tell your disciples to stab them in the back, lead them where they can be easily struck down by the Imperial Guard. I don¡¯t really care about the details, you¡¯re more than capable of handling it.¡± I paused, then straightened up. ¡°I do want assurances, of course. An oath on the Moon, before you come in. And in turn, I promise in Rijoko¡¯s name that I will help your efforts to ascend to the white stage. Although, of course, whether you succeed will depend on you.¡±


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    He hesitated, considering it for almost a minute. Finally, he nodded. ¡°I agree. I swear on the Moon¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Li didn¡¯t waste any time, but turned around and started talking into a communication device. I stepped back and closed the doors, for now.


    The next few minutes, I paced up and down the shrine again. There was some movement outside, even more than before. Finally, all of the other people left, and Li approached the door again. I opened them just wide enough for him to enter.


    He hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. I took that as assurance that he¡¯d fulfilled his side of the bargain. One didn¡¯t just break an oath made on the Moon¡¯s name and then stroll inside his temple.


    He¡¯d essentially just cut all ties with his allies, which meant I¡¯d taken an important player out of the equation. I was confident that Kariva and Kiyanu could handle things from here. But now, I had an eighth-stager in the shrine to deal with.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Take up a cultivating position, Li. We¡¯re all out of cushions, unfortunately.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, then got into a lotus position on the floor, laying his cane by his side.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, this is not going to work out,¡± I reminded him.


    At the same time, I reminded myself that while he might be able to kill me, it would be suicidal for him to try. I had to keep my composure.


    ¡°I do trust your word.¡± After seeing me raised eyebrow, he added in a begrudging tone, ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    I nodded and clasped my hands behind my back, standing straighter. ¡°Great. Now, release your veil, start breathing deeply and focusing on your qi. I¡¯ll explain a few things.¡±


    While he started to enter a meditative state, I repeated what I¡¯d told Mother about qi and the wider multiverse, although I didn¡¯t mention soul journeys or special abilities. That didn¡¯t give me much to actually say, of course. I took a good look at his aura in the meanwhile, and couldn¡¯t find any sign of anything similar to a soul journey, or a special ability.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t have some hidden surprises. I wasn¡¯t that good at reading people¡¯s auras. He seemed like what I imagined a typical air cultivator in the eighth stage would be like, but he probably did have some ¡®trump cards¡¯ up his sleeves. Not that they were likely to help him here.


    I paused and just watched him for a while, before I kept talking. ¡°Keep listening to me. Take deep breaths. Let qi flow through your body on its natural paths, and watch what it does.¡±


    I kept watching as Li sank deeper into his meditation, although not as deep as Mother. This time, Rijoko didn¡¯t help me, not that I¡¯d expected him to. It didn¡¯t matter much, anyway.


    ¡°Now, what you need to do is leave your body behind, and let your mind and spirit move on,¡± I said. I started walking, putting a bit more distance between us. ¡°That includes your core and vessels. Focus on what¡¯s beyond this world. Push your qi out and keep it under control around you.¡±


    He started the process, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. He clearly had trouble with it, more than Mother. Of course, he was only in the early part of the eighth stage and didn¡¯t have her experiences.


    ¡°Now,¡± I said as I began to take up a stone cutting tool from the bench I¡¯d laid it on. ¡°You eventually need to sever yourself, but that¡¯s something you¡¯ll need to get to, yourself. And I have to tell you, your chances aren¡¯t very good. I¡¯d wish you good luck, but that would be a lie.¡±


    He flinched and I could sense his focus falter. ¡°What? You swore an oath to help me!¡±


    I started walking around him, cutting a circle into the stone around him. ¡°I promised to help your efforts to ascend, I didn¡¯t say I would do everything I could to make sure you succeeded. I did help you quite a lot. Now, my last piece of advice is to keep going. You¡¯re too far to back out, and honestly, this is still your best chance if you ever want to attain immortality.¡±


    I focused on the floor and kept carving runes, constructing formation arrays. I was glad of my perfect memory and improved body, which kept my hand perfectly steady. The containment circle was taking shape quickly.


    ¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean much. I think I¡¯ve raised your chances from extremely low to very low. Still, the prospect of immortality is worth it to you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I finished a complicated rune and took a deep breath. The qi in this place was gathered densely, perhaps from Mother¡¯s ascension. It certainly hadn¡¯t been quite that strong before. I cultivated a little while I worked, to shore up my reserves and use it to finish quickly. It felt almost effortless, I barely had to pull before a large tide of qi would flow into my body.


    I paused and concentrated on my dantian and channels. It felt like I was nearing a breakthrough. It should be far too soon, but my cultivation had never been normal.


    A groan from Li brought my attention back to him. He still had his eyes closed, and didn¡¯t appear to be aware of it. Veins stood out on his skin, and he was sweating heavily. I could tell his control over his qi was tenuous. He didn¡¯t quite succeed in pushing it away, but it was clearly slipping beyond his control.


    I grinned, then glanced at my finished formation. In truth, I had no idea if it would work, or make any difference at all. But things were going well so far.


    ¡°Moon, hear my call, and turn your gaze to this temple,¡± I intoned. I knew his attention was already here, but a bit of ritual seemed called for.


    Li groaned again. His eyes opened, and he glared at me, storms raging behind his eyelids.


    ¡°This is your own stupid fault, but thanks for that,¡± I said, then cleared my throat and started walking in the circle around him. ¡°Father, hear your daughter¡¯s call, and behold my offering.¡±


    I paused where I¡¯d started, waiting for the right moment. Li¡¯s qi was fluctuating wildly now, and streams of it were starting to escape from around him, with quickly increasing strength. He started to bleed from his nose, eyes and ears.


    I tossed some of the temple¡¯s incense on my enemy. ¡°Rijoko, take what has been prepared for you, and accept my sacrifice.¡±


    As if on cue, Li started burning up. His body burst into flames, and qi erupted outward. Most of it was held by my containment circle.


    I backed away, shielding my eyes and curling my qi senses inward, but tried to get a sense of what was happening. Most of the qi in the detonation was contained, being funneled upwards and away. Rijoko taking what was now his.


    That was a relief. All of that qi getting loose uncontrolled might do catastrophic damage to its surroundings. Well, Li should have thought twice before attempting ascension inside a temple to a Greater Spirit.


    But not all of the qi was being taken. More flew out of Li¡¯s burning remains and the containment circle, escaping into the air around it. It felt like Rijoko was taking control, perhaps attenuating it, but some was slamming into me. I staggered back a step, then scrambled my focus and started breathing it in, cultivating.


    It was a lot. Even with me actively sucking in as much as I could and circling it through my body, it felt like I¡¯d been dumped into hot water. I didn¡¯t know if Rijoko was funneling qi to me as a reward, and right now, I didn¡¯t have the attention to spare for that question.


    My legs folded underneath me, and I assumed a cultivating position, deepening my focus. I could feel the raging torrent of qi blasting against the walls of my core as I steered it through my channels, tried to keep it under control.


    Then I gathered it, weathering the stab of pain as my core burst and expanded, and I wrestled the qi through my body again, letting parts of it bleed off into my meridians and the rest of my body before I gathered it in my core once more.


    The world disappeared around me as my awareness shrank to the qi inside me, guiding it through the process, even the stabs of pain fading into the background.

 106: Distractions

    <div>


    When I opened my eyes again, the world was crisp and clear. I could sense the qi around me far better than I could ever remember, and my range had expanded considerably once again. My body seemed to brim with energy, and as I slowly got to my feet, it felt a little like I was floating through water.


    I cracked my neck and examined my surroundings. I was still in Rijoko¡¯s shrine, and since I didn¡¯t see a clock or the sky, I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. It felt like a very fast breakthrough, though the people who¡¯d been sheltering in the side rooms were gone. Instead, there were half a dozen guards kneeling beside the entrance and the closed double doors. The air smelled faintly of smoke, and while the guards all wore clean clothing, the scent of sweat, blood and ash still clung to them.


    I stepped forward, careful of my new strength. While my body was ready to go, I didn¡¯t feel as calm or refreshed as I might have expected. The events of the last few hours, or however long it was, were just too much, too raw. I couldn¡¯t help but look at where Mother had almost died again. The fact that she was gone took some getting used to, and its implications were staggering.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Please rise. How long has it been?¡±


    The guards stood up, and their leader, a cultivator in the seventh stage, answered. ¡°You have been cultivating for your breakthrough for half a day, Your Highness. Congratulations on reaching the fifth stage.¡±


    Half a day. That was quick, certainly not as bad as it could have been. ¡°I take it from your presence that we won this battle?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± He looked up, then dropped his gaze to the floor again. It wasn¡¯t hard to read the awe with which he looked at me. Like the others.


    ¡°Then take me to whoever is in command here,¡± I ordered.


    They led me out of the shrine quickly. I glanced at the corridor while I considered the situation. It didn¡¯t look like a fight had broken out here. With the other people in the shrine, what had happened should be known already.


    We moved quickly through the remnants of this corner of the palace. A few times, I saw signs of cleanup, where broken furniture had been removed and crumbling walls propped up. But it was still in bad shape. There were too many holes, and few of the windows remained, letting in the cool outside air. At least the smell of dust and blood was dwindling. A few times, I saw other people, moving through the halls and outside grounds with purpose. Most of them seemed to be soldiers, and all were at least in the fourth stage. I hoped that the weaker ones were still waiting in a shelter.


    Someone had erected a tent before the main building, though one of its sides was completely open. Conference tables, chairs and cabinets were scattered throughout it, as were several strong cultivators. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Kariva and Kiyanu.


    I almost wished that Aston was here, or my friends, but it was good that they¡¯d been safe from the attack.


    Everyone bowed deeply or knelt when I entered the improvised command center. A brief flash of relief passed through Kiyanu¡¯s face.


    ¡°Rise,¡± I said again. ¡°Good to see you¡¯re all alright. How¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°My lady,¡± Kariva greeted me with a strained smile. ¡°We won. After they started fighting among themselves and becoming easy targets, we managed to kill most of the attackers. A few fled, though, and we¡¯ve gotten some concerning reports from outside. I assume that division was your work?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Li¡¯s disciples, I¡¯d guess.¡±


    Kariva shook her head. ¡°I knew you were destined for greatness, my lady, but I never would¡¯ve thought you could defeat someone four stages higher and a thousand years older than yourself. This is going to make you a legend, whatever happens.¡±


    I shrugged, scratching my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s not like I killed him in a fight, more like manipulated him into killing himself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still impressive,¡± Kiyanu put in. ¡°We heard ¡­ what happened to Acura?¡±


    ¡°Before I get into that, are my siblings alright?¡±


    Kariva nodded. ¡°They¡¯re both alive, unharmed and safe. Xiaodan is still in the city¡¯s palace, while we¡¯ve put Alaster under guard close by here, with other civilians.¡±


    I sighed in relief and took a moment to gather myself, before I briefly told them everything that had happened, including Mother¡¯s ascension. I also related my impression that she was more or less gone now, at least for the immediate future.


    There was a moment of silence after I finished. I could see they were trying to figure out what it meant, as did I. Am I going to be Empress now? I shivered. I hope not. I¡¯m nowhere near ready, and many people won¡¯t accept a fifth stager on the throne, no matter who her parents are. Well, Mother isn¡¯t dead, anyway.


    ¡°Her Majesty did have a plan for an eventuality like this, in case she died before you reached the eighth stage, Your Highness,¡± Kiyanu finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll need a moment to find something.¡±


    ¡°Before we discuss that,¡± Kariva cut in. ¡°We need to deal with another matter.¡±


    ¡°Carston.¡± I grimaced, feeling a stab of anger. I was almost positive he was involved in this, somehow. It would be too much of a coincidence, otherwise. My intuition told me he¡¯d betrayed us. That could be a hint Rijoko had left me.


    Kariva nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve apprehended him and been keeping him under heavy guard. He¡¯s been belligerent so far, but perhaps he¡¯ll respond better if you interrogate him.¡±


    I smiled. If Mother was around, she might not approve of Kariva¡¯s actions. But she wasn¡¯t, and I did.


    I glanced around at the other people, who hadn¡¯t participated in the conversation so far. The man I recognized as Commander Wu of the Imperial Guard hadn¡¯t stopped talking into a communication device once, presumably coordinating the palace¡¯s defenses. A large squad of guards had also shown up here, who I assumed would be escorting me. The other military people seemed similarly busy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to him,¡± I decided. If we got information from Carston, that would help me in figuring out how to deal with the rest of what was happening. My anger hadn¡¯t abated, either.


    Besides, I should do this before I met Al. Already, I didn¡¯t know whether I was looking forward to or dreading seeing my siblings. I needed to see they were okay, but I¡¯d have to tell them about Mother.


    Kariva led me out of the tent and through the courtyard, before we entered another of the palace buildings. This one was in slightly better shape, and kept at least a few windows. The hallways were empty, but I could sense strong presences gathered below. Kariva guided me down a staircase into the basement, then stopped before a heavy steel door.


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    The room beyond was bare, with featureless gray walls, an interrogation table and two chairs the only furniture. Three elites in the seventh stage guarded Carston, who sat in one of the chairs. His hands were caught in heavy black handcuffs that radiated strong qi and seemed to clamp onto his aura. He looked a bit disheveled, with his jacket half undone, but his face was set into grim lines, and his expression didn¡¯t flicker when we entered.


    I got out a qi talisman from my storage ring and took a deep breath before I entered, with Kariva on my heels. I sat down in the other chair while Kariva remained standing further back, giving me some space.


    ¡°So, Dalcarston,¡± I said. ¡°I assume that¡¯s your name where you¡¯re from?¡±


    He regarded me in silence for a moment, then sighed. ¡°The Dal- prefix marks me as a noble, but since my house doesn¡¯t exist in this world, I cannot really use it. My name is Carston.¡±


    I had to resist the urge to ask more questions about that. I¡¯d suspected that he was from another planet, and while confirmation was nice, it didn¡¯t matter much right now.


    ¡°I stumbled from an unstable portal about a hundred years ago,¡± he added, in a bored tone. ¡°Just sheer, stupid, random chance to end up here.¡±


    Mother had mention that rarely, random portals appeared, but we couldn¡¯t predict or create them. At least that made sense.


    ¡°And you moved to this country after that. But because it¡¯s not your home, you felt free to just betray it and the woman who loved you. And your son.¡±


    I watched his expression closely, and saw his gaze flicker at the last two words. ¡°Baseless accusations,¡± he stated, still in a calm tone of voice.


    I snorted and leaned forward slightly. ¡°Nonsense. I can tell you¡¯re not innocent, Carston. I don¡¯t even need improved intuition for that.¡±


    He shrugged and didn¡¯t say anything further.


    ¡°You know, I met a descendant of the Sun,¡± I said. My spirit enemies probably knew that much already, so I didn¡¯t see a point in keeping it from him. ¡°She¡¯s quite good at reading people and knows if they¡¯re telling the truth. I¡¯m going to call my friends back, after everything that¡¯s happened here, and ask them to bring her along. Of course, if we need to wait for her to arrive, it¡¯s not going to make your interrogation any more pleasant.¡±


    Carston frowned. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare harm me. Your Mother ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t here anymore,¡± I cut him off, staring straight into his eyes while keeping my face set in a cold expression. ¡°Because of you and your associates. Believe me, I don¡¯t have many scruples in this situation. I¡¯d happily have Kariva torture you if that¡¯s what we need to get the answers. Hell, I¡¯ll watch and I might even enjoy it.¡±


    He looked down, breaking eye contact. My icy stare must have unnerved him, and he must have seen I wasn¡¯t bluffing.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I added in a slightly softer tone. ¡°They clearly left you behind, cut their losses, and wrote you off. Don¡¯t you owe it to us to explain, or at least to Al?¡±


    ¡°I did not betray Al,¡± he said stiffly. After a moment, he sighed, then raised his eyes to me again. ¡°Although I will admit that I did betray you, Inaris, as a side effect. There¡¯s nothing personal about it.¡±


    I sat back, feeling a sharp burn in my chest at the confirmation. ¡°You helped them through the wards?¡±


    ¡°I told them what I knew about them, then signaled them when it was a good time to attack,¡± he said matter-of-factly. ¡°It was distasteful, but I had to do it. And, of course, I kept Acura distracted.¡±


    I gritted my teeth. ¡°You wormed your way back into her confidences, playing on her emotions. And you don¡¯t feel guilty about that?¡±


    A bit of fire entered his eyes now. ¡°She deserved it,¡± he spat. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she stringing me along, before? Always keeping me at arm¡¯s length, never really letting me into her confidences, sleeping with whoever caught her fancy while I saved myself for her.¡±


    ¡°You entitled bastard,¡± I hissed. ¡°If you have a problem with an open relationship, you talk to your partner about it, not try to get her killed!¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Did the Zarian let you go?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°I suspect a faction of them was involved, not their whole government. They let Isuro visit to talk to me, at least.¡±


    I grimaced at hearing his name. ¡°And what did he say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, not much. It was the others that really got into it.¡± Carston frowned a little. ¡°They were rather determined to get me on their side.¡±


    I took a deep breath. This just raised the question of whether his mind had been tampered with. I didn¡¯t see any signs of it, and Kariva and her people couldn¡¯t have, either, but there might be minor things. We might have to wait for Elia, after all.


    ¡°And?¡±


    Carston crossed his arms. I noted his body language getting more defensive. ¡°They made me swear an oath on Jideia¡¯s name. I wouldn¡¯t betray the Empire to the Zarian, but they did put me in contact with some who were unhappy with its leadership. I assume they¡¯re connected via the Storm¡¯s people, but you must suspect that already.¡± He pulled a face. ¡°An oath like that isn¡¯t easily broken, you must understand.¡±


    I cocked my head, considering him for a moment. I didn¡¯t think he had as little choice as he was implying. His words earlier certainly didn¡¯t sound like it, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to force him to make an oath like this. Though manipulation was certainly involved.


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t betray Alaster,¡± Kariva prompted after a moment. She hadn¡¯t moved from her spot, and her face was still expressionless.


    Carston nodded, his face settling into a more serene expression again. ¡°Yes. I made sure I received promises from every major player involved that he would not be harmed.¡±


    I snorted, shaking my head. As if having his mother killed with the help of his father wouldn¡¯t do psychological harm. ¡°I presume me and Xiaodan were supposed to get killed,¡± I noted. ¡°And the rest of the clan?¡±


    Carston shrugged. ¡°You, most likely. Xiaodan and the others, depending on the situation.¡±


    ¡°Then what was the plan?¡± Kariva asked.


    Carston sighed. ¡°The common people love the Leri, they knew that. They might not stand for having them deposed and exterminated outright. That was why they wanted to make this more palatable for the public, perhaps pin Acura¡¯s death on an accident or Zarian saboteurs officially.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. I didn¡¯t think the people would be so easy to pacify. But clearly the conspirators, mostly nobles, didn¡¯t think highly of the common people.


    ¡°Then they would put Al on the throne,¡± he added. ¡°With our eighth stagers holding the real power.¡±


    There was a moment of silence as we considered this. I suppressed a shiver at the thought that they could have succeeded.


    ¡°Presumably, you¡¯d play into this, as Alaster¡¯s father,¡± Kariva said. ¡°Probably hoping to leverage your position to gain power, and groom him. Did you realize they would eliminate him as well, if he became too much of a threat? Did you intend to have him actually take power once he reached the eighth stage, and you¡¯d wormed your way into his trust?¡±


    Carston glowered at her. ¡°I would have protected him, and of course I would have helped him become Emperor in truth.¡±


    I pushed my chair back and stood up, trying to keep my expression neutral. This might just be lines they¡¯d fed Carston to ensure his cooperation, but it seemed possible.


    ¡°Well, Al will just love to hear that,¡± I sighed.


    Carston looked up. ¡°You¡¯ll let me talk to him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d want to talk to you right now,¡± I said. I held out the small crystal I¡¯d tucked under my robe, letting him sense the qi in it. ¡°But I did record this conversation, and I¡¯ll show it to him. It won¡¯t be easy, but he deserves to know.¡±


    For the first time, Carston¡¯s composure visibly cracked, as he paled. Maybe he was recalling how he¡¯d talked about our Mother. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he pleaded. ¡°I need to explain to him myself.¡±


    I shook my head and pocketed the device. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard enough for now.¡±


    Kariva snapped her fingers, and two of the elites descended on Carston, while she followed me out the door. Once I stepped outside, I took a moment to collect myself and exhale deeply.


    ¡°What are you going to do with him?¡± Kariva asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He committed treason, but, shit, he¡¯s still Al¡¯s father. We can¡¯t really keep him imprisoned, he¡¯s too strong for that. Death would be easiest, but ¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet you were willing to torture him,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°That¡¯s different. Execution is permanent.¡± I sighed. ¡°Al might come to hate me for it, even if it¡¯s in twenty or a hundred years.¡± I fell quiet for a moment, then shook my head. ¡°There¡¯s no other good option. It will probably have to be banishment, if we can find a way to keep him from going to the Zarian. Well, we have some time to consider it.¡±


    Kariva frowned, but she didn¡¯t argue.


    I glanced at the door, then made my way back up the stairs and through the building, entering the courtyard. While I walked slowly back to the command center, I tried to think of how best to deal with this. Kariva followed me a few meters behind, talking into a qi communication device.


    ¡°This fight is far from over, my lady,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°General Wei has fled to the east with some survivors of this fight, towards where nobles loyal to their conspiracy have started seizing cities and locations of strategic or logistic importance. The same seems to be happening in a few clusters throughout the continent. And to a lesser extent, at the front. Though thankfully, disruption there seems to be limited.¡±


    I sighed and pinched my nose. All we needed was for the Zarian to take advantage of this civil unrest and overrun our frontline before conquering their way north.


    I increased my pace. We needed to react to this.

 107: Responsibility

    <div>


    As it turned out, things were already being handled. Which was good, since I didn¡¯t have the experience or qualifications to manage military issues, but at the same time had to be involved in the political decisions.


    I didn¡¯t mind that the gathered officers, especially the commander of the Imperial Guard, hadn¡¯t spared me more than a quick look and bow when we returned to the improvised command center. They¡¯d make sure our front line didn¡¯t fall completely apart with this betrayal, and get a grip on the state of the coup¡¯s forces.


    But I did note that Chancellor Gen had arrived, along with a few other high-ranking officials. He stood talking with Kiyanu, and after a moment of consideration, I joined them.


    ¡°There you are, Princess Inaris,¡± Kiyanu greeted me. ¡°Good. I was about to go looking for you. And Lady Kariva.¡±


    I nodded at them. ¡°Kiyanu. How do we stand with the eighth stagers?¡±


    He sighed a little. ¡°Most of them appear to be dithering. Trying to wait until the dust clears some more and see how the situation develops, I¡¯d say. At least they aren¡¯t going to join the conspirators. And I have received several communications that expressed concern or interest. Her Majesty¡¯s ascension didn¡¯t go unnoticed.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. I should probably assume that the info is going around. Rumors travel quickly, after all. But that was a good thing in this case. At least, we were better off than if she¡¯d really died.


    ¡°There are several who have assured us of their support,¡± he added. ¡°But I thought it prudent not to invite them to the palace until we resolve some things.¡±


    I nodded slowly. ¡°Like the issue of leadership, I assume.¡± I glanced at the politicians. ¡°Chancellor?¡±


    Gen smiled and bowed his head to me. ¡°This one is a loyal supporter of the Leri dynasty, Your Highness.¡± He raised his head and shrugged. ¡°I would prefer to simply attend to my duties in peace. I¡¯m certainly not the man to handle this war.¡±


    I smiled at him and bowed my head slightly, as well. ¡°I appreciate the support, and I think we can safely say that you will retain your position. As will the rest of the government.¡± I glanced at Kariva.


    ¡°Certainly.¡± She frowned thoughtfully. ¡°The rest of the clan should not be much of a problem, either, if we work together.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t really considered that. Good thing that Kariva was so strong, and probably knew how to deal with the elders of the clan.


    ¡°But we¡¯re talking around the point here,¡± she continued. ¡°Who¡¯s going to sit on the throne?¡±


    ¡°Well, I may be the heir but I¡¯m still too weak,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, Mother isn¡¯t dead.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s not around, either,¡± Gen said. ¡°Rulers who ascend to the white stage have traditionally given up their mortal crowns. I can¡¯t think of a case where the ascended remained on the throne. Of course, it still gives us some room to maneuver.¡±


    ¡°Probably the easiest short-term solution would be for you to marry a man in the black stage to be Emperor, and for the two of you to ¡®rule together¡¯,¡± Kariva mentioned.


    I grimaced. ¡°No. You can forget that idea.¡±


    ¡°I know. What happens when you ascend to the eighth stage, which shouldn¡¯t take long?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Besides, it would be hard to find someone capable and trustworthy. I know you wouldn¡¯t agree, Kiyanu.¡±


    The eighth stager nodded. ¡°Right. Acura did consider that as well, but I think another idea fits this situation better.¡±


    He produced a few sheets of paper from thin air. At a glance, I could see the Empress¡¯ seal attached, marking them as official documents.


    ¡°She intended to name me as regent,¡± Kiyanu explained. ¡°As guardian and mentor of the Imperial Princess, and entrusted with some responsibility of ruling in Her Majesty¡¯s name.¡± He glanced at me, his face serious. ¡°Once you reach the eighth stage, you would be formally crowned Empress. Until then, you could be a Crown Princess Ascendant, or whatever we may decide to call it. In effect, we¡¯d be ruling the Empire together.¡±


    I nodded slowly. This seemed sensible. I knew Mother trusted Kiyanu, although I didn¡¯t know how far. Still, he¡¯d been nothing but loyal. And knowing her special ability, I had even less reason to doubt her assessment. From what I¡¯d read, regents weren¡¯t really a thing for Imperial rulers, at least historically. But the concept wasn¡¯t completely unknown, and should work well enough. After all, most people would be on my side almost by default. And Kiyanu was popular with the army.


    ¡°I remember she talked about that. This does seem to be the best course of action,¡± Kariva agreed.


    Everyone else present agreed as well. They looked relieved that there wasn¡¯t going to be drama about it.


    Gan bowed to Kiyanu, the other politicians following suit. ¡°Good luck, my lord,¡± he said. ¡°I will try my best to manage the transition and serve you well. Let us hope your reign will be auspicious, prosperous, and short.¡±


    I noticed Kariva stifling a smile, while Kiyanu nodded seriously. ¡°Let us hope so.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Inaris, I know you have plans and visions, and I won¡¯t get in the way of those. I aim to take care of the more irritating and mundane matters, but you will still be the true monarch, if anyone. The way I envision it, we will steer the Empire together.¡±


    I smiled and bowed my head a little. ¡°Thank you, Kiyanu. I appreciate the sentiment, and your support.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really want to be the Imperial monarch all of a sudden, but I couldn¡¯t hand the reins to someone else entirely, so this suited me fine. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but at least I had the support I needed.


    For starters, I¡¯d let him worry about how to present this to the rest of the world, especially the eighth stagers.


    <hr>


    I didn¡¯t turn around right away when I heard the door open and someone step into the room. He wasn¡¯t hiding his presence, so I got a good sense of it, anyway. I stayed looking out the window for a moment, watching the soldiers cleaning up the shattered wall of a palace outbuilding. They worked quickly, but there was a lot still left to do once they¡¯d finished.


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    Then I turned around. The room we were in was small and almost bare, except for the high, arched windows. But the sun was setting, painting the scene outside in orange light, so the room remained dim. There was more than enough light to see my guest, though, and I took a second to scrutinize him. Kei Yating was dressed in somber colors, and his hair looked a little mussed, but the real sign that recent events had battered him was the set of his face. Most people might not notice, but I recognized a hint of redness in his eyes, signs that he¡¯d cried today.


    Of course, he had every reason to, his lover was suddenly gone. Still, the sight sent a sharp stab into my insides for a moment, of some emotion I couldn¡¯t quite name. I still hadn¡¯t shed a tear for Mother¡¯s departure. They just wouldn¡¯t come, even though thinking of it brought a painful, hollow feeling to my chest.


    ¡°Rise, please,¡± I said.


    Mother¡¯s lover stood from where he¡¯d been kneeling by the door, staying patiently still with his head bowed. ¡°You wanted to see me, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to talk,¡± I said. ¡°Take a seat if you want.¡±


    But I stayed standing, and while Kei Yating walked closer, he didn¡¯t sit down. Instead, after a moment of silence, he offered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Yours, too. I know you two were close.¡± I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts, then decided not to waste time. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guessed what this is about. Xiaodan.¡±


    With Mother out of the picture, I was now primarily responsible for her and Al. The thought weighed on my mind. I certainly hadn¡¯t expected to suddenly take the parental role for two younger siblings, and I didn¡¯t feel ready or qualified. But at least they still had their caretakers and tutors. And there was Kei Yating.


    The look in his eyes sharpened at her name, but he only nodded silently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I just don¡¯t have as much time for her as I¡¯d like.¡± I sighed softly. ¡°She essentially just lost her mother. But the unrest isn¡¯t over, much less the war. I imagine I¡¯ll be quite busy for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re her father. I¡¯d like you to keep an eye on her, help her adjust. Make sure she¡¯s alright.¡±


    His eyes brightened and he smiled as he realized what I was saying. ¡°Of course, my lady. I¡¯d be very happy to take care of Little An, if you¡¯ll allow me to.¡±


    I nodded and couldn¡¯t help my own lips curling upwards. ¡°Great. Don¡¯t mistake me, though.¡± I paused for a moment, my smile gone now. ¡°Mother didn¡¯t name you her father officially, and I won¡¯t go against her wishes by changing that.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I understand, Princess Inaris. I wouldn¡¯t expect anything else. And official recognition is secondary to me.¡±


    I relaxed, giving him a full smile. Why didn¡¯t Mother favor him over Carston? I couldn¡¯t help but think. Oh well, they say the heart does as it likes.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to stay in the city, under heavy guard, until we¡¯re absolutely sure of the palace¡¯s safety,¡± I explained. ¡°But she should be back in a few days, at most.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady. If you¡¯ll excuse me, there are a few things I¡¯d like to prepare.¡±


    I waved him off. ¡°Of course. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°To you, too, and thank you again.¡±


    I watched Kei Yating walk out of the room, his posture straight and gait confident. Unbroken. Knowing he¡¯d take care of my little sister made me feel a little better about everything.


    I shook my head, dismissing these thoughts, then left the room, as well. Four guards escorted me, with several more in positions farther away. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that most of them looked just as battered, their immaculate robes betrayed by the lines in their faces and the shadows in their eyes. They must have lost friends, comrades, perhaps even significant others, in the fighting. I made a mental note to talk to commander Wu about the Imperial Guard¡¯s numbers. They¡¯d need a lot of recruitment, but it would take time, and their reduced numbers were yet another problem.


    We reached our destination quickly, since the room was just a few doors over. This building was a part of the palace still mostly intact, so many things of importance had moved here, but this floor was intended for my use, and as personal quarters. Considering the situation, I really couldn¡¯t complain, even if I¡¯d much rather be in my own room. But I shook the feeling off and knocked, then waited for Al to invite me inside before I entered.


    When I stepped into the room, he still sat in the chair where I¡¯d left him, staring at the table in front of him. Or rather, the recording crystal lying there. I¡¯d left him alone fifteen minutes ago to let him listen to it in peace. But he didn¡¯t look very peaceful at the moment. His hands were clenched around the sleeves of his robe, and I could almost hear his jaw grinding.


    Silently, I walked over and pulled up a chair next to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. The guards all stayed outside, so we were alone here. An open door showed an unmade bed, and none of the furniture in the room looked used. There were no decorations or personal touches except for a spear and a sword he¡¯d leaned against the wall. At least he smelled clean and nothing looked broken.


    ¡°What are you going to do with him?¡± Al finally asked, his voice calm but with an undercurrent of tension.


    I sighed. ¡°Well, first I want to wait for the others to get back and have Elia take a look at him. I doubt we¡¯ll find anything important, but it¡¯s worth trying.¡±


    He finally moved his gaze from the device to me, turning to face me fully. ¡°And, Nari? What then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet,¡± I admitted. ¡°It will probably end up being exile. Maybe we¡¯ll manage to obstruct his cultivation. Kariva can keep him contained for a while longer, at any rate. She wouldn¡¯t let me just let him go, even if I wanted to.¡±


    Al nodded, looking down. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what to say.¡±


    I smiled and took hold of one of his hands, giving it a gentle squeeze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say or do anything, Al.¡±


    ¡°They wanted to use me in their scheme,¡± he stated, his voice still calm and even.


    ¡°They did,¡± I agreed. ¡°It makes a certain kind of sense. But it¡¯s not in any way your fault.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    I withdrew my hand, and we sat in silence for a bit. He picked up the device and turned it in his hands. Good thing I¡¯d made copies of the recording.


    ¡°Actually,¡± I finally said. ¡°There is something I need to ask of you.¡± I scratched my cheek. ¡°I want you to formally pledge your loyalty to me.¡±


    He looked up. ¡°Oh. Okay. Um ¡­¡±


    ¡°Not here,¡± I clarified. ¡°Later, in public. I want the rest of the important people from the clan to do it, too.¡±


    Al nodded. ¡°Of course, whatever you need. So, this thing with you and Kiyanu is working out?¡±


    ¡°It seems so. People are taking it well, so far.¡±


    He nodded again, then stood up, placing the recorder back on the table. I took the hint and stood, as well, watching Al fidget for a moment.


    ¡°Well, I have stuff to do,¡± I said. ¡°But you know you can talk to me if you need to, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. That goes for you, too. Good luck out there.¡±


    I smiled at him, stepped in for a short hug, then turned to go.


    ¡°Wait, Inaris.¡±


    I was almost at the door, but stopped and turned around. Al had stilled and was looking at me with a new hardness in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    He took a deep breath. ¡°I want you to kill him. Don¡¯t banish him or whatever, definitely not because you want to spare my feelings. Just let justice be done and execute him.¡±


    I blinked. What? ¡°You want me to have Carston executed?¡±


    He nodded, taking a step closer, his eyes still meeting mine with determination. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t spare him because he¡¯s my father. He betrayed Mother. He deserves it.¡± He grimaced for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    I paused, studying his expression. I could tell Al was serious about this. Very serious. The fire in his eyes gave me the impression that if I did exile Carston, Al would run off once he was strong enough, to hunt him down himself.


    ¡°You might come to regret this later,¡± I said. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± There was no hesitation in his voice. ¡°I won¡¯t regret it, and yes, I¡¯m sure this is what I want. I know it¡¯s your decision, Elder Sister, just be aware of that.¡±


    I nodded slowly. This vehement reaction wasn¡¯t quite what I¡¯d expected. Maybe it¡¯s a different cultural context. For me, it doesn¡¯t really matter, but maybe for him the shared blood is more significant. It could be about wiping a stain off the family or something. Or that¡¯s totally off and he just cares about Mother almost dying.


    ¡°I still want him to be interrogated with Elia there,¡± I said. ¡°But after that ¡­ We¡¯ll see. Maybe I¡¯ll have them put something in his food.¡±


    Al nodded, then turned back. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I left, shaking my head a little. This was probably for the best, all things considered.


    At least he hadn¡¯t wanted to kill Carston himself. That, I definitely would have vetoed. He didn¡¯t need patricide on his conscience. At least this way, it was still ultimately my responsibility. And I couldn¡¯t say I was particularly affected by that.

 108: Explain yourselves

    <div>


    Everyone else seemed surprised by the presence coalescing in the middle of the garden on one of the palace¡¯s upper terraces, qi starting to condense and form into a humanoid shape with no warning.


    I knew better than to be surprised, of course. Mior came and went when they wanted, and the spirit didn¡¯t need to care about the details of where or who was watching. I¡¯d half-expected Mior to show up, with everything that happened.


    Smiling, I stood up from my chair and took a step forward. There were a few other people with me, most notably Kariva and Commander Wu of the Imperial Guard. We¡¯d been talking about various matters in preparation for another session of court. It was a nice summer day, the sun shining down brightly but the temperature kept comfortable by a small breeze, and the scent of flowers from the garden complemented it well. A few other courtiers were walking through the farther reaches of the garden or on adjoining paths. Many of them stopped to stare, but I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be bothered here.


    ¡°Mior,¡± I greeted the spirit. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I assume this means you''ve parted ways with Aston?¡±


    The spirit¡¯s physical form looked the same as before, but I could sense the difference. There was no sign of my guard, and no indication of a connection to him in Mior¡¯s qi presence. There were a few small changes from the last time I¡¯d seen them like this, before the possession, but nothing I could pin down or make sense of.


    ¡®Inaris.¡¯  The spirit nodded at me, then gave another nod to the people behind me, who¡¯d also stood up, before Mior took a step towards me and laid a ghostly, weightless hand on my shoulder. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡¯


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ I hesitated for a moment. ¡®Have you ¡­?¡¯


    Mior shook their head. ¡®I¡¯ve ¡®seen¡¯ her, for lack of a better word, but there¡¯s not much to say. It will take a bit of time until Acura is ¡®there¡¯ enough to deal with others, but she¡¯s doing very well. And we, Rijoko and me, are going to watch over her, don¡¯t worry.¡¯


    I nodded, feeling some relief at those assurances. ¡®Thank you.¡¯


    ¡®To answer your earlier question, yes, I did extricate myself from Aston. It took a while, but there were no ill effects. I¡¯d say we¡¯re both a little wiser for the experience.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± I glanced at the others, noting that Kariva had put up several qi shields, while Wu was hanging back and most of the others had made themselves scarce. Then I turned back to Mior. ¡°You can probably tell that our situation is far from ideal right now.¡±


    The spirit chuckled. ¡®Oh, I know, Little Light. You managed to avert the worst of it, but you still have a civil war on your hands, and the Zarian aren¡¯t going to sit by and wait for you to sort things out. They¡¯ve already overrun your border fortifications, haven¡¯t they?¡¯ Mior shrugged. ¡®You know I can¡¯t offer you any direct help, and neither can your father.¡¯


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡®Well, the situation isn¡¯t as bad as it could be. You won¡¯t have black stage cultivators fighting each other and devastating the country.¡¯


    I blinked. ¡°Wait, why wouldn¡¯t they fight? Not that I want them to, but how can you be sure?¡±


    ¡°Is this because of our agreement with the Zarian?¡± Kariva asked.


    Mior nodded at her. ¡®Perceptive. You should keep that one around, Little Light. Yes, the oaths enforced by Rijoko and Jideia are going to ensure this. Since the conspirators have connections to the Zarian and are working in their favor, they are being considered as part of their war effort when it comes to this.¡¯


    My eyes widened. ¡°And you¡¯re going to make sure everyone knows this, right? Wow. Being publicly associated with the Zarian by the Greater Spirits is not going to be good for their reputation.¡±


    Mior only grinned in response.


    ¡°We need to capitalize on this,¡± I said, looking at the others. ¡°As quickly as possible, while they might still be reeling to adjust their plans. Perhaps we could even get them to talk and make concessions.¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget that this goes for your side, too,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®You lost the advantage in numbers of eighth stage cultivators.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡°True, but we also have the numerical advantage in the other stages. Even more so. Most of the army is still loyal, even if they¡¯re occupied with the Zarian.¡±


    Mior considered me for a moment longer, then nodded. ¡®Alright, I see you have this well in hand. Good luck, Inaris.¡¯


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± I said, sensing the spirit was about to disappear. ¡°What about Aston, where is he?¡±


    Mior smiled, already fading out. ¡®I dropped him off with his family.¡¯


    I stared at where the spirit had been for a moment even as I sensed them leaving. There¡¯d been something about the smile, like they were playing a joke on me. Well, knowing Mior, it won¡¯t be anything too bad. They¡¯re a softy, despite outside appearances.


    I shrugged and turned back to the others, noting that two of the officials had already left and Kariva was pocketing a communication device. ¡°Thoughts?¡±


    ¡°You should take some of the forces we¡¯ve managed to gather and confront Wei¡¯s group,¡± Kariva said. ¡°They have the most eighth stagers, not to mention the most soldiers overall, so they¡¯re going to be most affected by this development and might be open to negotiations.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I guess. I really didn¡¯t expect Wei to betray us like this, if I¡¯m honest.¡±


    Kariva nodded. ¡°Me neither. It¡¯s one reason I think you should talk to him. It might help, since he¡¯s generally a rational, reasonable man. And if not, he¡¯s definitely the one you should crush first.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°Not personally, of course.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re not concerned about my safety, alright.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll talk Kiyanu into letting you do this. And scramble the forces so you can leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Right away?¡± I pulled a face. ¡°I was hoping to be here when my friends come back.¡±


    We¡¯d called them back right after the attack. That the situation with Hajake still wasn¡¯t resolved bothered me, but this situation took priority. Plus, I really wanted to see them again. They¡¯d decided that Lei would stay on the Earth Continent to hold down the fort, while Tenira, Yarani and Elia hurried home. They should arrive soon.


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    Kariva shook her head. ¡°Spirits, that would take ages until you¡¯re ready to depart, if you welcome them here. Just go, they¡¯ll be here when you come back. You¡¯ve been separated for months, what¡¯s a little while longer?¡±


    I scowled at her, then sighed. ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯m going. You and Kiyanu can handle things here, with the announcement and all?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Leave it to us, my lady. Good luck.¡±


    I stared at her for a moment longer, not even sure what I was looking for, before I nodded and turned around to go. Perhaps Kariva was looking out for me in ways I didn¡¯t expect. I¡¯d felt restless and on edge, and I certainly appreciated the opportunity to go out and bring some pain to the people who¡¯d attacked us.


    <hr>


    From the plane¡¯s window, our enemies¡¯ stronghold looked tiny, almost insignificant. We were so far up I could see all of it and the surrounding area with a glance. The fortress reminded me of the outposts I¡¯d helped make along the southern border, although it was a little larger. A town huddled against its side like a hapless civilian seeking shelter from monsters. Which wasn¡¯t too far off, as metaphors went.


    I lowered the control stick and sent the plane into a dive, watching the ground expand rapidly. We¡¯d traveled most of the way by airship, since these airplanes weren¡¯t suited to long flights, but using some now was a demonstration more than anything.


    The other planes around me kept pace as we continued flying in formation. They pulled up just a little later than me as we neared the ground, but that probably meant I¡¯d been early. I tried not to let it bother me as I focused on the landing. At least we managed to set down mostly in formation.


    I waited until the plane stopped moving, then took a deep breath and pushed open the cockpit door, climbing out. Guards were already waiting to escort me. I nodded at them, then turned my attention to our surroundings.


    The group of people we¡¯d come to meet stood not far away, their presences thinly veiled to leave no doubt as to their strength. I recognized General Wei, as well as the older man who had to be his older brother and patriarch of the Wei clan, and a few officers I¡¯d seen with him. Those would have put their personal loyalties to him above their duty to the throne, and brought their troops to the conspirators¡¯ side. Or most of them. From the reports, things had gotten ugly.


    Most of the soldiers here would be in that group, but many of the fighters belonged to noble clans, Wei and others. A few representatives of those clans accompanied them. I recognized one of them and had to make sure my expression didn¡¯t betray me. Clan Tener. Was Aston here?


    They waited inside an enclosed approach to the fortress, with high walls rising on both sides. My own group walked up to them quickly, and I took a moment to check out the defenses. There were a number of seventh stage cultivators with me, including San Hashar and another general who¡¯d worked with Wei, though Kariva¡¯s agents had cleared both of them. Actually, they seemed to take his betrayal pretty hard.


    We had more strength gathered here than the traitors, so I didn¡¯t feel too anxious about approaching them. Of course, honor was supposed to keep this talk peaceful, as well, but Jideia¡¯s followers didn¡¯t have a good track record in that regard.


    ¡°Hail,¡± the eighth-stager, Wei Yong, greeted us as we came to a stop. He was tall and powerfully built, and his voice sounded like a miniature earthquake, but his expression was neutral. ¡°We are pleased to discuss recent events with you, but that is far enough.¡±


    I glanced at the meters still separating us, then back at the conspirators. None of the officers on my side said anything, so I let the silence build for a moment before I answered. ¡°I have no wish to come any closer to you. Greetings. I do hope you can explain yourselves.¡±


    I noted some of the glances going between members of their delegation, and others further back. They¡¯re afraid of me, I realized with a start. Maybe they heard about what happened to Li. Or, more likely, it¡¯s just the fact that I¡¯m in the fifth stage already.


    The Tener representative raised an eyebrow. ¡°We do not need to explain ourselves to a child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all traitors,¡± I said, ignoring him. ¡°Betraying the Empress you swore your fealty to, and backstabbing the country at the worst possible time, with the Zarian threatening everything.¡± I paused, then locked my gaze on the man I really wanted to talk to. ¡°I¡¯d have expected better of you, General Wei.¡±


    The general couldn¡¯t meet my eyes, instead looking down, a hint of a flush on his face.


    But his brother cut in immediately. ¡°We would have expected better of clan Leri, too. Upsetting centuries of order and a prospering economy, the very fabric of our society, with your new inventions. Dragging our country into a war with the Zarian. You have no ground to stand on.¡±


    San Hashar and a few of the officers accompanying me snorted, but by the looks of it, all of the conspirators agreed with this sentiment.


    I glared at him, then let my gaze sweep over the others. ¡°Funny you should blame us for the war with the Zarian, considering how your little conspiracy is being sponsored by them. Even the spirits recognize this, barring your black stage cultivators from fighting on their behalf. And now, everyone will be aware of it, destroying what little support you may have among the population.¡±


    One of the other nobles, a wizened old woman from clan Tener, snorted. ¡°A likely tale. Even if we did get outside support, which no one is able to prove anyway, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be from the Dominion.¡±


    I shook my head, turning back to Wei. ¡°None of this excuses what you did, your betrayal. What happened, general? Our clan spared yours, brought your family prosperity and even power after the old clan Wei lost the civil war. You fought for my Mother loyally for decades. Why throw all of that away now?¡±


    The older Wei ground his teeth, but he didn¡¯t say anything, letting his younger brother speak up. ¡°I wish things could have gone differently, Your Highness.¡± There was genuine sadness in his voice. ¡°But we¡¯re still clan Wei. My family needed me.¡± He raised his chin, and there was a spark in his eyes now as he looked at me. ¡°Besides, clearly we¡¯re not trusted or treasured vassals after all. My son deserved better.¡±


    I blinked, fighting to keep my confusion from showing. It only took a moment until I realized what he had to be talking about, and my throat clenched. The agent I¡¯d met on the Earth Continent, the one who hadn¡¯t made it back. He¡¯d been named Wei. I¡¯d thought it was just a coincidence, but now that I thought about it, I could see a faint resemblance in his looks. Well, hell. He was general Wei¡¯s son? Probably their clan¡¯s rising star.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry,¡± I said softly. ¡°But your son voluntarily risked his life for me. I didn¡¯t even tell him to do it, and I certainly didn¡¯t endanger him on purpose.¡±


    Wei Yong crossed his arms. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you didn¡¯t consider the fact he was your old rival clan¡¯s heir at all? That if his name had been different, he might not still be alive?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the truth,¡± I responded, looking him straight in the eye, then at the general. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know who he was. He sacrificed his life for me, freely, because he was loyal to the Empire, and to his Empress. Because he believed it was worth dying for. You committing treason in his name only dishonors his sacrifice.¡±


    This time, the general couldn¡¯t hide his wince. He looked at me for a long moment, before he sighed. ¡°I wish I could believe you, Princess Inaris. But we have come too far to turn back now.¡±


    I shook my head, grinding my teeth in frustration for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not completely lost yet. If you surrender now, and cooperate fully with us, you can still earn mercy. But you need to do it now, before things are too far gone. This is your only chance.¡±


    General Wei looked like he was considering it, but his brother laid a hand on his shoulder, and glared at me. ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing to consider. The only mercy the Empire and people like your Leri Kariva would offer for treason is a quick death. We will take back the Empire and cast down your clan. And do not expect mercy from us.¡±


    I waited for a few long seconds, hoping someone would speak up to contradict him. But no one did. I could see they were afraid, aware that their position wasn¡¯t good, but either too angry or desperate enough to fight.


    I sighed softly. Well, I tried.


    I needed to deal with them quickly, then take this force west to deal with clan Zun and their little rebellion, if they hadn¡¯t gone to ground yet. We couldn¡¯t afford to take too long for this, not when it was little more than a distraction from the real war with the Zarian, ultimately.


    ¡°You will regret this,¡± I told them. ¡°When I crush you, and your clans, you will wish you¡¯d taken my mercy. Spend the next few hours wisely, they¡¯re likely to be your last.¡±


    I turned around and started walking, not looking back.


    San Hashar spoke up when we reached the end of the path. ¡°It¡¯s a shame about Wei Jun. He was a good general.¡±


    I glanced at her. ¡°Yes, he was. You going to be alright with this?¡±


    She gave me a fleeting smile. ¡°We weren¡¯t that close, my lady. They made their choices.¡± She shrugged. ¡°As for fighting, I have faith in you. Not necessarily the religious kind.¡±


    I snorted and couldn¡¯t help but return her smile for a moment. With people like her to help me, I didn¡¯t need to be some great commander to beat the traitors.


    Though, I still intended to keep to my resolution and not go to any battlefield myself, but leave battle to others.

 Bonus 8: Society and life in the Empire

    <div>


    I get the feeling I¡¯m not writing these in the proper order. I¡¯ve considered the Empire¡¯s history, geopolitics, and even military, but not its culture or society as such. Well, this is basically my journal, so who cares?


    Let¡¯s look at some numbers to start. There are a bit over a billion people in the Empire. That sounds like a lot. Okay, that is a lot. But they¡¯re spread over one whole continent and good chunks of others. If anything, it just goes to show how massive the Empire is. And with cultivator lifespans and the way qi facilitates agriculture, a reasonably heavy population density can probably be expected.


    Not that the population was always this huge. We¡¯re at the tail end of a large population boom. They tend to happen in centuries of peace and prosperity, historically speaking, and growth is exponential. The Empire¡¯s population is almost double what it used to be ¡®only¡¯ a few centuries ago. Okay, so maybe not that exponential, but for local standards.


    The Central Continent, or Sky Continent, houses more than half a billion people. About ninety percent of its land area, excluding bodies of water, can be considered inhabited (or cultivated). The rest falls to qi anomalies or mountain peaks and other inhospitable ground. Though there really isn¡¯t much of that. The continent is a very nice place to live, with a good climate and no large deserts.


    Obviously, with this large of a population and territory, there¡¯s going to be a lot of diversity. But Imperial culture is surprisingly unified and widespread, all things considered. Almost everyone speaks Imperial Common as a native language, even if it may be one among several. The calendar, measurement system, most holidays, and cultivation terms are the same. Not to mention things like the legal system which are obviously spread across the Empire. There are still local customs and traditions, but that¡¯s true in any country larger than a micro-nation. Even the dialects of Common aren¡¯t that different from each other.


    This country doesn¡¯t have the same concept of citizenship as I¡¯m used to from Earth. Maybe that¡¯s because there just isn¡¯t much immigration. Basically, anyone living in the Empire is an Imperial citizen. Given rights, but bound by its laws.


    The humans, at least. Spirit beasts aren¡¯t really considered citizens the same way humans are. I assume that¡¯s partly because most of them aren¡¯t sapient. Those that are tend to be strong, and are generally treated with respect. There¡¯s even a few cases of them going to Imperial courts (both successfully and not). But you wouldn¡¯t expect them to pay taxes or attend school. Although there are always exceptions.


    Spirits, of course, are even more of a different matter. Suggesting that local spirits are citizens of the Empire would get you more than a few weird looks.


    Speaking of the legal system, it seems a bit primitive from my perspective, but is actually pretty advanced considering the feudal elements of the society. My grandmother initiated a fundamental overhaul of the legal system almost two centuries ago. It builds on nice details like the assumption of innocence. From what I know of Earth¡¯s history, that wasn¡¯t always a given. At least Mother hasn¡¯t changed things into a jury system, I don¡¯t imagine that would turn out well. And there¡¯s a comprehensive legal code. While some of its contents might make me shake my head, it¡¯s still a worthy accomplishment overall.


    I mean, while you might get in trouble for fighting the Imperial dominion or insulting the ruling monarch, at least you¡¯ll get a fair trial where that has to be proven. And it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re a noble, you can still be prosecuted for committing a crime. Though in practice, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see nobles getting away with more than commoners. But the thought is there.


    Let¡¯s take a step back here. There is no constitution, no fundamental limits, nowhere rights or laws are really enshrined and unassailable. Personally, I¡¯m not really answerable to anyone except Mother. Her own power is, in theory, close to absolute.


    In practice, of course, the courts and legal system handle the jurisdiction. Executive power is wielded by the departments and ministries, by people like Chancellor Gen and the ministers down to regional administration. Legislative is a little trickier to pin down. Mostly, they rule by Imperial decree, at least where it counts. There¡¯s no clear separation of powers. Although, to be fair, that¡¯s often not clear in Earth¡¯s parliamentary democracies that I¡¯m thinking of, either.


    The Empire is huge, and the bureaucratic apparatus running it correspondingly gigantic. Many things are decided on a local level, since there¡¯s no point in bringing the issues to the capital. There¡¯s some differences in how provinces and regions in the Empire are structured, although the general gist is the same. I won¡¯t go into details here, they¡¯re enough to fill books on their own. Suffice to say that the general structure is similar to the Empire at large, with local departments responsible for various fields. In some places, local nobility also plays an important role, although that varies.


    While noble clans still own a lot of land and enjoy traditional privileges and rights, their actual power is more limited than I might have thought. Both de jure and de facto power. There¡¯s no serfdom or equivalent, and they don¡¯t really have subjects, not the way feudal nobles did in the middle ages. Their economic clout remains considerable, but also limited and growing weaker by the decade. The only area they¡¯re unquestionably ¡®mighty¡¯ is martial strength, i.e. military force. This is because they control a lot of strong cultivators. Those are not just economic boons, but also fighting forces. It¡¯s at least part of the reason nobles are often responsible for assuring the safety of areas, dealing with dangerous spirit beasts and the like, and get the power and influence that brings.


    Sects play a similar role to noble clans, in all. They¡¯re more focused on learning and teaching, and many of their disciples only belong to them temporarily. Like clans, they can own land and be economically active, but their overall power in those areas is considerably smaller. I usually lump them in with nobles in thinking about these things, which is probably a habit I should get out of.


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    Education is another area where the Empire is surprisingly far ahead. For a society where ¡®secret knowledge¡¯ is a normal thing and clans and sects hoard it, at least. There are schools in almost every town and city, and even many villages. They¡¯re mostly managed by the Imperial government, though sometimes local nobles have a hand in it, as well. The local administration pays the teachers and provides materials.


    In some areas, especially the rural ones, there may be no schoolhouses. Instead, the Empire has a concept of, basically, wandering teachers. They¡¯ll do their rounds, visiting small villages, and teaching the children there part of the time. Some of them are employed by the Empire, some are hired by local nobles. I imagine the ¡®curriculum¡¯ reflects that. For nobles, it makes sense as an investment to not just educate their population, to increase their skills and value as employees, or to benefit the economy, but also to foster goodwill and paint themselves in a good light. At least, I¡¯d be cautious of any history or civics lessons they teach.


    Not that the teaching more directly sponsored by the Empire will be much better.


    Anyway, of course a major part of the schooling is about cultivation. The children are taught all the basics, like the stages and terms. They¡¯re also given practical lessons to get them started with cultivation, like teaching breathing patterns and how to draw in qi and cultivate it. Depending on how wealthy the region is, or how interested the local government is, they may also distribute simple cultivation aids, herbs or pills designed to help them through the beginning of cultivation.


    Besides that, the schools teach what I¡¯d expect. There¡¯s no legal requirement to attend school, and children from poorer families may only go for a few years. But you can expect everyone to at least know how to read, write, do basic math, and the like. Naturally, schools only teach in Imperial Common. Nobles and wealthy families often home-school their kids. There are usually classes sorted by year, but the details, like if there are advanced courses or how exams work, can vary locally.


    There didn¡¯t really use to be higher education, except for sects and apprenticeships with dedicated scholars. Although I hope the universities we¡¯ve introduced are beginning to change that. I should put some thought into how we may expand it into a system that provides higher education across the Empire. Perhaps with different sorts of colleges. I guess mandatory schooling also bears thinking about. I detest child labor, and while not prevalent, it¡¯s still too common in the Empire. Making sure the children are in school should help, as well as leveling the playing field a little.


    Even just from a practical perspective, thinking of all the talent and potential that is being wasted is making me cringe.


    Let¡¯s get back on topic. The economy. A field I¡¯ve probably paid less attention to than I should have. As recent events might have shown. I¡¯m just a little hesitant because I know it¡¯s complex and I don¡¯t really understand it. Mother is the one with an economic background (I think), not me. Although I¡¯ve picked up some things.


    The currency is usually referred to as ¡®coins¡¯, even when not talking about physical coins. Fair enough. Not that non-physical money is really a thing here, but some valuable items can serve a similar purpose as very high-value currency. Easier than carrying a chest of coins around, I guess. The basic coins are small bronze ones. A few things that aren¡¯t official currency are sometimes used for lower values, like pieces of amber or crystal. That varies locally. Then the Empire has silver and gold coins, or ones made mostly of those metals, in various denominations.


    Most noble clans, and the Crown, store the majority of their wealth in valuable materials and items rather than coins. There are also banks, or the equivalent on Aran. There are places that will hold on to currency and items for a fee, and also organizations that offer the equivalent of accounts and checks. Those can overlap, but don¡¯t necessarily do. Basically, you can fill out a form that promises the recipient that they will get the specified amount from a branch of the bank. It¡¯s still a fairly new system, but growing quickly, and I suspect it will continue to do so. I¡¯m not really sure what introducing computers will do to Aran¡¯s finance system, but I guess I¡¯ll find out.


    The economy in general is far less globalized than I¡¯m used to from Earth. But there is still a fair amount of trade. Air travel and storage items are important factors, I assume. A significant portion of the economy is controlled by noble clans, and, to some extent, sects, and their subordinate companies. But there are also trading houses owned by independent merchants, some of them quite rich. And, of course, many mid-sized and smaller businesses. Really, I don¡¯t find much of note here, it¡¯s pretty much as I would have expected.


    These businesses, tradespeople, artisans, and everyone else often use qi to some degree. They¡¯ll often have affinities and skills or techniques that suit their line of work. For example, you can expect someone working in construction to have earth affinity. Rising higher in cultivation means that you can do more work, and in general means more prestige and more money. Farmers, doctors, and many other professions also rely on their cultivation.


    Of course, there are also professions not directly affected by qi, like lawyers, accountants, or store clerks. Mostly jobs not centered on physical work, I guess. I assume the number and importance of that sector is only going to keep rising with time, and as our industrialization continues.


    Then there¡¯s entertainment and the arts, where that¡¯s a bit mixed. Affinities like light aren¡¯t really common in the general population, but you¡¯d find it here. People working as illusionists for theaters, that sort of thing. Musicians might have some air affinity. In general, entertainment tends to be live. There are ways to record music, for example, but those are usually expensive. And hard to mass-produce. You can¡¯t just copy a file a few times. Although printing presses are common, so there are bookstores, and a wide range of literature. At least there¡¯s that.


    While I find the Empire¡¯s style of music a bit strange, I haven¡¯t had much contact with it, so maybe I can¡¯t really appreciate the range of it. Same with art. You have paintings, statues, murals, whatever. No real abstract art or installations, as far as I know. Art, or at least this kind, is mostly a thing for the rich. Music can at least be found in taverns or festivals.


    One thing they don¡¯t really have is professional sports. I guess cultivation just makes them too inherently unbalanced. No matter how well someone trains, someone else could beat them just because they¡¯re a stage higher. And it¡¯s not like the really strong cultivators are going to bother with being an athlete. But they have various sorts of games and sports in the Empire. I haven¡¯t really looked into it, but some involve a ball, some are team sports and some aren¡¯t. This is also heavily influenced by your location and local history, and there isn¡¯t one thing you could consider the Empire¡¯s national sport. Which is probably a good thing for me, or I might have to start caring about it.


    All in all, the Empire¡¯s people are just, well, human, when I look at it like that. Even if they live in a fantasy world with magic, at the end of the day, most people just want to earn a living, and occasionally go out with friends, watch some entertainment, or play a game. The technology they use may be a little different, and there may be people who are centuries old somewhere, but most just live their lives the same as they would on Earth.


    Maybe that¡¯s a good thing to keep in mind.

 109: Brute force approach

    <div>


    I looked down at the plans spread before me one more time, then forced my gaze upward, stifling a sigh. I was trying to distract myself, but it wasn¡¯t working very well.


    Instead, I rolled them up in one hand while I stood up and walked forward a few paces, ignoring the looks I was getting. Before the balcony, the landscape spread out, dyed in somber colors by the setting sun¡¯s rays. The conspirators¡¯ stronghold and its town dominated the view, making the soldiers arrayed before them seem almost inconsequential. By the standards of Earth, it would have been a small force indeed.


    ¡°My lady?¡± one of the guards asked.


    I glanced at her. The woman, a seventh-stager with an athletic build, short hair and a sword on her hip, seemed to be in command of the detachment currently, but I hadn¡¯t caught her name. Most of the guards I¡¯d seen since the attack were new, although I might have seen them around before. From what I could tell, what used to be Mother¡¯s personal guard were now assigned to me. They were certainly strong enough, with few of them below the sixth stage.


    ¡°Is everything ready?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Just about, Your Highness.¡±


    I looked at the stronghold one more time, then turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the terrace, the officers can join me there.¡±


    The walk down the quickly constructed building didn¡¯t take long. Its insides looked bare, with no decorations and minimal furnishings, but considering it had only been here since yesterday, the building was a good defensive emplacement. I had to wait for one of the guards to heave the heavy, reinforced door open before I stepped onto the broad terrace, which led down directly onto the plain and to the soldiers waiting there.


    San Hashar was already here. She bowed when I arrived, looking composed despite the sword and bow strapped to her armor. ¡°My lady. We can begin the attack on your order.¡±


    I smiled a little. While the basic idea had been mine, I¡¯d discussed our strategy with the officers, to make sure it would work out. San Hashar had been one of the more optimistic ones.


    I couldn¡¯t help but look at the plans I still carried in my right hand, rolling them out and taking a look. I wish things worked as well as she thinks.


    ¡°Are those plans for the battle?¡± she asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, just technical specifications, ideas I was playing around with.¡± I let them vanish into my storage ring.


    I¡¯d been considering ways to use my modern knowledge and affinities effectively for warfare. If I really put my mind to it, I could probably build a nuclear bomb. The theory isn¡¯t that complicated. But this clearly isn¡¯t the right answer for a situation like this.


    Instead, I¡¯d been thinking more in terms of creating lasers and high-energy radiation by itself. I¡¯d mostly finished transferring my technique to shift light¡¯s frequency to a formation, but if I wanted to create a weapon from it, it still needed energy. I could use qi, maybe take something like glowstones, and shift the light they emitted. But that wouldn¡¯t be too different from using it for other attacks, in effect.


    What I¡¯d like to do was use electrical power. Maybe batteries to power it. I could create laser weapons or something like a real gamma ray gun. The idea just wasn¡¯t very practical, at least as things stood. And I¡¯d thought about something else, a formation mechanism I could hang in the sky to soak up sunlight, maybe different parts of the spectrum, store it, and then be able to release the energy as concentrated attacks. But that needed more than just tinkering for a day while I prepared to deal with the current challenge. I¡¯d passed my ideas to my research team, maybe they¡¯d make some progress.


    For today, I¡¯d settled on a more brute force approach.


    ¡°Are the planes in position?¡± I asked. ¡°And the assigned elites?¡± She¡¯d said they were ready, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to double check.


    By now, the other high-ranking officers had joined us, and one of them spoke up. ¡°They¡¯ve all started their approach, Your Highness.¡±


    I took a deep breath, trying to savor the moment and suppress my nervousness. ¡°Alright, then, this is it. Attack now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    I listened to them give the order via radio and qi communicator, then glanced up, although I couldn¡¯t see the planes that were now about to launch our opening attack. They could fly up higher than airships, and we were making full use of that capability today. With some of them, at least. The fact that we basically had airspace superiority really wasn¡¯t good for the conspirators.


    I¡¯d been observing our enemies, and was pretty sure that they¡¯d at least been smart enough to put General Wei in charge of their defense. They¡¯d struck out once, but our soldiers had repelled the attack easily. More of a probing sortie than an all-out offensive. But time wasn¡¯t on their side, so they¡¯d launch one of those soon, unless we attacked first. And I¡¯d rather not give them the time to start taking civilians as hostages. Wei was too honorable for that, but the others might overrule him at some point.


    A bright flash marked the start of the battle. It had come from above, although I couldn¡¯t see its origin point. I smiled and pulled out a telescope to take a closer look.


    The qi shield the conspirators had laid over their stronghold was visible now, chiefly by the way it stood against the bombardment. Dark objects crashed through the sky, only to stop or explode meters above the ground. A haze like strong heat in a desert marked the qi shield, and while it held back all the attacks for now, it was clearly taxed.


    I couldn¡¯t get a proper look at the bombs themselves, since they moved too quickly, but I knew them. We¡¯d taken several options for explosives, some known previously and some found with our new research. This would be a good test to see which was most effective. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just bombs. The planes and cultivators had also taken up big rocks and were now dropping them from high up. Very high up. The fall would give them quite the momentum.


    I winced as a boom shook the stronghold, signifying the first shield failure. Dust rose from a corner of it. Our soldiers, who¡¯d been steadily advancing forward, seized the opportunity to take some potshots, but the shield held over the main buildings. By now, I could see cultivators swarming over it. The shield flickered for just a moment, and shapes rose rapidly into the sky.


    I glanced around, noting the way San Hashar set her jaw, the tenseness the others showed. We¡¯d expected this sort of response. I guess using storage rings as a trick and just dropping stuff from above can¡¯t be a new tactic. That¡¯s why there¡¯s qi shields. And while they might not have planes, flying cultivators are bad enough on their own.


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    That¡¯s why we had cultivators in the air. The high stage air cultivators had helped guide the explosives to land on target, but their main job was playing defense.


    I regarded the flickering qi shield for a moment longer, before I turned to the officers. ¡°I think we can let the planes stop their strafing runs soon, if not now. It¡¯s getting dangerous.¡±


    San Hashar nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the pilots to use their judgment, but to not risk their crafts unnecessarily.¡±


    I sighed, glancing upwards once again. Our new planes were fast, certainly more maneuverable than your typical airship, which would help them get out of the zone of fire quickly. Now, it would mostly be down to cultivators fighting against cultivators. Even though we had the advantage of numbers, I knew there¡¯d be losses.


    In the meantime, the qi shields over the conspirators¡¯ base were still taking a beating, and failing. Dust swirled into the air as explosions rocked the buildings. Wooden parts of the structures started to burn. I even saw lower stage cultivators thrown around, and parts of the stonework were not holding up too well, either.


    I shook my head. This was a pretty one-sided fight. Not that I didn¡¯t prefer it that way, of course.


    ¡°You think we should sound the charge?¡± I asked.


    San Hashar frowned. ¡°A minute more, my lady. The bombs are tapering off, but we don¡¯t want our soldiers caught in their blasts.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you to sound the attack.¡±


    In a way, this was more like what I¡¯d have expected of war than the whole campaign against the nomads. Bombing runs, explosions, individual fates caught by chance and overwhelming force, rather than some cultivator duels. And I couldn¡¯t deny that, while I still disliked it, there was a certain satisfaction in beating down my enemies this way. Mother¡¯s loss was too fresh, and I couldn¡¯t help a grim smile as I watched some of the people responsible for it see the world crashing down on them.


    San Hashar gave the order, and the rest of our force moved out. The soldiers crossed the distance to the stronghold quickly, tearing through outer defenses that had already been mostly annihilated. They finished off the flickering qi shield and started to swarm the stronghold.


    I crossed my arms, watching intently from my safe position as the battle continued to rage, gaining a new intensity. Cultivator fights tended to be quick, and this was no exception. Explosions and showy attacks blocked most of my vision, but I could see the occasional fighter falling like puppets whose strings had been cut. Even from here, I could hear the rumbles and crashes of the fighting. It had to be deafening on the actual battlefield.


    The battle paused for an instant, and my jaw tensed as I watched a shape shoot into the air. I couldn¡¯t feel any auras from here, but the way fighters cowered away or dropped down if they were too close made it clear that this was a strong cultivator. Quickly, I put my telescope back to my eyes, and managed to get a glimpse of Wei Yong carrying his brother as he ascended into the air. A moment later, they were gone.


    ¡°Seems like he decided to honor the ban on black stage cultivators fighting,¡± San Hashar remarked. ¡°I have to admit I don¡¯t understand it. Wouldn¡¯t the spirits disciplining the Zarian for a perceived breach be good for him?¡±


    ¡°Black stage cultivators fighting can be devastating,¡± my new guard captain said. ¡°This is their home, too. They want to rule the country, not devastate it.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°I think they have several reasons to restrain themselves. There are probably more eighth stagers on my side now, and unlike the soldiers, they¡¯re not tied up fighting the Zarian. Not to mention our allies. The Terbekteri King would certainly send help. He wouldn¡¯t want to see a coup like this succeed.¡± I paused, frowning slightly. ¡°Plus, while they might seem to be on the side of the Zarian, I hardly think the spirits would only punish the Dominion for them breaking the agreement. They¡¯re not stupid.¡±


    San Hashar nodded. ¡°I see. Thank you for explaining, Your Highness. In any case, his exit seems to have lowered their morale even more.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but glance at where the two cultivators had left, wondering if Wei Yong loved his brother. The cynical side of me thought it had more to do with him being the conspirators¡¯ top general. Wei must have had other relatives here that he didn¡¯t try to rescue.


    I could see what she meant about morale, though. The fighting was winding down, and while the noise decreased, the haze obscuring the battlefield lifted. I noticed several enemy fighters kneeling on the ground, secured by our soldiers. They had orders to take prisoners, of course. We might even be able to use them against the Zarian. And at least the nearby town had been spared the worst of the fighting.


    We stayed and watched for a few more minutes in silence. I didn¡¯t feel any hurry to get closer to the battlefield. We¡¯d already won, anyway. A small, satisfied smile settled on my face, and I didn¡¯t bother to control my expression.


    Finally, the guard broke the silence. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re receiving a transmission from the northeast.¡±


    I glanced at her. ¡°Yes, uh ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ru Lis, my lady,¡± she provided her name. ¡°It¡¯s relatively short-range, probably from clan Tener¡¯s base.¡±


    ¡°I see. You seem a little bewildered.¡±


    ¡°Apologies, my lady, but they¡¯re using a code developed by the Imperial Guard.¡± She shrugged. ¡°The message is inviting us to approach, or something to that effect.¡±


    I nodded and couldn¡¯t help glancing in that direction, although I couldn¡¯t see the location from here. I shifted my weight, feeling a bit anxious. I needed to see what this was about. ¡°San Hashar, would you pick out a force to go there with us?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± The general turned to confer with her subordinates, and started assigning units and elites.


    I took out my flying sword and rose into the air, moving carefully since I hadn¡¯t had the time to really get accustomed to my new stage of cultivation. My guard detachment surrounded me, with Ru Lis staying at my side.


    The officers worked quickly, and it didn¡¯t take long until a group of soldiers was ready to head out with us. They were all in a high enough stage and had enough qi reserves to use their flying swords. Soon, we were off.


    The flight didn¡¯t take long, since clan Tener¡¯s estate was very close to this stronghold. I didn¡¯t spare much attention for the terrain, simply noting the position of towns and villages among the rolling fields. They were clustered pretty closely, and the light played off a river winding its way north. This should be a fertile, prosperous region. The wind blew more clouds this way, covering the sun quickly, but it should still be a while before it rained, if it was going to.


    Our target was more of a mansion than a castle, although it did have stone battlements around the building and gardens. They looked well taken care off, everything kept neatly in order, although the roof of the building was cracked in a few places. One spot was even still smoking. There were a few people on the walls, but not many considering the situation. We descended, coming at it from a low altitude, and I realized the main gate was standing slightly ajar.


    A bit of theater might be called for, so I descended to the ground, preparing to stride forward through the gate. I was wearing a silver robe with wide sleeves that billowed in the wind, and let my hair out of its ribbon to stir in the breeze. One of the guards opened the door with a kick, and we strode inside. The defenses still sat silent, though I could sense my guards pulling up qi shields and charging weapons.


    As it turned out, that wasn¡¯t necessary. Once we stepped into the front yard, the cultivators on the walls descended and knelt down. Some of them still had bloodstains on their clothes, and I could see a few matching stains on the ground beside the building. More evidence that there¡¯d been fighting. But it was clear which side had won.


    The main door opened, and Aston stepped out. He kept his aura barely veiled, enough to make it clear that Mior¡¯s possession had helped him advance to the seventh stage. He wore a rich robe and looked perfectly coiffed, but some of the tension left his face when he laid eyes on me. He bowed deeply. ¡°My princess.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Aston. Come here.¡±


    When he got closer, I caught him in a short hug, then stepped away to sweep my gaze over the mansion. ¡°This is a nice coming back present, I have to say.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡®And I¡¯m sorry for your loss. If there¡¯s anything I can do, please let me know.¡¯


    I nodded, the reminder crashing through my joy at seeing him again. But I tried not to dwell on that.


    Even with Mior saying Aston was with his family, I knew he would never betray me, and this scene didn¡¯t particularly surprise me. If he had telepathy now, that would make it easier to coordinate with loyalists, or dissidents depending on your point of view, in the clan. And I¡¯d bet on him against any opponent in the same weight class. He wasn¡¯t an Imperial Guard captain for nothing. Still, I felt some tension drain out of me having him back at my side, and it wasn¡¯t about concern for my safety.


    I shook my head to dismiss these musings. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, we have a lot to sort out. It¡¯s good to have you back, Aston.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I could say the same.¡±


    At least his time with Mior did seem to have helped him loosen up a little.

 110: Family

    I paced up and down the deck of the airship, willing the Imperial Palace to come closer, as it steadily grew in my vision. I knew we were moving quickly, that the journey didn¡¯t take long, but it didn¡¯t feel like it.


    ¡°Is everything alright, my lady?¡± San Hashar asked, raising an eyebrow. She was lounging against the railing, barely glancing outside.


    I stopped. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just a bit antsy.¡±


    San Hashar was coming along to the palace to confer with our military leadership. After that, we¡¯d probably head out again in force, to deal with another pocket of the insurgents. Cleanup at the last area still wasn¡¯t finished, but there should be no major surprises.


    I still wasn¡¯t sure what I¡¯d do with clan Tener, whose leadership was almost entirely killed or captured due to Aston¡¯s actions. I was considering basically giving the clan and its lands to him, if Kiyanu agreed. Though given how he seemed to dislike it, I wasn¡¯t sure if that would be welcome, not to mention that his place was at my side and it would be a lot of work. The same question had to be answered for a few minor clans, as well. But I was more preoccupied with coming back and finally seeing my friends and partners again.


    At last, we passed over Thousand Lights City, and approached the palace. My skin tingled as we crossed the newly strengthened wards. The palace was cast in shadow by the mountains to the west, the evening sun not reaching here. From above, it looked almost back to normal, most of the damage repaired. There were a few spots that still showed signs of the fight, though, and the vegetation appeared noticeably lighter than before. It was still a hive of activity, with cultivators crawling all over the terraces and courtyards.


    The airship slowed, and I had to stop myself from fidgeting as it started to set down on one of the rooftops. Aston and a few other guards took up position, and he shot me a reassuring smile. Then, finally, the area was clear, and I jumped down onto the ground.


    A group of people were waiting for me, but my gaze stuck to Tenira. She looked as good as ever, although I could read a bit of nervousness in the tightness around her eyes. I strode forward, nodding at Gen and the others, but walking straight towards her.


    For a moment, we were silent. Then Tenira smiled and stepped forward to hug me. I exhaled, returned the hug with feeling, and felt something unclench within me.


    After a minute, we broke the hug, and I glanced at the officials. ¡°Would you please give me some time to deal with personal matters? Unless there¡¯s anything urgent?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t, Your Highness,¡± Gen replied. ¡°Welcome back, and congratulations on your victory. If you choose to, I¡¯d be glad to see you at the strategy meeting tomorrow at noon.¡± He glanced at the others. ¡°You won¡¯t be bothered until then.¡±


    With that, most of the people departed. San Hashar gave me a short bow and strode off with a few of the officers. Aston and most of the guards stayed, but they retreated to give us some space.


    I smiled at my friend. ¡°I¡¯m really glad to see you again, Tenira.¡±


    She returned my smile. ¡°And I, you, Nari.¡± Then her expression darkened and she put a hand on my arm. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about your Mother, and everything that happened. If you need someone to talk to, I¡¯m here.¡±


    I nodded, my throat clenching again for a moment. ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    We entered the building, and I took a moment to make sure we were alone except for the guards, before I returned my attention to Tenira. I took a deep breath. ¡°Listen, I wanted to apologize for that day on the ship. I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or pressured in any way. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not ¡­ I¡¯m the one who should be sorry, Nari. I shouldn¡¯t have left like that, and kept you at a distance. It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    I smiled softly at her, shaking my head. ¡°I made a mistake. You clearly felt threatened on some level. I should have been more careful. I even suspected that there was something ¡­¡± I paused for a moment. ¡°Whatever trauma, issue, or dislike you might have, you don¡¯t need to tell me. But I¡¯m trying to be more aware, and I want you to know that I still care about you deeply, whatever else is going on. Nothing needs to change between us.¡±


    She blushed, looking down for a moment before she met my gaze again. ¡°Thank you, Nari. It means a lot to hear that. We should definitely talk, but perhaps now isn¡¯t the time or place.¡±


    I smiled ruefully. ¡°Of course, sorry. You¡¯re right.¡±


    We walked the next few meters in silence. As the corridor we were in crossed another, Tenira paused. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to have you back. I should check on something in the lab. And I won¡¯t keep you from the others any longer.¡±


    I cocked my head. ¡°Something up?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I saw Yarani and Kajare talking. Seems like they want to celebrate your reunion.¡± She rolled her eyes for a second before schooling her expression again.


    Now that she mentioned it, I could sense them. They must not have taken my recent breakthrough into account, but I could tell they were waiting in my rooms.


    Tenira gave a small wave and walked off. I looked after her for a moment, before turning and striding towards my suite. My pulse was quickening again, but for a different reason.


    They¡¯d never teamed up like this before, not that I would complain. Though when I opened the door and saw Yarani and Kajare, I just felt happy to be with them again. It had been too long.


    <hr>


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    A few hours later, I shifted my weight a little, staring upwards at the ceiling of my room and listening to my partners¡¯ breathing, Yarani to my left and Kajare to my right. I had trouble falling asleep, and had stopped trying. I didn¡¯t really want to start dreaming.


    I suspected my lovers were trying to help me deal with the loss and the stress. For a while, they¡¯d succeeded, distracting me completely from Mother¡¯s absence and all the problems I had to deal with. But now, in the silent darkness of my room, they were back. My emotions seemed raw, vulnerable, now that I wasn¡¯t trying to suppress and compartmentalize them.


    Sighing softly, I slipped out of bed, careful to move lightly and not disturb them. Yarani had only fallen asleep a short while ago, and I didn¡¯t want to wake her. She turned a little, and I held my breath, but she kept sleeping.


    I paused and took a moment to just drink in the sight of her nestled into my bed, dark curls sprawled over the pillow. Kajare was turned so I only saw his back and the back of his neck, his chest rumbling with the softest of snores. I¡¯d really missed them. Especially Yarani, if I was honest. I liked Kajare, but we were still more or less at the ¡®friends with benefits¡¯ stage. Although I had a feeling that could grow into more, given time.


    Their presence and support made me feel a little better. I could feel it grounding me in an almost physical way. But I was still alone in my mind, and the restlessness wasn¡¯t so easily defeated. My thoughts were speeding along at full tilt again, images of Mother¡¯s ascension and dead soldiers surfacing every once in a while. I shook my head and padded over to where I¡¯d put my clothing, dressing quickly. Then I crept to the door, opened it silently, and left the room. I knew I needed to distract myself, and there were still a few things I should do.


    The guards in the corridor bowed to me but didn¡¯t stir from their positions otherwise. I nodded at them, then started walking slowly. As I reached the door to Al¡¯s quarters, I stopped and focused on my senses. Everything was quiet. I opened his door, careful to keep it silent, and took a peek. After a moment, I spotted him through the open door to the balcony, cultivating under the night sky. I closed the door again, making sure I hadn¡¯t disturbed his cultivation. He should be asleep, but at least meditating like this was constructive and serene.


    I kept walking, my steps slowing as I hesitated, unsure where I wanted to go. I spread my senses a little, watching the life in the palace. Kariva and Elia would be with Carston, most likely, but I didn¡¯t feel the urge to go there right now. Kiyanu was awake and seemed to be working, in the study he¡¯d taken over not too far from here. Aston was in position on the roof of this building, the calmness of his aura suggesting that he might be meditating, though I knew he¡¯d stay watchful.


    Finally, I came to a stop at the next door. The two guards assigned to it straightened up, but didn¡¯t speak. I opened the door and stepped into the room, my eyes piercing the darkness effortlessly.


    Xiaodan lay in her bed, but she wasn¡¯t asleep. Instead, a spark of light would flicker from her fingers occasionally. When she noticed my entrance, she stopped, sitting up with a start. Her face scrunched up, and I felt her reaching out with her qi senses. ¡°Big Sister Nari?¡± she whispered.


    I conjured a small ball of light and stuck it to the ceiling, bright enough to illuminate the room dimly, but not enough to blind her. ¡°Yes, Little An,¡± I answered softly, stepping further into the room. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    My little sister scooted to the side, and I sat on the bed beside her, putting an arm around her. After a moment, she buried her face against my shoulder, and I started stroking her back with soothing motions.


    For a while, we just sat there like that. A few light shudders passed through her, and she was breathing too quickly and erratically, though I could tell that she wasn¡¯t quite crying.


    After a moment, she drew back a little. In soft English, she said, ¡°I miss Mom.¡±


    ¡°Me too, little one. Me too.¡±


    ¡°I wish she was here.¡± She sniffed. ¡°Is she really gone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but she isn¡¯t dead. We¡¯re going to see her again.¡±


    She sighed, her head hanging a little more. ¡°But that feels like it¡¯s so far away.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have a good answer to that, so I just sat there, hugging her and providing silent support.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s so different right now,¡± An finally continued. ¡°People are upset, and I¡¯m not allowed to go out like before. Some of the guards have changed. At least my tutors are still here.¡± She sat up a little straighter. ¡°Well, and there¡¯s Yating. That¡¯s good.¡±


    I smiled a little. ¡°He¡¯s taking care of you? You like him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need taking care of,¡± she declared with a little pout. ¡°But yeah, he¡¯s been around a lot, and I like him. He¡¯s been teaching me new games and talking about stuff.¡± There was a little smile on her face now. ¡°Yating¡¯s cool. Can he still be around like that when things are over?¡±


    I blinked, then nodded. ¡°Of course. He¡¯ll be there for you for however long you want.¡± I ruffled her hair, pausing for a moment and pushing past my hesitation. ¡°And you can call him ¡®dad¡¯, if you want.¡±


    Her eyes widened a little, crinkling up with a smile. I read her look as ¡®I get to have a dad?¡¯.


    That sent a stab of guilt through me. I tried to suppress it, but I had to force the smile on my face to stay. After all, I suspected the main reason Mother didn¡¯t acknowledge her children¡¯s fathers was my parentage. She¡¯d tried to hide it and make people think Carston was my father as well. And making things official for only the two younger ones would have only made people wonder about my situation more. Like this, it was just how Mother did things.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± my little sister exclaimed. Her expression quickly fell once more, though. ¡°And what about Al?¡± She chewed her lip. ¡°He¡¯s been angry.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. ¡°Really? He hasn¡¯t been mean to you, has he?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not! Big Brother wouldn¡¯t do that. I know he¡¯s not angry at me, just ¡­¡± she trailed off and shrugged. ¡°Maybe he needs a dad, too?¡±


    I winced. It was a little unsettling how well my little sister saw through some things, while at the same time she was still a child, who didn¡¯t really grasp some matters.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that easy, An. It¡¯s a good thought, though.¡± I ruffled her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your brother. He¡¯s got stuff to deal with, like we all do, but he¡¯ll come around.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Big Sister.¡± She cuddled back into me.


    I smiled and just held her for a bit, enjoying her presence. Still, I could tell that despite her emotions, she was getting sleepy. She blinked a lot and I could sense some of the tension draining out of her. So I carefully guided her back into bed and pulled up the covers.


    ¡°Go to sleep now, Little An,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you for a bit, okay?¡±


    She nodded, then yawned.


    Following an impulse, I started humming a gentle melody, a lullaby I vaguely remembered from Earth. My little sister seemed to like it. She cuddled deeper into the covers, and I listened as her breathing grew more even and deeper.


    I stayed there for a while, even after I was sure that An had fallen asleep. Finally, I stood up, looking down at her for a moment longer. ¡°I love you, little sister,¡± I said, then turned and quietly left the room.


    I closed the door behind me, then exhaled and glanced around the corridor. I could sense that it was still night, a few hours after midnight, and life in the palace was as subdued as it ever got. Feeling a little calmer but still not very sleepy, I started walking. I made my way down the stairs and through the building, absently nodding at the few people I encountered. Then I crossed the courtyard and entered another building.


    I hesitated at the door to the corridor leading to the shrine. For a moment, I considered going into it. Then I shook my head and turned, retracing my steps.


    Outside, I jumped to a balcony, then flashed to a staircase, and made my way up until I reached the roof. I assumed a cultivating position and glanced up at the moon, half full tonight, before I closed my eyes and started cultivating. Rijoko¡¯s presence had been almost absent the last few hours, but I could now feel it a little more clearly. I didn¡¯t mind.

 111: Contacts

    The morning sun felt nice on my face, even though it promised to be a sweltering day later. Our location on one of the rooftop terraces of the palace offered privacy for our conversation, and gave me something else to look at. As I swept my gaze over the buildings below us, I considered how quickly they seemed to have returned to normal. But there were still scars and residue of the struggle, and one of them was the reason we were talking here.


    ¡°He was mentally influenced?¡± I repeated, glancing at Elia.


    She wore a robe of a simple cut but good quality, and had her hair put back in a bun. There was a faint frown on her face, but otherwise she didn¡¯t look much like she had during our journey on the Earth Continent.


    ¡°Yes, but only a little,¡± she replied. She still had an accent and she tended to speak a little slowly, as if she was looking for the right words, but her Common was excellent. ¡°Enough to make him more susceptible to them, more likely to listen to and consider their words. But like I said, very subtle, and they didn¡¯t manipulate his thoughts. The decisions he made were his decisions alone.¡±


    Kariva nodded, her face unreadable as always. She was standing with her hands clasped behind her back, seemingly content to let me talk this out with Elia.


    I sighed. ¡°I see. And you¡¯re sure Carston didn¡¯t influence Mother?¡±


    ¡°Of course he influenced her, just not with qi.¡± Elia shrugged. ¡°Sorry. But he knew her well, they were together for years. He knew how to play on her emotions for him. No offense, my lady.¡±


    ¡°I told you, no need to be formal. Anyway, how did he know Isuro¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°The Zarian Security Director told him.¡± Elia pulled a face. ¡°Maybe they wanted him to feel like he was being trusted. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I made a mental note of that. Kariva had given me pages of transcription and analysis of their interrogation, but I hadn¡¯t had the chance to read through all of them yet. I¡¯d do that later.


    ¡°Are you going to kill him, Inaris?¡± Elia asked. She ran a hand through her hair. ¡°I don¡¯t mind helping you with this, he¡¯s a bastard and I know this is important, but I¡¯d rather not do this sort of thing again.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Elia.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°I appreciate your help. I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve been using you, with Hajake and Carston. If you like, I can start giving you pointers on shapeshifting now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe in a few minutes?¡± Kariva cut in. ¡°There are a few other things I¡¯d like to discuss with Inaris, since we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be outside.¡± Elia gave her a tight smile, then me a slightly more genuine one, before she left.


    I turned to Kariva, noting that she¡¯d used my first name. She walked a step closer and leaned against the balustrade.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read the reports on your talks with the traitor Wei, before you crushed their stronghold,¡± she began. ¡°You should know, Wei Min was one of my best men. Loyal as they come. I never let his name get in the way.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not dead. I do have a few assets in the Zarian Dominion. He¡¯s a prisoner there, currently on the way to one of the cities in their heartland.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. Really? Now that¡¯s interesting. After a moment of thought, I asked, ¡°Do you think they¡¯re blackmailing the Wei? Got his father or uncle to switch sides in order to save him?¡±


    Kariva frowned, then shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s possible, my lady. But we¡¯d be speculating, and it¡¯s just as possible they really do think he¡¯s dead. I don¡¯t have enough information for a good guess.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    We fell silent for a bit, until she stirred. ¡°What will you do about it?¡±


    I hesitated, scratching my cheek, before I came to a decision. ¡°You arranged things with Ming Li, the so-called Black Knife, didn¡¯t you? Let¡¯s hire him again, to get Wei Min.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Alright, I can do that. It¡¯s not going to be cheap, but we certainly have the budget. If you¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°Why not? It offers us new options on dealing with the traitors. And if he fails, it¡¯s not much of a loss.¡±


    Kariva smiled slightly. ¡°Quite right, my lady. I¡¯ll see to it. I¡¯m sure the man is still around somewhere in the Empire, but it could take a while.¡±


    I nodded. It didn¡¯t look like this conflict would be over in a day, anyway.


    ¡°So, about Carston?¡±


    I turned and looked at the palace below us for a bit, gathering my thoughts and listening for any fervent objections from my conscience, or whatever passed as one. Unsurprisingly, it was pretty silent in my head. After a moment, I turned back to Kariva. ¡°Yes. He has to die. Prepare the necessary documents. Or better yet, a genuine trial. This needs to be legitimate and proper justice.¡±


    Kariva smiled and inclined her head. ¡°Yes, my princess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Al he was influenced, however slightly it might have been,¡± I added. ¡°That might just sow doubts.¡± I considered for a moment. ¡°And don¡¯t have it be done in my Mother¡¯s name. I know justice is carried out in the Empress¡¯ name by tradition, but I¡¯ll shoulder this one. Or maybe Kiyanu.¡± Not that it really mattered, but I thought having Mother be even officially responsible for killing her lover wasn¡¯t necessary.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then, if that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll go talk to Elia.¡±


    Kariva nodded and let me go. I quickly departed the terrace, looking for the young woman from the Earth Continent. After a moment, I found her in one of the upper courtyards, and quickly made my way down to join her. Aston and a few other guards shadowed me.


    Elia turned around as I arrived, raising an eyebrow. The flowers planted around the path still looked a little battered, and I could hear the noise of the palace drifting on the wind, but it was a reasonably private space.


    ¡°Thanks for waiting,¡± I said. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t complain. Things have been pretty interesting, at least. And your friends are nice.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Sorry, but I don¡¯t have much time these days, so let¡¯s get straight to it, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    She looked at me for a moment and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± With anyone else, they might have been offended or felt condescended to, but I got the feeling that Elia could see I was just being honest.


    ¡°Great. The thing about shapeshifting, at least for me, is that it¡¯s pretty instinctive. Like any skill, it takes practice to get used to it and to get better at it. It also helps if you have anatomical knowledge and a clear idea of what you want to do. You don¡¯t need to know all the details, things will work themselves out to some degree. But when in doubt, it¡¯s better to be specific.¡±


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    Elia nodded attentively. I wondered for a moment if she knew more about how things worked, where the knowledge came from. Was it the qi of our Greater Spirit ancestors? But I dismissed these thoughts. I shouldn¡¯t get sidetracked here.


    ¡°Consistent practice is good,¡± I continued. ¡°You should spend some time every day working on it. And try different shapes. You may find some are easier than others, even when it¡¯s not always obvious why. How about you try a few things and let me watch?¡±


    She nodded and started looking off into the distance, clearly concentrating. I watched her aura and tried to see what she was doing. It wasn¡¯t easy, but I got some idea of that. Well enough to give her a few hints, at least. I rolled my shoulders and settled in for a while of tutoring.


    After about an hour, Elia¡¯s focus was noticeably worsening, even though her ability had improved slightly. She even managed to grow functional gills, which worked in the ball of water I conjured to test it. I smiled and shook my head at the reminder of our daring escape and flight through Zarian territory.


    We parted and I headed back up to the main palace building, noting the guards drawing closer around me. A little bird made of air qi fluttered down to me. I glanced around, then touched it. ¡°Please head to the outer courtyard on the lower terrace, Inaris,¡± Kiyanu¡¯s voice echoed from it. ¡°We have an incoming airship from Terbekteri.¡±


    I frowned a little, but turned around. I knew which location he meant. The path was clear, so I put on a bit of speed.


    When I arrived, Kiyanu, Kariva, Gen and a few others were already waiting. I joined them, nodding at everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s those reinforcements we were expecting.¡±


    Kariva smiled faintly. ¡°I fail to see how it could be anything else, Your Highness. Even with Prince Hajake¡¯s ¡­ issue.¡±


    They were close already, of course. Otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have gathered. Probably Kiyanu hadn¡¯t wanted to disturb us by calling me sooner, which I appreciated. It meant we didn¡¯t have to wait long until I saw the approaching airship. I¡¯d have liked to take out my telescope, but didn¡¯t want to do that in front of everyone, so I just channeled a bit of qi into my eyes.


    The airship was large, and had the crest of Terbekteri painted all along one of its walls. Little flags and banners flew from various parts of its body and even a small mast, which had to be an affectation. Not that I had room to judge, the Imperial airships I¡¯d sometimes taken had been just as bad.


    I waited with a modicum of patience until it set down, trying to analyze the crests it showed. I didn¡¯t have much success, though, since I didn¡¯t know enough about Terbekteri¡¯s factions or internal politics. But Kajare was smiling, so I figured that was good enough. He showed up just in time, taking his place beside me, his fingers discreetly questing for my hand. I took his hand and gave it a squeeze.


    In short order, the delegation debarked from the airship. They were all in a high stage of cultivation, and dressed like warriors, with quite a few openly carrying weapons.


    Their leader, a middle-aged woman with graying hair pulled back in a bun and weatherbeaten skin, went to a knee in front of us. More precisely, aimed at me and Kajare.


    ¡°Your Highnesses. Your Grace.¡± She flicked her gaze in Kiyanu¡¯s direction. ¡°I bring news and aid from your kin and allies in the Kingdom of Terbekteri.¡±


    I reached out and took the letter that had appeared in her hands. ¡°Thank you, and please rise. All of you, I bid you welcome to the Empire of the Sky.¡±


    Kiyanu stepped up beside me, so I unrolled the message and held it so he could read, as well. It was a short letter, mostly polite, formal phrases. Signed by my father-in-law. The message was clear enough; he¡¯d sent these people to back our side and my claim to the throne in the brewing civil war. That¡¯s more than we ever got against the Zarian in one spot, I noted. But I guess I can see why. It¡¯s his son¡¯s future and perhaps life at stake, and the whole alliance.


    I smiled and watched as Kiyanu and the others welcomed them and started to lead them into the palace, idly wondering how they¡¯d react to me cutting Hajake¡¯s head off.


    ¡°Is something up?¡± Elia asked, gliding beside me as we walked into the palace. ¡°You just had a spike of killing intent.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Thinking about Hajake and Jian.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even wonder how she knew what had happened. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not some hero of stories who¡¯ll chase revenge to the detriment of everything else. I can be patient. But they still need killing.¡±


    By now, the others went on ahead. Tenira had fallen back and was walking beside me. She clicked her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you are.¡±


    Our plan was simple, at its core. Gather enough evidence to expose Hajake¡¯s crimes, so the Terbekteri and their king would help or at least let us deal with him. I wasn¡¯t as worried about Jian, since the Velisha were our vassals, and if need be, we could defeat them easily.


    My thoughts were interrupted by the Terbekteri woman who¡¯d spoken before slowing down. She glanced back, and I felt a hesitant touch on my mind, asking for permission to establish contact. Carefully, I checked my mental defenses, then accepted the telepathic contact.


    ¡®Your Highness. Thank you for responding, and please forgive the circumspect contact. I have a private message for you from Her Highness, Princess Salira. She asks for an audience, and hopes that you may find a way to contact her discreetly. I stand ready to help if that is required.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the messenger, who was walking ahead of us now. ¡®I have to admit I¡¯m not very familiar with Terbekteri political factions, but I assume you¡¯re working for Salira or her associates?¡¯


    There was a hint of amusement in her reply. ¡®I serve Her Majesty, our queen. Salira¡¯s mother. I suppose you could say they¡¯re part of a faction.¡¯


    I really needed to get around to asking Kajare about this. From what I remembered, the current queen was his mother, too, like Salira¡¯s. ¡®I see. I¡¯ll contact her. Thank you for passing the message.¡¯


    By now, we¡¯d reached the palace and the welcome was winding down. The guests would be settled in and given some time to rest before we started the real work. I made sure that everything was going as intended, then took my leave. I didn¡¯t have much time.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to my room to catch a nap,¡± I said to Elia and Tenira. ¡°See you later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Tell her hello from me.¡±


    I sped up, putting some of my cultivator strength to use. The way from the guest wing to my quarters wasn¡¯t very long, luckily. Once there, I paused and watched for a moment as the guards arranged themselves, Aston standing before my door. Then I took off my shoes and climbed into bed, closing my eyes.


    It didn¡¯t take me long to fall asleep. I didn¡¯t waste time playing around with my dream, but cast my consciousness out, searching. Here, the distance to the Earth Continent hardly mattered. I focused on my memories of Salira, and searched for her among the many sleeping minds I could vaguely sense.


    My hunch turned out to be correct, and she was indeed sleeping. It was night at her location, of course, but considering her cultivation, I suspected that she was doing it deliberately. I knocked on her mind with my consciousness, then slowly entered her dream.


    It resolved into a scene of the winter garden in the fortress we¡¯d first met, the plants and flowers seeming less colorful and vibrant in this dream replica, their details blurry and indistinct. Salira herself looked just like I remembered, only wearing a different dress, this one in black.


    ¡®Did you know I could visit you in dreams?¡¯ I asked.


    Salira¡¯s projection bowed deeply. ¡®Luminous Princess. I wasn¡¯t certain, but I had a hunch. I prayed for guidance in the Moon¡¯s temple, and recalled how He watched over dreams.¡¯


    That wasn¡¯t much of an answer, but I decided not to press the matter. Maybe it had just been a guess, or Rijoko had given her a subtle nudge, but I didn¡¯t have any way to tell. ¡®You wanted to talk to me? Has something important happened?¡¯


    Salira hesitated, and I could sense some of her trepidation and anxiety, covering a spark of anger. ¡®Not quite, my lady. But I just learned some disturbing information. You may find it very upsetting, and to be honest, I¡¯m not quite sure how to say this. It involves Hajake, that loathsome brother of mine.¡¯


    I raised a hand, cutting her off. ¡®Is this about what happened at the Zarian fortress?¡¯


    She started. ¡®Yes, my lady ¡­¡¯


    ¡®So you found out about it.¡¯? ? I pondered that for a moment. I¡¯d been considering involving her in this, anyway. Though I¡¯d left it to my friends and Tenira had decided not to, previously.


    But now that was moot. ¡®He tried to kill me, working with prince Jian of the Velisha. And nearly succeeded, too.¡¯


    Salira shook her head slowly. ¡®You knew? I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think you did. I only overheard him mentioning it to one of his confidantes.¡¯


    Completely by accident, I¡¯m sure.


    I smiled at her. It seemed she¡¯d come directly to me with it, which was a good sign. ¡®Of course. We¡¯ve been preparing to deal with him. How do you stand on this matter?¡¯


    ¡®He¡¯s vile, but I never thought he¡¯d go this far. I¡¯m appalled. He¡¯s betrayed family, committed sacrilege.¡¯ She shook her head. ¡®The only reason I didn¡¯t go to Father with this is that I have no hard proof of anything. But I fear what else he may be up to. If you have a plan to deal with him, I¡¯ll do whatever I can to be of service.¡¯


    I took a step closer and laid a hand on her shoulder, smiling again. ¡®With your help, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to find justice, and eliminate the threat he poses.¡¯


    I was really glad I had a good relationship with my younger siblings.

 112: Resolutions

    <div>


    Kariva found me at the exit to the building, falling into step with me after a short greeting. I glanced at her, noting that she still wore the same dark robe as yesterday and the day before, and wondered if I should say something about her taking care of herself. But I decided it wouldn¡¯t help, and just nodded at her as I continued on my way. We were heading to yet another meeting, which Kiyanu had called to discuss our next steps in regards to the conspirators.


    The way from the lab to the main palace building passed quickly, though as we walked through one of the tree-lined paths, I couldn¡¯t help but glance northwest, to the small, secluded garden in the upper reaches.


    Kariva followed my gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t decide if your decision to write ¡®Dalcarston¡¯ on the gravestone was petty or considerate.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s both.¡± I wasn¡¯t really sure myself, but it was the only thing I¡¯d written on the gravestone. ¡°I thought about adding something like ¡®traitor¡¯ ¡ª or ¡®deadbeat dad¡¯ ¡ª but that would just be unnecessary and maybe hurtful for Al.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but think back to the trial. It had been as fair as possible. We even got Carston the local version of a ¡®public defense¡¯ lawyer. To his credit, the man had done his best, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do, with the weight of evidence against Carston. Mostly transcripts and recordings of him confessing. He was clearly guilty of high treason.


    I¡¯d hesitated, but in the end decided to attend, presided over the trial myself, and pronounced the verdict and sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s far better than most traitors get,¡± Kariva said. ¡°But I know you¡¯re doing it for Alaster, so he can go visit the grave, if he wants to, later.¡±


    I nodded. The trial had been small, out of the public eye, with not many people in the room, since we didn¡¯t want his betrayal to be public. All the right paperwork and such was done, though, and it was certainly a valid, legal ruling.


    After the sentence was pronounced, they¡¯d dragged him off into a side room. As I followed, I watched him struggle against his bonds, heavy shackles designed to drain his qi and restrict his freedom of movement. The two guards had pulled him along and pushed him onto the block. The sword used for the execution was a valuable artifact, made by a master smith and so sharp it could cut through even his qi enhanced body. Kariva had swung it herself. I didn¡¯t know if that was just to make absolutely sure everything went correctly, or if she had anger of her own to work out because of his betrayal.


    I shook my head as we reached the building and entered through the side entrance. It was the first time I¡¯ve officially ordered someone¡¯s death. It probably won¡¯t be the last. Maybe that was why I¡¯d wanted to make sure everything was in order.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent out Ming Li,¡± Kariva said, refocusing my attention on her. ¡°He did stick around in the Empire, and was ready to take the job right away.¡± She frowned slightly. ¡°He didn¡¯t even haggle much, just said that he was happy to be of service to the Moon¡¯s daughter.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t comment. I¡¯d give him the benefit of the doubt on that point.


    We reached the meeting room, and I greeted Kiyanu while waiting for the rest to arrive. As usual, there were generals Tsakan and Poteri, and a few other officers and officials. Tenira and Kajare had seats to either side of me. The large conference table in the well-appointed meeting room still left a few empty places, but that was normal, too.


    Kiyanu rolled out a map and moved a few glowing markers of qi around. Not much changed. ¡°This is our latest intelligence.¡±


    I sighed, but didn¡¯t join in as they started to discuss the recent changes and our options. The conspirators had scattered their forces, holding many different sites but without concentrating a large amount of troops in any one place. That made it hard to repeat our previous victory. And my innovations, which were still in development, would only be of limited use, too.


    ¡°The only real choice we have is to sweep over them one after the other,¡± Tenira said.


    ¡°At least the local forces can be of some help,¡± Kiyanu mused.


    I hid a grimace. The local guards and garrisons of the army had, if they hadn¡¯t been overwhelmed or switched sides, largely withdrawn from the areas. Especially in the regions that had been considered safe, and hadn¡¯t had many troops stationed there. Not that I could blame them for deciding to retreat rather than commit to a fight they were doomed to lose.


    ¡°We managed to make contact with a few people in the local administrations,¡± Kariva added. ¡°Although they tend to be watched carefully. The traitors still seem content to leave the local governments in place and handling the day-to-day administration.¡±


    ¡°Thank the spirits for small mercies,¡± Gen muttered, and I couldn¡¯t help but agree with the sentiment.


    I glanced at the map again, out of habit since I¡¯d memorized it already. Our soldiers were largely finished mopping up resistance in the east, but the west and south remained. There were large swathes of land controlled by the uprising, as well as a number of other cities and towns.


    ¡°We should take the territories held by the Zun first,¡± I decided. Those were close to the Zarian, so we needed to secure them. Plus, I had the feeling they were playing a leadership role.


    The officers nodded, and a chorus of agreement swept across the room.


    After that, the meeting wound down. There were still a lot of things to sort out, though we didn¡¯t finalize any plans yet. It would take a bit before we could leave on this campaign, if you could call it that.


    After the meeting, I lingered behind, hoping to talk to Kiyanu. But he seemed preoccupied, and was gone as soon as he finished exchanging a few words with General Poteri. I sighed and left the room as well.


    Out in the corridor, I stopped, finally focusing on what my senses had been telling me. A familiar presence was approaching. I started walking down the corridor, glancing around. Except for Aston and a few guards, the others had left already. I could sense Tenira heading in the direction of the lab, where I was going to join her.


    But first, I turned my attention to Yarani and gave her a quick kiss. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. Were you looking for me?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I was just wandering, but when I sensed your presence, I decided to take a look.¡±


    I nodded and swept my senses out again. Then I tugged on Yarani¡¯s sleeve and pulled her to the room one door over, which was empty but had a sliding door onto a large balcony. From here, we got a good view over part of the palace, as well as the mountains to the west.


    Yarani put an arm around my shoulder, so I put one around her hips and drew her closer. This was the first time we¡¯d been alone together since we¡¯d both returned, I realized. Well, Aston and the guards were there but giving us some space.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± I admitted.


    Yarani turned a bit so I could see her smile. ¡°Thanks, Inaris. I missed you, too.¡± After a moment, the smile left her and she tightened her grip a little. ¡°I missed you a lot. It was hard to stay behind while you were in danger.¡±


    ¡°I get that. I didn¡¯t like leaving you so close to Hajake, either.¡±


    She sighed a little and melted into my side more. For a while, we just stayed there, holding each other close and enjoying the view.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Then we started talking about inconsequential things. I described what I¡¯d done on that island and before the coup, while she talked about her time on the Earth Continent and the journey. I could tell she was skipping over the bits related to the war, just focusing on funny moments with Lei or the others, progress in cultivation, and her daily life. It was nice just talking to her, hearing her voice and knowing that we¡¯d both made it out safely and were together again. Even that my marriage to Kajare or the war hadn¡¯t changed things.


    After a while, I reluctantly loosened my hold on her. ¡°I should get going.¡± I glanced at the lab building, just in time to watch Tenira come inside from the test airstrip.


    Yarani clearly followed my gaze and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know, you should talk to Tenira.¡±


    I cocked my head, feeling something in my chest tighten just a little. ¡°What?¡±


    She gave me a wry smile, then slapped my arm lightly. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯ve seen you two pining for each other long enough.¡±


    I blushed and ducked my head. I didn¡¯t know it was that obvious. Then again, Yarani is close to us, especially me. And she¡¯d said ¡®you two¡¯ and ¡®each other¡¯, which a part of my mind wanted to focus on with laser intensity.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I finally mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re alright with that?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I like Tenira. She¡¯s been very nice to me, even when she didn¡¯t have to. And she fits. If you¡¯re going to have another consort, I couldn¡¯t think of anyone better. Besides ¡­¡± she hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I don¡¯t think of her as competition.¡±


    I smiled, turned around so I was holding her properly, and gave her another kiss. One that made her melt into me and gasp for breath when I released her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going then.¡± I paused for a moment. ¡°Thank you, Yarani.¡±


    I felt my body practically brimming with tension as I left the balcony and made my way through the building. Once I was outside, I started jogging, putting some of the energy to use. I had to make an effort to keep my face calm and composed. I caught Aston hiding a smirk when I glanced at the guards following me. For a moment, I wished I could just send them away, but I knew that was a bad idea. Still, it didn¡¯t help the emotions churning in my guts, or the way my heartbeat had sped up. This time, I was determined to get things right. Have a proper, grown-up, mature talk with Tenira. Right.


    I hurried through the lab, looking around. People glanced up at my entrance, but returned their gaze to whatever they were working on when they realized I was just passing through. Several half-constructed prototypes stood on the workbenches, and a blast of heat surged from one of the containment rooms as someone opened a door. Farther off, I noticed the sounds of tapping keys, and pens scratching on paper came from all over the building. But I focused on sensing Tenira¡¯s presence, and made my way to her. When I arrived at the door to her office, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment to focus, then knocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s open!¡± she called. ¡°Something the matter, Inaris?¡±


    I walking in and carefully closed the door behind me, then glanced at her room. It was in perfect order, as always, with neatly stacked books and folders, and a new computer in one corner. Tenira stood up from behind her desk as I entered.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I said, brushing a strand of hair behind my ears. ¡°Not really. Just wanted to talk to you.¡±


    Her eyes widened a little. ¡°Right. I said we should talk, didn¡¯t I? Of course.¡±


    I smiled a little and stepped further into the room. ¡°How have you been, Tenira? Settled back in okay?¡±


    She leaned back against her desk and shrugged. ¡°Well, you know things have been crazy. I¡¯m coping. At least everyone in my family is alright. I¡¯m more worried about you. Beyond that, it¡¯s nice to get back to working here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I agreed. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have you all back. Even if I wish Lei was here.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± she smiled. ¡°I miss the little oaf.¡±


    I chuckled. Only Tenira would call him that, considering he was taller than both of us and not exactly stupid.


    We both fell silent for a moment, and I felt like it was getting awkward.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t take things personally,¡± she finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I know I said nothing needs to change between us, and I intend to hold myself to that. But I have to admit I can¡¯t help but thinking ¡­ well, my feelings for you aren¡¯t going away. That¡¯s why I thought we should at least clear the air between us.¡±


    Tenira exhaled audibly. ¡°Of course. I understand. I know I should be more open with you.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer and laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think we both screwed things up a little. But we¡¯ll work through this. I may be wrong, but I feel like there¡¯s something between us. Something real. And we should address it.¡±


    Tenira was silent for a moment, turning her gaze downward, before she nodded slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I do feel strongly about you.¡±


    I withdrew my hand, trying not to crowd her. ¡°Can I ask you something? You don¡¯t need to answer if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°I get the feeling that the problem ¡ª no, not the problem. I feel like your issue is with the idea of sleeping with me. Is that right?¡±


    She stiffened, and I could hear her breathing pick up slightly. She had trouble meeting my eyes. But finally, she replied, ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. That¡¯s what this is all about, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I regarded her thoughtfully, trying to read her reaction. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m a girl and you prefer men? I didn¡¯t get that impression, to be honest. Or because of ¡­ prior experiences?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat, but not really,¡± she said more to her hands, clasped in front of her, than to me. ¡°I did have a ¡­ ¡®bad experience¡¯ during my soul journey. One that¡¯s certainly making this harder. But even without that ¡­¡± She sighed and seemed to hunch further in. ¡°It¡¯s just me. Even in my old life. I remember it only vaguely, but I do recall emotional moments, so I know what happened. I did try to get physically intimate, like everyone. Everything should have worked, it just ¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t do anything for you?¡± I suggested.


    She glanced up, her beautiful green eyes finally meeting mine, and I saw sadness in them. ¡°Exactly. I just don¡¯t really understand why people want it. And with what happened ¡ª I¡¯m sorry, but I just don¡¯t feel like I can do it. Or like forcing it would do any good in the long run.¡±


    I nodded and gave her what I hoped was a gentle smile. ¡°I sort of suspected that. Some people just don¡¯t need or want to have sex. On Earth, it¡¯s called being asexual, or ace. Sounds like that may fit you.¡±


    Tenira¡¯s eyes widened, and she seemed to forget to feel defensive, finally straightening up. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a thing.¡± I suspected that she might feel like there was something wrong with her, so the best thing I could do was just be casually accepting and show that there wasn¡¯t. I¡¯d do my best, at least.


    ¡°Well, to be honest, that¡¯s not what I expected you to say, Nari.¡± She laughed a little. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so unfazed.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tenira, most girls aren¡¯t attracted to other girls. I¡¯m not what they¡¯d consider normal, and I wouldn¡¯t call anyone else weird. Besides, your feelings are just as valid as anyone¡¯s. It¡¯s a matter of respect, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± Her expression turned serious, and her eyes darkened again. ¡°So, you understand why I can¡¯t be with you?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, no.¡±


    I recognized the shock and confusion in her eyes. ¡°What? I thought ¡­¡±


    ¡°Tenira.¡± I took a step closer again and touched her hand. ¡°I think you misunderstand my intentions. Maybe I didn¡¯t express my feelings clearly enough.¡± I took a deep breath, and couldn¡¯t have looked away from her eyes if I¡¯d wanted to. ¡°I don¡¯t just want your body, I want to be with you. I want to see you smile. I want to make you laugh. I want to give you a hug when you need one. I want to maybe cuddle with you if you¡¯ll allow it.¡±


    Her eyes widened, and she searched my face. ¡°You mean that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with emphasis. ¡°I don¡¯t care if we don¡¯t have sex. Well, no, of course I care, but I don¡¯t mind. I would really like to sleep with you, but not if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯d rather be with you than not, even if we never do more than hold hands. Far rather. I mean that.¡±


    I watched a number of emotions flash across her face. She bit her lip, but was silent for a while, clearly thinking through everything. My heart galloped against my ribcage as I waited, clenching my fists, but I didn¡¯t move.


    Finally, she settled on a smile, and reached out to twine her hands with mine. ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±


    I felt like the weight of a building was suddenly lifted off my shoulders. A matching grin marched across my face, and I had to control the impulse to kiss her. She wants to be with me!


    After a moment, Tenira shook her head, groaning softly. ¡°Now I feel like an idiot.¡±


    ¡°They say better late than never,¡± I teased her. ¡°But many people only think about relationships in terms of sex. I¡¯ll take a wild guess that the culture of where you came from in your soul journey wasn¡¯t like mine. I¡¯m just glad you still want to be with me.¡± I hesitated. ¡°You do want to be with me?¡± Suddenly, I needed to hear her say it.


    Tenira smirked. ¡°Yes, Nari, I want to be with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really happy to hear that.¡±


    Hesitantly, she moved closer, initiating a loose hug. ¡°Me too.¡±


    I tugged her a little closer and half-closed my eyes, breathing in her scent. She smelled like sunlight on a clear summer day, like sparks and a hint of ink and a flower I couldn¡¯t name, but which might be my new favorite. I listened to her heartbeat, thudding reassuringly so close to me. Because I finally could, I reached out a hand to brush a strand of her hair away from her face, softly brushing her cheek. She smiled and moved into the touch a little.


    ¡°Say,¡± I began, hesitantly. ¡°Would you like it if I kissed you?¡±


    Tenira seemed to consider it for a moment, then smiled faintly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we find out?¡±


    She didn¡¯t have to tell me twice. I moved in slowly, cupped her face with my right hand, then kissed her. The touch of her lips sent a jolt through me, but it was a soft kiss. Romantic, not sexual.


    After I withdrew, Tenira¡¯s cheeks were a little flushed, and she smiled at me. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s alright. We can do that again.¡±


    Right now, I didn¡¯t care about anything else. That moment could have lasted forever.

 113: Field test

    I held hands with Tenira as we stood on the airship¡¯s deck, watching the landscape pass by below us. I still felt that faint, fluttery feeling in my stomach whenever my attention turned to that fact, and if I hadn¡¯t been a cultivator, my facial muscles might have ached from smiling so much. It was probably a good thing no one else could see that, since we were heading into a war zone.


    The thought sobered me up a little, and I glanced around. We¡¯d already been in the air for a few hours, and would arrive at our destination soon. Two airships flew on either side of this one, carrying soldiers. The one I stood on was mostly for me and my companions, and the command staff. We¡¯d had to leave most of the planes behind, though some would be ferried by ship to other destinations, and some did accompany us in the air.


    Tenira pulled her hand away. I let it go and looked at her, then followed her gaze to the group of people approaching us. Yarani, Aston, and a few of the officers.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, Your Highness,¡± Aston said. ¡°Would you like to go over some plans again?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I leaned against the railing and focused on what we were going to do here.


    Going over the situation and our plans took long enough that the airship was in the process of setting down by the time we¡¯d finished. I hopped over the railing, falling a few meters before hitting the ground and kicking up some dust. Aston and a few guards followed right away. I paused for Tenira and Yarani to catch up, then made my way through the camp being set up.


    I noted the groups of soldiers preparing for battle and assembling several devices or formation arrays, but nothing really required my attention. From here, I couldn¡¯t get a good look at our target, but I could make out the walls of the town rising only a short distance away. It was firmly in the hands of the conspirators, unfortunately. A dry, grassy plain spread around it, so at least there was room for battle. To one side, the ground rose up into the foot of a low mountain range. A river glittered in the fading sunlight, winding its way down the mountains and cutting through the plain ahead of us. I put on a bit of speed to hurry to the riverbank and take a good look. It had rained heavily over the last few days, and the river was carrying a lot of water, rushing along at a fast pace. Good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s set up,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see how this is going to go.¡±


    Tenira nodded and started taking tools from her storage ring. ¡°Shame Lei isn¡¯t here, but I¡¯m curious, myself.¡±


    Since we had prebuilt parts to work with, carried in storage rings, the setup went remarkably quickly. A few of the crafters we¡¯d taken along had built these kinds of generators before, and quickly fit things together. The final product looked a bit like a typical watermill, if it wasn¡¯t for all the wires. And the actual generator part, of course. Tenira and I double-checked that we got power without a problem. It actually put out a good wattage.


    With the generator running, we started setting up the real experiment. I carefully arranged the formation plates with the help of the experts we¡¯d taken along, then checked the casing. We¡¯d assembled this before, in the palace, and they¡¯d all weathered the transport undamaged.


    Operation ray gun is on track. I grinned to myself.


    At the core of the mechanism was an electrical lightbulb. Those were relatively simple, and they¡¯d even known how to make one before I arrived. Waste heat might be an issue, and I certainly would have preferred LEDs, but we just didn¡¯t have the technology to make those yet. Maybe a skilled cultivator could, if I got the right materials. But for now, this would do. The light it emitted was then put through several layers of the formation I¡¯d designed to shift its wavelengths, as well as focus it to create a beam. It had worked out well in the palace testing grounds, and I was confident it would prove its worth in the field, as well.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re ready,¡± I said, taking a step back.


    ¡°Just in time,¡± Aston said. He glanced at the camp, then at the town. ¡°Everything is ready for the attack.¡±


    Ru Lis stepped up to the weapon, adjusting the scope and letting her qi flare out to link with the formations. I would have preferred to do it myself, but no one wanted me near a barely-tested new weapon. We needed someone with great senses, precision and accuracy, so a high-stage cultivator was the natural pick.


    ¡°Good.¡± I took another step back, then circulated some qi to my eyes to sharpen my vision and get a better look at the town. ¡°Let¡¯s test their shielding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t see the radiation leaving the weapon, of course. With the speed of light, it crossed the distance to the town in moments. I waited for the shield above the town to become visible, but only saw the roofs of several houses bursting into flame. I sensed the guard cut off the attack immediately.


    ¡°Don¡¯t they have a shield?¡± Tenira asked, eyes wide as she stared at the damage.


    I frowned, scratching my cheek. ¡°They must have. But this isn¡¯t a physical attack, and there¡¯s no qi involved. It¡¯s just radiation. I doubt they have a shield tuned for it.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I considered the possibility, but didn¡¯t think it would actually happen.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, before Yarani spoke up. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°We can use this to drive them out,¡± I replied. ¡°Then we¡¯ll fight them the old-fashioned way. Ru Lis, take shots if you have opportunities, but be careful of friendly fire. And try not to damage the town too much or hit civilians.¡±


    Ru Lis glanced at me for a moment, before she returned her gaze to her target. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    She kept her fire high, mostly hitting the town wall and the roofs of the houses. It didn¡¯t take long for cultivators to start ascending into the air. When they did, she switched targets and managed to hit a few of them, but couldn¡¯t hold back their advance. Not that we wanted to.


    Our own soldiers were ready for battle, and charged to meet the conspirators¡¯ forces. Luckily, it was at a slight angle, so Ru Lis could still fire if she was careful. I watched with a familiar weight in my chest as the cultivators clashed in the field around the town while I paced up and down some distance from the raygun.


    ¡°It¡¯s going well,¡± Yarani commented, stepping up beside me.


    I nodded. With the new weapon threatening their base, our enemies obviously decided not to try and sit this out. Quite a few of them attempted to move in our direction, but the elites and guards held them off easily, at least for now.


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    ¡°I admit I wasn¡¯t sure why you¡¯re so focused on this,¡± she continued. ¡°I can see it¡¯s effective, but honestly, it¡¯s not that strong of an attack. Is it just your fondness for tinkering?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s part of it, yes. But I was actually thinking more of the big picture. I mean, this weapon relies on formations, but it doesn¡¯t really use qi. At least, we could make a workable model that doesn¡¯t. The main power source is electric, after all.¡± I sighed and lowered my voice as I continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of ways to make weapons using my knowledge and modern technology, that can close the gap to the power of qi and techniques.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡± Yarani frowned sightly, a thoughtful look on her face. ¡°Weapons that don¡¯t rely on qi ¡­¡±


    She¡¯s beginning to get it. I nodded. ¡°Could be a game changer. After all, qi is essentially a limited resource. There¡¯s only so much you can use for cultivation or formations. And there are very few real fighters compared to the population. But these weapons can potentially be used by anyone.¡±


    Yarani winced, her eyes wide.


    ¡°Nari is thinking big.¡± Tenira came walking up to us, smiling grimly. ¡°This is only one approach. You see the need for discretion.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Yarani smiled at her. ¡°Any help either of you need, I¡¯ll be happy to help.¡±


    The ground trembled faintly. Before we could continue the conversation, Aston called, ¡°They¡¯re trying to run.¡±


    I turned my attention back to the battle, which had continued to rage and was now winding down. Already, medics were taking to the field in larger numbers, caring for the wounded.


    I walked over to Aston. ¡°The officers have this well in hand, but you can remind them I want all of the Zun captured.¡±


    I continued to watch. The electromagnetic radiation released by the raygun was still too scattered for really long distances. It had been a pain getting it even this focused. But this battle clearly showed that we had a workable weapon, at least. Some more optimizing and I could see us rolling them out against the Zarian in larger numbers. If only they¡¯d given us a few more years.


    The aftermath of the battle took almost longer than the battle itself. As soon as Aston said it was safe, which was about half again the time I would have taken, I stepped on my flying sword and moved over the field of battle. Even with the guards swarming around us, I got a good look. The field was completely devastated, lined with great furrows, boulders, sheets of ice and even a bit of lava. Steam rose from it in large swathes, and a lot of dust had been kicked up. But by now, most of the wounded and dead had been moved off, and the approach to the town was clear. The conspirators¡¯ qi shield had at least protected it from the effects of the battle.


    After a few minutes of waiting, San Hashar came out of the town to greet my little party. She bowed. ¡°Your Highness. The settlement is secure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, San Hashar. Take me to whatever passed for their command center, please.¡±


    We moved slowly, detouring around a few pieces of debris that had fallen onto the street. The houses were built mostly of stone, at least. Almost all windows were closed tightly, the shutters drawn closed. I couldn¡¯t see a single person who wasn¡¯t a soldier, although I could still sense them. Many had congregated in the more heavily fortified buildings.


    ¡°Were any civilians killed?¡± I asked.


    San Hashar glanced at me and shook her head. ¡°There were some injuries, my lady, but no fatalities.¡±


    I exhaled, feeling some of my tension ebb. I didn¡¯t comment on the bodies of enemy warriors that some soldiers were gathering. Later, I¡¯d go over the reports of casualty numbers. At least the town was secured now.


    In the center of town stood the Zun mansion, though its high walls and small windows showed it had once been intended as a castle. Most of them were shattered now, and the doors gaped open. I sensed that there were many fighters inside, and some familiar presences. While most of the town was almost deathly quiet, some sound spilled out from it still.


    I followed San Hashar into the mansion, my girlfriends and guards escorting me. Inside, it looked mostly untouched. The tapestries and decorations stayed in their place, and if not for the subtle smell of blood and dust in the air, you wouldn¡¯t know a battle had just been fought here. But that impression changed once she opened the door to the throne room. One entire wall was cracked, the plaster scattered over the ground along with bits of stonework. The ornate chair at the front had been toppled, and others lay in pieces across the room. In the center, a group of elites guarded several men kneeling on the ground.


    ¡°So much destruction,¡± Tenira mused, clicking her tongue. ¡°Just because a clan didn¡¯t like inevitable change.¡±


    I snorted, striding forward to the prisoners. ¡°I doubt Zun minded my new technology. Their clan was quick enough to try and take advantage of it. I rather suspect they intended on being the ones to profit from it after this conspiracy removed the Leri. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    I came to a stop in front of the prisoners, frowning as I looked them over. ¡°Where¡¯s Zun Chao?¡±


    One of the younger men, probably in his thirties with a faint resemblance to the man I was looking for, lifted his head.


    ¡°The elder Zun Chao escaped, Your Highness,¡± San Hashar answered, her voice tight. ¡°He flew soon after the battle started, and managed to escape our elites. We only have their Young Master, his grandson.¡±


    I sighed. I¡¯d really wanted to capture the old lord. His older brother had died in their rushed attempt to take the palace and kill Mother, slain by Kiyanu, but I didn¡¯t doubt that he¡¯d been running things. And was probably playing a major part in leading the conspiracy as a whole.


    The younger Zun Chao smirked for a moment, before his face dropped back into an expressionless stare. I crossed my arms and glared down at him. I¡¯d never liked his grandfather much, and this coup had only turned that dislike into low-key hate. The thought that he and General Wei, who¡¯d barely been able to stand each other during the war against the nomads, had teamed up for this betrayal still rankled.


    ¡°You,¡± I addressed the man. ¡°Do you know what your grandfather is planning?¡±


    He shook his head, but dropped his gaze to the floor. ¡°Would there be any point in claiming that I wasn¡¯t involved in any of this, Your Highness?¡±


    Probably not. But he was only in the fifth stage, and we did have interrogators skilled in telling the truth from a lie.


    ¡°Make sure they¡¯re all properly secured,¡± I said to San Hashar. ¡°Kariva will want to interrogate them. Then they¡¯ll stand trial.¡± I paused. ¡°And probably be executed.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± She paused and turned her head to the side, where there was a door set into the wall. ¡°There¡¯s something else we found that you should see.¡±


    I turned away from the prisoners, watching with interest as I sensed a few presences approaching. Two were soldiers, and one felt familiar, although it was quite weak. Beside me, I heard Aston shift just a bit, while Tenira and Yarani were simply watching everything.


    Then I sucked in a breath as I recognized the man the two soldiers carried into the room. He was bound with heavy metallic shackles and ankle-cuffs that glowed with qi in the shape of formations and drained his own qi. His eyes moved sluggishly, and judging by his movements, he might be drugged. They dropped him onto this knees before us.


    ¡°Suaki?¡± Tenira took a step closer, then stopped.


    I shook my head. I knew he¡¯d disappeared from the university around the same time as the coup, but with everything else going on, I hadn¡¯t thought about this apparent betrayal much.


    ¡°Well, get the shackles off!¡± I told no one in particular. ¡°And a healer.¡±


    The soldiers hurried to comply, and one of my guards stepped forward. I watched as she used a nature affinity technique that brought a bit of vitality back to the scholar. Suaki blinked and glanced around, but quickly focused.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± He dropped forward to the ground and kissed my shoe, then returned to a kneeling position.


    I cleared my throat, hoping my embarrassment didn¡¯t show. ¡°Rise, Expert Suaki. I take it you didn¡¯t go along with their treason.¡±


    He stood up and shook his head. ¡°My family may have served clan Zun, but I¡¯m loyal to the Empire, my lady. They wanted my expertise with the new technology. When Zun Chao must have realized that I wasn¡¯t going to go along with them, he took me by force.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Well, your loyalty is laudable. I could use your help with our new projects.¡±


    He could still be a plant, but I didn¡¯t think so. Kariva or her people would no doubt check him, anyway.


    Suaki smiled and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to provide what assistance I can. Although I¡¯d also like to get back to the university.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    I glanced at the prisoners from the clan, who other soldiers were escorting out of the room at the moment. It¡¯s nice to see that at least some people are loyal to Mother and our dynasty. Though I knew that thought was unfair.

 114: Connections and preparations

    <div>


    I sighed and shook out my hand as if I¡¯d done heavy labor as I walked through the corridor of the base¡¯s command center, taking a turn into a small garden. This used to be the mansion of the local lord, before he¡¯d been killed fighting for the conspirators. At least it meant there was some color and life here, besides the bustle of cultivators managing the campaign.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I even bother,¡± I grumbled. ¡°Things were fine before.¡±


    Tenira grinned. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to start with it. You could just say no. Of course, that might not be good for morale.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what I was getting myself into. Bless one person and suddenly everyone wants me to touch them ¡­¡±


    She chuckled, and after a second I joined in. Although I was only half joking. Soldiers asking me to bless them in Rijoko¡¯s name was happening more often, and I didn¡¯t like it. Of course, I generally obliged them, anyway.


    I didn¡¯t know for sure whether it did anything. I hadn¡¯t sensed any qi activity, but for all I knew Rijoko might actually be marking them. I didn¡¯t even know if he ever listened to, or answered, any prayers.


    I¡¯d really like to test that. But if I was to design and conduct an experiment, he would know and might mess with it on purpose. Turns out religion is even harder for science when you have a psychic link to a spirit. Who knew?


    I shook my head and returned my attention to the present. Tenira¡¯s hand was questing for mine again, so I grabbed it and pulled her in for a short kiss. She smiled at me and pushed me onto a garden bench, snuggling into my side. Ever since we¡¯d finally worked things out a few days ago, she¡¯d been quite enthusiastic about kissing and cuddling.


    ¡°Is it wrong that I¡¯m happy,¡± she asked, her thought seemingly going in the same direction, ¡°in the middle of a war like this?¡±


    ¡°Would you being unhappy make things better?¡± I pulled her a little closer. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with seizing happiness where you can. And you¡¯ve definitely brightened my days a lot, even with all the annoyance of fighting the conspirators.¡±


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t look like the fighting would end soon. After our repeated victories, they¡¯d gone to ground even farther. Many of their fighters had almost disappeared, doing their best to melt into the civilian population of the areas they¡¯d previously seized. It made it hard to clear them, and even harder to strike another decisive blow against the insurgents. Especially since their leadership stayed on the move a lot.


    ¡°Yarani¡¯s coming back,¡± Tenira said after a minute. She pulled back a little, facing me. ¡°You haven¡¯t spent much time with her lately. Or even with Kajare before our departure.¡±


    I cocked my head. I didn¡¯t think she was really talking about me just spending time with them. ¡°To be honest, I wanted to wait and talk to you, make sure I know where I stand.¡±


    She frowned a little. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but I don¡¯t want to keep you from them.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t mind sharing me? Well, not sharing in that sense. But, you know ¡­ You don¡¯t mind if I sleep with them?¡±


    Tenira shook her head. ¡°No. I can¡¯t say I like the idea, but it doesn¡¯t really bother me. I want you to be happy, Nari. Just because I don¡¯t need that sort of thing doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t, and I¡¯d feel bad if you were denying yourself for me. Not to mention that they were with you before me.¡±


    I considered her for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re sure you really don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Of course. They can give you what I can¡¯t. And I actually like both of them. Especially Yarani.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°How about this. You promise me that if you ever want to have another consort, I¡¯ll be involved in that decision?¡±


    I smiled and kissed her cheek. ¡°Of course. I promise. And the same for you?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not likely to fall for someone else, but certainly.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°For someone else, huh?¡±


    Tenira blushed a little. Then she returned my grin. ¡°I stand by what I said.¡±


    This time, it was my turn to blush, but I gathered myself quickly. ¡°That¡¯s good, since I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m in love with you, Tenira.¡±


    We kissed again.


    Then we cuddled and talked about less important things, like how our projects were going. Suaki¡¯s assistance was helpful, especially with streamlining the formations we used. Here, in the middle of a war camp, we couldn¡¯t do much practical work, anyway. Most of the team was still back in the palace, and it wasn¡¯t like we had the Internet to facilitate communications, but we made some small progress.


    Finally, I sighed and sat back against the backrest of the bench. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for my meeting with Salira.¡±


    Tenira nodded. ¡°Do you want to stay here?¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not?¡± I took her hand again and gave it a squeeze. ¡°You can watch me in my sleep if you want, though if you want to leave, don¡¯t feel like you have to stay. Aston and the others will take care of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little curious if I can sense what happens when you cast your mind out like that, actually. Or if I can sense something.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Okay. Tell me if you catch anything.¡±


    Then I closed my eyes and exhaled. I had to consciously make myself relax, and not think about the fact that people might be able to see me sleeping or that Tenira was watching. But this was nice, too, and I didn¡¯t want to get up and cut our time together short. So I just focused on the flow of my qi and let myself slowly drift into sleep.


    Once I was asleep, I took a moment to get a sense for the sleeping minds near me, then cast my senses out farther. I knew where Salira was, at least roughly, and remembered the feel of her mind well, so it didn¡¯t take long to reach her. She must have been waiting for me, as her mind yielded to my entrance easily and let my consciousness into her dream. It resolved into sharper focus.


    ¡®Salira,¡¯ I greeted her, making sure my visualization of my body was working properly.


    She bowed. ¡®Princess Inaris.¡¯


    Our dream-selves were standing in a room packed with bookshelves, perhaps a library. There was a table with several open books in front of her, and I wondered if she¡¯d actually fallen asleep here.


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    ¡®If Hajake calls me Sister, you can do the same,¡¯ I told her with some amusement. ¡®No need to stand on formality. How have you been?¡¯


    She smiled. ¡®Of course, Sister Inaris. I¡¯ve been well, thank you for asking. The war is going reasonably well here. I imagine the Zarian¡¯s attention is elsewhere. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re pushing you heavily?¡¯


    I sighed. ¡®Yes, unfortunately. We barely manage to erect new defensive lines in time for the fighting to reach them. I fear Blue Valley City won¡¯t hold out for much longer. All the more reason to deal with enemies in our own lands quickly.¡¯


    ¡®I can imagine that¡¯s not easy. And I¡¯d like nothing more than to deal with Hajake, but I¡¯m afraid rushing things would cost us.¡¯


    I sat down in one of the chairs, although I couldn¡¯t really feel it. ¡®Yes, you¡¯re right about that. Have you found out anything more?¡¯


    She shook her head. ¡®A few more details, but nothing truly important. I¡¯m beginning to get a good idea of his network of allies and supporters, as well as which government officials he might have corrupted, but there¡¯s little to act on.¡¯


    I nodded. That was to be expected.


    ¡®I¡¯ve also built up my own support,¡¯ she continued. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s made harder by the fact that I¡¯m still on the Earth Continent. Mother is helping, but I don¡¯t think telling her everything would be a good idea, so I have to move carefully with her, as well.¡¯


    I¡¯d have to trust that Salira knew what she was doing in that regard. ¡®Can I help with that?¡¯ I asked. ¡®If there are certain people you would like me to contact, I could. I might also take a look at the sleeping minds of our enemies, though that sort of approach needs to be handled with caution and a good dose of skepticism.¡¯


    Her face brightened. ¡®Oh, yes. That would help quite a bit.¡¯


    We talked for a while longer, while she provided me details on important figures or circumstances, and explained possible targets. She was quite methodical, and I had a decently-sized list once she finished.


    ¡®It was good talking to you,¡¯ I finally concluded. ¡®I¡¯ll look forward to seeing you in person again.¡¯


    Salira smiled. ¡®The same goes for me, Sister.¡¯


    I nodded at her, then extracted myself from her dream, casting my mind and my senses out again.


    Unfortunately, my plan turned out to be harder than I had expected. I hadn¡¯t met most of these people personally, so trying to find their minds in my dreaming state was quite a challenge. It didn¡¯t help that I knew few of them would be asleep. I¡¯d have to check back periodically over the next while, but I would still do what I could now.


    I managed to find a few sleeping minds that fit, carefully brushing over their dreams to get an idea of their identities and the dreams¡¯ contents. Then I reached out to influence them, careful to keep it subtle, and inserted my own mind into the dreams in order to reach the dreamers.


    Those I contacted in this way were pretty surprised, but they adjusted quickly. Their dreams were blurry, and I could tell they thought this might just be a normal dream. None of them had a perfect memory, or any training in controlling their minds in such a situation. I talked with them for a bit, getting an idea of their status and their thoughts, before I left them to their sleep.


    With those I wanted to covertly observe, I was a little more careful. I disliked the idea of invading their mental privacy like this, and I definitely wouldn¡¯t stoop to attempting anything like actual mind control, even if I could. But I reminded myself that if they were working for Hajake in his schemes, they were my enemies, and every edge could help blunt the fallout of this confrontation.


    The most notable one was one of the top generals of the Kingdom¡¯s forces on the Earth Continent, who also happened to be from a prominent house. I gently brushed over his dream, trying to get an idea of what I was dealing with. His mental defenses were a little sharper than most, but nothing I couldn¡¯t handle. Instead of entering it with my consciousness, I cautiously insinuated a thread of my mind into his dream, careful not to change anything or do something that would raise his suspicion. It was probably too paranoid, but I¡¯d never done this before.


    His dream was a chaotic swirling of images and sounds. He seemed to have a pretty visual mind, and the pictures dominated, resonating with surprising clarity and focus. I watched for a while, trying to puzzle out what his dream could tell me. There were a lot of clearly personal elements to it that didn¡¯t mean much to me. I could only guess he had trouble with siblings or close friends, a dispute over hunting a spirit beast. Unless that was just an invention of the dream. But Hajake also featured in the dream, and it seemed to get darker and more shadowy when he did. I watched glimpses of hushed conversations in dark corners, perhaps memories, perhaps allegories of the secretive nature of their collaboration. The maps and faces of other people that came up with it gave me some clues to their plans, and who else might be involved.


    After a while, I judged that I¡¯d seen all I was going to, and exited the dream again. That wasn¡¯t a total waste, but nothing I could really bring to Salira. I¡¯d sharpened my skills, but didn¡¯t have much concrete information to show for it. Still, I didn¡¯t want to wake up yet.


    When I scanned again, I startled as I recognized someone else who¡¯d just gone to sleep. Prince Jian of the Velisha. I carefully reached out to his mind, trying to analyze it.


    His mental defenses were quite good. I didn¡¯t get any of the content of his dream, and I had to keep my mental touch light for fear of calling his attention to me. I retreated for a moment and considered what I was sensing more deeply. His cultivation wasn¡¯t that high, and his defense seemed suspiciously good. I braced myself and reached out again, very carefully, trying to get a better sense of what I was dealing with.


    I caught a hint of foreign qi and knew immediately it wasn¡¯t from a mortal. Isuro, perhaps? I paused and considered the sensations more deeply. Close, but it seemed more like Jideai himself. Interesting, and problematic. They¡¯d definitely notice if I broke through. I hadn¡¯t encountered something like this before, but it didn¡¯t feel that strong, or like a direct boost to his strength. Some kind of protective blessing, most likely. To protect his mind, and perhaps a little more.


    Well, it was a good thing that I had other options at my disposal.


    I mentally retreated a little and searched for another familiar mind, happy to find him asleep, as well. Not stopping the sleep schedule we¡¯d established paid off.


    I reached out and pushed on his dream, waiting for him to recognize me and send a feeling of welcome, before I fully pulled my mind into the dream. My visualization appeared on a mountain peak I recognized as belonging to the Central Mountains, not too far from the palace, where Lei¡¯s dream self had set up a blanket at a spot with a nice view.


    ¡®Inaris!¡¯ he greeted me cheerfully. ¡®It¡¯s good to see you again.¡¯


    I hugged him, then settled down beside him. ¡®Likewise, Lei. How have you been?¡¯


    For a few minutes, we chatted about what we¡¯d done and how things were going both in the Earth Continent and for me. The war didn¡¯t seem to affect him much, although I noticed he spent less time talking about tech and more about the various people there.


    ¡®So. To what do I owe the chance to bask in your presence, Luminous Princess?¡¯ he asked with a grin.


    I swatted at him. ¡®It¡¯s definitely not your overflowing charm, Lei. But, no, there¡¯s something else.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m all ears. Are we finally making a move against Hajake?¡¯


    ¡®No. Jian. I want you to go arrest him, on suspicion of treason. But don¡¯t give them details.¡¯


    That would stir things up a little. Most people should assume it had something to do with the attempted coup, but it might startle his or Hajake¡¯s associates. And I was getting a little tired of pussyfooting around.


    Lei raised an eyebrow, searching my expression for a moment. ¡®Inaris, did you talk about that with Kiyanu and Kariva?¡¯


    I pulled a face. ¡®No?¡¯ At his expression, I raised a hand in surrender. ¡®Okay, you should wait a day longer, and I¡¯ll consult with her.¡¯ If nothing else, she could have agents in place who might need to know about this.


    He nodded. ¡®Of course, I can do it. The Velisha are our vassals, and not in a position to stop our elites, anyway.¡¯ He paused, then prodded me, ¡®So you¡¯ll talk to Kariva. And Kiyanu?¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®I kind of thought it might be a good test ¡­¡¯


    ¡®Inaris,¡¯ Lei groaned. ¡®You must have read too many bad dramas. Come on, you don¡¯t want to slight your regent like that.¡¯


    I sighed. ¡®Alright. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll clear this with him.¡¯ Then I brightened up and I grinned at Lei. ¡®Good to see you¡¯re not as bad at politics as you pretend, anyway.¡¯


    ¡®Hey now,¡¯ he grumbled. ¡®Don¡¯t go ruining my reputation.¡¯


    I just winked at him. ¡®No promises.¡¯

 115: Loyalty

    <div>


    I¡¯d expected that Kiyanu would want to talk to me when I returned to the palace, though I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be waiting for the airship personally. He stood before a few guards and younger people I recognized as his personal disciples, hands clasped behind his back and a serene expression on his face.


    I glanced at Tenira and Yarani, gave them a tight smile, then jumped down just after the airship set down. This time, we¡¯d landed on an actual landing pad on the ground, not too far from our research and development grounds. It was a cold morning, and the breeze blew a few strands of my hair over my face.


    ¡°Welcome back.¡± He inclined his head.


    I bowed my head to him as well and smiled. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s good to be back. There¡¯s some things I wanted to take care of in regards to our new prototypes, but I suppose that can wait.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure your consorts can supervise things for a while. If you¡¯d come with me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, could you give me a moment?¡± He¡¯d just reminded me of something I should do.


    He nodded again, so I turned around and stepped up to Tenira, who was about to leave with Yarani.


    ¡°Do you need me for something, Nari?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to make sure we¡¯re on the same page.¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°I intend to publicly call you my consort, and act accordingly, unless you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    Yarani looked like she was suppressing a chuckle, while Tenira raised an eyebrow. After a moment, she smiled. ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    I resisted the urge to kiss her right here. ¡°Great. We can discuss other arrangements later. I¡¯d be happy to have you move into a suite beside my rooms, but we¡¯ll talk about that another time.¡± I glanced at Yarani. ¡°I hope you¡¯re alright with all of this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Inaris. Maybe I should ask for an expensive gift to mollify me?¡± She grinned when I rolled my eyes, before her expression turned serious. ¡°Of course I¡¯m alright with it. Now don¡¯t keep the Lord Regent waiting any longer.¡±


    I nodded and turned around, stepping back to join Kiyanu. He didn¡¯t comment on the conversation he probably overheard, but offered me his arm. I took it, then had to close my eyes as the world seemed to blur around me.


    It was a different feeling than when Mother had moved me around. I experienced more of a sensation of extreme acceleration and deceleration while the wind qi around me prickled against my skin. It was over quickly, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heartbeat, as I looked around. Kiyanu had brought me to his office. There were two guards in the corridor outside, but no one else in the room. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a few stacks of papers were laid out on the wooden desk. Kiyanu released me and settled down in an armchair beside the desk, so I chose the other chair close by to sit.


    ¡°I suppose you want to talk about what I told Lei to do about Jian?¡± I asked. We¡¯d communicated about that with qi talismans, but that hadn¡¯t allowed for an in-depth discussion.


    Kiyanu quirked an eyebrow. ¡°A good place to start. To be clear, Inaris, I know it was you Hajake and Jian harmed, and I¡¯m happy to let you handle that matter. As long as I don¡¯t think you¡¯re making a mess of things.¡±


    I sighed a little and leaned back. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°We already received word that Akilei has arrested Prince Jian,¡± he said. ¡°Kariva is sending a few of her people to help with his interrogation. King Varis isn¡¯t pleased, but hasn¡¯t tried to interfere, so far.¡±


    I nodded. That was what I¡¯d expected. ¡°He might react differently if we¡¯re going to kill his son,¡± I noted. ¡°But not punishing Jian isn¡¯t an option, is it?¡±


    Kiyanu grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s not a good situation either way, but you¡¯re right. It¡¯s better to have to crack down on the Velisha than let something like this go. We can¡¯t let any of our vassals think they can just rebel, especially with the war.¡±


    I sighed. Here¡¯s hoping King Varis is smart enough to realize sacrificing Jian is his only option if he doesn¡¯t want to lose everything.


    I glanced around the office again, then refocused on Kiyanu, who was watching me calmly. I wasn¡¯t surprised by him asserting his authority somewhat. In fact, he was being very permissive, letting me do a lot of things on my own.


    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Kiyanu?¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, you can always ask.¡±


    I tapped my finger on the chair¡¯s armrest, before I noticed what I was doing and stopped it. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been a loyal supporter of Mother for a while. Why did you decide to serve her?¡± I didn¡¯t think it was just because she was his monarch. And he didn¡¯t seem all that ambitious, for someone in his position.


    The eighth stager steepled his fingers and regarded me for a moment, a faint frown on his face. ¡°A fair question, I suppose, and you deserve an honest answer,¡± he finally said. ¡°My sense of loyalty to Acura goes beyond legal or religious duty, but is rather personal. It goes back to a rather unfortunate event several decades ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I leaned forward slightly, my curiosity piqued.


    ¡°A sea dragon had surfaced from the depths, causing some problems with the coastal settlements and ships. I went out to fight it. Or them, I should say. It was perhaps the most challenging battle of my life. I¡¯d only just recovered from the backlash of an improperly mastered technique, and I have to admit the battle did not go in my favor.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I urged.


    ¡°Drained and almost defeated, I met your mother on the coast. She was still crown princess back then, not quite ready to break through to the eighth stage. She¡¯d been supervising evacuations, a task the fight didn¡¯t make any easier. Well, she stepped in and challenged the beast herself, giving me the opportunity to recover.¡± He smiled a little. ¡°She risked her life, leading them away from the coast and battling the sea dragon over the open ocean, and eventually killed them.¡±


    I took a moment to process, making a mental note to check my research on sea dragon culture. It was a pretty good story. I wonder if that was before or after her soul journey? Probably before, from the sounds of it.


    And I suppose now I know where the heart she traded to Rijoko came from. Kind of weird. I glanced at my storage ring, where I¡¯d stored my spear. She¡¯d told me that it was crafted from the bone of a sea dragon. Probably the same one she¡¯d killed.


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    ¡°That¡¯s not quite what I expected to hear,¡± I admitted. I had my suspicions, but they went in a different direction.


    Kiyanu smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to. Besides, your mother¡¯s bravery and how she saved my life aren¡¯t my only reasons, my lady. For example, I do wish to see our nation led into a brighter future by the daughter of the Moon.¡±


    I stiffened, not sure how to respond to that. I settled on a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll endeavor to be worthy of your hope.¡± My voice was a bit tight.


    ¡°So long as your ambition matches it.¡± His gaze had grown a little more intense. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make your mark on this world.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Who said my ambitions are limited to this planet?¡±


    Kiyanu blinked, then raised an eyebrow in a silent question.


    ¡°I have more than enough time for technology to develop far beyond what you, or even I, have seen,¡± I said. ¡°My old world started on space travel; I intend to get at least to another planet. Not that we know much about them, unfortunately.¡±


    Those were long-term ideas, so I hadn¡¯t spared them much attention so far. We did have some knowledge of astronomy, but I couldn¡¯t even be sure of the geography of the local solar system. Still, that isn¡¯t really important right now. Though I definitely want to check out this world¡¯s moon. I suppressed a chuckle at the thought. Who knows, I might even meet my father.


    Kiyanu shook his head lightly. ¡°Right. Be that as it may, we¡¯ll have to secure the Empire¡¯s hold here first, and that means defeating the Zarian. Or perish.¡±


    I sat up straighter. ¡°Has something happened?¡±


    He pulled a map marked with several tactical symbols from a stack onto the table¡¯s surface, his expression grim. ¡°Blue Valley City has fallen.¡±


    He let the statement hang in the air for a bit. I winced. A cold hand clenched around my guts as I gazed at the map, noting the new markers placed on the city¡¯s location, and how much our forces and defensive line had deteriorated. I shook off thoughts of the university I¡¯d built ransacked by Zarian soldiers.


    ¡°How much did we lose?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A few cultivators in the red stage, more in lower stages.¡± He grimaced. ¡°A few hundred civilians, perhaps more. The south¡¯s economy will feel the blow, and if we aren¡¯t careful, we could risk a famine. And the Zarian advance won¡¯t stop there.¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my temple. ¡°We need to get our new weapons finished and into production. And maybe we should see if we can get reinforcements from the Earth Continent, or the Terbekteri. Those the King sent already aren¡¯t doing us much good at the moment, maybe we should send them south.¡±


    Kiyanu shook his head. ¡°We need to defeat this rebellion quickly. The Zarian will make us pay for it if our focus remains split.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t suppose you have a brilliant plan to help us win against them quickly?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he leaned back in his chair, ¡°there¡¯s your brilliant plan to use the Wei scion against his clan. We actually got word from Ming Li updating us that he¡¯d retrieved his target and is on his way back. They could arrive at any moment.¡±


    I blinked, then smiled at the news. ¡°That was quick. Though I suppose they were still in the process of moving him and wouldn¡¯t have guarded him as closely as Carston.¡±


    ¡°We did send him out a while ago. Now, would you look over some other matters?¡±


    He pushed a few papers at me, and I started reading them. Most of them had to do with the administration of the Empire and related matters. He¡¯d made a few decrees and proclaimed several rulings, all of which seemed sensible to me. We spent some time going over them. I was glad he was running things by me. Although I couldn¡¯t help but suspect that he was trying to take over for Mother, in a way, and teach me. And the worst thing is I probably need it.


    We were on it for about an hour, before a knock on the door interrupted us. After Kiyanu¡¯s invitation, Aston poked his head inside. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, my lord, my lady. Lady Kariva has sent word that ¡®the assassin and his package¡¯ have arrived at the palace.¡±


    I quickly stood up. ¡°Good. Escort me there, Aston. It was good talking to you, Kiyanu.¡±


    He nodded, but stayed seated, seemingly content to let me handle this, as well. I gave him a brief smile before I turned and left.


    As I followed Aston through the building, I focused on my senses, trying to get a feel for the state of the palace. Nothing really stood out to me. But I felt a strong presence I recognized as Ming Li, in the company of Kariva and a few other people. Aston led me there directly and at a quick pace.


    It seemed they¡¯d arrived with an airship, considering the direction they were coming from. I decided to wait close to the palace¡¯s side entrance, which was almost deserted at the moment. A few seconds later, the group arrived.


    Ming Li bowed with a flourish. ¡°Ah, Imperial Princess Inaris. Such a pleasure to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Ming Li.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d like to talk to you later. Would you like to stay at the palace as our guest for a while?¡±


    He didn¡¯t hesitate with his answer. ¡°With pleasure, my lady. You can come talk to me at any time.¡±


    I turned my attention to our other guest, Wei Min. He looked like he¡¯d lost two or three kilos since I¡¯d last seen him, and his expression was far darker. He smelled like dust and grime, though beneath that I could still smell a hint of smoke and something like pine leaves. I¡¯d call fire and nature affinity qi a rather unfortunate pairing, but he seemed to do well enough with it. Now that I actually focused on him, there was something else, maybe a faint resemblance, but I didn¡¯t know to what.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere we can talk,¡± I said.


    One of my guards split off to lead Ming Li away, while the rest of us followed Kariva across the courtyard and past a few buildings. After a moment, I realized she was guiding us to the building she and her agents had worked out of after the coup. They seemed to have appropriated it, and I suspected the new arrangement would be official soon, if it wasn¡¯t already, but I didn¡¯t say anything.


    Once inside, she led us into a conference room with a computer and several locked cupboards, and released a pulse of qi. I sensed enchantments woven into the walls and ceiling come alive, effectively sealing off the room. They were quite interesting, and I watched the process for a moment, taking note of some arrangements I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    When I turned back to the others, Wei had fallen to his knees. He pressed his forehead to the ground. ¡°Imperial Princess. This one is honored to meet you again, and cannot express the depths of his gratitude for the rescue.¡±


    ¡°Rise, Wei Min,¡± I said. ¡°And there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡±


    He stood up, glancing from me to Kariva, whose face might as well have been carved from stone. Clearly, he felt that the atmosphere was not very friendly.


    ¡°Do you know why we have you here?¡± Kariva asked. Nothing in her tone indicated that he was one of her favorite subordinates.


    ¡°No, my lady.¡± He shook his head and bit his lip. ¡°The Adzurian mercenary you hired told me some story, but surely he was just messing with me.¡±


    Neither of us answered right away. As the moment of silence stretched on, he visibly deflated. I wouldn¡¯t want to switch places with him. His own family betrayed the people he¡¯s been working for.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s likely true. The Wei clan were part of an attempt to take my Mother¡¯s life and the throne,¡± I explained, keeping my voice gentle. ¡°Their initial attack failed, but the fighting is still ongoing, though we¡¯ve been winning against the traitors.¡±


    He clenched his hands into fists, his face turning pale and red in blotches. I could tell he¡¯d been afraid of that, he just hadn¡¯t wanted to admit it.


    ¡°How could they?¡± he exclaimed. Then he bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. This is hard for me to grasp.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you were involved,¡± I said. ¡°Especially since you were in captivity at the time. But you have to understand that there is some suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Especially considering they claimed to be acting for you,¡± Kariva added.


    Wei Min ground his teeth, then bowed. ¡°Of course. I had nothing to do with any such plot. but I will gladly submit to whatever questioning you deem necessary.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think he was lying, and judging from the way Kariva let a little sigh slip out, she shared my opinion.


    ¡°The question is, Wei Min,¡± I said slowly, stepping forward. ¡°Where do your loyalties lie? With your family, or your oaths?¡±


    He took a step back and sank to his knees again. ¡°With you, Your Highness. My loyalty will always be to the Empire. And its rightful Empress.¡± He swallowed hard. ¡°If my clan abandoned this duty, then their fate is sealed, and I will not hesitate to see them punished for it.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. This left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth, even if it was good for me, pragmatically speaking. But I didn¡¯t let this show as I reached out a hand and helped Wei Min to his feet.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Your devotion to your principles is admirable. What¡¯s coming will be hard for you, I think, but you are helping the Empire.¡±


    Kariva smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, Wei.¡±

 116: Reverse-Reverse Reincar-tater

    <div>


    Darkness enveloped me like a fine satin sheet. A familiar feeling. It felt like heaviness tinted in red, the darkness behind closed eyelids in a dim lit room. Yet, I felt like the world smelled wrong.


    The odor of fresh wet earth filled my nostrils. I wanted to stretch my arms to escape the darkness but noticed that nothing moved. I tried my legs, but the result was the same. Strange. I remember talking with Wei Min about where his loyalties lay. Afterwards, I went to bed, pretty sure with all limbs intact. If they had been severed by a Zarian Assassin, then I certainly would have noticed.


    Remembering the principles of cultivation, I took a deep breath to focus my energy on moving my right arm. After a long minute of concentration, it worked! I regained the feeling, but it felt like I was moving through thick water. Every movement felt sluggish, and it left me exhausted. Weird. I didn''t remember being out of shape.


    A short break later I repeated these steps until I regained control over all of my four limbs. Finally! Time to remove this annoying darkness and breath some sunlight. I labored through much resistance until I finally escaped. The light didn''t show me my luxurious bed though, no. I was among giant plants. Only through the grace of the sun was I able to determine what I escaped were not layers of sheets but loose earth. Well, that explained the smell at least.


    Wondering how bad my nails must look, I checked my hands only to notice they were gone. In their stead were thick roots. What the hell!? Luckily, a puddle of water was to the left of me.


    This must be a dream. Yes, this could not be real.


    I took a careful look in the reflecting water.


    My previous silky blonde hair turned to a green-ish stubble. The long pale legs of mine, that every girl of the empire envied, morphed into purple hairy prongs of bulbous veg. Sword-wielding heroes would have cut them down if they would see them on any person, but I was no longer a person. My jade-like skin changed into a yellow taint with the occasional brown-black markings that were typical for a potato. Yes, there was no doubt. I was reborn as a tater.


    This is impossible! I thought I finally found my destiny. I thought my time on earth was only a soul journey. I thought it was my final life. But no, I was reborn again. But this time, not as a cultivating beautiful princess, no. This time, it was I who was being cultivated.


    No, wait! Being cultivated does not mean automatically that I cannot cultivate. I mean, a sentient root vegetable should defy all reason anyway, so there shouldn''t be an issue. Yes! My life was not doomed, yet!


    With new hope in mind, I planted my behind on the cold ground and started to meditate. On my previous body, only the intricate blood vessels and my Dantian were glowing with power, but this time, literally all of me was glowing with life force. That made sense. I was, after all, a bundle of carbohydrates. Nutritious and full of energy. Well, I already sprouted, so I couldn''t say I was particularly healthy anymore, but that was beside the point. I had to focus my qi.


    After concentrating for a while, I sensed another change. This time, no new limb sprouted, but I got bigger. While I had nothing nearby to compare my size to, I was sure that I nearly doubled my size.


    That was not exactly what I wanted to do, but it was nice to know that I still had some form of agency. I couldn''t imagine being peeled alive. But, even worse were the thoughts of being cut into pieces and then being fried in high-temperature vegetable oil. Death would untether me from this existence, but I still preferred not to end up like a freedom fry. I shuddered.


    A voice awoke me from my day-mare. "You''re back!"


    Wait, what? A voice? Could it be one of the humans working the fields?


    I looked around. All I saw were presumably potato plants. Their green leaves stretched all across the horizon in whatever direction I looked. The puddle to the left of me reflected only my poor visage. Or something I interpreted as a human-like face. Funnily enough, two potato eyes appeared to work like real eyes, but I couldn¡¯t say for sure.


    "Down here!" The voice sounded again. This time, I looked toward my feet--pardon, towards my roots, and I spotted another potato wriggling itself out of the ground. I would have jumped or at least startled, but being a potato robbed me of all my facial expressions, so I was forced to fall over to communicate my displeasure.


    "What are you doing, Your Highness? Don''t you remember where you are?"


    Wait, ¡®Your Highness?¡¯ Wait, what? I hesitated for a moment. But, they obviously knew something, and trying to bluff would be useless. ¡°No.¡±


    The strange potato shook. ¡°Do you remember who you are?¡±


    I scratched my starchy skin. ¡°Yes, but I shouldn¡¯t be here ¡­¡± I trailed off. Did I really know who I was, waking up in a strange vegetable?


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    Then, I bolted upright. What language are we even speaking? I didn¡¯t know. At least, I could clearly understand and even speak it, but I didn¡¯t know its name. It wasn¡¯t any I¡¯d heard before. I didn''t even know that plants could speak!


    ¡°Weirdo,¡± said the potato from below. ¡°Follow me, Your Highness! We don¡¯t have much time!¡±


    ¡°Why? What is happening? And where are we going?¡± I asked, but the stern-looking stranger was busily churning the earth with eerie speed. No matter. It appeared I was royalty in this world as well, so things should proceed smoothly from here on.


    I followed the tuber deep into the earth until we arrived at an underground sanctum. It was rather spacious. At least six potatoes high and a dozen potatoes wide. In the middle stood a throne made out of mice hides. On every corner stood a bulky sweet potato equipped with a toothpick as a weapon and a bottle cap as a buckler.


    Never did I imagine that I ever would be scared of root vegetables, but here I was. Even those handsome fellas paid respect to the bright violet potato who occupied the macabre throne. At first, I thought it wore a crown, but no, its roots grew in the shape of a crown which gave it the appearance of authority.


    "Welcome back, my child," said the ruler of roots magnanimously, but I couldn''t say for sure because it had neither facial expressions nor gestures I could interpret.


    "Welcome back?" I repeated.


    "I see confusion in your spots, my child."


    No shit. Turning into a potato without any warning would confuse anyone.


    "Y-yes!" I stuttered, "I went to bed as a human and woke up--well, in this form. This couldn''t be a dream either, for I have the ability to manipulate the dream world. So, tell me, who are you? And most importantly, who am I?"


    The monarch of carbs giggled in delight. Even the four thick guards joined in a low baritone chuckle.


    "I''m the empress of the Potato Empire and you, my child, are the princess and the heir to it!"


    I knew it! Yes, at least princess again!


    The excited empress continued, "I would love to take the time to explain everything to you. Like the soul journey you did, but alas, there is no time. We are currently under attack."


    "Attack!? Who would dare to go against the Potato Empire?" I asked in shock.


    I imagined she would have squinted if she could. "The Carrot Kingdom."


    "Why would these lesser vegetables use their forces to go against us? Wouldn''t it be smarter for us to unite against shared enemies? Like humans, bugs, mice, and birds?" I asked with sincere interest.


    "We do not have the power to go against the humans, sadly. All we can do is to hurt them in small ways. Make them slip if they try to peel us or sprout faster than they expect to slowly but surely poison them." The Empress sighed. "The other demonic beasts pose no danger. Concerning the birds, do not mention them. The birds are our friends. No, the birds are everybody''s friend. Remember that."


    I nodded while remembering all the chicken I ever ate.


    "I''d love to chat more with you, my child, but it is time for war!" she yelled while wielding her own toothpick. She then unceremoniously rolled down her throne and started to wiggle towards the surface. Her guards and I followed her.


    On the surface, a diverse army of potatoes awaited us. Most had the typical yellow hue but some were brown, less were violet. A few gigantic sweet potatoes were among them. Even a yam somehow was part of this army. While most of the forces already had sprouting roots, proof that they were of fighting age, I saw some young and very fresh potatoes without any blemishes at all. Children shouldn''t have to fight.


    "My dearest people. For too long the evil Carrot Kingdom bullied us. Raiding our border villages, raping our women, but enough is enough. They think they can bully us because we are starch, but we will show them the power of carbohydrates!"


    The soldiers¡¯ battle cries filled the whole potato patch.


    The carrots already took up formations at the border which turned out to be only about fifty potatoes from the throne room. The vicious-looking carrots had some humongous radishes among them, ready to squash any resistance. As soon as they spotted us, they awkwardly rolled towards us on their sides. It seemed awkward at first, but there was a slight decline and they started to gain momentum.


    Oh no!


    The horde of carrots supported by the radishes crashed into us. The brittle young potatoes were the first to be smashed. No! Not the younglings!


    Hot starch ran through my veins, and my bulbous veg legs quaked with anticipation. All I could think about was surviving. I picked up a toothpick and shouted, "defensive formations!"


    Three baby carrots were approaching me from two O''clock, ends sharpened to serve as a natural weapon. They jumped me, but I dodged easily and cut through all three at once, serving the first Carrot Kebab.


    The fight between the radishes and sweet potatoes was gridlocked. Both sides were nearly equal in strength. I knew if we could eliminate those white harbingers of death, we could win the war.


    An idea sprouted in me when I saw the idle yam, literally. A fifth limb was perfect to climb this giant root veggie. I took its reins from the incompetent potato who just sat there bathing in the sun and spurred it to move towards the enemy headquarters.


    As expected, the enemy directed the radishes to stop my advance, but retreating from the sweet potatoes was costly. They lost two radishes that way.


    Excellent! Now, let¡¯s go for the win!


    I changed direction. The enemy headquarters were never my target. All I wanted was to corner the radishes. My yam rolled toward them, surrounding them from both sides. Yehaaaw! We are going to win this!


    Right when the battle turned in our favor, I suddenly lost my footing-- pardon, rooting. I no longer looked at the vegetable on vegetable massacre from the height of the yam, instead seeing it from a bird¡¯s viewpoint. Literally. Because a frigging bird swiped me up in its beak and flew away.


    ''The birds are everybody''s friend'' my ass!


    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    <hr>


    I awoke, sweating in my familiar bed. Nostalgic hands touched the golden hair I missed. Remembering the pain of being eaten was more than unpleasant. I knew it couldn''t have been a dream because I had control over them. What was that then? Another soul journey? I felt exhausted.


    There was a light knock on the door. "Come in."


    "Your Highness, would you like a bowl of potato soup for breakfast?" asked a timid maid.


    "No, thanks. Say, do you have any chicken in the kitchen?"

 116: Job satisfaction

    ¡°Would you mind going on ahead?¡± I asked Kiyanu.


    He glanced at me and Kajare beside me and nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be waiting there. Don¡¯t spend too much time sightseeing.¡±


    I snorted. There wasn¡¯t much to sightsee here in this little town. It looked like every other town in the Empire, or at least in the western plains. Houses built of brick, slate and stone, colorful decorations on the awnings, and streets laid out in a grid pattern. Although it was far quieter than normal, only the sounds of the Imperial soldiers really giving it the feeling of being alive. Still, Kajare took my arm and we started strolling down the street, looking around. I sensed many people in their homes still, though they¡¯d certainly be staying inside for now.


    ¡°I wanted to check in with you, Kajare,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry that I didn¡¯t have a chance to do so earlier.¡±


    ¡°You mean about Tenira finally becoming your consort?¡± he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Is anyone surprised by this?¡±


    ¡°Probably not.¡± He grinned. ¡°At least half the people around me are gossiping about how it¡¯s about time you took her to your bed. I¡¯d wager it¡¯s the same in your research team, if not more so.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Well, we¡¯re not actually sleeping together. I mean, we might share a bed at some point, but not like that.¡±


    ¡°I know. And Tenira already talked to me about it.¡±


    I was glad to hear that. ¡°So, just to check, you aren¡¯t upset?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he assured me. ¡°Like I said, I talked to Tenira. We¡¯re good. I wouldn¡¯t mind you marrying her as well, later, either.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, but nodded. I¡¯d be lying if I said I hadn¡¯t thought about eventually getting married if things went well, but it was a little early to talk about that.


    ¡°We should get going, anyway,¡± he said. ¡°Much as I¡¯d like to spend more time with you, we should get there before they do.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    We sped up, moving deeper into the town. It had a pretty large central town square, which lay empty of buildings or stalls right now. Kiyanu was already there, of course, along with a group of soldiers spread out around him. Kariva and Wei Min walked in just before Kajare and I did. I took a deep breath, noting the various smells of civilization the air carried, and joined them. It was too quiet for the middle of a town.


    The idea was that conducting this meeting in the middle of civilization would make it less likely to turn violent. I hoped that would work, though I didn¡¯t anticipate violence, either. We¡¯d spread the word in every town and city in the region and beyond, wherever we knew or suspected forces of the insurgents were lurking.


    ¡°I hope the Wei are actually going to show up,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°They will,¡± Kiyanu said confidently, just loud enough that I could hear him.


    I glanced at Wei Min, who had his hands clenched into fists and was staring into the distance with a scowl on his face. Kariva actually looked sympathetic. Or maybe it was a trick of the light. I felt a little bad for him, although I was mostly looking forward to seeing his father and uncle¡¯s faces. Oh well. No one ever accused me of being overly empathetic.


    ¡°So long as they are coming alone,¡± Kajare commented.


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t get the feeling that the different parties involved in this conspiracy trust each other that much. The general and Zun certainly never seemed to like each other much. Of course, that might mean he insists on tagging along, but we¡¯ll find a way to talk discreetly if we have to. Maybe with telepathy.¡±


    Kiyanu raised an eyebrow. A second later, I noticed his mind faintly brushing against mine. After a moment of hesitation, I relaxed my mental defenses and allowed him to find purchase to anchor a telepathic connection.


    ¡®You¡¯d be comfortable with allowing them access to your mind even to the extent of telepathic communication?¡¯ he asked me. His mental voice sounded just like his physical one and was very neutral in tone, probably an indication of how much practice he had with this.


    I resisted the urge to shrug again. ¡®I guess. I¡¯ve had Isuro in my mind; I¡¯m not really afraid of any mortal measuring up to that. I mean, there¡¯s a connection to Rijoko slumbering in the back of my head, which should give me some protection.¡¯


    ¡®I see.¡¯ Kiyanu sounded a bit surprised. ¡®I was going to offer to help if you needed any further training for your mental defenses, but it seems like you have that handled.¡¯


    ¡®I appreciate the offer. I may take you up on that later. And I might not have mentioned it earlier, but I appreciate that you shared your story with me. I know that could have been embarrassing.¡¯


    Kiyanu sent a mental chuckle. ¡®I¡¯ve learned that pride has its place, but clinging to it too tightly is rarely advisable, and fearing embarrassment even less so. If I could put your mind at ease regarding me, that¡¯s more than worth it.¡¯


    I smiled. ¡®Well, I think I do have a better grasp on your motivations now. To be honest, my speculation had gone in a very different direction.¡¯


    ¡®Oh? Now you¡¯ve poked my curiosity. Do tell.¡¯


    I hesitated, then decided I might as well see if there was something to it. ¡®I entertained the idea that it might be more about a connection to my grandmother. Perhaps in an intimate way, emotionally or physically. Which might relate to why you¡¯re protective of Mother.¡¯


    Kiyanu was silent for a moment. He turned his head to glance at me, a considering expression on his face.


    Finally, he shook his head. ¡®I have to admit such speculation isn¡¯t entirely baseless. Or at least, it might not be. I can¡¯t say my feelings haven¡¯t been influenced by the fact that there might be a blood relation.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡®Really?¡¯


    ¡®I frankly don¡¯t know. I did, ah, get intimate with your grandmother once, at roughly the correct time.¡¯ He shrugged slightly. ¡®But I don¡¯t know if that had any consequences, since I have no more information about Acura¡¯s parentage than anyone. And I doubt I¡¯m the only one. I certainly wouldn¡¯t put it past Iniris to look for several black stage cultivators.¡¯


    I blinked, processing that for a moment. Keeping several eighth stagers in doubt about a possible paternity would be shrewd, but I didn¡¯t know if my grandmother was quite that pragmatic. Though I could certainly see why she would hide Mother¡¯s parentage, if the father had that much influence.


    Because she definitely must have known. I knew there was the magical equivalent of paternity tests in this world. But did Mother know? I have no idea.


    I shook my head, shelving those thoughts for later. It didn¡¯t really matter, anyway. For now, I needed to keep my head in the game. A glance at my watch showed that the Wei were already late, though only by a few minutes. I glanced at Wei Min, who was shifting his weight from one leg to the other again. After a moment, he pulled up the large hood of his robe.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Kariva and Kiyanu moving clued me in before I could sense them myself. A dark blot appeared over the roofs of the town¡¯s buildings, steadily growing larger and resolving into a group of half a dozen people carried on the air by smoke. They approached quickly, slowing down late in their descent so they impacted the ground with an audible thump, but the paved courtyard weathered it without damage.


    Wei Yong and Wei Jun were in the center and stepped forward so they stood facing us at the front of their delegation. Both of them seemed ready for combat, though they hadn¡¯t drawn their swords, and their auras were held in check.


    ¡°General, Lord Wei,¡± Kiyanu greeted. ¡°Good of you to come.¡±


    Wei Yong nodded at him. ¡°I hear you¡¯re calling yourself regent these days, Lord Kiyanu. Enjoy it while it lasts.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Imperial Princess.¡±


    I heard Wei Min inhale deeply before he took a step forward and pushed his hood back. At the same time, the tight veil on his presence lifted. ¡°Father. Uncle.¡± His voice was tense. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe them when I heard about you at first.¡±


    There was a moment of silence. The two older Wei looked at him with wide eyes. The general paled. ¡°Min?¡±


    He stepped forward, his arms moving to the sides a bit, like he wanted to hug his son. But Wei Min took a step back while Kariva pushed forward, arms crossed. Wei Jun retreated, his gaze still fixed on his son.


    Just like his brother. Wei Yong¡¯s voice was a little hoarse when he spoke. ¡°Min? You¡¯re still alive, nephew?¡±


    Wei Min glanced at Kariva, then at me. ¡°I¡¯m here only due to the efforts of Her Highness and Lady Kariva. Otherwise, I would be rotting in a Zarian prison.¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°Is it true? Did you excuse your treason by using my name?¡±


    By now, even Wei Yong looked noticeably paler than before. He followed his nephew¡¯s gaze to me and Kariva, before glancing at Kiyanu and the others. ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that, nephew.¡±


    ¡°To me, it seems more like the honor you like to preach is as porous as sand.¡± The agent crossed his arms. ¡°It shames me to carry your name.¡±


    They both flinched.


    ¡°Think about it, son,¡± the general spoke up, though a pleading undertone snuck into his voice. ¡°Would you have been at the mercy of the Zarian in the first place, if not for Princess Inaris?¡±


    His son shook his head. ¡°That was not Her Highness¡¯ fault. The plan was mine and my colleague¡¯s, and I took a risk freely. My lady didn¡¯t even know the details.¡± He glanced at Kariva. ¡°And the princess actually wanted to rescue me, though my colleague dissuaded her from attempting it, as she should.¡±


    The two of them didn¡¯t seem to know what to say to that. I smiled at Wei Min in what I hoped was a supportive manner. He really did well. It didn¡¯t take a genius to see that the older Wei were shaken.


    I shouldn¡¯t have said that about giving them only one chance before. Not that promising them mercy would be unproblematic in any case. That was the main issue, here. No matter how shaken they were, they had to know that it was their lives on the line.


    Wei Yong¡¯s presence flared a bit, and red strands in his black hair started crackling like embers. It reminded me of the rumor that the Wei were descended from a powerful spirit beast. He stepped forward, balling his fists. But his brother reached out and laid a hand on his arm, halting him. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, while the general¡¯s hair started crackling the same way. Then a bit of ice emerged from Yong¡¯s aura, dampening the fire, and he stepped back, his face now blank and hard, while he banked his aura again.


    ¡°If you attack, I will fight against you, Father, Uncle,¡± Wei Min said, his voice quiet.


    I glanced at Kiyanu. If it came to a fight, I wasn¡¯t sure who would win, but if I had to bet, it would be on him. Or Kariva if the eighth stagers actually abstained from fighting. Clearly, I wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t want to risk a fight here, though, since the two Wei didn¡¯t make any other aggressive moves.


    ¡°You are already losing,¡± I said with every bit of calm confidence I could muster. ¡°You should be grateful that at least Wei Min won¡¯t have to pay with his life for your treason. And now you know how tenuous your justification really is, perhaps you¡¯ll consider surrendering?¡±


    The general frowned. ¡°You expect us to simply surrender? Would you spare us?¡±


    I glanced at Kiyanu. I¡¯d wanted to unnerve and demoralize them, at least, and I didn¡¯t really expect them to surrender after just this meeting. If they did, I wasn¡¯t entirely certain what we would do.


    So I shrugged. ¡°I certainly can¡¯t promise that you¡¯d be spared,¡± I answered. ¡°But Wei Min would at least have a lighter burden to bear if you surrender honorably rather than remain defiant until the end. So would clan Wei, which could at least continue to exist in some form.¡±


    Wei Yong frowned, shaking his head softly. Wei Jun narrowed his eyes and gave us a long look. I had the feeling he was actually considering this. Perhaps his brother was, too. Maybe I¡¯d underestimated how they assessed the state of the war.


    At that moment, my senses tingled, and I reflexively flinched at the feeling of alarm. I turned around, ignoring the dangerous cultivators, as I narrowed in on the spot on the town square a short distance away where I felt a powerful presence coalescing. It happened quickly, the new arrival coming here with obvious speed. Beside me, I felt Kariva¡¯s and Kiyanu¡¯s presences more strongly, and even the Wei delegation shifted, obviously readying themselves.


    Then Isuro walked forward with a small grin, his hands clasped behind his back, as he swept his gaze over the meeting. ¡®Goodness, I¡¯m not late, am I? The invitation seems to be misplaced, too.¡¯


    I stifled a groan of annoyance. ¡°Pioneer. What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡®Talking to you, obviously, little princess.¡¯ He smiled at me with a bit too much cheer, still approaching the gathering, and especially the Wei group.


    As he came closer, they bowed. ¡°Lord Pioneer,¡± Wei Yong greeted. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you. Is there anything we may do for you?¡±


    ¡®Oh, cut the drivel, Yong.¡¯ Isuro waved a hand airily. ¡®At this point, everyone knows that your little group is associated with my patron and I.¡¯


    I suppressed a smile. It was good to know he treated others like that, even supposed allies. Or maybe he did that on purpose?


    General Wei inclined his head, but he couldn¡¯t hide the way he clenched his jaw for a moment. ¡°As you say, Pioneer.¡±


    Isuro¡¯s expression turned more serious, and he focused his gaze on the two Wei. ¡®I am here to deliver a message, in fact. One you would do well to ponder carefully.¡¯


    ¡°Yes?¡± Wei Yong asked.


    ¡®Jideia does not like traitors.¡¯


    Everyone was silent for a moment.


    But I couldn¡¯t help it, I snorted. ¡°How very ironic of him.¡±


    Isuro shrugged. ¡®The Wei brothers know very well how unwise it would be to make enemies of spirits like us. That¡¯s all I¡¯m here for, actually. Although I always have time for you, Little Light.¡¯


    I rolled my eyes, then hesitated, giving a quick glance to Kiyanu and Kariva. ¡®If you like. Let¡¯s talk.¡¯


    I caught Kariva¡¯s eye and subtly shook my head, before I turned and started walking at the same time as Isuro. I could see some of the escorts of both parties show signs of surprise, though I didn¡¯t look back to watch how the others were taking this.


    We stopped in an abandoned alleyway off the town square, and I leaned against a pile of empty crates, crossing my arms as I looked at Isuro. ¡®Aren¡¯t you tired of running around on Jideia¡¯s errands?¡¯


    The pseudo-spirit snorted. ¡®You have no idea. In case you missed it, this is essentially my job.¡¯


    ¡®Not the kind of work I would have chosen, but whatever. I¡¯m not sure I like the fact that you¡¯ve stopped leaving me alone now.¡¯


    Isuro sighed, leaning against the building at a corner across from me. ¡®Not surprising. Though, you know, I didn¡¯t have anything to do with this plot until it went awry. Except for talking to Carston to turn him, I suppose, though that was through other people.¡¯


    Interesting that he felt the need to tell me that. I nodded. ¡®I believe you.¡¯


    He regarded me for a moment. ¡®Inaris, why do you persist in doing this?¡¯


    I frowned. That was the sort of question I¡¯d wanted to ask him, but I didn¡¯t expect to field it myself. ¡°Doing what? My job?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡®You wouldn¡¯t be so dangerous if you didn¡¯t make yourself so. If not for your position of power, the way you doggedly turn things in new directions and throw yourself against the challenges in front of you. This isn¡¯t even truly your home, is it?¡¯


    I scoffed. ¡®It¡¯s close enough. Are you saying that Jideia and you would leave me alone if I, what, exiled myself somewhere?¡¯


    Isuro shrugged. ¡®I can¡¯t promise it, but if you just ¡­ got out, you¡¯d be a lot safer. You¡¯re actively set against a Greater Spirit, Inaris, no matter if that¡¯s your father¡¯s fault or yours. It will get you killed eventually.¡¯


    I stared at him for a moment, then shook my head. This was true enough on some level, but it also missed important aspects.


    ¡®I¡¯ll think about your words,¡¯ I said impassively. ¡®Now I really have to get back. But if your job ever turns too sour, you can always come talk to me.¡¯


    Isuro shook his head, then slowly faded out, and I felt his presence traveling away quickly.


    As I walked back to the meeting, I couldn¡¯t help but dwell on his words. I already knew they would haunt me for a while. Perhaps that had been his intention, though I didn¡¯t think so. I felt that he genuinely wanted to protect me, and this was the best way he thought of.


    That was a little chilling, too.


    I took a deep breath and refocused on other matters. I could see that the Wei delegation were gone as I returned, but I still had things to take care of. I should go visit Doctor Chang at some point, talk to Kariva. And maybe do some more research.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked as I came to a stop.


    Kiyanu sighed, but didn¡¯t question or berate me for my behavior. ¡°They left, as you can see.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°They said they would think about this.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, then nodded. That was something, at least.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ve probably scared the poor citizenry enough.¡±

 117: Goals and principles

    <div>


    The training dummy crashed backwards, splinters of wood showering off it while an arm exploded away from it. Its momentum was arrested in mid-air by the qi shield around the practice circle, before it fell to the ground with a thud.


    I swiped a sweaty strand of hair out of my eyes, breathing deeply as I surveyed the results of my technique. If the training dummy hadn¡¯t been enchanted to resist these sorts of things, I wouldn¡¯t have much left to go on, but I¡¯d clearly overwhelmed those protections. Maybe I should upgrade them.


    Later, though. I wasn¡¯t done yet.


    I turned around to face the next dummy, which was enchanted to move around. Narrowing my eyes, I considered its trajectory, then released another lance of light from my palm. The dummy sped up as it sensed the motion, but I¡¯d anticipated that, and my blast caught it full in the chest area. This time, I whirled around quickly, drawing Fides from my storage ring and shooting a Void¡¯s Nibble at the other one. The shield bubbled and popped under the technique, and I could sense the enchantments on its torso unraveling.


    ¡°Next,¡± I said, and the guards obliged me by throwing more of them into the ring.


    Over the next few minutes, I methodically demolished a dozen of the training dummies. An actual spar would have been better training, but there was something to be said for practicing your attacks without having to worry about someone hitting you in the face. Not to mention it felt good to just be able to smash stuff. I cracked my neck and stepped out of the training ground.


    ¡°Feel better?¡± Aston asked blandly.


    I shot him a look, then shrugged. ¡°A little.¡±


    I walked away from the training courtyard, letting the cool breeze play over my face and drawing a deep breath of the fresh air it carried from the mountains. It was noticeably getting colder. A few guards trailed behind me, while Aston came to walk beside me. When I glanced at him, his expression was calm, though he quirked an eyebrow once he caught me looking.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but think about what Isuro said,¡± I finally spoke. ¡°About how I could just remove myself from this conflict. It got me thinking, why am I really doing all of this? It¡¯s not like I really have to, if it comes down to it. Not just the research, but participating in the war, all of that. And of course there¡¯s the threat of being killed by an angry Greater Spirit.¡±


    Aston listened in silence, only waving his hand to erect a qi privacy shield, then nodded. ¡°Very understandable concerns. Although I¡¯d note that the most obviously safe course isn¡¯t necessarily so. You¡¯ve already mentioned you want to ascend to immortality, the path to that can¡¯t avoid adversity.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Maybe. Immortality is a bit of a different topic. I mean, I do want to ascend to the white stage eventually. You can¡¯t put me in front of basically an entire other plane of existence and expect me not to want to explore it. Though it¡¯s not as if I¡¯m in a hurry with that, like the eighth stage. Well, that¡¯s an academic difference right now.¡±


    Aston raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your entire reason for ascending is curiosity?¡±


    ¡°Not the entire reason, but probably most of it. So?¡±


    ¡°Most people have more ambitious reasons to strive for it. Like power, or, of course, attaining immortality.¡±


    I fell silent for a moment, turning on another path through the garden of the outer courtyard we were on right now, heading closer to the main palace. We weren¡¯t exactly moving quickly, but I wasn¡¯t in a hurry. ¡°The thing with immortality is a little different for me than most people, I think.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    I shrugged, glancing at him. ¡°I suspect I may already be physically immortal, Aston. Though I can obviously still be killed.¡±


    He blinked, then frowned, his stride slowing as he clearly considered that. ¡°Your shapeshifting ability?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can change my body pretty extensively, and I already know I can make myself look younger or older. It stands to reason I can use that to prevent dying of natural causes.¡±


    Aston was silent for a moment. He shook his head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that, my lady.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone else has realized the implications of it yet. Maybe Tenira or Lei. I¡¯m not really sure what to think of it myself, to be honest.¡± I shrugged. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t make much of a difference right now.¡±


    He nodded, but didn¡¯t speak, clearly sensing that I was finished talking about this for now. Although this conversation had, ironically, helped me deal with Isuro¡¯s visit better. It reminded me of what I¡¯d already told myself. This was my world, and I¡¯d be living in it for a very long time. It was not just my moral duty but simple common sense to make that a good place to live in the long run. Not to mention I wanted to protect my friends and family, and I could do that better from a position of power.


    I didn¡¯t trust that they wouldn¡¯t go after them to get leverage against me even if I gave up the throne and went into self-imposed exile, anyway. I really needed to deal with the whole spirits situation soon.


    I shook those thoughts off. The rest of the way, we walked in silence, though I slowed once we neared the building Kariva¡¯s group had taken over. It was bristling with more and more wards and defensive measures. But I couldn¡¯t sense her presence, and a cursory sweep with my qi senses failed to find her in there. I''d have noticed that earlier, if I wasn¡¯t preoccupied with my thoughts.


    ¡°Is Kariva in there?¡± I asked Aston.


    He shook his head. ¡°She could hide well enough to fool my senses, but I doubt it.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°No, she¡¯s farther out, on the lower slopes near the quartz gate, with a few of her agents.¡±


    I sighed, then turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then. That will teach me to call ahead next time.¡±


    We moved more quickly this time, helped by the fact that the outer paths were almost empty. I didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on this than I had to, so it didn¡¯t take us long to reach the gate he¡¯d named and locate the group of Kariva and a few weaker cultivators. I recognized one of them as Wei Min. It looked like he¡¯d just entered through the gate, and judging by his torn clothes, bloodstains, and slightly singed hair, he¡¯d come from a fight. Perhaps with the person he was dragging along, probably just handing off, who had a bag over their head and enchanted rope tied around them. Their qi signature was muted, but probably not weak originally.


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    ¡°Am I interrupting?¡± I asked as I arrived.


    ¡°Not really, my lady,¡± Kariva answered. ¡°Were you looking for me?¡±


    I nodded, but glanced at the prisoner again. ¡°Just a small question. What¡¯s going on here? One of your clanmates, Wei Min?¡±


    The man in question shifted, clearly a little bothered. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    I swallowed further questions. It was pretty easy to see what was going on here, anyway. Kariva was using Wei Min and his knowledge or contacts to take out Wei cultivators. I should talk to him later. But first, Kariva was stepping aside, clearly inviting me to join her. I walked over.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    I scratched my cheek, trying to find the best way to approach what I wanted to say. ¡°It¡¯s about clan business, actually. Leri Anacis approached me earlier. About wanting to get married.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t outright said so, but it was clear she¡¯d been asking for permission from me. I hadn¡¯t expected something like this, even though I probably should have, and wasn¡¯t quite sure how to handle it.


    Kariva raised an eyebrow. ¡°If you have concerns about her, maybe you should talk to Tenira about this, instead, as Anacis is her aunt. I¡¯m sure she can tell you more about the matter.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Although that would definitely make me inclined to give my permission if I wasn¡¯t already, since I didn¡¯t want to make Tenira angry. ¡°It¡¯s just that she went to me instead of you, so I wondered if you would have an issue with it?¡±


    Kariva frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason to care, my lady. I think she just wanted to do things properly.¡±


    I exhaled, nodding. I needed to remember that Mother¡¯s absence made me responsible not just for the Empire in general, but that I was also the heir of clan Leri. From what I could tell, Kariva acted as the de facto clan head at the moment, but I was supposed to be in charge, at least in principle.


    ¡°Good. By the way, I appreciate you handling things, but have you had any trouble with the clan?¡±


    Kariva waved a hand dismissively. ¡°There¡¯s not much to do. Acura was never the hands-on or controlling type, and this isn¡¯t some big sect.¡±


    ¡°Well, carry on then.¡± I smiled wryly. Then I looked back at the other agents, noting that they¡¯d pulled off the prisoner¡¯s bag. He was a youngish man with a faint resemblance to Wei Min, clearly unconscious.


    Kariva and I returned to to them, and although I realized they might prefer it if I left, I lingered. I wanted to know what kind of things they were doing.


    ¡°So, you captured him?¡± I asked Wei Min.


    He stiffened, but seemed to realize that he wasn¡¯t getting out of answering my questions. ¡°Yes, my lady. This is one of my cousins, who was commanding a small outpost of the traitors¡¯ forces about two hundred leagues to the west. I approached him quietly, and he welcomed me because of our old bond. I told him a slightly modified version of recent events and sounded him out for sympathizers within the clan, then captured him as part of an offensive to take their outpost.¡±


    I grimaced. No wonder this was hard on him. It was one thing to infiltrate the Zarian, our enemies, but another to use those tactics against family members. ¡°Would you walk with me for a bit?¡± I asked.


    He bowed his head and fell into step beside me as I left. Aston and the guards retreated to give us some space, while Kariva and the other agents took the prisoner away.


    ¡°I realize this can¡¯t be easy, Wei Min,¡± I finally said. ¡°I appreciate the loyalty you¡¯re showing, both to my family and me personally. I just want to see if you¡¯re alright with all this.¡±


    The agent was silent for a while. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision, and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not alright with it, my princess. How can I be, when I¡¯m fighting my family? But my resolve is strong, nonetheless. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±


    I sighed a little. ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you if you¡¯re having problems,¡± I said. ¡°To be honest, I have no idea what kind of boss Kariva is, but I don¡¯t want to see anyone pushed so hard they break.¡±


    Especially someone like Wei Min, who was in a crucial position for this. Not just for my bid to bring his family over to my side, but for later. I didn¡¯t believe in killing generations of my enemies or wiping out whole clans, and I¡¯d definitely object if Kiyanu wanted to eradicate the Wei completely. The clan¡¯s future would go better for everyone if Min could assure a smooth transfer of power and continuing loyalty.


    He nodded. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. But I will not break, even if I lose my family. I believe I am strong enough to follow my path regardless, and do what is right.¡±


    I stopped. From where we stood, we had a good view down the slope of the mountainside, and this was a pretty secluded spot.


    ¡°You know, a part of me admires your dedication to your ideals. I¡¯m not sure if I could do the same,¡± I admitted.


    He tilted his head. ¡°Surely you have your own convictions that you follow, Princess Inaris? I can¡¯t imagine someone accomplishing as much as you have without something driving them.¡±


    ¡°Family versus principles.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Do you know how many of my principles I have broken or bent in the last year or two?¡± I raised my eyebrow, waiting for a moment, although the question was clearly rhetorical. ¡°Quite a few.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed people, had people hurt and killed, probably caused the death of quite a few more. I¡¯m actively participating in and enabling a system that ¡­ I don¡¯t find ideal.¡± That my old self would have condemned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t particularly hard; in fact, I¡¯d be lying if I said I hadn¡¯t found it freeing.¡± I shook my head. ¡°But I don¡¯t regret any of these, and I do think I have caused, and ultimately will cause, quite a bit more good than harm. Sometimes there are no simple and easy choices, Wei Min.¡±


    He frowned, then nodded slightly. ¡°Thank you for confiding in me, my lady. I believe I understand your point.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡± Although I expected that what he¡¯d take away from this conversation was probably different from what I¡¯d intended to express. But that was alright. I¡¯d partly just vented my own feelings.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a matter of choosing what to fight for, and what we¡¯re willing to lose? I think I know my answer, though I¡¯ll have to continue pondering it.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±


    He hesitated, then nodded, and we walked back to Kariva and the other agents. I thought he might have somewhere else to be, or not want anything to do with it, but he stuck close.


    Once we reached Kariva, she nodded at the other agents and let them go on ahead while she stopped. She looked from me to Wei Min and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Something the matter?¡±


    It was only now I noticed that Wei Min was still quite tense. He cleared his throat, looked from me to Kariva and back, and ran a hand through his hair before he finally spoke up. ¡°My lady, I¡¯ve come to a decision. I¡¯d like to ask for your leave to go to clan Wei alone, and talk to my father and uncle. Even in the worst case, they won¡¯t hurt me too badly, and I might get critical information.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°And I¡¯m sure I can convince them.¡±


    Kariva frowned. ¡°I see. You realize what you are asking for?¡±


    He nodded.


    I hummed thoughtfully, then took a step forward and smiled. ¡°A bold proposal. Kariva, I say let him go.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°As you wish, my princess. Wei Min ¡­ do your best.¡±


    He bowed to both of us. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, my ladies.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡± I shrugged at Kariva, then turned to leave.


    I knew she was putting a good deal of trust in him, but I didn¡¯t worry about that. I knew he wouldn¡¯t betray us. I¡¯d gotten a good read on him during our conversation. And there was another reason, a more subtle feeling.


    My father giving me another helpful nudge, probably.


    Tonight was going to be a full moon. I climbed up to the top of the palace¡¯s highest roof and settled down for a long cultivation session in the moonlight.


    My cultivation was still going strong, but I hadn¡¯t found much time for it. At this rate, it would be a while before I advanced again, and I hadn¡¯t forgotten that I needed to reach the eighth stage quickly.


    Besides cultivation, I also needed to check on my research team and results from other groups, and sort out a few matters with Kiyanu. There was a lot to keep me busy.


    Three days later, we received a message from General Wei. It fluttered down to where Kiyanu and me were talking from the sky, carried by a qi construct in the form of a fiery little bird. The missive was brief, its message clear. He wanted to talk again.


    I reached out to pet the little qi bird, which pushed its pleasantly warm feathers into my hand, and smiled.

 118: Possible futures

    <div>


    ¡°Are you sure you have enough guards, Inaris?¡±


    I refrained from rolling my eyes. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve said it before. We¡¯re going to a negotiation, not to launch an assault on them. If we have to fight, I¡¯ve already failed my objective. And I don¡¯t plan to fail. But this is deliberately not supposed to be a contest of how much strength each party can bring.¡±


    Kajare sighed. He didn¡¯t look any happier about it. ¡°Fine. I suppose if Kiyanu can agree to this, so can I. Just come back safely.¡±


    I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    Kiyanu caught my eye and nodded one last time, before turning away. We¡¯d agreed that this would be my delegation to lead, and bringing him along would not make the Wei leadership more inclined to listen or surrender. He was strong enough that his presence would be a clear show of force, and apparently, there was some history between him and them. Not that I was surprised. On the timescale of these cultivators¡¯ lifetimes, the last civil war wasn¡¯t so long ago, and I doubted they¡¯d fought on the same side.


    Trying not to get bogged down any further, I hurried onto the deck of the airship. We were in one of our forward military bases, so the trip wouldn¡¯t take long. Aston was a steady presence at my side like always, though he kept particularly close today. I guess he doesn¡¯t like this, either, even if he knows better than to complain.


    I snorted. ¡°Oh ye of little faith,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± Elia asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I turned to her and smiled. ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Sure. This is going to be interesting!¡± She grinned.


    She was probably counting on her status as a Greater Spirit¡¯s descendant to come out of this okay. Not that I minded. She¡¯d asked to come along on her own, so I didn¡¯t have to feel guilty about putting her in danger to help me, either. Not that I knew if she¡¯d actually be much help, but having her along couldn¡¯t hurt.


    Then the airship lifted off, and we were underway. I sat down on a wooden beam and pulled out one of my novels. There wasn¡¯t much else I could do during the journey, and I appreciated finally having a moment to relax.


    The trip passed quickly, and all too soon, we approached our destination. I carefully marked my page, stored the book, and stood up, heading to the railing with measured steps. I knew how important it was to project calmness and confidence, and I was conscious of the eyes of the soldiers following me.


    They were a small, but elite, group, most of them Imperial Guard or handpicked by San Hashar and her trusted subordinates. I¡¯d learned my lesson when it came to relying solely on the Guard. Ru Lis was in charge of the second detachment, while Aston was supposed to focus on my safety. I waited for everyone to arrange themselves properly before I jumped to the ground, the rest of the delegation following me.


    They seemed confident. Of course, that might be because I may have given them the impression that I had Rijoko¡¯s guidance and/or approval for this. In reality, I didn¡¯t sense much more from him than distracted waiting, but I didn¡¯t need his help, anyway.


    I turned back and glanced at the ship, catching the eye of the hooded figure in black who was leaning on the railing and watching us go. Ming Li inclined his head, giving me a sloppy salute. I¡¯d hired him to accompany us, though he would stay behind and come for us in case of trouble. One piece of insurance. Of course, it would only work if I was captured instead of killed by the Wei. But taking him along had quieted some of the complaints, and it was worth it for that alone.


    The building we approached reminded me of the mansion of clan Tener where I¡¯d met Aston again. It stood alone some distance from a village, and clearly wasn¡¯t laid out to be a fortress. The sprawling estate covered a hillside blooming with flowers, and I could hear the burbling of a brook and little pond among the gardens. There were no guard posts, and no one contested our arrival. I sensed a few waiting presences, and saw a few looking down from windows, but no one approached us.


    Aston opened the door and preceded me inside. I followed him down a short hallway festooned with portraits and tapestries to a pair of double doors behind which the people we¡¯d come to meet waited. The room beyond looked like a cross between a grand hall and a receiving room, though it was conspicuously devoid of seats.


    Wei Yong waited for us with his arms crossed and his aura weighing down the room. Beside him, Wei Jun stood in formal armor. A few other cultivators of reasonable strength lined the room or waited beyond them. Two in the seventh stage flanked Wei Min, who was wearing ornate clothes but glowered at his family. From the way they stood, they were watching him for any suspicious moves.


    The two leaders stepped forward and bowed. ¡°Welcome, Your Highness, lords and ladies,¡± Wei Yong said.


    I smiled and bowed back as we came to a stop facing their group. ¡°Thank you, Lord Wei.¡±


    Wei Jun seemed a bit twitchy, and he glanced to the side of the room just before doors opened and more people streamed inside. They¡¯d veiled their auras well, but I could now sense that many of them were in the higher stages, clearly outmatching my own guards.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand our desire for caution,¡± Wei Yong said. ¡°We need to make sure that you have not come to attack us, or invite an attack of your main force.¡±


    Weapons appeared in the hands of my guards, and they drew tighter around me and Elia, while the other delegates shifted behind me. I caught Elia smiling, even as she fingered her sleeve where I knew she¡¯d hidden a dagger.


    The Wei soldiers stepped closer, their own hands resting more tightly on their weapons. I felt the weight of their presences bearing down on me. My senses sharpened as the tension in the air thickened.


    Shooting a sharp glare at Aston, I stepped forward, beyond the guards. They hesitated, but moved aside for me. I flicked my fingers and drew my spear from my storage ring, causing a sharp spike in the tension.


    Then I bowed my head and held it out to the Wei. ¡°Of course. As a sign of my peaceful intent, I will surrender my weapon to your custody. Be careful, Fides Imperatricis is formidable and can be quite dangerous to anyone who tries to wield it against its owner.¡± I wasn¡¯t entirely sure of that, but I did get that impression from its qi. It was a legendary weapon in the making, after all.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    They exchanged a look, then Wei Jun stepped forward and gingerly took the spear from my hands before returning to his brother. After another sharp glance from me, Aston and the other guards piled their most dangerous weapons behind them and returned the rest to their sheaths or storage items.


    ¡°Quite brave,¡± Wei Yong commented.


    I shrugged. Then I stepped forward even further, closing the distance to the two older Wei. Elia stepped up outside the guards¡¯ ring, as well, with her arms crossed and an amused smile on her lips. I hope that means she¡¯s reading the situation and it isn¡¯t as dangerous as it looks.


    Because I knew I¡¯d effectively put myself into their hands, but that didn¡¯t matter. I could tell I was already impressing them, if Wei Yong¡¯s comment hadn¡¯t made that clear.


    ¡°I have faith in your judgment and reason,¡± I replied. ¡°As well as what remains of your honor.¡±


    That clearly needled them, but Wei Yong only raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, you do? So we should judge it better to surrender to you?¡±


    I shrugged, deliberately keeping my body language casual and relaxed. ¡°You should certainly know that your position is perilous, and attacking me now would not make you able to withstand our forces. Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re willing to talk, because you know that you face defeat and death?¡±


    He crossed his arms. ¡°Even assuming that was true, why would that make us more willing to surrender? Do you know what they say about cornered animals?¡± His hair reflected the light again with an orange glow, and shadows of fire danced under his fingernails.


    ¡°You¡¯re tacitly conceding her point,¡± Elia commented. ¡°You¡¯re definitely aware that your prospects are bleak.¡±


    I smiled, but didn¡¯t take my gaze away from my adversary and his brother. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t just want you to surrender. I want you to switch sides. You can at least try to earn back some of the honor and virtue, if not peace of mind, you lost with your betrayal, by doing the right thing now. You¡¯ve seen that your justification for treason was shallow and warped. Ask Wei Min who is on the side of righteousness in this conflict.¡±


    Wei Jun glanced at his son for a moment, a deep furrow on his forehead. He looked at me. ¡°And that would cause you to spare us? You¡¯ve already promised us a last chance we refused.¡±


    I hardened my expression. ¡°No. It won¡¯t. I won¡¯t lie to you, even if I did intend to spare you, Kiyanu might not allow it. He is still regent.¡±


    The general narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then you expect us to accept death easily? Just like that?¡±


    Wei Yong gestured, and his soldiers drew tighter around us, weapons readied.


    I took another step forward. ¡°I want you to answer a question for me, Wei Jun. Honestly.¡± I glanced at his brother, then met the general¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Which world do you want your son to live in?¡±


    The room was silent for a moment, my question seeming to echo through it. The elder Wei looked at me, frowning.


    ¡°The world where your conspiracy wins,¡± I continued, ¡°where new technology is decried and cultivators cling to the past with bloodied fingernails? Or the world of my Empire, where we beat the Zarian, united, and launch it into a new age of social and technological advancement?¡±


    The silence recaptured the room, deeper this time. Even Elia and my soldiers were still, almost holding their breath. I didn¡¯t stop looking at Wei Jun and Wei Yong, challenging them with my gaze. I could see that they were both affected by my words. Their frowns had deepened and Wei Jun twitched, while Wei Yong still had his arms crossed, so tightly the veins stood out. Ice glittered through his eyes for a moment, before his aura¡¯s fire returned to them.


    The general exhaled deeply and looked at his son for a long moment, before he turned to his brother. The two of them exchanged a wordless glance that clearly carried the weight of a conversation.


    Then Wei Jun drew his sword and threw it on the floor, where it clattered to a stop with the blade in my reach. He lowered himself to his knees and bowed his head.


    The room seemed to collectively release a deep breath, only to hold the next in when Wei Yong conjured his sword. But he only threw it to the floor beside his brother¡¯s and knelt down as well.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he stated in a rough voice. ¡°Clan Wei is at your mercy.¡±


    Elia chuckled, and after a moment, metal clattered as his clan¡¯s soldiers followed their example and knelt.


    I smiled, feeling the tightening around my chest I¡¯d barely noticed anymore weakening. The room seemed much brighter, and there was a new lightness in my step as I approached them, holding out my right hand. Wei Yong bent to kiss the ring bearing the Imperial phoenix seal, and Wei Jun followed suit.


    <hr>


    I ran my hand over Fides¡¯ shaft, feeling its qi thrum beneath my fingers. It surprised me how much I disliked having someone else touch it, even though I¡¯d handed it away myself, and only for a short while.


    This world didn¡¯t have sentient objects, as far as I knew. But some weapons came close, and this would clearly be one of them, if it wasn¡¯t already. I definitely imagined a feeling of satisfaction coming from it, although there was mostly my own qi imbued into the weapon over time.


    I shook my head and put it away in my storage ring, before I started walking again. The two Imperial soldiers stationed beside the door I was approaching straightened to attention and pushed it open for me. I nodded at them and entered the Wei clan head¡¯s study, glancing around. Most of the documents or devices stored here had been taken, and there was barely anything left besides the chair from which Wei Yong stood as I entered. He bowed deeply.


    I waved him back to his seat. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s make this brief.¡±


    The last day or so had been a whirlwind of activity, especially in the hours after they laid down their swords. A sizable Imperial force had moved in and was now occupying the mansion. Several officials and experts from further away had also been called, and the generals were busy making and adjusting plans. Meanwhile, Kariva was methodically going through every one of the Wei clan''s leadership. After she¡¯d talked to Wei Min and handed him a shiny new set of alchemy equipment. Never thought I¡¯d see Kariva actually showing affection or sentiment for someone. Good for her.


    To their credit, Wei Yong and Wei Jun had cooperated fully and earnestly. They hadn¡¯t even complained or questioned the few special requests I¡¯d had for them. Well, they¡¯d hesitated for a moment when I asked for blood samples, but those could probably be used for some shady magic stuff, which I¡¯d assured them wasn¡¯t my intention. Among my own soldiers, asking to see their technical manuals and construction blueprints for vehicles and agricultural equipment had raised more eyebrows. Hey, enough people are going to be asking about technique manuals and secret weapons already.


    Wei Yong tapped his fingers on his armrest. ¡°Your Highness, if I may, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask about our fate.¡±


    ¡°No decision has been reached yet,¡± I told him, suppressing a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re going to need your assistance against the Zun and the rest of the conspiracy¡¯s forces. I presume clan Wei is going to stay more or less intact, although it may not be as rich or powerful once this is all over. We¡¯re certainly not going to be killing anyone whose guilt isn¡¯t proven.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°I presume that doesn¡¯t include me and my brother?¡± His voice was even and calm. ¡°Anyone can see we are guilty of treason.¡±


    I shifted my weight, crossing my arms. ¡°I would prefer not to kill you, I really would. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to happen, but like I said, I still need to discuss everything with Kiyanu and several others. We can¡¯t afford to be too merciful to traitors or we will appear weak. It¡¯s out of your hands, so I suggest you focus on the problems in front of you.¡±


    His frown eased, and he nodded. ¡°Thank you for that, my lady. I may not have said it before, but I do regret fighting against you.¡±


    I cocked my head. I wonder if that¡¯s just because you lost. I scratched my cheek, regarding him in silence for a moment, then sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to hear, though that will not be easily forgotten ¡­ grandfather.¡±


    He paled and his eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±

 119: Ashes and embers

    <div>


    ¡°And what then?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I explained that I had Doctor Chang analyze the blood samples I¡¯d taken, and used samples from myself and my siblings for the test. The result was obvious. That was pretty much it.¡±


    Elia nodded, shredding some blades of grass with her fingers. ¡°Was he aware of it?¡±


    ¡°He claims he didn¡¯t know. I suppose he¡¯s probably telling the truth. You¡¯d think he¡¯d have been a little harder to convince to usurp the throne from his own descendants.¡±


    Elia cocked her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to confirm that for you?¡±


    I cracked my neck. ¡°Feel free. But I don¡¯t intend to have much to do with Wei Yong or his clan, blood relation or not.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Can¡¯t blame you. I thought my family was a little dysfunctional, but this is something else.¡±


    I glanced around our surroundings to check that no one was listening in to our conversation. Except for Aston, we were alone in a secluded little garden on the Wei estates, somewhat separated from the hustle and bustle of what they might as well call a new forward base.


    ¡°How is your own search going?¡± I asked. ¡°Found any clues about your father¡¯s fate?¡±


    She looked up sharply. ¡°You know about that?¡±


    ¡°Kariva told me, I just didn¡¯t see any reason to get involved.¡± It wasn¡¯t like I minded her using Kariva¡¯s network to search for information. If nothing else, it would benefit me, too, if I got a better idea of how the Zarian regarded spirit-children.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not going too well. Your people don¡¯t have that good of a network in the Dominion, and the Zarian clearly don¡¯t want anyone to look too deeply into the whole affair. I doubt I¡¯ll get anywhere like this anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll have to wait until I conquer the Dominion,¡± I said, smiling lightly. ¡°That could help you get at things. If it doesn¡¯t mess everything up.¡±


    Elia just looked at me for a moment, before she snorted and shook her head. ¡°Yeah, right. I hope your soldiers won¡¯t ransack things too badly. But we were talking about your grandfather, Inaris. What are you even doing with the Wei now?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I just need them to turn things around here so we can mop up and finally move on to the Zarian. And I need Wei Yong to go through with making contact with Hajake, but they¡¯re already on that.¡±


    Aston cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, my lady, but they should be finished with preparations now, and Kariva did ask to talk to you.¡±


    I sighed and rolled my shoulders. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go. Are you coming along, Elia?¡±


    She glanced up consideringly. It was a beautiful autumn day, with the sun shining brightly from an almost cloudless sky. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take some time to cultivate, I¡¯ve been neglecting it lately.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Okay, then good luck.¡±


    It felt like everyone was advancing lately. Maybe my rapid breakthrough to the fifth stage had given them a kick in the motivation. Kajare and Tenira weren¡¯t too far from it themselves, Yarani was firmly building her strength in the fourth stage, and even Suaki had gone through a minor breakthrough the last time I saw him.


    My other guards closed ranks around me, and off we went to Kariva and the others. They took no chances with my safety here in the presence of Wei clan members and fighters, not that I could blame them. It didn¡¯t really look like any of the defeated warriors were spoiling for revenge, though. They just looked tired and, well, defeated. A few of them had surface wounds or scars, and none of them looked like they¡¯d had a good night¡¯s rest recently. Just goes to show they really were losing, even before this.


    As it turned out, Kariva was talking to several of our officers. Wei Jun stood beside their table as well, arms crossed and looking like he¡¯d rather they didn¡¯t remember his presence. The room had large double doors leading outside, which stood open to give them a view of the estate and the soldiers. I didn¡¯t see Wei Yong, at least.


    Once Aston and I entered, the conversation paused. Kariva glanced at Wei Jun, who seemed to shrink into himself a little more. My gaze lingered on him for a second, too, before I forced myself to move on to the rest of the gathered people. Apparently, they were aware of the awkwardness, if not its cause, judging by their looks and the way they stood.


    ¡°How are things going?¡± I asked.


    ¡°As well as we could expect,¡± Kariva answered serenely.


    ¡°Our time is almost up,¡± San Hashar said, leaning against a bookcase with her arms crossed. ¡°We knew word would spread quickly, and our enemies are starting to catch on to the fact that their contacts from the Wei are turned. We managed to root out a fair number, but it¡¯s only going to get harder from here.¡±


    ¡°At least the fighting is moving out of the shadows back into the open,¡± Aston commented. ¡°Now that an important part of their current protection is gone.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s kind of amazing how much difference voluntary cooperation can make compared to just neutralizing fighters. We didn¡¯t get this far after taking conspirators¡¯ bases previously.¡±


    General Wei shifted uneasily, but Kariva chuckled. ¡°True. Though we¡¯re also in a different position now. Their situation has turned decidedly worse, and any hope they had of claiming the throne is gone now. Assuming they had any.¡±


    ¡°It is going to make them more desperate and thus dangerous,¡± San Hashar put in.


    I shrugged, then glanced at Wei Jun. ¡°I do have an idea on how to beat them, actually. General Wei, you and your soldiers worked with these people. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with how they operate. That makes you perfect to root them out once and for all.¡±


    His eyes widened. ¡°Really, Your Highness?¡±


    Kariva grinned. ¡°A good idea.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    They were probably both thinking that this meant Wei¡¯s men would take the losses fighting the remnants of the insurrection entailed.


    ¡°What better chance do you see to prove your value and contribute to atoning for your previous actions?¡± I asked. ¡°It will certainly make it much easier to argue that you and your clan deserve some clemency.¡±


    He bowed his head. ¡°That¡¯s true, my lady. I¡¯m honored you¡¯d trust me that far.¡±


    I waved that away. ¡°I know you don¡¯t exactly like Zun Chao. Besides, your brother and son will function as hostages to your good behavior. Any betrayal on your part will reflect on them.¡±


    His eyes narrowed, but he nodded calmly. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still the matter of the traitors¡¯ black stage cultivators,¡± San Hashar said.


    Kariva smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not going to be a big problem. For now, at least. Several of them have already started leaving the country.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re, to put it bluntly, running away. We can¡¯t fight them directly, but they¡¯re clearly not willing to risk what else we may do.¡±


    I shook my head, needing a moment to process that. I wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with them, but I didn¡¯t think that issue would take care of itself like that. Of course they¡¯re running.


    ¡°Where are they fleeing?¡± I asked. ¡°To the Zarian?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little early to tell for sure, and I¡¯m not aware of all of their movement,¡± Kariva answered. ¡°But of the two I¡¯m sure about, only one is going south. I assume the same will hold true for the others. The Dominion will probably welcome them, but they¡¯re still Imperials, and I doubt many of them like the idea. Most will probably go farther away. I don¡¯t suggest trying to catch them.¡±


    Aston shook his head. ¡°This is going to be a problem later.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± I shrugged. ¡°But there¡¯s not much we can do.¡±


    Luckily, there weren¡¯t that many eighth stagers firmly on the side of the conspiracy. Only about ten would probably feel they were obviously guilty enough that they had to flee.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t solve the issue of what to do with those who remain,¡± Kariva noted. ¡°Few of them have actually done anything that would mark them guilty of treason, even if they might have tacitly supported their clans or allies in this insurrection.¡±


    ¡°We keep an eye on them and hope they¡¯ve learned their lesson,¡± I said. ¡°What else can we do? This isn¡¯t exactly a new problem. Kiyanu can handle them.¡±


    Kariva didn¡¯t look happy, but I didn¡¯t think that was because she disagreed with me. She just didn¡¯t like the situation I¡¯d pointed out. None of the others did, either. Even Wei Jun hid a grimace. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think those types are well-regarded among the actual traitors, either. Probably a good thing for us. I frowned thoughtfully. I need to see about maybe helping promising candidates break through to higher stages. Maybe my special abilities will help, and my father might deign to give some guidance. Another thing for the to-do list.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯d like to have a moment with Kariva,¡± I said.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else pressing,¡± she confirmed.


    The others looked surprised, but didn¡¯t protest. Wei Jun edged towards the exit. I took the opposite door, which apparently led to a small side-room, with Kariva following me.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about, my lady?¡± she asked, frowning.


    I glanced around, noting the wards built into the place and the shield she was setting up right now. Then I turned my attention back to Kariva. ¡°I wanted to give you a heads-up. I intend to travel to Adzur.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure? That¡¯s a dangerous proposition, and your presence is needed here. Or at least of value.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I confirmed. ¡°My projects would do a lot better if I had access to some of their tech, and there are personal reasons as well. Besides, Kiyanu, you, and the rest can handle things here. I don¡¯t even need to be there when we deploy the new weapons.¡±


    Kariva nodded. ¡°When?¡±


    I leaned against the wall. ¡°I want to be there over the winter solstice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not far off,¡± Kariva pointed out, frowning again.


    ¡°There¡¯s time enough. I¡¯m going to be on the Earth Continent, anyway.¡± I shrugged. ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want to make arrangements.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I swear, you¡¯re becoming more like your mother every day. Fine. I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t get yourself killed.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°I know I can count on you, Kariva.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I have places to be.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I watched her leave, then ambled out of the room myself, noting that the others had vacated the meeting room as well.


    ¡°Aston,¡± I asked, watching him materialize beside me, ¡°where¡¯s the main Wei family now?¡±


    He looked into the distance for a moment, probably focusing on his qi senses. ¡°Wei Yong is with his family and several of our commanders. The general is talking to some of the other clan members, all of them strong, probably his captains. Wei Min has approached Elia, in the garden.¡±


    I grimaced, then set off towards the garden. I¡¯d go see what that was about. It definitely beat seeing Wei Yong¡¯s wife and children. I still didn¡¯t know what to think about the fact that I had extended, but not too distant, family I didn¡¯t know at all. At least I kind of liked Wei Min, and he was the one I was most likely to keep running across in the future.


    I¡¯d need to tell Al about this. Yet another conversation I wasn¡¯t looking forward to. And Xiaodan, once she was older. But both of them probably wouldn¡¯t care too much. They hadn¡¯t fought clan Wei themselves.


    I shook my head, trying not to dwell on the matter, and sped up. Elia was still roughly where I left her, although there were more soldiers around now discreetly keeping an eye on her. She didn¡¯t seem to mind. Wei Min was standing beside her, and the two of them seemed deep in conversation about something. I only caught a few fragments, not enough to make sense of. They stopped talking as soon as they noticed my approach.


    I slowed down and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯m just wandering around.¡±


    Elia rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure. You know, I¡¯m not sure if that counts as a white lie or not.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± Then I glanced at Wei Min, noting he didn¡¯t seem to have relaxed with the banter. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything important?¡±


    If anything, he stiffened even more. ¡°No, Your Highness. Not at all.¡±


    Neither of them actually volunteered any information as to what they had been talking about, though. I had a few guesses, from Elia¡¯s search to truth detection techniques to commiserating over dysfunctional families, but decided not to press.


    The silence was a little awkward, though. Still, since Elia was here, and they didn¡¯t seem inclined to talk about something else, maybe I should take this opportunity. ¡°It seems your uncle told you what I said, Wei Min,¡± I noted.


    He flinched a little. ¡°My father, not my uncle, my lady.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t know, and I promise that I won¡¯t spread it around or try to take advantage of the connection.¡±


    I wondered how long it would take until his whole clan knew, anyway, but only nodded. I knew he was serious.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± Elia said, ¡°you¡¯re going to the Earth Continent now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I turned to her. ¡°Yes. Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go along. Also, I get the feeling you should probably go quickly.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I always appreciate your help, Elia,¡± I said. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t planning to dawdle.¡±


    ¡°I spent enough time around Hajake to be cautious.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Also, the war isn¡¯t going too well over there, either, is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, unfortunately.¡±


    Wei Min cleared his throat softly. ¡°Can I be of any help?¡±


    I regarded him for a moment, then shook my head. ¡°You¡¯re more useful here,¡± I replied. ¡°But I would appreciate it if you could keep an eye on the clan and keep me informed. I know many of them probably resent you, but I¡¯m sure you have ways of dealing with that.¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°Consider it a test.¡±


    He looked confused, but bowed his head. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡±


    Elia looked amused. She shook her head. ¡°I wonder what the political landscape of the Empire will be like after you¡¯re through, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°Well, I did have these field tests for local democracy,¡± I said. ¡°The war wasn¡¯t kind to that, and they¡¯re pretty much on hold now.¡± I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°But maybe this is a silver lining. Maybe the disruption caused by this conspiracy will actually be a boon in that regard.¡±


    I happened to look in Aston¡¯s direction, and noticed that he suppressed a chuckle. When he caught me looking, he smiled and shrugged a little.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think back to a conversation that seemed like it happened half a lifetime ago, just before my first major breakthrough after the soul journey. How things have changed.

 120: Complications

    <div>


    Tenira¡¯s eyelids fluttered, and her breathing sped up. I watched, forcing myself to remain still and silent so as not to disturb her, while her aura settled down and her pulse rose then calmed. It was fascinating to see all of the changes happening firsthand, even though I had been sitting here for quite a while.


    She finally opened her eyes and looked around, stretching.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± I said, standing up and offering her a proud smile.


    Tenira blinked, then returned my smile. ¡°Thanks, Nari. How long did I take?¡±


    ¡°About two days. We¡¯re as good as there.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t been thrilled when she said she wanted to attempt a breakthrough in the air, during our journey. It took longer than I thought, although my expectations might have been skewed, but I could sense that her breakthrough was stable and there were no unforeseen problems.


    ¡°You¡¯re just in time,¡± Kajare commented, leaning against the railing. He¡¯d come closer when it became clear that she was finishing. ¡°Congratulations on reaching the fifth stage, Tenira.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I hope I didn¡¯t inconvenience you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I said.


    Kajare clicked his tongue. ¡°Inaris barely left your side the whole time.¡±


    I scowled at him. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like I had much else to do.¡±


    She shook her head at me, but I could tell she was hiding a smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to, but I appreciate the concern.¡±


    A strong gust of wind stole Kajare¡¯s amused huff. The airship was rapidly losing altitude and momentum, and had apparently lowered its qi shields already. I glanced at the quickly approaching ground, then extended a bit of my qi to keep the wind off me. A lady had to worry about her hair, after all. At least I did when one of the servants accompanying me had done it half an hour ago, in preparation for upcoming diplomatic encounters and such.


    Beside me, I felt Tenira flex her aura. Unlike my domain, which was more like a star-speckled night sky, hers felt like solid light underpinned by a framework of darkness. It reminded me a little of solar cells and wires, even though I knew that made no sense. But anyone would have sensed her increase in strength. Kajare was also rapidly pushing at the boundary of the fourth stage, but it would probably be a few months yet until he was ready for a breakthrough.


    I focused back on my surroundings as we disembarked the airship. We¡¯d arrived in the main military base in Imperial territory, and too many barracks and administrative buildings to count surrounded the airstrip. The main command center, identified by the flags planted in front of it, loomed ahead, and a small delegation waited between us and it.


    I stepped forward, gesturing for the people to rise almost before they¡¯d started to kneel. I recognized most of them, and noted they were all Imperial commanders except for Lei. We stood in a secluded enough spot that it wouldn¡¯t cause a scene, so I stepped forward to hug my friend.


    ¡°Hey, Lei,¡± I said. ¡°Good to see you again. How are things?¡±


    He nodded at me, but before he could speak up, Tenira copied me and pulled him into a firm hug. She embraced him for a long moment before letting go, grinning at him.


    Lei cleared his throat. ¡°Inaris. Tenira. Welcome back. Am I glad to see you.¡±


    I turned my attention to the other waiting people and greeted them. But I couldn¡¯t help but notice that Lei seemed impatient, shifting his weight from foot to foot and glancing around.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I finally said as we were making our way inside.


    He pulled a face. ¡°I have some news. Besides the war, I mean. King Terki is on the continent. Apparently, he arrived two days ago and is moving through Terbekteri territory.¡±


    I blinked. I didn¡¯t expect that news, and it didn¡¯t factor into our plans.


    ¡°Well,¡± Tenira said, ¡°what does that mean?¡±


    I glanced at my husband, who seemed just as surprised as me. ¡°On the plus side, Kajare gets to see his father. But on the other hand, it might be an issue for what we want to do.¡±


    We were greeted by a few other people at that point, so the conversation halted. I did my best to focus on the present, but I couldn¡¯t help but be a little distracted. It didn¡¯t help that most of it was just empty formalities and pleasantries. The people who really mattered were at the front or otherwise occupied, but everyone seemed to want to meet me and try to get in my good graces. Probably because of the recent disruptions and Mother¡¯s absence.


    Finally, I somewhat gently insisted on getting the provincial and regional administrators alone to go over their reports. Kajare slipped out after an hour, and Tenira excused herself when the topic turned to taxes and trade. I wished I could go with them, but I really needed to know these things. It would impact how the population, our vassals, and other countries reacted.


    There was more to do than I thought, and we had to wait until the next day until we could move on. At that point, the Terbekteri king had learned of our presence and we were going to meet him in a city almost directly at the border between the territories controlled by both of our nations. Or occupied during the course of the war, really. The region had been independent before, but they had caved to the Zarian before our side took them after our successful initial attack, in which I¡¯d been captured.


    I didn¡¯t get a chance to see Jian, but that was probably for the best. I wanted to have him stew for a while, anyway, long enough for his allies to relax their guards a little.


    The journey passed quickly, and I got a chance to talk to Kajare about his father. I didn¡¯t get the feeling they were really close, which was probably obvious given how large his family was and his father¡¯s job, but Kajare didn¡¯t seem to harbor any grudges.


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    ¡°You didn¡¯t resent him for arranging the marriage to me?¡± I asked.


    Kajare shook his head, giving me a weird look. ¡°No, why would I? Didn¡¯t we already establish that this was a good thing for me? I wanted it.¡±


    ¡°Right. So, why do you think he¡¯s here now, with little fanfare or notice?¡±


    He frowned. ¡°I assume he noticed that something was up. Probably not the details, but Hajake might have raised some suspicion, and Salira was making moves, too, right? I love my sister, but she¡¯s not always as subtle as she thinks. And she got help from Mother, but didn¡¯t fill her in. Maybe she asked Father to come here to get to the bottom of it, or he just decided to come himself once he heard about it.¡±


    I nodded, making a mental note that Kajare¡¯s parents were close, and steered the conversation back to other matters.


    When we reached the city, it was crawling with Terbekteri airships. Although to be fair, there were quite a few Imperial ones here, too. They all let us through without problems, a pair of Imperial airships falling into honor guard positions and escorting us in. I waited in silence, trying not to fidget, until I could disembark. Then the local governor greeted us and, with many bows and flowery words, led us to the people I¡¯d been waiting to see.


    King Terki the Second looked a bit like an older version of Hajake, though his skin tone and the look in his eyes was closer to Kajare. Although he was quickly approaching his fourth century, he looked like forty at most, and carried himself with all the grace and poise of a ruler who¡¯d been in power for over a century.


    He¡¯d clearly planned this meeting beforehand. The trees lining the place made for a nice atmosphere, the flowers filled the air with a pleasant scent, and it was secluded enough this didn¡¯t feel too official, even with the handful of courtiers and guards from both sides. When we arrived, he stood up from his seat and smiled at us in welcome.


    I gave my best courtly bow, but didn¡¯t let go of Kajare¡¯s arm. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. I am glad to finally meet you in person.¡±


    King Terki returned my bow. ¡°Imperial Princess. I am just as happy to see you.¡± He straightened up and smiled at his son. ¡°And Kajare, my boy! How has life in the Empire been treating you?¡±


    Kajare smiled and stepped forward to exchange what looked like a cross between a handshake and fist bump with him. ¡°Hello, Father. I¡¯ve found the Empire interesting, challenging, and fun.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°And Inaris is everything I could have hoped for.¡±


    ¡°You do seem to be thriving.¡± A woman turned away from the courtiers and came to Terki¡¯s side. She looked about his age, though I knew she was actually younger and a stage weaker. Her skin was a shade darker than his, her eyes a warm brown with a veiled sharpness as she smiled at us. ¡°It¡¯s good to see.¡±


    Kajare glanced at me for a moment before he went to hug his mother. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the sight.


    His father¡¯s gaze swept over the rest of the people I brought, and I could see his gaze narrow slightly as he looked at Tenira, but he didn¡¯t comment and simply continued the motion before he turned to me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all sit down? We have quite a bit to talk about.¡±


    I nodded and took a seat at one of the wooden chairs they¡¯d apparently brought. A servant stepped forward with a tray, and I selected a drink. ¡°Thank you, King Terki. We certainly do.¡±


    Kajare came to sit down beside me, while Terki smiled again. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll call me ¡®father¡¯, with the union of our families. Of course, not that I could be competition for your true father in any way!¡± His teeth flashed as he grinned.


    ¡°Of course, Father.¡± I returned his smile. Well, I¡¯ve already exchanged more words with him than Rijoko. But I wonder what his angle is in emphasizing the familial connection like this?


    ¡°Good.¡± His smile faded, and a seriousness entered his expression that made the friendly, amiable man he¡¯d just shown seem distant, though it didn¡¯t suit him any less. ¡°Now, would you mind explaining to me what this issue or grievance you seem to have with my son is all about?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°I assure you, things between me and Kajare are quite well. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve given him cause for any grievances. Have I?¡± I looked at Kajare.


    Terki clicked his tongue. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I meant. I should have been more precise. I am talking about the other son of mine you met, Hajake.¡±


    Oh. I couldn¡¯t help but tense up a little, looking at the king in front of me. This was a bit dicey.


    ¡°We did have a disagreement when we first met,¡± I said carefully. Then I briefly outlined the story. I mentioned the hidden Zarian staging ground, how we wanted to convince Terbekteri to strike at it together. I also hinted at how we worked with Salira and brought the issue to the attention of the Terbekteri officers. I ended my retelling with Hajake giving in and agreeing to the plan, and how we fought the Zarian. Of course, I stopped the story before his betrayal. Kajare chimed in occasionally, but mostly let me talk.


    King Terki listened to us in silence, a faint frown on his face. At the end, he nodded. ¡°I understand why that might have led to hard feelings. Although, given how your assault played out ¡ª your own regrettable experiences aside, of course ¡ª I can hardly speak against your actions. I hope you¡¯re not too put out at Hajake¡¯s initial reticence?¡±


    I shrugged, but kept my tone calm. ¡°I do have to admit to wondering why he was put in charge of a situation such as this. But I am not so easily affronted.¡±


    Terki narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at me for a moment. ¡°Of course, my dear. I see. Our ways are not your ways, naturally. Although I believe you struck up a friendship with my daughter Salira?¡±


    ¡°Which we are glad to hear,¡± his wife finally cut in. Queen Liali had mostly kept silent so far, but clearly listened intently, and she smiled at me and Kajare now. ¡°We are quite proud of Salira¡¯s progress, and forming closer bonds between our families is certainly a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I inclined my head to her. ¡°Yes, Salira is quite nice to be around and we have some important things in common, so I would be hopeful for building a lasting friendship.¡± I glanced around. ¡°Is she not present here?¡±


    Terki looked at Liali and his face softened a little as he turned back to us. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m afraid Salira is still up north, my dear. Just as Hajake is on the front, and it will take him a little while to get back. But I have called him back, and I¡¯d like to have a meeting with the two of you to make sure things are sorted out appropriately.¡±


    I barely stifled a grimace. Just what I needed. As if things aren¡¯t messed up enough. But can I really refuse to see him?


    ¡°With respect, Father, you are not my king.¡± I fixed my gaze on him with a cool stare. ¡°I do not appreciate being treated like a child to be called to task for stealing another¡¯s toy.¡± I paused, letting my words hang in the air for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°That said, I see no reason to refuse your request.¡±


    Terki returned my gaze, and I could have sworn the corners of his lips lifted up slightly. Perhaps he liked that I showed some proverbial teeth.


    ¡°Of course, Imperial Princess,¡± he finally replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± Then his gaze turned to his son. ¡°Kajare, now that we have finally seen each other again, I would like to take the chance to spend some time with you. I know there is much to do, but hopefully your wife can spare you until Hajake returns? What do you say?¡±


    Kajare hesitated, and we exchanged a look. I could tell he wanted to take the opportunity to spend time with his parents, but was afraid of messing up my plans regarding Hajake. I stifled a sigh, and squeezed his hand. We¡¯d just have to deal.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t keep him from his family,¡± I said with forced cheer.


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to,¡± Kajare replied.


    Terki smiled at us and inclined his head. ¡°Wonderful. Now, perhaps we should retire to the war room and discuss the war effort? There is much to talk about.¡±


    I agreed, of course. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it, but establishing closer coordination with Terbekteri would be good.


    As we stood up, I caught Kajare¡¯s gaze. He inclined his head to me, and I nodded. I wasn¡¯t worried about him betraying Imperial secrets or anything like that.


    Then I started organizing the Imperial entourage I¡¯d brought to accompany me, with several high-ranking officers. Best to make the most of this meeting, even if I had to curb the impatience and unease I got thinking of Hajake.

 121: The nature of fire

    <div>


    I took a deep breath and surveyed the mountains spread out before me. They weren¡¯t quite as big as the Central Mountains back on the Sky Continent, let alone the massive northern chain on this continent, but they still made for a nice view. The crisp mountain air seemed to clear my airways, whispering of early snow and untouched nature. Mostly untouched, at least. These mountains weren¡¯t really wild, just sparsely settled compared to the surrounding regions.


    ¡°Any idea how much longer we¡¯re going to travel?¡± Lei asked, coming to a stop beside me. His breathing was a little deeper than normal, the only sign of our quick ascent up this mountain.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be longer than a few hours, probably less,¡± I replied, hiding my amusement. ¡°We¡¯re all strong cultivators here, we could probably comb the entire mountain range in a few days if we wanted to.¡± I glanced around, noting the guards spread around us. ¡°Let¡¯s continue. Maybe we¡¯ll see more if we go up that peak.¡±


    In truth, I reflected as I sped down the western mountainside and sent a small cascade of stones tumbling down it in my wake, Lei was right to ask. I didn¡¯t have much of an idea of where we were going, but I didn¡¯t mind. It was fun climbing and exploring the mountains. Far better than sitting in yet another strategy meeting. Why not treat the trip as a mini-vacation and enjoy it?


    Once we crested the next peak and I stopped to look around, Lei shook his head. ¡°How did you even know to come here? And how sure are you we¡¯re not wasting our time?¡±


    ¡°Pretty sure.¡± I grinned. ¡°Call it intuition.¡± I set off again.


    My connection to Rijoko was a little clearer, and if I concentrated on it, I could get a bit of a sense of it. Enough to know I wasn¡¯t wasting my time in coming here, but that my father wanted me to. Maybe more of an idle whim rather than a real goal, the feeling wasn¡¯t very strong, but it meshed with my own judgment.


    For the next few minutes, we concentrated on traversing the mountains. While it would have been easier to fly, there were aggressive flying beasts around, and I¡¯d rather avoid making a scene, plus we might miss things from on high.


    Back after I¡¯d taken the Wei¡¯s surrender, I¡¯d been curious about the rumors and made inquiries. They¡¯d all but confirmed that the brothers¡¯ grandmother had been with a powerful spirit beast, with their mother as the result. Unlike with spirits, I didn¡¯t seem to have any particular affinity or advantage when it came to my spiritual perception, but I supposed that made sense. As it was, my senses were good enough to guide us around any beast who might have thought to attack us, and the guards sometimes slipped off to take care of threats they apparently didn¡¯t want to risk leaving at our backs. I knew there should be nothing here strong enough to threaten Aston, so we were pretty safe.


    Except for our quarry, maybe.


    ¡°What sort of spirit beast are we even looking for?¡± Lei asked, gasping, as we took a short rest on the slopes of another mountain, watching a mountain lion stalk through the valley below us.


    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure, but we¡¯ll know it when we see it,¡± I said. ¡°From the impression I got, probably something fiery, and I¡¯d guess a bird.¡± It could be one of those Flame-Tailed birds we¡¯d met on our first journey here, though I hoped not.


    The Terbekteri general¡¯s dreams hadn¡¯t offered me much concrete information, but I was confident we were on the right track. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my senses, sorting through my surroundings. After a moment, I caught the barest hint of ash coming from a peak to the north.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    We pressed on. I moved more slowly and was careful to keep behind cover as much as possible. We were descending a mountainside right now, and anyone from the mountains on the opposing side could see us. Luckily, there were enough trees to offer some cover.


    ¡°Actually, Nari,¡± Lei spoke up after a while. ¡°I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°When you leave again, can you take me along? This is nice and all, but I¡¯d rather go back with you and work on developing our tech than the war here.¡±


    I glanced at him, trying not to frown. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m going to Adzur first, but I can promise you that when I¡¯m back on the Sky Continent, you will be, too.¡±


    ¡°Great. Thank you.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. ¡°But you don¡¯t actually need my permission, do you? You¡¯re not my official follower or retainer or something. You could just pack your bags and leave.¡±


    Lei gave me a sideways look. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Inaris. You¡¯re the crown princess and soon-to-be-empress. If you ordered me to stay here, do you think I could refuse? Besides, I wouldn¡¯t want to leave when you¡¯re counting on my help.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Sure. Sorry.¡± I paused, jumping over a fallen log and checking that everyone was handling the terrain fine. ¡°Do you want me to make things official in some way, though?¡±


    He rolled his eyes and shook his head. ¡°No, being your friend and confidant is bad enough, I don¡¯t need a job title. I have a high enough status on my own, anyway.¡±


    I nodded. He was my second cousin twice removed, I remembered. Fair enough.


    Our conversation stopped as we approached our destination. By now, I was sure everyone in my party could sense that there was a strong presence up ahead. One crackling with fire, although it felt like it was banked, its glow dimmed. We were picking our way into a secluded glade in a small extension of a valley, the sides rising sharply at three sides before they met a forest. I took a deep breath and pushed past the cover of the woods.


    It took me a moment to actually see the spirit beast, sitting between several boulders. When it saw us, it hissed out a puff of smoke and flew upwards to perch on a rock, so we were roughly at eye level. Its mind brushed against our own.


    ¡°Greetings, honored elder,¡± I said with both my physical and mental voice, and bowed. ¡°I hope we did not disturb you.¡±


    Internally, I wrestled with my surprise. This bird was at least as powerful as I¡¯d expected, maybe even equal to an early eighth stage cultivator, but it certainly wasn¡¯t any type I¡¯d seen before, or anything even indirectly based on a mortal bird species.


    The spirit beast seemed to be made partly of fire. Flames enveloped the more physical body, but didn¡¯t burn it. That body was vividly colored in gold and shades from yellow to red, with the only point of contrast being the eyes, which were a bright blue like the hottest part of a flame. I had no doubt what kind of creature I was looking at: a phoenix.


    Although I would have expected the bird to be larger. Its ¡ª no, their ¡ª current form was pretty small, maybe the size of a chicken.


    ¡®Disturb me,¡¯ the phoenix said in my mind, with a noise somewhere between a snort and a screech. ¡®As if you did not come here specifically to seek me out. Don¡¯t hide behind false pretenses, girl.¡¯ They scrabbled with their claws on the boulder, effortlessly cutting deep gouges in the rock. ¡®I didn¡¯t think any of you lot would come to me here, when I¡¯m recovering my strength after going through another cycle. It would be easier to seek me out in the Central Mountains if you were a little more patient.¡¯


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    I frowned, hesitantly taking a step forward. My guards had drawn closer around me and Lei, though no one dared step in front of me. Lei watched the spirit beast with interest, and I assumed they could all hear everything, but they remained silent. The phoenix sounded a bit grumpy. That was understandable if they were being bothered after recovering from a death and resurrection, probably what they meant with a cycle. But they didn¡¯t seem aggressive, surprised to see me, or even unwelcoming, really.


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Were you expecting company, honored elder?¡¯


    ¡®Ancestor.¡¯ One blue eye blinked. ¡®You may call me ¡°honored ancestor¡±, youngling.¡¯


    I blinked, and barely registered Lei muffling a chuckle beside me. It didn¡¯t take me long to grasp what they meant, and suddenly, I saw the situation in a new light. This was probably why Rijoko had half-heartedly nudged me into coming here.


    Seriously, I thought to myself, how many surprise bloodline reveals am I expected to accept? I really hope this is the last of them.


    ¡®Of course.¡¯ I bowed my head to the phoenix. ¡®I am honored to meet my great-great-grandfather.¡¯


    Looking back, I really should have expected something like this. I knew the Wei¡¯s bloodline from a powerful spirit beast was associated with fire. And the phoenix was the heraldic animal of the Empire. Actually, considering the civil war and everything, it was no wonder the new Wei didn¡¯t dare boast about this bloodline too much. And they also had blood ties with the old Emperor. Through them, I¡¯m even descended from the previous dynasty, right? Kind of ironic.


    The phoenix regarded me for a moment. He ¡ª considering they had a child with a female cultivator, they were probably male, provided their kind had genders like humans ¡ª seemed pleased by my words. ¡®As I am honored to meet you, my scion.¡¯


    I cleared my throat and introduced my companions, before we approached closer. Lei and Aston took seats on some of the rocks, while most of my guards spread out farther, guarding us and getting out of the way of the conversation.


    ¡®Did you come for instruction? I don¡¯t typically give my secrets away freely, even to my descendants. But you do not have fire in your aura, do you?¡¯


    ¡®No, I have light and darkness affinity qi,¡¯ I replied. ¡®But I also have a special ability that allows me to use all other kinds of qi, if not as easily.¡¯


    If I thought back to when I was using fire qi while I pretended to be someone else during my stay in that Zarian-occupied city, I had a pretty easy time of it. It was the only time I¡¯d really used it, and I hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, since I¡¯d been relying on my familiarity with light qi. But maybe I did have some more talent for it than something like earth qi.


    ¡®I see.¡¯ The phoenix sounded thoughtful. ¡®I should have expected something like that from the Imperial Princess.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow, surprised that he knew who I was. I hadn¡¯t actually mentioned it, and I was wearing simple blue robes without any identifying details.


    My surprise must have shown, and he clacked his beak with a sound like chuckling. ¡®I may not live among humans, but I am the Red Phoenix, child, not some ignorant pigeon. I make it a point to keep up with your doings.¡¯


    ¡®Of course, honored ancestor. I understand that you have some dealings with our kind, even if you do not choose to show me a shape like it.¡¯


    I was pretty sure the phoenix could turn into a humanoid form. Unless Wei Yong¡¯s grandmother could lay eggs, which I rather doubted, they would hardly have a child together otherwise. I didn¡¯t know if she wanted to get a strong bloodline for her descendants or simply had unusual tastes, but it didn¡¯t really matter. I just tried not to think too much about it.


    ¡®Cheeky girl.¡¯ The bird shivered, and the air around him shimmered as if because of the heat, but the phenomenon spread until it had the form of a human. A second later, the haze vanished and I saw a boy with burning red hair and embers for eyes. ¡®If you want my teachings, say it.¡¯


    I regarded my ancestor curiously. He looked like a young teenager, clad in a red robe, but there was still the occasional flaming feather adorning his forearms and neck, where I could see pale skin. His hair looked like the older Wei¡¯s had that time, just more intensely so, and his face seemed vaguely bird-like. I had to force myself not to jump to investigate him more thoroughly and ask him questions about his mind and understanding of human culture.


    ¡®I¡¯d love to hear about your techniques,¡¯ I replied. ¡®But we actually came for a different reason. I happen to have learned that a general of Terbekteri, a man called Arnarle, and a group of his family and friends were after you. I wanted to ask about that.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, him,¡¯ the phoenix snorted. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you want with that poseur. We can talk about him later. For now, tell me, what do you know of the nature of fire and light?¡¯


    I smoothed out my robes and sat down on a nearby rock, getting comfortable for a long conversation, before I answered.


    My ancestor didn¡¯t seem very impressed by my knowledge or my take on qi and the elements, but then, he seemed like the grumpy old mentor type. To my surprise, he didn¡¯t just insist that I was wrong and try to correct me with a lecture, but offered thoughtful and thought-provoking rejoinders and elaborations. It was the start of a lively and fruitful discussion.


    I had a different perspective, coming from a world where everything worked just fine without qi. But he had lived for a long time and seen many things in this world, both qi phenomena and cultivators¡¯ attempts to understand the energy of their world. He broadly agreed with my assertion that the affinities of qi and their techniques, what they could do, were determined both by natural properties and what people commonly believed and associated with them. But he cautioned me not to draw too firm a line between the two, and not to be too arrogant in my grasp of natural principles. He still seemed quite interested in what I did know of the laws of physics, especially thermodynamics, though.


    As the time went on, I gained a new appreciation for why cultivators would seek out old masters playing hermit atop some mountain for their teaching. He didn¡¯t even make me prove my strength or do chores! And he did deign to teach me a couple techniques after a few hours.


    My favorite was the one that let me throw fireballs that exploded on contact and threw a napalm-like substance through the air that clung to whatever it hit and burned them, even if Scattering Wrath of the Inferno was a stupid name. Although the jetpack imitation might be more helpful, especially since I was sure I could gain some insights for my fire variant of my Light¡¯s Speed buff.


    He shook his head as he watched rocks rain through the air and my guards scramble to put out fires in the grass and forest around us. ¡®That was astonishingly fast of you. Most people would take days if not weeks to master these techniques enough not to burn themselves if they tried that.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t help a proud grin. ¡®Thank you. They don¡¯t call me a high-level genius for nothing.¡¯ The grin faded as I watched the sun, which was starting to dye the sky orange. ¡®And unfortunately, I don¡¯t have nearly enough time, anyway. My in-laws will be expecting me soon.¡¯


    The phoenix sighed and perched onto another rock, clearly uncaring that he was not in his bird form. ¡®I see. I suppose you want to hear about that Terbekteri officer now? He and his group did try to hunt me, though I had little trouble evading them. They barely caught my tail feather. I do not know how much good that is going to do you, though.¡¯


    I stood up and stretched my arms. Before I could ask further questions, I noticed that Aston was waiting for my attention. When I looked at him, he came over, a frown on his face and still clutching a radio in his hand. We¡¯d left a relay further down.


    ¡°Bad news, Your Highness,¡± he reported. ¡°It seems general Arnarle was killed in battle yesterday evening. Headquarters only got word recently.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± I kicked at a loose stone, then plopped down on a rock nearby. Great. Did Hajake move to clean up potential loose ends or is this just bad luck?


    ¡®You wanted something from him, I take it?¡¯ my ancestor asked, cocking his head.


    I sighed. ¡®Yes. I needed him to get information on and hopefully give testimony against my enemy. That¡¯s why I came here, since I knew he was hunting a sapient spirit beast, which is just as illegal in Terbekteri as the Empire. I also planned to ask about a spat he apparently had with his brother, hoping to get some more material for blackmail. Looks like this is all moot now.¡¯


    ¡®Do I want to know how you knew this? No, it was probably your father.¡¯ The boy regarded me for a moment longer, then in a flash of brightness that caused me to blink turned back into the bird. ¡®Perhaps you should just go after your enemy directly. They tend to cause a lot less problems once they¡¯re dead.¡¯


    I smiled wryly, standing up to leave. ¡®I wish it was that easy.¡¯


    We quickly exchanged goodbyes with the phoenix before turning around to make our way back. There was no point in lingering here. I doubted I had enough time to really accomplish something before that meeting with Terki, but if Hajake was making moves, I didn¡¯t want any more surprises.

 122: Truth will out

    <main>


    <div>


    <div>


    Sunrise had almost finished, and the warm colors of twilight were vanishing from the sky. It made the world seem starker and sharper, even though the view out of the window would have been called picturesque by many. I would have preferred to see telephone poles rather than just tiled roofs, though.


    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± king Varis asked. ¡°Surely there has been some mistake. Where is the proof that Jian did anything wrong?¡±


    I turned around, facing the Velisha king fully. For a moment, I regretted that I hadn¡¯t had him stay on his knees, since now I needed to look up a bit to make eye contact.


    ¡°A mistake?¡± I repeated, quietly.


    King Varis bowed his head. ¡°My lady. I did not mean to sound impertinent.¡±


    ¡°Your son is under investigation on suspicion of high treason, king Varis,¡± I said, still in a cool tone. He was definitely questioning me, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°That is all that is pertinent about the situation. And, fatherly concern or not, I don¡¯t see that you have room for complaint, frankly. He has not been harmed.¡±


    The Velisha noticeably suppressed a sigh. ¡°Of course not, Imperial Princess.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think either of us was happy about this conversation, but that was on him. I certainly had things I¡¯d rather be doing, but I couldn¡¯t just brush him off when the Velisha king came to subtly accost me about Jian¡¯s imprisonment. I hadn¡¯t said much, of course. I wanted to keep Jian basically on ice.


    Hopefully, most people chalked the whole thing up to the attempted coup and Mother¡¯s departure. For those who knew about Jian¡¯s involvement in another act of treason, they had seen no other response so far. I wanted to give them enough time to settle, let their guard down. The thought of hanging over Hajake like the sword of Damocles was a bonus.


    ¡°We¡¯re not barbarians, Varis,¡± I said. ¡°If Jian is innocent, he has nothing to fear.¡±


    Of course, I knew he was guilty, but the principle still held. At least this conversation had made me reasonably certain that the king really didn¡¯t know about Jian¡¯s actions.


    The Velisha king bowed his head again. ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is all the time I can spare you,¡± I said. ¡°I have an important meeting with the Terbekteri, you understand.¡±


    He clearly recognized the dismissal, and bowed. ¡°I wish you luck, my lady.¡± He turned and left the room.


    I glanced at Aston, who shut the door behind the departing vassal and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said. ¡°Make sure Kajare is on the way as well, alright?¡±


    Terki wanted this little meeting to be private, just family. Obviously, that meant I couldn¡¯t bring any of the others, even Lei. Tenira or Yarani were out, anyway. But Aston would accompany me.


    He fell into step beside me as we left the room and made our way through the building. This city hadn¡¯t been built by the Empire or the Kingdom, but they¡¯d appropriated the government buildings, meaning the biggest palace and other large edifices. The mansion we were currently in had been commandeered by the Imperial generals for our use, but it was small enough that it wouldn¡¯t take long to get into the city. I¡¯d meet Terki and his children in a similar one not far away.


    The guards brought a small, open carriage for me, really more of a chariot, that moved itself down the street as they jogged to keep pace. A minute later, we reached our destination, and I stepped off and swept into the gates of another clump of marble facades, neatly trimmed greenery, and bowing servants. They opened the doors for us. Royal guards of the Terbekteri were here, as well, clearly watching us intently even as they bowed to me. I suppressed the thought that we were outnumbered.


    We were led into a sitting room stuffed just a little too full of chairs and sofas, although there were only Terki, Liali, Hajake and Kajare present. They rose politely as we entered, and Liali and Kajare gave me what I thought were honest smiles. I¡¯d hoped to see Salira here, too. Did she not make it back yet, or did they just decide not to include her? I wish I knew.


    I exchanged polite greetings with all of them, but only felt glad to see Kajare. We hugged for a moment and he stayed by my side, appropriating my arm as we sat down on a couch together. Aston joined a few other guards around the edges of the room.


    It helped distract me from seeing Hajake again. He was watching me carefully, his jaw clenched just a little and his expression obviously carefully controlled. I gave him a smile and relaxed into the seat with Kajare. Of course, I wanted to rip his traitorous throat out, but it wasn¡¯t like I felt some burning need to do that right now.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad the front could spare you, brother-in-law,¡± I said. ¡°Things are going well there, I¡¯ve heard?¡±


    ¡°Reasonably well,¡± King Terki said. ¡°We¡¯ve certainly spoken about the state of the war enough over the last few days. That¡¯s not quite what I wanted this conversation to be about.¡±


    ¡°Then what is?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did you arrange this meeting for, Father?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I wanted to sort things out between yourself and Hajake, my dear.¡± Terki smiled wryly. ¡°Considering some of the concerning things I¡¯ve heard before and since my arrival here.¡±


    I regarded him in silence for a moment. Kajare spoke up, his voice a little tense. ¡°What things?¡±


    Terki barely glanced at him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumblings of accusations against your brother, of rumors that he has betrayed the alliance, or Inaris personally. That your little spat has done serious damage to our relationship.¡± He fixed his gaze on me. ¡°Whoever might have spread them, those are distasteful methods to be sure.¡±


    I blinked, and had to suppress a smile at the sheer irony. It looked like Hajake had gone on the offensive, in a rather weird way. Though I could see some of his logic. He¡¯d biased his father so any accusations against him would be seen as distasteful personal attacks if not outright slander, conditioned Terki to defend him right off the bat. And he might have just limited some of the cards I could play. Terbekteri and outside nobles or commanders speaking against him would easily be put in the same category.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked. ¡°I have to admit I didn¡¯t hear about any such rumors, personally. Just who did you hear speak like that, Hajake?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to name specific names, of course. I certainly can¡¯t point to anyone as an instigator.¡±


    Meaning he couldn¡¯t just come out and accuse me of it, but he kind of did already. The funny thing was that there probably weren¡¯t many rumors like this, really. Hopefully. I¡¯d tried to limit who got information about the whole thing. But this also introduces the idea that Hajake betrayed me. He¡¯s definitely gambling.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the patience for this kind of intrigue,¡± I grumbled. That was probably a failing if I wanted to be a good Empress that I¡¯d need to rectify, but not untrue. There was a reason I¡¯d mostly left this to Tenira and then Lei.


    I wish I could just quietly have him killed. Unfortunately, trying that would be too much of a risk. He was a prince, well-protected anyway, in the middle of a war, with a connection to Jideia, and knew I might try something. Ming Li was the best option, though he would be too easy to tie to me.


    I¡¯d still paid him a small fortune to keep him on retainer, with instructions to go after Hajake if I died, disappeared or was taken captive while I was here. Besides trying to find and rescue me, of course. I wish I could just tell Hajake that if I die, the Black Knife will be after him. But it¡¯s not worth the risk and wouldn¡¯t change his mind if it was made up.


    ¡°I have to say, I dislike these insinuations,¡± Kajare added, scowling at the others. ¡°If you want to accuse my wife of something, just come out and say it. Otherwise, Hajake¡¯s reputation problems are not our concern, are they? What even is the point of this?¡±


    I squeezed his hand, shooting him a quick smile. It felt good to see him standing up to his family on my behalf like this.


    Terki frowned at him. ¡°We decided that it was best to get these matters out into the open and deal with them directly, to hopefully clear things up so we can all move on.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Perhaps you are right. We should just address this directly.¡±


    Clearly, our original plan was looking more and more deficient. It might be best to just forget about it and act more directly. I paused, and turned my focus inward, to where my connection to my father slumbered in the back of my mind. Am I about to make a mistake? I asked.


    He didn¡¯t answer in words, and I only got a vague feeling back. A brief sense that, if I had to put into words, might amount to ¡®knock yourself out, kid¡¯. Not entirely reassuring, but at least he didn¡¯t seem to be concerned.


    ¡°I do, in fact, have quite serious grievances to bring against Hajake,¡± I said, keeping my voice and expression cool and serious. ¡°I did not bring them up earlier, as I did not think you would believe me, Father. However, perhaps I did you a disservice.¡± I paused, watching Hajake subtly clench his teeth and flex his fingers. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t expect you to just believe my words. I suggest that we both take vows in the Greater Spirits¡¯ names to speak the truth about the matter. And to make extra sure there is no deception, we should take this to a temple of Rijoko, as well.¡±


    Hajake scowled at me. ¡°Ridiculous, but at least you finally reveal your true colors.¡±


    ¡°I admit, that was not what I expected,¡± Terki said, a deep frown settling on his face as he glanced from his son to me.


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± his wife put in. ¡°However, this is clearly a serious matter, and we should treat it with due gravity.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be taken in by this? The whole thing is ridiculous!¡± Hajake looked at his father.


    But Terki didn¡¯t answer as Liali laid a hand on his and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is there any reason not to do as the Imperial Princess wishes?¡±


    Hajake shifted his scowl to his stepmother. ¡°Clearly, bringing a temple of the Moon into play is unfairly favoring her position. I refuse to bow to something like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re working for Jideia and he and Rijoko are enemies?¡± I asked.


    Terki let a little of his presence leak through his veil. ¡°Being a follower of the Storm is not a crime nor a reason to cast aspersions on my son, my dear. Hajake¡¯s point seems valid.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh, reminding myself that of course Terki didn¡¯t know how the situation really stood between the two Greater Spirits, or how often Jideia had tried to have me killed. At least, I didn¡¯t think so.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be the Moon,¡± Kajare put in, glancing at me and then turning an easy smile on his father. He seemed to have caught on quickly. ¡°Why not go to a temple of the Sun? That way, neither of them is at a disadvantage. Besides, the Sun would guarantee impartiality, and since we are seeking the truth, she seems a perfect fit, anyway.¡±


    ¡°A good point, Kajare.¡± Liali smiled at her son. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Terki¡¯s frown deepened, and he regarded us in silence for a few seconds. Finally, he gave a small nod. ¡°Agreed. But we will keep this discreet. It is a family matter, and no one else needs to learn of it. None of us want such an open dissent within our alliance and our family to get out.¡±


    Hajake gave a sharp nod. ¡°Alright.¡±


    We moved quickly after that. We left the mansion together, accompanied only by a small group of guards for each nation¡¯s royals. Kajare stayed close to me the whole way, though from the way he looked at his mother, I suspected they were having a private conversation at the same time. She was in the seventh stage, after all. Terki didn¡¯t seem happy, but I didn¡¯t think he was actually talking to Hajake. The older prince just looked grumpy.


    I breathed out deeply, trying to center myself. He¡¯s a little too calm. He probably has a way out. But I don¡¯t think things are going as he wanted them to, either. I need to keep pushing this while I can.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take my airship,¡± Terki suggested. At the same moment, an airship with the flag of Terbekteri embossed in gold moved down to hover over the street, opening a ramp.


    I shrugged and got in. Aston pushed his way closer to me, but I noticed he left many of my guards behind. They¡¯d probably follow from a distance. We¡¯d barely all entered before the vessel lifted off.


    The journey only took a few minutes. I¡¯d looked at a map of the city and knew the temple of the Sun was a little outside the city walls, on a hill where you¡¯d get a lot of sunlight. As we disembarked, I barely glanced at the marble edifice, too focused on my qi senses. I could definitely feel some sort of presence from here, or at least anchored to this place. Taking a deep breath, I waved at Aston and moved to open the door.


    Someone must have called ahead to clear the temple, since its main hall was empty. It reminded me of the temple to Rijoko I¡¯d visited, with altars, wall hangings, and stained glass, the air carrying the faint scent of some kind of incense.


    In the end, only family stood in the temple; Hajake, Kajare, his parents, and me. We walked forward slowly, everyone silent as the tension built. I glanced at a window that depicted the Sun in the company of the Moon and other Greater Spirits, then turned my attention to the altar at the front. I lit a few candles and burnt a few incense sticks as offerings, while Terki did the same. I didn¡¯t get the feeling that my father particularly cared about me doing this, which was probably good.


    On the other hand, the presence infused in or connected to this temple might have increased a little bit, though I wasn¡¯t sure of that. I took it as evidence that the Sun was watching, and would react should anyone here commit sacrilege in her eyes.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, taking a step back. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, shall we?¡±


    Terki nodded solemnly. ¡°Do you want to take your oath first?¡±


    I nodded, glancing around again. ¡°In the name of my father, the Moon, and the guardian of truth and justice, the Sun, I do swear that everything I will say in this temple today will be the truth, fully and directly, as I understand it. May they strike me down should I lie.¡±


    I felt a tiny shift as I finished the oath. For a fraction of a moment, the room seemed to spin around me as nausea set in, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.


    We all looked at Hajake, who scowled but repeated the oath, minus the invocation of Rijoko, of course.


    We were all silent for a moment, perhaps because no one wanted to speak first. Then Terki shifted. ¡°So, what is this about?¡±


    I straightened my shoulders, curling my hands into fists inside my sleeves. This was it. I cleared my throat. ¡°On the day that we launched a combined attack on the Zarian, in one of their fortresses we had just taken, Prince Hajake of Terbekteri attempted to kill me.¡± I saw Hajake¡¯s jaw tighten. ¡°He betrayed me, my nation, our alliance, and this family. He ordered other cultivators to kill my guards. He himself thrust a spear into my heart that would likely have killed me, if my father wasn¡¯t who he is.¡±


    There was a moment of shocked silence, or so I imagined. Liali paled just a bit, then put a hand on Kajare¡¯s shoulder. Terki stared at us, then shook his head slowly as he turned to face Hajake. I noticed his hands clenching into fists, as well.


    ¡°This story is a little ridiculous, don¡¯t you think?¡± Hajake said.


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy to find out. Just answer my question honestly. Did you try to kill me, or not?¡±


    Hajake shifted his weight, his hand wandering through where his robes might have an inner pocket. I tensed, readying myself to fight.


    Then he spoke, shrugging with a slight smirk. ¡°I did.¡±


    Terki sighed and closed his eyes for a second, before he fixed his gaze on Hajake. ¡°Son ¡­¡± He trailed off and shook his head. Then he turned to me and bowed. ¡°You have my deepest apologies, my dear. I know this is a grievous offense, but I will try my best to make things right.¡±


    I opened my mouth to reply, but never got the chance.


    I only had a fraction of a second of warning. While his father¡¯s back was turned, while he was waiting to hear my answer, Hajake acted. I caught a glimpse of some shining object in his hand, probably a qi talisman of some kind.


    A wave of qi ripped outward. It seemed to plunge the room into cold darkness, as if the air had turned solid around us. All sound that I could hear ceased, all motion around me stopped. Faintly, I sensed Hajake making a break for it, but my mind suddenly struggled against a morass of foreign qi trying to entangle it.


    </main>

 123: Duel in the sky

    <div>


    A breath brought the darkness around me into focus. Another breath pierced it, let it shrink from my mind and the qi I cast at it like a lance shattering a mirror. A third breath pushed past the automated energy squeezing against the walls of my mind, shoving it away to shatter in the disappearing darkness.


    Whoever designed the item Hajake had used underestimated me severely, if they intended it to hold me. He¡¯d barely crossed the temple¡¯s doorway when I shook it off completely and started to move. My mental defenses had been trained by the best, and Rijoko¡¯s qi infused me. It would take more than a toy which he¡¯d probably got from Jideia or Isuro, judging by the spiritual feel of the qi involved, to bother me.


    I didn¡¯t hesitate, but ran through the temple. Hajake was moving quickly. Any time I spent trying to free Kajare or Liali was time he could use to get away, and I refused to let him slip out of my grasp.


    The sunlight pierced my eyes as I slipped through the gap in the double doors and hurried outside, but they adjusted right away. I glanced around quickly. We stood in an open field, the walls of the city a short distance away, and another temple complex a few hundred meters to my right. But my guards had retreated beyond the outer perimeter to give us privacy, since putting up sound-dampening wards in the temple would have been rather rude. While I sensed them stirring now, I couldn¡¯t wait for them. I could feel Hajake¡¯s presence, rapidly rising into the air and speeding away from here.


    I took another deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment, focusing on my body and envisioning the shape I needed. My robe tore as new growth ripped its way out of the back of my shoulders and the sides of my back. Air rustled through feathers as I flexed my new wings, then concentrated on the qi in the air surrounding us, and heaved. Then I bent my knees and jumped with all of my strength, ripping out grass as I ascended meters into the air. My wings spread and pushed against the air that rushed under and flowed around them, and my ascent, which had begun to halt as gravity asserted itself, sped up again.


    I couldn¡¯t help a grin as I pumped my new limbs and soared into the sky. I¡¯d only done this once before, for a brief practice flight, but it was even more awesome than piloting a plane. Keeping a part of my attention on the air technique I needed to maintain, I glanced around. My wings spanned several meters from tip to tip, and they were covered in sleek black feathers. Considering the size, I didn¡¯t need to flap them often, and it took me a short while to find the best rhythm. The feeling of new muscles working was a little weird, but I didn¡¯t let it distract me.


    Hajake was still flying away at high speed, and I knew I couldn¡¯t afford to dawdle if I wanted to catch up to him, so I put a little more power into my technique. He had to be using a flying sword, but he was in the sixth stage, so this wouldn¡¯t be easy. I glanced down at the rapidly shrinking temple, trying to calm my nerves.


    I didn¡¯t believe for a second that his little trick had been enough to snare Terki. The King of Terbekteri was in the eighth stage, for crying out loud. But he was just letting me chase his errant son without making an appearance or giving me any help. It didn¡¯t make much sense to me. Hajake¡¯s betrayal constituted a major issue that could ruin our alliance, and he knew that if I died, the Empire would not take it lying down. Maybe he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to strike down his own son. Regardless, I had to focus on Hajake now.


    I was closing in on him, I could tell. It was partly because I could see which direction he was going and try to cut him off, and partly I was just making more efficient use of my qi. A flying sword was just a tool, after all, and I doubted his was really optimized for speed and endurance. I was also cheating with my wings.


    I narrowed my eyes and took my spear from my storage ring, carefully holding it so it didn¡¯t interfere with my flying. Then I channeled a bit of darkness qi through it and launched it at the flying form in front of me.


    Hajake swerved in the air, dodging the attack. Using light would have been faster and had better chances of hitting, but now I knew I had his attention.


    ¡°Not so fast, traitor,¡± I called to him. ¡°Or are you too scared to fight me?¡± I gathered more qi. ¡°Still want me to see your face before I die?¡±


    He glanced over his shoulder, while I watched his movements carefully for any sign of lacking control. ¡°You¡¯re an annoying little pest, Inaris,¡± he called back. With the distance between us, I had to really strain my hearing to make out his words over the rushing wind, but my enhanced ears were up to the task.


    He turned around in the air and slowed down as a sword materialized in his hands. ¡°As a matter of fact, I do want to see you die. This time, goodbye will be more permanent.¡±


    I steadied my breath, trying to take in everything. It might have been better if he¡¯d continued to flee, since he might also get reinforcements, not just me. But I didn¡¯t think so. Despite his bravado, the white-knuckled grip he had on his weapon showed that I¡¯d cornered him, that things hadn¡¯t gone his way and he had everything riding on this. Seeing the hint of fear he betrayed was surprisingly satisfying.


    Of course, desperate enemies were the most dangerous ones.


    I barely jerked to the side in time to avoid the fireball rushing at my face. Tucking my wings in, I dove for a moment, before spreading them and pushing myself upwards quickly. Another attack, this one an expanding circle of flames, passed through the air I¡¯d just been, hot enough to warm my feet.


    Luckily, he stopped there. I let out a breath and slowly drifted closer. Hajake was a stage above me, which meant he¡¯d be faster, stronger, and tougher, although my shapeshifting would turn things around in that regard.


    I shouldn¡¯t let him come up with a new attack. I swept my hand out, hurling a volley of small black spheres at him. He dodged and weaved through them, but one impacted the shield around him, which suddenly became visible as a heat haze in the air. I could sense my technique eating into it, but it was smothered by his qi quickly. Judging by his grimace, he hadn¡¯t anticipated how much damage it could do.


    Then I spat a curse and pulled myself into a barrel roll as he returned fire, literally. This time, he spat several fireballs that I managed to dodge, only for them to turn and home in on me. My spear swatted two out of the sky, but I couldn¡¯t avoid the last. It crashed into my shoulder, just above the base of my wings, and searing pain stabbed through me. In the next breath, I could smell some of my feathers had been cooked. But a moment of focus quickly restored my flight capability back to its peak. My attention didn¡¯t waver from Hajake, and I went back on the attack with a few more Void¡¯s Nibbles, interspersed with some pseudo-laser light lances.


    His shield ate those of them he couldn¡¯t dodge, but I wasn¡¯t too worried. I watched his movements while I evaded his follow-up attacks, crashing some with Fides and taking a few glancing blows. Quickly, I was able to confirm my suspicions: He wasn¡¯t quite as agile as me. He was basically standing on a metal board in the air he directed with his qi, after all, while I was flying on my own. I tucked my body in and retracted one wing downwards, tilting to the side and then turning in a half-circle before a push and a gust from my air technique righted me again, letting two of his attacks cross each other where I¡¯d just been.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The distance between us had been closing steadily, and after a momentary lull, both of us let loose with a big attack. A blob of darkness so big there seemed to be streaks of other colors in it shot out of my spear towards him, while a wall of fire exploded out of his hand to engulf me. I closed my eyes and tilted my body to let my legs catch most of it, riding the force of it as best as I could.


    My legs sizzled, but I¡¯d learned my lesson and deadened most of the nerves carrying pain sensation in my body. I opened my eyes just in time to see him swallow a pill, probably alchemical healing, as the skin missing from his right arm and side filled in. I cut off my air technique and beat my wings harder, spiraling slowly downward. A flex of my own ability returned my legs to working order.


    Burns were actually pretty easy for me to heal with my shapeshifting, ironically enough. I didn¡¯t have to push two sides of a wound together and make my body knit everything back together, just destroy the dead tissue and replace it with healthy tissue. I smiled grimly as I dodged a follow-up fireball. I didn¡¯t know how many items he had, but they would run out at some point. If it came down to it, I¡¯d win a battle of endurance.


    A shadow in the corner of my awareness captured my attention, though I kept most of my focus on Hajake. Someone¡¯s watching us. Probably an eighth stager. Terki, or just another Terbekteri cultivator who sensed the confrontation and got curious?


    Well, if they wanted to intervene, they probably would have done it already.


    Hajake lowered his flying sword carefully to keep himself on a level with me. At the moment, we were flying over an uninhabited lake. That was good, for ensuring that stray shots wouldn¡¯t do much damage, at least. Though it also meant he wouldn¡¯t feel compelled to hold back.


    Stopping the air technique I¡¯d used meant I wasn¡¯t as mobile as before, but the ridiculous strength in my cultivator body let my wings keep me mostly aloft. I was good, but not good enough to use another technique with a different qi affinity at the same time as that one. Now, though, Hajake was on the defensive, so maybe it was time to risk it.


    I made a sharp turn, focusing intently on the moisture in the air around us and pulling on the qi contained in it. Carefully, I shaped it into the pattern I wanted, then let it go.


    Hajake jerked as a large blob of water appeared around him, expanding further. His shield hissed as the fire affinity qi held it off from reaching him. I used the opportunity to follow up with some frozen shrapnel, though that was too weak to do much damage.


    He poured more qi into his shield, and though it flickered, it held. I suppressed a sigh as I noted a visible glimmer was added to it, just an edge of flames. That¡¯s the problem, he has more qi reserves than I do. I guess a battle of endurance is a bad idea after all.


    I cocked my head, noting another flicker at the edge of my senses, where another eighth stager might have appeared to watch the fight, and the other cultivator. At this rate, we were going to get interrupted soon, and that could be a problem.


    Whatever, I decided. He¡¯s been happy to keep this a ranged battle so far, maybe I should get up close and personal to take better advantage of my assets.


    I got my air technique going again, easily evading his next few attacks and turning around in an arc. When I saw an opening, I pushed with a surge of strength, keeping my wings still for an abrupt turn and then pumping them with every bit of new muscle I had. As projected, I shot at him from a downward angle, and he was too slow to get out of the way in time.


    His shield resisted my charge, bleeding me of momentum at the same time it afflicted me with burns. But I¡¯d let my air technique go and instead focused on breathing in its qi, drawing it from its intended purpose. I know fire, you fool, I thought, swallowing a healing pill myself as I struggled.


    Fire is fickle, my ancestor had said. Hajake wasn¡¯t as good as he thought, anyway. I didn¡¯t get all or even most of it, but enough that the structure of the technique collapsed like a wet card house. Then I stabbed Hajake in the face.


    He flinched back enough to spare his brain and his eye, but I didn¡¯t let up. I pushed myself closer, grabbing onto him and kicking his flying sword.


    The next moments would have been excruciating, at normal pain sensitivity. It might be stupid to grapple with a cultivator stronger than me, but my shapeshifting bought me the advantage I needed to even the playing field. While I was constantly healing the burns he graced me with, I kept my form malleable. I lengthened my arms as needed, put a tough exoskeleton in front to absorb the weak blows he managed to get out, even bit him with suddenly lengthened teeth. At some point, his sword was lost in the fighting.


    The chance came when he tried to disengage. I weakened my grip for a moment, then twisted my spear, shifted my suddenly concentrated weight, and kicked off his flying sword at the same time as I stabbed Fides into it. The tool crumpled around my weapon like it was made of foam instead of metal. A twist, and I sent it spinning off into the distance, dismissing my spear in the same motion. Hajake¡¯s domain extended in the form of a pair of fiery whips, but I engulfed it in my own, smothering them for just long enough. He broke through my grip eventually, and I pulled my star-studded darkness back in, but the damage was done.


    A moment of terror shone through his eyes as he started to fall. Now it was him trying to cling on. I beat my wings furiously, calling a knife to ram into his side. I felt his domain extend, burning a tight hug of fire around my midsection. It ate through my skin quickly, and I had to take a moment to form another technique, sliding plates of icy armor around me long enough to heal and reinforce my back.


    Hajake used the opportunity to stab me with a new short sword, aiming for my head. I craned my neck to the side and watched it slice off some of my hair before I called Fides back, stabbing it just a second too late to penetrate a defensive technique forming around his core.


    We fought a vicious battle in the sky, still mostly falling, but he was obviously off balance, and my ability to shrug off any damage was winning out.


    The ground neared, and I pumped my wings harder, calling on more air to break my fall. Hajake tried to cling on, but I managed to time things just right to throw him off with a face full of Void¡¯s Nibble before we would have crashed. My feet almost skimmed the ground before a gust of air lifted me to the side, and I stuck a half-controlled landing, sliding on the wet ground at the side of the lake.


    I spun around and got back to Hajake in an instant. He laid on the ground, mud splattered all over, and the impact obviously had an effect. He didn¡¯t react quickly enough to stop me pointing my spear at his neck, darkness qi brimming through it enough to eat any quick defense he might throw up.


    ¡°Goodnight, Brother,¡± I said.


    It would have been nice to just shove the tip of the spear through, but I had other plans. So I called a hammer into my other hand and swung at his temple before he had a chance to act. There was a loud thud, and blood on it when I removed the tool. It probably wouldn¡¯t kill him, with his cultivation, but I could tell he was out cold, for now.


    With a sigh, I disappeared the wings and stowed the hammer in my storage ring, taking out a shirt as well, since my clothes were in tatters. It would just get bloody, but I¡¯d feel better being fully dressed.


    I¡¯d barely put it on when a presence appeared beside me. Turning, I saw Terki set down on the lakeshore.


    ¡°You just watched. Why didn¡¯t you intervene in the fight?¡± I asked, too wired to be diplomatic. At least he wasn¡¯t here to attack me, or he already would have.


    ¡°By the time I ensured that Liali and Kajare were alright, you were already engaged in your chase,¡± he said. ¡°And I thought you wouldn¡¯t like it if I interfered ¡ª this was a challenge between you and Hajake.¡±


    I scowled, turning away from him, though not before I noticed the dark shadows in his expression. I didn¡¯t know if I should buy that. Would he have let Hajake kill me? I don¡¯t know how he would deal with the political fallout. Not to mention my father would be less than pleased. But maybe I¡¯m missing something.


    I shook my head, storing those thoughts for later consideration. I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind to ponder this, anyway. Although one thing was clear to me. I should probably let this pass, I needed the alliance with Terbekteri too much to jeopardize it, but there¡¯d be repercussions.


    If Terki wanted me to really trust him, he¡¯d have to work at it for a long time.


    Hajake¡¯s death was going to be a good start. And man, was I looking forward to finally seeing that.

 124: Guilt and punishment

    ¡°I let you out of my sight for a few hours and you get into a duel to the death with two dozen burns,¡± Tenira grumbled.


    I leaned back into my chair. ¡°In my defense, he started it.¡± Then I glanced at Kajare, who was hovering around me and looked like he really wanted to fuss. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alright.¡±


    In the heat of the moment, I hadn¡¯t spared much attention for him, I¡¯d been too focused on Hajake and dealing with the threat. But it would have really sucked if Kajare had been affected more badly by his brother¡¯s attack while I¡¯d been out flying and fighting.


    Kajare leaned in to kiss my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m fine. This went pretty well, all things considered.¡±


    I shifted my weight and rolled my shoulders, trying not to wince. Now that the excitement was over, at least for now, I felt like I¡¯d picked a fight with a few speeding trains and got rolled over by a bus afterwards. I was sore in places I didn¡¯t know had muscles. Of course, I could have tried to repair that with shapeshifting, but I was leery of using my ability too much, especially in such a subtle, insidious case.


    The sunlight coming in through the colorful window of the room was getting dimmer, indicating that dusk was progressing quickly. The tapestries and statues didn¡¯t liven up the place as much as the decorator might have thought. For once, I was tempted by the array of drinks a servant had left on a tray, but I wanted to keep my head clear and I¡¯d already decided not to use the shapeshifting.


    We all fell silent for a minute, occupied by our thoughts, until Aston knocked on the door. His expression was suitably somber as he spoke. ¡°Things have been prepared, my lady. You should join them now.¡±


    I nodded and levered myself upright, then glanced at my girlfriend. ¡°I¡¯d like to have you there as well, Tenira.¡±


    She bobbed her head and exchanged a look with Kajare before we left the room together.


    ¡°Aston,¡± I said, glancing at my guard and feeling lucky that this time, at least, he wasn¡¯t moping about being unable to protect me. ¡°How¡¯s the security situation?¡±


    A shadow of a smile flickered on his face. ¡°It¡¯s handled, my lady. Everyone in your retinue is properly guarded. We foiled one attempt to get to Jian and captured a few people identified as intermediaries for Hajake before they could vanish. Everyone of higher status who we know was involved seems to be wary of drawing any attention, so they¡¯re just sitting on their hands.¡±


    I nodded, allowing a smile on my face. I¡¯d leave the cleanup of that sort of mess to the Terbekteri. Even if Terki was reluctant, I had a feeling Liali and Salira would be happy to clean house. And probably strengthen Salira¡¯s position in the process, but that¡¯s just a bonus for me. So long as I don¡¯t get bogged down with it, I don¡¯t really care. Although, come to think of it, maybe Elia will get the opportunity to make some gold here.


    As if summoned by my thought, we met Elia after the next corridor. She¡¯d been leaning against a marble statue of some extinct spirit beast. When she saw us, she straightened up and sauntered towards us.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to say, this is all going rather well so far,¡± she said. ¡°Now for the finish, right?¡±


    I hummed. ¡°You don¡¯t see any problems for us going forward?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± she shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a really good read on Terki. Eighth stagers.¡± She snorted. ¡°But enough to know he¡¯s serious about this. That man hasn¡¯t remained king by being blind to reality, or suffering betrayal lightly.¡±


    I cocked my head. That was an interesting tidbit, but, judging from Elia¡¯s face, all I would get out of her right now. So I just nodded and gestured for her to come along as we continued walking. Along the way, a dozen more Imperial guards joined us, looking perfectly coiffed, and fell into tight formation around us. Either Aston was not taking chances or he wanted us to make an impression. I was inclined toward the latter.


    Aston stopped and opened the big double doors of carved metal with a flourish, letting them scrape against the ground just a bit, before a few guards preceded me into the room. It was a throne room, with an empty ornate chair sat on a dais on the other side, but no court filled it today. Just members of the Terbekteri royal family and a few of their guards. Two of them, cultivators in the seventh stage, flanked the prisoner who was kneeling on the stone floor, clad only in a pair of shorts with his arms and hands bound by manacles heavy with enchantments. Hajake raised his head and turned it towards us as we entered, his gaze far less clear than usual.


    I had to suppress a smirk as I moved forward, listening to the faint echo of our footsteps cutting through the silence of the room. Kajare left my side and chose a position halfway between me and the rest of his family, so he could look at Hajake with them. His face was set in a faint frown, his eyes closed off.


    Salira stepped over to him and they hugged for a moment, though they remained quiet. I exchanged a smile and a nod with her as well, glad that she¡¯d finally arrived. Unlike Kajare, I couldn¡¯t guess how she felt about this, but the fact that she was here at all indicated she wasn¡¯t going to shed any tears over the matter. Unsurprising, considering the animosity I¡¯d sensed between her and Hajake during our visit months ago.


    I took another step forward, fixing my gaze on Terki now. ¡°It has been decided, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Terki straightened up, and his family members copied him. He stepped forward until he loomed over Hajake, and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Prince Hajake of house Terki, you have been found guilty of high treason, sedition, consorting with enemies of the Kingdom, and conspiracy to usurp the throne. Your guilt can only be expunged by blood, and so your fate is death. I, Terki, King of Terbekteri, declare that it be so. The sentence will be carried out immediately.¡±


    I smiled slightly. I wanted to kill him myself; one of the few indulgences I allowed myself in this matter. As Terki stepped back, I grabbed Hajake¡¯s shoulder, turning him a little so everyone would have a good view. If they want to watch, who am I to deny them?


    Then I got my spear from my storage ring. Fides¡¯ tip shimmered slightly in the light of the lamps lining the hall.


    Hajake shifted around, struggling to stand. I waited, letting him struggle until he finally managed it. I could let him die on his feet, I supposed. I would have preferred to make it a slow, painful death, but Hajake was still Kajare¡¯s brother. I didn¡¯t want to upset my husband any further, this was bad enough already. Just Hajake¡¯s death would be enough.


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    ¡°Do you have any last words?¡± I asked him calmly.


    I had to give Hajake that much, he was going out with dignity. Clearly, he knew his situation was hopeless, and didn¡¯t try any escape attempts. I could see the fear lurking in his eyes, but he put up a stoic facade.


    After a moment of hesitation, he nodded, then turned his head to look at his family. He said something to his father in their native language. I¡¯d picked up some of it from Kajare, enough to get the feeling that he was apologizing. Then Hajake said a few words to his brother, though this time I couldn¡¯t make much sense of them. Kajare frowned, but nodded at his older brother. I already knew I¡¯d have to resist the urge to ask him about it as soon as this was done. If he wants me to know, he¡¯ll tell me.


    Then Hajake turned back to me and took a deep breath. ¡°I regret my failure, nothing else. Do it, girl.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, taking aim. The next moment, Fides thrust into his chest, the strength I put into the blow enough to strike deeply. Hajake gasped and jerked. I twisted the spear, then pulled it out. I knew I¡¯d hit the heart. For a moment longer, he remained on his feet, before he crumpled. Just to be perfectly sure, I stabbed down again, into his throat this time. Then it was over.


    I knew there was a smile on my lips when I returned my spear and spared him another look, a small and not very cheery thing. It didn¡¯t last long, and I turned away without looking at him again. One enemy down.


    Salira¡¯s face might as well have been made of stone, while her eyes clung to the corpse. Kajare¡¯s jaw was clenched, but he wrenched his gaze away to look at me. Liali could have been watching a mildly interesting play, while Terki didn¡¯t look at it at all, simply watching me with no emotion on his face.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s done. Shall we move on?¡±


    I had the feeling that Terki would not disregard me now, and I didn¡¯t think it was just wishful thinking.


    <hr>


    The day was far too nice for what had been happening, I decided. In the morning, there¡¯d been dark clouds coming in, bringing the promise of rain. But the clouds had cleared up and there were only a few white tatters in the blue, while the sun burned down strong enough to show that even the beginning of winter could not defeat its warmth, scything through the air that seemed to grow colder every day.


    It was a testament to the weirdness of my last almost two years that I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the Greater Spirit of the Sun had nudged things. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s all very symbolic, but that might be reading too much into things.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet since we left the palace,¡± Kajare said.


    I refrained from pointing out that we were still in the palace, this was just an outlying park. We could still see the wall ahead that led into the richer part of the city. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet,¡± I countered.


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°So what?¡±


    I stopped and turned to my husband, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Kajare, are you really okay?¡±


    He bit his lip, but met my eyes unflinchingly. ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± he admitted. ¡°Hajake was a bastard, but he was still my brother. Still, I¡¯m not as affected as I thought I might be. Not nearly as much as when you were missing, even. I suppose I¡¯m just glad that matter is dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Mostly,¡± Tenira muttered, frowning into the shadows of the trees. ¡°Wait, where did Elia go?¡±


    I glanced around, noting that Elia was nowhere to be seen anymore. For someone whose qi affinities were fire and light, she was pretty good at hiding. ¡°Probably going around the palace, stirring a few hornet¡¯s nests, having fun and hiring out her truth-saying talents,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s more than enough going on, with all the clean-ups from Hajake¡¯s little coteries ¨C excuse me, ¡®conspiracy to usurp the throne¡¯.¡± Privately, I wasn¡¯t sure if Hajake had really gotten that far, even if the throne had been his end goal. Not that it mattered, since he was guilty of treason anyway.


    ¡°When you killed him, I thought you were happy about it,¡± Kajare said quietly. ¡°Now, though, I¡¯m not sure what you really feel.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer at first, just kept walking a few steps, listening to the birds singing and letting the shadows of the trees¡¯ leaves play over my skin. I thought back to my discussions with the Terbekteri King. ¡°I feel like all of this cost us something, even if it was a victory,¡± I admitted.


    It definitely was a victory. The threat Hajake posed had been removed, and an infection in the Terbekteri¡¯s power structures was going the same way. Although I now saw the fault lines in the alliance more clearly, especially between me and Terki, and it had cost us time and energy we could have better spent elsewhere. Though dealing with Hajake had been paramount, and for all my mixed feelings about the Terbekteri royals, I¡¯d kept the alliance in place, if not strengthened, and knew Terki would do his part.


    I¡¯d accomplished my secondary objective, as well. When the time came, I¡¯d have the ships I needed.


    ¡°You¡¯re already making plans again,¡± Tenira commented.


    ¡°Inaris doesn¡¯t stop thinking that easily,¡± Kajare said, shaking his head but with amusement in his voice.


    I sighed and glanced at Kajare again. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking more about the Kingdom, its internal politics, and its futures,¡± I admitted, then hesitated for a moment. ¡°I guess I may get a little more involved than I thought. Though I suppose that was already a given, with Salira.¡±


    ¡°You want to back her,¡± Kajare said, the look in his eyes sharpening. ¡°For the throne? I can see where that would seem like a good idea.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I think she has the ambition for it, if she gets the chances she¡¯ll need. Even besides the fact that this would help break Terbekteri of some of its patriarchal inclinations, which would be a good thing, she¡¯d be a good fit. She¡¯s a follower of Rijoko, but wouldn¡¯t let that get in the way of making the best decisions. We¡¯ll work together well.¡±


    Left unsaid was that I thought I¡¯d be able to control her, at least better than another candidate, but I suspected they picked up on it anyway.


    Kajare didn¡¯t answer right away, so I touched his arm and smiled at him. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not upset with that.¡±


    He exhaled and shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right about her. How deep would you go into this?¡±


    ¡°Not very. I¡¯d just give her some support, maybe make our opinion clear to Terki, help her accomplish this. I don¡¯t intend to go too deep into intrigue in a court that¡¯s not even mine.¡±


    Tenira snorted a little. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly the resident machinator of the Imperial court, either.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± I grinned.


    We kept walking, as the path curved around and brought us back into sight of the main mansion. This wasn¡¯t a very large park. I took another deep breath, using my sense of smell to get a sense of our surroundings at the same time as I enjoyed the scents. The trees had lost almost all of their leaves, and while they¡¯d been cleared from the path they were still strewn across the grass between them like a colorful carpet.


    But my attention was brought back to more practical matters when two guards hurried towards us, their faces telling me they weren¡¯t bringing good news. I suppressed a sigh and waited for them to bow before I asked. ¡°What is it?¡±


    One of them replied, ¡°There¡¯s a commotion at the military headquarters, my lady. Captain Aston is handling the situation. There are also two squads of elites on spirit beasts coming in from the direction of the Velisha capital.¡±


    I scratched my cheek. ¡°Great. Just what I was missing. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As we started walking, this time at a faster pace, Tenira sighed. ¡°I suppose it was too much to hope for this would not get a response.¡±


    Kajare snorted. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re idiots. How bad can it be?¡±


    We both turned to glare at him until he glanced away and cleared his throat.


    ¡°King Varis is rebelling, isn¡¯t he?¡± I asked.


    The mansion was starting to resemble a kicked beehive, with all the guards going on alert, and even from here I could sense the accumulation of qi at the headquarters in the neighboring complex.


    ¡°People will always be idiots when it¡¯s least convenient,¡± Tenira said, with the air of quoting something. ¡°So, yes. Besides, two squads of elites?¡±


    I resisted the temptation to finger my storage ring and suppressed another sigh. At least I could try some of my other ideas out and see how they worked.

 125: Easy paths

    <div>


    The fighting was already over by the time we got to the military headquarters in the city. A few earth cultivators were working on repairing the old stone building, and things seemed just as busy as always with officers and aides going around with reports or correspondence. But there were more guards than last time I¡¯d been here, and I noted the looks in the faces of most of the cultivators present. Something had clearly happened that had them curious.


    Aston met us just after we¡¯d entered the building. His hair was a little tousled, the only sign that he¡¯d been in a fight. He bowed.


    ¡°How bad are things?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re already over here, my lady,¡± he answered. ¡°But king Varis isn¡¯t here, and I doubt this was much more than a distraction.¡±


    ¡°It would have been a win for him to get more intelligence or cause a bigger disturbance,¡± Tenira disagreed.


    ¡°Well, he can¡¯t be aiming to win this, can he?¡± Kajare asked.


    I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s thinking very reasonably right now. He¡¯s risking everything for a son that betrayed him.¡± The contrast to Terki was pretty sharp, I couldn¡¯t help but note. ¡°But you¡¯re right, he can¡¯t expect to win a full-out war even with the Empire occupied. Maybe he wants to force us to negotiate, extract concessions.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose face,¡± Aston said, probably to remind me. ¡°The other vassals might get ideas, and if all or even many of them do so we¡¯d have a big problem.¡±


    I nodded. This wasn¡¯t news to any of us. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing left here, let¡¯s get going. Kajare, can you handle goodbyes to your family? I¡¯d rather not lose any time.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Inaris.¡±


    I¡¯d let the local commanders handle things here. Time was of the essence, so we hurried to the airfield while Kajare called his parents. He was finished just in time to climb into a plane, with a guard going for the pilot seat. I entered another two-seater but sat in the back to let Aston do the piloting. Tenira and a few of my guards spread out over a handful of other planes.


    We had to wait a minute for our flight path to get cleared, then Aston guided the plane onto the short, makeshift runway and we lifted off. I leaned back into my seat, glancing outside. We only took the fastest planes we had, so we should be quicker than any other reinforcements coming with the standard airships ¨C and, hopefully, faster than the Velisha would expect.


    I let Aston fly the plane while I leaned my forehead against the window and closed my eyes. Thoughts swirled behind them, and I had trouble ordering and sorting them enough to make or refine my plans. When I realized I wouldn¡¯t get much further, I turned my attention to other things and recalled one of the stories I¡¯d read here. I¡¯d memorized it, so it didn¡¯t matter if I had the physical book with me or not.


    The flight didn¡¯t take long. We didn¡¯t quite reach the speed of sound, but we came pretty close, so the kilometers passed beneath us in a blur. Soon, we¡¯d traveled the several hundred to the current Velisha capital, what had been a sleepy little city before the war, that was situated in a strategic position between two rivers. The front had moved out of this area months ago and was now several hundred kilometers further to the north-east, but we had to treat the Velisha forces themselves as hostile now. We were too quick for them to intercept us, though, and Aston and the other pilots skillfully brought us to a hard landing in the middle of a courtyard still obviously held by Imperial troops. Good thing the Velisha weren¡¯t allowed to build their own large-scale shields. Smoke hung over the rooftops of the city, accompanied by the distant thump of explosions.


    I left the plane after Aston, heading straight to the soldiers waiting for us to hear their report, while the guards formed up around us.


    ¡°The king and most of his elites have holed up in the castle, Your Highness,¡± the officer reported after straightening from his bow. ¡°More of their fighters are trickling in every minute. We also have reinforcements on the way, though they will still take at least half an hour to arrive according to our best estimate. After the initial clash, there has not been much fighting, and our casualties are light so far, but we don¡¯t have the numbers or strength to hold the city.¡±


    I nodded, and Tenira asked, ¡°What about Jian?¡±


    ¡°They started off by striking where we kept him,¡± the officer replied, clearly trying not to scowl and only half succeeding. ¡°Most of our men guarding him were killed, the rest had to retreat. We¡¯ve confirmed that he¡¯s in the castle with the king.¡±


    I sighed, but nodded. It would have been better to keep Jian in some highly secure stronghold, deep in our territory, rather than what was basically intensified house arrest here. But he hadn¡¯t been convicted or even firmly implicated in anything, so far as anyone was aware, and in the interest of keeping things low-key and not pissing off the Velisha further, I¡¯d decided it was good enough. The point hadn¡¯t been to keep him imprisoned at all costs, anyway. Although I now wondered if I should have done more to discourage his father from taking action. Doesn¡¯t matter now, though. And he¡¯s still stuck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said. ¡°We need to hit them before they can consolidate their position further. And don¡¯t look at me like that, Aston. It¡¯s pretty clear this isn¡¯t the Storm¡¯s work, that would have been done better, and there won¡¯t be assassins waiting for me.¡±


    Aston raised a hand and turned to give the guards orders to tighten their formation around us.


    We hurried the short way towards the king¡¯s palace. This was the nicer section of town, so the street was broad and some of the mansions even had walls around them, but everyone seemed to have hunkered down. There wasn¡¯t a single soul aside from my soldiers visible. We reached the palace quickly, and I found that a strike team of Imperial elites had already blown the gate of the wall around it wide open. Only a few scattered stones and twisted metal beams remained. From what my other senses told me, Varis and his people had retreated into the building proper.


    Past the gate, several squads of soldiers, most in the higher stages, had hunkered down, and seemed to be trading potshots with Velisha peaking through the small, arrow-slit-like windows of the building. Neither side seemed very enthusiastic about pressing an attack, though. I checked the wards on the building¡¯s walls, and came to the conclusion that they were pretty well-made, but not the best I¡¯d ever seen. I could probably force my way through them on my own if I had a bit of uninterrupted time.


    I straightened my shoulders and stepped forward, the hairs on my arms standing up at the shields my guards were layering over me. ¡°Varis,¡± I called, in a voice loud enough to echo over the battlefield. ¡°Come out. Let¡¯s talk.¡± I waited for a moment, then flicked a bit of darkness qi against the walls. ¡°You can meet me here, or we can force our way through and collapse your house on top of your heads. I won¡¯t be in a very good mood then.¡±


    My words trailed away into the silence, and as it stretched on I started to think I¡¯d misjudged him. Then the front door creaked open and a pair of Velisha soldiers carrying heavy, enchanted metal shields passed through. They were followed by four more until the king himself came out, trailed by another group of guards.


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    I smiled and took an enchanted cylinder from my storage ring, tossing it onto the ground beneath me as I walked forward slowly, careful to let the guards keep up. Tenira stiffened and Kajare fingered the hilt of the sword he¡¯d strapped on, but none of them said anything as they accompanied me.


    Varis might have been in the seventh stage of cultivation, and higher than Aston, but I¡¯d gotten a good read on him. He had earth affinity qi and was better suited to holding his ground and duking it out close up than springing a quick attack. Besides, I still felt intuitively that I wasn¡¯t in much danger, and I doubted he could hide any tricks from Rijoko.


    ¡°Imperial Princess,¡± he called, then bowed. ¡°My apologies for the hasty action, but I simply couldn¡¯t allow my son to remain imprisoned any longer.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, giving him a cold stare. ¡°Your son betrayed all of us, including you. He serves my father¡¯s enemy and conspired to kill me. I would have let the reckoning stop at him. But your actions here are utter idiocy.¡±


    Varis grimaced and glowered at me. ¡°I only have your word against his, my lady. And I can¡¯t let my son be killed while I stand idly by.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be after him if he hadn¡¯t earned it? Besides, you¡¯re not saving him like this, just extending the danger.¡±


    The Velisha clenched his fists. ¡°I see you don¡¯t understand a father¡¯s love.¡±


    That stung a little. Sure, Rijoko might not love me, but my human dad from Earth had shown me more than enough to understand how a father¡¯s love worked. ¡°I¡¯m sure King Terki loved his son, too,¡± I said. ¡°He just loved his other children, as well. And he knew that he would be harming them, and all of his people, if he let that snake go.¡± I gestured around us. ¡°Varis, this is your land, these are your people. You should be protecting them. You know they can¡¯t stand against the Empire. The only thing you did is endanger yourself and the rest of your family, too, along with all of your people.¡±


    The Velisha visibly took a deep breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to come to that, my lady. We will not go quietly into darkness, but it is not my intention to fight unless I need to.¡±


    I cocked my head. I knew what he wanted. A very thin hope to gamble everything on, to be sure. That he¡¯d be a hard enough nut, a big enough problem during the current war, to force compromise. Most likely that had been his intention all along, to bargain for Jian¡¯s life.


    If so, it had been doomed to fail from the start. But ¡­ It would be so very easy, the thought came to me unbidden. Just spare them. Maybe have Jian quietly assassinated later. I shook my head. I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t even want to.


    ¡°You overplayed your hand,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re in open rebellion. If we let this go, our buffer zone against the Zarian will fold in on itself. We¡¯ll risk defeat in this whole theater of war. I know you¡¯re not much of a general, neither am I, but it¡¯s pretty simple.¡± I shrugged, letting the tension flow out of me even as I watched them for signs of an attack. ¡°I suppose I could thank you, for giving me the opportunity to field-test something under real conditions.¡±


    He blinked, looking like he didn¡¯t know what to make of that. ¡°My lady, please rethink this decision ¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, I haven¡¯t used my bloodline as fully as I could have,¡± I continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been starting to do more with it. And who would have guessed, but the easiest path to provide guidance for is the most vague, badly understood one.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He drew his weapon, a black halberd, and his guards readied themselves as well.


    I turned and flicked my hand at the object I¡¯d let fall earlier, feeding another little bit of qi I¡¯d quietly gathered into it. Varis¡¯ eyes jerked to it, and his aura unveiled itself, filling the space around them with stony weight. But he didn¡¯t attack, and the chance was quickly taken from him as the place around the anchor seemed to shift. For an instant, I could almost feel space itself rippling under familiar but strange qi. The air seemed to break in half as loud crack rang out. Then a person appeared where there¡¯d been none, and a heartbeat later a whole group of elites surrounded her.


    I grinned, studying the qi closely. ¡°Beautifully done, San Hashar.¡±


    The general inclined her head to me as her elites moved up to join us. ¡°Thank you, my lady. I couldn¡¯t have done it on my own.¡±


    It had taken me embarrassingly long to realize that while I¡¯d seen her use air qi, she only did that for utility and because her main tool was hard to use. Few people had spatial affinity qi, it was mostly used by artificers and enchanters to make storage items. The fact that she¡¯d managed to claw her way up the cultivation stages and ranks with it, forming and improving her own arsenal and toolkit, was impressive. And most of the guidance I¡¯d provided was just conversations about physics, what I remembered of relativity and the like. She¡¯d known the basics and took to it like fish to water who happened to be a math and physics whiz. Though to be fair, I had gotten and shared some interesting insights into her qi, too.


    We turned our attention back to the Velisha king, whose hands had tightened around his halberd. His group was now clearly outnumbered.


    ¡°You might think you¡¯re still the strongest person on the battlefield,¡± I acknowledged. ¡°For all that¡¯s worth. General San?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°End him.¡±


    I¡¯d barely finished speaking the words before she was on the move. The rest of the guards and soldiers had finished sorting out their formation and preparing their strikes, and joined her an instant later. I put a shield of darkness qi around myself, which should eat any attack that came too close, and slowly stepped backward. They could handle this one.


    I couldn¡¯t actually see San Hashar, but at the speeds they moved that would have been a problem, anyway. I managed to parse what my qi senses were telling me well enough, though. The general and another officer in the seventh stage from her elites were taking on the Velisha king. He might fancy himself a warrior, but he spent more time doing paperwork than fighting and even less in real combat. He was the kind of opponent she¡¯d eaten for breakfast before getting her stars. Most of the stone gathered around him as a defense simply vanished, torn away. A lance of fire burned through most of his shield beneath it.


    I spared a moment to assemble another Void¡¯s Nibble technique and throw it into the tightest knot of Velisha fighters, eating their shields so my guards could mop them up. By the time I returned my full attention to the fight between the seventh stagers, Varis had lost a hand, half of his hair and was barely keeping ahead of San Hashar¡¯s attacks. He was distracted by a hail of icy knives from another fight, and trying to sidestep it was his last mistake. I felt his aura wink out of existence as if cut off from the world by my general¡¯s spatial qi.


    After that, the fight didn¡¯t last long. We had the advantage and weight of numbers and cultivation, and the Velisha were quickly ground down.


    ¡°San Hashar,¡± I called out as the last of them died. ¡°It¡¯s time to storm the palace. I want you to look for Jian, make sure you get him.¡±


    She bowed and led the charge into the building. It started creaking right away, and not long after the last of the elites entered half of the roof in the back section blew off. I tapped my fingers and glared at Aston until he had his guards secure the grounds so I could move more freely.


    ¡°Success, my lady,¡± he finally reported, a small smile on his face. ¡°What should we do about the royal family and the rest?¡±


    I frowned at the palace, thinking about that. Then I shook my head. ¡°Tell San Hashar to take Jian somewhere close by and kill him. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± There was no point even trying to break through whatever defenses Jideia had given his mind. Kiyanu might be able to, he was good at telepathy, but he was too far away and I didn¡¯t want to give my enemies the chance to take advantage. ¡°The rest of them ¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to spare them, are you?¡± Kajare asked.


    I sighed. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s of age and fought against us will be killed. We¡¯ll take the children. Maybe some loyal nobles can take them as wards. Or even sects, or schools.¡±


    ¡°And the Velisha nobility?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°What little there is of it.¡±


    ¡°From today on, none. There is no more Velisha nobility. Hear that?¡± I paused and gestured in the direction of the city. ¡°The fighting is still ongoing. We need to crush resistance completely, and there¡¯s no going back from that. The Imperial army will have to seize and hold the whole land.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annexing the Velisha,¡± Kajare realized.


    ¡°More or less,¡± I confirmed with a grimace. ¡°It¡¯s a drain on our forces to occupy them, but I don¡¯t see a better option. They¡¯re almost in the Empire already, anyway. The normal people should not be affected too much by this. I¡¯ll appoint an Imperial governor, as soon as the fighting¡¯s done, I guess.¡±


    Or ask Kiyanu to do that, I corrected myself. I need to clear everything with him, anyway.


    ¡°Probably the best they could realistically hope for,¡± Tenira agreed, even if she didn¡¯t look happy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said and started moving back the way we¡¯d come. ¡°There¡¯s still more to do, and I made a promise to myself to avoid battlefields.¡±


    Kajare grinned. ¡°A little late for that. But better late than never, I suppose.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at him and continued walking through the ruins of the outer gate.

 126: New shores

    <div>


    Salira pushed a strand of her hair behind her ears and glanced at me. She looked like she wanted to say something. I leaned back against my seat, a jagged earthen pillar I had raised as part of our practice, and waited.


    ¡°A part of me wishes you could stay longer,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I don¡¯t have time to waste. The war might be turning, but it¡¯s still in a precarious position, and I don¡¯t want to be gone from the Sky Continent for too long.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I understand completely, Sister. I¡¯ve heard your people are using yet another new technological development to beat the Zarian back?¡±


    I smiled, letting some of my pride show. ¡°Yes. New weapons. They¡¯re not much by themselves, not yet, but every edge counts.¡±


    Salira regarded me thoughtfully, but didn¡¯t ask further questions. She probably felt this was veering close what countries would keep as national secrets.


    ¡°Regardless, I enjoyed our time together, and I can already tell that I profited a lot from it,¡± she said.


    I nodded. I¡¯d snatched what time with her I could, while I was currently waiting for everything to be prepared for my departure. I¡¯d already said goodbye to the rest of her family and the Imperial functionaries, even.


    Neither of us had talked of politics or ambitions, but we understood each other anyway. I¡¯d been providing her guidance and help to advance her cultivation. Even with all of her ambition and the support she might gather, being a swiftly advancing, strong cultivator was essential if she wanted to rise. She knew I wasn¡¯t helping her purely out of the goodness of my heart, of course, but she recognized that I made no demands on her. I do hope she will become queen of Terbekteri, though. Is it wrong of me that I¡¯m not supporting Kajare more strongly in that regard, but that I am helping her? I frowned to myself. Well, there¡¯s still a lot of time for things to develop and change.


    Political alliance aside, I still genuinely liked her, and I felt confident that it was the same for her.


    We both stood and exchanged a slightly awkward hug before we made our final goodbyes and I started walking away. An airship would be taking me and the retinue I was bringing on this trip down to the coast, from where we¡¯d board a ship to reach Adzur.


    Terki had offered me the use of a Terbekteri ship. Even though I knew it would probably be quicker, I¡¯d declined. I¡¯d feel better in Imperial hands. Besides, Adzur was proud of its navy, rightfully so, and I¡¯d rather avoid the possibility that, for all I knew, arriving on a Terbekteri speedboat might stir competitive feelings.


    At least Kajare and Salira would get to spend some time together. We¡¯d decided that he wouldn¡¯t be coming with, so he¡¯d stay here for a while before making his own way back to the Sky Continent. The same went for Tenira. Yarani was accompanying me, though, and Lei had asked to come, as well. I wasn¡¯t surprised by that, especially considering Adzur¡¯s reputation for technology or how getting some of their knowledge was one of my goals.


    Tenira greeted me with a smile when I finally arrived at the landing pad. ¡°They¡¯re still loading the last of your supplies, but you should be good to go in a minute.¡±


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re not going to stay here for long, either, are you?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°The whole point of us splitting up is that I¡¯ll be on site for the development teams, to oversee all of our projects and to make sure their implementation works out. It would be counterproductive for me to linger here too long. I¡¯m going to have to deal with enough political nonsense as it is.¡± She paused and gave me a considering look. ¡°You and Kiyanu are still good with each other, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t we be?¡±


    ¡°Well, he did make a different decision on the Velisha than what you said.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°I guess. It¡¯s not like I had a real plan or anything. The only thing he really did was to ensure that the Velisha don¡¯t see it as a forceful takeover, or at least not as much, so we we¡¯ll have to worry less about their fighters in our army. I can see the sense in that.¡±


    According to his plan, the oldest of of Varis¡¯ younger children, a twelve-year-old boy, was going to be be king of the Velisha. Kiyanu was still sending an Imperial governor, who¡¯d be acting as regent for him.


    ¡°You said it was also a risk,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°It is,¡± I confirmed, and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll trust Kiyanu that they can handle it even if Varis junior is going to be out for revenge. If he¡¯s any less of an idiot than his father, he¡¯ll take what happened as a warning that we¡¯re too strong to rebel against, and that it wouldn¡¯t end well.¡±


    Or so I hoped. I also suspected that Kiyanu¡¯s people would systematically curtail the king¡¯s authority so that even after he reached the age of majority, he wouldn¡¯t be able to start an all-out rebellion. At least, if he did want revenge. They¡¯d be telling him our side of the story, and trying to gently shape his attitude regarding what happened. I found the whole thing a bit distasteful, but if it would help to prevent further conflict or a forceful crackdown on the Velisha, it was still the best option.


    Aston appeared beside us, giving a quick bow. ¡°My lady, everything is ready for departure. You only need to come aboard.¡±


    I nodded at him, then turned back to Tenira. He discreetly withdrew back into the airship while I pulled my girlfriend into a hug and gave her a lingering kiss.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± I said.


    ¡°Same,¡± she replied. ¡°Take care of yourself, Nari. And keep an eye on Lei.¡±


    We exchanged another quick kiss, then I pulled away and jumped up the ramp into the airship. The hatch closed behind me, and while I made my way up onto the open deck I felt the tremor that signified it had lifted off.


    ¡°Into the breach once more,¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°Or maybe not.¡±


    As I stepped onto the deck, I noticed that Elia was waiting for me. Although it was just starting to rain, she leaned against the wall of whatever they called the roofed structure where some of the instruments were, beside the overhang.


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    ¡°You know, I had a talk with my grandmother,¡± she said in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Well, it¡¯s more like I was in a temple thinking hard at her and I got a few words from her.¡±


    I smiled wryly. ¡°Yes, I think I know what you mean. So, are you going to be leaving us?¡±


    Elia shook her head and grinned. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be sticking around for a while. I¡¯m not supposed to interfere in your conflict with the Storm too directly, but no one said anything about helping the Empire, or just being a good friend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± I chuckled, leaning on the railing close to her. ¡°For a granddaughter of the Sun, you¡¯re surprisingly ¡­ not straightlaced.¡±


    Elia grinned at me. ¡°There¡¯s more than one way of being, you know, ¡®true¡¯. I¡¯m honest with myself, or have you ever caught me telling a lie?¡±


    I raised a pointed eyebrow. ¡°There was that time you pretended to be in the second stage of cultivation instead of the third.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right.¡± She pouted. It looked odd on her. ¡°Well, you saw through it, so I¡¯ve never really lied to you, at least.¡±


    ¡°Not successfully,¡± I corrected with a small grin. ¡°But fine.¡±


    She flipped her hair and pushed off with an exaggeratedly put-upon expression. ¡°If you insist on being annoying, I will go to someone who can appreciate me. And Lei is much more fun, too.¡±


    I laughed, watching her stalk away, and tilted my face up into the rain. For all the problems this continent had brought me, there were a few good things, too.


    <hr>


    ¡°Inaris! Come on, wake up already!¡± Elia¡¯s frustrated voice resounded in my ears.


    I blearily opened my eyes, needing a moment to orient myself. Narrow wooden walls swayed around me. I was lying in my cabin on bard the ship and feeling the waves. Although they weren¡¯t as big as before I¡¯d gone to sleep, were they?


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I muttered, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Elia sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to wake you for ages. We¡¯re arriving in Adzur right now.¡±


    I scrambled out of bed, checking on the position of everyone else with my qi senses. ¡°I was playing with Xiaodan,¡± I explained.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Elia seemed to soften at that. ¡°Well, we should go.¡±


    I nodded and pulled on an outer robe while she left the room. I¡¯d had far too little time for Al and An, especially with Mother gone. The least I could do was spend some time with them in my dreams while I was away. At least they were both doing okay, as far as I could tell. Al still acted a little too edgy, and I knew he wasn¡¯t over what had happened with Mother and Carston, but he seemed to be dealing with it. An was still a child, and I wasn¡¯t sure how much of what happened she really understood, but it didn¡¯t seem to have affected her too badly. She was mostly the same bright, cheerful kid as always.


    I shook my head and focused on my surroundings as I hurried out onto the deck of the airship. Yarani and Lei were waiting at the railing, engaged in conversation. They stopped when I joined them.


    Yarani smiled. ¡°Quite a sight, isn¡¯t it, Nari?¡±


    I looked out over the forest of stone, earth and city rising out of the sea, and let out an impressed whistle. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really something.¡±


    Except for a few toeholds on the continent, Adzur was located on the Chain, off the southeastern coast of the Earth Continent. Instead of a single island chain, it was more of a clumpy collection of islands. I could see them spreading out before and to the sides of us, as our ship pulled into the harbor of the largest structure, which made up their main city. It spread across several decently sized islands and a few smaller ones, and its harbor was filled with pier upon dock of ships in many different sizes, shapes and colors, from small fishing boats to vessels almost rivaling the large container ships of Earth.


    ¡°They say Adzur¡¯s heartland is the greatest working of earth qi cultivators in the world,¡± Lei commented. ¡°I understand why much better now.¡±


    I looked beyond the harbor, and as the ship turned and the landscape spread out further in our sight, I had to agree. The Adzurians had built many artificial land-bridges between the parts and islands of the Chain, especially here in the center. An entire side of the city of Adzur itself was little more than rocks in the ocean that had been built on with bridges, platforms and supports for buildings. And the bridges between the islands weren¡¯t just an architectural marvel, but a huge artistic installation. Or many. They were all prettied up in some way, with decorative carvings of wood and stone, statues and crenelations, pictures and even precious stone insets. Most of them were painted to be a riot of color, showing everything from abstract geometric shapes to paintings of landscapes, animals and people, religious motifs, and even what looked like the first surrealist art I¡¯d seen in this world. Despite the large variety, things seemed to have been planned out to some degree so they didn¡¯t clash too much, but instead unfolded into a beautiful composition.


    It almost made me miss the factories, with chimneys belching smoke into the air, or the cables pulling boats on paths between and under the islands and bridges.


    ¡°Are we going to have some time to explore?¡± Yarani asked hopefully.


    I glanced at her. ¡°I hope so.¡± After a week of traveling on a cramped vessel, even I was getting tired of being cooped up. I itched to explore this city and its wonders. But I knew the needs of my country came first, and I might not have much time.


    By now, our ship was pulling into the harbor proper and starting to dock on a prominently placed stone pier. I could tell that the area around it had been cleared, and two smaller ships flying the flag of the City-State of Adzur prominently lurked beside our position, while a group of guardsmen with colorfully plumed helmets formed neat ranks on the ground.


    I smoothed out my robes and quickly checked that I was presentable. A light drizzle was just starting to fall, but one of the guards erected a shield of air qi to keep everyone dry. We stepped down the wooden ramp onto the dock, then I took Yarani¡¯s arm and we walked forward with Lei on my other side, the guards and a few diplomats following.


    The delegation greeting us was composed of different kinds of people, I saw. Not that I really expected anything else. From what I¡¯d read, Adzur was ruled by what I¡¯d call a bastard cousin of democracy, and there were several power blocks. It didn¡¯t surprise me that one of the people wore a crescent-moon shaped amulet over dark robes, clearly a priest, and one a naval uniform, while the rest looked like they were probably politicians or maybe businessmen.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± one of them said, as they all bowed. ¡°We welcome you and your companions to the City-State of Adzur. I hope your trip was pleasant. If you would like to follow us, accommodations have been prepared for you, and the members of the assembly and the premier are looking forward to speaking to you.¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°Thank you. I am glad to be here. Adzur¡¯s beauty truly does the tales justice.¡±


    A few more pleasantries were exchanged, then we got underway. I slowed down as we neared the city proper, looking around. Lei wasted no time in engaging our escort in conversation, asking about the architecture, but I only listened with half an ear.


    ¡°They¡¯re being friendly, but not very timid,¡± Yarani commented quietly.


    I weaved a bit of air qi around us for privacy. ¡°They probably think I¡¯m here to get an alliance, so they assume a position of strength.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not,¡± she stated, raising an eyebrow.


    I shook my head. ¡°There are a few things I¡¯m not willing to touch.¡±


    And it was good that I didn¡¯t need to. Their navy might be nice, but with Terbekteri, that left me unconcerned. Our trade didn¡¯t really need their presence, much less an alliance, and if I wanted to spread new technology, I could do that in other ways. Besides, I won¡¯t need an alliance to get a feel of their own tech if I play my cards right.


    Yarani frowned a little. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean. They wouldn¡¯t be too much of a threat for us, and just going by the way you deal with Ming Li, we could probably work with them.¡±


    ¡°They freaking own slaves, Yarani,¡± I hissed. ¡°I might have been acting more ruthlessly, but some things are a hard ¡®no¡¯. And slavery is absolutely disgusting, no matter how nice a varnish they might put on it.¡±


    She pulled a face and nodded, squeezing my hand in silent apology or agreement. I gave her a quick smile and turned my focus back to the city around us, where they had pulled up self-propelled carriages for us whose shape reminded me a little of cars.


    Ah, the trappings of civilization.

 127: Due respect

    <div>


    It seemed I¡¯d underestimated what it meant to reach the fifth stage of cultivation before you were even twenty years old.


    Going by my impressions of the people from the Adzurian upper crust I¡¯d met so far, it was a big deal. Most of them were politicians, but some of them businessmen (and a few women). Though to be fair, those came from the really big companies and had more than a little political influence, and minor offices, as well. Many of them showed a degree of awe upon meeting me, and if I was any judge, not all of it was faked. Some were nervous, extremely polite, caution hanging in every word. Some were just plain terrified of me.


    The man who I¡¯d just talked to belonged to the latter group, and I had to suppress a sigh as he backed out of the room under several bows.


    ¡°Not even my own courtiers act like that,¡± I muttered. ¡°Not that I¡¯d have much patience if they did.¡±


    Yarani snorted. She idly reached out a hand to smooth away some strands of hair that had fallen out of my hairdo, and I leaned into the brief touch.


    The room we were sitting in was large and opulent enough it could have probably paid for all of my rooms in the Imperial palace by itself. A half-recessed doorway led into the rest of the suite, including the massive bedroom. Elia and the others were quartered nearby. We¡¯d settled in okay, with only a few minor issues. I¡¯d told the Adzurians that I didn¡¯t take my consort along just to sleep in separate rooms. Not that we were likely to get much sleep during our stay in the city, anyway.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t talked to anyone who¡¯s really in charge,¡± Elia complained, striding through the door of the adjacent sitting room and plopping herself down on a low table. ¡°You haven¡¯t even started negotiating for anything with their politicians.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, stretching. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting the lay of the land and laying groundwork. Besides, I think you might have the wrong idea about this.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Yarani asked, looking up.


    ¡°They might think so, but their government doesn¡¯t have the stuff we want,¡± I explained. ¡°Not really. Most of their technology, especially the parts I¡¯m interested in, are developed and produced by private companies. Those hold the patents, not the government. They might pass regulations or try to interfere, especially if we deal with smaller players, but the government isn¡¯t really in control of their tech.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Elia said. ¡°I guess I can see what you mean, but it seems a little weird.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been careful about this kind of thing on our side. Eventually, it¡¯ll be more like it is here, I suspect. It should, in all honesty. But the current situation in the Empire makes it easier to ensure that our inventions aren¡¯t getting out.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually want to trade them away,¡± Yarani said, frowning.


    ¡°I think there are enough other cards I could play,¡± I said. ¡°Giving companies favorable positions for trading with the Empire, if it comes to that. Or just selling our older formations and items. Really, maybe even food. With the war on the continent, I suspect they wouldn¡¯t mind finding a steady source of food supplies.¡±


    The land in the Chain wasn¡¯t well suited to farming, generally speaking. Even with cultivation, their arable land and fishing wasn¡¯t enough to support their population, which had grown quite large. So they were reliant on importing food from the continent. Of course, this didn¡¯t usually present much of a problem.


    ¡°The Adzurians thrive on trade,¡± Elia said. ¡°The Federation and the Zarian switch between hostile and friendly at the drop of a hat, and the Dominion and the Empire have always hated each other. Adzur gets a lot out of being the middleman.¡±


    ¡°And no country seriously pursues hostilities with them,¡± I agreed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean fields being burned or even their smaller sovereign trade partners getting to feel the sword won¡¯t affect Adzur. Still, food is only one option.¡±


    ¡°This is all just a side issue,¡± Yarani cut in. ¡°You¡¯re not here for trade, are you, Nari?¡±


    ¡°No, there are other concerns¡± I admitted, sighing softly. ¡°I¡¯ve been letting the priesthood wait on me, but I should start talking to them soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, if you like,¡± Elia offered. ¡°At least for the way there, I should probably go see if the Sun has a temple here.¡±


    I nodded and stood up, stretching a little. Then I glanced at Yarani. ¡°Do me a favor and keep talking to people, okay? Pull Lei away from whatever he¡¯s doing if you need to get some expert opinion on what tech we actually want.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Will they even want to sell it to us? You said the government might regulate it?¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the larger issue, to be honest. Adzur does push its companies not to reveal their tech, but the real reason they still have their monopolies is probably self-interest. After all, you can make a lot more money if you control the supply, in the long run.¡±


    ¡°So we need to give them something that¡¯s worth the probable loss,¡± she concluded. ¡°Like other sorts of monopolies or long-term benefits. Trade concessions or something?¡±


    I smiled and resisted the urge to kiss her. ¡°I knew there was a reason I kept you around, beyond your pretty face,¡± I joked. ¡°But, yes, assuming you can¡¯t bait them with more short-term gains. Sometimes greed gets the better of sense.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Elia sprang up. ¡°If you two lovebirds are done, can we go? I didn¡¯t sign up for this just to listen to talk about economics. Zarian propaganda would be more interesting than that.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and gave Yarani a quick goodbye kiss, just to annoy Elia, before we left.


    I guess I¡¯m actually more comfortable here than talking with the Terbekteri, I thought to myself. I never cared much for economics, but this isn¡¯t exactly intricate investment portfolios.


    ¡°So, you like their system,¡± Elia commented.


    I gave her a sideways glance and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the closest thing I¡¯ve seen to a free market in this world. Don¡¯t get me wrong, that doesn¡¯t make it ideal. There are downsides to a pure market economy, just as there are benefits. But it¡¯s still a lot better than the mess we have in many parts of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I only got half of what you are saying,¡± Elia said, shaking her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t what people can buy and sell already pretty free in the Empire?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s more like this is a more advanced version. There¡¯s barely a concept of intellectual property in the Empire, if you exclude secret cultivation arts and the like. That¡¯s kind of the point ¡ª the changes I¡¯m envisioning, and those which are coming anyway because of new technology, just won¡¯t work out well without corresponding socio-economic structures.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Elia put her hands on her hips, which might have looked more impressive if we weren¡¯t walking quickly down a hallway of the mansion they¡¯d provided us for accommodations. ¡°No more talk of economy, or society, or anything. I dare you to say no more until we reach our destination.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, but nodded. That was easy enough. I just wished most challenges I faced were like that.


    Outside, Aston had arranged a carriage for us. He smirked at me just a little, but I pretended not to see it, before the vehicle captured my attention. It didn¡¯t run on gasoline, but it had a battery that stored qi. I focused my senses on it as we got moving, watching the mechanism¡¯s inner workings as well as I could. Could probably reproduce this, given enough time. Impressive and intricate, but not too groundbreaking.


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    Traffic was surprisingly easy to navigate, although I caught a few instances where other vehicles waited to let ours pass. I wasn¡¯t sure if that was Aston¡¯s doing, or the type of carriage, or what. I sensed familiar presences in the two ahead of and behind us, my guards riding escort. From here, the city seemed even stranger. We only passed over bridges that were broad enough to accommodate our vehicle, but there was a reasonably straight path to our destination. I looked out over the colors and flickering signs, drinking in the city. Most of those seemed to be advertisements, which figured. I hadn¡¯t had much time to familiarize myself with the Adzurian language, but Imperial Common seemed to be the second language of choice in most of the places here, probably because it was commonly used for international trade. Many signs or inscriptions had a Common translation.


    The trip didn¡¯t take long. I leaned forward, watching through the window, as the ersatz car started its approach over a long stone bridge with intricate carvings, most of them religious symbolism. Like spokes on a wheel, other bridges grew out of a rocky emplacement, and all of them led to small islands bearing large structures that sported tall walls.


    We were pulling up besides the bridge to what I could sense what Rijoko¡¯s temple, and it felt like we were already entering temple grounds, if the currently open gatehouse and symbols hadn¡¯t clued me in.


    ¡°I guess this is where I hop off,¡± Elia said, knocking against the carriage even though the guards were already slowing to a stop.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    She sighed. ¡°Fine, you completed my challenge. Just my luck that we wouldn¡¯t have to face an assassin on this trip. I figured you were overdue.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°With companions like these, why would I need enemies?¡±


    ¡°Oh, knock it off.¡± She opened the door and turned to go, but cocked her head. ¡°What were you thinking about, anyway?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Wondering if it would count as blasphemy if I destroyed that bridge.¡±


    ¡°Only you, Inaris.¡± Elia snorted, then hopped out of the carriage. ¡°Already reconsidering your stance on enemies. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Hey, thinking about it doesn¡¯t mean I was actually going to do it,¡± I retorted with a scowl, though she was already walking away. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Get us moving, Aston.¡±


    Despite the path being empty of other people, nothing barred our passage, not even wards. The guards parked the vehicle in a paved parking space close to the entrance, and I hopped out. Looking at the marble facade, white with black veins, I suppressed a shiver. I¡¯d never felt Rijoko¡¯s power in a place more acutely, although full moon was tomorrow.


    Only Aston accompanied me as I strode to the double doors, which looked like white marble as well. They didn¡¯t open. Frowning, I stretched out my senses. Nothing out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± I said. With an exertion of will, my qi moved, reaching out to the qi inside the gates, and they creaked open.


    I entered the temple, finding my senses sharpen just a little in contrast to what the dimly lit room should have effected. The entrance hall wasn¡¯t empty, at least, though the few priests only gave me quick glances before hurrying on. The worshipers, wearing clothing of varying styles and qualities, seemed less wary. I didn¡¯t waste time on any of them, but strode forward. We emerged in an enclosed courtyard, with the main temple just ahead, one big hall of pillars whose roof looked like someone had only built it halfway to let in the light of the sky. Everything about this temple was big, and I could sense what had to be several hundred presences on the premises, even just counting the temple proper and not the outlying gardens.


    Aston at my side casting wary looks around, I stalked forward, passing by pillars and side altars. A few younger priests, or perhaps acolytes considering their simple robes, made to get in my way, but shrank away after I gave them a glare and a pulse of my aura.


    I almost got to what would have been the inner sanctum in another temple before a priest finally stopped me. ¡°My lady,¡± he began, then hesitated.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± I asked.


    He swallowed and nodded. ¡°Yes, Imperial Princess.¡±


    ¡°You will take me to the high priest now,¡± I ordered.


    He bowed his head and fidgeted. ¡°My lady, the high priest -¡±


    ¡°Now.¡±


    There was a taste of qi in my voice now, a hint of something not quite human. The priest jerked and hastened to turn and lead me into the building to the right. I passed through the wards without taking the time to analyze them beyond the prickle on my skin, hurrying towards the strongest presence I could see. He was behind a door carved with moon iconography and formations, which led into a room filled with the scent of incense and a stone altar, light shining down from several open spots in the walls and ceiling. In contrast to the rest of this temple, the room seemed almost spartan, with bare walls and no other fixtures. At least if you only relied on material senses.


    ¡°You have some nerve,¡± I said evenly, as the door closed behind me. ¡°Letting me come to you like this.¡±


    High priest Moongrace ¨C they all took new names upon joining the priesthood here, and I wasn¡¯t pronouncing the tongue-twister that was its Adzurian version ¨C was dressed in a pure white robe with strands of silver and gold woven in and a large crescent moon amulet around his neck. He looked like he was in his fifties, but weathered, with deep wrinkles beneath his neat salt-and-pepper hair and beard, though his gaze was alert and penetrating. He bowed elegantly. ¡°Your Highness. If you had sent word you were coming, we could have arranged a reception suitable to your rank.¡±


    I snorted, pacing forward slowly. Moongrace was almost in the eighth stage, probably a half-step into it, but he didn¡¯t even register as a threat to me.


    ¡°You knew I would be coming,¡± I replied. ¡°I anticipated that you¡¯d be trying to curry favor, to get my support of your organization here. If your objective was to confuse me, I have to admit you had some success.¡±


    There was the barest flicker on his face. Maybe he did want to get me to speak for them, then? If so, playing power games was stupid, although I supposed he could have been thinking of me as just a young girl who¡¯d be easy to cow.


    ¡°I am sorry if you are confused, Your Highness,¡± he said. I saw wounded pride in his expression, maybe a hint of anger, as he continued to talk in a faintly condescending tone. ¡°It would, of course, be my pleasure to provide you guidance for navigating our customs.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± I drew out the word.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He smiled thinly. ¡°As high priest of Rijoko, providing guidance to all who come to our temples in search of wisdom is my area of expertise.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you did not just say that.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Guidance? It doesn¡¯t seem like you could guide a child to cross the street safely. I wonder what Rijoko¡¯s angle for leaving you in place here is.¡±


    Now there was a real spark of anger in his expression. ¡°You should choose your words with care, Princess Inaris,¡± he said. ¡°Insulting his high priest and openly questioning the Moon¡¯s will like this could be seen as blasphemy.¡±


    I barked a short laugh. ¡°While I am in this city, priest,¡± I said softly, ¡°blasphemy is whatever I am not alright with.¡±


    There was a moment of silence. ¡°You might claim to be his daughter, Princess, but your arrogance is staggering.¡±


    ¡°Claim to be his daughter?¡± I snorted and moved forward. ¡°Let us see if your attitude can withstand a test, then.¡±


    I took a few candles and incense sticks and placed them on the altar, lighting them with a wave of my hand. The high priest stood beside me, obviously tense, but he clearly didn¡¯t dare interfere.


    ¡°Father,¡± I murmured. ¡°I am here. Show me what is my due.¡±


    The high priest cleared his throat and recited a chant in his native language, the intonation throwing me off enough that I understood only a few words, while he sent some of his qi towards the altar.


    My connection to Rijoko had felt like it was vibrating just slightly in the back of my mind since I passed the gate. Now it was opening up a little, the connection growing stronger. I felt the room around us almost come alive as the formations set into its walls activated, at the same time as the brazier on the altar lit and qi swirling of light and darkness, bright nights and shadowed eclipses, whirled into the room. I felt the high priest grow even tenser behind me and pale as his gaze darted through it. I only smiled, feeling suddenly more alive in a way that was hard to describe, as my qi once more interacted with a force greater than itself. The change in the air condensed, and a weight started to bear down on the room. Beside me, Moongrace bent, and I caught the edges of something pressing down on him.


    ¡°I will be coming to speak to you,¡± I told my father with my voice and my mind. ¡°We are overdue for a chat. Do prepare to actually talk to me.¡±


    There was a pause. ¡®Accepted. Come,¡¯ the qi said.


    Looks like I might have been right, a corner of my mind noted. It could be easier, or at least less power intensive, to speak in a temple of his.


    The presence withdrew shortly after. I caught Moongrace shivering, still bent and looking like he was only just stopping himself from falling to his knees. What happened to his aura was more severe. The Moon might have been taking the power this manifestation had cost him from the high priest. Well, if that isn¡¯t a clear sign of displeasure.


    ¡°It seems you might have forgotten who the servant is here,¡± I said in a pleasant tone, as the last of Rijoko¡¯s attention withdrew. ¡°I trust this reminder was adequate.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the priest gasped out, straightening and wiping his sweaty forehead on his sleeve.


    I could have stopped there, but I felt like it might be a good idea to impress this point even further. He was never going to like me, and entrenched arrogance might come back quickly, so perhaps I should keep making the limits clear while I was here. I couldn¡¯t tell if that idea was a helpful hint from Rijoko¡¯s lingering connection or my own. But the difference might not be all that big, here of all places. And isn¡¯t that just a disquieting thought?


    ¡°In the future, you will greet me properly, on your knees,¡± I said. ¡°And make sure I am attended appropriately when I choose to visit a house of my father, as well as treat me with the respect and deference due from a priest. No matter how high he might be playing games in worldly affairs.¡±


    The high priest hesitated for a moment. ¡°My lady,¡± he muttered. He knelt and pressed his forehead to the floor.


    I smiled brightly. ¡°A delightful conversation, Moongrace. Now let¡¯s move on.¡±

 128: Comparisons

    <div>


    Our little talk and the attendant demonstration had not been quiet. I¡¯d sensed the room¡¯s wards and knew they wouldn¡¯t have shielded the weight of Rijoko¡¯s attention from our surroundings. I suspected that every priest here would have at least a rough idea of what had taken place, not that I minded.


    It would go some way to explaining the deference with which I was being treated now. No one had even hinted at the possibility that I wasn¡¯t Rijoko¡¯s daughter. Although I¡¯d mostly talked to the high priest. He¡¯d shown me to more comfortable chambers, and we were currently seated in a sitting room with large windows and cushy furniture, while servants had brought refreshments. Not exactly a humble cell, but the place wasn¡¯t anywhere near as luxurious as where I was quartered, at least.


    ¡°Do you take sugar, my lady?¡± the high priest asked while he prepared a cup of brown brew. Despite its unpronounceable name, I¡¯d found it was the closest thing to coffee on Aran, or maybe more like black tea.


    ¡°Why not, but just a bit.¡±


    I let him prepare a cup for me and sipped it as he sat back. It would taste better with milk, but I decided not to request a servant bring that. Delicately, I sat the cup down on its saucer and watched Moongrace for a moment. He was careful not to meet my eyes, I noted.


    ¡°You might need to adjust your plans for the solstice,¡± I finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll use that day to commune with Rijoko.¡±


    The high priest looked up at that. ¡°My lady, if you would deign to grace us with your presence, your participation at the holiday celebration would be quite an honor for the priesthood and the worshipers at the ceremony,¡± he delicately said.


    I raised an eyebrow and considered that. ¡°No,¡± I decided. ¡°I may make an appearance, but you¡¯ll have to handle the ceremony yourselves. I will spend the time visiting what passes for your inner sanctum in seclusion.¡± Assuming I stayed there. I wouldn¡¯t bet against Rijoko having connected this to the same kind of other place where I¡¯d awakened my bloodline.


    Moongrace bowed his head. ¡°By your will, my lady.¡±


    Yeah, he really seems to have been cowed, doesn¡¯t he? I raised the cup again and took another sip, buying me a moment.


    ¡°May I be of further assistance, Your Highness?¡± he asked after a short pause.


    ¡°Later, probably,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear what information you have on the City-State¡¯s political situation. I¡¯ll need to get a better idea of what the people I may have to work with want, but your assistance would be appreciated then.¡±


    He smiled and ducked his head again. ¡°I¡¯ll be pleased to provide it, my lady.¡± After a short hesitation, he continued. ¡°After all, the temple in Adzur is the center of Rijoko¡¯s worship on this world. We will gladly cooperate with you.¡±


    I suppressed a snort and stopped myself before I could explain that I had no intention of getting involved in that conflict. That might be a bit too undiplomatic. But I knew I¡¯d have to be careful not to be seen as supporting their bid for hegemony over Rijoko¡¯s temples elsewhere. If nothing else, I¡¯d rather have those in the Empire standing on their own. Not to mention it just seems like a bad idea to meddle in Rijoko¡¯s earthly worship.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± I said evenly.


    He nodded and didn¡¯t press the matter, probably sensing my reluctance. I closed my eyes and focused on my senses, sweeping my attention over the temple and its surroundings. It was the largest religious structure I¡¯d seen, and as far as I could tell also larger than the other neighboring temples. There were quite a number of people here, whose presence I could sense between layers of wards and other formations.


    It shouldn¡¯t have surprised me to find a few spirit-children, but it did. I stiffened a little when I came across one presence that had that clear tint of spiritual qi, before I shook my head and moved on. As far as I could tell, none of them were descendants of Rijoko himself. If they were, it would be very distantly. I opened my eyes and frowned into my tea. There was the urge to get up and seek them out, to talk to them, but I refrained. It did remind me of another reason I came here, though.


    ¡°High priest Moongrace,¡± I said. ¡°I assume your temples have records about spirit-children, correct?¡±


    He blinked, but mastered his surprise quickly. ¡°We do, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Then bring me what relevant knowledge you have,¡± I ordered. ¡°Especially regarding their powers.¡±


    He bowed and rose to pass on instructions, while I finished the rest of my cup in silence. It didn¡¯t take long for my request to be fulfilled. Over the course of ten minutes or so, priests brought records folders and sheets of paper.


    I set about going through them while ignoring Moongrace¡¯s presence. He lingered, but remained silent and didn¡¯t disturb me. There was too much to read and memorize it all, though I¡¯d ask for copies to be made so I could take them back. The records were well-ordered, but not very specific, and the sort of knowledge I sought was often nested between other things.


    I found it a little amusing that a lot of the material dealt with spirit-children other than those of Rijoko or even spirits known to be associated with him. Those tended to be more concisely written with a focus on ability profiles, too. Even a few blatant threat assessments, though those seemed a bit dated. They didn¡¯t help me much when it came to evaluating my own power, although shapeshifting was more or less universal and they did give me an idea of a general level of power and complexity.


    Combined with the information on actual descendants of Rijoko, it painted a rather telling picture. I put down the last folder I¡¯d looked through and closed my eyes, leaning my head back and rubbing my temples.


    ¡°I should have known it was too much,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°My lady?¡± the high priest asked.


    I shook my head. Even taken on their own, my powers were amazingly powerful and useful when employed correctly. I¡¯d mostly abused my dream-sending to facilitate instant and untraceable communication, but in the hands of an experienced telepath it could be a horrifying tool, too. Sure, cultivators, especially the stronger ones, only needed to sleep rarely, which went a long way to moderating that strength, but rarely wasn¡¯t never and there were many other people. Then there was shapeshifting so good it basically entailed free regeneration and immortality. God, the guidance thing might be vague, but it had the makings of a hell of a cheat. I should start taking more advantage of that, I noted in a corner of my mind, but the rest was occupied with other thoughts.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Do you believe in free will, high priest?¡± I asked.


    He stilled. ¡°Of course, my lady. While the Moon provides guidance, it is ever our choice to interpret and follow it. Our will is our own.¡°


    After a moment of silent thought, I blinked and shifted my attention back to my surroundings. He didn¡¯t quite hide the curiosity in his eyes. I should have expected to get an answer based on doctrine, but it had been an idle question, anyway.


    ¡°I tell myself that it¡¯s pretty simple, really,¡± I said. ¡°If I don¡¯t have free will, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway, and I¡¯ll do what I was going to do regardless. If I do, then I can choose, at least to some degree. So, I should just do what I would want to do anyway, that¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Wise words, my lady,¡± Moongrace commented. ¡°Naturally.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± But I found my gaze sliding down to the documents again.


    I¡¯d suspected this. It was pretty clear I was somewhat more powerful than your average spirit-child, perhaps even those of Greater Spirits. More importantly, I had better control or better flexibility in how I could use that, not just raw strength. Some part of that could be laid on the feet of my special ability, but for all I knew, that was related to my bloodline, too. None of it was outside the normal range, not really, but if this was decided randomly it would have been a very lucky roll. I sighed to myself. I¡¯d refrained from asking Elia about her father so far, out of respect for my friend¡¯s grief, but perhaps I should start.


    ¡°Do you know how I came to be, Moongrace?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.


    He hesitated. ¡°Rumor has it my lady¡¯s mother struck a bargain with the Moon in order to get with child,¡± he answered. ¡°More has not been revealed to me.¡±


    I nodded. That was probably to be expected, and I couldn¡¯t say I minded. Judging by the way Isuro and Jideia seemed to care about the details, at least, it was probably good that Rijoko didn¡¯t announce it to the world. Well, not that I would want that, either, if I was honest with myself.


    I was created for a specific purpose. I grimaced internally. Designed for a purpose, even. I knew that.


    I shook my head to shake off the thought and put the files back on a stack. ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± I said. ¡°Please have copies made of all of these files and bring them to me. Then I¡¯ll trouble you no more.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± He bowed and left.


    I looked out the window, watching the bustle of people in the temple¡¯s courtyard. If I concentrated, I could sense an edge of activity that happened at the altars, probably when people made offerings to Rijoko. It was not a comforting feeling.


    Moongrace brought me the copies I¡¯d requested and I stashed them in my storage ring. I bid my goodbyes to the high priest, graciously pretending I didn¡¯t see the flicker of relief in his eyes, then left. A few steps out of the door, Aston joined me. I nodded at him and we walked through the temple together, ignoring curious looks.


    ¡°Aston, do you believe in ¡­ well, gods, I suppose?¡± I asked as we left the main temple complex.


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°To be frank, that seems like a strange question. Of course I know the Greater Spirits exist, and acknowledge their power. I have, on occasion, given offerings to some of the Greater Spirits, including the Moon. But I wouldn¡¯t call myself a true follower of any of them.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± That was probably a common attitude in this world. And it¡¯s sensible, I suppose.


    Aston didn¡¯t turn the question on me, and I didn¡¯t speak about my own beliefs, or lack thereof. Even if I was inclined to debate it, we had very different cultural imprints when it came to religion. Instead, we left the temple in silence. I nodded at the other guards that were waiting outside and boarded the carriage again. As we left over the bridge, I glanced back at the temple, then turned my attention back to the city in front of us.


    We met Elia just after the bridge, on the plateau where the others converged. She appeared in front of the carriage as soon as the guards stopped it and climbed inside.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t have to wait for us too long,¡± I said. I should have called her to tell her it was going to take longer, though I didn¡¯t trust the temple not to try to eavesdrop on my communications.


    She waved that aside. ¡°It worked out, and I could have made my own way home.¡±


    I nodded. I¡¯d spent at least an hour in the temple, so whatever she¡¯d done was more than a quick check-in. ¡°Did whatever you were about work out okay?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Reasonably, I suppose.¡±


    I glanced out the window, looking at the colorful streets and bridges that people and vehicles swarmed over. This city was at least as big as the Empire¡¯s capital, if you counted the outlying but tightly linked islands. Considering the way the Adzurians had bound the Chain together, it was a little hard to mark where the city ended and the surrounding landscape began.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here before, haven¡¯t you?¡± I asked. She¡¯d mentioned that a few weeks ago.


    ¡°Once, when I was a kid,¡± Elia answered. ¡°I don¡¯t remember it well, but it hasn¡¯t changed much.¡± She looked out at the city with a fixed gaze, instead of truly taking in the sights. Something was clearly on her mind, and probably nothing good.


    I was about to ask, then closed my mouth. Pushing wouldn¡¯t do me any good with Elia, it rarely did. She was too much of a free spirit to like being cornered, even in conversation or by friends.


    My patience was rewarded five minutes later, when she returned her gaze back to the inside of the vehicle. ¡°I went to the temple of the Sun to look for information about my father,¡± she said.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You think he went and visited them?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But even if he didn¡¯t visit the temple, they could help me find out more,¡± she explained. ¡°The priests of Piallara are usually quite well-informed. They make it a point to get information on events and people of interest, and they will share some of it if you know how to ask.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± I sat up straighter. ¡°Are you telling me the priests of the truth and justice are running some kind of informant network?¡±


    Elia grinned and shook her head. ¡°Not quite. It¡¯s more that they have connections to existing information brokers operating in a gray legal area.¡±


    And those would probably have connections to shadier informants, if they didn¡¯t directly, I inferred. Not quite what I would have expected, but then it was all about finding the truth in some sense.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Elia continued, ¡°he did visit the temple about a year before his death. Apparently, he came to Adzur with a group of Dominion heavies, although his visit to the temple had little to do with their mission and they couldn¡¯t tell me more about that.¡±


    ¡°But even knowing who he was working with could help your investigation, couldn¡¯t it?¡± I asked.


    She nodded, as serious as I¡¯d ever seen her. ¡°Right, which is why I asked for all the information they had on them. I¡¯ll look through the files in detail later. Meanwhile, some of their informants did have some insight on what the group was here for. It seems like the Zarian were trying a discreet attempt to get some of the Adzurian¡¯s rarer formations patterns and technology.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°If we can follow up on that, it might help with why we¡¯re here,¡± I muttered. Then I shook my head. ¡°Not that I¡¯ll butt in on your investigation, Elia.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She hesitated. ¡°I would like to ask for your help, in fact. I might have gotten some information here, but this is just one city. Or one small country, whatever. Learning what the Empire¡¯s intelligence apparatus has on the people involved could be just the push I need.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll tell Kariva to give you whatever she knows. Ask if you want to employ any of our agents for something more, but I wouldn¡¯t be opposed in principle.¡±


    Elia frowned. ¡°Are you sure, Inaris? You don¡¯t want me to promise something in exchange? This is pretty ¡­ substantial.¡±


    The colder part of me knew that binding Elia to me more tightly was valuable in the long run, probably more so than some information and some risk to Kariva¡¯s agents. But that wasn¡¯t why I smiled and shook my head again. ¡°No, Elia,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re friends. I don¡¯t want to be bartering favors with you.¡±


    She smiled back and I knew I wouldn¡¯t regret that decision.

 129: Enticements and embargoes

    <div>


    ¡°You know, considering how vocal you were about your distaste for slavery, the servants here don¡¯t seem to bother you too much,¡± Yarani said.


    I blinked, glancing at the liveried young man who¡¯d just brought tea to the room and then back at my girlfriend, who was leaning against one of the tables strewn with paper dotting the room.


    ¡°They¡¯re not actually slaves here, but paid servants,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Yarani looked a bit sheepish. ¡°Is that on purpose?¡±


    I cleared my throat, scratching my cheek. ¡°Well, I never exactly bothered to hide my opinion of the practice. Even when I was talking to the Adzurian envoy at court the once or twice.¡±


    Yarani snorted. ¡°You¡¯re such a wonderfully honest person,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°No wonder Elia likes you.¡±


    Before I could answer, the door opened and my other friend wandered inside, his coat looking a bit singed and his hair tussled even as he¡¯d kept a glove on one of his hands. ¡°Slavery in Adzur is actually quite an interesting social and economical issue, considering their political and financial landscape and the standards of education,¡± Lei said.


    I stood up and discreetly moved a stack of folders off the floor with a bit of air qi, sighing at him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, too, Lei. Nice to know you remember that we still exist.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± He looked up. ¡°Oh, sorry, Inaris. I suppose I have been gone a lot, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. I¡¯d barely seen him since we¡¯d arrived. I had no clue how he had even managed to find the people or places to indulge his curiosity about their technology, but given the results I¡¯d judged it better to let him be. He could take care of himself, even if it didn¡¯t seem like it sometimes.


    ¡°I thought you were all about their formations and electrical thingies,¡± Yarani said. ¡°Now you¡¯re actually interested in social issues?¡±


    Lei frowned at her and finally took off his coat and glove, throwing them onto a chair. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly avoid the issue, seeing how I¡¯ve been dealing with their companies, and it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t be interested in anything besides a good formula.¡±


    ¡°What were you saying about slavery?¡± I intervened before they could start bickering in earnest. I¡¯d count it as my good deed for the day.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it has nothing at all to do with Elia talking about justice and rights,¡± Yarani commented, clearly disinclined to allow my intervention.


    Lei looked away. He tried to pass it off as looking for a seat, but I could see the way his face stiffened a little. ¡°Where is she, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Around,¡± I answered, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes again. ¡°She¡¯ll show up soon, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the population of slaves in Adzur is actually pretty small and they¡¯re used in very different positions,¡± Lei said, sprawling into an armchair. ¡°They¡¯re treated well compared to other places, I guess, and when it comes to research they¡¯re often used as accountants or clerks. Probably since they¡¯re supposed to be trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°Trust enforced by the ability to maim them if they cook the books,¡± I snorted. ¡°Oh well. I guess I get it. With the way cultivation works, I just don¡¯t see it being very effective on a large scale.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Yarani asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°Cultivators are dangerous mostly because of their stage, not factors like if they have weapons, and stronger ones are difficult to contain. You¡¯d need to forcefully keep the enslaved population¡¯s cultivation stages down, but that would also make them less useful for most of the tasks you¡¯d usually want them for. Like heavy unskilled labor.¡± I frowned. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why it actually exists here in Adzur, where manpower isn¡¯t that much of an issue due to the general level of technology, but you might need people for handling machines in factories or doing office drudgework, or whatever.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Elia isn¡¯t here,¡± Yarani commented. ¡°She¡¯d either tease you mercilessly about your ruminations on society or this would actually devolve into a deep, long-winding debate.¡±


    I sat on one of the elegant tables made of dark wood, sweeping aside a stack of folders, while I rolled my eyes at her. ¡°A dark and terrible future, I¡¯m sure. However would you survive that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Yarani grinned, ¡°I know more than enough ways to distract you. You make it so simple.¡±


    There was no winning against her today, I decided. My internal font of wisdom called for a tactical retreat.


    ¡°And in contrast, your own diplomatic skill is peerless,¡± I said. ¡°Which I¡¯m sure you demonstrated for the good of the Empire when dealing with the Adzurians. Did you make any progress while we were gone?¡±


    Yarani sat up straighter, shaking her head. ¡°Not much. I did get to talking with some of their business leaders, and was approached by others. I¡¯ve taken notes.¡± She tapped a short stack of papers on a table besides her. ¡°Most of them seemed cautious about committing to anything, though interest is definitely there.¡±


    ¡°In what?¡± Lei asked, taking the papers and leafing through them before throwing them back down to scatter on the table.


    ¡°Our technology, unsurprisingly,¡± Yarani said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve also noticed some interest in food, and trade in cloth, wood, and luxury goods. But we might have to make it clear formations aren¡¯t available, first.¡±


    I frowned, tapping my fingers. ¡°There was less interest than right when we first arrived, was there?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She cocked her head. ¡°You think something changed?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like the government leaned on them.¡± A small smile spread over my face as I considered my past interactions. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Why is that good?¡± Lei asked. ¡°Come on, just say it.¡±


    ¡°It means they want something from us,¡± I explained with a sigh. ¡°They want me to go to them rather than deal with corporations.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy,¡± Lei scoffed. ¡°The sea dragons.¡±


    There was a moment of silence, as we both turned to stare at him. ¡°You think?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only person who made a deal with them recently,¡± Lei said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Adzur is surrounded by ocean. I don¡¯t know how much of their technology they would value as worth an introduction to the sea dragons, but come on. Eldritch allies that¡¯ll gobble up Zarian ships if the Dominion tries to get grabby? Of course they want that.¡±


    I blinked, then conceded his point with a nod. ¡°Right. It¡¯s possible. Anyway, that just gives me possible leverage. I doubt the sea dragons would be pleased about me passing their contact info around like a scummy advertiser, but as long as I don¡¯t promise them anything, it¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    Yarani frowned again. ¡°I think you¡¯ve lost me there.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    I hopped down from the table and gave her my best roguish smile. ¡°I have a confession to make to you, sweetheart. Your efforts are of less critical importance to the fate of the nation than it might seem. I don¡¯t actually care all that much about getting Adzurian technology.¡±


    Now it was Lei¡¯s turn to stiffen in surprise. Yarani cocked her head. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± She sounded doubtful.


    ¡°As long as the Zarian don¡¯t get advanced technology, we¡¯re not losing anything.¡± I shrugged. ¡°We already have the technological edge over them. Adzur is where they might balance it.¡±


    ¡°You want an embargo on them,¡± Yarani realized.


    ¡°Got it.¡± I smiled. ¡°Now, as much as I¡¯d like to stay and chat, I do have an appointment with the prime minister. Either of you can come along, if you want, but please not both. This is kind of important.¡±


    They both caught the dig and started scowling at me. ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± Lei proclaimed.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Yarani said. ¡°Since someone clearly doesn¡¯t appreciate my work, I¡¯ve found something else that needs doing.¡±


    I shrugged and half-waved at them as I turned to leave. ¡°Have fun, then.¡±


    Out in the corridor outside the suite, I found a detachment of guards waiting as my escort, with Aston unsurprisingly among them. I nodded at him and started walking, but we¡¯d barely taken a few steps down the corridor before a side door opened to let Elia out.


    ¡°Going to the prime minister?¡± she asked. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯ll be as much of a liar as politicians are supposed to be. Should be interesting.¡±


    I smiled as she fell into step beside me. I didn¡¯t thank her for the help, although we both knew that was why she was coming. But if she wanted to pretend it was a whim, why argue?


    The way to his office wasn¡¯t empty, of course. We took a tunnel leading between rock and the mortared stone of Adzur¡¯s bridges, built upon caves that had long been surpassed in scope and extent, with my guards escorting us. On the grounds outside and the halls of the prime minister¡¯s seat of governance, Adzurian guards kept watch and officials and lobbyists followed us with their gazes. I could almost hear the wheels turning in their heads, trying to reason out the details of our visit and find a way to turn it to their advantage. I ignored them and tried to shut out the murmur of conversation. I¡¯d somewhat gotten used to this kind of attention back in the Empire, but here, where I was new and foreign, things felt different, more tense somehow.


    I only realized as we approached the prime minister¡¯s office that I was subconsciously reacting to the perception of a threat, of danger, if a subtle one. We weren¡¯t home, and I wasn¡¯t these people¡¯s guarantor of a better, or at least stable, future, however uncertain that might be. No, here we were the face of an empire so great it could fit their own lands and little games of power inside several times over without needing to make room. A giant that was, if not sleeping, then dozing while only occasionally cracking an eye open at them. Adzur was hardly weak, and any one power making an outright play for them would raise others¡¯ ire. But, admittedly, the political landscape was shifting faster than it had in decades, and the Empire might well come out of these years stronger than it had ever been, or bloodier. To them, I was a threat. It felt odd, realizing that.


    I was shaken from my thoughts as an aide showed us into the Adzurian premier¡¯s office, without needing to wait. The middle-aged man with gray streaks and keen dark eyes had the look of an experienced statesman. He bowed shallowly. ¡°Imperial Princess Inaris. Welcome, it is good to meet you.¡±


    I bowed back, matching his own angle in what I was now more aware was a courteous gesture. ¡°Premier Akind¡¯la. It is a pleasure to meet you, as well.¡±


    ¡°Please, be seated,¡± he invited us.


    We took our seats, two guards staying watching the room while Aston stood at my back and slightly to the side. Servants arrived with refreshments, but I declined. ¡°This is Elia of Arialko,¡± I introduced.


    The politician nodded at her and watched us with sharp eyes. ¡°Some might see bringing a truth-teller to such a meeting as offensive, Your Highness.¡±


    I gave a small smile, aware it didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°Some might say that would only matter to those who are intent on deception, Premier. Regardless, Elia is my friend, and not here as a tool of negotiation. She is more familiar with your land and customs than me, so I¡¯m grateful for her help.¡±


    He nodded. It didn¡¯t look like he believed it, but he clearly knew it wasn¡¯t worth making an issue of it. Bringing her presence up at all had likely just been a probe.


    ¡°I hope you have enjoyed your time in Adzur so far,¡± he said.


    I smiled and gave pleasant affirmations. From there, we segued into small talk and slowly but surely approached the matters we were actually interested in talking about. It wasn¡¯t just to get the conversation started. While we talked, we were sounding each other out, feeling for our attitudes towards our nations and our interlocutor, trying to establish a dynamic. Well, tried to at least, it didn¡¯t really seem to work. Perhaps the cultural expectations were too different. Or I just suck at small talk. Elia didn¡¯t say much, preferring to let me talk. Lucky her.


    I still didn¡¯t get a good idea of what he wanted, although I was pretty sure he did want something. There was an underlying tension to him, to the way he held himself and the slight hesitation before he spoke when he looked at me.


    ¡°I have to admit, what I¡¯ve seen of Adzurian technology certainly lives up to its reputation, although I haven¡¯t gotten a closer look at the real deal,¡± I said.


    He raised an eyebrow, just slightly. ¡°You haven¡¯t? I though seeking it out would be a priority.¡±


    I smiled slightly. ¡°Oh, I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind taking a look at some of your more inventive workings. But for all my interest and enjoyment, my duty has to take precedence. There is a war on, after all.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I cannot imagine your journey here was without purpose with respect to your duty.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m sure any ties I forge here will be quite valuable, and, without undue flattery, we all know of Adzur¡¯s strategic importance.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You do realize that we have safeguarded our neutrality quite jealously in the past.¡±


    Elia shifted beside me, a faint frown on her face. That was enough to have me on my guard. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°But I hear you already have experience in dealing with entities that are famously unwilling to take part in concords or alignments of power,¡± he continued.


    ¡°And that has raised your interest, has it?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes, we are quite interested in that matter.¡±


    ¡°So, the sea dragons.¡± I regarded him for a moment. Looks like Lei was right. Oh well. He¡¯s not getting out of diplomatic work next time.


    ¡°Quite right. It is quite a feat to talk with one of them, let alone come to an agreement with their kind.¡±


    ¡°Even if I was inclined to help someone else attempting to copy that feat,¡± I said, trying to be careful with my words, ¡°it might not work. They are not dumb beasts who come when called or take other people¡¯s orders. Of course, in principle I could certainly arrange an introduction, perhaps even pass along a few tips.¡± I paused. ¡°But, you understand, that is not an easy decision. The perception that I am using their friendship would carry large costs to me and the Empire.¡±


    The prime minister smiled, which didn¡¯t hide the calculating gleam in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure they would not mind too much. After all, we only have the best of intentions. But, of course, it is understood that such a favor has its worth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. Now, as it happens, we were talking about the war the Empire is fighting to defend itself from Zarian aggression.¡±


    ¡°You would not want access to formation patterns or technological blueprints?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow.


    I shook my head. ¡°To be perfectly honest, I am not a company, and my interests here are primarily political.¡±


    ¡°That is good, Your Highness.¡± He smiled again, although this time there was a shadow to it. ¡°That will be easier to arrange.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°As we are currently threatened by Dominion aggression, making sure they cannot escalate their threat is a concern. Zarian formation craft, let alone mechanical or electrical engineering, is clearly inferior to Adzur¡¯s. Therefore, there is clearly temptation to ¡­ acquire some help against our own efforts.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that the sea dragons do consider me their friend, as I mentioned. It would be hard to explain why another who I would like to be a mutual friend is dealing with my enemies.¡±


    There was a hint of mirth in his eyes now. ¡°You are speaking of an embargo.¡±


    I inclined my head in affirmation.


    The premier shook his head. ¡°I fear that we might be seeing the same matter from different perspectives, my princess.¡±


    Before I could ask what he meant by that, Elia sucked in a breath and sat up straighter. She cursed in what sounded like a related language to Zarian. ¡°You already made a deal.¡±


    The Adzurian nodded. ¡°We were approached before, by an offer hard to refuse. I fear, my ladies, that an embargo is already being prepared.¡±


    I stilled, grinding my teeth for a moment. ¡°They¡¯re pushing for an embargo on the Empire?¡± I couldn¡¯t quite keep my voice down, and took a deep breath to refocus. I might have been too late. Damn it. ¡°What sort of offer?¡±


    He smiled again. ¡°I cannot disclose the details of private negotiations, I am afraid.¡±


    ¡°And yet you still want to ask me for access to the sea dragons,¡± I stated, then shook my head. I had to make an effort not to clench my fists. ¡°I see this talk is not going anywhere. We are done here, Premier.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, are you sure?¡±


    I¡¯d already stood up and was turning around, Elia following my lead. ¡°Quite. Have a pleasant day, Premier.¡±


    Without another word, I left his office, taking another deep breath. He was probably trying to play me off against the Zarian. I could have stayed longer and tried to salvage something, but I had a feeling I¡¯d only be risking digging myself deeper. I needed to regroup and reassess.


    ¡°Well,¡± Elia said. ¡°He might not have been too much of a liar, but he¡¯s kind of a jerk, anyway.¡±


    I snorted a laugh, and hurried my steps back to our quarters.

 130: Assumptions

    <div>


    I paced up and down the room, keeping my strides short and my gait steady even as strength coiled under the surface, heat rising and dying as I walked. My gaze passed over the tapestries and pictures on the walls, the sun shining through the elaborately decorated window and the play its light made against the ground and furniture. The clamor of the city below the window reached me even through sound-dampening wards, like an irritated buzz in the back of my skull.


    ¡°One day, I am going to own this miserable little city,¡± I said. ¡°It might be years or decades or even centuries, but one day all of it will be but what I allow it to be.¡±


    As I turned again, I saw Yarani sitting on one of the chairs, watching me with dark eyes.


    ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± she agreed.


    I took a deep breath. She could tell I wasn¡¯t speaking as Nari, but as the next Empress of the Sky. My declaration was not just an expression of pettiness. I felt it like an itch under my skin, the knowledge that Adzur was important, a strategic necessity.


    I knew my troubles would not begin and end at the Zarian, and eventually my attention would be turned to the other nations, other powers. The rest of the world, really. But it might not be so today, I acknowledged to myself. I can still afford to let this go.


    ¡°It would be a mistake in the long run, though,¡± I mumbled to myself, even as I sat on another table.


    ¡°What would be?¡± Elia asked, barely glancing up from what she was reading.


    ¡°Letting the Zarian put an Adzurian embargo on the Empire would be a loss, even beyond the war effort,¡± I said. ¡°Especially when I came here personally. If I¡¯m to deal with foreign powers ¡ª and let¡¯s face it, I¡¯ll most likely be younger and less experienced than them and we¡¯ll still be a possible threat ¡ª then I can¡¯t seem like a flailing child.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little more concerned about what it would mean for the war,¡± Yarani said. ¡°We might not need advanced Adzurian technology, but it would certainly help. And letting the Dominion use their formations would be an unpleasant turn.¡±


    I nodded, then glanced at another stack of documents. ¡°We¡¯ve still got a fair amount of what we wanted already, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°About half of your list,¡± Elia answered, gesturing vaguely in the direction of a long sheet of paper lying on another table.


    ¡°Those were mostly the easy things, that aren¡¯t regulated as much, if at all,¡± Yarani added.


    ¡°Something, at least,¡± I muttered. Materials and components for our research and development initiatives, or the knowledge of how to make reasonable alternatives to what would be needed, made these deceptively valuable. I still had trouble getting my hands on all the elements I would have liked, and even for knowledge of local metallurgy alone the trip to Adzur hadn¡¯t been a waste.


    But it was not much when weighed against an embargo.


    ¡°Tell the rest of the delegation to step it up,¡± I told Yarani. I¡¯d sent the diplomats and sundry attendants out to get me these things. It was better to operate under the assumption that we might be on a time limit now. This apparent deal with the Zarian would only make things harder, best to get what we could today.


    She nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve already been working hard at it, but there are a few deals we can close now where we¡¯ve been trying to bargain for better conditions.¡±


    I stood up and moved to a chair, glancing over sheets of paper on the table. It was a bit of a chaotic mess, but I¡¯d helped to make it and so I knew my way around the information. I¡¯d read enough of it that I probably didn¡¯t need the physical paper, but sometimes it helped to have things spelled out in front of me.


    ¡°Do you think we should confer with home?¡± Yarani asked hesitantly.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s still a while before I have another dream-meeting scheduled, and Kiyanu¡¯s likely to be far too busy for sleep. Same for Kariva.¡± I sighed. ¡°I know I have no room to talk, but high-level cultivators needing so little sleep can be darn inconvenient.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Besides, what can they tell us that we don¡¯t already know?¡±


    ¡°I assume you want to try to find out what we can about what the Zarian are offering or threatening them with,¡± Yarani said. ¡°I have made some connections that might yield some information, if I ask nicely.¡±


    I frowned, but nodded. ¡°Do. I hate having you do that sort of thing, but under the circumstances ¡­¡±


    She stood up. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t want me to use my wiles in your service?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed, deadpan. ¡°Your wiles are supposed to be reserved for me. But needs must, so I¡¯ll make use of you.¡±


    ¡°Can you please keep your flirting down?¡± Elia asked, glancing up. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to have a serious situation here, I¡¯m pretty sure. Or at least warn me before things get heated so I can go somewhere else to read in peace.¡±


    I grinned at her, then sobered up as Yarani left the room. ¡°Do you have anything else to add?¡±


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Just that I can understand these priests in the Sun¡¯s temple here a lot better now,¡± she muttered. ¡°Adzurian politics is a bit of a jungle. With trees that like to uproot themselves and eat trespassers.¡±


    I was about to ask if she was speaking from experience and there actually were jungles like this here, before I bit my tongue. We didn¡¯t need further diversions. ¡°Can your friends in the temple help us?¡± I asked instead.


    She pulled a face. ¡°I¡¯ll try. Although I¡¯m not supposed to interfere too much, like I said, and even as a granddaughter of the Sun, they¡¯re not going to give me everything for free. Even if they had hard facts on the Zarian initiative, which I doubt.¡±


    It was my turn to grimace. I understood the implication that it could be Jideia¡¯s work behind this, and I had to agree. There was no way to know for sure, right now, but it was a possibility. And it had implications of its own. If they were moving away from direct attempts to kill me onto subtler political games, that was both relieving and concerning. I doubted Isuro would actually accomplish all that much in this vein ¡ª he¡¯d never struck me as the manipulator type, even if his heart was fully in it. But problems that were not simply solved by me surviving an assassination attempt would do more than enough damage, anyway.


    And who says there¡¯s no assassination attempt here, anyway?


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re having deep thoughts,¡± Elia commented. ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡±


    I sighed and stood up, starting to pace again. ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out what¡¯s behind this,¡± I said. ¡°I can only see it being a mix of threats and bribes. Perhaps threats against Adzur in general and bribes for the premier or his faction, promising someone backing in internal struggles in exchange for pushing through this embargo. But it¡¯s stupid, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°They have to know they¡¯re running a risk by angering the Empire,¡± I said. ¡°What do they think they¡¯ll get out of it if our alliance wins?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elia said. ¡°Will it?¡±


    I paused, meeting her sharp gaze as I considered that. ¡°The Empire is allied with the Terbekteri, so the balance of power is in our favor in the long term,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But the alliance is young and the Kingdom has not participated much. More to the point, the war is being waged far from their shores.¡± I frowned. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. In their eyes, the Zarian are winning.¡±


    We were pushing them back on the Earth Continent, but the more important theater of war was and had always been the Sky Continent. Where the Zarian had advanced far into Imperial territory, even if we¡¯d stalled them now.


    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely unreasonable to believe the war will end soon,¡± Elia said. ¡°The long-term thrust of it might be a danger to the Zarian, but only if it comes to that. The fronts could grind to a halt, and the war is costing both countries much. They might expect that peace will be made soon, perhaps on terms that are somewhat favorable for the Empire given its current position. Internal instability in the Empire might force its rulers to accept.¡±


    I grimaced. ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡±


    If I was honest, I¡¯d never really considered an outcome outside of clear victory or defeat. I took a moment to think about it now, but while I could understand the viewpoint, I didn¡¯t think it held water. Even without Jideia¡¯s meddling, this wasn¡¯t about shifting the border a few kilometers, this was more like a war for the fate of our two nations. Not to mention that I would not accept such an unfavorable peace settlement, not when it would just lead to new wars down the line and when we could still turn around and crush the Zarian in due time, even if sacrifices had to be made now. I doubted Kiyanu would see that differently.


    But I could understand how it might look from Adzur¡¯s point of view.


    ¡°We would also need Terbekteri,¡± I mused. ¡°They¡¯d be essential for any assault on Adzur. The premier might plan to offer them concessions in order to curb our anger, if it comes to that. In the end, it¡¯s just an embargo, and he even wants to make another deal with us.¡±


    ¡°It still seems smarter for Adzur to keep playing the middleman,¡± Elia pointed out. I suspected she was enjoying playing devil¡¯s advocate. ¡°Especially since it¡¯s not like one deal would stop the Dominion from squeezing them when they¡¯re in a position to do that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I assume threats or favors are involved,¡± I said. ¡°And helping me would just pose the same problems. They¡¯re merely evening the technological playing field.¡±


    Elia set down the papers she was reading, neatly stacking them on the side, and gave me her full attention. ¡°And?¡±


    I sighed. This was a bit tricky. ¡°We might need to convince them that we are going to win this after all. Show strength in the war. But I can¡¯t exactly engineer a decisive victory against the Dominion on demand.¡± My lips quirked. ¡°If I could, we¡¯d certainly have far less problems.¡±


    ¡°It would be nice,¡± she agreed. ¡°I¡¯m not a general, but pushing for a victory regardless of strategic considerations is probably not a good decision. So, do you think we should bring the Terbekteri into this?¡±


    I chewed on my lip, considering that. Then I shook my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to escalate this any further. At least not like that. Although there might be other ways of showing strength and applying a bit of pressure.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t comment on it. Instead, she stood up. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to head for the temple now, if you don¡¯t mind. Unless there¡¯s something else we need to talk about?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. ¡°Be careful, Elia,¡± I said. ¡°Really.¡± If the Zarian were willing to sabotage my negotiations instead of going for a kill this time, there was no reason to think they¡¯d be above targeting the people close to me.


    I¡¯d need to take steps to ensure the others¡¯ safety, too. Maybe assign more guards to them, even if I¡¯d only taken a limited number of them with me. Lei was a little too absent-minded to be properly cautious sometimes, Yarani still thought of herself as a soldier on occasion, and I didn¡¯t know how Elia would think of it, but she wasn¡¯t much for caution, as a rule. Not that I¡¯m in a position to be casting stones, I admitted to myself.


    ¡°I always am,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re not going to set guards on me, are you?¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. Sometimes, her ability was really inconvenient. Or maybe just her own awareness. ¡°If nothing else, they¡¯ll help people take you seriously and they¡¯ll make me worry less,¡± I said. ¡°You won¡¯t begrudge me that, will you, my friend?¡±


    She snorted. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. But I really should be going now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± I said. Maybe I could convince her on the way. With Elia, you sometimes had to strike while the steel ingot was still hot.


    She rolled her eyes, but didn¡¯t protest as I walked over to her. My guards sensed us coming out and opened the door for us. I slowed down to let her exit first, then made to step through the door.


    That was when the table I¡¯d been sitting on until recently exploded.


    I was pushed away by the force of the explosion, instinctively pulling my head in and hardening my skin, even as the amulet I wore around my neck flared to life and sent out a flare of qi. It was a heartbeat too late, and the fringe of flames bit into me, charring the back of my robes even as ash and dust assaulted my eyes while a roar resounded in my ears.


    Well, so much for the nice furniture, I couldn¡¯t help but think.

 131: Political games

    <div>


    I barked a laugh, more out of wry amusement than because I truly found the situation funny. ¡°I¡¯ve been on Aran for too long,¡± I commented.


    Elia sighed and adjusted the tie in her hair. ¡°Why?¡±


    I gestured at the ruins of the table, which was little more than charred bits of wood and dust in what used to be a comfortable sitting room. I¡¯d put on an enchanted mask that filtered some of the smell out, at least, although it still couldn¡¯t quite keep the ash out.


    ¡°I checked that there were no formations here, no qi anywhere,¡± I said, my lips twisting in mockery mostly directed at myself. ¡°I didn¡¯t even remember that there are other things to look out for. Chemical explosives are the kind of thing I really should have seen coming. Especially in a place like Adzur, where there¡¯s actual know-how for it.¡± I frowned. ¡°This is probably based on black powder, or nitroglycerin, or something.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, Your Highness,¡± Aston said, ¡°it was your guards¡¯ duty to secure the premises, and we failed in that.¡±


    I shook my head, glancing the ring of guards surrounding us. ¡°Keep an eye open,¡± I said, though they probably didn¡¯t need the reminder. ¡°Even odds there¡¯s going to be some other shoe ready to drop.¡±


    That was the main reason we hadn¡¯t moved away yet, besides me not wanting to surrender the scene completely to the Adzurians. Chances were we¡¯d be herded into something else set up to welcome us less than cordially. I was still tense, and I couldn¡¯t help my fingers twitching at every sudden noise. The explosion itself hadn¡¯t shaken me much, but something about the situation felt weird. It wasn¡¯t what I would have expected to see from Isuro, too simple and prone to failure. Too sloppy.


    ¡°This has got to be the worst assassination attempt anyone¡¯s ever tried on me,¡± I said. ¡°Spirits, even if I¡¯d been sitting on that table when it blew, I would have probably survived it.¡± I glanced at the guards again. With a healer close by and not distracted by a fight, that was even more likely.


    ¡°Hey, maybe the Adzurians are just amateurs?¡± Elia asked. ¡°And you seem pretty used to this. Don¡¯t tell me you keep a ranking.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Although Kei Weriga and the poison would definitely be on top. I think Hajake would make third place,¡± I mused. ¡°The Pioneer¡¯s spirits somewhere in the top five, assuming it counts as an assassination attempt.¡±


    ¡°Is that for chance of success or how much of a bother they were?¡± Aston asked, sounding like he was speaking against his better judgment.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, those coincide pretty well.¡±


    The conversation stopped as another group of Adzurians arrived. These ones weren¡¯t just guards, but had an official with them. The woman paled upon seeing the ruin someone had made of the guest room.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± she said with a deep bow. ¡°My lord and lady. This one humbly asks you to step aside so we can secure the site of this foul attack for investigation. Be assured that more security forces are on their way, and no one will be allowed to harm you.¡±


    That might have been a little more reassuring to hear if it came before the explosion instead of after it. But I kept that thought off my face. ¡°We¡¯ll secure some of the material for our own investigation,¡± I told her. ¡°But we¡¯ll let you do your job. I expect to send some of my people to observe your analysis and investigation.¡±


    Her face tightened a little, but she only bowed as I turned and took out a few small bags and pliers to take samples. I hadn¡¯t phrased it as a question, and I fully intended on forcing the issue if the Adzurians got snappy about it. Luckily, it didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d want to test the Empire in the wake of something like this.


    ¡°Elia, it¡¯s probably best that you get to the temple of the Sun and start making inquiries,¡± I told her after I¡¯d put up a small sound barrier. ¡°Maybe look in on the other two on the way. Take some of the guards, and no arguments. I¡¯ll tie them to you with steel chains if I have to.¡±


    She sighed, but nodded. ¡°Will you be alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll go express my displeasure to whatever Adzurian politician deigned to show up, for starters.¡±


    She departed quickly with a small group of guards flanking her, while Aston came to stand at my shoulder without a word. I glanced around again, then finally left the place. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be stupid enough to attack me under the eyes of Adzurian soldiers, who¡¯d started swarming the place. Even if it was the government behind this, that would just be blowing off their own foot with a grenade launcher.


    Apparently, it was the minister of the interior who¡¯d shown up first, a gray-haired man who didn¡¯t look much different from the other powerful Adzurians I¡¯d seen. I received him in a quickly appropriated audience room that was probably meant to be a game room in another wing of the building, and didn¡¯t offer him a seat but had him standing for the entire conversation. At least after he got up from his knees. He humbled himself pretty well, in my unfortunately by now somewhat experienced opinion, but it didn¡¯t make me inclined to kindness.


    ¡°This has been either a grave breach of trust or a grave show of incompetence from Adzur, if not both,¡± I stated eventually. ¡°The Empire will not suffer this lightly, Minister. We expect that every effort will be made to find the guilty parties, and that they will quickly meet justice. Inform the Premier that if he seeks audience, I may be inclined to grant it tomorrow. Or perhaps the day after.¡±


    After that, there wasn¡¯t much more to say, and the man departed quickly.


    Unfortunately, I was too high-profile to really go about investigating this on my own. Instead, I stayed put for now, trying not to let my temper worsen too much, and called the others. Lei was happy enough to see what he could get from the forensics of the crime and the Adzurian investigation. Yarani would be feeling out those parties and companies with knowledge in chemistry and demolitions, with the help of a few of my guards that had subtler talents, as well as the lower-ranking diplomats in my retinue.


    ¡°I understand the appeal of summary executions a lot better now,¡± I told Aston.


    ¡°Perhaps you should wait to indulge that fancy until we¡¯re back in our own country, unless you want to provoke a diplomatic incident,¡± he replied dryly.


    ¡°If I told you to kill someone ¡ª No, stupid question. Aston, have you made contact with Kariva¡¯s agents in the city?¡±


    He inclined his head. ¡°Yes, my lady. They¡¯re already hard at work trying to unearth the background of this attack as well as the Zarian deal.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d noticed that they seemed to prefer keeping me out of this sort of thing. Maybe because I was, on occasion, less than subtle. And I knew that contact between my people and embedded agents risked blowing their cover, since it was a given that we were being watched. I simply nodded and got myself a drink.


    It was going to be a long few days until the winter solstice, I could already tell.


    <hr>


    ¡°Welcome, Premier Akind¡¯la. Please be seated.¡± I smiled thinly and gestured at the chair opposite my desk.


    He inclined his head and sat down. ¡°Thank you, Princess Inaris.¡±


    There was a moment of silence after he sat, and I used it to look at the politician and try to gauge his attitude. He was too good to show me more than a calm mask, though.


    ¡°You requested an audience,¡± I finally said.


    His eyes tightened just a little. Irritated that I¡¯m making a point of receiving you like a petitioner in your own palace? Tough luck. I¡¯d made sure the formal diplomatic niceties were observed, and there could be no doubt this was in fact an audience granted by the crown princess of the Empire. One I¡¯d taken my time in allowing, even. He might be the elected ruler of the City-State, but there could be no doubt about the objective balance of power. And in this world, especially, that informed matters of status.


    ¡°I wanted to personally express my shock and sympathy at the attempt made on your life,¡± he said. ¡°I have ordered my people to use all tools at our disposal to make sure this regrettable matter is cleared up and the perpetrators brought to justice.¡±


    ¡°I am glad to hear that, of course,¡± I replied with a mechanical smile. I needed to be at least mostly diplomatic. ¡°And I commend how well Adzurian authorities have cooperated with our own investigation. Of course, it does not change the facts that an attempt on my life was made while I was not just on Adzurian territory, but a guest of the City-State, residing on its grounds. Concerns have been raised, Premier. Some back home are worried about my safety.¡±


    ¡°Understandable, of course,¡± he replied easily. I noted he didn¡¯t show any surprise at the revelation that I could communicate with the palace back home. ¡°Adzur will do what it can to assuage those concerns. Should you agree, I am more than willing to assign a company of our finest, Adzur¡¯s home defense force, to see to your safety.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for the offer, but that will not be necessary,¡± I replied. ¡°Considering the location and manner of the attack, you will understand that there are concerns about trusting my own and my companions¡¯ safety to any outsider.¡±


    His face tightened a little, again. I hadn¡¯t come out and accused the City-State of being involved in the attack, but I¡¯d clearly implied the possibility was there. ¡°Of course, I understand,¡± he replied. ¡°We will still step up security in this quarter.¡±


    I sat back in my seat. I hadn¡¯t gone out much lately, and even my own guards were beginning to wear on me. I¡¯d definitely had better days, and my patience for games with people like him was never high to begin with. I let the silence linger, hoping to invite him to get to the point.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I have come to speak about another matter, as well,¡± he said. ¡°May I be frank?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± I smiled. ¡°I appreciate honesty and bluntness would not offend me.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°As you say, Your Highness. Then, may I assume that you are aware of the incidents that have taken place off our shores and continental ports?¡±


    ¡°Most likely,¡± I said. ¡°But in the interests of clarity, please elaborate on what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Attacks, on our trade if not lives.¡± He met my gaze squarely. ¡°A ship carrying artifacts towards the southern coastal states. A ship carrying food towards Adzur. Another carrying miscellaneous items towards Dominion-occupied territory. All of them were halted and damaged, if not outright destroyed, by sudden swells of water, gusts of storms and even lighting. In none of the cases did the attackers hide.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°The sea dragons are harassing our shipping.¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°Ah. Yes, I have to concede that they are.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°Why, Your Highness? Surely you can see that such acts of unprovoked aggression are not helping anything.¡±


    I hid a smile and shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you misunderstand the situation, Premier Akind¡¯la. These are not my actions, or the Empire¡¯s. The sea dragons are simply acting as they decide to do, and I would not and cannot claim responsibility for that.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look convinced, not that I¡¯d expected him to be. ¡°You claim that you are not connected to this sudden hostility?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say that.¡± I tapped my fingers on the desk, made of dark wood they¡¯d probably imported from far away. ¡°This is almost certainly a reaction to my visit here and what it has brought. You know about my friendship with the sea dragons, of course. They are displeased by what I have found here ¡ª or what has found me, so to speak, and you might say they are expressing their opinion to Adzur.¡±


    The Premier frowned again. ¡°So you admit you did incite them to act.¡±


    ¡°No, Premier.¡± I smiled thinly. ¡°We are speaking of friendship, not political alliance. I admit that our own previous conversation, followed so soon by the attempt on my life, has rather soured me on this whole visit. As it happens, I complained about it to Flame-In-Dark-Waters. As one does, among friends.¡±


    ¡°As one does,¡± the Premier repeated a touch sardonically. He still seemed less than pleased.


    ¡°I did not ask them for a thing,¡± I stated. ¡°I could confirm that under oath, if it comes to that, not that I think it will be necessary.¡±


    ¡°But you could ask them to stop,¡± the Premier stated, looking like he wanted to grit his teeth but was too good for that.


    ¡°Perhaps, but they might not listen.¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°After all, they are perfectly aware that my relationship with Adzur, especially in the current situation, is less than stellar, so such a request might not be given much weight. I would be asking them to stop acting in what they believe to be my best interests, after all, not without reason.¡±


    ¡°I am grieved that you think so,¡± he said with a passable imitation of sincerity. ¡°I understand that such an attack would make anyone uneasy, but I assure you that the City-State of Adzur has nothing but respect for the Empire, Your Highness. We need not be at odds.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to tell that to the sea dragons?¡± I asked, my lips quirking a little.


    ¡°Of course. Surely they understand that this is a misunderstanding, and courting enmity where there is none will not help their honored friend.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re spirit beasts, not idiots, Premier.¡± At this point, even I wasn¡¯t quite sure where the pretense started and ended and where we were talking about our own relationship, though I suspected that he thought I was less honest about this than I actually was. ¡°If Adzur is cooperating with the Zarian Dominion to hinder the Empire, they will not believe me if I say that we are on friendly terms, and they will certainly not deign to talk with any Adzurian official.¡±


    The Premier nodded slowly. ¡°I see, Your Highness. This conversation has been most illuminating. I do hope we will come to understand each other.¡±


    After that, he changed the subject. To be fair, our points had been made. I engaged with him a little more, accepted further reassurances and what I was pretty sure were a few veiled threats about further support for the Dominion, then saw him out. He probably needed to consult with his supporters before they made any decisions on how to handle this.


    I leaned back in my chair, sighing. At least the sea dragons didn¡¯t seem to be angry at me for dragging them into this. If nothing else, Flame-In-Dark-Waters had seemed amused, and I hadn¡¯t even needed to make any insinuations. I suspected his younger kin liked the opportunity to screw with Adzur a little. In any case, the pressure on Adzur had been turned up. I¡¯d wait to see what came of it.


    I was just about to leave when a blinking light on the device I¡¯d placed on a side table informed me I had a message. I put up a few wards, before I let it spit out a slip of paper. Using radios or telephones wasn¡¯t feasible for our stay in Adzur, but this device my team had designed in collaboration with Kariva¡¯s agents had some of the best security formations could provide, and used the best cryptographic algorithms I could remember. Mostly based on qi or not, it should be far ahead of anything they could bring to bear.


    I glanced at the letters the mechanism had stamped onto the paper, still a bit smudged and misaligned but readable. My eyebrow raised as I realized that it was from Lei, and he had apparently found something he considered important sniffing around one of the companies he¡¯d been making connections with.


    I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I¡¯d specifically told him not to try to play spy, but it seemed like he¡¯d done something stupid anyway.


    Well, hopefully he¡¯d at least found something worthwhile. That company was heavily associated with chemical engineering, including demolition charges, and the others had been looking into it, too. It looked like we finally had a good lead.

 132: Machinations

    <div>


    At first glance, Lei looked like he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong and wouldn¡¯t have any idea why anyone might think so. But I knew him pretty well by now, and I noticed the way he didn¡¯t meet my gaze for long, or the way he was just a little too jaunty in how he stood and moved.


    ¡°I explicitly told you not to risk anything, not to go off half-cocked or risk provoking an incident,¡± I said.


    He gave me an easy smile. ¡°Do you see anyone complaining, Inaris?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that,¡± I snapped. ¡°So you managed to remain unnoticed. Great. If you hadn¡¯t, we¡¯d be having a different conversation. That doesn¡¯t change what you did. I need to be able to rely on you to do what I tell you to, Lei.¡±


    He pulled a face and, after a moment, bowed his head. ¡°I know. Sorry.¡±


    I breathed out. ¡°Just don¡¯t do it again,¡± I said sharply, then softened my tone as I continued. ¡°Hopefully it was at least worth it. Give me the details.¡±


    I would set this aside for now, but I needed to consider his behavior later. A part of me was angry at the situation and my own reaction. We were friends, I shouldn¡¯t have to chew him out just for acting on his own. But I was also in charge here, while our group was stuck in a delicate situation. He¡¯d disobeyed an order, and while I didn¡¯t like to treat him as a subordinate, the simple truth was that I was essentially his boss, not just as head of the family, but as crown princess.


    He must have realized that I was seriously miffed, as he only nodded and started talking with no flourishes. ¡°The Alchemical Consortium were brought in to consult on the investigation, as their business and trade are in large part based on substances similar to this and the company employs several experts in related fields, including military and security applications. We used one of their labs to analyze one of the trickier samples.¡±


    ¡°And what did you find?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Circumstantial evidence, nothing solid,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m almost sure that they make exactly the sort of stuff used in the bomb, but that doesn¡¯t mean much by itself. I¡¯ll spare you the details, they¡¯re all in the report. I¡¯d noticed them from Yarani¡¯s investigations, so when the opportunity arose I decided to take a closer look. One of their warded doors was left open and I was on the move between rooms, anyway, so I used that shadow trick Tenira showed us to poke around.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Well, I got my hands on a few papers that dealt with imports and exports, and it seems they¡¯ve been trading with a few companies we¡¯d pegged as their competitors. Nothing too suspicious, but the timing felt off to me. When I dug around a little, I discovered they made some rather surprising, if minor, concessions to one company that handles primarily formation work on larger artifacts, especially high-end and precision work.¡±


    Like a table with a hidden compartment that could house a functional explosive device. I frowned. That did sound suspicious, even if it was all circumstantial evidence.


    ¡°Here, I marked what I noticed.¡± Lei gave me a sheet of paper.


    I unfolded it and scanned through the uneven lines in his handwriting, nodding. I¡¯d definitely need to take a quick look through what Yarani and the others had on this Consortium.


    ¡°Good work,¡± I said. ¡°I only hope they didn¡¯t notice your activity.¡±


    He lowered his eyes again, chewing on his lip for a moment. ¡°I doubt it,¡± he finally said. ¡°Can I go, Inaris?¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. Usually, I¡¯d like to keep him around, considering he was already familiar with this company. But under the current circumstances, it was probably best if he left to get back to one of our own labs.


    ¡°Go,¡± I said. ¡°Take the guards, and when you get back to our quarters, you can help with paperwork or tinker a little, but nothing that poses a danger of blowing up, okay?¡±


    He smiled and gave me a sloppy salute, before turning around and leaving. I shook my head and glanced around the room, dispersing the qi we¡¯d put up to ward it against spying attempts. It was probably not far from the lab in question. The company had offered us the meeting room for a private discussion when I¡¯d arrived. He¡¯d been close. It was pretty sparely furnished, though the addition of several Imperial guards certainly livened up the place. I caught Aston¡¯s eye and raised an eyebrow, to which he shook his head. No problems. Good.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find someone to talk to. I suspected that a higher-ranking representative from the Consortium had arrived just after I did, from the way they discreetly approached me as I left. When I politely requested to talk to someone in charge of the company, they bowed and asked me to accompany them without even the pretense of checking if their boss was available.


    The company official led me through different parts of the building into steadily more richly appointed corridors. At the end, I even caught sight of a few people in a simple gray uniform and the piercings trailing down from eyebrow to cheek that indicated their status as slaves in Adzur. I clenched my fingers and wrested my gaze away, well aware that I could realistically do nothing to help them. Any interest or sympathy I showed was just as likely to backfire on them later. At least they looked healthy.


    I cleared my mind of these thoughts as I was led into a receiving room that reminded me of those in the palace the government had quartered me in, though it was a little less ostentatious. A woman in a far more sensible dark gray suit that had a little too many frills for Earth fashion and what looked a bit like a corset underneath awaited me there, standing up when I entered.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± She bowed. ¡°The Alchemical Consortium is honored by your visit. I am Director Ariand¡¯le.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure, Director,¡± I replied, taking the seat she indicated and waiting until she¡¯d sat down herself. ¡°As it happens, I have a few questions about the Consortium and the investigation into the explosion.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Imperial Princess.¡± She smiled. ¡°How can I help?¡±


    I took a moment to study her, noticing the faint bead of sweat on her forehead despite her otherwise composed appearance. Then again, I was the Imperial Princess, so it hardly counted as an indication that she had something to hide.


    ¡°I admit I had my people do some digging into the Alchemical Consortium and your business dealings,¡± I said. ¡°Considering your participation in this investigation and your area of expertise, it seemed only sensible.¡±


    She inclined her head. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°What I found surprised me in some respects,¡± I continued. ¡°You are reliant on quite a few materials and ingredients that have to be imported from outside Adzur, aren¡¯t you? From what I can tell, this trade is essential to your production capacity. Some substances simply aren¡¯t available in this area. You must have quite the trade network.¡±


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    The Director nodded. ¡°It is as you say, Imperial Princess,¡± she admitted. ¡°We do trade extensively with many others, including the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I leaned back into my seat, drumming my fingers on the armrest. ¡°There have been several indications of the Consortium being involved in the assassination attempt,¡± I said casually. ¡°That had me wondering. If you need the Empire to import potassium nitrate and a few more troublesome substances, why risk endangering it? I doubt there are many sources comparable to the Green Forest, even among the Zarian Dominion, not to mention our rather more advanced skills in actually extracting and refining both qi-based and natural substances in large quantities.¡±


    The woman paled just a little and frowned at me, her hands clenching in her lap. ¡°I assure you, Your Highness, there is no need to go making this sort of accusations. This very relationship you have outlined should be confirming that we have had no hand in any of this.¡±


    I cocked my head to the side, staying silent for a moment. Yeah, I don¡¯t think so, lady.


    ¡°Do not take me for a fool, Director,¡± I said softly. ¡°Greater people than you have tried, and it did not end well for them.¡±


    She kept her composure admirably well, although I noticed that she paled a little more, even though her skin color was darker than most people in the Empire. She opened her mouth just a bit, then closed it, still meeting my stare.


    ¡°In a way, I suppose you were actually trying to help me,¡± I said. ¡°The assassination attempt was far too shoddy to succeed. Perhaps that is your most obvious mistake, you botched it too clearly. I assume you were trying to put pressure on the government and the faction that advocated for dealing with the Zarian. After all, twisting the knife someone had just tried to stick into me would be viewed rather differently than just folding to the Dominion¡¯s demands. Am I correct in this, Director?¡±


    She breathed out shallowly, and answered after a moment of silence. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. In principle you are right. The Consortium and its allies have advocated for seeking closer ties with the Empire instead of the Dominion, or at least doing our utmost not to risk the existing relationship, as this proposed embargo would.¡±


    I nodded, taking the tacit acknowledgment. ¡°I see. I do hope you know you put me in an awkward position, though, Director.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Why, Your Highness? As I said, we were acting to help you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t suppress a scowl. ¡°Oh, did you? By trying to manipulate me and everyone else, escalating the situation, and risking making everything worse if your little scheme came out?¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to know how to answer that. I took a moment to consider the situation. I needed to react to this somehow, and perhaps turn it around on Adzur after all. On purpose or not, she had just given me leverage.


    ¡°I expect your Alchemical Consortium will work hard to make up for this regrettable lapse in judgment. Won¡¯t you?¡±


    The Director¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What exactly are you saying? Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I am not the guilty party here, Director,¡± I explained calmly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be ideal to have your little scheme revealed, but considering I¡¯d be the one to unearth it and drag it into the light, I could live with that. If you were to make trouble for me, that would certainly be a preferred course of action.¡± I shrugged. I didn¡¯t feel the least bit guilty about blackmailing the likes of her, especially considering that they had genuinely put my life at risk. Even if it was a small risk. ¡°I hope you will instead try for restitution.¡±


    The woman looked like she¡¯d just bitten into a lemon where she¡¯d expected at least an orange, but after a moment, she bowed her head. ¡°Of course, Imperial Princess. The Consortium regrets the trouble we have inadvertently caused for you and your delegation, and we will make amends.¡±


    Good. I smiled, leaning back into my chair. ¡°We are already working towards similar goals, so you won¡¯t need to go off the path you have taken too much. Simply put a little more heart and effort into it. Make the government really feel your displeasure, and that of your allies.¡±


    She looked cautious, but didn¡¯t protest. ¡°Of course. That is only natural.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose a few favors would be too much to ask for, would they?¡± I mused, leaning my head back further. The ceiling was painted and edged in gold leaf, I noted. Already, my opinion of their taste was sinking.


    ¡°Of course not, Your Highness,¡± she said, sounding like she was suppressing a sigh.


    That only made me smile wider. Still in a casual tone, I continued speaking, getting into details. I still kept most of it vague, and made sure that the company wouldn¡¯t be too hurt and try to find a way out of the situation. But I had already suspected they had some intelligence apparatus of their own. Adzur seemed like the kind of place where corporate espionage flourished.


    With the information she could already give me, I got a better idea of what the Zarian had brought to the Premier. The threats were disappointingly vague, but then, if my assessment was correct and they really expected the Dominion to win, not much more would be needed. There were a few incentives I could probably match, if I cared to, but little else to work with.


    I was coming to realize that this wouldn¡¯t be solved by unraveling what the Zarian had wrought, but by putting my own efforts against them. To that end, the connections I¡¯d made with the temple and now the Alchemical Consortium would do nicely. I¡¯d already brought pressure to bear with the sea dragons, and I could tell it had an effect. Even if I didn¡¯t go out of my way to do more, right now, I could probably get the Dominion¡¯s embargo shot down, and that was all I really needed. After all, winter solstice was in two days, and I had more important matters to deal with.


    I took my leave from Director Ariand¡¯le in reasonably good spirits, picking up the rest of my guards on the way out of the building, and climbed into the carriage Aston had prepared. The journey back didn¡¯t take long, and I checked in to see that Lei was in the room we¡¯d turned into a makeshift lab, engrossed in another project full of wires, circuit boards and new blueprints. I decided not to bother him.


    About two hours later, a commotion outside the gates of our borrowed mansion got me away from more paperwork. I leaned against a ground-floor window, watching as the guards escorted a group of people in simple clothing into an inner courtyard. There were several dozen, and most of them had the piercings I¡¯d noticed earlier.


    ¡°A gift from the Alchemical Consortium, my lady,¡± Aston reported, tone forcibly neutral.


    I rolled my shoulders, feeling a satisfied smile stretching over my face. I hadn¡¯t explicitly asked the Alchemical Consortium for this favor, but it wasn¡¯t exactly hard to guess.


    After taking a moment to collect myself, I stepped out onto the terrace facing the slaves, feeling every eye on me.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± I said. ¡°As you might know, the Empire of the Sky, like most halfway civilized nations, detests slavery. I will officially free you as soon as we are leaving Adzur. Until then, I¡¯ll consider you free people. None of you will be forced to do any sort of work you don¡¯t want to. Of course, if you want to help us, we¡¯d welcome your aid gladly, but again, you will not be forced into anything.¡±


    I paused, considered saying more, then simply nodded. I was already making plans to leave them each a bit of money so they could maybe free their loved ones or at least get settled into a business, but I could make that a surprise. Looking at them now, I suspected that these weren¡¯t the people the Alchemical Consortium had valued highly, but since that meant they¡¯d been more at risk of mistreatment, I hardly minded.


    If I had expected them to immediately start dancing for joy, I would have been disappointed. I could see it in the expressions of many of them, how they couldn''t bring themselves to believe this was actually happening. Of course, I imagine slavery isn''t the kind of life that promotes trust and optimism. But there was hope there, too, I thought. Some smiled and a few did cheer. One girl even looked to be blinking back tears.


    I couldn¡¯t help a genuine smile in response. As I turned away and listened to the guards moving in to get them settled, there was a bit of a spring in my step. I¡¯d at least done one good thing today.


    Since they were a ¡®gift¡¯, I wasn¡¯t aiding the institution of slavery, the way buying people would just add money into their ledgers. I knew this wasn¡¯t much, they were only a few people. I couldn¡¯t risk the Empire¡¯s interests for more activism. But at least it was something.


    Besides, there were bound to be a few anti-slavery groups in Adzur. Now that I thought about it, I recalled several interesting details from my briefings and Kariva¡¯s information. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t mind getting a bit of money and discreet patronage. Hey, that would probably even help our political aims. It wouldn¡¯t be much in the way of interference, but probably a good approach anyway, realistic and feasible for getting some sustainable change. Something to talk to Yarani and my entourage about, certainly.

 133: Parents and anchors

    <div>


    I¡¯d gotten so used to wearing a set of cultivator¡¯s robes, clothing you could find almost anywhere here, that I¡¯d forgotten how nice it felt to be a little less swaddled in fabric. This evening, I stood under the moonlight dressed in a loose black pair of pants and a simple white shirt. I¡¯d also gone barefoot, not just to accommodate potential shapeshifting, but because it seemed fitting. The grass was cool and spongy under my feet. There¡¯d been a light snowfall earlier today, but it had melted away quickly. Adzur didn¡¯t get much in the way of snow.


    My simple clothing should have made me look underdressed, maybe even shabby. Instead, judging by the way the people looked at me, the austerity made it seem ethereal, pure. It sent the message that this was not a worldly matter, but something more solemn. I would still have preferred more privacy, but I knew I had to be realistic. The temple had not made too big a deal out of it, but people had still seen my approach. Now, mostly priests lingered on the edges. At least they didn¡¯t disturb me.


    I took another step forward, craning my head back to gaze up at the stars. The city still had enough lights there weren¡¯t as many visible as in the wilderness, but I stood in an island of darkness. This longest night of the year didn¡¯t coincide with a full moon, but it was waxing and there would be a full moon soon, in a few days. I remembered that it had aligned with the winter solstice the year I was born, although I was actually born the day after. When the sun rose in a few hours, it would be to my twentieth birthday. At least physically. I suspected Mother had deliberately interfered with Rijoko¡¯s timing, but I didn¡¯t really care.


    From outside this courtyard, the voices of the gathered celebrants drifted in, sometimes starting a hymn or song. Although courtyard was a bit of a misnomer. This was a secluded place at the edge of the temple island, facing the open sea, deep within the temple complex proper, and it seemed larger than it really should be. It prickled in my qi senses just slightly, though not the same way as standing before an altar to the Moon would feel. I glanced around, then turned my gaze back towards the moon. It had risen steadily, but was now nearing its apex. I¡¯d say it¡¯s about time.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I¡¯d waited long enough for this, and I was itching to get going, but I couldn¡¯t suppress a bit of nervousness, either. I felt the change my surroundings slowly underwent. Putting a bit of a spring into my step, I walked forward. I didn¡¯t open my eyes right away, since for all I knew, that might just help, but it wasn¡¯t like I needed them. My other senses told me enough. Even the smell of the courtyard shifted a little.


    When I opened my eyes again, the edges of the place seemed to fade slightly in the corner of my vision, and qi like humidity was condensing everywhere. I kept walking forward.


    The place looked a bit different from where I¡¯d seen Rijoko the first time. Instead of a mountainside, the landscape was closer to the sea. I wondered if I was actually walking above the ocean through some dimensional shenanigans, but I couldn¡¯t be sure. Not that it really mattered, either way. It wasn¡¯t like I had to worry about drowning.


    After a bit, I noticed the first spirits show up, or maybe I was just able to notice them now. They kept their distance, but I could tell that they were all relatively weak. Their shapes were different, some of them humanoid, but others resembled sea creatures more closely. I waved at the nearest ones and walked on.


    After a few more meters, I slowed as I recognized a familiar presence approaching. The humanoid figure seemed to coalesce out of the mist, although a closer look with my qi senses told me that was essentially an illusion. I stopped. ¡°Mior. Good to see you again.¡±


    The spirit smiled. ¡®And you, Inaris.¡¯


    After a moment of hesitation, I stepped forward and hugged them. It felt a little weird, since Mior was surprisingly solid, but at the same time they had a little too much give, not necessarily in their physical structure, but in their form and qi. It was hard to pin down. The spirit reciprocated the hug, putting their arms around me briefly before stepping back.


    ¡®I was half-expecting you to show up,¡¯ I admitted. ¡®Though I hope that doesn¡¯t mean Rijoko foisted me off on you.¡¯


    They shook their head. ¡®Oh, no. He won¡¯t be able to spare you much time ¡ª things are a little dicey with Jideia up here at the moment ¡ª but you¡¯ll definitely get to talk to him. About time, I¡¯d say. My father used to complain that he had to approach ascension to exchange more than a few words with the Moon, but he doesn¡¯t need to make that a habit.¡¯


    I chuckled. It was actually a little nice to know that it wasn¡¯t just me. ¡®Good. Are we supposed to go somewhere?¡¯


    ¡®Right this way, my illustrious lady.¡¯ Mior gestured grandly in what seemed like a random direction. For all I knew, it might be.


    But they started walking and I followed. The other spirits kept even farther back, though I didn¡¯t know if that was because of Mior or because of the place. I hadn¡¯t forgotten how they had basically eaten a hostile spirit one time, but I doubted whoever got to be a guest here had to worry about that.


    ¡°So,¡± I asked, ¡°does Rijoko limit contact with his descendants on purpose?¡±


    Mior¡¯s faint suggestion of eyebrows drew together in a frown. ¡®That¡¯s possible,¡¯ they answered. ¡®Maybe even likely. He prefers to act in indirect ways to provide guidance, generally speaking, but there are other dangers when it comes to spirit-children.¡¯


    I frowned. Did they mean that it risked friction or disagreements between us and him?


    Before I could continue the conversation, the landscape around us shifted. It seemed we¡¯d arrived.


    I could feel the Moon¡¯s presence in the place, a small glade marked more by the edges of shadow and light than any tangible boundary, but it wasn¡¯t really because he extended across it. Rather, this felt more like a place he¡¯d established a connection to. His actual presence was tightly confined, and as I walked closer, blinking, I got that feeling like when you looked at a 3D puzzle and the picture snapped into place. Rijoko was standing there in human form, the same one as I¡¯d seen him in last time, with similar coloring to Carston and me. He wore a black robe, and although his presence didn¡¯t weigh against me like it had last time, his eyes still had that gravitational pull. I felt like I couldn¡¯t look at them for more than a moment without starting to get sucked in.


    He smiled at me. ¡®Daughter.¡¯


    Involuntarily, I shivered. His mental voice had a weight to it, one that was perhaps thrown in sharper relief than before by his proximity.


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    ¡®Father,¡¯ I replied, returning his smile. ¡®I don¡¯t suppose you could turn down the volume?¡¯


    He shot a glance at Mior, then looked back at me, something that might have been amusement on his face.


    ¡°It might make the conversation go easier if you actually talked,¡± Mior noted. It felt a little weird to hear them use physical speech, even if it sounded like their mental voice.


    ¡°Very well. You wanted to speak to me, and you have questions.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. Rijoko¡¯s actual voice sounded completely natural and didn¡¯t have any spiritual hijinks. It was a smooth, deep voice, but entirely forgettable.


    ¡°I need to know who I am, what I am,¡± I replied bluntly. ¡°In general, and to you.¡±


    Rijoko cocked his head to the side. ¡°You are my daughter. That is the most salient point here, I believe. To Greater Spirits, spirit-children are, in a sense, anchors. In what some call the human world, or the material world.¡±


    I nodded slowly. That sounded interesting, even if it didn¡¯t tell me much. But I was aware I¡¯d asked a very broad question. So I decided to switch tracks slightly. ¡°What about Mother¡¯s bargain?¡± I asked. ¡°How did you go about it? How did you make me?¡±


    Mior snorted. ¡°Someone must have talked to you about the birds and the bees, surely?¡±


    ¡°Their implication is correct,¡± Rijoko said. ¡°I used the form you see me taking here. That was the most essential part of it. Of course, I also guided the less tangible aspects somewhat.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°So, you made a body specifically for the task, to create my genome the mundane way. And besides tugging on the more spiritual aspects, those to do with qi ¡ª however that works ¡ª that was how you shaped what I was to become. Not just the visible parts, but half of my DNA, my inborn traits and predispositions. Essentially, you used a magical version of genetic engineering. Eugenics.¡±


    He inclined his head.


    I grimaced. I¡¯d never liked eugenics, and learning that I was a result of it didn¡¯t make me feel any better about the idea. But this is kind of important, I thought. It means he could only prepare and guide things, but they still have to develop. He can give me the capacity for something, but it¡¯s still up to me, or at least my environment and development, to actually realize it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about this,¡± I stated calmly.


    ¡°Bargain was struck, bargain was fulfilled,¡± Rijoko said. He didn¡¯t sound bothered or surprised. ¡°What child can choose their parents or their birth?¡±


    I shook my head, deciding it wasn¡¯t worth it to argue about this. ¡°You still shaped things to decide what talents I would have, what skills awakening your bloodline would give me,¡± I said. ¡°Presumably, to increase my ability, in the ways you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Are you complaining?¡± he asked.


    I started. It seemed like such a human thing to say that, for a moment, I was stumped. ¡°Could you give me a straight answer for once?¡± I then asked.


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± he replied without hesitation, again seeming unbothered.


    I sighed and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, but a few things about this strike me as odd. What makes me different from your other children? For that matter, it seems like you invested a lot of resources into this. Is it all about Jideia?¡±


    Rijoko clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°My situation is complicated and fluid,¡± he said. ¡°I took a calculated risk in creating you. So far, you have done quite well, but there are no guarantees for anyone. And your existence pertains to more than my struggle with the Storm.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Does this relate to how you called spirit-children anchors? What exactly does that mean?¡±


    Mior shifted their weight and sighed, looking at Rijoko. ¡®Just explain things to her, grandfather. She¡¯d figure it out on her own soon enough, anyway.¡¯


    I hid my surprise, and watched as Rijoko traded a glance with his grandchild for a moment, before the greater Spirit turned back to me. ¡°Think of it this way,¡± he said. ¡°Am I male?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Um, kind of?¡± I answered. ¡°Spirits don¡¯t inherently have any gender, but people sometimes come to ascribe one to you. And you seem to adopt that, present that way. Do you?¡±


    My father smiled slightly. ¡°Ah, but am I presenting to fit people¡¯s expectations, or did they guide how I identify?¡±


    I paused. It sounded like the kind of question where the answer was something in-between. ¡°You¡¯re saying that your nature is impacted by belief,¡± I said slowly, realizing what he meant even as I spoke. ¡°The same way that qi is shaped outside of the normal, physical rules, like the way concepts play a role for affinities of qi?¡±


    ¡°Not quite, but along the same lines,¡± Rijoko said. It wasn¡¯t something in his voice or expression, but I could feel that he was vaguely pleased by my answer. ¡°And the matter has somewhat more weight for our descendants.¡±


    I frowned, glancing at Mior. ¡°You mean the psychic connection or whatever you want to call it between us?¡± I guessed. ¡°It¡¯s actually not just one-way?¡±


    Rijoko nodded. ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t only go in one direction, no. As I said, you can think of people like you as an anchor, but anchors are connected to what they hold.¡±


    That sounded really interesting. I could actually shape my father, to some extent? I looked at him for a moment. For a Greater Spirit as experienced and canny as Rijoko, I knew it couldn¡¯t be that simple. He must have considered that carefully. Maybe, I realized, that is why, at least in part, him designing me is so significant to the Greater Spirits. He was mitigating risk, although I guess he was also kind of opening other avenues of risk.


    ¡°Then, if I believed wholeheartedly that you loved me ¡­?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite that straightforward,¡± he said. ¡°But I would certainly find myself regarding you with more affection than I otherwise would.¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. ¡°So, do you actually care about me at all?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he answered, tone faintly chiding. ¡°But ¡®care¡¯ is a complex and nuanced concept, daughter, and humans and spirits experience and effect it in different ways.¡±


    I nodded. A part of me wanted to dig deeper, to ask whether he cared about me because of my role or as a person, but I didn¡¯t push. I didn¡¯t even know what answer I would have wanted to hear.


    ¡°Thank you for answering, in any case,¡± I said.


    My father inclined his head. ¡°I will need to depart,¡± he said. ¡°My attention is needed elsewhere. Be careful, daughter, but know that I am with you even when your hours grow dark.¡±


    I straightened up and nodded at him. ¡°See you later, father.¡±


    There was a faint sensation of amusement, then his body started to somehow fade into the surrounding qi.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you out,¡± Mior said.


    I gave a final glance to where Rijoko was leaving, before I turned to follow the other spirit. We walked out of the glade in silence. I noted that the other spirits around seemed to have all left, but most of my attention was on the conversation I¡¯d just had.


    ¡°I feel like all of this is a little over my head,¡± I finally admitted. ¡°At least, I don¡¯t have the experience I need to really understand and deal with it.¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re doing fine,¡¯ they answered. ¡®It¡¯s good to be aware of your limits or weaknesses, but don¡¯t let doubt fester.¡¯


    I nodded, glancing at Mior. ¡®That¡¯s easy to say, but I get the feeling that I need to know this stuff to deal with Jideia.¡¯


    They were silent for a moment, before they cocked an eyebrow at me. ¡®Perhaps it¡¯s time for you to invest yourself more into the matter, then. Have you really been dealing with Jideia, Inaris?¡¯


    I paused. ¡®Well, no,¡¯ I admitted. ¡®I¡¯ve been evading their attempts, and I suppose I¡¯ve started to work on Isuro. There¡¯s little I can do about the Storm himself, even if wanted to.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re not wrong, but you can¡¯t afford to ignore him.¡¯


    I frowned. Mior sounded very serious. ¡®You mean I can¡¯t leave him to you to handle?¡¯


    The spirit shrugged. ¡®Perhaps, but in your place, I wouldn¡¯t. You might have to fight him before this is over, Inaris. You think this little war with the Zarian will decide everything? You might only be involved because of Rijoko, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll restrain himself.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± I muttered.


    Mior turned to face me. ¡°He¡¯s not going to leave you alone, Inaris.¡±


    I sighed and nodded. We walked the rest of the way in silence.


    Mior stopped and said in a lighter tone, ¡®It was nice to see you again. Tell Aston hello from me.¡¯


    ¡®Of course. Same.¡¯


    But even as I said goodbye to Mior and went back to the temple, my thoughts kept circling back to our conversation.


    I can¡¯t afford to stay entirely on the defensive. That was what Mior meant. I knew I couldn¡¯t outright attack the Storm, but they were right. If I didn¡¯t want to end up used and traded like a pawn, I couldn¡¯t afford to act like one. It wasn¡¯t any immediate problem, but something I needed to keep in mind going forward.

 134: Mindset

    <div>


    I dropped my coat onto the back of an armchair and sank onto another chair with a sigh, stretching out my legs and cracking my neck. It felt good to finally be back and able to sit down with the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long night, huh?¡± Elia asked.


    I nodded, but before I could answer, Yarani walked behind my seat and started to rub my shoulders. I smiled at her and relaxed into her hands.


    ¡°You can say that,¡± I agreed. I¡¯d wanted to go straight back after talking to the spirits, but I knew I should show up for the ceremony. The celebrations had still been going on when I got out, and although I¡¯d needed to force myself to do it, I thought that my presence there had turned out pretty well. There¡¯d definitely been a lot of cheering from the gathered throng, and I could tell I¡¯d solidified my position when it came to the priests.


    ¡°What have you been up to?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Lei said. He¡¯d barely glanced up from whatever he was working on. It looked like a circuit diagram, but I couldn¡¯t be sure without a closer look.


    ¡°Things are falling into place, I think,¡± Yarani said. ¡°The Adzurians are definitely not happy about your recent moves, especially the sea dragon trouble. But it might be best to let it stew for a little while yet, and only give it a nudge if things don¡¯t resolve themselves.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve given some pointers to the high priest. Hopefully, something will come of it. But I don¡¯t mind waiting a bit.¡±


    ¡°You know me, I¡¯m the soul of patience.¡± Elia grinned. That had to be the most blatant untruth I¡¯d ever heard from her.


    ¡°Gives me more time to work,¡± Lei said.


    I suppressed a frown. I¡¯d need to talk to him, but it might be best to wait until we¡¯d settled things here.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a little busy with the informants and what they might bring me,¡± Elia continued, ¡°but there¡¯s nothing to really talk about yet.¡±


    I leaned back and stretched some more. Yarani squeezed my hand for a moment as she stepped back. I turned in my seat, considering for a moment, before I pushed myself up. ¡°If that¡¯s all, we should retire for what little is left of the night.¡±


    Yarani only smiled as I pulled her to the door, and the other two barely looked up as we left. It was hardly the first time this had happened.


    We reached the bedroom the Adzurians had assigned us quickly, but I slowed down then, sinking into the bed as I started to divest myself and my girlfriend of clothes. I felt tired in a way that I knew wasn¡¯t physical, just mental.


    ¡°Sometimes, I really wish I could just sleep and dream,¡± I muttered.


    Yarani pressed a kiss to the side of my neck, pushing me to lie down further on the bed. ¡°Is it getting worse?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll deal.¡± Then I captured her lips, ending the conversation.


    It was just an inability to really rest my mind, that kind of reset sleep usually brought, if your consciousness didn¡¯t flow continuously across it. It was a subtle thing, but no less real for it. If I was someone else, I could see myself turning to the bottle or drugs because of it. Although, honesty compelled me to admit how often I¡¯d taken to visiting my consorts¡¯ bedrooms might not be entirely unrelated, for all that I liked to blame it on being stuck in a teenage body and its hormones.


    Although, I realized, that part might not be entirely accidental. Making sure I had a high sex drive, which would encourage me to seek out people and perhaps form connections or at least gather partners, the way a princess in my position often did? I just didn¡¯t know. Damn, that showed how the knowledge that you were designed and perhaps influenced could lead to questioning all sorts of stuff about yourself. But I let Yarani push those thoughts out of my mind.


    A while later, we lay quietly cuddling together, neither of us sleeping, but enjoying the peaceful quiet. The slight edge of restlessness had drained out of me and I felt more relaxed than I¡¯d had in a while, even as my thoughts turned back to the conversation with my father.


    Hesitantly, I began telling Yarani what we¡¯d talked about. I caught myself wishing for a moment that Tenira was here. She was more knowledgeable about things like this. But I discarded that thought and summed up what I¡¯d learned and what Mior had said in a few sentences.


    Yarani was silent for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s very interesting, about your connection to the Moon. And that he purposefully crafted you, correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but you already knew about that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just something else to learn the details, to be confronted with it like that. I keep catching myself wondering if something about me is part of his design. Who am I really, you know?¡±


    She smiled wanly and kissed my cheek. ¡°I understand. Anyone would be disturbed by something like this. But I don¡¯t think you need to worry. I think the kind of person you are depends more on you than him.¡±


    I propped myself up on an elbow, searching her face. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Inaris ...¡± She hesitated. ¡°There¡¯s more to you than your talents or bloodline. What I love about you isn¡¯t your capabilities or power; if anything, it¡¯s your attitude.¡± Yarani blushed a little and looked down. ¡°I mean, I couldn¡¯t in good conscience call you humble, but ¡­¡± She shrugged. ¡°You have the arrogance of a genius, not a princess.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Not sure what you mean.¡±


    She pulled a face and sighed a little. ¡°You see everyone as a person of worth, and the only reason you care about things like status is because you understand the realities of society. You took me in without even asking whether I was from a noble background or a nobody, and you¡¯ve never treated anyone differently when you learn about things like that. I think that¡¯s what pulled me in, at the beginning, even more than your other qualities like beauty or brilliance. And these things, like your mindset, that¡¯s all you, not something Rijoko could decide.¡±


    A wide smile spread across my face. I leaned in and kissed her softly. Although I¡¯d wondered, on occasion, I¡¯d never asked her why she¡¯d stayed with me. I knew it wasn¡¯t about money or status or even safety. Maybe at first, although I¡¯d have bet on curiosity or just simply attraction, but we¡¯d both invested too much in each other, emotionally, for that to be it. Still, hearing her talking about it now made me feel lighter in a way I hadn¡¯t expected. What she¡¯d said about my mindset being my own helped, too. Oh, I knew it wasn¡¯t that simple or clear-cut, but she definitely had a point.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get up,¡± I finally said. ¡°We¡¯ve still got work to do, unfortunately.¡± I glanced at the window, where we could just see the colors of dawn painting the horizon.


    Yarani nodded and stood up. ¡°Happy birthday, Nari.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I smiled and scooted to the edge of the bed, grabbing for the shirt I¡¯d thrown on the floor earlier. When I looked up again, I caught her eyes, and paused.


    ¡°I love you, too, Yarani,¡± I said. It was true, although before tonight I might not have realized it.


    She abandoned her clothes to pull me into another kiss. It took a while longer until we were finally dressed and out the door, and I had to fight to against the smile that kept threatening to appear on my face.


    Aston stood in the sitting room we¡¯d been using as a living room. He smiled at me and bowed his head. ¡°Best wishes for your second decade, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Aston.¡± I returned his smile, seeing the hint of irony in his eyes. I echoed his amusement. I might be physically twenty years old, but I would be twenty-four going by my memories. And biologically, my body would be even younger, due to the effects of cultivation. By appearance, I could barely pass for eighteen.


    ¡°Where are Lei and Elia?¡± Yarani asked.


    Aston nodded in the direction of the other door, where their bedrooms were. ¡°I think they would prefer to keep their privacy, my lady.¡±


    Yarani glanced at me, grinning. ¡°You think they¡¯re ¡­?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Probably not.¡± Neither of them were that bold. ¡°A bit of hesitant kissing. Maybe making out.¡±


    I frowned at the door, then breathed out and closed my eyes, so I could focus on my qi senses more easily. I¡¯d only gotten better at it over the last few months. It was easy to tell that Lei and Elia where in his room, close to where I remembered the window was from the outside, and pretty close together. I couldn¡¯t get many details like this, but there was a bit of a trick to it, since some traits and emotional states where actually reflected in someone¡¯s aura, if you knew what to look for. Both of them weren¡¯t exactly focusing on trying to suppress their auras at the moment, and what I caught made me suspect that I was right. That nervous, giddy feeling was pretty telling. I grinned. I¡¯d tease them mercilessly about it later, but for now I withdrew my focus to give them their privacy.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re a bad influence.¡± Yarani smirked at me.


    ¡°Considering I only really got started after I met you, maybe you¡¯re the bad influence,¡± I retorted. No need to mention my life on Earth.


    Before the conversation could devolve into further banter, someone knocked on the door. I called out and one of the guards stepped in and bowed. ¡°Your Highness, one of the slaves from the Alchemical Consortium asked to speak to you. Should I refuse?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll talk to them.¡± I considered for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aston. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a room close to where they¡¯re quartered that we can use.¡±


    Yarani stayed and I left a group of guards to guard her and our rooms, while Aston brought another squad of guards with me. Since the assassination attempt, he¡¯d increased security, and even after I learned what was behind it, I hadn¡¯t felt any need to scale it back. The situation was still precarious enough.


    Aston guided me to an office down the corridor from the rooms where they¡¯d put up the former slaves, and I settled into an armchair while one of the guards searched the visitor before letting them through. They looked no older than thirty with dark hair and tanned skin, still wearing the gray clothing they¡¯d come in with, although the facial piercings were missing and it looked like the spots they¡¯d been had seen healing. They fell into a formal kowtow just past the door.


    ¡°Stand, and come closer,¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Adli, Your Highness.¡±


    I took a moment while my visitor rose from their knees to examine them. They looked androgynous, and I wouldn¡¯t have been sure whether to peg them as a man or woman, although I didn¡¯t know if that was the result of genetics or presentation. I didn¡¯t see any of the marks Adzurian culture used for men or women in their hairstyle or clothing. They didn¡¯t meet my gaze, but their expression was calm and controlled.


    ¡°What did you want to talk to me about?¡±


    The former slave hesitated, raising their face for a moment. ¡°My deepest apologies for my insolence, Your Highness, but before I speak, I need to know. When you said you would free us, mistress, did you truly mean it?¡±


    I sat back in my chair and considered them for a moment. ¡°Yes, I did. You have my word, on my father, the Moon, that I intend to free you as soon as is feasible.¡±


    Their expression brightened and they bowed. ¡°Deepest gratitude, Your Highness.¡±


    I stopped myself from shifting uncomfortably. ¡°Your Imperial Common is quite good. Eloquent,¡± I noted. ¡°Yet you were a low-level office attendant for the Alchemical Consortium, weren¡¯t you?¡± I wasn¡¯t insensitive enough to ask how they¡¯d found themselves in this situation, but I was curious what they wanted. ¡°Go on. This should be interesting.¡±


    Adli licked their lips. ¡°Indeed, Your Highness. I was ¡­¡± They took a deep breath and straightened their shoulders. ¡°I was hired on by the Dominion Communications Agency.¡±


    That caught my attention and I leaned forward, barely noticing their slight flinch backwards. The Zarian foreign intelligence service. This is definitely interesting. I knew Kariva¡¯s people had a number of informants scattered throughout the city, and they¡¯d definitely try to place them in companies like the Consortium. It made sense the Zarian would do the same. ¡°You¡¯re an informant for them? Tell me more.¡±


    ¡°As you say, Your Highness. My job allowed me access to offices of the Consortium¡¯s management and even some restricted document. I gathered what information I could and passed them on to my handler. Or at least, I tried. I was only recruited two months ago, Your Highness. They paid enough I was saving up for buying my freedom.¡± They hesitated for a moment. ¡°I was also approached by what I believe to be an agent of the Empire, and entertaining their offers.¡±


    ¡°And what are you hoping to gain by telling me?¡± I asked, making sure to keep my tone casual.


    They still winced and lowered their head. ¡°My partner is a slave owned by a subsidiary of the Alchemical Consortium. The Zarian promised to extend their protection to him in exchange for my services. I was, er, I would beg Your Highness¡¯ mercy to help him.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. Was that the trade, information in exchange for his freedom? I think I see. You decided to talk to us because you think I¡¯m more likely to actually help you free your partner. I shrugged to myself. Probably true, actually.


    ¡°If someone were to provide me valuable services against my enemy, it would be a matter of course to make sure they and their loved ones were safe and secure,¡± I said. ¡°You have my word on that, too. I have enough pull with the Alchemical Consortium I would certainly be able to arrange it ¡­ if I was sure you weren¡¯t trying to trick or swindle me, of course.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t fault Adli¡¯s behavior. If I was in such a bad situation, I¡¯d probably be acting the same way. That didn¡¯t mean I could put blind trust in them.


    ¡°I would never, Your Highness.¡± They bowed again. ¡°My knowledge and skill are at your disposal.¡±


    I used my qi to open the door and gestured Aston inside before I turned my attention back to my guest. ¡°Then tell me everything you know about the Agency in Adzur.¡±


    They didn¡¯t hesitate to follow my order. The longer they talked, the more I realized what an asset had fallen into my lap, or maybe been placed there by divine providence. Adli had been canny enough to try and find out more about their employers and their work than they were supposed to know, and the slave had been somewhat successful. Most of it went over my head or seemed irrelevant, but my intuition was pretty clear that Kariva¡¯s people would be able to use it.


    ¡°I may just have found the last shovel burying our hopes to get an embargo against the Zarian,¡± I commented to Aston.


    He frowned. ¡°My lady?¡±


    ¡°We might have to settle for just repelling their attempts to get an embargo,¡± I said. ¡°With the support I have already gathered, that should be assured, at least. But in turn, this may be the beginning of another coup.¡±


    Both of our gazes moved to the Adzurian, who seemed a little more nervous now. ¡°Your Highness, surely this isn¡¯t the first time an informant for the Zarian defected?¡±


    ¡°No, I imagine not,¡± I agreed. ¡°But it may just be the hook we need to unravel the Dominion¡¯s intelligence net in Adzur, and perhaps further, with the right sort of push.¡± I smiled thinly. ¡°You see, I am very good at finding the right way to push something and guide its path.¡±


    I¡¯d been investigating and learning more about what my bloodline enabled me to do. The more I knew and understood, the easier it was for my ability, whether that was Rijoko¡¯s direct guidance or just a power of intuition, to work. But if I, say, knew there was a Dominion safehouse somewhere, if I focused, stumbling on the right location was definitely in the cards.


    It wouldn¡¯t be easy, and there wouldn¡¯t be much I could really do, beyond vaguely pointing in the right direction while I was here. But I had faith in Kariva and her efforts.

 135: Funding and friends

    <div>


    The tense silence was broken by the ringing of the communications device, and it seemed like everyone let out a collective breath. The ringing was an affectation, since this wasn¡¯t actually a telephone, just a qi communication talisman, but I¡¯d added the sound effect on a whim.


    We were gathered in another sitting room, since the last one still bore the marks of the explosion, but it had come to resemble it quickly, complete with stacks of papers strewn around. Aston leaned against the wall close to me while Yarani was sitting beside me and had been talking with Elia, who kept exchanging glances with Lei.


    I picked up. ¡°Yes, Director?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± the voice of Director Ariand¡¯le of the Alchemical Consortium answered. ¡°The motion to restrict trade with the Empire was taken to the Chamber, but not carried, with a majority voting against.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you, Director Ariand¡¯le.¡± I hung up and smiled, even as I saw the others start to smile as well.


    No one would be surprised that the Consortium had enough pull to get this result quickly, even though the Chamber, the Adzurian parliament elected by property owning citizens, was supposed to hold closed sessions. She¡¯d even influenced the results, as had high priest Moongrace and their allies.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, then,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re done here. Time to head back home.¡±


    Lei and Yarani frowned at this. They weren¡¯t happy at the lackluster results of our diplomatic visit. While we¡¯d averted the danger of the embargo pushed by the Zarian, we didn¡¯t have much to show for the trip that we¡¯d achieved for ourselves. I shared their sentiment, even if I tried not to let it show. But I had to weigh the time we¡¯d have to spend here chasing other achievements against other considerations.


    ¡°We might even get back in time for the offensive in the south,¡± Aston said.


    I gave him a quick smile. ¡°We¡¯ll miss its start, they might even have begun already. As intended. But we¡¯ll probably be there for its finale, which is what we wanted.¡±


    ¡°Retaking Blue Valley City,¡± Yarani murmured, a thoughtful expression on her face.


    ¡°Yep.¡± I stood and stretched. ¡°We still need to prepare a few things.¡±


    In the end, it took until the end of the day for everything to be ready. I had a brief conversation with the Premier over another qi talisman, but didn¡¯t meet with anyone else. We wanted our departure to be quiet. I¡¯d talk to the sea dragons on the way, once we were on the ship and the open ocean, and ask them to stop. They would ¡­ probably.


    A surprising number of the slaves from the Consortium wanted to stay in Adzur. I¡¯d offered all of them to take them with me to the Empire and get them settled there, but I supposed moving to another country was not an easy decision. At least Adli had decided to come with minimal prompting and the prospect of employment in the Empire¡¯s intelligence community. If they¡¯d wanted to go their own way, I wasn¡¯t sure if I should or would have brought them along anyway. They were a valuable asset and a potential liability, but I still didn¡¯t like the thought of essentially kidnapping someone. Especially an ex-slave. I guess it¡¯s a good thing I don¡¯t have to make that decision.


    Some of the members of my diplomatic retinue ¡ª no surprise there ¡ª and a few agents Kariva had placed in the city before had wrung every bit of information they could out of the former slave, and then hatched a plan for stomping on the ZCA presence in the City-State. I was only aware of the general outline, but I¡¯d helped them find a few safehouses and pointed out a few angles. Some of that hadn¡¯t even been on purpose. At least not entirely. I had focused on my connection to Rijoko and tried to let my instincts guide me the whole time. But a few offhand comments and questions had apparently been enough to stop the agents stumbling into a problem, pointed them in the direction of a Zarian agent we hadn¡¯t uncovered before, and got them to scrap and remake a plan that would have probably failed otherwise.


    Sometimes, my bloodline was just weird. Although Rijoko had probably taken a bit of a hand in this, I couldn¡¯t be sure. For all I knew, just someone talking about the plan and asking questions would have done the same thing anyway.


    But my father is very helpful towards me. He definitely is. I focused on the thought for a moment, trying to believe it. It left me feeling vaguely ill-at-ease. My teachers back on Earth would be embarrassed, I couldn¡¯t help but think. Well, maybe not, but I still strove to be rational, and trying to manipulate my own beliefs went against the grain for me. That it would actually work just kind of made it worse.


    I shook my head and focused on my surroundings. We were finally leaving Adzur behind, the ship had just pulled out of the harbor. I leaned against the railing and watched the flags of the nearby ships flap in the wind. It had picked up, and judging by the dark clouds gathering on the horizon, a storm was on its way. But the ship still made good time away from the island.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get back home,¡± Yarani said, flicking her hand and creating a qi shield against the beginning drizzle. ¡°We¡¯ve been away for too long.¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely.¡± I sighed and shook the hair out of my eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my siblings in ages. I kind of feel like I¡¯m a crappy sister.¡±


    Yarani laid a hand on my arm. I shifted and took it with my own. ¡°We¡¯re visiting them now?¡± she asked.


    I nodded. ¡°I sent word a while ago, sending An to the Empress¡¯ summer palace by Lake He. Of course Kei Yating would have come along, and, I imagine, enough people for a miniature court. But it¡¯s still far more quiet and peaceful than the Imperial Palace, and she should get to relax and play without being bothered. Al is spending some time there, as well.¡±


    The crown had dozens of these scattered around the continent, but I knew I¡¯d spent time at that one myself, growing up. I looked into the distance, seeing a glimpse of deep blue water and vibrant meadows. It was only a vague recollection, but I still smiled.


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    ¡°That¡¯s probably best for everyone,¡± Yarani said. ¡°So we¡¯ll stop by there on the way?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I wish I could retreat to some country home and cultivate in peace for a while, honestly, but we have too much to do.¡± I shrugged. ¡°At least we¡¯ll see Tenira and Kajare again, and the rest.¡±


    We stood in silence for a bit, watching as the islands of the Chain shrunk behind the ship. I got lost in my thoughts deeply enough that I flinched when a change in the qi around us broke me out of my ruminations. I glanced at the other side of the ship, even though I couldn¡¯t see what was happening from here through the cabin. But I could sense that it was Elia. She¡¯d said that she wanted to break through to the fourth stage soon. It looked like she wasn¡¯t wasting any time, although it would still take her a few hours, at least. I shivered and pulled my robe tighter around me, the hairs on my arms standing up from sensing what might be the attention of the Sun.


    ¡°I sometimes forget how young she is,¡± Yarani commented.


    I snorted. Elia had only turned twenty-one a few weeks ago, so she was still a year older than me, at least physically. She was also advancing quickly. Reaching the fourth stage at barely twenty-one was pretty impressive, if you weren¡¯t a cheat existence like me. Even Tenira had only done it a little earlier because of the boost from her soul journey.


    The cabin door opened and Lei stumbled out, still looking back. He shook his head and ambled forward in our direction.


    ¡°Hey, Lei,¡± I called. ¡°Do you have a minute?¡±


    He turned towards me, looked like he wanted to sigh and came closer. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Yarani gave my hand a squeeze, then discretely withdrew to the lower deck to leave the two of us alone. Lei leaned against the railing and raised an eyebrow at me.


    I gave him my best serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re a little old for her?¡±


    He winced and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°Uh, well, I¡¯m not really that much older, I mean, if you consider my mental age with my soul journey, I¡¯m only really twenty-three, not twenty-five, so it¡¯s only a few years ¡­¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Relax. Even if it wasn¡¯t for that, I trust Elia to handle herself. A few more years won¡¯t help you with her.¡±


    Lei leaned back and gave me an annoyed look. ¡°Fine. Then what do you want, Nari?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to talk.¡± I shrugged and smiled at him.


    He looked at me for a moment longer, his eyebrows drawn down, until he twitched a little and lowered his gaze, staring at the other railing of the ship. ¡°I¡¯m actually serious about this, Inaris. Her. It¡¯s not just some game. I might not have much experience with relationships, but I want to try my best. And I think she feels the same way. I don¡¯t know if it will lead anywhere. Though to be honest, I hope it will. I know it¡¯s probably not ¡­¡± he trailed off, shrugging.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me,¡± I said, placing a hand on his arm. ¡°I¡¯m happy for the two of you, really.¡±


    He looked back up at me and his expression brightened. ¡°Thanks, Nari.¡±


    I shrugged and leaned back against the railing. For a while, we both waited silently, watching the waves and the ship. I could tell that Lei was still a little tense, and I didn¡¯t really know what to say, how to broach what I wanted to talk about.


    Finally, he spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the thing with the Consortium. Even if it turned out well, I know I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I let myself get carried away.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks. I appreciate you saying that, and I accept your apology.¡±


    He smiled, clearly relieved. It made me wonder if he¡¯d expected me to carry a grudge. That didn¡¯t seem to fit, though.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if this is a stupid question,¡± I said, running a hand through my hair. ¡°But, why do you do this? Follow me, I guess. I know we¡¯re friends, I¡¯m just wondering if there¡¯s more to it.¡±


    Lei tilted his head, looking at me thoughtfully. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I just realized I don¡¯t understand. I mean, I¡¯m not sure what you want.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what you expect, but there¡¯s nothing really to it. I mostly just do what I want. What I like. I understand my situation and that you¡¯re in charge, that doesn¡¯t bother me, but I don¡¯t really care.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean about the political situation, the war, or the Empire?¡±


    Lei shrugged. ¡°Yes, all of that, really. I don¡¯t feel some special need to protect or help the Empire. Let me put it like this: I wouldn¡¯t really care about the Empire, except for the fact that it would be hard to get funding for my experiments without it and that it¡¯s where my friends are. And I have no intention of getting anywhere near the throne, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me becoming a rival or anything.¡±


    I frowned, appraising him for a moment. Lei was probably best positioned for someone within the clan to actually challenge me. He was one of the closest relations, descended from my grandmother¡¯s brother and the nephew who¡¯d been supposed to be her heir, and a talented scion of the clan. It had never really occurred to me to worry about him, though.


    Looking at him now, the casual indifference he portrayed, I couldn¡¯t help but think of Kariva. He hadn¡¯t been quite as young as her when he¡¯d died on his soul journey, sixteen, coming back to the life of an eighteen-year-old. Although he remembered even less of this life, almost as little as me. I felt like I could see some scars in him now, brought to my attention by the conversation, although that might just be an overdramatic reaction to what was simply his personality.


    ¡°You still care about us, though?¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lei met my eyes squarely. ¡°Tenira and you are the most important people in my life. I love you both. Platonically. Don¡¯t get any ideas.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Aww. I¡¯m touched, Lei. And I feel the same.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Then that¡¯s all I need to know, I don¡¯t care about the rest.¡±


    He nodded, leaning back. ¡°Then if that¡¯s all you wanted to talk about, I feel like I need to burn something. I¡¯ll go see if Yarani¡¯s up for a spar.¡±


    ¡°You do that.¡±


    I watched him walk away, thinking about the conversation, then shook my head. It hadn¡¯t escaped my attention that Lei hadn¡¯t asked me what I wanted. Probably because he really didn¡¯t care.


    A touch on my mind wrested me out of those thoughts. I breathed out and closed my eyes, focusing on my mental senses and tracing the contact back.


    ¡®You¡¯re done in Adzur.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, I am, Flame-In-Dark-Waters,¡¯ I answered. ¡®Things turned out alright, if not quite the way I wanted.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s good to hear,¡¯ he said. ¡®Zarian have been sniffing around these waters, but we¡¯ll make sure nothing bothers you on your journey back. So you know, we are also founding new nesting-places on the reefs you¡¯ve cleared for us. Things are going well.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s good to hear.¡¯ I smiled, transporting the sensation through the telepathic link. ¡®Regarding Adzur, would you stop bothering them? Please.¡¯


    Flame-In-Dark-Waters sent the sensation of moving his tentacles to make a swirling gust of water, what I¡¯d learned was his version of a shrug. ¡®I¡¯ll tell them all we¡¯re no longer hostile and that there¡¯s no reason to continue. A few might keep going anyway.¡¯


    ¡®Can you stop them?¡¯ I asked. ¡®I don¡¯t want this to make trouble for either of us.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll make sure they know that I¡¯ll be displeased by any further hostilities,¡¯ he answered, with the sense of a faint sigh. ¡®That should do it.¡¯


    ¡®Thanks, Flame-In-Dark-Waters. I don¡¯t deserve you guys.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget that,¡¯ he replied, sending a ripple of water and the sensation of amusement. ¡®Good luck back home, Inaris.¡¯


    I smiled to myself as I felt his mind withdraw, knowing he was diving back deep into the ocean. Contacting the sea dragons might have been one of the best decisions Mother had made.


    If only everyone was as reasonable and easy to deal with as the sea monsters.

 136: Reflections and aspirations

    <div>


    Seeing the Sky Continent again felt good, even if it also looked like the appearance of expectations and responsibility to me. I watched the green fields unfolding in front of us, after the scraggly cliffs, and curled my fingers around my sleeves. Sometimes, it hit me like a sudden impact. All of this continent starting to spread out below us was mine in an intangible but real way. Thousands of towns and cities, hundreds of millions of people. It was enough to choke anyone, and yet looking at the continent I couldn¡¯t help but think of how much better it could be, one day. What I could do with so much.


    We¡¯d left Adzur by ship, then boarded an airship in a port city in an Imperial province on the southern coast. Crossing the ocean had been mercifully quick and carefree this time, with Aston gently nudging away the only storm that threatened to get close to us before it could really pick up steam. High-stage air cultivators could be pretty impressive, especially with help. I knew there was still more travel in my future, but I was really starting to miss just living in the Imperial palace.


    Our first stop was in a medium-sized city in the northeast, going by the unfortunate name of Blackdown City. We set down at an airfield a little outside the city proper, though I stayed on deck and watched as servants, guards and others bustled about.


    ¡°Glad to be rid of the extra passengers?¡± Yarani asked, stepping up beside me.


    I turned my gaze from the freed slaves who were assembling below. We¡¯d dropped some off on our transit stop, but most of them were coming along to the Sky Continent. ¡°Not really,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t mind their presence.¡±


    ¡°You never even talked to any of them except the one that sought you out, and you¡¯ve barely even looked at them,¡± Yarani said, folding her arms.


    I hesitated, then decided trying to argue that would be pointless. ¡°And? Doesn¡¯t mean I have anything against them.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± she admitted, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you avoid them.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh and watched them again, frowning. After a moment, I reluctantly spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t really know, it just seemed better that way. In Adzur, I still legally owned them like they were pieces of furniture that I could break if I wanted to. I thought they¡¯d be more at ease if they didn¡¯t see me.¡±


    Yarani nodded, her expression echoing the distaste in my voice. ¡°And after they got their freedom?¡± she prompted.


    I sighed. ¡°I guess I was just more comfortable keeping the matter abstract, to me. I mean, what if I had come to visit them? Gone to bask in their adoration?¡± I pulled a face. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this so I could feel good about myself. Making a point of how benevolent I was would have kind of cheapened it, to my mind.¡± I didn¡¯t need that kind of hollow emotional boost, not that it would do much for me.


    Yarani watched me for a moment with a complicated expression. She gave a little sigh and smiled softly at me. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly alright to acknowledge that you did something nice that helped people, Inaris.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to make that sort of face, Yarani. I really don¡¯t care, I¡¯m not just saying that.¡±


    She shrugged and leaned against the railing, then pointed out one of the people below. ¡°That seventeen-year-old boy was sold into slavery at age ten, and ended up in a very dubious leisure establishment until he was sold to the company a few years later. He almost cried when he got the paperwork, and he¡¯s shown interest in joining the Imperial army or other enforcement institutions.¡±


    Her last words were overlaid with the sound of the wooden railing creaking loudly as my fingers dug into it, and I forced myself to relax my fists and calmed my spurt of anger. ¡°Freaking hells. What do you want from me here, Yarani?¡±


    She backed off, raising a hand. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll go make sure everything¡¯s going alright.¡±


    I shook my head and headed back into the cabin.


    She¡¯d reminded me to make sure they got the help they needed for their mental health, at least. For better or worse, I¡¯d made them my responsibility, so I should take care of that.


    We were soon in the air again and continued our journey. I spent it doing paperwork in my cabin. A few hours later, we reached lake He. I felt my spirits lift as soon as the airship slowed down. I¡¯d finally get to see my siblings again, and maybe even others I¡¯d missed.


    From the air, I could see the landscape spread out below us, the lake bordering the meadows and fields. This far north, there was only a light dusting of snow on the crowns of a few trees and the lake hadn¡¯t frozen over. The estate was in a secluded corner, far from the nearest town, but it had a wall around sprawling grounds ringing the central palace. It looked vaguely familiar, especially as we lost altitude and came in for the landing.


    We¡¯d called ahead and the airship wasn¡¯t exactly hard to miss, so we were expected. Still, they¡¯d at least halfway followed my wish to avoid making a large fuss. Which meant there were only a few dozen kneeling people waiting for me, not every servant and courtier in the estate.


    I went through the greetings mostly on autopilot, counting the seconds until I got to hug my little sister. When we finally did, with my guards around us keeping the rest of the people away and blocking their sight ¡ª I really needed to look into giving Aston a raise, he earned it ¡ª she clung to me like she never wanted to let me go. I was careful of my supernatural strength, but embraced her just as fervently.


    ¡°I missed you, Little An,¡± I said. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she mumbled into my robe. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back, Big Sister.¡±


    When we¡¯d finished our greetings and the other people were dispersing, a familiar presence captured my attention, coming out of the main house. I sped up and felt a large smile settling into place as I drew closer to Tenira.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± she grinned, catching me in her arms as I came to a stop. ¡°Welcome back.¡±


    I kissed her, letting the other people around us fade from my awareness. It was a long kiss, passionate, but the romantic kind instead of sensual, like it always was with her. When we finally let go, I took a step back and looked around while Tenira greeted the others, exchanging hugs with Lei and Yarani.


    ¡°Al is coming tomorrow,¡± she finally told me, probably noticing my gaze. ¡°Kajare might come too, or we¡¯ll meet him at the staging point, depending on how things work out for him.¡±


    I nodded and smiled. As a group, we made our way into the summer palace and settled into a sitting room where servants had arranged refreshments. I noticed a game table in the corner, and wasn¡¯t surprised when Xiaodan dragged me there to a chessboard a few minutes later. While Lei and Tenira caught up and Elia poked through the Estate, we played and talked, mostly about what she¡¯d been doing. An had gotten better, and I had to work to beat her. I gave her a proud smile and ruffled her hair, pretending not to know that her attempts to brush me off were just a pretense.


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    I wished I could just stay here for a few weeks, have a good time with my siblings and my partners and friends, but I knew it was not to be. Events were being set in motion, and the war didn¡¯t rest, even if the fronts had been quiet recently. I wasn¡¯t the only one aware of that, of course, and so no one seemed surprised when, after a while, we ended up in a conference room decked out with maps and correspondence. Kei Yating took An outside, but I didn¡¯t spare him more than a brief smile and a nod before I focused on the room and the others.


    ¡°What happened in Adzur?¡± Tenira asked.


    I took a seat, leaned back in my chair, and started to recount the events of our trip with occasional help from Lei and Elia. Yarani seemed content to let us talk. I didn¡¯t say much about my meeting with my father, since I wanted to talk to her more in depth about that later in private, but focused on the political parts.


    ¡°And what did you guys do?¡± I finally asked.


    Tenira had a thoughtful frown on her face, but answered my question easily. ¡°About what you would expect. I developed our projects further. Field testing for Smite and Radiant is finished, and we¡¯ve made some progress with Warstar, but none of the other projects had a major breakthrough or got ready for further steps during this time. We should probably go over our progress in more depth later.¡±


    I nodded. I knew I¡¯d left our technological efforts in good hands with her, but it would probably get too technical for Elia and Yarani quickly if we dived into the details now.


    ¡°Things also settled down on the Earth Continent, in case you haven¡¯t heard,¡± she continued. ¡°Kajare settled some matters and established a framework for coordination and a network of liasons. We also got confirmation that their warships are mobilizing. Most of the Terbekteri navy could join the fight within a few months, although I don¡¯t know how many ships they¡¯ll actually send here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll come in useful even if the Terbekteri act on their own,¡± Yarani put in, smiling slightly. ¡°They could, for example, raid the Dominion¡¯s more outlying colonies while we pressure them here at home.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more or less the plan,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Terki has been a little cagey, but it definitely looks like the Kingdom is entering the war more seriously now.¡±


    ¡°And just in time,¡± Tenira said. ¡°This won¡¯t be easy going, even with their support. And we can¡¯t afford to keep all our attention on the Sky and Storm Continents, anyway.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I know. Are you all comfortable with this, so far? I¡¯m expecting you to come with, or at least contribute in other ways, but I don¡¯t want to presume. If you have concerns, now¡¯s the time to raise them, so we can talk about it before the inevitable meetings and war councils.¡±


    I looked at the others, but it didn¡¯t seem like any of them had something to add. Lei shrugged, Elia seemed more interested in the maps and only gave an absent nod, Yarani looked like she couldn¡¯t wait for things to start and Tenira was simply watching me with a small smile. It looked like they were all on board. Good.


    I took a large map showing the Sky and Storm Continents and spread it over the table. Someone had traced the current front and large troop concentrations with a marker, but it was focused on the geography, rather than a political map, and I paid attention to it as my gaze trailed down the map. Nothing there was new, but I found myself considering what I¡¯d learned about the continent.


    I tended to think about it in terms of what I knew from Earth. The Sky Continent¡¯s climate was similar to Central Europe in the southern part, and more like the Mediterranean in the north. The Yellow Graves had a jungle, but it wasn¡¯t tropical, more like the forests that used to cover large parts of Central Europe before the middle ages. At least it would be without the qi. For the Storm Continent, the northern, or at the least coastal, part was very similar to its counterpart in the Sky Continent¡¯s south. But the further you went, the colder it got. Eventually, the south of the Storm Continent was more similar to Siberia. Of course, the details depended on where you were compared to the sea, mountains and rivers, but that was the general situation. Maybe it¡¯s no wonder why the Zarian have kept pushing north.


    Obviously, the northern part of the Dominion was its breadbasket and also population center. That meant it would be over if you reached the Whitecaps and old core cities. Everything further south would either fall in line or get strangled.


    ¡°But first we need to get there,¡± I muttered to myself.


    ¡°Considering the campaign, or something deeper?¡± Tenira asked.


    I looked up and realized they were watching me, so I outlined what I was thinking. ¡°It does mean we have the most prosperous, and most heavily defended, part to deal with,¡± I concluded.


    They exchanged glances, and no one spoke at first. Tenira looked at the map with a faint frown, Elia let out a little sigh, and Lei fiddled with something.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Nari,¡± Yarani said, giving me a smile probably meant to be reassuring. ¡°We just weren¡¯t sure of the scope of your intentions.¡±


    ¡°You just made it clear you actually intend to conquer the Zarian,¡± Tenira elaborated. ¡°Don¡¯t you? I suppose you don¡¯t just want to push them back, maybe gain a foothold south, and settle things? Some might expect that.¡±


    I frowned and scratched my cheek. ¡°Right. No, I want to finish things. Even if we didn¡¯t have Jideia to worry about ¡ª and he¡¯s definitely a problem ¡ª I don¡¯t see such a situation being very stable. If we can gain the initiative, build and consolidate our advantage, I think it¡¯s best to keep pushing now. Not when they¡¯ve had time to adapt and build new defenses.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Lei said, glancing up for a moment.


    ¡°Besides, a relatively swift win would help our position much more when it comes to other nations,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re about to show strength, and that means being a threat. Better to show enough of it, to give any potential enemies and vultures pause.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Tenira said. She looked concerned.


    ¡°Things are never going to go back to the way they used to be, are they?¡± Elia asked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± I admitted.


    There was a moment of silence. As if by an unspoken agreement, the conversation then shifted to lighter topics. We talked about the past weeks in more detail. But no one seemed inclined to talk much and the conversation quickly faltered again, creating growing periods of silence. Finally, Elia stood up, and Lei pushed out his chair after her.


    ¡°Would you guys mind going ahead?¡± I asked, looking at Tenira and tilting my head to indicate I wanted to talk to her.


    ¡°Back only a few hours and we¡¯re already being set aside,¡± Elia teased me, shaking her head with exaggerated sadness. ¡°Yarani, you need to be strong now.¡±


    ¡°Glad to know you have such a high opinion of me, Elia,¡± Yarani retorted, rolling her eyes. Then she looked at me. ¡°We get it, you have things to discuss with your right hand. Come on.¡±


    They left, and I turned back to Tenira. I guess you could consider her my right hand, actually. Huh.


    She watched me with a small smile that said she guessed what I was thinking. ¡°I take it this is indeed business, Inaris?¡± she asked.


    I took out a few sheets of paper and pushed them towards her. ¡°I wanted to get your opinion on that.¡±


    She took them and started reading. After a few moments, she glanced up, frowning again. ¡°Inaris, this is ¡­ different.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to discuss this with Kiyanu.¡±


    ¡°I will, of course.¡± I sighed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that big of a deal. I¡¯m not proposing burning down any temples. Well, not here, anyway.¡± I waved that away. ¡°Just some minor, basically legal moves to increase the pressure on the Storm and put a check on his worship in the Empire. Taxes, properties, PR. This is the best time for it, Tenira. With my connection to the Moon and his worship and popularity surging, we¡¯re well positioned for it. Especially if we emphasize how the Zarian worship the Storm and hint at the deeper conflict causing this war.¡±


    Tenira nodded slowly. ¡°I see what you mean. I¡¯ll consult with a few others and get back to you with comments on the practical details.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to warn me against this course of action?¡± I asked, feeling a bit of my tension relax.


    She smiled. ¡°No. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re being more proactive and defending your interests, love.¡±


    I returned her smile, then leaned over to kiss her.


    Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t have much time, and Tenira got up to get to work. I watched her walk out of the room and stretched before standing up myself. It was good to have her back.

 137: Rewards and punishments

    <div>


    ¡°You¡¯re growing up way too quickly,¡± I commented.


    Elia, Lei and Yarani, who were talking further down, glanced at us, but ignored me. Since I¡¯d spoken in English, they couldn¡¯t understand me, anyway. Al, on the other hand, just grinned up at me and straightened up further.


    ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m not growing nearly quickly enough.¡±


    His voice had started to break, I noticed. The kid I¡¯d first met coming back from my soul journey really wasn¡¯t that child anymore, even in appearance. He¡¯d had a growth spurt recently, and his face had hollowed out a little. Well, he was fourteen biologically, and probably about nineteen going by his memories. The cheeky grin and the sparkle in his blue eyes had changed remarkably little, though.


    Al got back to the katas he¡¯d been doing, and I bit down on the urge to tell him the deck of an airship wasn¡¯t the best place for it. He wasn¡¯t a novice anymore, and actually controlled his movements tightly in response to the cramped room. He moved with fluid grace, his weapons whirling around him and switching seamlessly. Displaying more talent than I¡¯d ever shown for fighting, if I was honest.


    By the time the airship slowed down and started losing altitude, he was covered in sweat, but still moving smoothly.


    I threw a towel at him. ¡°Get yourself cleaned up. I¡¯ll conjure some water to dunk you in if needed. Can¡¯t have you make me look bad.¡±


    ¡°Screw you,¡± he retorted, but rubbed his face with the towel. ¡°I¡¯ll go get washed up in the cabin.¡±


    ¡°And watch your language,¡± I threw after him. ¡°I can freeze that water, too.¡±


    Al disappeared into the airship¡¯s cabin and I turned around, joining the others as we descended above the town. It had been a sleepy provincial settlement, at least before the war. Now, newly made fortifications and buildings of smooth stone raised by earth cultivators sprawled along one side of it, only leaving gaps for air fields. Our airship set down on the largest one, which was positioned in a central location.


    When we disembarked, Al rushing out of the cabin in new robes just in time, the bustle of the military base around us continued. But I barely noticed it, since I was focused on one man waiting by its side. When I jumped down from the railing, he hurried forward, a smile on his face.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± Kajare called. ¡°It¡¯s been too long.¡±


    I grinned and caught him in a hug. ¡°Not as long as last time, but yes, it certainly has. Good to see you again.¡±


    I let him go so he could greet the others and looked around. A few officers were waiting for us, but no one I knew. Focusing on my senses, I recognized both Kariva and Kiyanu, along with some vaguely familiar presences, in two of the nearby buildings. It didn¡¯t surprise me that we were led to the latter first. Elia peeled off on the way there and Lei vanished once we entered the building, but I wouldn¡¯t have expected anything else.


    Kiyanu was in a meeting with several of the generals, but when we entered, he dismissed them and greeted me with a smile. I nodded at the retreating officers and returned the regent¡¯s greeting. He wore a slightly more elaborate robe today, in blue with white highlights, but he¡¯d let his beard grow out a little.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± he said, sweeping his gaze over the others. ¡°All of you.¡±


    The rest of them bowed, but I simply nodded. I was never quite sure how much respect I was supposed to show or expect from him, especially in formal situations, which this luckily wasn¡¯t. ¡°Likewise,¡± I replied. ¡°It seems like things are going well here.¡±


    ¡°No major problems have shown up yet,¡± he said with a wry twist of his lips.


    We spent the next few minutes generally catching up on everyone¡¯s situation. I¡¯d read reports on the campaign, so little of what he said was actually news to me, but I paid attention to what he chose to talk about.


    After a bit, Al cleared his throat. ¡°I was going to catch some of the guard officers who arranged a training exercise, if that¡¯s alright?¡±


    After a glance at Kiyanu, I nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come along, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Kajare said. ¡°That should be interesting.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Yarani spoke up.


    I watched them go, then turned back to Kiyanu, who shook his head. ¡°At least they showed up,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t envy your position, dealing with three partners, to be honest.¡±


    I shrugged, glancing at Tenira for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard, they¡¯re all really great and understanding.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I was hoping Lady Elia would be here, though, if we¡¯re to discuss the events in Adzur.¡±


    I took note of him using that respectful title. Maybe because, as an eighth-stager, he thought long-term, and expected spirit-children to grow powerful in time.


    ¡°She¡¯s not the type for meetings,¡± I said. ¡°Too much sitting still and taking in information.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like young Akilei? He seems quite disinterested in such things, too.¡±


    ¡°Not really, Lei¡¯s just indifferent,¡± I shrugged. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t the Imperial Princess, I¡¯d probably act much the same, just focusing on the lab. Alas.¡±


    Actually, with the way Elia seemed to have trouble paying attention to anything for long and was always wanting to move around, I suspected she had ADHD. Although she also had a perfect memory, which clearly helped her deal with it. Anyway, anyone underestimating her intellect or acumen because of that would be in for a rude surprise. Lei just couldn¡¯t be bothered, most of the time.


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    Kiyanu smiled crookedly. ¡°Lucky for all of us you don¡¯t.¡± He walked over to one of the chairs, gesturing us to the others. I took the one next to his.


    Standing beside Kiyanu for a moment, I was a little surprised to realize that I was actually slightly taller than him. I¡¯d never thought of Kiyanu as short. He had too much presence. Of course, he was one of the few Imperials in the late part of the eighth stage. In a way, ruling the Empire had actually gotten easier with him front and center instead of Mother, at least when it came to dealing with the rest of them.


    ¡°Everything is ready for us to finally dislodge the Zarian from Blue Valley City militarily, but we should discuss the internal situation,¡± he said.


    I nodded. ¡°I had a point concerning that, actually.¡± I handed him a folder, smiling briefly at Tenira as I did. She¡¯d come through and collected enough information to help me turn this into a workable proposal.


    ¡°This is about the temples, as you mentioned?¡± Kiyanu leafed through the sheets of paper. ¡°We¡¯ll need to discuss it with several other people to work out what¡¯s feasible, but in principle, I¡¯m inclined to go along with it.¡±


    I leaned back into my chair. ¡°Then you wanted to talk about other issues?¡±


    He nodded, putting down the papers. ¡°Before we get into the details of this campaign, we need to sort out the aftermath of the Ten Lords¡¯ Strife.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow quizzically.


    ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯ve taken to calling our brief civil war,¡± Tenira explained. ¡°The Strife of Ten Lords and Two Kings, or alternatively, Ten Lords¡¯ Strife. Doesn¡¯t seem to matter that the numbers don¡¯t match up if you lump the ¡®kings¡¯ with the ¡®lords¡¯, but no one agrees on who the ten total are, anyway.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°And the kings are Wei and Zun, I suppose?¡± I glanced at Kiyanu. Or one of them and him, but wouldn¡¯t that be three kings? ¡°Well, they have been fighting each other at the end here. It¡¯s truly finished, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The fighting concluded weeks ago,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Zun Chao is in our hands. The Wei rooted out the last of the Zun and other traitor clans¡¯ fighters, losing a good chunk of their strength in the process. But even after everything, they¡¯re still one of the strongest clans in the Empire¡¯s center.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re like the proverbial cockroaches, always coming back strong,¡± I sighed. They¡¯d lost a lot of territory after the last civil war and still been one of the pillars of this one, too.


    Tenira snorted. ¡°Considering your relationship, maybe you want to amend that metaphor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think there are fire-using cockroaches even in this world.¡± I grinned at her.


    ¡°Just please don¡¯t have a child with one of them,¡± Kiyanu said, a slight smirk on his face. ¡°But in all seriousness, we need to decide what to do with both them and the other clans involved in the rebellion.¡±


    ¡°I take it executing Wei Yong and Wei Jun is off the table now?¡± I asked, with a bit of relief.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°That would not be a good idea. Not after they fought hard for us, not considering your blood relation.¡±


    ¡°Wei Min did send us regular reports on the internal happenings in the Wei and has done a good job of keeping the clan together, pointed at the Zun and cooperating,¡± Tenira said.


    ¡°His cultivation is still relatively weak, but he is the best candidate for taking over the clan,¡± Kiyanu said.


    I smiled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make some time to give him a few tips and hopefully help him break through to the next stage. We can confirm him in his role officially at the end of this campaign, unless you want to do it sooner?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s for the best. I would like to hold Zun Chao¡¯s execution before that, though. Do you want to preside over his trial?¡±


    I considered it for a moment, then shook my head. ¡°No. You can do it, but do give him a proper and fair trial.¡± We all knew he¡¯d be found guilty of high treason, his actions were clear, and I would have been very surprised if Kiyanu wanted to let him live. I wasn¡¯t about to object, but I still wanted proper justice.


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve drafted plans for what territory we should take from the Wei and other clans as sanctions. We¡¯ll need to confirm that and how it will be distributed.¡±


    He slid a few sheets of paper to me, maps and listings. I frowned and read through them. It looked like some of the clans, including Zun, would be pretty much destroyed and their properties parceled up, while others were heavily sanctioned but left alive. They¡¯d lose territory, wealth and valuable items.


    ¡°Their lands will go to local settlements and to clans that fought steadfastly for us,¡± Tenira said. ¡°The biggest chunk to clan Aiki. I¡¯d also suggest lands for new universities.¡±


    The Aiki were essentially a branch clan of the Leri and had lost a number of their members fighting the coup, so that made sense. I saw her suggestion marked on the papers and nodded.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± I said. ¡°Besides that, I would reserve some lands for common-born soldiers who prove themselves in the war against the Zarian. They could be allowed to found new clans, or at least be given these properties.¡±


    Kiyanu smiled. ¡°A good thought. We should certainly work that into our plans.¡±


    The way he looked, he might have had the same thought himself. ¡°I¡¯ll let you and Gen handle those,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know enough to decide the details.¡±


    ¡°Of course. The only other point of interest is clan Tener.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, glancing at the paper again, before I turned in my chair. ¡°Aston?¡±


    He opened the door and stepped in. ¡°My lady?¡± His eyes flickered to Kiyanu briefly.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take over your clan?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, my lady. My niece is more than competent, and a much better pick than me.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    He stepped out of the room again, and I caught Tenira hiding a smile. ¡°They won¡¯t let him get off that easily.¡±


    ¡°So long as they pay their taxes and provide fighters, they can handle their own matters, I don¡¯t care,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°If you want to reward your guard, you could approve a marriage with a good prospect from one of the strong loyalist families like Aiki, or even your own clan. That would give him status but bind him less tightly to his clan.¡±


    I blinked, then shook my head. ¡°If one of my great aunts or cousins wants that, I wouldn¡¯t mind, but let¡¯s not jump into the ocean without checking the tide.¡± That was a saying from the clan, as far as I knew. I found it funny because I never needed to check the tide.


    ¡°We have a proverb like that where I¡¯m from,¡± Kiyanu mentioned, his tone a little wistful.


    ¡°The Empire¡¯s province in the Forest Continent?¡± I asked.


    He nodded and shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t when I was born ¡ª I suppose I¡¯m actually from outside the Empire ¡ª but my home was incorporated when I was a teenager and I¡¯d already been living in the largest Imperial city for a decade, by then.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It was a long time ago, anyway.¡±


    ¡°The Forest Continent has barely been touched by the fighting, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Tenira asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°Although I doubt it will stay that way for long. Especially if our current campaign is a success. The introduction of our new auxiliaries will shift the war, anyway, and I hesitate to try to predict all of the changes it will bring.¡±


    ¡°Many of them won¡¯t be visible until later,¡± I agreed. ¡°But that¡¯s life. Progress marches on.¡±


    And even on Aran, war and society had already changed long before I came along. A bit like in the middle ages on Earth, actually. It used to be carried by noble families, who could afford the training and resources to raise knights. Cultivation aids instead of heavy cavalry, here, but the same principle. But those had faded in favor of more professional armies, because of social and technological changes. We were only continuing the trend.


    ¡°We¡¯re about ready to begin the siege of Blue Valley City, anyway,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°I¡¯ll continue to accompany our forces personally.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this because you¡¯ll keep an eye on me and stop me from doing something stupid and rushing into danger,¡± I sighed.


    Kiyanu smiled serenely.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have more than enough technology to keep her happy,¡± Tenira told him, smirking at me.


    I rolled my eyes. At least she was right.

 138: Siege

    <div>


    Blue Valley City hadn¡¯t suffered from the occupation, at least not visibly. The city still stood, its walls rising as high as ever, some chimneys sending up smoke. Obviously, the Zarian had changed the wards and defenses enough that we couldn¡¯t simply barge in, but a casual observer might not have noticed anything from this distance.


    Until you looked closely enough to see the Dominion¡¯s flag raised over the city.


    It was early morning, and the horizon behind the city was still dyed in warm tones, although from my position it hid the sun from view. My surroundings were alive with activity, though. I¡¯d rarely sensed this many soldiers in one location before, and it was only one of several camps we¡¯d erected, anchoring the defensive fortifications we¡¯d set up encircling the city. The siege was in motion, but one way or another, I doubted it would last long.


    We couldn¡¯t starve them out, and trying that would hit the civilian population far harder than the Zarian soldiers. It was an open question which side would get reinforcements first, at least in significant numbers. The walls were big enough and packed with enough qi that we couldn¡¯t simply knock them down, but they weren¡¯t as much of an obstacle as they would have been for an actual medieval army. The qi shield covering the city posed a larger problem, since it meant we couldn¡¯t simply use our planes or fliers to bomb the Zarian from above.


    ¡°This is going to be my first real battle,¡± Elia said, fidgeting as she looked at the city. ¡°Any tips?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t drive yourself crazy over it,¡± Lei said. ¡°It¡¯s not such a big deal.¡±


    ¡°And we won¡¯t get near the thick of the fighting, anyway,¡± Yarani added. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been in a few battles, and they¡¯re scary whether it¡¯s your first one or not.¡±


    ¡°Right, you used to be a soldier, didn¡¯t you?¡± Elia asked, brightening up a little. ¡°Did you fight a lot?¡±


    ¡°Not really, mostly against the nomads, and then on the Earth Continent, like the others. Things used to be peaceful around here.¡±


    ¡°Good times,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°I remember my commander¡¯s face when I explained how I was leaving, after I accepted your offer.¡± Yarani smiled. ¡°That was kind of fun.¡±


    ¡°You must have left a lot behind,¡± Lei commented. ¡°Did you stay in touch with your comrades?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°A little, but not much, to be honest.¡± She glanced outside the base¡¯s window at the commotion. ¡°Some of my old comrades are here now, actually.¡±


    I presumed that more would have been here but didn¡¯t make it. Perhaps the thought occurred to her, too, since after a moment her expression darkened. We stood in silence for a few seconds.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Kajare, anyway?¡± Elia finally asked.


    ¡°Talking to the commander of the Terbekteri troops,¡± I answered.


    My mood brightened a little as I thought of my husband. I¡¯d spent last night with him, and we¡¯d taken some time to catch up. It was good to be reunited with him, not just because of that.


    ¡°I doubt they¡¯re going to be much help for this one,¡± Yarani commented. ¡°Although they¡¯re instrumental for keeping the river clear, I¡¯ll give them that.¡±


    I nodded. The last thing we needed was for the Zarian to land reinforcements on the coast by ships, and preventing that was what I really wanted Terbekteri reinforcements for, at the moment. Help in the assault was a bonus.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lei asked.


    Elia jerked and looked outside, clearly surprised. I just nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s join Kiyanu and the generals.¡±


    We left the room where we¡¯d been watching the city and walked down the corridor, then out the door. They¡¯d put up a pavilion outside, with a good view of our positions as well as the city. Off to the side, a light cultivator had set up a shimmering screen hanging in the air that showed a close-up of the city walls, while smaller windows showed us the other Imperial forces.


    Everyone rose and bowed when we entered, but I waved them back to their positions. Kiyanu was in the center, flanked by the highest-ranking generals of this army. And also Wei Jun. He was too valuable to keep out of the war, but no one trusted him to lead the vanguard, so he just kind of hovered here and helped with the planning even as the army officers gave him some space. His clan¡¯s fighters had been broken up into smaller groups and put where they couldn¡¯t do too much damage if they turned, but would still fight effectively.


    I personally thought those precautions were a little too paranoid, but the coup had been sponsored by Zarian, so I could see their point.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± the officer overseeing the radios and communications talismans said, ¡°all siege positions report ready. The weapons are primed and targeted.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°Good. There¡¯s no point hesitating. Begin the first phase, generals.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and watched attentively as the siege truly began. Formation array-covered shields withdrew from walls and emplacements, showing equally rune-covered barrels. That was all we could actually see, though, since they were laser weapons. Basically, they were just larger, stationary versions of the laser guns we¡¯d tested before. Unfortunately, I hadn¡¯t been able to overcome the dependency on qi, so they still used some, in the formations, but the main power source of the actual attacks was electric.


    Two dozen siege weapons scattered around the city began their barrage, and we could see the city¡¯s shields shimmer like a heat haze as it tried to deal with the high intensity electromagnetic radiation. This wasn¡¯t the first time we¡¯d used the concept, so obviously the Zarian would have their shields ready, but our main goal was putting a strain on those, anyway.


    ¡°They¡¯re working well,¡± Tenira commented. She¡¯d quietly stepped up beside me. ¡°A little too much heat on the delta versions, but manageable.¡±


    ¡°We could stand here all day and just batter away at their shields,¡± Yarani said. ¡°I¡¯m curious how long they¡¯ll just sit there.¡±


    ¡°Well, we have other tools, too,¡± I said. ¡°Although I¡¯m hoping it will be a bit longer until they muster for a counter-attack.¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t get the siege-breaking charge I¡¯d been hoping for. Instead, large qi attacks began to arc out of the city, targeted at the positions of our guns. I sighed and crossed my arms, watching on the screens and listening in to the chatter in the command pavilion with half an ear.


    We had thick walls and formation shields to protect our weapons, of course, but I knew they wouldn¡¯t stand up to a concentrated barrage. That was the trade-off here. The whole point was not to get into a slugging match of how much qi each side could put up.


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    ¡°Let¡¯s try out Project Smite,¡± I suggested.


    Kiyanu glanced at me, then nodded. ¡°Do it, General Poteri.¡±


    Poteri talked into another communications device, and one of the screens shifted to show the sky above the city. A few seconds later, a boulder larger than the city walls were high entered the picture, arcing towards Blue Valley City.


    Smite was a very simple concept. I¡¯d chosen the name appropriately, in my own opinion. With a mix of complicated pulley and launcher frames, somewhat like a catapult turned up to eleven, and clever uses of spatial qi, it enabled attacks of pure, extensive brute force. These boulders, stone wrapped around heavy metal, couldn¡¯t be stopped easily, but would crash forward to flatten anything in their path. At the moment of impact with the city¡¯s qi shield, they would have enough energy to produce massive craters if they actually hit the ground, and the shield would definitively have to bear it. Even better, they weren¡¯t going to go away after their momentum was arrested, they¡¯d just be hanging there, and the shield or the Zarian cultivators would have to keep them aloft until they could move them aside safely.


    We didn¡¯t have many of the projectiles, but they were totally worth it.


    And I hadn¡¯t even put any effort into these tricks. It was just the first real battle of a longer campaign, after all. These were probably our simplest tools.


    ¡°I think we can safely consider those to be an unmitigated success,¡± Tenira said. Despite her words, she wasn¡¯t smiling, just looking at the unfolding scenes with intense focus.


    ¡°Your team has truly risen to the occasion, Lady Tenira,¡± General Poteri agreed.


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation inside the city unfolding?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of the details,¡± Kiyanu answered. ¡°We have little more than long-distance imagery. This isn¡¯t exactly the time for anyone inside to be sending reports. But I¡¯m sure you know that better than me, don¡¯t you, Inaris?¡±


    I shrugged. I had done my best to use my abilities to help our preparations and spent hours asleep, sending my dreaming mind into the city¡¯s counterpart in the weird space I experienced dreams to be in. I had successfully contacted a few of the people Kariva had placed in the city. They were all essentially deep-cover agents, who had realized that the best thing they could do was lie low and not fight the Zarian conquest and occupation at all. Except for these dreams, they¡¯d had very little contact with anyone else, and been very careful about gathering information.


    As a result, we had a general idea of how the Zarian had appropriated the city¡¯s magical defenses and their military positions, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to do much sabotage even if we were willing to risk it.


    I just hoped that the city would come out of this okay. The Zarian had only occupied it for a short time, after all. From what they¡¯d told me, and my own impressions, it was confirmed that the invaders had not been able to put down roots in any meaningful sense. The people of the south simply hated the Zarian too much. Of course, I knew better than to think there would be no lasting damage.


    ¡°They¡¯re starting to move,¡± one of the other officers reported. She looked up and gestured at one of the screens, causing the view to zoom in, and made a few red circles appear to point out movement.


    I leaned forward. ¡°Are they starting an attack?¡±


    ¡°Might be, my lady,¡± Poteri said. ¡°They seem to be gathering strength to the north.¡±


    I frowned, and saw that Kiyanu did the same. We were in the south, while the river had roughly an east-west orientation, so this was directly opposite us. And, incidentally, far from our strongest concentration of forces, which the Zarian had to know. It made sense to me, but it shouldn¡¯t; even if they managed to break through our encirclement to the north, it wouldn¡¯t matter. With cultivators, both sides were too mobile in combat and pinning a force down was a lot harder than that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s muster our defenses,¡± Kiyanu decided. ¡°Everywhere, this may well be a faint or distraction. We have time, people. We don¡¯t need to rush a storm of their walls.¡±


    Everyone nodded, and the officers set about implementing his direction. I ran a hand through my hair, then noticed I was doing it and made myself stop. I was feeling uneasy, although I didn¡¯t know if that was something connected to my bloodline or just the general situation. Certainly, I¡¯d never been relaxed during a battle, and sitting on the sidelines watching didn¡¯t make it easier.


    ¡°Should we scramble the Lighters, as well?¡± General Wu asked.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that,¡± Poteri answered. ¡°They¡¯ll have their chance to prove themselves today.¡±


    ¡°Lighters?¡± I questioned.


    An explosion shook the view through one of the screens, and another defensive emplacement went up in flames, its energy cannon turned to slag. We were losing too many of them, I couldn¡¯t help but feel, even as, elsewhere, cultivators were trying to repair others or setting up replacements.


    Kiyanu glanced at me. ¡°It¡¯s what the soldiers have taken to calling our new units. Simpler than Imperial Army Auxiliary Corps, I suppose. It doesn¡¯t hurt that most of them carry your laser rifles.¡±


    I nodded. As if she was sensing my thoughts, Tenira passed me a sheet of paper. Glancing at it, I saw a breakdown of the company and its armaments. Besides the laser rifles, a few of the fighters had more conventional gunpowder firearms, others more versatile tools like grenades. All of them working with no or only minimal qi.


    ¡°There¡¯s only about a hundred soldiers,¡± I noted.


    Kiyanu shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ve only had the weapons finished and fully past their tests for a short time. These are all prospects who¡¯ve failed out of joining the army or the scraps of local garrisons. People who¡¯ve had enough military training they only need a week or two of supplementary instruction to be combat-ready.¡±


    ¡°Almost all soldiers are employed elsewhere, even the weakest ones,¡± Tenira added. ¡°On the front or taking the places of stronger soldiers inside the Empire. Monster attacks don¡¯t stop just because there¡¯s a war on.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry.¡± Kiyanu smiled faintly. ¡°If this works out, their numbers will swell explosively.¡±


    I nodded, frowning in thought as I looked at Tenira¡¯s papers and glanced at the squads I could see in a viewscreen on the left. ¡°I know. We have the production capacity.¡± I chewed my lip. ¡°Assuming we give them a few months of boot camp, we could have double the numbers of our regular army in auxiliaries in six months. If we can muster the recruitment?¡±


    We could have a lot more people with guns, if we didn¡¯t restrict recruitment to the third stage. And maybe if things turned dire, I would accept weaker cultivators. But they just didn¡¯t have the same physical strength and speed. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it, not unless I want fodder to throw into a meat grinder. No thanks.


    ¡°That depends on how things turn out here,¡± Kiyanu replied. ¡°If they prove themselves, I doubt it will be a problem.¡±


    I looked back at one of the squads of Lighters waiting in formation behind a defensive emplacement. Their uniforms were black with the Imperial phoenix in red embroidered on one shoulder, and a flame focused through a lens on the other. They looked snazzy in the new uniforms, but the fighters inside them didn¡¯t quite measure up. They shifted around more than regular soldiers, eying their surroundings with wariness and in a few cases barely concealed apprehension, gripping their weapons tightly. This would be a trial by fire, I knew.


    I turned around, but before I could continue the conversation, a loud sound came from one of the communication devices, and a hush fell over the room. I looked around, noting that a few of the view screens were flickering, and others¡¯ view was shaking, even though I could sense there was no earthquake.


    Aston materialized beside me, his aura rolling off him like an angry cloud, while other guards surrounded my companions. I barely noticed it, or the way the officers in the pavilion were starting to swarm, those more accustomed to being in combat pulling out weapons.


    I winced as something inside my senses seemed to twist, as if the world was folding in on itself in a spot just a hundred meters away from me. I stepped forward on legs I suddenly had to steady, to the edge of the pavilion, and saw what I had failed to expect to ever come from our enemies.


    We weren¡¯t the only ones who had developed new tricks.


    But while I and my companions had turned to our memories of other worlds, of advanced technology and physical cleverness, the Zarian hadn¡¯t lost their focus on qi. Yet instead of something completely new, they had chosen an old, problematic field, and breathed new life into it. The boom echoing through the air, vibrating in my bones, proclaimed their success.


    An open area between the buildings and the beginnings of the defensive emplacements shimmered and twisted as a flood of qi rushed out, and turned on itself. Then everything snapped into place, and ranks upon ranks of Zarian cultivators marched out, every one of them with a higher cultivation than me.


    Officers and guards around me formed up, and Aston started edging me away, but I kept my focus on trying to see as much of what was happening as I could. The Zarian force wasted no time in attacking. Hastily raised buildings blew apart and crashed down, and a defensive position anchoring wards and abutting large guns followed a moment later. A squad of Dominion elites stepped through the flames they¡¯d just created, and one of the Smite constructs crumpled in on itself.


    They¡¯d managed to surprise us, and now, the real fight started.

 139: Asymmetric warfare

    <div>


    The soldiers reacted quickly, and the Dominion attackers had barely stepped out of the spot their teleportation brought them to before they were attacked. Of course, in that time they¡¯d already done a lot of damage.


    I backed away, suddenly grateful for Aston¡¯s solid presence shielding me from the fight, but I didn¡¯t run away. I needed to know what was happening. Besides, he probably agreed that I was safest close to the group of high-stage cultivators, or he¡¯d already be trying to move me. Worst case, I guess Kiyanu can just run and carry me. But that would still be a disaster.


    Not to mention I didn¡¯t want to leave anyone behind I didn¡¯t have to.


    I shook those thoughts off as another loud bang echoed through the camp, and one of the towers at the corner sacked downwards. It stabilized quickly, only half caved in, but that wasn¡¯t a good sign. The Zarian had caught us by surprise, and I saw too many of our soldiers dying before they even got off a good attack. I swallowed hard and had to resist the urge to retch as the wind once more carried the scent of burning flesh and hair to my nose.


    The officers behind and around me were shouting, more or less coherently and in a semblance of order. Some of them vanished from the tent as they charged towards the intruders, and a portion of the Zarian split off to focus on the incoming elites. I barely caught their fight, but it produced a blast wave that leveled a few of the closer prebuilt structures.


    ¡°Keep the siege weapons firing at the walls,¡± I heard Poteri order. ¡°There¡¯s nothing they can do here except wait to be destroyed.¡±


    I grimaced at the thought, but I knew he was right. We didn¡¯t want to level our own camp, and even getting a few more shots in before they were destroyed was better than not getting those.


    Under other circumstances, I might have advocated for pressing a charge at one of the other cardinal locations to take pressure off this one. But we were sieging a fortified city, and any half-baked attempt at an attack would invite brutal punishment. Instead, I had to wait and watch as the fight spread through this camp. The Zarian broke their formation quickly, fighting as the individual heavyweights they were. Kiyanu stepped up beside me, clenching his fingers into fists, and I spared him a brief smile. Knowing you could fight this but were unable to had to burn like nothing else.


    Heart beating into my throat, I watched as one of the Zarian faced off against a group of Lighters that had been caught at the edge of the developing struggle. There were two squads, but the enemy soldier was in the sixth stage, and he tore through them like they were cardboard figures. They barely got a shot off. The spray of blood and the screams of the dying and wounded made my stomach twist.


    ¡°Withdraw the Lighters!¡± I called in the direction of the officers. ¡°All of them! They¡¯re useless here.¡±


    They were supposed to fight against regular soldiers. The plan was that a squad of Lighters should be able to take on a fighter in the fourth stage and come out ahead. And unlike normal cultivators, they would have barely used their qi, so they¡¯d be ready to do it again, and again. But putting them up against elites would be like trying to set rabbits against a bear.


    Maybe I wasn¡¯t the first to give that order, and the rest of their company withdrew quickly, while what remained of the squads engaged with the Zarian tried to disengage, as well. He was hit by one of the Imperial elites, and they managed to scamper away. The few that remained, at least. I bit my lip.


    Breathing out deeply, I focused on the world around me, the heat of the sun and the surrounding people, and pulled fire qi in, ignoring the way it burned against my meridians. I closed my eyes for a moment and shaped it, taking the time I needed to make sure the technique was perfect, then opened my eyes and focused on a target. I exhaled and launched the technique. A group of Zarian soldiers in the fifth stage stumbled in their bloody dance as the fireball exploded in their midst, sending burning pieces everywhere. A few soldiers close to them cried out as the Scattering Wrath of the Inferno landed on them and starting burning through their defenses.


    I took a few deep breaths and gave my channels a moment of rest. Other Imperial soldiers took the opening I¡¯d created and launched their own attacks against the Zarian. More and more, the central area of the camp was descending into chaos. With all the qi that was thrown around, I had a hard time keeping track of the details.


    I shook my head and focused on light qi. Then I started laying my Light¡¯s Speed technique over as many Imperial fighters as was feasible. I left the stronger elites, since my boost wouldn¡¯t be able to do much for them, but I buffed quite a few regular soldiers. I could feel the drain on my dantian, which was depleting far quicker than I could have pulled in new qi, even if I didn¡¯t have to maintain the technique. But that was alright. This fight would be over soon, one way or another.


    ¡°Come on, at least a few of you can go fight,¡± I said with a glance at my guards. ¡°Aston won¡¯t let me get hurt, and neither will Kiyanu. But we¡¯ll all be safer if more elites fight the Zarian.¡±


    Aston pulled a face, and while a few guards glanced at the fight, none of them moved. ¡°My lady, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s wise,¡± he said.


    ¡°Aston.¡± I regarded him steadily. ¡°If you won¡¯t, I¡¯ll give explicit orders. Your choice.¡±


    After a moment, he lowered his gaze and bowed. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He straightened and started naming guards, while I turned my attention back to the fight.


    The Imperial soldiers were finally beginning to fight back as a coherent whole, and the Zarian attackers were being stopped and even driven back. I caught some movement behind me and turned just in time to glimpse Kiyanu rising into the air. He was probably checking for other forces or hidden surprises. It¡¯s not directly fighting, but I doubt the Zarian will get anything past him. Well, anything else.


    ¡°Inaris!¡± Tenira called as she joined me at last. ¡°Looks like you finally learned not to go haring off into fights.¡±


    ¡°Very funny,¡± I replied drily. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been?¡±


    ¡°Looking after our projects,¡± she said more seriously. ¡°Everything¡¯s in order, more or less. I thought it was about time we did something about this.¡±


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    I sighed. I didn¡¯t want to waste the advantage of surprise we still had. But she was right. I couldn¡¯t let this go on much longer, or the Zarian would capitalize on it, and dislodging them from the city would get a lot harder. I¡¯d be surprised if they didn¡¯t have a follow-up planned, or at least prepared if they got the opportunity.


    We didn¡¯t have many good options, either, but we¡¯d deal with it.


    I turned back, Tenira at my side. ¡°Kiyanu, Poteri,¡± I called. ¡°We need to start the air strikes. They¡¯ll push them to recall this force, and it would be good cover.¡±


    The two of them turned to me. General Poteri frowned, but nodded after a moment. ¡°Waiting any longer would demand too steep a cost. With your permission, my lord?¡±


    Kiyanu nodded, but didn¡¯t stop looking at me. ¡°You seem like you have something on your mind, Inaris,¡± he noted. He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Another attack?¡±


    My smile widened. ¡°Not really, but I do have an idea.¡±


    It took a minute to explain what I wanted before we could set things in motion. Slowly, I walked back to the edge of the pavilion, sweeping my senses through the area to try and get a better idea of how the battle was going. Large parts of the fortifications were smoking ruins by now, or twisted beyond any hint of effectiveness. Bodies littered the ground, and not all of them were showing signs of life, though some were groaning and dragging themselves off and others being carefully picked up by healers. More than once, I saw a healer getting attacked before they could get to their prospective patient. It would have been hard to say how the battle as a whole unfolded. It was hard to believe it had only been a few minutes since the start.


    Then, finally, the crackle of radio chatter informed me that things were starting. I stepped back and glanced at the screens, some of which had shifted, and nodded as I saw what I expected to find. Our planes, cultivators on flying swords, and even a few of the more maneuverable airships had taken to the skies and were finishing their approach. The dome of energy over the city flashed in spots as they started to drop bombs.


    I couldn¡¯t help a smile as I watched. The spots spread out quickly, appearing in a dispersed pattern like raindrops on glass. Even from the distance, a few dark shapes were clearly visible as they dropped from the sky and onto the shield, larger than any of the bombs. Those were no joke, either, and one of the outbuildings close to the city walls descended into a blazing inferno, flinging scraps of burning wood and stone into its surroundings, as if to punctuate the danger.


    But I wrenched my gaze away and to the fights happening outside. Immediately, I could tell that the Zarian had realized what was happening. Their advance had stopped, and if anything, they were drawing more tightly together. Preparing for a possible retreat.


    Our bombings were threatening the integrity of the shield, and if it fell, we¡¯d be free to bomb the walls and their defensive fortifications, not to mention wherever they might have assembled soldiers in preparation for the battle. The only way to stop that was in the air, and for that, the Zarian needed their elites. The same ones, I figured, who were merrily wreaking havoc in our camp.


    I glanced upwards again, then tried to run a hand through my hair but instead brushed it past my shoulder. Yarani had helped me with putting it into a slightly complicated braid, since I¡¯d put my foot down about not bringing servants into a war camp. And seeing what¡¯s happening, I can definitely say I told them so.


    I considered the state of the fight for another moment, then turned to my guards. ¡°Aston, hold them down.¡±


    He nodded and his aura seemed to rumble a little as he used his earth qi. I stepped back, watching. Aston and Ru Lis, who¡¯d just joined us out front, together with a few strong earth cultivators, struck at the Zarian. The ground boiled up around them, clinging to the soldiers and drowning their feet and legs. The fight seemed to stutter for a moment as Imperial soldiers fled the area while the Zarian contended with the techniques. Most of the seventh-stagers broke free, but I watched with narrow eyes as many others were caught.


    Then the slightest shift in my senses provided a split second of warning before the bombs fell from the sky, the bombers too high in the air for the Zarian to sense. A large rock sank into the middle of the area, barely missing a Zarian soldier, and then the explosives followed.


    I had to shield my eyes, and took another step back. Waves of force and heat rolled over the camp. I could sense soldiers dying. Mostly Zarian, but also a few Imperials who¡¯d been caught on the edges. That whole part of the camp was almost leveled, walls and several of our siege engines blowing apart or going up in flames. Smoke started to choke the air.


    But it had worked. The Zarian might have been able to defend against it more properly, but they hadn¡¯t looked up or guarded themselves against above well enough, too distracted by the fight and the earth.


    ¡°Finish them off,¡± I said. But it barely mattered. Officers were already bellowing orders, and the Imperial soldiers returned, this time a little more organized.


    I watched impassively as a dozen more Zarian were cut down, while the remainder of their force took to the air and escaped. I¡¯d known we¡¯d only get one chance, planes on a strafing run continuing their course from the city. We¡¯d made it count.


    ¡°I think we may have just won the battle,¡± Tenira said, blinking her eyes against the dust.


    I shrugged, and turned to get back into the pavilion while the soldiers started the clean-up. It was a buzz of activity, and I stopped to linger at the edges.


    ¡°I guess they didn¡¯t expect us to bomb our own camp,¡± I mused. ¡°Well, joke¡¯s on them. I¡¯d happily blow our own fortifications if the Zarian elites are caught in them, assuming we wouldn¡¯t slaughter our own soldiers.¡±


    ¡°I suppose they are certainly easier to replace,¡± Tenira said.


    I glanced around, and after a moment, I frowned. ¡°We¡¯re pressing the attack now?¡± The frequency of our bombardment of the shield, especially from the other positions, had only increased, and I could see soldiers mustering.


    ¡°We are, Your Highness.¡± General Poteri looked at me and bowed his head. ¡°Their shield has been stressed enough, and we have the advantage now.¡±


    I nodded. In silence, we watched as the shield started to become ever more visible, and more flickering. Finally, sections of it began outright collapsing. Then our planes went in for another attack run. This time, they encountered stiffer resistance. I suppressed a wince as one of the planes was blown out of the sky by some kind of projectile weapon and another hurled to the ground by an enemy air cultivator. But even with the losses we took, the stress was too much for the drained qi shield. It disappeared in a flash of light and a wave of wind that rustled trees all over the city, and a moment later the bombs started hitting the walls and fortifications.


    By the time our planes had to withdraw, the bombs and the siege weapons had reduced the walls to little better than rubble in some spots, and barracks, fields and gatehouses were burning, taking Zarian soldiers with them.


    ¡°It looks like there won¡¯t be another decisive fight,¡± Tenira commented.


    I frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything as Imperial soldiers advanced. The city still sent out some shots, but they were too scattered to have any hope of halting our advance. Then I could see them taking the walls and setting up beachheads.


    ¡°This battle is over,¡± Kiyanu said, coming over to join me. ¡°The Zarian are probably focusing on getting as much as they can out and bleeding us.¡±


    ¡°That means this will get ugly.¡± I grimaced.


    But he was right. I watched in silence as our people started pushing into the city, slowly and carefully. They didn¡¯t even cross the first intersection before springing a trap. The next force that entered, in another breach, got pelted with ammunition by Zarian fighters that retreated from the rooftops quickly afterward.


    I paced up and down, watching and gritting my teeth while our soldiers fought. It took hours of bloody street fighting before we could secure the central government buildings. Smoke was rising from the city in more than one spot, and enough buildings had collapsed they could fill an entire village.


    It wasn¡¯t the clean victory I¡¯d hoped for, and I knew its aftermath would be a problem, not least because we¡¯d shown some of our cards and expended a lot of explosives. But in the end, we held Blue Valley City once more.

 140: Integration

    <div>


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving me enough air, Nari,¡± Al said.


    I snorted but loosened my hug slightly. ¡°If your cultivation couldn¡¯t even stand up to a little hug from your big sister, I¡¯d really have to worry. Besides, you can obviously give me cheek just fine.¡±


    He laughed and hugged me back before letting go. I took a step back and gave him another assessing glance. I was glad he¡¯d made it out of the siege alright, without being in any danger. He still wore armor, even though that really wasn¡¯t necessary anymore. Not a full suit, but a breastplate, greaves and vambraces of dark, qi-touched metal. Maybe he just thought he looked dashing in them. If pressed, I might admit that wouldn¡¯t be entirely wrong, but not to him.


    ¡°The city seems to be putting itself back together again quickly,¡± he commented.


    I stepped over to the window and glanced out. ¡°Yeah, it really does. I guess cultivation is almost as good at building things up as it is at battering them down.¡±


    Al had arrived with a company of soldiers from an outpost to the east that had lost its tactical value, now that the city was back in our hands. I could see a few airships in the sky outside, and soldiers moving below. Taking the city hadn¡¯t stopped our troop movements.


    ¡°This is only the start, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, following my gaze.


    ¡°General Poteri said we¡¯ll keep pushing, move the rest of the frontline,¡± I said. ¡°Apparently, with the city ours and the Zarian defense here broken, that should be a lot easier than before. But it¡¯s still only one location, and we don¡¯t want the frontline to be stretched too far.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t they also sending soldiers south from here?¡± he asked, frowning.


    I nodded. ¡°They¡¯re clearing the area around the city and preparing for us to move further south. I want to reach the Yellow Graves quickly, if we can.¡±


    Al whistled. ¡°That¡¯s basically all the territory they took from us in the first place. Ambitious.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± But the Zarian had lost quite a few of their elites here, and with the help of the Terbekteri, I didn¡¯t think it was overly ambitious.


    The door to the room we were standing in opened, and Aston looked inside. ¡°My lady, we found who you were looking for.¡±


    I nodded and turned around, glancing around the room again. It was elaborately furnished and decorated, but I didn¡¯t spare the tapestries any attention as I looked at my companions. Elia was sitting on one of the seats, bouncing her toes and scribbling on what looked like three sheets of paper at the same time, while Yarani was half-lying on one of the divans with her eyes closed. Tenira and Lei were still with what remained of our siege engines, or maybe one of the other projects by now.


    When I left, Al accompanied me, while the other two stayed behind. I noted the guards surrounding us and watching the door. The Imperial Guard was out in force. Probably a good thing, and I definitely wanted my friends and family protected. They saluted when they saw me looking, and I nodded at them before I walked down the corridor.


    Once we stepped outside into the courtyard of the keep at the center of the city, I slowed down. It was bustling with soldiers, but a few of them in black uniforms caught me eyes. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were actually supposed to be there or just loitering around. But I recognized a few of the faces from the Lighters who had escaped the Zarian elites. No wonder one of them, a young man, kept nervously darting his gaze about.


    They noticed when I came closer. Half of them snapped to attention while the other half bowed or knelt. I bit off my grin at the sight. It wasn¡¯t like regular soldiers were very consistent about that, either.


    ¡°Good morning, soldiers,¡± I said, ignoring the way Al straightened up and stood still at my shoulder.


    ¡°Good morning, Your Highness,¡± a few of them answered, looking cautious. Well, it was probably known that I didn¡¯t usually try to engage with the soldiers.


    ¡°Your units did very well in the battle,¡± I said. Which was true; they¡¯d shown their worth fighting Zarian regulars on the streets of the city. ¡°I¡¯m pleased at the way you handled yourselves.¡±


    I could see the effect my compliment had in the way they stood straighter, lifting their shoulders and heads slightly, their eyes smiling at the praise.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, we are honored,¡± one of the men said with a bow. Probably the most senior one, though only a corporal, if I read the uniform markings right. They differed a little from the regular army.


    ¡°What were your impressions of the fight and your performance against regular soldiers? Did your equipment hold up well? Anything you noticed regarding the weapons?¡± I saw their surprise and hesitation, and smiled. ¡°You might not know it, but my team and I are responsible for the tech the Lighters are based on. I¡¯d like personal feedback, especially if there is room for improvement.¡±


    The corporal¡¯s eyes sharpened a little. I could guess what he was thinking. Their performance reflects on me, and I¡¯m going to take their successes for my own.


    ¡°They worked quite well, Your Highness,¡± he answered. ¡°Clearly not as powerful as a proper attack technique of a Zarian soldier, but shots have a higher throughput.¡±


    ¡°Plus, the fact that you can¡¯t dodge them is pretty good,¡± another soldier added. ¡°Though you need to pay a lot of attention to where you¡¯re aiming.¡±


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    Over the next few minutes, I received some good feedback, once they got over their hesitation and started talking with a bit more enthusiasm. I nodded and tried to seem encouraging. There were no groundbreaking suggestions, but I still found it useful to get the opinions of those who¡¯d actually tried to use the things in combat. I made a mental note to talk to the generals about choosing a few of them as instructors for training new recruits.


    Then I bid them goodbye and continued on my way, Al following me. He¡¯d listened to our conversation with strained patience, but at least he¡¯d waited and hadn¡¯t interrupted.


    ¡°So, who are we going to talk to?¡± he asked.


    I shot him a look. ¡°Ideally, you¡¯re not going to talk much. But to answer your question, you¡¯ll see. We should be almost there.¡±


    I didn¡¯t actually know where I was supposed to go, but it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out. There was a building beside the main keep where both our intelligence efforts and some general odds and ends had ended up. Aston didn¡¯t speak up to correct me as I walked there, but when we reached the building he turned to the left, so I slowed down and let him guide us.


    The room we ended up in was pretty bare, just a table and a few chairs between beige walls. When we entered, the people inside rose from the chairs and knelt. I took a moment to look them over, before I stepped further inside and told them to rise. Beside me, I could feel Al tensing up.


    The first man was a young NCO in the fifth stage, who I actually recalled from my first campaign, though I hadn¡¯t heard his name. The other one was more interesting, since his orderly Imperial clothes contrasted with the bits of shells and carved wood he¡¯d put on them as decorations in Zarieni fashion. He was older, probably at least eighty, but only in the early part of the fourth stage.


    ¡°Thank you for answering my summons so promptly,¡± I said. ¡°I see you¡¯ve moved up the ranks since I last saw you, Sergeant ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sergeant Lin, my lady,¡± he answered. ¡°This is Elder Jin, one of the heads of the largest settlement of Zarieni outside the camps.¡±


    Probably a good sign that he¡¯d assumed an Imperial name. I nodded. I¡¯d known where they were from, of course, or they wouldn¡¯t be here. Just like I was aware that the half-Zarieni Lin had been assigned as a liaison


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve integrated well,¡± I said. ¡°If you have any concerns or grievances, I¡¯d be happy to hear them.¡±


    The elder shook his head, his expression guarded but not hostile. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. We have indeed settled into the Empire as well as could be expected. I have nothing to complain about.¡± His Common had a noticeable accent, but he spoke fluently.


    ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t waste too much of your time with niceties. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed, I wanted to talk to you because of the war, and the way it promises to head towards the Yellow Graves.¡±


    The Zarieni frowned. ¡°We live in the Empire now, not the Graves, and we know little about what has gone on there recently. But hasn¡¯t the Empire allies among the People that could prove more helpful, Your Highness?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Certainly we do, and we are also talking to them. But the reason I wanted to talk to you, or someone knowledgeable from your camp, is that the rising Storm Tribe was, as far as we know, the last tribe to occupy the western reaches of the Yellow Graves. As well as the paths it is said to know in the region.¡±


    They exchanged a look. ¡°Your Highness, another tribe could have moved in over the last months,¡± Lin said.


    ¡°Please allow me to speak openly, Your Highness,¡± Jin said. At my nod, he continued, ¡°The remnants of our old tribe, our new village, are workers, not warriors. We don¡¯t have the strength or skill to fight against the other tribes, even if we were so inclined. Most of us just want to build our new life in the Empire in peace.¡±


    I smiled, happy with that attitude. ¡°I know. I only seek information, I will not draft your people as fighters.¡±


    That seemed to satisfy him, and he relaxed slightly. ¡°We will, of course, be happy to help,¡± he said after a look from his companion. ¡°I cannot guarantee that the paths are still there and usable, as things have a tendency to change quickly in the jungle.¡±


    ¡°I realize that,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll also have the help of others, and our own scouts are good. Plus, we can come from the sea.¡±


    The elder looked at me thoughtfully, then nodded. ¡°Of course. When the time comes, I will accompany you and do my best to guide your forces, Your Highness. I was once one of the best foragers in our tribe.¡±


    I smiled at them. ¡°That would be perfect.¡±


    We talked for a few more minutes. Somewhat to my surprise, I got the impression that they really had settled in well. Of course, there was huge social upheaval, since not only had they lost most of their stronger members and warriors, but their whole situation had changed. But I suspected the warriors were those more enamored with their previous dangerous, bellicose lifestyle, surviving in a jungle full of qi and spirit beasts and raiding each other or the Empire occasionally. The ¡®civilians¡¯, who had less status in their society, but presumably still had to bear the burden of the raids, probably appreciated the peaceful life more.


    To be fair, no other people had as high a fraction of cultivators in the higher stages as the Zarieni. And it probably wasn¡¯t only because of all the qi and natural treasures in their home. Still, would that be worth it?


    Eventually, I bid goodbye to the two men and left the room, Al with me. He looked thoughtful. I was a little surprised that he hadn¡¯t said much of anything during the entire conversation, but he¡¯d clearly listened.


    ¡°I guess your decision to take them with you after the war paid off,¡± he finally said as we left the building.


    ¡°Maybe. They could have been a lot of trouble. I guess they still can.¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t that many of them, Nari.¡± Al shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be so respectful and eager to integrate. I guess that¡¯s what I get for judging them by the reputation they get from raiders ¡­¡±


    He trailed off, half-turning his head. After a moment, I realized it had to be the clamor coming from outside the compound. I¡¯d been tuning it out, but now that I focused, I could make out the shouts and jeers.


    ¡°It looks like Zun Chao is dead,¡± I commented quietly.


    Al¡¯s eyes widened. He glanced in that direction, then back to me. His expression turned considering. ¡°And how long did that take, Nari?¡±


    I shrugged. He¡¯d been bled to death. Cultivators were very hardy, but even they couldn¡¯t just create new blood out of thin air. At least without techniques. Blood loss would kill even a seventh-stager, especially with their qi suppressed. It wasn¡¯t a nice way to go. Although it could be worse. I guess he can count himself lucky that I didn¡¯t demand impalement, or the cross.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want me to see it, did you?¡± Al asked, eyes narrowed.


    I snorted. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve still got stuff to do.¡±


    He was right. I hadn¡¯t wanted him to see it. Even if, or especially because, Lord Zun had been in part responsible for Mother¡¯s absence and the mess with his father. That was why I¡¯d taken Al along today and taken my time. I hadn¡¯t invited him, but I¡¯d known he¡¯d be curious enough he would want to come along.


    ¡°You know it was probably recorded,¡± he pointed out.


    I sighed. ¡°If you really need to see him die, I guess you can go ahead and get a recording crystal.¡± Although I would quietly let people know I disapproved of that idea, so it wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°Now let¡¯s get back.¡±


    He watched me in silence for another moment, then sighed and shook his head. ¡°Alright, Big Sister. Could we have a spar, maybe?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    His expression brightened, and he started walking more quickly.

 141: Momentum

    I folded my binoculars and put them away in a pocket, sighing softly as I gazed out over the walls of the town of Bastion. Then I turned around and met Kiyanu¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Something important must have happened if you¡¯re coming to talk to me in person,¡± I said.


    Kiyanu shrugged slightly, glancing down at the courtyard. ¡°I could just be coming to take a look, like you obviously have.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him, then looked down as well for a moment. A company of Lighters was drilling on the paved field, and I¡¯d been watching them with interest before I started to check out the countryside.


    It was the first batch of new recruits, only released into active service three days ago. They¡¯d arrived here yesterday. Although this base had only been cleared the day before that, it was probably the safest of our outposts close to the front. While the fighting had spread out enough we didn¡¯t really have one army gathered together, the highest concentration of our forces was here, so both Kiyanu and me had come here as well.


    ¡°The Lotus Confederation has sent a special envoy to Thousand Lights City,¡± Kiyanu said.


    I raised an eyebrow. That wasn¡¯t what I had expected to hear. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Presumably, the war.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They haven¡¯t given us a clearer answer, at any rate. But it¡¯s an official envoy, and the delegation is apparently full of relatives to important people of its prominent members.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°They actually pulled their heads out of their backsides and stopped squabbling long enough to make a move on the international stage? I¡¯d hardly believe it if you hadn¡¯t just told me.¡±


    Kiyanu chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising. Their foreign affairs are less of a mess than their internals. Somewhat. But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they weren¡¯t the only country to show a sharp interest in our situation.¡±


    I frowned, leaning back against the battlements and running a hand through my hair. ¡°We¡¯re on a timetable, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    He nodded, expression serious. ¡°This delegation won¡¯t amount to much, if I¡¯m any judge. They¡¯re probably just trying to get inside information and establish their presence.¡± He paused, furrowing his brow. ¡°The Confederates are pretty harmless, all things considered. But some of the other nations are a very different matter. The war has shaken things up, still is, and our technological jumps aren¡¯t helping.¡±


    I cocked my head. ¡°So we want to discourage them from trying anything, but without appearing too threatening. Isn¡¯t that the foundation of your strategy, anyway?¡±


    Kiyanu pulled a face. ¡°It is, but there¡¯s only so much we can do to mitigate things, Inaris. At some point, we¡¯ll have to show them that we¡¯re not going to be a problem. And the best way is probably releasing some of our technology.¡±


    I crossed my arms. Despite my general approval of spreading innovation, I didn¡¯t like that idea at all. ¡°That means giving away some of our advantages. We¡¯d need to be in a very good place with the war for that not to be a huge risk.¡±


    While there wasn¡¯t much trade between the large countries of Aran, I didn¡¯t doubt the Zarian would find ways to get their hands on technology we made available. And it wasn¡¯t like some others having shiny new weapons or innovations that would strengthen them and their armies wouldn¡¯t pose a problem, either.


    ¡°I know.¡± He didn¡¯t look any happier about it than I was. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d prefer to wait until we have secured our position. But if the others are too concerned, they might start interfering in the war. Giving aid to the Zarian, overtly or not. Even just increasing trade or getting them mercenaries from their lands could be a big headache for us.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°So, are you going to go talk to them, then?¡±


    ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t need my personal attention. The Chancellor and the elders of your clan should be more than capable of handling it.¡±


    I pushed myself away from the battlements and rolled my shoulders. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything we need from the Confederation, is there?¡±


    ¡°Not really. They have a large population and thus a lot of cultivators. If they want to get in good with us now that our alliance is on the rise, they might shake some of them loose. But I¡¯d rather not push for that as things stand.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing else to say, I guess.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded slowly. He stopped me as I made to leave, though. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something else I wanted to discuss with you.¡±


    I paused. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°How sure are you that you can trust Kariva?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Uh, pretty sure. Why do you ask? Is something up with her?¡±


    ¡°Not as such.¡± Kiyanu frowned a little. ¡°But she and her people are consolidating their power, and they¡¯ve been accumulating quite a lot of influence. Obviously, with the war against the traitors, that was only to be expected, and I won¡¯t dismiss their contributions. But Kariva is well placed to do some serious damage if the mood took her. And while she¡¯s always been respectful, I don¡¯t think she feels particularly devoted to me.¡±


    I tapped my fingers against my leg, considering what he was saying, and the way he said it.


    ¡°No doubt you¡¯re right,¡± I finally answered. ¡°But I¡¯m confident of her loyalty to me. She won¡¯t betray us, and I doubt she¡¯s after personal power. If she was, she let the best opportunity she¡¯s likely to get pass her by.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded, but he didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced. ¡°That¡¯s true, but she might still be playing a long game, or simply change her mind at some point. You¡¯re certain of her loyalty to you, Inaris?¡±


    ¡°No one can ever be truly certain of things like that.¡± I made a dismissive gesture. ¡°I know it¡¯s not personal loyalty. To be honest, I¡¯m not sure she feels that sort of bond to anyone at all. But she¡¯s committed to doing her job, which is protecting her family. Our family. And given what she knows, I¡¯m the best person to lead our clan, and the Empire, in the long term.¡± I¡¯d never talked to her about that, but I¡¯d pieced things together, and I thought I¡¯d gotten a fairly good picture. Besides, my intuition was pretty clear on the matter.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Kiyanu sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you on this. And I should get back, anyway. There¡¯s still a lot of paperwork to do.¡±


    ¡°Have fun.¡± I grinned at him and waved, ignoring the look he shot me before he rose into the air to make his way back to the administrative center. I really wasn¡¯t eager to take over his job and deal with all that paperwork.


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    Which reminded me, I really should get some cultivation time in. Looking around, I gestured at Aston, then took out my flying sword and took off. There was a nice spot on the roof of one of the base¡¯s buildings, where I¡¯d get a lot of sunlight and sharp shadows from the wall on one side. I settled down and started pulling in qi as I sank into a meditative state.


    I could feel myself nearing the middle part of the fifth stage. It would probably still take a while, but it was in reach. With a bit of dedicated cultivation, I¡¯d have enough qi to push through. What concerned me more was that I didn¡¯t quite feel ready for it. In previous breakthroughs, it had been easy, almost as simple as barreling through a barrier. But I was closing in on the higher stages, and the requirements were getting steeper. Not just in terms of what qi I needed, but the more ¡®metaphysical¡¯ aspects. I thought it had to do with the way the qi was transforming your body and, to some extent, your mind. You needed to guide that somewhat, not just throw more power at the problem.


    I hadn¡¯t needed much in the ways of epiphanies previously. Generally, I knew who I was and what I wanted. The breakthrough to the fifth stage might have been the first real hurdle, and the way it happened, with everything that came before it, had given me more than enough impetus, since I had quite a bit of ¡®enlightenment¡¯ both in guiding Mother and dealing with my relationship with her. This next part wouldn¡¯t be that difficult, I could tell. Nothing a bit of focused reflection couldn¡¯t manage. But it was a good reminder to keep that sort of thing in mind as I progressed into the higher stages.


    After a few hours, I shook those thoughts off, opened my eyes and stood up. The sun was setting now, dyeing the western horizon in shades of orange, and I¡¯d felt the shadows passing over where I sat. The camp was still bustling, if a little less than this morning, and I noticed a few squads traveling back towards it from the countryside.


    I jumped down and started walking slowly, taking a look around. Then I looked at Aston. ¡°Do I have anything else on my agenda right now?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of, Your Highness,¡± he answered. ¡°I believe you mentioned wanting to work on your weapons projects. There are no meetings scheduled for this evening. Although you also intended to talk to Wei Min, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I nodded. Now that he mentioned it, I¡¯d planned to check in with him regularly, and it was about time to talk to Wei Min again.


    I found him in the corner of the camp that the noble fighters had taken for themselves. Some of them came from clans allied to the Leri or that wanted to prove their loyalty to the Empire, or defend their home, but a few were taken from clans who¡¯d acted against us and were now obligated to make up for it. It didn¡¯t surprise me to find that those were at the edge, with a slightly bigger lane between their tents and the others¡¯ dwellings than usual. The Wei made up the largest group of them by far. Their fighters knelt as soon as they saw me, and I reached the central tent just as Wei Min appeared in the tent flap.


    ¡°Your Highness. Please come in. Would you care for refreshments?¡±


    ¡°Cousin Min,¡± I greeted him quietly as I stepped inside. Everyone here already knew about that, so there was no point in trying to conceal it. ¡°Some tea would be nice. Then I¡¯d like to keep working on cultivation.¡±


    He smiled and gestured to a pair of chairs close to a small table. This tent seemed to be his personal quarters and office in one. I watched as he poured tea and raised an eyebrow as the smell hit me.


    ¡°Adzurian black tea?¡± I asked, as I took a cup. ¡°Nice.¡± I¡¯d grown fond of it. He must have noticed that I liked it and gone to the trouble of acquiring some. How thoughtful.


    Wei Min smiled and ducked his head. ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡±


    We finished our tea quickly and then started talking about cultivation. I¡¯d given him some pointers here and there, but a bit of dedicated time to discussing it and observing his cultivation would be good. Wei Min¡¯s techniques were remarkable blends of destructive and supportive, as you¡¯d expect from his affinities. I knew he was a passable healer, but his real interest lay elsewhere, so I didn¡¯t focus on that. Going your own way was just as important as getting good techniques.


    ¡°And how are things going with your family?¡± I asked. ¡°Did you get any more emotional closure?¡± He hesitated, so I continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. But understanding and dealing with these things is also important for cultivation, and I may be able to offer some guidance, in any case.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°All due respect, my lady, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. There¡¯s nothing new, and I¡¯m fairly sure of where I stand and what I should do. If I reach a hurdle in my cultivation, I doubt it will be related to that.¡±


    I regarded him for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright, Cousin.¡± Following an impulse, I stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a stroll. We can continue our conversation while we walk.¡±


    He didn¡¯t object, of course, and I stepped out of his tent, noting that Aston and my guards had taken positions to cover me from possible angles of attack. I didn¡¯t say anything, but started walking at a leisurely pace. I could tell Wei Min was a little tense, but not as much as he would have been before. My attention was more focused on the other Wei. Most of them were at least as strong as me, but I noticed a few presences that were much weaker. And they were quite close. I cocked my head, considering them more deeply. Were there children in the base?


    My question answered itself when we came to the next intersection and I took a turn left. There was a bit of a secluded yard between several tents and wooden buildings, and two kids came running right down the path we¡¯d just turned onto. The younger one almost collided with me.


    ¡°Cousin Min!¡± she called out, smiling up at him. Then her gaze moved on to me. She frowned a little. ¡°You seem familiar. Oh, uh, excuse me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Imperial Princess, Mei,¡± the other one said. He bowed deeply. ¡°Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you. I am named Wei Jun. This is my sister, Wei Mei.¡±


    My smile froze on my face. While his words were polite, the boy¡¯s tone was tight with strain, the delivery wooden. They also dispelled any doubt about who those kids were. They both resembled their father, Wei Yong, anyway. The girl was probably a little younger than Xiaodan, while the boy looked about twelve.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you both,¡± I said quietly. That was mostly a lie. I could have done without meeting them, even if they were technically my aunt and uncle. And isn¡¯t that weird enough on its own.


    The girl looked up at me, a scowl on her face, and I mentally revised my estimate of her age downwards by a year. ¡°You¡¯re the one who took Uncle and got our soldiers killed? I won¡¯t let you take Father! He should be clan head, anyway, not cousin Min! It¡¯s not fair!¡±


    ¡°Mei,¡± her brother chided, ¡°one doesn¡¯t say such things.¡±


    Which was just about the worst way of reprimanding her, since it clearly implied he didn¡¯t actually disagree. I took a deep breath and tried to think of how to respond.


    Before I could, I heard a startled gasp and turned to see an older woman hurry through the yard, reaching us a moment later. I¡¯d have recognized her from a picture in her dossier even without her aura or the children.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± She knelt down, pushing her children down as well, and bowed her head. ¡°Please forgive the children, Imperial Princess. They didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    This situation just went from awkward to even more awkward. I cleared my throat. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Please stand. Alco Ilia, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± She kept her gaze down, but I suspected that was more to stop me from seeing the ice in it than out of deference. She hid it better than her kids, but I could still tell her feelings from her tone, her posture, and even the way she drew in her aura.


    Not that I could really blame her. She might have only married Wei Yong after his dalliance with my grandmother, and her children were obviously much younger, but it still couldn¡¯t have been an easy revelation to deal with, especially with the civil war.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± I said again, although I probably didn¡¯t seem very sincere. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware you were here. Or the children.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re only here for a short visit,¡± Wei Min finally put in. ¡°As Uncle Yong is also here and we¡¯re still a ways from the front, it was judged safe enough.¡±


    I nodded. I¡¯d been distantly aware of Wei Yong¡¯s visit, although he kept his presence veiled so well that I couldn¡¯t sense him, and it had mostly slipped my mind.


    ¡°Well, perhaps we will get to meet for a little longer at some point,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you.¡±


    I stepped around them, Wei Min on my heels. She breathed a sigh of relief, which I pretended not to notice. We quickly left them behind us, but my shoulders only relaxed their tension a few minutes later.


    It had given me food for thought, anyway. If even the kids were talking like that, Wei Min¡¯s position was probably less assured than I¡¯d hoped. But that was why I was here. So I turned my thoughts back to cultivation and resumed the conversation with Wei Min. In the back of my mind, I couldn¡¯t help searching for my grandfather, though, and I made sure we stayed well clear of him.

 142: Into the jungle

    <div>


    When I¡¯d first seen the Yellow Graves, I would never have thought that I¡¯d come back at the head of an army less than two years later. The jungle didn¡¯t look quite the same, but that was probably because of the different season. Even this far south, spring was arriving, but winter had still left its marks, and the characteristic yellow trees looked sparser. The singing of birds was both familiar and strange, and I took a moment to listen to it and try to pinpoint different birds. I didn¡¯t know enough to tell what each sound was, though, or even which might be produced by insects or other animals.


    Aston stepping up beside me brought me from my thoughts. He seemed tense, barely keeping his eyes off the forest, even though we hadn¡¯t even entered it yet. Some distance to the sides, the remnants of our fortifications threw long shadows, but the Zarian had pulled the wall down over long swathes, and stones lay scattered far and wide over the grass and the outskirts of the jungle.


    ¡°My lady, we got an update from General Poteri,¡± Aston said. ¡°They¡¯ve finished securing their assigned zone and are moving in. We expect reinforcements in two days, but most of them will go to the eastern prong.¡±


    I nodded. While we¡¯d reached the Yellow Graves, not every bit of land north of it had been cleared by our soldiers, and many of them were still sweeping south. It had still been a very successful campaign, so far.


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯re almost too successful,¡± I muttered.


    Aston nodded, his expression serious. ¡°The Zarian haven¡¯t really contested our advance, my lady.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re conserving their forces,¡± I said. ¡°Any soldier we don¡¯t face now is one more fighter they¡¯ll have defending their strongholds down south.¡±


    ¡°But that also means they¡¯re surrendering the initiative,¡± Yarani said, stepping up on my other side.


    I glanced at her. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right, but they¡¯re not losing much. We¡¯ve had the initiative for a while now, really.¡±


    She was right that the next move was ours, though. We¡¯d finally switched from defense to offense entirely. But taking our own towns back wouldn¡¯t be much compared to pushing through the Yellow Graves, then assaulting their own cities. Assuming we got that far, of course, though I didn¡¯t doubt that.


    We stood there for a while, watching the Yellow Graves and our own people moving towards it. It was a pretty small convoy, for an army, and many of them flew on flying swords. But my gaze stopped at the group walking in the middle, most of them in their traditional clothes rather than the uniforms of the surrounding soldiers. We¡¯d meet other Zarieni inside. Those who¡¯d stayed, kept watch on and needled the Zarian and their allied tribes.


    ¡°The Terbekteri are still sending ships,¡± Yarani finally said. ¡°Even if they don¡¯t want to push too far into the Graves.¡±


    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t,¡± I replied. There wasn¡¯t exactly an abundance of navigable rivers in the Yellow Graves, especially if you needed to go through or around the mountains, but even if there had been, I wouldn¡¯t want to risk them. There were more dangers than the nomads in there, and monsters were at least as much of a danger in the water.


    ¡°Just using them to ferry our soldiers seems like a waste, though,¡± Yarani said.


    I shrugged. We were going to send most of the army, the soldiers in the lower stages, around the Yellow Graves by ship. That would probably be safer and easier than trying to march a large army through. ¡°We could have just used our own ships, but this way, even if the Zarian decide to launch an attack with their own navy, they¡¯ll be well protected,¡± I pointed out. ¡°And it¡¯ll discourage such an attack in the first place.¡±


    By now, we were reaching the outskirts. I watched as the army split, with one group heading southwest, curving around the edge of the jungle at a comfortable distance. The other one gathered around us.


    ¡°I just feel like this is weird,¡± I finally continued the conversation, glancing at Aston and Yarani. Tenira and Lei were overseeing the weapons teams, and spirits only knew where Elia had gone off to. ¡°The Zarian fought hard for this land, pushing into the Empire. And now they¡¯re just letting us take it all back. I know we¡¯re in the advantageous position, but that didn¡¯t really stop them before. I mean, we had the alliance with Terbekteri and everything. If anything, they were pushing this hard because of it.¡±


    Aston nodded, a faint frown on his face. ¡°I know. I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing. It occurred to me that we may be seeing the effects of an internal shift in the Dominion, or in their strategizing. Perhaps between different factions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Good point.¡± I frowned at the jungle. I hadn¡¯t heard about that from Kariva or anyone else, but I¡¯d definitely take another look at the reports she sent and maybe ask her the next time I saw her.


    Then, finally, it was time to go. I walked forward at a quick pace, surrounded by my guards and a section of our elites, and looked up as the trees closed around us. The faint scent of wet vegetation reached me, and the chirping and buzzing got louder. But we had a pretty clear path, for now, and made good progress.


    About an hour into the forest, we found our first contacts. A group of Zarieni raiders, with little bones and shells stitched onto their clothing, waited for us in a small clearing. I went to meet them, but let Kiyanu do most of the talking. He would obviously get more respect from them than I would.


    ¡°The other tribes are on the move,¡± one of them, a chief going by the intricately braided hairstyle, said. He spoke their own tongue, but I¡¯d spent some time familiarizing myself with it, and given its similarity to Zarian, I understood it pretty well.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you and your people guide us,¡± Kiyanu answered in, as far as I could tell, perfect Zarieni.


    The chief nodded. He motioned, and the stronger ones of his followers stepped forward, seeking out our elite officers. I focused my hearing and listened in a little as they discussed the terrain, the enemy forces, and what to do here.


    It didn¡¯t take long until we moved out. This time, our force spread out a little farther, though I stayed with the largest clump, of course. Aston was watching the jungle around us intently and rarely strayed more than a meter from my side. He clearly didn¡¯t like the situation at all, though he didn¡¯t complain. Perhaps because Kiyanu also stayed pretty close to us.


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    ¡°Have you been here before?¡± I asked Kiyanu quietly after a while.


    He nodded. ¡°Three times total. I never actually crossed through the Yellow Graves, though.¡±


    That was still probably more than anyone else here aside from the Zarieni. And I doubted many of them had crossed the whole of the Graves, either. Luckily this peninsula or whatever you call it isn¡¯t actually that big.


    For the next while, we walked in silence. I eyed the nomads curiously, but didn¡¯t approach. They talked among themselves, but their voices never rose very high and seemed to be swallowed by the foliage around us. Still, they looked pretty relaxed, and were actually laughing and joking. In contrast, the Imperial soldiers appeared tenser, and most of them kept their weapons close. The ones who didn¡¯t were mostly those carrying the formation plates, spread in an oval around our group. I didn¡¯t know if it was going to be enough to hide us from our enemies, but so far, it seemed to work.


    My attention was brought back to the path in front of us when the people ahead slowed down. After a moment, I realized two scouts had returned. I sharpened my hearing, then took in a calming breath. We¡¯d spotted our first enemy camp.


    I sped up a little and caught up to the officers in charge, and Kiyanu. They were already arguing about this. It seemed like some wanted to completely circle around them, while others said we should take the opportunity to take this group out now.


    ¡°How assured would a victory be?¡± Kiyanu asked.


    ¡°Very assured, Your Grace,¡± the scout, a woman in the sixth stage with nature affinity, replied. ¡°It¡¯s a relatively small camp, with few people above the fifth stage.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all like that now,¡± the Zarieni chief commented from where he was leaning against a tree trunk a few meters away. ¡°A lot of the people¡¯s strength is gathered with the Zarian.¡± He smiled humorlessly. ¡°Or the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Then we don¡¯t need to all go,¡± I said. ¡°A smaller group that could move more quickly might be better.¡±


    Most of them nodded, and in the end, we decided to send a team of elites after the camp while the rest of us avoided it. They¡¯d be able to catch up quickly, and we¡¯d still have enough strength if we were surprised by another group.


    That didn¡¯t happen, though. The first few minutes as we continued walking were tense,? ? and I looked in the camp¡¯s direction more than once, even though I couldn¡¯t see anything. But about half an hour later, the elites caught up to us again, and we continued moving without a pause.


    That set a pattern for our time going through the jungle. On a few occasions, we¡¯d locate other camps of Zarieni, and usually detail forces to take them out. A few of them were ready for an attack, though the Imperials still beat them, but most apparently didn¡¯t present too much trouble.


    We also didn¡¯t encounter many spirit beasts. Maybe it was just that our group had too many people, so they steered clear of it. And I guessed the nomads were guiding us around the more dangerous ones¡¯ territories. We certainly didn¡¯t walk in a straight line, but curved around a lot.


    Although we were all technically walking, our speed was higher than a jogging pace for a non-cultivator. At this point, we must have been more than a dozen kilometers inside the border even in a straight line. At a guess, the Yellow Graves were about three or four hundred kilometers from continent to continent at the narrowest point, which was a little east of our position, though there were bulges on both sides of the actual pass, with the eastern one a lot wider than here. It would take us a few days to cross if we didn¡¯t speed up.


    Although speed isn¡¯t the issue, I reminded myself. We want to clear this, or at least make sure the Zarieni or Zarian can¡¯t launch an attack on the Empire while we¡¯re fighting down south. That was why we were split into several forces moving south and sweeping through the peninsula.


    I was beginning to think that I had been nervous for nothing and this would continue to be smooth sailing, when we encountered our first real spirit beast attack. Our first warning was a roar echoing through the jungle. The acoustics made it hard to tell where it came from, but it sounded like it was still some distance away to me. The soldiers drew a little tighter together. But only two minutes later, the roar sounded again, much closer, and I felt a faint vibration of the ground beneath my feet.


    When we finally saw the monster, I sucked in a surprised breath. And it definitely was a monster, not an intelligent spirit beast. It looked like a larger version of those furred elephants I¡¯d seen once, except with red fur and tusks that spread out into a tangle of pointy bits. Its head was comically small compared to its huge body, and it crashed forward with no care in the world, but a lot of speed.


    One of the elites launched a spear that seemed to grow out of a nearby tree at it, but the beast barely seemed to notice as the weapon broke against its side. It had definitely noticed us, though. It altered course slightly and stomped down with enough force to shake the ground. A few trees creaked and groaned, and pretty much every small winged flying thing in the trees around us fled.


    Aston caught me and pulled me aside, sidestepping ten meters in a few moments, just as the monster altered course so it would have hit us. It turned and stomped down. A pair of soldiers in the fifth stage dodged to the side so they avoided its stomp, but then a wave of earth and greenery rose from the ground and engulfed them, ripping into them.


    I stumbled back, looking around.


    ¡°If I fight it, everyone in the area will know we are here,¡± Kiyanu said. But I noticed from his aura that he was gathering his qi.


    I hesitated, grimacing as it tangled with another group of soldiers and got the better of them. All of this was happening in seconds.


    ¡°Can you lead it away?¡± I asked.¡±Without announcing our presence too much.¡±


    Kiyanu¡¯s face tightened, but he nodded. ¡°I will. Move quickly, Inaris.¡±


    The spirit beast was in the equivalent of the seventh stage, at least. Only our strongest elites could actually hurt it, and it was really tough. I got all that from the short fight. But when Kiyanu used a bit of qi to form a razor-thin blade of wind that he hurled at it with extreme speed, it actually cut into the side of its head, causing a wound that bled considerably. The other soldiers backed away as it roared again and focused on its new attacker.


    Kiyanu rose into the air, shot it again, and turned, curving away. The beast trampled after him. It barreled into another soldier who¡¯d been too slow to get out of the way and barely missed three others. Then it was leaving.


    We stood in silence for a moment, before I cleared my throat and started walking again. ¡°We need to get moving. Quickly now.¡±


    The officers organized the force, and we set out once more, jogging this time. The Zarieni, who had seemed content to stay back and out of the fight, led us through narrow paths between the trees. I could still sense Kiyanu and his opponent, who was wobbling around in my senses enough I could tell he was having trouble keeping it focused and on track going after him. But he managed. I didn¡¯t want to bet that no one had noticed the fight, though.


    A few more times, I sensed powerful spirit beasts. Maybe the recent upheaval had stirred them up. But we managed to avoid all of them, even if the last one could have gone badly. We picked up the pace again, and our rearguard was starting to lag behind. But we were almost there.


    I was breathing heavily when we finally stumbled into the largest clearing yet. It was actually more like an earthy mound raised over a steep incline with a river flowing through a waterfall at the bottom, bigger than anything of the kind I¡¯d seen so far. The rocky ground bulged up in places and several holes were dotted through it, leading into a cave system. I could see a smoothed out area with a dock and a few shelters built of wooden planks below, coming out from another hole. But my attention was focused on the several hundred people clustered throughout the caves.


    ¡°Well, we should be safe for now,¡± Aston said.


    I took a deep breath and straightened. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    This was the first and only real base we¡¯d find in the Graves, as much of a safe spot as there could be here. We¡¯d need to leave it soon enough, but for now, I forced my tense muscles to relax. This could have gone better, but it could have gone a lot worse, too.

 143: In the jungle

    <div>


    To my own surprise, I¡¯d discovered that I actually liked the Yellow Graves.


    The sea would always have its place in my heart, but you could find beauty in forests, too. And there was just so much life here. A living, vibrant piece of nature. Maybe I¡¯d hate the other parts of the Graves, if I actually got to see them, but still.


    It might also have had something to do with the fact that here, there wasn¡¯t much to deal with in the way of paperwork, nobles, or - so far - actual fighting. Imperials who dismissed the Zarieni as barbarians might have been surprised to see how deep and involved their culture was. Once they¡¯d decided to cooperate, they did it pretty well. Before we arrived at the base where some of our allied clans had gathered, they¡¯d formed a war council, elected a chief to oversee everything, and set up quite thorough guard and patrol patterns, not to mention logistics support. I wondered if the Zarian made full use of their capabilities.


    But that had been yesterday, and now, we were leaving the base again to head into danger. Aston wasn¡¯t happy about this, and I¡¯d told Tenira and Lei to stay back with the rest of the Zarieni. But we had enough of our soldiers and nomad fighters along that this shouldn¡¯t be very dangerous.


    Something tickled my qi senses, and I raised my hand. ¡°Halt.¡±


    The guards and the section of fighters around me slowed and looked around. I stepped forward, my eyes focusing on where my other senses could feel something even before it became visible to them. A moment later, a wispy figure materialized in front of a tree, looking like it stepped out or through it.


    ¡°Greetings, spirit.¡± I inclined my head.


    The spirit nodded. Their mostly featureless face made its lips more prominent and smiled at me. ¡®Little Light. I am happy to meet you.¡¯


    I returned the smile. ¡®I see this is your home. If you have no objection, we will be passing through here.¡¯


    ¡®No objection. I have known of your coming. My fellows are excited that you are here.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®Is the area ahead safe?¡¯


    ¡®Safe for you, yes, yes. The dangerous beasties are gone or withdrawn. The other humans aren¡¯t walking here.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ I hesitated for a moment. ¡®Have you seen Kiyanu? The man in the black stage who was with me?¡¯


    He still hadn¡¯t shown up at the base. Well, I knew he could take care of himself. He could probably even kill that spirit beast without letting his presence shine through too much. I wasn¡¯t too worried, but a little irritated. He was probably taking care of other things on his own somewhere.


    The spirit shook a little, mostly with their head, but looking as if it spilled over to the rest of their body, too. ¡®No, no. He isn¡¯t close by here. I last heard he walked somewhere nearer to the rising of the sun over the great mountain.¡¯


    So, the east, maybe northeast. I nodded. ¡®I see. I appreciate it.¡¯


    The spirit grinned. ¡®Luck-luck, Little Light!¡¯ With that, they took a step back and dissolved back into the tree. I could sense their presence receding.


    ¡°I have never heard a ghost of the land be so free with information,¡± a Zarieni elder said. The middle-aged man with long hair had come up beside me while we were talking. He frowned at the tree. ¡°Usually, they need much more propitiating until one talks to us.¡±


    I shrugged. Good, then I hope the Zarian don¡¯t get info from them as easily. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    I started walking again, and the rest of the group moved with me. I kept my senses peeled for further spirits and spirit beasts, but no one else approached us. Now that I was paying attention, I caught the occasional flicker that might be a spirit watching me, though they kept themselves pretty well hidden if that was the case. But in a place like this, it was almost a guarantee that something would be watching us, so I didn¡¯t let it bother me.


    After about an hour of moving quickly through the forest, we came to our destination. As we approached it, we started to slow down, and some of the Zarieni peeled off to go ahead. They¡¯d look for and deal with enemy guards, or at least the ones patrolling the outer perimeter.


    Through a gap in the foliage and with the help of a little technique that reflected light, I managed to get a glimpse of their camp. It was pretty small, made of huts that looked like they were assembled from premade parts of wood and woven reeds. They¡¯d set up in a clearing, but the outer parts of the camp still brushed up against the trees. I could see a lot of sentinels. Several of them wore pretty distinct jewelry, sorting themselves into groups.


    Scouting reports from our Zarieni allies indicated that this camp might host a gathering of enemy leaders, and this seemed to confirm it. There were probably some more hidden fighters. All of this could be a trap to bait us into an attack, but my intuition didn¡¯t agree with that notion. Apparently, gathering this information had been hard for our scouts, and the enemy couldn¡¯t have guaranteed that we would get it. Plus, they had a lot of better options if that was their plan.


    We hid behind some dense undergrowth, with our auras pulled in tightly, and a few techniques to help us blend into the background. I put a curtain of invisibility above us, a small layer of light qi that would redirect light around us. It probably wouldn¡¯t stand up to close scrutiny, but that wasn¡¯t the point.


    The scouts were gone long enough that my nerves and anticipation gave way to boredom, and I was mentally rereading one of my favorite novels when they finally reported back. I forced myself to stay back and let the officers and elders handle things, although I listened in.


    From the scouts¡¯ reports, they¡¯d made an effort to secure their camp, but our raiding force was big enough it shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem to catch them. Still, some might escape, which meant any subsequent strikes would be harder. I¡¯d expected that, though. They discussed the camp¡¯s layout and which famous warriors were where, then we prepared for the attack.


    Of course, Aston wouldn¡¯t let me actually charge into enemy fire, even if I¡¯d wanted to. I was mostly along because I couldn¡¯t just sit in the base all day, and to show the Zarieni that I was serious. Well, and because the situation was fluid and opportunities might arise to step up our game.


    ¡°The Moon guide you,¡± I said to the fighters.


    A few of them made what must have been a religious gesture, and the Imperials bowed. Then they were off. We¡¯d only taken people at least in the fifth stage along for this, so they moved quickly and quietly through the trees. A few moments later, a stifled cry rose from the direction of the camp, a sign that the fight had begun.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    I took a step to the side and took out my trusty old spyglass to get a better look. Our soldiers had taken most of the sentries watching the camp¡¯s edges by surprise, and started brief, violent fights that were already winding down. By now, Zarieni were pouring out of the huts.


    I pulled a bit of my light qi and carefully integrated a technique with my tool, shifting the light until I had rudimentary thermal imaging. Carefully, I swept it over the camp, looking for more enemies. As it turned out, I¡¯d been right.


    ¡°Tell them that there are several warriors hidden underground, in what might be cellars or trenches, and sneaking upwards,¡± I said. ¡°There are also still some in the huts and a few hidden in the trees.¡±


    Aston passed my message, but I¡¯d already returned my attention to the fight. It was in full swing now, and we could easily hear and even feel it from here, with the way the wind and trees carried echoes of the impacts. Our side had the numerical advantage, and from what I could tell, our enemies were about equal in composition when it came to different stages of cultivation. Unsurprisingly, our fighters kept pushing into their camp.


    A flutter of qi beside me made me lower the telescope. I wasn¡¯t quite alone with my guards, since a few Zarieni seemed to have elected to also wait here. Probably to keep an eye on me. Now, I met the gaze of the strongest one, the chief of a major clan, and saw him curl his lip.


    ¡°Enjoying the view, Imperial Princess?¡± he asked.


    I gave him a flat look. ¡°I¡¯m watching the battle and seeing if I can spot anything that might be of use.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all very relieved to hear that,¡± he said, tone still derisive. ¡°After all, ¡®watching the battle¡¯ is clearly the most important task a warrior could do to contribute. Especially a war chief.¡±


    ¡°Might want to tone it done a little, Kevels,¡± one of the others said in their language. ¡°Don¡¯t piss them off too much.¡±


    ¡°Why should I tiptoe around their pride?¡± Kevels retorted. ¡°The mighty Empire doesn¡¯t seem too capable or eager to prove their strength, does it?¡± His lip curled again as he looked at me. ¡°How fortunate that you have our warriors to actually fight that battle.¡±


    I lowered the spyglass and frowned at him, careful to keep my tone and expression mild. ¡°If you insist on staying here because you don¡¯t trust us, then don¡¯t blame me for not getting to fight in the battle. Unless you actually don¡¯t want to. I assure you, we¡¯re going to stay put here. In case you have never heard of it, keeping a strategic reserve is usually good tactics, and my guards are also serving that function here.¡±


    He spit on the ground and growled something in Zarieni that I didn¡¯t quite catch. But the other guy stepped closer and grabbed his sleeve, hissing something in a low voice. The belligerent chief gave me another dark look, then moved off with him, behind another cluster of dense vegetation. A few seconds later, I sensed an attack of concentrated qi shooting off to impact what might have been a watchtower at the edge of the enemy camp, catching one of the remaining hostile Zarieni.


    We watched the rest of the fight in tense silence. Yarani stepped up beside me, covering where the Zarieni had been, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice that she kept her hands free and had tucked a dagger into her robe. In addition to what she might have had anyway.


    Finally, it was over. I sighed, straightened my shoulders, and walked forward into the camp. Or what had been the camp, it was pretty well destroyed by now. A lot of Zarieni lay dead on the ground, and others knelt in the largest clear area, hands behind their heads, as Imperial soldiers and allied fighters guarded them. I nodded at them as I passed, then joined a group of chieftains or elders and officers. They were currently questioning what I assumed to be an enemy chieftain.


    ¡°What have we got so far?¡± I asked quietly.


    One of the officers, an elite commander named Lisi, answered, ¡°There was indeed a meeting. We¡¯ve also gotten hints of a larger gathering up east, close to the Green River. It seems like most of the clans allied with the Zarian are sending at least some envoys and fighters there.¡±


    I nodded slowly. That might pose an opportunity, but it was also a concern. They wouldn¡¯t gather their forces like this without a purpose, and holding strategic meetings meant they weren¡¯t going to just sit around down here. An attack on the Empire? Or just a distraction to stop our advance? I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter if we manage to stop their plan in its tracks.


    I kept quiet and let them conduct the interrogation, though we didn¡¯t get much. Apparently, what Lisi had just told me was pieced together from snippets the Zarieni fighters had let slip, and their leaders were too strong-willed or stubborn to reveal anything. Maybe they thought we¡¯d just kill them after, which wasn¡¯t exactly an unreasonable concern.


    Before I could even speak up to ask what we were going to do with the man, one of the Zarieni elders stepped forward and crashed a fist suddenly covered in rock into his head. The captive sacked down, and the man crushed his throat with his boot.


    I scowled. ¡°Hey, what in the abyss was that?¡±


    ¡°We were finished interrogating him,¡± another Zarieni said.


    ¡°There was nothing useful left we could get from him, Your Highness,¡± Lisi spoke up quietly.


    I shot her a sharp glare, then turned it on the Zarieni. But I chose my words carefully. ¡°I still don¡¯t appreciate this sort of behavior. Don¡¯t just make decisions like this on your own. We¡¯re a team here.¡±


    A few of the Zarieni grumbled, but the man who¡¯d done it simply nodded. ¡°Sorry, I will next time,¡± he said with a heavy accent.


    I closed my eyes for a moment, centering myself, then nodded. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re done here, it¡¯s time to move on.¡±


    They packed up quickly. The nomads were probably used to this. The weaker fighters rounded up the captives and herded them into the jungle. Meanwhile, I talked to the officers and a few of the elders. They weren¡¯t happy at my decision to strike out with a group on my own, but there wasn¡¯t much they could do about it, since the Zarieni fighters from the tribes I¡¯d asked were happy to come along. We¡¯d talked about the possibility of splitting up before, anyway.


    Soon, my smaller band set off again. We moved quickly, guided by the locals familiar with the region and using game paths and even the occasional brook to make our way through the jungle. We were probably moving away from any enemy presence, so we didn¡¯t have to be as careful, though I made sure that we still kept our auras tightly veiled. A few stronger spirit beasts took objection to us passing through their territories, but we either passed through or around them quickly enough, or they were scarred off by our numbers and, on two occasions, a demonstration of our strength.


    But after a while, we started to enter a region where the trees grew more tightly together as the ground started to rise and became a little rockier. I could feel the change in the qi of the area. We had to slow down.


    ¡°Go left,¡± I called to our lead elements, then cocked my head and nodded to myself. ¡°To that thicket there, I guess.¡±


    From there, I managed to guide us onto something vaguely resembling a usable path through the area. I couldn¡¯t have done it without having it described, and I still had to use my intuition to fill in quite a bit.


    Finally, we reached a somewhat more open part, close to a quickly flowing river. I called the fighters ranging further around us back in and sped up to get to the front of the group. Carefully pushing my way through the undergrowth, stretching my senses, I finally found what I was looking for. In a small clearing in the shelter of what might have been a hunk of limestone, we encountered another group of cultivators.


    They met us weapons in hand, with a few people I almost missed hidden in the trees close by and probably more I hadn¡¯t found. I raised my hand and stepped forward, letting my aura be felt a little more clearly.


    As soon as they recognized me, they put away their weapons and most of them went to their knees.


    ¡°Rise, please,¡± I said. ¡°No need to stand on ceremony.¡± I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you made it here successfully, though. You have my thanks, Elder Jin.¡±


    The old Zarieni bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad I could be of service, Your Highness.¡±


    I let my gaze sweep over the assembled group and nodded at the officers. Judging by what I¡¯d seen and sensed on the way here, even the spirit beast and spirits in the area barely knew they were here. We could be pretty sure our enemies wouldn¡¯t. And with Jin¡¯s help, I planned on keeping it that way for as long as possible. After all, attacking your enemy on a second front worked much better if they didn¡¯t expect it.


    ¡°We should hurry,¡± I said. ¡°The Zarieni are all ready for a party, and we have some gate-crashing to do. Let¡¯s see how they feel about getting a surprise party.¡±


    That got some polite chuckles, but it seemed to have worked to break the ice, and the two groups started to merge.

 144: Stealth and stratagem

    <div>


    When the army Commander called a halt, I dropped onto the trunk of a tree that had conveniently fallen nearby without bothering to keep up pretenses. We were moving quickly enough that even the increased toughness and stamina of my cultivator¡¯s body couldn¡¯t protect me from the strain of it, and I breathed deeply, sucking in much-needed oxygen.


    But after a moment, I turned my head to look at Yarani, who¡¯d plopped down beside me and was half lying off the tree trunk. If this was a strain for me, it had to be exponentially worse for her, since she was still in the fourth stage.


    I straightened up and focused on the qi in my surroundings, quickly pulling in some of the abundant nature affinity qi. I carefully shaped it and then let it flow into her, watching closely with my qi senses as it settled into her body, soothed burning muscles and calmed her racing heart.


    Yarani sat up, giving me a quick smile. ¡°Thanks, Nari.¡±


    I nodded. Healing techniques were pretty difficult, not least because you had to deal with your patient¡¯s natural defense against the intrusion of foreign qi, but this one was simple enough. Once we started running again, she¡¯d get another air technique that assisted her in moving.


    ¡°Path clear!¡± The cry cut through our heavy breathing.


    I suppressed a groan and levered myself to my feet again, stretching my arms and legs for a second before I started moving. Yarani fell in beside me, and I felt Aston behind us manipulating a small flow of air.


    The short rest had helped, though, and I found it easier to manage as we continued on our way. When I glanced around, I noticed that we weren¡¯t the only ones showing some strain from our pace. Some of the weaker soldiers had a bit of sweat on their forehead or were breathing more heavily, and of course Jin actually had two of the Imperial soldiers helping him along with subtle techniques.


    The Zarieni I¡¯d brought with me didn¡¯t seem to care for him much. I didn¡¯t know if it was his stage, coupled with his age, or the fact that he was a civilian. At least they stuck to ignoring him rather than trying to insult him for living in the Empire or anything like that. But the reinforcements he¡¯d guided here for me were mostly Imperial soldiers, so the composition of this task force had changed considerably again. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little relieved by that.


    ¡°My lady, we¡¯re getting close,¡± Aston spoke up.


    I glanced at him, then quickly returned my attention to the path ahead. We were moving through some fairly dense underbrush, and especially at our speed, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to take your eyes off it for long. ¡°Finally,¡± I mumbled.


    It didn¡¯t take long until the lead elements of our force started to slow down, and the rest quickly followed. We were moving faintly downhill at the moment, and when I drew in a deep breath, I could just make out the smell hinting at a river somewhere to our right. My qi senses showed that the area was mostly deserted of spirit beasts, which had obvious benefits, but also meant that the risk of us being discovered increased.


    I glanced around, then took a deep breath and focused on my body and the qi in it. Shapeshifting while walking was a pain, so I did it slowly and carefully. I had considerably fairer skin than most of the people here, and my light hair wasn¡¯t making it any better. So I changed it until it was a dirty brown with greenish patches, then darkened my skin and experimented a little until I got something vaguely resembling camouflage patterns, though I kept the coloring muted and mostly natural. It blended with my brown and gray clothes.


    ¡°You look weird,¡± Yarani mumbled. ¡°Good thought, though.¡±


    I smiled at her, then focused on making my way through the jungle. By now, I could sense our destination in the distance. We slowed down further, drew together and increased our concealment efforts, putting a bit more qi into our shroud. It probably wouldn¡¯t hold up too long, especially if our enemies had a reason to suspect that someone was coming from this direction, so we¡¯d have to move quickly. I sensed more people ahead than there¡¯d been even in the hidden base of our Zarieni allies, though I doubted that all of them would be in a high stage.


    We continued to sneak closer, using the cover of the dense forest. It should help that we came from the direction of a section that was ¡®known¡¯ to be impenetrable. If I didn¡¯t have a cultivator¡¯s reflexes and the subtle help of my domain, the underbrush here would have been a severe hindrance. As it was, it was just an annoyance. We¡¯d had worse during our hurried journey here.


    I glanced at the people with me. The Zarieni looked focused, moving with the grace of long practice through the forest. My soldiers weren¡¯t as good, but they managed to keep a loose formation, and their movements still betrayed their discipline. No one made any sound or gave off anything that could have betrayed us.


    Of course, our enemies weren¡¯t amateurs, either. I knew they probably had scouts patrolling the forest, who should also be hiding their presence. That was why I listened keenly to my intuition, as well as keeping a sharp eye out, and tried to stay alert to any change I could detect with my qi senses. It was wearying to keep that level of alertness up, but it had to be done.


    Luck, or perhaps Rijoko¡¯s influence, was indeed with us, and we managed to get pretty close without being detected. At least that we knew about. It was still possible that they had actually seen us and were preparing to take us unaware with an ambush. But I can¡¯t worry about that too much, or I¡¯ll drive myself crazy.


    Still, when we stopped that time, I almost jumped out of my skin at the rustle of a nearby bush, which I realized after a second was just a small animal running away. I took a deep breath and told myself to calm down.


    ¡°Any sign of the others?¡± I asked quietly.


    Aston looked into the distance for a moment longer, then exchanged hurried words with the other officers, before he returned to me. ¡°We¡¯re not certain yet, my lady.¡±


    I frowned, and saw that Yarani and even Aston himself mirrored the expression. We had too few fighters to launch a successful attack on our own, and the longer we stayed close to our target, the higher the chances that we would be discovered. If something had happened that prevented our other forces from attacking ¡ª or if they¡¯d called the whole operation off ¡ª things could get dicey. I wasn¡¯t too worried about my safety, but I did want this to succeed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sneak a little closer,¡± I said. ¡°Quietly and carefully. And keep a close eye on the surrounding area.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure from where the attack would be launched if it did come. I hadn¡¯t had time to worry about that, and it wasn¡¯t something I should or could decide, anyway. So I let my gaze sweep over the tops of the trees I could see from our slightly elevated position, whatever peeked through the foliage of the vegetation around us, and focused on my qi senses.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    We stopped a little further in. Going any further would mean too high a risk of being discovered. But we were still too far to launch a real surprise attack, especially without anyone else¡¯s support.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait,¡± Yarani said quietly. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything else we can do.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my lady,¡± the Imperial commander, who¡¯d joined us, agreed quietly. He looked at me. ¡°Your Highness, with your permission, I¡¯ll ready the soldiers for an assault.¡±


    I nodded and watched him for a moment as he withdrew to talk to his officers and the Zarieni, then returned my gaze to our enemies. We¡¯d found a pretty good hiding spot that still allowed a mostly unobstructed view of the main part of their camp, and I paid careful attention to their watchtowers and patrol patterns.


    For at least half an hour, we waited there, our nerves gradually wearing thinner as we watched them go about their business. There was clearly a gathering of leaders in one of the large central huts, with a few people occasionally coming and going, and dressed up fighters standing guards. Mostly Zarieni themselves, just a few Zarian. But we didn¡¯t see anyone else closing in on them, although, given the distances we had to cross, they should have arrived before us. And they knew our hiding techniques and should be able to see through them, at least well enough to be aware we were there, if they were.


    Finally, guards and fighters on the right edge of the camp began to stir. Quickly, the commotion spread, until soldiers on that side grabbed their weapons and hustled to gather in an open area by their walls. I frowned, trying to make out what prompted this.


    ¡°Look up!¡± Yarani hissed. ¡°There¡¯s a cultivator up there. Is he harassing them or something?¡±


    My frown deepened. I could see it now, little more than a black spot even to my vision, but more importantly, I could feel their presence faintly.


    ¡°Is that Regent Kiyanu?¡± Aston asked, his eyes widening.


    I shook my head but didn¡¯t answer, not because he was wrong, but because I didn¡¯t know what Kiyanu was doing here. It really was him, and he seemed to be deliberately drawing attention to himself. But without, quite, attacking the Zarieni directly.


    ¡°My lady!¡± Commander Aiki was back, his expression tight. ¡°What should we do? Launch the attack?¡±


    I frowned again and eyed Kiyanu¡¯s distant figure as I considered. He has to know we¡¯re here, and he¡¯s obviously creating a distraction for us. An opening. It would still be a huge risk to fight them like this. I chewed my lips. But if he¡¯s doing this, he must be doing it because he thinks it would succeed. So he probably knows that the others are here or at least getting close, or he wouldn¡¯t be provoking a fight.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I decided, putting all the calm and confidence I felt into my voice. ¡°We¡¯ll attack now. Make it happen, Commander.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He saluted and moved off, though his tightness hadn¡¯t faded.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he come talk to us?¡± Yarani asked quietly, as we stood up and prepared for the charge.


    I shrugged. ¡°Most likely because he didn¡¯t want to take the risk of them discovering us,¡± I answered. ¡°He¡¯s probably right. Besides, that we don¡¯t see any eighth stagers fighting down there doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any.¡±


    The order to advance came, and I watched Aston carefully as he guided me and Yarani into our proper place towards the back of our force. It was hard to hold formation while running down a forested hill, but our soldiers managed the best they could.


    Personally, I was a little more interested in why Kiyanu hadn¡¯t contacted us telepathically, even if qi or radio waves would have been too risky. I knew he was good at using telepathy. But from what I¡¯d been able to figure out, even with strong cultivators all seeming to be reluctant to discuss the subject, someone¡¯s telepathic range depended on the individual. This indicated that Kiyanu¡¯s wasn¡¯t exceptionally high.


    I tucked that speculation neatly away at the back of my mind as we closed the distance to the Zarieni camp. By now, they¡¯d spotted us, but their reaction seemed slow, perhaps because they were preoccupied with Kiyanu. Our first fighters, the strongest elites, reached the outer guard posts before they¡¯d properly taken any defensive formations. I sensed the discharge of qi as one of them burned out a formation array. That, at least, was one area where we had far less to worry about than with the Zarian, considering the nomads¡¯ lack of any long-term settlements in need of defense. Their formations tended towards the quick-and-dirty.


    I slowed down as we reached the outer ward perimeter and sent some of my own qi into the wards, trying to get a feel for them. Aston and the other guards formed up in a protective formation around me, while further out, our soldiers clashed with the enemy tribes.


    By the time I moved on, leaving the alarm wards a smoking ruin behind me, our people had managed to clear the outer posts and taken the wall. It was little better than a palisade, but some of them hunkered down now to cover the rest while they advanced further into the camp. Aston made room for us at one of the main strong points at the base of a watchtower. I knew he¡¯d have felt better about me staying back, but under the circumstances, that would have been at least as dangerous. I¡¯d rather not open myself to attack by our enemies like that.


    Before I could continue that thought, I finally felt the brush of a familiar mind against mine. I responded to the contact. ¡®Kiyanu?¡¯


    ¡®Inaris. What are you doing here?¡¯


    I rolled my eyes to myself. ¡®Well, in case you haven¡¯t noticed, there¡¯s a battle going on here. What are you doing here? Distracting the nomads?¡¯


    I almost felt Kiyanu¡¯s mental sigh. ¡®Yes. I apologize for not rendezvousing with you sooner, but I felt I needed to move quickly.¡¯ He paused for a moment. ¡®This battle isn¡¯t going well, as you can see.¡¯


    I looked up and frowned. After a moment, I realized he was right. Our advance had stalled, and Zarieni defense was firming up. They still had an advantage in numbers, and it was beginning to tell.


    ¡®I wish I could do more to help, but I can¡¯t,¡¯ Kiyanu said.


    I glanced around for a moment and sighed. Aston was still sticking close to me, and so were most of the Imperial guard who¡¯d come along on the trip with us.


    ¡®If you¡¯re alright with the idea, you could come and get me and Yarani, then Aston and my guards could join the fighting,¡¯ I offered. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡¯


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ Something changed in the sensation of the telepathic link, and I realized he¡¯d opened it to Aston and established a three-way connection. ¡®Captain, I¡¯ll take Inaris and Yarani and keep them safe,¡¯ he said. ¡®I won¡¯t allow her to run off. Take your soldiers into battle, and make them count.¡¯


    Aston replied after a moment¡¯s pause, his voice expressionless. ¡®Yes, my lord.¡¯


    Before we could continue the conversation, a slight whoosh of air made me look up. Kiyanu landed beside us. He nodded at Aston, then reached out his hands to me and Yarani. I barely had time to grip on tightly before I sensed the ground under my feet drop away as what felt like a living gust of wind lifted us off.


    Kiyanu stopped at a point just low enough we still had a view of the battlefield, and I clenched my fists as I watched the battle. I didn¡¯t like sending my guards, people I¡¯d come to know, into this kind of danger, especially when I was hiding away myself. But I knew I had to be able to ask the same things of them as I did my regular soldiers. Besides, they¡¯re good. Aston especially. He¡¯ll make it through this.


    But even with them, I could tell this wasn¡¯t going too well. ¡°There are too many of them, and we may have come in too fast,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°We can¡¯t pull out now,¡± Yarani said.


    She looked a little pale, and I absentmindedly took the hand Kiyanu had let go of. We kept watching. I winced as a large explosion tossed several Imperials soldiers as well as a wooden hut around like bowling pins. I¡¯d lost track of my guards in the confusion of the battle.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t lost yet,¡± Kiyanu replied. Suddenly, he grinned. ¡°And I¡¯d say we aren¡¯t going to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    He nodded at a point beyond the camp. ¡°It looks like your husband came through after all.¡±


    I sucked in a sharp breath as I saw what he meant. I¡¯d been too focused on the forest around the camp and almost missed the glittering band of the river. Which now had black spots snaking their way towards us.


    I snatched my spyglass out of my storage ring and took a closer look. The ships had a low, sleek look, almost reminding me of Viking longboats. Although I could barely make out the arrangement of the sails and qi machinery that marked it as the kind of vessels Terbekteri built to be able to take to the air in short bursts. Not like our ships could have made it here.


    As I watched, they coasted to a stop and ramps lowered onto the ground while cultivators lifted off the ships like a murder of crows. Our enemies¡¯ hastily assembled, distracted resistance at the riverside fell before the last ship had even disgorged all of its soldiers.

 145: Politics and religion

    <div>


    ¡°Well, if the Storm had any intention of leaving you alone, I somehow doubt he would now,¡± Kajare commented.


    I glanced at him and shrugged. He¡¯d spoken lightly, with more casual humor than I could probably have expected from an Imperial. But Terbekteri didn¡¯t have a long tradition of venerating Jideia. In fact, he¡¯d never been particularly popular there, from what I understood.


    ¡°If I thought he had, I wouldn¡¯t be doing this,¡± I replied. Then I grinned. ¡°At least we have a nice bonfire on this cold night, don¡¯t we?¡±


    They fought wars differently in the Yellow Graves. Even sacred sites weren¡¯t immune to violence. Burning down an altar to the Storm might not precisely be an everyday occurrence, but given the scale of the war, the bitterness it was being fought with, and my personal involvement, me doing it wouldn¡¯t exactly be considered out of line. It wasn¡¯t even the first altar to be burned this decade, according to what I¡¯d been told.


    Which might explain why the Imperial soldiers guarding the perimeter actually seemed more ill at ease with it than our Zarieni allies. Sure, it might be a crude shrine built by barbarians, but it was still a shrine to the Storm. My heart bleeds for them. I snorted to myself. Maybe it was better to start here and get them used to the idea before I began burning down temples on the Storm Continent.


    ¡°It is a nice fire,¡± Kajare conceded.


    He reached out and took my hand. We watched the burning building in silence for a while. A fire at this scale had something almost magnetic, I couldn¡¯t help but think, and watching the flames crackle and eat my enemy¡¯s place of worship was surprisingly serene. The occasional sparks flew a pretty long distance, but we¡¯d drenched the surroundings with water, and there were enough cultivators ready to put out any budding wildfires that I wasn¡¯t worried about it. Burning the wood they¡¯d used to build it gave off a smell I hadn¡¯t encountered before, although it wasn¡¯t exactly unpleasant. A little like that aromatic stuff people might have back on Earth, not that I¡¯d ever cared about things like that.


    ¡°You seem to have done a lot here in the little time we were apart,¡± Kajare said.


    I grinned. ¡°You certainly helped, coming to our aid like the cavalry in our hour of need!¡±


    ¡°Cavalry? But it was ships?¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m glad your ships made it, in any case. Or most of them.¡±


    His expression darkened a little, and I squeezed his hand. I knew what he was thinking. One of the ships they¡¯d taken along hadn¡¯t made it. The combination of dangerous rapids and a sea monster had stopped it permanently, and killed a big part of its crew. But the others had arrived, in time to turn the battle into a crushing defeat for the Zarian-aligned nomads, and demolish the offensive they¡¯d been planning before it began.


    ¡°It¡¯s war,¡± he finally said, a little brusquely. ¡°At least most of them made it out.¡± He smiled wryly, though it didn¡¯t quite cover the shadow in his eyes. ¡°And at least there were no civilians involved.¡±


    I returned his smile and finally turned away from the fire. He¡¯d definitely matured since the start of the war. I was glad to see it.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go,¡± he said, his tone lighter. ¡°We don¡¯t need to watch it burn completely down, and I know I have enough other things to see to.¡±


    I nodded and turned around to leave with him, feeling the warmth of the fire recede against my back. We were a few hundred meters away from our main camp, which was itself beside the mostly destroyed site of the Zarieni camp. There were sentries and the usual group of guards accompanying us, but most soldiers seemed to have turned in for the night after the battle, now that the small celebrations we¡¯d permitted had wound down. Most of them were from what had been supposed to be the main thrust of our attack, which had arrived an hour late after skirmishing with Zarieni raiders from a tribe camped in the opposite direction from here.


    ¡°Would you mind if we go by the medical tent?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course not, I wouldn¡¯t have expected anything else.¡±


    We were already close to it, and reached the place shortly. While it would have been easy to build at least a rough structure out of sturdier materials, the cloth and poles of the tent were densely covered in formations, so it was actually sturdier than any quickly built hut, and they helped with things like regulating the temperature and airflow. It meant you couldn¡¯t knock, though, and one of my guards disappeared inside without a word, before Kajare and I followed him.


    I would have found who I was looking for immediately, even without my qi senses, since they¡¯d given him a private alcove set apart by a wall of cloth, and the hospital bed¡¯s frame was covered in runes. Aston looked up and tried to stand as soon as we entered, and I quickly hurried forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I said. ¡°Just lie down.¡±


    He sank back into his bed from the half-upright posture he¡¯d managed. I didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d tried in the first place, considering there was still only a stump where his left leg should have been.


    ¡°How are you, Aston?¡± Kajare asked as he joined us and pulled a curtain shut. ¡°In a lot of pain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, my prince. I¡¯ve had worse,¡± Aston answered.


    I suppressed a grimace as I looked more closely at his injury. The healers were clearly in the process of regrowing it, but it was slow going. I felt another stab of guilt. If not for my brilliant idea, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.


    And the two other guards who hadn¡¯t survived the fight would still be here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, my lady,¡± Aston said, as if he¡¯d read my thoughts. I must have let my expression slip. ¡°You made the right call, and I¡¯ll be good as new in a few days.¡±


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    I gave him a small smile and nodded, then turned to examine the apparatuses set against the wall and ask for a report. Aston settled back down into the sheets, which told me how tired he really was.


    I was just talking to a doctor when the curtain lifted and Tenira looked inside. She nodded at us and stepped inside, greeting Aston in a quiet voice.


    I waited until she was done before speaking, ¡°Tenira, good to see you. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d already arrived.¡±


    She smiled and came over to give me a hug. ¡°We just got here. Yarani will drop by right away, too.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re getting to be a little too much for Aston,¡± I said, glancing at him in concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, my lady,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not an invalid.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not on my deathbed.¡±


    But despite his protests, I could see he was still pale and he still had a lot of foreign qi in his body to purge. So I gave the others meaningful looks and we excused ourselves quickly. I¡¯d catch Yarani later. Or more likely, she¡¯d find me. Lei joked that the way she found her way (and anyone she wanted) in even the most confusing war camp showed she¡¯d colluded with dark powers, but I found it more likely she had spies in the camp.


    That thought reminded me where to go next. Kariva had stayed behind, focusing on managing her network in the Empire and her efforts to infiltrate the Dominion, but we did have a few of her people along. Tenira and Kajare followed me without comment to the central complex we¡¯d set up to house our administrative needs and meetings. To one side, there was a hut set aside for the use of the intelligence people, with a side entrance connecting to the larger main building. All of this was built of planks and blocks you could assemble and pack up quickly, but considering we didn¡¯t exactly have a large army to manage, it was more than enough.


    I found Aiki Ilia in one of the main offices, poring over sheets of paper. She stood and sank to her knees as we entered, but I waved her back into her chair.


    ¡°I had a few questions about our probable opposition,¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± she answered, nodding. ¡°How may I help?¡±


    I chose a seat for myself, while Kajare took the one beside it and Tenira ambled to the table to look at the folders and documents on it. ¡°I noticed that we¡¯ve only really faced Zarieni so far,¡± I said slowly. ¡°You¡¯ve all surely realized the same thing. And this is definitely a good thing for us, considering our numerical and technical advantage. We¡¯ve pushed several dozen kilometers south so far and are poised to take the rest of the Graves just as easily.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Your Highness, we have forward positions about halfway through the Yellow Graves¡¯ length in some areas,¡± Aiki said. ¡°Especially in the middle of our operational area.¡±


    ¡°We do? I didn¡¯t realize.¡± I leaned forward, distracted from my train of thought by this information. ¡°This is from our newest correspondence?¡±


    She handed me several reports, and I skimmed them, focusing on the map someone had put together. It showed our deployments and where we knew or suspected significant opposition. We really had gone further than I¡¯d thought, although it had been a while since I¡¯d looked at the latest information.


    ¡°That only adds to what I meant,¡± I finally said, shaking my head. ¡°The Zarian are giving us a golden opportunity ¡ª okay, given this is the Yellow Graves, maybe a bronze opportunity ¡ª to take the Graves and push forward up to the border of the Dominion. They¡¯re not stupid enough to do it by accident, and I doubt they¡¯re counting on the nomads or the jungle to take our soldiers out, so what is it they¡¯re trying?¡±


    Aiki Ilia hesitated for a moment. ¡°Actually, Your Highness, part of it might be that they¡¯re expecting the Yellow Graves to thin our numbers for them. Even if we ultimately conquer it all, this is difficult territory to hold, and the Zarieni are generally good at fighting against a numerical disadvantage. Besides, they¡¯re rather loose and somewhat problematic allies. Getting rid of them might actually be something of a bonus, or at least not be seen as a big loss for the Dominion.¡±


    I nodded. She had a few good points there. ¡°Granted. I still have trouble believing there isn¡¯t more to it, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a thought many of us share, my lady, including Lady Kariva herself, from what I understand.¡± The agent shrugged slightly. ¡°It¡¯s been hard to pin down a specific cause, though. We have little more than speculation.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± I leaned back in my chair and cocked my head.


    ¡°This speculation concerns internal political factors more than strategic ones, my lady. We¡¯ve had hints of a restructuring of sorts among parts of the Zarian government. There are persistent rumors that Security Director of the Dominion has been arrested, though they¡¯ve given no official confirmation so far. I personally suspect that the Princeps is consolidating his power and expanding his authority, although I have to admit that others offer different interpretations. Some even say that someone else has expanded their influence, effectively cutting into the Princeps¡¯ authority. But whatever the case may be, a shift in policy could certainly lead to new strategic considerations or priorities.¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°This all sounds very vague,¡± Tenira commented.


    Aiki Ilia inclined her head. ¡°It is, my lady, but I wouldn¡¯t want to present anything like solid information when we don¡¯t have anything solid. I¡¯ve got several reports here that offer further insight into these matters.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°One thing to note, though, is that we have fairly conclusive evidence that the priesthood is at least peripherally involved. There¡¯s been a drive to centralize worship ¡ª to be precise, the Storm¡¯s worship ¡ª for over a decade, and the outbreak of the war has only accelerated it. Now, the formal establishment of a so-called ¡®high temple¡¯, shortly after this purported change in the government, implies they¡¯re not content to let politics and religion stay separate.¡±


    I shivered. Is Jideia tightening his control over the Zarian Dominion? I wondered. If he¡¯s been occupied with that, it might explain why I haven¡¯t seen or heard much from him lately. I shook my head. I doubt this is good news for us in the long run.


    ¡°This is all very interesting,¡± Kajare put in. ¡°But what does it mean for the war?¡±


    Aiki Ilia raised her hands, palms up. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Highness. I feel confident we can expect the Zarian¡¯s present strategic directions to hold. I¡¯d certainly expect stiffer resistance once we actually cross into the Storm Continent.¡±


    ¡°And we can¡¯t preclude any unfortunate surprises,¡± Tenira commented. ¡°They have to be working on something to help them fight us. Like their new teleportation ability. We haven¡¯t seen much of it, but I doubt that¡¯s going to last.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect a surprise attack behind our lines, do you?¡± I asked, looking from her to the agent.


    She shook her head. ¡°No, my lady. Transporting any force large enough to be a credible threat over such long distances would use far too much qi. It¡¯s not impossible, I suppose, but I doubt they¡¯d weaken the defense of their northern bastions that much. I¡¯d be more concerned about their new maneuverability in the battles ahead of us.¡±


    I pulled a face. Yes, that figured.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point worrying too much about it now,¡± Tenira said, walking over and putting a hand on my arm for a moment. ¡°We have to actually get there first.¡±


    ¡°Clearing the Yellow Graves, at least sufficiently to let convoys traverse them safely, should take no more than a month or two, my lady,¡± Aiki Ilia offered. ¡°I don¡¯t anticipate strong resistance.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Zarieni scattering and hiding for guerilla tactics might be a problem, but I think we can deal with that. I¡¯ll certainly have my hands full for a while.¡±


    Kajare and Tenira smiled. Aiki Ilia nodded and sorted a few documents from her table.


    ¡°Well,¡± Kajare said, ¡°at least you¡¯ll have the opportunity to burn down a few more shrines.¡±

 146: Impetus

    I¡¯d been in the jungle too long. That must be why, getting out of it now, it took me a moment to get my bearings. I blinked, my eyes adjusting themselves to the differing light levels.


    Not that I was entirely done with the jungle yet. For that matter, I¡¯d spent some time in the other ecosystems of the Yellow Graves, though they all had a tendency to seem cluttered. The desert that technically covered more of the Graves¡¯ land area especially. It was a rocky desert instead of sandy, although ¡®craggy, rocky, treacherous maze¡¯ would be a better description, as far as I was concerned. You had rocks climbing into the horizon at one spot and deep chasms winding into arcane squiggles ten meters further away. It held so little water even cultivators tended to prefer the jungle to live in, though that might also have something to do with the nasty scorpions, snakes, dust storms, qi drains, stone spirits, and assorted monsters.


    We¡¯d done pretty well, all things considered, and I felt a momentary stir of pride as I thought about it. Over the past month or so, we¡¯d established control of most areas of the Yellow Graves, and even started sending Zarieni north. And I even managed to avoid getting bitten by anything bigger than an insect ¡ª okay, a giant insect, but still ¡ª or getting lost, or getting in a fight with a spirit.


    ¡°I can¡¯t decide which is worse,¡± Yarani beside me said, clearly thinking along the same lines. ¡°The jungle or the desert.¡±


    ¡°The jungle,¡± Lei replied with conviction. ¡°I hate having my lines of sight cluttered like that, and all the life around just makes it hard to sense anything. At least in the desert, you know if you sense something dangerous.¡±


    ¡°You mean if you sense any lifeform at all?¡±


    He grinned and shrugged. ¡°Hey, if the rule works, it works. Besides, some places in the desert were really interesting. Are you sure we can¡¯t go back, Inaris? We haven¡¯t spent nearly enough time there to get a good opportunity to look around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied firmly. ¡°Besides, if you want to get yourself killed traipsing around the Yellow Graves¡¯ desert, do it after the war is over, I still have a use for you.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that was a good one!¡± Elia smirked. ¡°Not that the Graves aren¡¯t interesting, but I prefer places with fewer things trying to kill me.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re probably out of luck,¡± I said, smiling a little. ¡°After all, we¡¯re going to be getting into the Zarian¡¯s real estate soon, and they¡¯ll probably want you dead, too.¡± I glanced at my guards. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Aston, you¡¯ll protect us, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± he assured me, then smirked slightly. ¡°It¡¯s my solemn duty to protect you, however hopeless the task may seem.¡±


    The others laughed, and I scowled playfully at him. ¡°A few assassination attempts and you¡¯re this distraught? For shame, Aston. Where does one get bodyguards with a spine around here?¡±


    ¡°On the throne, one assumes, my lady,¡± he replied serenely.


    We all laughed again, and I allowed myself to enjoy the warmth and companionship, before I turned my mind back to serious matters. Unfortunately, there was no lack of them to keep me occupied.


    ¡°Exactly where are we going, anyway?¡± Lei asked.


    I sighed and refrained from rolling my eyes. ¡°Do you ever pay attention at briefings? Wait, don¡¯t answer that, it was a rhetorical question. We¡¯re going to a major army camp just north of here. There, we¡¯re going to find both Al and a company of Lighters, who are about to be taken through the jungle.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully,¡± Yarani said. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel a bit like we¡¯re just sending them to gauge throughput, and probably losses.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like that,¡± I protested. ¡°Sure, the trip will be dangerous, but it¡¯s always going to be, and we can¡¯t afford to completely forgo a land route through the Graves. Besides, they¡¯ll have a big enough escort to make sure it¡¯s safe. You don¡¯t think I¡¯d let Al waltz into somewhere very dangerous, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Yarani smiled apologetically.


    Before we could continue the conversation, we came upon our destination. The camp was a little more sprawling and less fortified than I would have expected before our recent push, but the area should be safe enough now. Besides, with the way we were putting up training camps for Lighters, I could understand it. The Imperial army wasn¡¯t really used to such a manpower-intensive state of affairs, but it was adjusting.


    We were escorted through the camp quickly. My gaze lingered on the central buildings while I couldn¡¯t help but think wistfully of proper bathing facilities. Conjuring my own water and having self-cleaning clothes were all well and good, and absolutely great for a campaign like this, but I¡¯d found an all new appreciation for my quarters in the Imperial Palace.


    We met Al in the front yard of the main complex, easy to find with his escort of Imperial guards. He was kicking his legs on a low fence whose precise purpose eluded me, but jumped up with a grin as soon as he saw us.


    ¡°Finally, Big Sister!¡± he exclaimed as I pulled him into a hug. ¡°If you were in the jungle any longer, they might think you¡¯d decided to emigrate to the Zarieni! So, can I finally go in?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Maybe if you¡¯ve behaved yourself and eaten all your vegetables. We¡¯ll see.¡± I wanted him there only if it was safe, and in truth I hadn¡¯t quite decided, yet.


    Al didn¡¯t look happy at my answer, but he had the sense not to push. Instead, he exchanged hugs with the others. Meanwhile, I looked at his guard detail, noting their positions and expressions. From the way their captain gazed into the distance, I could tell Aston had already engaged him in a mental conversation. I¡¯d get the details from him later. I hadn¡¯t been entirely joking with Al, I did want to know whether he¡¯d behaved himself and how he¡¯d acted in general, and it would be a factor in any decision.


    Man, look at me, trying to act like I¡¯m a responsible legal guardian and everything. I snorted to myself. Not that I¡¯m likely to fool anyone, and this job is a lot more difficult than I would have liked, too. Pity I can¡¯t quit it.


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    At least Little An had Kei Yating. If I had my way, she¡¯d spend the entire war safely ensconced well away from the front. Even if that meant I¡¯d only get to see her very rarely. I would have liked to do the same with Al, but I knew he wouldn¡¯t thank me for it in the long run. Besides, as much as I might not like to think about it, he was my heir. If anything happened to me, like Jideia or Isuro, better if he knew what was what. Sure, things would probably get royally screwed up all around, but there was at least a chance Kariva and Kiyanu could keep the whole thing running, so ¡­


    A discreet elbow in the side from Yarani brought my attention back to the conversation.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Tenira, anyway?¡± Al was asking.


    ¡°Further up north,¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s been overseeing our technical projects, and she¡¯s taking care of something for me there.¡±


    Elia cocked her head. ¡°What thing? I don¡¯t think you ever explained.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside, and we can talk.¡±


    We trooped into the building to the left, which looked a little less busy, and Al showed us to what looked a bit like a communal office. I sank into a comfortable chair with a suppressed sigh and gathered a few of the papers I found.


    ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve had the help of the Terbekteri fleet the last few months,¡± I explained while I did. ¡°They¡¯ve been good at keeping the Zarian off our backs, but their value is limited so far.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Al said. He frowned a little. ¡°I¡¯ve heard their ships are better than ours, but I don¡¯t quite get why they don¡¯t send more soldiers instead. Or airships.¡±


    I looked up and frowned thoughtfully. I¡¯d just been thinking about this, so I supposed this was a good opportunity to teach him something.


    ¡°They have a different focus than us, owing to their geographical and political situation.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I glanced at Kajare, who was starting to answer Al. ¡°Terbekteri is based on the Water Continent, and we have a long naval tradition. In contrast, the Empire¡¯s navy is nothing to write home about. But I suppose we also never got as good at airships, maybe because the water gave us convenient routes of transportation already.¡±


    ¡°Trying to conquer Terbekteri by sea is the local equivalent of invading Russia in winter,¡± I added. ¡°Actually, I guess the Empire is probably the one power with a realistic chance of conquering it if it wanted to. Maybe that¡¯s part of the reason we always had friendly relations.¡±


    Al seemed to be listening intently, with a slight frown on his face. ¡°If their defenses are that good, why get involved with us or the Zarian at all?¡±


    ¡°Terbekteri has colonies that are a lot more vulnerable to conquest,¡± Kajare answered. ¡°And there are economic considerations. Namely, trade with the Empire. Besides, it¡¯s not just about what they stand to lose, but what they stand to gain, too.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But in the end, they aren¡¯t as involved in the war as the Empire is, obviously.¡±


    Elia sighed and plopped herself down on one of the tables. ¡°This is all well and good, but what do Terbekteri ships have to do with what we were talking about?¡±


    I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair. ¡°We¡¯re planning to use them to raid along the Zarian coast,¡± I explained. ¡°But there¡¯s an obvious issue, since there¡¯s actually two coasts, southeast and southwest of the Yellow Graves. We¡¯d have to split the fleet and they couldn¡¯t support each other, at least not easily.¡±


    Lei looked up now. ¡°This is why you wanted to find a path through the Yellow Graves, right? Definitely an interesting challenge.¡±


    I nodded at him. ¡°That would be nice, and we¡¯re going to send surveyors in. But it would be a dangerous route, even if we found a navigable passage. So we¡¯re also looking up north in the Empire. It would be great if we had a way for the Terbekteri fleet, or Imperial ships for that matter, to cross the Sky Continent in the south.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there something like that already?¡± Yarani asked.


    ¡°Not quite, but probably close. We could definitely use the Blue River from the Blue Lake to the eastern ocean. We could get there from Ru Shu Canal, though we¡¯d probably have to broaden one of its tributaries.¡± I unfolded a map on the table. ¡°It¡¯s not quite enough from the west, though. We might have to build a new canal.¡±


    Yarani was frowning. ¡°You have to be really careful. Playing with waterways like that could lead to droughts or floods in the region.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Definitely. Which is probably the main advantage of the last plans Tenira sent me. I was actually going north partly because of that.¡±


    I took the plans from my storage ring and spread them on the table. Lei leaned forward, eagerly scanning them. Yarani had to lean around him to get a look, though I noted with some amusement that Elia didn¡¯t need to, although she only seemed to skim the papers.


    ¡°Basically, the idea is to build what might as well be a railroad track,¡± I explained. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t use those more intensively in the Empire, anyway. It¡¯s not a long distance and mostly downhill, so we don¡¯t even need particularly strong engines for this one.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re those?¡± Yarani asked, eyes on the plans. ¡°Looks like little more than sleighs that you want to put the ships onto.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I grimaced a little. ¡°I¡¯m not too happy about how much it would rely on qi, but Tenira pointed out, quite rightly, that those ships will be crewed by cultivators, who are more than capable of lifting them. At least for the short while it would need.¡±


    Yarani snorted. ¡°Technically, she¡¯s right about that, but I wouldn¡¯t want to be on the crew trying to lift a ship out of water. Though I guess the Terbekteri will have a lot of water cultivators on board. Most merchant vessels won¡¯t have that strong a crew, though.¡±


    I nodded and raised my hands, palms out. I agreed with her, but this still bore consideration.


    ¡°You could build another mechanism for lifting them,¡± Lei suggested, still reading the papers with apparently avid interest. ¡°Basically, just a scoop that¡¯ll get them up from the water. You wouldn¡¯t even need anything more complicated than a cable pulley.¡±


    ¡°And if we build the tracks close enough to the waterfront, we could probably just transfer them,¡± I said thoughtfully, then smiled. ¡°Very good point. Thanks, Lei.¡±


    I shook my head to myself. The idea was more than a little ridiculous, really. But with how quickly cultivators built things, there was no reason not to pursue this. We could afford to try it.


    Elia stood up and stretched. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to go into technical detail, I think I¡¯m out of here.¡±


    I shook my head and scooped up the papers, making sure to leave Lei the one he was currently scrutinizing. ¡°No, I¡¯m tired, too. I can pick Lei¡¯s brain about this after we get a bath and a hot meal.¡±


    ¡°And a real bed,¡± Yarani added. Her longing look switched to me after a moment and was complimented by a twinkle. I caught the look she shot me and swallowed a grin. It would be nice to have a proper bed again, even if I¡¯d slept enough in the jungle, in order to coordinate with other people.


    As a group, we ambled out of the room. Even the ever-present guards looked like they could hardly wait for the comforts to come. I was just walking down the corridor when something tickled the edge of my awareness. It took me a moment to realize something must have tripped my spiritual senses. I looked around, and stopped as I noticed Elia¡¯s expression. She¡¯d slowed down, and the others were pulling ahead.


    ¡°Something up?¡± I asked.


    She frowned. ¡°Apparently. I just got a message from Piallara.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. So was it the Sun I¡¯d sensed? ¡°Really? What did your grandmother say?¡±


    ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t exactly give me many details. It was no more than a feeling and a few words.¡±


    I nodded. I knew exactly what she meant.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going south. It seems there¡¯s ¡­ something she wants me there for, or something she thinks I should see, at any rate.¡± Elia frowned a little. ¡°Maybe someone? I didn¡¯t get the impression there was any danger, at least.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I glanced at the others. Lei and Yarani were waiting for us a bit further down the hall. ¡°Give me some time to settle a few things, and I¡¯ll be ready to go with you. Just how urgent is this?¡±


    Elia hesitated. ¡°You want to come with me? What about those ship train track things?¡±


    I waved dismissively. ¡°Tenira can handle that. I¡¯m not letting you wander this close to the Zarian on your own, and I¡¯m not really needed up here. Besides, this is bound to be interesting.¡±


    Elia nodded slowly and smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±

 147: Unexpected reunion

    <div>


    I¡¯d been skeptical that we were even going to find what Elia was supposed to be after, given the paucity of the description she had from the Sun. But it seemed to be enough, and as we traveled closer, I even got the now-familiar tingle of intuition that meant Rijoko was helping out, too.


    Not that we had many places to look, I had to admit. Our destination was the farthest south I¡¯d ever traveled, beyond the Yellow Graves proper. Two days after Elia first told me about it, we were approaching our first and only outpost in the region, within shouting distance of the Zarian Dominion itself. Well, for strong cultivators, at least.


    The jungle of the Yellow Graves had had to leave this area behind, but it hadn¡¯t given up without a fight. Instead of the dense, old trees and variety of lifeforms using qi, this was a sparser, almost nonmagical wood. The terrain seemed odd, too, with hills and ridges going mostly in a north to south direction. The landmass had narrowed enough you were never far from the ocean, although we were now in more of a protrusion off the direct path to the Storm Continent, sheltered from both the Yellow Graves and, especially, the southern continent, but close to the sea. The small fleet of Imperial and Terbekteri ships anchored off the rocky coast attested to that.


    ¡°Weird that we¡¯re this close to the Zarian homeland,¡± Elia said, gazing south, although there wasn¡¯t much to see. ¡°I never would have thought that I¡¯d see the Storm Continent before I actually got to their colonies on the Earth Continent.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not quite there yet,¡± I replied, ¡°but I understand what you mean. Especially given we were both in Zarian-occupied territory on the Earth Continent. I¡¯m just as happy it turned out this way, though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so am I.¡± Elia smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave much behind on the Earth Continent, either.¡± Her face darkened as she said it, though, and I caught a flicker in her eyes. She was probably thinking of her family.


    I almost said something, but clenched my teeth and only nodded. I knew Kariva hadn¡¯t been able to locate Elia¡¯s family, not surprising since they were stuck among many displaced people deep in Zarian-occupied land. Even if Elia wanted to go back to them, there wasn¡¯t much she could do. And our departure had been hurried enough I wasn¡¯t even sure if she¡¯d said goodbye to them. Although, on closer reflection, she had been gone for a while before we kicked off our plan, so she probably had done that, or at least left them a message or something.


    Our vehicle slowed down as we passed the outer perimeter of the base. The wagon looked a bit like an open-topped van, with broad wheels that let it drive in difficult terrain. A second one with the other part of my guard detail followed, kicking up dust behind us. The soldiers standing guard over the base saluted as we passed, while the barricades before the gate in the wall had been quickly pulled out of the way. I felt a slight tingle as we passed the formations of a ward perimeter.


    The security measures were more impressive than the base itself, which amounted to little more than a collection of huts and a few dirt squares for drilling soldiers or parking vehicles or airships. Our arrival caused a bit of a stir, and I had to bite back a grin as I listened to officers and noncoms haranguing soldiers to get back to their training.


    A surprising number of them were Lighters. I would have expected those to stay further north, but on second thought, it was probably easier to drill them here than in the Yellow Graves, while they¡¯d still be potentially useful. We¡¯d finally cleared everything north of the short-lived wall, so most of our soldiers had been trickling south. We¡¯d even traveled with some of them, until we¡¯d picked up these vehicles at our last stop. They must have been shipped in by ship or airship, I doubted they¡¯d have survived crossing the Yellow Graves.


    ¡°You take me to the nicest places, Inaris,¡± Elia muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lei¡¯s job, not mine,¡± I countered. I grinned as she sighed theatrically. If I hadn¡¯t known she was so straight you could use her as a ruler, I might have found it less funny.


    ¡°Did someone say my name?¡± Lei asked, popping his head up from the second vehicle.


    ¡°You need to take your girlfriend somewhere nice once this is done,¡± I said. ¡°For now, let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on, though.¡±


    I jumped down and waited for the two of them to join me. Once he¡¯d heard what Elia intended, Lei had insisted on coming along. Not that I minded. He was good in a fight, and while he could be a little careless, it wasn¡¯t nearly at the point where you¡¯d consider him a liability.


    It didn¡¯t seem like we¡¯d have any trouble finding the reason we had traveled here. We¡¯d barely come to a stop in the center of the base before nervous-looking colonel approached us. My attention drifted to him almost before I realized it, and I knew it had to be related. Sometimes, it felt disconcerting to have something resembling a video game quest system stuck in my head. But at least it could be really useful.


    ¡°Your Highness, my lord, my lady,¡± the officer said, kneeling and bowing his head. ¡°I am glad you came. We have something that could use your personal attention.¡±


    ¡°Rise.¡± I stepped closer. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    The officer stood up, and his gaze drifted to Elia. ¡°It¡¯s a man who demanded to speak to Lady Elia of Arialko. He¡¯s quite insistent about it.¡±


    We started walking, and I smoothed out a frown. ¡°Back up a little. Who¡¯s that man, and where did he come from?¡±


    The officer hesitated. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best to show you, Your Highness. We picked him up in the forest not far from here, but he was clearly approaching the base on purpose. After a bit of turmoil, we brought him into the base. We¡¯re keeping him in a secure building for now. He¡¯s refused to answer most of our questions.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t say anything else, as we were arriving at the building in question now. It looked sturdier than the rest, and I could sense the formations built into and inside it. There was also a tightly coiled aura that nevertheless drew my attention almost automatically, in a strangely familiar way.


    Elia pushed ahead of us, rushing into the building. I hurried up to follow her. We brushed past two soldiers guarding the entrance room and then past a couple more in the ground floor, before Elia pushed open a door with so much energy it banged against the wall, and I followed her into the room.


    As soon as I saw the person inside, I realized several things at once. The first was why Aston hadn¡¯t crowded around us more closely. The second was an inkling of why the officer, a seasoned professional, had been so off balance. The third was that I might just find out more of what had been going on down south. But none of that captured my focus.


    ¡°Elis!¡± Elia rushed forward, starting to extend her arms as if to hug him, then faltered.


    I slowly stepped closer, examining the guy. He was a young man, probably no older than my mental age, if even that. He had brown hair and a skin tone that looked like it could have come from almost anywhere in Eurasia. But there was a definite resemblance to my friend. Anyone would have known they were brother and sister just from looking at them.


    ¡°Elia,¡± he replied softly. He smiled, although I could see a bit of strain behind the expression. Hesitantly, he stepped forward and put his arms around her. As if that had broken a barrier, Elia returned the hug and clung to him fiercely.


    I waited quietly as the siblings reunited, shooting Lei a sharp look when it looked like he¡¯d speak up. But after half a minute, they separated, though I noticed they kept holding onto each other¡¯s sleeves. Elis turned to look at us curiously.


    ¡°A direct child of a powerful spirit,¡± he said. His gaze sharpened on me. ¡°Ah. You¡¯re the Imperial Princess. I see the rumors are true.¡±


    ¡°Elis of Arialko, I presume,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re right, I am a daughter of the Moon.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Leri Akilei, but everyone calls me Lei.¡± Lei regarded Elia¡¯s brother at least as curiously as he did us. He stepped towards his girlfriend. ¡°Your sister told me about you, but not much.¡±


    ¡°Did she?¡± His eyes narrowed, and he glanced from Lei to Elia.


    She stepped back a little, not quite touching Lei, but the way they stood together was pretty clear, and I didn¡¯t have to be a genius to recognize the defensiveness Lei showed, or the protectiveness towards Elia.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d grown up, little sister,¡± Elis said, his tone a little more playful now, though his expression hadn¡¯t softened much. ¡°I knew you might find a man. I didn¡¯t think it would be an Imperial princeling, though.¡± The way he said it carried an undertone of what might be ¡®you should know better¡¯, unless I was reading too much into it.


    ¡°So what if it was?¡± Elia retorted. She glared at her older brother. ¡°This sort of thing is my decision, not yours. Especially not if you come back years after you left us just to lecture me about it.¡±


    Elis winced a little. He bowed his head for a moment. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He glanced at Lei again, and there was still steel in his gaze. ¡°Still, if I find you disrespecting her or treating her like a common toy for your amusement, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never do that. You don¡¯t know me. Don¡¯t act like you do.¡± Lei extended his arm and Elia took his hand, taking step back to snuggle closer to him.


    I cleared my throat, bringing all of their eyes back to me. I regarded the young spirit-descendant for a moment. He was in the fifth stage, stronger than Elia. Clearly, he was more familiar with his abilities than she¡¯d been when I met her, too. He¡¯d also picked up Imperial Common somewhere, though he wasn¡¯t quite as good at it as his sister, his accent more noticeable.


    ¡°How did you know she was with us in the first place?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a secret.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The Zarian learned about it some time ago, seeing her with you and probably getting information from sources within the Empire. I picked up a few things here and there.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. This sounded pretty interesting, even if he was weaseling his answers. ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk about this in more detail,¡± I said. ¡°But for now, the way you showed up here, I imagine you were in a hurry. Trouble with those changes down in the Zarian Dominion I¡¯ve heard about?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°Yes, I was running away, hoping the Empire would offer me safety, especially given Elia was here.¡± He smiled at his sister for a moment. ¡°You might say they¡¯re not happy to let me go.¡±


    I nodded, taking a step closer myself.


    ¡°Did you find out anything about Father¡¯s death?¡± Elia asked. ¡°What did you do down there? How much danger have you been in?¡±


    He laughed. ¡°One thing at a time, Elia.¡± But he quickly turned serious. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came so quickly. I didn¡¯t find out much regarding Dad, though there¡¯s definitely a few things we should talk about. As for these changes, as you called them, Princess Inaris,¡± he nodded at me, ¡°they¡¯re probably more sweeping than you realize, and they caught me unprepared. I got caught up more deeply, more quickly than I realized, I suppose. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m out of danger, but just getting away took all of my skill and a little help from Grandmother ¡­¡±


    He trailed off. A wail had started to sound and was quickly growing louder, filling the room so much I was almost surprised nothing vibrated. I flinched and brushed my finger against my storage ring. That was an alarm. I could sense one of the perimeter wards pulsing, and the others were activating, too.


    Elis cursed in his native language. ¡°It looks like Niordo doesn¡¯t want to let me get away and sent his men after me.¡±


    I glanced around, then turned to leave. The others were hot on my heels as we hurried out of the room, down the corridor and out of the building. Elis did well at projecting calm, but his aura felt too rigid to fool me.


    Soldiers were hurrying around everywhere. Lighters crowded around what I realized was an armory and munitions depot, while their officers sorted them quickly. Only some of them had their weapons on hand. The regular soldiers were better prepared, probably because they all carried storage rings. I took a moment to look around, then hurried to the closest gate, which led roughly south. Aston overtook me without a word while other guards closed in around us. A few of them positioned themselves to cut Elis off from me and my companions.


    I could sense our attackers. There weren¡¯t that many, but almost all of them were strong. Crap. This is just an outpost. It¡¯s not supposed to stand up to a concentrated invasion or elite strike.


    I took a deep breath as we reached the wall. There was something odd about the attackers. A few of them seemed a little strange to me. Or, at least, different than usual. Not necessarily all that strange.


    ¡°There are quite a few spirit-children among these people,¡± Elia muttered, a deep frown on her face.


    I nodded, not taking my eyes from the trees. There wasn¡¯t much we could see, yet. Soldiers took defensive positions, and the ballistas and other defensive installations were readied.


    Then a roar shook the earth, and a new presence approached quickly. I winced. A large spirit beast, twice as big as an elephant, trampled through the path in the forest, tearing down young trees, before it thundered towards us. It slammed to a halt as it reached invisible walls, shaking the earth, but the qi running through them trembled and I could sense a few other runes burning out.


    Clearly, we weren¡¯t in for a friendly chat.

 148: Sanctuary

    <div>


    If I¡¯d had any time to do it, I would have cursed at my misfortune in getting attacked again, and at the Zarian who were doing it. But I couldn¡¯t spare the attention. I barely even noticed what the people around me were doing. The formations around the camp held all of my focus.


    Trying to repair formations suffering damage from attacks on the fly would be a hellish challenge even for an experienced formations master. Even reinforcing them wasn¡¯t easy. A little like trying to repaint a chalk drawing, in acidic chalk, while someone kept splashing water all over it. While you were tied to your spot and couldn¡¯t move. In reality, I couldn¡¯t go haring off all over and outside the base to work on the formations.


    But I could tell that my efforts helped. The formations were well-done, poured in stone deep into the earth and into reinforced plates inlaid with conductive metals. They buckled under the assault and the overflow of qi from other, failing formations, but the basis held, and there was enough redundancy that the system didn¡¯t break down. It wouldn¡¯t stand up to a concentrated barrage for long, but while the attackers were content to stay back, it held.


    Slowly, the strain started to lessen, and I finally raised my head to look up and take in the situation. The ballistas on the gate had scored hits on the hostile spirit beast a few times, judging by the bloody gashes in its side. One of the tusks was half broken off. It was stumbling backward, and after it shook its head and roared again, it turned and staggered back into the shelter of the thickest patch of trees.


    I set down my chisel and pen, let out a deep breath, and took a step away from my workplace, closer to the walls. Aston moved with me. After a moment of hesitation, I jumped onto the low battlements where Lei and Elia were standing. Elis was beside them, still a little more closely guarded by soldiers from my detail.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s over?¡± Lei asked, sounding doubtful.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Elia said. She glanced at her brother. ¡°They want Elis, don¡¯t they? Maybe they¡¯ll try talking now?¡±


    I frowned, glancing outside, where I could feel several powerful cultivators moving. ¡°They¡¯re Zarian. We¡¯re still at war. They¡¯re not going to just stop by to chat with us.¡±


    As if to give the lie to my words, a cultivator stepped out onto the path. He wore dark robes, and while he kept his aura veiled, I was pretty sure he was in the seventh stage.


    We waited in tense silence as he moved closer. A few other cultivators followed after him, but they kept to the trees, so I didn¡¯t get a good look at any of them. The other one strolled in a manner that tried just a little too hard to project relaxation and confidence. I focused on his presence in my qi senses. He was definitely a spirit-child. Although I couldn¡¯t tell which spirit or even how strong they were. It probably wouldn¡¯t be anyone I¡¯d recognize, anyway. Although I¡¯d be surprised if it wasn¡¯t a follower of Jideia.


    He stopped some distance from the gate and let the silence drag on for a few moments, apparently for dramatic effect. Then he spoke. ¡°Imperials! Your defense has been commendably strong. But you should know you have little hope of standing us off. You can take heart, though. This does not need to come to a pitched battle.¡±


    He¡¯d spoken in Zarian. I glanced at the others. They should all understand the language at least to some degree, though I knew Lei hadn¡¯t put much effort into studying it, and he was frowning at the enemy cultivator. Elia leaned over to whisper to him.


    After a moment of consideration, I turned, and waved at the most senior of the officers gathered below us, a female one-star general with gray-streaked hair and a wicked-looking axe in her hand, to approach. The woman landed on the battlements and bowed.


    ¡°If they don¡¯t know I¡¯m here yet, it¡¯s probably better not to tell them,¡± I said. ¡°You should answer him. Ask him to elaborate, if you would.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The officer hesitated. ¡°I should get back down. May I contact you telepathically for further instructions?¡±


    ¡°Of course, General.¡± I made a mental note to learn her name.


    She rejoined the rest of her staff and stepped up behind the gate, climbing one of the half-towers at its sides, which would give her a good view of the situation and also allow them to see her.


    ¡°What do you mean, Zarian?¡± she called out. ¡°Clearly, you and your strike force have come here to attack us.¡±


    The other spirit-child smiled. ¡°Your little outpost does not concern me much, Imperial. We are not part of the Dominion¡¯s armed forces. Instead, I have been sent here to deal with a domestic matter. We are chasing a wanted criminal. If you hand him over, we will have no reason to squander our strength against your walls.¡±


    I felt the officer¡¯s touch, and sent her a message back. ¡®Ask him about this criminal.¡¯


    She nodded minutely. ¡°A criminal? What sort of crimes has this man you¡¯re chasing committed?¡±


    ¡°Treason against the state,¡± the Zarian answered after a momentary pause. ¡°You do not need to know this, but I can tell you. Also incitement to sedition and espionage.¡±


    I whistled silently. A glance at Elis showed him grinding his teeth, but he remained silent. I smiled at him for a moment. That Zarian could be lying through his teeth, or more likely, has been sent on thin pretenses to eliminate Elis. It¡¯s not like we have any way to check what they¡¯re telling us.


    But if this was as ugly as the picture was shaping up to look like to me, I could understand why Jideia¡¯s faction, or others, hadn¡¯t wanted a truth-teller strolling around in the middle of it.


    I gave the general another short message, and she followed my directions. ¡°The man in question is not a Zarian citizen. Furthermore, he has appealed to the Empire for sanctuary. I¡¯m afraid we cannot give him up just like that, especially given your nation¡¯s record of gross miscarriage of justice.¡±


    The Zarian¡¯s face tightened, more at the last part than at hearing that we wouldn¡¯t give Elis up. ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± he replied. ¡°I might prefer to avoid bloodshed, but I am perfectly able and willing to use force to back up our demand.¡± His eyes swept over the wall. ¡°By the way, you should give up the pretense. I can feel there is a powerful spirit child hiding within your camp. Perhaps even ¡­¡± he trailed off, but I didn¡¯t like the look on his face.


    ¡°Who is that, Elis?¡± I asked quietly.


    The young man stepped closer and pulled a face. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°I haven¡¯t met him before, personally. I imagine he is one of Aralo¡¯s ¡ª that¡¯s the new Security Director, in case you didn¡¯t know ¡ª helping hands. Although it might be just as accurate to call him a hound of the Temple. This has to be one of the armed groups they sponsor.¡±


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    I grimaced. I¡¯d read about this in one of the reports Aiki had shown me. Apparently, it had recently become fashionable for young nobles, or rather people from the Dominion¡¯s leading patrician families, to enroll in that sort of group. I got the impression they were somewhere in the uncomfortable middle ground between a knightly order, a political militia or armed group dedicated to their faction, like the Nazi¡¯s SA before they came to power, and an unofficial security apparatus of the state. Or ¡®security¡¯, as these things go. Anyway, a number of the people facing us now were clearly such talented (if perhaps lacking in good judgement) nobles, but many of them, on the other hand, clearly had spirit ancestry. Which no doubt helped explain why they were all pretty strong.


    After thinking about it for a moment, I decided not to reveal my presence. They might have realized I was here already, but if not, there was no reason to show myself. Who knew what they might get up to if they thought they could take me out here.


    ¡®Tell them no again. Warn them off,¡¯ I ordered the officer.


    ¡°Who might or might not be in our camp is no concern of yours,¡± she responded promptly. Not that it made up for our time of deliberation beforehand. ¡°I am warning you, we will not give in to such high-handed demands from an agent of our enemy. I suggest you turn around and leave. Clearly, you were sent out to hunt down a lone person, not assault an Imperial base. If you persist in this, though, we are more than capable of making you leave the hard way.¡±


    She was probably right in that assessment, I reflected, although the level of force they¡¯d assembled to chase Elis certainly suggested they weren¡¯t taking this lightly. Clearly, whoever gave his orders wanted to be perfectly sure that they could bring him in, even if he got help from the Sun.


    The Zarian¡¯s face hardened. ¡°If you insist on being difficult,¡± he said in a tone that had finally crossed into being openly derisive. ¡°The hard way it is, then. You have only yourself to blame. Or your hidden master.¡±


    The others finally left the sparse shelter of the trees and moved into position for an attack, forming a half-circle around the camp. The theatrics made me snort. It was pretty obvious these weren¡¯t professional soldiers. Trying to intimidate your enemy in this way might make sense if you were chasing some ¡®undesirables¡¯ or cowing rebellious elements, but it was pretty out of touch for a regular battle between units of enemy nations.


    They didn¡¯t mess around for long, though. After they¡¯d assembled and allowed us a moment to bask in their presence, they attacked.


    This time, I wouldn¡¯t be able to man the wards against them. Their first attack made that abundantly clear. They straight up blew away the outermost layer of the protective wards, and scrambled all of our alarm and perimeter marking formations in the process. The inner shield held, luckily, but I could sense how much strain it had to withstand.


    ¡°Return fire!¡± the general bellowed before it had ended, and started by sending a large spear of ice at the previous speaker herself.


    The Zarian evaded that with a quick sidestep, and returned one of his own. By this point, the rest of the fighters joined the attacks, and the space between the camp and the attackers turned into a chaotic melange of different qi-based attacks. What felt like half of the trees in the vicinity went up in flames or were simply ripped apart.


    I glanced at the Lighters, who had taken their positions behind the walls, as well. Their officers were directing them to make concentrated attacks on targets as the shifting battlefield allowed. As I watched, one squad managed to nail one of the Zarian spirit-children, overwhelming his qi shield with their weapons, and blowing him back with a chemical grenade. They didn¡¯t manage to follow it up effectively, though, given the way their line of fire was being blocked by the earthen wall another Zarian had put up. When their opponent came back into sight, he was already healing, probably from a pill he¡¯d taken.


    I flinched as I sensed the qi shield finally break. An electric tingle swept over us, then the Zarian¡¯s attacks started crashing into the wall and its defenders. Aston grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back deeper into the camp. I instinctively tried to struggle at first, but I didn¡¯t manage to budge him a centimeter. Elia and Lei followed, though the guards at least allowed them to move under their own power.


    ¡°What about the soldiers from those ships?¡± Lei asked.


    That was a very good question. They had to have noticed what was going on here.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming up,¡± Aston answered. ¡°Parts of the enemy force are turning to face them.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a large fleet, and the cultivators on board the ships weren¡¯t that strong, but this definitely swung the odds more in our direction.


    Elis appeared at the edge of the battlements. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to fight?¡± he called to us.


    ¡°My bodyguards would get violent if I tried,¡± I replied. ¡°You should probably get back, too.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re here for me. I¡¯m going to be showing them why that¡¯s a bad idea.¡±


    I sighed but nodded. I couldn¡¯t stop him from fighting, and even if I could, I would probably respect his decision. Unlike Elia, he was in the middle of the fifth stage, so he could actually do some good here. Especially if he had some abilities from his bloodline that were suited to combat.


    I didn¡¯t have to ponder that question for long. Just after Elis returned, I could sense a large attack shooting out from his position towards two of the Zarian fighters. It was a combined technique using fire and light qi that looked a bit like a solar flare. The plasma burned through his enemies¡¯ shields in a matter of seconds, and with a number of Lighters suddenly focused on them, they disappeared into a conflagration.


    I sent a bit of my own qi up into a technique that would act as a mirror and reflect light so I had a good view of the battlefield. I caught the soldiers from the ships anchored off the nearby coast as they started their attack. Steam erupted over the battlefield as the water they brought mixed with the fires already smoldering in several places. But I didn¡¯t need to see everything to understand what was happening. The attacks on the camp let up, which was a good thing considering the walls were barely holding together even in the strongest spots. Our own soldiers didn¡¯t let the opportunity go to waste, but redoubled their own attacks on the Zarian.


    I caught Elis using his attack technique three more times before he stopped, visibly panting. About a quarter of our Lighters had been killed, and a somewhat smaller percentage of the regular soldiers. But the Zarian seemed to have fared at least as badly. The walls might not be much, but they offered at least some protection, and the attackers had been caught between two forces.


    I wondered if they would fight to the bitter end. For a moment, it seemed like it. But then I realized that they were actually concentrating again, not just to shore up their defenses, but they were only attacking enough to provide themselves cover fire. Then qi started to swirl around them.


    I began to bark out orders to take cover, and lost my view of the field as two guards moved in front of me. But it didn¡¯t matter, because the wave of qi crested the next instant, and with it came a faint sensation I¡¯d sensed often enough now. As if space was being warped and stretched slightly before it snapped into place. When I got a view of the battlefield again, it only confirmed what my other senses told me. The Zarian were gone.


    Elis jumped down from the wall and ambled in our direction, still a bit pale, but with a smile on his face. He must be feeling very relieved.


    ¡°Well, that was an adventure,¡± he commented lightly. ¡°I apologize for the interruption of our conversation, Princess.¡±


    I nodded, not bothering to hide the fact that I was watching him closely. ¡°Maybe now that we have some time to talk, you can tell me why they wanted you so badly, Elis.¡±


    He shrugged, but I could see the tension still simmering under the surface. ¡°I suppose these sorts of people don¡¯t like who they consider traitors.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, looking at him thoughtfully. ¡°You were one of them?¡±


    He pulled a face. ¡°No. But they thought I would be. And I might have encouraged that. I was seriously considering it.¡± He sighed. ¡°They¡¯re quite eager to recruit spirit-children and ¡®build a community¡¯ for them. But anyway, that was before I realized how they treated those they didn¡¯t want or get to join their club.¡±


    Elia frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you where that comfortable in the Dominion, Elis.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. By the time you took Blue Valley City back, I was one of the best unofficial players in the intelligence game, and even not insignificant in the broader political landscape in the north of the Dominion.¡±


    I whistled. It certainly sounded like we had a lot to talk about.

 149: Perspectives

    By the time we¡¯d sorted out the aftermath of the battle, Elis had clammed up. I tried to press him ¡ª gently, I didn¡¯t want to alienate him ¡ª but he evaded my questions and gave noncommittal answers.


    I could understand why he might not trust me, of course, but I still found it pretty irritating. The information he had on the Zarian could make our campaign a lot easier, and the insight into their social dynamics and current upheaval might be invaluable. Not to mention that he was the brother of my friend, and he¡¯d been supposedly investigating their father¡¯s death.


    In the end, I surrendered to the inevitable and let him and Elia catch up while I talked to the Imperial army officers to sort things out. The one-star general, who was apparently named Ling Juan, had things well in hand, although there was some uncertainty about how many soldiers to send out as scouts to see if we could confirm that the Zarian were really gone.


    When I rejoined the others, they¡¯d taken over some space in one of the rough houses, and Elia and Elis were talking while Lei lounged next to Elia, watching her brother with pretty well concealed wariness. I entered the room and shut the door behind me quietly, listening to their conversation, which appeared to have gotten heated.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just up and left them!¡± Elis shook his head. ¡°And in an occupied foreign city.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡± Elia snorted. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to judge anyone for leaving their family. Besides, you weren¡¯t there. You don¡¯t know how things had become.¡± She sighed. ¡°I do wish I could go back and get them, but what can we do?¡±


    He pulled a face. ¡°You¡¯re right that I wasn¡¯t there. And I knew Ki was a little hellion, but I would never have thought he¡¯d actually say that to a Zarian officer.¡±


    Elia nodded. ¡°We were lucky that we all got out of that in one piece, even if we lost the estate. And that¡¯s just the tip of the hill, really.¡±


    ¡°Is Ki one of your other brothers?¡± I asked, choosing a chair.


    Elia nodded. ¡°Yes. Well, half-brother.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± Elis said.


    Elia frowned a little. ¡°Only Elis and me are actually my father¡¯s children, if you must know. The younger two, well, aren¡¯t. I guess things weren¡¯t well between our parents, with him being gone all the time and everything.¡±


    ¡°And your father knew about that and still stayed?¡± I asked. There was no way a child of the Sun didn¡¯t know, but I still found that a little shocking.


    ¡°Well, they weren¡¯t exactly together a lot of the time, anyway,¡± Elis said with a grimace. ¡°But they stayed married. Dad mostly did that for our sake, I think. He even made every effort to treat the other two well. People back home weren¡¯t especially fond of adulterers or their bastard children, but while there were rumors, no one ever talked too loudly about it.¡±


    I was tempted to ask when the two of them found out, if it was because of their bloodline, but suppressed the urge. Clearly, their family was a sensitive subject, and I didn¡¯t know Elis that well.


    ¡°Our family wasn¡¯t exactly perfect even before his death,¡± Elia said, looking at her brother. ¡°And it only got worse once you left, Elis. I regret what happened and the way it did, but I don¡¯t think I was wrong to leave them.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m glad that at least I got to see you now.¡±


    I shook my head. And I thought my family was a little dysfunctional. But I put that thought aside and instead watched silently as they shared a smile. It was pretty plain to see that Elis and Elia had been close, and that some of that closeness still lingered.


    Lei watched and listened to all of this in silence. His expression had remained even throughout, though he¡¯d taken Elia¡¯s hand at some point. She must have talked to him about this before. Now he stirred, and looked at me. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to leave and go further north. We can¡¯t guarantee that they¡¯re not going to come back in force to get Elis. Or me. Leaving might help that. This outpost is still going to need reinforcements from wherever we can find some.¡± I pulled a face. We had too few soldiers to go around in the first place.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Lei said. ¡°Are we going to leave by ship?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long until we were ready to go. None of us exactly had much to pack. I talked to the officers in charge a bit more and spent some time with the formations. We needed to salvage the wards or put new ones up quickly, and my knowledge and skill were helpful. But they had enough soldiers with the necessary ability here that they could do without me, so once Aston got impatient, I excused myself.


    We took one of the faster Imperial ships. I stood on deck and watched it navigate away from the rocky coast, while Aston beside me scanned the horizon. There was no sign of any hostile ships, or airships for that matter. These waters had gotten dangerous for them, especially since we had not just the sea dragons, but Terbekteri ships on our side.


    I got distracted from my thoughts when I noticed Elis off to one side, hanging over the railing. He heaved, although not much came out. I suppressed a grin and walked over.


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    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked.


    He glanced at me, then turned his head back. ¡°I hope so.¡± I heard him swallow. ¡°You know, this is only the second time in my life I¡¯ve been on a ship. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve missed out.¡±


    I smiled, trying to look sympathetic. ¡°Well, I doubt it¡¯s going to be the last time. But we do have some good airships in the Empire. Those tend to sway a little less.¡±


    ¡°Sun, I hope so.¡± He groaned.


    ¡°I have some pills that might help with your nausea,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Yes, please. I didn¡¯t really have a chance to pack a lot of what I might need when I left.¡±


    I passed him a pill from my always-prepared storage ring and watched as he swallowed it with a sip of water from a bottle he pulled from his own. Clearly, he managed to take at least some things with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed that you managed to escape from the grasp of those wannabe paladins at all,¡± I said. ¡°Did you have a bit of warning?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, this is better.¡± He shot me a sideways look. ¡°Yes, a friend of mine told me they were, well, turning hostile. I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d strike that quickly, but I moved to a safehouse and hired a few local muscle as guards. They managed to pass me the word in time for me to slip into the sewer system and sneak out of the city. And before you ask, no, that¡¯s not going to work as an entry point for Imperial soldiers.¡±


    I nodded, not reacting to the insinuation in his last statement.


    ¡°It was about time for me to leave anyway,¡± he finally continued. I had the impression he was deliberately keeping his tone casual and diffident. ¡°I was actually going to go back to the Earth Continent and visit my family.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Well, at least that part took care of itself.¡±


    I waited beside him in silence for a while. He didn¡¯t seem to mind my company. While he was clearly feeling better, he didn¡¯t move away from the railing.


    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± I finally asked.


    He raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Are you not going to insist that I stay with you? I wouldn¡¯t be in much of a position to refuse if you choose to be ¡­ assertive about me seeking sanctuary within the Empire.¡±


    I smiled and shook my head. ¡°No doubt. I think you could be very useful for the Empire, Elis. But I¡¯m hardly going to force you to do anything you don¡¯t want to do.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, and trying to coerce a descendant of the Sun, especially one with your experience, strikes me as a stupid idea. Not to mention how Elia would react. I do value her friendship, believe it or not.¡±


    He regarded me silently for a moment or two. I met his gaze calmly, watching the thoughts flitting through his eyes. I couldn¡¯t help looking at him with some curiosity. Elis wasn¡¯t as handsome as Kajare, but there was something about him. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to think of it.


    ¡°I see,¡± he finally said with a slight smile. ¡°I suppose I should be grateful my little sister is so good at making friends. But to answer your question, I suppose I am going to stay. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anywhere else I can go, and I don¡¯t want to leave Elia so soon after we¡¯re finally reunited. Besides, I can¡¯t say I dislike the prospect of maybe getting a little payback from the people who put me in this situation.¡±


    I returned his smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I think I should introduce you to my cousin Kariva, I expect you¡¯ll be able to find a lot of common ground.¡±


    His expression brightened. ¡°Lady Leri Kariva? I¡¯ve heard of her. Yes, I would certainly like the opportunity to meet her. Her reputation in certain circles is quite something.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be delighted to meet you.¡± Or if not, she¡¯ll certainly pretend like she is.


    Silence descended again, though it was less tense this time. I looked out over the sea, as did Elis, but I also kept a metaphorical eye on him. His aura was pretty interesting, although I didn¡¯t manage to get much of an idea for what abilities his bloodline might have given him.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to invade the Dominion,¡± he finally said, calmly. ¡°Attempt to conquer it. Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am.¡±


    He nodded, as if he¡¯d expected that answer.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re strong enough to do it?¡± I asked.


    He turned his head to face me more fully and raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an odd question to ask. If you weren¡¯t confident in your victory, why would you even try it?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I certainly am, but that¡¯s neither here nor there. You can¡¯t know everything about the situation in the Empire and the factors deciding our military strength. I¡¯m interested in getting your opinion, from your perspective.¡± And I wanted to learn what his attitude was to know what I should expect from him.


    ¡°Well, I wasn''t in the Zarian military and hardly privy to their strategic deliberations or assessments. But you¡¯re right, I do have some information about their strength in the northern cities.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Yes, I think you can do it. It¡¯s not going to be easy, but I wouldn¡¯t bet against it. Unless the Storm or certain supporters of his decide they don¡¯t like that prospect and to do something about it.¡±


    ¡°Good to know.¡± I smiled at him, showing that I wasn¡¯t concerned. We were almost certainly stronger than he knew, and if Jideia had been able or willing to intervene too directly, the Zarian would already have conquered the Empire.


    The conversation trailed off there, though I stayed to look out at the sea some more. A sea dragon would probably come to talk to me soon. They always seemed to find me and show up whenever I was at sea.


    Finally, Elis wandered away, and I made my way across the deck, as well. I could sense that Elia had joined her brother, and they were probably talking again. Before I could decide what I wanted to do with my time, I happened upon Lei.


    He was sitting cross-legged in a little corner of the deck, beside the cabin and where the ship started to narrow. I paused and watched with my qi senses as he sank deeper into meditation, and I felt the flow of qi joining the circulation in his body. He went into a deep meditative state quickly, and judging from the force I could dimly sense, I knew this was more than ordinary cultivation. He was finally breaking through to the fifth stage. Maybe the fight gave him a nudge? Or talking with Elia and Elis.


    I leaned against the railing a short distance away from Lei, where I could keep an eye on him, even though I knew he was perfectly safe here.


    And I had no doubt about his ability to break through. He might do it at an older age than Tenira, but I knew that wasn¡¯t because he was in any way lacking in ability. He simply didn¡¯t devote as much effort to his cultivation as some. And even then, the fifth stage at his age is still an accomplishment.


    It would be nice to have him in that stage. I had no fear of what might happen if Elis turned on us, considering the presence of my guards and soldiers, but Lei would be able to keep up more, like Tenira. And Kajare could very well have broken through the next time I saw him, too.


    I shook my head. I knew my standards were pretty warped, even if you didn¡¯t count my own unnatural progression. Lots of nobles didn¡¯t even reach the fourth stage at Lei¡¯s age. But everyone around me seems to be advancing quickly. I wonder if I¡¯m just that inspirational?


    I frowned and took a step further away, letting the sensation of the ocean¡¯s tide wash over me. For all I knew, I might have some passive aura that helped the people around me progress in their cultivation more quickly. Or, what was probably more likely, my father might be subtly giving them some help.


    Not that I was about to complain.

 150: Taking the fight

    <div>


    ¡°Once we cross this line, things are going to change,¡± Tenira said quietly.


    I looked at her, suppressing a smile at the sight of her gazing thoughtfully south, the sun dancing in her hair. We¡¯d been separated for too long lately. But the gravity of the subject swallowed my bout of levity quickly.


    ¡°It was called ¡®crossing the Rubicon¡¯, I guess,¡± I said. ¡°After a general who took his army into his empire¡¯s heartland and took power from their senate for himself. He got himself murdered pretty quickly, but it was the death knell of their republic, and his successor eventually became the first emperor out of many.¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°Even over a thousand years later people were still styling themselves as successors to the Roman emperors. I guess this may be a more fitting parallel than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if crossing this river is going to turn into a proverb, but it¡¯s certainly going to have enough impact for one,¡± Tenira said. ¡°There has never been an Imperial army who truly crossed into the Dominion¡¯s heartland, Inaris. Ever.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yet another first.¡± I grinned playfully. Then I turned serious once more. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re ready?¡±


    Tenira hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°I think so. We may have slowed down, but we needed the breather. The Zarian have already had enough time to fortify themselves. And we need too many new things, in too large amounts, to have pushed right on south. We¡¯re still setting up new factories.¡±


    I hummed in agreement. There were a lot of things straining our logistics and supply efforts. We were training new Lighters by the hundreds, with every instructor we could scrape up. We were also building and running new factories to produce all of their equipment and more. Many of them had been set up in the newly liberated south. They were making weapons, but they also needed to churn out huge amounts of other material, like ammunition and explosives, or plates for formation arrays, and many other things.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t always been easy, and none of it is cheap,¡± Tenira continued.


    I nodded. ¡°I think, in that regard, other measures have probably cost more, but that¡¯s not saying much.¡±


    In addition to creating new airplanes, weapons and so on, we were also trying to raise our conventional strength. The Empire was buying up cultivation aids and materials, trying to get as many fighters as possible to as high a stage as possible. I would have bet the Zarian were doing the same thing.


    ¡°We¡¯re probably going to have to substantially raise taxes soon, in any case,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s not going to do the economy any favors.¡±


    Tenira pulled a face. ¡°Right. Do you have any details on that?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Not really. Kiyanu has a surprisingly good head for finances, and is much more familiar with the Empire¡¯s finances, so I¡¯m leaving it to him to figure out how we¡¯re going to pay for this war.¡± I shot her a meaningful look. ¡°Besides, I rather doubt I¡¯d be able to sneak anything like that past you, even if I wanted to, and you probably know more about this sort of thing than I do.¡±


    She grinned and raised a hand. ¡°All right. Just checking.¡±


    We fell silent and watched the drawn-out dark blob of our army wind its way south. It looked deceptively slow from here, although our elevated position allowed us to see everything clearly. We were standing on a mountain trailing the edge of the Yellow Graves¡¯ mountain range like a last, lone sentinel. The wind blew loudly enough to cover the sounds those of my guards standing further down might have made, but I could hear the faint swish of clothing as Aston shifted his position beside me.


    The dark spots of airships dotted the sky above the cultivators and wagons on the ground, and if I strained my eyes, I could just see the sails of a few ships out on the ocean, as well. More of them would be trying to find their way inland using a river, although they were under orders to withdraw if they faced stiff resistance. They were mostly there to probe the Zarian¡¯s defenses. So far, no army had come out to meet us, but I hadn¡¯t expected one. An open field, even one as hilly as this one, would be a good battleground for our Lighters, and we could get support pretty easily here.


    ¡°I just wish we had better communications with our other territories,¡± I finally said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get any details on how the war is going there.¡±


    Tenira shrugged. ¡°This is the territory that really matters, although I suppose I can see what you mean. It would be nice if they were doing just as well against the Zarian as we are.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I wish we were better prepared there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s jut how it goes.¡± Tenira pulled a face. ¡°The Sky Continent is the more important area, and it¡¯s where we are, and most of our research teams. Of course there¡¯s going to be a lag in enlisting Lighters and getting production of our new weapons, planes and whatever else set up and churning out material there. At least we do have the infrastructure to do that, on the whole.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I sighed.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think that, in a way, the fact that the overseas territories of the Empire were this integrated and prosperous had its drawbacks. We had to put effort into defending these areas and their citizens, and taking care of their economy. The Zarian would probably have an easier time writing off colonies, even if that cost them in the long run. Not that I really wanted to change places with them. And in the end, it probably wasn¡¯t a big difference.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope our allies¡¯ ships keep the Zarian outside the continent on their toes,¡± I said.


    We¡¯d planned on using a sizable chunk of the Terbekteri fleet for that, and were already starting operations. They were supposed to strike at Zarian territories all across the Dominion. That might divert forces there, but even more importantly, I wanted to keep them on the defensive. It would be a pain if the Zarian started sending out their own ships more aggressively to hit Imperial territories.


    ¡°Stop worrying,¡± Tenira chided me. ¡°Really, Inaris, things are going to be fine. Don¡¯t fret.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Yes, love.¡±


    We fell silent and watched as the army continued to wind its way south. This area was sparsely populated, if it was populated at all. I supposed it was possible the Zarian had evacuated people from our path. I would have done it in their place, but I was hesitant about guessing how they would act.


    After a few more minutes, we decided that it was time to move. We would still keep behind the army, but we couldn¡¯t let it get too far away from us. Aston would probably manage that.


    I cracked my shoulders and grew a set of wings, smiling as I felt the wind rustle through my feathers, which were white this time. I crouched, then jumped into the air, beating my wings at the highest point of my leap, and kept soaring. I caught Tenira¡¯s chuckle as she rose into the air herself on her flying sword.


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    I could have used one, too, but I liked flying this way better, not just because I¡¯d never managed to reach the degree of skill she showed with one. There was something better about flying with my own power, without the aid of any sort of tool except for my inborn abilities.


    We flew south-south-east, closing on the army¡¯s path from a shallow angle. I watched thoughtfully as they grew in my sight, and I could make out more details of their formation. Since Kiyanu was staying in the capital, this was my army, at least in principle.


    It was an army not quite like any the continent had seen before. Almost half of all of its soldiers were Lighters, although, of course, their actual strength was far lower than that. But they did make it one big army by local standards. And pretty much all the forces involved in this war had been big. It was a clash between two great powers. But the army was also accompanied by heavy equipment, weapons new to the waging of war on this planet. A few planes flew with the airships, though more of them were carried along on large wagons and some on the ships.


    ¡°What are you going to do if we lose?¡± Tenira asked after a while.


    I turned my head to look at her. Her voice had carried clearly over the wind, but she was watching the army instead of looking at me.


    ¡°In what sense? Lose the next battle, or lose the war?¡± I asked.


    She glanced at me and shrugged. ¡°In general. The former, I suppose.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Well, if we take heavy losses, if it turns out that we¡¯re outmatched after all, we¡¯ll retreat and reconsider our options. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not riding this idea down in flames.¡± I snorted. ¡°Not that Kiyanu would let me.¡±


    Tenira smiled slightly. ¡°Alright. Look, we¡¯re making good progress.¡±


    I nodded and turned my attention back to the army, which was just crossing the river we¡¯d mentioned earlier. A few minutes later, we reached it ourselves and flew over it. I looked down at the raging waters, heavy with last week¡¯s rain, and felt grateful that at least it wasn¡¯t much of an obstacle for cultivators. But now we had definitely crossed into Zarian heartlands.


    Behind the river, I was starting to see signs of civilization. The landscape still had rolling hills, though those weren¡¯t as high or rugged as those further north, and we mostly saw fields interspersed with a few small forests.


    I cycled a bit of qi to my eyes to get a better look. This was definitely cultivated land, and we passed a few villages from a distance. They seemed to be empty. At least, I couldn¡¯t make out anyone moving. But I suspected that they were abandoned quickly, since there were still cattle grazing on a few meadows, and fields that were obviously in the process of being tended. Whatever work farmers did in spring seemed to be mostly taken care of, but the fact that people had clearly put in the effort of working on it meant this area hadn¡¯t been evacuated for too long.


    Eventually, the land smoothed out further, leading into a plain, and we saw the broad, dark band of a river on the horizon. I looked more closely and found a dark blob on its banks. As we traveled towards it, that structure grew larger in my view, until I could recognize the city surrounded by its tall, gray walls. They reached high enough that I didn¡¯t get a good look at the houses behind them, although we weren¡¯t flying very high. I gained some altitude and took a closer look. The city was big, its center neatly organized but its outskirts a warren of streets and passageways.


    It didn¡¯t look very different from an Imperial city.


    The army slowed down as it approached, and I descended, pulling in my wings as I landed on the ground, before I started jogging. Tenira accompanied me on her flying sword, flying low to the ground, while the guards surrounded us. We made our way to the head of the army quickly. I nodded at General Wei and the other leaders, but watched in silence as they got our fighters organized.


    It didn¡¯t take long, since the army wasn¡¯t that large, really, and the soldiers functioned as a well-oiled machine. Earth cultivators put up provisional fortifications, while a group of water cultivators went off to check out the river upstream, guarded by some elites. This wasn¡¯t supposed to turn into a long siege, but it might, and the generals clearly believed in being prepared. We didn¡¯t start setting up tents, though.


    I turned to look at the city, then froze in surprise. ¡°Aston, is that ¡­ smoke?¡±


    He followed my gaze and frowned. ¡°Indeed, my lady. Quite a bit more smoke than you would expect to see from any chimney. I¡¯d wager to say there is at least one whole building on fire in there.¡±


    I exchanged a glance with Tenira, then hurried to join the generals, who were just finishing their preparations. ¡°What do you think is going on there?¡± I asked.


    Wei Jun shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Highness. But it has to have something to do with our arrival, given the timing. I doubt that there¡¯s a faction fighting to open the city to us, but I hesitate to guess what it could be.¡±


    The other high-ranking officers nodded in general agreement. I looked at the smoke again, which, if anything, was getting thicker. The generals quickly came to the conclusion that we shouldn¡¯t waste any more time. If this was a bad sign, better to find out what was going on quickly. I stretched out my senses, looking at the wall and what I could get from behind it, and considered the possibility that we were walking into a trap. But I seriously doubted they¡¯d be able to conceal any formation arrays well enough that we¡¯d blindly stumble into it. And they shouldn¡¯t be able to make chemical explosives?that could actually threaten strong cultivators.


    We started advancing carefully, the stronger soldiers in the front, while I kept back with my friends and a large group of Imperial guards. The smooth walls of the city, which I recalled was called Niali, were occasionally topped by parapets with a few siege weapons. As our army advanced under the cover of qi shields, they fired at us. I watched carefully as the flares of qi impacted on our shields, dispersing in bursts of light. But the fire seemed scattered, and I noticed that a few towers only joined in a few seconds late.


    There had to be quite a commotion inside for them to consider the hostile army camping outside a lower priority. Most likely, their leadership structure, civilian or military, was being disrupted. Or maybe they just want to suck us in. It¡¯s possible, I guess.


    We kept advancing, and I frowned to myself. I didn¡¯t feel like I was in danger, really. I was only a few hundred meters from walls presumably containing an army of people eager to do me harm, and for all the sensation I got from Rijoko, I could be watching a movie safely at home. Of course, I knew I couldn¡¯t rely on that, but even what I saw as mostly my own intuition was silent, certainly not screaming at me as if I was walking into a trap.


    As we closed, I focused on the wards around the city. Elis had been able to give us some details on them. Analyzing them now, I could tell they¡¯d made an effort to change the patterns, but they¡¯d only altered parts of the shields. Our elites were already securing the base of the walls, and I approached carefully, reaching out a hand to touch them as I concentrated. Together with the other formation masters, I wormed my way into the city¡¯s defenses. It took long minutes during which I had to rely on my soldiers, and of course Aston¡¯s guard detail, to protect me, but we worked our way through the wards. We let parts of the qi shield stand, but now our forces could easily enter the city.


    I shook my head, pulling my attention back to my surroundings. I barely had time to take them in before Aston grabbed me and levitated me onto the top of the wall. I nodded at him, looking around to see the rest of the soldiers making their way onto the wall and into the city.


    I joined the generals and their guards, who were now close to the front, though we¡¯d still sent elites ranging ahead. The occasional flashes and thunder of fighting showed where our forces were encountering resistance. I was beginning to suspect the Zarian might have pulled most of their forces out of the city, although some of the buildings we passed looked a little too battered, and there was still smoke rising from several places further in.


    Then we reached the first plaza, and I suppressed a gasp of surprise as I realized why the soldiers were slowing down. A group of Zarian faced us across the square. None of them was higher than the fifth stage, with at least half of them in the first or second. A profoundly strange composition in the Dominion. They wore simple clothing and most didn¡¯t carry any weapons, beside maybe a knife.


    Sensing that this wasn¡¯t about to get violent, I pushed my way forward, with Aston and my stronger guards keeping close by me, while Tenira slid into her place to my right.


    ¡°Welcome to Niali, Imperials,¡± a man with gray-streaked hair who seemed to be in the second stage called out.


    I took another step forward and let my gaze sweep over them.


    ¡°Welcome, indeed,¡± I finally answered. ¡°I take it there won¡¯t be much fighting today.¡±


    ¡°We sure don¡¯t want to be your enemies. You¡¯re welcome to take custody of the city.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll come to a meeting of the minds.¡±


    I smiled back. Well, this is shaping up to be interesting. And definitely better than fighting a bloody conquest.

 151: To the enemy

    <div>


    During the trip further into the city, Aston looked like he¡¯d taken an overdose of caffeine and awakened from a nightmare at the same time, unable to keep his hands still or his face as sober as usual.


    I understood why his professional paranoia had to be screaming at him, but there was nothing for it. The people we¡¯d met were hardly strong enough to threaten my guards, and none of us could sense any hidden traps. Besides, I didn¡¯t want to dither around, look like a coward, or appear too mistrustful. Not that I would have trusted them too far, but diplomacy worked better if you didn¡¯t shout that from the rooftops.


    The city seemed almost deserted, with most people huddling inside their homes. Those grew larger and more beautiful as we went further into the city. We reached what must have been the city hall or a similar building quickly, and a girl in the first stage, the only one of the original group I¡¯d met who hadn¡¯t made themselves scarce at some point, showed me into a comfortably appointed room. I sat down in the chair I assumed had been left for me, since the amount of gold it sported was a little too large compared to the amount of cushioning. The other chairs were empty when we entered, though Tenira and Kajare quickly took the two beside me. A few moments later, Elis finally appeared, though he didn¡¯t sit down.


    Then the large doors opened and four people filed into the room. They all wore simple, practical clothing in dark tones, and ranged in age from around twenty to a gnarled old man stooping over a cane. They were all in the second stage, with nature and earth affinities, just as you would expect from your average commoner. They probably could have walked through almost anywhere in the Dominion without getting a second glance. Probably more proof I shouldn¡¯t underestimate them.


    These people had barely entered the room before they threw themselves to the ground until they were lying prostate on the floor facing me.


    Surprise stole my voice for a moment. Then I said in Zarian, ¡°Please, get up. No need for quite that much deference.¡± I smiled at them.


    They stood up and stepped closer. From the way they were acting, I gathered this wasn¡¯t some particularly fraught gesture. Probably just what people of their status were usually supposed to do when they met someone of very high status in the Dominion. I found it interesting that they followed such courtesies, a custom based on strength like most things in the Dominion, even here, but that kind of thing was probably normal for them. And I imagine they aren¡¯t exactly familiar with Imperial customs or social norms.


    One of the women had been among the group I¡¯d first met, but I hadn¡¯t seen the others before. They all returned my smile with varying degrees of warmth. Then the older woman spoke up. ¡°Thank you, Imperial Princess Inaris. We¡¯re all honored to meet you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Sit if you like, please. I think we have a lot to talk about.¡±


    They did, pulling up chairs so we sat facing each other. ¡°Your people clearly knew enough to deal with the city¡¯s wards. Are you familiar with our organization, Your Highness?¡± the woman asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°I can make a few obvious guesses, but no. I¡¯ll have to have words with my informant.¡±


    I glanced at Elis, who only shrugged and smirked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Basement would be here in such strengt. Or try to take the city.¡±


    A few of the Zarian smiled slightly. The younger woman inclined her head in his direction. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect you to come with the Empire¡¯s army, Elis Arialko, though perhaps we should have.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. He¡¯d mentioned the resistance group (or something like that) called the Basement, but only in passing, and I didn¡¯t know much about them. Still, the situation lent itself to some obvious conclusions. It was pretty remarkable that a group clearly composed mostly if not solely of members with low cultivation had managed to take this city, or given it such a good try, at least.


    ¡°How did you know we¡¯d be coming here?¡± I asked.


    The younger of the two men shrugged. ¡°We didn¡¯t know for sure, of course. We knew that the Imperials would invade, and we narrowed down the options we believed made sense as targets for an attack. This was one of the major possibilities. We¡¯ve been concentrating our strength here over the last few months, and stepped it up once we knew that the Empire made its move.¡±


    I nodded slowly. They¡¯d clearly acted according to an established plan. Most likely, they¡¯d wanted to make a point. To show their strength to us, maybe? It could be they wanted to persuade us to work together, and helping us get the city like this would make for a pretty good offer. The other obvious take-away was how well informed they¡¯d been, and clearly still were. Not that I found that surprising.


    ¡°I can see that. I imagine you know a lot more about what¡¯s going on in the Dominion than most people would believe possible,¡± I commented.


    They exchanged a quick look. Then the younger man cleared his throat. ¡°Indeed, Your Highness?¡±


    I smiled with as much charm as I could muster. ¡°If my own experience with Imperial nobles is anything to go by,¡± ¡ª or, more likely, stories I¡¯d read ¡ª ¡°then any normal patrician would be hard-pressed to see how someone in a low stage could possibly threaten their interests. I would assume you have quite a few members working as servants in noble households, don¡¯t you? Placed where they¡¯d be able to overhear some interesting details.¡± I thoughtfully tapped my fingers. ¡°Not to mention a few clerks, dockworkers, prostitutes around army bases, probably others.¡±


    They exchanged another look. The woman bowed to me. ¡°And astute supposition, Your Highness.¡±


    I got the feeling they weren¡¯t entirely pleased by the way I was talking, or were at least a little off-balance. They probably thought they¡¯d have to face an entitled princess who¡¯d be hard-pressed to imagine how a bunch of unwashed peasants could possibly be useful to her.


    ¡°How did you manage to shake this city like that, by the way?¡± I asked. ¡°Did you suborn some of the soldiers? Or something more indirect? Poison?¡±


    They shifted a little, before the older woman spoke up. ¡°It was mostly poison, yes. We accumulated a little store of some very potent stuff over time. We also managed to subvert some of the wards and other formations around the city.¡±


    I nodded. That made some sense, although it still couldn¡¯t have been an easy proposition. Still, I had to remind myself these people obviously weren¡¯t lacking in guts or organizational capabilities. And you could still learn about formations even if you didn¡¯t have the qi to make or use them yourselves.


    ¡°You obviously put quite a lot of resources into this operation,¡± Kajare said, gazing at them thoughtfully. ¡°Which leaves the question of why. If you¡¯d taken another city, the Dominion¡¯s soldiers would have taken it back in short order, and this one is now in the Empire¡¯s hands. Effectively, you simply helped us against the Dominion. Why?¡±


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    I was happy to notice that he didn¡¯t talk to them with any condescension. Instead, he sounded honestly curious, as if he was carefully considering the situation¡¯s politics.


    I decided it was time to join him and push a little. ¡°You also took a risk. You¡¯ve put yourselves within our power, along with many of your members. And there¡¯s also the chance that we would decide to simply burn the city.¡±


    The shifted a little at the last sentence, and several of them weren¡¯t quite good enough at hiding their surprise.


    ¡°We were quite certain you wouldn¡¯t do that, Imperial Princess,¡± the older man answered.


    I smiled thinly. Ah. It was probably a matter of reputation. I guess they¡¯re right. I¡¯m Rijoko¡¯s daughter. They might have cause to worry if it was the Storm, but the Moon isn¡¯t exactly the type for violent overkill.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored by your high opinion of me,¡± I answered. ¡°Am I to assume that you have an equally high opinion of the Empire in general?¡±


    ¡°It can hardly be much worse than the Dominion,¡± the younger man muttered under his breath.


    ¡°From what I understand, everyone within the Empire of the Sky is given basic rights that protect them, their property and certain individual freedoms,¡± the younger woman said. She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Am I wrong, Your Highness?¡±


    I shook my head. They probably kept switching speakers to keep me from guessing who, if anyone, was their leader. ¡°Of course not. Every citizen of the Empire has unassailable civil rights, such as the right for a fair trial, with the same consideration as a noble.¡± I hesitated, then added, ¡°We also don¡¯t restrict who may own land or property, taxes are based on wealth and income, and anyone can visit public schools. Or marry whoever they like.¡±


    It seemed I¡¯d hit a sore spot with that. The way the younger man looked, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what his problem was.


    ¡°That alone would be more than worth it,¡± the other man said.


    I smiled and leaned back in my chair. From my reading, I knew marriage was generally restricted to the same stage or the immediately adjacent ones, though there were a few exceptions. Cultivators in the seventh and eighth stage could marry anyone from the fifth up, not that they did that often, those in the second only up to the early part of the third, and there was a hard limit between the third and fourth stage. It was a prime example of the way the Dominion kept everyone at their ¡®proper¡¯ place.


    ¡°Well,¡± the older woman said, ¡°a few of us are pretty taken with that idea.¡±


    ¡°And many of the rest just think the Empire¡¯s going to win, anyway,¡± Elis commented.


    She hesitated for a moment, before she shrugged. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, too.¡±


    I exchanged a glance with Tenira. The four of them might as well have ¡®please recruit us¡¯ written on their foreheads.


    But I didn¡¯t jump on the chance. That didn¡¯t just have to do with the unease in the back of my mind, which had been steadily growing the longer we talked. It was still very limited. I didn¡¯t think I was in any immediate danger, but my intuition was putting up warning signs.


    ¡°We¡¯re certainly eager to find any support we can,¡± I said slowly, ¡°but I can¡¯t promise you anything. I¡¯ll have to discuss this with my advisers and generals, you understand, not to mention the Regent.¡±


    They looked a little disappointed, but not very surprised. I smiled to take the possible sting out of my words. We really could use their help, not just with the fighting, but more importantly, with what came after. Ultimately, after all, we were here to stay. Which meant somehow trying to fit the local population into the Empire, in all the ways that mattered. It might be a little early to worry about that, but on the other hand, I couldn¡¯t afford not to worry about it. Having a well-organized group of ¡®normal people¡¯ who supported the Imperial occupation and could help us handle problematic issues would be a blessing.


    But that was why I had to be careful. After all, they had their own agenda, and I¡¯d have to be sure what I was getting into. I didn¡¯t want to win this war, come to rely on them, only for them to turn around and demand the death of every patrician, down to the children. Or the complete abolition of private property. Or who knew what their goals might be.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep in mind the many ways in which we could help you, if the Empire chooses to take us into the fold,¡± the older man said. ¡°We could help your agents get many places they would never otherwise reach, provide information on the inner workings of and event in the Dominion, help you take further cities, and help the people accept you.¡±


    ¡°And we can offer some more concrete support, as well,¡± the younger woman said. She smiled, then reached into the bag she¡¯d put down behind her chair, forgotten, and pulled something out. ¡°We brought this as a little demonstration.¡±


    I leaned forward, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling as I tensed. It was a wooden box, of simple make but inlaid with a few runes, and I could faintly sense the qi of what it contained. It felt like darkness and space.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, as my guards shifted.


    ¡°Something we took from the castle in the confusion,¡± the other woman answered. ¡°You must have noticed the soldiers¡¯ new ability to move places? Well, they need certain devices for it. Spatial anchors. Some of them mark an area where you can teleport to, others are used to travel, unless you have one of the really good experts with you.¡±


    I leaned forward, intrigued despite the unease that had sharply stepped up a notch. I didn¡¯t need that feeling to realize this device was dangerous. ¡°Give it here, please,¡± I said.


    One of my guards stepped up, and the younger woman stood, opened the case and took out a complicated mechanism of metal and precious stones. She set the case on the floor and stepped forward to hand it to the guard, Yin. The sixth-stage light cultivator scrutinized it closely for a moment, with a brush of his qi, before he turned to hand it to me.


    I reached out to take it, surprised at the weight. Its qi seemed to flicker a little as it connected, and touched my own briefly. It settled down after a moment, and I started turning it around analyze it more closely.


    Then the feeling of unease morphed into a sudden, abrupt spike of danger.


    For a moment, I was almost paralyzed by conflicting impulses. I glanced up, the still calm qi of the device fading into the background of my awareness, just in time to watch the young Zarian woman come at me with a dagger so black it sucked in the light. It was from a storage ring that must have been in the box as well, I realized, my mind moving at lightning speed while my body could barely begin to react. Everyone¡¯s attention had been diverted by the device.


    The woman was only in the second stage, or so I could have sworn a second ago. But she moved with unnatural speed, as if she was at least in the fourth. I started to step back and to the side, but I barely managed to shift my weight before she¡¯d crossed most of the short distance between us.


    Then suddenly, so quickly I couldn¡¯t really perceive it, Aston was there, his qi flashing outward in a stony defense.


    The dagger cut through it like it was butter, but at least the impact seemed to slow it. The woman twisted, her arm bending too far, and the dagger slid into my chest with a hiss.


    But she¡¯d been aiming for my head originally, and I¡¯d moved enough to blunt the attack. Blinding pain seized me, and I screamed, before some vestige of control had me shut down all sensation south of my neck.


    I stumbled backwards, barely noticing how Aston took care of the assassin or the rest of the guards moved forward. I felt darkness qi, some technique in the weapon, which was burning through not just my flesh, but seemed to attack my qi itself. Similar to my own greatest technique, though not quite the same. More parasitic, less contained.


    I turned and fixed my gaze on Tenira. ¡°Burn it out,¡± I said, my voice hoarse.


    Her eyes widened, but she didn¡¯t stop to question me. Instead, my girlfriend held out her hand and formed a swirling mass of black qi composing the Void¡¯s Nibble above it. Then she stuck out her hand.


    I moved forward just enough. Her technique burned even worse, but it attacked the foreign qi more than my own, since there was more of it.


    I took a deep breath and cast my affected parts out. It wouldn¡¯t have worked for a normal person, but there was too much qi woven into my body. I fed it into the furnace enough so it burned all of the tissue along with it and scoured out the attack¡¯s qi.


    I swayed on my feet, but didn¡¯t look down. I could feel the large hole in my torso. My heart had a chunk missing, enough to ensure it would never pump again. But I was the Moon¡¯s daughter and my body was mine to shape. Even as I felt the onset of the price blood loss and lack of oxygen would demand, I took a step back and focused my will on repairing the damage. New tissue and bone formed where it had been lost, and qi crept in to fill it.


    I exhaled and looked down. There was no sign but the large hole cut out of my clothing. Although now what had happened was really starting to set in, and I bit my tongue to keep from cursing.


    Jideia must have infiltrated the Basement. Dammit.

 152: Taking possession

    The three remaining members of the Basement flinched slightly at my approach. I didn¡¯t know how much of that was because of the attack or because they¡¯d just seen me shrug off a hole in my torso. From their expressions, they were probably in too much shock to differentiate much, anyway. Not that it mattered.


    I glanced at what remained of my assailant, lying in a small puddle of blood. Her eyes stared upwards, still wide open, her face distorted in a grimace.


    ¡°Now what am I going to do with you?¡± I mused in a casual tone, looking at her comrades. The two men flinched again.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t involved,¡± Elis spoke up. His own gaze was hard.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Their surprise is real,¡± Elia said. ¡°As far as I can tell, they didn¡¯t know anything about this.¡± She grimaced. ¡°Of course, we couldn¡¯t tell what was about to happen with the other one, either.¡±


    I nodded. That was really concerning. ¡°You didn¡¯t catch any hostility?¡±


    They shook their heads, and Elia¡¯s grimace deepened. ¡°As far as our ability knows, there was nothing to see, because until that moment, she didn¡¯t have any intention of killing you.¡±


    I nodded and stepped back from the remaining Basement members. I¡¯d decide what to do about them later. For now, I looked at Tenira and Aston, who was standing there with his hands crossed behind his backs and a stony face.


    ¡°Do you think she was controlled?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± Tenira said, ¡°but given what happened ¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± I frowned. ¡°That sudden increase in her strength was something else. It took us all by surprise, except Aston, I guess.¡±


    My bodyguard inclined his head. ¡°That¡¯s because I knew to watch out for something like this, my lady, so I didn¡¯t stop seeing these people as potential threats.¡± From the way he looked at his subordinates, butts were going to be kicked.


    ¡°From your own experience?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I learned about it from Mior. This wasn¡¯t outright possession, I don¡¯t think, but not a normal technique.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Well, we do have a number of spirit-children among the opposition now. One of them was probably involved. Who knows what sort of abilities they might have?¡±


    Tenira drew in a sharp breath. ¡°That is a scary prospect. You think there are more like this just waiting for us?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°This was probably done by someone close by, though not anyone we¡¯d see. I don¡¯t think there are any real long-term sleeper agents. That ability would be too game-breaking.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, just an expression.¡± I ran a hand through my hair, watching as Aston sent out guards from the room. ¡°There are limits to spirits¡¯ descendants¡¯ abilities. That could come from the Greater Spirits or just because of how much qi it takes, it doesn¡¯t really matter. But I doubt anyone in the Zarian templar wannabes is a child of a Greater Spirit. Certainly not a direct child.¡±


    Tenira nodded slowly. ¡°So, they¡¯ll be weaker than you.¡±


    I smiled wryly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m probably right at the upper end of the curve of what¡¯s possible for spirit-children, given my origins. And most abilities seem to be more ¡®non-combat¡¯ focused. Their shapeshifting is going to be a lot worse, at least. Not to sound arrogant, but you need more than a little mental fortitude to get to using shapeshifting at my level, not to mention knowledge and practice.¡±


    ¡°We can only speculate,¡± Kajare said. ¡°For now, we have more pressing concerns to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I turned back to the Zarian we¡¯d been talking to.


    They still looked like they could hardly believe what had happened. Not that I could blame them. Coping with assassination attempts out of the blue was nothing new for me, by now, and I managed to roll with it pretty well, all things considered. That didn¡¯t make them any less shocking, or dangerous.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to go through your organization with a fine-toothed comb,¡± I told them. ¡°I want you to work with us on that.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± the older man answered. ¡°We need to find out everything about how this could have happened, and if there are any further traitors in our ranks.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m not sure you have the expertise in terms of cultivation to investigate it properly. Oh, I¡¯m sure you must have sympathizers higher up in the Dominion, or you wouldn¡¯t be standing here. But not the kind of strong cultivators with experience you need.¡±


    They exchanged another one of those looks, and inclined their heads. ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± the younger woman repeated. ¡°We¡¯ll be glad to work with your people.¡±


    ¡°Good. This might lead to closer contact and give us a closer look into your organization than without this unfortunate turn of events, but we should make the best of it. And I also intend to make proper use of you going forward.¡±


    The older woman looked up, her eyes brightening. ¡°You will?¡±


    I smiled thinly. ¡°Oh, yes. Consider yourself recruited.¡±


    One of Jideia¡¯s goals in this must have been to sour my relationship with the Basement and prevent us from working together. I wouldn¡¯t let him succeed in it. As I¡¯d mentioned, we would probably come in closer contact, after this, and I¡¯d take control of them a little more than I might have wished, but the attack had changed the parameters of the situation. It might be a calculated risk, but I think it¡¯ll work out. And if not ¡­ so long as we¡¯re careful not to make ourselves truly vulnerable to them, we¡¯ll always be the ones with the strength to crush them.


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret it,¡± the older woman swore.


    I smiled again. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie.


    <hr>


    The sound of conversation, laughter, and the clinking of glasses and cutlery echoed down the building, still too close for comfort. Or at least, too close for me to feel comfortable, although I¡¯d gotten my introverted aversion to crowds and parties under control.


    ¡°They seem to be enjoying themselves,¡± Yarani observed.


    I grinned. ¡°See, I told you this was a good idea.¡±


    We stood in the palace that used to belong to the mayor of the city, where someone had decided to quarter me and managed it in a remarkably short time. I wasn¡¯t above taking advantage of it, and had decided to throw a dinner for my senior officers, the leaders of the army, and a few other guests. We had, after all, successfully conquered the city, more or less, even if it hadn¡¯t been very hard. And after that, for tonight, I¡¯d decided on a party with a broader guest list, inviting some of the important Zarian who¡¯d found themselves in our care.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Of course, I was only technically throwing the party. In reality, I¡¯d simply expressed what I wanted and let other people make it a reality. Tenira had rolled her eyes and complained about more work, but so half-heartedly that I knew she thought it was a good idea.


    She shook her head now, declining to comment on that. ¡°It certainly helps to take our thoughts off the fact that someone tried to kill you. Again.¡±


    Yarani tugged at the sleeves of her gorgeous blue dress. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any question that the Storm was behind it. Again, as you said. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m getting sick of it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I pulled a face. ¡°And I know it will be far from the last time. He¡¯s not losing much, is he? He¡¯ll just keep trying. Keep me on edge. Eventually, he might find a way. There¡¯s not much I can do to hurt him in return. I can¡¯t really strike at him, certainly not with anything I¡¯m not doing anyway.¡±


    Tenira frowned deeply. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a pleasant prospect. You don¡¯t sound very afraid of dying, though.¡±


    I sighed, watching rain patter against the window of the corridor we were standing in. We hadn¡¯t planned to meet here, it had just happened that way. Even in a back corridor few guests would see, the window was patterned with delicate patterns of flower petals, the frame gilded. It showed the age of this building, and its city.


    ¡°Jideia might be trying to kill me, but I have a Greater Spirit protecting me, too,¡± I answered Tenira after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve survived everything so far. Maybe Rijoko wouldn¡¯t expend too much effort, if a time comes where he¡¯d have to, but the Storm¡¯s so far limited himself to working indirectly, too. And there¡¯s always Mior. Somehow, I doubt they would just let me die even if Rijoko decided to write me off.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope you¡¯re right,¡± Yarani muttered.


    I nodded soberly. ¡°Yeah. I guess the better things go for us, the more we risk pushing Jideia into taking new risks.¡±


    We all fell silent for a moment, considering that. I took Tenira¡¯s hand and felt her give me a reassuring squeeze. Even though they would be in danger, too, the two of them and the rest of my companions were clearly concerned for me, not for themselves. I appreciated that more than I could properly express.


    ¡°We should go back to the party,¡± Tenira finally said.


    We started walking, accepting her change of subject easily. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure it was a good idea to invite Basement members as well as city functionaries,¡± Yarani said. ¡°But at least there hasn¡¯t been any violence.¡±


    Only some of the Basement leaders were actually there, of course. Many would have security concerns about outing themselves if the Zarian got wind of it, and had family or friends who might pay the price for it. That only made sense.


    I nodded. ¡°I was afraid the latter would see it as an insult. But I suppose that has its good side, too. It lets us see who¡¯s going to be openly offended, and who¡¯s smart and cool-headed enough not to act on it.¡±


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°You might be underestimating the effect of being violently conquered, love.¡±


    I pulled a face. While it was undoubtedly true, the notion that I was leading a conquering army that would, by its very nature, subjugate the conquered territory and people took some getting used to.


    The concert of voices in the hall took a noticeable dip when we entered. The people closer to us bowed deeply, some of them fast, while some took longer to notice us or react, so the effect looked a little odd. I nodded and made my way through the hall with my girlfriends at my side. The guests parted in front of us like the red sea. Most of them wore a shimmering rainbow of silk, other precious fabrics, gold, jewels, and things I couldn¡¯t name and wasn¡¯t very interested in.


    At moments like these, I was very glad my own wardrobe and cosmetics were handled by professionals. This evening, I wore a set of blue and silver robes with lots of gold thread and pearls, which still somehow managed to seem elegant instead of overdone. At least the party gave me the opportunity to see Tenira and Yarani equally prettied up. It was worth it for that sight alone.


    I didn¡¯t recognize many of the people filling the hall, but of course my own identity would be rather obvious. I wore a slim golden circlet set with gemstones for the occasion, and its weight seemed to increase on my head under the regard of the guests. But I looked past them to the main table, where Kajare stood and turned towards us. Instead of robes, he wore an outfit more like a suit of shimmering dark silk, which emphasized the set of his shoulders a lot better. I knew he¡¯d caught my gaze when his lips twitched slightly as he bowed and offered me his arm.


    ¡°You still look gorgeous, Inaris,¡± he said. I¡¯d officially been gone to change my outfit, although I¡¯d only exchanged the shoes.


    ¡°Funny, I was about to say the same,¡± I replied and smiled at him.


    ¡°You as well, Tenira, Yarani.¡± He nodded at them. ¡°The party seems to be a rousing success.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I turned to look over the guests again.


    Many of the movers and shakers of the city had fled along with most of the people in the high stages, but a surprising number had remained and surrendered without putting up a fight. It might be that they¡¯d been too distracted by the Basement to get clear in time. And clearly some stayed because this was their home and they felt honor-bound to remain instead of run away.


    Niali was the administrative capital of a province, or at least a sector, which constituted a smaller unit. The governor had fled, but apparently, he had less actual power than the major, who was from an old and wealthy family. That one numbered among those who¡¯d stayed.


    After a moment, I shook my head and turned back to the others. It would probably be better to talk to him in a more private setting later.


    ¡°You know what the party is missing?¡± I asked, grinning. Then I captured Kajare¡¯s hand. ¡°You have the honor of the first dance, my prince. Come on.¡±


    At my discreet wave, the attending servants removed one of the lower, now empty tables and cleared space for a dance floor. Someone brought in a recording crystal and music started to resound through the room. I pulled Kajare to the center of the dance floor, and he put his hands around me with a twinkle in his eyes. Then the music swelled and we started to move.


    I¡¯d had the way he placed his hands to warn me we were going to do a Terbekteri dance. Kajare was a good dancer, and guided me through the steps with a light touch. The people watching us faded into the background of my awareness. Cultivator dances were nothing for the faint of heart, and could only have been performed by the best dancers and acrobats on Earth. One time, he lifted me into the air with one hand, and I jumped clear over him for the next move. My body seemed to know the steps. As we danced, I recalled glimpses of a sunlit hall, strands of music, and an instructor calling moves. Apparently, dancing had been part of my education, just like riding and poetry. Not that I needed resurfacing memories to know I couldn¡¯t pen a good sonnet if someone held a gun to my head.


    When we stopped, more couples had joined us on the dance floor. The next song was a quick one in three-eight time, and I grinned at Kajare, then adjusted our position before starting to move in a dance from Earth. He didn¡¯t know the steps, of course, but he followed my lead well, and it was simple enough, since I¡¯d only chosen a basic Viennese waltz. I¡¯d never been much of a dancer and would have been hard-pressed to do more than that, anyway, but my cultivation gave me enough grace to hide that fact.


    When we finally stopped after several more pieces, over half of the guests were dancing, and I was surprised to realize how much I¡¯d been enjoying myself. I left Kajare to Tenira, who cut in with a grin, and ambled across the room.


    I paused close to one of the large windows offering a nice view over the city, which was lit by thousands of lamps that spread out like a sea of fireflies. Yarani joined me there not two seconds later.


    ¡°Should I be offended you didn¡¯t ask me to dance?¡± she teased.


    I smiled. ¡°Later. I need a break.¡±


    My girlfriend followed my gaze out the window. ¡°It¡¯s a nice view,¡± she conceded. ¡°Although it¡¯s going to be a little brighter than usual tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She pointed, and as I followed her finger, I found a warmer spot than most not too far away from the palace. It quickly grew, until there could be no doubt this was no lamp or lightstone.


    The sight quickly destroyed my good mood. I sighed. ¡°You disapprove?¡±


    Yarani shook her head. ¡°No. On the contrary. But many people will. Especially of those you¡¯ve gathered here.¡±


    Already, the fire was starting to be noticed. I watched as more and more of the guests paused to look out the window. The mayor turned unerringly to me, his dark eyes glinting in the light of the lamps. I met his gaze calmly and held it for a few seconds, until he bowed his head and glanced away.


    ¡°No doubt burning the Temple of the Storm will foster resentment, even hate,¡± I agreed. ¡°But I¡¯m hoping that once people realize how much our system offers them, the effect will reverse.¡±


    ¡°You could have waited until then,¡± she pointed out.


    I shook my head. ¡°That would be an uncertain gamble. Better to get it out of the way now, while we¡¯re still in the ¡®conquer and occupy the city¡¯ phase. That¡¯ll make it more clearly a part of this war. Plus, at least we made sure no one could be caught in the flames.¡±


    Yarani nodded. ¡°I suppose it sends a pretty clear message, too. Especially after the assassination attempt.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I hope that one won¡¯t become public knowledge.¡±


    We watched the fire for a moment, before Yarani laid a hand on my arm. ¡°So, how about that dance you just promised me?¡±


    I smiled and took her hand, turning to head back to the dance floor. ¡°Your wish is my command.¡±


    I tried to put the issue out of my mind and get back to enjoying the evening. After cycling through my three partners and roping in Lei and Elis, who turned out to be pretty good, I even managed it.

 153: Divergence

    <div>


    I looked at the city stretching out in front of me, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder, for a moment, how I¡¯d gotten here. Parts of it were still smoking, though luckily those were very small, easily contained ones, all things considered. A large hole gaped in the wall, with the stone that used to fill it scattered widely through both the field outside and the street below the wall inside the city. A lot of rickety houses stood outside the walls, and their owners could probably count themselves lucky that the vast majority were indeed still standing.


    I sighed and lightly nudged my horse, getting it to move. A lot of people had gathered outside their homes, and it felt like half the city was watching me. They didn¡¯t cheer, of course, but they also didn¡¯t jeer or shout or throw things. They were simply watching in silence. I could almost imagine I could taste the fear in the air coating the back of my tongue when I swallowed.


    This was the second city we¡¯d conquered in the Dominion, a bit over a hundred kilometers southeast of the first. Though not the last one, hopefully. The battle had been short and vicious, but not as bad as it could have been. While the Zarian had hardly left us the city uncontested, the caliber of resistance we¡¯d found showed they hadn¡¯t seriously intended it to hold against us.


    There¡¯d been almost no resistance worth speaking of in the towns and villages around here and Niali. That was to be expected. The Zarian had to have some sort of plan, though, and I had to assume they were working on it. Maybe we¡¯d manage to disrupt it. Maybe not. There isn¡¯t much I can do about that except try my best to meet the challenges in front of me.


    I smiled slightly, gazing out over the watching crowd. They weren¡¯t as hostile as they could have been. Probably the Basement¡¯s efforts, in combination with whatever rumors trickled across the border, anyway. It¡¯s sometimes easy to forget that this war is less than two years old. There might have been tensions before that, but there was also some trade. And that always carries information.


    At my entourage¡¯s fast pace, it didn¡¯t take long until we reached the center of the city. I dismounted in front of a castle the soldiers had secured to use as my base, and headed inside, trailed by my companions and guards. The army was still sorting things out, and I¡¯d stay out of their way for now.


    The building was obviously older than my last abode, but the previous owners had tried to compensate with thick carpets, ostentatious furniture, and paintings. My guards would be either happy or anxious about the hollow walls and concealed entrances I sensed, but I walked past them without slowing down.


    Tenira finally broke the silence. ¡°What now?¡±


    I turned my head, but kept walking. ¡°I guess we take some time to settle down. You all can probably use a bit of downtime, anyway. Personally, I feel like I need to do some deep cultivation.¡±


    The old castle had an open roof, and I managed to find my way there without taking a single wrong turn. There was a balustrade with crenelations and empty spots where they used to keep siege engines. A few weeds clung tenaciously to life between the stones. It was a remarkably peaceful setting, given the outside.


    I stepped closer to the balustrade, looking out over the city. The castle was built atop a small hill, which gave me a good view. Another one, on the other side of the city, housed the temple of the Storm. At this moment, soldiers were probably still rounding up priests and acolytes, trying to get at their records and gather information about the Dominion¡¯s new High Temple. And also getting everyone outside before they set the fires. I might have felt bad about costing these people their jobs if their organization hadn¡¯t agitated against us. And half of them would probably get new jobs with the other temples in the city. Recent efforts notwithstanding, the Dominion was still just as polytheistic as the Empire, in the end.


    Once I saw the first plumes of smoke drifting up into the air, I stepped back and chose a nice sunlit spot on the stones of the keep¡¯s roof to sit down. I closed my eyes and started to focus on the world around me, beginning to pull in qi.


    I¡¯d been nearing my next breakthrough, the qi already contained in my dantian filling it up and creating a subtle sense of pressure that I recognized well by now. Over the last few days, it had gotten both less intense and more so. I felt like it had lost some stiffness, though that was probably ¡­ well, whatever you called the cultivation equivalent of ¡®psychosomatic¡¯.


    Slowly, I sank deeper and deeper into my cultivation, pulling in qi and sending it along its paths through my body. Ever since I¡¯d mastered my shapeshifting to the extent I had, and especially since the I¡¯d had the crap burned out of me and survived, I¡¯d come to realize how much my body was not quite a physical vessel. Or not just one, at least. But as I cultivated closer and closer to a breakthrough, with the qi straining against my core, I pondered how that related to the less visible aspects of what made me the person I was.


    As I sent my qi crashing through my channels, sending spikes of pain through me, before crushing it into an expanded core for the first time, I still pondered the issue. I knew there were questions I¡¯d never be able to answer. I wasn¡¯t entirely human, only partly. I¡¯m not human, I let the thought linger in my mind, despite my instinctive need to weaken it. Usually, I was a very good facsimile of a normal human, but in the end, it was a pretense. Not entirely, of course. But hard to define exactly. I didn¡¯t know if some things in which I might diverge from the population average were just effects of my personality.


    What I could probably never be sure of was exactly how things you might consider as belonging to one¡¯s personality related to my spirit nature. Factors like the shapeshifting and dreams and immortality and even intuition were clear and far easier to deal with, in that sense.


    Maybe it took riding triumphant into a vanquished city and feeling only muted triumph, a hint of satisfaction, and considering the inhabitants¡¯ reaction that pushed me to this contemplation. Because I wasn¡¯t even trying to make myself feel remorseful or constrained. Not that it would have changed much.


    I continued cultivating, feeling the new stage begin to settle in my core and channels. I could not deny that my emotions, or emotional capacity, were somewhat ¡­ dim. Not to the extent of genuine sociopathy. But my inner landscape was, for all the rare blinding flashes of anger, a dull painting. Oh, I knew I was capable of it. If nothing else, I held deep and genuine affection for some people. Something I would not call anything less than love, for a select few. But I could not deny that I only cared about other causes or people, even my subjects, in an abstract way. In a sense, that caring was simply my choice, since it would need little but some mental readjustment for me to simply stop.


    I exhaled and opened my eyes, looking up into the stars in the night sky for a moment, before I stood. Almost instinctively, my senses reached out and found Tenira close by, in one of the upper floors not far from me. I smiled to myself, dusted my robe off and started walking. I wouldn¡¯t bring light to the mysteries of my spirit heritage, or my father¡¯s design choices, in one session. But I was okay with the resulting amalgamation, all things considered. At this moment, standing under the stars in the middle of an enemy city while the sun started to rise on its eastern side, I felt perhaps more free than I ever had.


    That feeling only lasted until I joined Tenira. She pushed a stack of folders towards me, barely looking up from the documents she was working on in the large office off the suite they¡¯d given me. ¡°You have a lot to do,¡± she commented.


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    I sighed and sank into the chair at the other side of the table, taking the papers. ¡°What¡¯s the time?¡±


    ¡°You were out for about a day,¡± she answered. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    I nodded and started reading the first report. I should probably have known better than to do this right after the army won a battle. They appeared to have done fairly well at containing the city, and there were no major outbreaks of resistance. I still wished Kiyanu was here. But he seemed to be staying in the capital for now.


    We worked quietly together for a few hours. I read reports, penned short answers on occasion, and checked some of Tenira¡¯s work. As always, she was a great help, and the stack of documents shrank easily. Despite the paperwork, I realized I enjoyed this quiet time together.


    I looked up, watching my girlfriend for a moment as she sat frowning slightly at the sheet of paper she was reading. I¡¯d gotten an idea, but I needed to find the right words if I was going to pursue it.


    Before I could, the door opened and Aston walked in, followed by two more guards. His expression and the feel of his aura had me shooting out of my chair right away.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± he reported, ¡°there appears to have been an attack on Prince Alaster.¡±


    I stared at him for a moment, before I hurriedly stepped closer, as if that could help me get answers. ¡°What happened? How is he?¡± I¡¯d left Al behind in Niali. The city should have been secured.


    ¡°We¡¯re unsure, my lady,¡± he answered quietly. ¡°The prince appears to be alive, but we only have confused reports so far.¡±


    I nodded, still feeling like someone had just emptied an icy lake on my head. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± I said. Then I took off.


    The corridors of the palace blurred past and I ascended the steps four at a time. I ripped my outer robe, and was already growing wings from my shoulders and back when I reached the roof. I took a running start, then jumped upwards with all of my enhanced muscles. Flapping my wings let me quickly rise over the city, already angling in the right direction. As soon as I was past the qi shield, I breathed in deeply and gathered air qi, forming it into a technique that helped propel me forward.


    Aston had kept up with me easily, which wasn¡¯t surprising, considering his cultivation. A few other guards trailed me as well. He pulled up beside me closely enough he had to mind my wings, looking like he was going for a light jog in the air. ¡°Your Highness, that was unwise.¡±


    I glanced at him. With my wings and air qi, I was quicker like this than if I used a flying sword. The other city wasn¡¯t that far away, and we were still picking up speed. It wouldn¡¯t take long. I took a moment to change my wings to a sky-blue color, then did the same with my hair. Unfortunately, my clothes were less malleable. Though I was wearing blue, so that should be okay. Like I did often enough not even Kajare had asked me about my favorite color (which was actually red, as it happened, I just didn¡¯t like how I looked in it.)


    I forced my mind back on task and focused on Aston. ¡°I doubt anyone expected me to rush off like a headless chicken after my brother,¡± I answered. ¡°If they have a strike team in place, they probably deserve to take a fair shot.¡± I paused and considered the situation. Then I winced a little. ¡°Raise the alert with the other guards, and make sure security around my companions is heightened.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady. Measures are already being taken.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, speed me up,¡± I demanded.


    Aston sighed but circulated some qi. It felt like I was picked up by a wind corridor even stronger than what I¡¯d been using.


    The flight passed in a blur of adrenaline, and not soon enough we slowed down and descended over Niali. I didn¡¯t even need to focus on my qi senses to know where to go. We flew towards a section close to the docks by the river, which was bustling like a kicked beehive. Soldiers had established a perimeter and were herding people out, as well as gathering inside. They cleared a space for us to land quickly. I barely remembered to change my coloring back to normal.


    Looking around, I quickly found Al, who was sitting on the ground in the middle of a cluster of guards and soldiers. I started walking forward, staggered, then shook my head and dispersed my wings. They shifted my balance and made walking harder.


    ¡°Al! Are you alright?¡±


    He jumped up and tried to push past the soldiers, who retreated to let me reach him. He basically jumped into my arms, and I hugged him hard enough to make him wheeze.


    I looked past him, and my gaze stuck to the body lying in a pool of blood close by, still undisturbed. Ru Lis¡¯ empty eyes gazed at the sky. I¡¯d assigned her to my little brother before we started this push, since I¡¯d have Aston with me.


    It seemed it was a good thing I had. One more life lost to Jideia¡¯s attacks on me. I¡¯m really getting tired of this. Well, I suppose I¡¯ll have to arrange a proper funeral. She was actually some very distant relation, not that it mattered. After Kei Weriga, I¡¯d made a point of asking for the dossiers of new guards. So I knew the Empire had lost out, since she might actually have made it into the eighth stage.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.


    Al stepped out of the hug, and one of his other guards spoke up. ¡°It was a surprise attack by what appears to have been one of the regular dockworkers, Your Highness.¡± He gestured at the remains of another person, less recognizable, a short distance away. ¡°He had to have been in the first stage, but suddenly moved far more quickly than he should have been able to. Captain Ru managed to intercept his attack, and our response eliminated him quickly.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I stepped closer, straining my senses. From his description, this was the same method they used in the attempt on my life earlier. Probably done by the same person.


    Aston moved in front of me, and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, Aston. I¡¯m not in any danger.¡± I moved around him and beside the corpse of the probably unwitting attacker.


    The reason I¡¯d come here like this, besides wanting to be with Al, was because I might catch things other people would miss. There was a lot of what I could only call qi residue here, but my intuition was definitely starting to twitch.


    I swept the body and grounds carefully with both my eyes and qi senses, but I could tell I wasn¡¯t on the right track. This had all happened very recently. While it would probably be too much to hope for that the perpetrator was still close by, they couldn¡¯t have gone far, and they didn¡¯t have much time to cover their tracks.


    I looked upward, turned around, then frowned and moved my head back around as I realized what I¡¯d almost missed. A leap brought me on top of a nearby building, probably a warehouse, and I quickly erected a net of qi around a spot just past the edge of the roof, where you¡¯d have a good view of events below. It was little more than a pinprick in space a little darker than the surrounding air, and even this close, I only picked up the faintest whisper of its qi presence. But I didn¡¯t need more than that.


    I took a deep breath and carefully crafted a shell of qi, laying intricate patterns around the working. I hadn¡¯t quite realized I even knew this one before today, but now I recalled a moonlit night about five years ago and the guiding touch of Mother¡¯s qi. She¡¯d taught me this personally. It was a technique that mainly used light qi, but there was also a component of darkness, which made it one of the secretive techniques passed down by the Leri clan.


    With a last flourish, I finished the technique, and the hole in the air in front of me ripped open. It constituted one end of a link stretching a few kilometers away, to its creator, and now my technique reversed it. I only got a blurry picture, with dampened and distorted sounds filtering through the connection, but it allowed me to get a good look at the man behind it. A young man, with dark hair and a nondescript appearance, but bright blue eyes. Although I didn¡¯t get much of a sense of his aura through this, I did sense his qi through his technique, and I knew I was dealing with another spirit-child.


    His eyes widened for a moment, then they narrowed and his lips twisted in a smile. ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Princess Inaris,¡± he drawled in Zarian. ¡°I guess today is your lucky day.¡±


    I met his gaze calmly, showing no reaction. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll turn yourself in now,¡± I said. ¡°Since my brother survived, I¡¯m inclined to be merciful. If you make me hunt you down, the consequences will be on your head. You might be the child of a spirit, but that¡¯s not going to help you.¡±


    He laughed, as if I¡¯d told the funniest joke he¡¯d ever heard, loudly and with no apparent restraint. ¡°A child of the Auditor doesn¡¯t just surrender,¡± he told me, suddenly serious again. ¡°Where would be the fun in that, sweetheart?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. I¡¯d heard that name before. Not a Greater Spirit, but powerful, and an ally of the Storm. Probably in about the same position as Mior for the Moon.


    ¡°I assure you, this is anything but fun,¡± I answered. ¡°And I expect you won¡¯t be laughing for much longer.¡±


    ¡°Promises, promises,¡± the man said. Then he made a cutting gesture and the qi forming the technique ripped apart.


    I took a deep breath, then turned. ¡°Canvass the city,¡± I said to Aston, who¡¯d followed me but stood outside the field of view. I created an illusion showing the spirit-child.


    But I had a sinking feeling he was going to be long gone by the time we reached his current location. He wouldn¡¯t go down that easily.

 154: Evaluations

    <div>


    I was right. By the time our soldiers reached where the attacker had to have been, he¡¯d disappeared and left no clues behind. Maybe it would have been different if the kilometers between us had been open field, but this was a city. And a foreign, newly occupied one at that.


    I stayed at the scene of the crime, jumping down from the roof and joining Al and the soldiers around him.


    ¡°Well, at least no one else died,¡± my brother said. He conspicuously didn¡¯t look at the body of his bodyguard. ¡°But this won¡¯t be the last we see of this, will it?¡±


    ¡°Xiaodan!¡± Quickly, I turned to Aston, as always my trusty shadow. ¡°Pass the message. I want her security on high alert, and her guard detail increased. They can pull guards from the palace if they have to. In fact, tighten security around everyone who could be considered part of my inner circle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, glancing at the sky, which was clear except for a few clouds. I wanted to find a quiet place and go to sleep. But it was mid-morning here, and it would be the middle of the day at Xiaodan¡¯s location, which meant no one I wanted to talk to would be asleep.


    I¡¯d made sure the estate housing my little sister had a telephone, of course. But our new communications infrastructure was still restricted to the Empire proper, without a connection to or through the Yellow Graves. Still, word would be passed quickly. And I didn¡¯t really think she was in danger. Not just because my intuition didn¡¯t send any warnings, but because of the distance and logistical difficulties that would be involved in any attack on her.


    But even if she was safe, the fact that the Storm¡¯s people had struck at Al represented a new level of escalation. It clearly wouldn¡¯t fulfill their primary goal of taking me out, but they might want to put me off balance for new attempts on my life. Assuming this wasn¡¯t just a political move.


    We waited in silence for further news. As expected, the patrols they¡¯d sent out failed to turn up any sign of the Auditor¡¯s son. At least we can be fairly sure he isn¡¯t hanging around to try for a follow-up attempt.


    ¡°Kiyanu is not going to be pleased at the idea of you going deeper into the Dominion with the soldiers,¡± Al finally said.


    I pulled a face and nodded. ¡°Yes. And he¡¯d probably have a point. In fact, I¡¯m not happy about you being this close to them.¡±


    Al¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But, Nari ¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cut him off. ¡°They tried to kill you, Al. They¡¯ll try again if they have the opportunity. I¡¯m sending you north for now.¡±


    He frowned, looking like he really didn¡¯t like that idea, but couldn¡¯t deny the logic behind it. ¡°But I like being here, and I¡¯m learning a lot. I don¡¯t want to give that up.¡±


    ¡°I know, but your safety takes priority. We¡¯ll figure something out, Al. Maybe we can find a place for you somewhere in one of the other territories where you¡¯d be close to the action but reasonably safe. For that matter, maybe a stint with the development and production facilities or the training camps would do you good, if you¡¯re serious about learning. But you¡¯re not staying here, and that¡¯s final.¡±


    He was still frowning, but nodded. ¡°Yes, Elder Sister.¡±


    And I may just go with you, I thought. For all that I¡¯d threatened the attacker, and I definitely intended on following through with those threats, I didn¡¯t particularly feel like staying and presenting a target for further attacks, myself. And more importantly, I wanted to touch base with Kiyanu and others, and it was about time for me to get back to the capital, anyway.


    Before I could continue the conversation, a stir in the people surrounding us captured my attention, and I turned just in time to watch Tenira land and pack up her flying sword. A group of guards accompanied her and started to spread out. A moment later, Elia and Yarani touched down, as well.


    Tenira headed straight for us. She laid a hand on Al¡¯s shoulder, but looked at me when she spoke. ¡°It looks like things are getting dangerous here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I smiled just a bit grimly. ¡°They definitely are. Still, I suppose we could take it as a good sign. After all, the Zarian wouldn¡¯t go to these extremes if they were confident of a military victory, would they?¡±


    Tenira and Al both nodded, but from their expressions, they weren¡¯t about to start singing and dancing for joy at that observation.


    <hr>


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Inaris.¡± Kiyanu¡¯s smile appeared completely genuine, but there was still a bit of tension around his eyes.


    I smiled back. ¡°Same, Kiyanu. I hope things have been going well here?¡±


    ¡°Not quite as well as your campaign, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he replied. ¡°But well enough.¡±


    He sat down in an armchair and waved at the other seats. I chose a chair and settled down, glancing around. He appeared to share Mother¡¯s fondness for open sky. We were sitting on an open terrace on the upper level of the palace, although someone had erected a wall made of qi that acted as a one-way mirror, allowing us to look outside and probably shielding our conversation.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come back this quickly,¡± he said. ¡°But given what happened, I¡¯m glad you did. Do you have any new information on that assassin?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nothing you haven¡¯t already had a report on, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    I¡¯d headed home quickly and taken along all of my partners and friends, plus Elis. It wasn¡¯t like the army really needed me to be there, and I could tell Kiyanu meant what he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly a concerning development,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to increase our security arrangements, if nothing else. Whatever technique or ability they used is going to make this difficult. If they can control anyone ¡­¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I agreed. ¡°So far, the victims have been in the low stages. That¡¯s probably a limit imposed by the spirit-child¡¯s ability. But if it is, then the limit might shift if he grows stronger. Or with help.¡±


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    Kiyanu frowned. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Do you think our present guard details are effective?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I very much doubt that they could subvert an Imperial guard. Those are all in much higher stages, and I wouldn¡¯t write off their resistance training, either. Besides, if my enemies could have done that, they would have. As the first strike, before we knew it was possible.¡±


    He nodded slowly. ¡°Certainly a good point. And I imagine they might find it a bit difficult to get to you within the Empire proper, too. Do you think this man is acting alone?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°I definitely hope so. But I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any question he was working for Jideia. Again. And it¡¯s at least possible that he was meant to be a weapon for the Storm.¡± I pulled a face. ¡°In which case, his father is likely to have produced a few other children, too. So there may be more people with an ability like that.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°True.¡±


    We both fell silent for a minute, contemplating that prospect and the situation. I looked out over the palace, which was still bustling, and felt a bit of wistfulness. I hadn¡¯t been gone all that long, but a lot had happened over the last few months. For that matter, a lot had happened over the last two years. It felt a little odd to realize that it had only been a little over two years since my soul journey, considering everything that had taken place since then. I¡¯d almost died several times, learned and done a lot of things and met a lot of people, and even the geopolitical situation on Aran had shifted greatly.


    ¡°Things are under control here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course. No noble is going to take any chances for the foreseeable future.¡± His lips curled a little, I noticed. ¡°And while we¡¯ve had a few more visits from foreign envoys, there haven¡¯t been any notable developments.¡±


    I nodded. He¡¯d kept me informed, so I knew what was happening in that regard. ¡°I guess the Empire is attracting more attention because of the way things are going. As long as they don¡¯t try to steal data on our innovations, it shouldn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Kiyanu snorted. ¡°They¡¯re probably going to try. But Kariva has taken comprehensive measures to protect sensitive information. We presumably won¡¯t be able to keep everything we have a mystery, but the truly critical parts should be safe enough.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°You should probably speak to her, yourself. In regards to the situation down south, too.¡±


    ¡°I will, of course.¡±


    We kept talking for a few more minutes, getting into a few details, but it was apparent that we¡¯d said what we really wanted to say. Kiyanu excused himself for a meeting with the Chancellor soon. I smiled to myself as I stood and left the terrace. He was clearly keeping just as busy as Mother had, but that was a good thing. And we are working well together.


    I decided to take his advice and go talk to Kariva, so I headed to the building which housed her organization. I considered waiting for Tenira, but she was probably busy enough already, and I usually preferred dealing with Kariva on my own. Not that there would be any problem between the two, since they were actually relatively closely related for a clan like this and seemed to work together well. But it was simply easier if I didn¡¯t have to think about managing the reactions and perceptions of anyone else.


    Again, Kariva¡¯s subordinates greeted me with exquisite courtesy and showed me into her office, which was currently empty. I took a seat and waited for her to come back, but I didn¡¯t have to wait long. Two minutes later, she entered and bowed deeply.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, my lady,¡± she greeted me.


    I nodded. ¡°Same. First off, is there anything urgent you need to tell me?¡±


    ¡°There are several things I should mention, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get to them,¡± she replied, taking a chair opposite me.


    We paused while she waved her hand and got a teapot and two cups flying out of a closet onto a side table. I watched as she poured tea for me, then nodded my thanks and took a sip. Adzurian black tea, as expected.


    Kariva poured herself another cup and sipped from it with every evidence of enjoyment. Which I wouldn¡¯t take as any kind of proof that she didn¡¯t actually hate it. I waited for another moment, measuring how long I should take before I spoke. I knew neither of us really cared about the window dressing, but we were both sending the appropriate signals to each other, anyway.


    ¡°Thank you for your work down south,¡± I finally said. ¡°How would you assess Elis and what he brings to the table?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s quite good, especially for what¡¯s essentially a self-taught amateur,¡± she answered promptly. ¡°And it¡¯s not simply his bloodline abilities, either. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think he hardened his network enough against disruptions, like his unanticipated departure and what came with it, so the actual value of what intelligence assets he has is going to be limited. The Zarian will either purge his contacts, block his connections, or subvert them, depending on the details of the situation. Obviously, the information he¡¯s already gathered and passed on to us is a different matter, but anything they can easily modify, they will.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I took another sip and watched her watching me with a properly attentive expression. ¡°I have every confidence in your ability. Don¡¯t let him be harmed or turn him against us, but you have a free hand in working with him otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± She smiled slightly.


    I sat back and considered for a moment. I wouldn¡¯t usually call talking to Kariva simple. If I met her without a clear game plan and staying focused, she¡¯d bend me into a pretzel and then eat me for breakfast. But in a way, it was almost relaxing. Some of the parameters I had to pay attention to for normal conversations were missing, even if there were others instead.


    At least there¡¯s no need to waste much time on niceties or frills, I reflected. I don¡¯t need to pretend that we¡¯re friends, we can just get down to working with each other. I could, of course, but that would just complicate things. And it¡¯s one more way to show that I know what I¡¯m about. Even if she knows perfectly well that I¡¯m deliberately trying to show strength and control, that doesn¡¯t mean those aren¡¯t real.


    I knew Tenira and the others had trouble trying to grasp my relationship with Kariva, and I wouldn¡¯t have expected otherwise. Even if I suspected some, like Kajare, might be a little concerned. I did, in fact, trust Kariva about as far as I could throw her ¡ª which was pretty far, all things considered. That didn¡¯t mean I would ever trust her implicitly. I knew perfectly well that she followed me because she thought I was the best option she had, to benefit her goals, herself, and our family. And that could change.


    ¡°And Kiyanu?¡± I asked.


    She tilted her head a little. ¡°The Lord Regent is doing his duty conscientiously and well. There may be a few little points of friction, but we¡¯re working together well.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    She inclined her head a little, but didn¡¯t verbalize a response. We fell silent again, patiently waiting.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been wondering by what rules you might play,¡± I said almost whimsically. She didn¡¯t show any reaction, and I smiled and waved my hand. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to tell me. If you did, it would probably be lies, anyway. But I¡¯ve been wondering. Something making you inclined to follow directives?¡±


    ¡°If you considered me a danger - or a significant one - I doubt you would be here, Inaris,¡± she said calmly.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I acknowledged with a slight smile.


    I was pretty sure she was somewhere on the psychopathic spectrum, though I didn¡¯t know how far. Her reaction made me suspect it was more than a few points, though. She wore a good mask, with a good amount of detachment and calm patience. It might even be real.


    Of course, while I doubted Mother had ever looked this far into her, Kariva hadn¡¯t really made it difficult.


    ¡°I get the feeling Kiyanu doesn¡¯t particularly like you,¡± I continued in a conversational tone. ¡°If you two locked horns or had a falling out, it would be ¡­ annoying. So, obviously, I don¡¯t want you to. You don¡¯t need to pander to him, but exercise some caution.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Is that all, my lady?¡±


    I leaned back into my chair. ¡°Go ahead and brief me on the situation in the Dominion.¡±


    She did so with her usual efficiency and thoroughness, and I listened to her explanations carefully. We¡¯d discuss this some more at later dates, of course, either in person or with written communications. But it was good to get an overview from her like this.


    Just as she was finishing up, we were interrupted by a knock on the door as one of her subordinates wanted her for something important. I stood and said my goodbyes with a smile. On the way out of the building, I noted that she appeared to have expanded again.


    Well, things seemed to have gone rather well.


    When I stepped out into the sunlight and fresh air of the palace courtyard, I took a deep breath, then turned to head back to the main building. I¡¯d sent for Xiaodan to join us here, and if she hadn¡¯t arrived yet, she would soon. I was looking forward to seeing her again.

 155: Home leave

    <div>


    Little An whooped, laughing and squirming enough that I had to carefully adjust my position to avoid overbalancing.


    ¡°This is great, Big Sister!¡± she called.


    I grinned, not that she could see it. The wind rushed past my face, and I had to shake my head to get a few errant strands of hair out of my eyes. ¡°Careful, or I might drop you,¡± I warned her.


    My little sister didn¡¯t seem to hear me. Instead, she turned her head from side to side, clearly watching the countryside rushing past us. We were coming up on the mountains, so I pumped my wings harder, rising further into the air. Since I was carrying her weight in addition to my own, I was using a bit of air qi to help me fly.


    A few guards accompanied us, though they kept some distance. I hadn¡¯t argued with Aston about that. If I should by some freak accident drop An, I wanted them able to catch her. Not that that was likely. I¡¯d lengthened and modified my arms and legs somewhat to suit my current occupation, and she was held securely within a set of bird-like claws with comfortably soft lining.


    ¡°Hold still for a moment, and I¡¯ll try something new,¡± I suggested, slowing down and coming to a stop in midair.


    She nodded and managed to hold still long enough for me to disengage one of my arms, grab two lengths of rope from my storage ring, and get them in place with the help of my domain. I could have tried to use shapeshifting, but the more I diverged from a normal humanoid form, the harder it was for me, and I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle moving these extra protrusions in more complex motions very well. After a minute, I had the base of my wings tethered to her arms.


    ¡°Now you can actually guide our flight yourself,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll move with you. Come on, try it out.¡±


    She didn¡¯t leave me waiting, but immediately flapped her arms a little too quickly. I had to compensate for her motions myself before we went spiraling off. It took a few tries for An to get the hang of it, but soon, we were gliding through the air, only a little more wobbly than before.


    ¡°This is awesome!¡± she called.


    I smiled again, and resolved to find other fun things to do. After months in the south, going from the jungle to army camps to battlefields, playing with my little sister was a great way to get some rest and relaxation.


    We looped and twisted our way through the air for over an hour, until the sun started to paint the horizon red and the sky noticeably darkened. Despite An¡¯s protests, I turned to head back. While the dark wouldn¡¯t be a problem for me, it would take half the fun out of it, and she should get back inside.


    As we landed on an outer terrace of the palace, Yarani pushed off the wall and ambled towards us. ¡°You look like you had fun,¡± she commented.


    ¡°It was great, Aunt Yarani!¡± An exclaimed.


    My girlfriend winced theatrically. ¡°Please, don¡¯t call me that, I don¡¯t feel that old. Yarani, or Sister Yarani if you want, that would be more fitting, I think.¡± She smiled at me. ¡°But you really made me think about trying that for myself at some point.¡±


    ¡°You should,¡± An agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of fun. I¡¯m sure Nari would take you, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And I see you got a replacement for the rope you carry around,¡± Yarani said with a twinkle in her eyes.


    I glared at her for a moment, but luckily, An didn¡¯t seem inclined to ask why Yarani knew I carried rope. ¡°I try to be prepared, and it can come in useful.¡± Of course, I hadn¡¯t before I started venturing into rough living without the convenience of my own quarters, but with a lot of boring waiting, accompanied by my partners.


    ¡°I know,¡± Yarani agreed seriously. ¡°You¡¯re always prepared to take on trouble.¡±


    An seemed to get bored of the conversation and started to amble away, so I stepped closer to Yarani. I allowed myself a small smirk and said in a quieter voice, ¡°You¡¯re just asking to get to know it better, aren¡¯t you? If I have to get it replaced again, I¡¯ll be really cross.¡±


    Yarani smiled with a less than repentant gleam in her eyes. ¡°Tonight?¡±


    Before we could make any plans, Aston cleared his throat. If he hadn¡¯t pulled his aura in a little further than usual, I wouldn¡¯t have realized he felt at all awkward, or anything besides bored, listening to us. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve just received a message. The Chancellor requests your presence at your earliest convenience.¡±


    I rolled my eyes, but nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    I bid a quick goodbye to Xiaodan, who was now examining a particularly pretty flower, and left. Yarani stayed behind and started talking to her, but I only picked up the first few words before I focused my attention on other matters. I hurried up, since this sounded like it might be urgent. The Chancellor¡¯s aura was easy to locate, around where his office would be in the main building.


    When I arrived, his secretary ushered me into the office right away, while Aston and the others peeled off to stand guard, and Gen rose from behind his desk with a smile. It was quite big and cluttered with papers, but still looked small in the large space.


    He bowed. ¡°Imperial Princess. Thank you for coming so promptly. Please, have a seat. Would you care for refreshments?¡±


    I sat down and shook my head. ¡°No, thank you. It sounded like this was urgent.¡±


    He chose a chair facing me at an angle in a more comfortable nook rather than sitting behind his desk. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not all that urgent, really, Your Highness. But I would prefer to deal with this matter right away. It concerns your husband, Prince Kajare.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? I thought he¡¯d integrated rather well into Imperial society and the court.¡±


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    ¡°He has,¡± the Chancellor agreed, ¡°generally speaking. He¡¯s quite popular with most of the younger nobles, even if some of the more conservative elements dislike his foreign origins. Or question his masculinity or backbone, not to put too fine a point on it, given the ¡­ situation with your consorts.¡± He cleared his throat.


    I pulled a face, but nodded. I didn¡¯t like it if some sexist old nationalists wanted to denigrate Kajare, but it didn¡¯t sound like a big problem, and he¡¯d probably want me to stay out of it and let him handle himself.


    ¡°Be that as it may, Your Highness,¡± Gen continued, ¡°he has always behaved in just the proper way. Until recently, at least. Some recent events have been brought to my attention that might prove to be a problem, especially if they came to be commonly known.¡± He looked even more uncomfortable. ¡°I would hesitate to cast any aspersions on his honesty or fidelity, of course. Nevertheless, I¡¯m sorry to say there seems to be at least the possibility that there is reason for concern.¡±


    I frowned. Hopefully he wasn¡¯t trying to tell me that Kajare had cheated on me? For a given definition of ¡®cheating¡¯. I leaned back in my chair and cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±


    He seemed to take some heart from my calm reaction. ¡°He has spent quite a lot of time with a young lady, especially in a private setting. Strolls through her clan¡¯s gardens, that sort of thing. On two occasions, he even sent his guards away to ensure privacy.¡±


    I frowned again. ¡°I don¡¯t really see a problem. But, Chancellor, why are you the one telling me this? And where did you learn of it?¡±


    ¡°I was approached by Wei Min,¡± he confessed. He shrugged a little. ¡°The young lady in question is Lord Wei¡¯s cousin, Wei Shu. He appeared honestly concerned, and given the delicate situation, I completely understand why he would worry. He said, given that and the scope of the matter, he didn¡¯t quite feel he should bother the Regent with it.¡±


    ¡°And I presume he didn¡¯t go to Kariva with it because he was afraid how she would react and wanted to protect his clan,¡± I realized. And she might really think in terms of removing the problematic element.


    I tapped my fingers on my chair, considering Gen. I think I may have underestimated him. I wouldn¡¯t have expected him to take the role of go-between for such a delicate matter, or to have the delicate touch it required.


    ¡°I¡¯m far from convinced that there¡¯s anything to worry about,¡± I said. ¡°But thank you for bringing it to my attention, and I¡¯ll talk to Kajare about it as soon as he gets back from the coast. I suppose I should talk to Wei Min, as well. Is he here?¡±


    Gen shook his head. ¡°No, Your Highness. He was called away on an urgent matter to clan Wei¡¯s estate. He informed me that he¡¯d return soon. Likely around the same time that His Highness will. That is why I intended to talk to you now.¡±


    I nodded. If there might be even a small chance of some kind of confrontation between them, that made sense. And he might want to let me keep this meeting discreet, come to think of it.


    ¡°Well, I should probably talk to Kariva, then. Not to be rude, but if you know about this, I wouldn¡¯t bet against her knowing as well.¡± I stood up.


    Gen rose politely. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I¡¯m at your service if there¡¯s anything else I can do.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll remember that.¡± I smiled at him, then turned and left the office.


    As I walked through the corridors of the palace, trailed by Aston, I barely noticed the passing officials and secretaries. This sounded like it had the possibility to be a bit tricky. I really should have talked things out with Kajare, made sure we have established guidelines and boundaries. I frowned a little to myself. But this is probably more of a problem in terms of public perception and reputation.


    I blinked, realizing that I¡¯d taken a right turn only a second after I actually had. The way to Kariva¡¯s office would have been straight ahead, but I could dimly sense her presence ahead and above. I hurried up and left the building through a side door onto an upper terrace.


    Kariva didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised to see me when I joined her on a little alcove that was positioned to overlook most of the palace grounds and the side of the mountain. It was sheltered by a few trees, and I felt her put up a qi shield as she turned to face me.


    She bowed. ¡°My lady.¡±


    I smiled and inclined my head. ¡°Kariva. Do you have a minute?¡±


    She returned the smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a rhetorical question.¡±


    I settled down on a conveniently placed boulder, watching as Aston and his guard detail distanced themselves somewhat. Kariva looked at me with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Do you know anything about why Wei Min might have conferred with someone at the palace?¡± I asked bluntly.


    She didn¡¯t twitch at all. ¡°I suspect I do, yes. If he has concerns about the company your husband has recently kept among his clan, when he dropped by their townhouse. Who did he talk to? Kiyanu? No, I don¡¯t suppose so. Gen?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, suitably impressed. It was probably proof of his own old skills that Wei Min had managed a private conversation here without her knowledge. Unless she¡¯d known all along and was putting on a show. I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.


    ¡°So, do I have any reason to worry?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be entirely sure what would prompt you to worry, my lady.¡± Kariva smiled with what might be genuine humor. ¡°But I doubt it. He hasn¡¯t done anything very indecorous.¡± She paused, and her gaze sharpened. ¡°Or did you mean me? I rather dislike being thought of as a loose firearm, you know.¡±


    I crossed my legs, waving my hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Kariva smiled again. ¡°And it was simply caution and curiosity that caused you to go straight to me, to see if I might know or have acted on something further.¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡± I met her gaze steadily. I really didn¡¯t think of her as a loose cannon. The idea was ridiculous. She was too cold and calculating for that. But that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t act on her own.


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡± She took a step closer, crossing her hands behind her back. ¡°And I don¡¯t suppose I should be surprised, given everything. You do handle your people well, generally speaking.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. Ever since our last somewhat blunt conversation, I felt like the dynamic between us had shifted a little. I didn¡¯t know if she felt we were in a pissing contest, or if she was testing me, or just messing around. Maybe all of it. But I didn¡¯t really mind.


    ¡°How so?¡± I asked.


    Kariva raised an eyebrow. In a dry tone, she said, ¡°Did you think it wouldn¡¯t occur to me to wonder how a naturally reclusive introvert managed to, somehow, form a friendship with the sea dragons, get not one but three romantic partners, build and effectively lead several research teams, gain the loyalty of various highly skilled people, and actually defeat much stronger cultivators using nothing but words on several occasions?¡±


    I paused. Laid out like that, it sounded pretty conspicuous. And I couldn¡¯t really quibble with any of her points. ¡°Because of the Moon¡¯s bloodline, obviously?¡± I suggested.


    She waved a hand dismissively. ¡°That might be, but it¡¯s beside the point and not of much practical relevance here.¡±


    I suspected her point was to show that she¡¯d figured me out. ¡°So, you think I¡¯m secretly a good manipulator, or what? Or that I lack strength?¡±


    Kariva rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re never going to be more than middling as a fighter, Princess Inaris. Oh, your talents and abilities let you compensate for that very well. But if someone like, say, your little brother, had your bloodline abilities, then, in a direct fight, he could kill you in five different ways before you finished your first attack. And I could care less about it, personally. But face up to it, my lady. Your real strength is in inventing things and in getting people to do what you want.¡±


    I looked at her thoughtfully. She was the first person who¡¯d ever said that in so many words, but it wasn¡¯t like the sentiment came as a shock to me. ¡°And that¡¯s obviously better?¡± I asked, more of a rhetorical question.


    ¡°Well, which skillset do you think is more useful for an empress, that or a warrior¡¯s?¡± Kariva shook her head and stepped back. ¡°I do have work to get back to. If you¡¯ll excuse me, my lady?¡±


    I nodded and watched her go for a few seconds. I think she does have me figured me out pretty well. Not that that should come as a surprise.

 156: Expectations

    <div>


    ¡°This is the most complicated piece of formation work I have ever seen, my lady. Few talismans channel that much qi, and they probably invented several completely new patterns.¡± San Hashar smiled. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    I returned her smile as she took a step away from the table with the Basement¡¯s gift on it. One of the main reasons I¡¯d decided to come back was to get it to a good team for analysis. San Hashar had just arrived from the Earth Continent, as well, and I hadn¡¯t hesitated to involve her. She might not have much more than a basic understanding of formations, but she was one of the people who knew the most about spatial qi. She had the most practical experience, certainly.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I said. ¡°I agree that compared to this, our own modest efforts look like a child¡¯s doodles. But I see no reason we shouldn¡¯t be able to figure it out.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be quick, my lady. But I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to get something from it. Maybe we¡¯ll even be able to reverse-engineer it in time.¡±


    ¡°Actually, right now I¡¯m thinking I¡¯d like to be able to design a method to stabilize space in a location and block them from teleporting in,¡± I said. ¡°And maybe getting a way to divert one of their transits, if that¡¯s possible.¡±


    San Hashar leaned against the wall, frowning thoughtfully. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes and instead gestured invitingly at one of the several chairs standing in the room, while I took a seat in another one. She waited until I¡¯d sat before taking her own chair.


    From outside, muted conversations floated in, though we were alone in the room for the moment. Tenira had gone to check on another project, but would be back shortly. The lab seemed a little less lively than before the war, but if I focused on it, I could still sense the qi of the researchers and some of the things they were working on spread throughout the building. The sun shone through the windows, which offered a glimpse of the courtyard beside the lab. It was currently empty.


    ¡°I can see where that would be extremely useful,¡± she said. ¡°The Zarian would probably catch on quickly, but if we could divert at least one of their major strikes into a trap ¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°And it would force them to be more careful about deploying them, restricting their tactics.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I agreed. ¡°We might not even need something like that for an effective trap, though baiting them into one would be tricky.¡±


    San Hashar nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice that we¡¯ve accelerated production on chemical explosives. Not just grenades for the Lighters, but others.¡±


    ¡°Like landmines, yes.¡± I ran a hand through my hair.


    Since the start of the war, my own R&D efforts, and many others, had shifted considerably. That was annoying, of course, but I¡¯d discovered that I could easily roll with it. Designing landmines was about as fun as designing telephone poles, even if I found that a little troubling when I reflected on it. I guess I¡¯m mostly bothered that I¡¯m not really bothered. Which doesn¡¯t make much sense, and I probably shouldn¡¯t worry about it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be all that effective against Zarian soldiers, especially those in the higher stages,¡± San Hashar warned. ¡°Qi-based ones would probably be more effective.¡±


    ¡°I know, but they¡¯re going to be less easily detected, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s relatively common for operations teams to have at least one member who can check the ground, my lady,¡± she said, then frowned. ¡°Or, at least, it used to be. I suppose there¡¯s not much in the way of that happening in the current war. It does have different parameters from earlier conflicts. But there¡¯ll still be cultivators with very good senses, who might be able to pick up any traps, unless they¡¯re buried deeply enough that it will make them less effective. But I suppose it¡¯s a different matter when they use spatial transfers.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That was my thought, too. They almost certainly can¡¯t check the ground before they transit, or at least not very well. They¡¯ll have to jump in without being able to sense those sorts of traps.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Combined with a few other tricks, I think that could make for a very nasty surprise.¡±


    I certainly hoped so. But we had quite a lot of work ahead of us if we wanted to make that happen.


    A knock on the door interrupted my musings. I turned to see Lei opening the door.


    ¡°Sorry to bother you,¡± he said. ¡°Inaris, you said you wanted to know when Kajare arrived. It seems he just returned. He¡¯s in the main building, according to Li.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good. Thanks.¡± I looked at San Hashar. ¡°I think we were just about finished here, anyway. Feel free to set up and get with the other members of the team.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    My thoughts were already turning to my husband as I left the room and hurried out of the lab building, greeting the people I met in the corridors with absent nods. Aston wasn¡¯t on duty at the moment, but my current guards fell in around me. We quickly made our way up to the main building, and I headed for where I could sense my husband, in his private quarters. The guards peeled off to stand watch outside while I knocked.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he called.


    I entered to find Kajare rising from a comfortable armchair, his outer robe draped across another chair¡¯s back and his shoes kicked off to the side.


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    ¡°Nari.¡± He smiled and extended his arms, but there was a question in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. You must have missed me more than I thought.¡±


    I returned his smile, reciprocated the hug, and gave him a quick kiss. Then I stepped back and settled into one of the chairs, waiting until he sat down again, as well.


    ¡°I know you weren¡¯t gone that long, Kajare,¡± I said. ¡°But it seems there¡¯s a few things we should talk about.¡±


    His face tightened. Of course, no one would be happy to hear a ¡®we should talk¡¯ from their partner. ¡°Has something happened?¡± he asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°Not really, this is more about what happened before you left. And before I say anything else, just to be clear, I¡¯m not accusing you of anything. But I¡¯ve been approached by someone because they were concerned about your actions, and how they might be perceived. So I thought we should talk it out and decide how to handle it.¡±


    He nodded slowly. Judging by his expression, he suspected where this was going. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, you¡¯ve been visiting the Wei,¡± I continued. ¡°And you¡¯ve spent a lot of time with a girl from that clan, a Wei Shu. Enough to attract notice, it seems.¡±


    Kajare shook his head. ¡°This is from Wei Min, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I shrugged, not answering the question. ¡°Is there anything to these suspicions?¡± I noticed his face tightening and raised a hand. ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Kajare. I¡¯m certainly not going to rip your head off, literally or otherwise, even if there is.¡± I paused. ¡°But I do want you to be honest with me.¡±


    He looked at me in silence for a few seconds, clearly considering his answer. Finally, his shoulders relaxed a little and he sank backwards into his chair. ¡°Yes and no, Nari,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly interested in Wei Shu. If anything, I was using her as a cover for her brother, Wei Qiang.¡±


    I sat up straighter in surprise and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested in men,¡± I commented, keeping my tone light.


    He pulled a face and shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve had a little experience being with other men, back home,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°But I prefer women. Pretty conclusively, or so I would have said until recently.¡±


    That didn¡¯t really surprise me, and I¡¯d even suspected he was less than completely straight. But it didn¡¯t matter much at the moment. ¡°So you tried to hide that with the help of his sister?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sound dubious. This didn¡¯t make much sense to me.


    ¡°You know as well as I do that the idea of two men together is still less accepted than a traditional couple in the Empire, or even two women, even if it¡¯s not as bad as in Terbekteri.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Well, she¡¯s beautiful and charming. I figured it wouldn¡¯t really seem strange if I were to be a little taken by her.¡±


    I frowned. This was all well and good, but I still felt a spot of cold tension inside me that kept growing while we talked. ¡°And what did you actually do?¡± I asked.


    He met my gaze as calmly as he probably could under the circumstances. ¡°Nothing happened, Inaris. Not like that.¡± He hesitated, then admitted, ¡°Well, we did kiss.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the idea of him kissing someone else, I discovered, but it wasn¡¯t exactly a vehement reaction, at least. I felt more annoyed than affronted.


    I sighed. ¡°Okay. Thanks for being honest about it. We still need to decide what happens now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to blow up like this,¡± he admitted after a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think people would be this touchy about what I might do. I mean, it¡¯s not like anyone saw me actually do anything untoward with Wei Shu. Sure, we were together in relative privacy a few times, but still ¡­ ¡°


    Oh, come on. I snorted. ¡°And how would you expect Salira to react in a situation like this?¡±


    He opened his mouth, then closed it again.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a woman¡¯s position now, Kajare,¡± I said more gently. ¡°Or what¡¯s traditionally one, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was that sexist.¡± He smiled wryly and shook his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not that sexist,¡± I assured him. I shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re thinking like a Terbekteri prince instead of an Imperial consort.¡±


    He nodded, a bit glumly. We fell silent. After a moment, I caught him muttering to himself. ¡°This is rubbish. It¡¯s not ¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°Fair?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s not fair that supposedly I can have several partners but you can¡¯t?¡±


    There was another moment of silence, more fraught this time. He pulled a face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that, Nari.¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have a problem with my consorts.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, really.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I like them. I don¡¯t have a problem with you being with them. I just, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t like being someone whose lady has other consorts?¡±


    So he was okay with it personally, but didn¡¯t like it in terms of status, in a social sense? I supposed that¡¯s fair enough. I let the silence drag on for a bit, considering what to do, how I felt.


    ¡°Our marriage vows didn¡¯t stipulate faithfulness,¡± I finally said.


    ¡°I know.¡± Kajare frowned. ¡°I knew what I was getting into, Inaris. I¡¯m not complaining about that.¡±


    I sighed again, running a hand through my hair. I really wished I could avoid this entire conversation, but unfortunately, just up and leaving wouldn¡¯t take care of the problem. And it was pretty clear I couldn¡¯t just ignore this issue.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pretend I wouldn¡¯t be jealous,¡± I said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m already feeling a little annoyed. But I could get used to it. I suppose, if you really want to be with this Wei Qiang, I¡¯m not going to stop you. As long as you¡¯re careful.¡±


    His eyes widened a little. ¡°Really? You¡¯d be alright with it?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but still. I want you to be happy more than I want to keep you for myself, or to avert any possible scandal.¡±


    He sat back in his chair, just looking at me for a second. Then he shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say, Nari.¡± His lips twisted slightly. ¡°Or what to do, actually.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out.¡± I smiled again, trying not to show how less than pleased I was by this whole thing. ¡°Just don¡¯t sneak around and make trouble behind my back.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Oh, I assure you you don¡¯t need to worry about that!¡± Then his expression turned serious again. ¡°You¡¯ve given me quite a bit to think about, Nari.¡±


    I stood up, sensing that the conversation was at its end. ¡°I¡¯ve heard somewhere that thinking is supposed to be good for you. I¡¯ll see you around, Kajare.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Nari.¡±


    Once I left the room, I took a deep breath and folded my hands as I started walking. Maybe I hadn¡¯t realized quite how much I actually cared about Kajare. I¡¯d known it was more than that, but I definitely wouldn¡¯t be feeling like this if it was still only friendship and occasional fun between us. Well, that¡¯s probably a good thing, given that we¡¯re married and all. I snorted, smiling to myself.


    I shook my head and decided to go back to the lab. I still had other meetings to go to later, but I had enough time to get a bit of work done. Although, later I¡¯d drop by AIki Ilia and see what information she could give me on the situation in the Wei clan. The more I understood about it, the better.


    And maybe I should talk to Gen, as well, and let him know the situation was being handled. I¡¯d never really liked the man. We seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot when Mother was in closed cultivation, but he had acted pretty decently in this case. I should try to cultivate a good relationship with him, anyway.


    I sighed and ran hand through my hair, absentmindedly nodding at the people getting out of my way. When did my life get so complicated?

 157: Closeness

    <div>


    I stepped forward, took a handful of earth from the pile, and threw it onto the small heap starting to form on top of the coffin. Then I stepped back. Residual dirt clung to my hand, but I resisted the temptation to wipe it off against my pants. Instead, I watched solemnly as the rest of the other people present each added their handful to the grave.


    It was a small gathering. Besides me and Al, most of the people were other members of the Imperial guard. I¡¯d been surprised to see San Hashar attend as well, and she¡¯d even stepped up before most of the others.


    Once everyone was done, the closest relation to the deceased, a man who seemed to be in his forties and was apparently a nephew, moved the rest of the earth onto the coffin in one fell swoop with the help of his qi. He stood back and bowed his head. The prayers had all been said, earlier, but now the funeral guests took a moment to say their private ones. Except for me, since I didn¡¯t really have anything to say, far less anyone I¡¯d have said it to.


    There were a few more formalities, and then people slowly started trickling away. I sighed and looked around. The sun beat down from an annoyingly blue sky. This section of the graveyard, just outside the palace grounds, was reserved for Imperial guards who¡¯d died in the line of duty. Some of the graves held urns filled with ashes instead of coffins, according to their local traditions. Some were empty.


    But I didn¡¯t pay them much attention. Instead, I stepped to the side, to the grave directly next to this newest one. Instead of headstones, some regions¡¯ custom was to drive nails into the ground after a set period, spelling out the name of the deceased. I gazed at this one for a moment. I¡¯d missed Lirta Ven¡¯s funeral, like those of all the other guards who¡¯d died with her, since I¡¯d been stranded behind enemy lines at the time.


    I looked up to see San Hashar step up to the grave as well, keeping a respectful distance from me, and watched as she scattered a handful of dried flowers over it, as you customarily did here instead of using bouquets. She didn¡¯t look at me, but gazed silently at the grave. I didn¡¯t know if she was praying, though it didn¡¯t look like it. We stood there for a while without speaking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew her,¡± I finally said. ¡°Or Ru Lis.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°We served together for some time. I¡¯m glad I was able to make it to the funeral.¡±


    The funeral had been delayed because they¡¯d kept Ru Lis¡¯ body for the investigation. Unfortunately, no one had been able to get any further hints of what had happened or how the Auditor¡¯s son had done it, except for the blindingly obvious fact that he used some kind of darkness qi technique. So they¡¯d finally released the body so it could be buried.


    ¡°Were you close?¡± I asked.


    San Hashar pulled a face and shrugged. ¡°I kept in contact with Ru Lis, but I wasn¡¯t as close to her as I was to Ven. The two of us actually came from the same neighborhood in Thousand Lights City. The hardscrabble sort that doesn¡¯t give you much in the way of preparation for the army and the social situations we have to deal with.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± I commented. ¡°They probably don¡¯t have many real cultivators there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Anyway, you could say she took me under her wing when we were in the same unit. We actually spent a lot of our time in the army in the same company, until she accepted the transfer to the Imperial guard.¡± The general smiled wistfully. ¡°I was offered the same opportunity later, but I declined. I¡¯ve always felt my place was with the army¡¯s elites.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think the Imperial guard lost out, but the army is certainly better off for it.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I never knew her very well, but I¡¯m sorry she had to die that way. I¡¯m sorry for your loss, Hashar.¡±


    Her eyes flickered. This was the first time I¡¯d called her by her first name. While they weren¡¯t considered quite as intimate here, especially in the Leri clan, as for old Imperial tradition, it wasn¡¯t the sort of environment where everyone went by their given names, either.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she answered. ¡°I never blamed you for anything, my lady. Ven signed on as a guard gladly, and sometimes things like that just happen.¡± She sighed, looking at the grave again. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss her, but I think she¡¯d be proud of what she¡¯s accomplished with her life.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if you heard, but I personally killed the bastard responsible for it, at least.¡±


    The ghost of a smile flickered across her face. ¡°I know.¡± She hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve actually opened a school in our old neighborhood. I named it after her. It¡¯s a boarding school for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, where they can get a good education and help in making something of their lives.¡±


    I blinked, more surprised than I should have been. ¡°That¡¯s certainly a far better tribute.¡± I chuckled. ¡°And a good legacy. Actually, if you want, I could drop by the school. Maybe visit the girls, even give a little speech.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯d be honored, and I¡¯m sure everyone in the school will be, too, my lady. I¡¯d be happy to arrange that, when your schedule permits.¡±


    I nodded. I was genuinely impressed with her enterprise. A lot of people who¡¯d risen to status and relative wealth wouldn¡¯t have used it for such worthwhile tasks. And she was clearly thinking long-term, trying to get lasting results. Plus, I would be the first to argue for the value and importance of education. Maybe I should see if the school could use a small donation. And try for something a little more widespread, maybe?


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find the time,¡± I said. ¡°Especially since our projects seem to be going so well.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if it took us more than a few weeks to get the functioning prototype you wanted. I can¡¯t say I¡¯d be unhappy about returning to the front, either.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve spent months fighting the Zarian on the Earth Continent, Hashar. I think you deserve a short vacation, or at least time away from the fighting.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose that means you¡¯ll let me take leave now, does it?¡±


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    ¡°Unfortunately not. I¡¯ll try to make it up to you later.¡±


    In fact, although she didn¡¯t know it, a large parcel of the lands fallen to us after the civil war was earmarked for San Hashar. She¡¯d be able to found her own noble clan, if she wanted, and probably open another dozen schools. Of course, I doubted that would be very relaxing.


    <hr>


    I blinked, waking up slowly, and resisted the urge to turn around. An elbow dug into my left side, and my right leg was trapped under another leg. The slow breathing of Yarani and Kajare filled the room, loud in the silence. When I squirmed a little, testing my range of motion, Kajare grumbled something in his sleep and shifted, digging his elbow deeper for a moment before his arm slid down my side.


    I sighed to myself and carefully extricated myself from the tangle, using my shapeshifting to get my leg out without disturbing Yarani. We didn¡¯t usually all sleep in the same bed, but there¡¯d been a court function yesterday evening. While I¡¯d begged off to work on my research, Kajare and Yarani had attended. They¡¯d both had a little much to drink and apparently decided that it would be a splendid idea to test if my bed was really big and sturdy enough for its lofty role. Being made of qi-infused materials, it had passed with flying colors. They might also have tried to evaluate my own endurance, but I wasn¡¯t sure about that.


    I took a quick shower and pulled on a fresh set of clothes, deciding to let them sleep it off. I hadn¡¯t protested (much) when they¡¯d dragged my away from my work, but I should get back to it now. Still, I didn¡¯t feel like heading down to the lab just yet. Instead, I went into the adjacent room and settled into a comfortable armchair, pulling out a few papers from my storage ring. The sun had almost finished rising, giving me more than enough light to read. Although I couldn¡¯t quite muster much enthusiasm for it this morning.


    I didn¡¯t get much done by the time I sensed a familiar presence approaching. I put my pen down and waited. Tenira cautiously poked her head into the room from the connecting door to the back passages. I smiled and beckoned her closer, and she returned the smile and entered.


    ¡°The other two are still asleep?¡± she asked quietly as she settled into a sofa.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I regarded my papers for another moment, then took them, stood up and gave her a kiss before I settled onto the couch with her.


    ¡°I might want to try that sometime,¡± she said. ¡°Sleeping in the same bed, I mean.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s actually uncomfortable and annoying with several people, more so than with one partner. But I guess it can be nice having someone to wake up besides, and the more the merrier, right?¡±


    ¡°As long as the bed will fit us.¡±


    I snorted with a suppressed laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will.¡±


    We fell silent, then Tenira busied herself pulling a few papers out of her storage ring. ¡°Anyway, work calls.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it always?¡± I sighed. ¡°I take it there¡¯s something specific you wanted to discuss?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been going through the reports of how our people are doing in the newly occupied territories. That led me to take a look at how your strategy with regards to the Storm¡¯s temples in the Empire is progressing.¡±


    ¡°I see. I thought it was going rather well.¡±


    ¡°It is, overall.¡± She looked up. ¡°I just have a few concerns about what exactly you¡¯re doing, I suppose. I wanted to check back with you in case that was something we should take care of.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Basically, I still want to do what we¡¯ve been trying all along. Convince people to distance themselves from Jideia and his worship, to accept that we¡¯re putting pressure on them, and steadily increasing that economic and political pressure on the temples.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re spreading propaganda in order to influence public opinion.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it that.¡± At her look, I cleared my throat and scratched my cheek. ¡°Okay, yes, we are. Mostly just telling the truth, though. But with a concerted PR effort. And, fine, maybe a little less than complete probity in a few cases. But we¡¯re talking about someone who¡¯s routinely been trying to assassinate me, and I¡¯m trying to do what I can to effectively fight back.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do, but this one is a little ¡­¡± She slapped down one of the papers and raised her eyebrows. ¡°I mean, really. ¡®Jideia is getting depressed because his Zarian keep losing¡¯?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously trying to, what, give the Storm depression by communal belief?¡±


    I grinned. ¡°That¡¯s what they call ¡®psychological warfare¡¯, Tenira. Very important facet of warfare, you should look it up.¡±


    Tenira groaned.


    ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s not that bad. And it might actually work, at least to some extent. We don¡¯t lose anything by trying.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, but smiled. ¡°I suppose the pun was actually halfway clever. And you¡¯re right. If you¡¯re not afraid of us looking ridiculous, there¡¯s no harm in doing this.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, that¡¯s par for the course in politics and with this kind of consideration. You¡¯d be surprised what level of ridiculous people are willing to swallow in large numbers.¡± I pulled a face. ¡°Actually, considering the difference in education level, people here are probably even more likely to fall for something than what I¡¯m used to. Although I may be doing common sense a disservice.¡±


    Tenira shook her head. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t argue with you about that.¡±


    She put the paper away and sat back in the couch with a little sigh. After a moment, she turned so that she leaned against me. I smiled and lightly ran a hand through her hair. She shifted and settled deeper into me, and I put an arm around her waist. We cuddled silently for a few minutes.


    ¡°Have I mentioned lately how much I appreciate you and everything you¡¯ve been doing for me?¡± I asked.


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, love. Feel free to mention it some more.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do. Even when you¡¯re getting cheeky with me.¡±


    ¡°Me, cheeky?¡± she asked in a tone of wounded innocence. ¡°My lady, I would never dream of possibly giving you cheek. Why, the very thought of pointing out when you might act in a less than perfect manner, much less make a suboptimal decision, would never occur to me.¡±


    ¡°Naturally.¡± I sniffed. ¡°I would never make a wrong decision, now would I?¡±


    Tenira turned so I could see her grin. ¡°Of course not. There¡¯s no way I, being the devoted consort that I am, could possibly dispute such a statement.¡±


    I smiled at her, then sat up a little straighter. I¡¯m not going to get a better moment anytime soon, I think. ¡°And speaking of being a devoted consort, there was something I wanted to ask you.¡±


    Tenira leaned back so we could see each other better, her expression now serious and expectant. ¡°Yes, Nari?¡±


    I took a deep breath, sternly telling my pulse to slow down. Funny how I felt more nervous than before most battles. But I didn¡¯t let myself hesitate for too long. I¡¯d only start thinking about why it was a bad idea to have this conversation now.


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡±


    Tenira¡¯s eyes widened a fraction, then she started to smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering if that was coming,¡± she said. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand and brushed my cheek. ¡°Are you sure, Nari?¡±


    I nodded firmly. ¡°Of course I am. I¡¯m not saying we should get married right away. I know the timing isn¡¯t good. But later, even if it¡¯s after the war.¡±


    She leaned forward and gave me a lingering kiss. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to, love,¡± she said softly. ¡°Very happy.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I grinned at her.


    She sat back a little and shook her head. ¡°Well, you deciding to marry another woman - or two - isn¡¯t going to fit everyone¡¯s expectations. But, of course, I know better than to expect you to care in the least about honoring tradition or following social mores rather than just doing what you want.¡±


    I shrugged, still grinning. ¡°You do know me well.¡±


    Her expression turned thoughtful. ¡°And I suppose you¡¯d want to marry Yarani after you marry me.¡±


    ¡°That would probably be easier,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m alright with it if she and Kajare are.¡± Tenira smiled again and put a hand at the back of my neck, pulling me towards her. ¡°Now, we have something better to do than discussing the details.¡±


    Work, I decided, really could wait. It was cuddling time.

 158: Strategies

    <div>


    From his expression, I knew right away that Aston wasn¡¯t bringing me good news.


    That seemed par for the course. Although he was officially my bodyguard, he¡¯d really been acting as my aide for a long time now. Not that I was going to complain about it. I definitely didn¡¯t want to handle everything he did for me myself.


    I sat up straighter and gestured for the scientist I was speaking with to wait. He appeared to have been too caught up in our discussion to notice Aston¡¯s arrival, but now he fell silent and watched with apparent curiosity.


    ¡°Bad news, I¡¯m afraid, my lady,¡± Aston said.


    I suppressed a sigh. ¡°Of course it is. I think we¡¯ve covered the high points, anyway, Doctor. I¡¯ll let you get back to work.¡±


    I returned his bow with a nod, then stepped away and out into the corridor. Silently, I followed Aston through the building, until we emerged in the courtyard.


    ¡°So, what is this about?¡± I asked. It couldn¡¯t be good if he didn¡¯t want anyone to listen in.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the army¡¯s efforts to take Cianing City have failed, Your Highness. In fact, it looks like we suffered a major defeat.¡±


    I pulled a face. That would be our first major defeat of the war, or at least this stage of it. ¡°How bad is it?¡±


    ¡°We only have preliminary appreciations so far, but it seems we¡¯ve lost at least a fifth of the elite force.¡± Aston didn¡¯t look any happier about the news than I did. ¡°We combined several deployments for this operation, so that task force actually represents most of our strength in the south.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, scowling at nothing in particular. I knew it could have been worse, but this was already bad enough. We probably still had more remaining elites than the Zarian, but I wouldn¡¯t bet on that, and the reported numbers were probably going to rise.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised when Aston led me into the palace proper and turned towards the wing housing our military command. I could already sense Kiyanu there, along with many other strong cultivators.


    ¡°Lady Tenira is on her way,¡± Aston reported. ¡°Do you want me to get Prince Kajare and Lady Yarani, as well?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°If there¡¯s going to be a larger briefing and meeting later, they should join us then, but it¡¯s probably better to keep the number of attendees down for this one.¡±


    We reached what appeared to be the designated meeting room quickly. The pair of guards outside came to attention and opened the door for us. I nodded at them and entered, pausing for a moment to get my bearings. It was a pretty large conference room, but it still seemed full with the number of people inside, most of them apparently army officers. Kiyanu, Kariva, Gen, and a few other politicians had gathered at the head of the table, though. I quickly made my way to join them. Before I reached the chair they¡¯d apparently left for me, the door opened again and Tenira entered.


    I sank into my seat and waited for everyone to settle down. I could tell that no one was feeling particularly optimistic about this meeting. Instead, judging by the glances they shot each other and the furtive, hushed conversations that now trailed off, they probably had a good idea what this was about.


    Kiyanu cleared his throat, and everyone fell silent. He let us wait for a moment, sweeping his gaze across the conference table, then spoke. ¡°We have gathered to discuss recent reports from the front. As I understand, our army was defeated outside the city of Cianing. General Tsakan, would you give us a short summary of what happened?¡±


    The old general sat up straighter and cleared his throat. ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± He gave the sheet of paper in front of him a short glance. ¡°To put it briefly, our forces were trapped between the defenses of the city and a Zarian task force attacking their rear. We had acquired intelligence about the enemy fortifications, wards and shields, and the plan called for the army to use it to partly bypass them. Apparently, this went wrong. It¡¯s not confirmed yet, but I gather that the Zarian altered their wards in anticipation of our attempts. While our army was bogged down trying to take down the qi shield, an enemy force of high-stage soldiers and elites numbering at least two dozen in the seventh stage launched a surprise attack on it. The army had put up defenses to cover their rear, but they were overrun in short order. General Wei led the army through a fighting retreat and fell back to our last secured position in a recently taken town, roughly five leagues towards Niali.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair. That was pretty much what I¡¯d expected. Quietly, I listened as several of the people present asked questions and the news were discussed in more detail. There was nothing particularly surprising about it, although I really didn¡¯t like how badly our alarm wards and defenses had apparently performed.


    ¡°It sounds like we¡¯re lucky General Wei got the army out at all,¡± Tenira said to me in an undertone while they discussed enemy casualty estimates.


    I nodded. While I might have mixed feelings about my great-uncle, he¡¯d definitely shown he was a capable general. And we were probably lucky the Zarian had called off the attack, too, although the town¡¯s fortifications would have been much more extensive.


    ¡°They¡¯re relying on their elites a lot,¡± San Hashar noted. She didn¡¯t look nearly as ruffled as many other officers around the table. ¡°That¡¯s very effective against our use of Lighters, since they simply can¡¯t stand up to them. It¡¯s bound to grind away at their elite numbers in the long term, but, of course, that¡¯s mitigated if they can whittle our elites down along with them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an obvious strategy for them, given their teleportation,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Everything we¡¯ve been able to get indicates that it depends on the number and strength of the cultivators you want to transport. You can think of it like the ¡®qi quantity¡¯ of them. But it¡¯s also more effective for less people. Transporting one elite is easier than transporting ten regulars, even if their strength would amount to exactly the same.¡±


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    Heads nodded around the table. Most of them probably knew that already, since the memo I¡¯d written on the topic must have been circulated around the army¡¯s brass.


    ¡°How far along are we at turning that particular trump card against them?¡± Kiyanu asked.


    I hesitated and exchanged a glance with San Hashar. ¡°We¡¯re making progress,¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s still quite a lot I¡¯d like to get a handle on, but I suppose we have most of it basically operational. We should be able to start implementing it down south, if there¡¯s a pressing need for it.¡±


    ¡°And we could always update our precautions, items, and tactics as time goes on and we make more progress,¡± the general added. ¡°Although I¡¯d advocate against wide-scale deployment of our countermeasures yet. They still need refinement and testing.¡±


    ¡°We may not have much time to dither,¡± General Poteri said. ¡°If your devices are useable, we should start using them as soon as possible, before the momentum turns further against us and the Zarian compound our losses.¡±


    I grimaced. A few other officers spoke up, debating the merits of rushing into things versus wasting time on development. I listened silently, keeping my thoughts to myself.


    ¡°Clearly, we need to handle this carefully and make decisions based on individual details,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°This is probably a task for a smaller panel than this meeting. Inaris, do you feel comfortable with taking the results of your efforts south, in principle?¡±


    I frowned, considering the question for a moment. Then I shrugged slightly. ¡°Principally, yes. We shouldn¡¯t rush things, but at the same time, I think trying to be too cautious can hurt us just as much. The first time we use any of our new toys has to be decisive. We don¡¯t want to give them too much time to adapt. I¡¯d like the first indication they have that something is wrong to be when we catch them in our trap.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded slowly. ¡°That seems ambitious. Of course, this is your project, and I can see the sense in it. I assume you¡¯ll want oversee it personally?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take a few of my people, as well, including General San.¡± While I wasn¡¯t looking forward to getting back into the thick of the war, or as thick as it ever got for me, this was something I had to do myself.


    The meeting continued for over an hour, discussing various aspects of the battle and refining our strategy for the aftermath. I found it harder than usual to sit still and listen attentively. Instead, my mind kept wanting to turn back to my research and development projects and how I might apply them most effectively in the coming conflict. I forced myself to pay attention to the discussion, knowing this wouldn¡¯t be the only meeting today.


    It was a little disconcerting to realize I might actually be looking forward to a battle. Not because I was out for revenge against the Zarian or anything like that, but just because it represented an interesting challenge, matching my mind against their military leaders and my team¡¯s efforts against theirs. Well, it probably helped that I wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about my own personal safety. Still, I¡¯d better not make a habit of that.


    <hr>


    It turned out I was right in my predictions. They set up two other meetings I had to attend. The second one was something of a general briefing for everyone who needed to know what had happened and what it could mean, and Kajare and Yarani joined us for that one. Neither of them looked particularly happy about the news, but they didn¡¯t show much surprise, so they must have heard about it in advance.


    Once the meeting was done, the gathered people dispersed. I glanced around as I left. Elia and Lei were heading away together. I couldn¡¯t see Elis, but he might be practicing his shapeshifting and passing for one of the many officials and officers around. I¡¯d pulled my qi senses mostly in because of the number of strong presences around, since I didn¡¯t want to get a headache, and he was good at disguising his aura, anyway.


    My three partners and I ended up in my suite. Kajare took a seat while Yarani and Tenira helped me pack my things. I could probably leave the more mundane stuff to the servants, but I needed to sort out my research, paperwork, and various weapons, defensive talismans, and other things I might need. We didn¡¯t talk much.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a pain to leave again this soon,¡± Yarani finally said as we were tidying up the last bits and pieces.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d hoped we had more time here before we went back,¡± Kajare agreed.


    ¡°It was probably a given we¡¯d have to leave if and when things turned south on us.¡± I settled into an armchair.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we need to be happy about it,¡± Tenira said. ¡°If nothing else, we have things going on.¡± She glanced at the others, then smiled slightly. ¡°Although, I happen to know Kajare hasn¡¯t visited the Wei townhouse in weeks.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, looking at my husband. Our conversation on the subject was only a few weeks ago.


    Kajare shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re right, I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Any particular reason?¡± Yarani asked casually.


    He pulled a face, then sighed and sat back in his chair. ¡°You could say I did some soul-searching and thought about what I really wanted. I suppose I realized that this wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡±


    I nodded. Sounds like now that he could have what he wanted, he realized that he¡¯d wanted what he wasn¡¯t supposed to have. But I didn¡¯t say anything about that. I was hardly in a position to be throwing stones.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably sensible,¡± Tenira commented. ¡°Not that I¡¯m any expert on the subject.¡±


    ¡°Deciding that nothing could possibly measure up to Nari, anyway?¡± Yarani asked. She smirked in my general direction.


    Kajare looked a little irked, then he chuckled. ¡°Not really, but now that you mention it, there¡¯s something to that.¡±


    ¡°Uh, thanks for the compliment, you two, I guess?¡± I said. Were they making fun of me?


    At my reaction, Yarani¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be very interested in looking for an illicit liaison, since their performance couldn¡¯t compare, anyway, unless they happen to be a powerful spirit-child.¡±


    One of the disadvantages of having skin this fair was that you blushed easily and obviously. I glowered at Yarani, who looked like a cat that got a whole container of cream at my reaction.


    ¡°To get back to the actual subject instead of teasing Nari,¡± Tenira came to my rescue, ¡°do either of you have any pressing tasks that you need to complete before we head south?¡±


    They shook their heads, and Kajare stood up, clearly preparing to go pack his things.


    ¡°Actually,¡± I said. ¡°There is one other thing. Tenira, I think it might be better if you stayed home.¡±


    They paused, and she frowned at me. ¡°Why, Nari? I¡¯m going to be of much more help to you if I¡¯m with you, and I¡¯m not letting you go back to war without me.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°We need to continue with our research projects, especially with the things we¡¯re putting into use now. I¡¯ll try to get something done, but you know as well as I do that the middle of a war isn¡¯t exactly the best environment for research and development. But I have to go, and so do San Hashar and a few of the others. I need you to stay and keep things going, here.¡±


    Tenira¡¯s frown deepened. She didn¡¯t look happy at that prospect at all. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I can¡¯t just let you get back into danger without being there. What if you need me and I¡¯m not there?¡±


    Yarani sighed. ¡°She¡¯s right, Tenira. No offense, but in the war ¡­ even without considering the guards, if I can¡¯t help Inaris, you¡¯d just be in the way.¡±


    Tenira made a face. Probably because she knew as well as the rest of us that Yarani was right. ¡°But what if she needs someone with light and darkness affinity qi?¡± Her tone was just a little petulant.


    ¡°Then Lei will be there, and so will several others.¡±


    Tenira sighed, then nodded with obvious unwillingness. ¡°Fine. Alright, I understand. Just come back safely, will you?¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She looked at the others. ¡°That goes for all of you. I have, strangely enough, grown fond of you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t imagine why,¡± Yarani said with a wink.

 159: Plans and positioning

    <div>


    ¡°You know, I almost feel sorry for the Zarian,¡± Yarani said.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Because their entire society is doomed to collapse sooner or later? Because they¡¯ll witness its death throes harming their fellows even if they aren¡¯t killed? Because the Dominion is going to be history?¡±


    She blinked. ¡°Uh, I didn¡¯t think of it like that. I was talking about the soldiers who are going to die in a more immediate sense because of our efforts.¡±


    I gazed out over the field, green grass and wildflowers rising high enough to reach my knees in some spots. At first glance, it looked like any other meadow, though a more careful examination would show a few irregularities. Chances were it was going to be unrecognizable at the end of the day. Tomorrow at the latest. ¡°I get that,¡± I said.


    ¡°You really think the Dominion is going down that surely?¡± she asked.


    I shrugged, glancing at Kajare and Elis, and beyond them, at a group of what I would call technicians from the Basement. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure. Even if they can beat us off - and that¡¯s still more likely than I¡¯d wish - the Dominion isn¡¯t going to be the same afterward, in the long term.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve only taken a few cities,¡± she pointed out, but she didn¡¯t sound contentious.


    ¡°Sure. But the facade has cracked, Yarani. It might not be as bad as some, but at its core, the Dominion¡¯s a repressive regime.¡± I shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not going to win without suffering severe casualties, even if they do. And more importantly, all the lower-tier citizens are going to see what¡¯s happening here. You think the Basement is just going to give up if our army leaves? Especially if we hold on long enough for them to get a taste of life under Imperial conditions? And they¡¯re hardly the only ones.¡±


    Yarani nodded slowly. ¡°I see. I haven¡¯t thought about it like that before, but that makes sense. And I suppose this is part of the reason why you¡¯re so insistent about properly managing and integrating the occupied cities?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    I made a face at the thought. To probably no one¡¯s surprise, managing those cities was proving harder than we¡¯d like. We just didn¡¯t have enough of many things we really needed, like trained translators, supplies for educational efforts and more, reliable police, or even trade opportunities and productive ways to get economic incentives. But we were making a lot of progress.


    A shout from farther away distracted us and ended the conversation. I walked towards it, carefully picking my way forward, while Yarani and the ever-present guard detail accompanied me. But by the time we reached it, the problem appeared to have been solved. For a moment, I watched the young Lighter standing at attention and trying to pretend he wasn¡¯t watching us getting closer. The earth beside him still looked dug up, but not enough to hint at why. I smiled and changed course, figuring I could spare both of us the embarrassment. Besides, it wasn¡¯t really my place to manage the soldiers here.


    I wandered around the field for a few more minutes, checking to make sure that everything was progressing according to plan. Besides a few minor hiccups that the officers in charge quickly took care of, everything was going smoothly. Then I headed back to the corner we¡¯d marked off as an impromptu command post, not that it really deserved that name. Aston, who¡¯d stayed there and conferred with several of the officers and elites, saluted as we came back.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s on track, my lady,¡± he reported. ¡°Site Three just radioed in, they report full readiness.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you. Good work, everyone.¡±


    I cracked my neck and sat down on one of the folding chairs. With the several sites and contingency sites, the detailed planning, and the positioning of our soldiers, this had taken most of the day. I shuddered to imagine how long it would have been if we hadn¡¯t had cultivators working on it.


    ¡°And enemy movements?¡± Yarani asked, coming to stand beside my chair.


    ¡°They¡¯ve kept moving as projected, my lady,¡± Aston answered. He nodded to one of the large maps hovering in the air where everyone could see. Various colored markers had been attached to it. ¡°They do seem to have sped up a little, although we still need confirmation on that point. Newest estimates are contact within ten minutes to two hours.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. Looks like the moment of truth is approaching. No wonder the guards were standing more closely around us, and even watching the regulars finishing up outside with suspicious gazes. The recent attempts on me and Al hadn¡¯t made them any less paranoid. And considering they were squarely in the line of fire, too, I doubted anyone would blame them.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time for us to scram, then,¡± I said. ¡°Aston, you¡¯ll take care of things?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± He smiled slightly.


    It didn¡¯t take long for us to get to the perch we¡¯d previously chosen. It should be some distance away from the fighting, although, if things didn¡¯t got exactly according to plan and we had to divert or improvise, we might not be able to see anything from here. Still, I leaned against the towering rock face that crowned the knoll we stood on, gazing out over the cluster of trees below. The upper part was free of trees, just enough to give us a good view while hiding us from casual inspection if someone was standing further away.


    I wished Kajare was here, but he¡¯d gone to coordinate with the Terbekteri navy again. They¡¯d run into stiffer resistance than anticipated south of the nearby bay, and our strategists were adjusting operational plans while we scrambled to build a new, stronger task force of combined Terbekteri and Imperial forces. I didn¡¯t envy him the headache of getting fractious captains to get along, but he was clearly the best person for the job, and probably safer there than he would be here.


    We waited for a few minutes, until the communication bracelet I¡¯d wrapped around my wrist chimed. I knew what that meant. We were going to see the start of it any moment now.


    I recalled the blueprints once more for a second before dismissing them from my memory. We weren¡¯t entirely sure how things would work, which was one reason we had that many layered plans. Due to the nature of things, field-testing had had to be limited, and we could hardly test against functional Zarian technology in the first place. But I was confident. San Hashar, the others, and I had taken the Zarian device the Basement had given us apart down to the smallest piece, made sure we had a good idea what each of the runes did, and put it back together again, several times. Undoubtedly?things were going to go pear-shaped in some way, but that was just life.


    ¡°The Zarian are moving,¡± Aston reported a few seconds later. ¡°Apparently, they¡¯re maintaining the same formation as of their last report, and their elite and high stage strike team is sticking with the main army for now.¡±


    I nodded. We¡¯d known there was a chance they wouldn¡¯t actually use their teleport option. We¡¯d just use the grounds we had prepared as best we could. They had to come to us, since we¡¯d occupied a large town at the edge of a low mountain range, at a strategic bottleneck, and put up a fortified base forward of it. That gave us avenues to strike either of two important Zarian cities.


    ¡°That information is from Source Beta again?¡± Yarani asked.


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    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    Yarani didn¡¯t know who that referred to. For that matter, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure who it was, either. The Basement leader who¡¯d talked to me had been cagey. But I did know the information came from the train of the enemy army.


    Unlike the Imperial ones, the Zarian army did bring along people to fill support roles. From what I¡¯d read, half of those were there specifically to service the high-stage senior officers. (Seriously, was I the only one who thought bringing servants on campaign was a bad idea?). But from the hints at an unsavory occupation I¡¯d picked up from the Basement member, I suspected the person was either the Zarian army¡¯s main smuggler or madam. Possibly both, I supposed. In any case, she had an in with or maybe dirt on several of the officers, and she¡¯d proved to be well-informed on what the army was doing and where it was going.


    Sending us information via her radio was still risky. Even if the Zarian didn¡¯t seem to have figured out how to locate the source of an emission or have cracked our encryption. But when I¡¯d mentioned that, I¡¯d been assured she was aware of the risk and taking it freely.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to worry about the reliability of the info,¡± I said. ¡°But anyway, if they¡¯re moving in together, let¡¯s make sure we can get to the action quickly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve cleared paths, my lady,¡± Aston said. ¡°The headquarters section is staying with the main base for now, but they¡¯re shifting the right flank. The Basement liaisons are falling back.¡±


    I nodded. The Basement leader I¡¯d talked to was a young woman who¡¯d called herself the Zarian word for ¡®Spark¡¯, which probably wasn¡¯t her real name. To be fair, she probably hadn¡¯t shown me her real face, either. We weren¡¯t as tightly tapped into the Basement as I¡¯d expected, partly because they¡¯d taken to having Elis do the checking of their members. I was confident he¡¯d tell me anything I really needed to know, and I was okay with it if he wouldn¡¯t give us detailed reports on the Basement¡¯s inner workings. If nothing else, those actually might get leaked.


    The Basement was clearly good at ¡®operational security¡¯. That helped to explain why they were the most prominent and powerful of the ¡®underground¡¯ organizations in the Dominion. From what Elis and Kariva had dug up, they had at least connections to several others, too. If I wanted to engineer a regime change, they were where I¡¯d put my money, and the Dominion¡¯s security organs had to know that, too. Under the circumstances, getting Elis and Elia to help them was probably a good idea on its own.


    Another chime interrupted my train of thought. I tensed and waited for Aston to check in with his communicator talisman.


    ¡°They¡¯ve moved, my lady,¡± he finally said. ¡°Enemy strike force near Site Two.¡±


    I suppressed a curse. That was some distance from here, and we couldn¡¯t see it from our current vantage point. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    We wasted no time in taking to the air, although we kept low to the ground while we repositioned. I didn¡¯t need Aston to tell me that the Zarian¡¯s main army had reached the combat zone, too. Smoke was already starting to billow, and I got a good look at the clashing forces around a stony barricade and muddy fields. The sound of explosions reached us as the Zarian soldiers triggered the mines buried there, but their army kept pushing.


    The Zarian must have tried for a flanking attack on our main defenses. When we reached the previously agreed upon distance, I slowed down and cycled light qi to my eyes to get a better look.


    It appeared they hadn¡¯t quite hit where we¡¯d wanted them. We¡¯d tried to predict the best position for them to emerge and prepared accordingly, but they had come slightly to the side, only partly covered by the prepared field. Maybe our appraisal had been off. Or they could have come at a less than optimal position by accident or design.


    Aston and his guard detail drew the cordon tighter around me and Yarani as we approached. He¡¯d argued against me coming to see the presumed battle in person, but I¡¯d put my foot down. I needed to see with my own eyes how our plan worked out, not to mention poke my own qi senses into the sites to gauge how our hardware performed. I¡¯d take my team to turn over every stone after the battle was over, assuming we could, but right now I was just glad I could be here to see it, anyway.


    We were looking down on a roundish approach to the incline housing our main base, flanked by rocky spines. But that meant less than it might have for strong cultivators, and the Zarian elites were already swarming all over the place with scant regard for little things like slopes and cliffs. In this case, though, that arrogance came back to bite them. I could tell many of our buried surprises had already sprung, and they were triggering still more of them, since we hadn¡¯t spared the rougher terrain, either.


    Large laser-cannons set up at our firing positions cut into their strike force, depleting their shields. Mines and explosives battered them and churned up the ground, making the footing even worse.


    They fought back, of course. Qi attacks, everything from fireballs to ice spears to churning black balls, splattered against the walls, sending dust and debris flying into the air and gouging holes out of the fortifications. But the Imperials kept firing, and kept throwing attacks of their own back.


    And then the first Zarian soldiers began to fall.


    I advanced carefully, watching them closely. I knew they would have preferred to appear inside our defenses, like they¡¯d done before, but that was out of the cards today. They¡¯d had to divert here, presumably with little notice, and this concerted attack couldn¡¯t be doing their morale any favors. But they were professionals, and they kept fighting fiercely.


    I almost fell out of the air when I recognized one of the fighters at the back. Cursing, I grabbed my trusty spyglass from my storage ring and took a closer look. With the battlefield in this state, there was no chance I could pick out his aura with my qi senses, but he hadn¡¯t bothered to disguise his appearance. And the way he moved and fought fit the man I¡¯d seen in Niali.


    As I was watching, one of the Imperial soldiers on a rocky protrusion at the edge of the valley stiffened, his eyes starting to roll into the back of his head, his arms starting to twitch. He took a step closer to his companions, then stopped and whirled around.


    I turned to Aston. ¡°Quick, get a strike team. That¡¯s the assassin from before! The one in templar robes with blue eyes at the back. We need to cut off his retreat. I¡¯m going in.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Aston managed to catch my arm before I¡¯d taken more than two steps forward along the air corridor he¡¯d created. ¡°We can¡¯t rush in. At least wait for that team.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste, Aston!¡± I jerked away from his grasp. ¡°We can¡¯t give him the time to run away. Look, he¡¯s already moving back. We¡¯ll circle around to avoid the battlefield proper. Come on.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t dilute the defenses, and Aston and his detail were the strongest fighters close by. With a burst of focus, I wove a mingled light and darkness technique that should hide us from observation. My guards looked less than happy, but they followed orders, and we started to move closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure this is going to work,¡± Yarani muttered.


    She was probably right, but I didn¡¯t say anything.


    We moved reasonably quickly, but I could already tell we should have acted earlier. The Zarian were beginning to retreat, maybe even break. We must have succeeded in blocking teleportation around here, but they could still cut and run the old-fashioned way. And a few were starting to do just that as their casualties mounted, even as most of them held firm and inflicted casualties of our own on the Imperial soldiers.


    I dropped the technique I was maintaining as soon as we descended on the area my target was in. It wouldn¡¯t work for much longer, and I needed to use others. Almost immediately, we were pelted by scattered attacks, but the guards kept them off me.


    The Auditor¡¯s son looked up and our eyes locked for a moment. His eyes narrowed, and he dashed off. I grew my wings and turned sharply to take up pursuit.


    He darted into the cover of the rocks and gorges to the southeast. We had to descend lower than I would have liked not to lose him. But my intuition guided me forward, and while a few of the guards fell back to cover us against the other Zarian, we followed him into the mountains.


    I was just starting to catch up to him when something slammed into my arm and deflected it to the side, twisting me around. I spun, beating my wings frantically. A slab of rock loomed to my left. I skimmed against it with my left wing and managed to only impact it with my shoulder, bouncing off. Quickly, I dismissed my wings and angled myself to land on a flat part of the ground, skimming slightly after a jarring impact, but intact.


    I glanced around, quickly putting the situation together. Yarani had tripped me. Been made to. She landed beside me, her face pale and eyes wide. I stretched out my senses, but I didn¡¯t get a whiff of our quarry.


    I swallowed another curse. ¡°We¡¯ve lost him.¡±


    Aston nodded. ¡°We need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I sighed, then took out my flying sword and ascended into the air, arcing back towards the battle. ¡°We should at least make the best of this and catch them in the back.¡±


    Aston looked rebellious. ¡°My lady ¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning to fight, myself, don¡¯t worry. Just use a few of your soldiers.¡±


    When we got back closer to the battle, it was pretty clear that it was as good as over. The guards sent a few attacks into them from long range, while Yarani and I hovered at the back under Aston¡¯s watchful eye.


    That might have been the last straw, and by now most of the Zarian were running. Imperial soldiers ascended from the base to hunt them down. I noted the number of Zarian who wouldn¡¯t be going anywhere lying on the broken battlefield, but that didn¡¯t lift my mood after our failure. I really wanted to get the Auditor¡¯s son.

 160: Stability

    <div>


    ¡°I have to admit that I could get used to this,¡± Kajare said, stretching out on his divan with a grin.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to enjoy it while it lasts,¡± I answered, plopping myself down on an overstuffed armchair. ¡°Alas, an unbroken string of victories is probably too much to hope for.¡±


    We¡¯d just taken the second major city in as many weeks. Of course, given that the Dominion covered the whole continent and more, it had a lot of major cities. We were far from done. But we were also clearly making progress.


    In the last two weeks since our clash with the Zarian, we¡¯d faced little opposition. Once again, we¡¯d decimated their elites, and also struck a blow against their regular army strength. What was left of their forces had probably retreated to regroup.


    ¡°I wish we could move faster,¡± Yarani said, leaning against the windowsill. ¡°But I understand why we don¡¯t. There¡¯s no point getting overconfident, and we do need to properly secure any territorial gains.¡±


    I nodded. They¡¯d had enough warning that most of the strong cultivators in these cities who weren¡¯t already with the army had gone south. That would make it easier to hold them, but it also meant the Zarian strength wasn¡¯t as diminished as it might have been. I didn¡¯t see much of a way around that, though.


    I looked out the window, watching the newest city to fall to the Empire. It resembled the other ones a great deal. Once again, we were quartered in the largest and shiniest building around, although this time it was actually at the edge of the central district rather than the middle. That gave me a good view of the relatively low buildings of the old town. Jideia¡¯s temple was at the other end, and except for a faint plume of smoke, I couldn¡¯t make out anything. The streets were pretty empty, although I noticed that a few of the fittings on the lampposts lining them were cracked. That had to be recent. Probably cultivators coming to blows, spurred by the rising tension the city must have felt.


    Well, we¡¯d left the city authorities intact enough they should be replaced quickly. And the Basement was strong here, too, which helped keep the low-tier citizens in the less affluent districts and the huts outside the walls from rioting.


    Not that there will be tiers here any longer, I reminded myself. I smiled at the thought. If I hadn¡¯t happened to be born a princess in this world, I might have made a fair revolutionary, if I did say so myself. Of course, that occupation would probably not give me much time in the lab, either. Maybe I could have been a philosopher and political thinker for the Enlightenment.


    I snorted to myself, then turned my attention back to my surroundings. Yarani left her perch by the window and instead perched herself in my chair. It was just big enough that we could sit side-by-side with a bit of squashing.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just sit right in my lap?¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d be happy to.¡± She grinned and did so.


    I sighed. At least I wasn¡¯t crammed into the armchair now. I tickled Yarani for a few seconds in revenge, then put an arm around her waist.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m rethinking my seating arrangements,¡± Kajare said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± I warned him. ¡°I¡¯m not a cushion. And I¡¯d like to see something.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just create eyes on the back of your hand or something?¡±


    I pulled a face. ¡°Yes, in theory. But it¡¯s not as easy as it sounds to get them actually functional, and it¡¯s pretty disorienting even then. I¡¯d prefer to let my eyes stay right here in my skull where they belong.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t love you, you¡¯d be really creepy sometimes,¡± Yarani said. ¡°Not that I would judge anyone for their abilities. And I suppose you get used to it.¡±


    I smiled, but didn¡¯t say anything. I could take on some forms that would be a lot more creepy than what I¡¯d done so far, but I didn¡¯t really see the point.


    ¡°Speaking of, I just realized something.¡± Yarani shifted a little and turned to look at me. ¡°The lands we¡¯re taking from the Zarian, there aren¡¯t going to be any nobles here, are there? They¡¯re going to be under the crown directly?¡±


    ¡°Most likely, I guess.¡± I frowned slightly, mentally shifting gears. ¡°We haven¡¯t really made concrete plans yet, and obviously, I¡¯ll need to work things out with Kiyanu. It¡¯s possible we¡¯ll work with the local power structure. Of course, Imperial authority will probably have pretty great and direct influence. We could also import the Imperial system - such as it is and what there is of it - and make local cultivators nobles, but I don¡¯t really like that idea.¡±


    ¡°How did you get to this from discussing Nari¡¯s shapeshifting, anyway?¡± Kajare asked.


    ¡°We were discussing ways Nari is creepy.¡± Yarani sniffed. ¡°If the nobles knew what you were really like, most of them would form another cabal to dethrone you.¡±


    ¡°Baseless accusations and slander,¡± I huffed. ¡°Besides, some of them probably wouldn¡¯t, even if you were right, because they care more about the Empire¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really the most incongruous cynic I know,¡± Yarani said.


    I sighed and leaned back into my chair, ignoring the way it shifted Yarani on my lap. Her weight really wasn¡¯t much of an issue given my cultivation-enhanced strength.


    We fell silent, all of us sitting quietly in thought for a few minutes. I surreptitiously shifted the chair so I could still look out of the window and watched the city. We¡¯d probably be leaving it soon enough, but most of its inhabitants¡¯ lives would change dramatically. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of satisfaction. We were definitely getting into the real economic heartland of the Dominion, especially if you only considered the Storm Continent, and most likely, the war would be effectively decided sometime in the next few months. A year at most. Although fighting might continue after that.


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    My army was performing very well. We also kept recruiting new Lighters. That recruitment was stalling, but that was probably more because we¡¯d already taken the most obvious and available recruits than because of a dip in popularity. And there were still a lot of them in the training camps. Our numerical advantage would only grow, and even if Lighters weren¡¯t in a normal soldier¡¯s weight class, large numbers of them could clearly prove decisive.


    ¡°And what will we do after all this?¡± Kajare asked quietly.


    ¡°I want to reach the moon within a hundred years,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s ambitious, but I think we can do it. I want to push the development of new technologies along, especially computers, and the social development we need right along with it. And I think we¡¯ll get at least a bit of a breather after the war, always assuming we¡¯ll win it.¡±


    ¡°As much of one as dealing with the people we conquered will allow,¡± Yarani pointed out.


    I inclined my head. ¡°True. We¡¯re certainly not going to run out of work any time soon.¡±


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s been over a year since your mother ascended,¡± Yarani said softly. ¡°You might get to see her again at some point.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s probably still going to take a while.¡± I returned my gaze to the city, staring out at its skyline. ¡°Mior told me that she¡¯s doing well, all things considered. She¡¯s definitely still safe. Apparently, they¡¯ve even begun to manage rudimentary communication. She¡¯s still not what anyone would call in a stable situation, but at least she managed to get through it.¡±


    Kajare nodded, and we fell silent again for a while. I wished Tenira was here, as well, but I¡¯d talked to her last night in my dreams, and she seemed to be doing well. Her projects were definitely progressing faster than I¡¯d dared to hope for.


    Eventually, I reluctantly decided that I¡¯d been lazing around for long enough and still had too much work to do. I slithered out from under Yarani, ignoring the playful scowl she gave me, and went into the attached office. Aston had already deposited a number of papers and folders on the desk. I cracked my neck and sat down to go over it. Without Tenira, I definitely had to allow for more time for paperwork. But I generally tried not to complain too much about it, since I knew how much Kiyanu was doing back in the capital.


    I had barely gotten started when Aston knocked on the door. After waiting for me to tell him to come in, he stepped inside silently. One look at his expression was enough to let me know we had another complication.


    ¡°What is it, Aston?¡± I asked, leaning back in my chair.


    ¡°We have the final report from the battle, my lady.¡± Without waiting for me to respond, he handed me a folder.


    I flipped it open and glanced through it, then raised my head again, frowning. ¡°Something in particular I should be looking at?¡±


    ¡°Putting together several of the observations and pieces of data we¡¯ve gotten, my lady, there appears to be something out of the ordinary. Our analysts are fairly confident that there was a large group of Zarian temple fighters, many of the spirit-children, in the city.¡±


    I nodded. Apparently, they¡¯d emerged from recent restructuring with an official name that you could translate as ¡®temple knights¡¯. I¡¯d just keep calling them templars privately.


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to run down more precise information,¡± Aston continued. ¡°So far, we have several indications that the man we chased in the battle, the son of the Auditor, was here.¡±


    I sat up straighter at that news. That was good to know. It probably didn¡¯t bode well that he was around, though.


    ¡°Do you need anything else, my lady?¡± Aston asked.


    I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°No, thank you, Aston.¡± I hesitated, then asked, ¡°Actually, do you happen to know where Elia is?¡±


    ¡°Last I heard, she was with Lord Akilei in the provisional lab,¡± he answered. ¡°She might have moved on since, though. I would recommend checking the yellow manor, it¡¯s where we quartered the Basement¡¯s liaison and where I¡¯d expect to find her brother.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Collecting my papers, I stood and headed out. As I walked through the building, I kept my eyes and qi senses peeled. It was still a bustle of activity, people settling in and setting up everything we needed. At least all of that seemed to be going well. I didn¡¯t notice any problems, at least.


    Apparently, they were setting up the lab in an outbuilding of this estate. I walked by it, but it didn¡¯t take me long to realize that Elia wasn¡¯t in there. Neither was Lei. I hesitated, but resisted the temptation to head inside. If I started that now, I wouldn¡¯t be back out for hours.


    The building Aston had mentioned wasn¡¯t very far, either. It was easy to see where it got its name, since the outer walls and half of the roof had all been dyed a muted yellow just shy of orange. In the otherwise rather gray- and brown-colored city, that stood out.


    I found Elia before I even entered the building. She walked slowly towards it from the other direction, talking quietly with Lei. When the two of them noticed me, the looked up and smiled.


    ¡°Hey, Nari,¡± Lei greeted me. ¡°I¡¯m off to the lab. See you later.¡±


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and replied with a quick ¡°See you later¡±, while he was already moving.


    ¡°How are things going?¡± Elia asked. She didn¡¯t quite stop, either, and I quickly joined her in heading into the building.


    ¡°Fine, it looks like,¡± I answered. ¡°Are you doing alright?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± She glanced at me and frowned. ¡°Something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I just wanted to touch base with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She smiled with an edge of embarrassment. ¡°I suppose I haven¡¯t been around much lately, or been talking much to you or the others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no problem,¡± I assured her. It was hardly the first time someone got into a new relationship and was a little preoccupied with it.


    Elia already seemed to know her way around, and led me into a small sitting room with a window looking out over the city and a few closed wooden cabinets. I glanced around, then took a seat in one of the chairs, noting the qi woven into the walls here.


    ¡°So, do you deal much with the Basement and all of that?¡± I asked. ¡°I know Elis is basically working with them full-time now.¡±


    Elia leaned against a table and shrugged. ¡°Not really. I help out occasionally, but mostly I let him deal with that.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°How do you think things are going?¡±


    ¡°Pretty well.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°I¡¯m sure if there was a major problem, you¡¯d hear about it.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡± I returned her smile. ¡°By the way, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know much about the Auditor, would you? We¡¯re probably going to run afoul of his son again.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you much there, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s something you could almost call an enforcer for the Storm and his power base.¡± Elia pulled a face. ¡°A little like those temple knights. It¡¯s probably no wonder the bastard would take up with them.¡±


    I leaned back into my chair. ¡°I got the feeling that he might not have been entirely there, mentally. Or it could have been an act.¡±


    Elia frowned, looking as if she was considering something, for a moment. Then she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s possible. I¡¯m not an expert, you understand, but you know as well as I do that spirit-children are a little like spirits, maybe a little susceptible to mental ¡­ oddness. I mean, I don¡¯t think the Auditor would be a pleasant fellow to be connected to, you know? It¡¯s possible, even probable, that he¡¯s a little influenced by his father¡¯s state of mind, or whatever you might call it. But I doubt he¡¯s actually psychotic or anything like that. And it clearly doesn¡¯t hinder his effectiveness.¡±


    I pulled a face. ¡°Alright. I think I see.¡± I shook my head and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯d tell me if you weren¡¯t feeling well, wouldn¡¯t you, El?¡±


    She threw a file folder at me, which I snatched out of the air easily. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Nari.¡± Then her expression turned serious, and she pushed away from the table to sit in one of the nearby chairs. ¡°Seriously, you shouldn¡¯t worry about it. Our spirits are the Sun and the Moon. If you needed to pick one to get maximum mental stability, they¡¯re the obvious choices. I mean, your father is all about guidance, and Piallara, well, truth and justice.¡±


    ¡°I get what you mean.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair, crossing my hands behind my head. She had a point.


    That didn¡¯t really make me feel much better about my opponent - no, opponents, - though.

 161: Conquests court

    <div>


    Half of the people in the room looked like they could still scarcely believe how their lives had changed in the last few weeks (or months). In my opinion, that didn¡¯t speak highly of them, considering we¡¯d held the city of Aliatin for a week.


    I sank deeper into the cushioned seat of my chair. Throne, really, no other word could hope to fit as well. Made out of a dark imported wood and inlaid with gold and precious stones, its actual seat was high enough it put me almost as high up as if I was standing, with my feet resting on a footrest on its lower part, and the high back reached farther up than anyone around was tall. I seriously doubted they¡¯d had this standing around in the city, but I didn¡¯t even want to ask where our people had produced it from.


    In short, it was about as unsubtle as statements got. But the generals - and Tenira - had apparently decided that was necessary for what for all intents and purposes amounted to the first ¡®court¡¯ held in the conquered Zarian territories.


    According to Imperial tradition, I didn¡¯t read out the proclamations we started off with myself. Instead, a gong sounded, then a herald stepped forward. In a resonant voice, he began proclaiming the edicts and declarations prepared for the occasion.


    I listened quietly, but kept my eyes on the gathered attendees. Most of them were strong cultivators, although there was a sizable group who weren¡¯t. We¡¯d invited not just representatives from the Basement, but also people who had large and successful business empires and the clout to go with them. Most of them were at least in the middle stages, but there were actually a few in the second, who¡¯d only really gotten to their current level after their cities fell to the Empire. Mostly by making the best of the opportunities that came along with that change, I suspected, but I wasn¡¯t going to complain. None of them would have had the chance to be anything more than a prosperous tradesperson or shopkeeper under the Dominion¡¯s system. Or possibly a manager for one of the wealthy merchants who owned the bigger trading concerns.


    I knew most of what was announced, although I hadn¡¯t had the time to familiarize myself with all of the details. I could tell the interested gazes on me sharpened when they heard that the Lord Regent was coming here, too, but I didn¡¯t let any reaction show. Except for that, none of the attendees seemed surprised by anything they heard. Of course, they would definitely have done their homework before coming. And it was mostly just extending what we¡¯d already been doing, and formalizing a few arrangements we¡¯d been trying out anyway. Like the public education forums we¡¯d set up in all of the towns and cities, mostly as a platform to help the people learn Imperial Common and become familiar with our laws and customs. No one would be forced to visit, and Zarian definitely wouldn¡¯t be forbidden anywhere. For that matter, I thought the explicit permission and recognition of pre-Dominion languages had earned us some goodwill.


    After the official announcements, the herald proclaimed that it was now time for petitions to come before the throne. The later part of that would be people seeking the crown¡¯s justice. I had very mixed feelings about that. But the territory was still under martial law and we hadn¡¯t managed to set up proper courts yet, so I¡¯d agreed to sit in judgment of the cases brought here today.


    First, though, there were more mundane petitions. It seemed like most of the people in the large audience hall, which used to belong to the Dominion¡¯s local sector governor, were only here to watch. But a few of them did step forward, and more petitioners would be brought into the room from the adjoining chambers. Everyone had had to register and be cleared considerably in advance, of course. My guards weren¡¯t going to take any chances.


    As I half-expected, some of the requests were for things I couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t decide on my own. Some were more or less straight charity cases, which I tended to grant after checking with Elia. She was in a seat of honor close to my throne. One time, a shake of her head told me the current petitioner was lying, but otherwise, she seemed unconcerned. I tried my best to listen to my intuition and whatever guidance Rijoko might see fit to offer, but I didn¡¯t find any of those decisions all that hard. Maybe because they only dared this when they were pretty confident their petition would be granted?


    There were a few thornier ones, though. Mostly because they pointed to where our own efforts might have fallen short. I was conscious of the need to avoid showing weakness, but the potential to have problems pointed out to me was one of the reasons I¡¯d agreed to this whole session in the first place.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard your words, good man,¡± I said to the latest petitioner (in Zarian, of course), smiling as gracefully as I could. ¡°Be assured that I will take personal note of the individuals involved and step in to ensure the smooth functioning of inter-city trade, as well as the protection of your trading house and whoever else might be affected.¡± I paused, pursuing a thought, then continued, ¡°The provisional government will be instructed to issue charters to eligible companies that will provide allocated space on our river transports, as well as allow the hiring of additional hands to facilitate transport, including mercenaries of no higher than the blue stage.¡±


    The merchant bowed deeply, a relieved smile on his face. ¡°Many thanks, Your Highness. Your wisdom truly is astounding.¡±


    I managed not to roll my eyes, but instead smiled and dismissed him with a wave of my hand. Depending on how this turned out, I might have just gotten several birds with one stone. Getting a registry of salient Zarian companies involved in local trade certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt. And since trade with the rest of the Dominion was cut off, we did need to do what we could to facilitate the commerce within the region, not just with the Empire.


    It looked like he was the last one for now, so I settled back into my seat and watched as they prepared for the next part. A couple of legal advisers were brought forward, and the space in front of the throne was quickly reorganized. I suppressed a sigh as I waited until I would be called on to dispense justice. I¡¯d considered telling the people they could appeal my decisions through the high courts in the Empire. But anyone with a working brain whose case wasn¡¯t particularly urgent would probably wait until they could go through a proper court of law, anyway. And it would appear to undermine my authority.


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    Especially since the Empire was still technically an absolute monarchy, with the laws in place because the Empress said so, at least in principle. I¡¯d just do the best I could, with the help of my abilities and Elia, and in any further sessions they might want to hold, Kiyanu could function as the judge.


    Since we had to observe at least the bare bones of an actual court of law¡¯s session, these proceedings took a lot longer than the simple petitions. They still struck me as more in the way of settling disputes rather than criminal law or the like. Similar to what you would expect from a medieval king or feudal lord passing judgment in his domain, really. That might be kind of the point.


    I found the first case pretty straightforward, all things considered. It really boiled down to which set of laws, Dominion or Imperial, were applicable, and to what extent. That might be why they¡¯d put this case on the agenda here, come to think of it. I sidestepped the issue neatly by deciding that martial law had been declared in Niali, and they¡¯d all been in violation of the curfew, completely regardless of what freedom of assembly and right to demonstration they might otherwise have had. I made a mental note to take a closer look at what we had in the way of freedom of strike.


    After a moment of consideration, I added that, generally speaking, everyone in the formerly Zarian territories was entitled to the suite of Imperial basic laws guaranteed for every citizen. It¡¯s not like the Zarian can get any more upset about us blatantly claiming this territory, anyway. So, it followed that people had the right to gather, if they weren¡¯t breaking some other law, and couldn¡¯t be broken up by anyone except proper Imperial authority. Which, in this case, might mean acknowledged local government, too. And it didn¡¯t matter how some big trading houses might have been accustomed to controlling their employees, either.


    Everyone seemed happy enough with that ruling, or at least not surprised, and the people were quickly ushered out. I relaxed a little, settling back into my throne and the proceedings of the court.


    The next few cases were both smaller and broader in scope. In effect, those came closer to criminal law, although I recognized the potential for setting precedents they offered. I listened to all sides carefully, then pronounced the best judgment I could think of within the limits of Imperial law. Thankfully, given my memory and my sessions with Mother, her councils and Kiyanu, I was pretty familiar with the laws and their applications. I listened to my intuition and what might be nudges from my father, and made sure to get Elia¡¯s impressions of the speakers. The cases were all more complicated than simply determining if someone was lying about some past misdeed, but it certainly helped.


    At least I didn¡¯t have to sign any execution orders. It could all be helped with fines, community service, some prison terms, and the equivalent of a restraining order. That seemed to be a new idea, but considering it would be pretty simple to make a qi bracelet or other talisman that could give an alert when someone entered a certain location or radius, I foresaw it catching on quickly.


    I was starting to suspect that the real reasons my ¡®advisors¡¯, especially Yarani, Elia, Aston, and Hashar, had talked me into doing this was to show off to everyone how sensible and sagacious my judgment was. What else could you expect from the daughter of the Moon? Luckily for them, people did seem to accept my verdicts quite easily.


    The arrival of the next plaintiff shook my from my thoughts. I had to stop myself from showing a reaction as I recognized the formal robes he wore. Blue and gray, with swirls and white streaks branching like lightning strikes. What was a priest of Jideia doing here? I glanced at Aston, but he didn¡¯t show any reaction.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± the priest said after the introductory formulas were out of the way. He inclined his head and didn¡¯t quite meet my eyes. Despite his obvious age and white hair, he stood quite straight upright, though. ¡°I am here because of the unlawful and flagrantly unethical seizure of property belonging to the High Temple of the Storm.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. There was something odd about this. Besides the obvious issue of going to me to complain about that. ¡°What exactly are you talking about, good man? What charges are you bringing against whom?¡±


    The priest nodded slightly. ¡°As you know, Your Highness, after the conquest of the city, Imperial soldiers seized the local temple, ransacked its stores and records, and evicted the priests and acolytes before setting fire to it.¡± He paused and raised an eyebrow, as if giving me the chance to address that point.


    I didn¡¯t see any reason to play games with him. ¡°Of course. This happened on my orders,¡± I acknowledged.


    He seemed a little taken aback at my casual response. ¡°You do not consider this to be against the law?¡± he asked, sounding calm and even curious rather than accusatory. If nothing else, I could see why he must have been successful in his chosen career path.


    ¡°Far be it from me to break the news to you, my good man,¡± I said with a slight twitch of the lips, ¡°but we did conquer you.¡±


    There was a slight echo of laughter from the spectators. I doubted many of them had really found my words all that funny, and to be fair, it was pretty muted.


    ¡°I consider the High Temple to be a hostile organization,¡± I continued. ¡°It, like the spirit it serves, has committed several acts of war against the Empire, including attempts on my own life. It therefore constitutes a legitimate target in the course of fighting this war. I do recognize that most priests and acolytes are civilians, which is why we have acted scrupulously to avoid casualties among them.¡±


    The priest nodded again, his expression hard. He looked like he might be regretting giving me this platform to talk about the matter. ¡°I see, Your Highness,¡± he said, then cleared this throat. ¡°Be that as it may, the remnants of the temple were ransacked again by parties unknown a day later. A cabal of local troublemakers moved in -¡± He shot a dirty look at the other group who¡¯d come in with him for this case - ¡°and have occupied the site, preventing our people from their work to salvage and sort it.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow before I could stop myself. Why did they even manage that, if you still have an interest in the location? The answer was pretty clear. The priests had actually left, even if they might have come back to see what had happened to it. That just raised another question, though, namely what they had done.


    By now, the High Temple clearly knew what was going to happen to every temple the Empire got its hands on, so this wasn¡¯t particularly surprising. In fact, that they hadn¡¯t evacuated beforehand could suggest they were actually hoping to provoke an incident. But priests clearly stayed even in cities about to fall to the Empire, and I didn¡¯t like to think about what they might be up to. Because my intuition was pretty clear on one thing. They had to be up to something. Something big, and probably widespread and slow, but still.


    But I chased those thoughts aside and instead focused on the matter at hand. ¡°This location, like the others that have been confiscated, belongs properly to the Empire. This matter will be handled accordingly.¡±


    I turned my attention to the presumed looters and the question of what I should do with them, but in the back of my mind, I kept considering the Zarian temples and how to handle them. We definitely needed a delicate touch. On the other hand, the fact that this was playing out at all, in this venue, showed that we were already doing pretty well with it.

 162: Terms and limits

    <div>


    ¡°Why do they call it the ¡®Basement¡¯, anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°I can see where It¡¯s kind of snappy, I guess, but it doesn¡¯t exactly strike fear into the hearts of your enemies or lend itself well to passionate exhortations.¡±


    Elis grinned. He leaned back against the stone balustrade of the platform we stood on, blinking against the sunlight shining directly into his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s more or less what I told them the first time I talked to a Basement leader, actually. I think it¡¯s because of what passes for their founders¡¯ sense of humor. Besides, it¡¯s an illustration for their ideology, in a way. It started out as an organization exclusively for and by people in the low tiers, who provide the ¡ª under-appreciated and disadvantaged ¡ª base of the Dominion¡¯s society, economy and civilization.¡±


    ¡°I can understand that,¡± I acknowledged.


    ¡°Plus, I think they were just as happy not to be taken too seriously, at first. At least by the government¡¯s security and intelligence organs. Something like ¡®People¡¯s Liberation Front¡¯ might have invited a more strident response, you know?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°You definitely have a point there! I can just imagine how some people in my own government might react if they heard something like that.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t let anyone in the Basement hear you say that!¡± Elis shook his head and grinned. ¡°Most of them would prefer to keep on not thinking about how the Empire might give people reasons for developing something like that, too.¡±


    I found that thought a lot less amusing. Frowning slightly, I nodded. ¡°But we do provide a lot less cause for and should have a lot lower risk of rebellion.¡±


    ¡°That you do,¡± he agreed, suddenly serious as well. ¡°Mind you, I think a lot of that has to do with economic development and such factors, but that¡¯s probably the way these things go. And from what I hear, things have improved a lot in the Empire just in the last few years.¡±


    ¡°Not as much as if the war hadn¡¯t happened.¡± I sighed softly and shook my head. ¡°Still, I do hope and believe you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s get back on topic,¡± he replied in a lighter tone. ¡°Any other trivia you want to know about the Basement?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± I replied, smiling faintly, but I quickly turned serious once more. ¡°So, you¡¯re confident you¡¯ve cleared it of any moles Jideia might have set?¡±


    ¡°Within limits,¡± he replied in a cautious tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to some of their cells, especially the more deeply embedded people. But within the structure I did have access to, I¡¯m reasonably sure everyone is sincerely working for their organization and its ideals. There might be some differences of opinion about just what those are, of course, but nothing that would foment a serious split. Of course, I don¡¯t know which of them the Dominion might have identified and put under observation. We¡¯ve been careful not to expose me, as much as we can, but I wouldn¡¯t count on them not noticing our little housecleaning initiative.¡±


    I nodded. That was about what I¡¯d figured, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice how close he seemed to be, and to consider himself linked to, the Basement. That was definitely something I needed to keep in mind, but I knew I could hardly keep him from getting invested in them. Nor should I, when it came down to it.


    ¡°Keep me informed, please,¡± I said. ¡°And thank you for everything.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± He smiled. ¡°These people are doing good work, Inaris, and under dangerous circumstances. I¡¯m glad to see you recognize that.¡±


    I nodded. I certainly couldn¡¯t disagree with that, even if I didn¡¯t agree with all of the Basement¡¯s methods. Not that I was really in a position to judge them for it.


    I said goodbye to Elis and watched him leave. He headed in the direction of the outbuilding the Basement had taken over, I noticed. They¡¯d acted according to the same pattern in all of the bigger cities we¡¯d taken, although I imagined they¡¯d probably switch things around to keep from being too predictable.


    Then I shook my head and turned back. I spun a bit of qi around my hands, forming it into the desired shape, then watched as the flick of light absconded and flew through the air. Then I started watching the courtyard of the fortress on Aliatin¡¯s outskirts, glancing at the rush of people and the city beyond.


    I didn¡¯t have to wait long. A minute later, a red-robed figure approached quickly, landing lightly on the stones two meters from me. I gave myself another moment, then turned around to see Wei Jun on one knee waiting for my attention.


    ¡°Rise, General Wei,¡± I said.


    He stood smoothly. ¡°How can I be of service, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I asked you to drop by to touch base on where we are with the army¡¯s reorganization and its general state.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°The reorganization is going well. It¡¯s really more of an administrative matter than a military shift. Frankly, none of us are used to armies with large groups of weaker cultivators like the Lighters. But we¡¯re getting a handle on it, and I¡¯m confident that the new company structure will hold and prove its worth.¡±


    I looked at him thoughtfully. I¡¯d gotten all of that from the reports I¡¯d read, but I¡¯d still wanted to talk to him about it in person. He stood straight, almost at attention, with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture clearly that of someone used to it who was giving a briefing. But his eyes were shuttered behind his calm and attentive expression.


    ¡°So you¡¯re confident we¡¯re ready to resume the offensive?¡± I asked.


    ¡°If possible, Your Highness, I¡¯d prefer at least a week to iron out remaining details, but if we had to, we could move out tomorrow.¡±


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    ¡°Well, we¡¯re not in that much of a hurry. Not that I really need to tell you that, General.¡±


    He nodded again, but stayed silent.


    I cocked my head a little, watching him. I didn¡¯t quite feel as badly towards him as Wei Yong. Partly because he hadn¡¯t been involved in trying to kill his own daughter - even if I knew that was unfair, since neither of them had known about it - and partly because he had been the first to surrender. But that didn¡¯t mean I was ready to forgive and forget.


    ¡°I appreciate the work you¡¯ve been doing, great-uncle. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve told you that before.¡±


    His eyes flickered slightly, but that was the only sign of surprise at my words he showed. ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I continued, holding his gaze, ¡°that doesn¡¯t mean I can forget that you were actively and willingly involved in the plan to kill my Mother and myself. Even if I recognize that you are making amends.¡±


    He bowed his head. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I understand.¡±


    I held his gaze for a moment longer, then smiled. ¡°Good.¡± I took a step back, putting some more distance between us, and looked out over the city. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake me, I don¡¯t have any doubts about your loyalty when it comes to this war. And you are, after all, going to be in command of this offensive.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your trust, my lady.¡± He hesitated for a moment, then continued, ¡°As well as the ¡­ restraint you have shown.¡±


    I smiled slightly. ¡°Well, however that may be, I have been told you are our most talented general. Or field commander, at least. And I have a feeling we¡¯re going to continue to need our best in the months to come. Especially given what we¡¯re seeing from the south.¡±


    Wei frowned. ¡°May I ask what you mean, Your Highness? We haven¡¯t actually seen much enemy movement. I was under the impression the situation with the Dominion was reasonably quiet.¡±


    ¡°Right. But that¡¯s sort of what I mean.¡± I pulled a face and leaned with my back against the balustrade, facing him. ¡°If it was me, great-uncle, I¡¯d be thinking very hard about my situation, and about asking the Empire for terms of surrender. We hold all the cards here, or close enough. We almost certainly have more elites, we definitely have more raw numbers and better technology, eighth-stagers are out of play, and we¡¯ve been gobbling up parts of the Storm Continent with no sign of stopping.¡±


    His eyes widened slightly, and his frown turned thoughtful. ¡°I see what you¡¯re saying, my lady. They may just need time to reach that decision, though.¡±


    ¡°The longer they wait, the more they lose.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, I think they would have at least sent an envoy by now if they were going to. Their obvious strategy is to sue for peace, consolidate their strength, and perhaps come back for revenge, if they can, later. The more territory they lose, the harder it is for them to keep up, or even to keep what they have stable.¡±


    General Wei nodded. ¡°But they aren¡¯t doing such a thing.¡±


    ¡°No, they aren¡¯t, and that suggests that their decisions aren¡¯t being made just by strategists. That there might be ¡­ influence, at least, from other sources.¡± I smiled with a hint of bitterness. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a political war, General ¡ª it¡¯s a religious war, in a sense. And for too many of the people involved, it¡¯s also personal.¡±


    He looked at me thoughtfully. ¡°Including you, Your Highness?¡±


    Again, my smile was more of a grimace. ¡°Yes. Of course I take what Jideia has been doing personally. Probably at least as much as he does.¡±


    ¡°So, if the Zarian did attempt to negotiate a surrender, would you let them?¡±


    I looked at him in silence for a few seconds. Finally, I admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It would depend on the situation, I suppose. Personal or not, I wouldn¡¯t let my feelings get in the way, but I do want to settle this.¡±


    He nodded wordlessly, and we stood in silence for a moment.


    ¡°Well.¡± I pushed off from the stone. ¡°I¡¯m sure you see why I wanted us to discuss this. I want you to be on the same page in this matter. And I need to caution you, especially, not to let your guard down. They¡¯re up to something. The Storm is, at least. It might not hit you or the army - in fact, it probably won¡¯t - but stay sharp. And keep an eye out.¡±


    He half-bowed. ¡°Of course, my lady. I will do my utmost.¡±


    He looked like he was expecting me to dismiss him, and he probably wanted to get back to work. I kept him waiting for a bit longer, though, and he was clearly too polite to just leave. I used the time to take a closer look at his aura. He was hiding most of his qi signature, but just the little bit I did see made it clear he¡¯d advanced a bit since the time I first met him. He was actually most of the way through the seventh stage, if I didn¡¯t miss my guess, and would most likely reach the point of attempting a breakthrough to the eighth stage in a few more years.


    It would probably be a good thing if he succeeded in that, and the earlier, the better. We needed every eighth-stager of reasonably sure loyalty we could get, especially since we still had the issue of what to do about the Dominion¡¯s eighth-stagers.


    ¡°I have some time tomorrow at noon,¡± I said. ¡°Meet me back here, and we¡¯ll talk about cultivation.¡±


    His eyes widened slightly. He clearly knew what this meant. Then he bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness. I will be there.¡±


    I nodded and waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot of work to do, General.¡±


    Wei Jun bowed again, then quickly left, returning to the building. I sensed him heading to where the military command post had been set up. After a moment, I turned back and leaned against the stone balustrade again. I could sense Aston and the other guards some distance away, giving me a bit of privacy. The wind was picking up and dark clouds creeping closer from the western horizon. I knew from recent experience that thunderstorms came quickly in this area and season, and it would probably start raining soon. That would be a good thing for the local crops, even if the army could do without. Flying airships in bad weather was always riskier.


    ¡®You¡¯re retaining and strengthening his loyalty,¡¯ Mior said. ¡®You really are assembling a good following.¡¯


    I turned my head to where the spirit was just coalescing into more material existence a few meters away in the shadow of the stone balustrade¡¯s corner. They looked the same as always, and while I¡¯d picked up their presence during the last few sentences of my conversation, they might have been there even a little earlier than that.


    ¡®Who knows, I may be more charismatic than I thought,¡¯ I replied. ¡®But people¡¯s loyalty is a very useful thing to have in any case.¡¯


    ¡®You won¡¯t get an argument from me on that, Little Light.¡¯? ? Mior strolled closer, then leaned against the stone beside me. ¡®It¡¯s not why I¡¯m here, though.¡¯


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead calmly offered the required question. ¡®Why are you here?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t really know, myself.¡¯ Mior shook their head, their face a little more defined and a little more sober than usual. ¡®Jideia has reduced his efforts in quite a few areas. I think he¡¯s gathering power. His focus certainly is on the Dominion.¡¯


    I frowned. ¡®What do you think he¡¯s up to?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t have any idea. But whatever it is, I doubt that you¡¯re going to like it.¡¯


    I sighed. That just figured.


    ¡®It¡¯s not all doom and gloom, Little Light.¡¯ Mior smiled slightly. ¡®None of the other Greater Spirits seem exactly inclined to jump on Jideia¡¯s wagon. And by the way, I¡¯ve heard that your ancestor, the phoenix, has left his mountains and is heading southwest.¡¯


    ¡®Do you know what he wants?¡¯


    ¡®No, but you¡¯ll probably meet him again. And he¡¯s not the only ally you have who¡¯s not a human.¡¯


    ¡®Well, since we have spirit-children to fight now, that¡¯s probably a good thing.¡¯


    ¡®Of course.¡¯ Mior laughed. ¡®I do hope no one ever promised you your life would be easy, Inaris.¡¯


    ¡°Now that¡¯s reassuring,¡± I muttered, but without any heat. It wasn¡¯t like the spirit wasn¡¯t right.

 163: Apprehensions

    <div>


    The village lay empty and silent around us, all life leeched from it as if a painter had just swabbed all the color away with a sponge. Or that was how it seemed, at least. If I focused, I could still sense hints of life, scattered and small, yet remarkably bright for all their casual unobtrusiveness.


    I let my horse pick its way forward. She was a spirit beast, much tougher and stronger than a mundane horse, even if she looked like a normal gray, and she didn¡¯t need my help to get around. Absentmindedly, I patted her neck, earning a flick of her ears and a soft snort. I knew they¡¯d actually given her the name White Wind Thundering, but I¡¯d decided I¡¯d just call her White, which wasn¡¯t any worse than that. She¡¯d been a prize captured three cities ago from the stables of the local mayor, who¡¯d fled south in a panic. He might even have passed through this place.


    ¡°Scorched earth tactics,¡± I mused. ¡°Pretty literal. You definitely get a different understanding of them seeing them in action instead of just reading about it.¡±


    ¡°I could have done without seeing this concept in action,¡± Lei murmured.


    ¡°Look on the bright side,¡± Yarani said. ¡°If we see enough of it, you¡¯ll get used to it quickly and it won¡¯t bother you as much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you very much for that reassurance.¡±


    ¡°I agree we should all strive to prevent that course of events,¡± I spoke up again before they could really get started. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s easier said than done. Yarani, do you notice anything out of place, anything we could use?¡±


    My girlfriend swept her gaze around us, grimacing. ¡°Not really, Nari. This is pretty textbook style. If anyone was deranged enough to write a textbook about how to do this.¡±


    We continued forward. Some of the guards flew overhead, but most of the people in this group moved on the ground. It was safer that way, since there might still be the equivalent of a sniper hidden farther away, and the qi used here had made the whole location less than stable. The random drafts of cold and hot air against my skin showed that. It would probably settle down soon, but I wanted to get a good look, anyway, and we¡¯d been traveling on the ground for a while.


    ¡°They can¡¯t do this in too large an area, can they?¡± Kajare asked. ¡°Slaughtering their own people, or at least their sources of supply, isn¡¯t going to help them against us. I can see them denying us some support and making a sort of firebreak, but up until the next city at minimum, they¡¯ll have to stop the devastation.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± I replied.


    I didn¡¯t know if the Zarian had evacuated everyone from this area, and frankly doubted it. Although I knew they would be smart enough to avoid unnecessary mass casualties. It probably didn¡¯t much matter for us, at the moment.


    The army could still advance, but we¡¯d have to be careful. While we weren¡¯t very reliant on getting food and other supplies, they¡¯d still denied us resources we¡¯d planned on. Especially given that, with so many Lighters, we were more vulnerable to this sort of thing than normal cultivator armies, and getting water might be a problem. Hardly an unsolvable one, though. But they¡¯d also denied us many of the terrain advantages we could have had, and the potential for fortifications offered by settlements.


    This village was pretty big, compared to others we¡¯d passed. There was almost nothing left of it at all, and yet I still fancied I saw some signs of an orderly evacuation. There were too few animal bones, not just in the settlement itself, but the surrounding regions, and I found little metal, melted or otherwise, lying around. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean much. I would have been hard-pressed to estimate the level of prosperity and material belongings of a typical Imperial village, much less a Zarian one.


    We continued in silence, slowly making our way forward. The majority of the army was about a hundred kilometers away, but we¡¯d headed out to take a look at the scorched earth ourselves. We could move much faster than the army and roam around, covering more ground, while staying reasonably close to safety. The normal Imperial guard detachment had been augmented with further guards and a squad of elites, so we should be safe enough, and I¡¯d taken Elia and Elis in case they could offer some insight into what had happened. Mostly, I just wanted to get a better sense for it myself. It wasn¡¯t every day you got a use of qi like this, on such a wide geographical scale, and I¡¯d already noted several interesting similarities to qi anomalies.


    A gust of wind swept across us, quickly joined by others as the wind changed direction and increased in intensity. It swept dust and flakes of ash over us. I swiped my sleeve over my face to clear it and blinked against the particles as I looked around. I could just make out the dark band of a brook in the distance to the left, although it was probably not much more than a dry riverbed by now. We should head there and follow it to the next village, and then we could turn around in a wide arc and rejoin the main army, which would have moved far enough forward by then that they¡¯d be close and would be easy to find in this area, anyway.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I raised my voice slightly to be sure everyone heard me. ¡°I think we¡¯ve seen a lot and there¡¯s not much more to do, so we can think about heading back now. We should pick up the pace a little and go ¡­ right.¡±


    I paused. I had the distinct feeling that there was something important ahead to the right. A nudge from Rijoko, obviously. He didn¡¯t send me any verbal messages, just a feeling, but I also got the sense that this could be dangerous.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yarani asked. ¡°The army¡¯s towards our left. We could head towards that stream.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I replied, nudging my horse to speed up a little. ¡°My lunar senses are tingling.¡± I winced. ¡°Ugh, no, that was a bad one. Anyway, there¡¯s something there. We should be careful.¡±


    Yarani audibly sighed, and from the corner of my eye, I saw her exchanging a look with Kajare, but everyone got their own horses or flying swords to speed up, and we moved off without further words being exchanged. Aston sent a few of the guards to spread out a little farther, widening the perimeter, and he murmured something into his communication talisman. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, and he¡¯d apparently activated the noise-muffling enchantment, anyway.


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    We traveled onward for maybe ten minutes. I grew steadily more tense as the time and the meters passed. Despite not having any real landmark or target to aim for, we moved in a straight line, as I guided us in the right direction. My feeling intensified a little, but it didn¡¯t really change, not that I would have expected Rijoko to use precise directions when a vague intuition would do. And, of course, it really did work well, as a rule.


    Slowly, another structure appeared out of the smog on the horizon. I only realized it had to be a natural feature of the terrain after a moment, because its straight-lined edges and composition looked like they should have come from human hands. But it was actually something closer to a rocky hill, shaped in what I came to realize must have been a bowl-shaped way. That made it hard to say what might have been over the ridge.


    I glanced around, but the flying members or our party were apparently too low down to see any better. For a moment, I considered sending one of the guards up to scout, but dismissed the possibility. Anything they could see would also be able to see - or sense - them. And I felt the definite urge to be careful.


    I took a deep breath, focusing on my qi senses again. There was something odd, now. Definitely somewhere up ahead on that ridge. Maybe it actually was a settlement, or had been used as such. Or maybe a shrine? In any case, I was beginning to to pick up hints of spiritual qi, and they felt vaguely familiar.


    I held up a hand and we slowed to a stop. I could see the tension in the faces of my companions, probably reflecting the impression they got from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s something up there. Or perhaps someone,¡± I said. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather be prepared before rushing in, this time.¡± That got a few smiles, at least. ¡°I¡¯d like some us to split up and circle wide around this feature, then approach from another direction. I guess we should probably curve our path a little, too. And we should observe radio silence unless it¡¯s critical, and even then, please use electromagnetic waves instead of qi.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lady,¡± Aston replied seriously. ¡°With your permission, I would detach half of the elite squad along with our standard second team from your guard detail.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Lei, if it¡¯s alright with you, can I ask you to go with that group, as well? Having a light and darkness cultivator could be helpful, and I¡¯d like you to be as stealthy as possible.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Nari.¡± Lei smiled with a hint of playfulness in his eyes. Then he turned to Elis. ¡°Would you come along as well? It probably makes sense to split our truth-seers.¡±


    Elis nodded calmly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    We waited for a few minutes while Aston sorted things out with the soldiers. They swapped a few people around to maximize each group¡¯s set of abilities and quickly established a joint chain of command. Everyone dismounted, and the weakest guard took charge of the horses. We¡¯d continue on foot from here. Then the group moved off. I waited for a moment, looking at Lei and Elis as they walked away, before I turned back to my own party and continued on.


    We moved more slowly now, to give the others time, but I didn¡¯t mind that. I started to lay a technique over our group, though I kept it subtle. Besides the strain on my qi reserves, the problem with these shrouding techniques was that, against some opposition, they might hide our auras only to draw more attention to the light (or darkness) qi used for it. But I¡¯d been taught by the best, and I had some practice in bending the light around people in a surreptitious way.


    Our slow speed made the trip seem endless, even though I knew it couldn¡¯t have been that long. The sun barely moved, but it had already been nearing the horizon, and the sky was starting to take on a reddish tint. We didn¡¯t talk, and we didn¡¯t get any communications from the others. That might have been a mistake, but I really didn¡¯t want to do anything that tipped a possible quarry off.


    Aston made a hand gesture, and they drew in tighter around me. After a few more minutes of silent travel, still faster than any normal human could have moved, we started to move up the slope of the hilly incline, walking slowly. We were getting somewhere. And the other group had to be in a good position, too.


    Just as I was thinking that, I realized that we had moved considerably closer by now and that what I could sense with my spiritual senses was shifting. Or becoming clearer, rather. Is that ¡­ Isuro? I frowned, trying to chase the hints I got. The sensation definitely came from further up ahead, although I probably wouldn¡¯t actually find Isuro there. But maybe he had been here. Maybe he was even keeping an eye on the region. But there was something else, as well. I didn¡¯t know why I hadn¡¯t gotten it first, since it was actually stronger.


    Aston, who was taking point, abruptly stopped, then slid downward to my side. He touched my wrist in what I¡¯d learned was a trick to use qi without it typically being detectable from the outside. ¡®It¡¯s the Auditor¡¯s son, my lady,¡¯ he sent. ¡®And he may have spotted us, or perhaps Force Two.¡¯


    I gritted my teeth. ¡®Understood. Let¡¯s hurry up.¡¯


    Aston made a hand gesture, and we surged up the hillside, abandoning all attempts at stealth.


    I took a moment to absorb what we found. This seemed like it really might have been a shrine, before. While it appeared suspiciously free of devastation from the Zarian¡¯s actions, there were still indirect effects. The center held an open pavilion of stone pillars, the edges of which were connected with stone sculpted to look like artistic lightning bolts, and the clear area in front of it had been free of plant growth or anything else before scattered debris messed it up. I could tell in an instant that it was where my target had been sitting. He¡¯d bolted upright, and now, he was almost halfway to the other edge of the bowl-shaped depression.


    Before any of my soldiers reached him, he slid to a halt. A moment later, I saw the first of Lei¡¯s group crest the ridge.


    For an instant, it seemed like everyone had frozen. Then the spirit-child reacted, moving to the side in a big leap. Before he reached the edge, though, Lei appeared close to it, a bolt of lightning dancing from his fingers and into the man. When its flash faded, the Auditor¡¯s son had jerked backwards. He tried to take a step, but half-fell to the floor instead. Lei was there right away, though not before two of the elites beat him to it. One of them spasmed, then seemed to collect himself.


    I walked forward, instinctively keeping some distance between us. The soldiers seemed just as wary of the fallen enemy, but Lei didn¡¯t share their qualms and kicked him over onto his back.


    ¡°Target apprehended, Nari,¡± Lei reported with a grin, looking up at me.


    I nodded, my eyes still fixed on the other spirit-child, as the rest of our parties drew nearer and closed in around the location. My qi senses were still hard at work, trying to pick up any hint that could help me understand this.


    I felt what had to be the Auditor, and obviously the spirit-child. He seemed to have decided he was beaten and that not provoking us was the better part of not getting his head lopped off, although he was still twitching faintly. Blood spurted from his nose, but that had to be from a different cause. There was still the slight hint of Isuro, and by now, definitely the Moon. As if I needed confirmation my father was paying attention to what was happening here.


    Well, great, I thought in that timeless instant, looking down at another, vanquished spirit-child. Now what do I do about it?

 164: Humbling

    I really needed to get out of the habit of making promises, especially if they were actually threats I would then have an obligation to carry through.


    Of course, the Auditor¡¯s son was probably regretting his actions right about now, anyway.


    ¡°Lei, if you would please stop kicking him?¡± I asked mildly. ¡°Not that he doesn¡¯t deserve it, but I¡¯d like to get a better look at his condition, if nothing else. Seems like there¡¯s some burnover.¡±


    Lei stepped back, rolling his eyes, but didn¡¯t protest that he¡¯d given him only one kick. The other guards also moved a little, but they stayed close enough to be ready for trouble.


    I took a step closer. I could sense that there wasn¡¯t much danger, at least given the situation. The Auditor¡¯s son had stopped twitching and was raising his head, blinking, but stayed down. He probably couldn¡¯t affect me, given my stage. I glanced quickly at Yarani, who was wearing a stony expression, with her hand hovering near the knife on her belt, but her posture was otherwise relaxed.


    ¡°Our enemy knows he¡¯s beaten,¡± I said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he? You¡¯ll be a good boy, right?¡± I stepped around him, still keeping a meter or so away, and he also shifted in my direction.


    ¡°Yes, Imperial Princess,¡± he responded, his voice raspy. His Common was accented, but not bad.


    ¡°I believe I said a few words on what you could expect from meeting me again.¡± I kept my tone calm and even.


    He finally raised his eyes to meet mine. Despite the grimace on his face, they were remarkably clear. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I apologize for the disrespect I showed you. Please be assured I will give you no trouble, if you deign to give me any choice.¡±


    I kept the surprise off my face, although I hadn¡¯t expected him to take this track. It was a pretty stark difference compared to his behavior before. ¡°And why would I?¡± I asked, my tone still mild. I even managed to put a bit of amusement into it. ¡°You haven¡¯t exactly given me a reason to trust you. And quite a few to kill you out of hand. To be perfectly honest, that would make my day.¡±


    Whatever the locals might think, in my own view of morality, he didn¡¯t deserve death - no one did. But this was war, and killing him would probably save other lives in the long run. So, it could go either way. That really left the practical considerations, the question of just how much of a danger, or a risk, he really presented.


    Carefully, almost gingerly, he rolled over onto his stomach. After a moment, he lowered his face to the ground. ¡°I can offer nothing, Your Highness. I must throw myself on your mercy. Please, I beg you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help a slow smile spreading across my face. This could be pure calculation on his part. In fact, it probably was. If so, I had to admire his adaptability and pragmatism. But it was still kind of nice. I openly disdained the kind of cowering I could get due to my position. If nothing else, I knew if I got it constantly, it would get tiresome. Groveling also made me feel uncomfortable, still, because I knew there was a small part of me that actually enjoyed it. Like this scene. I guess it appeals to the egomaniac in me. But why not? I wouldn¡¯t have thought of it, but he started this himself.


    Still smiling, but now with an edge of condescension, I stepped forward, until my shoes almost touched him. ¡°Oh, you do, do you?¡±


    He carefully edged closer until he could kiss one of my shoes. Points for dedication, definitely. ¡°Your Highness, I know I have grievously offended and done harm to you. I know my words must be less than dust in your eyes, but if you will spare a second of your time for this unworthy one, I dare to tell you that it sincerely grieves me. You will inflict whatever punishment you choose upon me, and I can only hope I can meet it.¡± He pressed his forehead against the ground again.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The sound didn¡¯t seem to fit the scene around us, carrying an edge of mirth, and I cut it off quickly. I didn¡¯t feel the least bit bad about humiliating him. I probably had to be careful not to enjoy it too much, though.


    I took a step, resting my foot on his neck and pressing down. He didn¡¯t move. ¡°You do well at seeming sincere,¡± I mused. ¡°Any closing remarks?¡±


    I took enough pressure off that he could speak, although his voice was a little muffled and hoarse. ¡°This one begs for his unworthy life, Your Highness.¡±


    After a moment, I took my foot off and took a step to the side. He really was doing quite well, and without noticeable hesitation. That said interesting things about his past and the mindset it produced.


    ¡°You seem quite adept at debasing yourself,¡± I said. ¡°Got a lot of practice?¡±


    He didn¡¯t move, but there was a hint of emotion in his voice now that I found difficult to place. ¡°Oh, daughter of the Moon, how could I not have some practice?¡±


    I took a step back, considering him carefully. He seemed perfectly happy to remain prostate on the ground, his face in the dirt. His simple gray clothing was much the worse for wear, and the occasional rips and tears showed skin that was surprisingly pale, which clearly didn¡¯t see the sun often. His nosebleed seemed to have stopped by now, although it had only made the mess worse.


    I remained quiet, and everyone else present just kept watching us, not saying anything or even moving. The minutes stretched out, tension steadily building, while I just stood there. He shifted slightly twice, but that was all. He¡¯s probably even more dangerous than I thought, but clearly not exactly very devoted or zealous. And it doesn¡¯t look like any spirit is going to intervene.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll let you keep your life long enough to let you talk a bit, if nothing else,¡± I finally said.


    I waited another few seconds, but he didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, anyway?¡±


    He raised his head slightly. ¡°Ceion, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re Ceion?¡± Elis asked. He frowned faintly, looking at our captive.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Yarani asked. She¡¯d crossed her arms, but her expression had lost its hardness and was now mostly thoughtful as she looked at Ceion, with a brief glance at Elis.


    ¡°We can¡¯t see everything about someone,¡± Elis answered, sounding a bit cranky.


    ¡°His name isn¡¯t really central to his identity,¡± Elia added. ¡°I can tell that he¡¯s being sincere, or about as sincere as he possibly could. Beyond that, I think he¡¯s committed a few crimes, but most people in this society would agree there were extenuating circumstances.¡±


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    I raised an eyebrow. That¡¯s interesting. Even if it doesn¡¯t make my life any easier. ¡°He tried to kill at least two people that we know of, and other people did die in the course of those attempts,¡± I pointed out.


    Elia just shrugged. ¡°I told you, our ability isn¡¯t exactly precise.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. ¡°So what do you know about him, Elis?¡±


    ¡°Not much, mostly just the name. I thought he was someone at a reasonably important level in the High Temple involved with the temple knights. That¡¯s probably not too far off, actually.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Well, why were you here, Ceion? And raise your head. This is no way to hold a conversation.¡±


    There was a ghost of a grin on his face when he complied. Perhaps wisely, he chose to stay kneeling, with his hands resting on his knees in plain view.


    It was the first time in the encounter I got a good look at his face and the time to consider it. It struck me how young he was. I¡¯d eat my spear if he was more than a year or so older than Elia. Almost certainly younger than me mentally. And it wasn¡¯t just because of his high cultivation and how it might slow his apparent aging, that was just the impression I got, based on his look and aura. But however much he looked like just a kid right now, I knew I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing much of anything,¡± he replied. ¡°No cunning plan or nefarious scheme afoot, alas. I was simply ¡­ enjoying the peace and quiet. Communing with the qi.¡± He grinned a little, shaking his head. ¡°If I¡¯d known, I certainly would have chosen a better spot!¡±


    That probably meant he¡¯d wanted to be alone to deal with something, like the devastation the Zarian had just wrought on the area. I scrutinized his expression again, finding a little shadow behind his almost playful exterior.


    ¡°And why didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked. ¡°Somehow, I can¡¯t imagine you just sat around in a place where you knew the Imperial army wasn¡¯t all that far away without putting up a ward or taking any kind of basic precaution. You thought this was safe, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to be safe.¡± There was definitely an edge in his voice and expression now, even if it was subtle.


    ¡°Ah.¡± I started pacing a meter again. ¡°And who gave you that impression? Did perhaps someone tell you they¡¯d make sure it was safe?¡±


    He clamped his jaw shut, glowering. ¡°Yes.¡±


    I stopped and lowered my volume. ¡°I can extract the answer from you one way or another, boy. And if someone like Isuro did let you go here with false assurances, you certainly have no reason to expect things to get better.¡±


    ¡°How do you -¡± He broke off, then jerked his head in what might have been a nod. ¡°Yes, the Pioneer was here.¡±


    I let out a long, soft sigh, taking a step back. That figured. Although it really doesn¡¯t. What was the point? Why would Isuro set him up like this, if that¡¯s actually what happened?


    If I was reading his emotions right, he¡¯d suffered a stinging betrayal, which implied that Isuro was closer to the boy than you might expect. Of course, it was hard to draw conclusions from Ceion¡¯s side about how Isuro might view him, but it still suggested the possibility that Isuro might actually have been trying to help him, in a way. That was the first point that jumped out to my intuition, although it was hardly the only consideration.


    The tactic of begging my mercy was pretty smart. We weren¡¯t alone, but before an audience that he could assume contained some of my closest followers ¡ª some of the people here were clearly not soldiers, but well-dressed youths around my own age. It was reasonable to suppose I might hesitate at cold-bloodedly murdering him after he¡¯d begged for his life in front of them. He hardly had any better alternatives.


    But there was a hint of Isuro¡¯s qi around here, too. I knew the not-actually-a-spirit was probably watching us. Which complicated the matter a lot. I¡¯d been - sort of, distantly - working on him for a while. Trying to, at least. But I knew I did not want him to see me act in a way that might, for lack of a better word, estrange us.


    And he might know that, and predict how I¡¯d react. Either out of calculation or because he just had a slightly idealized image of me. Which meant this whole thing could easily be part of a plot of his.


    It was probably a trap.


    I sighed again, then beckoned Aston closer as I stepped away. With spirits around, I didn¡¯t want to just rely on telepathic conversations. He put up a qi shield blocking any sound and a distortion that would prevent lip-reading. I hesitated for a moment, then looked at Elia and waved her closer. She rolled her eyes, but joined us.


    ¡°You¡¯re the resident expert on possession, Aston,¡± I said quietly. ¡°How much of a possible entry point is he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say, my lady,¡± he responded. ¡°A lot will depend on what the spirits on the Zarian side might do, and on what, if I may put it this way, ¡®your¡¯ spirits will.¡± He glanced at the young man, frowning slightly. ¡°Taking him would certainly be a risk. Of course, it might also present an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d think it depends mostly on him,¡± Elia said, shaking her head. She looked me in the eyes firmly. ¡°Inaris, that young man is in many ways not a dedicated enemy. He¡¯d probably be better off in many respects if you took him in. I mean, given your record, you could probably handle it. And if he actively resists, it would make things a lot harder for the Storm and the Auditor.¡±


    I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°Can he do that? Work against the psychic bond he has? How far?¡±


    Elia sighed, then shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m mostly going by feel here, just like you. The Auditor is obviously a very different piece of work than your father. And there¡¯s a strong link. But like Aston said ¡­¡± She raised her shoulders.


    ¡°There is a link,¡± I murmured. ¡°And if we ever need to get to Jideia or at least his enforcer ¡­ We¡¯re not going to find a better option.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t want you to kill him,¡± Elia admitted. ¡°I know we can¡¯t just let him go. And even if he¡¯s done some bad things ¡­¡± She grimaced. ¡°It would sit badly with me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    I started pacing once again, shattering Aston¡¯s shield in the process. The sun was setting, and we really should be going soon. Hanging around here any further was a pointless risk, even with Rijoko¡¯s attention on us.


    I know I don¡¯t often ask for your advice, I told my father mentally. But if I¡¯m about to make a horrible mistake, this is the time for you to chime in.


    He didn¡¯t give me an answer. This was a decision I had to make for myself. Ironically, that made me feel a lot better about it.


    I glanced at Yarani. She caught my eyes and gave me a little shrug. Clearly, whatever issue she might or might not have with Ceion¡¯s brief taking over of her, she didn¡¯t care to protest or demand revenge. She really was a better person than most people might give her credit for.


    Unlike me, of course. I smiled a little and stopped in front of the other spirit-child. ¡°I¡¯ll give you your life,¡± I said, then held up a hand before he could speak. ¡°Understand me, as far as I am concerned, this is a gift. I won¡¯t take it away unless you represent a real danger to me or mine. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean you get to just go.¡±


    He smiled a dazzling smile and bowed deeply. ¡°Your words are clear as crystal, my lady. I do have to say that is the most marvelous gift I have ever received. A life. Shame I can¡¯t trade it for a different one.¡±


    There was a choking sound from behind me, but I didn¡¯t turn, and I managed not to let my own expression twitch. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so quick to dismiss the possibility,¡± I said with another smile. ¡°Lots of people think of starting a new life, you may actually get the option. Of course, a great many things will simply change for you whether you want them to or not. You¡¯ll be coming with us. If I am satisfied about your sincerity and trustworthiness, I may actually allow you to make yourself useful.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I quite understand you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. For now, you should focus on your immediate concerns,¡± I advised him. ¡°You¡¯ll be an honored if carefully watched guest. I look forward to talking to you.¡±


    That last part was completely true, and from the way he looked at me, I suspected that he understood that.


    ¡°Woohoo,¡± he said drily. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever met someone quite as interesting as you are, Princess Inaris.¡± Suddenly, he grinned again. ¡°I do think this will be fun!¡±


    He¡¯d probably be a breath of fresh air, too, if nothing else. I wouldn¡¯t forget that he¡¯d tried to kill me and Al, and come remarkably close to succeeding, but the same traits that made him dangerous were part of the reason I wanted him for my side. And besides, I would probably get some nice new insights into spirits, their children, and how they functioned.


    At Aston¡¯s orders, several guards stepped forward to put Ceion in chains. He cooperated quite willingly, seeming almost cheerful, which was probably a mask, but better than the alternative. Another guard was already bringing our horses.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± I murmured so softly none of the people present should hear it. Isuro probably wouldn¡¯t, either, but he just might.

 165: Vulnerability

    <div>


    I plopped down on the sofa, pulling my outer robe off and throwing it haphazardly over the back of a chair. The hem dragged on the floor, but those were probably cleaned every day, so it didn¡¯t matter. I leaned back and allowed myself a sigh.


    Yarani followed me and Kajare in, closing he door behind her quietly. She then stayed standing and leaned against it, while he threw himself into another chair.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay with Ceion?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. Whatever he might have said, he¡¯s not going to be feeling very well-disposed towards me at the moment. I think it¡¯s better if I personally, at least, give him some space. Putting too much pressure on him would be a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Little bastard would deserve it,¡± Kajare muttered. ¡°And he¡¯s still going to be a prisoner, regardless.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± I continued, choosing to ignore his comment, ¡°I want Ceion to realize he really is reasonably safe with us. I think I¡¯ll give him a few days to understand we¡¯re not going to torture him for information before I start talking to him again.¡±


    Yarani nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair. I¡¯d originally planned to rendezvous with Kiyanu in Aliatin, but it looked like that would have to wait. I already knew Kiyanu wasn¡¯t going to be happy with any of this. I definitely didn¡¯t want to throw him and Ceion together right off the bat. Of course, I should probably still make a report to Kiyanu. While I would usually prefer talking to him in a dream, in this case I was just as happy to only use written correspondence. Less room for heightened emotions or even harsh words.


    ¡°How are you doing, Yarani?¡± I asked quietly.


    She blinked, looked at me, then snorted softly. ¡°I¡¯m alright, Nari. You don¡¯t need to treat me like I¡¯m spun from glass just because I had a brush with a spirit-child¡¯s technique.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s trying to do that, we¡¯re only concerned because we care for you,¡± Kajare said. ¡°You haven¡¯t talked about it at all, just shut the topic out. Of course that¡¯s not going to reassure us completely.¡±


    She glared at him for a moment, then sighed. ¡°Alright, alright. Thank you, Kaj. I know.¡±


    ¡°Kaj?¡± I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I decided it¡¯s about time he got a nickname.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to call me that,¡± Kajare groused. ¡°It means ¡®fertilizer¡¯ in my native language.¡±


    Yarani pulled a face. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll think of something else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still skirting the issue,¡± I noted.


    She rolled her eyes, then shambled to one of the other chairs and flounced into it. ¡°Well, I really don¡¯t have any lingering adverse effects. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most comfortable feeling in the world, but Nari was fine and it lasted only for a few moments. And even that¡¯s all in my head, anyway. It¡¯s not like I was physically hurt, I just had my body moved without conscious input.¡±


    I leaned forward a little. ¡°That sounds a little fascinating, but still disturbing.¡±


    ¡°And it makes sense that any problem arising from this is mental,¡± Kajare commented. ¡°I mean, this is basically your body betraying you, or it could easily feel that way.¡±


    And I imagine that¡¯s a particular blow to a soldier, who relies on their body to work properly and stay under control. I didn¡¯t voice that thought.


    Yarani shrugged, a slight grimace on her face. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I think I¡¯m over it, though. In the end, it¡¯s not like a stronger cultivator or spirit beast couldn¡¯t hurt me much worse with me being just as helpless. That¡¯s just the way the world works.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± I leaned back into my chair, studying her for another moment, but didn¡¯t comment. Sometimes, I despised this world. Even if I also had more than enough reason to love it.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing your ¡®my old world was so much better¡¯ face again,¡± Yarani commented.


    I scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t have a ¡®face¡¯ for that. And obviously we didn¡¯t have anything like that there.¡±


    Sighing, I stood up and walked to the window. It was long and narrow, the glass done in an old style that made it distort the view at the edges of its separate geometric forms and only gave a clear look through their center. The whole town outside the window looked old. It was a moderately big settlement, and had some houses with at least six stories, but the streets were still worn cobblestone, the streetlights might have been used with oil lamps, and the wall around it was actually crumbling in a few places.


    This had never been considered dangerous territory before. Sure, you had to guard against the odd monster attack everywhere, but this town was deep in Zarian territory, with no qi anomalies nearby, and its surroundings were almost all cultivated fields. Now, it stood uncomfortably close to the swath of destruction the Zarian had wrought. You could see it easily from this window, like a dark splodge on an otherwise idyllic pastoral scene. No wonder the townsfolk all seemed so subdued, most of them clearly preferring to hole up in their houses.


    I muttered a curse to myself, knowing they wouldn¡¯t understand the language. I was feeling decidedly cranky, which generally wasn¡¯t a good sign. It didn¡¯t help that I still had a subtle but persistent feeling as if another shoe was going to drop. Maybe not right now, but sometime soon. I hated not knowing what my enemies were up to.


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    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of calling up Mior for a chat,¡± Kajare said, ¡°maybe you shouldn¡¯t do that where Ceion can sense it.¡±


    Startled, I turned to look at him. Then I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. That would have been my next move, but it¡¯s not like it can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the spirit, are you going to be building temples to the Moon where the burned down ones used to be?¡± Yarani asked.


    I moved away from the window, grateful for the change of subject. ¡°Some. Most of the places are going to get a use for the Empire in one way or another. We might also build more shrines to the Moon elsewhere, but honestly, I¡¯d rather not get too directly involved in that.¡±


    ¡°We could talk to Tenira,¡± Kajare said. ¡°Maybe Clan Leri wants to sponsor a few new temples. If Kariva isn¡¯t already doing it.¡±


    I nodded. I was technically the head of the clan, so it wouldn¡¯t exactly be far removed, but that was still a good idea. Especially considering the question of where exactly the money should come from. The bureaucrats had set aside an item in the Imperial budget for, basically, ¡®royal whim¡¯. I much preferred to spend that on new universities and research centers. The clan had funds of its own, especially considering the lands it still held across the Empire, on several continents. I knew those hadn¡¯t been touched much in the last few decades.


    The conversation trailed off here. Although the awkwardness had been broken, it didn¡¯t seem like any of us had much to say. I started pacing up and down the room slowly, wishing we¡¯d set up a proper laboratory in this dinky little town.


    Something brushed over the edge of my awareness and I frowned. That was a familiar qi presence, wasn¡¯t it? I stopped and looked out the window, cycling some qi to my eyes. I could just make out an orange spot on the horizon.


    ¡°It looks like we have company.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait to get the others¡¯ reactions, but headed to the door and left the room. Kajare and Yarani scrambled to follow me. The two guards posted outside the door straightened, then fell into step as I started walking.


    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t know the layout of the estate well. While it wasn¡¯t particularly grand by the standards of where we¡¯d previously been put up, it was built low to the ground and sprawling. It took me longer than I expected to make my way outside without running.


    It looked it might have been a mistake not to hurry more. Just as I stepped out of the estate¡¯s main gate into the dirt square in front of it, a fiery presence descended from the sky. His aura was far stronger than I would have expected to feel it ¡­ and more combative. I froze for a moment, taking in the scene, before understanding dawned and I cursed.


    Ceion was in a corner of the square, escorted by two soldiers. It looked like they¡¯d just been heading into or out of the estate in the direction of the neighboring buildings housing an army command center and Elis¡¯ operation, among other things. He¡¯d frozen now, staring wide-eyed as a red streak winged down from the sky towards him.


    I started moving before I¡¯d settled on any kind of tactic. A meteor of flames bloomed from the sky, crashing towards them. My shield of darkness qi only barely caught it. The attack flickered, bursting through it. I threw up a second shield, catching the rest of the flames, and staggered to a halt.


    At least it appeared that everyone else had hesitated to attack the irate phoenix now flying above the square. Considering this had almost wiped out my reserves, I could understand why. And now that I was there, they seemed to be okay with leaving it to me. At least, no one attacked or made any aggressive moves beyond putting up qi shields, though the soldiers around me and from other areas did draw together into a tighter formation. Of course, he¡¯s supposed to be a friendly and I only had my intuition to go on that he¡¯d be hostile.


    The Red Phoenix screeched, whirling around. The fiery corona around him intensified, and fire pulsed around him.


    I threw up my hand, trying to wrestle what control I could from the flames. That actually seemed to startle him more than my previous defense, and the phoenix aborted the technique before it was fully formed, beating his wings to descend further.


    ¡°Stop this!¡± I shouted. ¡°Honored ancestor!¡± I took a deep breath, then gave a polite bow. ¡°I am very glad to see you, but please, let us talk in private and stop making a scene.¡±


    The spirit beast had grown since the last time I¡¯d seen him. He was now just a bit smaller than an eagle, though his coloring hadn¡¯t changed. He didn¡¯t seem inclined to take those intense fire-blue eyes from his target, and he clearly had no trouble using normal speech despite his current form. ¡°You have one of the Auditor¡¯s spawn infesting this place, child,¡± he declared. ¡°I will take care of it for you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I placed myself between Ceion and the phoenix, pulling on more darkness qi. ¡°This man is my prisoner.¡± I glared up at him challengingly. ¡°He is mine to deal with. You are being very discourteous, grandfather.¡±


    That finally seemed to give him pause, and the phoenix dialed back his aura to be a bit less oppressive, the fire banking. He descended in a flutter of feathers, his shape expanding amid a fiery haze as he closed in on the ground.


    ¡°This beast is your grandfather?¡± Ceion muttered in Zarian.


    ¡°Great-great-grandfather, actually,¡± I clarified absently as I watched the Red Pheonix step on the ground in humanoid form.


    He seemed to have grown up in this form, too. Instead of a young teenager, he now looked to be only a year or two younger than my biological age. He¡¯d grown taller than me, and carried himself like he was even taller.


    He bowed politely. ¡®It is good to see you again, my scion. I apologize if I caused a stir.¡¯


    I smiled and waved my hand dismissively. ¡°Not at all. Be welcome here, honored ancestor.¡± I turned. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve met my partners. This is my husband, Prince Kajare of the Terbekteri and the Empire. And this is my consort Lady Tia Yarani.¡±


    The two of them had followed me outside and were now coming closer. They both bowed as they were introduced, while he returned the gesture. I could sense Ceion relaxing as it became clear that we¡¯d moved past the possibility of an altercation and into talking.


    ¡°Perhaps we should speak inside,¡± Yarani suggested.


    ¡°A good idea. We have some water from a spring located in a local qi anomaly with very dense qi, I¡¯m told it tastes quite good,¡± I suggested. ¡°Unless you¡¯d like something more substantial.¡±


    Aston and the guards started to spread out farther and disperse the onlookers, most of whom seemed to turn back to what they were doing anyway now that the show was over.


    The Red Phoenix snorted softly. ¡°I suppose that will do well. I never could understand why humans insist on drinking poison like alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I confessed in the tone of someone sharing a secret. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, then.¡±


    Luckily, my ancestor seemed happy to take the lead, while Yarani and Kajare maneuvered themselves to escort him inside the mansion like good hosts. That let me get a moment with Ceion and his escorts.


    ¡°Take him into the base near the gate,¡± I told them. ¡°It¡¯s probably better if you stay out of his sight for now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get no argument from me on that, my lady,¡± Ceion agreed. He moved as if to wipe sweat from his forehead, even though my enhanced eyes could tell there wasn¡¯t much of it in the first place. Still, the tension in his body language was obvious enough, and hardly surprising, though he had kept his calm remarkably well.


    ¡°What did you do the Red Phoenix to provoke such a reaction, anyway?¡± I asked.


    Ceion smiled with little mirth and shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest idea.¡±

 166: Responsibility

    <div>


    We¡¯d only hosted him for a day, and already I was fondly thinking of the pleasant days I¡¯d have when my ancestor had left again.


    It wasn¡¯t even mainly because of his attitude. Sure, he acted just as grumpy as the last time I¡¯d met him, but he at least seemed to make an effort to be polite. He¡¯d congratulated me on my consorts instead of being put out over the untraditional situation, didn¡¯t demand any eccentric amenities, and even let himself be steered away from Ceion. The problem came more from him just being himself, from?the way he constituted a constant fire hazard to the mansion¡¯s furnishings to an obliviousness to the finer points of human social behavior, like the proper scheduling of one¡¯s day. The other issue was that everyone seemed to want to meet the Red Phoenix.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably single-handedly cutting our productivity by twenty percent, and he¡¯s not even doing it on purpose,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be grouchy,¡± Yarani chided me. ¡°Having the Red Phoenix along to fight the Zarian is an absolute blessing. Not to mention how much help he will be in getting other powerful spirit beasts, like those living in the region, to cooperate. We might even get some more spirit beasts fighting for us!¡±


    I sighed and leaned against the wall. I¡¯d just fled outside, to a corner of the building adjoining a space they¡¯d set up as a training ground. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get my hopes up in that regard. But you¡¯re right, just the assurance that they¡¯ll stay out of our way would be very good to have.¡±


    Yarani smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s all going to work out, Nari. I know you¡¯re tense, with the way things seem to be coming together. But we¡¯ll face what problems the Zarian or the Storm may throw at us when we actually encounter them, and until then, it¡¯s best not to worry too much.¡±


    I returned her smile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right, Yarani. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Besides.¡± Her smile widened and became more mischievous. ¡°I may have gotten some intel from home outside normal channels. You know, just talk. And it seems like the research initiative regarding the Zarian artifacts is considered pretty much finished, especially since they¡¯ll have to do without their head for now.¡±


    I straightened up. ¡°You mean ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Tenira is coming south.¡±


    I grinned. That was very good news. Not necessarily for the research initiative and our war effort, but that was definitely a lesser concern to me at the moment. ¡°Great. I see you were falling all over yourself to run and tell me the news, too. I appreciate the consideration, Yarani.¡±


    She gave me her usual unrepentant grin. ¡°I actually wanted to let it be a surprise, but, obviously, you would have heard about it before she arrived. I suppose we should be fair and let Kajare know now, too.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and pushed off of the wall. I¡¯d given up sulking over the fact that people all seemed to have their own information networks and always knew important stuff before me, since they pretty much constituted my own information network in the end. And I just didn¡¯t want or need the headache of trying to build contacts of that sort myself.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s nice to know that if someone ever gets too annoying, I have the army and can just use some soldiers to beat them up,¡± I mused.


    ¡°Threats of violence at this hour?¡± Yarani widened her eyes and placed a hand on her heart theatrically. ¡°Oh, my. Such a perilous life I lead.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was threatening you?¡± I grinned. Then I started ambling away.


    We made a slow circuit of the grounds, which were a lot smaller than what I¡¯d become used to when we set up in one of the recently conquered cities. At least the reception here had been a lot friendlier, perhaps because the town wasn¡¯t large enough to have much of an upper class of high-tier cultivators, and the common folk seemed pretty sanguine about the Basement. It was a nice day, the sun burning from an almost cloudless blue sky, though the weather was turning colder. And this far to the south, you almost never had any really warm days, anyway.


    I looked out over the fields around the town. Mostly different crops than I would have seen in the Empire, at least around the capital. That made sense given the local geography in terms of elevation and climate. At this point, I¡¯d given up wondering why something that clearly resembled Earth barley would exist in Aran, like other plants and animals. The fields abruptly cut off in one direction, at the border of the recently caused devastation. I had a feeling that some of the town¡¯s outlying fields had been caught in it. Hopefully, they¡¯d kept enough intact that feeding themselves wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but they also had Imperial soldiers camping here. I made a mental note to see about getting a few army cultivators to help their plant cultivation. Certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt to ingratiate us with the locals, either.


    Then my attention was drawn to a few dark specks in the sky, which grew gradually larger. I tensed a little until I could make out the familiar shapes of Imperial airships. We¡¯d stepped up building programs for them, too, and those had finally started to have noticeable effects. We had all the airships we could risk, now, which was usually the limiting factor in using them in war, anyway. Some of those would have been modified to carry our airplanes, which we still couldn¡¯t get enough of down here. Unlike other supplies, getting those built in facilities on the Storm Continent just wasn¡¯t feasible.


    ¡°The campaign seems to be going well,¡± Yarani commented. ¡°General Wei is still pushing the Zarian.¡±


    I grunted in response, but turned my attention away from the scenery and started walking again. ¡°He hasn¡¯t been at it long. It might be off to a good start, but let¡¯s not count our victories yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d call another Zarian city taken a very good start,¡± she said with a hint of satisfaction in her tone. ¡°I know they have a lot of them, but eventually even they are going to run out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always the colonies,¡± I pointed out. ¡°But I suppose we¡¯re winning there, too, all things considered.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Yarani was silent for a moment, looking thoughtful, before she spoke again. ¡°Maybe, with Kiyanu here, you should take the opportunity to go north. Being here, involved with the war on this front, it¡¯s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But we need to tailor our strategy to the whole conflict, not to mention international political considerations.¡±


    I frowned, slowing down a little while I thought about it. ¡°Not a bad idea,¡± I finally said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I will. There¡¯s just ¡­¡± I shrugged. ¡°Whatever Jideia or the Dominion are up to, it¡¯s going to center here. I¡¯d rather stay.¡±


    ¡°If you think that¡¯s best.¡±


    We kept walking for a while in silence. I could still hear a lot of what was going on in the area, but I made an effort to shut down my senses, or rather ignore them, and enjoyed the little illusion of tranquility. It was rare enough that I got some time away from people these days, even with one of my partners, without being buried in paperwork.


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    That might be why I didn¡¯t realize who we were heading to meet at first. There was a double row of bushes and small trees planted in this part of the grounds, with the odd wildflower in the small grassy strip between them. The vegetation hid the other group from view until we were almost on top of them, and I hadn¡¯t been paying attention to my other senses. None of the guards ranging around us in a wide perimeter had given any sign of danger, either.


    Ceion froze for a moment when he saw us, hesitating just long enough to let his companion get a breath ahead before she, too, slowed. An Imperial elite, judging by the aura and clothing, although she appeared pretty relaxed. I approved of keeping him under guard, but not making him feel too much like a prisoner.


    The soldier bowed deeply, and after a moment of hesitation, the spirit-child followed suit. ¡°Imperial Princess,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Ceion.¡± I smiled. ¡°I see you¡¯re out enjoying the nice weather, too.¡±


    ¡°We were just coming back into the building,¡± he said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce me, Nari?¡± Yarani asked in a playful tone. She hooked her arm into mine.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve seen each other before,¡± I said with a wry smile. ¡°But of course, forgive my discourtesy. Ceion, meet Lady Tia Yarani, one of my consorts.¡±


    ¡°Indescribably charmed,¡± he answered, and bowed gallantly. But I could see the sudden tension in his posture after he straightened back up, and the wariness in the way he watched her.


    ¡°It does seem a little backward to only learn each other¡¯s names after one of us has already touched the other¡¯s body rather intimately,¡± she replied with another smile. ¡°Of course, that was only qi, wasn¡¯t it? And I daresay it ended better for me than most others. No harm done.¡±


    He visibly took a deep breath. ¡°I apologize for the way I used my bloodline ability on you, Lady Tia. I acted in self-defense, but I realize that doesn¡¯t change your experience.¡±


    Yarani¡¯s smile slipped from her face like water off a stone. She looked at him in silence for a few moments, whatever thoughts passed through her head hidden behind an unmoving expression. Then she nodded. ¡°I appreciate the apology, Ceion. Thank you. And it¡¯s just Yarani.¡±


    I wonder if he¡¯s going to apologize for the guards killed in his assassination attempts. But I locked that thought away behind a calm facade and brushed it off. Showing resentment to Ceion now would be counterproductive. Feeling it would be, as well. Besides, he was far too interesting to let that be all of it.


    ¡°We were heading back, too,¡± I said lightly. ¡°Might as well walk together a little, if you don¡¯t mind a detour?¡±


    ¡°By the strangest coincidence, I don¡¯t think I have any more pressing appointments on my schedule, Your Highness,¡± Ceion said drily.


    I grinned at him and turned partway, setting off again. Yarani and Ceion fell into step with me, though he kept a wary distance, while his escort hung back. This was probably about as private as we were likely to get without making a concerted effort.


    ¡°It might snow in the not too distant future. The weather here is a little colder than I¡¯m used to, though it¡¯s not a large difference,¡± I remarked. ¡°How was it like where you¡¯re from, Ceion?¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°A little colder still, Your Highness. Is that your way of asking where I was raised?¡±


    ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t object to hearing about it. But you don¡¯t need to talk about it if you really don¡¯t want to,¡± I said gently. ¡°I¡¯m not going to force you to answer any questions.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what a fellow likes to hear!¡± He grinned again. ¡°I certainly approve of the attitude. In my position, one does wonder.¡±


    ¡°I can see how you would, though you must have seen which way the wind is blowing,¡± I commented.


    ¡°In regards to expecting questioning? Of course. I did notice a rather conspicuous lack of thumbscrews.¡±


    Yarani made a sound that I knew was a muffled chuckle. I only smiled and kept walking.


    ¡°I was raised in a small town close to the Whitecaps,¡± he said after a short while. ¡°Very scenic view. Very off the beaten path. Great for privacy. But still close enough to the cities, and, of course, the temple.¡±


    I hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I imagine you weren¡¯t raised in a farmer¡¯s cottage,¡± I said. ¡°An abbey or temple?¡±


    He tilted his head slightly. ¡°Close enough. They certainly provided a proportionately large number of temple knights now. But I actually was raised in large part by my family, the mortal side, at least.¡±


    I glanced at him, seeing the subtle signs of tension in his posture at the subject matter. Despite his light tone, his expression wasn¡¯t that of someone fondly reminiscing about their childhood.


    ¡°I imagine that means your mother?¡± I asked. ¡°Siblings, maybe?¡±


    This time, he did grimace slightly. ¡°Yes, and yes, I suppose. My older half-brother Niordo.¡±


    I managed to hide any reaction, but I recognized that name from when Elis had mentioned it.


    ¡°We heard that your aura wasn¡¯t nearly as blackened, for lack of a better term, than one would expect,¡± Yarani said quietly. ¡°Considering what we¡¯ve seen you do.¡±


    Ceion clenched his jaw, then forced it to relax. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust that kind of of senses very far,¡± he said lightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably smart,¡± I replied. ¡°But the point still stands. You know that two people died in the attacks you made, don¡¯t you? I suppose you could argue both of them were enemy combatants, although the young rebel really didn¡¯t constitute any sort of threat to you. I have to wonder how many other people we don¡¯t know about. I¡¯m sure you understand why.¡±


    Ceion slowed down, and I smoothly stopped, until the whole group was standing in another tree-lined path. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you there,¡± he said stiffly.


    I gave him as gentle a smile as I could manage. ¡°The thing is, Ceion, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a psychopath, or evil, or whatever you want to call it. Or even a murderer, arguably. I know you didn¡¯t set out to kill either of them. But there¡¯s not really any question that people suffered due to your uses of your bloodline ability, presumably not just during this war.¡±


    ¡°Can you get to the point, please?¡±


    ¡°It just bothers me.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think you wanted to do things like that. I¡¯m a spirit-child, too, Ceion. I know how they influence you. How they can twist you and mold you into doing what they want.¡±


    He crossed his arms. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So the question is what you wanted. Is this your fault, Ceion? Did you want to kill these people, to hurt people?¡± I stared at him. ¡°It¡¯s a simple question. Yes or no.¡±


    ¡°Oh, spirits,¡± he spat. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want to hurt people!¡±


    I repressed a smile. ¡°Then you did it because of others.¡±


    He glared at me for a moment, then sighed. ¡°That¡¯s pretty obvious.¡±


    ¡°But you still acted,¡± I pointed out, leaning against a tree trunk and ignoring the others. ¡°You still bear some responsibility for it. What I said before is still true, but it doesn¡¯t change that fact. So, again, why did you?¡±


    He looked at me again, his frown fading. ¡°It was the mission,¡± he finally said. There was an odd undertone in his voice.


    ¡°And it never occurred to you to defy your mission?¡± I asked, but still gently, keeping my gaze focused on him and my tone soft.


    He snorted, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his hands. ¡°The first time I tried to refuse a mission, my brother beat me to within an inch of my life. After that, I never tried again.¡±


    There was silence for a second, only broken by distant birdsong. Yarani shifted beside me, but I kept my gaze on Ceion. ¡°How old were you?¡± I asked softly.


    He shrugged. ¡°About thirteen, I think.¡±


    I regarded him thoughtfully for another moment, then smiled and pushed off. ¡°Well. Thank you for the talk, Ceion. Sincerely. I won¡¯t keep you any further, I know this has to have been uncomfortable enough already.¡±


    He nodded and turned away.


    ¡°Ceion,¡± I said, causing him to pause. ¡°I¡¯m the daughter of the Moon. That means I have a knack for guidance. It seems to me like you need some, and my door is open. I know that, given our position, it¡¯s not what you would ask for, but still. And you should know that I¡¯m going to try to remove or counteract the Auditor¡¯s hold on you as best I can.¡±


    He hesitated, opened his mouth, then clenched it shut and bowed before moving off at a fast pace.


    Yarani and I stood watching him until Ceion and his escort got out of sight, then started walking again, slowly. I took her hand, and she gave me a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°Nari,¡± she finally said softly. ¡°I think ¡­¡± She trailed off.


    ¡°What is it, love?¡±


    She shook her head, then turned to face me. ¡°I have something to ask, I think.¡± Her gaze was intent. ¡°Be kind to him, Nari.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Why?¡± I asked before I could think better of it.


    She shrugged. ¡°It seems like he needs it.¡±


    Well, I could hardly dispute that. I didn¡¯t have any response to it, so I just kept walking in silence. I had a lot to think about. But one thing stood out to me, something I should have understood and perhaps hadn¡¯t given enough credit.


    Yarani was a genuinely good person.


    And I really am lucky to have her.

 167: Escalation

    <div>


    The Whitecap mountain range of the Storm Continent reminded me unpleasantly of the Central Mountains. I could only barely make them out from here, and only with the help of light qi and my spyglass, not to mention being pretty high up. But the fact that I could see them at all drove home just how far we had already come into the Dominion. The craggy peaks and white caps could have been just a view of the Central Mountains seen from a new angle, if I couldn¡¯t recall exactly how each mountain was shaped. The pattern of rivers winding their way down was different, too. But there was also a city sprawled at their feet, only a dark blob from here. The first major settlement the Zarian had taken outside of their actual homes.


    Sighing, I lowered my spyglass and stowed it in my storage ring, before I turned away from the view of the landscape. The city below me was still smoking in several places. It had come of out of the recent battle worse than most. Perhaps because the Zarian had fought with more ferocity and determination here. But General Wei had taken it almost a week ago, and I knew the fires causing that smoke were just about burned out. People were already starting to rebuild quite close to them. They¡¯d burned hotter and far longer than normal, made from fire qi as they were, but at least the destruction was very contained.


    There¡¯d still been a lot of civilian fatalities here compared to the other cities.


    Shaking my head, I got moving and headed down the stairs of the observation post. It was attached to one of several fortresses, this one placed right beside the city wall. Like the others, it had clearly been neglected for a long time. Boarded up windows and incongruous stone and metal additions showed where the Zarian had tried to quickly get it back in fighting shape. I knew boarding those windows up was probably more efficient even than using enchanted glass and formation arrays, but the sight still seemed odd. Encouraging, though. The smell of wood shavings and alchemy components couldn¡¯t quite mask the underlying dustiness. It was quiet for the amount of qi signatures I sensed, most of them clearly hard at work.


    Tenira met me at the base of the stairs, and we exchanged quick smiles. It really was good to have her by my side again. Even if I could wish she had more new technology to bring with her.


    ¡°They¡¯re asking for you in the mayor¡¯s office, but I think that¡¯s a matter that doesn¡¯t really need your attention,¡± she said. ¡°Just a snag with organizing the local police force. Lei also wants to show you something he¡¯s cooked up, but that will keep, too.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll let you judge that for yourself.¡± She gave me a little smile.


    I rolled my eyes, but didn¡¯t press the point, and started walking again. Tenira fell seamlessly into step with me and, somehow or other, we ended up holding hands. There weren¡¯t many people around, except for the everpresent Imperial guard team, though Aston had again taken a break. I could sense him cultivating not too far away.


    I slowed down as we stepped back into open air and sunlight at the base of the fortress, where a small patch of dirt pretended to be a proper courtyard. The sun was still shining brightly, but the wind had picked up in the short time I¡¯d been inside. I frowned, looking up at the sky. Clouds were gathering to the east. They looked pretty dark considering they were still this far away. Another storm? Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t reach the army before the battle they were expecting began.


    I started to take a step forward, then stumbled, barely catching my balance. As if by itself, my head snapped back up into the sky, and I blinked. I¡¯d rarely had an intense feeling like this before, especially this suddenly, but I could sense the spiritual qi involved.


    ¡°Nari?¡± Tenira took my arm. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I just got a sudden premonition. A strong one. Something is going to happen.¡± I hesitated, glancing around. ¡°Tenira, raise the alert. I don¡¯t think whatever it was is centered on us, but the Moon is clearly expecting some excitement to come.¡±


    Tenira frowned, but visibly swallowed her questions, and instead reached for her communication talisman to pass this on. My attention was distracted from her quickly, as I saw Elia and Elis hurrying out of the fortress into the courtyard. They both looked tense. Elis was just buttoning the nondescript dark jacket he wore.


    ¡°Did you feel it, too?¡± Elis asked right away.


    ¡°I felt something,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what, but something¡¯s going to happen. Presumably, Jideia¡¯s going to pull some sort of stunt.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about what we figured,¡± Elia replied. ¡°We both got a sensation from the Sun at the same time. It wasn¡¯t very strong, but this kind of thing doesn¡¯t happen often. I get the feeling all of the Greater Spirits are focusing their attention on this conflict.¡±


    ¡°Well, that just leaves the question ¡­¡± I trailed off, frowning, as I watched Ceion coming from the other gate. I beckoned to him.


    He hesitated, but then walked over to us. He bowed. ¡°Your Highness. Lady Tenira, Lady Elia, Lord Elis.¡±


    Elis snorted. ¡°That¡¯ll be the day when I¡¯m really a lord.¡±


    ¡°I was under the impression that your family was nobility where you came from,¡± he said calmly.


    Elia shot her brother a quelling look. ¡°We lost our holdings, but yes, for what it¡¯s worth, you¡¯re correct. That¡¯s not important right now, though.¡±


    ¡°We all felt something rather odd, from our spirit ancestors,¡± I said. ¡°Did you notice anything?¡±


    Ceion frowned slightly. ¡°Yes. Like a shadow of something else. I¡¯m not sure what to make of it.¡±


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    We all fell silent, clearly uncomfortable about this matter. Nearby, more soldiers took up their positions around the fortress and the town, and bells tolled in the distance.


    ¡°Does anyone else think that storm is getting bigger?¡± Elis finally asked.


    I looked up again, frowning. He was right. Just in the short time we¡¯d been talking, the dark clouds on the horizon had expanded considerably. They clearly came from east-south-east, moving quickly. They also looked just a little darker than even one of the temperamental local tempests were supposed to be.


    ¡°The more important question is,¡± Elia said, ¡°does anyone else think it¡¯s heading right for the army?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± I muttered. It was hard to tell with something like this, but from what I could see, it had to pass right over where I guessed the next battle would take place.


    ¡°From our last reports, the army had sighted the Zarian and they were both preparing to engage,¡± Tenira said. ¡°This has to be related.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think this is what our feelings are about,¡± I added. ¡°Not just this, anyway. Hell, even if we were about to be completely crushed in the next battle, I don¡¯t think it would raise that level of interest among the spirits.¡±


    They exchanged uncomfortable glances. Ceion took a step back, looking like he was seriously considering getting himself somewhere else, even as most of the present guards focused their attention on him. Elia and Elis appeared not to notice, and instead exchanged silent glances.


    Suddenly, I sensed another shift in the qi around us. I barely had time to take a step back and get Fides from my storage ring before a dark figure plummeted out of the sky next to us. A moment later, I stowed the spear again, relaxing at the familiar presence.


    ¡°Sorry to startle you,¡± Kiyanu said. He brushed his robe off, even though he¡¯d touched down with barely any sound or disturbance in the air and hadn¡¯t gotten any dust anywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± I replied, even as the others quickly fell into deep bows.


    ¡°I noticed what I¡¯m fairly sure was a disturbance,¡± the regent said, glancing at the storm quickly before returning his attention to us. ¡°Do you have any insight to offer?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°A little, but nothing very helpful.¡± Quickly, I laid out what we¡¯d all felt.


    Kiyanu frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not a good sign, Inaris. You¡¯re right, this has to be the Storm making a play of some kind, and it has to be connected to the battle.¡± He looked around, nodding at Aston, who¡¯d taken position with the other guards, then turned back to me. ¡°I think we¡¯d better take a closer look.¡±


    ¡°That does seem to be wise,¡± I agreed.


    ¡°Good. Hold on.¡±


    I barely had time to brace myself before I felt Kiyanu¡¯s qi gathering around me again. The next second, it lifted me off the ground. I sighed and tried to relax into the sensation, letting him carry me. This was probably safer and quicker than any transportation I could have managed myself.


    The city swiftly shrunk beneath us, as Kiyanu moved us into an arc up and southward. I glanced around, noting that he¡¯d apparently chosen to leave Ceion behind. Not that I could blame him, considering the situation. Aston appeared to be moving on his own power, and a few other guards were also escorting us, but only the stronger ones. Then I focused my attention on the region we were heading towards.


    The Whitecaps swiftly grew bigger in my view as we approached them. The land in front of them was also mountainous, but it only looked like small hills compared to their high peaks. A river wound its way westward off to the side of our path. The rolling hills grew steeper and craggier the further south you traveled, and the city I¡¯d noticed before sprawled in a plateau at the foot of the mountains. Some kilometers south of it, still, there was a pass between two unusually high ridges, where several crags and valleys met to form an especially impassable barrier to further travel southward. Looking closer, I could see the pass surmounted an open space between the two major ridges, forming a natural fortification. Or battleground.


    Figures sparkling with qi were streaming into it, accompanied by Imperial airships and planes. On the other side, the Zarian army had taken position. Unlike our army, they hadn¡¯t brought any kind of large machines or siege weaponry, but the faint feeling I got even from here showed that they had gathered a lot of strength. Offhand, I couldn¡¯t say which side could bring more qi to bear.


    Kiyanu stopped a good distance away, so I had to cycle light qi to my eyes to have a hope of making out any details.


    The fight was clearly just getting started, but it was still ferocious. The haze of various elemental attacks being used, not just all the qi, meant I didn¡¯t get a good look at the overall shape. But the storm was unmistakable. It still approached quickly, creeping forward to fill the horizon with darkness. By now, there was the occasional bolt of lightning casting brief light within the clouds, too, though I couldn¡¯t make out if they hit anything.


    ¡°That storm is clearly not entirely natural,¡± Kiyanu commented in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s going to stir up the battle.¡±


    He was proven correct quickly. Like passing beneath a curtain, when the storm front reached the area, the activity sputtered out briefly before resuming with a vengeance. Their lines of sight occluded, cultivators rushed to close with each other more often. A few planes and airships managed to land, but many of them were just blown out of the sky, only two of the bigger airships apparently able to withstand the tempest. One of those listed to the side, and they both turned about and started to bolt, losing altitude as they clearly intended to set down somewhere behind the lines of battle.


    Interestingly enough, except for the wind picking up sharply and the occasional gust of rain or sleet, we didn¡¯t experience any effects here. The storm almost seemed to have slowed now that it reached its destination.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s safe to get closer?¡± I asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see much even before, and this is not helping visibility any.¡±


    Kiyanu shook his head, still staring at the battle.


    A red haze spread around a particular spot, driving back the cloud cover, as the Red Pheonix took wing and arced over the battlefield. There were still some cultivators in the air, too, although fewer than before. The battle spread out over the uneven terrain, soldiers fighting bitter duels, trying to ambush each other in the confusion, and gaining and losing little ground. From here, it looked like nothing so much as an unholy mess.


    Then I heard my companions suck in air sharply as new figures rose from behind the Zarian army, approaching in the blink of an eye. Somehow, none of those was difficult to make out. There were about half a dozen, and they gleamed in vibrant colors. Immediately, the Imperial elites started to withdraw, giving ground to their opponents while they banded more tightly together.


    Even from here, I could sense the edge of their qi presence.


    Tenira mumbled a curse beside me. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I think it is, is it? They can¡¯t be that stupid.¡±


    ¡°Desperate, maybe,¡± Elis muttered.


    I glanced at Kiyanu, who was now grinding his jaw.


    Then the newcomers attacked. They spread out so they boxed the Imperials in, clearly unimpeded by any attacks or attempts to control their movements. And in the next second, torrential waves of qi blasted into the battlefield.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is,¡± Kiyanu said tensely. ¡°These are black stage cultivators.¡±


    He grabbed my arm, and then we moved backward, further away from the fighting. I didn¡¯t pay him any attention, but took out my spyglass, trying to get a better look. I felt my heart flipflop in my chest as the Zarian eighth-stagers started to lay into the Imperial soldiers. With the Storm on their side, the Zarian army seemed to rally as well, pressing forward into their enemy.


    They weren¡¯t the biggest threat anymore.

 168: Collateral damage

    <div>


    The battle hadn¡¯t raged long, but it was already one of the most devastating ones I¡¯d ever seen. I could only make out parts of it, the rest was blocked out by the haze of fires, shimmering air, sudden plant growth and dust as thick as any sandstorm. The foothills around the two clashing armies were torn up and tossed about, and many soldiers didn¡¯t fare any better.


    Tenira clenched me hand with a grip hard enough to break bone on most people. I gave her a reassuring squeeze, but didn¡¯t take my eyes off the battlefield. The rest of my group stayed silent, as well, all of us watching disaster and knowing we couldn¡¯t do anything to help.


    The Zarian eighth-stagers didn¡¯t mess around. In a way, the chaos of the battlefield was the only thing that saved even some of our soldiers. While the Zarian army was obviously careful not to get in the way, their presence limited their allies¡¯ options if they didn¡¯t want to get them caught in the devastation.


    But I could clearly see it was only a matter of time, and not much of it.


    The Imperial elites had consolidated their strength. Some of them were holding off the eighth-stagers pretty well, although with the amount of qi they used, they couldn¡¯t keep it up forever. I clenched my jaw as I watched a squad of Zarian elites homing in one of the knots of resistance, scattering them with brutal attacks.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be over soon,¡± Kiyanu muttered. ¡°Whoever hasn¡¯t made it out already is almost out of luck.¡±


    I nodded. The Imperial army had already sent the signal to retreat, of course, but that wasn¡¯t easy. Two thirds of the Zarian eighth-stagers had spread out northward, hemming them in and hunting them down.


    A fiery streak caught my attention. I narrowed my eyes, watching closely as the phoenix, who¡¯d just broken through the storm, raced away. He was pursued by what had to be a Zarian seventh-stager, but acquitted himself pretty well. Soon, they were too far for me to make out anything.


    ¡°They can¡¯t possibly think they¡¯ll get away with this,¡± Elia commented, her voice tense.


    I shrugged. ¡°Pretty sure the Moon is already getting the others Greater Spirits to do something about it.¡±


    Of course, I didn¡¯t know how much good it might do, when right this moment they were grinding away the Empire¡¯s strength in the south.


    ¡°Hush,¡± Kiyanu said. He leaned forward slightly.


    Before I had the chance to respond, the feel of the qi in the distance changed slightly again. I unconsciously leaned forward, too. Suddenly, the battlefield was lit up even more brilliantly than before, with several spots of brightness that would have been blinding from close up. I blinked, then cycled more qi to my eyes.


    The Zarian eighth-stagers in the sky plummeted towards the ground, impacting over their own soldiers. One of them seemed to still be burning, the other was sputtering out. When he reached the ground, there wasn¡¯t much left of his body.


    I cocked my head, trying to study the sensation of the qi I felt as well as I could. Well, this is something.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more for us to see here,¡± Kiyanu said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I considered arguing, but he was right. The battle had been almost over before this, and now it definitely was. The Zarian had taken some losses, too, but I knew they had gotten off lightly compared to our own. And the rest of their elites were free to roam further afield now.


    Kiyanu moved us through the air again, though this time, I had the feeling he was doing it more carefully. I pulled some qi of my own and wove a veil around us that should help hide us from detection by enemy soldiers. It probably wouldn¡¯t stand up to a high stage cultivator, but it couldn¡¯t hurt.


    The trip back took longer than before, and it passed in silent contemplation. No one seemed to be in a mood to talk. I looked south, but soon enough, I couldn¡¯t make out anything anymore. I did note an airship and a few cultivators traveling in our direction. So far, they didn¡¯t seem to have to worry about pursuit. That made me hope that at least some of our people would get out of this. It was still a disaster, of course. Even with the Zarian eighth-stagers dead. I wonder how they got them to do that? Maybe blackmail, or they gave them false assurances about being able to protect them. There weren¡¯t that many eighth-stagers here, after all, and there are bound to be a few idiots in any group.


    Kiyanu took us straight to the command post set up in the city. When he set us down in the stone courtyard and I suddenly had solid ground under my feet again, I couldn¡¯t help stepping gingerly at first. It looked like the whole city was still in a state of alert, and a lot of eyes were watching us. By unspoken agreement, we trooped directly into the headquarters building, where we could talk with more privacy, except for Elis, who made a beeline to where the Basement had set up.


    We ended up in a standard conference room with faded paintings hanging on the walls. I could sense several presences moving outside, and a few of my guards spreading out. They should alert Kajare and the others.


    ¡°Inaris, do you have anything more to say on this matter from the spirits?¡± Kiyanu asked.


    I cocked my head, contemplating the question for a moment. ¡°Not really. I do still feel some sensations, but nothing like a concrete message.¡±


    Before we could continue the conversation, someone opened the door and cleared their throat. I turned to see a high-ranking officer I vaguely recognized. ¡°Your Grace, we have important intelligence from our assets in the Dominion.¡±


    Kiyanu straightened up and frowned. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There appear to have been disturbances in several of the Dominion¡¯s old cities. The capital has been placed under martial law. There seems to be some commotion at the Princeps¡¯ Palace, and it has been locked down to all traffic. Similar has been done to several important families¡¯ estates. We also have tentative reports that fighting might have broken out in a few of those.¡±


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Elia cursed in a low voice. Kiyanu¡¯s frown deepened. He nodded. ¡°Please check if we can get confirmation of that, Colonel. Keep us posted, and call a meeting of the generals in half an hour.¡±


    ¡°At once, my lord.¡± The officer saluted and departed.


    Silence reigned for a few moments after he had gone. We exchanged looks. Tenira appeared thoughtful, frowning into the distance. I leaned against the wall, while Elia pulled out a chair and lounged on it, her legs kicked onto another chair.


    Then the door opened again and Elis stepped inside without bothering to knock or be invited. He looked a little paler than usual, with a slight frown on his face. He carried an untidy stack of papers in his right hand, which he laid on the next available table.


    ¡°We might have an issue,¡± he said. ¡°If you can call it that. The Basement told me of disturbances all across the Dominion¡¯s heartlands.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve just heard of that,¡± Tenira said, nodding. ¡°Disturbances, martial law in the capital, the palace and major houses in an uproar and locked down.¡±


    Elis leaned against the table and sighed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard the same things. That¡¯s not all, though.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± I asked sharply. Kiyanu took a step closer.


    ¡°We just got a report from an agent in the countryside to the northeast of the Whitecaps,¡± he started. ¡°Around a few large towns. He¡¯s not very far up, and it took a while for the report to make it to someone who could send it to us over the established quick channels. The Zarian might already have detected the qi use by his communication talisman and apprehended him.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°I see. That sounds like it was an urgent and important matter. What did he report?¡±


    ¡°He happened to see a powerful cultivator in the air, probably watching the countryside or perhaps looking for something. Quite suddenly, the woman started falling from the sky, accompanied by what sounds like a shockwave, and caught aflame. By the time her remains hit the ground, causing a minor earthquake and destroying a field, they were only scattered detritus. With her clearly dead.¡± Elis took a deep breath. ¡°He was adamant he recognized her as Lin Lian, one of the Dominion¡¯s black stage cultivators.¡±


    There was a moment of silence in the conference room after he¡¯d ended. I forced myself to relax my suddenly tense muscles and took a deep breath. Kiyanu sighed. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that interesting. It fits with what we¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve killed all the Dominion¡¯s eighth-stage cultivators,¡± Tenira said quietly.


    We all exchanged another look.


    ¡°That certainly would explain the news we¡¯ve been hearing,¡± Elis agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll probably get more confirmation on other deaths from the Basement in time.¡±


    ¡°That will be good to have, but I think the matter is clear enough,¡± Kiyanu said.


    I pulled a face. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    He glanced at me. ¡°You don¡¯t sound particularly happy, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I mean, there are, or were, almost a hundred black stage cultivators in the Dominion, and it seems like the spirits just killed them all out of hand for breaking our agreement.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m aware they would have needed a majority of them to agree to it, or at least to sending envoys with the authority to negotiate. But some were almost certainly against it in the first place.¡±


    ¡°And the Greater Spirits killed them,¡± Elia said. ¡°You¡¯re surprised?¡±


    I snorted. ¡°No, not surprised. I know spirits don¡¯t have human morality and I never expected them to adhere to it. I¡¯m just uneasy.¡±


    Kiyanu was frowning thoughtfully. ¡°Who exactly did this, do you think? The Moon?¡±


    ¡°No. He might not have even involved himself directly. I get the feeling this was the other Greater Spirits.¡± I looked around the room. ¡°And you can bet they didn¡¯t do it without a reason. There are other punishments they could have extracted for breaking the contract.¡±


    The others suddenly looked more pensive. I could tell that Elis was excited, and Tenira didn¡¯t seem particularly upset, either. If anything, the gleam in her eyes was intently thoughtful. But they clearly realized this wasn¡¯t the time to start celebrating.


    ¡°And what do we do now?¡± Tenira finally asked. ¡°How do we best take advantage of this?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s obvious that we now have the decisive advantage in black stage cultivators,¡± Kiyanu said. He hesitated, then looked around, taking a step towards the center of the room. ¡°Wait. Something is coming. Inaris?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer, but looked towards the door, where I now felt a familiar presence approaching. A second later, the door opened again and Mior strolled inside. The spirit was in a relatively solid form, but still looked like mist made of qi more than anything.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use your eighth-stagers,¡± they said calmly, walking inside as if they had no care in the world.


    I untensed a little and stepped towards them. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. What do you mean, though?¡±


    ¡°What I said. The agreement is still in effect for you, as far as the Greater Spirits are concerned. Don¡¯t let black stage cultivators fight unless you want to deal with the consequences.¡±


    Kiyanu narrowed his eyes. ¡°We appreciate the word of warning, honored spirit, but I have to admit it seems strange. Were you sent to tell us this?¡±


    Mior nodded at the regent. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The Moon sent me to let you know.¡±


    Kiyanu and I exchanged a look. I knew we were both thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just great.¡± I leaned against the table and shook my head.


    ¡°What does this mean for the war?¡± Elia asked.


    ¡°In the long term, it¡¯s clearly an advantage for us,¡± I answered, frowning. ¡°But in the short term, it makes things harder. Assuming we even get far enough to consider a long term, I mean. The Zarian just wiped out a good chunk of our strength, and didn¡¯t take as many casualties. And, in practice, neither of us can deploy eighth stagers, still.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing,¡± Elis said. He looked a lot less happy now. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not sure if the Empire could survive the loss of all its cultivators in the black stage ¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± I ran a hand through my hair, still frowning in thought. ¡°I think it probably could survive. Kiyanu would be dead, but I¡¯d still be around, and so would the rest of the government. With the other eighth-stagers dead, I think Kariva could hold things together in the capital long enough for me to go there and settle them. Of course, other nations would smell blood. We would maybe have to actually turn a few cities to glass to show that, eighth-stagers or not, you don¡¯t mess with the Empire. Still ¡­¡± I grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s try to avoid that, shall we?¡±


    Yarani chuckled, shaking her head. Kiyanu nodded shortly, while Elis frowned. Elia was looking at Mior, who didn¡¯t seem in a hurry to contribute anything.


    ¡°Right,¡± Elis said. ¡°I was thinking about the Zarian, though. You know what this means?¡±


    ¡°Chaos, in all likelihood,¡± Kiyanu answered.


    ¡°In what way?¡± Tenira asked.


    I glanced at her, then the others. ¡°Other countries will hear of this and smell weakness. The Princeps just died. So did the heads of every great family in the Dominion, and quite a few of its government institutions. This makes the words ¡®political crisis¡¯ sound totally inadequate.¡±


    ¡°We already have reports of what might well be fighting in the capital,¡± Kiyanu added.


    ¡°Right. And the only significant institution who has not been beheaded here is the High Temple.¡± I shook my head. ¡°The Storm is going to take advantage of this in a way that no one would have dared to dream of before. I expect that he and his followers are going to be practically ruling the Dominion soon enough. Maybe even officially.¡±


    Another grim silence followed my last statements. Tenira stepped beside me and took my hand. I looked around at the others, sensing their reactions.


    This had not gotten any easier.

 169: Small blessings

    <div>


    Yarani laid a hand on my arm. ¡°Inaris. There¡¯s no point in focusing too much on this and letting it drag you down.¡±


    I looked up, blinked, then shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not getting depressed, Yarani. I¡¯m just trying to take stock. Spirits, you know how many of our elites we lost?¡±


    She sighed and glanced around. We stood in a conference chamber that currently saw a lot of use, with my other friends and companions here, as well as Kiyanu and some senior officers. But at the moment, the two of us were clustered in a corner, somewhat isolated from the commotion of the rest.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the estimated figures. Is this about people you knew?¡±


    I cracked my neck, turning around to face the room more fully. ¡°I guess. I mean, I¡¯m glad that Hashar survived.¡± I glanced at the general, who was currently talking to Kajare and Kiyanu, and smiled.


    She¡¯d teleported out after almost exhausting her qi reserves in the battle. The backlash had left her in the healers¡¯ hands for hours after she got back, but there should be no permanent damage. I was glad she¡¯d had the sense to run. Of course, she was a soldier, and she knew she was one of the few experts in spatial magic we had. Her sense of duty would have prevented her from trying any stupid last stands even if she¡¯d been inclined to do that.


    ¡°But General Wei didn¡¯t make it out,¡± Yarani said quietly.


    I sighed. ¡°Yes. We actually got confirmation of his death in the most recent report. This is bad for more than just military reasons, Yarani. We might not have been exactly close, but he was still a blood relation.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve lost kin here, now, even if the connection isn¡¯t commonly known.¡±


    ¡°Actually, you lost more than that,¡± Tenira said. She¡¯d been quietly making her way to join us. ¡°There were a few members of clan Leri with the army, Nari, and they died, too. Distant kin, maybe, but still technically part of our clan.¡±


    I pulled a face. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Tenira. Crap. That doesn¡¯t make things easier.¡±


    ¡°The Leri aren¡¯t the only clan who have lost family members, here.¡± Tenira shrugged. ¡°I imagine we¡¯re going to see a response from the nobles over this. The war wasn¡¯t exactly unpopular, but with a humiliation to wipe away and family to avenge ¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help rolling my eyes. This news should encourage people not to take the risk of joining the war, given how likely it obviously was to get you killed. But in this kind of culture, the prestige of the clan and avenging dead family members might really prove more important factors. Not that I¡¯m in any position to complain about it. In fact, Kariva and others are probably going to try to steer the public reaction in this direction.


    ¡°We definitely need to hold some kind of ceremony,¡± I said. ¡°I know most of the dead are going to be buried by their families, but even if the bodies are sent north, we can still arrange something.¡±


    ¡°Way ahead of you.¡± Yarani smiled slightly. ¡°Tenira and I have already started to talk about setting it up.¡±


    I gave both of them a smile. ¡°Great, then I leave the matter in your much more capable hands. Poke me if you need anything.¡±


    Rising voices further into the room distracted me, and I turned to watch what was going on. It looked like several of the officers from the remnant of the southern army had come. They all looked a little bedraggled, even though they¡¯d obviously changed into fresh clothes. It might just be their expressions and the shadows under their eyes. I slowly stepped forward, listening in on the conversations and reports.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Hashar murmured, suddenly appearing beside me. I knew she¡¯d just moved unobtrusively through the room, but it felt like she might as well have teleported.


    ¡°Hashar.¡± I smiled and brushed her arm with mine discreetly. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°As well as anyone else, I expect.¡± Her lips quirked upward the slightest bit. ¡°It helped to know that you¡¯re safely back here.¡±


    I chuckled. She¡¯d spoken so softly that no one else should have caught it, and in the general hubbub, no one seemed to be paying undue attention to us, anyway. I saw Yarani smothering a smile, though.


    ¡°We were just discussing a ceremony for those fallen in the battle,¡± she spoke up. ¡°As the senior surviving officer, General, your help would be welcome and appreciated. Of course, if your other duties are keeping you busy, we¡¯d be quite alright handling it ourselves.¡±


    The general smiled at her, a warmer expression than she showed most people, which banished some of the shadows in her eyes. ¡°Thank you for the consideration, my lady. I think that¡¯s a splendid idea, and I¡¯d be glad to be involved.¡±


    Sensing that they might want to have a word alone, I extricated myself quietly from the conversation,? ? and continued on towards Kiyanu. It was good to see that they got along. By this point, Hashar was pretty much a fixture of my future circle of confidantes, advisors, or whatever you wanted to call it.


    Especially if Wei Jun wasn¡¯t there to fill a position in the army anymore. The thought sparked a small pang of anger. Not that I was particularly affected, personally, and I had no reason to pretend otherwise. But I¡¯d invested resources into him, started to cultivate a professional relationship and a plan for the future, and it irked to see that going up in smoke. And I should write a letter to Wei Min, too. Ugh.


    Following a sudden impulse, I veered to the side, passing by Kiyanu and a rotating group of senior officers, and instead stepped through a side door. This was an open addition to the complex, part corridor and part balcony, which let the sun through in intervals between columns. The sky had cleared as if the large storm had never existed, although new rainfall was predicted for tomorrow. I sighed softly, stepping closer to the edge.


    ¡°More bad news?¡± Ceion asked.


    I gave myself one moment more to look out at the landscape, before I turned, scowling at him. ¡°What are you doing here? Come on!¡±


    I grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him further down the corridor, then around a turn and down a staircase. He really shouldn¡¯t hang around where he could listen in to potentially sensitive discussions. Of course, I knew there wasn¡¯t much he could learn from this meeting that would be harmful to us, even if Kiyanu hadn¡¯t put qi shields in place. But I kept herding him away, until we reached a secluded, quiet little courtyard around the estate.


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    ¡°It appears you lost quite a few fighters,¡± the spirit-child commented.


    I scoffed lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose as much as the Zarian. I¡¯m sorry to tell you this if you knew any of them personally, but all of the eighth stage cultivators in the Dominion have been killed.¡±


    Ceion was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯d heard as much. Thank you for confirming it, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your escort?¡± I asked abruptly.


    ¡°Keeping an eye on me, I¡¯m sure.¡± He smiled with a hint of irony.


    I glanced at my own guards, who¡¯d followed me unobtrusively and were now spread out around us. Aston didn¡¯t look concerned, so I imagined he was right.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really know any of them, though I¡¯d met a few,¡± Ceion said. He shook his head. ¡°Still, all of them? The spirits ¡­¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure they have their reasons.¡± I kept my tone deliberately neutral.


    Ceion¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t they always?¡±


    We shared a moment of silence, both of us knowing the other¡¯s thoughts went along the same lines as our own.


    ¡°You said you could give me guidance,¡± he finally spoke up.


    I leaned against the outer wall, crossing my arms. ¡°Sure. I stand by that.¡± I shot an irritated look at the pair of guards closest to us. ¡°Aston, back off. Give us some space. He¡¯s not going to attack me, and no one¡¯s coming for us.¡±


    Aston didn¡¯t look like he agreed, but he bowed and motioned to the rest of the guard detail before starting to walk further away. I knew they wouldn¡¯t let me out of their sight, but given cultivator speeds, there was really no reason they had to crowd me too closely. If Isuro or one of the spirits wanted to attack, we¡¯d have bigger problems, and having Kiyanu in shouting distance would take care of any lesser threats.


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame him for being twitchy,¡± Ceion commented. ¡°Not that you have anything to worry about, of course. I couldn¡¯t take control of you even if I tried, I¡¯m quite sure.¡±


    ¡°How does that work, anyway?¡±


    He looked at me for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a bit like possession, that¡¯s true, although I¡¯ve still got my own body. There¡¯s a limit of distance and cultivation stage, but in essence, it involves sending my qi into or around someone else - it¡¯s a little hard to describe - to puppet their body.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That sounds fascinating. So you still retain awareness of your own body while you¡¯re doing this?¡±


    He hesitated for a second, then sighed slightly, clearly deciding to keep talking. ¡°In a sense, but only dimly. I have to actually move if I want my target to do something, which, as you can imagine, limits the use of the ability. Not the sort of thing it¡¯s advisable to try in public. I don¡¯t touch their minds at all, though, beyond getting some garbled feedback from their senses.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I uncrossed my arms and smiled slightly. ¡°I believe I get what you mean. It sounds like an unpleasant ability to use, though.¡±


    Ceion pulled a face. ¡°Oh, pleasure is the cost of power! Or something like that. How did it go again?¡± He grinned, shaking his head.


    ¡°Hm. You know, one of mine is the ability to enter the dreams of another person, as long as they¡¯re close or reasonably familiar to me, and influence them. It goes for my own dreams, too. I haven¡¯t had any real sleep, with actual dreams, in years. If I want to give my mind a break, the only thing I can do is meditation, and that¡¯s not quite as good, or maybe try less prudent things.¡±


    Ceion blinked. ¡°Huh. Somehow, it never occurred to me to wonder, I have to admit. That sounds fitting, though.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Anyway, you wanted my guidance?¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± He frowned slightly, and I had the impression he focused on me more tightly. ¡°In my situation, what would you do? Would you trust you?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± I leaned against the wall again. ¡°I suppose I have a religious obligation to answer that honestly. Even though I¡¯m not a religious person and I can¡¯t imagine ever actually worshiping the Moon.¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do. There are quite a few things about your situation that I don¡¯t know, which might affect what your best course of action is.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fair, I suppose. But still?¡±


    ¡°Well, in your place, I would be very wary of trusting Princess Inaris.¡± I smiled slightly. ¡°But that¡¯s just me. I¡¯m not a very trusting person, generally speaking. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid enough to trust anyone unconditionally that easily, anyway. In this case, you should probably be more focused on options and results. You don¡¯t need to trust someone if you¡¯re confident they¡¯ll act in their own self-interest in a manner that suits you.¡±


    ¡°That just shifts the question around. If I understood you well enough to know that, I wouldn¡¯t have asked this.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°I want to help you, and I want to get you on my side, not that of my enemies. You¡¯re already an investment to me. I also believe you deserve protection, just like anyone would, and I think trying to coerce you into anything would not only be ethically problematical, but likely to backfire.¡±


    Ceion regarded me in silence for a moment, before he nodded. ¡°I can see that. Thank you for being honest.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    He still looked at me thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t see how you were trying to manipulate me.¡±


    I smiled slightly. ¡°Trying? Given our situation now compared to where we started, I¡¯d say I¡¯ve been fairly successful.¡±


    He grinned suddenly. ¡°Indeed! Fair point, my lady.¡± He swept into an elaborate bow. ¡°My respects.¡±


    I repressed a frown. These sudden switches in demeanor were a little disorienting, which might be why he did them. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing that less often since you¡¯re here,¡± I noted.


    He straightened up, his expression serious again. He didn¡¯t seem inclined to pretend he didn¡¯t know what I was talking about. ¡°I suppose I have,¡± he admitted, his tone thoughtful.


    I shook my head and started walking, taking note of how long he hesitated before he fell into step beside me. Pretty quick. That was a good sign.


    ¡°I would like to start trying something a little more active to block your connection to the Auditor,¡± I said. ¡°To make sure that he can¡¯t compel you to do something against your will. What do you think?¡±


    Ceion frowned. ¡°If you can, that would be great. I don¡¯t imagine he¡¯s very pleased with me right now.¡± He hunched his shoulders slightly. ¡°It¡¯s not like I had much of a choice, but ¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I put a hand on his arm for a second, smiling. ¡°Then I would suggest some focused meditation. I¡¯ll try to guide you. Improving your mental defenses in general also couldn¡¯t hurt. But the quickest and easiest way would probably to try to counter his influence with the Moon¡¯s, to some extent.¡±


    Ceion looked skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m all for that meditation. But what do you want to do with the Moon? I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Well, firstly, I would try to bless you in his name,¡± I explained. ¡°I¡¯ve done that to people before, and while I can¡¯t swear that it does anything, it could hopefully give you some protection. Besides that, blessing the space we¡¯re on, perhaps with setting up small shrines in the corners or something, might help to spread his influence and make it harder for his enemies to work theirs.¡±


    He frowned thoughtfully. ¡°Alright. That sounds reasonable. And I suppose the Moon can hardly be any worse.¡± He stopped. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    I stopped as well, quickly glancing around. We were in another shadowed corner, with no one apparently watching. ¡°If there¡¯s a specific ritual, I don¡¯t know it. Generally, people kneel and I lay a hand on their heads and say a few words to give them a blessing.¡±


    Without any noticeable hesitation, Ceion lowered himself to his knees and bowed his head.


    I took a deep breath, then stepped closer, smiling slightly, and laid a hand on his forehead. I spoke in Zarian. ¡°Ceion, I bless you in the name of my father, Rijoko. May the Moon guide your path and light your way in the darkness. May he protect you and leave your mind free and safe against all outside influence, so that you may spend your days seeking your own guidance and finding your own wisdom.¡±


    This time, I actually felt a small bit of qi. It came from my connection with my father. Ceion didn¡¯t show any reaction, but he¡¯d kept his gaze lowered, so I didn¡¯t see his face. I stepped back and watched him get back on his feet.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that!¡± He grinned. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d actually find a use for spirituality, but there you have it!¡±


    I returned his smile. That went well. I just hoped it would be of some use.

 170: Consolidation and control

    <div>


    I looked out into the sunset, which was currently dyeing the hills to the east in soft tones, and sighed. Clouds were gathering again for a storm, though it looked like this one was going to be a normal weather phenomenon, at least.


    ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t have to go,¡± I said.


    Kiyanu smiled wryly. ¡°I need to, though. Someone needs to be back in the capital to talk with ambassadors, send envoys, and wrangle diplomats and officers.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t disputing that,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I just wish you could stay. I know you¡¯re needed. And I certainly don¡¯t want to do it in your place.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, Inaris, but I doubt you would do as well as I at this.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°I know, I definitely wouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s why you¡¯re regent, and I¡¯m hopefully going to learn to do better in time.¡±


    ¡°As soon as the war is over and I actually have you in the capital for any length of time, I¡¯ll make sure to teach you.¡± His face sobered, and he sighed softly. ¡°It almost feels presumptuous even to say that. Your mother should be the one to do that.¡±


    I turned so I faced him more fully, feeling my own expression stiffen. ¡°Yes,¡± I said softly. ¡°But she¡¯s not here to do it. And given what it means for my younger siblings, I¡¯d feel silly complaining about how much I need her.¡±


    Kiyanu took a step closer and laid a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Needing her for practical or personal reasons is a little different, but both are valid, and you¡¯re allowed to feel that way, Inaris.¡±


    I turned, dislodging his hand, and gave him a sardonic look. ¡°Thank you for the pep talk, old wise one.¡±


    He backed off slightly, smiling. ¡°Alright. Anyway, you should be on the alert for possible fallout from the international stage here, too.¡±


    ¡°Right. Like I said, this is going to be a headache and a half. With the Dominion¡¯s leaders and its most powerful fighters gone, not to mention the way it seems to be teetering, of course other countries are going to try to take chunks of the new booty.¡± I twisted my lips. ¡°I¡¯d say something snide about cultivators, but frankly, countries in my old world might not act much differently.¡±


    Kiyanu nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can to discourage them, but there¡¯s only so much we can do. Or should. If nothing else, the Dominion having other problems should help take some pressure off us.¡±


    ¡°Unless they decide to abandon the colonies completely,¡± I said.


    ¡°Maybe. That would be bad in the short term and disastrous for them in the long term. In any case, I think what we can and should realistically try for is an understanding with these foreign interests. At least with the most important ones. I think we have made good inroads with the Confederation, in case it or some of its members get grabby.¡±


    I frowned. I didn¡¯t like that idea, not just because it might amount to abandoning people in parts of the Dominion to the mercy of some foreign conquerors. On the other hand, I understood where he was coming from, and I knew he was right. ¡°We can¡¯t allow them to profit too much off this,¡± I said. ¡°Or to just throw people to the wolves. But I get what you mean.¡±


    Kiyanu shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll be a balancing act, of course. This is really an example of what we were just talking about.¡±


    ¡°Well, I trust your judgment, for what it¡¯s worth.¡± I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°Safe travels, Kiyanu.¡±


    ¡°To you as well. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow night.¡±


    He nodded to me one last time, then vanished, and I sensed him traveling away at great speed. He¡¯d probably make it to Thousand Lights City before I found my way to where I wanted to go next. I stayed in the room for a moment, looking out the window again, before I turned and left, as well.


    We¡¯d already stayed in this town for far longer than we¡¯d wanted to. But in the wake of the recent defeat, the generals were scrambling, trying to put together at least an approximation of a new army with which we could resume our march south. We couldn¡¯t afford to dawdle. Every day that passed got the Dominion back into order and allowed Jideia to tighten his grip on it. We¡¯d argued a lot about it, but ultimately decided to call a few eighth-stagers here, too. Even if they couldn¡¯t fight directly, they still had quite a few potential uses, and couldn¡¯t be countered by the Zarian eighth-stagers now.


    I paused on a balcony spanning an inner courtyard, glancing down. A pair of them were just crossing it. The man looked up to meet my gaze and inclined his head. He was visibly old, with white hair and wizened skin, but still straight-backed, dressed in colorful robes. The woman looked younger, and by her darker skin and attire, trousers and a leather vest over a dark blouse, a native of the Forest Continent like Kiyanu. They were pretty characteristic of the people who¡¯d come south in response to our call. I dimly remembered seeing the two of them at court, but I recognized them from the dossiers on all Imperial eighth-stagers I¡¯d looked over. I really should look for some more detailed ones.


    I swallowed a sigh and continued on. I really didn¡¯t like that Kiyanu went and left them here with us, but I knew I should suck it up. None of the eighth-stagers coming were opposed to the Leri clan or the regent, and even if they were, they wouldn¡¯t do anything here.


    When I left the building, I slowed, glancing around. Aston and the rest of my guard detail still accompanied me, of course, dutifully keeping watch. Besides them, only a few soldiers hurried about, going about their business. I couldn¡¯t sense any of my companions close by, except Elia, who was cultivating on a terrace on the other side of the mansion. Kajare had thrown himself into his work, dealing with the Terbekteri fighters who survived the battle, and Tenira was probably in the other military base, too.


    ¡°Aston,¡± I said quietly, and waited until he¡¯d come closer. ¡°Did you make sure everything was set up like I wanted?¡±


    He inclined his head. ¡°Yes, my lady. There were no major problems.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I smiled at him, then continued on. Aston fell into step beside me instead of going back to his position farther out.


    There was more activity in the town than the mansion, I noticed. Clearly, even with the war, work still had to be done. People were cleaning up the aftermath of the recent storms, though I didn¡¯t notice any real damage. They were probably used to this kind of thing here.


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    I focused for a moment, then kept walking at a good pace. Anyone looking at me would only see a plain brown-haired girl, and I pulled a bit of darkness qi over us to make people less inclined to notice us in the first place. It worked well enough, and we managed to avoid making a scene or disrupting everyone¡¯s business. We didn¡¯t have far to go, anyway. I stopped before one of the houses built almost right up to the mansion, glancing at the discreetly placed sentinels and runes anchoring the warding and defensive formations. Then I stepped up to the door. When I gave it an experimental tug, it opened with a low groan, and I stepped inside.


    Two doors down the corridor, Elis waited for me. He was accompanied by a young woman I recognized, though she wore less shabby clothing this time. They both rose when I entered.


    ¡°Hello, Elis,¡± I greeted him in Zarian. ¡°And Spark, wasn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again.¡±


    The woman bowed. ¡°And you, Your Highness.¡±


    I studied her for a moment. I¡¯d mostly recognized her by her aura. Although her features hadn¡¯t really changed since the first time I¡¯d met the Basement representative, she looked different. Her hair was brown now, and she must have used cosmetics to good effect, though I couldn¡¯t see much sign of those now, which suggested this was her real appearance.


    ¡°You really called yourself ¡®Spark¡¯?¡± Elis asked, looking amused.


    She shot him a look. ¡°I told you that, didn¡¯t I?¡± Then she turned back to me. ¡°Please, my lady, take a seat, if you¡¯d care to. Apparently we have things to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we should get down to business,¡± I agreed, settling down in a chair, while the other two did the same. Aston took position by the door. The room was sparsely furnished, almost bare except for the few chairs and the table in the middle, and didn¡¯t have a window, so light came from a glowstone affixed to the ceiling.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re familiar with the current situation,¡± Elis began. The atmosphere in the room was sober, now, and both he and Spark wore serious expressions.


    ¡°I read your reports,¡± I answered. ¡°Beyond that, I don¡¯t know much. You can bring me up to speed if necessary.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We will. Alright then, to start, let me just reiterate that the Basement¡¯s resources are limited. We¡¯re already leaning harder on our helpers and informers than usual. Given the current situation in the Dominion, most normal operations are harder, too.¡±


    ¡°But the Basement can recruit more people, can¡¯t it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Spark took over, ¡°but that¡¯s not easy. Most of all, it¡¯s not supposed to be quick. We still need to be sure who and what we¡¯re dealing with and if they pose potential security risks. For now, we probably don¡¯t have to worry much about Security Directorate agents, thank the spirits, but I wouldn¡¯t go assuming that the Storm¡¯s High Temple can¡¯t make problems of the same sort.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. It probably would be best to be cautious.


    ¡°So.¡± She leaned back in her chair and quirked an eyebrow. ¡°From what Elis told me, you want us to give the Dominion a helping hand.¡±


    Silence hovered in the room for a moment. I smiled slightly. ¡°Close enough. What I have in mind is a more subtle and strategic approach than how you usually deal with your enemies, but the ultimate goal is still for the Dominion to fall.¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°Then your target is the High Temple?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty much it.¡± I crossed my legs, projecting assurance. ¡°I find that our generals are a little too hung up on the war against the Dominion¡¯s armies. That¡¯s understandable, of course; that is the kind of conflict they¡¯re trained for. But this war is not just a clash of soldiers, or even nations, really. And failing to consider the Storm and his power base would be a fatal mistake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious enough so far,¡± Elis commented. ¡°But from the way you¡¯re speaking, I gather your generals are not involved in this scheme?¡±


    I inclined my head. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that that¡¯s necessary. Some agents of our intelligence efforts will be involved, of course. But I¡¯m afraid the officers, and especially the nobles, might react in a less than mindful manner.¡±


    ¡°Which is why quite a few of them are currently in a meeting that¡¯s slated to segue into a demonstration of your newest airplanes, and probably several arguments.¡±


    I resisted the urge to flick my gaze to Aston. ¡°I¡¯ve heard somewhere that a good leader makes sure to keep their people busy.¡±


    Elis snorted and Spark smiled in apparent amusement.


    ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong,¡± I continued, ¡°but the way I see it, the current chaos and the High Temple¡¯s position is, at least in part, an illusion. The great families still exist, even if they¡¯ve lost their leaders. They still have quite a lot of power, and experienced politicians among their seventh-stagers.¡±


    ¡°Their problems are at least as much due to infighting as anything to do with the Temple,¡± Spark noted.


    I nodded. ¡°Precisely. Without the Princeps and black stage cultivators, the floor is open for new leadership. Which is why I¡¯m talking to you. How likely is a new power block to form, and how much can we influence that?¡±


    Spark frowned thoughtfully. ¡°It is hard to say. The Basement could do quite a lot to influence events, but only in subtle ways. If there¡¯s a faction properly consolidating, there won¡¯t be much we can do about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d prefer for us to be at least somewhat in control of the thing, but a naturally occurring alliance that gets enough backing will do in a pinch.¡±


    The two of them exchanged a look. ¡°You want a faction to act as a counterweight to the High Temple¡¯s power?¡± Elis asked.


    I smiled and pointed at him in a gesture they probably wouldn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Exactly. Ideally, I¡¯d like to have both the high-tier citizens and the priests so twisted about and in each other¡¯s business that they harm themselves more than us. People have a tendency to fight over the furniture even when the house burns down around them. I just want to give that tendency a nudge. And besides, keeping the Dominion¡¯s infrastructure reasonably intact and functioning will be better for us in the long run.¡±


    They frowned in thought. After a moment, Spark nodded. ¡°I believe I see what you mean. Yes, that¡¯s not a bad plan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± I sat back upright and scooted forward a little. ¡°So. Do you think the great families are amenable to playing with us?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe so. With the proper encouragement and careful handling. But it¡¯s not like they can¡¯t see that it¡¯s ultimately in their own best interests. Do you want them united?¡±


    ¡°A few factions, nipping at each other¡¯s heels, would be good, but one source of stability at least is needed.¡± I shrugged. ¡°So, a winner, I suppose. Which one could we get to lead the dance most easily?¡±


    Spark frowned slightly. ¡°We can move the less exalted families more easily, but for this, something more ambitious is needed. But I think that should work. House Siranum we will be able to move. We have some ins.¡±


    ¡°Good. Is that the one you come from?¡±


    She jerked upwards, narrowing her eyes. ¡°I beg your pardon? I am speaking for the Basement.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I agreed, keeping my tone even. ¡°And I¡¯m also aware that the Basement has to have contacts and patrons among the high-tier families. In addition to some who tolerate its existence. You clearly weren¡¯t sent here because you were born on a farm, ¡®Spark¡¯.¡± I let my tone cool a little. ¡°Please don¡¯t insult my intelligence.¡±


    She looked at me for a moment longer, her nostrils flaring slightly, before she smoothed her expression and bowed in her chair. In the manner the Zarian high tiers would use, I noted. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. I apologize if I¡¯ve given any offense, that was not my intention.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± I replied pleasantly.


    ¡°You were right in your guess,¡± she said, her lips quirking slightly. ¡°I¡¯m Vana Siranum, since there¡¯s little point in hiding that now. I am a member of the family, if not particularly highly placed, due to my youth.¡±


    ¡°You are? Still?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°None of them are aware of my involvement in the Basement, Your Highness. At least, I should certainly hope not.¡± She shrugged slightly. ¡°I assume a lot of this plan will fall to me, but with the right help, I¡¯m confident I can do it.¡±


    I smiled again. ¡°Great. Then let¡¯s talk about the details.¡±


    Even without Kariva¡¯s take on it, I¡¯d say this was going pretty well. While there were ways this could backfire, in the end, we still had the Imperial army bearing down on the Dominion. Even if they managed to salvage a coordinated, consolidated position out of this, it didn¡¯t change the balance of forces on each side. But anything that might throw a spanner in Jideia¡¯s works, or buy us some time, was worth trying.

 171: Custody

    <div>


    The sunset painted the land in front of us in warm colors, giving it a beauty that would ordinarily be hidden. In the distance, high mountain peaks rose into the sky, but closer up, winding streams, hilly fields, and the occasional cluster of trees spread out before us like tiles in a mosaic. There were a few villages dotted about them, but even with my cultivator senses, I couldn¡¯t make out much human activity.


    We¡¯d veered off the straightest course south, and were instead traveling towards the mountains on a curved route and currently moving southwest. I could still make out the city at the base of the mountains, if I focused, but the Whitecaps looked different from this angle, the mountain range more elongated.


    ¡°We¡¯re not moving quickly enough,¡± Yarani muttered.


    I glanced at her, absently patting my horse¡¯s neck as hers pranced beside mine. ¡°We¡¯re doing what we can,¡± I said calmly. ¡°I wish our advance was faster, too, but that¡¯s just the way it is. We¡¯re lucky we¡¯ve been able to scrape together any army at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not so sure this was the right decision,¡± Tenira commented from my other side. ¡°I mean, after our losses, to just take another army to the Zarian. And an objectively weaker one.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°We need to press them, especially now.¡±


    Yarani nodded. ¡°Nari¡¯s right. Trust us, Tenira. We don¡¯t want to give them the chance to get back on their feet and really make their numbers count, and we can¡¯t squander our momentum. Right now, we still have the initiative. Even if they manage to push us back, it won¡¯t mean losing territory we¡¯re already entrenched in.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there are many people living here,¡± Tenira muttered. ¡°Alright, I suppose I see your point.¡±


    I sighed softly, then nudged my horse forward. The others followed, and we kept moving. There was no real road here, so the Imperial forces didn¡¯t move in a column so much as in a horde, but with surprising organization in the seemingly chaotic mass. My group, surrounded by guards, traveled almost at the head, with only a few of the generals and high-stage cultivators further ahead. A few airships kept pace overhead, though there were no planes in the air right now. There would be little point in them. Of course, that we weren¡¯t expecting combat didn¡¯t necessarily mean there wouldn¡¯t be any. So far, the Zarian had never tried very hard to ambush a large Imperial force, but I wasn¡¯t inclined to think they couldn¡¯t possibly do it.


    ¡°Are you expecting trouble?¡± Yarani asked.


    I glanced at her and gave her a quick smile. While Kajare might be more helpful when it came to court or dealing with the Terbekteri, I valued having Yarani along in this war. Not that any of my companions was ever less than helpful, especially Tenira. ¡°Not really,¡± I answered. ¡°But I¡¯m trying to be prepared, anyway. We are getting pretty close to their core territory, and as we just discussed, with weaker forces than I would have liked.¡±


    ¡°Having the black stagers along should help. Even if they can¡¯t fight, their senses work just fine, after all.¡±


    I nodded. That was a good point.


    We continued moving, still at a more sluggish pace than an army should have been able to manage, though it wasn¡¯t really slow. We had a lot of Lighters in this army. They were just the kind of troops that could be replenished most quickly, and they were effective here. If nothing else, they made good garrisons for the villages and towns we took.


    For the next half an hour or so, nothing interesting happened, and we made slow progress through the Zarian countryside. The monotony was only broken when I sensed the Red Phoenix approaching. His fiery form cut through the sparse cloud cover and he winged his way towards us, banking once and coming in on a shallow approach. Probably to give everyone enough time to see him and not feel threatened.


    I reined in my horse and smiled. ¡°Hello again, honored ancestor. You have news?¡±


    The phoenix transformed into a young man again. He strode forward, ignoring the soldiers warily edging away from his path, and nodded at me. ¡°Perhaps. I am not certain if there is anything important, but I intended to check in with you, anyway. Is everything going as you intended?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I glanced back over the army. ¡°Things are moving as smoothly as could be expected.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He smiled briefly. ¡°I was half-afraid I would need to help you sort out some kerfluffle. In any case, there is a large temple to the Storm up ahead. Just a few leagues off your current route, if I¡¯m any judge. Which I am. It is quite big, considering these lands, and apparently of high significance. There was some activity there, including some priests, though it seems to have been tapering off when I left.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Alright. That could be interesting. Thank you for the information. We had better not dawdle too much, if there is still something to find there.¡±


    The Red Phoenix inclined his head, before turning and transforming again, rising into the sky. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t going to guide us to the site. Well, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to find, anyway.


    I made the arrangements quickly, with Tenira¡¯s help, and we soon set out out a faster pace than before. The army had changed its course slightly to head to the temple. It wasn¡¯t like we had any particular path we needed to follow, so that didn¡¯t pose a problem. Meanwhile, my party went ahead with the vanguard. I didn¡¯t protest when Aston brought a few more people to fill out my guard detail, though there were enough elites coming that I wasn¡¯t concerned about my safety. One of the eighth-stagers elected to come, as well, so we should be reasonably sure we wouldn¡¯t bumble into an ambush, anyway.


    The temple really was big, bigger than almost any I had seen, except for the great temple of the Moon. Its layout was completely different, consisting of two concentric circles and stonework between them that I just found odd. It took me a moment to understand it was probably deliberately chaotic and swirly, and another one to see the strategic and tactical sense. Hidden in the arrangement was a cunning set of fortifications, which would funnel enemies into kill zones and traps. Assuming they couldn¡¯t knock down the stone, at least. In the center of the complex, though not the exact center, stood the main temple building, which reminded me vaguely of old Greek temples. At least, it had a few decorative columns and a straight-edged roof, though that one was thatched with a material I didn¡¯t recognize.


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    We made good time and arrived quickly. I swallowed my protests when Aston had our group slow down to send others ahead to approach the temple first. After they reached it without falling afoul of any attack, he let us go forward, too. I focused on my sense of the place, which confirmed that it was definitely dedicated to Jideia. The hairs on the back of my neck stayed prickly all the way in.


    A few of the elites had gone around, in order to cut off any retreat if we found enemy forces holed up here, but it seemed like that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. No one emerged from the temple complex, and I couldn¡¯t sense any presences strong enough that they would pose a danger. There were still people here, though. We made the final approach on flying swords, rising above the stone-lined paths, and I got a good look into the wide glass windows of the temple, which showed me a small group of priests. By the time we came to a stop in the front courtyard, before the steps up to the actual temple, the door opened and they emerged.


    I took a moment to study them. There were four priests and half a dozen people wearing casual clothes, ranging from the second to the early fifth stage. The priests sent my spiritual senses prickling. It was like they were coated in something that tasted of Jideia, though of course the actual sensation was not comparable to anything physical and hard to put into words.


    Their apparent leader, a short man with salt-and-pepper hair, stepped forward and gave us a sweeping bow. ¡°Imperial Princess. What an unexpected honor.¡± His tone was clearly sardonic.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Good day to you, priests of the Storm.¡± I smiled slightly. ¡°This temple and its surroundings are now taken by the Empire in pursuit of its war against the Zarian Dominion. We will take you into custody, but you have my assurance that you will be treated honorably and no harm will come to you.¡±


    The group exchanged glances. Two of the weaker laypeople took a hesitant step forward, then stopped when they realized the others weren¡¯t coming and glanced back. My own forces had spread out enough to cover all of the grounds now, but half of them concentrated in a knot here. The elites started to ascend to the temple from the sides, moving to encircle the Zarian without blocking their way down or putting themselves between us.


    ¡°Now, now.¡± The priest actually wagged his finger at me. Clearly, this one enjoyed his theatrics. ¡°Let¡¯s not be hasty, here. Why would we agree to this? Your Empire has no jurisdiction here.¡±


    I bit down on my first reply, since asking him if he knew what war was or arguing the definition of jurisdiction or authority would clearly get me nowhere. ¡°Perhaps because it¡¯s in your own best interests?¡± I suggested in a mild tone. ¡°We are going to secure this area, we simply can¡¯t forgo that. But no one wants any civilians getting hurt in the process. If you cooperate, go where we can keep an eye on you, and give us no trouble, we¡¯ll let you go with our apologies once we¡¯re sure there¡¯s no threat here.¡±


    The look they exchanged now gave me a sinking feeling. Then, incongruously, the priest smiled and bowed his head. ¡°Very well, quite right. Friends, go to the nice lady, we wouldn¡¯t want anyone to get hurt if that can be avoided.¡±


    The ordinarily dressed Zarian looked surprised at that. ¡°Brother -¡± an older woman started.


    ¡°I mean it, Liuna,¡± the priest interrupted. ¡°Go.¡±


    Hesitantly, the group did as he bid, walking down the stairs towards us.


    The priests, however, stayed where they were, even as our elites slowly came closer. The other three had their hands folded or arms crossed and serene expressions on their faces, the kind someone put on to cover any real emotions and make everyone, including themselves, believe that they were calm. Clearly, the Imperial soldiers sensed something was up just as well as I did, judging by the caution they displayed. I glanced at Aston, but I didn¡¯t give any orders, trusting that he was better suited to handle it if there was a threat.


    ¡°A good start,¡± I told the priests. ¡°But I was talking to all of you. Come here, please.¡±


    The leader smiled again. ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t do that, Princess. I suggest you cover your ears, though. This might get a little loud.¡±


    Without hesitation, I pulled up a qi shield and retreated. My attention remained fixed on the priest, though, and what he was doing. Just as he finished speaking, I could sense a change in the qi of the place.


    The next moment, the temple itself exploded outward in a detonation far too tightly channeled to be an accident. My ears rang under the noise and I lost my vision to the blinding flash for an instant. Large stones were hurled upward like marbles, and the ground all around us shuddered as the walls marking the temple¡¯s perimeter and grounds shattered.


    In the instant before the explosion reached them, I saw that the priests had already been consumed in pillars of fire.


    After the shaking abated, I drew in a deep breath and jostled my shield lightly to dislodge the debris gathered on it, glancing around at the fresh scene of devastation. If that priest hadn¡¯t felt the need to be dramatic and given us warning, this could have been an unpleasant surprise. Not that I¡¯d really been in danger. I doubted this could have killed me even if my guards weren¡¯t here.


    But that wasn¡¯t the point, of course. They hadn¡¯t blown up this temple trying to catch us within it, I was fairly sure. They would have probably tried harder to get us into the epicenter of the detonation.


    ¡°Did any of you sense anything from within the temple?¡± I finally asked.


    ¡°Nothing that would explain where that explosion came from,¡± Yarani answered promptly. She¡¯d stepped closer to hover at my left side. ¡°They could have been shielding formation arrays or artifacts they used for it from detection within the temple, perhaps. Though that wouldn¡¯t have been easy.¡± She frowned. ¡°Or they might have been using chemical explosives ¡­¡±


    I shook my head and took a wary step closer. My qi senses told me that everyone had come out of that more or less unscathed. As dangerous as an explosion could be, all the fighters here were reasonably strong cultivators and had had cause to expect a threat, plus enough time to shield themselves.


    ¡°There was no qi used in that explosion, perhaps not even to set it up,¡± a new voice said. ¡°I¡¯m reasonably sure of that.¡±


    I glanced at the cultivator who¡¯d stepped over to join us and nodded courteously. Ki Niyani was dressed similar to the last time I¡¯d seen her, and her attire didn¡¯t show a single stray bit of dust. It was a little incongruous seeing the Forest Continent native here like that, given the much colder climate around these parts, but I knew that was stupid. Eighth-stagers didn¡¯t have to worry about that kind of thing.


    ¡°Thank you for the confirmation,¡± I told her. ¡°If they are taking a page from our book, it¡¯s certainly interesting, but not the most important question here, in any case.¡±


    We all turned our attention back to the now-destroyed temple. The dust stirred up by the explosion still hadn¡¯t settled completely, and I already knew Aston wouldn¡¯t let me onto where the main temple had been before checking for hidden traps and structural stability. Even so, I doubted we¡¯d find much.


    ¡°What do you think they were doing?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make much sense to me. What point is there in destroying the temple, even if they knew we were going to do that, too? Let alone in killing themselves over it? They knew we¡¯d let them live.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But ¡­¡± I frowned, then heaved a sigh. ¡°I get the feeling this had little to do with what we did, really. That was a sacrifice.¡±


    We fell silent again, and when I glanced back, I saw them exchanging looks. I ran a hand through my hair, thinking probably the same thing. What is Jideia up to?

 Interlude — Acura

    There was time, but it didn¡¯t work right.


    Of all the things she¡¯d had and experienced in her mortal existence, Acura had never thought much about her perception of the passage of time. She¡¯d had a good sense for it, usually known how long she¡¯d been out meditating or what time of day it was when she¡¯d been on a trip underground, even for that one time she¡¯d explored the caves on the coast for three days straight. Like with so many things, it was something you didn¡¯t really notice until it no longer worked the way you expected it to.


    Time did pass here, but it passed differently. She¡¯d only recently become lucid enough to even be aware that she¡¯d been in here for some time, yet it didn¡¯t feel like it had been over a year. It felt like a moment or an eternity, or maybe both.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t really in anywhere, it was more her own mind that had changed. She¡¯d been told that before, but only now was she really starting to understand it. As she dragged the scattered, disorganized remnants of her consciousness together and fit them into a shape that resembled the one she¡¯d been before, she both felt more like herself and yet realized just how much wasn¡¯t the same.


    So, when Mior visited her again, it felt like it had only been a moment since their last visit, and yet Acura knew better. Days? Weeks? She wasn¡¯t certain. Surely not months, though. She was confident of that.


    ¡®How are you?¡¯ the spirit asked.


    Acura tilted her head, or what passed for it. She was stuck in a weird halfway place between being a presence purely existing in qi and incarnating into a physical body, and her form was a roiling mess bleeding streamers of qi into the surroundings, which were also little more than just qi. The last time they¡¯d talked, she¡¯d resolved herself to the fact that Mior would be able to read her mind a lot better than she¡¯d have preferred. In her current existence, she simply didn¡¯t have anything approaching real defenses, and a mind in the process of reforming itself couldn¡¯t obfuscate itself.


    ¡®Well,¡¯ she replied. ¡®I think. I hope. You can tell better than me, I think. Well, I do think. Not much, and not well, maybe, but still. Well ¡­¡¯


    ¡®I see,¡¯ they interrupted gently. ¡®You¡¯re doing the thing again, Acura. Focus on my presence.¡¯


    She shrank back, condensing a little. ¡®Sorry.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s alright. Really. You¡¯re doing very well.¡¯


    She hesitated. That was a new thing, too. She hadn¡¯t been able to do hesitation until recently. It¡¯s all coming back, isn¡¯t it? But she managed to focus and direct her thoughts at the spirit for proper communication. ¡®Why are you here, Mior?¡¯


    The spirit smiled. Once again, they¡¯d chosen a very physical shape. ¡®Essentially for the same reason as always. I wanted to check up on you, and I wanted to talk.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re doing this because of Nari.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t a new realization, though she hadn¡¯t expressed it before.


    ¡®You¡¯re quite focused on her, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ the spirit mused. ¡®All things considered... Yes, Acura, you¡¯re right. I care for Inaris. She¡¯s family. And she loves you and wants to see you safe and happy. Simple, right? But I also want to see you here, you know. It¡¯s probably a little too early to talk about the situation and the future ¡­ but you¡¯ll end up being on our side, so to speak, so investing a little time and effort is more than worth it.¡¯


    Acura considered that for a short while. ¡®And Rijoko? He doesn¡¯t, really, but you actually care, don¡¯t you?¡¯


    Mior laughed lightly. ¡®You really are making great progress. Yes, I¡¯m not Rijoko. I suppose I have enough human in me I can care like you do. I have empathy and I can form genuine connections with humans. Rijoko is still perfectly fine with this, though. He understands well enough that it¡¯s best for him if your daughter is happy.¡¯


    Acura nodded slowly. That made sense. Suddenly, she felt glad that Mior was there and could support her like this.


    She sent them that thought without putting it into so many words. It was a new aspect of communication in this form. People usually preferred verbal communication, because it was just more precise and easier to control. But she wasn¡¯t quite sure how to articulate it, and she needed practice with this kind, too.


    ¡®I¡¯m honored,¡¯ Mior replied. Despite their light, almost ironic tone, Acura felt like the spirit was being sincere. They paused for a few moments, then abruptly, what they sent became brighter, sharper. ¡®I think it¡¯s time you moved away from this spot. Look at your surroundings. Do you understand where we are?¡¯


    Acura hesitated, then followed his words and turned her attention to the world around her. She knew they had to be in some qi anomaly. Probably one claimed by the spirits, by Rojoko¡¯s followers. The flows of qi wouldn¡¯t fit otherwise. Now, though, she really focused on them. Maybe it was because of her own improved capability, but she understood the place in a way she hadn¡¯t before. There was actual ground here, physical substance, though most of the place still seemed to be made of qi. She sensed other spirits some distance away, most of them very weak compared to herself or Mior. And she could feel the Moon. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was actually here, but his essence lingered in the place. But more than that, she felt a little bit of it around her.


    ¡®Good,¡¯ Mior sent, obviously observing what she was doing closely. ¡®Ordinarily, I would have let you discover this at your own pace, but events are accelerating. You need to let go of your attempts at physicality, Acura. At the moment, you¡¯re stuck between states, and that¡¯s just not going to work. Your mind is as much qi as anything else now; you¡¯re not contained by anything physical. Embrace it, and you¡¯ll have a much easier time with your own mind.¡¯


    Acura stared at the spirit. Silence dragged on for a while, but she thought. She didn¡¯t want to do what they suggested, but she trusted Mior, and there was really no reason not to try. She knew that those in the white stage could, like powerful spirits, incarnate into physical forms, though they weren¡¯t limited to them.


    Slowly, she let go of herself, of the parts she¡¯d been trying to hold together. Only now did she realize what a strain it had formed. Her mind was still there, and she kept the qi that really mattered. But the physical construct she¡¯d half-consciously cobbled together dissolved. Acura shuddered, but she drew her mind together with an attractive force made purely of willpower, making herself stay and grow.


    She still didn¡¯t know how long it took. But at some point, there she was, a consciousness loosely contained, still anchored to her place, but not expressed in any physical structure. She still sensed Mior, who was watching over her, and the rest of her surroundings.


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    ¡®Very good,¡¯ the spirit congratulated her. ¡®Truly, well done! How do you feel, Acura?¡¯


    She considered that for a moment. ¡®I think I¡¯m better,¡¯ she finally replied. ¡®Thank you, Mior.¡¯ She really did feel better, like she was able to think more clearly. She still knew she¡¯d changed, though she couldn¡¯t quite put her (no longer existent) finger on how, but this had clearly been a success.


    ¡®You¡¯re welcome!¡¯ Mior smiled. They were still incarnate, which actually helped her sense the spirit.


    Acura spent a bit of time trying to get used to her new state of existence. She had a better sense of time now, but still wasn¡¯t sure if it took a few seconds or a few minutes. She wanted to try to create a new physical body from here now, but she hesitated. Rushing things seemed like a bad idea, and she really didn¡¯t want anything to go wrong. She still felt vulnerable, even knowing that there was nothing she could do about that. At least in the short term. So she contented herself with trying out a few math and logic problems, recalling memories, and interpreting sensations from her surroundings. That part would probably be easier if there was a little more variety in them.


    Finally, she focused her attention back on the spirit. Something they¡¯d said niggled at her, and upon focusing on it for a moment, it snapped into place. ¡®Why did you help me do this now?¡¯ she asked. ¡®It sounded like you wanted to wait and let me flail around on my own. Did something happen?¡¯


    Mior¡¯s mind was hard to read, but she still sensed the sober intensity dominating their thoughts now, probably because they let her. ¡®In a manner of speaking. I would have preferred to let you set the pace, since I didn¡¯t think there was any hurry. But since you¡¯re doing so well, giving you a few tips doesn¡¯t hurt. Things have happened, and I feel that even more important events may be coming, which I wanted you to see.¡¯


    Acura wanted to frown in response, but of course she couldn¡¯t. ¡®What events?¡¯


    The spirit cocked their head to the side. ¡®It might be better to show you a few things. Come on, let¡¯s go for a stroll.¡¯


    Moving without having a physical body, she discovered, was more involved than she thought. Partly that might be because it was hard to pin down specific borders of where her location ended or began. Changing it required an act of will. With a few false starts, she managed to figure it out, at least well enough to keep pace with Mior as the spirit moved off through the qi anomaly.


    If nothing else, she was starting to understand more about how those worked. Strong spirits and ascended cultivators could move among and around them, and since qi permeated everything, their borders were in many ways just as diffuse as a presence¡¯s. Mior took what was presumably the easy path, gently guiding her along. She still had a hard time parsing exactly where they were going, or what route they took. She¡¯d just have to trust them. Not that there¡¯s anything new about that. Mior could have harmed me a lot already if they''d wanted to.


    But after a while, the spirit slowed. They¡¯d loosened their incarnation a little, though they hadn¡¯t discorporated themselves entirely. But Acura could sense some of their presence in the qi around it as much as in the cloudy, amorphous figure turning to her now. She¡¯d seen the spirit like that before, several times, and the one time Rijoko had visited her, he¡¯d done something similar. She only recalled that visit vaguely, but she knew he was extending his protection over her. In any case, no other spirits had even approached her and Mior so far.


    ¡®Okay,¡¯ she said. She actually used the English word; she¡¯d always had a verbally expressive mind and often thought in words anyway, and Mior was good enough to parse the meaning out of any thought-speech. ¡®Where exactly are we now, and why did you bring me with you?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re not anywhere important. This is really just a little spot nowhere in particular.¡¯


    ¡®And why are we here, Mior?¡¯


    The spirit took a step closer, and managed to look like they¡¯d tucked their hands into their pockets without actually having any clothes. ¡®We didn¡¯t need to go here in particular, but it works. What I want to show you is actually not there, exactly. But we can see the effects of what someone else is doing. It¡¯s getting harder to look into the Zarian Dominion. Like gazing through a piece of half-molten glass. Someone is twisting things out of alignment.¡¯


    ¡®Jideia.¡¯ Acura fixed her attention on the spirit. ¡®Is that a side effect, or is he just trying to hide whatever he¡¯s getting up to?¡¯


    Mior spread their hands. ¡®Who knows? I¡¯m inclined to think the latter. He¡¯s not using enough power to meaningfully shift the nature of all the qi in such a wide area. The other Greater Spirits would never stand for that even if he was stupid enough to try it. But still ¡­¡¯


    Mior gestured, and it took a moment for Acura to sense what the spirit was actually doing. The qi around them swirled, condensed, and yet faded. Dimly, she sensed that it had something to do with the nature of the place. They were at a point where paths crossed. Or something like that. But she didn¡¯t have much attention to spare for that, and instead focused on what the spirit was showing her.


    Acura would have sucked in a sharp breath if she could have. She recognized the building whose wavy shadow suddenly appeared in front of them, although it had clearly undergone extensive renovations. It hadn¡¯t sported that many statues or quite this much gold leaf in the pictures she¡¯d seen. Still, this was definitely the temple of the Storm in Saria, one of the oldest cities in the Dominion and its current official capital. At the edge of the picture, she saw barricades and even what might be smoke rising, but that paled in comparison to the dark clouds gathered overhead. They loomed far down, seemingly almost in touching distance from the temple¡¯s roof, although that had to be an illusion.


    ¡®No lesser mortal has entered that temple in at least the last day,¡¯ Mior commented. ¡®There have been a lot of priests and even quite a few temple knights, though. And now, not too long ago ¡­ well, you can feel it yourself.¡¯


    Acura shot the spirit an irritated thought and focused more closely on what she saw. There was indeed something odd about it, beyond the obvious. She concentrated on the qi the impression carried, clearly an imprint of the real thing. It was a chaotic swirl, and yet ¡­ she sensed something she¡¯d never really sensed personally before, but it was still unmistakable.


    ¡®Son of a - Is that Jideia himself?¡¯


    Mior sighed. ¡®Yep. As far as I can tell, his grubby little fingers are all over that place. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s incarnated in person there, but who knows ¡­¡¯


    They stared at it in silence for a moment, while Acura tried to parse what this meant. It was hard, not just because she still found her mind a little sluggish and thinking exhausting.


    Then, suddenly, the feel of it changed again. Mior¡¯s imprint shuddered, then contracted a little. The sensation intensified to the point that Acura couldn¡¯t possibly have missed it.


    ¡®Well, I suppose that answers that question,¡¯ Mior commented, their mental voice tight and controlled to keep out emotional undertones.


    Acura stilled for a moment, then suddenly compacted her qi presence. She was aware this might not be a good idea, but in that moment, she didn¡¯t care. She tried it, and it worked. In the span of a few seconds that lasted far too long, she condensed her form into a humanoid shape. It felt oddly stifling, as if she was cramming herself into a container a size too small, and yet freeing. A moment later, she exerted her will again, and turned the rough collection of qi into something far more real.


    Acura opened her eyes, gazing around. She chuckled, listening to her voice echo through the weird space in between. She flexed her fingers, then patted her face. Everything appeared just like it should be.


    ¡®Feeling better?¡¯ Mior asked drily. ¡®That was very well done, again.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Acura sighed, belatedly wondering about the lack of air in this place, before she pushed that thought aside. ¡®I think we have bigger problems right now, though.¡¯


    Mior shifted to look again at the picture they¡¯d created, which was shuddering and dissolving into the ambient qi. ¡®That we do,¡¯ the spirit said quietly. ¡®I think Inaris has it worse than us, though.¡¯


    Acura grimaced, suppressing the stab of guilt she felt at that. She¡¯d have time to sort that out later. But she knew Mior was right, and wishing she was there to take on these challenges instead of her daughter couldn¡¯t make it so.

 172: Complications

    <div>


    Of all the things I might have expected to find once we drew close enough to the Zarian city, seeing it burning wasn¡¯t one of them.


    It took me a moment to realize that it probably looked worse than it was. The whole city wasn¡¯t on fire, there were just a few very intense fires giving off a lot of smoke. Perhaps something in whatever materials had fallen prey to the flames. Even so, anyone could see that this city was in bad shape.


    I frowned, cycling some qi to my eyes to get a better look. We''d anticipated infighting between the noble families and the temple, but I wouldn¡¯t have expected it to get this big this soon. My intuition told me that something else had happened.


    ¡°What in the spirits¡¯ names is going on here?¡± Kajare muttered. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of fire.¡±


    I glanced at him and forced a small smile. ¡°I was just thinking the same thing. I suspect that something happened to prompt this, ut without more information, it¡¯s hard to say.¡±


    Both of us turned and looked at Elis, who stood on a flying sword a little behind us. He clearly noticed our gazes, but only shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. I haven¡¯t heard any reports from there in a little while, and you know getting messages has never been easy, even when the city isn¡¯t disintegrating around the Basement¡¯s ears.¡±


    Fair enough. I nodded at him, then turned back around. The army was probably going to make camp any moment now, anyway. We were coming close enough to the city to prepare for a siege, and definitely close enough to threaten it in a strategic sense and keep them from diverting forces, which was half of the point of this.


    As if on cue, the soldiers following us stirred as the signal went out. I pulled my own flying sword up a little, hovering in the air, watched while they quickly set up camp, and tried not to sigh at the people hovering around me. I can¡¯t even tell at which point I acquired a following. That¡¯s kind of sad. And with everyone together, Elis coming along, and even Ceion hanging around the periphery, it was generally getting a little crowded.


    It took a bit longer to set everything up than I¡¯d have hoped, just another indication of how much our recent losses had cost us. A lot of the soldiers who¡¯d become experienced veterans of our campaign south so far were now dead. Their replacements were not just weaker overall, they also lacked much of that experience. Something I definitely needed to keep in mind. Even in a cultivation world, ignoring psychological factors like morale and experience in favor of cold calculations about strength levels would only come back to bite you.


    Finally, though, they finished, and I let the officers and my companions slowly trickle down and into the command post they¡¯d set up, while I stayed in the air for a while. I found myself turning to watch the city. Something about it called to my attention, although it was hard to pin down. Or maybe I¡¯d just gotten too used to interpreting everything as super intuition, it wasn¡¯t like the situation didn¡¯t warrant consideration enough on its own.


    By the time I finally made it into the command center, there was already an argument in progress with no signs of letting up. I found that one of the less visible effects of our loss. We¡¯d lost not just many of our officers, but with Wei Jun, also the top general and the leader who had been able to keep everyone focused in working towards the same goal. Now, with not just army officers, but nobles and eighth-stagers (sometimes both, of course), trying to stick their spoons into the broth, that had gotten a lot more difficult.


    Before I could recapture their attention and try to beat down on the posturing, Ki Niyani spoke up, her words cutting through the din. ¡°Are you all quite done?¡± She curled her lip disdainfully. ¡°This is the command center of an army, not a place for squabbling children. I shudder to think what Her Majesty would say about the disrespect we are showing the Imperial Princess, not to mention each other.¡±


    That brought at least a temporary halt to the arguing. I stepped further inside, inclining my head slightly in a gracious motion I¡¯d gotten some practice with recently. ¡°Thank you, Lady Ki,¡± I responded. ¡°If that¡¯s all, then, perhaps we could focus on discussing the strategic situation. General San?¡±


    Hashar bowed. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. As you could all see personally, pivotal events seem to be afoot in the city, but we have as yet little conclusive intelligence on them. Our Basement allies are doing all they can -¡± she talked over a soft snort coming from a corner of the room - ¡°but we have not been able to get many details from them yet. We do have indications that the temple is involved.¡±


    ¡°If I may?¡± Aiki Ilia diffidently cleared her throat. At my nod, she continued speaking. ¡°We managed to break through the formations warding the city against scrying, although only for a brief moment. Still, it seems apparent that there is a military curfew or similar measure in effect, while citizens are trying to flee the city towards outlying settlements at the same time. There also appears to be fighting between the forces of several noble families, though only sporadically and without much coordination. But the biggest concern is almost certainly centered on the temple of Jideia.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh. I¡¯d half-expected news like this, but that didn¡¯t make it welcome. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything like reliable intelligence, my lady.¡± She frowned in obvious displeasure. ¡°But some of our sources, both Imperial and Basement, have indicated that spirits might be involved. Apparently, we have little but intangible sensations as evidence, but that this came up several times is telling.¡±


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    This time, I did sigh. Great. Spirit b.s. going on and we don¡¯t know what, how or why. ¡°Ceion, any insight?¡± I asked.


    The spirit-child, who was lurking in the periphery of the room, stiffened as everyone turned towards him. He shook his head. ¡°None, my lady. Whatever the Storm is doing, he must have started after my ¡­ departure. Or perhaps I was purposefully kept in the dark about any preparations.¡±


    I nodded. It had been a slim hope, and even if he had had something to contribute, I¡¯d have had to be suspicious about it.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s not much else we can do,¡± I said. ¡°Do you recommend moving in quickly, or waiting to see what unfolds?¡±


    My question was answered only by silence at first, with various people exchanging looks and obviously hesitant to speak up. Not that I could really blame them.


    ¡°It depends on our objectives, my lady,¡± Hashar finally said. ¡°Do we prioritize keeping the city intact? Learning what the temple is up to? Or conserving our forces?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I admit I dislike the thought of you going into a place that is in such a state, but you and your companions are presumably best suited to finding out what this spirit-related business is. That would require us to secure the city first, though.¡±


    I refrained from rolling my eyes. She knew me well enough to know that while I was hardly suicidal, I sometimes acted recklessly. I wouldn¡¯t like the thought of sending soldiers into danger while safely hanging back, but if the strategic reality demanded that, I would do it. This was different, though; as she¡¯d pointed out, I was probably the most likely to make any sense of whatever sensations I could pick up, but that would require getting closer to the temple.


    ¡°I do want to know what they¡¯re up to,¡± I answered after a moment. ¡°That is a priority. Besides, it strikes me that if they¡¯re trying to do something, it¡¯s probably better to stop it rather than let things run their course and let them get whatever they¡¯re after.¡±


    ¡°Plus,¡± Tenira added, ¡°we probably can¡¯t make the situation in the city much worse. Or at least, if we move in and secure it quickly, we can probably contain it and limit the destruction compared to what might happen otherwise.¡±


    There were nods from several people. I considered it for a moment, then nodded, as well. Trying to limit collateral damage and casualties should definitely be another priority, and she wasn¡¯t wrong. Especially since whatever the spirits or priests of the Storm were cooking up might not just have consequences for us. I could easily imagine him tolerating a lot of collateral damage to the city and Zarian citizens in general if it fulfilled a goal of his.


    ¡°Let¡¯s prepare to move out as soon as possible, then,¡± I said. ¡°I imagine, with everything else going on, the Zarian won¡¯t keep as close an eye on their formations and wards, or be able to respond as well as they might wish. Still, let¡¯s not take unnecessary risks. I want bombing runs prepared and airships ready to come in if needed, as well as several of our newest generation siege engines set up. Only those slated for breaking qi shields. If those parts of the city are full of civilians, let¡¯s not bombard them.¡±


    A stir went through the room and several of the officers saluted. My own companions¡¯ gazes sharpened, as we turned our minds to the new offensive. We¡¯d have to be quick, but still careful. A misstep now could be costly.


    From now on, the gathered officers and leaders were a lot more on task. With the encouragement of Hashar and others, they actually managed to put together an operational plan pretty quickly. I held back, since I¡¯d outlined what I wanted and it was now their job to turn that strategy into a reality. A few officers came and went from the command center, and many more qi constructs and electromagnetic waves carried orders and messages.


    We¡¯d wasted too much time, but at least we were making progress. I could sense the army forming up around us. I¡¯d have to stay in the back again while they moved on the walls, but by now, I was used to that.


    I was just considering whether I should remove myself from the command center and get into position when Elis caught my eye. He tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. I glanced around, then slipped forward, keeping to the edges of the room. Of course, people noticed me leaving, but no one raised a stir.


    Elis met me in a side room, where not many people lingered in the vicinity. He started weaving a qi shield immediately. I crossed my arms, but kept quiet. Tenira and Elia had followed us, and while Tenira looked curious, neither of them spoke, either.


    ¡°What is it, Elis?¡± I asked when I finally sensed that he was finished.


    He turned to me and shrugged, though I saw the slight grimace on his face. ¡°I just wanted to say goodbye, Inaris.¡±


    Before I could stop myself, I stiffened up. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    ¡°No. Yes.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m going south.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°That¡¯s stupid, Elis. In case you haven¡¯t noticed, we¡¯re at war with the Zarian, and the situation in the Dominion is just a little skip short of civil war.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡± He crossed his arms and shot me a baleful look.


    ¡°While Nari could have expressed it more diplomatically,¡± Tenira looked at me sideways, ¡°she¡¯s not wrong. Going into the Dominion now would be very dangerous.¡±


    Elis shook his head. ¡°Not as much for one man as for an army. Especially not a shapeshifter who knows his way around the region.¡±


    I glanced at Elia, then back at Elis. I guess he has a point. But still. ¡°It would still be a risk, and for what? Why are you so determined to go?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I have to, Inaris. I can be a lot more help down there, working with the Basement, than sitting on my butt here. Vana could really use the help of a truth-teller, you know? Besides, there are a few other things I want to follow up on.¡±


    ¡°Personal reasons,¡± Elia put in. She sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t like him going off like this, either, but I understand.¡±


    I nodded slowly. He did make a few good points. Then why do I dislike the idea so much?


    ¡°Please be careful,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Everything else aside, you getting captured by the Zarian would be really bad. Going to rescue you would really put a damper on our plans.¡±


    Elis grinned at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tenira, I can take care of myself.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I hope that you can. Very well, I suppose you don¡¯t technically need my approval, but I won¡¯t stop you. Take care.¡±


    His smile faded and he just looked at me in silence for a moment. Our gazes locked by accident, and I could see something going through his eyes that I couldn¡¯t quite describe. I couldn¡¯t quite make sense of what went on in my own head right now, either.


    Then the moment broke and Elis gave me a roguish smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nari. Take care of yourself, too. And the others. I¡¯m trusting you with my little sister.¡±


    Elia snorted and I grinned back. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Elis nodded to us, then strode off. After he disappeared through the doorway, I exchanged a look with Elia. Then I shook my head and turned to go, as well. We had a battle to get to.

 173: Pathfinding

    <div>


    In the time we¡¯d taken to deliberate and prepare, things had gotten worse in the city. I¡¯d expected that, although the extent of it took me aback. From up close, I could see the damage the city had taken better.


    It was arguably not that much for a city in the middle of a war. But this one hadn¡¯t come under siege, and it fared even worse than many of the cities we had actually conquered. Smoke rose up from several fires, debris was strewn in a dark spot, and the snow hadn¡¯t been cleared from some of the streets, making for icy slush and slippery footing for low-tier citizens. Few people were out, but I could sense them huddling together in several buildings and what might have been underground bunkers.


    Our soldiers were suitably careful as they advanced into the city. We¡¯d managed to bring down the outer walls pretty easily, but I didn¡¯t have any illusions about that being the hard part. The city was built in several terraces, and the outer walls had clearly not been expected to stand up to much in the last few centuries before the war. There were a few huts outside, though their inhabitants appeared to have fled, but most of the city¡¯s poor quarters were actually inside them, from what I could tell. A qi shield still covered the inner walls. If we had to, we¡¯d send out planes and elites to take that down.


    ¡°My lady, let¡¯s move,¡± Aston spoke up.


    I nodded and started walking, resisting the urge to complain at how closely he and the other guards crowded me. I¡¯d resolved to follow his instructions here, so I let him chivvy me up the street and further into the city in the route he thought best. The rear guard of soldiers followed behind us, with Elia and the others forming a second clump surrounded by guards that loosely intermingled with Aston¡¯s main detail.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to encounter the first signs of resistance. I narrowed my eyes and cycled some qi to them, trying to pierce the haze hanging over the city, as I saw the telltale flashes of qi in use. A few people were fighting some streets up ahead, around what looked like an old compound built of stone. They were maybe in the fourth or fifth stages, not too powerful, and it didn¡¯t seem like an organized battle. Street fighting? In these conditions? Great. That¡¯s just what we need, several factions all thrown together and trying to beat each other.


    A squad of Imperial soldiers advanced on them. Most of the fighters turned to flee, though a few tried to take shots at the soldiers. An Imperial in the later part of the fifth stage put an end to that with a fireball just contained enough to spare the surrounding buildings. I frowned to myself. Now they were dead, hard to get information from. But I didn¡¯t say anything. My own soldiers¡¯ safety took priority, and especially with cultivators, putting someone down without killing them was always risky, even if you weren¡¯t in an inherently precarious situation.


    Yarani slid into place beside me. I noticed her tense bearing and the way she kept one hand always hovering close to where she had a blade sheathed. I gave her a small smile, but didn¡¯t say anything. We continued walking, while I stretched my senses to try to get a better idea of what was going on around us.


    ¡°Aston, how are things looking?¡± I asked after a few minutes. We were still close to the outskirts, moving carefully and far more slowly than we could have.


    ¡°Our forces have advanced along all planned routes, my lady,¡± he answered promptly. ¡°Resistance encountered has only been sporadic so far. However, there seems to be a higher concentration of fighters to the north, so the going might become harder there. We are here also coming up on what might be a base for one faction. We don¡¯t have a close-up view of the temple yet, and so far the situation around it seems unchanged.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s get a move on, then.¡±


    The soldiers pressed more closely together as we moved farther into the city, into a part full of byzantine little crossroads and curving streets. It was pretty clean and the houses seemed to be in good repair, or had been before the recent unrest, anyway. Like the rest of the city, they were mostly deserted. A few of our soldiers rose higher into the air on their flying swords in order to get a good view of everything, though they stayed low enough that they didn¡¯t present much of a target.


    Then I started to sense other people, and what seemed like far too suddenly, we came upon them. Aston raised his hand, I halted, and I stared for a moment. They wore no armor, but clothing expensive enough that I wouldn¡¯t want to take it into a fight where it could get damaged. A few of them had stayed almost unnaturally clean, but most of their fancy clothing was decorated with dust, rips and tears, and a bit of blood.


    ¡°Halt,¡± one of them cried, gripping his sword more tightly. None of them were above the sixth stage, obviously no match for us. By the way they held themselves, they knew that.


    ¡°Identify yourselves,¡± Aston called.


    They hesitated, then the same man spoke up again. ¡°We serve the Liado. And you - you¡¯re Imperials, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I frowned slightly. According to our most recent information, House Liado was loosely allied with House Siranum, whose growing faction we wanted to win. More or less. Killing these people here would be a little counterproductive, not to mention wasting some of our strength.


    ¡°We are,¡± I answered. ¡°If you surrender and let us pass without issue, we don¡¯t need to fight.¡±


    They exchanged looks and spoke in low voices, with a bit of qi shielding their conversation. After less than a minute, they relaxed their stances and started to shuffle aside.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard there¡¯s something shady going on at the temple,¡± I said. ¡°What can you tell us about that? We¡¯ll try to deal with it before it becomes a problem for the whole city.¡±


    The leader glanced at one of the others, then turned back to me. ¡°Yes, the priests have been acting strangely for a while. None of us were there, so we can¡¯t tell you any details and I don¡¯t know how accurate our information is, though. Though from the sounds of it, I suppose you want to head that way quickly.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I understand. Then what can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°The temple has been walled off from the rest of the world somehow,¡± he said slowly. ¡°No one is sure how, but it doesn¡¯t seem like a lot of qi was used, so it has to be a very sophisticated technique. There have also been rumors about the Storm. Clouds are gathering over it. They say his qi is rising, building up to something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard this is happening in other temples,¡± another woman cut in. The leader shot her a look, but she ignored him.


    I frowned. That didn¡¯t sound good. ¡°Alright. I see. Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    We started moving again. The soldiers pressed closer together and the guards put up shields of qi around me and my companions. But no one stopped to try to apprehend the Zarian fighters. Clearly, they all realized that we had bigger fish to fry right now.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I didn¡¯t go so far as to contact the rest of our forces and arrange safe passage, though. Chances were they¡¯d run into other Imperial strike teams, and they could try to deal with them then. Hopefully, the Zarian would be smart enough to surrender quickly. I didn¡¯t think they posed much of a threat to the Imperial forces, at least, and I¡¯d gotten what I needed from them.


    We moved on from the district into another one leading right up to the inner walls. Here, the houses grew bigger, rising in large complexes dotted with windows, flower boxes hanging from the occasional balcony, while the streets seemed narrower than before. The street leading to the gate was designed to zigzag back and forth. We were just moving onto the last stretch when more presences popped up to my qi senses.


    I tensed, but after a moment, I realized that Aston didn¡¯t show any reaction. Frowning, I glanced around. Then the half-dozen people came into sight, crouched on the roof of one of the smallest buildings.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± one of them called down to us. They wore a hood and the voice was slightly muffled, so I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a man or a woman. ¡°We¡¯re glad to see you arrive.¡±


    I glanced at Tenira, then Elia, raising an eyebrow, and received a slight nod, before I turned back to them. ¡°We do our best,¡± I called. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°Crazy,¡± the Zarian answered. After a moment, the hooded figure jumped down and landed on the street before the first guards, apparently unbothered by their vigilant postures and weapons. ¡°House Siranum has established a stronghold further in, to the northeast. Several other families have pooled their resources and are clashing with them, with their biggest base to the northwest close to the docks. Then there¡¯s the Temple. Lately, weaker spirits have taken to the streets outside it. They don¡¯t go far, but they don¡¯t like people getting too close to them. This has forced the fighting between the noble factions to detour to the north and south of the temple, and both sides are probing into the temple quarter, anyway. We¡¯re keeping an eye on everything, but we don¡¯t have nearly enough fighters to get involved in any of this. Then there¡¯s the various other families and unaligned cultivators, doing the spirits know what, in most cases.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. I was glad the Basement had found us so quickly and could tell us this much, at least. ¡°Thank you. What are these others after?¡±


    The Basement representative shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. Some are just using the opportunity to settle old grudges. Some might be trying to wait and throw their lot in with whoever wins. I think a few have ideas of fighting the Empire, or spying on it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, you¡¯ve helped us a lot. I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± They inclined their head. ¡°We¡¯ll give you a few guides that should help you find your way. The rest of us will disperse and keep gathering information. I¡¯m sending most of the low tiers out of the city, though. This is no good for them.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± I agreed with a smile, pretending I didn¡¯t see the hidden challenge in their eyes. I was pretty sure I was talking to a man by now, but who knew. ¡°We¡¯ll get them out through the routes we¡¯ve already cleared. If your people agree, they¡¯d be very helpful with evacuating other low tier people in the city, too.¡±


    The Basement leader gave a short bow. ¡°Of course, Princess.¡±


    The leader quickly exchanged a few sentences with his companions, and then the group disbanded. Two of them joined us on the street, and one of them pointed the way up ahead to the city gate. The army had just taken the qi shield covering it down, and the door was broken open.


    We moved more quickly now, in part because the streets widened and there was less damage visible. Still, I could sense various cultivators in the city, and I knew that while we were trying to stay unobtrusive, we couldn¡¯t hide our presence completely, either. A few of the elites accompanying us spread out farther now. A few times I sensed them engaging with other cultivators. Lone fighters, clearly, the type the Basement member had talked about.


    Those fights went well enough for my side. One time, it lasted long enough for two other elites to get there, and I could see and hear their clash even from several streets away. When that one was finished, one of the soldiers stumbled back with her left arm dangling limply and her side covered in blood. But one of the healers fixed her up quickly and she fell back to form part of the rear guard.


    Off in the distance, I could sense what had to be Siranum¡¯s forces. ¡°Let¡¯s go left here,¡± I said to Aston. ¡°We can circle around with that street, then cut northward over there. That should help us avoid them.¡±


    ¡°As you say, my lady. Li, fall in!¡±


    Aston vanished for a few moments to coordinate with the elites, then returned to lead the way down the street I had indicated. Pieces of rubble had fallen on it, but the way was still clear enough even a cart could have passed with little trouble. We pressed onward, waited for a few seconds to let a group of several powerful cultivators pass on flying swords further ahead, then continued. I kept focused on the concentration of cultivators I could sense to the northeast.


    Those on the outskirts surged towards us in a subtle but unmistakable manner. For a moment, I thought that was it. But then the motion reversed and they withdrew farther towards their base. The rest of the group did, as well. I let out the breath I¡¯d held, forcing my muscles to untense. Maybe they saw us and decided not to court a confrontation. I shook my head. When I see Vana again, I need to bring chocolates, or wine, or something.


    By now, we were nearing the center of the city, and the temple. It was actually built on the southern side of the old town, which meant we had a pretty clear path towards it. Of course, I still led the strike force using side alleys and smaller streets, where we¡¯d be less visible, at least. I didn¡¯t focus much on which path to take, but I knew that wouldn¡¯t be a concern. I could also tell that my father was vaguely paying attention, but not enough that he was sending me any messages.


    Then we rounded a corner and there it was. I slowed down, focusing on the veil of qi hanging in front of us. It was invisible and indistinct, less of a clear border and more like someone had splashed something around and we were just coming up on the edges.


    ¡°Well, nothing for it,¡± I murmured. ¡°Stay together and stay sharp.¡± Then I gathered myself and advanced.


    Almost immediately, we met the first spirit. It was a weak one, probably not sapient, and shaped vaguely like a big cat. It puffed itself up and hissed at us. When we didn¡¯t turn tail and run, it gathered itself and jumped.


    Aston plucked it out of the air before it could reach anyone. I sensed the qi gathering in his hands, building up, before the qi making up the spirit¡¯s form wavered and it dissipated. A last hiss resounded, then he threw the remains, now bleeding streamers of qi, aside.


    We pressed onward. I could sense other spirits watching us, but these appeared to be more cautious. None of them challenged us until the next street over. Here, two other weak spirits attacked, but my guards dispatched them quickly.


    Then we crossed another alley and came to one of the main streets of the city. There, just a few hundred meters away, the temple of the Storm loomed. It was indeed almost covered in thick black clouds and an even worse sense of qi, almost like the oppressive feeling when a really strong cultivator unleashed their aura. The white walls looked washed out, and the gate seemed to tilt inward.


    A roar interrupted my inspection. Another spirit jumped down from a nearby rooftop, growling at us. This one was shaped as a wolf-like monster, but with human eyes.


    It sprang forward at the closest guard. The soldier twisted out of the way, sweeping his sword around. But the weapon passed harmlessly through the indistinct shape of the spirit, and it shifted forward. The solider barely managed to dodge, then used a technique to retreat.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said. ¡°Let me.¡±


    As if it could understand me - which was possible, I didn¡¯t know if this spirit was sentient, and considering it attacked us, I didn¡¯t care all that much - the spirit turned towards me. I didn¡¯t wait for it to attack, but advanced forward myself.


    I dodged a swipe of its claws, then raked my own quickly grown ones through the spirit¡¯s coat. They actually tore rents into its shape. The spirit surged forward and clamped its teeth around my shoulder.


    I hissed, then tore myself free, flowing under the next attack and coming up with the spirit¡¯s neck in my hands. It tried to break free, but I only tightened my grip, quickly healing my small injury. I shouldn¡¯t be able to physically hold such a creature like this, but physics didn¡¯t have much to say here. So I only increased the pressure and closed my fist.


    The spirit slowly dissolved, its qi losing its structure. I drew some of it in with my next breath without really noticing what I was doing until I¡¯d done it. That did back some suspicions I had, though. I shook my head, then turned back to the guards.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue,¡± I said. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t dawdle here.¡±


    As if on cue, the clouds around the temple rumbled, and a blinding flash of lightning shot down to meet its highest spire.

 174: Presence

    <div>


    By the time we neared the temple, we¡¯d fought almost a dozen other spirits. Most of them we¡¯d killed, although some had apparently been smart enough to realize when they were outmatched and fled. I hadn¡¯t personally killed any of the others, who weren¡¯t as strong, anyway. That was probably a good thing.


    The spirit¡¯s qi roiled inside of me, integrating into my own and giving me a feeling of growing strength, but also agitating it. I wasn¡¯t a true spirit, after all, and however they absorbed qi, it clearly didn¡¯t quite work for me. Combined with the almost static feeling in the air and the pressure of the spiritual qi around me, it made me feel a little queasy. Of course, I settled my stomach down with a burst of focus, but it wasn¡¯t a biological problem.


    ¡°My lady,¡± Aston murmured, ¡°we are getting close to the source of the disturbance. It would be a good time for further information or a plan.¡±


    I looked at him and raised an eyebrow, but nodded. ¡°Right. I can still sense Jideia everywhere. So he probably isn¡¯t in any particular spot here at all. If he is, I guess we¡¯re probably screwed. Otherwise ¡­¡± I trailed off, frowning at the temple and the clouds of qi in front of us. ¡°Definitely still a few spirits, and a remarkable lack of priests. I feel like we should approach. There¡¯s no point in wasting time bumbling around out here. We¡¯re not going to learn more fighting the rest of those spirits.¡±


    ¡°As you will,¡± he agreed. ¡°Form up and forward.¡±


    The gathered soldiers, guards and elites, followed his command, and we advanced in good order. Probably. There was definitely a logic to how the people were positioned, but since I didn¡¯t know the details of everyone¡¯s skill set, it wasn¡¯t obvious.


    ¡°Can you sense anything else that could help us?¡± Elia asked quietly, lengthening her stride to walk beside me.


    I glanced at her. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Do you?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Not really. I can tell that the Sun, or whatever remnant or connection to her I have, doesn¡¯t ¡­ like what¡¯s going on there. But I don¡¯t get the feeling she¡¯s particularly fond of Jideia on their best day, anyway.¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°I wish Elis were here. He¡¯s more perceptive about things like that.¡±


    I smiled at her, deliberately projecting calm assurance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. And you know your brother, he¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The temple reminded me of the one the priests had blown up, though it was both more compact and grander in scale. No other building in the city that I¡¯d seen had been built from the same white stone, which seemed to reflect the churning clouds oddly. Shadows danced inside it, more sensed than seen, but everything was quiet. There weren¡¯t even any spirits close to it. We¡¯d probably dealt with all of them covering this approach to the temple.


    The ambient qi lying in the air thickened as we drew closer, and it felt like the ground beneath our feet was slowly but surely drifting away. I ignored the sensation. It was far less intense than some others I¡¯d felt when I went to talk to spirits. No one in my group commented on it, and it didn¡¯t feel like anyone else was unnerved enough that they wanted to slow down, either.


    Walking forward suddenly got harder. It felt like there was a veil of qi laid around the temple, or maybe another layer of it, just around the walls. It wasn¡¯t a clearly defined line, just a scattered area. I channeled a bit of my own qi, trying to draw from my connection to the Moon, and stepped forward. The guards slowed enough that I was the first one to step right up to the walls. I closed my eyes, following an impulse, and cycled my qi harder. Then I took another step forward.


    I opened my eyes again and blinked against the sight. The wall had been faded out enough by the spell of the place that it wasn¡¯t entirely physical anymore. I found myself standing surrounded by a view of worked stone, fading in and out of sight wherever I focused my eyes. They struggled to understand it, and after a moment, I just walked forward, passing beyond the wall.


    Elia followed me through after a few seconds. The rest of our party seemed to have more trouble with it. I frowned and looked more closely. Once again, Kajare had stayed behind to coordinate with the rest of the army and help the soldiers deal with their own objectives, but Tenira and Yarani had insisted on coming along. No one had wanted to allow Ceion to come, and I¡¯d agreed to leave him behind, partly because I wasn¡¯t sure how much we had really severed him from his father¡¯s influence. Taking him into a contested temple of the Storm would probably be a bad idea. Now, I watched my consorts struggling through the boundary around the temple along with the Imperial guards and soldiers accompanying us.


    I exhaled deeply and tried to push some of my own qi out and into the space around us. It was hard to tell how much purchase it found in the already qi-saturated location, but it actually seemed to help a little. At least, a short while later Aston pushed through the wall, followed by the rest of them.


    ¡°Please, my lady, stay where we can protect you,¡± he grumbled, his eyes already darting watchfully around our new location.


    ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry,¡± I replied without looking at him.


    The inside of the temple looked much like it had from the outside, except that it felt like the space had expanded. There was still the actual white-walled temple building in the center, but somehow it seemed smaller, the spaces between larger.


    ¡°It¡¯s a safe bet our presence has been noticed,¡± I said, glancing at everyone. ¡°Be careful, but don¡¯t attack anything until you¡¯re sure we¡¯re actually under attack. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then I slung my spear over my shoulder and started walking. All of the ambient qi might interfere with my storage ring, so I¡¯d rather have my weapon ready at hand. Here, Fides seemed to give off the faintest of light, illuminating my surroundings, but letting them swallow its light before it could reach far. I heard the others following me, but didn¡¯t turn around to look at them. Elia closed the gap to walk beside me, while Aston claimed the spot at my right shoulder.


    We didn¡¯t actually move directly towards the temple, but I wasn¡¯t worried about that. I could tell that the local geography had also been affected by this phenomenon, whatever it was.


    Actually, now that I was here, I started to get a better idea of that. It wasn¡¯t something I had seen before, but I still got a feeling for it. The temple was the focus of a larger working. One focus. The place hadn¡¯t been cut off from the rest of the city to take it out of it, not primarily. That struck me more as a side effect, although it would make it harder for anyone to interfere. Not that interference seemed possible, right now.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I paused, chasing that thought. Yeah, I¡¯m afraid that rings true. Whatever was going on here, it was largely done. Now the question remained, what and why. I frowned to myself and quickened my steps. I couldn¡¯t help the feeling that I was chasing snowflakes here while Jideia was bringing a blizzard somewhere. Except it wouldn¡¯t be something as contained as an actual storm.


    Finally, we did reach the main temple building, though we were at a side entrance. I checked the door, but it was locked and warded. The wards seemed to have fared poorly in this environment, and a little judicious application of darkness affinity qi convinced them not to trouble us. Then I repeated my old trick and formed lockpicks made out of horn from my fingers, molding them into the old steel lock and quickly levering it open. The door swung inward without a sound.


    The inside of the temple was empty. We emerged into a side chamber with an open doorway leading into what had to be the main hall. There was a stone bench bulging out of the wall circling the room and a glowstone in the ceiling, though it was dark and the only illumination came from outside. I glanced around, then stepped forward. The main room was about as empty as the first one. Indentations and the patterns in a faint covering of dust showed where benches and heavier objects had stood, though they¡¯d been removed what looked like some time ago. The tall, narrow windows let in some light, and the room smelled empty. Not even like dust or abandonment or sterile like a hospital, just like nothing. It was almost unnerving, given the qi in the room.


    There was another open doorway leading out of the hall at its head, but the qi in the air seemed to swallow up whatever lay beyond it. I walked forward slowly, cautiously, holding my spear tight in my hand and keeping my eyes moving. It felt like the range of my senses had shrunk, the deeper we went into the temple, but I still felt something from ahead. No priests, and I couldn¡¯t quite recall when I¡¯d stopped feeling any humans except for the people with me. Something else, vaguely reminiscent of the temple they¡¯d blown up on our way to this city.


    The place swallowed the sound of our steps as we crossed the room. Beyond, there was a square space, too big for an antechamber, but still empty, and one entire wall was mostly missing, just formed by a few pillars to the sides. It gave us a good look at where the sensation came from.


    A number of weapons lay there, arranged in a strange display. Swords, spears, a few shields. All of them were of good make, I could see that at a glance, most of them were enchanted or had been. Some of them bore a symbol I recognized as the sign of the new templars. The rest probably came from them, too. A sight like this shouldn¡¯t surprise me, when I think about it. Jideia is something like a warrior god.


    ¡°Nari,¡± Elia said, her voice quiet, but it still seemed to cut through the place. ¡°We need to be very careful here. Maybe we should go.¡±


    I frowned, but didn¡¯t argue. Carefully, I stepped closer, scrutinizing the scene closely.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t disturb whatever ritual piece that is,¡± Tenira commented.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯m not going to mess with something like that without any idea what we¡¯re doing. Even if it does allow Jideia to anchor his presence here more strongly.¡± I paused, frowning. I did feel like this thing was doing that. Well, thanks, father.


    ¡°By anchoring his presence,¡± Yarani asked, ¡°do you mean ¡­¡±


    The place around us rumbled. It was very slight, something you could easily fail to notice in other circumstances. But by the way everyone tensed up, they certainly did notice. A low hum started to rise just on the edge of hearing.


    ¡°You mean maybe we shouldn¡¯t bring two spirit-children, one from his enemy, right here in the middle of it?¡± Elia finished. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think so.¡±


    I backed up, clutching my spear. The soldiers drew tighter around us, positioning themselves so they could fight effectively. A light flickered somewhere on the pile of weapons.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat some ways, carefully,¡± I said. Suiting words to actions, I continued backing away, stepping softly and stretching out my senses. The others followed suit.


    I was starting to think we might have been too hasty. Clearly, the Storm had known the Imperials were coming. It probably wouldn¡¯t have taken a genius to figure out this might happen. And even if we¡¯d managed to stop this ritual at this temple, it was only a small piece. I was starting to figure that out. Jideia had laid his groundwork well, starting some time in advance. The sacrifice he¡¯d had performed in that one temple was only another part of it. Presumably, a large part of what he did was supposed to help with the other spirits, perhaps covering his back so they couldn¡¯t as easily attack him when he put his presence into the material world.


    Well, now I knew about it, and I could find a way to stop it. Or, failing that - and it did seem like stopping it wouldn¡¯t be in the cards - take advantage and find a way to exploit it. Whatever else was going on, Jideia was making himself more vulnerable as well, I knew that. Still need to deal with this first, though.


    We were just passing through the doorway of the room beside the improvised ritual chamber when the qi in the air changed yet again. I gasped, my knees buckling for a moment before I could straighten myself up again. A presence had suddenly coalesced in the temple, one new to me and yet darkly familiar.


    The weapons melted, and where they¡¯d lain, a figure appeared, made of roiling qi and yet with clear definition and detail. It formed a long-haired, bearded man in archaic armor, his spear crackling with the electricity of a whole season of storms.


    I didn¡¯t take any time to think about it. I didn¡¯t need to. As soon as I caught a glimpse, I bolted. My qi immediately reached out to my companions, and I ran.


    Laughter followed me. ¡®And so we meet. Not eager to face me, are you, girl?¡¯


    My people in tow, I fled, pelting out of the temple in moments. The qi around us was suddenly viscous like tar, dragging against us. In the back of my mind, I knew this couldn¡¯t be Jideia¡¯s full presence, or anywhere close to his full strength, but probably just a projection. He could still swat me like a dust mote, if my father didn¡¯t intervene and pour power into me. Rijoko¡¯s connection was active in my mind, almost humming with tension, but he didn¡¯t send me anything. Except perhaps this drive to run, I didn¡¯t know. It all happened in a moment, my thoughts simply racing frantically at speeds far beyond the human norm.


    The spirit took a step, crossing the room at once. A fraction of a second later, we burst out of the building, crashing right through the wooden entrance doors into the courtyard. The qi around us shuddered, and still we ran.


    Then suddenly, I felt a new arrival, and another person appeared. She materialized in front of us, but as we ran, she got between us and the Storm right away. I felt my thoughts crash to a halt for an instant as I parsed what my eyes and qi senses were telling me.


    ¡°Mother?!¡±


    The woman in the white stage sent out a pulse of qi. It seemed to cut right through the molasses holding us, and at the same time throw up a wall in front of the Greater Spirit¡¯s form, impeding him.


    I¡¯d slowed and come to a stop, somehow ending up closest to her, while the others had kept running for a bit longer. Mother was beside me in an instant, her eyes lighting up, even though they appeared to be mostly made of qi, like the rest of her, before she turned.


    ¡¯Come,¡¯ she said simply. ¡®We need to go.¡¯


    A gale of qi crashed out from Jideia, but Mother¡¯s power slowed it, and it never reached us.


    Then Mother grabbed my hand, even though it didn¡¯t feel like it physically touched anything, and pulled. It felt like someone had set a hook into the core of my body.


    And then we were elsewhere.


    I blinked, adjusting to another landscape of qi. In the back of my mind, I sensed the others had come as well. Of course, she was in the white stage, taking people along would be trivial.


    But I just stared at Mother, struggling against a tide of emotions at seeing her again. Then she was before me again, right there, and we had our arms around each other, her form inconsequential. I hugged her like I wanted to break her.

 175: Love

    <div>


    The hug didn¡¯t last long, considering how intense it was. After a few moments, we both broke off as if we suddenly realized what we were doing. It had settled me down a bit, but I still felt badly off balance, and in a way, this only made it worse. It wasn¡¯t like I was used to hugs with my Mother even when she had still been around.


    I glanced around at our surroundings so I didn¡¯t have to look at her for a moment. I didn¡¯t recognize the place, but it was very bare. A few spirits lingered in the distance, but too far to bother us, and otherwise, we were alone except for my companions that Mother had brought. I noted that a few soldiers seemed to be missing. Perhaps they¡¯d run too far away already, and, hopefully, they were safely getting back to the rest of our forces right now.


    Everyone had dropped to their knees and was staring at Mother.


    ¡¯Rise, please,¡¯ she told them, though she didn¡¯t spare them more than a glance before she focused back on me. She smiled. ¡®I think we have a lot to talk about, Nari.¡¯


    I returned her smile, though it felt a bit awkward. ¡°That we do,¡± I replied. ¡°First things first, where are we? Are we safe here?¡±


    ¡°As safe as can be,¡± Mother answered. She was shifting into a more physical form as we spoke. It was fascinating to watch. ¡°We¡¯re in a crossing of pathways. Mior showed me how to get around here. Jideia can probably get here, as well, but I doubt he¡¯ll go to the trouble. Still, it¡¯s probably best if we don¡¯t linger here.¡±


    I nodded. That made as much sense as anything else that had been happening recently.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon, Mother,¡± I said with a small smile. ¡°But hey, I¡¯m not complaining. Thanks for the rescue.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m hardly up to, say, the Pioneer¡¯s standards, but I¡¯m not in danger of unraveling. I won¡¯t be doing that again anytime soon, though.¡±


    She paused and glanced at the rest of the people with us, who¡¯d been keeping back respectfully. Now, Tenira and my other companions were hesitantly approaching.


    ¡°It is a great relief to see you alive and well, Your Majesty,¡± Tenira said with a bow.


    Mother raised an eyebrow and quirked her lips. ¡°No need for excessive formality, Tenira, I¡¯m not much of an empress anymore. It appears, though, that other things have changed.¡± She glanced at me briefly. ¡°I see you two finally worked things out. And congratulations are in order? I might even be able to make the wedding.¡±


    Tenira ducked her head. Despite Mother¡¯s light tone, there was something unsaid here, and for a few moments, tension stretched between them. I remembered that for Imperial culture, and probably where Tenira¡¯s soul journey sent her, this was a bit of a thing.


    ¡°Yeah, fine, we technically got engaged without my parent¡¯s permission,¡± I said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t exactly feasible, though. How about you just give us your blessing now and we get on with things?¡±


    Tenira blushed, but Mother just chuckled. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m happy for you two, and if you need me to say it, I approve unreservedly.¡± She glanced at Yarani. ¡°That goes for you, too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡± Yarani smiled and bowed her head.


    Mother nodded, then turned back to me. ¡°We do have more important things to talk about, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Hesitantly, I glanced around.


    Mother and I went a few steps further while the rest of the group withdrew to give us some privacy on an unspoken signal. It wasn¡¯t really enough distance to stop a cultivator¡¯s hearing, but then again, there was a lot of qi in this place.


    ¡°So, I hear I¡¯m still technically Empress,¡± Mother began. ¡°Sort of.¡±


    I pulled a face and nodded. ¡°Yes. We did the best we could with the situation.¡±


    ¡°And you did well. You did use that will I left, and I¡¯m glad to see Kiyanu stepping up like this. I¡¯ll be glad once you reach the eighth stage and get officially crowned, but in the meantime, things are fine like this.¡±


    I relaxed a little, releasing some of the tension I¡¯d barely been aware was there. And her last sentence made me remember that, like me, Mother had probably never wanted to be Empress, she¡¯d just been born and raised to the position. ¡°I imagine it can be a relief to let go of that responsibility,¡± I said.


    Mother hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Yes. Especially since I didn¡¯t abandon the Empire to a dark future. I¡¯m a little anxious, but also very relieved,¡± she admitted.


    I met her gaze, then looked away. ¡°Well, there was a civil war and everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. You handled that as well as I could have hoped for.¡±


    I turned back to her and raised an eyebrow. ¡°How do you know all this? Did Mior tell you? Or, wait, how much do you know of what¡¯s been happening?¡±


    Mother smiled faintly. ¡°Yes, Mior has kept me appraised of events. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve left out some details, and I certainly don¡¯t know everything, but I¡¯m aware in a general sense of the state of the Empire and the war. Great work, by the way. I never would have expected you to be this deep inside the Dominion after this short a time. I don¡¯t think I could have done it.¡±


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    ¡°You probably couldn¡¯t have,¡± I told her. ¡°Or rather, we probably wouldn¡¯t have if you¡¯d still been there. The situation certainly provided a lot of pressure.¡± And I¡¯d leaned harder into the whole industrialization thing than Mother ever had.


    She blinked, as if surprised by the thought. ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯re right about that. I certainly can¡¯t argue with results. I still feel bad about leaving you to fight this war, even with Kiyanu¡¯s help.¡±


    I gazed out into the darkness, staying silent. There was a dim, diffuse light illuminating everything, but expect for qi, it was as if we stood on a featureless plain. Any other spirits had disappeared.


    ¡°Inaris?¡± Mother asked. ¡°I said, I feel bad about you bearing this sort of responsibility.¡±


    I turned back to her. ¡°Well, you should.¡±


    She twitched, just slightly. ¡°I understand if you feel resentful¡­¡±


    Anger was starting to rise in me now, calmly coming closer to the surface. It had been there before, brought into focus from the moment I saw her again. I clenched a fist. ¡°Oh, you understand, do you?¡±


    Mother hesitated. ¡°Nari, I didn¡¯t do any of this on purpose, you know. I wouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°And that makes it all better?¡± I took a step closer to her, feeling my lips pulling back in a snarl. ¡°That you were just negligent, not noticing what was going on in your own court? That you put your damnable infatuation with Carston above any sensible caution and got surprised when it blew up in your face? The people who died in the attempted coup, trying to protect you and us? The ruin it almost brought?¡±


    ¡°Nari -¡±


    ¡°I had to drag things out of the fire by the skin of my teeth!¡± I stabbed a finger forward accusingly, knowing that I was getting louder, but not caring. ¡°You left me with a shattered palace, half an Empire, and no plan! You left me in charge of our family!¡± I paused for a moment, breathing heavily. ¡°I had to tell Al and An what happened, Mother! I had to watch Al stew in his anger and try to get An oriented! To somehow make sure they were cared for when I had to go off to war. I¡¯ve probably screwed things up in a dozen different ways.¡± I closed my eyes for a moment, shaking my head. ¡°I was nineteen, by this world¡¯s clocks! I was - am - in no way ready to raise children. But I suddenly had the responsibility for two younger siblings dropped in my lap, in addition to all the other shit, and I don¡¯t know who¡¯s worst off for it!¡±


    I came to a stop, still breathing heavily, and felt my nails digging into my palms. Mother stared at me, her eyes wide. For a minute, we just stood there in silence. I unclenched my hands and got my breathing back under control, but I didn¡¯t take my attention away from her.


    Finally, she spoke quietly. ¡°I know.¡± She bowed her head, seeming to sag slightly. ¡°You are right to be angry. There¡¯s not much I can say to that.¡±


    I let out a long breath, feeling some of the tension flow out of me along with it. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Mother shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I quite deserve all of this vehemence, but I can hardly blame you for it. I did fail you. I¡¯m your mom, it was my job to protect you. Instead, you were the one who saved my life. Like I said, you¡¯ve done better than I had any right to expect. And I know it¡¯s not easy, but I¡¯m certain that you¡¯re caring properly for Al and An.¡±


    I twisted my lips slightly. ¡°I have Kei Yating taking care of An. He¡¯s her father, after all, even if you never acknowledged that. I still haven¡¯t officially recognized it, but everyone knows.¡±


    She smiled wryly. ¡°Good. Yating deserves to be with his daughter, if nothing else. I¡¯m probably lucky that man chose to stay with me all those years. He certainly would have deserved better.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Seems like there¡¯s some of that going around.¡±


    Mother straightened up again and clasped her hands before her. ¡°I¡¯ve done quite a few things I¡¯m not proud of in my life, mucked quite a few things up. Perhaps ironically, I think I was a much worse mother than an empress. You know ¡­¡± She exhaled softly. ¡°I think I feel the most guilt about you, even if I never allowed myself to properly express it, or even acknowledge it to myself. My feelings towards you were always¡­ complicated.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and cocked my head to the side, telling my heartbeat to slow down. ¡°What do you feel about me?¡±


    Mother met my eyes again. ¡°Love, anxiety, pride, guilt. Love has always been strongest. Believe me.¡± Then her eyes slid off me into the distance. ¡°But like I said, also guilty. I am sorry, Inaris.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about failing to see the coup,¡± I said quietly. I knew what it was about. Probably the biggest reason she called herself a bad mother. I realized, to the surprise of some part of me, that I couldn¡¯t agree with that assessment.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s about how you came to be, and how I used you.¡±


    ¡°You already apologized for that, I think,¡± I said slowly, grimacing a little as I thought back to that day. ¡°I always said I understood. Which is the truth. I do. It never felt like it was the right thing, but I feel like I can¡¯t blame you for doing what you thought was best as the Empress.¡±


    Mother nodded. ¡°I get it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± I sighed and shook my head. Then, surprising myself almost more than I did her, I stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder briefly. ¡°That¡¯s not all. It¡¯s okay, Mother.¡±


    She looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. She touched my hand softly. ¡°Thank you, Nari.¡±


    ¡°You said something else that day. I¡¯ve been cursing the fact that I was unable to respond since then. But now that we¡¯ve seen each other again, I can.¡± I hesitated for a moment, then pulled her into another hug. ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    I felt Mother cling to me more tightly for a moment, before she relaxed. We embraced each other for a short while, before we simultaneously pulled away. She smiled, and her eyes were brighter than before.


    I returned that smile. I couldn¡¯t remember ever initiating a hug with her, although I now realized how stupid that was. I knew that even before my soul journey, we probably hadn¡¯t told each other those words often, and certainly never afterward.


    It didn¡¯t make me forget about what I¡¯d said before. I still felt anger and resentment, but I also knew that that was okay. You could love someone without liking everything about them. After all, we were family.


    As we looked at each other, I felt like we shared that understanding. That there were still issues, wounds and scars that had been covered before, but laid free by what had happened. But we wouldn¡¯t let that drive us apart.


    ¡°You should go now, Nari,¡± Mother finally said. ¡°We¡¯ve been here too long already, and I need to conserve my strength.¡±


    I nodded and stepped away from her, finally glancing at the other people in this place. They were all turned away from us, but I knew better than to think they hadn¡¯t been paying attention. Mother and I had talked in English, but we hadn¡¯t exactly hidden anything else about our conversation. I found that I didn¡¯t particularly care. They were all loyal enough that seeing us display human emotion shouldn¡¯t hurt that devotion.


    Mother and I walked back to the group. I caught Tenira¡¯s gaze, and gave her and Yarani a quick smile. They both seemed relieved that things had ended peacefully despite the shouting.


    ¡°Can you show us how to leave and where to go?¡± I asked Mother. It was probably best if we didn¡¯t come back to the temple, though I wasn¡¯t entirely sure where we really were at the moment.


    ¡°I can take you,¡± she replied. She smiled again. ¡°Please give Al and An my love, Nari. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to talk to them in the not too distant future.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Then Mother¡¯s qi surged, and as it wrapped around the group, the place faded around us.

 176: Protection

    <div>


    Despite all odds, we¡¯d managed to keep the city relatively intact.


    As I stood looking out over the spread of its buildings, what felt like half of them damaged or scorched, I recognized that this was something of an accomplishment. Jideia¡¯s presence had not done the area around the temple any favors, especially when he charged out to chase us. Not to mention the storm.


    Winter had come to this region. While the people were certainly used to blizzards, apparently, no one remembered one ever being as bad as that storm had been. Snow and ice still covered the city, making the streets hard to traverse. It didn¡¯t feel that bad compared to the damage the fighting and everything else had wrought, but I knew we were in danger of losing more people to the cold and exposure than the spirits or the storm. It was a strain on the already busy army, trying to not only sort out the mess of the noble families who¡¯d fought, but also protect and manage the city. But we had enough strong cultivators we should be able to keep the people reasonably safe and comfortable, and I didn¡¯t care if they wanted to grumble about menial work.


    I shivered slightly, turning away from the window in my dark bedroom. In recognition of the cold, I¡¯d slept in a loose pair of pants and a long-sleeved shirt, but now I felt like I wanted something warmer. That was probably psychological. But I paused as I looked at my bed and smiled.


    Our quarters had been hastily arranged in one of the noble mansions in the city that remained most intact, and the bed was a little small for all of the people using it. Kajare and Yarani and I had pounced on each other as soon as we were alone. Tenira had joined us at some point after we were finished, obviously not to participate, but just to cuddle. I was certainly happy to share some comfort the way only a good group cuddle could. Right now, I saw her still curled up with Yarani. Tenira wore a nightshirt while Yarani and Kajare didn¡¯t. I quietly pulled up the covers that had slipped over them.


    It wasn¡¯t quite dawn yet outside. I hadn¡¯t slept much, which was a bit of a shame, since I couldn¡¯t really fully sleep, anyway. But my dreams just hadn¡¯t been as relaxed as usual. I sighed softly, crossing to the wardrobe and leafing through the clothes some servant had hung up. I only recognized most of them. If nothing else, that should show that our logistics were still working.


    Once I was fully dressed, I debated going outside to cultivate, but I didn¡¯t really want to meet people right now. Instead, I settled down on the floor, calming my breathing.


    Before I could fully sink into my meditation and start proper cultivation, something roused me. I opened my eyes, blinked, and tried to find out what I¡¯d sensed. Right now, I couldn¡¯t feel anything out of the ordinary. At least, nothing I could put my finger on. But the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I knew there was something. Frowning, I stood up.


    ¡°Nari?¡± Tenira asked, rolling over on the bed and gently pulling her arm out from under Yarani. ¡°You¡¯re already up? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Probably nothing,¡± I replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need to get up yet.¡±


    She looked at me for a moment, then started getting out of bed. Beside her, Yarani and Kajare stirred. I sighed, but clearly, no one was going back to sleep. At least they should all have gotten enough rest, considering our cultivation stages.


    I turned my focus to our surroundings. I could sense Aston and a few other guards outside, guarding the room. They appeared alert, but that was their job. Imperial guards also secured the rest of the building, and there were a few soldiers and elites around, even at this hour. I couldn¡¯t sense any of the eighth-stagers close by, which I didn¡¯t mind at all. They and the rest of the nobles had mostly found other accommodations. Besides that, I could sense a few servants and some citizens outside the estate, most of them probably asleep. I could go back to sleep myself and check, but that didn¡¯t seem necessary.


    Tenira opened the door and we piled into the hallway. I noticed the way the others all followed my lead without question, probably trusting into my intuition. It made me feel a little warmer. But I focused my attention on my surroundings again and started slowly making my way through the building. More guards joined us on the way, presumably alerted that there might be trouble.


    We finally exited the door into an outer courtyard that was sheltered from view by the walls of the main building and two side wings of the mansion. I frowned, then stopped, as I recognized what I sensed here. ¡°Ceion?¡±


    The presence I¡¯d sensed grew clearer as the darkness affinity qi shrouding it was pulled back inside. Ceion smiled a touch sheepishly. ¡°Sorry, my lady. I hope I didn¡¯t alarm you.¡±


    I shook my head and stepped closer, the others still following me. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. What are you doing out at this time, though?¡±


    He hesitated. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep and was feeling restless and on edge. I thought going for a walk might help. And I tried practicing my techniques a little.¡±


    I frowned again, more deeply. Faint alarm bells were beginning to ring in the back of my mind. ¡°You really thought creeping through the grounds here in a place like this without being watched was a smart idea?¡±


    Ceion blinked. I could tell that he was startled. ¡°Now that you mention it, that might not have been one of my better ideas, was it?¡± he said ruefully. ¡°I¡¯m lucky no one took me for an attacker or thought I was trying to sneak out.¡±


    I cocked my head. ¡°Where were you going, Ceion?¡±


    ¡°Nowhere in particular. I was just taking a walk.¡±


    I suppressed another frown, then glanced around. Suddenly, something else I hadn¡¯t quite noticed before hit me. ¡°Tenira, aren¡¯t we supposed to put up little shrines to the Moon on the corners of any grounds we set up camp in? Why don¡¯t I sense anything like that here?¡±


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    Tenira¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she bit off a curse. ¡°You¡¯re right, that should have been done. Someone must have forgotten.¡±


    We exchanged a look, and I noticed that Aston had grown more tense. ¡°Well, take care of that right away,¡± I said to him.


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± He nodded to two other guards, who sped off.


    The place clearly wasn¡¯t under attack. Jideia and his followers, like the Auditor, must have more subtle means of accomplishing something like that.


    I turned back to Ceion and sharpened my focus. Now that I was looking for it, I was starting to see the faint lines of qi binding him to me, or more accurately, something going through me. They were so faint I could barely even tell they were there, and yet, they somehow felt strained to me.


    ¡°Ceion,¡± I started, in a relaxed and hopefully calming tone of voice, ¡°I should check on you, make sure your protections are functioning properly. Alright?¡±


    He frowned, looking a little puzzled. He shifted slightly, and I recognized the tension in his posture. ¡°Sure¡­¡± he finally said, sounding doubtful and just a little less focused than before.


    I smiled at him again, careful to keep my body language relaxed, and advanced closer towards him. My guards were good enough that they didn¡¯t visibly tense, at least, as I saw out of the corner of my eyes. I felt in my companions¡¯ auras that they were preparing for trouble, though. Hopefully Ceion wouldn¡¯t notice or take it badly.


    ¡°Just stay still and relaxed and let me work,¡± I told him.


    Gingerly, I placed a hand on his head, then, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, a second one on the side of his neck. If it came down to it, I could channel a bit of darkness qi through it to really mess up his ability to take action against me, if he didn¡¯t catch me off guard. I just hoped that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. And if the Auditor managed to take him over, that would probably be the least of my worries.


    I slowly channeled a bit of my qi into him, trying to guide it to wind itself around his aura, like the rest that I could dimly sense. Ceion shifted, but didn¡¯t pull away. I breathed a little easier and closed my eyes, focusing on what I could make out in his qi presence.


    I only had a moment¡¯s warning. Suddenly, qi roared through him, qi that was other, but not quite foreign. On instinct, I snatched my hand from his forehead as if it had been burned, but I forced myself not to jump back.


    Ceion¡¯s hand came up and he grabbed my arm. At the same time, he shifted his weight and I could tell he was preparing for a kick. I moved inward and shifted my arm.


    He was strong, but Ceion¡¯s cultivation was on my level, the physical strength it gave him no higher than mine. Reinforced as my body''s strength was with my shapeshifting, I overpowered him pretty easily. I managed to put him into a hold, my left hand still close enough to his spinal column to act. I pushed some darkness qi out, laying it across his skin, but didn¡¯t let it eat into him.


    Ceion snarled and tried to shove me. I could hear him breathing heavily, strained and with irregular jumps and hitches. He started to shiver slightly, and I knew it wasn¡¯t because of the cold air. I grit my teeth, trying to make out what I could from his aura and the sudden changes. Clearly, the qi coming in was responsible for this. While I¡¯d never had the opportunity to observe him using his bloodline¡¯s ability up close, the similarity was obvious.


    ¡°Ceion,¡± I said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re still here. I¡¯ve got you. We¡¯re okay. I need you to fight this.¡±


    Ceion snarled, but halfway through, the sound shifted into a whine.


    I¡¯m going to take this as a good thing. Obviously, he can¡¯t get a full and smooth possession. I tightened my grip slightly and kept talking in a calm tone. ¡°You¡¯re being influenced or controlled. I think you can tell. I need you to fight this. I can help, but only if you do that.¡±


    I paused, unsure how to continue. If he could, he would obviously be trying to fight this already. ¡°Remember what your father has done to you,¡± I finally said. ¡°Remember what you¡¯ve been forced to do. This time, you can fight back. You¡¯re not helpless, you¡¯re free. Show him that. You¡¯re no one¡¯s victim.¡±


    Ceion snarled again, but I could tell it wasn¡¯t really directed at me. His aura shifted again slightly, and I could almost see the strain intensifying as his own mind redoubled its efforts to break free from the spirit¡¯s qi.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is working,¡± Tenira said from behind me. I could hear the concern in her voice. ¡°Maybe we need something more.¡±


    I nodded, then had to refocus as Ceion struggled again against my hold. He managed to get his elbow into my stomach and I felt the air driven out of me. My grip started to slip before I could tighten it again. I locked my joints in place and increased my weight.


    ¡°Aston, can you help?¡± I asked.


    My guard captain was beside me in an instant, carefully catching Ceion¡¯s arm and taking some of the pressure off me.


    I felt his mind touch mine a second later and let him establish contact. Then I felt him reaching out to Ceion, bringing me along.


    I sighed as I felt the turmoil engulfing the spirit-child¡¯s mind. Like I¡¯d been afraid of, it felt like parts of it were turned against itself. But I could also tell, looking at it more closely, that the impetus for that came from outside. Ceion¡¯s defenses were actually pretty good, and Aston was skillfully wedging himself into the cracks and helping to pry off the spirit¡¯s qi. Of anyone here, he had the most experience with something like this, and he¡¯d even given Ceion a lesson or two in mental defense.


    I frowned and took a deep breath. Then I drew on more of my darkness qi. Quickly, but with a deft touch, I moved it around Ceion¡¯s mind, pushing and quashing his connection to the Auditor. His qi seemed to shake as I started to cut it off from its source.


    The Auditor didn¡¯t just let me do as I pleased, though. I felt like someone punched me as more qi surged towards Ceion, but I gritted my teeth and held on. My own connection to Rijoko opened more widely, and my father¡¯s qi flowed into and reinforced me. My attempted blockade wavered, but it held.


    Everything else faded from my awareness as I focused on what I was doing. For long moments, I struggled against the Auditor. At first, I felt like I could barely hold on, but then Ceion¡¯s will gathered itself and reinforced my own. Slowly, inexorably, we drove the Auditor off. And in so doing, we cut off all of the qi he¡¯d sent over the connection to his son.


    Finally, I opened my eyes, breathing heavily. I let go of Ceion and staggered back, until Aston steadied me.


    There were tears in Ceion¡¯s eyes when I met them again. He blinked, then shook himself. ¡°Thank you, Inaris,¡± he said, his voice a little hoarse. ¡°That was ¡­.¡± He ran a hand over his face. ¡°Can we drive him off if this happens again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m quite sure of that,¡± I answered, smiling slightly. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve fought him off once, he¡¯s going to have a much harder time trying that again. Just to be safe, I¡¯ll also reinforce Rijoko¡¯s protection over you.¡±


    Ceion nodded. He still looked a little pale.


    I took a few steps back. The other crowded more closely around us, and Yarani took one of my hands. ¡°Was that all of it?¡± she asked quietly.


    I shook my head slowly, then smiled. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. I know much more about the Auditor now. I think Jideia just made a significant blunder.¡±


    The others looked a little skeptical, but no one spoke up. I glanced back at Ceion. I was starting to think that my decision with respect to him was really going to pay off.

 177: March

    <div>


    I didn¡¯t think anyone got much sleep that night. Which was probably just as well. My army was composed of cultivators who were all at least in the third stage, so it didn¡¯t pose much of a problem. But with the aftereffects of the battle for the city, the continuing headache of what to do with it, and then the excitement about our possibly breached defenses, the whole area was swarming like a kicked beehive.


    That might be why the gathered nobles and officers were looking at me with barely concealed annoyance or exasperation. In most cases, at least.


    ¡°You want to take the army out now?¡± Zheng, one of the eighth-stagers present, demanded. He had an impressive glower, helped by his big stature, weathered face, and black and gray mane. ¡°We¡¯ve barely started settling in here!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to settle in here,¡± I replied calmly. ¡°This city is a strategic target, obviously, but now that we¡¯ve taken it, we¡¯re not in much danger of losing it. And with all of the destruction here, we run the risk of just getting bogged down with local problems. We¡¯ll send supplies and reinforcements from cities we¡¯ve already taken, and they can rebuild without us present.¡±


    Several of the gathered people frowned. Breaking the usual pattern, we¡¯d not met in a conference room, but outside, under the clear and sunny sky. The cold wind and freezing temperatures would have made it unpleasant for weaker people, but it wasn¡¯t enough to bother anyone here unduly.


    ¡°So we press on,¡± Hashar said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a dangerous gamble? We risk getting cut off from reinforcements and easy contact with our bases to the north.¡±


    I nodded at her. ¡°You¡¯re right, it is risky. But we still have a lot of our airships and planes, and a cultivator army isn¡¯t that easy to pin down. Not to mention the intelligence we have describing how the Zarian are beset by their internal problems. The factional strife has finally reached the army. It still wouldn¡¯t do to write them off, of course. I think the Zarian have sufficiently proved how dangerous they are. But it¡¯s still important. We¡¯ll manage, especially with the help of our black stage cultivators.¡±


    I smiled at the eighth-stagers present. They inclined their heads in return, and Ki even returned a small smile.


    ¡°That should not be much of a problem,¡± General Poteri agreed. After his campaign on the Earth Continent was finished, he¡¯d been sent to the southern front. I suspected the army¡¯s high command wanted a strategist to replace General Wei. Or maybe Kiyanu did. Not that I was going to complain. ¡°The closer we draw to the capital, the more resistance from local elements we have to anticipate, however.¡±


    ¡°Most of those not already with the army are busy infighting,¡± Elia spoke up. ¡°But our advance will definitely stir up the great families, too.¡±


    ¡°It will increase the time crunch for everyone,¡± I agreed. ¡°That¡¯s half the point. Are there any other objections?¡± I looked around the room, but no one spoke up. I nodded and continued. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s make sure we move quickly.¡±


    The meeting moved pretty fast from there, and ten minutes later, it disbanded, as everyone headed off to their tasks. Several of the nobles stayed behind and tried to talk to me. I forced myself to remain polite and not brush them off too obviously. By the time I finally got out and stepped outside the estate, the army was packing up, soldiers preparing to move out. We were leaving a decently large garrison behind, and almost all of the strong cultivators in the city had died or been driven off, anyway.


    I walked through the streets, which were no longer quiet but still not as bustling as they should have been, in silence, surrounded by my guard detail. After crossing through a gate in the outer wall, I found a nice spot on a hill where I had a good view over everything.


    Only a minute later, I felt a familiar presence approaching. I turned and watched as the guards parted neatly to let him pass, shifting their formation slightly to watch both of our backs. Kajare wore a cultivator¡¯s robes in the traditional Imperial style, and in clan Leri¡¯s blue and silver. I wondered if he was making a point, or to whom.


    ¡°Nari,¡± he greeted me with a smile and stepped closer to kiss me on the cheek.


    ¡°Kajare,¡± I replied, returning his smile and slipping my hand into his.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked directly. He hesitated, then shrugged slightly. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve been alone and I¡¯ve had the chance to ask you since the battle.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± He smiled again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I would be so calm after seeing Jideia in person. And you finally met your Mother again. Stop me if I¡¯m out of line, but I knew you and she had disagreements. It must have been ¡­ stressful.¡±


    I regarded him thoughtfully. Tenira and Yarani hadn¡¯t brought this up. They¡¯d been there, and recognized that I didn¡¯t want to talk about it later. I was tempted to just brush him off, but the honest concern he showed stopped me.


    ¡°It was,¡± I replied. ¡°We talked things out, after a fashion. Well, it involved me having an angry fit at her, to be honest. But we ended on a better note, and I think we¡¯ve worked through a few issues.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Although I wish I could have been there to see you shouting at the Empress.¡±


    I returned his grin and lightly bonked him on the head. ¡°How boorish of you. Maybe I should just shout at you if you want to see it so much.¡±


    ¡°Be my guest. I¡¯m always at your service, my lady.¡± He put his arms around me and drew me closer.


    I gave him a quick kiss, then rested my head on his shoulder. ¡°It feels like we haven¡¯t had time together for far too long,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Just to talk.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t mind being your link between the Terbekteri and your own forces, quite the contrary, but it does seem to take me away from you and the others far too much.¡±


    I pulled back, breaking the hug, and considered that for a moment. It was true that Yarani and Tenira followed me around a lot more these few last months. But Kajare wasn¡¯t just the symbol of the Empire¡¯s alliance with the Kingdom, he was invaluable in maintaining it.


    I knew Kajare would never complain about that. He was doing his duty. He probably did enjoy doing it, on the whole, but he¡¯d do it regardless. In that moment, I really appreciated his quiet support.


    We waited in companionable silence, watching the city and the landscape of the Dominion¡¯s central lands stretching out before us. The Whitecaps towered over the area like white sentinels dutifully guarding their people¡¯s prizes. We could reach their capital in a few hours without hurrying too much, if there wasn¡¯t a war going on.


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    We watched as the army encamped from the city, soldiers leaving through the gates and forming up. This might well be the most perilous stretch of our trek so far, and the formation they took reflected that. Tenira, Yarani, Elia, and Lei joined me and Kajare shortly, before all of us walked down to take our own places. I kept holding hands with my husband.


    The signal to march out was given by several horn blasts, though it wasn¡¯t as if everyone couldn¡¯t tell what was going on anyway. Even with all the Lighters, still a large number even after the detachments we¡¯d left in various places, the army wasn¡¯t that big. Hannibal had probably taken more soldiers with him over the Alps. Of course, I intended to succeed where the Carthaginians had failed, and I wouldn¡¯t screw around in the countryside too much and waste my chance to take the enemy¡¯s capital. I just need to not be an idiot about it, either. I smiled to myself as we got moving.


    We were traveling carefully, and I could tell that the soldiers were on edge. That was just as well, in my opinion. We were now well and truly moving through the Zarian Dominion¡¯s heartland, and it wouldn¡¯t do to forget the danger. The Zarian hadn¡¯t used teleportation much since we handed them a crushing defeat with it, but that was no guarantee that they couldn¡¯t. We hadn¡¯t teleported much ourselves, either. I preferred to keep that card up our sleeve. It still meant that even careful scouting couldn¡¯t tell us everything about what we might encounter, though I was sure our scouts and Kariva¡¯s specialists did their best.


    While I could feel the tension of those around me, I simply felt relaxed. I enjoyed the nice morning breeze and the winter sun shining down on us, and listened to the plodding of shoes and spirit beasts on the trail we followed. My horse seemed to feel it as well, with the contained energy in her movements, showing me she wanted to run wild.


    The city had vanished into a speck behind us when the monotony of travel was first broken. We were traveling through the foothills of the Whitecaps now, hilly country bedecked with forests, small streams and grasses, and stretching into scraggly tundra-like steppes to the south.


    It was inhospitable country, but a beautiful one. In a way, I felt far more connected to this than to the lush fields of the Empire¡¯s north, more drawn to it. I no longer wondered why I had found more spirit-children among the Zarian than the Empire.


    One of them was among the group waiting for us in a shadowed grove just off a stony hillside. They¡¯d hidden themselves well, but my qi senses had been able to pick her out from a mile away. My group had ridden ahead (and slightly to the side) of the main army, and as I guided my horse between the trees, followed by my companions, I hoped we¡¯d be able to keep this discreet.


    ¡°Imperial Princess.¡± The older woman bowed deeply. She glanced at my companions, bowing her head politely, and smiled as her eyes settled on Elia. ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to see why you wanted to meet in person.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I mistrust you,¡± I replied, dismounting and letting one of my guards take the reins, before I inclined my head to her. ¡°But I¡¯d rather be sure about these things, you understand.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She glanced in the direction of the army. It felt like she was only in the fourth stage, but I wouldn¡¯t bet on that, and she could clearly sense their presence anyway. ¡°I see you didn¡¯t bring many of your officers.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t common knowledge among them,¡± I answered, smiling wryly. ¡°But even if they find out now, I don¡¯t think they could do much harm. Still, if you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s get down to business.¡± From the corner of my eyes, I caught Tenira and Yarani exchanging an ironic look, but ignored them.


    ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± The spirit-child nodded at us. I wasn¡¯t sure of her heritage, but I suspected it was a reasonably strong local spirit, nothing in Rijoko¡¯s, or even the Auditor¡¯s, league. She hadn¡¯t offered her name, so I wouldn¡¯t ask. ¡°We were sent by Lady Vana, as I assume you know. She¡¯s recently been titled steward of the house¡¯s scrolls.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Congratulations are in order. I imagine the new office helps with our business.¡± It was notable that she¡¯d managed such a rise with the help of the Basement and our contacts. Elis had probably reached her by now, too, of course.


    ¡°Quite. We have made some progress, certainly.¡±


    For the next few minutes, she updated us on how things were going. I listened quietly but intently, soaking up her information and storing it for later pondering, while I let my intuition play with the pieces of info. The web of Zarian politics was just as tangled as you would expect, and the recent upheavals hadn¡¯t made it easier, but I¡¯d been briefed on it before and she had a knack for distilling information and making things easily comprehensible. Vana had clearly chosen her carefully for this task. I¡¯d talked to the Basement leader in her sleep last night, so this wasn¡¯t unexpected. I didn¡¯t think the details were going to be very important for me, anyway. It wasn¡¯t my job to handle those.


    ¡°It seems like things are going reasonably well, then,¡± I finally commented. ¡°Although this mention of overtures from the other factions worries me. The hope was that we could move quickly enough to catch them before they united against the imminent threat. Still, good work.¡±


    I glanced at Elia, who nodded subtly. Apparently, she hadn¡¯t sensed anything from our visitors that would give us cause for concern. My other companions were clearly listening to us attentively, too.


    ¡°That brings me to the last part of my message, Imperial Princess,¡± the Zarian said. She inclined her head. ¡°I am to tell you that Spark apologizes, but she would like to amend the plan.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I raised an eyebrow. Our plan was pretty vague and left room for improvisation, but I wondered what she wanted.


    ¡°Yes, my lady. She requests a personal meeting with you.¡±


    After a moment, I nodded. ¡°Alright. If it¡¯s that important to her, I¡¯ll certainly oblige. I assume she has made preparations?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. She has chosen a place where you will not be observed, though it is best if you arrive there¡­ directly.¡±


    I sighed, then turned to Aston. ¡°Please find General San and make sure she meets us¡­¡± I paused, then pointed out a sheltered spot beside a hillock some distance away, hidden from view from the army. ¡°There.¡±


    Aston bowed and vanished. He¡¯d contact Hashar telepathically, and I had no concerns about her ability to slip away.


    ¡°Thank you, Imperial Princess,¡± the Zarian said. ¡°If you will excuse us, it is best my companions depart now. I will come with you to guide you to our destination.¡±


    ¡°Of course. May the Moon guide your way.¡±


    The other Zarian, who¡¯d tried hard to be unobtrusive and never spoken up, melted into the surrounding trees. I glanced after them for a moment, then turned away.


    ¡°Well, that was interesting,¡± Tenira said. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be a quiet, peaceful little outing, is it?¡±


    Yarani laughed. ¡°When is it ever?¡±


    I smiled, but didn¡¯t respond, and pulled a bit of darkness qi over us. After a moment, Tenira and Lei joined in. We quickly made our way to the place I¡¯d chosen.


    It only took half a minute for San Hashar to arrive, flitting through the trees at a fast pace, but without making any noise. She sank to a knee. ¡°Your Highness, you called for me?¡±


    ¡°Hashar, rise, please. We need to go to a meeting with an ally, and the best way to get there is teleportation. Our contact here knows the location. I hope you can get it from her?¡±


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Hashar turned to the Zarian, eying her for a moment, and smiled politely. ¡°May I?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She closed her eyes, and I knew Hashar was establishing a telepathic connection. The Zarian was probably focusing on the destination, and Hashar would try to get familiar enough with it that she could bring us there.


    A moment later, with little warning, the world around us started to shift. I stiffened and closed my eyes, enduring the familiar feeling of teleportation. It shouldn¡¯t be too far away, but this was still disorienting.


    When I opened my eyes again, I saw Hashar staggering slightly, but she straightened up quickly. Then I turned my attention to my surroundings. We stood in a clearing surrounded by trees, not too different from our origin point, thought the view of the mountains on the horizon had changed. Vana waited for us accompanied by two guards in Siranum colors. They didn¡¯t show any surprise at our appearance.


    When she saw me looking, she bowed deeply. ¡°Your Highness. It is good to see you again. I hope all is well?¡±


    ¡°Likewise. Yes, it is, for the most part.¡±


    She turned to my companions and greeted them quickly, but I could tell her heart wasn¡¯t in it.


    I frowned. ¡°Why did you call us here? Bad news?¡±


    ¡°For the most part, things have gone well. But there is ¡­ one issue. I assume you know Elis went to join me in order to help our efforts here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Where is he?¡±


    She clearly took a deep breath. ¡°They¡¯ve taken Elis.¡±


    I stared at her, then closed my eyes for a moment. Beside me, Elia sucked in air audibly. Lei stepped closer and took her hand, and I rested my hand on her shoulder briefly as well.


    Oh, crap. I should have known things were going too well.

 178: Assumptions

    The city of Saria was older than the City of a Thousand Lights by at least a millennium, and it wore its age well. The honor of being the Dominion¡¯s capital changed back and forth between some Zarian cities regularly, but Saria had been at it this time for half a century, and that showed. I hadn¡¯t seen more grand spires in any other city in this world. Its inhabitants had brightened the city with many colors, as if they wanted to spite the war. The streets were broad and often lined with trees, they¡¯d built many fountains and public buildings that signs identified as libraries or galleries, and music drifted on the wind.


    It only made the signs of deterioration stand out more sharply.


    The city¡¯s inhabitants hurried about their business grimly, with more hushed curses and displeased muttering than laughter. Several of the buildings in the districts farther from the center had obviously been damaged. There were a lot of armed figures present on the streets, but whose presence they displayed seemed to vary depending on which area you were in. Temple knights and noble family guards outnumbered regulars from the Dominion¡¯s army. Others wore no obvious uniforms, but it was apparent they worked for the High Temple. At least there was no open fighting in the streets, but I¡¯d be very surprised if there hadn¡¯t been violent incidents.


    I wasn¡¯t quite sure whether to feel pleased or troubled. Looking down at the city from my current spot on one of the hills the city was built upon, I studied it, tracing the patterns and flow of people and qi. I didn¡¯t find anything I¡¯d consider significant, or even helpful.


    ¡°My skin hasn¡¯t stopped crawling since we got here,¡± Yarani muttered. ¡°Do you have to dally?¡±


    ¡°Of course, ground your airships,¡± I answered in a lazy tone. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine and dandy, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Yarani sighed, but visibly relaxed, and nodded. I smiled at her as I turned back and brushed a strand of black hair out of my eyes.


    For obvious reasons, I¡¯d given myself a thorough disguise. I was now a curvy, slightly taller black-haired woman with a hooked nose and pockmarked skin. I¡¯d also disguised my qi presence, with the help of a few special talismans, but also manipulating my qi systematically myself. I¡¯d been channeling fire qi off and on, and modified the veil over my qi signature. By this point, I seriously doubted anyone short of Isuro himself would pick me out of a crowd. Of course, I might just meet him now. Who knows?


    I grimaced and started walking, turning my focus back on the present. Vana had just appeared across the yard, and I hurried up to catch her.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± She smiled, although it couldn¡¯t quite hide the tension in her bearing. ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure of the circumstances surrounding our friend¡¯s apprehension, but I am quite sure that my own activities weren¡¯t discovered. Quite apart from the fact that I wouldn¡¯t be here if they were. But let¡¯s join the others, if you would?¡±


    I nodded. She¡¯d taken us to a safehouse in one of the more mercantile quarters of the capital. From the way it was appointed and warded, I knew that it had been built with House Siranum¡¯s resources, not the Basement¡¯s. But that didn¡¯t matter much, as long as she was confident of its privacy. We wouldn¡¯t be using it for long, anyway.


    Inside, Kajare, Tenira, Elia, and Lei had settled down in various seats. We hadn¡¯t taken anyone else into the city except for Aston and a few guards. This endeavor rested on secrecy more than strength. I knew only the fact that he couldn¡¯t physically restrain me had made Aston agree to it, anyway. But surprisingly, I felt quite calm and at ease.


    ¡°Do you know who has him?¡± Elia asked as soon as Vana came in.


    The Zarian nodded. ¡°Not every detail, but in general, yes. The High Temple¡¯s agents, and specifically their temple warriors, are the ones who got him. I made some inquiries and have narrowed it down to two probable locations. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d keep him in the central temple complex, too high a chance for him to pick up something useful.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair, wishing that Ceion was here. Hashar had carried a message to him, but we¡¯d have to do without his input.


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± I said. ¡°It was them who originally chased him, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I thought so. That doesn¡¯t necessarily help us get him back.¡± Vana straightened her collar and sighed. She let her gaze sweep through the room. ¡°I have to admit, I¡¯m not so sure about this. You being here, I mean. I understand that you want to help him, but this is ¡­ well, ¡®dangerous¡¯ is putting it mildly.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, we¡¯ve had that argument.¡± I glanced at the others, too. ¡°These all insisted on coming along.¡±


    I knew I could have forced them to stay behind, but I didn¡¯t. I guess I¡¯m not that callous. Elia had every right to be here and would have been hard to stop, anyway. And Lei went to support her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain if your own presence here is any wiser,¡± Vana said carefully.


    I glared briefly at Tenira, who looked like she might start grinning. ¡°I¡¯m the most skilled shapeshifter on the continent,¡± I responded calmly. ¡°Not to mention my other unique talents. If there is going to be some sort of infiltration mission, my abilities will be crucial.¡±


    Vana nodded with manifest unwillingness. ¡°Alright. I can¡¯t argue that point. I suppose that brings us back to the issue at hand.¡±


    ¡°How safe are we here?¡± Yarani cut in. ¡°I know our disguises are good, but what about the location? Any potential wards over the city?¡±


    ¡°It would be hard to give you any assurances,¡± Vana replied, now sounding more businesslike. ¡°I can¡¯t speak to your disguises, although my own artifacts don¡¯t pick them up. The location should be secure. A few other people in my family know about it, of course, but they have no reason to care if I¡¯m using it to stash some agents, and bigger things to worry about besides. Our other friends have also prepared a few surprises in case problems do arise. There are no wide-scale wards over the city that would cause issues, although I¡¯d advise against walking into the temple of the Storm and asking around.¡±


    ¡°Dang, there went my first plan,¡± Yarani said drily.


    I chuckled, and leaned against the wall, taking note of how everyone looked. Yarani and Lei seemed focused, while the rest showed clear signs of nerves or unease, and Elia clearly had trouble just staying in her chair. The way she constantly tapped her feet on the ground and her fingers on her armrest was annoying, but I bit back the urge to complain.


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    ¡°Well, we clearly need to confirm just where he is,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s the obvious first step. But besides that, I think we can¡¯t afford to be too myopic. The situation is chaotic and fluid enough that ignoring everything else in the city would only bite us, but we might be able to use it.¡±


    Tenira looked thoughtful. ¡°Now that you are here after all, we need to reconsider our assumptions.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I smiled at her, then looked back at Vana. ¡°I¡¯ll give you what help I can in terms of dealing with the families and politics. In fact, it would probably be best if we have a long conversation later.¡±


    She looked dubious. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not just pumping you for information.¡± I smiled and shrugged. ¡°I do some of my best work with that kind of thing.¡±


    Her expression cleared, and she nodded, more deeply this time. By some unspoken agreement, we¡¯d been avoiding using names or titles. On the off-chance someone managed to listen in, our identities wouldn¡¯t be immediately obvious, for all the good that did. But she clearly hadn¡¯t forgotten who I was.


    ¡°Then perhaps the rest of us could start doing some reconnaissance,¡± Yarani suggested. ¡°I know it won¡¯t be the same as if you went yourself, but if you talk to us about it, we might still have a chance of stumbling on a good lead. And we¡¯d probably have to split off, anyway, to cover more ground.¡±


    ¡°I can have a few people do some scouting, too,¡± Vana said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing we aren¡¯t already doing.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Just be really careful. Only preliminary intelligence gathering, getting the lay of the land, nothing active or anything that would would cause you to draw attention.¡±


    Yarani inclined her head, and the others copied her.


    ¡°Actually, there is an opportunity here, if we¡¯re quick,¡± Vana said. She tapped a finger against her chin. ¡°One of the probable target locations I mentioned is going to be more accessible. We¡¯ve already mapped out patterns of shift changes, and the priests there typically go out and minister to the needy on a regular schedule, mostly feeding some poor low-tiers.¡±


    ¡°Then we should hurry,¡± I said calmly. ¡°But not rush into things unprepared. For now, why don¡¯t you give us some background?¡±


    Vana nodded and started talking. She laid out her thought process and what information she¡¯d gathered quickly and clearly, explaining why and where Elis might be held and what we would have to be careful about. I paid attention not just to her words, but to the way she spoke, her reactions and attitude.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tenira said. ¡°That should be all we need to get started.¡±


    ¡°If I may, I think we need to address another question.¡± Lei leaned forward, looking intently at Vana. ¡°Do you know why they were after him in the first place?¡±


    Vana hesitated, glancing again at Elia. ¡°I suspect there are several reasons. You know that he was active as an investigator and intelligence broker in the northern Dominion?¡±


    We nodded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk much about it, but apparently he was pretty successful,¡± Lei said.


    Vana shrugged. ¡°Well, I imagine that¡¯s the main reason. They don¡¯t like people like him outside their control in any case. And when it¡¯s someone in a potentially sensitive or dangerous position, that¡¯s even more true. Of course, it could also be that his specific bloodline was considered a threat. He didn¡¯t keep it very quiet, after all. And given the associations ¡­¡±


    I snorted. ¡°It really says something when these concepts in particular mark you as someone¡¯s enemy. But I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Justice is an arbitrary concept and in practice depends a lot on a given society,¡± Elia said. She shook her head. ¡°But given how things stand right now, you¡¯re right that it is pretty telling.¡±


    Vana looked hesitant. Finally, she let out a soft sigh. ¡°It might also have had something to do with more specific details of his heritage. Especially his father. And yours, of course.¡± She nodded to Elia.


    My friend leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. ¡°We¡¯ve been chasing down hints and breadcrumbs of his story for months now. I know he was involved in some surprisingly high-level political events here. Before his elite unit was suddenly transferred to a far frontier and he got killed in a skirmish, allegedly.¡±


    Vana grimaced slightly. ¡°I know. That¡¯s because he was, though not a member of the Basement, working with ¨C and for ¨C it.¡±


    I blinked. Elia¡¯s eyes widened, then narrowed again, slightly. ¡°And you¡¯re only telling me this now?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of it when I first met you,¡± Vana responded calmly. ¡°This was before my time, and it¡¯s not talked about much among the organization. But after I started working more closely with your brother, I realized I¡¯d heard about his father before, and I started chasing down more information. I mentioned it to one of my associates, who said that they¡¯d heard the name before. I told our friend when he arrived, though I think he might have known or suspected already, and was going to let him shake loose more details. Obviously, events didn¡¯t work out that way.¡±


    I sat back in my chair, frowning in thought. This was pretty interesting. It still didn¡¯t answer how Elia¡¯s father got outed or who exactly killed him, but there was definitely a chance this contributed to Elis¡¯ situation. And on a personal level, this would only make Elia and Elis more inclined to keep working with the Basement.


    ¡°This is interesting,¡± I said, ¡°and I really mean that. But it¡¯s not going to help us right now.¡± I looked at our hostess. ¡°We should get started. Would you come with me? We can walk and talk.¡±


    Vana straightened up. ¡°Of course.¡±


    I quickly said my goodbyes to the others, then left the room and the building. I glanced around, then crossed the courtyard, Vana following me, and headed left.


    We walked in silence for the first minute or so, getting from the street to a side alley that passed beside a small park. Behind a low wall at the crest of the hill, it offered a good view of the lower regions of the city. I put up a discreet qi shield to stop our conversation from being overheard.


    ¡°Before we start talking about the general situation, there is one thing I¡¯d like clarified,¡± I said.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Vana looked a little wary.


    ¡°I have no problem with the Basement taking Elis,¡± I said, keeping my tone even. ¡°But Elia is not going to get caught up in it.¡±


    Vana almost missed a step. Her face hardened. ¡°Of course,¡± she said stiffly. ¡°We are not planning to recruit her. May I ask what brought this on?¡±


    ¡°What you said about their father, of course.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s quite clear that he was intentionally killed, and most likely because of his involvement with the Basement. That means someone, the wrong someone, knew about it. It might have been sheer luck, with nothing you could have done about it, but it¡¯s also quite possible that it was a security failure on your part.¡±


    ¡°I take your point.¡± Her tone was even colder now. ¡°But I do not appreciate the insinuation. This is a mighty thin basis for making any accusation like that.¡±


    ¡°I am not making any accusations, or this conversation would go differently.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I know this was years ago, and I¡¯ve been generally impressed with your outift¡¯s grasp of operation security. Still. Whatever leak this may have been will have to be stuffed, ¡®Spark¡¯. If my friend gets harmed because of your people, I will be ¡­ unhappy.¡±


    I noticed that Vana clenched her fingers into her trousers and her knuckles whitened, though her voice was still even. ¡°Oh, really? And you think we will just let it happen? Perhaps you should choose your words with a little more care.¡±


    We¡¯d been slowing down, and now I stopped. ¡°There¡¯s something else you may have forgotten and should keep in mind.¡± I turned to face her more fully, leaning forward slightly, my voice calm, quiet, and even. ¡°This is not an alliance of equals.¡±


    We locked eyes and I held her gaze for long seconds. She broke eye contact first, looking down.


    ¡°I appreciate the risks you¡¯ve been taking on our behalf,¡± I said in a warmer tone. ¡°We¡¯ve both, our respective organizations, profited from this association, and on a personal level, I have absolutely no desire to end it. I respect and admire your commitment and skills. The Basement has proved itself to be both an excellent tool and good and valuable allies.¡±


    But not essential. We could win the war with or without them. And a resistance organization in your enemy¡¯s lands was an asset, one in your newly conquered lands a liability. I refrained from pointing that out.


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± Vana smiled, no hint of any tension remaining. ¡°Much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I returned her smile, injecting some cheerfulness into it. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about the city and what we can accomplish.¡±


    It was, I reflected, going to be a long day.

 179: Rescue mission

    <div>


    I didn¡¯t typically get nervous in crowds. But today, the undulating waves of humanity pressing through the space around me stressed me out. It felt like every eye was on me, possibly piercing my disguise. There could be any number of strong cultivators hiding among them, ones even I, with my special ability, couldn¡¯t beat in a fight.


    How Aston wasn¡¯t a twitching mess, I didn¡¯t know. But on the contrary, he actually seemed as solid and serene as a rock, grounding me. Maybe he¡¯d moved past any anxiety into professional focus.


    I breathed a slight sigh of relief when we turned from the plaza into a side street. It was still full, but not packed, and at least the looming temple fighters on one side of the square didn¡¯t have us in their field of view anymore. My initial impression of the Zarian in their capital hadn¡¯t changed too much. They were still, generally, tense, nervous, afraid, and angry. But with crowds this size, there were a lot of individuals, and they felt and did things their own way. Some people kept joking and laughing with their friends as if nothing happened. Well, for all I knew, maybe they really didn¡¯t care. It provided a constant background of noise that made it hard to pick anything out of the din, though, and I had to almost shut down my nose, too. My qi senses were barely better off.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Aston muttered. In Zarian, considering our surroundings. His accent was almost unnoticeable, and didn¡¯t even sound very Imperial to me.


    ¡°Great,¡± I replied.


    In truth, we were probably wasting our time. The others had already started following the more promising leads. But I¡¯d found myself with little to do after Vana headed off to do her thing with her house, and I might still help. I hadn¡¯t had more of a plan than wandering aimlessly through the city and seeing if something jumped out at me, but on Aston¡¯s initiative, we were adjusting our wanderings to see some temples and bases for the Storm¡¯s following. I went along with it because nothing else happened and my intuition didn¡¯t seem to have so much as tingled until now.


    When we finally reached our next destination, I almost passed it. The compound looked unremarkable, just drab, slightly dirty white walls, no different from most of the surrounding buildings. Then again, this wasn¡¯t a temple, just a base where priests, templars, and maybe sympathizers or lay helper people, whatever they called themselves, might meet, store stuff, or the like. They probably didn¡¯t keep prisoners here, but it was worth checking out. Hopefully.


    The other guard accompanying us (visibly, at least) slowed down slightly. She was farther ahead, so this meant we caught up to her. I already knew one of the others was going to go around back of the building. But I focused my qi senses on what I could sense from it, carefully probing at the walls.


    They were warded, but not all that tightly. Not well enough to keep out a surface level scan, and for that matter, not much better than the surroundings. Maybe we¡¯d overestimated the importance of this spot. Unless this was actually more sophisticated and they used it to obfuscate a second layer.


    I turned the corner and tried not to seem like I wasn¡¯t paying any attention to my surroundings as I focused on the wards, trying to tease out more information from them. I could dimly sense a few people inside the building, though none of them felt familiar, or all that strong. Of course, they could be hiding their strength. This way, I couldn¡¯t tell.


    I was just deliberating whether to take a chance and try to dive deeper into it when a message reached me. I blinked, stopped myself from looking around nervously, and kept walking unhurriedly. It was just a bit of qi, clearly sent from a communication talisman, and didn¡¯t contain any actual words or other message. I could tell it was sent by Tenira, her qi was unmistakable.


    I caught Aston¡¯s eye. Neither of us gave any indication that anything was wrong. We probably weren¡¯t being watched, but there was no point taking a chance, and we didn¡¯t want to draw any more attention to us than we had to. Still, we understood each other. We turned another corner and kept moving away from the priests¡¯ compound. I knew the other guards were watching and would have figured out what was happening. Aston was in the seventh stage and knew Tenira, he had probably caught the taste of her qi even from his position.


    She wouldn¡¯t be sending a message like this casually, even without any actual content that could be overheard. Especially since she couldn¡¯t know for sure where I was going to be. That meant that either they¡¯d discovered something that required a quick response, or something was wrong. Possibly both.


    I started walking quicker, going in roughly the direction the message had come from, not that I¡¯d caught more than the very tail end of the trail. But I knew where Tenira was supposed to be, and she should have at least Kajare with her, if not more of the others. We¡¯d been very clear about no one going anywhere alone. Of course, they could still have been separated. I told my heartbeat to calm down and focused on searching my surroundings for anything suspicious. We didn¡¯t seem to have drawn any attention, at least. My connection to Rijoko lay cold and silent in the back of my head, but I suspected that he was metaphorically keeping half an eye on us.


    We had quite a way to go. Saria was almost as big as Thousand Lights City, and the inner portions of it tended to be filled with lower buildings and were thus more sprawling. We moved quickly and mostly avoided streets that appeared too crowded, but it still limited how quickly we could go. I kept an eye out and my qi senses as open as I could, but given the environment, it just wasn¡¯t possible to get a detailed assessment of anything potentially interesting. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about where we were going. Ever since I awakened my bloodline abilities, my sense of direction and locations seemed to be great, and I practically couldn¡¯t get lost.


    Once we neared the area where I expected my companions to be, we slowed down. I noticed that one of the guards who¡¯d been keeping their distance from me and Aston was going ahead, presumably to check out the area and report back if there was any trouble. I wished I could just use my light affinity qi to scout, but that was probably not a good idea in the middle of a busy city street.


    We turned off a main street into a side alley that led into an older quarter of the city. The buildings were a bit lower, except for some that had obviously been modified later, with additional stories built on top in stone of a slightly different color. The streets were narrow, though still broad enough for a horse-drawn cart, and I could see the occasional bit of trash strewn around the back alleys we passed. Charming. But it was worth it, because I saw a few signs in different languages, with other alphabets. At least assuming those weren¡¯t just specific symbols. All of them had Zarian text as well, and the foreign text was rather discreet, but this still indicated that this quarter housed immigrants. Probably mostly from the most recently conquered parts of the Dominion.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    If I had to bet, these people would be less than patriotic, at least compared to the general Zarian population. The presence of the other languages definitely indicated that. It was curious that the High Temple had set up such a large base here. Perhaps as a mission station? I¡¯d also expect that the Basement had infiltrated the area pretty thoroughly, which might be why Vana had known to look here.


    I stiffened slightly as I felt the brush of Aston¡¯s mind against my own. I let him in, but didn¡¯t give any outward reaction to the contact. ¡®My lady, Li reports that there is no sign of Lady Tenira or her companions.¡¯


    Crap. I glanced at him, then back at the street. ¡®I assume this is just from the outside? So they aren¡¯t in the open, but might be in the building itself?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, my lady. The wards are too good to get much information on what or who is inside.¡¯


    ¡®Well, there¡¯s nothing for it, then. We¡¯ll have to check it out. Tell one of the other guards to head back to the base and report, Aston.¡¯


    I altered my appearance slightly as we continued, careful to do it gradually so even someone watching me shouldn¡¯t notice the change. By the time we reached the walls of our target, I still appeared to be a different girl than the one staying in Vana¡¯s safehouse.


    It was a pretty big complex, with outer wall set some distance from the actual main building, which rose at least three stories high and only had small windows. The whole thing looked old, as if it might have been built as a redoubt in ancient times, but was in good shape. The large gate was closed, but I noticed that the metal lock wasn¡¯t shut, so you would be able to push it open quickly. I sensed someone hovering close by. But the guard was right, they did have high quality wards, which made getting anything more from the inside of the building frustrating.


    Still, it could be worse. I reminded myself that this wasn¡¯t a closed enemy fortress. The priesthood actually wanted to interact with its people. This was a case where brute force wouldn¡¯t at all be helpful, but that was hardly my only tool.


    So, I just knocked.


    The knocks rang out with a dull thumping sound, three raps. Then there was silence for a few seconds, but I just waited patiently, Aston beside me standing still and letting out a subtle sigh. I sensed someone moving a moment before the door was pulled open.


    ¡°Yes?¡± It was a middle-aged man in what I thought were probably priestly robes, raising an eyebrow as he looked at me and Aston. His eyes slid over the other guard who had just materialized beside me, pulling a shroud of darkness qi to cover what we didn¡¯t want him to see.


    I would have expected them to be a little more welcoming. Although I didn¡¯t know what had happened, and if they¡¯d really caught a couple of intruders snooping around, it might make them more suspicious of strangers showing up just now.


    I didn¡¯t let the speculation show on my face and just gave him a winning smile. It was a bit of a shame I wasn¡¯t as pretty in this form. ¡°Hello! I was hoping to speak to Head Priest Minu? This is his station, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The man frowned, though it wasn¡¯t a hostile expression. ¡°No, we are headed by Priest Iano.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dang.¡± My face fell slightly, although I¡¯d known from Vana¡¯s background brief that that one was from another temple. ¡°I must have confused something. Again.¡± I gave Aston a sideways glance. ¡°Yes, I know, don¡¯t even start, Tio.¡±


    He raised his hands, protesting. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I turned back to the Zarian. ¡°I¡¯d still appreciate speaking to the head priest. Or if he¡¯s absolutely not available, whoever else will see us.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what this is about?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± I hesitated visibly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a tricky matter. But important. I¡¯d rather discuss it with someone in charge, in private.¡±


    The priest didn¡¯t look particularly pleased, but at least he didn¡¯t seem suspicious. I could see him wishing that we hadn¡¯t shown up, but his professionalism and what was probably the general policy overruled it. ¡°Of course. Just give me a moment, and I¡¯ll let you in. I¡¯ll see if he¡¯s available. If not, his second certainly will be.¡±


    True to his word, he led us into the compound after a few seconds, Aston and Li trailing behind me. I smiled pleasantly and didn¡¯t let him see the way my gaze swept over the place, cataloging everything. There wasn¡¯t much to see. While this station wasn¡¯t as small as the one we¡¯d come from, it was hardly a major temple. The buildings, a main and side wing, were the same bland beige stone as the surroundings, the space kept clean but almost bare of decorations.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to the main part of the building?¡± I asked. He¡¯d led us into the central building, but veered to the side. ¡°I thought that was where the head priest would have his offices.¡± I squinted. ¡°You¡¯re not just brushing us off, are you?¡±


    As we walked, I detached little bits of light affinity qi and stuck them to the walls. They¡¯d disintegrate pretty quickly, which was good since I didn¡¯t want them to be caught, but they formed part of a technique I hadn¡¯t used before. It was a bit too ¡®traditional¡¯ in its approach for my sentiments. It would still give me an idea of what went on here.


    The Zarian sighed, clearly barely keeping from rolling his eyes. ¡°Of course not,¡± he replied. ¡°There¡¯s been an accident in that part of the building and it¡¯s closed off for casual use for now. Have no fear, you¡¯ll meet someone with high standing where we¡¯re going.¡±


    Even from here, I could tell that there hadn¡¯t been any accident, at least not that would cause structural damage. Now that we were inside, I could sense the interior of the building much better. There were, however, a few spots where my sense seemed almost to blank out. Probably warded. One of them was close to what I suspected would have been our path, and they clearly didn¡¯t want to take a chance on us seeing something we shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I smiled more brightly at him. ¡°Lead on, then.¡±


    As we kept walking, I focused on my qi senses. I almost missed a step when I recognized two familiar presences. They were very dim, and I nearly missed them. Tenira and Kajare. I turned my head, exchanging a quick glance with Aston. Li was letting herself fall back, a slight shroud of darkness qi building around her. The two of them were farther ahead, just at the edge of one of those spaces. As I was watching, they moved further inside. Well, at least we found them. And Yarani? Maybe she got away.


    I debated launching a surprise attack on our guide right now to free us to move around, but I didn¡¯t know how noticeable that would be, when he would be missed. We might still get out of this in a better way, and if nothing else, whoever we were going to talk to would be a better target.


    It seemed like we were here, anyway. I surreptitiously took a deep breath, looking down the corridor. Office space, clearly. No one was here yet, but I could sense someone coming. The door guard must have already talked to his superiors, or perhaps sensing our presence was enough.


    Although it seemed like our plan had backfired quickly, I didn¡¯t feel particularly upset. Instead, I actually felt a bit excited, nervous tension sharpening my mind. The qi connecting me to Rijoko almost seemed to tingle.


    ¡°Great, thank you,¡± I said. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll wait. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a bit of water for us, would you?¡±


    The Zarian¡¯s exasperated sigh was totally worth it.

 180: Rescue

    We didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, I felt the approach of someone in a middle stage of cultivation, probably the late fourth stage. He entered the office from the other side, and then we were asked to come in. It turned out to look just like any other forgettable office anywhere, with a desk, a few chairs, file drawers, and a window looking out into an alleyway. The man looked just as forgettable, like a middle manager in his fifties who just happened to wear robes.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said, a bit brusquely. ¡°Please take a seat. What can I do for you? I¡¯ve been told it¡¯s, I quote, ¡®a tricky matter¡¯?¡±


    I smiled at him and sat down, with Aston choosing a seat beside me. Here, he couldn¡¯t act like a bodyguard. ¡°That¡¯s true, and thank you for seeing us. It is a bit tricky, and I didn¡¯t want to talk about it where anyone might overhear, or to talk to anyone but a priest of the Storm with some standing.¡±


    The man nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I do not have a lot of time today. Some other matters have come up that require my attention.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try not to take too much of your time, then. Although what we¡¯ve come for may actually be related to those other matters of yours.¡±


    He sat up a bit straighter, and his eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Oh? Does that mean you are with - no, let me rephrase that. Why do you think so?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. I hadn¡¯t actually planned to say that, I¡¯d just done it following an impulse. One that probably came from a nudge from my father or my own intuition. But now that I had, I¡¯d see this through.


    ¡°If you mean the two people that might have been found here in the vicinity, then I¡¯m afraid we might be here for the same reason.¡±


    The priest just looked at me for a moment. ¡°I see. I hope this means you will provide us some answers we are very eager for.¡±


    I tried to discern if he was pressing some kind of panic button or sending an emergency message, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Maybe it was too sophisticated for me to sense, perhaps a silent alarm that didn¡¯t use qi at all, but I took it as an indication that he didn¡¯t consider the situation to be that dangerous. Hopefully, that meant our cover wasn¡¯t completely blown, and we might get out of this without undue destruction.


    ¡°Of course we will.¡± I smiled again. ¡°Our family deeply regrets any irritation or damage that might have resulted from a misunderstanding. But I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t say much more until I¡¯m assured that the people I¡¯m looking for are actually here, and in good condition.¡±


    He stared at me for a few seconds longer, while I smiled back pleasantly. Finally, he sighed slightly and stood up. ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll sort this out. Follow me.¡±


    I suspected this decision had something to do with the opportunity to get templars or other guards to meet us. The way he eyed Aston indicated caution, at least. But we simply followed the priest from the room quietly.


    It wasn¡¯t a long way, but it felt longer than it was. I was on high alert, my senses stretched tightly, trying to take in everything and gather all the information I could about this place. I still didn¡¯t manage to penetrate the shroud around where I¡¯d sensed my companions before, although we were going there now anyway. But I did get the slightest feeling from another direction.


    Without really knowing why or what it meant, I slowed down, angling myself to peek into another corridor besides the one we were crossing. I could just sense a group of people, their auras held tightly and almost smothered, on the move. A bit of light qi floating to the roof let me peek around the corner, giving me a view of them crossing the intersection ahead.


    I barely managed to keep my own aura under control and not make a sound. The group was arranged in a formation around one man. He wore heavy manacles that clearly suppressed his qi, and probably further talismans to the same effect. I couldn¡¯t get anything from his aura, really. And he didn¡¯t look familiar, but like any forgettable Zarian face. But I recognized him, anyway. It wasn¡¯t anything I could have described. The way he moved, even with the restraints. The way he turned his head, glancing in my direction.


    Elis. They had Elis here. I was certain of it.


    I suppressed a sigh and hurried to catch up to my host. Behind me, the bit of qi I¡¯d left dissolved into the air. Aston had kept going, managing the distance between us to cover for me. I kept part of my attention on the group, trying to trace the path they took. It was difficult, since they got harder to sense as they moved further away.


    At least now I had an idea of why Tenira and Kajare had gotten themselves into this situation. They should probably still be my first priority. Everything else aside, they¡¯d be a lot of help in freeing Elis. I couldn¡¯t assume they¡¯d left a prisoner like him without some high-powered watcher. And that part would be a lot harder.


    The section of the compound we reached now was a lot more tightly guarded, with several cultivators on both sets of doors we passed. I could sense others in adjoining rooms. They all regarded us suspiciously, but at least no one was drawing weapons. I smiled again. My cheek muscles were really getting a workout lately.


    I¡¯d noticed the priest sending a message, so I wasn¡¯t surprised that they¡¯d obviously prepared their prisoners for our visit. Tenira and Kajare wore nondescript clothing and rudimentary disguises, but I¡¯d still have recognized them instantly. Hopefully, their appearance wasn¡¯t well known in the Dominion, and the different hair colors and makeup might actually be enough. At the moment, they were kneeling on the floor, their hands cuffed behind their backs with other sets of qi-suppressing restraints.


    ¡°Yes, those are our people, alright,¡± I commented.


    Kajare sported a split lip and the beginnings of a black eye, but otherwise, they didn¡¯t appear injured. I still had to suppress a surge of anger at the sight, though I easily kept it from reaching my face.


    Their eyes darted between me and their captors, but they didn¡¯t speak. Possibly silenced by another application of qi, like a sound-dampening field. That was probably just as well. They¡¯d managed to fake a Confederate accent pretty well, but still, the less the Zarian heard them speaking, the better. But they must have been smart enough to keep quiet after they were captured.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The priest¡¯s tone was noticeably cooler than before, although he still didn¡¯t sound openly hostile. Clearly, he didn¡¯t want to antagonize whatever faction we represented needlessly. It might have something to do with our cultivation stages.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    I turned to him and bowed formally. ¡°We sincerely apologize for this incident, Priest. I recognize that your affairs and the business of this station were disrupted by a needless incursion, and will offer compensation for the damages suffered today. Let me assure you this was not due to any deliberate malice. It was simply young people being ¡­ over-enthusiastic about their duty.¡± I glanced at my two companions again, giving them a cold look. ¡°Rest assured they will be dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± the priest said. He sounded at least slightly mollified, though. ¡°We would still like to know just who is taking responsibility for this offense.¡±


    I hesitated. This was the tricky part. I could easily blame one of the noble factions in the city. He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to check this before we were out, and would probably not see any reason to disbelieve or openly challenge me on it, right now. I couldn¡¯t be sure of that, though, and rescuing Elis would turn all of this on its head. Right now, he probably assumed they were foreign mercenaries. This would be easier if I had a clearer picture of how he feels about the various groups.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I replied with another smile. ¡°However, would you consider simply accepting the answer that it was a group that deeply regrets what happens, holds no ill will towards you, and is prepared to show it in making amends? Our reparations will be just as useful regardless.¡±


    The priest frowned. He looked wary, and I caught him glancing at where his guards stood. ¡°I understand that this was a regrettable accident,¡± he answered. ¡°However, we still haven¡¯t agreed to forgo any punishment, much less the identity of the perpetrators.¡±


    I took out a money pouch. ¡°I see. In that case, be assured that¡­¡± I hesitated just slightly, looking to the side for an instant, ¡°¡­ House Siranum and its allies regret any inconvenience and will make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Slowly, I started counting out a few gold coins. The amount was trivial considering my actual position and the resources I had access to, but still a good chunk of the Zarian money I¡¯d taken with me. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow me to speak plainly, I¡¯m sure you understand why my superiors preferred to keep an eye on the High Temple¡¯s properties. However, this isn¡¯t intended to be a hostile move, and certainly not as a provocation. You will not see us again.¡±


    The priest accepted my coins easily, looking down at them with an expression that didn¡¯t quite manage to stay neutral. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m glad this could be resolved amicably.¡±


    ¡°Quite so.¡± I glanced back at my partners, who were now being freed by one of the head priest¡¯s goons. They can¡¯t have done anything too aggressive, if this is so easy to resolve. Probably just trespassing, really.


    They had the presence of mind to stay quiet, at least, except for short murmurs as they rose. They bowed their heads to me, then, after a moment of hesitation, Kajare bowed to the priest, and Tenira followed suit.


    ¡°My men will escort you out,¡± the priest said. ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me if I don¡¯t wish to see you again.¡±


    I smiled. That was basically the Zarian phrase for goodbye. ¡°Likewise.¡±


    We turned and left, and I let out a deep breath as surreptitiously as possible. One hurdle down, the rest to go. I quickly glanced at Kajare and Tenira and gave them a smile, but, mindful of our surroundings, we didn¡¯t talk. Now I just had to deal with the two minions escorting us outside.


    I caught Aston¡¯s eye and titled my head slightly. He gave me a barely perceptible nod. A second later, I felt his mind reaching out to me. ¡®My lady?¡¯


    ¡®Aston, can you subdue those two without raising an alarm?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t look at his face, but I could make out a slight shift in his aura. ¡®Most likely, my lady, though I can¡¯t guarantee it.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®Do it.¡¯


    We¡¯d just reached the intersection from where we could head in the direction I¡¯d seen Elis in. Fortunately, Aston didn¡¯t dally. I instinctively hardened my skin and focused on my qi senses, but he acted too quickly for me to really catch what happened. It felt like we were just walking along, then there was a moment of confusion and a very short spike of qi, and the next moment both of the Zarian were staggering. Quickly, they collapsed to the floor, making no noise except for a muffled groan.


    ¡°Very good,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Tenira sighed. She was massaging her wrists, and now gave me a look. ¡°I suppose the debriefing can wait, then? Thank you for the rescue, by the way.¡±


    ¡°I saw Elis here earlier,¡± I explained. ¡°I assume that¡¯s why you went in?¡± Even though they had obviously not been supposed to.


    Tenira and Kajare exchanged a look. ¡°We weren¡¯t planning to,¡± he said. ¡°But their surveillance outside was more extensive, and aggressive, than we realized, and we ran afoul of it. We tried to hide at the back of the compound, where the wards wouldn¡¯t cover the location as closely.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Well, there¡¯s time for recriminations later. Give me a moment to improve our stealth.¡±


    I breathed deeply and pulled some darkness qi to weave a technique. Tenira quickly contributed some of her own to help. Then we set off down the corridor, invisible. Aston muffled the sound of our footsteps with a qi shield around us, and all of us suppressed our qi presence as tightly as we could.


    ¡°I think I understand everything, except for one matter,¡± Tenira said. ¡°Why did you name the Siranum as the culprits? I thought we wouldn¡¯t want them to get blamed for it.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Right. If I was actually working with a Zarian great family faction, it would be much better to implicate a rival rather than my own people.¡± I shrugged, still focused on looking around. ¡°Of course, everyone¡¯s going to deny responsibility for what we do. With any luck, the priests will be second guessing everything too much to settle on any punitive action.¡±


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°Of course, I should have known it would be something like that.¡±


    I stopped, frowning down another corridor. We were now drawing close to where I figured the Zarian transporting Elis had been headed, and the doors were getting heavier and secured better, with formation arrays.


    I carefully approached the door in front of us, looking the wards over slowly. Then I sighed and turned to the others. ¡°I can disarm this, but it won¡¯t be completely quiet. If there¡¯s anyone on the other side, they¡¯ll almost certainly notice. Be prepared for trouble.¡±


    They all nodded and readied themselves. I turned back to the door and quickly inserted some of my own qi into the formation. It took a few minutes of careful and precise work, but finally, I managed to break the lock and felt the qi coating it sizzle away.


    Aston pushed me aside and opened the door right away, charging into the room before I even had time to properly take in what we found. There were three Zarian of about the fifth stage here, just starting to respond.


    Aston took them out just as quickly as he had the others. By the time I stepped into the room, they were all lying on the floor, unconscious or dead. I didn¡¯t comment on it. The door was bad enough, I definitely didn¡¯t want them to raise an alarm.


    Although that might not be much of a concern. I looked at the other door, which seemed to not be locked completely at the moment, and the presences I sensed behind it. Frowning, I stepped over and pulled the door open, readying myself to activate a defensive technique.


    What I found made me pause in surprise, until Tenira pushed to enter after me. Elis was here, alright. He stood beside another priest, who was slumped half on the ground and half against a wall. The qi-imbued manacles were lying in a heap on the floor.


    ¡°Inaris!¡± Elis took a step closer, his eyes darting around. He still looked different. His clothing was stained with blood and dirt, but he didn¡¯t appear significantly injured. ¡°Tenira, Kajare. I¡¯d say it¡¯s good to see you, but these aren¡¯t exactly the best circumstances.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you didn¡¯t need our help much,¡± I noted, glancing at the priest and the room. The walls were heavily reinforced and lacked windows, while the room didn¡¯t have any furniture except for a single table and a few chairs, one of which was clearly bolted to the floor.


    ¡°Yes, and I wish you weren¡¯t here,¡± Elis replied, still coming closer. ¡°But since you are, we really need to leave. I don¡¯t think who they¡¯ve got coming to see me is someone you want to face.¡±


    I suppressed a sigh, and quickly got moving again. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me ¡­¡±


    Elis gave me a small, sardonic smile, as we started hurrying back the way we came. ¡°If they were telling the truth, it¡¯s the Pioneer.¡±


    I closed my eyes for a moment and ran a hand through my hair. Great. Just Wonderful.

 181: Vulnerability

    <div>


    With Elis¡¯ and my senses, we managed to avoid the people in the building quite well as we hurried through it. I knew we wouldn¡¯t be able to fool everyone, and I preferred speed over complete stealth, anyway, given the circumstances. We should still be gone before any of the Zarian inside thought to check what was going on.


    Unless we were stopped, at least.


    It was obvious that Elis didn¡¯t have much qi. They¡¯d clearly drained him, and he couldn¡¯t exactly recover a lot of it right now. I knew he wouldn¡¯t be much use in a fight, and we would probably be lucky if he could use his bloodline abilities intensively. But at least he could move without being hindered by an injury, and his body was hardened by qi enough that his speed matched ours. I still kept him between myself and Aston.


    We moved quickly and soon reached the door. This would be the trickiest part. I put a bit of darkness qi around us to cover our walk from the actual building to the gate of the compound, but I saw that it had been closed and locked again. There might be alarms when we opened it. Ordinarily, I could check and probably disable them, but I didn¡¯t want to risk the time that would take right now.


    ¡°They might feel this,¡± I warned the others in a low voice. ¡°Be prepared.¡± Then I used my qi to cut through the formations I could sense covering the doors, while at the same time putting newly grown spiky outgrowths through the lock and twisting it open.


    A quick pulse of qi got out. It might have been an alarm. Aston pulled the door open and we rushed through it, emerging onto the street. It wasn¡¯t quite empty, though I didn¡¯t see many people on it. A few of them paused and looked as we came out of the compound.


    I suppressed a grimace and took off at a quick walk, the others following. Running would probably just attract more attention. And trying to sneak invisibly through a crowded city wasn¡¯t a good idea, at least when you had to be quick. We¡¯d need to get lost among the crowd somehow.


    That turned out to be both harder and easier than I¡¯d thought. Harder because we always seemed to attract some attention. I guess the mix of apparent ethnicities and the cultivation levels don¡¯t help. Easier because this was still a big city, and people generally minded their own business, and because we were lucky enough to get into rush time with a lot of people out and about. Some things, I¡¯d realized some time ago, were universal between worlds.


    We didn¡¯t head directly for Vana¡¯s safehouse, of course. While I kept an eye out, not to mention my qi senses, I couldn¡¯t be sure we weren¡¯t followed. The last thing I wanted was to lead any pursuers to our base. I considered sending a message to it to get in contact with Elia and the rest of our people, but refrained for the same reason.


    We left the quarter and turned into another one, and I still couldn¡¯t sense anyone pursuing us. That made me uneasy. Maybe Elis had been wrong and Isuro wasn¡¯t actually going to come for him. Or maybe he just hadn¡¯t arrived yet or had even lost our trail. But I didn¡¯t pin too much hope on that. My connection to Rijoko was cracked open, and I felt a constant sense of low, simmering tension.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Tenira finally asked in a low voice.


    I glanced around, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s best,¡± I answered quietly. ¡°Maybe we should head out of the city? That way, even if some strong enemy catches us, at least we wouldn¡¯t risk people in the city getting caught in it.¡±


    Aston cleared his throat quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be callous, my lady, but I feel I need to point out that it works the other way, too. An altercation in the city might be more restrained, to limit collateral damage.¡±


    I nodded, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re right. And it¡¯s probably going to be easier to hide us, anyway.¡± I didn¡¯t mention that I wouldn¡¯t trust Jideia to care much about collateral damage. Isuro was a lot more honorable, or at least liked to act like he was, anyhow.


    ¡°Just follow me,¡± Elis spoke up. ¡°I think I can guide us pretty well. It¡¯s not my first time in this city, and, no offense, but none of you know as much about blending in or hiding in an urban environment.¡±


    I nodded. That made sense. And if it¡¯s his fault we¡¯re in this situation, at least he can help out with getting us out of it. Of course, I kept that uncharitable thought to myself. It wasn¡¯t like anyone had forced me to come try to rescue him, after all.


    Elis actually had us slow down, and at his hissed words, we spread out farther. He strolled down the street, looking at the surrounding shops with just the right mix of curiosity and boredom. I tried to mimic his demeanor and considered whether we should send someone to contact the rest of our group at the safehouse.


    In hindsight, I really should have had Vana point out a secondary safehouse. It was a shame we couldn¡¯t use our radios to communicate here. While there was always a chance the Zarian hadn¡¯t actually set up anything to detect radio waves here, they were definitely detectable by cultivators in principle, and if someone did catch us, we might as well have written ¡®we¡¯re Imperials¡¯ on our foreheads. Though, actually, that would probably just be dismissed as a prank, so it was in fact worse.


    ¡°No one¡¯s attacked us yet,¡± I murmured. ¡°They¡¯re probably not going to. If someone is actually following us, they¡¯re waiting for us to lead them to our base.¡±


    Kajare pulled a face. ¡°Wandering around the city aimlessly forever isn¡¯t an option either,¡± he commented.


    I nodded and glanced around again, as surreptitiously as I could. I¡¯d been keeping my qi senses out as much as I could, trying to catch any hint of Isuro bearing down on us. It was wearing on my nerves. Kajare was right, we really needed to decide on a destination. It might be best to take a very circuitous route, maybe with changing disguises, to our safehouse.


    ¡°Where is your base, anyway?¡± Elis asked quietly. ¡°How did you even know where to find me?¡±


    ¡°A good dose of luck, and the help of our mutual friend,¡± I answered. Better not to name names if there was any chance of being overheard. ¡°We should be heading towards the northwest if we want to get there.¡±


    ¡°Then I can lead us there the long way round,¡± Elis said with a nod. ¡°Take a left over there.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± That would take us south, but I trusted him to know better. This time, my own intuition was pretty silent about where to go, and I probably would just be leading us in circles if I tried to rely on it.


    Before I could continue the conversation, I paused as I noticed something in a corner of my awareness. I hadn¡¯t paid as much attention to my qi senses while I was talking, but now they recaptured my attention. There was a familiar sensation originating not too far away from us. Coming closer, actually.


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    ¡°Wait,¡± I said. The others slowed and I noticed them tense up at my tone. But I kept walking, glancing around. After a moment, I sped up.


    Then we rounded another corner into a decently wide side street lined by brick townhouses, and I came to a stop as I found myself facing a familiar figure.


    ¡°Ceion?¡± I asked. I started to move my hands into position to quickly grab my weapon from my storage ring automatically.


    ¡°There you are!¡± He hurried closer and smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t make it easy to find you.¡± His gaze moved to Elis, and his smile widened. ¡°I see they found you. Wonderful. Are you alright?¡±


    Elis looked a bit confused, almost annoyed at not knowing what was going on. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. So they didn¡¯t take you along? Is that¡­¡± He glanced at me, and I could tell what he was thinking: Is it safe to have Ceion here?


    I wished I could be completely sure of that, but I couldn¡¯t. I was confident, though. After the incident where his father had tried to take control of him, I felt like he was well defended against something like that happening. I could also still faintly sense the blessings of the Moon I¡¯d laid on him, or at least some qi.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you made it into the city safe and sound,¡± I said to Ceion. ¡°We should get going, though.¡±


    I turned to resume our walk, then froze. It felt like the city around us was being stretched away from us. Qi hung heavy in the air, with a familiar flavor.


    ¡®It is good to see.¡¯


    I took a step back and swallowed heavily as I saw the figure stepping out of the crowd, where no one should have been able to hide, and coming into the open to face us. Isuro didn¡¯t look completely material, with still a hint of qi in his form, as if his body was permeated with streams of it, but he did look quite physical. His appearance hadn¡¯t changed a bit since the first time I saw him, though his expression was different. His attention seemed focused on Ceion, with some of it resting on me. It was like a subtler version of the way a cultivator¡¯s presence could suppress someone. He seemed to ignore the rest of our companions.


    Ceion couldn¡¯t quite suppress a flinch. He took a step closer to me, his posture tenser than I¡¯d ever seen him. I couldn¡¯t fault that reaction, and I felt my own heartbeat pound in my ears and my breaths speed up.


    ¡°Isuro.¡± Ceion¡¯s voice was tight.


    The other people around seemed to flow around the Pioneer, as if he wasn¡¯t even there, none of them getting too close. My companions had drawn weapons, but they had to know we wouldn¡¯t have good odds in a fight.


    ¡®You were foolish to return, Ceion, after you betrayed us.¡¯ Isuro stepped closer, still leaving a large empty space in the middle of a bustling city around him.


    I took a step forward, putting myself between them. ¡°He didn¡¯t choose to leave you, I captured him. It¡¯s hardly our fault if that leaves him better off than the treatment he got here. And it¡¯s funny that you should be talking about betrayal when it comes to this matter.¡±


    Isuro¡¯s gaze shifted to me, and his lips curled slightly, but the expression in his eyes was harder to read. ¡®Little Light. Bold as ever, even in the heart of your enemy¡¯s power.¡¯


    I ignored that. ¡°I mean, I have to admit I didn¡¯t get it. But I think you have personal reasons not to want to see Ceion here. After all, you were the one who got him out, ultimately. Maybe you expected I¡¯d kill him. Still, this is really your fault.¡±


    Ceion tightened his grip on the sword he¡¯d pulled out. ¡°Inaris is right. You think I didn¡¯t wonder about this?¡± He exhaled heavily, shaking his head. ¡°You were the only one of them who was ever decent to me. And you set me up to be taken by our enemies.¡±


    Something flickered in Isuro¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t lose his vaguely contemptuous facade. ¡®Even if I did any such thing, it would hardly mean more than that we were disappointed with your efforts and did not mind getting rid of you.¡¯


    ¡°Very honorable,¡± I commented. ¡°Are you just going to stand there and be haughty, or did you actually want anything from us?¡± I almost winced as soon as the words were out. Provoking the powerful pseudo-spirit didn¡¯t seem like a wise choice under the circumstances. Still, I wanted him distracted from Ceion, and being somewhat confrontational had worked well with him so far.


    Isuro cocked his head slightly. ¡®You¡¯re quite brash, considering where you stand, Inaris. You do know how vulnerable your position is, don¡¯t you? Or do I really need to explain?¡¯


    I surreptitiously took a deep breath, but my words were confident. ¡°You could definitely defeat us under normal circumstances. And you might be able to beat me, but only if the Moon doesn¡¯t grant me his protection, which he likely would. And then where would you be, Isuro?¡± I smiled. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in a while, but it¡¯s not like you were ever bold enough to actually attack me in person.¡±


    It was true that it had been pretty long since our last confrontation. I thought that was telling. He¡¯d probably kept arranging things to have me killed, but still. He acted a lot less ¡­ casual with me now than the last time we talked, and it probably wasn¡¯t just because of the witnesses, but I had a feeling it only concealed his own inner conflict. He¡¯s trying to retreat into his role, perhaps.


    ¡®In the middle of our capital?¡¯ Isuro shrugged slightly. His fingers played over the shaft of the spear in his hands, which he¡¯d started materializing at some point. ¡®I suppose. It might be likely that Rijoko would act to preserve your life. But his?¡¯ He shifted, pointing at Ceion.


    I gritted my teeth, trying to suppress any sign of the cold shiver that went down my spine. ¡°And what would that get you?¡± I asked quietly. I took another half step forward. ¡°I will not abandon him to you. If you will strike at any of my companions, you need to go through me.¡±


    I heard a soft sound from someone else, maybe Tenira, but I didn¡¯t turn to look at the others. I knew they were only this quiet because they recognized the danger and trusted that I would know the best thing to do. Still, having all of them here, within reach of the Pioneer, made my heart feel like someone was dunking it in ice water. I ignored that and focused on the situation.


    Isuro almost sighed. ¡®Oh, Little Light. And to think I always though of you as smart and ruthless when you needed to be. Do you simply want me to strike and get it over with? Because I can oblige you.¡¯


    I smiled, trying not to show the strain behind the expression. Funnily enough, it seemed easier. While I still felt the same tension as before, it was fading into the background more, my focus fixed on my opponent. Or my target. ¡°Will you?¡± I asked.


    There was a moment of what felt like startlement from everyone, although the air was still filled with the sound of people going about their business, oblivious to this scene. Isuro drew back just the tightest bit. ¡®You actually want me to?¡¯


    ¡°You could kill me, if you can.¡± I took another slow step forward, then another.


    Isuro looked like he wanted to step back as I approached him, but didn¡¯t. Instead, he watched with a hard expression as I drew close. He was slightly taller than me, but I still leaned forward a bit, looking into his face.


    ¡°Kill me, then,¡± I said. ¡°I am here. You have me. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Nari!¡± Someone uttered behind me, half whisper, half cry. I could have placed the voice, but didn¡¯t want to. In that moment, they were a distraction. I wasn¡¯t even sure what I was doing, except that I had to keep going with it.


    I laid a hand on Isuro¡¯s weapon, slowly. I made no sudden moves, showing that it wasn¡¯t an attack. My heartbeat galloped in my throat like a panicked horse, and I could distantly feel sweat start gathering on my skin. But my hand was steady. I pulled the Pioneer¡¯s weapon up, letting the point rest against my throat. Cutting off the supply of blood and oxygen to my brain would kill me quicker than destroying my heart.


    ¡°Kill me,¡± I repeated, staring into Isuro¡¯s eyes. They had color, a wispy blue untouched by his qi.


    I felt his weapon tremble for a moment. A second passed, a second that stretched into half of forever.


    Then Isuro stepped back slightly, the pressure fading. He tilted his spear back. ¡®Do you think I am that easy to fool? Ha!¡¯ A sneer twisted his features, but I knew it was just a facade. ¡®Enjoy your father¡¯s protection while it lasts, girl. Take your little friends and go. It will be amusing to see how you flail against the Storm.¡¯


    Then he started dissolving. There were cries from the pedestrians as they saw a wispy qi figure fading. I stared at it with narrowed eyes.


    He could pretend all he wanted that he¡¯d only refused to do it because of my father¡¯s protection, for fear of provoking his power. We both knew better.

 182: Getaway

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    For a moment, I just stood there, staring after the Pioneer and letting the adrenaline fade. I never wanted to do that again. It was more than nerve-wracking.


    Then I turned and glanced around quickly before I started walking.


    ¡°Nari, that was ¡­¡± Tenira shook her head.


    ¡°We need to go,¡± I interrupted her. ¡°Come on. Hurry.¡±


    Suiting actions to words, I took off at a quick pace down the street. We were still in the middle of the Zarian capital city, and while the people around us had obviously not noticed anything amiss, that protection was gone now. I could already hear them whispering.


    We¡¯d attracted far too much attention. And that was without considering the fact that Isuro¡¯s visit would have been sensed, too. He¡¯d been pretty discreet, all things considered, but the temple had to know what had happened. At least the basics. And they wouldn¡¯t just let us go.


    ¡°We can expect templars to chase us soon,¡± I said. ¡°Any thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get caught?¡± Elis suggested. He shivered slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve learned how to teleport?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll probably use multiple teams,¡± Ceion said. His voice was even, but I could hear some of the tension behind it. Still, he seemed focused on the situation at hand. ¡°Some will be after us directly, some might try to guard key locations.¡±


    I took a deep breath, then quickly pulled some light and darkness qi from my core, which was emptying alarmingly quickly, and wove it into a message. I sent it off, then crossed into a back alley, where we would hopefully be less visible.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point going for stealth now, and we need to leave as quickly as we can,¡± I explained in a low voice. ¡°That means rejoining the others. I¡¯ve informed them, and we need to meet up and get out of the city fast.¡±


    ¡°That might be a bit of a problem,¡± Kajare said. ¡°If they¡¯re looking for us, won¡¯t they guard the gates? Or, for that matter, go after the rest of our group?¡±


    I pulled a face and nodded, while I led us across an intersection into another alley, this one heading to the district below the upper one where Vana had hosted us. ¡°They¡¯ll probably try.¡±


    I continued leading us through the city at a fast pace, though not so fast as to draw too much attention. I didn¡¯t have to pause and consider where I was going. This time, my father¡¯s guidance actually helped. Or maybe just part of my own powerset. It could be hard to tell whether Rijoko was actively involved or not. Regardless, I managed to lead my companions through a good chunk of the city without being stopped or encountering any overt resistance.


    ¡°Nari.¡± Tenira quickened her step to fall in beside me. ¡°I think I sense something up ahead.¡±


    I paused, glancing around and questioning my own qi senses. ¡°Let¡¯s go around.¡± I hesitated, then looked at my other companions. ¡°Keep an eye out. We need to avoid any templars we might find, and as many of the other armed thugs patrolling the city as possible.¡± A city in the middle of what might well be the beginning of a civil war was not the best place for this kind of adventure, I reflected.


    We detoured around the suspicious qi presences and managed to avoid coming close to any temple knights after that, too. However, we couldn¡¯t avoid everyone who might be employed by the High Temple. There were simply too many of them, and I didn¡¯t want to waste too much time finding my way around everyone.


    I paused, glancing in the direction where I knew the temple was, though I couldn¡¯t see it from here. I¡¯d sensed a pulse of qi, not a large disturbance, but probably more than just someone using a strong technique. I guess the hunt is on, now.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m feeling someone familiar,¡± Elis said.


    I smiled. Now that he¡¯d mentioned it, I noticed the same. But I stayed cautious and kept leading the others on as surreptitious a path as possible instead of charging ahead.


    A minute later, we ducked into the shadow of yet another alley, this one leading beneath an overhang of the neighboring buildings. And there we finally came upon the people we¡¯d been heading for.


    Elia rushed towards Elis like a speeding truck, and swept him into a bear hug. He looked like he wasn¡¯t quite sure if he was under attack for a moment, before he regained his mental (and maybe physical) equilibrium and returned her embrace.


    Yarani was a little more restrained, but since we were apparently taking the time anyway, she and I exchanged a short hug, too.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°I see you found Elis, but what was that with the qi? And where did he come from?¡± She tilted her head at Ceion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all on the way,¡± I answered. ¡°We really need to go.¡±


    They followed as I started walking again. ¡°Go where?¡± Lei asked, still looking at Elia and Elis.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Yet.¡±


    ¡°Then I assume you also don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll get out of the gates that are certain to be guarded?¡± Yarani said.


    I hesitated for a moment. ¡°Uh, we¡¯ll need to think of something. I¡¯m sure something will jump out at me.¡±


    Sometimes, I wasn¡¯t so sure what this intuition ability did to my planning skills.


    For lack of anything better to do, though, we kept walking, heading vaguely towards the eastern gates. I noticed with some amusement that everyone followed my lead without much sign of reluctance or doubt. At least I wasn¡¯t the only one to rely on it. Now if only Rijoko had warned me before this whole incident¡­ or did he want me to talk to Isuro? I shook my head, chiding myself to focus on the situation. And I couldn¡¯t second-guess everything, that way lay madness.


    The closer we got to the gates, the narrower and less straight the streets got. Luckily, there weren¡¯t that many people around compared to before, though it was a real challenge to avoid all the fighters or guards posted by the great families or especially the High Temple. We had to slow down more than I¡¯d like. And all the while, I was conscious of the temple and its knights starting the search behind us.


    We really needed to come up with some kind of plan or at least a basic direction. They were almost certain to watch all of the gates, with strong forces standing by to intercept or chase us, and probably likely to have the gates actively guarded, too. It might be better to go west and then slip around to our army in the northeast, but I didn¡¯t think that basic tactic was worth it. They might actually guard the western or southern gate more closely, for all I knew.


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    I glanced at the group following me, considering my companions. Aston and a few other guards. Tenira, Kajare, and now Yarani. Lei, Elia, Elis, and Ceion. And me, of course. Probably too many to just slip by somewhere unnoticed. At least all of them seemed serious and intent, not exactly free of nervousness, but not about to panic. I knew this was a bad situation. Perhaps not quite the same as when I¡¯d been trapped in a Zarian-occupied city alone behind enemy lines, but they hadn¡¯t been closing in on me like this back then, either. Still, this group represented enough firepower that we could possibly fight our way through some obstacles, and certainly give most opponents pause.


    That might work to our advantage indirectly, too, I realized. The temple wasn¡¯t going to send out small teams unless they just wanted to scout or to slow us down. They needed concentrated striking power of their own.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost at the northwestern gate,¡± Elis said. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, shaking his head. I was starting to get concerned about his energy levels. ¡°Any closer, and we¡¯re going to encounter watchers.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Alright. I think we need to get the lay of the land. Li, go scout ahead. Tenira, do you think you can get some info, too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Tenira kissed me on the cheek, then headed off. She walked slowly, not going too far.


    She¡¯d be using her techniques more than actually trying to sneak around. I would have asked Lei to do the same, but he wasn¡¯t as good at the stealthy stuff. It made me want to join in, but I exercised my patience and contented myself with waiting. At least we¡¯d found a pretty secluded spot, in a dead-end corner between some high tenement buildings. It was dim and stank faintly of rotten vegetables, but that probably worked to our advantage.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Li to return, and a few seconds later, Tenira came back as well. ¡°Not good news,¡± she said, grimacing slightly. ¡°There are definitely temple fighters watching the gate. I think at least two distinct groups. And there might be others that are better hidden.¡±


    ¡°I counted the same, my lady,¡± the guard agreed. ¡°They also have a complicated array of wards on the gate itself and the surrounding stretches of the wall.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair. Why couldn¡¯t this be one of the cities where the walls had stopped being used and fallen into disrepair while the city expanded outside them? Instead, Saria had only built new walls when it expanded. Well, they did have a lot of historical incentive to guard against monster attacks here. No matter, we¡¯d have to work with this. We¡¯d gotten past the disused inner gates earlier today, but that wouldn¡¯t help now.


    ¡°Could we get past it?¡± I asked.


    They hesitated, and the others exchanged glances. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tenira answered. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think so.¡± She looked questioningly at Li, who nodded. ¡°Even if we could blast our way past the defenses, it would just slow us down enough for them to get us. And if anything can get the disunited factions of the Zarian high-tiers out to fight someone besides each other, Imperials starting a fight in their city probably could.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I shook my head, frowning in the direction of the gate. ¡°Let¡¯s walk around a bit, get a different look at it.¡±


    In reality, I felt a little uneasy, though I tried not to let it show. I didn¡¯t feel any kind of impulse to do something improbable, or even stupid. I didn¡¯t get any sign of Rijoko giving me a tip. That just left an unpalatable situation with an unknown but steadily ticking time limit.


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like my idea to go around helped. I didn¡¯t get any sudden bursts of inspiration, and the gate didn¡¯t look any less formidable from a different perspective, when I occasionally managed to catch a glimpse of it as we wound our way through narrow alleyways and back passages.


    A few minutes later, I slowed down, then stopped. It felt like there were too many people around, and people that were too strong. I couldn¡¯t get a good read on which of them might be following our enemies¡¯ orders, and it was getting impossible to avoid all of them. I tried my best, winding my way back roughly perpendicular to the direction we¡¯d come from, but that only took us closer to the streets funneling the stream of traffic through the gates to the surrounding town and villages in the countryside.


    Suddenly, one of the guards, who¡¯d been keeping watch a little farther out, popped up closer. ¡°There¡¯s a group of temple knights coming,¡± he reported. ¡°I think they¡¯ve sensed us.¡±


    I cursed and turned to go the other way, then hesitated. There was a stronger group of probably templars there, too. Instead, I turned again, hurrying down the street and into a side alley.


    The next few minutes where what you might call a game of cat and mouse, if the cat had gotten cultivator¡¯s herbs and the mice were running around high on drugs, and they were playing in the middle of a dog school or something. I tried my best, but there were several close calls, and we were definitely attracting more attention than I wanted.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Elia called, pulling on my sleeve.


    I veered to the side, glancing back just in time to catch a spray of icicles splashing against the stone wall of a building behind me. I cursed, then jumped up onto the roof, ran over it, jumped onto another, and dropped into a narrow passageway that led out into another back alley.


    ¡°I closed off that route and made it inadvisable to fly above it,¡± Aston reported, just as we turned onto another covered walkway.


    ¡°Great,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t have the attention to spare for anything longer, and instead plotted the next two or three turns. We were steadily getting farther away from the gate, not that we realistically had any chance of sneaking through it now.


    The next time we managed to catch a break, I headed straight westward. We were in what I might call a primitive shopping mall, winding our way through customers and shelves of wares in a large, sprawling building. Our group didn¡¯t all take the same exit, but we emerged into a plaza that led into another passage crossing southwest.


    ¡°I think we shook them off for now,¡± I said. The sensation of our pursuers was fainter, and they appeared to have lost our scent among the bustle.


    ¡°Good,¡± Tenira said. ¡°But what now? We don¡¯t have much time until someone finds us again.¡±


    I exhaled heavily and kept walking, though we were now setting a more moderate pace. She was right. I had no idea how to get through any gate like this, and going in without a plan clearly wasn¡¯t working. Why didn¡¯t Rijoko help? It was his enemies who were threatening me, and he¡¯d already shown he didn¡¯t want me falling into their hands. Well, maybe he¡¯s busy with something else. There were enough changes happening in the mortal world that I knew had to be impacting the spirits¡¯ affairs.


    Then it hit me. I groaned and pressed the balls of my hands against my eyes for a moment. Of course. He didn¡¯t help me get out through a gate because I didn¡¯t need to go out through one of the city gates.


    I stopped and turned to the others, beckoning them closer towards me. ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before,¡± I told them. ¡°But the situation is definitely providing a tribulation that needs a new ability.¡± I glanced at the guards. ¡°Li, can you lead the others to get lost in the city and lay low here for a while? The fewer people I have to take with me, the better.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± the guard responded, bowing. ¡°They won¡¯t care as much about us if they¡¯re trying to hunt you down elsewhere, anyway.¡±


    I nodded and watched for a moment as the guards, except for Aston, blended into the crowd quickly. Then I closed my eyes and focused.


    Spatial qi was tricky, but I did have the ability to use it, like any other kind. And it was tricky for everyone. So I calmed my mind, trying to forget we were in an exposed location in an enemy city, and only focused on the task, and on the qi around me.


    For a few minutes, it seemed like I would never manage it, and fear tried to creep in to disturb my efforts even further. But I gritted my teeth and sank farther into my meditative state, grabbing onto the feeling of my connection with Rijoko mentally, anchoring myself in the knowledge that I could do this.


    For an endless second, I wrestled with qi and the world around me. Then the world twisted, space around me and my companions bunched and shivered and layered itself, and the destination burning brightly in my mind¡¯s eye advanced through it and into reality.


    I staggered, clutching my head, a part of me laughing at the Zarian for not warding against teleportation out of their city. My head pounded like an old drum and I felt the contents of my stomach coming up. But when I opened my eyes, the buildings of the city around us were gone, replaced only by my companions staggering around and the occasional tree.

 183: Worth it

    <div>


    Elis collapsed onto his armchair like someone had used a gravity increasing technique on him, sprawling into it in a graceless heap. Not that I had any room to judge, since that was exactly what I¡¯d done a minute earlier.


    ¡°What did I miss?¡± he asked, raising his head enough to actually look at us. He¡¯d stopped by the Basement¡¯s offices briefly while most of us had gone on ahead once we finally reached the army¡¯s camp.


    ¡°Not much,¡± Tenira answered. ¡°We just gave a brief recap of what happened.¡± She sat straight upright in her own seat, although the way her hair stuck to her forehead and the grime on her robes didn¡¯t suit the picture of composure she was trying for, and I knew she was tired, too.


    ¡°You actually teleported?¡± Hashar asked, still staring at me. She¡¯d barely even glanced at Elis. ¡°Just like that? That¡¯s ¡­ You don¡¯t even cultivate spatial affinity qi!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a spirits-damned high level genius. With extra special abilities.¡± I snuggled my head deeper against the comfortable headrest of the chair, staring at the ceiling. ¡°Got to be useful for something.¡±


    There was a quiet, unidentifiable sound. Then Ki spoke up. ¡°It is quite impressive, Your Highness. Although, clearly, it was something of an ordeal.¡±


    I just grunted, too exhausted to care much about keeping up appearances right now. That was why we weren¡¯t meeting with the full war council, anyway.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. I felt tired down to my bones, in a way I knew my shapeshifting wouldn¡¯t fix, and simply drained. My headache seemed to have set up a proper siege camp around my temples, and I didn¡¯t feel like I could do any major techniques. We¡¯d had a hurried and harrowing journey back from where I¡¯d teleported us, the grove where Vana had met us in the beginning. It hadn¡¯t helped that we¡¯d had no definite location for the army, or the way the High Temple had clearly mobilized their assets outside the city. Of course, it still wasn¡¯t that long a trip in absolute terms, really, but as they¡¯d pointed out, I had just freaking teleported half a dozen people for the first time with little preparation after we were already tired.


    ¡°Was it at least worth it?¡± General Poteri asked. ¡°Obviously, you rescued Lord Arialko, and I¡¯m glad to see that Lord Ceion accompanied you safely.¡± There was a pause, probably some gesturing I couldn¡¯t see. ¡°But did we come out ahead or did our position worsen?¡±


    I raised my head, though I stayed silent for a moment. ¡°I think it was worth it,¡± I finally replied. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure what the effects of our misadventure will be. But, if nothing else, we gained valuable information and saw the situation in the city firsthand. If it gets out that we were there, it¡¯s only going to cost the Zarian more face. It might help to unify them, granted, but there were several points of increasing friction between them. I doubt the families will be happy at the way the High Temple handled themselves, for example.¡±


    Ceion snorted. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of arrogant bulls.¡±


    ¡°Which?¡± Yarani asked. ¡°The families or the Temple?¡±


    He smiled wryly. ¡°Well, I suppose you could apply the description to both.¡±


    Kajare looked a little skeptical, probably not because of Ceion¡¯s comment, but what I¡¯d said, though he didn¡¯t speak up. I saw Yarani whisper something to Tenira, though I couldn¡¯t hear it over the sounds of Lei and Elia starting to joke about the Zarian. Neither of them seemed very affected by everything that had happened, which was probably a good thing. I sighed softly, rolling my shoulders.


    ¡°Perhaps we should adjourn and give you a chance to rest,¡± Hashar suggested. ¡°Now that we know what happened, we can start thinking about our next steps. But there¡¯s no apparent urgency and we can take some time to consider instead of rushing to a decision. And now that you¡¯ve returned, we can prepare to move the army, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Tenira said. She looked at me. ¡°You should probably go sleep, Inaris.¡±


    I frowned, feeling a bit reluctant. I didn¡¯t really want to go dream right now. ¡°I think I¡¯ll cultivate,¡± I said.


    The others nodded, and the meeting started to diperse. Aston stayed behind for a moment to talk with the generals about some military matter, while Lei, Elia, and Elis headed out together. I smiled at the rest, but left without pausing.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find a good spot. The army¡¯s camp was pretty spread out, though it still didn¡¯t look large compared to the town anchoring it this time. I found an open courtyard beside the tent they¡¯d apparently assigned to me. There was probably a reason we didn¡¯t camp inside the town, but I didn¡¯t feel like bothering to find an answer right now. The other sides of the courtyard consisted of the wall of what might be a storehouse, hastily built, tents that probably housed my companions, and a small throughway. I settled down onto the surprisingly lush grass and felt the light of the sun shining down on me. Starting to breathe regularly, I let my thoughts slow to a rest and began sinking my awareness into the qi.


    The cultivation went well. I found enough darkness affinity qi around to suit my needs, and the sun provided plenty of light as always. I didn¡¯t try anything fancy, just cycled my qi in my usual pattern and drew in more to add to the qi swirling around my dantian. It felt like I was nearing another breakthrough, I realized after a wall. Another one, again.


    Well, considering my speed the last few times, that shouldn¡¯t be too surprising. I opened my eyes and stretched slightly, shaking my head. It was winter, and my twenty-first birthday would be soon. I¡¯d kind of hoped I would be able to spend it with my family back in the Empire, but clearly, we weren¡¯t going to be done with this war that soon. Still, I really needed to make sure I didn¡¯t miss Xiaodan¡¯s birthday, even if I didn¡¯t have the time to go to see her. If the war wasn¡¯t in such a hot phase right now, I¡¯d definitely go to visit her soon, I hadn¡¯t seen her in far too long.


    What a great big sister I am. I sighed and stood up, stretching a little. I didn¡¯t feel as sore as before, and the cultivation had helped me regain some of my energy.


    I glanced around and blinked in surprise. The tents had already been taken down. In fact, the camp seemed to be in the process of packing up, and almost finished. There were a few soldiers standing in a group not too far from here, and a few other clusters, but I could sense that most of the army was further away. Frowning, I stepped away from the spot where I¡¯d been cultivating and looked around for my guards.


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    ¡°My lady.¡± Aston bowed after he stepped up beside me. ¡°The army has been preparing to move out. Now that you are available, we can set off.¡±


    ¡°Aston.¡± I frowned. ¡°Already? They don¡¯t want to meet and make plans first?¡±


    ¡°It has been quite a few hours, Your Highness.¡± I glanced up at the night sky full of stars glittering above us, noting that it looked to be close to dawn, and silently conceded his point. Aston kept speaking. ¡°The army¡¯s leadership has deliberated and decided to continue the army¡¯s advance. If you command it, I am sure they will put it on hold and defend their reasoning to you.¡±


    ¡°No, no need.¡± I shook my head, then started walking again, slowly. ¡°It¡¯s probably best if we don¡¯t lose any time. I assume we have a wagon or something? I¡¯d like to sit the journey out, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°The royal carriage is ahead, my lady,¡± Aston replied, pointing the way. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s readied for your needs, and in case your consorts will accompany you.¡±


    I nodded and flashed him a grateful smile. We kept walking to the carriage, which was a deceptively small affair drawn by a team of spirit beast horses, but the formation arrays inscribed in it made it larger on the inside.


    I settled into the plush cushions with a sigh, then kicked off my shoes and draped my legs across the bench while I looked out the window. The army was setting off quickly. Already, the vanguard had moved out quite a distance, and there were a few spots on the horizon that I knew were scouts that I could barely make out. I leaned against the pillowy softness of the carriage, closing my eyes for a moment. My qi senses told me we started moving, though there was no sensation of it inside. Being Imperial royalty did have its perks.


    The door opened silently, and one by one, my partners trickled in. I dimly sensed Lei and Elia in another carriage behind us. This time, we were traveling roughly in the middle of the army, in a protected spot. I knew I should feel anxious, considering how deeply we were penetrating into Zarian territory, but I just couldn¡¯t muster the energy to fret about it. After the city, being in the middle of my army felt comfortably safe.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t get up.¡± Tenira gently pushed my legs back onto the bench as I made to sit up. ¡°We can sit on this side together, it¡¯s big enough.¡±


    ¡°I think you earned some rest,¡± Yarani added. She smiled, a familiar twinkle in her eyes. ¡°If you want me to give you a foot or back massage, just say the word. It might be a little awkward in here, but I¡¯m sure we can manage.¡±


    I grunted, then a smile forced its way onto my face. ¡°Thank you. Maybe later. Are the three of you alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kajare said. ¡°We¡¯re all used to going into danger from time to time. I admit I didn¡¯t enjoy it, but we¡¯re all ready to keep fighting. Right, ladies?¡±


    The other two nodded firmly.


    We fell silent, watching as the army made its way through the Zarian heartlands. I enjoyed what I knew would probably be the quiet before the storm. Hopefully not literally.


    We kept traveling in silence for a while, the army slowly winding its way up the outskirts of the Whitecap Mountains. We headed higher, avoiding most of the Zarian settlements at its feet. Squads of elites and supporting soldiers were moving in on some of the towns we¡¯ve identified as being either of high strategic importance or barely defended, but for the most part, the army was heading for Saria. It was where the Zarian had assembled their defenses, where their center of government, or what remained of it, was, not to mention the High Temple. I had a feeling it was where the last decisive battle of this war would be fought.


    I didn¡¯t know if I was ready for it. But I was afraid we didn¡¯t have any time to lose.


    The uncertainty gnawed at me, increasing my tension as we move deeper into the Zarian lands, closer to their last bastion. I started taking deep breaths, forcing myself to relax and let the tension go. I could only do the best I could do. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like we didn¡¯t have a trick or two up our sleeves.


    The sooner this war is over, the sooner the killing stops and the sooner we can go home, I told myself. Rijoko is just going to have to help me with it. I smiled wryly to myself and shook my head, looking out the window again. We had a nice view of the towering mountain peaks, though the army had spread out more to move up the mountains. I could sense Aston on top of another wagon, taking the opportunity to refill his qi reserves with cultivation. Ki and the other eighth-stagers moved around, ensuring we wouldn¡¯t easily be caught off guard.


    Then the army started to slow. I stood up, getting out of the wagon ahead of my partners. I glanced over the soldiers around us, quickly taking in how they started to set up, before I walked to the edge of a rocky ledge that gave us a good view of the land below the mountains. There Saria was, nestled at the foot of the peaks. I could make out the qi shield covering it even from here.


    I hoped Vana and her people would make it out of the city in time, or succeed in whatever preparations they¡¯d made to defend themselves. They hadn¡¯t wanted to explain their contingency plans to us. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say they had clearly made contingency plans that they didn¡¯t share with us, besides our shared planning. But things could happen in war. They¡¯d made their own choices, though. I couldn¡¯t help but be glad Elis was with us instead of a Basement cell right now, in any case.


    I waited there until someone came to join me. To my mild surprise, it turned out to be Elis.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± I asked him, turning away from the view.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± He gave me a smile, though it seemed a little shakier than normal. ¡°I never properly thanked you for what you did. Without you and the others, I would most likely never have gotten free. You didn¡¯t have to come. I know what it must have cost to just rush off like that to Saria.¡±


    ¡°You would have done the same for me.¡± There was no doubt in my voice. I was simply stating a fact.


    He regarded me for a moment. ¡°Yes, I would,¡± he agreed.


    We looked at each other, the second stretching out. He took a small step closer. Finally, we turned back to look at the heartland of the Dominion spread out before us, gazing at it companionably.


    ¡°I imagine you can see emotions pretty well,¡± I said.


    Elis cocked his head slightly. ¡°Not all that well. But yes, I¡¯m generally good at it. What people feel has surprisingly much to do with what they¡¯re like, who they are, most of the time.¡±


    I nodded. That was interesting, although, for once, I wasn¡¯t after a psychological discussion.


    ¡°After this is over ¡­¡± Elis trailed off. When I glanced at him, he shook his head, but his eyes didn¡¯t leave mine.


    ¡°You will keep traveling, I imagine,¡± I said contemplatively. ¡°You¡¯re not the kind of person to be tied down.¡±


    Elis exhaled audibly. ¡°Yes. I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± He hesitated. ¡°But I can step by the Imperial palace every so often.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I would expect that. You¡¯ll always have a place there.¡± My smile widened. ¡°For however long you want it.¡±


    Elis grinned with obvious joy, and maybe a little relief. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll visit whenever I can.¡±


    We fell silent again, just standing together on the mountain ledge. Then he spoke up again. ¡°And ¡­¡±


    ¡°After this is done,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s no point talking about such things now.¡±


    He nodded, then a wry smile found its way onto his face. ¡°Well, I suppose that gives me time to think about how to talk to your husband.¡±


    I grinned. ¡°Oh, I think Kajare might surprise you.¡± I thought back to some times I¡¯d seen Kajare, hints that had come up in conversation. Yeah, I didn¡¯t think there would be a problem. Especially with what I¡¯d picked up from Elis, too.


    The other spirit-child blushed a little, maybe guessing in which direction my thoughts had gone. But he didn¡¯t seem upset or concerned. In fact, there was a bit of mischief in his smile.  ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working out that little affair, then.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure.¡± I chuckled, then started walking back towards the others. After a moment, Elis followed behind me.


    Somehow, I felt a lot less anxious about the coming fighting.

 184: Battle

    <div>


    The sound of drums echoed across the landscape like rolling waves of war and coming bloodshed. I listened quietly for a few moments. The sound wasn¡¯t unfamiliar, after my campaigns here in the south, though I hadn¡¯t heard it often. It felt fitting that the drums should sound now, as we marched on the enemy¡¯s stronghold.


    The Imperial army was still some distance from the city. An opposing force had assembled outside its gates, spreading through fields and across the streets leading to the capital. It was considerably smaller than ours, but many fighters might still be hiding behind Saria¡¯s walls. I glanced at the city, panning my gaze across the gleaming walls and the buildings and towers rising behind them. Hopefully, they¡¯d taken their civilians to safety. I knew there would be no easy surrender this time.


    I took a deep breath, sucking in the crisp morning air. The sun was only just peaking over the horizon, though it was actually quite late by my clock, and I knew it would not be out for long today, at this latitude. That was alright, it wasn¡¯t like we needed sunlight to see. And every cultivator here was strong enough that the cold wouldn¡¯t affect them.


    My horse pawed at the ground and snorted, clearly feeling some of the accumulated nervous tension in the air. I patted her neck absently, and she quieted. I hadn¡¯t ridden White often, but she¡¯d allow me to move quickly without using my own qi, and I had a feeling I would need every bit of that I could scrape together today. So will we all. I glanced at my companions. All of them stayed pretty close to me, most of them on their own mounts or flying swords. Aston had increased my usual guard detail again, despite us needing every elite we could for the battle. He¡¯d argued that I was a primary target for the enemy, and I hadn¡¯t contested the point.


    ¡°There are more than I thought there¡¯d be,¡± Ceion commented quietly.


    I glanced at him. He¡¯d come closer than I would have expected. ¡°What¡¯s your take on it?¡± I asked.


    He shook his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think the great families and the temple are probably working together. No matter how much they dislike each other, an enemy army at the gates is the sort of thing only idiots put their grudges above, and they¡¯re not idiots. Unfortunately.¡± He pulled a face. ¡°Exactly how their arrangement works or who¡¯s in charge, I can¡¯t guess. Possibly not the same one as whoever has the strategic command. But with the Storm himself involved, we should probably expect the worst.¡±


    I nodded. That was pretty much what I¡¯d thought, too. I wish there was some way to separate them and keep them fighting. But I guess that¡¯s just not very realistic if we also want to have our army attack them. Especially without losing more time. I sighed. I could have tried to make the Basement try something like that, maybe increased sabotage, but even if they¡¯d put themselves into that much danger, I didn¡¯t think it was worth the risk.


    ¡°Are you going to give a speech?¡± Tenira asked, nudging her horse forward beside mine.


    I snorted. ¡°No. I could, but I¡¯d rather not. I don¡¯t think our soldiers lack motivation, and I haven¡¯t had the time - or, to be honest, wanted to take the time - to prepare a speech. I¡¯m sure their officers, the generals, and the nobles are exhorting them to fight for their home and honor, anyway.¡± And for me, probably. While I might be popular with the army, I didn¡¯t know how much that would help.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want. I suppose you¡¯re right, these are all hardened veterans. And they have other factors bolstering their morale. Some people actually constructed a small shrine to the Moon, you know? It went up very quickly.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t blame them for wanting to feel a touch of the divine before battle. If I had the time, I might have bitten the bullet and gone to give blessings to more of our soldiers.¡±


    ¡°That certainly wouldn¡¯t have hurt,¡± she agreed. ¡°But look, it seems there¡¯s finally some movement.¡±


    She was right, the Zarian forces were starting to move. A veil of qi went up over the city, making it impossible to see what went on around the walls and the gates. I cycled some qi to my eyes, but the technique didn¡¯t give in that easily. I knew more cultivators from our own army would be trying to break through it. After a few seconds, I switched my attention to what was happening at the borders. Zarian soldiers were starting to move away from it, drawing closer to us. Were they actually coming out to face us? Maybe they wanted to goad us into an attack.


    ¡°Lady Ki says we should let them keep going and not attempt to attack them yet, my lady,¡± Aston reported.


    I nodded. I would have expected a message like that from General Poteri, but I supposed eighth-stagers assumed some special privileges for themselves. And in all fairness, Ki was an experienced warrior, and she might be trying something to pierce the Zarian technique at the moment.


    It quickly became clear that this wasn¡¯t a full-on sortie out of the city¡¯s defenses. A few cultivators took to the air and flew over to us. Many of our fighters responded, throwing attacks at them, though the Zarian were nimble and dodged many. Then some of our elites rose into the air to counter the enemies trying to harass us from above. I watched in silence, knowing it wasn¡¯t my place to dictate movements in the battle.


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    Though, clearly, the battle had just started, and the Zarian were acting more aggressively than some of our commanders had predicted.


    After maybe half an hour of this, the veil over the city began to fade. I couldn¡¯t see much that had changed at first, though on closer analysis, they seemed to have rotated their fighters on the wall and more were now stationed in a forward position. Those shifted outward slightly as if angling to meet us. Meanwhile, the airborne Zarian, now considerably diminished, started to back off.


    After a short time, the call went out to advance. I watched as our front ranks started to march on the city, going slightly downhill. When it was our turn, I let my horse pick her way forward, my eyes still fixed on the Zarian.


    I couldn¡¯t have pinpointed a moment when the real battle started. At first, only the tip of the vanguard and single cultivators started to clash, but this soon transitioned into proper skirmishing. Our formation ¡®expanded¡¯ the way it usually did in battle, giving each cultivator more room to fight, though it remained pretty tight compared to some of our battles in the past. The Zarian had concentrated most of their strength, and we were willing to indulge them.


    The army¡¯s forward motion slowed and the flashes and rumbles of the battle grew in intensity as more soldiers joined the fray. Our army had a large numerical superiority, which complicated matters a little when it came to finding optimal positions. But the Lighters, mostly positioned on the edges and in the rows a little farther back, did their jobs with the skill of hard-earned experience. Their squads fired on single cultivators, sometimes bringing them down and sometimes draining their personal qi shields before switching to new targets. When I focused on it, I could easily hear the short calls used to establish their targeting.


    Then the rumble of airplanes grew overhead as our bombers went in for their first run. Most of our airborne cultivators came along to protect them. The Zarian sent some fighters to attempt to drive them off and bring down the planes, but they didn¡¯t manage to break through to many. I frowned, watching closely. They didn¡¯t seem to have assigned this a high priority.


    I saw why when our planes let their payloads drop over the city and the qi shield intercepted all of them. It seemed barely strained, only a few small distortions appeared that faded quickly.


    I sighed. I should have expected them to have a lot of power in the city¡¯s shield, but I still didn¡¯t like seeing it. I could already tell that our next strafing run would be just as useless as this one. And the ones after that probably, too. It would need a lot to begin breaking down the shield for real. While we could do that, it also increased the time our planes would be targets. Worst case, we could easily send flying cultivators to take over, but then we wouldn¡¯t have them available for fighting the Zarian directly. They had the advantage of fighting a defensive battle.


    I was tempted to try and help, using my techniques to attack or maybe buff my soldiers a little, but I held back. I felt like this was all only the beginning, and I should save my strength. It was an intense battle, sure, but a quiet kind of intense. I watched closely, and confirmed that no one was going all out and burning all of their qi. There had been very few deaths so far. The battle would keep raging for quite a while longer.


    I glanced around, then nodded at Aston as he stepped closer. ¡°How are things going?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°Any word from the generals?¡±


    ¡°No, my lady. They haven¡¯t sent any messages to you. I believe the battle is going according to expectations, but everyone is staying cautious.¡±


    I nodded. He was probably right, and that was a good thing. Everyone knew this battle would be decisive. It still felt a little surreal to actually be standing here and seeing my army fight for the enemy capital city. I wished General Wei were here. While Poteri was certainly competent, I¡¯d feel a little better with him in command of the battle.


    Then darkness descended, the air pressed down on us with the smell of rain and ozone, and I realized we hadn¡¯t been cautious or prepared enough.


    The sky was covered in clouds so dark they almost instantly plunged the battlefield into night. Wind picked up, ripping at my clothes and stinging against exposed skin. Droplets of water in it soon turned into grains of ice. A presence descended over the battlefield, crushing down on me as if someone had turned up the planet¡¯s gravity to double its normal value. And in the middle of the field, at the front of the Zarian formation, a towering figure formed.


    It seemed like qi and clouds and rain streamed together to make it, the form of a warrior at least three meters tall, wielding a long spear in one hand and a wicked-looking spiked mace in the other. The weapons looked purely solid, and dark enough they almost seemed to draw in light. But they couldn¡¯t compete with the depths of the warrior¡¯s eyes. It was like looking into the eye of a hurricane and realizing it only led to the fury of a bigger storm. The Storm.


    Jideia lifted his weapons and let out a wordless bellow that echoed over the battlefield. I saw soldiers clap their hands to their ears as the fighting momentarily paused. I didn¡¯t feel much of an effect, but my horse reared up. She started bucking, gone completely wild. I threw myself from the saddle in a less controlled motion than I would have liked and barely saw her running away towards the mountains through the driving rain and groups of soldiers.


    I didn¡¯t have much attention to spare for it, because the Storm took a step forward that shook the ground, leveling his spear and shooting a bolt of lightning from it. The lightning seemed to split right away, arcing towards dozens if not hundreds of people and striking all of our fighters in the front line. Very few of them managed to keep their feet. And that was probably just a test strike.


    I sighed and straightened up, pushing some wet hair out of my face. Then I started moving.


    ¡°Nari!¡± Elia looked almost panicked as she rushed closer. ¡°What are we doing now? This is - we can¡¯t fight the Storm!¡±


    I nodded and pulled a face. ¡°I know.¡± I kept moving backwards, barely looking at them as my guards started clearing a path through the surrounding soldiers.


    ¡°This is a physical incarnation of Jideia, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tenira asked. She kept pace with me, but kept glancing back.


    ¡°Yes. Possibly not the only one. Almost definitely not his full power.¡± I glanced back, too, noticed how far the Storm had moved forward, and doubled my speed. We were almost out of the army now. ¡°I knew Jideia was going to do something, but, shit, I didn¡¯t expect him to actually show up and fight the battle for them.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Kajare asked.


    ¡°To get help, of course.¡±


    Hopefully, it would work. If not¡­ well, I could probably already kiss most of my army goodbye. We didn¡¯t have much time.

 185: Demands

    <div>


    Visibility increased as we got further from the epicenter of the battle, but not by much. The air was still murky, the hilly plain dark around us, lit by occasional flashes of light from techniques used behind us. Every so often, a crash or boom rung out and the ground under our feet shook. Mud sucked at our boots, and icy droplets splattered against my face with the full force of the gales behind them.


    I stumbled forward, less quickly than I would have liked, but still far more than I could have ever moved as a normal mortal. My qi senses gave me a reasonably good picture of my surroundings, but I still felt like I was fumbling my way through a labyrinth with a blindfold on. Luckily, my cultivation let me ignore all those pesky environmental hazards.


    For once, I didn¡¯t feel like something coming from beyond me was guiding me to anything. If anything, all I got from my connection with Rijoko was a vague sense of ¡®get the heck out of there¡¯. Which I couldn¡¯t exactly argue with, but was still less than helpful. Luckily, it seemed like the more passive aspects of that bloodline ability were working as intended, because I could still find my way to my target.


    At least, that was what I hoped. A faint change in the ambient qi background indicated it, barely detectable amid the influence of all the chaos coming from the battle. I hurried up, finally away from most other people except my guards and companions, and ran up a hill. I took a heartbeat to orient myself, then rushed down it on the other side before I even had a full mental map of my surroundings. We probably hadn¡¯t even been running for a full minute, though it felt longer.


    I knew Jideia was most likely going to come after me at some point. That had to be one reason why he incarnated himself here and joined the fight. But I didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d take stomping his way through the army, assuming that¡¯s what he was doing.


    The shrine to the Moon I finally reached was a simple affair, barely more than a few pillars of stone forming the bare bones of a building around a stone altar in the center. That one was carved with a few decorations and someone had put up a brazier beside it. I slowed my steps and walked forward, breathing in deeply and almost tasting the hint of spiritual qi in the air. It was thin, but I could work with it. It would have to do.


    ¡°Are we going to take advantage of the protection of a shrine again?¡± Yarani asked, breaking the silence. I noticed she¡¯d drawn her weapon and was angled to guard my back from a threat coming from behind.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I answered. I frowned up at the stone column, then took another deep breath.


    I started focusing on the connection to Rijoko which usually sat still and silent somewhere in the back of my mind, almost hidden and overlooked under normal circumstances.


    It was definitely there, and more noticeable than usual. But at the same time, I didn¡¯t get the sense that it was really open. Rijoko was clearly paying attention to this area, I could have sworn to that even without any sign from his qi. But he didn¡¯t seem inclined to talk to me, or really, to interact with me in any way. He¡¯s not deliberately ignoring me, is he?


    I frowned and shook my head. With a flick of my fingers, the cold coals ignited into a fire. I noticed that the others had withdrawn, presumably to give me some privacy, and were now backing away a little farther.


    ¡°Father,¡± I spoke aloud. ¡°I need to talk to you. This is important; you should know.¡±


    There was no reaction. I waited for a while.


    I sighed. ¡°Come on. At least, Mior, why don¡¯t you come and talk to me? I get it if you¡¯re busy, but we kind of have a situation here.¡± I paused. I didn¡¯t sense anyone coming.


    ¡°Rijoko, if you don¡¯t answer me, I¡¯ll just go and negotiate with Jideia on my own.¡± I set my jaw and delved more deeply into the corner of my mind that housed my connection to my father¡¯s qi. I grabbed at it with mental fingers, trying to wrest the qi into place. Trying to reach through it and get some kind of grip on the entity on the other side, the entity connected to me not just by his qi, but my own beliefs. I might not be able to do much more than poke him, but my father would by his own name react to me.


    There was a sudden, sharp shift, although the outside world might not be able to tell and even my own qi and the strange mental stuff I¡¯d been handling barely showed any change. But from one moment to the next, a person stood in front of me, just before the altar. I took him in quickly. Rijoko had shown up in the form of a thin, wispy bundle of qi shaped like a man, less tangible or elaborate than when I¡¯d seen him before, but still unmistakably a link to the Greater Spirit¡¯s consciousness.


    ¡°Father.¡± I bowed my head. No reason to be rude or disrespectful now. ¡°Thank you for answering my call.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I need you. Jideia is here, in person. He has an incarnation with a lot of power, one my army obviously can¡¯t stand against.¡± I glanced behind me, where the sensations I got from my qi sense confirmed what I was talking about.


    ¡®I am aware, Little Light.¡¯ The Moon¡¯s voice was as cool and measured as always, though notably less weighty and overwhelming than before. ¡®It has taken him power and considerable preparation to pull this off. You have encountered some parts of those yourself.¡¯


    ¡¯The temples?¡¯ I frowned. ¡¯When he blew it up, the sacrifices, that was in preparation to let him incarnate? Wait, why couldn¡¯t he do that before?¡¯ Then it dawned on me and my eyes widened. ¡®You mean preparations so he¡¯d get to do it undisturbed.¡¯


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    The ghostly presence inclined its head slightly. ¡®Yes. Be assured, I am already taking advantage. His position in our own ¡®realm¡¯ will not weather this without cost.¡¯


    ¡®Great. And in the meantime, he wreaks havoc here?¡¯ I crossed my arms and stared at him. ¡®Don¡¯t you want to stop him from rebuilding or expanding his base on these two continents? Not to mention, you know, my presence?¡¯


    ¡®Your efforts are appreciated. They have helped spread my power and limit his here, at least to some degree. But there are other strategies at stake, what you would call the ¡°big picture view¡±.¡¯


    I narrowed my eyes, resisting the urge to clench my fists. This sounded suspiciously like he was just seeing this as a welcome distraction, which allowed him to score a point on Jideia in whatever game the two played. While, of course, I¡¯d always known something like that was at the core of why my father supported my own efforts ¡ª arguably even the reason I existed in the first place ¡ª having it shoved in my face like this, while my soldiers were fighting and dying behind me, rankled.


    ¡®What did he do?¡¯ I asked, trying to stay calm and gather information.


    ¡®He subtly attuned the qi of this land to his purposes, created formations that would hide his activities and energy flows from prying eyes, and fortified anchors that allowed him to project power here while at the same time stabilizing his presence in other places, and warded his centers of power there so they would not fall to a quick assault. The details are far more complicated, but you would not understand them without a comprehensive education I do not have the time to provide you right now.¡¯


    I nodded, making a mental note to see whether I could get some further knowledge and training from him later. But that would have to wait until all this was over. I got the gist of what he was saying, in any case. Jideia had set things up to give himself breathing room where he could act in this place without making himself vulnerable to his enemies among the spirits. I¡¯d hoped I could prevent him from doing something like that, but, with so many locations presumably involved and without more to go on, that had always been a long shot.


    ¡®So you don¡¯t want to interfere here?¡¯ I asked.


    Rijoko inclined his head slightly. ¡®I am already taking action against him,¡¯ he repeated.


    In truth, I¡¯d always suspected it would come down to something like this, even if I didn¡¯t know what exactly Jideia wanted to do. But I knew I couldn¡¯t match him on my own, and I definitely couldn¡¯t fight him directly. I had to rely on my allies for that. On other spirits.


    ¡®You know, I spent quite a bit of time thinking lately,¡¯ I said. ¡®Considering my position and what I was really prepared to do.¡¯


    Rijoko didn¡¯t answer, but I sensed a slight increase in the intensity of his regard. He knew I was leading up to something he might not like, maybe even to what.


    ¡®In the end, this is all your problem. It¡¯s your enmity with Jideia at the root of this, and I was only dragged into it because you made me to be of use to your side.¡¯


    ¡®I have never pretended otherwise.¡¯


    ¡®But I don¡¯t really have that much against the Storm,¡¯ I continued. I grimaced slightly. ¡®Well, I do take all the times he tried to have me killed somewhat amiss. Not to mention a few incidents with my friends and family. But I don¡¯t need to get revenge. My primary concern has been and still is my safety and that of my people. I only need Jideia to back off, I certainly don¡¯t need him gone, or even defeated.¡¯


    ¡®You are attempting to pressure me with the prospect of you cutting a deal with the Storm yourself.¡¯ Rijoko¡¯s mental voice was still calm and neutral.


    I shrugged lightly. ¡®If that¡¯s what it takes. He¡¯s definitely in a weakened position, and I don¡¯t think he can afford to be choosy at this point.¡¯


    Rijoko¡¯s form cocked its head slightly, though it didn¡¯t really have enough of a defined face to show any subtlety in facial expression. ¡®And what makes you think that you have anything to offer JIdeia that would make him promise you safety?¡¯


    ¡®Pretty much the same thing I offer you,¡¯ I answered calmly. ¡®So far, I have eroded his powerbase and his worship, and indirectly increased yours. There¡¯s nothing saying I can¡¯t do the opposite. The Empire is stronger than it¡¯s ever been, and it does have a long tradition of worship of the Storm, so it wouldn¡¯t be too hard to accomplish. I could simply start burning your temples and having new ones built for him. It might be a little awkward with our present propaganda, but it¡¯s not too late to turn that around, and I do have the means to influence what people believe. It might not hurt either of you all that much, but are you going to pretend I couldn¡¯t affect you and your conflict?¡¯


    Rijoko was silent for a moment. I still felt his regard, more intensely than at the beginning. He didn¡¯t feel angry, if he was even capable of that emotion. ¡®And you would actually do this, knowing it is a step you could not take back?¡¯


    I met what passed for his incarnation¡¯s eyes calmly. ¡®If you won¡¯t even raise a hand to defend me and mine, what sense is there in remaining loyal to you?¡¯


    It almost felt like our connection deepened, like he got a greater glimpse into my mind and I caught the edges of his, a bigger impression than before. I wasn¡¯t concerned about this. I knew he wouldn¡¯t force me to do or not do anything, anyway. It just wasn¡¯t in him.


    Then I realized he reached a decision, and I stepped back as more and more qi seeped into the figure in front of me. Pressure gathered in the air, and I was forced to lock my knees to remain standing. He exploded with light, and I had to close my eyes. When I opened them again, I saw Rijoko standing there in the flesh ¡­ more or less. He occupied a figure that was only a little bit smaller than the form Jideia had taken, with long hair, a beard, and a long spear clasped in his right hand.


    I just stared for a moment, before I ducked my head, almost on instinct. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said.


    Rijoko nodded. ¡°Come, daughter. You have more work to do.¡±


    I frowned and was about to ask what he meant when I noticed another presence approaching. I stepped out of the temple and turned to the side, while Rijoko started walking forward towards the battle. My companions scrambled out of his way, most of them on their knees already.


    Mior appeared like more of a spirit than the Moon, even if their presence felt quite solid. They grinned slightly as they appeared beside the rudimentary shrine. ¡®I knew you¡¯d get the old man to see reason, Little Light. Good. Now brace yourself.¡¯


    I tensed up slightly. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡®We have work to do.¡¯ Mior¡¯s voice somehow felt more tangible than normal, like their mental communication held an intensity they didn¡¯t always bring to the table.


    It sent a tingle up my spine. I took half a step back, darting my eyes around our surroundings. Rijoko had clearly drawn Jideia¡¯s attention, and that of everyone else given the lull in the battle and in the techniques used that I could now sense. ¡®What -¡¯


    Then Mior stepped forward, taking my hand. I glanced at it, then up at them, and snapped my mouth shut. Their presence laid itself around me like a tight blanket, before Mior¡¯s qi flowed into me.

 186: What is owed

    I jerked backwards, jumping back several meters before I realized what I was doing. Then I glanced at Mior, who still stood in front of me. Despite that, I could feel their qi far more closely than before.


    ¡®What did you do?¡¯ I asked. I had intended to just say it, but it had come out in mental speech somehow. Or projected to the spirit?


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t possession. Yet. I just linked us together so we¡¯ll be able to fight together and not have to worry about getting separated.¡¯ They smiled. ¡®You didn¡¯t think this connection with Rijoko was everything, did you?¡¯


    I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. ¡°Alright. Warn me next time. Now, you said something about fighting together?¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    Then Mior grabbed my arm again, and I felt myself pulled along as they moved through a world that seemed to shiver slightly, almost frozen in swirling qi.


    I took a moment to look at the battlefield and our surroundings and to take in the situation. My companions were still at the shrine. I wished the spirits had at least given me the chance to talk to them, although I knew time was probably precious. They were turning back to the battle, which still raged on the fields outside the city. I could tell at first glance that Jideia had decimated our army, though it wasn¡¯t as bad as it could have been. Many of the Imperial fighters must have chosen to retreat. The Zarian had withdrawn a little as well, although at the edges, well away from the Greater Spirit¡¯s incarnation, fighting still continued.


    Mior put us back into proper alignment with reality, or ended the trip, or whatever this was, in the air not too far from the city walls. I rubbed the skin of my left wrist, which they¡¯d taken previously. It still felt almost itchy. And I could sense a bit of their qi sticking to me, but on the inside, maybe even connecting to my dantian. It was a disconcerting feeling. But if this allowed me to fight better, I¡¯d bear with it.


    ¡®Where are we going?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Come on, Little Light, get your head in the game. You probably know that as well as I do.¡¯


    I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm. After a moment, I realized what Mior was getting at. There was only one target the two of us would go after, since they clearly weren¡¯t moving to help Rijoko with Jideia. So I stretched out my qi senses as well as I could, at the same time considering where we might find him.


    A rolling thunder accompanied by a shockwave that moved us even up here drew my attention. Rijoko and Jideia were facing each other. If they¡¯d exchanged words, they weren¡¯t audible to mere humans. But now they moved. From one second to the next, they clashed in the middle of the field. It felt like that should have shaken the world in its hinges, flattening everyone and everything around the two Greater Spirits, and yet there was nothing except this pressure change in the air. I could only barely make out the punches and stabs that followed, yet they were all so carefully controlled and contained that they disturbed nothing in their surroundings. There was only a faint sense of pressure, more in the qi than the air. The hairs on the back of my neck and my arms hadn¡¯t stopped standing on end in minutes.


    ¡®Alright,¡¯ I said, tearing my eyes away. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯


    I noted that even with Rijoko engaged in fighting Jideia, I could still get that sort of instinctive guidance, a sense of where to go, where to look. Of course, my connection to Rijoko also felt wider open than normal, and I even received what might be snatches from his confrontation with the Storm. In any case, it was enough that I went flying over the city without hesitation, finding my way to my target.


    On a whim, I had decided on one white and one black wing today. They held me aloft and propelled me forward without trouble. It felt like the link Mior had engaged helped, like they might be sharing a bit of their power, but I wasn¡¯t sure. My qi senses were already taxed trying to keep up with everything happening.


    The Pioneer didn¡¯t try to hide. I wasn¡¯t sure if he could have hidden from Mior, anyway. He rose into the air slowly, in a quarter of the city I vaguely recognized that was situated close to the temple. He looked at us and raised his head.


    As if on cue, I felt a slight disturbance in the surrounding qi and looked back. Rijoko and Jideia were still fighting, and had apparently gotten closer to the city. As I watched, the giant form of my father reached out to the qi shield. Some Zarian soldiers were bravely trying to hit him with techniques or projectiles, but he ignored them all, and they didn¡¯t even rip the flowing robe he wore. He tapped the shield, his finger passing through it, and I felt a surge in the formation arrays around the city as the qi shield simply collapsed.


    Mior didn¡¯t waste any time in advancing towards our opponent, and I hurried to keep pace with them. Isuro also drifted forward slightly, and it wasn¡¯t long until we met in the air, close enough for conversation.


    ¡®Mior,¡¯ he said. ¡®Somehow, it is even less of a pleasure to see you than last time.¡¯


    ¡®Isuro,¡¯ Mior replied with a smile. They pulled a sword from thin air and gave him a salute. ¡®I don¡¯t know why I thought you might show some manners.¡¯


    Isuro¡¯s gaze moved to me, and I had to resist the urge to smile, too. That would probably not come off right in this situation. Instead, I gave him a serious nod. ¡®Could we please do this in another location? Somewhere there are less innocent bystanders that will get hurt?¡¯


    Isuro glanced between me and Mior for a moment, but I already knew he¡¯d agree. It was the sort of request he wouldn¡¯t want to refuse, and especially not in front of me. ¡®Alright. Let us stay our weapons until then.¡¯


    I did smile now. I really didn¡¯t like the idea of having an epic fight right above, or even in, a populated city.


    Mior pulled some of their qi around us again, and we traveled far more quickly than I usually would, somehow keeping close to Isuro. The city passed beneath us quickly, and we headed into the mountains, rising in altitude a little. I glanced at the landscape beneath us as we slowed down, glad to see that it appeared to be uninhabited rock. We were now also a good distance from the battle, with the added benefit that whatever happened here would be harder to see for anyone there. I could still feel Rijoko and Jideia clashing, but there was no large environmental sign of it.


    Apparently, their gentlemanly behavior was exhausted by moving here, because both Mior and Isuro attacked right away. I summoned my spear, but hesitated for a moment, trying to watch their movements.


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    It was hard. I felt like I had a much better idea of what Mior was doing than I should have been able to get, and that somehow translated into understanding the Pioneer¡¯s movement better, as well. But they still moved at speeds higher than any cultivator I¡¯d previously seen except possibly eighth-stagers, and the first clash of their weapons literally shook the mountainside.


    I suppressed a wince, then lunged forward. Isuro clearly saw my strike coming and turned to evade it, but that gave Mior the opportunity to close for an attack of their own. Their sword seemed to have expanded, and it caught in Isuro¡¯s robes, but didn¡¯t appear to actually touch him as the ascended cultivator stepped back in midair. Their spear flashed and it was Mior¡¯s turn to retreat. Then Isuro turned it on me, blindingly fast, and I barely managed to dodge in time.


    I frantically beat my wings, trying to keep my position stable, and cursed the fact that I hadn¡¯t trained more for fighting with them. Mior and Isuro were already engaged in another hot exchange. The sight made me hesitate, questioning why I was even here at all. I clearly couldn¡¯t match these powerful pseudo-spirits. But Mior must have had a reason for taking me.


    I took a deep breath and turned some of my attention to my connection to Rijoko while I repositioned myself, flying slightly below Isuro. It was still open, and I could almost swear I felt it pulsing faintly. More qi seemed to flow through it than almost any time before. I gathered my will, then reached into it with my mental grip, trying to open it farther and pull more from it.


    My senses sharpened, and I felt like Mior and Isuro slowed down. Rijoko was not at all stingy with his qi right now, and with him being incarnated so close to me, it felt like I had a far easier time with all of that. I felt power thrumming through my blood, in my body, taking me along into a flow of strength and danger.


    This time, when I lunged forward, I anticipated Isuro¡¯s dodge and corrected my strike. It was still a probing attack, and he managed to deflect it, but I turned the momentum of the strike into a lunge to the side and swept my spear at his legs. That forced him to jump upwards and open himself to an attack from Mior, who scored a cut on Isuro¡¯s side.


    It closed quickly, but I still smiled. I knew we had this. Their weapons of choice were a poor matchup from Mior¡¯s perspective. Even with their ability to change their sword¡¯s shape, the spirit might be at a disadvantage against Isuro on their own. But Fides changed the balance. I had at least as much reach as Isuro, and my shapeshifting was probably at least on his level, from what I¡¯d seen so far.


    Isuro seemed to recognize this and shot further upwards, gaining some distance. I felt qi gathering and knew he was starting to use a technique. But Mior¡¯s qi rose in response, clashing and pushing against it.


    I added what little I could to it, beating my wings and shooting upwards. Isuro deflected my strike and responded with a lightning-quick thrust at my midsection. I twisted and felt the tip of his spear graze my ribs. His focus hadn¡¯t faltered, still wrestling his technique into existence.


    I backed off, healing the cut, and threw my own qi into the mix in a more focused form. The Void¡¯s Nibble looked different than usual, more expansive and less contained, and I had it crash into Isuro¡¯s working like a raging wave sweeping away a sandcastle¡¯s walls. Mior added their own will to the push, and we managed to stifle Isuro¡¯s until he dropped his technique.


    After that, he tried smaller techniques that he could build almost instantly. I had the feeling that that wasn¡¯t really his style, but he was old and had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Mior took on the brunt of dealing with them, while I just tried to keep Isuro occupied, harassing him with my weapon and occasionally qi as well as I could.


    I paid for it. Isuro was no one¡¯s fool and a far more experienced fighter than me. He cut me at least three times for every hit I landed on him, and I barely managed to regenerate everything in time to not lose the rhythm of the fight. He burned me, crushed my left leg, and even hacked off an ear. But he never landed a hit on a truly vital part, or something that would seriously put my life in danger.


    As the fight wore on, I started to suspect that might not be coincidence. I didn¡¯t hold back either, and gave Isuro more than a few nasty wounds, though they closed quickly. But he didn¡¯t seem to actually be trying to get past my apparent near-immortality, instead focusing on Mior. He didn¡¯t appear to be in a hurry to get back to his master, either.


    ¡®Why are you even doing this?¡¯ I finally said, letting some of my frustration show, as I drifted backwards a little.


    Isuro paused in hurling qi projectiles at Mior, which the spirit either dodged or seemed to absorb. ¡®What?¡¯ he finally asked. ¡®Do you question why we are fighting?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®It should be obvious. But if you wish to leave, I will let you run.¡¯


    I simply snorted in response.


    Isuro started to gather qi again. Mior lunged forward, predicting his sidestep and getting close. The two started grappling. I waited for the right moment, then pounced onto them as well. Mior and me both used shapeshifting to its best effect. They turned into a many-armed flexible monstrosity, while I elongated my limbs, hardened my joints, and put Isuro into a lock.


    Usually, he should be able to dissipate his form, but I could feel Mior pushing against his qi, holding him. I added my own efforts to theirs, keeping us bound to the physical world while I flapped my wings and barely guided our descent onto the mountain.


    Isuro struggled, and his qi helped him enough that he almost broke free several times. But with Rijoko¡¯s power reinforcing me, Mior and I overpowered him. When we finally crashed to the earth, in a small dip in a mountain, I pulled qi-suppressing shackles from my storage ring and wrestled them around Isuro¡¯s wrist.


    He laughed. ¡°Really?¡±


    I continued, shrugging slightly. I knew they wouldn¡¯t do much against a cultivator of his level, but it couldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Why are you even fighting us?¡± I asked again. ¡°I think we¡¯ve established that you don¡¯t actually want to kill me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t appear to be trying to kill me, either,¡± he noted calmly, his eyes on Mior.


    The spirit grinned. ¡®I trust Inaris to know what she¡¯s about.¡¯


    ¡°Look, I know we won¡¯t be able to keep you prisoner,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you, either, even if I thought I could. This whole situation is pretty absurd. I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure you weren¡¯t fighting with your full power, not really. Are you willing to go this far for Jideia, even discard your pride? Where¡¯s your self-respect, Isuro?¡±


    He glared at me. ¡°You should make up your mind on what you want me to do, girl.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I never got a chance to thank you for how you¡¯ve fumbled all those assassination attempts. If Jideia had given them to someone who was actually trying their best, I might have had a harder time. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still doing this. You don¡¯t even like it, Isuro. Shit, I¡¯d be willing to bet you don¡¯t even like Jideia.¡±


    ¡°I owe him loyalty,¡± Isuro said through gritted teeth. I noted that he¡¯d stopped struggling, while I¡¯d paused, one of his wrists in a cuff and the other dangling uselessly, all of us focused on the conversation. It felt like it might be the first actually frank one we¡¯d had.


    ¡°Do you really?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean, I know he helped you once, a long time ago. Fine, maybe he helped you a lot. But you¡¯ve been doing his dirty work for a long time now, haven¡¯t you? Was that really the deal? Being his slave in return for ascension?¡±


    Isuro seemed to fade into greater corporality, somehow. ¡°I¡¯m not his slave!¡±


    ¡°Then act on your own opinions and decisions!¡± I stood up, taking a step back, and watched as he slowly rose to a crouch.


    After a long moment of silence, he heaved a sigh. ¡°So you want me to serve Rijoko? After I already betrayed him once?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°My father would probably be happy to gain your support. Whatever happened in the past, you know he¡¯d much rather have you not on Jideia¡¯s side, so he¡¯ll protect you from him. But I don¡¯t know if you really need to follow him. That¡¯s your decision.¡±


    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What then, Inaris?¡±


    I glanced at Mior, then back at Isuro, ran a hand through my hair, and shrugged. ¡°I just want you to leave us alone.¡±


    He stared at me. I met his gaze steadily, waiting as the seconds ticked by.


    Finally, he sighed, closed his eyes for a moment, and bowed his head. ¡°You are right. This has gone beyond what I ever intended to support. I will leave.¡± He hesitated for a moment, then met my gaze again. ¡°Thank you, Little Light. Perhaps you have shown me the way to regain some self-respect after all. I wish you good fortune. We will meet again.¡±


    There was a glint in his eyes, one I wasn¡¯t quite comfortable with, but I understood Isuro well enough to know he was no danger to me anymore. He faded from sight and I felt his qi disappearing into the distance.


    I still felt Rijoko and Jideia, fighting, in the center of everything here.

 187: Power

    ¡®Is he gone?¡¯ I asked.


    Mior didn¡¯t answer for a moment, presumably focusing on their senses in order to answer the question. Finally, the spirit nodded. ¡®As far as I can tell, yes. It¡¯s possible he could deceive me, with a bit of luck, but it wouldn¡¯t work against Rijoko. And I doubt Isuro would do that, anyway.¡¯


    I breathed out deeply, then rolled my shoulders and beat my wings to gain some altitude. We could still see the city from here, though we were now too far away, not to mention at a bad angle, to see much of the battle. ¡®Good.¡¯


    Mior took my hand again, and sped up towards Saria. I clenched my teeth and focused on keeping up. This time, I managed it better, feeling like I was actually in control of and contributing to my movement. We crossed the distance far quicker than I could have done it on my own, and soon hovered almost over Saria again.


    ¡®Stay calm and let me in.¡¯ Mior said. ¡®You trust me, don¡¯t you, Inaris?¡¯


    I tensed up slightly, hesitating for a moment, before I nodded. I did trust them.


    Mior¡¯s hand on my arm seemed to grow warm, and I felt their qi more keenly as they hovered in front of me. They appeared to stare into my eyes in a way that might have been uncomfortable if they had a more physical body.


    Then their form started to dissolve, qi hanging thickly in the air, and I couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. I watched, keeping myself still, as the diffuse cloud of qi which I could sense contained Mior¡¯s presence drifted into me. My skin prickled and I felt a strange kind of heat entering my body. But those sensations grew more distant as my mind encountered it as well. I felt Mior¡¯s consciousness reaching out and touching me, more closely than I¡¯d ever felt them before.


    It was like dropping into a deep void. I sensed the flickers of qi going through them, the vast and slightly alien intellect, with the weights of millennia of experience and vast amounts of power behind it. They cradled me, holding me close to themself, padding the edges with comfort and feelings of care. It couldn¡¯t quite drown out the burning, stabbing pain that probably came from my body, but maybe not just that.


    I didn¡¯t know how long that experience lasted. By the time I opened my eyes again, blinking against the disorientation, we had dropped some distance but were still in the air, my wings beating slightly erratically. I leveled them out and took a deep breath, trying to ascertain what had happened.


    ¡®That worked better than I was afraid it might,¡¯ Mior said.


    I turned to them. The spirit was currently manifested in a slightly more wispy form than before, floating alongside me. And yet, at the same time, I could feel them somewhere inside, directly connected to my mind. If I focused on it, I could almost make out a tangible tether of qi connecting the two of us. I suddenly had a pounding headache, and it felt like something was squeezing my head, pushing up against my mind. I didn¡¯t want to think about how it would have felt if Mior had tried this when I was in a lower stage.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know you could actually possess me,¡¯ I said. ¡®Isn¡¯t my bloodline interfering?¡¯


    ¡®Apparently not. I¡¯d wager a guess that it¡¯s helping, considering we share the same bloodline, but I wouldn¡¯t like to try this for an extended period of time without Rijoko¡¯s stabilizing influence. Now, let¡¯s go.¡¯ Mior turned and looked off to the side, and at the same time, I could feel their attention shifting. ¡®Time to introduce ourselves properly to Sparky.¡¯


    ¡®Sparky?¡¯ I raised an eyebrow and followed their gaze to where the battle still raged. Actually, the two Greater Spirits appeared to have moved away from the human fighters somewhat, and were currently over the city walls.


    Mior only grinned. ¡®I think grandfather will give you more power. Try it. And stop dawdling.¡¯


    I shook my head, but got moving. Mior seemed to drift along, not quite contained in me, but not really moving by themself, either. We approached the Greater Spirits while I diverted some of my attention to my connection with Rijoko. It was still clearer and sharper than ever, practically thrumming with power.


    I felt like skipping the distance between us was an insignificant step that took little more effort than if I was strolling leisurely through a garden. The humans I could see and sense in the background all appeared to be moving slowly, instead of with the blinding speed cultivators should display. And the landscape of qi around me no longer seemed so chaotic. Instead, I found myself understanding intricate patterns at a glance, feeling the streams and eddies of it, sensing everything happening while still being able to focus my attention on the important things. It was exhilarating, and a little daunting.


    Rijoko and Jideia appeared even more intimidating to me now. They both were giants, not so much physically as concerning their qi. I could feel Rijoko¡¯s especially well. Even knowing that much of it, of him, was still contained elsewhere, did not make me feel any less as if I were an ant gazing up at a tree. Jideia was clearly different, but no less strong.


    ¡®Don¡¯t lose heart,¡¯ Mior whispered to me, silently, in a corner of our minds. ¡®I am with you, and we can do this.¡¯


    The spirit flared their qi, which felt a little as if they flared my own. It pushed out, claiming a little space in the raging clash between the Moon and the Storm¡¯s presences. They both reacted instantly, although they must have already known we were here. I felt something from Rijoko that was hard to put into words; perhaps focused determination came closest. Jideia¡¯s avatar turned and shifted position slightly so he guarded against all of us.


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    In response, Mior started drifting to the side, and I followed automatically. We were far more coordinated than I¡¯d ever been with any ally in a fight, and seemed to instinctively complement each other¡¯s actions due to the way we sensed them from each other¡¯s minds. We started circling a little, making as if to pen Jideia in. I knew it wouldn¡¯t matter much, but Mior¡¯s experience said that every little bit helped. All the while, we were still practically pouring out qi, pushing against our adversary, a silent and continuous wrestling in the background.


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to matter much. Rijoko and Jideia still fought, exchanging qi in ways that seemed different from any techniques I¡¯d ever seen, though still recognizable. Maybe it was just that I saw the process differently, more completely. I got the feeling that neither of them was in a hurry. And why should they be?


    We were still drifting in the air, with no one seeming to give that fact any attention, and were now moving over the city. I didn¡¯t get the sense that Jideia cared about that at all. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t care if the Zarian city got demolished so long as his own goals were met. But that means he might be baiting us in, right? What if he has a prepared ground, an advantage when we go over his temple or whatever he¡¯s done?


    ¡®I doubt it,¡¯ Mior replied, and I realized they¡¯d caught the edge of my thought. ¡®Rijoko would be able to tell if there was anything that could truly pose a threat there. Besides, this way we¡¯re at least moving away from the soldiers. That reduces the possibility of unknown factors interfering.¡¯


    I nodded mentally and focused back on the fight. The city below us remained unscathed, even as I could sense people fleeing and seeking shelter in homes and defensible structures, for all the good that would do them.


    In that moment, Jideia turned and I felt an intangible weight increase as more of his attention rested on me. Qi started pushing out in a crashing wave towards me.


    I tightened my grip on my spear and held it in front of me in a blocking move. At the same time, Mior flowed back into me. We weathered the attack, although it felt like an angry horse had just kicked me. I was thrown back several meters before I managed to right myself and get back into position. The haft of my spear was hot in my hands, and lightning seemed to flicker in the runes etched into it.


    Rijoko had just launched another attack at our opponent, but Sparky blocked it with little effort, catching the intertwined light and dark on a shield made out of storm clouds and thunder. I breathed in deeply and launched an attack of my own, leveling Fides like a gun as it sent qi shooting out of it, a beam of pure blackness crackling with lightning. This one actually hit, although it seemed to do little damage, just dispersing into the Storm¡¯s robe.


    Our fight continued for a while. I lost track of the time, my focus absorbed in the exchange of blows and qi, attacks and parries and the occasional dodge. When I focused, I could almost make out the intricate pattern behind it, like a dance led by the two spirits, every bit of qi they expended and applied carefully measured. From the outside, it might not seem as powerful or awe-inspiring as having the strongest cultivators fight, but I knew that any of these little exchanges would blow away the best efforts of our soldiers.


    My role in it was comparatively minor, and yet crucial. I realized it intuitively, my sense for qi and complex systems telling me that. Mior¡¯s power allowed me to participate, and the fact that there was another fighter, another variable and focus of qi, put pressure on Jideia. He and Rijoko were pretty evenly matched, and we tipped the balance. That was why Mior had us go to deal with Isuro first.


    ¡®Where is the Auditor?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he showing up?¡¯


    ¡®Could be lying in wait, but maybe he doesn¡¯t like his chances here,¡¯ the spirit replied in my mind as we deflected yet another attack and sent a response that pushed Jideia into an evasive move to face Rijoko. ¡®He¡¯s not the best at direct combat, anyway. Bit of a coward, if you ask me.¡¯


    I took that with a considerable helping of salt, considering I knew about and could literally feel Mior¡¯s dislike for the spirit. But I wasn¡¯t going to complain if the fight kept going like this.


    We slowly moved closer and closer to the center of the city and, among other things, Jideia¡¯s temple. I spared a bit of my attention to check on how the battle behind us was going. To my surprise, it seemed to be more even than I expected. Maybe the time I¡¯d spent talking to Rijoko only seemed longer to me because we¡¯d been arguing in our minds, but it appeared JIdeia hadn¡¯t killed that many Imperial soldiers after all. The two forces were still roughly on par, at least enough that the battle continued without turning into a one-sided curbstomp. On second thought, maybe Sparky hadn¡¯t been too careful about collateral damage, too, and I could sense some Imperial eighth-stagers on the field. Even if they weren¡¯t fighting directly, they might help.


    If all else failed, maybe we could use their help in this fight, too. It clearly wouldn¡¯t break the agreement between the nations.


    A wicked triple-folded feinting attack from Jideia ripped me from these thoughts and forced me to focus on the fight. I spun, evaded one feint, and took another on a hastily raised qi shield. The force of it still pushed me back, and an accompanying mental attack made my surroundings spin into blackness as dizziness got me for a moment. Mior held my body in a stable position with a bit of their qi, and I quickly dashed forward again, trying to provide cover with a rain of black balls of qi.


    Rijoko kept fighting, his qi dancing in deadly patterns with the other Greater Spirit. The rhythm hadn¡¯t broken, though it had stuttered. I started to dive back into it, trying to figure out how best to use my own abilities, how best to help.


    Then suddenly, there was a hitch. I barely had time to widen my eyes and instinctively try to flinch back. One moment, Jideia was clashing with my father, and the next, he was in front of me.


    Qi reached out for me, both the incarnations¡¯s hand and possibly a more subtle form. Mior¡¯s power surged and they managed to push it away. I backpedaled in the air, slashing frantically at the Storm, but Jideia avoided most of my attacks and simply turned to air where my spearhead would have slashed through for the rest. And at the same time, I felt a steadily growing pressure, not just against my physical body or my qi, but against my mind.


    Distantly, I felt my father¡¯s power crest, as he pushed harder and more aggressively. But it felt like Jideia might be pumping more power into himself as well, and his grip didn¡¯t ease. It tightened.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t fight it, couldn¡¯t fight him directly. Mior was in complete agreement. We tried to evade, to back off and gain distance. But Jideia would have none of it. He seemed to give in one moment, only to appear where I was about to rush to in the next heartbeat.


    I thrust with my spear and this time, I felt it connect, Fides¡¯ tip flaring with power. But the Storm would not be stopped so easily. He grabbed me, his fingers digging into my arm like white-hot bands of steel, his qi pressing in on me until it felt like I couldn¡¯t breath yet desperately had to, until I needed all of my will not to fold into myself.


    Then his mind pushed into mine. My defenses stalled him for a moment, but the Storm wedged himself into them and nudged his way into the cracks, and I felt him connecting to me directly. I barely noticed Mior¡¯s attempt to manipulate the qi around us as everything went dark, and I slipped away into my own mind, feeling Jideia all around me.

 188: Dissolution

    <div>


    I saw something that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world. A winding labyrinth, equal parts ancient mazes and postmodern cityscape, stretched out and interconnected to parts of itself. It looked like someone had taken optical illusions and surrealist paintings, made them physical and interlaced them with towering walls, bunkers, drops into an eternal void, and higher-dimensional mathematical fields.


    That was basically what I¡¯d tried to do. I¡¯d visualized the outer part of my mental defenses ¡ª or at least the middle part, those only someone who actually tried to intrude into my mind would get to ¡ª like that, working from the simple labyrinth I¡¯d got from my training with Mother. I thought the result was pretty good, all things considered.


    But it hadn¡¯t been designed to stand up to Greater Spirits.


    I felt Jideia¡¯s presence keenly, and it even affected the visualized defenses directly. Instead of a figure appearing and having to find their way through the maze, like it was supposed to work, there was a dark pressure over everything, as if someone had put a grimy film over it, and then twisted it and pressed parts of it together.


    I didn¡¯t make an avatar for myself, at least for now, but just focused on trying to defend myself and drive him back. It was easier said than done. I didn¡¯t consider myself a weak-willed person, but Sparky had millennia of experience and the power of what was essentially a god. I felt like I might have weakened him, there were subtle hairline fractures in the sense I got of his form, or maybe it was just because we were fighting in my own territory. But he still eclipsed me.


    Luckily, I wasn¡¯t alone. Even as Jideia¡¯s presence advanced and parts of my illusory landscape crumbled into dust, breaking off from the rest and disintegrating into the void or just flattening out into nothing, my connection to Rijoko thrummed with power. The Moon¡¯s attention bolstered my own efforts. I managed to stabilize the latter portion of it, at least slowing the Storm down.


    I could also feel Mior. It felt like Jideia had put up a wall between us, but the spirit was currently linked too tightly to me to keep them out completely. In a distant, mostly unconscious corner of my mind, I still felt them. I got an impression of their anger and determination, and it bolstered me in a way pure power from Rijoko couldn¡¯t have. Like hell would I let this douchebag cut me off from my friend.


    I couldn¡¯t stop Jideia¡¯s advance, so I concentrated on what I would do after. I would probably have to let him at least into the surface levels of my mind, but I was still far from defenseless. And my connection to Rijoko was anchored in a fundamental part of my essence, so it might even be easier, in a way.


    I deliberated letting the visualization fade, but in a pure contest of willpower, or just power, I definitely wasn¡¯t in Jideia¡¯s league. This was still my mind, though, and I¡¯d take advantage of that.


    When Jideia finally shattered the last of my outer defenses, I shifted my mind, pulling him with me into another layer. He could have tried to fight it, but instead he leaned into the pull, trying to use his will to bend it in his favor. I didn¡¯t let that catch me off guard, though, and kept a grip on my intent, my father¡¯s power steadying it.


    The fact that Rijoko wasn¡¯t doing more probably meant they were still fighting and he was beating Jideia in the outside, but I pushed that thought to the back of my mind, doubling down on my focus to stop my next step from wavering.


    We appeared in a scene that seemed slightly more substantial. Which wasn¡¯t to say it was clear or a memory of anything specific. Instead, I stood on a wide dirt path in a mist-swept landscape, with a few curving walls and electrical streetlights guiding my sight, overgrown gardens and a few other things around me. There were groves, yards, nooks and crannies where I could put things, and no overall organization that led to any destination in particular. I started walking, away from where I sensed Jideia.


    His consciousness, or the part of it currently attempting to invade me, at least, had also condensed. There was an actual figure about a few hundred meters back, moving forward quickly. I didn¡¯t let it hurry me, but simply stepped off the path and into another that wound its way in a curve off to the side. I was moving at the pace of a normal person, and even Jideia didn¡¯t get much faster. That was one stringently enforced rule in this mental space: There was supposed to be no qi. A normal cultivator from Aran might not have been able to do this, since they had no experience with such a situation, but for me it was, in many ways, still the default state.


    I paused as I reached a break in the wall, which showed an opening into a garden of trees with dark, drooping branches and thorny bushes. There was a pond to the side of it, by the path, and I caught a glimpse of my reflection. It was vague at first, but solidified in my view after a moment. Brown hair, not blonde, a serious gaze in eyes that couldn¡¯t seem to decide on their color, the skin a healthy tan.


    I kept walking. If this hadn¡¯t been in my own head, I would have felt freaked out at the weirdness of it all. Instead, I was calm. Not because this space forced it, that was just the way my mind worked. I remained hyper-aware of Jideia¡¯s presence and location, but my nerves were suppressed by a blanket of calm focus. I even felt my face break into an illusory smile. After all, I had a Greater Spirit coming into my mind, how often did I have access to an opportunity like that?


    I withdrew just a little from my visualization. Not enough to shatter or fade it, just enough to pry my mental fingers into the edges a little. To influence it subtly. The next time I went off the path into another, the scene I happened upon was vague, misty, like something seen from the corner of my eye. It reminded me a little of what I¡¯d seen when I was questing for a cure to the poison with the spirits before I unlocked my bloodline.


    Except, this time, it was a vision of the life I left behind on Aran, not the one I was ripped from on Earth. I remembered the place from the Imperial palace, although the decorations were slightly changed. Soft music played, and I watched as a shadowy figure in the shape of a girl twirled in the middle of the room - after all, I wouldn¡¯t remember a third-person view.


    I didn¡¯t know why this scene was significant ¡­ but then, I did. As I watched and listened to a teacher off to the side calling out steps, I remembered the sense of finally getting into the flow, finding joy in moving, in a way I hadn¡¯t gotten on the training field. It wasn¡¯t an earth-shaking or important moment, but it was emotionally significant to me. A moment when I¡¯d become a little more me. From that day on, in my subconscious, the awareness had percolated that I didn¡¯t need to be the best fighter, that it was alright to strive for and find fulfillment in other things. My passion for dancing, lukewarm to begin with, hadn¡¯t lasted long, but in a way, this had set me on a course that led to my lab.


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    I smiled and started walking again. As I did, the scene around me dissolved and reformed into a different situation.


    I hesitated for a moment when it did, caught a little off guard by the intensity of the stab of emotion that went through me all of a sudden. It was like a bitter, sour taste on the back of my tongue. I¡¯d seen the location itself several times before, too; another part of the Imperial palace. But the raised voices echoing indistinctly through the scene didn¡¯t match the serene paintings and gilded woodwork. I pressed myself against the side of a corridor in a mirror of the movement I¡¯d done back then. The viewpoint of the scene had shrunk, leaving me looking up at the world from a child¡¯s perspective. A child that crept closer, even knowing what was going on.


    Then one of the two figures arguing suddenly seemed to become more solid as it turned to storm off in my direction. Child-Inaris froze, and Carston hesitated as well. Their eyes met, and I remembered the way I''d felt as I shrank back from the angry eyes of the man I''d believed to be my father. The knowledge that my current self had had him executed did not help. Then Carston¡¯s lip curled in a slight sneer and he stomped off, never to be seen again by me until after my soul journey.


    I glanced at my mother, whose face was a cold mask not quite hiding the anger and sadness in her eyes, before I shook my head and strode forward, letting go of the memory¡¯s impressions. No points for guessing why that one. But I realized that I could remember my relationship with Carston, and even Mother, much better now, as well as other aspects of my childhood.


    Jideia¡¯s presence seemed to grow stronger for a moment, drawing my attention to it. I kept walking, focusing on maintaining my calm. I reminded myself again that I didn¡¯t need to defeat him. It was probably enough if I just stalled him, then Mior and Rijoko could take advantage and actually end the fight. And it seemed I was doing well enough so far.


    So, instead of confronting him or pitting my willpower directly against his, I tried to redirect his presence and the disruption it caused in the construct of my mind, to make it work for me. I knew from what I¡¯d learned in the caves of Old Riacis and later research, as well as my try with Isuro, that qi was able to store information and that my memories weren¡¯t entirely gone. I just needed to regain access to them.


    Anything that had happened before I gained my genius¡¯ eidetic memory was probably harder to recover, but at least what happened since then had clearly been stored somewhere, maybe in the qi laced through my brain or something. I directed my focus on it and bent my willpower to the task of not just containing Sparky, but channeling the disruption he caused.


    I blinked, my attention drawn to what passed for my physical surroundings here. I had kept walking and now passed another glade, where trees melted into stonework, creating a vaguely familiar looking courtyard. It was hazier than ever, and I repressed the urge to shiver as something inside me reacted to the sense of it.


    I glimpsed a figure there, seemingly looking at me. It was vague, like something seen from the corner of my eyes, and nothing I could place. It felt weird, like a memory twice forgotten.


    Then Jideia¡¯s presence drew close enough to me that I could sense the effect it had on my surroundings, and I turned, inwardly swallowing a curse. The spirit¡¯s form approached quickly, and now it was here, still a rolling cloud of qi, dark storm clouds, and lightning in the shape of a person towering over me.


    ¡®You cannot hope to best me,¡¯ he said, with an intensity that caused the scene around us to shiver and made me want to wince.


    I forced myself to smile and stepped back, trying not to measure the distance between us and think about running. This wasn¡¯t how it worked here. ¡®Maybe not,¡¯ replied slowly. Then I cocked my head to the side, clearly thinking, before I shrugged. ¡®Luckily, I don¡¯t have to.¡¯


    That was when the mental wall that separated me from Mior finally came down. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when their presence rushed to reunite with me, the storm of emotion at their core bolstering my own will. A new figure coalesced out of the air around us, glaring at Jideia with murder in their eyes.


    What happened next was hard for me to follow, for all that it happened in the middle of my own mind. If asked, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to describe it. It was a raw struggle, one going beyond the physical or even just qi. My physical body finally made its presence known again with a pounding headache, and I flinched back before I even realized I was really doing it.


    Then Rijoko reached through our bond, through me, and seemed to grab onto us. A dizzying moment stretched into a small eternity, and I almost burned under the fire of Jideia¡¯s vehemence, though my father shielded me. Even a second later, I found it difficult to recall the experience. But then the landscape of my mind faded as we found ourselves back in the physical reality for good.


    I flew backward a few steps, staring at the Storm, who didn¡¯t move. He and Rijoko appeared entwined, and it took a moment for me to make sure that the Moon had Sparky contained, in a hold that was probably more metaphorical than real. But my qi senses told me the real state of affairs. Jideia was weaker, and Rijoko was victorious.


    There was a long moment of silence.


    ¡®And now what?¡¯ I asked. I glanced beside me, noting that Mior had taken on their own manifestation again, though we were still deeply linked. The spirit stared fixedly at the Greater Spirits.


    ¡®You have lost, Jideia,¡¯ Rijoko said, though it was really a more complex communication that you could vaguely squeeze into those words.


    Jideia wordlessly agreed, not without clear resentment.


    Well, that was easy. I shook my head at myself. ¡®Will you stop going after me and mine now?¡¯ I asked. I gently tugged on my mental connection to Rijoko. ¡®If not, we need to weaken you enough to make sure you don¡¯t pose a threat.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t help hoping that Rijoko would just suck all the power out of Jideia¡¯s manifestation, even if that might mean he remained more of a danger later. I felt Mior¡¯s wordless agreement through our link, but also their caution and desire to make the best choice, not the easiest.


    Something passed between Jideia and Rijoko that I had trouble parsing, and I suspected I didn¡¯t even catch a fraction of it.


    Finally, the Storm¡¯s form nodded. He finally looked at me, then back at his nemesis. ¡®It is agreed,¡¯ he said. I felt more behind his words, an outline of what was to come. His influence in the Storm Continent, all two continents, really, almost gone, myself free to act as I saw fit.


    I felt Mior¡¯s distant satisfaction. Finally, Sparky would stop causing trouble for me, or he¡¯d face the consequences. And his position was weakened enough that he had too many other problems, anyway.


    I felt Rijoko¡¯s attention shift as both of them glanced to the side. I followed their gaze, tensing up slightly. I¡¯d been aware of the presence approaching, but only distantly, my focus had rested on what was happening between the spirits.


    Elia was floating in the air without help. At the spirit¡¯s regard, she inclined her head silently. I knew what this meant. The Sun¡¯s qi was layered over her. She was witnessing this agreement.


    I couldn¡¯t help but clench my spear tighter for a moment. A part of me didn¡¯t like how this had turned out at all. But I stepped on my dissatisfaction, then stabbed it and buried it in a dark alley. So what if Jideia would still be around and I didn¡¯t get a tangible revenge. I got what I wanted; what I needed.


    We¡¯d won.

 189: Significance

    Even after the Greater Spirits had disappeared, I spent a long moment just floating in the air, staring at nothing in particular. Only Mior¡¯s careful poke roused me.


    I beat the wings I had regrown and let myself drift slowly downwards. Mior was still linked to me, though they currently maintained their own form, and I could feel the extra power I¡¯d drawn on during the fight slowly seeping out of me.


    ¡®Inaris.¡¯ Their tone was unexpectedly gentle. ¡®I know this is a momentous occasion and you probably need time to process what happened, but you should get moving. You¡¯re still needed.¡¯


    I blinked and shook my head. ¡®Right. Let¡¯s get going. How long are you going to stay with me?¡¯


    ¡®Not much longer. Actually ¡­¡¯


    I paused, somehow managing to keep hovering in the air with their help. I felt a sensation like a slight tingle in my qi. Although, now that I focused on it, I could tell that Mior was only nudging something I could have found there anyway. Almost by themselves, my eyes slipped closed, and I started breathing deeply.


    This breakthrough had crept up on me. If I paused to think about it, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised this was happening, considering I fought an ascended cultivator and Greater Spirit and everything. But now I barely had to guide my qi before it started crashing through my meridians, flushing out impurities. I compressed it tighter in my dantian, shaping it for my next level of progress.


    I knew who I was and where I came from, and now I saw what my future held, in more detail and with more certainty than before. I let those imaginings guide me, pushing through a breakthrough not just with my qi, but also my mind, defining myself and setting my path. It was almost shockingly easy.


    After a while, I opened my eyes again, realizing that I was resuming my descent. I shook my head to clear it and glanced around. That has to be the quickest breakthrough I¡¯ve ever had.


    ¡®Most likely,¡¯ Mior agreed. ¡®You¡¯re welcome.¡¯


    I huffed and smiled slightly. I could tell I¡¯d only been out of it for a few minutes, and Mior had kindly ensured that I wouldn¡¯t do myself or my surroundings any harm during that time. And it was a good thing that I wasn¡¯t occupied for longer. As I came closer to the site of the battle, it became clear how much work was still ahead of me.


    The walls had been breached and the qi shield covering the city broken, but the city was still mostly unmarred and as yet unconquered. Not that that would last long. The battlefield was a littler harder to assess, considering how cultivator fights tended to end for the environment and any hapless bystanders. But I could tell that the battle was mostly over. A lot of bodies lay in the mud, from both sides. It did seem like the Zarian had started to retreat, though. I could see a few Imperial eighth-stagers flying over or striding across the field. There were also a surprising number of Imperial siege weaponry and our large stationary guns still standing. As I watched, I saw a few minor spirits with qi tasting of something familiar, night and stars, leaving the battlefield.


    It looked like my father had decided to help us out a little. How nice of him.


    Elia was the first of my companions I found. She hovered pretty close to my current position on a flying sword, looking out over the field and the city. When I approached, she turned and nodded to me. Her forehead was slightly creased and I could read the tension in her posture despite her relaxed stance.


    ¡°Are you alright, Nari?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just fine. And you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± She smiled a little. ¡°It¡¯s not every day I get this close to my grandmother, but she was very gentle. I think I might even be ready for another breakthrough soon.¡±


    ¡°Good. Do you know where the others are?¡±


    She pointed. ¡°No need to go looking for them, I think.¡±


    I turned and smiled as I saw what she meant. The rest of what I thought of as my group were not too far away and were making their way towards us. Tenira and Lei were in the lead, with Elis, Ceion, and Kajare apparently talking to each other and Yarani at the rear. I nodded at Elia and started losing altitude again, sensing that she followed me.


    When I landed, I first had to endure intense hugging from my partners. I was barely done with one before the next got their turn. Elis hugged his sister as well, while Ceion looked a little awkward.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, laughing a little. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay. That was a fight I won¡¯t soon forget, but my father and Mior kept me safe. They¡¯re still here, by the way.¡±


    Mior faded out of my body and nodded at the others. ¡®Now that you¡¯re back safely, I think it¡¯s time to take my leave.¡¯ The spirit smirked slightly. ¡®Make sure she doesn¡¯t get into too much trouble, alright?¡¯


    Before I could answer, they started to fade again. I felt a pulling sensation in my midsection, right where my dantian was, and a similar sense in my qi. I grimaced and braced myself, distantly thankful at the contact when Elis laid a hand on my shoulder and supported me. It felt like something was torn away from me and I instinctively wanted to latch onto it and keep it, but I controlled myself and instead hunched in on myself.


    Mior¡¯s qi gathered around me, forming again into a more solid person-like shape in front of us, while my companions backed away to give them space. After a few minutes of something close to agony without actual pain, the feeling lessened. I felt like I could finally breathe easier, but at the same time, like those breaths were hollow.


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    Mior¡¯s arm rose and they gave me a wave before their qi started to dissipate and I felt the spirit¡¯s presence leaving. They probably have a lot to do.


    And so did I. I straightened, rolling my shoulders, and grimaced a little. ¡°Alright. Do you mind filling me in on what happened and what our status is?¡±


    I listened closely as my companions, though mostly Tenira with some interjections from Kajare and Yarani, started explaining. It sounded like the battle had recovered pretty well from the presence of two Greater Spirits and continued. My generals did a decent job of controlling it, and with the qi shield over the city gone and some help, they were able to quickly turn the battle around. Now, we were in the clean up phase. A lot of Zarian had died, while a few had been seen fleeing. We¡¯d probably have to hunt down the stronger ones later, but I wasn¡¯t too worried about it, or what remained of the Dominion outside the capital.


    Already, Imperial soldiers were forming up outside the city. The wall had been breached in several places, and I could sense that few people remained in its vicinity.


    By now, the leadership of the army had come closer, as well, and we met up with them. I noticed the looks the generals and eighth-stagers were giving me, but chose not to comment on it. They must have all sensed the fight between the spirits and knew I was involved, but I would rather not discuss it.


    At least they picked up on that fact quickly and the conversation focused on the battle and our next steps.


    ¡°We should be ready to march into the city,¡± General Poteri said. ¡°Unless we have to expect further increased resistance from the Storm¡¯s faction?¡±


    I considered for a moment and shook my head. ¡°I suspect that the High Temple will still fight, but we don¡¯t have to be concerned about the Storm himself.¡±


    They all looked relieved at that, although I got even more speculative looks. ¡°Good.¡± Poteri nodded. ¡°Then we can proceed, with your permission, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to your expert judgment, General,¡± I answered. If he thinks we should press on as soon as possible, he¡¯s probably right.


    From there, the conversation turned to practicalities, and the generals hammered out the details. They all seemed to agree with Poteri about wanting to get this going quickly. Probably because the impact of seeing their deity defeated (people did realize that, right?) should still be fresh for the Zarian.


    As the meeting wound down, I took out my trusty flying sword and rose into the air, getting a good overview of the situation and incidentally discouraging people from approaching and trying to talk to me. My friends didn¡¯t go far, but they left me in peace, thankfully. With nothing else to focus on, I noticed more strongly than before the way my qi channels were aching softly. Clearly, channeling that much power through them, with Mior possessing me, wasn¡¯t easy to endure, and the minor breakthrough hadn¡¯t recovered everything. It might have even made it worse. At least I felt confident the effect wouldn¡¯t be permanent, and as long as I didn¡¯t use too many strong techniques in the next few hours or days, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    With everyone except the most seriously injured soldiers healed, the bodies collected, and our planes and siege engines ready, the army finally started the assault on Saria, version two point zero.


    It was almost anticlimactic. Whoever remained in charge on the Zarian side clearly decided that trying to defend the walls was a lost cause. Considering our planes were free to bomb them with impunity, I couldn¡¯t disagree. It did mean that our soldiers met with minimal resistance as they started advancing into the city proper.


    I sighed to myself, watching teams of elites canvass the streets of the outer section of Saria. It felt like all of this was simply wrap up, annoying tasks that had to be completed once the true threat was dealt with. I¡¯d accomplished what I¡¯d really come here for, at least on a personal level.


    Of course, there were still a lot of people whose fates hung in the balance. I¡¯d told myself and others that I wanted to make lives better for the common people in the Zarian Dominion. Now it was time to put my money (or my army) where my mouth was.


    We waited in silence for a while as the soldiers moved into the city. I sensed the occasional fight, though it didn¡¯t seem to be anything they couldn¡¯t handle. Still, the occasional twinges in my qi sense made me antsy. There were still strong Zarian cultivators around. I knew Aston, who¡¯d been almost forebodingly quiet today, would not want me to enter the city until we were sure it was safe.


    I glanced at my bodyguard, who was on a flying sword behind me, looking straight ahead, his face a stony mask. Yeah, I¡¯ll need to have a long talk with him after this is over. Now that I no longer have to worry about Jideia¡¯s assassins.


    I sighed, shaking my head softly to myself.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Tenira asked. She and the others were coming up.


    I glanced at her and made myself smile. ¡°Yeah, of course, I¡¯m just a little keyed up still.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything, just raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at me. Beside her, Kajare folded his arms.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m still not sure how I feel about all this ¡ª this.¡± I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°We won, but ¡­¡±


    Tenira cocked her head to the side slightly. ¡°You feel like the Storm got away with attacking you.¡±


    ¡°Nari,¡± Kajare spoke up. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen the Pioneer. Is he gone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± I frowned slightly. ¡°Considering how Mior acted, I think he¡¯s permanently stopped supporting Jideia. He¡¯s probably going to go his own way now. I guess with a little help from the Moon, and with Sparky still dealing with the fallout of all this, he¡¯s probably in a position to manage it.¡±


    ¡°And the other Greater Spirits just saw the Storm get beaten down by his old enemy,¡± he said. ¡°After he must have invested a significant amount of power here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose.¡± I scratched at my cheek. When he put it like that, I could see what they were driving at.


    ¡°So, you weakened him considerably and took away his strongest supporter.¡± Kajare smiled. ¡°You could say that you hurt him far more than he ever actually hurt you, considering you survived all those assassination attempts.¡±


    I blinked, then started to grin. ¡°I guess so. Thanks, Kajare. You¡¯re not wrong.¡± I guess I needed to hear that. Sparky is going to have problems because of this for a long time.


    The two of them smiled. Our conversation paused, and we turned to look at the city. After a few seconds, one of the soldiers came up to wave us forward, and we finally started moving in.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that we talked about this,¡± Tenira said quietly. ¡°I hope you got your head in the game, or however that saying goes.¡±


    I glanced at her and nodded seriously. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Smoke was starting to rise from a few points in the city. I heard a crash from what might have been the High Temple¡¯s grounds. None of the soldiers I saw acted concerned, though. Still, there were quite a few high-tier Zarian left in the city. And they¡¯d all know we were coming.


    ¡°Because we have yet to deal with the Zarian,¡± Tenira continued. ¡°The affairs of spirits aside, this is going to be your challenge, I feel. The deciding point of this whole campaign, in a manner of speaking.¡±


    I nodded slowly. I understood what she meant. How I dealt with them now would be crucial. I didn¡¯t have a clear plan what to do. I¡¯d been focused on how to get rid of the Storm.


    I knew that would have wide-reaching effects, but it was a little hard to predict what they would look like. I sighed. Why couldn¡¯t Kiyanu be the one who was here?

 190: No more

    This might be the last time I went into a recently conquered city, at least in the foreseeable future. But it certainly wasn¡¯t the first, and I¡¯d come to have certain expectations for these situations.


    Saria didn¡¯t live up to them very well. Of course, what had happened here was far from typical. I still found it remarkable that I sensed a lot of people in the city. They weren¡¯t crowded together in sturdy houses and bunkers, but seemed to spread out like usual. There were no fighters lying in wait to ambush us, though, to be fair, my soldiers would have taken care of those already. Instead, I listened to the quiet sounds of a string instrument drifting on the wind from somewhere else in the city.


    The storm had finally ended a while ago, but it still left the streets of the city covered in a wet sheen that sometimes reflected light oddly when the sun hit it right. The sky had already turned to dusk, too, which seemed to cover everything in a sightly more reddish tint. It was a scene of surprising beauty, though I couldn¡¯t enjoy it very well with the number of guards that were crowded around me.


    Someone had blasted apart the inner gates of the city, though the wall around them still stood and looked mostly undisturbed. We kept to the main streets, which were broader here, most of them lined with trees and decorated with the occasional statue or fountain. They were all much emptier than they should have been. We also approached the parts of the city where the mansions of the rich and powerful stood. Here, I sensed more people watching us, most of them cultivators of at least middling strength. I tensed up slightly and noticed that my guards seemed to be on alert, as well, but no one approached us, much less launched an attack, and we passed by the mansions without incident.


    ¡°It seems like they worked out something,¡± Elis muttered, glancing at me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect them not to try and cut deals for themselves, though.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°At least they seem to have realized that they¡¯ve lost. I wouldn¡¯t want to have to track everyone of note down outside.¡±


    Of course, our planes and flying cultivators circling outside the city made it hard for anyone to flee. I still expected that some would manage to slip away. With a little luck, and if they were smart, they would flee into exile in other countries. At least I was pretty sure we¡¯d managed to take out most of the Zarian elites who could use the teleport technique.


    It didn¡¯t surprise me when we drew closer and sensed the gathering of cultivators in the Princeps¡¯ Palace. It was a pretty obvious and meaningful choice. There were cultivators stationed outside and in guard positions on the roof, probably those less closely connected to the main families. The stronger ones were inside, and I assumed those included what was left of the movers and shakers in the Dominion.


    There weren¡¯t all that many, and they weren¡¯t all that powerful in total. Aston probably could have taken them just with his expanded complement of guards. With Hashar¡¯s elites and a few eighth-stagers as backup, they¡¯d have no chance if they tried anything. It wouldn¡¯t come to a fight, anyway. This wasn¡¯t going to be that simple.


    I looked up at the white marble facade for a moment, watching the play of colors across it. Usually, there would be more pageantry, with formations or techniques used to pretty it up even further. The huge building was impressive even without that, though the plants in the garden around it still seemed to contain a lot of qi. I made sure to keep to the center of the path as we walked towards the main doors. Aston was in front of me, with other guards forming a perimeter around us. Behind me came my companions, then General Poteri, Hashar, and the eighth stagers present. The other generals were busy overseeing the army. I resisted the urge to straighten my robes again and settled a cold mask in place on my face, striding forward with my back straight and head held high. At least there were no photographs here.


    The inside of the palace was as expansive as the outside, but we didn¡¯t have to go far. After only one corridor, wide and intricately carved double doors opened into a large hall. You couldn¡¯t quite call it a throne room, given the lack of a throne, but it was still designed and decorated similarly, with tall pillars, balconies on an upper level that let you look down on it, and a lot of formations in the walls. But I didn¡¯t spare them much attention, instead focusing on the people in it.


    I couldn¡¯t help but think they were a pretty sorry lot considering this constituted what remained of the Zarian leadership, their best and most powerful. Half of them were either too old, in appearance at least, or too young. Though I supposed I shouldn¡¯t judge them for having weaker cultivators able to rise to prominence now. I actually discovered Vana in the room, as well, though I tried not to let on that I recognized her.


    Though that raised an interesting question. Was the Basement here? I wouldn¡¯t put it past them to have a few representatives prepared.


    The already low level of noise in the room fell even further into deep silence as I crossed the threshold and started to walk into the room. Kajare and Tenira flanked me on either side, a step behind, followed by the others. Every eye in the room fixed on us.


    I didn¡¯t hurry, but calmly walked down the hall until I stood in front of where the apparent leaders had gathered at one of the ends of the room, where a throne would have (and might once have) stood. The different groups they came from were apparent in the way they clustered together. There were even a few priests in the familiar robes of the Storm¡¯s temples, standing at one edge.


    I kept my head high and gazed at them for a drawn-out moment, while the people behind me stopped as well.


    Then some of the people started to bow, even if they looked like they weren¡¯t exactly happy about it. Others followed their example, and in a second, everyone had given me a courtly bow.


    I inclined my head in response. ¡°Greetings, leaders of the Zarian,¡± I said. My voice sounded loud in the quiet hall.


    A few of the people, probably the leaders of the major factions, exchanged a look, before they responded. ¡°Greetings, Imperial Princess Inaris.¡±


    I noticed that quite a few of the other Zarian were tense, their eyes darting between my guards and the elites who¡¯d accompanied us. The soldiers were spreading out slightly, their postures clearly on alert.


    They weren¡¯t just ready to defend us should an assassin pop out. They could also slaughter every Zarian in the room if I decided to simply give that command. The realization made me hesitate for a moment.


    ¡°We have a lot to discuss,¡± I finally said. ¡°But before that, I believe you have something to tell me. Your spirit patron was beaten and driven off, never to regain his bastion here. Your army was decisively defeated by the Empire¡¯s might. Your strength is gone, your territory lost, and you are at our mercy now. I hope there is no one here foolish enough to dispute this.¡±


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    There was another moment of silence, another round of silent glances. I could practically see the calculations going on behind their heads.


    Then one elderly woman spoke up, who I recognized as head of the Siranum. ¡°You speak truly, Your Highness.¡± She bowed her head. ¡°In the name of the Zarian Dominion, we formally surrender and ask for terms.¡±


    A few of the others frowned. But remarkably, no one spoke up to contradict her. I had the impression no one was happy about it, and a few of them didn¡¯t like the fact that she was positioning herself as speaker, but no one actually argued that she didn¡¯t have the authority for this. Probably because none of them has it, either.


    How ironic that they still didn¡¯t have a new Princeps.


    ¡°Your surrender is noted and accepted,¡± I replied.


    That seemed to ease the tension a little. It wasn¡¯t like I couldn¡¯t still get started with murder, pillage, and arson, but I wouldn¡¯t have needed to go to the trouble of getting a formal surrender first.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± another man spoke up. He must be the current head of another great family. ¡°The Dominion is prepared to take any reasonable measures to ensure that the war is resolved to everyone¡¯s satisfaction.¡±


    I smiled ironically. That was a little rich, considering everything that had happened. ¡°You misunderstand,¡± I answered, letting my tone cool just a little. ¡°I accepted your surrender, as persons and as a group. The Dominion, on the other hand, has been conquered. It started this war, killed many Imperial citizens, and has been brought down for it. With the fall of Saria, the Zarian Dominion is history. There will be no recall, no peace treaty. The Dominion is no more.¡±


    That got a reaction from the Zarian. This time, there was no tense silence, just furtive whisperings too low for me to make out. I watched the stir, keeping my face impassive. They had to know this would happen, and among the people I¡¯d identified as the leaders, I saw few signs of surprise. And why would I allow the Dominion to keep existing when I can just disappear it? Their land is already conquered, or as good as.


    Besides, I¡¯d already discussed this with Kiyanu. We were in agreement on this. He didn¡¯t want to risk a newly strengthened Dominion out for revenge rising, either. Or let go of the strength that the resources, not to mention population, of the Storm Continent and the Zarian colonies represented. The war hadn¡¯t fully ended in those colonies, yet, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t be long now.


    Then my attention was drawn by a gathering of qi I could sense coming as several cultivators approached. From the side doors, a group of people in the low and middle stages entered. They mostly wore simple clothing, but carried themselves with confidence. The Zarian leaders in the hall reacted immediately, many of them withdrawing a little. A few of the weaker people in their groups stepped forward as well.


    I turned to them and smiled. ¡°Ah, our valued allies! The Basement has been extremely helpful, and its contributions will not be forgotten.¡± In a slightly lower voice, I added, ¡°Please, do join us. This should be interesting.¡±


    A few people stepped forward to join me at the head of the hall. I recognized one of the men as one of the Basement leaders who¡¯d come to us to make an alliance originally. They all bowed to me and offered polite greetings.


    ¡°We were just discussing the end of the Zarian Dominion,¡± I said, although there was no way they had missed that.


    ¡°Good,¡± an older woman stated. She had a slight smile on her face as she looked at the Zarian high-tiers. ¡°It is high time for that end to come, and we are confident that the Empire will improve on what the Dominion used to be. Especially if it starts properly, making a clean sweep of the Dominion¡¯s rotten core.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can assure you that we do not intend to let the Dominion¡¯s power structures continue on under Imperial rule. But I assume you mean something concrete?¡±


    They nodded. ¡°It is the considered opinion of the Basement that the leeches sucking the strength out of the Dominion¡¯s people to hoard their power need to be properly cleansed.¡± The woman stared at me, looking almost challenging.


    I nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. I knew something like this might happen. They weren¡¯t quite making demands, but this clearly wasn¡¯t far from it. The Basement had been critical, and they were reminding me of it. And now these low-caste freedom fighters were coming to witness the downfall of their overlords, something they had probably dreamed of and made sacrifices for for a long time. I should probably count myself lucky there wasn¡¯t more open bloodlust.


    Thoughtfully, I looked at the Zarian elites. These were the people with the most motive and means to rebel. Many of them glared at the Basement members, people they would have probably not have deemed worthy of looking at a few years ago. They didn¡¯t manage to conceal their fear. It was obvious in the way they held themselves, the way they drew more tightly together. Even Siranum seemed hesitant to speak up. My gaze passed to Vana. She hadn¡¯t moved, and met my eyes with a hard look.


    The silence had dragged on for a bit. I nodded. ¡°Of course, I understand your position.¡±


    I turned towards the Zarian leaders, cocking my head sligthly, as one finger absently brushed my storage ring.


    Then Yarani spoke up. ¡°Inaris. Don¡¯t do this.¡±


    I turned back to my companions to see her staring at me challengingly.


    ¡°Yarani,¡± Tenira said sharply. ¡°You¡¯re out of line.¡±


    I glanced around, then took a step closer. Someone was putting up a qi barrier to keep the conversation private, but I didn¡¯t spare it much attention as I looked at my companions, especially my first partner.


    ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re considering,¡± she said. After a moment, her hand reached out and hesitantly brushed my sleeve. ¡°It might seem the pragmatic thing to do, but think about what you¡¯d be doing. We¡¯ve already won. Focus on what you stand for, what you want to accomplish.¡±


    My eyes narrowed, and I stared at her. But Yarani held my gaze easily. After a moment, I glanced at the others.


    Tenira returned my gaze and inclined her head. ¡°I will support you no matter what, Inaris.¡± She sighed slightly. ¡°Although I do have to agree with her, personally.¡±


    Kajare just nodded. Elis glanced at the Basement leaders, then back at us, and gave a little shrug. Elia and Lei stayed quiet, although she was watching everything intently.


    I used some of my own darkness qi to disperse the barrier and turned back, taking a deep breath. She was right. I¡¯d gotten a lot better at acting like a princess, acting more ruthlessly, but there was a balance to strike. I did want to make things better overall, and the greater good wasn¡¯t always an excuse to do something immoral. Far from it.


    ¡°I do understand your position,¡± I repeated to the Basement leaders. ¡°We will make a clean break with the way the Dominion did things. From now on, no Zarian will be measured or have their freedoms restricted by any tier system. The great families will no longer dominate your economy and society.¡± I raised a hand. ¡°That said, I will not have unnecessary bloodshed. If anyone - and I do mean anyone - goes on a killing spree, they will be punished.¡±


    The revolutionaries clearly didn¡¯t like that. The woman glared at me. ¡°They need to pay for what they have been doing.¡±


    ¡°And they will.¡± I smiled at all of them. ¡°There will be proper trials, and if any individual has committed crimes or abused those under their power, they will be held responsible for it.¡± I glanced at the former high-tier citizens as I said that. ¡°In addition, the property belonging to the great families will be confiscated and put to use to benefit the people.¡±


    Neither group looked happy with that. I got the feeling that the Basement members were considering pressing the point. Quite a few of the others might have been thinking of doing something stupid, too.


    Then Vana took a step forward. ¡°A wise choice,¡± she said, bowing her head to me. Then she moved off to join the Basement leaders, completely ignoring the stares the other Zarian leaders sent after her.


    After a few moments, the woman from the Basement snorted softly and nodded. ¡°Alright. We will hold you to these sentiments.¡±


    I smiled again. ¡°Of course. There is still a great deal to do, and much to discuss and establish.¡±


    It was probably inevitable that the Basement would get a leading role in the new territories that had been the Dominion. Then again, I could use them to balance out any influence from the Imperial nobles. And the central government would certainly have to be strong.


    I was confident we¡¯d manage.

 191: Aftermath

    I thought it was downright unfair how, of all the places I¡¯d been in the last year, Saria had the nicest view of the sunrise. Even so far south in winter, where the sun would only be visible for a short time, it dyed the streets and buildings of the city in warm colors and made the decorations and different materials used in building the city stand out. Light sparkled off a river in the distance, and the fields around the city reflected a riot of color from different crops, helped along by cultivators.


    Well, I wouldn¡¯t complain about having a nice view to round out what had been a very long night.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not thinking of jumping. Not that this balcony is high enough to harm you even without your shapeshifting.¡±


    I glanced down at the ground several stories beneath me, realizing that Tenira was probably right. The estate we currently occupied had housed a branch of the Zarian government previously, although it didn¡¯t really look like it with the nice courtyard, landscaped garden, and historic manor. It was also nicely in the center of the city while still having a defensible clear space around it, which helped to explain why Aston and the others had chosen it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not nearly that frustrated yet,¡± I answered, turning to my girlfriends. Yarani followed Tenira onto the balcony, though I didn¡¯t sense Kajare anywhere.


    ¡°Your husband is talking to Elis,¡± Tenira said, apparently guessing what I was thinking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they keep to talking.¡± Yarani grinned.


    Tenira sighed at her, but still smiled a little. ¡°I¡¯m quite sure they will. So.¡± She turned back to me. ¡°Elis.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about him, but we haven¡¯t had the time. Still, I haven¡¯t really promised him anything yet, so if you object ¡­¡±


    Tenira and Yarani shared a glance. ¡°I certainly won¡¯t stand in your way,¡± Yarani said. She flounced over and leaned against another part of the balcony. ¡°And it might do Kajare some good. You know, help him unwind a little. Not sure I really want to wish this on Elis, though.¡±


    Both Tenira and I rolled our eyes as Yarani grinned again. I didn¡¯t comment on her teasing, though. It was obviously in good fun.


    Instead, I looked at Tenira. She shook her head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any objections, either. From what I understand, he¡¯s not going to be around much, anyhow.¡±


    I smiled at her. ¡°Thank you, Tenira.¡±


    She snorted softly and moved closer, leaning against the balcony beside me. I relaxed and enjoyed the nice morning and their company.


    After a while, Tenira spoke up again. ¡°Although I do have to admit I was a little surprised. That it¡¯s Elis, I mean. I thought maybe Ceion ¡­¡±


    ¡°Ceion? No way. I¡¯d rather share a bed with Isuro.¡±


    Yarani snorted a laugh, while Tenira just raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay, maybe not.¡± I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. ¡°Not that I dislike him, it¡¯s just -¡± I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be a good idea. We¡¯re too ¡­ I don¡¯t know, we wouldn¡¯t be good for each other.¡±


    Yarani nodded seriously. ¡°I understand what you mean. That could too easily lead to obsession or unhealthy relationship dynamics.¡±


    I pulled a face. But she wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°How long are we going to stay here, anyway?¡± Tenira asked. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been wanting to go back north and see your siblings, among other things, but there is still a lot to take care of here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I frowned thoughtfully. ¡°I do want to go back, so, not long? Kiyanu can get some people here who will help with actually administering our new territories, now that it¡¯s reasonably safe. And it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t be in contact even from Thousand Lights City. Plus,¡± I smiled at Tenira, ¡°I seem to remember promising someone a wedding after the war.¡±


    Tenira laughed. ¡°Now that¡¯s the best reason of all. But are you sure? We haven¡¯t conquered the entire Storm Continent yet.¡±


    I sighed a little. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Parts of the army were already leaving to sweep south. But with those we had to leave here, and especially taking into account our losses, we didn¡¯t have the numbers to roll over any entrenched resistance we might encounter. There might be a few holdouts we¡¯d have to take care of later.


    ¡°I get the feeling the Empire is going to remain hungry for soldiers for quite a while to come,¡± I said. ¡°But it¡¯s really only a matter of time until we¡¯ve secured everything that used to be the Dominion. Minus the parts other powers are swallowing up, of course. To be honest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really needed here, anymore. Our generals should be more than capable of dealing with the military situation.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s still the political side to take care of,¡± Yarani pointed out. ¡°We need to make sure things are stable here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, and that¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± I raised an eyebrow at them. ¡°Someone was against me killing the people most likely to pose a threat or problem.¡±


    Yarani and Tenira didn¡¯t look particularly perturbed at that comment.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± I continued, ¡°I do intend to involve them in governance at least to some extent. Something like an advisory council, which would be composed of representatives of Zarian society.¡±


    Tenira nodded slowly. ¡°That could work. You just need to be careful not to have it lean too heavily towards protecting the old elites.¡±


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    ¡°I imagine it¡¯s going to be dominated by the Basement.¡± I smirked a little. ¡°But the former high-tier citizens are going to have a voice, at least. And I¡¯m not sure how much power this council will have, anyway. That¡¯s something to hash out with the Imperial administrators who are going to be in charge of these areas.¡±


    ¡°Administrators for the central government, not nobles,¡± Yarani murmured.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°A lot of the land confiscated from the great families will go towards public institutions, like new universities. And we might have some noble clans here, too, but I don¡¯t want them to dominate the region like they used to back home.¡±


    Yarani looked very pleased. I rolled my eyes, but didn¡¯t comment. I approved of her attitude, generally speaking, and I was feeling good about this prospect, too. If we could make this work - and while there might be problems, I didn¡¯t doubt that - this could mean a major step forward not just for the people of the Storm Continent, but the Empire as a whole, too.


    ¡°Have you heard anything from Mior?¡± Tenira asked. She didn¡¯t seem as relaxed.


    I hesitated. ¡°Not since the battle, no,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re busy. I mean, there¡¯s probably all sorts of stuff to sort out between Rijoko and Jideia. I¡¯d like to know how things have gone for Isuro, too.¡±


    They both nodded, though they shared a glance that seemed a little worried. I didn¡¯t mention it, and I could hardly blame them. It would probably take a while until I was no longer looking out for hostile moves from the shadows.


    Unless something happens.


    And even if not, would that be a good thing? I frowned despite myself, and the thought dissipated the last of my good cheer from before. I didn¡¯t think I was in danger of becoming complacent, but wasn¡¯t there some quote about how victory could be worse than defeat?


    ¡°Let¡¯s not borrow trouble,¡± Yarani finally said. ¡°The guards aren¡¯t going to relax their vigilance any time soon, anyway.¡±


    ¡°And now that spirits are no longer a big concern, there might still be mundane assassins, too,¡± Tenira added. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of people that could want Nari dead.¡±


    Yarani and I both gave her a look. ¡°Thanks for that cheerful thought,¡± I said. But in truth, I wasn¡¯t too worried. If Rijoko¡¯s protections, indirect or not, had held out against the Storm¡¯s attempts, I doubted he¡¯d let some random cultivator succeed. Besides, I had complete faith in Aston.


    ¡°Well, I need to go,¡± Yarani said. ¡°There¡¯s a meeting between some of the nobles with the army and some Basement leaders that I wanted to sit in on.¡±


    Tenira winced. ¡°Yes, it would be good to make sure they don¡¯t kill each other. I have to get going too, I need to manage the disposition of your household for the coming days.¡±


    I nodded and waved them off. Once both of my girlfriends were gone, I stretched and looked back out over the city. There seemed to be a little more life in its streets now. Then I turned to face the building.


    ¡°Aston?¡± I asked.


    I hadn¡¯t raised my voice much, but he appeared in the door a few seconds later. ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    I gestured at him to come closer. ¡°You know, I never asked if you actually listen in during those conversations.¡±


    Aston gave me a fleeting grin. ¡°Yes and no, my lady. For the most part, I listen without actually processing what I hear, it¡¯s a skill all guards are well-advised to learn.¡±


    I returned his smile and leaned against the balcony railing. He already seemed a little more relaxed, which was nice to see. Aston had appeared pretty tightly wound for the last few months.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°We haven¡¯t really had time to talk in a while, and I know the past few days had to be stressful for you.¡±


    Aston looked at me for a moment, then snorted. ¡°You could say that.¡± He came closer and leaned against the wall, obviously shifting out of bodyguard mode. ¡°Watching you talking to powerful spirits and then setting off to fight others without so much as a warning, let alone any chance for me to keep up¡­ Sometimes, I curse having taken this job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said quietly.


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I realize you did what you had to do and that I couldn¡¯t have helped. Mior and the Moon wouldn¡¯t have been careless with your life, and are much better qualified at protecting you than I am, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Still. I feel a little bad about it. But at least this shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    He smiled slightly. ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t complain about that. But I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to return to a relaxed stance on your security until we¡¯re back in the Imperial palace, if at all. Not that this should affect your plans overmuch. It¡¯s my job to worry about that while you do yours.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re being really reasonable for a bodyguard. I guess it helps to know that I¡¯m almost immortal, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aston flashed a grin. ¡°That certainly helps. I still try not to be too cavalier about it. If nothing else, your consorts are still mortal, and I prefer to keep my head firmly attached.¡±


    I laughed. Then I had to consider for a moment whether he only meant that he would be in the line of fire for any assassins who came calling, or whether he was making an ironic joke about me having him beheaded if his failure lead to the death of someone I loved. On second thought, I decided it didn¡¯t matter, asking about it would be weird, and I¡¯d rather move the conversation along.


    ¡°How are the rest of the guards doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well enough, all things considered. I think I need to do a few reassignments once we¡¯re back, but there are no critical issues. It depends on how you might like to have things arranged with regards to your siblings and the balance of strong cultivators.¡±


    I considered that for a moment. ¡°They still have high priority,¡± I decided. I was, as we¡¯d just pointed out, a lot more survivable. ¡°And I¡¯d like to get proper details in place for my companions. But for now, we can leave things as they are. I think it¡¯s working pretty well, and we¡¯re all staying closer together, anyway.¡±


    Aston nodded. ¡°Understood. That would include Prince Kajare, Lady Tenira, and Lady Yarani, I assume? Also Lord Lei and Lady Elia? Perhaps Lord Elis?¡±


    ¡°Definitely, when he¡¯s there,¡± I decided. ¡°And we should probably have guards assigned to Ceion, too. What do you think?¡±


    Aston hesitated. ¡°My lady, you are aware that Ceion has left, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I jerked upright. ¡°What do you mean, left?¡±


    Now that I looked for him, I really couldn¡¯t sense Ceion anywhere. I hadn¡¯t given that much thought. I couldn¡¯t sense Lei either, but I knew he was across the city. From the way Aston looked, I got the feeling Ceion didn¡¯t just go for a stroll through Saria.


    ¡°I assumed you knew,¡± he said with a small sigh, and bowed his head. ¡°I got a message from Mior about it, about three hours ago. Given that it seems they are going to watch over him, I didn¡¯t feel too concerned. Although ¡­¡± He frowned slightly. ¡°If they didn¡¯t tell you, there might have been more to it.¡±


    I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°Great. Did you see Ceion? How did he look?¡±


    ¡°Tightly wound, but to be frank, that¡¯s hardly unusual. He did seem to pack quite a number of weapons, though.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°So he¡¯s preparing to fight someone. Wait. If Mior¡¯s involved, I doubt he¡¯s just hunting down some old acquaintances from the templars.¡±


    Aston cursed softly. ¡°There¡¯s only one potential target of his that Mior would be interested in, or would want to use him for in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I agreed. ¡°The Auditor.¡±


    We looked at each other for a moment. Aston bowed his head apologetically, but I just turned around and strode from the balcony. I picked up speed as I hurried through the corridors of the mansion. It didn¡¯t seem like Mior had actually wanted to keep this from me, or they wouldn¡¯t have let Aston know.


    I could probably just sit this one out, but I really didn¡¯t want to. It wasn¡¯t just that I considered Ceion my responsibility or that I wanted to help Mior. I didn¡¯t just want them to stay safe, I wanted to know when they went after their target, to be there and see to it myself.


    It was time to go destroy a spirit.

 192: Loose ends

    <div>


    Unfortunately, finding Ceion and Mior wasn¡¯t as easy as I¡¯d hoped. I didn¡¯t actually know where they¡¯d gone, and my father was apparently too busy to give me directions. But I didn¡¯t let that stop me and set out from the city as quickly as I reasonably could.


    Aston accompanied me, of course, along with some guards. This time, I didn¡¯t take any of my companions with me. They all had things to do in Saria, and it was probably best not to drag them out.


    To be fair, I probably should have stayed, too, but my presence wasn¡¯t urgently needed anymore.


    We moved south, towards contested territory, though I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d actually reach any Zarian enclaves that might remain. If we did, I doubted anything there could stand up to Mior. Except possibly the Auditor. I wasn¡¯t very clear on the relative power levels of the spirits. Although it seemed like Mior and Isuro had been around the same level, and I didn¡¯t get the impression that the Auditor was stronger than the Pioneer; more like the opposite. Maybe.


    The countryside south of Saria was barren and cold. Soon, we flew above a thick coat of snow that covered the tundra and made every detail vanish into a sea of white. I assumed that the ground was permanently frozen and the vegetation never free of snow and ice for too long. It still had a unique, stark beauty to it. All things considered, I was glad this part of the Storm Continent was thinly inhabited, but under different circumstances I could see myself enjoying a vacation here. There were mountains even farther south that should make for fantastic skiing.


    Of course, my memories told me that wasn¡¯t really a thing in this world, except for a brief try by Mother to introduce it. I smiled at the memory, and at how quickly and clearly it had come. Mother had taken me and Al skiing when I was a kid, probably about Xiaodan¡¯s age now. When I thought back, I could remember the glint of the sun on the snow amid the towering vista of the Central Mountains, the sound of Al¡¯s laughs on the cold win.


    I raised a hand to my face and discovered it came away wet. Blinking, I rubbed my eyes dry with my sleeves and took a deep breath. I hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to really investigate my old memories, but they were there now. Perhaps not quite perfect, but a lot better than before. I could just think about something or happen upon a situation where I would naturally think back to a memory, and it would be recalled. I knew that really, memories were basically reconstructed in the act of remembering them, but that didn¡¯t make it feel any less amazing.


    I shook my head and refocused on my surroundings. I could have an emotional moment when we weren¡¯t out on a mission, preparing to possibly fight hostile cultivators or an even more hostile spirit. And we¡¯d already moved quite some distance. I was beginning to pick up what I thought might be hints of Mior¡¯s presence. The spirit hadn¡¯t tried to be subtle, and my intuition might have guided me in the right direction.


    After a while, Aston and the other guards slowed down. I blinked, wrenched from my thoughts, then looked up. There was an orange streak in the sky that quickly grew bigger. I tensed, prepared to call Fides into my hand, and only relaxed when it became clear that we weren¡¯t headed for trouble. At least not that kind of trouble.


    ¡°Honored ancestor,¡± I called up. ¡°Good to see you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mention that I¡¯d have preferred seeing the Red Phoenix at the battle. The spirit beast had gone with less fanfare than he came, beholden to no one and not much interested in the goals or designs of the Empire. But he was the main reason we¡¯d had no trouble from spirits beasts local to the area around Saria, so I wouldn¡¯t complain.


    The Phoenix winged down and took on his human shape as he landed. ¡®Little Light,¡¯ he replied, inclining his head. ¡®You are going after the comet?¡¯


    I blinked, then nodded. ¡®Yes. Do you know where Mior is? Or Ceion, the Auditor¡¯s son?¡¯


    ¡®I have some idea.¡¯ The Phoenix smiled slightly, an expression that showed a remarkable number of sharp teeth. ¡®I also have some idea of where the Auditor himself is. If you are searching for him, I would be happy to guide you.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, please.¡¯ I smiled at him.


    I could tell that my guards weren¡¯t entirely enthusiastic about this unexpected support. They appeared tenser than before as we set off again, and I caught a few of them eying the Red Phoenix¡¯s back. I didn¡¯t comment. After a while, he transformed back into his beast form and flew, although he kept low enough I could have jumped up and grabbed him easily. Not that I would do that.


    He led us roughly in the direction we¡¯d been going, though after a while we came upon a path barely more than a game trail that he had us follow, and it wound its way off it in a slight curve. I glanced around, trying to scan our surroundings for threats or any interesting characteristics, but I didn¡¯t find anything of note. The darkness didn¡¯t impede my vision, but the seemingly endless blanket of snow didn¡¯t help.


    Finally, after what might have been an hour, when we were well south of Saria and I could see the trees of another forest off in the distance, I started to sense familiar qi again. This time, I could make out more detail and noted Ceion¡¯s presence, as well, as we drew closer. His qi had a pretty distinct ¡®flavor¡¯ to it, as did most spirit children I¡¯d met. Either he wasn¡¯t trying to hide, or the qi I¡¯d laid over him was letting me bypass it.


    The flat plains started to rise and fall into low hills that gradually got higher as the terrain turned rougher and lumpier. I started to see an occasional bit of rock jutting up, and there were more scraggly bushes and trees, too. A few of them were remarkably free of snow and clearly contained some qi. Under different circumstances, we might have been able to find some valuable alchemy ingredients or perhaps even what people might consider a hidden treasure. At the moment, I only disliked that they stood out to my qi senses and might make me miss something else, if there was a subtle sign I might want to find.


    We moved slower and more cautiously from there, but I was still a little taken by surprise when I sensed another change. This one was much starker, and rapidly coming closer. I paused, focusing on my qi senses. Aston drew closer to me and I sensed him taking out his weapons.


    ¡°Looks like we found our target,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure he doesn¡¯t get away.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for Aston¡¯s response, but pulled my flying sword up and took off right away. I could sense what I was pretty sure was the Auditor¡¯s qi spread out over a relatively large area, but there was still a clear focal point. I didn¡¯t head for it directly, but instead swerved a little, moving in order to cut him off.


    My intuition was proven right a short time later when I caught something else on the edges of my qi senses, also approaching rapidly. After a moment, I realized that there were two people. Cycling a bit of qi to my eyes let me confirm their identities: Mior and Ceion were obviously chasing the Auditor.


    I took out my spear, letting Fides pulse with its qi threateningly. As I expected, the Auditor seemed to hesitate, his approach faltering. I smirked, then glanced at Aston, who stayed close beside me. My connection to Rijoko was thrumming softly in the background, and I couldn¡¯t quite tell if the sharper focus the world had taken on was just adrenaline or not.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Apparently, Mior didn¡¯t possess Ceion. They were still clearly separate and I couldn¡¯t sense a tether between Mior¡¯s ethereal figure and the spirit-child. I wondered why they had taken him along at all. Probably to locate the Auditor.


    The phoenix joined us, circling to my other side, and let out a ringing caw. It sounded vaguely mocking. I got the sense my ancestor didn¡¯t like the spirit at all. Maybe there was more to why he¡¯d decided to guide us here. Well, as long as he doesn¡¯t try to harm Ceion again, I don¡¯t mind if he¡¯s out for revenge.


    The Auditor clearly didn¡¯t like the power arrayed against him, but he didn¡¯t give in that easily. Instead, he drifted slowly to the side. I kept up and tried to look for anything he could potentially use against us. There was a structure on a low hill behind him. From this distance, I couldn¡¯t see much, but considering the location, it was probably some kind of temple complex. Mior and Ceion probably roused him from there. That was good, I¡¯d prefer to fight him in the open air.


    The two approached quickly. Before they were close enough to fight effectively, the Auditor launched at attack in my direction. He looked like a completely typical, forgettable cultivator, although his form was a little more immaterial than Mior¡¯s. But the power behind the technique was nothing to scoff at. It was a net of dark lines spreading around a center, that reminded me a little of my own favored darkness technique.


    I cut the qi I gave to my flying sword and let myself drop, sensing the technique pass by overhead. Aston had evaded to the side and responded quickly with a gust of air that almost seemed solid. It didn¡¯t slow the Auditor down much, but it did force him to stop the next technique he was forming.


    Then Mior arrived, and the Auditor¡¯s focus was drawn away from us. I watched, trying to find an opening, as the two powerful spirits clashed, their exchanges of qi almost too fast to follow. Then the Red Phoenix screeched again and barreled forward, launching a wave of fire at the Auditor and following it up with a flaming blade shooting out of his claws.


    I paused, then started moving off. Ceion saw me coming and looked like he wanted to evade, but I was too quick for him. Aston appeared close to him, and before he could try to wander off, I was there as well. The spirits kept fighting, but he had stopped far enough away from the clash that we weren¡¯t in immediate danger.


    ¡°Inaris,¡± he greeted me. ¡°Fancy running into you here.¡±


    ¡°Ceion. Why are you here?¡±


    His brows drew together in a frown that was probably supposed to seem quizzical. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be here? I think Mior at least is happy to have my help. Or are you upset that I left the city? I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s the case, but I was under the impression that I was not considered a security risk any longer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that, of course you¡¯re free to go if you want.¡±


    ¡°Then I fail to see the problem.¡± His jaw was set stubbornly.


    I looked at him for a moment and sighed. ¡°There¡¯s only one reason why Mior would want to do this,¡± I said, trying for a reasonably gentle tone. ¡°I assume they got you for tracking purposes. But they didn¡¯t hunt your father down to have tea and share stories.¡±


    Ceion returned my gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect they would. So?¡± He glanced at the fighting spirits. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re here, too.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do something you can¡¯t take back, Ceion.¡± I ran a hand through my hair. ¡°If this is what you want, fine, I¡¯m certainly not going to stop them. But at least let Mior do ¡­ you know.¡±


    Ceion folded his arms. ¡°Does that matter?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got enough to deal with without adding patricide to it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking from experience there, are you?¡± He snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not your little brother, Inaris.¡±


    I looked at him calmly. ¡°I know.¡±


    After a moment, he cleared his throat and looked down. ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°That was uncalled for. I know what you¡¯re getting at, and I appreciate the concern. But I think it¡¯s a bit of a moot point, anyway.¡±


    Together, we turned to watch the Auditor¡¯s fight. With a start, I realized it was almost over. If they were on their own, the Auditor might have been able to hold his own against Mior for a while. But with the help of the phoenix, not to mention the potshots by Aston and a few other guards, he was clearly reaching the end of his rope. I could almost see his qi waver and flicker, and Mior¡¯s aura dominated the scene of the fight more and more.


    I approached cautiously, while Aston stuck close to me and Ceion followed along. The Auditor glared at us, but he either didn¡¯t want to take the risk or didn¡¯t want to take his attention from his opponents, and didn¡¯t attack us.


    ¡®Any last words?¡¯ Mior asked, smugness practically written into their incorporeal expression.


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ There was more than a hint of anxiety in the Auditor¡¯s mental voice. ¡®I know we¡¯ve had our disagreements, but this is too much! Jideia will -¡¯


    ¡®Will what?¡¯ Mior interrupted him. ¡®Stop mitigating his losses and risk another confrontation for the sake of a minion who didn¡¯t even try to defend him when the time for it came?¡¯


    ¡®You don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve always been loyal.¡¯


    ¡®Well, I certainly don¡¯t understand,¡¯ the Red Phoenix said. ¡®But we all know you¡¯re at our mercy here. Can we hurry this along?¡¯


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ the Auditor protested again. This time, I could sense their focus shifting. ¡®Ceion, my son, will you really stand idly by?¡¯


    Ceion crossed his arms and said nothing. I figured he was maturing ¡ª the Ceion I first met would have responded with an angry rant at best.


    ¡®You still shouldn¡¯t kill me. I have information you want. Information that might help you, Imperial Princess.¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®Like what?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to just tell you now!¡¯


    ¡®Then I see no reason to believe you,¡¯ I countered. ¡®You¡¯re obviously saying anything that you think might help. Unless you have proof of your claims, I see no reason to even consider speaking on your behalf. Not that I probably would even then.¡¯


    The spirit was silent for a moment, glaring at everyone. He even seemed to gather more power for a last push, but Mior suppressed that with their own power, smothering whatever technique it might have been.


    ¡®Fine. You are friends with the Arialko children, aren¡¯t you? I hear they¡¯re very interested to learn how their father died. I happen to know everything about it.¡¯


    I narrowed my eyes. The Red Phoenix seemed to have the same thought, judging by the way his fiery aura flared brighter. ¡®That must mean you were responsible for it. You killed him!¡¯


    If he was human, I had a feeling the Auditor would have winced. ¡®No, I wasn¡¯t responsible for his death.¡¯


    ¡®You mean not directly responsible. Only indirectly,¡¯ Mior said, with clear distaste in their mental voice. Their metaphorical grip on him tightened. ¡®Who was it? And don¡¯t get started wanting to bargain, I can always make things worse for you.¡¯


    The Auditor seemed to struggle again for a moment, before he visibly sagged. ¡®Fine. Yes. Our people were watching him and it was decided he was too much of a risk. It was one of our best agents who actually killed him, from what would become the core of the temple fighters later. His name was Niordo.¡¯


    I had the impression that he glanced at Ceion, who sucked in air in a surprised breath. I resisted the urge to go to him. Ceion had never actually mentioned the age of his older half-brother, but he was clearly at least several decades older.


    ¡®He might actually have other valuable information,¡¯ I spoke up reluctantly. ¡®We could let him live.¡¯


    Mior¡¯s qi seemed to growl and the Red Phoenix spit another bit of fire. ¡®I would rather just kill him.¡¯


    ¡®Exactly,¡¯ Mior agreed.


    I sighed and folded my arms. We all looked at each other for a moment, the decision clear.


    Then Mior¡¯s qi swelled again. I saw Ceion turning away, but I couldn¡¯t help but watch. It seemed to engulf the Auditor¡¯s, until I wasn¡¯t sure where the person-shaped form in it was anymore, until Mior¡¯s qi was completely pervading that of the other spirit. Then it started to fade.


    I shook my head and sank downward with my flying sword, losing altitude quickly. Mior and the Red Phoenix remained behind for a bit, but Ceion copied me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was your half-brother,¡± I said. ¡°I know he wasn¡¯t exactly the best sibling, but Elis and Elia will want revenge. I hope this won¡¯t make things worse between you.¡±


    Ceion shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have tried to stop them. But it¡¯s moot, anyway.¡±


    I nodded. It was pretty clear that Niordo had abused him when he was a kid. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He gave me a sideways glance. ¡°He died at the end of the battle.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    We landed on the snowy ground in silence. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say. Should I express my condolences? That didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. I couldn¡¯t help but be relieved that things were apparently getting settled with Elis and Elia¡¯s quest.


    Although that brought up another point. As we started walking north, I cleared my throat. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you not to talk about it to the others right away, I should get them alone to break the news as soon as we get back.¡±


    Ceion shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯m going to talk to them.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Yes. I should be the one to tell them.¡±


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t say anything else. We continued to walk north, at speeds a car would have had trouble matching, in silence.

 193: Girlfriends and gifts

    I didn¡¯t get to see much of Elia and Elis after we returned, which I probably should have expected. Ceion was true to his word and went to talk to them. After that, from what I gathered, he sought out solitude, too.


    I was too busy to really worry about it, even if I had been so inclined. But I did take note when, a day later, I saw Elia and Elis in a sitting room that had become something of a base for our group. They both looked slightly disheveled, with their hair less than perfectly arranged and Elis¡¯ robe sporting a small tear while Elia had a smudge on her cheek. They waved at me, but didn¡¯t talk much.


    After a moment of indecision, I elected to leave them in peace. They both had more than enough to do, especially with the Basement, and if they wanted to talk to me, they could. I didn¡¯t really see Ceion, but I could sense that he was around, which was enough for me.


    Of course, I had more than just them to worry about. Tenira was a godsend, like usual, and the officers of the army also did their best and helped greatly. There was a lot to sort out, since we¡¯d captured not only another city, but the center of the Dominion¡¯s government. Such as it was and what was left of it. I expected things had been a little more orderly before the war, or before most of their upper leadership was gutted. It also seemed like someone might have taken a torch (or, more likely, a fire technique) to some of their files, since we found some government archives and offices little more than burned out ruins.


    Luckily, we didn¡¯t actually need much of them. We weren¡¯t trying to preserve and continue the existing administration. If anything, we were tearing down their government structures in order to rebuild our own. It helped that we¡¯d already been in control of most of the continent, except for the capital, and we could just build on what we already had.


    I was too occupied too see my companions much, but didn¡¯t mind it. I was deliberately hurrying so I could leave affairs here to other people and get back home, where I planned to get some relaxation in. They also seemed to be just as busy, and I didn¡¯t question why I didn¡¯t see much of them.


    Then, one afternoon, I walked down a side passage in the mansion, a walkway that seemed to be stuck halfway between a corridor in the building and a terraced walkway around an inner courtyard, when I sensed Tenira and Yarani. I smiled and sped up a little, intending to say hello quickly, before I continued on to my next appointment. Aston was keeping a discrete distance, and the guards on the roof and the perimeter were quiet. I crossed under the canopy of some trees and paused.


    Yarani and Tenira were standing quite close together in the shade of some trees forming a little alcove besides the wall. In fact, close enough together that their auras almost seemed to be bleeding into each other the slightest bit.


    They were kissing.


    I stared for a moment, then blinked and slowly approached. I would have backed away, but they¡¯d clearly sensed my presence. They stepped apart as if someone had struck them, but I noticed that Tenira kept a grip on Yarani¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hello, Nari,¡± Yarani said. She obviously tried to hide her awkwardness, but some of it still seeped through in her voice and the way she fidgeted a bit.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I grinned at them as I came closer. ¡°Don¡¯t stop on my account.¡±


    The two of them exchanged a glance. Tenira cleared her throat. ¡°So, um ¡­¡±


    ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± I asked, a little more quietly. The thought that they would have tried to hide this from me stung more than I wanted to admit.


    ¡°Just today,¡± Yarani answered with an awkward smile. It turned broader and warmer as she looked at Tenira. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have tried to keep it from you, it just ¡­ turned out this way.¡±


    ¡°In fact, we were going to go and talk to you right away,¡± Tenira added. She looked at me intently. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m happy for you. Ecstatic, even.¡± I winked at them, enjoying the slight blush they developed.


    If anything, I was a little annoyed with myself that this had caught me off-guard. I wasn¡¯t the most observant when it came to people around me, in most circumstances. Even then, I¡¯d been able to tell there was a tension between them. Hey, there¡¯s been some kind of tension almost since they first met. And considering I can¡¯t remember them fighting each other even once, this was probably to be expected.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t think so.¡± Yarani¡¯s smile had a self-satisfied tint as she looked at Tenira again. ¡°Your various relationships are already enough of a tangle that this shouldn¡¯t change much. We¡¯re just going to be a little closer, in a different way.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m always in favor of turning a love triangle into an actual triangle. Not that that¡¯s really what we had. You¡¯re serious about this, then?¡±


    Tenira and Yarani nodded. ¡°We are,¡± Tenira said calmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it for the longest time, but we already feel strongly for each other. I have every intention of making this into a serious relationship, hopefully a long and happy one.¡±


    ¡°Aww.¡± Yarani grinned at her. ¡°I feel the same way, darling.¡±


    Seeing her acting like this towards someone else was a little odd. Not that I minded. If it was anyone else, I definitely would, but I loved both of them deeply. A part of me was relieved that they¡¯d have something to bind them together, and that I wouldn¡¯t just be the ¡®center¡¯ everything revolved around. It¡¯s a little funny, but despite everything, I guess I¡¯ve never been completely comfortable with the idea of having a harem, I realized. That was why I always preferred to just see it as a poly relationship. Which it really is, anyway.


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    Then I shook myself free of those thoughts and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give you some privacy, then.¡± I glanced from one to the other. ¡°Try not to cause too big of a scandal.¡±


    The looks they shot me only made me smirk, but I quickly started walking again, heading away from my girlfriends.


    I shook my head softly at myself, then glanced around. This part of the estate was as good as deserted. I kept going, since I didn¡¯t want to be late for my meeting, but my mind wasn¡¯t on it.


    Slowly, a grin started to take hold on my face. I kept my qi senses curled in towards me and sped up, resisting the urge to whistle.


    <hr>


    I¡¯d never been so happy to see the mansion rising above the fields and forests beside the sparkling lake, under the blue, sunny sky of the Sky Continent. I¡¯d thought I felt happy to see it when I¡¯d gotten back to the Earth Continent, but compared to now, that had only been a passing sensation. Today, I felt myself almost physically sagging at the sight of the Empress¡¯ summer palace.


    The grass and trees were hidden under a faint carpet of snow, and the cold wind kept snatching at my hair even as the airship descended, but compared to the southern Storm Continent we¡¯d left behind, it felt pleasantly warm. We arrived at mid-morning, when the comparative cold of the night had just left.


    Of course, the increased levels of warmth and sunshine, or even the merciful decrease in paperwork and administrative work, weren¡¯t the only reasons I was looking forward to my stay. In fact, I barely managed to contain my impatience and wait for the airship to properly land and the guards to exit first.


    Then I jumped down, landing right in front of Xiaodan. I swept her into a hug immediately, and she wrapped her army tightly around me. We hugged so tightly I lifted her off the ground, but I walked forward a few steps, unbothered by her weight or the obstruction in my field of view. ¡°Hey, An, I¡¯m back.¡± I closed my eyes for a moment.


    We hugged for a long while, until Al apparently grew impatient of waiting and materialized at our side. Grinning, I let go of Little An and swept him into a hug, too. Ours was more restrained, but we held each other with even more force.


    Finally, I disentangled myself from my siblings and took a look around. Not much had changed in the roughly a year I¡¯d been gone. Except Little An, though I¡¯d seen how she looked like from talking to her in dreams. She was now a preteen who¡¯d be entering puberty in the not too distant future, and she was tall for her age. She seemed to look a lot more like Mother now. Or like Al, actually, especially with the glint in her eyes.


    ¡°So, you finally found your way back,¡± Al said, smiling.


    ¡°The Zarian were rather ungracious hosts and didn¡¯t want to let me go that quickly,¡± I responded, returning his smile. ¡°Terribly inconsiderate of them, really.¡±


    They laughed. ¡°If you say so, Elder Sister,¡± An said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been spending too much time with Al,¡± I complained, and got them to grin again.


    Then her expression softened, turned uncertain, and she looked more like a kid again. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying for a while, right?¡±


    I ruffled her hair and glanced at the estate buildings. ¡°Of course. As long as I can reasonably manage it. I¡¯ll need to return to the capital to discuss things with Kiyanu at length, eventually, but I¡¯ll stay with you as long as I can first.¡±


    Actually, I¡¯d simply gotten tired of it and decided that I would go see my siblings first, screw politics. After everything I¡¯d recently accomplished for the Empire, I was owed that much, at least.


    An looked pleased. She bit her lip and glanced up at me. ¡°When you do leave, may we please go with you? I know I probably won¡¯t be useful like Al, but ¡­¡± She hesitated.


    ¡°Of course you can!¡± I quickly assured her. ¡°I sent you here because I thought it would be better for you, and safer. Now we don¡¯t have to worry about assassins sent by the Storm, and the guards can handle everything else. If you¡¯d rather be back at the palace, that¡¯s perfectly fine. To be honest, I¡¯d rather have the two of you with me, too.¡±


    Her smile was worth every bit of the grumbling I expected from the guards. But the way she¡¯d looked still stayed in my thoughts and tugged at my heartstrings. Our relationship was still strong, but scratched. We needed to repair it, and it was probably one of those things that were best healed with time, by spending time with each other.


    After a minute of further reunions, we headed inside with my companions. Elis was looking around everywhere, while Ceion had preferred to go on to the capital directly.


    I found myself with my younger siblings again, although this time, Tenira and Kajare joined us. We sat down on some plush couches in a sitting room, watching the others disperse to various entertainment options.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re happy to get back to a little luxury,¡± Al commented.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d miss having regular meals available so much. But mostly, I¡¯m looking forward to a bit of free time.¡± I leaned back and let some of the tension flow out of me. ¡°We missed my birthday, but I think I¡¯m entitled to celebrate it belatedly.¡±


    Thus reminded, they quickly offered their congratulations, and I smiled. I was twenty-one now, officially. A full adult in every way that mattered, and close to the age I¡¯d been when I transmigrated. It felt like half a lifetime ago sometimes.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± I said. ¡°I brought you guys something back from the south.¡±


    That made An sit up straighter with undisguised eagerness, and even Tenira and Kajare looked interested. They hadn¡¯t noticed me gathering presents.


    After a second to drag out the anticipation, I pulled a sword from my storage ring and presented it to Al. ¡°This belonged to the last Security Director of the Dominion,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s heavily enchanted, forged from Fire Continent materials, and excellent for channeling darkness affinity qi techniques.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡± Al¡¯s eyes were wide as he took it almost reverently. ¡°This is ¡­¡±


    ¡°A war trophy,¡± I finished seriously. ¡°Be careful with it and handle it with respect. Having you be seen with it is a message in itself, even if that¡¯s not why I¡¯m giving it to you. But I think you can handle it. You need a good weapon that¡¯ll accompany you to the higher stages, anyway.¡± I hoped that he wouldn¡¯t have to fight much, of course, but I knew better than to rely on that.


    Al nodded. ¡°I will,¡± he promised. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then I turned to Xiaodan and got my next gift from my storage ring. I handed it to her and watched as she looked at it curiously. It was a thin golden chain with a white stone mounted in a fitting.


    ¡°This is a memory jade which I filled with images from the South,¡± I explained. ¡°I also recorded some poems into it, in both Zarian and Common, and even a bit of music. I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    I knew I¡¯d made the right decision when I saw An¡¯s smile. To most cultivators, it would be disappointing compared to what I¡¯d given Al. But she clearly understood that I¡¯d put thought and effort into it. It was a personal gift, not some random ¡®treasure¡¯ or cultivation manual she could get from the palace¡¯s archives anyway.


    ¡°Thank you, Big Sister,¡± she said, pulling the necklace over her head right away. She hesitated for a moment, then hugged me, although it was a little awkward since we were sitting down together.


    I grinned in response, glancing around the room and taking a moment to bask in the warm atmosphere of being among friends and family.


    My gaze came to rest on Elis. When our eyes met, he raised a hand slightly and gave me a grin. Then he turned back to talk to Elia, who glanced at me with a raised eyebrow before she seemed to refocus on their conversation.


    Yeah, I reflected, it was good to be back.

 194: Continuation

    ¡°I would offer you congratulations, but I¡¯m sure you must be sick of hearing them by now,¡± Kiyanu said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, a little praise is always nice. Or almost always.¡± I grinned.


    It felt a little weird to be sitting in his office in the Imperial palace again and notice that nothing had changed. Not that I¡¯d been gone that long, especially from the viewpoint of an old cultivator like the regent, but we¡¯d conquered the Dominion and I¡¯d finally neutralized the threat Sparky posed to me in the meantime.


    ¡°Is that why you finally moved on to the palace?¡± He raised an eyebrow, and if I didn¡¯t know him better, I might have missed the spark of humor in his eyes. ¡°Quite a few people here were a little miffed that you didn¡¯t return to the capital immediately, especially since you also won¡¯t have a triumphant ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Maybe I¡¯ll have a triumph when the war is completely over.¡±


    It almost was. The army had moved into the southern tip of the Storm Continent, which I¡¯d consider to be completely conquered by now. But there was still fighting in a few other continents, where the Dominion had had colonies. A lot of that was borne by our Terbekteri allies, who, not coincidentally, were also sweeping up some of those former colonies, but I wouldn¡¯t complain about them contributing.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± Kiyanu chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have you back, in any case.¡±


    I¡¯d stayed at the estate with Al and the others for a bit over a week. In truth, I still felt the toll the war had taken, and I would have liked a few months of time away. But even so, I already felt a lot better. I wasn¡¯t haunted by nightmares or other symptoms of PTSD, but some time spent with loved ones and not under constant subtle threat was great.


    ¡°I think Tenira is getting impatient about the wedding,¡± I said with a small grin. ¡°Not that I could blame her, we¡¯ve already waited for a while. I hope there are no problems with it?¡±


    Kiyanu snorted lightly. ¡°Actually, it might be best to strike while the ingot is fresh from the forge. At the moment, you could probably marry a random female street beggar and no one would complain. That doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll like it any more, of course, but that¡¯s their problem. And it¡¯s not like something like this is completely unknown everywhere.¡± He gazed out of the window. ¡°I actually had an aunt who was living with another woman. Spirits, I haven¡¯t thought about them in decades.¡±


    I nodded and filed that information away as interesting trivia but probably useless.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not sure if asking this is rude, but is Ki Niyani actually related to you?¡±


    Kiyanu smiled slightly. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my great-great-great-granddaughter, as a matter of fact, although she¡¯s never been my direct disciple.¡±


    Interesting. I hadn¡¯t found any note of a relation to the clan claiming descent from Kiyanu on the Forest Continent, so she or her ancestor had probably been born as a bastard or something. It definitely explained why she¡¯d been acting in his interests on the war front. And probably kept an eye on me for him, but I¡¯d taken it as a given that the eighth-stagers would be watching me for their own reasons. Also, it¡¯s really weird just how old Kiyanu really is.


    ¡°Is there anything else we need to talk about?¡± I asked.


    Kiyanu chuckled. ¡°Oh, quite a few things, I¡¯d say. But there¡¯s no need to go into everything right now. I can give you some time to get settled in. We should probably schedule a meeting with Gen, too.¡±


    I grimaced a little, but nodded. I hadn¡¯t forgotten my promise to start learning more about governance and such from him, either. ¡°Alright. Then, can you just give me an overview? How¡¯s the economic situation?¡±


    Kiyanu tapped his fingers on the desk briefly. ¡°Complicated,¡± he answered. ¡°How could it not be? But in brief, we¡¯re shifting production away from war-related needs. We¡¯ll still need quite a bit of it going forward, especially with the need to keep the Dominion under occupation, but this is still freeing up some material and labor. We¡¯ve started establishing or reactivating some factories to build certain other things. A lot of new companies are springing up in response to this, and Gen and his people are hard at work drafting new regulations.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°We should finally be able to complete the telephone lines.¡±


    Kiyanu returned my smile. ¡°Yes, hopefully that will continue to go smoothly. The noble clans are also in a bit of a tizzy, but that hasn¡¯t stopped since the coup attempt. I don¡¯t anticipate any real problems from them.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°The greatest challenge will be integrating the newly gained territories. I¡¯m hopeful for our prospects, though. None of the areas were damaged too terribly in the war, and the Zarian at least ensured they had a halfway decent level of development. There will be some problems, but more of our soldiers should be able to return to domestic duties soon.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good. We¡¯ll need to make sure to integrate all of the people of these lands, and not have any group feeling left out. At least the Empire should have experience with that, right?¡±


    Kiyanu smiled slightly and shook his head. ¡°It does. Not for a while, of course, but there are protocols we can build on. Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of seeing this be mismanaged.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°And we will have some time to focus on it, too. The way things went down between you, the Moon, and the Storm has probably caught people¡¯s attention. I suspect that powerful enough spirits would have told the leadership of most nations something, at least. So far, no one seems intent on testing us.¡±


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    I frowned a little. That was probably a good thing. I didn¡¯t think Rijoko would support me in a random, run-of-the-mill war, especially if we were the aggressors. But not all of the benefits I could bring to bear because of his bloodline needed him. With Rijoko¡¯s major opposition defeated and on the retreat, at least for a while, I could understand why people wouldn¡¯t want to test it.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I finally said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rely on something this fickle. But if we have some time, we¡¯ll probably develop so far that they pose less threat to us, anyway.¡±


    Kiyanu cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Your intentions for the future haven¡¯t changed, I see.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go looking for trouble, Kiyanu. To some extent, this is inevitable, a consequence of our technological progress and what comes with it. I know the way technological superiority informs global power. And if there are certain things I¡¯d rather not have continue on Aran ¡ª or certain things I would like to see widespread ¡ª well, I promise I¡¯ll try to be careful.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    From there, our conversation turned to slightly lighter subjects, and we recapped the end of the war and where we stood, respectively. After a few more minutes, I bid Kiyanu goodbye and left his office, still mulling these things over in my head.


    I stepped onto a balcony and jumped down onto the courtyard below. A few people gave me startled looks, but it was pretty empty. I glanced around, then started walking towards the areas higher up. The upper terraces usually saw less people compared to the lower regions of the palace complex.


    I breathed in deeply, tasting the hint of spring in the air. There was still a thin covering of snow on the grounds, but most of it was in the process of melting. It made the side paths slippery, but I didn¡¯t have to worry about that. With the robe I currently wore, growing my wings might be expensive, but I hardly needed them.


    I ended up at a secluded garden on one of the uppermost terraces of the palace, slowly ambling through the beds of flowers and bushes. I felt the familiar presence growing nearer and didn¡¯t give any signs of surprise when Elis called out to me.


    ¡°Inaris! You look more like a princess every time I see you.¡±


    I smiled as I stepped closer to him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s supposed to be a compliment or not.¡± Then I ran my eyes over his own body, pointedly taking in the well-tailored dark green clothes. ¡°And you¡¯re looking quite posh yourself.¡±


    ¡°Like it?¡± He smiled and leaned against the fountain in the middle of the garden. Formations kept the water flowing even in winter.


    I tilted my head. ¡°Not bad,¡± I acknowledged. ¡°But I think I prefer you with windswept hair and slightly rumpled or torn clothes. You know, the ¡®dashing rogue¡¯ look.¡±


    Elis laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll endeavor to look as dashing as I can even in formal clothing, then. You¡¯re welcome to tousle my hair yourself.¡±


    I grinned and leaned against the stone beside him. Eying his thick, brown hair, I was tempted for a moment to run my fingers through it. He¡¯d let it grow out a little since I first saw him, so it reached down to about his ears. Of course, being a shapeshifter, he could easily change that if he wanted to.


    ¡°Maybe later. Now that I¡¯ve seen you again, there¡¯s something else I should take care of before I forget.¡±


    I reached into my storage ring and produced a document in an envelope, which I held out to Elis. He raised an eyebrow and took it. Then he carefully opened it and started reading through the paper.


    I heard him suck in a surprised breath. ¡°Inaris, is that ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Our forces on the Earth Continent have all but pushed the Zarian out,¡± I said. ¡°That includes all the land they had previously occupied. I thought it was about time to give you back your family¡¯s land, so I had that drawn up. There¡¯s the legal proof of ownership and deed, with all the legalities taken care of.¡±


    He lowered the document and looked at me. ¡°This is a little more than just that.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Some of the surrounding land was left without owners, so we decided to just tack it on.¡± I grinned at him. ¡°This is actually for you and Elia both, of course, but I thought I¡¯d give it to you. As the eldest son, I assume you would have inherited it anyway, right?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Regardless of my gender, but yes. Still.¡± He frowned a little. ¡°That¡¯s my mother¡¯s family¡¯s estate. It¡¯s technically hers.¡±


    Huh. I¡¯d assumed the land and title were originally their father¡¯s. Teaches me to make assumptions, I guess. ¡°I suppose,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re free to hand the deed to her when you meet her again, though honestly, I don¡¯t think it makes much of a difference.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see the rest of my family again, anyway.¡± His gaze turned darker.


    I took his arm and gave it a small squeeze. ¡°With the war over, I suspect that Elia will want to return to the Earth Continent and find them. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard for either of you, but you¡¯ll have the Empire¡¯s help if there are any issues.¡±


    Elis smiled softly and turned to take my other hand. ¡°Thank you, Nari.¡±


    I remained quiet for a few seconds. Then I gave in to temptation and ran a hand through Elis¡¯ hair. ¡°You know,¡± I said, ¡°I never asked you what you see when you look at me.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean what I see in you?¡± He frowned.


    ¡°No, not that,¡± I said. ¡°Although feel free to compliment me later. No, I meant your bloodline abilities.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± He chuckled. ¡°Well, mine aren¡¯t quite as well suited to that as Elia¡¯s, to tell the truth. We both know when someone is lying, but when it comes to the rest, I¡¯m not as good. Alright, let me see.¡± He tilted his head and squinted slightly. ¡°Well, I see that I¡¯d rather not be your enemy, to be honest.¡±


    I snorted and lightly punched his arm. ¡°Elis! Come on, tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± His expression turned serious. ¡°I suspect that even Elia would see you as less, uh, righteous now, Inaris. After everything that¡¯s happened, that¡¯s not a surprise. But you¡¯re still generally just. I can tell that much. You¡¯re also setting new standards for your people, and while I approve of that, it muddles things a little.¡±


    I nodded. I probably should have expected something like that.


    ¡°I can also see that you¡¯re generally an honest person,¡± he continued. ¡°Not that I would have needed a spirit¡¯s bloodline to know that; I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever caught you lying in your personal life. You¡¯re quite self-aware and true to yourself, at least in most respects. And your emotional processing and moral judgment are unlike most people I¡¯ve seen. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡±


    I leaned against him and stayed silent for a while, thinking about what he¡¯d said. None of that was really much of a surprise. The bit about ¡®righteousness¡¯ bothered me a little, although I could see why it would be like that. I didn¡¯t know how much his perception of me was influenced by his personal opinion and experience, either.


    ¡°Do you want the compliments now?¡± he askedin a playful tone. ¡°Or maybe you can tell me what you see in me, instead?¡±


    ¡°Maybe later.¡± I pulled him closer to me. ¡°For now, I¡¯d rather take advantage of this moment to ourselves we¡¯ve suddenly got.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°We can always talk more later,¡± he agreed.


    Then he pulled my head to his and I captured his lips with mine, starting a passionate kiss. The wait had been worth it.

 195: Endings

    Tenira had told me not to duck out for too long, and of course I¡¯d listen to her, today of all days. But I needed at least a small breather. Finding myself alone for the first time in what seemed like ages, I already felt myself relax as some of my tension left.


    I smiled as I looked out at the spectacular view spread out before me. I¡¯d just landed on a small outcropping of the Central Mountains to the east. It was outside the palace grounds, though not by much, but it offered a spectacular view of the palace, the city and even the Central Plains stretching out to the horizon. And when I turned around, I got an equally spectacular view of the mountains themselves.


    Despite all the stress and bustle, I had rarely kept the smile off my face all day. Even now, it widened as I looked down at my hand, although we hadn¡¯t actually exchanged rings, and thought about the ceremony.


    There¡¯d been a mixture of old Sea People and classical Imperial traditions, with a few touches from our respective soul journey lives. I still wore the red wedding dress. A different one than the dress from my wedding to Kajare, not that there would have been anything wrong with that, but Tenira had arranged for it. The banquet after Mior pronounced us wife and wife had lasted for hours, and was probably still ongoing.


    I started walking, just to stretch my legs a little, and breathed the cool mountain air in deeply. Spring had already come to the valley, though up here the winter still lingered, and the caps of snow on the mountain tops still extended pretty far down. But I saw fresh grass and the occasional flower poking out of the ground here. Maybe I should pick a few wildflowers and bring them back to Tenira? Then again, she¡¯d have to find it very romantic to make up for me leaving her alone with the guests for that long.


    The palace was probably the busiest I¡¯d ever seen it. Dignitaries had arrived from many neighboring countries, as well as all sorts of nobility and important people from the Empire itself. Kariva had been so busy in the last few days that I barely got to see her.


    The whole situation with me and Tenira¡¯s parents had been a little awkward. After all, I was the head of the clan and thus their superior. I also got the feeling they didn¡¯t entirely approve of their daughter marrying another woman, though they were thrilled it was the heir to the throne.


    I really needed to invite Yarani¡¯s parents one of these days. At least I didn¡¯t need to worry about Kajare¡¯s family. Still, even with all of that, I felt more at peace and even elated than I had in years. Small points of friction notwithstanding, it was a happy day.


    I glanced up at the mountain and thought back to the wedding ceremony, my smile fading. After we¡¯d lit incense sticks and honored our ancestors and families, and Mior had bound our right hands together with a length of sailcloth, had come the wedding vows. Unbidden, my memory replayed a part of it, Tenira¡¯s voice swearing ¡°¡­ to cherish, honor, and obey her ¡­ as my spouse before spirits and men¡±.


    I sighed to myself and shook my head, glancing up at the mountain peaks again. I¡¯d disliked the idea from the beginning, but Tenira had insisted on using the traditional formulation. I couldn¡¯t have argued it. She was the one with the better instincts and skill regarding how things would be received, and how best to play to the people. Not that I thought that was all there was to it. If she¡¯d been uncomfortable with that, she wouldn¡¯t have made such a vow. I knew she took it seriously.


    Well, I was still being a little ridiculous. I chuckled to myself and turned around. I¡¯d finally married the woman I loved, we were both also with the other woman I loved, and I still had the man I loved. Could life get any better?


    But instead of heading back right away, I still paused, simply looking down at the buildings spread out below. It was already evening, and the sun must have almost sunk beneath the horizon by now. The capital was alive with thousands of lights, more than earning its name. It was a breathtaking sight from up here. Millions of people and their livelihoods, their aspirations and setbacks.


    These were the people I¡¯d fought the war for. Won the war for. Very few of them had been directly touched by it. Even on the Zarian side, civilian casualties were far below a modern war, far less something like World War Two. Societies dominated by cultivators did have some side benefits. But they¡¯d all been touched by it regardless. Now the factories were converting themselves to turn out different products, and people started new ventures. There were still more factory buildings close to the city than the last time I¡¯d seen it, although less of them were pumping smog into the atmosphere.


    I sensed a familiar presence approaching. Folding my arms, I waited and kept looking down at the city until he was close enough.


    ¡°Admiring your domain?¡±


    ¡°You know very well it¡¯s not that, Al,¡± I replied, also in English, turning to look at him and seeing his grin.


    Al was hovering in the air on a flying sword, which he handled remarkably well considering he wasn¡¯t yet in the fourth stage. Our guards were farther away, almost on the edge of my senses, giving us privacy. I still felt the presence of Rijoko in the back of my mind, distantly, not giving me much of his attention.


    ¡°I decided to take a break and get myself a moment to clear my head,¡± Al said as he set down. He walked up to stand beside me, sharing the view of the palace and city. ¡°And lo and behold, Tenira grabbed me to pass you a message.¡± He grinned. ¡°She says you can stay away for a little while longer, if you want.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, but smiled. They both knew me pretty well. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Apparently she wants you to be relaxed and not grumpy for the closing festivities. If you ask me, I think she actually just wants you out of the spotlight for a while to get people to back off. It¡¯s not been that bad,¡± he hastened to add, ¡°but you know how it is.¡±


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    I nodded. People had swarmed me like hungry piranhas with a little less bloodlust. This was the first opportunity many had had since the war, of course. ¡°I know every royal wants to be popular, but I can¡¯t help but think I may have gotten too much of a good thing.¡±


    Al laughed. ¡°First world problems, right? Except in this case, clearly second world problems. Don¡¯t you just love it when people love you?¡±


    I gave an exaggerated groan. ¡°I¡¯ve always said excessive idolization of anything or anyone is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just the nationalists who¡¯re getting in on it. I just heard a few servants using your new epithet. Inaris the Conqueror, I mean. Metal, right?¡±


    I rubbed the bridge of my nose, deciding not to respond to his teasing.


    ¡°I mean, I think it¡¯s cool¡±, Al continued. He was still grinning. ¡°They¡¯ll call you Inaris the Great eventually, just you watch. You¡¯d prefer that, right? Although I guess you wouldn¡¯t like that while you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    ¡°It would be a little gauche while I¡¯m still alive,¡± I agreed, shaking my head. ¡°I think I prefer the old names. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to keep a straight face for this one. It sounds like some wannabe viking.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just uncomfortable because good little Western humanists aren¡¯t supposed to conquer anyone,¡± he countered.


    I pulled a face, but I didn¡¯t have a good retort. He wasn¡¯t wrong, after all.


    ¡°I did the right thing, didn¡¯t I, Al?¡± I asked quietly.


    It startled me that I hadn¡¯t asked that question sooner, and yet felt his answer was extremely important. It was probably because, of anyone else I might ask for their opinion, he was the one with a similar background, the one familiar with Earth takes on ethics.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± he answered, a serious look on his face now. ¡°And I know that you¡¯ll keep doing that, too.¡±


    I smiled gratefully. It warmed my heart to see him this supportive. Although I didn¡¯t really need it, in the end. I still was and would always be Tori, but now I was living the life of Inaris of the Leri, and it was this world my focus belonged to.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m off, before this gets any more sappy.¡± He hopped back onto his flying sword and gave me another grin. ¡°Try not to stay away for too long, Nari. I know you don¡¯t have a normal wedding night to look forward to, but I wouldn¡¯t start a centuries-long marriage off with being late.¡±


    I waved at him as he took off, looking after him for a moment. Something about what he¡¯d said stuck with me. I had centuries with Tenira. With all of them, really. The thought was still a little odd, but less so than before. I¡¯d marry Yarani, too, in good time, maybe in a year or two. And then, maybe a few years later, we might start having children. I could help Kajare get the success and recognition he deserved. And, of course, once Al started to bring someone home, I could pay back all of this teasing.


    The thought made me grin. I stayed there, glancing at the palace. I was still in a contemplate mood and didn¡¯t really want to go home yet. Instead, I sat down and tilted my head back, staring up at the stars. It was a nice night.


    A half-moon hung in the sky, sending its light down. This close to the city, I didn¡¯t see as many stars as sometimes on the campaign trail in the south, but I was still far enough from the palace to get a good view. I breathed in deeply and pulled in some qi. It came easily, light and darkness swirling into me and joining the spiraling rush in my core.


    I closed my eyes, letting the night lull me into a calmer state and following the qi I was cultivating. After a while, I took my focus from that, too, and instead took a step deeper into my own mind.


    I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what I was looking for here, if anything, but I found the changes I discovered interesting. I hadn¡¯t had much time to examine my defenses after the battle, but Jideia¡¯s visit had clearly left the visualization changed. Of course, our struggle had damaged them, and while it seemed it had repaired itself some on its own - or maybe it would be better to say my subconscious mind had repaired it - that didn¡¯t restore everything to how it had been.


    It knew trying to recreate that would be a fool¡¯s errand, if not impossible. Instead, I focused on the idea of it, what I wanted to accomplish. It took an effort of will, but I was used to that by now. I sensed and saw in my mind how the surreal labyrinth around my thoughts expanded and filled itself with more material. It ended up pretty nice, even a little more labyrinthine than before.


    After that, I dived a bit deeper into my mind. After a moment of consideration, I tried to recreate the place I¡¯d taken Stormy to. It wasn¡¯t a normal part of my defenses that I needed to rebuild, but I was still curious. There was something I¡¯d found here, a hint of something else, something I suspected might be buried in my mind. Or maybe not my mind, actually, but ¡­ something. Maybe it had taken a Greater Spirit¡¯s presence to bring it out.


    I focused on my visualization and put myself into a form in the middle of it. A quick check showed that I looked the same as last time.


    This time, I kept the scene around me nebulous. No details stood out, and they would only become clear if I focused on them. I strolled around for a few meters, but it didn¡¯t really change anything.


    Then I took another step into a stone-paved yard beside a garden that resembled the one I¡¯d sort of been to earlier. I stared around myself for a moment, then sat down. All this was only set dressing, really. I didn¡¯t see what I had before.


    I sighed and closed my eyes. Then I thought back to it, trying to remember every detail I could. What I¡¯d seen didn¡¯t really matter, so much as what I¡¯d sensed. I dived deep into not just my qi, but my mind. Which was a little strange considering I was currently sitting in the middle of it, but whatever. It helped that I still felt my connection to Rijoko clearly. That gave me the equivalent of a navigation beacon.


    Darkness and light swirled around me. Dim and blurred shapes twisted, low sounds faded into discordant, far-off music, and I felt hot and cold shivers. All of that was overlayed by a sensation even harder to describe, something I just couldn¡¯t quite put my fingers on.


    But eventually, after falling through myself for a second that stretched out uncomfortably into a timeless instant, I felt something. It was markedly different from the hint I¡¯d caught before. Not just stronger, but like the difference between feeling out the paint brushed on a canvas in a dark cave and laying eyes on the painting in the sunlight outside.


    I opened my eyes. Before me, close and yet so far away, stood a figure. An entity in a human shape.


    For another timeless yet short moment, we faced each other. My visualization shattered around me, and a cold shiver gripped me.


    I gasped and rolled over. I saw little more than a silhouette in gray, a hood pulled over their head. I shivered violently, only realizing after a moment that I was lying on the grass. It took a few moments until the swirling light and darkness around me resolved into a proper view of the mountainside.


    An entity beyond Aran. It has to be. I suspected before, but this ¡­ Was that who cursed Inera? The source of the soul journeys? I stood up and pulled my flying sword from my storage ring. While I climbed on it, I clenched my fingers into the sleeves of my robes. I pushed some qi into it and rose into the air, moving off back towards the palace and my wedding party.


    I blinked, glancing at the sky one more time. I had trouble coming to grips with the realization. There was one thing I had seen. One detail that had sprung out for me. Beneath the hood, in the shadowed face I hadn¡¯t managed to make out, there¡¯d been a pair of eyes.


    Gray eyes, eyes I saw in the mirror every day.

 Epilogue

    ¡­ Most consider the end of the Great Zarian War, signified by the Sacking of Lialcil, to be the turning point of this time. I would respectfully disagree and instead point to the wedding of Princess Inaris and Princess Tenira. At that time, the war was already effectively over, as evinced by Their Highnesses¡¯ return to the Empire proper from the southern warfront. The wedding itself thus not only heralded and signified the Empire¡¯s victory and ascension, it also constituted an important social event, which offered many prominent people the chance to converse for perhaps the first time, and even caused quite a few cultural misunderstandings and friction.


    For an outsider, it might perhaps be hard to understand how such a short war, which scarcely lasted a few years, could be so drastic and meaningful for the Empire of the Sky that its end resulted in significant commotion and friction in its society. Yet this war fell into a time of turbulent, fast, and far-reaching changes in the Empire¡¯s technological and social infrastructure. The Great Zarian War not only pushed new technology forward at a breakneck speed, it also catapulted the establishment of factories and mass production to wide-spread importance. The end of the war hardly caused these to disappear, but the demand for produced goods shifted quickly. Coupled with the unrest of the Strife of Ten Lords and Two Kings, it is a wonder that the disruption was not worse.


    It is important to understand this in order to comprehend how the Imperial Princess acted and was regarded in the old Empire. Inaris the Great, who was then commonly called Inaris the Conqueror or the New Phoenix, was in one way or another responsible for most if not all of these circumstances. Although it is easy to see the connection between the war, the Empire¡¯s conquests, and the profound changes of this time, few if any Imperials were displeased with it.


    The Zarian had been a looming threat to the Empire¡¯s south for a long time. Although I would contend that few people wanted to seriously acknowledge it, the effects of rising tensions and the threat of war could be felt in the years before their eventual attack. The Empire had enjoyed a long time of peace and had perhaps grown complacent, but distrust and dislike of their southern neighbors were deeply entrenched. One need only look at many literature and theater pieces of the time to see this. Often linked to the Zarieni raiders that occasionally plagued the south, the Zarian and their Dominion were enemies mothers might use to scare their children into behaving. They had been such for many generations.


    And now this ancestral enemy was vanquished. This by itself would have caused a stir in Imperial culture. Princess Inaris, who was given most of the credit in the eyes of the common people, saw her already great popularity rise to even greater heights. While the war was technically fought under Regent Kiyanu¡¯s auspices, he never did receive very much credit for it, despite his work to enable and support the Imperial war machine.


    In many ways, the years after the war were a period of calming down and solidifying the accomplishments that had been reached. The greatest changes were, of course, experienced by the southern territories, which now had to be integrated into the Empire. This long and fraught process and its occasional headaches are covered sufficiently elsewhere. Several of my colleagues contend that the success of this effort is a more impressive accomplishment than a victory in war could ever be. I shall let the discerning reader draw their own conclusions, though I personally am not inclined to argue this point.


    On the international stage, the Empire of the Sky had reached uncontested preeminence. Never before since the start of the Age of Colonization had a nation gained this much power compared to its neighbors. The Empire was now the largest country on Aran in terms of population, territory, and economical might, and while its military superiority might not have been accepted as easily by other nations, few of them wanted to test it. As the reader will well know, by the time other nations banded together for that purpose, they were too late.


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    After the wedding, the Imperial Princess herself rarely appeared in public. Indications are that she withdrew to focus on her private life and family to a greater extent, as well as working on her technical projects. With the singular exception of her wedding to Princess Yarani, which was of course also a grand public event, she avoided public spectacle.


    Still, many of the inventions appearing in the years after the Great Zarian War bear her personal signature. There can be little doubt that the introduction of the camera, or the rapid progress in information technology, are due to her. Simultaneously, many new universities were founded and research into the sciences and the natural world achieved one noteworthy accomplishment after another, expanding the knowledge available to the people of the Empire greatly. These are well-known to be the Princess¡¯ personal project, as well, and her obvious favor spurred many of the new Institutes.


    Despite the new communications technologies, the Imperial family continued to value their privacy highly. They attempted to keep out of the public eye, and even the birth of her first child still ¡ª


    ¡°What are you reading?¡±


    Startled, I closed the book and looked up. When I met Tenira¡¯s gaze, I smiled. I was sitting on one of the upper terraces of the palace, enjoying a nice summer day. Apparently, I¡¯d been too absorbed in my reading to notice her approach.


    ¡°¡¯The Rise of Inaris the Great: Being an account and commentary of her early years¡¯, by Aiki Lis, University of Riacis Press, 29 C.E.,¡± I recited in a dry tone.


    Tenira chuckled. ¡°Oh, really? That might seem a little pretentious, reading a treatise about your own accomplishments. Don¡¯t you get enough adoration in your daily life?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want to know how people think of you. Besides, I find it pretty amusing.¡±


    She smiled and came closer. ¡°So, is it any good?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it is a little pretentious. The way she talks about it, you¡¯d think this all happened centuries ago,¡± I complained. ¡°And by cultivator standards, even my early years have barely begun.¡±


    Tenira shook her head, still smiling, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Just then, the sound of laughter drifted on the wind towards us, and I glanced at the lower courtyard. The younger kids were playing there, and I¡¯d happened to choose a spot where I could see them clearly.


    ¡°I get the feeling our little boy is still trying too hard to prove himself,¡± Tenira commented quietly.


    I watched for a moment as Rikilo tackled his older sister Acalis, who was barely moved by it. ¡°He¡¯ll manage,¡± I said confidently. ¡°And soon.¡± I turned to Tenira and smiled. ¡°Our son is too much like you to let anything hold him back for long.¡±


    She shook her head, but smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m still a little in awe that I have a child sometimes, when I think about it,¡± she said. ¡°I never would have thought so when I was younger.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Well, I never thought I would have five children,¡± I replied. ¡°Sometimes life just goes and does its own thing. At least they all grow up with loving parents.¡±


    ¡°And so many of them,¡± Tenira said, chuckling a little. She gave me a warm smile.


    Even after all the years we¡¯d been together, the love shining out of her eyes still made my heart skip a beat and my throat tighten. I carelessly put the book on a side table and turned to take her hand in mine.


    ¡°At least Tarilo is happy to have a little brother,¡± Tenira said. ¡°And it¡¯s not like we can get Iniris out of the lab with anything less than him or her littlest sister.¡±


    I grinned. My oldest - whose name I¡¯d let Yarani choose, unfortunately - was a lot like me. She was just able to spend more time in the lab and pursue her passion for science than I¡¯d been able to, and there was no one to demand that she had to be crown princess and pressure her with it.


    ¡°I wonder what bloodline abilities they¡¯ll show?¡± I mused. ¡°Besides shapeshifting, obviously.¡±


    ¡°No way to know, and you¡¯re right not to pressure them about it.¡±


    I hummed in agreement, then stood up and put my arm around her waist. We fell silent and continued watching the kids. There was no more laughter, but they all appeared to have fun.


    I had a small smile on my face, but didn¡¯t bother to suppress it. It was a good day. With my family, most of them were.